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<ul class="summary-list"><li>Pro-Palestinian protesters accosted Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez outside a cinema in Brooklyn.</li><li>They demanded that she call Israel's war against Hamas in Gaza a "genocide." </li></ul>Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez had just left the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Brooklyn with her fiancé earlier this week when she was accosted by a group of Pro-Palestinian protesters.Their accusation? She was not taking a hard enough line on the Israel-Palestine conflict."You refuse to call it a genocide. You're not actively against it. Say it's a genocide." the protesters shouted."Over 30,000 people have died. Just say the word. That's all we want you to say," they went on, referring to the <a target="_blank" href="https://edition.cnn.com/2024/02/29/middleeast/gaza-death-toll-30000-israel-war-hnk-intl/index.html">latest figures from the Hamas-run Health Ministry</a> that the death toll on the Gaza Strip had risen to 30,717.Ocasio-Cortez shouted back: "You're lying! I need you to understand that this is not OK."She responded that she had said that it was a genocide.It's fucked up, man. And you're not helping these people. You're not helping them," she shouted.Business Insider contacted Ocasio-Cortez's office for comment but received no response.<h2>A surprise target for anti-Israel protesters</h2>Ocasio-Cortez, who represents New York's 14th congressional district, is considered <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/joe-biden-says-democratic-voters-arent-aligned-with-aoc-2019-12?r=US&amp;IR=T">one of the most prominent leftists in the House of Representatives.</a> She has been critical of Israeli government policies for many years.For example, In July 2019, Ocasio-Cortez voted against a House resolution introduced by Rep. Brad Schneider <a target="_blank" href="https://forward.com/fast-forward/428179/congress-bds-aoc-tlaib-omar/">condemning the Global Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement</a> targeting Israel.In 2020, she withdrew from a memorial to a murdered Israeli prime minister, Yitzhak Rabin, <a target="_blank" href="https://demmajorityforisrael.org/media/press-release/statement-aoc-withdrawl-event-yitzhak-rabin/">for which she was accused of</a> "fundamental disrespect for Israel and for peacemakers."In November last year, the congresswoman led a group of Democrats in calling for a cease-fire of the war that erupted following Hamas's October 7 invasion, in which 1,200 Israelis were left dead and more than 200 taken hostage.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7VLP-1RXPw4">In a virtual town hall around the same time,</a> AOC responded to a constituent who said the US was "funding a genocide.""What we are witnessing," she said, "is the gross violation of human rights in Gaza, and that is being done with US military assistance."Ocasio-Cortez also sparked furore online, with some accusing her of antisemitism for a Christmas Instagram post in which she likened Jesus to the Palestinians.The congresswoman shared a photo of a child lying on a pile of rubble surrounded by wooden Nativity scene icons.In text over the photo, she wrote: 'In the story of Christmas, Christ was born in modern-day Palestine under the threat of a government engaged in a massacre of innocents."She then compared Jesus being hunted by King Herod to the "right-wing forces" currently "violently occupying Bethlehem."<div type="image" title="AOC Xmas" height="573" width="354" msid="108353728" hostid="261" sizebytes="53166"></div>Following the International Court of Justice's order to Israel to work to prevent genocidal acts against Palestinians in Gaza, the congresswoman refused to accuse Israel of genocide but said Americans should not "toss someone out of our public discourse" if they do.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/rep-ocasio-cortez-says-americans-not-toss-someone-public-discourse-acc-rcna136003">In an interview with NBC News</a>, she said: "The fact that this word is even in play, the fact that this word is even in our discourse, I think demonstrates the mass inhumanity that Gazans are facing."The progressive US Sen. Bernie Sanders, the longest serving independent in US congressional history, has also been challenged on his stance towards the war in Israel. A Jew and a liberal Zionist,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.thejc.com/lets-talk/bernie-sanders-trial-by-novara-media-was-a-depressing-watch-ley9d7xa"> Sanders was asked by Novara Media</a> in February if he would call what is happening in Gaza a genocide. He declined to answer, saying only that Israel's actions had been "disgraceful" and "horrible," and that he was leading the charge to cut military funding to Israel in the US Senate.<h2>AOC and confrontational politics</h2>Ocasio-Cortez has previously supported protesters who target political opponents, in a similar manner to which experienced in the Brooklyn theater on Tuesday.Previously, when Barack Obama objected to the 'defund the police' movement, <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/aoc/status/1334184644707758080?s=61">AOC wrote on Twitter</a>: "To folks who complain protests demands make others uncomfortable, that's the point."In July 2022, following the Supreme Court's Dobbs decision, in which the US Supreme Court held that the Constitution did not confer a right to abortion, a group of protesters gathered outside a restaurant in Washington DC, where Trump-appointed Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh was eating dinner.The activists told the manager to kick Kavanaugh out of the steakhouse. The jurist was forced to leave early via a back door. <a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/aoc/status/1545505082569117698?s=61">AOC's mocking response on X, then Twitter, was:</a>"Poor guy. He left before his soufflé because he decided half the country should risk death if they have an ectopic pregnancy within the wrong state lines. It's all very unfair to him. The least they could do is let him eat cake."

Left-wing AOC was with her fiancé at a Brooklyn cinema when pro-Palestine supporters accosted her, demanding she say the word 'genocide' 

<ul><li>Foreign portfolio investors (FPIs), domestic mutual funds are raising their stake in multiplex firms like Inox Leisure, PVR on hopes of <keyword id="9450879" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="theatres-reopening">theatres reopening</keyword> soon.</li><li>Investors cheered this development as shares of both multiplex stocks gained on July 27.</li><li>Analysts expect the multiplex industry to gradually recover in the second half of FY22.</li></ul>Multiplex chains, which are among the worst hit by the pandemic have finally found some hope as <keyword id="46604" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="theatres">theatres</keyword> are reopening as COVID-19-induced restrictions are being relaxed. <a href="https://www.livemint.com/news/india/maharashtra-shops-may-open-for-longer-hours-as-govt-set-to-relax-some-restrictions-this-week-11627264968238.html">Reports </a>said that Maharashtra government may announce more relaxations in the pandemic-related curbs, this week, imposed during the second wave of the coronavirus pandemic in the state. Moreover, the Delhi government on July 24 announced a slew of unlocking measures and allowed the cinema halls and theatres, and multiplexes to function with 50% capacity. Shares of Inox Leisure and PVR gained 6% and 1.3% respectively on July 27 at 12:51 p.m. Foreign portfolio investor (FPI) holdings in Inox Leisure have <a href="https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/markets/stock-markets/fpis-mfs-increase-stake-in-pvr-inox-leisure/article35546798.ece">reportedly</a> gone up by 8.09% year-on-year to 16.44% as of April-June 2021 from 9.53% in the same quarter last year. Also, mutual funds’ holdings also went up to 23.09% from 19.72% during the same period. Also, a <a href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/business/india-business/amazon-eyes-potential-stake-in-indias-inox-leisure-report/articleshow/84782764.cms">report</a> by Indian Express suggested that Amazon.com India is in talks with several domestic players in film and media distribution including Inox Leisure for a potential stake. It may be looking to expand its content streaming platform Prime Video. Reacting to the report, Inox Leisure released a statement on exchanges saying there are no discussions taking place with Amazon, nor were there any such discussions in the past. It stated the news report was factually incorrect. <div type="image" title="inox stock chart" height="900" width="1200" msid="84785863" hostid="261"></div> A report by Sharekhan Research expects gradual recovery in this space while it said multiplex business is going to be a sustainable model in the long term. “Expect gradual recovery over the next 2-3 quarters as COVID vaccination is catching pace… We believe the multiplex business is going to be a sustainable model in the long term given Indian movie-goers’ strong appetite for the silver screen… We continue to remain positive on the stock, given a net debt-free balance sheet and potential for healthy earnings growth over FY21-FY23,” said a report on Inox Leisure published on April 29. <div type="image" title="PVR stock chart" height="900" width="1200" msid="84785899" hostid="261"></div> Meanwhile, a report by Maybank Kim Eng Securities on PVR dated June 3 said it sees a threat from over the top (OTT) platforms witnessing direct release on their platforms. It hopes big movies will release on box office and not on OTT. “We factored in 67 million footfalls in FY22 estimates, as we expect a weak recovery in footfalls even during second half of FY22 which is contingent upon the government’s vaccination drive and reaching herd immunity, strong content pipeline -- key movies such as ‘Sooryavanshi’, ‘Lal Singh Chaddha’ and ‘83’ release on box-office and not on OTT,” said the report. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/cryptocurrency/news/elon-musks-tesla-second-quarter-earnings-show-that-its-bitcoin-holding-cost-the-company-23-million-in-impairment/articleshow/84784933.cms">Elon Musk’s Tesla second-quarter earnings show that its Bitcoin holding cost the company $23 million in impairment </a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/corporates/news/lok-sabha-mp-mahua-moitra-says-delisting-of-adani-power-need-to-be-looked-into/articleshow/84752594.cms">Adani Group in spotlight again — Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra says delisting of Adani Power needs to be ‘looked into’ </a>

