Gday India Feb 2021 Issue

FEB 2021

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VOL 15 ISSUE 166

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AUSTRALIAN INDIAN PERSPECTIVE Australian govt, opposition deadlocked: poll

SUPER SIKH SPIRIT

Foreign celebrities attack India, govt calls them out

BEST BUDDIES RACE ACROSS AUSTRALIA

Merv Hughes inducted to Australian Cricket Hall of Fame

The Amazing Race Australia Season 2 contestants, Jaskirat and Anurag, grab their turbans and backpacks for the race of their lives and hit the ground running February 1st on Network 10 and WIN Network

Australia gives provisional approval to Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine

PETA India's EV chariot design to replace elephants at Amer Fort

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Editor in Chief: Tonee Sethi E: editor@gdayindia.com.au Advertising: Amandeep Sethi E: info@gdayindia.com.au Contributors:

Anmol Anand, Debasree Das, Dileep Narayan, Dr Raj Kotharu, Gary Nair, Harpal Sandhu, Manjit Sethi, Narisa Dawar, Sanchita Abrol, Karthik Arasu, Abhi Narayan, Gurpal Singh, Monisha Iswaran, P. Harsora, Nandita Chakraborty, Archita Baweja, Barinderjeet Kaur, Gurpal Singh, Muktesh Chibber, Shivani Prabhu, Payel Ghosh Disclaimer: Opinions published in G’Day India are not necessarily endorsed by the publisher. No advertising design or material is to be reproduced without the written consent of the editor. All copyrights reserved to G’Day India. Articles, pictures, photographs and advertisements accepted by G’Day India Pty Ltd are on the understanding that the supplier of such materials has obtained all the relevant copyrights, permissions and grants permission to G’Day India Pty Ltd to publish them. Any liability arising from failure to obtain such permission lies entirely and exclusively with the supplier. Qualities of products and services advertised in G’Day India are not guaranteed by G’Day India Pty Ltd.

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NEWS VICTORIA

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

Australian Open in further disarray after fresh COVID case

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MELBOURNE, Feb 3: Ahead of the Australian Open, a member of hotel staff in Melbourne was tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday.

Six ATP and WTA competitions are being held as a lead up for the Australian Open at Melbourne Park. However, the fate of the upcoming Grand Slam went for a toss as those associated with the Australian Open who quarantined at the hotel were asked to isolate. The Australian Open also confirmed that there will no matches at Melbourne Park on Thursday. "Health Authorities have advised us that a Hotel Quarantine worker has tested positive for COVID-19. Those associated with the AO who quarantined at the hotel now need to be tested and isolate until they receive a negative test result," the Australian Open tweeted. "We will work with everyone involved to facilitate testing as quickly as possible. There will be no matches at Melbourne Park on Thursday. An update on the schedule for Friday will be announced later today," it added. Earlier, some tennis players were asked to be in hard quarantine before the Australian Open in Melbourne as their flights resulted in some positive COVID-19 cases.

However, Indian Tennis player Sumit Nagal opined that players who were in strict quarantine would not be at any disadvantage as there is still one week before the Australian Open starts. "I do not think that players who were in strict quarantine will be at disadvantage, everyone is going to have a week before the Australian Open starts. They are going to have eight-nine days, they are going to catch up. They also have first priority to everything, which is fair enough, nobody is questioning about that," said Nagal on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, Spanish tennis player Rafael Nadal announced that he would not be participating in the ATP Cup match against Alex de Minaur and Australia. The ATP Cup is a men's tennis tournament between competing nations, which premiered in January 2020. The tournament is played in Australia over ten days in the lead up to the Australian Open and features teams from 24 countries. Australian Open will take place at Melbourne Park from February 8-21 and will feature singles, doubles, and wheelchair competitions. (ANI)

Victorian Health Services Ready for Vaccine Rollout Health, Monash Health, Barwon Health, Goulburn Valley Health, Latrobe Health, Bendigo Health, Ballarat Health and AlburyWodonga Health.

