Breakthrough Cancer Treatment Being Made in Victoria
MELBOURNE, Jul 1: The Allan Labor Government is backing a new, world-class facility in Victoria — the first in Australia accredited to manufacture a groundbreaking new cancer treatment that targets tumours with precision.
Minister for Industry and Advanced Manufacturing Colin Brooks today opened IDT Australia’s new world-class facility, the Ehrlich Bioconjugation Centre. Based in Boronia, the centre is dedicated to the production of Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) for Research and Development (R&D), clinical, and commercial use.
Described as the “biological missile” for targeted cancer therapy, ADCs significantly improve patients’ survival rates and quality of life through the highly specific delivery of potent chemotherapy agents to cancer cells. ADCs have a substantial impact on improving survival rates in breast cancer
treatment especially in metastatic, HER2positive, and triple-negative cancers. Producing them in Victoria will make it easier for Australians to access this life-saving treatment.
The global ADC market is forecast to reach US$140 billion over the next 15 years as it is expected to displace between 30 per cent to 50 per cent of the traditional chemotherapy market.
The Labor Government has supported the establishment of this new facility, helping to secure 88 highly skilled local jobs and position Victoria as a global leader in advanced cancer treatment manufacturing.
The Victorian Industry Policy identifies health technologies and medical research as a priority sector for the state to leverage our competitive advantages to drive innovation and growth.
Victoria’s $21.4 billion health technologies sector is a global leader in research and manufacturing. The sector exports $3.8 billion in pharmaceuticals – accounting for more than half of Australia’s pharmaceutical exports - and employs 51,785 people.
The Victorian Budget 2025/26 invests over $24 million in medical research and $150 million to launch a new Victorian Investment Fund, which will expand priority sectors and deliver additional grants for businesses and industries like IDT – while capitalising on our strengths to boost innovation and economic development.
More Support for Families to Put Food on The Table
MELBOURNE, Jul 3: The Allan Labor Government is delivering real support to more Victorian families so they can put food on the table with new grants to boost local food relief efforts across the state.
Minister for Carers and Volunteers Ros Spence today announced applications are open for the $9 million 2025-26 Community Food Relief Program - doubling the funding from last year to make sure help is reaching those who need it most.
Funding will support food relief services across local communities – tackling food insecurity and easing cost-of-living pressures for families doing it tough with two grant streams.
Coordination Grants of up to $300,000 are available for large-scale food relief organisations, and Local Grants of up to $100,000 are open for grassroots organisations, such as neighbourhood houses and social enterprises, that deliver
culturally appropriate, healthy food to the communities they know best.
The program is already making a real difference – last year, four major Coordination Grants were distributed, and 112 Local Grants supported food relief efforts across 58 local government areas, helping local organisations respond directly to the needs of their communities.
Since 2020, the Labor Government has invested more than $74 million in food relief and food security – including $18 million in the Victorian Budget 2025/26 to boost access to healthy food and strengthen community support services across the state.
Applications close on 5 August 2025 for Coordination Grants and 19 August 2025 for Local Grants. For more information and how to apply, visit providers.dffh.vic.gov.au/ community-food-relief.
Saying Yes To International Students –And Economic Growth
MELBOURNE, Jul 8: The Allan Labor Government is backing international education and supporting Victorian universities and TAFEs to expand their global footprint − cementing Victoria as Australia’s education capital.
Minister for Economic Growth and Jobs
Danny Pearson today visited William Angliss Institute to announce 16 Victorian education providers will share in up to $5 million under the Yes to International Students Fund.
The innovative investment will focus on transnational education – offering targeted seed funding to Victorian universities and TAFEs so they can kick start and grow partnerships to deliver more education overseas.
Transnational education is the delivery of Australian courses to international students outside Australia, where a university or TAFE may set up a campus offshore or co-deliver courses with a reputable international institution.
These partnerships will strengthen the state’s global presence by creating new courses and expanding existing programs, offering student exchange programs and more – highlighting what Australia’s education capital has to offer to students.
Among the recipients is William Angliss Institute who provide vocational education for more than 3,000 international students with a strong focus on hospitality, tourism and culinary arts ─ supporting thousands of Victorian jobs.
Recent data from Tourism Research Australia’s 2023-24 State Tourism Satellite Account, shows Victoria’s record-breaking $40 billion visitor economy supported 288,800 filled jobs – including 183,800 direct tourism jobs – with nearly three quarters in hospitality, accommodation and retail.
William Angliss Institute will use its grant to deliver new diplomas and develop bilingual learning resources, establishing its presence in the global market, while providing a pathway for Vietnamese students to undertake further study in Victoria.
Another recipient, La Trobe University, will use their grant to offer study tours for Southeast Asian students, help connect
Chinese students with Victorian startups and pilot a business and IT training program in Thailand.
Making Victoria’s world-class education more accessible to the globe brings huge benefits back to the state – growing the economy, strengthening the global reputation of Victoria’s institutions, and giving staff and students the mobility and opportunities for research, career development and future collaboration.
The Victorian Government is once again calling on the Federal Government to axe international student caps ─ a cap on international students is a cap on economic growth. International education generated $15.9 billion in revenue last year for the Victorian economy and supported 64,000 jobs across the state.
The Yes to International Students Fund will make Victoria’s offering to International Students even stronger.
It’s funded through the Labor Government’s Economic Growth Statement as a key initiative to support education providers for global opportunities ─ backing Victoria’s growth.
The Victorian Budget 2025/26 is investing $18.6 million to continue backing international education programs and services, supporting the sector to navigate the national and international landscape and ensure Melbourne remains Australia’s best student city.
For a full list of the grant recipients, visit: studymelbourne.vic.gov.au/YISF.
More Support For Rental And Mortgage Stress
access to free financial counselling services.
Minister for Consumer Affairs Nick Staikos, and Member for Wendouree Juliana Addison, today visited Child and Family Services Ballarat, which received $900,000 over three years in the recent Financial Counselling Funding Round to expand support to residents in the Central Highlands region.
It’s one of 16 providers across Victoria to receive funding under latest round of the $15 million initiative, which supports Victorians facing housing-related financial challenges due to cost-of-living and other financial pressures.
Child and Family Services Ballarat will use its grant to establish a ‘Financial Wellness Hub’ to increase access to support services and help Victorians in need to build financial independence.
The hub uses an integrated service approach, with community engagement, a financial counsellor, and financial capability
workers on hand to provide guidance and support.
Child and Family Services Ballarat received a further $372,982 from 2023–24 through the Rental Stress Support Package to deliver intensive case management to vulnerable renters.
The government has invested more than $45 million over the past three years to support community agencies across Victoria to deliver general and specialist family violence financial counselling to those in need.
The Financial Counselling Program is delivered through Consumer Affairs Victoria and supported more than 23,000 Victorians in 2023 –24, including more than 4,100 people affected by family violence.
Victorians can find their closest financial counselling provider by contacting the National Debt Helpline at: ndh.org.au or calling 1800 007 007.
MELBOURNE, Jun 27: The Allan Labor Government is helping Victorians facing rental and mortgage stress by expanding
Strengthening Victoria’s World-Class Health System Advancing The Fight Against Childhood Cancer
MELBOURNE, Jun 29: The Allan Labor Government is delivering Victorians a betterconnected health system – that ensures patients get the care they need, close to home.
Backed by record investments – including for frontline workforce recruitment and increased funding for hospitals, health services are coming together in partnership, with 12 new Local Health Service Networks commencing from 1 July.
The networks will drive improvements through health services working together across regions so that Victorians can access more of the care that they need, closer to where they live.
Each health service will retain its board and CEO, unique identity and connection to their community.
Each network will hit the ground running – by identifying and planning improvements to address the health needs of their local communities. This follows work over the past few months to identify early initiatives to improve access to care, better support the local health workforce, and improve the quality of care.
This work will help develop annual plans and three-year strategies addressing four priority areas:
• Access, equity and flow – making
it easier to access and navigate the health system through initiatives like regional waiting lists and support for aged care patients to stay out of hospital
• Workforce – develop coordinated plans to develop and retain a skilled health workforce
• Safety and quality – embedding evidence-based improvements for safer care
• Shared services – identifying back-office efficiencies to ensure better use of available resources, minimise wasteful duplication, and share findings with other networks.
As the networks mature, they will begin to focus on additional priorities, including understanding the care needs of priority populations and addressing these in collaboration, improving integration with other parts of the health system, and improving access to research and clinical trials.
The Labor Government invested a record $31 billion in the Victorian Budget 2025/26 into the health system, including a record $9.3 billion boost to give every public hospital the certainty to plan for the future and keep delivering the world-class care Victorians rely on.
For more information, please visit health. vic.gov.au/local-health-service-networks.
Backing Business and Creating Jobs
MELBOURNE, Jul 1: The Allan Labor Government is creating jobs and backing Victorian businesses, with new payroll tax cuts taking effect.
From today, the payroll tax-free threshold will lift from $900,000 to $1 million – meaning even more small businesses will pay no payroll tax.
It follows the lifting of the threshold from $700,000 at the start of the financial year. The change will mean about 6,000 businesses no longer paying any payroll tax and a further 22,500 businesses paying a
reduced amount – saving up to $14,550 per year.
Victoria’s economy is strong and our world-leading capabilities, established industries, skilled workforce and outstanding livability make the state one of the best places to live, work and invest.
Over the past decade Victoria’s economy has grown faster than any other state and is 31 per cent larger than when Labor came to Government.
Business investment in Victoria remains robust, growing by 1.6 per cent in the four quarters to March 2025, compared to 1.2 per cent nationally.
More than 113,000 businesses have been added since June 2020, the largest percentage growth of any state.
The Labor Government is also making it easier and simpler for Victorian businesses to start or build a business – backed by a $627 million investment in the Victorian Budget 2025/26 to support business and grow the Victorian economy, including delivering the Economic Growth Statement in full.
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MELBOURNE, Jun 29: The Allan Labor Government is helping treat and cure childhood cancer and establishing Victoria as a global leader in paediatric cancer research.
Minister for Economic Growth and Jobs Danny Pearson today announced two Victorian researchers will share in $2.1 million in funding under the Children’s Cancer CoLab’s Next-Generation Therapies Program, to develop new treatments for children’s cancers that are the hardest to treat, including brain, bone and soft tissue cancers.
Dr Azimi from Monash University will develop models of medulloblastoma – the most common paediatric brain tumour – to efficiently and accurately test potential treatments.
Professor Firestein from the Hudson Institute of Medical Research will receive funding to profile 50 additional paediatric cancer cell lines and using artificial intelligence will work to discover new treatments.
Every year, more than 1,000 children and adolescents in Australia are diagnosed with cancer and more than 100 of these patients tragically lose their lives.
Cancer treatments designed for adults can be ineffective and harmful when used on children. Advances in medical research have seen the survival rate for paediatric cancer recently rise to over 80 per cent. Unfortunately, some cancers have far lower survival rates.
The Next-Generation Therapies Program aims to develop cutting-edge therapies specifically for these paediatric cancers, to ensure survival rates continue to rise for young cancer patients.
The Labor Government invested $35 million to establish the Children’s Cancer CoLab, alongside $10 million from the Children’s Cancer Foundation. The Children’s Cancer CoLab brings together the best and brightest minds to undertake cutting-edge research to tackle childhood cancer.
Victoria is leading the way when it comes to cancer research, with the new $152 million Paula Fox Melanoma and Cancer Centre recently opening at the Alfred Hospital.
The Labor Government’s investment of more than $1 billion in health and medical research over the past decade continues to drive growth, create jobs and support incredible breakthroughs in treatment and care.
Health technologies and medical research are identified as top priority areas in the Economic Growth Statement.
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Record International Spend Created More Jobs in Victoria
MELBOURNE, Jun 25: Victoria’s visitor economy is booming – with international travellers spending a record $9.3 billion in the year to March 2025 and supporting thousands of local jobs.
Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Steve Dimopoulos said the latest data from Tourism Research Australia’s Domestic Tourism Statistics and International Visitor Survey shows the visitor economy remains a key engine for growth and employment.
In the year ending March 2025, Indian travellers spent $810 million in Victoria – an 84 per cent year-on-year increase – while the rest of Australia has declined. China remained the state’s largest international market for spend at $2.9 billion, up 23 per cent.
The latest data also confirms Melbourne is the top interstate overnight leisure destination, with 861,000 travellers staying 3.5 million nights and spending $1.4 billion in the March 2025 quarter – outperforming Sydney on trips, nights, and expenditure.
This data follows the release of Tourism Research Australia’s 2023-24 State Tourism Satellite Account, showing Victoria’s record-breaking $40 billion visitor economy supported 288,800 filled jobs – including
183,800 direct tourism jobs – with nearly three quarters in hospitality, accommodation and retail.
Visit Victoria is working with Tourism Australia to train 65,000 global travel agents to promote our state, while supporting local operators to connect with international markets and grow their businesses.
The Labor Government’s $7 million Industry Partnerships Program is supporting co-operative marketing efforts with key international partners to drive visitation and increase global exposure.
Major events continue to attract visitors and boost spending, with hotel occupancy averaging 88 per cent during the Australian
Open and 91 per cent during the 2025 Grand Prix – supporting jobs across accommodation, dining and transport.
Even more events are on the way, including the British & Irish Lions at the MCG, French Impressionism at the NGV, and Lenny Kravitz in Mildura.
Overall, overnight visitors spent $34.3 billion in Victoria – up 5.6 per cent year-onyear. For the first time, this figure includes overnight stays only, with domestic daytrip data to be added in future releases. This is the first data set from the new Domestic Tourism Statistics program, replacing the National Visitor Survey.
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More Students Going On To Further Study Than Ever Before
MELBOURNE, Jun 23: The Allan Labor Government is focussed on what matters most: ensuring every child gets a world class education and are supported into their chosen pathway after school, whether that be further study, training or joining the workforce.
New data released today in the On Track 2024 Destinations of Victorian School Leavers report shows that 96 per cent of students who complete year 12 will go on to further education and training or find
employment the following year.
The annual survey tracks the destination outcomes of Year 12 completers six months after leaving school. The data shows three in four (75.6 per cent) Year 12 completers advance to further education and training, while one in five (20.1 per cent) enter the workforce.
More than half of students who complete Year 12 and continue their education will pursue a bachelor’s degree at university, with
Health the most popular field of study. Year 12 completers who go straight into employment are most likely to find jobs in the Food, Hospitality or Tourism sectors, or as a sales assistant or store person.
Forty-two per cent of Aboriginal students who completed year 12 pursued higher education including a bachelor’s degree (29.7 per cent) or a certificate/diploma (12.3 per cent), while one in five (20.8 per cent) undertook an apprenticeship or traineeship.
More than 26,600 Year 11 and year 12 students were enrolled in the VCE Vocational Major in 2024 – a 19.3 per cent increase compared to the previous year.
Victoria is the only state to record continued VET enrolment growth in schools for the last four consecutive years - and last year, for the first time, more than 30 per cent of year 11 and 12 students in Victorian government schools chose vocational education.
Through the Labor Government’s oncein-a-generation One VCE reform, all VCE students have the support they need to pursue their dreams, with practical and vocational options for students to open the door to their career sooner or follow pathways to further study.
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Homebuyer Fund Extended to Help More Victorians
Jul 1: The Allan Labor Government is extending the popular Victorian Homebuyer Fund to help more Victorians achieve their dream of owning a home.
Since it was launched in October 2021, the fund has helped more than 15,400
Victorians buy a home. More than two-thirds of the fund’s successful homeowners are first home buyers, with 25 to 44-year-olds the largest group to benefit.