Inox Leisure, PVR stocks shine on hopes of theatres reopening soon

<ul><li>Cinema halls in India might remain shut for at least two more months until June end, predicts a report by Prabhdas Lilladher. </li><li>Akshay Kumar and Kiara Advani starrer Lakshmi Bomb might release directly on Disney+ Hotstar amid coronavirus pandemic. </li><li>Industry experts estimated that film exhibitors in India will lose at least ₹3,500 crores. Moreover, according to Shailesh Kapoor, CEO Ormax Media, these halls are losing ₹150 crore a week. </li></ul>There is bad news for all those who are wishing to rush to their nearest movie theatres soon after the lockdown ends. Cinema halls in India might remain shut for at least a month more until June end, according to a report by Prabhdas Lilladher. The coronavirus pandemic forced several states including Maharashtra and Kerala to close theatres a week before India announced a complete lockdown on March 24. It means they are already shut for 40 days which might extend to 60 days more. “The process of reopening will be gradual in nature. For instance, in some states where the COVID-19 risk is low theatres may open. However, till the time this rise resides completely, big-ticket releases may be postponed as producers may not want to lose out on business in other regions,” said the report. Every week that theatres remain closed, they’re accumulating losses to the tune of ₹150 crore, according to Shailesh Kapoor, CEO Ormax Media. Film distributors are staring at losses of ₹3,500 crore as of now, a<a href="https://www.firstpost.com/health/video-of-agra-quarantine-facility-inmates-reaching-for-water-food-goes-viral-distribution-delay-made-them-restless-says-official-8303381.html?utm_source=izooto&amp;utm_medium=push_notifications&amp;utm_campaign=Video%20of%20Agra%20quarantine%20facility%20inmates%20reaching%20for%20water%20food%20goes%20viral%20distribution%20delay%20made%20them%20restless%20says%20offic&amp;utm_content=&amp;utm_term=">ccording to CARE Ratings</a>. Even after they open, they might not see many footfalls due to malls and will also be subject to strict social distancing norms. Due to this bleak outlook, the stocks of PVR Cinemas and INOX are on a free fall. The stock of PVT saw a 55% decline in its share between February 19 and April 27. Whereas INOX share price has declined 58% between February 24 and April 27. There is more panic in the air Since Covid-19 is an unknown devil, a lot of new research is hitting the internet every day. Even as many people discuss if the virus is airborne, a research says that a common air conditioner can spread the virus. <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/careers/news/cisco-accenture-genpact-and-others-hiring-for-technology-profiles/articleshow/75399629.cms">Scientists in China have earlier claimed</a> hat air conditioners can infect 10 people who are sitting near an infected person. They studied a restaurant in Guangzhou, China where an asymptomatic case has infected nine people. They recommended an increase in distance between tables and improved ventilation to contain the spread. Uncertainty on the survival of Single screens Cinema halls in India have had a bad start in 2020. First of all, it had few hits to boast of like Tanhaji and Baaghi 3. Then the coronavirus outbreak forced it to close doors as per government orders. The worst-hit among these theatres were single screens. “Single screens have been facing an existential crisis for a long time. Already fraught with hygiene and maintenance challenges which were hurting footfalls, COVID-19 induced lockdown has posed a direct threat on their survival,” said the report. Single screens exhibitors are hoping to seek a relief package from the government Is online release the future of movies? From the other side, the closure of theatres has delayed the release of several big movies like Rohit Shetty’s Sooryavanshi starring Akshay Kumar and Katrina Kaif. A few producers are also considering releasing them directly onto streaming platforms. Akshay Kumar and Kiara Advani starrer Lakshmi Bomb is one such film that might release on Disney+ Hotstar amid coronavirus pandemic. The film, remake of Muni 2: Kanchana, is expected to be completed by June, <a href="https://www.ndtv.com/entertainment/akshay-kumars-laxmmi-bomb-might-release-on-disney-hotstar-instead-of-theatres-report-2218162">said a media report. </a> Previously, Irfan Khan and Kareena Kapoor Khan starrer Angrezi Medium was released on Disney+ Hotstar immediately after its theatrical release in March after Covid-19 concerns hit footfalls. OTT platforms in India too are upping their game, by launching shows and movies to engage people during lockdown. Amazon Prime, recently, added Shubh Mangal Zyada Saavdhan a gay comic love story which was released in February this year. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/lockdown-watchlist-want-to-binge-watch-a-show-that-lasts-a-week-try-these-long-running-shows-on-netflix-amazon-prime-disney-hotstar-and-others/articleshow/75173116.cms">Lockdown Watchlist: Want to binge-watch a show that lasts a week? Try these long-running shows on Netflix, Amazon Prime, Disney+ Hotstar and others. </a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/news/cinema-halls-await-for-behind-the-screens-as-they-lose-150-crore-a-week/articleshow/74689696.cms">Cinema halls lose ₹150 crore a week with lockdowns and delayed releases</a>

Cinema halls may not open in India until June end

<ul><li>According to a CARE Ratings report, film exhibitors in India will lose at least ₹3,500 crore as cinema halls shutdown. </li><li>Rating agency Acuite expects a precipitous drop of over 50% in multiplex footfalls in the next 2-3 months. </li><li>The multiplexes chain are now considering approaching the government to seek a relief package, including deferment of certain taxes. </li></ul>Cinema halls in India have had a bad start in 2020. First of all, it had few hits that enthused the public like Baaghi 3 or Angreji Medium. As <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="20" keywordseo="coronavirus">Coronavirus</keyword> spreads, halls across many cities shut down as per government orders. The management of theatres are now busy calculating the losses as 5,000 screens across the country are shut and even those that are open have nothing to bring people to as March and April releases like Rohit Shetty’s Sooryavanshi and Ranveer Singh’s 83 have been postponed indefinitely. The halls are losing ₹150 crore a week, <a href="https://www.exchange4media.com/marketing-news/coronavirus-bears-down-on-bollywood-with-no-ticket-sale-hiked-marketing-budget-103373.html">according to Shailesh Kapoor, CEO, Ormax Media. </a> The effect might be temporary says PVR Cinemas and Inox PVR cinemas, which has 822 screens in 69 cities, says the effect may be temporary and they look forward to better times. INOX, which has 624 screens in 68 cities too is confident about their growth as the lockdown lifts. But the investors do not share their confidence. PVR has witnessed a 43% decline in its decline in the last one month. Whereas the share price of INOX saw a 39% fall between February 18 and March 18. 
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 Rating agency expects 50% fall in multiplex footfalls 
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 Several rating agencies are convinced that there would be a ripple effect. Moreso, because scientists are yet to determine whether warm weather can reduce the spread of coronavirus in India or not. Even in that case, a possible social isolation is advised till June. Rating agency Acuite expects a precipitous drop of over 50% in multiplex footfalls in the next 2-3 months, particularly for those which are primarily located in retail malls at Tier I or Tier II cities. "Typically, the holiday season of April-June is the peak time for big movie releases. However, the latter may get postponed due to the Covid-19 crisis," said Suman Chowdhury, president (ratings) at Acuite Ratings and Research. This quarter is completely washed out says Carnival Cinemas 
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 A few multiplex chains however acknowledged the situation like Carnival Cinemas, a multiplex chain in India with 470 screens across 120 cities. “This quarter is completely washed out and shall be down at least 40-50% as compared to last year. One, because the movie line up was weak and then the Covid-19 impact in March. It is unfortunate that the business is affected so much, but human life is of most importance,” said Mohan Umrotkar, CEO Carnival Cinemas. Considering the losses, multiplexes chains might move to the government to seek a relief package, including deferment of certain taxes. Industry insiders contend that restricted cash flows and mounting incremental costs such as rentals and operational expenses have left the sector in an untenable financial position. According to a CARE Ratings report, film exhibitors in India will lose at least ₹3,500 crore every month. That is extra bad news for the industry which was already reeling from loss of revenue from CAA protests and riots in the last quarter. See also: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/finance/news/the-us-box-office-suffered-its-worst-weekend-in-more-than-20-years/articleshow/74657349.cms">The US box office suffered its worst weekend in more than 20 years</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/coronavirus-hits-akshay-kumars-sooryavanshi-and-ranveer-singh-starrer-83/articleshow/74593762.cms">Coronavirus hits box office — 83 release may be delayed and Sooryavanshi struggles</a>