MELBOURNE, Feb 3: The first stage of the Commonwealth’s coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccination program will be ready to be rolled out in Victoria for high-risk, priority people at nine suburban and regional health services across the state as soon as a vaccine is available. Victorians at greatest risk of COVID-19 will be provided with a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine at Victorian public hospital vaccination hubs at Western Health, Austin

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine is the first COVID-19 vaccine to receive Commonwealth regulatory approval in Australia, undergoing a complete assessment and approval process and meeting high safety, efficacy and quality standards. Two doses are provided at least three weeks apart and the vaccine must be stored and transported at -70°C. The Commonwealth advises the first doses of the Pfizer vaccine are expected to arrive and be rolled out in mid-to-late February. Australia’s COVID-19 vaccines will be available in phases, as defined by the Commonwealth’s schedule, with the Commonwealth prioritising groups based on expert medical and public health advice.

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People eligible to receive the Pfizer vaccine as part of Phase 1a include: • Quarantine and border workers and all staff working in the hotel quarantine program • Frontline at-risk health care workers including hospital staff working in COVID and suspected COVID wards, emergency department and ICU staff, staff at GP respiratory clinics and COVID-19 testing facilities, ambulance staff and paramedics • Aged care and disability care staff and residents. Further roll-out of other vaccines, including the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, will depend on the Commonwealth’s regulatory approval, volume and timing of doses becoming available. Work is underway to identify sites across Victoria with the aim of ensuring all Victorians can easily get vaccinated. To see the latest information and advice about the coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccine in Victoria, please visit: coronavirus.vic.gov. au/vaccine or health.gov.au/initiatives-and-programs/covid-19-vaccines

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NEWS VICTORIA

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

More Victorians Set to Return to Work This February

MELBOURNE, Feb 2: Victoria’s staged return to work will be accelerated this month with new health advice allowing office-based workers to return to 75 per cent capacity. With no evidence of community transmission in Victoria for 27 days now, both public sector and private sector office-based workplaces will be able to return to 75 per cent capacity from 8 February 2021. Record keeping requirements for workplaces will remain unchanged, which means an employer must keep a record of all workers and all visitors who attend the premises for longer than 15 minutes. Legislation will be introduced into the Victorian Parliament this week to ensure the public health directions protecting Victorians from coronavirus – including requiring workplaces to have a COVIDSafe Plan – can continue to be enforced. A number of key health protections required to manage this pandemic are only available when a State of Emergency has been declared under the Public Health and Wellbeing Act 2008 – such as hotel quarantine, mandatory face coverings in certain settings, and other restrictions to help slow the spread of the virus. A State of Emergency is only ever declared

or extended on the advice of the Chief Health Officer and the Emergency Management Commissioner. It allows the Government to run Victoria’s traffic light permit system, which provides invaluable information about who has entered Victoria and from where and the ability to identify areas of risk in Australia and prevent travel from those areas when they are deemed a risk to public health. It also ensures public health risk powers can be exercised – for example, by requiring positive cases of coronavirus to isolate. The current State of Emergency declared

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in respect of the coronavirus pandemic has a maximum period of 12 months, which will expire at 11:59 pm on 15 March 2021. The new legislation will permit the Government to extend the State of Emergency for an additional nine months in four-week increments – expiring at 11.59pm on 15 December 2021. Until we have the vaccine rolled out, we need to continue in our fight against coronavirus and work to keep the entire community safe – and the State of Emergency allows us to do exactly that.

(MEDIA RELEASE)

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

More Choices for Victorian Train Passengers

MELBOURNE, Jan 31: Victorians now have 450 extra train services every week, as the biggest timetable change since the opening of the City Loop comes into place from today. The Andrews Labor Government has added 280 metropolitan and 170 regional services to the network every week, alongside new capacity indicator technology that will give passengers on Melbourne’s trains access to information about how busy their train or station will be – helping people stay safe as we move through our recovery from the pandemic. After four months of extensive testing and trials, the new online tool called RideSpace provides real-time information for passengers on metropolitan trains – showing them how busy, or quiet, their journey will be before they get on board. RideSpace is now available via a dedicated, mobile responsive mini-site – and its capacity data will soon be made available in third party journey planning apps to help passengers make informed choices about travelling safely on the network. The tool shows the current and predicted level of busyness for trains, stations and platforms using icons ranging from Very Quiet to Very Busy to support public health settings and help passengers decide which service they are comfortable using. Work on RideSpace has been fasttracked with partners including Telstra Purple and NTT DATA leveraging the private sector’s expertise in predictive data modelling, machine learning and technology development.