The short-term extension – until the Government’s investment of $2.8 billion is exhausted will enable new applications to be made beyond the original 30 June cutoff. This will help an estimated 2,600 more Victorians buy their own home, bringing the total up to 18,000 homebuyers assisted by the fund since its launch.
After this, Victorians will transition to the Commonwealth’s Help to Buy scheme, which will continue the important work of the ground-breaking Victorian scheme.
The Victorian Homebuyer Fund’s shared equity arrangement makes it easier for more people to buy a home, by reducing the amount of money eligible participants need to enter the market and relieving Victorian homebuyers from the extra financial burden of lenders’ mortgage Insurance.
The median Victorian Homebuyer Fund participant's mortgage repayments are
around $250 lower per month – a saving of approximately $3,000 per year – compared to if they purchased the same property with a traditional 80 per cent loan to value ratio loan.
Participants are also eligible for other first home buyer supports, including stamp duty exemptions and concessions and the First Home Owner Grants of $10,000.
Since the fund’s launch, more than 15,400 Victorians have been supported to buy their own home, with a median purchase price of $615,000.
The Victorian Budget 2025/26 is delivering initiatives to help more Victorians buy a home, including $61 million to extend the stamp duty concession – slashing stamp duty on eligible off-the-plan apartments, units and townhouses for another 12-months.
An additional $24 million will also deliver new planning controls for the 50 recently announced Activity Centres, ensuring we get the planning right and give certainty to communities and industry about how these places will grow.
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MELBOURNE,
More Free Mental Health Care Coming To Your Community
MELBOURNE, Jul 10: The Allan Labor Government is expanding its network of Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals so more Victorians can get free mental health support close to home without needing a GP referral or Medicare card.
Minister for Mental Health Ingrid Stitt today visited the Brimbank Mental Health and Wellbeing Local to announce that seven new Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals will soon open across Victoria.
These new Locals will be established in the Cardinia, Darebin, Maribyrnong,
Maroondah, Port Phillip, Wyndham and Mount Alexander (servicing Mount Alexander, Central Goldfields and Macedon Ranges) Local Government Areas.
Acting as a 'front door' to the mental health system, the Locals offer support and treatment for Victorians experiencing mental illness or psychological distress, including cooccurring substance use or addiction.
Support is delivered in-person, via telehealth and via outreach services with a care plan designed to reflect a person’s goals and preferences – family, carers and supporters can also be involved.
A flagship reform following the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System, the new services build on the 15 existing Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals operating across 17 locations that that have already helped more than 23,000 Victorians access free community-based mental health
care and support.
The growing uptake of these reflects real progress in delivering the accessible, and community-embedded care envisioned by the Royal Commission.
The seven new Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals are expected to open from late 2025, continuing the Labor Government's ongoing reform and expansion of communitybased services.
To make it even easier to access help, walk-in support is now available at the existing Bairnsdale, Lilydale and Melton Locals, giving Victorians more options to care when and where they need it.
The Victorian Budget 2025/26 invested $34.4 million to support the 17 existing locations, establish these seven new locations and continue essential communitybased mental health services across Victoria.
The Labor Government has invested $6 billion in the mental health system since the Royal Commission report was handed down and grown the mental health workforce by 25 per cent.
For more information on Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals, visit betterhealth.vic. gov.au/mhwlocal.
Funding Boost to Preserve Victoria's History
and
and histories
Minister for Acting Minister for Government Services Danny Pearson today announced that 17 historical groups, museums, libraries and not-for-profits are the new recipients of the 2025 Local History Grants Program. The Local History Grants Program
is administered by Public Record Office Victoria, and supports community activities that preserve, record and share the local, social and community history of Victoria and Victorians.
Recipients this year include the Bonegilla Memory Project, awarded $11,490 for their work in collecting memories of ex-residents of the Bonegilla Migrant Camp via a digital platform. Memories will be shared with the wider community, highlighting the stories of
this significant heritage site.
First Nations history will be highlighted in the new project William Barak’s Visual and Material Legacy: A Catologue for Community delivered through $15,000 to the Wurrindjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Aboriginal Corporation.
The Down Syndrome Association of Victoria has been awarded $12,623 for the archiving of their heritage collection, dating back to the Association’s establishment in 1978, establishing a legacy to educate, inspire and inform all Victorians.
Victoria’s important post-war migration story will also be further explored, with $14,850 granted to the Australian Jewish Historical Society Victoria for the project Community of Fate: Tales of German Jewish Migration to Melbourne (1938 – 1949).
The National Theatre, Melbourne’s Digital History Project will come to life thanks to $6,520 in funding. The project aims to capture and share historical documents that tell the story of this seminal Victorian arts organisation.
Other funded projects include newspaper digitisations, oral histories, historical signage, and preservation equipment.
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Fast-Tracking More Homes Close to Public Transport
MELBOURNE, Jul 4: The Allan Labor Government has fast-tracked nearly 150 new homes to be built in Melbourne’s south, close to public transport, jobs, and services.
Minister for Planning Sonya Kilkenny today announced planning approval for an 11-storey development at Selwyn Street in Elsternwick – fast-tracked through the Development Facilitation Program.
This pathway streamlines the planning
process for shovel-ready projects to boost investment, keep people in jobs and deliver more homes for Victorians.
These 148 homes will be built in the heart of Elsternwick – walking distance from Elsternwick train station, the 67 tram along Glenhuntly Road, buses, jobs and services.
The new development will include a mix of one, two and three-bedrooms, and 10 per cent of the homes will be affordable. It also
includes more than 400 car spaces and more than 100 bicycle spaces.
It will also include a supermarket, retail and office spaces – along with a section to form part of the Jewish Arts Quarter, including a community hub that will host a range of activities.
The proposed development is a refinement of a previous planning approval – changes include increasing the amount of homes on the site by 13 and increasing the height from 10-storeys to 11-storeys.
Victoria continues to lead the nation in housing approvals and completions and since the Development Facilitation Program was expanded for residential use in September 2023 – more than 4,950 homes have been fast-tracked.
It’s part of Victoria’s plan to deliver more homes in established suburbs – close to jobs, transport, education, and services – giving more young people the chance to live near where they grew up and reducing future growth pressure on families in Melbourne’s booming outer suburbs.
MELBOURNE, Jun 27: The Allan Labor Government is funding community groups across the state to capture, preserve
share the unique stories
of Victoria.
Backing Cultural Festivals That Bring Victorians Together
MELBOURNE, Jul 2: The Allan Labor Government is continuing to back Victoria’s vibrant multicultural communities, with more support to host festivals and events that celebrate culture, heritage and inclusion.
Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ingrid Stitt today announced that 111 organisations will share in more than $780,000 in funding to deliver multicultural festivals and events across metropolitan and regional Victoria from 1 July to 30 September 2025.
The Multicultural Festivals and Events (MFE) Program and the Regional Multicultural Festivals and Events Fund support communities to celebrate culture and heritage in meaningful ways, while sharing the richness of Victoria’s multicultural identity with the broader public.
Both programs help communities honour
and share their cultural traditions, while encouraging all Victorians to come together, learn from one another and celebrate the diversity that strengthens our state.
Victorians come from more than 300 ancestries, speak 290 languages and follow almost 200 different faiths, providing our state with a rich and unique social tapestry.
Through this round of funding, the Australian Karen Organisation received $9,000 to host their Karen Wrist Tying celebration – a ceremony that involves tying white threads around the wrist to ward illness and protection from misfortune, followed by traditional dance and food.
Other recipients include the Kenya Community Victoria who received $20,000 to host their Tamaduni Festival – a two-day celebration of Kenyan culture featuring
traditional food, fashion, dance and heritage.
The Ballarat Hindu Temple and Cultural Centre received $30,000 to deliver Ganesh Chaturthi 2025 – a three-day festival marking the birth of the Hindu deity Ganesh.
This round of funding supports events representing more than 40 ethnicities and 60 faith groups – highlighting the depth and diversity of Victoria’s multicultural communities.
Since 2014, the Labor Government has invested more than $42 million to support close to 10,000 multicultural festivals and events across the state.
For more information and to view the full list of successful recipients, visit vic.gov.au/ multicultural-festivals-and-events-program.
Need to work for easier supply chain of Australian critical minerals in India: Australian High Commissioner
NEW DELHI, Jul 4: Australian High Commissioner to India, Philip Green, emphasised the urgency of establishing a smoother supply chain for Australian critical minerals, particularly lithium, to India, as part of broader efforts to enhance the country's green energy sector.
Green highlighted Australia's role as a major producer of critical minerals and its strategic importance as a Quad member, noting that one of the aspects of the alliance is to ensure "high-quality supplies" of these minerals are available to India.
"Australia is a very large producer of critical minerals. We produce more than 50 per cent of the world's lithium. I want to work to make sure that there is an easier supply chain of Australian critical minerals and especially lithium, in India. This is one aspect of what the QUAD is trying to do to make sure that high-
"We
quality supplies of important battery minerals are available to countries like India, which have a very bright future in the green energy supply chain," Green said.
"It's all about reducing the barriers to trade, and that's all about prosperity for both of our nations," he added.
Green's
remark came after US Secretary of State Marco Rubio emphasised the importance of diversifying the global supply chain of critical minerals for technological and industrial advancement during a joint press conference ahead of the Quad Foreign Ministers' meeting.
Looking ahead, Green anticipated Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's visit to India for the QUAD summit later this year, hosted by India, stating, "India will be hosting the QUAD later this year. It's up to Prime Minister Modi to identify when he will be inviting Prime Minister Albanese for that, but I know that our Prime Minister is looking forward very keenly to coming back to India. This is a focused country from here."
Green also highlighted the deepening defence and security ties, particularly through a new joint research project on undersea
surveillance, which aims to enhance underwater domain awareness, crucial for regional security focusing on maritime security.
"Australia and India are building a much deeper partnership, and at the core of that is the fact that we are now strategic partners. We're separated only by an ocean. It makes sense that when we're talking about our defence and security engagement, we talk about the marine. And that's why this effort to better understand surveillance of the oceans is a key area for Australia and India to work on. I'm very confident this will be one of many new interventions that we're making in the defence and security area in the years going forward," the High Commissioner stated.
Earlier on Thursday, India and Australia made the first science and technology project arrangement to enhance undersea surveillance technologies, as per a statement by the Australian government.
As per the statement, the inaugural project aims to improve the early detection and tracking of submarines and autonomous underwater vehicles in the region.
The agreement outlines a three-year joint research project between the Defence Science and Technology Group's (DSTG) Information Sciences Division and its Indian counterpart agency, the Defence Research and Development Organisation's (DRDO) Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory.
The leading-edge research will explore using Towed Array Target Motion Analysis to improve the reliability, efficiency and interoperability of current surveillance capabilities.
strongly support India's drive towards renewables": Australian High Commissioner
NEW DELHI, Jul 9: Australia's High Commissioner to India, Philip Green, reflected on Australia's support for India's push towards renewable energy.
While speaking at the India Energy Storage Week (IESW), Phillip Green said, "We strongly support India's drive towards renewables. India is very important to the world."
Green emphasised the scale and seriousness of Australia's involvement. "We have more than 22 companies and around 40 people here, virtually all the Australian states are involved," he said.
Australia's High Commissioner to India also outlined about the deep complementarity between the two nations, especially in the context of green
technology and energy.
"We are very strong in minerals and metals that are essential for battery storage. We are very strong in skills and capabilities, and universities and technical colleges are very important for upskilling and the Indian population for the new green energy revolution," he noted.
Highlighting Australia's strength in innovation, Green added, "We also have a very high level of. Of green tech, nine Australia is a place with a large amount of innovation, but the population is small and a long way from a large supply chain."
Additionally, Green also reflected on the scalability of Australian solutions in India's vast market. Green emphasised the longterm vision for collaboration.
"India is a country with a large population, and this is a place where Australian innovation can scale and globalise. That's why we are going big here on India Energy Storage Week," he said.
Philip Green also emphasised the urgency of establishing a smoother supply chain for Australian critical minerals, particularly lithium, to India, as part of broader efforts to enhance the country's green energy sector.
Green highlighted Australia's role as a major producer of critical minerals and its strategic importance as a Quad member, noting that one of the aspects of the alliance is to ensure "high-quality supplies" of these minerals are available to India.
India-Australia science and technology project set to boost undersea surveillance capabilities
CANBERRA, Jul 3: India and Australia have undertaken the first science and technology project arrangement to improve the detection and tracking of submarines and autonomous underwater vehicles. The agreement is set to boost defence ties in the area of undersea surveillance technologies, Australia's Department of Defence said in a statement.
As per the Department of Defence, the agreement outlines a three-year joint research project between Australia's Defence Science and Technology Group's (DSTG) Information Sciences Division and India's Defence Research and Development Organisation's (DRDO) Naval Physical and Oceanographic Laboratory.
The DSTG is Australian government's leading agency employing one of the largest number of scientists and engineers who deliver advice, innovative solutions on matters of Defence science and technology.
The Department of Defence noted that the leading-edge research would explore the use of Towed Array Target Motion Analysis technology so as to improve the reliability, efficiency and interoperability of current surveillance capabilities.
Discipline Leader in DSTG's Information Sciences Division, Amanda Bessell, said that Target Motion Analysis was a collective term for target tracking algorithms, developed to estimate the state of a moving target.
"Target Motion Analysis is the crucial element in maintaining platform situational awareness, when a passive mode of operation is required," Ms Bessell said as quoted by the Department of Defence.
The research project, therefore is unique in the way as it utilises a towed arraybased signal processing system.
DSTG Senior Researcher, Sanjeev Arulampalam, explained a towed array consisted of a long linear array of hydrophones, towed behind a submarine or surface ship on a flexible cable.
'We need to harness the best minds in innovation, science and technology to build new capabilities, to innovate at greater pace, and to strengthen our strategic partnerships. The hydrophones work together to listen to the undersea environment from various directions," Dr Arulampalam said as cited by the Department of Defence.
"The sound signal is passed through a signal processor, which analyses, filters and detects underwater acoustic signals emitted from maritime targets."
The combination of the Target Motion Analysis with the towed array system is intended to manage noise corruption and explore possible performance improvements.
This joint project between India and Australia would see novel algorithms put to test, using the strengths and shared knowledge of the two countries.
"The project arrangement will involve the sharing of ideas, investigation trials, algorithm demonstrations and performance analysis," Dr Arulampalam said.
As the scope of underwater battlespace changes and is seeing an increased use of autonomous vehicles, improving surveillance capabilities is a priority.
"The output of this research program has the potential to guide the development
of future algorithmic directions for our undersea combat system surveillance technologies," Chief Information Sciences Division, Suneel Randhawa, said.
The Department of Defence underscored that harnessing international partnerships enables access to a greater range of expertise, infrastructure and technical data to help address mutual problems and deliver innovative technologies.
"We need to harness the best minds in innovation, science and technology to build new capabilities, to innovate at a greater pace, and to strengthen our strategic partnerships," Randhawa said.
The project is the latest milestone in increasing maritime domain awareness cooperation between Australia and India.
Notably, the announcement by Australia's Department of Defence comes after External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar met his Australian Counterpart, Penny Wong, on the sidelines of the QUAD Foreign Ministers' Meeting, which took place in the US earlier this week.
EAM Jaishankar, in his remarks underscored that their meeting also marked the 5th anniversary of the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership of India and Australia.
Previously in Rajya Sabha, MoS External Affairs Pabitra Margherita had noted that Australia is the only country with which India has three unique frameworks namely-- Annual Leaders' Summit, 2+2 Foreign and Defence Ministerial Dialogue and Foreign Ministers' Framework Dialogue.