Cinema halls lose ₹150 crore a week with lockdowns and delayed releases

<ul class="summary-list"><li><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-court-beginning-hush-money-criminal-trial-2024-4">Donald Trump</a> is apparently having difficulty staying awake during his first-ever criminal trial.</li><li>I relate to Trump's struggle to stay awake!</li></ul>I am not facing <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/read-donald-trump-indictment-new-york-manhattan-da-full-text-2023-3">34 felony charges</a> stemming from hush-money payments to an adult film actress I allegedly slept with. But besides that? Right now, I feel closer to Donald J. Trump than I ever have before. That's because <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-struggles-stay-awake-sleeping-criminal-trial-2024-4">Trump looks like he's having trouble staying awake at his first-ever criminal trial</a>. And, aside from the multiple felonies part — boy, do I know that feeling. Give me a seat and a place where not much is happening? There's a very good chance I'm going to doze for a bit. This has been happening to me at least since high school — which, coincidentally, is when I stopped going to bed at a sensible time. If I was in a classroom where the lights dimmed for a movie or a <a target="_blank" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filmstrip">filmstrip</a> or a grainy VCR showing of<a target="_blank" href="https://www.vulture.com/article/romeo-juliet-olivia-hussey-leonard-whiting-paramount-lawsuit.html"> Romeo and Juliet</a>? Snooze time. College lecture halls when I hadn't done the reading and couldn't follow what my professor was saying? Sawing logs. Sometimes, my naps were intentional: Like when I entered the work world and discovered that I could lie down under my cube and get a 10-minute afternoon power nap and either no one noticed or cared. For the record: This preceded <a target="_blank" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Nap">George Costanza's move on Seinfeld</a>. Less ideal was when I drifted off while interviewing someone — while sitting in front of them. I don't know how long I was out for — probably just a few seconds — but definitely long enough for them to notice, and for me to notice that they noticed. I think they were Swedes selling ringtone software or something like that, and in any case, they were too polite to say anything, so we all pretended it didn't happen. Later on, when I had kids and started taking them to movies, I became so used to sleeping mid-Pixar that I started to embrace the idea: I was paying to take a nap. But cinema-sleep isn't specific to kids' films: A comfy theater is Ambien for me, even when I'm really into the movie, like when I went to the new "Dune" last month. (Not all movies: I was wide awake and gripping my chair for "Civil War" last week.) And yes, I definitely slept for a few minutes Tuesday afternoon on the subway. Then I caught a second wind and started writing this. My hunch is that I'm not alone here and that some of this resonates with some of you. <a target="_blank" href="https://news.gallup.com/poll/642704/americans-sleeping-less-stressed.aspx#:~:text=%2D%2D%20For%20the%20first%20time,needed%20and%2043%25%20did%20not.">News item</a>: "For the first time in Gallup polling since 2001, a majority of U.S. adults, 57%, say they would feel better if they got more sleep, while 42% say they get as much sleep as they need. This is nearly a reversal of the figures last measured in 2013, when 56% of Americans got the sleep they needed and 43% did not." I'm not a doctor, and I don't play on TV, but I'm pretty sure none of this is anything like actual <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/narcolepsy/symptoms-causes/syc-20375497#:~:text=People%20with%20narcolepsy%20fall%20asleep,friends%20and%20suddenly%20fall%20asleep.">narcolepsy</a>. It's just that we probably — OK, almost certainly — don't get enough sleep many nights, and our bodies need to even things out during the day. I don't know when <keyword id="6354484" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="donald-trump" source="Orion">Donald Trump</keyword> goes to sleep, but I do know that during his Twitter era, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7518119/">he tended to do a lot of late-night scrolling</a> — also relatable — and posting. And again, I've never faced felony charges and multiple trials, but I bet that if I did, I'd have a hard time sleeping. So don't worry about the nap-shaming, Mr. Trump — many of us do the same thing. And you have <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-trials-elections-prison-campaign-president-cases-criminal-court-2024-2">plenty of other things to worry about</a>.

Donald Trump appears to have trouble staying awake during his criminal trial. I can relate.

<ul><li>On October 1, <keyword id="6407732" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="inox">INOX</keyword> and PVR stocks jumped by 12% in morning trade. Though they pared some gains, both stocks still hold over 6% gains as of 2.30 pm. </li><li>Indian government’s Unlock 5.0 mandates for theatres and halls to reopen with 50% capacity from October 15.</li><li>But not just theatre chains, even the ticketing platforms like <keyword id="600792" type="COMPANY" weightage="20" keywordseo="BookMyShow">BookMyShow</keyword> too heaved a sigh of relief. </li></ul>After being shut for over six months, cinema halls across the country can finally look alive again as Indian government’s Unlock 5.0 mandates for theatres and movie halls to reopen with 50% capacity from October 15. But that 50% capacity was a piece of welcome news for listed theatre chains. On October 1, INOX and PVR stocks jumped by 12% in morning trade. Though they pared some gains, they were still trading higher by 6.3% and 8.35% respectively as of 2.30 pm. <div type="image" title="INOX PVR" msid="78425198" hostid="261"></div> Both Inox and PVR bore the brunt of the coronavirus pandemic. For the first three months of the current financial year, INOX reported a loss of ₹73.64 crore, while revenues fell by almost 100%. Meanwhile, PVR had posted losses to the tune of ₹226 crore. According to the Central government’s latest guidelines: <ul><li>Cinemas/ theatres/ multiplexes will be permitted to open with upto 50% of their seating capacity, SOP will be issued by the Ministry of Information &amp; Broadcasting.</li><li>Business to Business (B2B) Exhibitions will be permitted to open, for which SOP will be issued by the Department of Commerce.</li></ul>But not just theatre chains, even the ticketing platforms like BookMyShow heaved a sigh of relief. In May, BookMyShow had furloughed over 270 employees as it began to deal with the pandemic. “This move will bring immense relief to scores of employees across the sector which has been one of the worst hit, through this pandemic. As the category leader, BookMyShow recognises that we are in extraordinary times and is mindful of social distancing and sanitisation amongst other factors. The health and safety of all - from cine-goers to cinema partners, production houses and execution agencies - will be of paramount importance and BookMyShow will uphold all SOPs as mandated for our users’ safe movie watching experience,” said Ashish Saksena, COO – Cinemas, BookMyShow. With the upcoming festive season, Saksena added that he is confident that films and audiences will return to the big screen. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/business/news/reliance-has-bagged-nearly-half-of-all-private-equity-investments-in-india-this-year-and-that-doesnt-include-the-10-billion-from-facebook-and-google/articleshow/78422299.cms">Reliance has bagged nearly half of all private equity investments in India this year – and that doesn’t include the $10 billion from Facebook and Google</a> <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/india/news/central-government-unlock-5-0-guidelines-cinema-halls-schools-colleges-swimming-pools-can-open-again-with-some-conditions/articleshow/78419665.cms">Unlock 5.0 guidelines – Schools and colleges set to reopen in phases, cinema halls allowed with 50% seating</a>

Inox, PVR stocks surge, BookMyShow heaves a sigh of relief as cinemas are set to reopen from October 15