This new tool, as well as today’s train timetable boost, will combine with a 30 per cent fare discount for metropolitan passengers travelling outside of peak periods, giving passengers more confidence to return to public transport and encouraging people to travel on either side of the busy morning and afternoon periods. The off-peak discount will be in place for the next three months, automatically providing 30 per cent off myki fares for passengers touching off between 9.30am and 4pm or after 7pm on weekdays. The new timetable features new services throughout the day across metropolitan and regional lines – including 125 new services

each week on the Ballarat line, and greater frequency outside of peak hours on most metropolitan train lines. Frankston line trains will not run through the City Loop until the Metro Tunnel opens in 2025, while Cranbourne/ Pakenham trains will travel in one direction – anticlockwise from Parliament to Flinders Street – through the Loop all day. RideSpace can be accessed at ridespace. coronavirus.vic.gov.au (Passengers can check the new timetables through the PTV website or the new PTV app)

Cutting the Cost of Energy Bills for Struggling Victorians

MELBOURNE, Feb 2: The Andrews Labor Government is reducing the cost of energy for Victorians doing it tough, with a one-off $250 payment to help with their energy bills. Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio announced that low-income households can now apply for the new Power Saving Bonus.

The bonus is available to any households with a Victorian electricity account who holds a pensioner concession card or receives JobSeeker, Austudy, Abstudy or Youth Allowance. It will be available for 12 months and provide immediate financial relief to more than 900,000 Victorian households. The $250 bonus will be transferred electronically into the bank account of the recipient or provided via cheque on request, and processing will take approximately two to three weeks from application. Electricity bills are the top cost of living issue for consumers and about 20 per cent of Victorian households requested financial assistance with their energy bills last year due to the impacts of coronavirus. To ensure the bonus is accessible to those who need it most, including those from marginalised communities and families

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from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, the Government has enlisted the support of the Brotherhood of St. Laurence and the Consumer Policy Research Centre. The Victorian Energy Compare website is designed to help consumers take charge of their energy costs by finding the best energy deal available. Seven out of ten people save money by using the website, with typical annual household savings of $330 on energy bills in the first year alone. The Power Saving Bonus is part of an unprecedented $797 million household energy affordability package that was announced in the recent State Budget. The bonus is available through the Victorian Energy Compare website – compare.energy.vic.gov.au or by calling 1800 000 832.

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NEWS VICTORIA

Building A Case to Beat the World’s Deadliest Diseases

MELBOURNE, Jan 29: Work to create a business case for the establishment of a landmark National Centre for Inflammation Research in Clayton is nearing completion. Inflammation is the world’s biggest killer. Caused by our immune system, inflammation is behind hundreds of illnesses including cancer, diabetes, stroke, heart diseases and viral infections like coronavirus, which together cause more than half of all deaths around the globe. By improving our understanding of this complex response, we can improve and save lives. That’s what some of the world’s top inflammation experts are doing at the Hudson Institute of Medical Research in Clayton, which has been at the forefront of breakthroughs and new treatments since the institute was founded in 2014. To help take their important work to the next level, the Andrews Labor Government committed $1 million in the Victorian Budget 2020/21 for the Hudson Institute to prepare an investment case for a National Centre for Inflammation Research.