India Ranks Highest in Economic Opportunities, Beating Japan, Australia, UK in World Citizenship
NEW DELHI, Jun 25: India has secured an impressive 3rd place globally for Economic Opportunity in the 2025 World Citizenship Index (WCI), marking a significant milestone in its global economic reputation.
The ranking, released in the latest edition of the World Citizenship Report published by CS Global Partners, places India ahead of several major economies including Australia, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, and multiple European nations.
Micha Rose Emmett, CEO of CS Global Partners, emphasized India's evolving position in the global economic landscape.
"India is steadily emerging as a powerhouse for economic opportunities, particularly through its digital platforms. The pace at which the country is advancing, coupled with the entrepreneurial momentum, is positioning it as a preferred destination for both investors
and innovators," she noted.
India's robust economic growth forecasts further support this upward trajectory.
According to the World Citizenship Report, the Indian economy, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the incumbent BJP government, is projected to grow by 6.6% in 2025 and 6.8% in 2026, as per a United Nations analysis. This positive outlook bolsters investor confidence and reinforces India's standing as the world's fifthlargest economy, a position it is expected to maintain or improve.
The World Citizenship Report noted that beyond raw economic indicators, India's rise in the rankings also reflects the country's expanding digital economy, substantial infrastructure investments, and a continued focus on entrepreneurship and innovation. These pillars are not only attracting global
businesses but are also empowering Indian citizens with greater access to financial growth and mobility.
The World Citizenship Index evaluates 188 nationalities across five key motivators of global citizenship: Safety and Security, Economic Opportunity, Quality of Life, Global Mobility, and Financial Freedom. The final scores are calculated using a proprietary methodology that balances both qualitative assessments and quantitative data, tailored specifically to the priorities of high-net-worth individuals (HNWIs).
As the global economic map evolves, India's momentum suggests a future where it plays an even more dominant role, not just regionally, but on the world stage. In the rankings, India has shown major improvements as it stood on the 3rd position with a score of 78.5 in the Economic Opportunity in 2025 WCR. However, India ranked on the 34th position in the motivator last year, marking a great improvement in the economic conditions and GDP.
The report stated, "India's rapidly growing creator economy, the rise of a new middle class, and overall improvements in quality of life are transforming its social landscape."
The overall ranking of India has also showcased significant improvements as it ranked on the 92nd position with a score of 52.8, while in WCR 2024, the country secured 103rd position with a score of 49.5. "According to the report, India's growth reflects a significant transformation in its social and economic landscape. (ANI)
Delhi High Court allows Rajpal Yadav to travel to Australia for film promotion
NEW DELHI, Jun 24: The Delhi High Court has granted Bollywood actor Rajpal Naurang Yadav permission to travel abroad to attend promotional events related to his upcoming film "Mera Kale Rang Da Yaar".
The Court allowed Yadav to visit Melbourne, Australia, from June 27 to July 5, 2025, after considering an application filed under Section 528 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023 (BNSS).
Vacation Judge Justice Rajneesh Kumar Gupta passed the order on Monday, stating that the actor may travel subject to certain conditions. Yadav had been invited by Black and White Motion Picture Pvt. Ltd. to participate in promotional activities for the film in Australia. His counsel submitted the official invitation and flight tickets as part of the application.
The Court also noted that Yadav had been permitted to travel abroad on earlier occasions and had complied with the conditions previously imposed.
While granting travel permission, the Court directed that Yadav must submit a Fixed
Deposit Receipt (FDR) of Rs 1 lakh with the Registry of the Court as security. He must furnish his mobile number and email ID, which are to remain operational during the trip. His contact details are to be shared with the Investigating Officer in the case.
The passport currently deposited with the Trial Court is to be released for the travel period and must be re-submitted upon his return. Additionally, the passport of Yadav's brother, Chander Pal Singh, will be deposited before the Trial Court as further assurance.
The actor is currently involved in a legal case, the sentence for which was suspended by the High Court in June 2024. At the time, the Court had observed that the Yadavs were not hardened criminals and advised them to consider settling the matter amicably with the complainant company. The case is presently under consideration before the Delhi High Court Mediation Centre. The matter has been listed for further hearing before the Roster Bench on July 8, 2025.
Proud moment for India, inspiration for youth across world
Union Minister Jitendra Singh greets Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla on Axiom-4 liftoff success
NEW DELHI, Jun 25: After the Axiom 4 mission to the International Space Station successfully lifted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, US, Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Wednesday extended his congratulations to the mission pilot Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla.
Taking to 'X', Jitendra Singh posted his congratulatory message for Shukla and mentioned that Indian space agency ISRO's growing collaborations are the result of reforms introduced by the Government of India headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"Congratulations Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla -- you are the first Indian Astronaut set to embark on a mission to the International Space Station. Indeed, a proud moment for India! #ISRO's growing global collaborations, after the reforms introduced by the government headed by PM Narendra Modi, have placed India as a frontline nation in Space exploration", the 'X' post read.
Union Minister was joined by Australian High Commissioner to India Philip Green, Frances Adamson AC, Governor of South Australia, and others who celebrated the moment by distributing sweets at the Anusandhan Bhawan in the national capital..
The Axiom Mission 4 launched aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre in Florida at 2:31 am Eastern Time (12 Noon IST).
This is the fourth private astronaut mission to the International Space Station.
The crew is travelling to the orbiting laboratory on a new SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The targeted docking time was approximately 7 am Eastern Time (4pm IST) on Thursday, June 26.
Once docked, the astronauts plan to spend up to 14 days aboard the orbiting laboratory, conducting a mission comprised of science, outreach, and commercial activities.
Peggy Whitson, former NASA astronaut and director of human spaceflight at Axiom Space, is in command of the mission, while Indian Space Research Organization Astronaut Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla serves as pilot. The two mission specialists are European Space Agency project astronaut Slawosz UznanskiWisniewski of Poland and Tibor Kapu of Hungary.
The astronauts are using the new Axiom
Extravehicular Mobility Unit (AxEMU) spacesuit which provides them with advanced capabilities for space exploration while providing NASA with commercially developed human systems needed to access, live and work on and around the Moon. The advanced spacesuits ensure astronauts are equipped with high-performing, robust equipment and are designed to accommodate a wide range of crew members.
The Ax-4 mission is going to be conducting major research. The research complement includes around 60 scientific studies and activities representing 31 countries, including the U.S., India, Poland, Hungary, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Nigeria, UAE, and nations across Europe.
This will be the most research and science-related activities conducted on an Axiom Space mission aboard the International Space Station to dateNASA and ISRO (Indian Space Research Organisation) are collaborating to launch several scientific investigations.
Getting married in Australia
Amendments to the Marriage Act 1961 (Part II)
Changes to the Marriage Act 1961 (Marriage Act) are summarised below.
Transfer of the NOIM: The amendments also clarify that the circumstances in which a NOIM can be transferred to another authorised celebrant include at the request of the marrying couple. This is in addition to transfers due to the death, absence or illness of the celebrant or where it is otherwise impracticable for a celebrant to solemnise the marriage.
Other amendments include:
• The introduction of deputy registrars for the Marriage Celebrants Program
• extending the timeframes for considering an application for registration as an authorised celebrant from 3 months to 6 months
• providing for the refund of the application fee only if an applicant does not have the requisite qualification or skills referred to in the Marriage Act
• clarifying that a celebrant must be physically present
to solemnise a marriage, together with the parties and 2 witnesses, and
• confirming that a celebrant can only be registered or authorised under one subdivision of the Marriage Act at a time, this applies only if the person’s application is received after the commencement of Schedule 3, Part 7 which is 28 days after the Act receives Royal Assent.
If you have further questions, you may contact me on 0425 853 086 or navee64@ gmail.com
“I have a criminal record, what do I do?”
– Application for a Builder’s Licence With A Criminal Record
BY GURPAL SINGH
in moving forward with their life – even when they feel their past may be holding them back.
At Saundh, Singh & Smith Lawyers, we are committed to helping individuals navigate complex licencing processes with confidence. Over the years, we have supported our clients in securing a wide range of licences, including but not limited to liquor licences, industry-specific licences, and business licences and permits.
Recently, however, we assisted a client who was concerned that a criminal conviction from over a decade ago might prevent them from obtaining their builder’s licence.
The Situation
In 2013, our client was convicted of a single count of indecent assault and served a community corrections order (CCO). Since that time, our client lived his life as a law-abiding citizen and worked hard to rehabilitate and reintegrate into the community.
In 2025, our client applied for a builder’s licence to Consumer Affairs Victoria to become a registered building practitioner.
However, following a background check, our client was requested by Consumer Affairs Victoria to provide further submissions detailing his recollection of events pertaining to the conviction of Indecent Assault. This further submission was necessary to assess whether our client was a fit and proper person to be the holder of a body corporate that is a holder of the builder’s licence, as per Section 9 (2)(e) of the Building Work Contractors Act 1995.
The Issue
As per the findings of the Victorian Equal Opportunity & Human Rights Commission:
“People with criminal convictions can face barriers in finding opportunities across many aspects of life, including employment, accommodation, or education.”
Our client was worried that despite his best efforts to move forward with his life following his conviction, his criminal record would prevent his application for a builder’s licence from being approved.
Our client’s concerns arose as he was unsure how to respond to the request made by Consumer Affairs Victoria to provide further submissions, and how to advocate for the hard work and dedication they have undertaken to transform their life since the
conviction more than a decade ago.
Our Approach
We understand that criminal convictions are not always an accurate reflection of the individual’s life at present. Oftentimes, criminal convictions can occur due to situations, relationships and lifestyle choices with which we no longer align.
Therefore, it most important to emphasize that the conviction of Indecent Assault was no longer an accurate portrayal of how our client carried himself on a present day-to-day basis.
Our response to Consumer Affairs Victoria’s request to provide further submissions included the following aspects:
• Our client had changed his perspective and values and spent the past decade re-organizing his life to reflect more meaningful lifestyle choices.
• Our client’s likelihood of reoffending remained incredibly low.
• Our client no longer posed a risk to other members of the community.
• Our client was a person of moral integrity and respected within his local and religious community.
• Our client had undertaken numerous volunteer activities and committed a large portion of their time toward charitable purposes.
• Our client remained remorseful for his actions and recognized the impact upon the victim.
To support our client’s case, we also compiled a comprehensive list of the following materials:
• Character references for our client
from previous employers, friends, and other respected members of the community.
• A report from a reputable forensic clinical psychologist, who detailed the low likelihood of our client reoffending, and established that our client’s conviction of Indecent Assault was largely due to his age and naivety at the time.
We ensured that our response complied and actively responded to the criteria for assessing fitness and propriety for the purposes of obtaining a builder’s licence as per the Building Work Contractors Act 1995.
We also supported our client emotionally throughout the process, as we understood that the request for further submissions had resurfaced painful memories of his past actions and regret. However, by encouraging our client to remain hopeful and place his trust in our work, we were able to achieve a positive outcome.
The Outcome
With our support, our client was able to present a detailed and thoughtful submission to Consumer Affairs Victoria.
Our client felt respected, heard, and empowered throughout the process, and was able to be confident that their application would be provided with the fair consideration it deserved.
Are you applying for a licence or permit? Do you want to ensure that your application is approved?
At Saundh, Singh & Smith Lawyers, it’s possible.
Let’s discuss your options.
Gurpal Singh is the principal lawyer
firm, Saundh Singh & Smith
Aamir Khan to Headline IFFM
2025 as Chief Guest
Indian cinema icon to lead Melbourne festival with a powerful retrospective and premiere of Sitaare Zameen Par
MELBOURNE: The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) is proud to announce that celebrated actor, filmmaker and humanitarian Aamir Khan will attend the 2025 edition of the Festival as its official Chief Guest, leading a 10-day celebration of cinema, culture and community from 14–24 August 2025.
A global figure synonymous with socially engaged storytelling and cinematic excellence, Aamir Khan’s presence marks a historic milestone for IFFM and an extraordinary opportunity for Australian audiences to engage with one of India’s most influential artists.
This year’s Festival will include a specially curated retrospective honouring Khan’s extraordinary fourdecade career, showcasing landmark films that have defined Indian cinema globally. A centrepiece of this tribute will be the screening of his latest film, Sitaare Zameen Par, followed by an in-conversation event with Aamir Khan, director RS Prasanna, and Aparna Purohit, CEO of Aamir Khan Films, offering rare insight into the making of this inclusive and heartfelt story.
Sitaare Zameen Par follows a basketball coach sentenced to community service who finds unexpected meaning mentoring a team of neurodivergent adults. The film has been widely acclaimed for its warmth, humanity and celebration of difference — extending Khan’s legacy of storytelling that uplifts and challenges.
and shining a light on inclusive narratives through Sitaare Zameen Par. It is a film close to my heart — about acceptance, connection and unlearning bias. I cannot wait to experience the love and energy of Melbourne.”
Festival Director Mitu Bhowmick Lange said:
“Aamir Khan is not just a cinematic legend but a visionary whose work reflects empathy, courage, and creative integrity. His films have shaped public consciousness and set new benchmarks for artistic excellence. We are truly honoured to welcome him to Melbourne — his presence will elevate this year’s festival to new heights.”
Aamir Khan expressed his excitement:
“I am humbled and delighted to be part of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne. It is a platform that embraces the diversity and richness of Indian cinema. I look forward to sharing stories, connecting with audiences,
The Honourable Jacinta Allan MP, Premier of Victoria, added:
“There is something for all families to enjoy at IFFM. This year, Victoria is so proud to welcome one of India’s most beloved and respected actors — Aamir Khan. He stands for the values of inclusion and equality that we hold dear in our state.”
Colin Brooks, Minister for Creative Industries, said:
“IFFM continues to deliver world-class programming and community celebration. We are proud to support an event that brings global stars like Aamir Khan to our doorstep, showcasing the best of screen storytelling and cultural exchange.”
A little bit about Aamir Khan:
Aamir Khan is one of Indian cinema’s most iconic and transformative figures. With a career spanning over 30 years, he has earned global acclaim for his socially conscious and genre-defying work. From his early success with Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak to the Oscarnominated Lagaan, feminist epic Dangal, and educational satire 3 Idiots, Khan has continually challenged norms while achieving box-office success across continents.
A TIME100 honouree, Khan directed and starred in Taare Zameen Par, a groundbreaking film on learning disabilities, which sparked nationwide policy reforms and became a cult classic in Asia and the Middle East. His upcoming film, Sitaare Zameen Par, builds on this legacy, advocating for inclusion through a moving, joyful narrative.
Beyond cinema, Khan's impact extends through his television series Satyamev Jayate, which tackled pressing social issues, and through the Paani Foundation, which promotes water conservation and climate resilience in India. Through his banner Aamir Khan Productions, he has produced critically and commercially successful films such as Peepli Live, Delhi Belly, Secret Superstar, and Laapataa Ladies, the latter selected as India’s official submission to the 97th Academy Awards.
Aamir Khan’s career spans over 36 years, beginning with his breakout leading role in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak in 1988. However, he made his first on-screen appearance as a child actor in Yaadon Ki Baaraat in 1973, which brings his overall cinematic involvement to over 50 years.
IFFM 2025 promises a dynamic program of film screenings, panels, masterclasses, and cultural events. Aamir Khan’s retrospective will be one of the most anticipated highlights.
For the full program and ticket information, visit: www.iffm.com.au
India’s Top Filmmakers Unite for
‘My Melbourne 2’
Rajkumar Hirani, Shoojit Sircar, Anjali Menon and Onir to direct powerful new stories in the second instalment of the celebrated Indo-Australian anthology.