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Oleksandra "Sasha" Kuvshynova died in <keyword id="11985141" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ukraine" source="Orion">Ukraine</keyword> on March 14 at the age of 24.</li><li>She and her <keyword id="11937547" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="fox-news" source="Orion">Fox News</keyword> colleagues were attacked while reporting in the suburbs of Kyiv, a combat zone.</li></ul>The Ukrainian <keyword id="11893589" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="news" source="Orion">news</keyword> producer Oleksandra Kuvshynova — Sasha to all who knew her — always surprised her parents with her quiet independence.In February 2014, she disappeared from home in Kyiv as it was gripped by the Euromaidan revolution which ousted the government and changed Ukraine forever. It almost got her killed, her father, Andrey Kuvshinov told Insider."Twenty-four hours later, we found out that our daughter — who was still a schoolgirl at the time — was at the <keyword id="11894119" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="media" source="Orion">media</keyword> center, helping with her friend to translate texts," he told Insider. The building, the Trade Union Hall in central Kyiv, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/18/ukraine-police-storm-kiev-protest-camp-live-updates">burned to the ground</a> a few hours after she got home, and 22 people died.Eight years later, Russia invaded Ukraine and Sasha again found herself helping tell the world, this time as a field producer working with Fox News.On March 14, 2022, Sasha drove out of Kyiv on an assignment with two Fox veterans: reporter Benjamin Hall and cameraman Pierre Zarkrzewski. She'd been contracted with Fox for around two months.Their destination was Irpin, a town northwest of Kyiv that had come under attack in recent days, <a href="https://t.me/Pravda_Gerashchenko/4590">according to a Telegram post by Anton Gerashchenko</a>, an adviser in the Ukrainian Ministry of Internal Affairs.<div type="image" title="Fox News' Oleksandra Kuvshynova, Pierre Zakrzewski, and Trey Yingst working in Ukraine." height="792" width="1056" msid="90818025" hostid="261"></div>According to Fox, they were not accompanied by security personnel the whole way, but dropped off at an earlier stage. A spokesperson said the security team knew their location at all times.Near Horenka — a village that had been under heavy attack by Russia — an explosion hit their car. It killed everyone but Hall, who was badly hurt, <a href="https://www.insider.com/fox-news-benjamin-hall-loses-limbs-hearing-sight-reporting-ukraine-2022-4">losing one leg, his other foot and sight in one eye</a>. Little more is publicly known.In the weeks since she died, Insider spoke with Sasha's father, several of her friends, Fox News, and journalists in Kyiv doing similar work to find out more about what happened that day, the risks local producers face, and what kind of person Sasha was.Sviatoslav Yurash, a Ukrainian MP told Insider that the Fox News trip was likely an "embed," where the military takes journalists with them to cover events.Fox News declined to provide further details of the trip, citing the security of its staff still in Ukraine. Military officials and authorities in Kyiv also declined to comment.<h2>"Utterly destroyed"</h2>Yurash, who was a friend and former boyfriend of Sasha, told Insider he had seen video of the aftermath of the attack, taken by soldiers who found and rescued Hall. He said they were struck around the Kyiv city limit, where it meets the wider Kyiv administrative region."The car is utterly destroyed," said Yurash, describing the video. "You can see that this was either a direct hit, or something of this sort."Gerashchenko, the Ukrainian official, said in his post the car had been hit by a mortar shell or artillery fire from Russian forces.It is unclear if the car was a military vehicle, a civilian one, or if it was marked as being used by journalists. Andrey Kuvshinov, Sasha's father, told Insider that Sasha always wore her "press" clothing. By international law, journalists are not legitimate military targets. Intentional killing of civilians — a category that includes journalists — is a war crime.The attack prompted questions about why the Fox team took their reporting trip.Andrey Kuvshinov told Insider: "I don't understand how a decision was taken for Fox News to go where it was dangerous, where there was a live threat.""It was so scary round there. Why did they end up there?"They were not ready for evacuation, they didn't know what to do. They took ages to find each other. So how could the managers be so irresponsible and send people who were not prepared at all to the military zone?"For Andrey, the news is still difficult to take in. "All I know is hearsay," he said. "So I'm still hoping she's alive."A Fox News spokesperson declined to respond directly to Kuvshinov's questions, or describe the story that the team was pursuing.Alfred Hackensberger, a reporter for Die Welt who was also based in Kyiv at the time, told Insider the decision to go in the direction of Horenka was unwise. (Die Welt shares a parent company, Axel Springer, with Insider.)"From my point of view, there was no journalistic reason to go there, because everything is already documented," he said.Visits to Horenka were possible even the day before, when <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2022/03/13/world/ukraine-russia-war">The New York Times reported from the area</a>. But even before then <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/list-journalists-who-have-died-while-covering-war-ukraine-2022-3">journalists were being killed and injured all over Ukraine</a>.<h2>The dangers of exposing Putin's war </h2>Dominique van Heerden is a Sky News producer who <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/sky-news-teams-harrowing-account-of-their-violent-ambush-in-ukraine-this-week-12557585">narrowly escaped an ambush</a> near Kyiv with her colleagues. She told Insider that a previously safe area can become dangerous in moments.She noted that she and colleagues were attacked after turning back from their destination, down a road they took earlier that day without incident. She emphasized she had no specific knowledge of the attack that killed Sasha, and wasn't in a position to judge any decisions taken.Risk-taking is often celebrated up to the point that somebody is hurt, she noted."Sometimes, when you push a story a bit too far and you get a great story, you're 'brave,' and you're 'amazing,' and you're shining lights."And when you maybe push a bit far, and you don't get a story, and something goes wrong, then you are stupid. So it's a no-win situation."The attack also reignited a discussion of how Western outlets work with local reporters, Margo Gontar, a journalist and a friend of Sasha's, told Insider.Sasha's role is generally referred to in the industry as a "fixer," people who can provide local knowledge, translation, practical help, and arrange access that would otherwise be unavailable to foreign reporters abruptly arriving in a war zone.Fixers for Western media rarely get equal credit, <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/media/2022/03/24/fixer-death-ukraine-fox-kuvshynova/">as The Washington Post reported</a>, despite facing equal danger.That hierarchy appeared to play out when Sasha died, as Fox first announced the critical injuries to Hall, then the death of Zakrzewski, and only hours later that Sasha was also killed.Several journalists accused Fox of appearing to give Sasha secondary importance to its US-based employees.But Trey Yingst, a Fox News correspondent also in Ukraine, said the network had held back out of respect for her family. Yurash, the Ukrainian MP, confirmed this to Insider. "The family was in a state of disbelief about what happened," he said. "As soon as there was acceptance from the parents, there was a statement about Oleksandra."Van Heerden said that fixers are often "really established and kind of amazing journalists in their own right."But where they differ from the international reporters is that they are doing all this while their own country — their own lives — are being turned upside down, she said.International reporters usually get to go home. But for someone like Sasha, "this is not a story that they can leave," she said. "This is their home."<h2>A tireless creative force</h2>To those who knew her, the attack robbed the world of a talented and determined woman who dreamed of more than reporting the destruction of her homeland.She loved poetry, cinema, photography, and electronic music — which she shared by organizing the KRAI festival in Kyiv, and jam sessions in the city. Like other creatives, she gravitated naturally towards the hipster neighborhood of Podil, where Gontar recalled sharing drinks and jokes with her. One of her best friends, filmmaker Edwin Novak, said she was destined to push boundaries in documentary filmmaking. The opportunity to work with Fox was a big break towards that, he told Insider. "She wasn't just someone who just did a few projects and was kind of artsy and creative and all the rest, but she had a real ability to look further," he said.<div type="image" title="Oleksandra &quot;Sasha&quot; Kuvshynova in head and shoulders portrait. She poses in a white t-shirt with blossoms." height="910" width="1212" msid="90818028" hostid="261"></div>Fox News senior field producer Yonat Friling, who worked with Sasha during the invasion, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/media/sasha-kuvshinova-life-remembered">said in a tribute published by the network</a> that her journalistic instincts were indispensable to the network's reporting on the war. She was funny and creative, with "a dark sense of humor," Friling said.Novak told Insider that beneath that humor was the sort of wisdom of someone who'd lived several lifetimes.He said: "She felt the pain of this world. She had an extraordinary capacity to understand it."Yurash, the MP who was Sasha's friend and on-off boyfriend, mourned her as "the beauty of Kyiv."Although she never really sought to be a leader, people often made her one, said her father Andrey.When the war broke out, Sasha also started a volunteer initiative, UA.Life.Delivery, which brings munitions to the army and medical supplies and food to vulnerable people. The work helped "dozens of people," said Kristina Parashchyevina, an architect who continues to co-organize the project, in a statement to Insider. Sasha's work ethic could be so fierce "she did not allow herself to rest for two to three days in a row sometimes," said Novak. <h2>The whole of Ukraine became a front line</h2>A day or so before the war broke out, Sasha was drinking wine with Aleksey Horbach, a media producer. She planned to go to Donetsk, correctly anticipating that Russia would attack there first."But it turned out the whole of Ukraine became a front line," Horbach wrote. "So she stayed in Kyiv to highlight the war."Friends tried to persuade her not to do such perilous work. But several told Insider that she understood the risks. "I asked her if she really wants to work as a war journalist, because it is very dangerous," Horbach said.<div type="image" title="Oleksandra &quot;Sasha&quot; Kuvshynova looks at camera in a three-quarter profile portrait." height="2597" width="3456" msid="90818029" hostid="261"></div>"She replied with: 'Sure, because I am doing what I truly like,'" he said. "For this she gave her life."Novak, the close friend, forwarded Insider a WhatsApp video Sasha sent to some friends in the days before she was killed, discussing the risks she was taking."The first time I was in those places, I was scared," said Sasha, describing trips to areas near Kyiv under attack."And today I went, just like that, looking around. They are shooting everywhere, something is on fire, something is flying, and I'm like: Okay."Maybe it's the nice weather, I don't know. But I'm already used to it, I no longer have fear [...] I stare at it with cold eyes. It will be as it will be."If it falls, it falls — sure, it will be unpleasant, it will suck, I might die. But ... it's like that."