Minister for Innovation, Medical Research and the Digital Economy Jaala Pulford visited the Hudson Institute today and was updated on plans for the centre, which would be the first of its kind in Australia and is earmarked for the Monash Health Translation Precinct within the Monash Medical Centre campus in Clayton. With a purpose-built centre, Victorian researchers would have the labs and equipment they need to turn breakthrough into new treatments to control harmful and deadly inflammation. Victoria is home to 14 independent medical research institutes that employ more than 5,800 people. The state’s wider medical research sector supports more than 30,000 jobs across institutes, universities and industry. The Victorian Budget 2020/21 dedicated more than $260 million to boost jobs in Victoria’s medical research sector, helping our hardworking researchers, clinicians and scientists to do what they do best. (MEDIA RELEASE)

High Tech Drones to Lift Victoria’s Firefighting Capabilities MELBOURNE, Jan 28: Victoria’s firefighting capabilities have been boosted with the launch of a new aviation unit and four new drones that will gather aerial images of fires and other emergencies to strengthen emergency response efforts on the ground. Minister for Police and Emergency Services Lisa Neville joined Fire Rescue Commissioner Ken Block today to announce a new Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) aviation unit based at Burnley. The new unit will use cutting edge drone technology, led by a highly specialised team of firefighters. Featuring both high-definition thermal imaging and live streaming cameras, the unit’s four new drones are able to capture better quality footage from the air to support firefighting and other emergency service purposes. The drones represent a significant uplift in capabilities for FRV’s existing drone service known as its remote piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) service - because of their ability to stay in the air for up to 30 minutes and to withstand difficult wind conditions. Importantly, the new drones can carry both thermal and optical cameras at the same time,

an advancement on existing aircraft within the RPAS fleet which can carry only one type of camera at a time. The technology means firefighters can better monitor fires and other incidents from the air, and get a fuller picture of complex fires, ultimately increasing community safety and contributing to saving lives. FRV’s new aviation unit will be staffed by four dedicated specialist firefighters, including Civil Aviation Safety Authority-qualified drone pilots and specialist aviation accredited personnel. The unit, which became operational last month, has already been instrumental in supporting the response to a recent industrial fire in Laverton North. FRV drones were used last year to support rapid impact assessment of fire-affected areas throughout Victoria following the bushfires that ravaged large parts of the state in late 2019 and early 2020. (MEDIA RELEASE)

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G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

Empowering Students to Help Stop Violence

MELBOURNE, Jan 23: Victorian school students will learn about the impact of violence and coward punches through a series of Be Wise Education presentations, supported by the Andrews Labor Government. Minister for Education James Merlino announced a $150,000 investment to support the Pat Cronin Foundation to expand its Be Wise Education program. The funding will help deliver 200 presentations to government and nongovernment schools in 2021. The Pat Cronin Foundation was established by Matt and Robyn Cronin in memory of their 19-year-old son who died from a coward punch on a night out in Diamond Creek in 2016. The Pat Cronin Foundation and the Be Wise Education program were established to help end the coward punch by helping young people to make wise decisions. The program complements the Victorian Curriculum F–10 delivery of personal and social capability curriculum and provides students with resources and presentations to raise awareness about the drivers and consequences of social violence and how their actions could impact on other people. Ambassadors of the Pat Cronin Foundation include sporting heroes Matthew Richardson, Kevin Sheedy and Andrew Gaze. (MEDIA RELEASE)

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New Gallery to Be A Celebration of Australian Design

MELBOURNE, Jan 29: Australia’s largest ever cultural infrastructure project is getting underway with the launch of a competition to select an Australian architectural team to design the new NGV Contemporary gallery and create thousands of jobs. Premier Daniel Andrews and Minister for Creative Industries Danny Pearson announced the competition which will offer an unprecedented platform to showcase Australia’s world-leading design and architecture industries. A cornerstone of the $1.46 billion first phase of the Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation, the purpose-built contemporary art and design gallery will be the largest of its kind in the country. The competition is open to teams from across Australia, with at least one team member required to be a registered Victorian business. The winning team must run the principal project design studio in Melbourne. A high-profile jury of Australian and international architecture and design experts will assess competing designs and nominate

the design teams that can deliver a global vision for NGV Contemporary. The jury will be chaired by architect and NGV Trustee Corbett Lyon, with members including NGV Director Tony Ellwood AM and Victorian Government Architect Jill Garner AM. Following registration, there will be a two-part expression of interest phase where registrants will outline their capabilities before a list of candidates is then invited to participate in the design phase of the competition. The successful design team and preferred design will be announced later this summer 21/22 with the first phase of the Melbourne Arts Precinct Transformation forecast to create more than 5,000 local construction sector jobs.