With its unique blend of artistic innovation,
cross-cultural collaboration,
and social relevance, My Melbourne stands as a landmark project bridging Australia and India through cinema. The second chapter promises to deepen this connection with stories that are as emotive as they are
MELBOURNE: Following the resounding success of the inaugural edition, the celebrated Indo-Australian film anthology My Melbourne is set to return with its muchanticipated second official instalment. Produced by Mind Blowing Films and presented by the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM), My Melbourne 2 continues its mission to amplify authentic, diverse, and locally rooted stories that celebrate the rich cultural fabric of contemporary Australia. This new chapter brings together a formidable slate of India’s most acclaimed filmmakers — Rajkumar Hirani, Shoojit Sircar, Anjali Menon, and returning director Onir — each helming a short film inspired by real-life experiences from underrepresented communities across Australia. The project builds on the momentum of My Melbourne’s powerful debut, which featured directors Rima Das, Imtiaz Ali, Kabir Khan, and Onir. The anthology premiered in March 2025 to wide critical acclaim and went on to win Best Film at the UK Asian Film Festival.
Mitu Bhowmick Lange, CEO of Mind Blowing Films and the creative lead behind the anthology, said:
“The overwhelming response to My
Melbourne reaffirmed the importance of telling stories rooted in truth, diversity, and shared humanity. We are beyond honoured to welcome some of the finest storytellers of Indian cinema for this second edition. This is a continued celebration of inclusivity, creativity, and cultural dialogue — empowering emerging voices and connecting Australia and India through the language of film.”
Joining the project for the first time is Rajkumar Hirani, whose blockbuster films (3 Idiots, PK, Munna Bhai M.B.B.S.) have redefined mainstream Indian cinema with their blend of humour and social insight. He remarked:
“I am truly excited to be part of a project that uses cinema to explore diverse human experiences while connecting two vibrant cultures. My Melbourne offers a rare opportunity to tell a story that is both intimate and globally resonant.”
Anjali Menon, known for emotionally layered films such as Bangalore Days and Koode, shared: “The intention behind My Melbourne — to tell meaningful stories that bring people closer — deeply aligns with my creative ethos. I look forward to being part of
transformative.
this beautiful exchange of storytelling across continents.”
Shoojit Sircar, the force behind Piku, Vicky Donor and October, added: “Storytelling knows no borders. My Melbourne is a timely reminder of how local narratives can reflect global truths. I am grateful to join this cinematic journey that honours voices that are often unheard.”
Returning director Onir, whose work in the first instalment was widely applauded, reflected: “Coming back for My Melbourne 2 feels like continuing a deeply personal and important conversation. I’m excited to explore new perspectives while building on the spirit of empathy and connection that defines this project.”
My Melbourne 2 will once again collaborate with emerging Australian creatives from underrepresented backgrounds — giving them the opportunity to work closely with some of Indian cinema’s most respected storytellers.
Expressions of interest to work on the project open from 15 July 2025 at: www.iffm.com.au
Vir Das to Be Honoured at Indian Film Festival of Melbourne 2025
Emmy-winning global star to headline IFFM’s 16th edition, marking a celebration of Indian creativity on the world stage
MELBOURNE: The Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) is back for its 16th edition, running from 14–24 August 2025, and is set to once again transform Melbourne into a hub of cinematic celebration, creativity and cultural dialogue.
As the largest annual celebration of Indian cinema outside of India, IFFM 2025 will kick off with a major highlight — Emmy Award-winning comedian, actor and writer Vir Das will be honoured for his remarkable global impact in comedy and entertainment.
Recognised as a fearless voice and creative trailblazer, Das will be celebrated in a special event acknowledging his achievements in shaping India’s contemporary cultural identity on the world stage.
Vir Das, who has become one of the most recognisable names in global comedy, continues to break boundaries in 2025. He is set to make his directorial debut with Happy Patel, produced by Aamir Khan Films, and will also release his first book, The Outsider. His award-winning Netflix specials, sold-
out international tours, and success in both Indian and international television and film, position him as a truly global Indian artist.
Speaking on the recognition, Vir Das said:
“It’s incredibly humbling to be recognised by IFFM — a festival that champions the diversity and depth of Indian storytelling. Comedy has been my way of understanding the world, and I’m honoured to share that journey with audiences in Melbourne. To be celebrated for this path, while stepping into new creative chapters with my directorial debut and book, is truly meaningful.”
Festival Director Mitu Bhowmick Lange said:
“We are thrilled to welcome Vir Das to IFFM 2025. His work embodies the spirit of contemporary Indian creativity — bold, original, and boundary-breaking. Honouring him at this year’s festival is not just a celebration of his global achievements, but of the evolving voice of Indian entertainment.”
IFFM 2025 will once again take place across key Melbourne venues, offering an exciting mix of feature films, regional cinema, documentaries, red carpet premieres, industry panels, masterclasses, and inconversation sessions. The festival continues to serve as a powerful platform for crosscultural exchange, creative excellence, and community connection, drawing audiences from across Australia and around the world.
About Vir Das
Vir Das is an International Emmy Awardwinning comedian and actor, hailed by The New York Times as the artist who "embodies the globalisation of stand-up." He is the first Indian comedian to win the International Emmy for Best Comedy with his Netflix special Landing (2023), which he also directed.
Known for his sharp, socially reflective humour and global resonance, Vir’s previous Netflix special For India earned him his first Emmy nomination in 2021. His comedy has reached audiences in over 35 countries, including sold-out performances at Carnegie Hall, Dubai Opera, The Esplanade in Singapore, and Eventim Apollo in London. Beyond stand-up, Das has starred in global productions including Netflix's The Bubble, ABC’s Whiskey Cavalier, Netflix’s Hasmukh, and Amazon's Destination Unknown. In 2025, he will debut his first book The Outsider and make his directorial debut with Happy Patel, produced by Aamir Khan Films.
IFFM 2025 will run from 14–24 August across Melbourne. The full program and ticketing details will be available soon at: www.iffm.com.au
THE LAST DANCE
An Experimental Theatre Masterpiece From Melbourne Indian Theatre
Bold new production explores love, loss, and resilience through movement and minimalism
Melbourne Indian Theatre is proud to present The Last Dance, a captivating new experimental theatre work set to premiere this August at the Knox Community Arts Centre. Written and directed by Nilesh Gadre, this evocative production promises an unforgettable sensory experience that speaks beyond words.
Blending expressive physical theatre with minimalist design, The Last Dance tells the powerful story of two dancers — one Indian, one Australian — whose lives intertwine in a poetic journey of love, loss, and endurance. Through movement, light, and sound, the performance delves into the unspoken emotions that define the human experience.
“This is not a story just told through dialogue,” says writer-director Nilesh Gadre. “It’s told through how bodies move, how light cuts through space, and how silence can sometimes speak the loudest. We wanted to create something that transcends language and speaks to the heart.”
Presented by Melbourne Indian Theatre — a not-for-profit company dedicated to fostering diverse voices — The Last Dance offers a unique opportunity for audiences to engage with storytelling that bridges cultures while reflecting universal truths.
Performance Dates: 2, 9, 10 & 16 August 2025
4:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Knox Community Arts Centre, Bayswater
Tickets & Information:
Book online at www.trybooking.com/ DBGSH
Early bird pricing available for a limited time.
For updates, follow Melbourne Indian Theatre on:
Facebook: Melbourne Indian Theatre Instagram: @melbourneindiantheatre
THE LAST DANCE – A POWERFUL NEW EXPERIMENTAL THEATRE WORK FROM MELBOURNE INDIAN THEATRE
MELBOURNE – July 2025 – The Last Dance, a compelling new experimental theatre production by Melbourne Indian Theatre, will premiere this August at Knox Community Arts Centre. The emotionally resonant work explores love, loss and resilience through the powerful medium of drama and movements, offering audiences a unique experience.
Written and directed by Nilesh Gadre, The Last Dance features two dancers, one Indian, one Australian, whose intertwined journeys unfold through evocative choreography and minimalist stage design. Set in a world shaped by expressive lighting and engaging soundscape, the production captures the often experienced but unsaid obvious.
“This is not a story just told through dialogue,” says Nilesh Gadre. “It’s told through how bodies move, how light cuts through space, and how silence can sometimes speak the loudest. We wanted to create something that anyone, regardless of background or language, could connect with.”
Presented by Melbourne Indian Theatre, a not-for-profit company focused on championing diverse voices, the production reflects a growing demand for theatre that tells stories set in diverse cultures but resonate with the world.
Performance Dates: 2, 9, 10 & 16 August 2025 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM Knox Community Arts Centre, Bayswater Tickets & Info: https://www.trybooking. com/DBGSH
DALAI LAMA
SHARES MESSAGE OF COMPASSION, BODHICHITTA ON 90TH BIRTHDAY
Dalai Lama celebrated his 90th birthday in Dharamshala on Sunday with an address focusing on the values of compassion, service, and the Bodhichitta way of life.
Speaking before a gathering at the Tsuglagkhang temple, he reflected on his spiritual journey and urged everyone to follow a path of kindness and selflessness.
Union Ministers Kiren Rijiju and Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh, along with other dignitaries and well-wishers, attended the celebration.
(ANI)
“AS
HUMANS, IT IS NATURAL TO HAVE LOVE IN OUR HEARTS AND HELP ONE ANOTHER”
In his speech, the Dalai Lama spoke about the importance of love, unity and service to others. “As far as I am concerned, I have a human life. As humans, it is natural for us to have love in our heart for one another and to help one another. Since we came from a country where Buddhist religion and spirituality has spread, there is a strong sense of brotherhood and sisterhood amongst us. The main practice is as said in Bodhisattva way of life -- considering all beings as my friends and relatives, and I always think of serving beings with the best of my abilities,” he said.
He thanked the gathering for attending the celebration with joy and warmth. “Today, my dear Dharma friends, and to all my friends I wish to say that it is my 90th birthday celebration and you have happily and with great excitement gathered here and with joy in our heart. I would like to thank you for that. So, on this 90th birthday celebration of me, you have come here with great joy in your heart. So, thank you,” he said.
The Dalai Lama spoke about Bodhichitta, the spirit of enlightenment, and how it has
guided his life. He said that admiration should not come from selfish desire, but through service to others.
“The more people gather, and the more joy expressed from their heart, I also feel inspired because I practice Bodhichittwa -- the spirit of enlightenment. Many people admire me. Instead of that, if I had to focus on selfish goal to get people’s admiration, I focused on serving others, holding others dearer than myself really helps me to gather people around me and to have their admiration,” he said.
He also talked about the daily practice of Bodhichitta and the view of emptiness as central to his spiritual path. “So Bodhichittwa is a really powerful practice. To complement it, I practice the view of emptiness. Combining these two on a daily basis, I am establishing the foundation for my full enlightenment -Buddhahood with these two principles. So, in front of the Jowo Shakyamuni statue in Jokhang Temple, the main image of Buddha, I had taken bhikshu vows with my tutors. I practice my bhikshu vows with the Bodhichitta. So, when I practice Bodhichitta well, I will not have to
regret during my death. Rather, I will die peacefully,” he said.
The Tibetan spiritual leader said he feels fulfilled and has no regrets when he reflects on his life. “I am now 90, and so far, I have practiced Bodhichitta, and I have also reflected on the Shamata and Vipassana as well as I can. So, when I reflect my life, I see I have not wasted my life at all. I have no pride or arrogance. So as a follower of the Buddha, to serve people -- the public and to serve the teaching of Buddha -- are my practices,” he said.
He thanked the people who had come out of respect and joy, not obligation, and encouraged them to walk the path of compassion and awareness. “I live my life in the service of other beings. In this spirit, the more I do this, the greater there is positive response from others. So, in this programme, they have not come from obligation, but out of a sense of respect and joy to me. So, I thank you. The more you admire and love me, the more I appeal to you to make Bodhichitta and the view of emptiness your practice,” he said. (ANI)
The Place of Indian Music & Dance in Australia
Monash University Unveils a Landmark Cultural Showcase
MELBOURNE: In a powerful celebration of heritage, artistry, and enduring cultural exchange, Monash University has launched a landmark exhibition titled “The Place of Indian Music & Dance in Australia”—a compelling journey that honours over a century of IndianAustralian artistic dialogue.
A Grand Opening Night
The exhibition opened with warmth and reverence, beginning with a welcome address by Professor Margaret S. Barrett, Head of the Sir Zelman Cowen School of Music and Performance. The evening was graced by Dr. Sushil Kumar, Consul General of India, who highlighted the significance of Indian arts in Australia’s multicultural identity. Insightful remarks from Professor Robyn Bartel, Deputy Dean (Education), Faculty of Arts, and Professor Emerita Margaret Kartomi AM contextualised the exhibition within Monash’s academic legacy.
OAM Tara Rajkumar, a pioneering figure in intercultural performance, reflected on the exhibition’s uniqueness and thanked the contributing artists whose dedication made the showcase possible.
Then came the performance of the night—"Divya Rasa – Divine Essence", a mesmerising dance performance that embodied the soul of Indian classical tradition. The performance opened with a hymn to the Guru and featured powerful segments in Bharatanatyam, Mohiniyattam, Kuchipudi, Odissi, and Kathak. As the dancers reunited in the final crescendo, the audience witnessed an explosive celebration of unity in diversity. Artistic direction by OAM Tara Rajkumar and movement expertise by:
• Ushanthini Sripathmanathan (Bharatanatyam)
• Sanchita Abrol (Kathak)
• Therma Katticaran (Odissi)
• Shyama Sasidharan (Kuchipudi)
• Anjali Nambar (Mohiniyattam)
Four Movements Across Time and Culture
At the heart of this immersive exhibition are four defining movements that trace the roots, evolution, and blossoming of Indian music and dance in Australia:
1st Movement: Instruments of Legacy
This section features an exquisite collection of rare Indian musical instruments originally gifted by Raja Sir Sourindro Mohun Tagore to the Melbourne International Exhibition of 1880–81. Representing diverse traditions from across India, these
instruments—on
find a fitting home at Monash.
2nd Movement: Louise Lightfoot—A Trailblazer in Two Worlds
A tribute to the trailblazing Louise Mary Lightfoot (1902–1979), this chapter explores her transformation from a ballet enthusiast to a passionate ambassador of Indian classical dance. Her travels, collaborations—especially with Ananda Shivaram—and academic legacy at Monash are brought to life through rare archival material.
3rd Movement: Tara Rajkumar—A Visionary Bridge Between Cultures
This vibrant segment spotlights the extraordinary journey of Tara Rajkumar OAM and her artistic bridge between India and Australia since the 1970s. From founding the Natya Sudha Dance Company to her critically acclaimed work Temple Dreaming, Rajkumar’s career is documented through evocative film, costume, and memorabilia. Without Tara’s lifelong dedication and artistic leadership, this exhibition simply would not have been possible. Her contribution has not only connected Indian and Australian cultures but laid the very foundation upon which this remarkable showcase stands.
4th Movement: Pioneers of a Flourishing Legacy
Indian classical dances continue to flourish in Australia, with vibrant platforms for Kathak, Bharatanatyam, Kuchipudi and Odissi—thanks to the enduring efforts of senior Melbourne-based artists. This section honours their contributions too.
• Ushanthini Sripathmanathan – a cornerstone of Bharatanatyam in Melbourne
and Artistic Director of Natyalayaa, shaping the local dance landscape through decades of performance and mentorship.