A bright, talented Ukrainian journalist signed up to help Fox News cover the war. Two months later she was dead.

<ul><li><keyword id="8003243" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="oththa-seruppu-size-7">Oththa Seruppu Size 7</keyword>, directed by Parthiban, an upcoming Tamil movie, will be the first India solo act in mainstream cinema since 1964.</li><li>The movie has already been selected for screening at the <keyword id="6957402" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="20" keywordseo="Singapore-South-Asian-International-Film-Festival">Singapore South Asian International Film Festival</keyword> starting August 30.</li><li>Written, directed, produced and acted by the same person, Parthiban, a National Award Winner, this will be the 19th solo act movie in the world.</li><li>The movie boasts of a starry supporting crew that includes Academy Award-winning sound designer for Slumdog Millionaire, Resul Pookutty, and the young and masterly music composer Santhosh Narayanan.</li><li>Some of the country's biggest stars from Aamir Khan to Rajinikanth to Mohanlal are backing the movie for an Oscar nomination even before its release.</li></ul>A yet-to-be-released Tamil movie, 'Oththa Seruppu Size 7', will be the first solo act in Indian cinema since Sunil Dutt's 'Yaadein' 1964. And some of the country's biggest stars from Aamir Khan to Rajinikanth to Mohanlal are asking for the movie to be nominated for an Oscar. The movie has already been selected for the <a href="https://www.sgsaiff.com/product/oththa-seruppu-size-7/" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Singapore South Asian International Film Festival (SAIFF)</a> starting August 30. 'Oththa Seruppu Size 7' -- meaning 'a single slipper of size 7'-- will be screened at the Suntec venue on the second day of the festival at 4:10 pm. Watch India's biggest movie stars endorse Parthiban's 'Oththa Seruppu Size 7' in this video put out by Moviebuff. 
 
 
 
 
 
 <div type="Youtube" id="ZbgCd6OGF18" title="Oththa Serupu - Moviebuff Trailer 02 | R Parthiban" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/ZbgCd6OGF18/mqdefault.jpg"></div>












 National Award winner Radhakrishnan Parthiban has written, directed and produced the upcoming Tamil movie-- in the lines of Tom Hanks' 'Cast Away' (2000), 'All is Lost' (2013) starring Robert Redford, 'Buried' (2010) with Ryan Reynolds in the lead role-- making it the 19th solo act film in the world, <a href="https://www.imdb.com/list/ls069176996/" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">according to the IMDb</a>. 'Oththa Seruppu Size 7' is a non-linear tale of a middle-aged man Masilamani, a security guard at a popular sports and recreation club, who is being questioned as a murder suspect while his terminally ill young son waits outside the investigation room. Throughout the movie, Parthiban is the only actor seen on screen and the other characters are only voices that interact with him, as described by the SAIFF. 
 
 
 
 
 
 <div type="Youtube" id="SmD95qQx_fg" title="Oththa Seruppu - Radhakrishnan Parthiban's Teaser" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/SmD95qQx_fg/mqdefault.jpg"></div>













 The movie boasts of an star-studded supporting crew that includes Academy Award-winning sound designer for 'Slumdog Millionaire', Resul Pookutty, and the young and masterly music composer Santhosh Narayanan who has charmed audiences with his earthy tunes that have played a big role in the success of some landmark feats in Indian cinema in recent years. This is not India's first solo act in mainstream cinema In 1964, Bollywood acting legend Sunil Dutt produced, directed, and acted in a soliloquy by the name 'Yaadein' that entered the Guinness Book of World Records. 'Yaadein' -- <a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0058759/" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">rated 7.3 in IMDb</a>-- tells the story of a man who comes home to find that his wife and son are not at home. He assumes that they have left him and, in his loneliness, regrets his past indiscretions. Parthiban's career has been full of experiments The 61-year old Parthiban has spent over three decades in the Tamil film industry starting out as a personal assistant to director K Bhagyaraj and then went to be an assistant director before venturing out as a director, actor, and a producer himself in the late 1980s and 1990s. He has worked in 60 films in different capacities and directed 10 films. 'Puthiya Pathai' (<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0332338/?ref_=nv_sr_1?ref_=nv_sr_1" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">IMDb rating 6.8</a>), his directorial debut-- the story of a rapist who gets reformed by his own victim-- won two National Awards and was remade in Kannada and Hindi (Benaam Badsha in 1991). His 1999 film 'House Full'-- the story of how the police tries to diffuse a bomb inside a movie hall without letting the audience know-- also won a National Award. 'Oththa Seruppu Size 7' will be his most ambitious venture so far. SEE ALSO: <a href="https://www.businessinsider.in/entertainment/movies/watchlist-13-reasons-why-season-3-american-factory-and-every-other-show-you-can-binge/articleshow/70798663.cms" data-type="tilCustomLink" target="_blank">Watchlist: 13 Reasons Why season 3, American Factory and every other show you can binge</a>

From Aamir Khan to Rajinikanth to Mohanlal-- all want Oscar nomination for this upcoming Indian movie

<ul class="summary-list"><li>While most of the country remains under phased <keyword id="8897280" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="social-distancing">social distancing</keyword> orders to prevent the spread of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-live-updates-latest-news">coronavirus</a>, some faith leaders across the US are making a <keyword id="916586" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="First-Amendment">First Amendment</keyword> case to open up places of worship.</li><li>Three pastors explained to Business Insider why they're fighting to open up.</li><li>"I'm not afraid to get <keyword id="8763838" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="covid-19">COVID-19</keyword> when I go to Home Depot and neither should anyone be afraid when they come to <keyword id="6361455" type="ORGANIZATION" weightage="60" keywordseo="church">church</keyword>," one pastor, Diego Mesa, put it.</li><li>On Friday, President Donald Trump said he would force governors to open up places of worship, even though he doesn't have the authority to do so.</li></ul>Diego Mesa was driving in Southern California on Thursday evening when he passed shops selling donuts, clothes, and cannabis.It boggles his mind that these businesses were marked as <a href="https://covid19.ca.gov/roadmap/#stage-2">essential</a> and permitted to reopen on May 8, as Gov. Gavin Newsom's reopening plan moved into its second stage. Churches, however, were shelved until the plan's third phase — lumped in with personal care, exercise, and entertainment facilities."Our ideals differ in what we view as essential," Mesa told Business Insider. "When we are deemed as non-essential, there's an agenda there."But this isn't about who's right and who's wrong, he added."Opening church is not the issue," Mesa said. "It's about whether I have the right to open the church. And, according to the First Amendment, I do."As the pastor of the Abundant Living Family Church in Rancho Cucamonga, Mesa is among more than 1,200 religious leaders in California who've signed a <a href="https://www.insider.com/california-pastors-reopening-churches-during-coronavirus-stay-at-home-orders-2020-5">Declaration of Essentiality for Churches</a>, vowing to host in-person services on May 31, Pentecost Sunday, with or without Newsom's blessing. <div type="image" title="churches coronavirus reopen 2" height="1667" width="2500" msid="75907487" hostid="261"></div>Attorney Robert Tyler is representing the Cross Culture Christian Center in Lodi in a lawsuit against Newsom, alleging that the state's public gathering ban violates religious freedom granted by the First Amendment."We're asking the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to rule that the governor's order treats churches unlawfully by not allowing religious assemblies to meet on the same terms and conditions as secular organizations," Tyler said.He told Business Insider that next Sunday's act of civil disobedience was sparked by religious leaders seeking recourse amid the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-cases-maps-us-world-spread-symptoms-death-rate-2020-1">pandemic</a>."They began to say that this order by the governor has gone too far and too long," he said. "The governor is deciding based upon his own subjective decisions as to what he thinks is essential and what is not essential. At some point in time, we have to be allowed to get over the fear and allow these essential ministries to meet again."<h2>'Religious institutions must not be singled out for special burdens'</h2>As of Friday, the <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword> has infected 1.58 million Americans and killed 95,276, according to <a href="https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6">Johns Hopkins University</a>.But, Tyler said, the disease and virus-related deaths are one part of this crisis. The other part encompasses unemployment, economic and financial hardships, isolation, depression, addictions, suicide, and other traumas."The pastors are seeing a huge need and have decided that they need to take a stand and do what God's called them to do," Tyler said. "And they will do so using all appropriate safety precautions recommended by the CDC and local governments, just as Costco and Walmart are required to do."<div type="image" title="spain church coronavirus lockdown reopens social distancing" height="1667" width="2222" msid="75907489" hostid="261"></div>In April, the Justice Department got involved in a federal lawsuit brought by a church in Greenville, Mississippi, over local officials' efforts to stop drive-in services in a bid to reduce the spread of the coronavirus. "Religious institutions must not be singled out for special burdens," <a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/attorney-general-william-p-barr-issues-statement-religious-practice-and-social-distancing-0">Attorney General William Barr wrote</a>.If authorities allow concert halls, cinemas, and restaurants to resume business, they can't stop houses of worship from doing the same, he said."Even in times of emergency, when reasonable and temporary restrictions are placed on rights, the First Amendment and federal statutory law prohibit discrimination against religious institutions and religious believers," Barr wrote. "Thus, government may not impose special restrictions on religious activity that do not also apply to similar nonreligious activity."On Tuesday, Eric S. Dreiband, the head of the Justice Department's civil rights division, echoed the sentiment. Newsom's current plan to reopen California demonstrates "unequal treatment of faith communities" and "discriminates against religious exercise," he <a href="https://www.politico.com/f/?id=00000172-3334-d930-a77f-b3b7e1a50000">wrote</a>."Simply put, there is no pandemic exception to the U.S. Constitution and its Bill of Rights," Dreiband added.<div type="image" title="trump president donald white house" height="1634" width="2179" msid="75907491" hostid="261"></div>In Europe, and elsewhere in the world, <a href="https://www.ncronline.org/news/coronavirus/churches-europe-reopening-restrictions-avoid-contagion">many places of worship have already been permitted to reopen</a> with safety measures in place.Tyler's legal efforts haven't been successful so far. In a ruling on May 5, a federal judge in Sacramento denied a request from the Cross Culture Christian Center to reopen."Even in times of health, government officials must often strike the delicate balance between ensuring public safety and preserving the Constitution's fundamental guarantees," <a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6923269-Cross-Culture-Order-Denying-Tro-1588721901.html">US District Judge John A. Mendez wrote in his ruling</a>. "But during public health crises, new considerations come to bear, and government officials must ask whether even fundamental rights must give way to a deeper need to control the spread of infectious disease and protect the lives of society's most vulnerable."He's now moving the fight to the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, where he's hoping the judges will weigh in his favor.On Friday, President Donald Trump entered the cultural fray. He announced plans to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-declares-houses-of-worship-essential-says-hell-override-governors-2020-5">designate houses of worship as essential services</a> and telling them they can open immediately — even though he doesn't have the legal authority to override state rules."I call upon governors to allow our churches and places of worship to open right now ... These are places that hold our society together and keep our people united, the people are demanding to go to church and synagogues, go to their mosque," he said.<h2>If a Walmart can do it, so can a church</h2>Several super-spreader events in the United States and South Korea <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/houses-of-worship-trump-says-essential-coronavirus-hotspots-2020-5">have been traced back to places of worship</a>, where large numbers gather indoors. events in Asked if he's concerned by the possibility of parishioners contracting or spreading the virus during in-person services, Tyler said everything in life comes with some amount of risk."I think it is probably more likely for someone to die in a car accident than of COVID-19 in many parts of California," he said. "The church isn't saying we want to meet just because we think we have a constitutional right to do so — we want to meet because there are so many important needs of the community that need to be addressed.""Individuals need to be able to come together, to love and support one other again, while taking all the same precautions that any secular enterprise would," he continued.