• Sanchita Abrol – a renowned Kathak artist and storyteller, and the first Indian classical dancer in Australia to be a qualified Creative Arts Therapist. She is the founder and director of Sanchita Abrol Dance Creations and Kathaprana, South Asian Centre for Creative Arts Therapies, where she merges classical arts with wellbeing practices.
• Shyama Sasidharan – a passionate Kuchipudi artist, a yoga educator and founder of Prakalpa Samskruti and M4TV, whose work continues to connect diverse communities through art and media.
• Therma Katticaran – an acclaimed Odissi choreographer and educator, leading the Tanishka – Temple of Indian Classical Dances, and expanding the various Indian art forms presence across Victoria. Their artefacts—costumes, jewellery, photographs, and ankle bells—offer a glimpse into lives devoted to art and cultural exchange.
A Must-See Cultural Experience
This is more than an exhibition—it’s a living chronicle of artistic exchange and mutual respect. Open for the next three years, The Place of Indian Music & Dance in Australia invites everyone to witness the harmonies that emerge when cultures meet in rhythm.
For guided exhibition tours, contact: Professor Margaret Kartomi: Margaret. Kartomi@monash.edu
permanent loan from the National Gallery of Victoria—now
GOOGLE GEMINI NOW SUPPORTS VIDEO UPLOADS FOR ANALYSIS
Google has rolled out an exciting update to its Gemini app, allowing users to upload videos for analysis. This feature enables users to ask questions about video content or have Gemini describe clips, as per The Verge.
Although the update hasn’t been universally rolled out yet, users on iOS and Android devices may already have access to this functionality.
Key features of video upload and analysis include:
4Video Analysis: Gemini can analyse uploaded video files and provide insights or answers to user queries.
4Question Answering: Users can ask questions about specific video content, such as identifying objects, actions, or text within the video.
4Video Player Interface: The uploaded video appears above the chat interface, allowing users to watch the clip again if needed.
Availability and limitations of the feature include:
4Platform Support: The video upload feature is currently available on iOS and Android devices, with varying availability across accounts and devices.
4Web Support: This feature is not yet live on the web version of Gemini, with users encountering a “File type unsupported” message.
4Camera Limitation: The built-in Gemini camera still doesn’t support capturing video.
As Google continues to update and refine its Gemini models, users can expect further enhancements to the video analysis feature.
META TO LAUNCH OAKLEY-BRANDED SMART GLASSES
After launching a new generation of Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, Mark Zuckerberg’s co-founded company is now all set to come up with a new pair of smart AI glasses under the Oakley brand.
Like the Meta Ray-Bans, the Meta Oakleys will feature built-in cameras for capturing photos and videos, along with AI capabilities, as per MacRumors.
The Oakley version of the Meta glasses could be based on the Oakley Sphaera glasses, with the camera positioned at the center of the glasses frame. Meta may market the glasses at cyclists and other athletes that already wear Oakley sunglasses.
Meta teased its Oakley-branded AIpowered smart glasses, with the profile description saying, “The next evolution is coming on June 20.”
Meta introduced the first pair of the Californian label Oakley smart glasses on June 20.
(ANI)
AI can help to understand gut bacteria
Gut bacteria are considered to be a key factor in many health-related issues. However, the number and variety of them are vast, as are the ways in which they interact with the body’s chemistry and each other.
For the first time, researchers from the University of Tokyo used a special kind of artificial intelligence called a Bayesian neural network to probe a dataset on gut bacteria in order to find relationships that current analytical tools could not reliably identify.
The human body comprises about 30 trillion to 40 trillion cells, but your intestines contain about 100 trillion gut bacteria. Technically, you’re carrying around more cells that aren’t you than are. Food for thought. And speaking of food, these gut bacteria are, of course, responsible for some aspects of digestion, though what’s surprising to some is how they can relate to many other aspects of human health as well.
The bacteria are incredibly varied and also produce and modify a bewildering number of different chemicals called metabolites. These act like molecular messengers, permeating your body, affecting everything from your immune system and metabolism to your brain function and mood. Needless to say, there’s much to gain by understanding gut bacteria.
“The problem is that we’re only beginning to understand which bacteria produce which human metabolites and how these relationships change in different diseases,” said Project Researcher Tung Dang from the Tsunoda lab in
the Department of Biological Sciences, adding, “By accurately mapping these bacteria-chemical relationships, we could potentially develop personalized treatments. Imagine being able to grow a specific bacterium to produce beneficial human metabolites or designing targeted therapies that modify these metabolites to treat diseases.”
There are uncountably many and varied bacteria and metabolites, and therefore far more relationships between these things. Gathering data on this alone is a monumental undertaking but unpicking that data to find interesting patterns that might betray some useful function is even more so. To do this, Dang and his team decided to explore the use of state-of-the art artificial intelligence (AI) tools.
“Our system, VBayesMM, automatically distinguishes the key players that significantly influence metabolites from the vast background of less relevant microbes, while also acknowledging uncertainty about the predicted relationships, rather than providing overconfident but potentially wrong answers,” said Dang.
“When tested on real data from sleep disorder, obesity and cancer studies, our approach consistently outperformed existing methods and identified specific bacterial families that align with known biological processes, giving confidence that it discovers real biological relationships rather than meaningless statistical patterns.”
As VBayesMM can handle and communicate
issues of uncertainty, it gives researchers more confidence than a tool which does not. Even though the system is optimized to cope with heavy analytical workloads, mining such huge datasets still comes with high computational cost; however, as time goes on, this will become less and less of a barrier to those wishing to use it.
Other limitations at present include that the system benefits from having more data about the gut bacteria than the metabolites they produce; when there’s insufficient bacteria data, the accuracy drops. Also, VBayesMM assumes the microbes act independently, but in reality, gut bacteria interact in an incredibly complex number of ways.
“We plan to work with more comprehensive chemical datasets that capture the complete range of bacterial products, though this creates new challenges in determining whether chemicals come from bacteria, the human body or external sources like diet,” said Dang.
“We also aim to make VBayesMM more robust when analyzing diverse patient populations, incorporating bacterial ‘family tree’ relationships to make better predictions, and further reducing the computational time needed for analysis. For clinical applications, the ultimate goal is identifying specific bacterial targets for treatments or dietary interventions that could actually help patients, moving from basic research toward practical medical applications.
A HAPPY WIFE MEANS A HAPPY LIFE
To all the husbands out there: the key to a quality marital life is to keep your wife happy no matter what.
When it comes to a happy marriage, says an interesting study, the more content the wife is with the long-term union, the happier the husband is with his life no matter how he feels about their nuptials.
“I think it comes down to the fact that when a wife is satisfied with the marriage she tends to do a lot more for her husband, which has a positive effect on his life,” explained Deborah Carr, a professor at the school of arts and science, Rutgers University.
“Men tend to be less vocal about their relationships and their level of marital unhappiness might not be translated to their wives,” Carr added.
Along with Vicki Freedman, a research professor at the University of Michigan’s Institute for Social Research, Carr examined the personal feelings of both spouses to determine how these marital appraisals influence their psychological
well-being.
They analysed data of 394 couples who were part of a national study of income, health and disability in 2009 on older adults.
In order to assess marital quality, participants were asked several questions such as whether their spouse appreciates them, argues with them, understands their
feelings or gets on their nerves.
Most of the participants rated their general life satisfaction high - with husbands rating their marriage slightly more positive than their wives.
“For both spouses being in a betterrated marriage was linked to greater life satisfaction and happiness,” Carr noted.
Researchers also found that while wives became less happy if their spouses became ill, the husbands’ happiness level did not change or reflect the same outcome if their wives got sick.
“We know that when a partner is sick it is the wife that often does the care giving which can be a stressful experience. But often when a women gets sick it is not her husband she relies on but her daughter,” Carr stated.
“The quality of a marriage is important because it helps couples manage difficult decisions regarding health and medical decision making,” researchers concluded.
DIVORCED WOMEN MORE PRONE TO HEART ATTACKS
Even after remarrying, a woman who has been through divorce is nearly twice as likely to have a heart attack when compared to her next door neighbour, who is into a stable relationship, says a research. Divorce is a major stressor, and researchers have long known that people who are divorced suffer more health consequences.
“But this is one of the first studies to look at the cumulative effect of divorce over a long period. We found that it can have a lasting imprint on women’s health,” said Matthew Dupre, associate professor of medicine at Duke University and the study’s lead author.
To reach this conclusion, the team scanned the responses of a nationally representative group of 15,827 people ages from 45 to 80, who had been married at least once. Participants were interviewed every two years from 1992 to 2010 about their marital status and health. About one-third of participants had been divorced at least once during the 18-year study.
Although men are generally at a
higher risk for heart attack, it appears that women fared worse than men after divorce, although the differences were not statistically significant.
Men who had been divorced had about the same risk as those who stayed married. It was only after two or more
divorces that the risk for men went up, the study found. The study also found that men who remarried also fared better than women. These men experienced the same risk of heart attack as men who had been married continuously to one partner.
(AGENCIES)
BEDTIME ROUTINE MAKES KIDS SLEEP BETTER
Children going to bed at a fixed time every night have a much better sleep than those who do not follow a bedtime routine, says a study involving over 10,000 mothers from 14 countries. The positive impacts that increase with the consistency of the nightly routine include earlier bedtimes, shorter amount of time in bed before falling asleep, reduced night waking’s, and increased sleep duration.
The researchers found that children with a bedtime routine every night slept for an average of more than an hour longer per night than children who never had a bedtime routine.
“Creating a bedtime routine for a child is a simple step that every family can do,” said principal investigator and lead author Jodi Mindell, professor of psychology at Saint Joseph’s University in the US.
“It can pay off to not only make bedtime easier, but also that a child is likely to sleep better throughout the entire night,” Mindell said.
Institution of a regular bedtime routine
also was associated with decreased sleep problems and daytime behaviour problems as perceived by mothers.
“The other surprising finding is that we found that this effect was universal,” Mindell said.
“It doesn’t matter if you are a parent of a young child in the US, India, or China, having a bedtime routine makes a
difference,” Mindell said.
According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, positive bedtime routines involve the institution of a set sequence of pleasurable and calming activities preceding a child’s bedtime.
Such activities may include giving your child a soothing bath, brushing teeth and reading a bedtime story. (IANS)
HOW WE MAKE DIFFICULT DECISIONS
You must have felt dilemmas like whether to take a particular job - which was higher-paying, but away from your base town - or not. Such decisions, with both strong positives and negatives, arouse more anxiety than others.
Now, Massachusetts Institute Of Technology (MIT) researchers have identified a neural circuit that appears to underlie decision-making in this type of situation, which is known as approachavoidance conflict.
The findings could help researchers to discover new ways to treat psychiatric disorders that feature impaired decisionmaking, such as depression, schizophrenia, and borderline personality disorder.
“In order to create a treatment for these types of disorders, we need to understand how the decision-making process is working,” said lead author Alexander Friedman.
Friedman and colleagues also demonstrated the first step toward developing possible therapies for these disorders: By manipulating this circuit in rodents, they were able to transform a preference for lower-risk, lower-payoff choices to a preference for bigger payoffs despite their bigger costs.
The new study grew out of an effort to figure out the role of striosomes -- clusters of cells distributed through the striatum, a large brain region involved in coordinating movement and emotion and implicated in some human disorders.
Senior study author Ann Graybiel discovered striosomes many years ago, but their function had remained mysterious.
The researchers studied mice as they performed five different types of behavioural tasks, including an approach-avoidance scenario.
In that situation, rats running a maze had to choose between one option that included strong chocolate, which they like, and bright
light, which they don’t, and an option with dimmer light but weaker chocolate.
When humans are forced to make these kinds of cost-benefit decisions, they usually experience anxiety, which influences the choices they make.
“This type of task is potentially very relevant to anxiety disorders. If we could learn more about this circuitry, maybe we could help people with those disorders,” said co-researcher Leif Gibb.
The researchers also tested rats in four other scenarios in which the choices were easier and less fraught with anxiety.
The researchers found that the circuit connecting the cortex to the striosomes plays a crucial role in influencing decisions in the approach-avoidance task, but none at all in other types of decision-making.
When the researchers shut off input to the striosomes from the cortex, they found that the rats began choosing the high-risk, highreward option as much as 20 percent more often than they had previously chosen it.
If the researchers stimulated input to the striosomes, the rats began choosing the high-cost, high-reward option less often. (IANS)
HEALTH
INTERMITTENT FASTING MATCHES TRADITIONAL DIETS IN WEIGHT LOSS BENEFITS
Intermittent fasting may be just as effective as traditional calorie-restricted diets for helping people lose weight, according to a comprehensive new review published in The BMJ. The study suggests that certain fasting methods, such as alternate-day fasting, might offer slightly greater benefits. However, researchers caution that longer-term studies are needed to confirm these effects.
The findings come amid rising global concern about obesity. As of 2022, the World Health Organisation estimated that around 2.5 billion adults worldwide were overweight, and nearly 900 million were classified as obese. Obesity significantly increases the risk of chronic illnesses like type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and high blood pressure.
Intermittent fasting, an eating pattern that involves cycles of fasting and eating, has grown in popularity as an alternative to traditional calorie-counting diets. However, questions have remained about whether it is equally effective or more beneficial in the long run. To address this, researchers reviewed data from 99 randomised clinical trials involving more than 6,500 adults, most of whom had pre-existing health conditions and an average BMI of 31.
The studies lasted anywhere from three to 52 weeks, and covered a variety of intermittent fasting styles, including:
Time-restricted eating (e.g., 16:8 method)
4Alternate day fasting (24-hour fast every other day)
4Whole day fasting (e.g., the 5:2 diet)
All forms of intermittent fasting and continuous calorie restriction resulted in small weight reductions compared to diets with no calorie control. Among the fasting types, alternate-day fasting showed the most notable, though still modest, advantage, producing slightly more weight loss than calorie restriction and other intermittent fasting strategies.
Compared to continuous calorie restriction, alternate-day fasting led to an average additional weight loss of 1.29 kg. It also outperformed time-restricted eating and wholeday fasting by 1.69 kg and 1.05 kg, respectively. However, these differences did not meet the minimum threshold of 2 kg, which the study defined as clinically significant for individuals with obesity.
In terms of cardiometabolic health, alternateday fasting appeared to reduce total and LDL
(“bad”) cholesterol more effectively than timerestricted eating. Conversely, time-restricted eating was associated with a slight increase in cholesterol compared to whole-day fasting. No notable improvements were observed in blood sugar levels or HDL (“good”) cholesterol for any fasting method.
Notably, weight loss was mainly seen in studies lasting less than 24 weeks. Among longer trials (24 weeks or more), benefits were only evident when comparing structured diets to unrestricted eating patterns. The authors acknowledged several limitations, including high variability between the types of fasting, small sample sizes in many studies, and overall low to moderate confidence in the evidence. Nevertheless, this review is among the first to offer a broad comparative view across all major diet strategies using rigorous methods.
“The current evidence provides some indication that intermittent fasting diets have similar benefits to continuous energy restriction for weight loss and cardiometabolic risk factors,” the study authors concluded, emphasising the need for longer-term research. A linked editorial from experts in Colombia noted that the strength of any dietary plan may lie as much in structure and professional support as in the specific method used.
They highlighted that alternate-day fasting should not be viewed as a replacement but as a complementary option in personalised nutritional care. “Focusing on sustainable changes over time is essential,” the editorial stated, adding, “Intermittent fasting can play a role within a holistic, patient-centred approach to nutrition. (ANI)
Adults who have survived childhood cancer are at high risk of severe COVID 19
People who have survived cancer as children are at higher risk of developing severe COVID 19, even decades after their diagnosis.