<div type="image" title="coronavirus church reopen 1" height="1645" width="2468" msid="75907493" hostid="261"></div>Pastor Paul Chappell of Lancaster Baptist Church told Business Insider that it's been over 10 weeks since he's been able to minister in person to the church's nearly 7,000 members.During the pandemic, he's used Zoom to livestream services, and the church's staff has prepared meals for elderly community members and dropped off lunches at local hospitals. Other services, like youth meetings and marriage and crisis counseling have been paused.Hundreds of pastors across the state have been "very compliant" with the stay-at-home orders, Chappell said, because the Bible encourages them to "obey and support authorities." However, he said, it also contains "scriptural commands to assemble.""The general idea is that if the Walmart just down the street can have 300 shoppers," Chappell said, "then a church with similar square footage could use the same generally accepted practices and provide worship for the people. We believe that churches are as competent to accomplish this task as any other service industry."<div type="image" title="church greece" height="1650" width="2200" msid="75907495" hostid="261"></div>Next Sunday, churchgoers at Lancaster Baptist will be asked to wear face masks and gloves and will have their temperatures taken as they enter. Chappell said the church will enforce social distancing measures, allowing only up to 20% of the church's maximum occupancy, and that he'll host four instead of the regular two services. Also, he said, electrostatic sprayers will be used to sanitize the campus after each of the small services.Chappell said there's always concern about people falling sick, but they need to be weighed with the need to worship."Our rights are concerning to us as well and we have a biblical mandate to worship," he said. "We've been patient, but we feel in our conscience that it's getting to a point where we would need to follow the scriptures."According to Chappell, a breakdown in communication between government leaders and clergymen has made this an increasingly politicized issue. But the goal, he said, isn't to make a fuss: It's to simply move forward with "humble resolve.""I would say to someone who opposes our decision that they have every right to abstain from worship and we have every right to worship — that's the greatness of this country," he said.<h2>'As much as the governor is a servant of the state, I am a servant of God'</h2>For his part, Mesa has turned to technology to stay connected with over his church's over 15,000 members. Their viewership numbers have been "off the charts," he said. And a lot of that traffic is coming from people who have been affected by the coronavirus and are turning to religion for community, hope, and answers."I also ask people if there's a difference between watching a screen where they see a fire log versus an actual fireplace," Mesa said.Many elderly longtime parishioners of Abundant Living Family Church don't have the digital know-how to be able to log into Zoom or Facebook Live. "Their relief has been cut off," said Mesa, who's been calling them on the phone every week and delivering groceries to their doorsteps."Many of them go to their windows or balconies and say, 'It is just so wonderful to see your face,' or 'I'm a widow and I miss my spiritual family,' or 'I'm lonely, this is the highlight of my week,'" Mesa said.<div type="image" title="coronavirus churches lockdown first amendment religion" height="1667" width="2500" msid="75907498" hostid="261"></div>Others who are suffering in silence are <keyword id="6354525" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="healthcare">healthcare</keyword> workers who toil for long hours on the <a href="https://www.insider.com/stories-from-the-coronavirus-pandemic-2020-5">frontline of the pandemic</a>, where they're inundated with sickness, trauma, death, and even suicides.Many are sleeping in hotels or garages, separated from their loved ones, in an effort to protect them from the virus.Mesa quoted one nurse, who told him: "I need my church community because I'm giving, I'm giving, I'm giving, I'm helping to pour into the lives of others, but my cup is running dry."So, he said, he feels confident in the robust safety guidelines of his church, which mirrors Chappell's."At the end of the day, I'm not afraid to get COVID-19 when I go to Home Depot and neither should anyone be afraid when they come to church," Mesa said. "Number one, the infection and mortality rates are down, and number two, we're exercising optimum cleanliness and sanitation that is far beyond what you would get anywhere else."<div type="image" title="churches coronavirus new york stay at home order lockdown.JPG" height="1667" width="2500" msid="75907500" hostid="261"></div>Even though Abundant Living Family Church can seat up to 4,000 worshippers, Mesa is also planning to ask the congregation to reserve seats online because only 700 people will be allowed to sit in the pews on May 31.People who are over 65 years old or have underlying health conditions are being asked to stay home as are those who simply feel uncomfortable."As much as the governor is a servant of the state, I am a servant of God," said Mesa. "As a governor, he has a term limit. We have signed lifetime commitments to serve the people that he is supposed to be working for, so he needs to allow us to do that."<h2>The tension isn't just brewing in California</h2>Religious leaders in California have garnered attention for turning to litigation and defiance over state moratoriums on religious gatherings.But this friction is showing up across the rest of the country as well.Pastor Brian Gibson of HIS Church, which has two campuses in Kentucky and another two in Texas, founded the <a href="http://click.agilitypr.delivery/ls/click?upn=t0UREBxkNTVJTb9ZRO-2FRAiHE5ddjg7eNbFYTGp7DNtkbxBShGikGmdsb6wf8lk8UEGm5_aUA9tyzcfGZDJiuiLhKle7bkg7JhqRFi7hmjYjtDAEoYE6OqmiSdmpkOg0kTvdTimiZs-2Bnhrq1eGp31iSodtQtgJQH64Y-2FD3Tp8hnisgSyu8XgcdkccDZJftmMRAURW-2BU6oRJCyUant4NEmyI2X-2FchDn-2Bmldh2hGdXCbA-2FvskwRRiaa9NNVqqmDJoeVvfMvByZlEh4lNhwc98jEUhML-2BiizxZcd5eXawMmO4kakY20k0flDAH-2BNr6QA-2B0dQu5ygCHJjuUdZT4Okjr3Bd49grVFdG5evK7wz6Unz5aBYB0H4U9BhGG9Rd0mHDzWjjnAqgBG1ayWlre93096QRb9xWy2jAKw7kwMdW2pW4BtibMmlTNR486taH4771xXl-2BQmAP3ALwhBTabbwOT2gB4Z6jo8aWglYeqPt70KPwEo8JjC7ycvagKhqzCSb1G35ljLip" target="_blank" rel="noopener">PeaceablyGather.com</a> movement to speak out on behalf of religious freedom that's enshrined by the Constitution. On Sunday, he'll be in Chicago alongside Pastor Joseph Wyrostek at the Elim Romanian Pentecostal Church."Every day a house of worship is closed, a little bit of liberty dies," he said. "We have a constitutional crisis in America and if Americans don't speak up and speak out, the fabric of our nation is going to be torn in a way that can't be repaired."<div type="image" title="california church closed coronavirus" height="1866" width="2500" msid="75907502" hostid="261"></div>Gibson described feeling enraged when he was stopped from hosting a drive-through Easter Egg giveaway service, where social distancing was going to be followed and church staff members were protected with masks and gloves.Meanwhile, he said, across the street and within viewing distance of the church, baristas were making lattes, fast food restaurants were serving fries, and people were buying liquor."But the message to us was the church isn't smart enough to give kids candy in the name of Jesus," he said. "We started asking ourselves: Is this fair? Is this constitutional? Is this religious targeting? The answer is absolutely yes."The Bible says there's a time to be "lamb-like, to be quiet, to be meek, to be mild," Gibson said, but that moment has passed. Religious leaders now need to roar like lions and take a firm stance against "tyranny" and religious oppression.<div type="image" title="church closed france" height="1851" width="2500" msid="75907503" hostid="261"></div>Gibson said he welcomes opposition from community members and government leaders, saying "That smells like liberty to me."He also issued a call to action to people who believe that big-box retailers and general merchandising stores are essential, but don't view churches in the same light. "Those businesses operate strictly on the basis of cash in, cash out," he said. "Do you know what the church has done for 2,000 years?""It's prayed for the sick, it's built hospitals, it's built universities, it's married people, it's buried people," He continues." [See] if the Walmart will bury your dead. Go and see if the Walmart will pray [for] and bless your children."Read the original article on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/pastors-leading-charge-reopen-churches-coronavirus-first-amendment-2020-5">Business Insider</a>

'The governor is a servant of the state. I am a servant of God': 3 pastors defend why they're leading the charge to reopen churches

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Shops, gyms, offices, bars, nail salons, cinemas, barbershops, beaches, gyms, offices, childcare facilities, and personal care services are among the businesses that have reopened in <keyword id="15710" type="ENTERTAINMENT" weightage="60" keywordseo="texas">Texas</keyword>.</li><li>Professional sports leagues, including basketball, baseball, football, and tennis, can hold events from May 31, but fans are not allowed.</li><li>Regardless of the type of establishment, people are encouraged to maintain physical distance, keep their faces covered, and wash or sanitize their hands frequently.</li></ul><a href="https://gov.texas.gov/organization/opentexas">Texas</a> is one of several states that has relaxed <keyword id="1754604" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="coronavirus">coronavirus</keyword> containment measures put in place in March.Shops, gyms, offices, nail salons, movie theaters, barbershops, churches, and beaches are among a slew of facilities that are open to the public. Gov. <keyword id="1110279" type="PERSON" weightage="60" keywordseo="Greg-Abbott">Greg Abbott</keyword> has also allowed restaurants to reopen up to half of their maximum capacity.By Thursday, May 28, the US crossed 1.7 million confirmed coronavirus cases and 100,000 deaths. In Texas, 58,543 people have been infected and at least 1,581 have died, based on data from <a href="https://gisanddata.maps.arcgis.com/apps/opsdashboard/index.html#/bda7594740fd40299423467b48e9ecf6">Johns Hopkins University</a>. It is the seventh worst-hit state in the nation.And no matter where people go, they are encouraged to stay at least six feet apart, wear face masks, and wash their hands frequently.Warm weather over Memorial Day weekend lured crowds to the state's beaches, lakes, and parks, where people's faces were uncovered and <keyword id="8897280" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="social-distancing">social distancing</keyword> guidelines were being flouted."If I get it, everybody else is going to get it," Dieontray Napoleon told <a href="https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2020/05/25/if-i-get-it-everybody-else-is-going-to-get-it-crowds-head-to-comal-river-over-memorial-day-weekend/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">KSAT-TV</a>. "Hey, that's life."Houston resident Mario Camacho echoed the same sentiment."I'm worried, but at the same it's whatever," he told the local TV station. "We've just be at home with the quarantine and all that stuff, so we decided to come out here and have a good time."Still, the Republican governor <a href="https://twitter.com/GregAbbott_TX/status/1265120191295492097">tweeted</a> positive <keyword id="6355005" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="100" keywordseo="news">news</keyword> on Monday: "Today Texas had the fewest <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hashtag_click">#COVID19</a> fatalities since the end of March. We also had the fewest COVID hospitalizations since the middle of April. And, we have the 2nd most recoveries from COVID in America."<h2>Cases in Texas surged after the state started reopening, but appear to have flattened</h2>Abbott has defended the fast clip at which the state is resuming business, saying its death and hospitalization rates are lower than in other states of similar size, such as Florida and California, <a href="https://apnews.com/b467a7155154770bd69c379d8889c126">the Associated Press reported</a>.So far, Texas has conducted 855,674 coronavirus tests, pacing behind Florida's 933,571 tests and nearly half of California's 1.73 million tests, according to the <a href="https://covidtracking.com/data">COVID Tracking Project</a>. That means less than 3% of 29 million Texans have been tested.<a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/05/27/862215848/across-texas-black-and-hispanic-neighborhoods-have-fewer-coronavirus-testing-sit">NPR reported</a> on testing disparities in Texas and found limited access in parts of big cities that minority populations call home. For instance, six out of 18 sites in Fort Worth, nine out of 25 sites in Austin, and five out of 18 sites in El Paso are located in neighborhoods with the lowest density of white people."If you're casting a very small net, and you're shining a flashlight on a small portion of infections that are out there, you might think you're doing OK," Dr. Jennifer Nuzzo, the lead epidemiologist with the Johns Hopkins COVID Testing Insights Initiative, told NPR. "Whereas there's this whole pool of infections that you haven't seen."Abbott said in a <a href="https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-releases-statement-provides-details-on-increased-cases-in-amarillo">statement</a> on May 16 that he anticipates the number of new infections in Texas to rise as the state doubles down on testing "most high-risk areas: nursing homes, meatpacking plants and jails.""That is exactly why I established Surge Response Teams," he added. "By immediately deploying resources and supplies to these high risk areas, we will identify the positive cases, isolate the individuals and ensure any outbreak is quickly contained, which is the strategy being deployed in Amarillo."On May 27, Abbott said medical professionals and the Texas National Guard have been able to control the outbreak in meatpacking plants in the Panhandle, <a href="https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/coronavirus/gov-greg-abbott-to-provide-update-wednesday-afternoon-on-covid-19-surge-response/2377009/">NBC Dallas-Fort Worth reported</a>. From 734 new cases on May 16, the area is down to no new cases on May 25 and 26, he said.<h2>What's open in Texas</h2><div type="image" title="coronavirus testing texas el paso nasal swab lockdown " height="1668" width="2500" msid="75816549" hostid="261"></div>Abbott's goal is to <a href="https://gov.texas.gov/organization/opentexas">open Texas</a> fully.Gyms, offices, and nonessential manufacturing facilities reopened on May 18, but social distancing is still required, and none of them can exceed 25% of their maximum capacity. At gyms, showers and locker areas will remain off-limits, equipment must be sanitized after each use, and gloves are mandatory.The governor announced also that childcare centers can resume operations effective immediately, alongside massage parlors, beauty salons, and other personal care services. Youth clubs, including the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, are allowed to hold meetings with no more than 10 members at a time, all of whom must remain 6 feet away from each other.Abbott also gave bars, wine tasting rooms, bowling alleys, skating rinks, bingo halls, aquariums, and equestrian events the green light to reopen on May 22 so long as they stay under 25% of their maximum occupancy rate. Zoos followed suit on May 25 as well as driving schools on May 26.Indoor and outdoor water parks have been greenlit to resume operations from May 29, but aren't permitted to exceed 25% of their maximum occupancy. Interactive events and exhibits, including child play and amusement areas, are to remain closed. People who are over 65 years old or have underlying health conditions are encouraged to stay home, while people who go to the parks are asked to screen themselves for coronavirus symptoms and to ensure that they're with no more than 10 people.Starting May 31, professional sports, including basketball, baseball, car racing, football, golf, and tennis, can hold events, but fans are not allowed on the premises, based on state guidelines. Day and overnight youth camps can also reopen on Sunday.<h2>Texans are split on whether reopening fully is a good idea</h2><div type="image" title="texas governor greg abbott reopen economy coronavirus lockdown" height="1250" width="2500" msid="75816550" hostid="261"></div>In Austin, restaurant owners have been tasked with maintaining logs of customers to help with contact tracing if needed. They also know that health officials might call them out in the case of an outbreak, the AP reported.Eric Silverstein, who owns The Peached Tortilla, said he and others in the restaurant industry should be willing to do whatever it takes to open back up."We have no choice," he told the AP. "You kind of have to go back to doing some form of business."But not everyone shared the sentiment.Suzanne Daniels, who owns the Brentwood Social House, told the AP she wasn't trying to compete with restaurants that are offering indoor seating. She said she doesn't know when she'll feel safe enough to do so."It feels early," Daniels told the AP. "In my gut, it doesn't feel right or good."All 50 states, notably <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/wisconsin-supreme-court-overturns-coronavirus-tony-evers-shutdown-packed-bars-2020-5">Wisconsin</a> and <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/georgia-governor-brian-kemp-coronavirus-lockdown-lifted-economy-2020-4">Georgia</a>, have started to relax restrictions, but Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious-disease expert, has warned of "<a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/fauci-warning-senate-on-danger-of-opening-us-prematurely-2020-5">needless suffering and death</a>" if the US reopens prematurely.The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center projected that Dallas County could experience an uptick of 800 new cases every day by early July if containment measures are flouted, <a href="https://www.dallasnews.com/news/public-health/2020/05/14/dallas-county-could-see-summer-surge-in-covid-19-cases-utsw-scientists-say/">The Dallas Morning News reported</a>.<div type="image" title="coronavirus texas restaurants lockdown" height="1668" width="2500" msid="75767543" hostid="261"></div><h2>A surge in cases could overrun hospitals </h2>Another model, <a href="https://policylab.chop.edu/covid-lab-mapping-covid-19-your-community">this one by the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia's PolicyLab</a>, projected that Harris County, where Houston is located, could see a daily increase of 2,000 new cases by June."We're not equipped to handle that type of surge. We can take about 200 cases a day, for example, with contact tracing and we're building up that program," Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner told <a href="https://www.ksat.com/news/local/2020/05/24/houston-mayor-were-not-equipped-to-handle-surge/">KSAT</a>.Turner stressed that although parts of Texas are open, "the virus is still here.""There are still people who think it's a joke, and it's not a joke," he told KSAT. "Things have opened up. We're in stage two in the state of Texas so bars, restaurants, barbershops, you name it, are now open. So (we're) nervous but we're going to do everything we can to manage the virus."That didn't stop the Liberty Tree Tavern, located near Austin, from posting: "Due to our concern for customers, if they FEEL (not think), that they need to wear a mask, they should stay home until they FEEL that it's safe to be in public without one. Sorry, No Mask Allowed."<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/food-drink/texas-bar-bans-coronavirus-masks-inside">Fox News reported</a> that the bar's co-owner, Kevin Smith, said the move was "more of a pushback" against contact tracers because "this is still a rural county."Meanwhile, Texas has also experienced friction between state and local authorities.State Attorney General Ken Paxton censured officials in Dallas, Austin, and San Antonio for enforcing restrictions that are stricter than what Abbott has implemented statewide for Texas. The cities have been threatened with lawsuits if they don't ease up, the AP reported."Unfortunately, a few Texas counties and cities seem to have confused recommendations with requirements and have grossly exceeded state law to impose their own will on private citizens and businesses," Paxton told the AP.In El Paso, county judge Ricardo Samaniego requested that Abbott wait until the number of cases are declining and closely consider data before further lifting restrictions. He's still awaiting a reply, according to the AP.<div type="image" title="texas coronavirus lockdown lifting nail salon " height="1669" width="2500" msid="75767541" hostid="261"></div>"I'm not fighting his plan; I'm fighting his timing," Samaniego told the AP. "It looks like it would work for us months from now."Abbott, for his part, points to the fact that overflow hospitals in Dallas and Houston were never used. That's an indicator that Texas' healthcare system wasn't overwhelmed, he said.On Wednesday, the Texas Supreme Court ruled that voters cannot apply for mail-in ballots based on a lack of immunity to the coronavirus, according to the <a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2020/05/27/texas-vote-by-mail-coronavirus/">Texas Tribune</a>. The court sided with Paxton, saying, "We agree with the State that a voter's lack of immunity to COVID-19, without more, is not a 'disability' as defined by the Election Code," the court wrote.State's residents who are over 65 years old, have a sickness or disability, will be out of town when the election rolls around, or are in jail qualify for mail-in ballots, the Tribune said.<h2>There's a lag in reporting virus cases, so what we're seeing today is usually a reflection of what was happening 2 weeks ago</h2>The results of Texas' reopening — and the effects in other states — aren't yet fully known, since the coronavirus has a lag time, <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/coronavirus-lag-time-covid-19-cases-past-infections-2020-4">Fauci said in April</a>.New cases and hospitalizations reported today are a reflection of the coronavirus' spread two weeks ago because the average incubation period is five days, and symptoms worsen over a week or two. Then after a person gets tested, it takes a few days for results to come back, which then must be reported to local and state health authorities. If someone is hospitalized, it may take many more days before they get dangerously sick or die.<div type="image" title="houston coronavirus patient texas lockdown" height="1667" width="2500" msid="75768738" hostid="261"></div>That's why the White House guidelines advise states to see a 14-day "downward trajectory" in cases before they reopen, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2020/05/07/us/coronavirus-states-reopen-criteria.html">The New York Times reported</a>."They see the decline going in, and they pat themselves on the back and say, 'Look at the good work we've done. Now we can let this happen and open up things,'" Dennis Perrotta, a retired state epidemiologist in Texas, told the AP. "And then we get slammed with a second peak."Public health experts agree that once states reopen, they must combine widespread testing with contact tracing and social distancing to keep outbreaks from flaring back up.Have a news tip? Email this reporter: <a href="mailto:rmahbubani@businessinsider.com">rmahbubani@businessinsider.com</a>.Read the original article on <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/texas-governor-greg-abbott-lifts-coronavirus-restrictions-new-cases-2020-5">Business Insider</a>

You Searched For "Cinema halls news" and got 10 results

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'The governor is a servant of the state. I am a servant of God': 3 pastors defend why they're leading the charge to reopen churches

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