This is shown by a new study from Karolinska Institutet.
With medical science development in terms of research and technology, more and more children are surviving cancer. However, even long after treatment has ended, health risks may remain. In a new registry study, researchers investigated how adult childhood cancer survivors in Sweden and Denmark were affected by the COVID 19 pandemic.
The study included over 13,000 people who had been diagnosed with cancer before the age of 20 and who were at least 20 years old when the pandemic began. They were compared with both siblings and randomly selected individuals from the population of the same gender and year of birth.
The results show that childhood cancer survivors had a lower risk of contracting COVID 19, but were 58 per cent more likely to develop severe disease if they did become infected. Severe COVID 19 was defined as the
patient receiving hospital care, intensive care or death related to the infection.
“It is important to understand that even though these individuals were not infected more often, the consequences were more serious when they did become ill,” says Javier Louro, postdoctoral researcher at the Institute of Environmental Medicine at Karolinska Institutet and first author of the study.
The differences in risk were particularly clear during periods of high transmission, such as when new virus variants such as Alpha and Omicron spread rapidly. In Sweden, where pandemic management was based more on recommendations than restrictions, the increase in risk was greater than in Denmark, which introduced early and strict measures.
“Our results suggest that childhood cancer survivors should be considered a risk group in future pandemics or other health crises. This could involve prioritising them for vaccination or offering special protection during periods of high transmission,” said Javier Louro.
6 Ways You Can Prevent Your Children from Having A Fear of The Dentist
Every parent knows that taking children to a dentist often involves a lot of will power and coaxing. And at times, you might even be compelled to drop the plans. Dr Ved, principal dentist, and the founder of Healthy Smiles Dental Group have provided us few tips to ease out this hurdle in parenting.
Injex For Needle Phobia
Most of the fear in children arises out of seeing the needle. How wonderful it would be if we remove it at once! Healthy Smiles offers to inject local anaesthesia through a needle-free device known as injex. It sprays the medicine onto the target area to be absorbed by the tissues. The uptake time may vary from child to child but is generally fast. Injex is definitely a better option than injections as it doesn’t cause pain.
Start Their Consultations Early
It is all about conditioning. Children grasp things fast and get used to habits faster than you may think. It is advised to start visiting the dentist, for your child, as early as they reach 6 months of age. Dentists can keep a track of the growth of teeth and prevent tooth decay right from the beginning. Doing so is important for healthy teeth as well as instilling good oral hygiene habits into kids. Visiting the dentist from the beginning makes it a norm and is easily acceptable by children.
Use A Positive Language
Most adults do not like to visit dentists either and speak badly about their dental care experiences. But remember, you can only make a change if you stay positive. Do not use words like “painful”, “hurting”, “boring”, etc. Use words such as “wonderful”, “important”, and “healthy”. They might have heard someone else speak negatively
about a dentist visit. Help them forget that and choose a paediatric dentist who treats them thoughtfully.
Strictly Avoid Bribery
People are often seen bribing their children for doing things, especially visiting the dentist. Bribery doesn’t only make the task seem difficult for children but can also create serious behavioural issues as grownups. It is better to explain to them the need for dental hygiene and visiting a dentist, rather than offering them toys and sweets in return.
Take Help from Animated Friends
As you know, being a child has its own perks. Watching lots and lots of cartoons or reading story books filled with images are a couple of them. Your child must have one or two favourite cartoon shows or characters. Take examples from these stories and relate it to help your child understand how they, like their favourite characters, must go to the dentist.
Choose the Right Dentist
In the end, it all comes down to a single factor. Selecting a dentist who can understand the mindsets of children is very important. This ensures a better experience for everyone. The right dentist can help a child forget past bad experiences. Healthy Smiles Dental Group has enthusiastic and cordial dentists who specialise.
Dr Ved Berani BDS(Mum), ADEC(Aust), MBA(Melb), FIADFE, MFGDP(UK)
Principal Dentist & Clinical Advisor
Healthy Smiles Dental Group 150-152 Canterbury Rd, Blackburn South VIC 3130 Call us: (03) 9877 2035 www.healthysmiles.com.au
Natural compound targets tumour metabolism
Scientists in Japan have discovered that a natural compound found in a type of ginger called kencur can throw cancer cells into disarray by disrupting how they generate energy. According to Osaka Metropolitan University, the finding opens new doors in the fight against cancer, showing how natural substances might help target cancer’s hidden energy tricks.
While healthy cells use oxygen to make energy efficiently, cancer cells often rely on a backup method. research buterived molecule doesn’t attack that method directly, it shuts down the cells’ fat-making machinery instead, which surprisingly causes the cells to ramp up their backup system even more.
For instance, human cells oxidise glucose to produce ATP (adenosine triphosphate), an energy source necessary for life. Cancer cells produce ATP through glycolysis, which does not utilise oxygen even under conditions where oxygen is present, and convert glucose into pyruvic acid and lactic acid.
This method of producing ATP, known as the Warburg effect, is considered inefficient, thus
raising questions as to why cancer cells choose this energy pathway to fuel their proliferation and survival.
In search of this energy catalyst, Associate Professor Akiko Kojima-Yuasa’s team at Osaka Metropolitan University’s Graduate School of Human Life and Ecology analysed the cinnamic acid ester ethyl p-methoxycinnamate, a main component of kencur ginger, and its mechanism of action.
In previous research, the team discovered that ethyl p-methoxycinnamate has inhibitory effects on cancer cells.
Furthering their study, the acid ester was administered to Ehrlich ascites tumour cells to assess which component of the cancer cells’ energy pathway was being affected.
Results revealed that the acid ester inhibits ATP production by disrupting de novo fatty acid synthesis and lipid metabolism, rather than through glycolysis as commonly theorised.
Further, the researchers discovered acid ester-induced inhibition triggered increased glycolysis, which acted as a possible survival mechanism in the cells.
This adaptability was theorised to be attributed to ethyl p-methoxycinnamate’s inability to induce cell death.
“These findings not only provide new insights that supplement and expand the theory of the Warburg effect, which can be considered the starting point of cancer metabolism research, but are also expected to lead to the discovery of new therapeutic targets and the development of new treatment methods,” stated Professor Kojima-Yuasa.
Study finds effect of coffee on a sleeping brain
Coffee can help you stay awake, but what does caffeine actually do to your brain once you’re asleep? Using AI, a team of researchers has an answer: it affects the brain’s ‘criticality’. In a study published in April in Nature Communications Biology, a team of researchers from Universite de Montreal shed new light on how caffeine can modify sleep and influence the brain’s recovery -- both physical and cognitive -- overnight.
The research was led by Philipp Tholke, a research trainee at UdeM’s Cognitive and Computational Neuroscience Laboratory (CoCo Lab), and co-led by the lab’s director Karim Jerbi, a psychology professor and researcher at Mila -- Quebec AI Institute. Working with sleep-and-ageing psychology professor Julie Carrier and her team at UdeM’s Centre for Advanced Research in Sleep Medicine, the scientists used AI and electroencephalography (EEG) to study caffeine’s effect on sleep.
They showed for the first time that caffeine increases the complexity of brain signals and enhances brain “criticality” during sleep. Interestingly, this was more pronounced in younger adults. “Criticality describes a state
of the brain that is balanced between order and chaos,” said Jerbi.
“It’s like an orchestra: too quiet and nothing happens, too chaotic and there’s cacophony. Criticality is the happy medium where brain activity is both organised and flexible. In this state, the brain functions optimally: it can process information efficiently, adapt quickly, learn and make decisions with agility,” added Jerbi.
Added Carrier: “Caffeine stimulates the brain and pushes it into a state of criticality, where it is more awake, alert and reactive While this is useful during the day for concentration, this state could interfere with rest at night: the brain would neither relax
nor recover properly.” The researchers also discovered striking changes in the brain’s electrical rhythms during sleep: caffeine attenuated slower oscillations such as theta and alpha waves -- generally associated with deep, restorative sleep -- and stimulated beta wave activity, which is more common during wakefulness and mental engagement.
“These changes suggest that even during sleep, the brain remains in a more activated, less restorative state under the influence of caffeine,” says Jerbi, who also holds the Canada Research Chair in Computational Neuroscience and Cognitive Neuroimaging. “This change in the brain’s rhythmic activity may help explain why caffeine affects the efficiency with which the brain recovers during the night, with potential consequences for memory processing.”
The study also showed that the effects of caffeine on brain dynamics were significantly more pronounced in young adults between the ages of 20 and 27 compared to middleaged participants aged 41 to 58, especially during REM sleep, the phase associated with dreaming.
Study finds out link between nighttime heart rhythm, stroke
New research has uncovered a powerful link between nighttime heart rhythm and future health conditions, even in people with no obvious sleep problems.
The study, conducted at the Department of Neurology, Inselspital, the University Hospital of Bern, examined 4,170 people over a 13-year period and discovered that heart rate variability (HRV) during sleep can be a powerful early warning sign of future health conditions such as stroke, depression, and cognitive dysfunction.
HRV reflects the fluctuation of time intervals between heartbeats.2 HRV adjusts constantly in response to the physical and emotional demands of the body. During the day, HRV is physiologically high, corresponding to high levels of activity. At night, and especially during deep sleep, HRV typically reduces, reflecting a shift into a rest and repair mode, where the body focuses on recovery and recharging for the next day.
The research found that certain HRV patterns were linked to future health conditions. Participants who later developed stroke often showed unusually high and erratic HRV. In contrast, low HRV was common in those who further developed depression. High HRV with altered frequency patterns were
also observed in individuals who later developed metabolic diseases. Similarly, cardiovascular and endocrine diseases were also associated with high HRV.
“HRV matters for brain and overall health because it reflects how well the body regulates itself - primarily through the activity of the autonomic nervous system”, explained the lead author of the study, Irina Filchenko, MD, PhD. “This system controls vital unconscious processes such as breathing, digestion and muscle tone, helping the body maintain balance and adapt to internal and external demands.”
“While many people are familiar with tracking sleep stages or total sleep time, nocturnal HRV provides a unique window into how the body functions during sleep. This is especially important because sleep is a critical time for many physiological processes underlying long-term health, such as cellular repair, memory consolidation, and the clearance of metabolic waste from the brain.”
Importantly, researchers believe that HRV could act as an early physiological marker, demonstrating subtle changes in body functioning before traditional symptoms or diagnoses appear. This could open the door to prevention and early intervention for diseases like Alzheimer’s
or stroke, where timely action can improve patient outcomes.
Dr Filchenko noted, “Some participants had ‘normal’ sleep according to traditional criteria, with little sleep fragmentation and the expected balance of sleep stages. However, HRV told a different story, picking up risks that the common sleep metrics missed. This suggests we need to rethink how we define and measure optimal sleep.”
The findings of the study also raise the possibility of using wearable technology to monitor HRV patterns over time. While current consumer devices vary in accuracy and interpretability, experts believe future improvements could allow people to track changes in HRV as part of regular health monitoring.
The research adds to growing evidence that sleep is a critical pillar of long-term health, and that subtle patterns could offer a window of opportunity to prevent serious disease. “The broader message is that sleep is not just a passive state of rest -- it is an active, dynamic process that plays a vital role in maintaining long-term health, especially brain health. Our findings reinforce the idea that primary prevention matters, and that health problems start long before the clinical symptoms appear”, concluded Dr Filchenko.
“PEOPLE CALLED ME UGLY”: BANITA SANDHU TALKS ABOUT BEING BODY-SHAMED
Body shaming and remarks on a person’s physical appearance have been no new feat. Women are expected to have a perfectly toned body, and especially in the entertainment industry, actresses are constantly under scrutiny for their looks and are often subjected to severe criticism and brutal trolling.
Welsh actress Banita Sandhu, who is known for her roles in ‘October’ and ‘Sardar Udham’, opened up about body shaming and revealed how she was once criticised for being too skinny.
In a conversation, she recalled the incident of being body-shamed and how it affected her, “I remember getting body shamed when I did a South Indian movie. I remember people calling me ugly because I looked like a twig.
And how could the co-star be attracted to me in the movie because I was so skinny. That was the first time I think I experienced body shaming. But at the same time, it was this weird, it almost felt like a simulation because it was happening online.
I don’t know how to explain it. And it was from a culture that was something I hadn’t grown up in.”
Banita continued, “So I didn’t feel as closely offended or criticised by it. I was like, oh, okay, the beauty standard in this region is different to
what I look like. And that’s just how I took it. I didn’t take it to heart. Like, oh, my God, I need to gain so much weight now. And I’m because I’m naturally very skinny, you can literally ask any producer I’ve worked with, like I eat the most on set.”
However, she suggested facing such criticisms without getting affected by them, “So it wasn’t something like it was the first time I experienced something like that. But also, I think with anything online, you just can’t take it seriously... you really can’t.”
Sandhu was born and brought up in Caerleon, Wales. She made her film debut with the 2018 Shoojit Sircar directorial ‘October’, starring Varun Dhawan. This was followed by the American TV series ‘Pandora’, and the Tamil film ‘Adithya Varma’, both in 2019. She was later seen in ‘Sardar Udham’.
The ace star said, “I was incredibly blessed. It was one of those things that, it was like a domino effect, and everything kind of just fell into place, and to have, your first movie with a director like that, too, it’s a blessing and a curse, because it’s a blessing to have your first movie with a director like that, but it’s a curse in a sense that you really realise what a privilege it is to have a director like that for your first movie, and it’s hard to get back there again.
BOMAN IRANI ON HIS STRUGGLES WITH DYSLEXIA
Bollywood actor Boman Irani, known for his standout roles in ‘Munna Bhai MBBS’, ‘3 Idiots’, and ‘Khosla Ka Ghosla’, has been vocal about his childhood struggles with dyslexia. Reflecting on his journey, Irani shared how he overcame the challenges, highlighting that the learning disorder doesn’t “define” who he is today.
In a candid conversation, Boman Irani spoke about the uniqueness of every individual, pointing out that no two people share the same DNA, which makes each person naturally different. He urged people to use their “ability or disability” to their advantage and to focus on areas in which they truly excel.
“No human being’s DNA is identical. Right? Their structure, or maybe their dyslexia, or some aptitude, or the left brain, or the right brain, or there are different forms of autism, light spectrum, heavy spectrum. And everybody should use their ability or their disability to their advantage. I always think that when I was in school, I could not understand mathematics. And that does not define me. What does define me then? My ability to communicate. My ability to tell stories. My ability to use my body. My ability to use my voice. Use that,” said Boman Irani.
The ‘Khosla Ka Ghosla’ actor shared that while he struggles with numbers and has no memory for arithmetic, he has excelled in other areas, like remembering film scenes
since childhood. He concluded by urging people never to feel inferior because of their differences.
“I have a great memory for certain things. I have no memory for numbers. Zero. So, you can teach me arithmetic for hours, I will never understand it. So, that is society’s way of judging you. I don’t get judged like that. I get judged by my own personal competence. So, when I was 11
years old, I saw this scene in a movie. I still have that clear memory because maybe because of some disability or ability. So, I just feel, one must never feel inferior to anybody,” said Boman Irani.
With the diverse filmography under his belt, the actor opened up about some of the memorable roles of his career. One of them was his iconic role of ‘Kishen Khurana’ in Dibakar Banerjee’s ‘Khosla Ka Ghosla’ in 2006. Being a Parsi from South Bombay, the makers were sceptical about Boman’s casting for the role of a Punjabi businessman in the film.
“Khosla Ka Ghosla was a big, big thing for me as an actor. As a performer. Everybody was very sceptical of me doing the role, because I’m a Parsi from South Bombay, and I’m playing a Punjabi from Delhi. And yeh nahi kar paayega (he won’t be able to do it). So, I said, no, no, no, the moment you say nahi kar paayega na, toh maine challenge le liya (I took it as a challenge). Katam ho gya (It was over then). And, then you work harder and harder and harder to do the insurmountable. So, in that sense, it was, for me, very special. And then, people couldn’t believe that I’m, you know, Parsi from South Bombay, behaving, you know, the way this character was behaving,” said Boman Irani.
KAJOL REVEALS WHY SHE AND HUSBAND AJAY DEVGN DON’T FIGHT OVER FILMS
Kajol talked about working with husband Ajay Devgn on Maa, revealing they’ve never had major fights and crediting his dedication as a hands-on, no-compromise producer.
Bollywood actress Kajol opened up about her working relationship with husband Ajay Devgn, revealing that the two have never had major fights over their films.
In an interview, the actress spoke about their professional dynamic, highlighting the mutual respect and understanding they share, both on and off screen. Kajol revealed that she doesn’t get involved in Ajay’s financial decisions, trusting that he has the right advisors for that aspect.
“Economically, I think he has a lot of people to advise him economically as to what he should and shouldn’t do. So, no, I don’t interfere with that aspect of it. As far as this film is concerned, Maa is concerned. Yes, we did have, you know, some long conversations about it. I think we were; we had to, you know, shoot a part of the climax as well for
VFX reasons and for action, etc, etc. But yes, we’re pretty much on the same page. We haven’t really had any big fights over the movie.”
Speaking about Ajay Devgn’s journey as a producer, the ‘Dilwale’ actress shared, “He as a producer is really good. He’s an excellent producer, and he’s one of those, you know,
very hands-on producers. So, from scripting to, you know, the VFX to the music, he has made sure that he’s a part of all of it and made sure that it all works, fits, even to the marketing for that matter. So, yeah, he’s a really good producer.”
“I think as a producer, he is very clear that he wants to make good films. He wants to make good films, and he makes sure that whatever happens, you know, his company will come out with a good product, something that he can stand up and say belongs to him and something that he can stand up and say he’s not ashamed of, which I think is a huge mark for him as a man and as a producer, because sometimes it can get economically easy to produce a slightly shoddy product, but he has never let that come in his way as a producer. So, I think kudos to him for that.”
Kajol’s latest release, “Maa,” was produced by Ajay Devgn under the banner of Ajay Devgn Films, along with Jyoti Deshpande and Gigo Studios.
KAY KAY MENON SPILLS SECRETS OF HIS ‘BORING BUT EFFECTIVE’ ACTING PREP
Acclaimed actor Kay Kay Menon, set to reprise his role in the upcoming season of Special Ops, revealed that while his method of preparing for a character may seem ‘boring’ to others, it consistently delivers strong results for him.
The actor recently spoke and spoke about his process. He said: “It’s a very boring process, actually speaking, if you go to see. It’s about being with the script. Not necessarily thinking about it or brainstorming about it all the time. Because I seriously believe that the more, you’re with the script, at the end, it’ll give you something very unique. That’s what I wait for. It’s a magic lamp. Suddenly, it emerges. It’s there in your mind. The script is there. I don’t really invest in terms of, ‘What do I do with this? How do I play this scene?’. No. I wait for it to come to me. It’s like a good batsman will allow the ball to come to the bat. Like a test match”.
He further mentioned, “I keep reading it whenever I have the time. Don’t have the time, don’t worry. The more you’re with it, I have found that it gives you something back in return”.
When asked if there is any particular time frame for it to work? he said, “No, gestation period depends on when it comes. I have no idea. But it comes. Suddenly, it’s a Eureka moment. Different people have different
processes which they follow, this is mine”.
Earlier, the actor had shared that he had made a minor tweak to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs.
When asked what fuels his passion after all these years, he said: “Storytelling. I feel, I’m attached to stories, and I kind of still like to simulate a person, different people. So, for me, that keeps me going”.
He further mentioned, “As for Maslow’s
Hierarchy, you know the low-level needs at the bottom of the pyramid? Food, shelter, and all that is the first. Top is self-actualization. But I’ve added something at the bottom, it’s called Wi-Fi (laughs). I think Wi-Fi is more essential than food, shelter, and everything else now”.
The actor said that storytelling is something that he enjoys. Nowadays, he doesn’t look at it as, “What’s there for me?”. That used to be there earlier, now it’s like the holistic thing, the entire thing of storytelling.
PRIYANKA CHOPRA REVEALS LOSING A CHUNK OF HER EYEBROW
Performing action scenes isn’t easy. Despite proper safety protocols, action stunts in films and shows carry a risk of injury to actors.
Actress Priyanka Chopra, who recently appeared on Jimmy Fallon’s talk show, recalled an incident from the sets of her Hollywood film ‘Heads Of State’, where she lost a part of her eyebrow while performing an action sequence.
“The camera has a matte box, and I was supposed to roll on the floor and fall, and it was raining. And the camera was supposed to come in close to me. So, the camera operator came in a little bit closer-I came in a little bit closer, and it took out a chunk of my eyebrow. Could have been my eye, so I was very grateful that it wasn’t. I just put surgical glue on there, stuck it. Finished my day, because I did not want to come back and shoot in the rain again,” she shared.
Helmed by Ilya Naishuller, ‘Heads of State’ is an action-packed comedy about the U.S. President (played by John Cena) and the UK Prime Minister (played by Idris Elba), who
must set aside their rivalry to thwart a global conspiracy and save the world -- if they can work together Ultimately allied with the brilliant MI6 agent Noel Bisset (Priyanka Chopra Jonas), they must go on the run and find a way
to work together long enough to thwart a global conspiracy that threatens the entire free world.” Heads
(IANS)
of State is released on Prime Video on July 2. (ANI)
RAHUL BOSE RECALLS NOT BEING GIVEN CHAIR ON SET OF HIS FIRST FILM
Actor Rahul Bose has proved his acting mettle in several critically acclaimed films and is known for playing complex characters and exploring diverse themes. Bose, who is known for working in ‘Pyaar Ke Side Effects’, ‘Jhankaar Beats’, ‘Dil Dhadakne Do’, recalled how he never got a chair to sit on in his first film.
In a conversation, he shared, “This was on my first film. I was playing the lead. And no, I won’t mention the film and I won’t mention anybody else. That’s not the point of this story. And I... never got a chair to sit on. The producer’s mother, the producer’s father, the other people would come in, and they would all get chairs. And it was my first movie, and I had to keep asking for a chair. And it was so awkward that finally I stopped. . So I used to sit on parapets, I used to sit on stones...”
He continued, “Agar bahar shoot ho raha hai to mai vahan jaakar baithta tha..itminaan se.. pretending to be very sporting..like don’t worry about it I am fine..and indoors par hum kaam karte the to vahan set par hi chair mil jaata tha and I never forget it..It hit me so hard, it hurt me so badly.”
The ace star recalled how he got the chair in Mumbai in a restaurant, “After that... Immediately... uske baad hum fauran Bambai vaapas aaye (We came back to Mumbai)... after 3-4 days there used to be a restaurant... Moshe’s jo Cuffe Parade mein hua karta tha.. vahan unke restaurant ki kursiya thi bahut sundar thi (The chairs of their restaurant were very beautiful) jaise vo director ka chair hota hai
the collapsible one, canvas one. Except, quality was good there..to I said in kursiyun ko aapne kahan se kharida tha to unhone kaha fala fala jagah se khareeda to I straight away went there And I asked for one of those chairs. In those days, it cost 10,000 rupees. I’m talking about 32 years ago.”
Bose shared, “I said I want this chair... till today, wherever I go, the chair goes with me. And it’s been in seven films. Directors have used it. “
The ‘Pyaar Ke Side Effects’ actor recalled how director Aparna Sen calls him ‘Brando’, saying “ And Aparna Sen calls me Brando, that’s another story. Not about my cinematic, my prowess as an actor. She would always sit on it to tease me, which is fine. But that’s, I think the scars that you bear, if you can do something positive, something non-confrontational, something peaceable, and yet something forward, it takes your life forward, that’s the best solution...till today, I always say, don’t sweat the small stuff. Wait. It will come. (IANS)
SHARAD KELKAR ON BEING THE HIGHEST PAID ACTOR ON TUM SE TUM TAK
Actor Sharad Kelkar is all set to return to television with the new show Tum Se Tum Tak, where he stars opposite Niharika Chouksey. The show is set to premiere on July 7. Recently, the actor responded to reports claiming he is one of the highest-paid actors on the show. Addressing the buzz, he said people should not feel jealous, as he has worked in the industry for over 20 years and has rightfully earned his position.
He said, “Yes, I charge for it. What’s wrong with that? If someone is earning well, people should be happy, not jealous. It’s a sign of achievement. If an actor returns to television, it’s because they have value. No one’s calling you back just for nostalgia—you have to bring something to the table.”
When asked about what motivated him to be a part of Tum Se Tum Tak, Kelkar revealed that he found the story of the show to be extremely compelling.
The Laxmii actor said, “It came to me in January. Initially, they wanted to shoot around February, but I was already shooting another series at the time, so I had to decline. Then, in March, they approached me again. I asked them to share the story. What intrigued me was the format—like the promo says, two
different worlds collide. One is wealthy, the other is from a humble background. And there’s a love story at its heart.”
Tum Se Tum Tak shares an unconventional love story between a 19-year-old girl, Anu, and a 46-year-old business tycoon, Aryavardhan.
The leading lady of the drama, Niharika Chouksey, called his Tum Se Tum Tak costar a very good human being.
Revealing that Kelkar makes one feel extremely comfortable, she stated, “First of all, he is a very good human being. He does not carry his stardom, so he already makes you feel extremely comfortable. You can learn from him how even after reaching the height of success one can stay neutral and grounded.
bon appétit
Did you know:
Eat two bananas before a strenuous workout to pack an energy punch and sustain your blood sugar level
MICHELIN-STAR CHEF VIKAS KHANNA TO BRING ASSAM TEA FESTIVAL TO HIS
NEW
YORK RESTAURANT ‘BUNGALOW’
The 200 Years of Assam Tea celebrations at the Summer Fancy Food Show 2025 in New York witnessed a special moment with the presence of Michelin Star Chef Vikas Khanna as the Guest of Honour at a business roundtable hosted by the Consulate General of India, New York.
Chef Khanna, an internationally acclaimed culinary ambassador and founder of the iconic New York restaurant ‘Bungalow’, shared his heartfelt connection with Assam, having travelled to the state 11 times. He spoke of Assam’s cultural vibrancy, the distinctiveness of its tea, and the passion of its people, which deeply moved him during each of his visits.
In a warm and generous gesture, Chef Khanna proposed to host an Assam Tea Festival at his restaurant ‘Bungalow’ in New York in the near future, to honour the state’s 200-year legacy in the global tea industry. He underscored that Assam’s tea, cuisine, textiles, and culture are pillars of India’s soft power and deserve sustained international celebration and recognition.
The Government of Assam has welcomed this proposal and will actively work to bring the Assam Tea Festival in New York to fruition as part of its larger global outreach strategy for Assam Tea. The gesture is expected to significantly enhance global visibility and consumer engagement with Assam’s tea and cultural identity.
Adding to the momentum of India’s cultural presence in the city, Nita Ambani visited Chef Vikas Khanna’s Bungalow restaurant last month ahead of the upcoming
NMACC India Weekend scheduled in New York this September, further highlighting the growing global spotlight on Indian heritage and cuisine.
Reliance Foundation FounderChairperson Nita Ambani and Chef Vikas Khanna have curated a unique culinary experience for the NMACC India Weekend. “Our Founder Mrs. Nita M Ambani shared a heart-warming evening with Chef Vikas Khanna as they curate a unique culinary experience for the #NMACCIndiaWeekend! Flavors of India, served with love in NYC @LincolnCenter! Sep 12-14, 2025 Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts,” NMACC said in a post on X. The post was accompanied by a new video.
In the video, Khanna can also be heard saying, “It’s an honour for an Indian chef to be hosting Mrs. Ambani.”
The weekend will commence on September 12, at the David H Koch Theatre, Lincoln Centre for the Performing Arts, with the highly anticipated US premiere of India’s largest theatrical production, ‘The Great Indian Musical: Civilisation to Nation’. Blending dance, art, fashion, and music, this production is a spectacular tribute to India’s past, present and future that travels the country’s history from 5000 BC until its independence in 1947, a release said earlier.
Featuring a cast of over 100 performers, opulent costumes and larger-than-life sets, ‘The Great Indian Musical’ is an unrivalled theatrical
experience. The show, India’s largest musical, with a line-up of exceptional Indian talent, along with a Tony and Emmy awardwinning crew, has been conceived and directed by Feroz Abbas Khan, it added.
This marquee production will feature the collaboration of great artists like Ajay-Atul (music), Mayuri Upadhya, Vaibhavi Merchant, Samir and Arsh Tanna (choreography). The visual spectacle will also feature costumes designed by leading fashion designer Manish Malhotra. The show will have a limited run of five performances.
The opening night on September 12 will commence with an invite-only red carpet - the ‘Grand Swagat’ (Grand Welcome) - featuring the ‘Swadesh Fashion Show Curated by Manish Malhotra’, spotlighting India’s celebrated traditional weaves and skilled artisans. The evening will have a special presentation of cuisines and flavours from ancient to modern India, presented by Michelin-starred chef Vikas Khanna.
The NMACC India Weekend will also take over Damrosch Park from September 12-14, bringing alive enthralling and engaging experiences in the form of a ‘Great Indian Bazaar’. Guests will be introduced to the finest Indian fashion and textiles, decadent flavours, as well as dance, yoga and music experiences, the release said.
(ANI)
CHEF SANJEEV KAPOOR
RECOGNIZED AS TOP AGRI-FOOD PIONEER 2025 BY WORLD FOOD PRIZE FOUNDATION
Renowned chef, author, and Padma Shri Awardee Sanjeev Kapoor has been honored as one of the Top Agri-Food Pioneers of 2025 by the prestigious World Food Prize Foundation. As part of this recognition, he will be felicitated at the Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue in lowa, scheduled for October 21-23. This global recognition is not just a testament to his extraordinary culinary journey, but a celebration of his deep-rooted belief that food is more than sustenance--it’s a powerful force for change, healing, and hope.
From humble beginnings to becoming a household name, Chef Kapoor has always viewed food through a larger lens. To him, it’s not just about recipes and flavors--it’s about empowering people with knowledge, dignity, and the confidence to make better choices. His work has consistently bridged the gap between taste and health, helping
families reimagine what it means to eat well.
A shining example of this vision is Nutri Pathshala, an initiative close to Chef Sanjeev Kapoor’s heart that focuses on providing naturally nutritious meals and building nutrition awareness among children and communities. Under his guidance, the initiative has provided over 3 million meals and is on a path to improve nutrition literacy amongst thousands of schoolchildren, parents, teachers, farmers, and caregivers across India.
This recognition is a celebration of the growing movement that initiatives like Nutri Pathshala represents: a future where informed food choices are a right, not a privilege. It’s about raising a generation that values nourishment, not just for themselves, but for their families and communities. Chef Kapoor’s journey
reminds us that food, when paired with purpose, can create ripples of change far beyond the plate.
CHEF NAZRUL MOLLA
JOURNEYS TO INDIA FOR CHARCOAL BANGKOK MENU INNOVATION
Acclaimed global chef Nazrul Molla, known for redefining Indian cuisine at Charcoal Bangkok, is set to embark on a culinary research tour across India. This initiative is aimed at refreshing the restaurant’s seasonal menu by infusing authentic regional flavours from Bengal, Rajasthan, and Kerala.
The journey will focus on reviving traditional Indian recipes, exploring native ingredients, and incorporating age-old cooking techniques. “This trip is about going back to the roots,” said Chef Nazrul. “I want to rediscover long-forgotten dishes and bring their stories to life through a modern dining experience at Charcoal.”
During his visit, Chef Nazrul will engage with local chefs and home cooks across Kolkata and Jaipur, gaining insights into regional specialties. Key dishes he is keen to explore include Kosha Mangsho, a rich Bengali style slow-cooked mutton curry, and smoked jackfruit curry, a rustic delicacy with immense creative potential.
As part of his research, the chef also plans to bring back distinctive ingredients such as Gondhoraj lemon and mustard oil, which he believes are underrepresented in global cuisine. In addition to flavour, presentation will play a critical role. Chef Nazrul is looking to incorporate traditional Indian plating styles, such as banana leaves and terracotta serve
ware, into Charcoal’s visual storytelling.
The refreshed menu, expected to launch by the end of the current season, will combine authenticity with innovation, offering diners a thoughtfully curated culinary experience.
Chef Nazrul brings over two decades of global culinary experience. He has worked with award-winning restaurants including Indego at Grosvenor House, Dubai, where he was part of a team that earned accolades from BBC Global,
Time Out Dubai, and What’s
was also honoured with a Bronze Medal at the Emirates Culinary Guild Competition, among other industry recognitions.
His India visit marks a significant chapter in his culinary journey, blending heritage, technique, and creativity to reshape modern Indian dining in Southeast Asia.
(ANI)
On Magazine. He
Smart Snacking: Boost Your Energy Levels
BY DEEVYA GUPTA
Snacking can help keep your appetite in check for meal times and provide your body with essential nutrients throughout the day. However, it's crucial to choose snacks that are nutrient-packed and low in processed ingredients.
It’s important to keep nourishing snacks prepared so that you can maximise the benefits and enjoy it at the same time. The only times we want to reduce snacking if it consists mainly of processed foods or you are having it in addition to what your body requires.
Eat Mindfully
Before reaching for a snack, ask yourself: "Am I hungry or am I eating out of habit?" This simple trick can help you develop mindful snacking habits and reduce unnecessary eating.
Snack ideas
Fruits: Fresh, frozen, or dried, fruits are rich in fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. Try incorporating seasonal fruits like mangoes, bananas, or apples into your snack routine.
Roasted Gram or Chickpeas: These protein-rich snacks are perfect for munching on the go. Season with herbs and spices for added flavor.
Hummus and Vegetable Sticks: A classic snack that's easy to make and packed with protein and fiber.
Bhel Puri: Made with puffed rice, salads, vegetables, and spices. Opt for baked or airfried versions to reduce oil content.
Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds are all great sources of happy fats and protein. Besan Khandvi Vegetable Upma
Poha: A fiber-rich snack made with flattened rice, perfect for a quick energy boost. Can also be enjoyed as a meal
Daily examples and quantities of these foods include:
Fruits (2 fresh, frozen or dry fruits 3 tablespoons approx.)
Popcorn 1 cup (unsalted and made with canola oil)
1 small bowl cucumber and tomato chaat (can also add ½ cup of bhel, poha or moong to your salads)
Hummus and vegetable sticks*
Handful of roasted gram or chickpeas*
Nuts (1 handful of unsalted nuts or seeds) * 1 tablespoon peanut butter and 1-2 rice thins*
2 slices of cheese*
1 cup of milk*
¾ cup of yoghurt*
1 egg* *indicates foods containing protein also
Snacking Tips
Pairing nutrients:
Use high fibre snacks with protein and happy fats to keep you satisfied for longer. Examples include apple slices with peanut butter or whole-grain crackers with hummus. Limit added sugars and processed fats: Opt for naturally sweet foods such as fruit if you have a sweet tooth
Stay well hydrated: Sometimes, thirst can masquerade as hunger. Drink plenty of water throughout the day to stay energized and focused.
Plan your snacks: Prepare snacks in advance to avoid relying on processed or store-bought foods.
Traditional Indian snacks with a twist
Baked Samosas: Use whole wheat pastry and fill with vegetables or lean protein for a healthier alternative.
Air-Fried Murukku: Made with rice flour and spices.
Roasted Makhana
Create
a routine
By incorporating these smart snacking tips and snack options into your daily routine, you'll be well on your way to boosting your energy levels and supporting your overall health and well-being. So, go ahead and indulge in these snacks, knowing you're nourishing your body with every bite!
Please note this advice is of a general nature. If you have any concerns or queries you should get tailored advice from an Accredited Practicing Dietitian and always consult with your General Practitioner before making and changes.
Chicken Jhat Phat
For a really quick meal try this chicken dish cooked with vegies in a mild sauce.
Making chicken doesn’t has to be always an elaborate process.
I have used skinless chicken breast fillet with a mixture of Indian spices and cooked it like Chinese style stir fry! It’s different, tasty, easy, quick and makes a wonderful dish.
A must try chicken with vegies
INGREDIENTS
500 gm chicken fillet cubed or sliced handful of beans sliced
1 med red onion sliced
1 red capsicum sliced
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 tbs ginger sliced
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground chilli
1 tsp ginger/garlic paste each little grated rind of lime (opt) salt to taste
olive oil to cook
1 cup stock
SAUCE
2-3 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
1 tsp ground all spice
1 tbsp lime juice
pinch nutmeg
1 tsp arrowroot or cornflour
Salt to taste
Olive oil to cook
METHOD
Tasty chicken in no time!
Marinate chicken with ginger,garlic. coriander,chilli and lime rind for about 30 mins.
Heat oil in wok or pan. Add sliced ginger, onion and capsicum and stir fry about 2-3 mins. Set aside. In the same wok heat a little oil and stir fry the chicken pieces till tender. Whisk all the ingredients for the sauce in a bowl
and pour over the chicken and mix well. Add the veges to the chicken and toss well. Pour cornflour mixed with 2 tbsp water and cook until thickens.
GARNISH: chopped spring onion or coriander leaves
SERVE: Hot with basmati rice or brown rice.
BY MANJIT SETHI
Benefits of Fenugreek Seeds for Hair
Beautiful and healthy hair is a desire shared by many. While there are numerous hair care products available, natural remedies can often be equally effective and gentler on your hair. One such natural remedy that has gained popularity is fenugreek seeds.
Known for their potent properties, fenugreek seeds offer a range of benefits for hair health. In this article, we will explore the various advantages of fenugreek seeds for hair and learn how to use them effectively for luscious locks.
Fenugreek, scientifically known as Trigonella foenum-graecum, is a versatile herb native to the Mediterranean region and South Asia. It has been used for centuries in traditional medicine and culinary practices.
Fenugreek seeds are rich in essential nutrients, including proteins, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. These seeds also contain compounds such as flavonoids, alkaloids, and saponins, which contribute to their beneficial effects on hair.
Benefits of fenugreek seeds for hair Promotes Hair Growth Fenugreek seeds are known to stimulate hair growth by nourishing the hair follicles and increasing blood circulation to the scalp. The proteins present in fenugreek seeds strengthen the hair shaft, reducing hair fall and promoting the growth of new, healthy strands.
Conditions and Moisturizes Fenugreek seeds possess excellent conditioning properties that
help in reducing dryness and frizz. Regular use of fenugreek seeds as a hair mask or rinse can make your hair soft, smooth, and manageable. They also provide hydration to the scalp, preventing flakiness and itching.
Prevents Hair Loss Fenugreek seeds contain hormone-regulating compounds that may help in preventing hair loss caused by hormonal imbalances. Additionally, the seeds have antimicrobial properties that protect the scalp from infections, reducing the risk of hair loss due to scalp conditions.
Controls Dandruff The antifungal and antibacterial properties of fenugreek seeds make them an effective remedy for dandruff. Regular application of fenugreek seed paste or oil can help reduce scalp inflammation, itching, and flaking associated with dandruff.
How to use it for hair
Fenugreek Seed Hair Mask
4Soak fenugreek seeds overnight and grind them into a smooth paste.
4Add a tablespoon of coconut oil or yogurt to the paste for added nourishment.
4Apply the paste to your scalp and hair, focusing on the roots.
4Leave it on for about 30 minutes to an hour and then rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water.
Fenugreek Seed Hair Rinse
4Boil two tablespoons of fenugreek seeds in
two cups of water for 10-15 minutes.
4Allow the mixture to cool, strain it, and use the fenugreek-infused water as a final rinse after shampooing.
4Gently massage the scalp while pouring the fenugreek rinse over your hair.
4Leave it on for a few minutes and then rinse with water.
Fenugreek Seed Oil
4Heat a tablespoon of fenugreek seeds in a carrier oil like coconut oil or olive oil.
4Let the seeds infuse the oil for a few minutes until they turn slightly brown.
4Allow the oil to cool, strain it, and store it in a clean container.
4Massage the fenugreek seed oil onto your scalp and hair, leave it on for an hour or overnight, and then shampoo as usual. Fenugreek seeds are a natural remedy packed with incredible benefits for hair health. From promoting hair growth and preventing hair loss to conditioning and controlling dandruff, fenugreek seeds offer a holistic approach to hair care. Incorporating fenugreek seeds into your hair care routine through masks, rinses, or oil treatments can lead to stronger, healthier, and more lustrous locks. Embrace the power of nature and give fenugreek seeds a try to transform your hair naturally. (IANSlife)
TASTY TIP
This dish taste best served immediately. You may use tender pork or beef and vegetables of your choice.
Mesha (Aries)
An excellent month for your educational pursuits, during which some of you could well go on to score some notable success. Most of you would have the drive and motivation to get to the top, something that will immensely benefit those sitting for any competitive examination. They can virtually count on success.
Best days: 3, 12, 30
Lucky Colour: Red, Orange, Cream
Simha (Leo)
Some of you would be influenced by a mean streak that would egg you on to severely exploit your juniors, workers, or just simply people below you in the social strata for personal benefit. This is bound to boomerang on you, and would create an extremely unpleasant situation from which you will not be able to extricate yourself easily. Curb such tendencies firmly.
Best days: 5,3
Lucky Colour: White & Orange
Dhanu (Sagittarius)
There would also be a storage of any worthwhile opportunities. There is nothing particularly favourable for your financial prospects in the combination of stars, facing you this month. In all your dealings a lack of self- confidence and the ability to take initiatives would be missing. This would make for stagnation and retard all progress.
Vrishabh (Taurus)
A somewhat trying period ahead of you in so far as your financial prospects are concerned, and the stars are not likely to be very helpful. There would be less self-confidence and courage, which would make you incapable of much initiative. This would be reflected in all your efforts, which will get nowhere near success.
Best days: 9, 18, 27
Lucky Colour: Green, Blue
Kanya (Virgo)
This month the turn of events is bound to favour your financial prospects. Some of you would have a big way of managing your subordinates or workers, or even people simply below you in the social strata, in a manner that will enable you to derive optimum benefit from their services. This would be a very big gain for you.
Best days: 3, 12
Lucky Colour: Orange, Green
Makara (Capricorn)
Dame fortune is not in a very good mood, and as such your career prospects do not look very bright. There would be a lot of hard work and gains would be nowhere near commensurate with the effort put in. Though as things stand, this would be the last of your worries.
By D. Narayan (Tantracharya) M: 0425 660 220
Mithuna (Gemini)
Most of you would in any case be brimming with self-confidence and carry out your pursuits with a touch of boldness. This would also be go a long way in earning success. People in the transport industry and dealers in gem stones would stand to gain in particular.
Karkat (Cancer)
You would also work quite hard, but your efforts will not be able to help you in the realization of your objectives. This would naturally make for dissatisfaction at your lot. This sort of thwarting of normal activity in terms of denial of rewards could make you over adventurous. This has an element of risk for you. Therefore, you must restrain yourself from pointless adventurous enterprises.
Best days: 9, 18
Lucky Colour: Red, Blue
Best days: 1, 3, 4
Lucky Colour: White, Green, Blue
Best days: 2, 7, 9
Lucky Colour: Red, White, Yellow
Tula (Libra)
There is a lot of cheer for your financial prospects in the augury, from the stars this month. Association with several gifted people of learning and spiritual stature would not only bring you substantial gains but would also impart a highly satisfying dimension of culture and a taste for higher spiritual achievements.
Best days: 9, 18
Lucky Colour: Red, Blue
Kumbha (Aquarius)
An excellent month during which you would be able to function above normal and take your career to new heights. This month you will be endowed with a quality of leadership that would unable you to get the optimum benefit of from the service of your juniors and subordinates. The work-load would not be very heavy, and yet most of your expected gains would be realized.
A favourable month, for your financial prospects, during which you should be able to achieve success with a touch of boldness. In fact, this month, your most noteworthy assets would be well placed self-confidence and a great deal of courage. These would solve many problems for you and ensure gains. These would be medium sized gains but would accrue to you in quick time.
Best days: 1, 3, 4
Lucky Colour: Red, Orange
Meen (Pisces)
Your efforts would meet stiff resistance and an extremely unpleasant situation could come about, curb such tendencies very firmly, failing which you would only have yourself to blame. The climate would also not be congenial for investment or launching any new ventures. Any such plans should, therefore, be shelved for the time being.
Best days: 2, 7, 9
Lucky Colour: Red, Yellow, White
HAVE A LAUGH
Ordering the Sound of Knocking
Last winter, I was laid off from my job. In order to make ends meet, I had to take up a temporary job as a newspaper delivery person. One of the houses I delivered had its mailbox blocked, so I had to knock on the door. Mr. Prabhu, an elderly man with unsteady steps, slowly opened the door. I asked, "Sir, why is the mailbox entrance blocked?"
He replied, "I intentionally blocked it." He smiled awkwardly and continued, "I want to discuss something with you. When you deliver the newspaper to me every day, please knock on the door or ring the bell and hand it to me in person."
I replied, "Sure, but that seems inconvenient for both of us and a waste of time." I was puzzled by this arrangement.
He said, "It's alright, I'm at home every day. How about this... I'll give you an extra 50 dollars, each month as a knocking fee." With a pleading expression, he added, "If there ever comes a day when you can't knock on the door, please call the police!"
I was shocked and asked, "Why?"
He replied, "My wife passed away, my son is abroad, and I live here all alone, who knows when my time will come?"
At that moment, I saw the old man's misty,
moist eyes. I asked, "Don't you subscribe to the newspaper to read it?"
He answered, "I never read the newspaper... I subscribe for the sound of knocking!"
He clasped his hands and said, "Young man, please do me a favour! Here's my son's overseas phone number. If one day you knock on the door and I don't answer, please call my son to inform him..."
After reading this, I believe there are also solitary, lonely elderly people among our circle of friends. Sometimes, you might wonder why they, in their old age, still send messages on WhatsApp, just like they are still working. Actually, the significance of these morning and evening greetings is similar to the meaning of knocking or ringing the doorbell; it's a way of wishing each other safety and conveying care.
Nowadays, WhatsApp is very convenient, and we don't need to subscribe to newspapers anymore. If you have the time, teach your elderly family members how to use WhatsApp!
One day, if you don't receive their morning greetings or shared articles, they might be ill, or something may have happened to them. Please care for your friends and family. After reading this, my eyes welled up with tears!!! I deeply understand the significance of our WhatsApp messages to each other!!!