NGV Contemporary will be located at 77 Southbank Boulevard in Southbank, amid a new 18,000 square metre public garden in the heart of a transformed Melbourne Arts Precinct. The new gallery will showcase contemporary art, design, fashion and architecture from Victoria, Australia and around the globe, increase access to the NGV extensive collection of contemporary art and design and provide a new home for the NGV Triennial and other ambitious large-scale exhibitions. Registration for the NGV Contemporary Design Competition is open to Australian architects, architectural companies and architectural partnerships at ngv.vic.gov.au/ ngv-contemporary-design-competition

New Year of Investment in Local Government Begins

MELBOURNE, Jan 28: The Andrews Labor Government is continuing to invest in Victoria’s fastest-growing communities, with applications open for the highly successful Growing Suburbs Fund. Minister for Local Government Shaun Leane visited Moorabool Shire Council with Member for Buninyong Michaela Settle and Member for Melton Steve McGhie to announce the opening of the Growing Suburbs Fund. This funding round will make $50 million available for more childcare and health centres, playgrounds, libraries, and paths and streetscape upgrades in growing

communities. The funding was announced as part of the Victorian Budget 2020/21 to help deliver a wide range of council infrastructure projects to ensure residents in high growth areas get access to the best possible facilities. More than 2.7 million Victorians live in these interface and peri urban council areas, representing 30 per cent of the state’s population. This is forecast to grow to almost 4 million by 2031. Projects made possible through the fund include the $19 million Cowes Cultural and Community Centre in Bass Coast Shire, the $8 million Hills Hub community centre in

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Cardinia Shire and the $6 million Wunggurrwil Dhurrung Centre in Wyndham. As Victoria’s economy recovers from the impact of the coronavirus pandemic, Growing Suburbs Fund projects will continue to provide a valuable boost for local economies. Since it was established in 2015, the fund has facilitated $755 million worth of projects and created more than 7,500 jobs. More than 125 projects are now complete and open to the public. For more information on the Growing Suburbs Fund, including the 2020-21 guidelines, visit localgovernment.vic.gov.au/ grants/growing-suburbs-fund.

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NEWS AUSTRALIA

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

Australian govt, opposition deadlocked: poll According to the latest Newspoll, which was published by The Australian on Monday, the governing coalition and opposition Labor Party are deadlocked at 50-50 on a two-party preferred basis. It is a significant result for Labor, which last led the coalition on a twoparty basis in early 2020, and for Labor Party leader Anthony Albanese who has faced pressure on his leadership and criticism from prominent party members in 2021. The poll found that Prime Minister Scott Morrison's net approval rating fell from positive 36 per cent in November to positive 30 per cent as voters expressed frustration with ongoing domestic border closures over the Christmas period.

CANBERRA, Feb 1: Australia's opposition has drawn level with the government ahead of a likely election later in 2021 expected by local media, an opinion poll has found.

However, Morrison maintained a strong lead over Albanese as voters' preferred PM with 57 per cent of Newspoll respondents choosing the incumbent compared to 29 per cent for the alternative. It was the first Newspoll taken in 2021 with parliament set to resume on Tuesday and comes after new coronavirus outbreaks

in December that disrupted the Christmas period and debates over energy policy and Australia Day. It was taken as Labor ramps-up its preparations for the next federal election, which local media said could be held later this year. Earlier in January, Albanese, who became the leader of the Labor Party after the 2019 election defeat, announced a reshuffle of his frontbench, told party members of his plan to target 18 seats and flagged major policy announcements. He told The Sunday Age that he was ready for an election and his slogan would be "on your side." "It's not up to me to determine when, it's out of my hands but we will be ready. I'm ready to fight it whenever it is called," he said. "If Scott Morrison doesn't go full term, it's because he doesn't have confidence in his own capacity to govern for three years."

(ANI)

Australian oppn leader says preparing for federal election

CANBERRA, Jan 24: Leader of Australia's opposition Labor Party Anthony Albanese said that he is preparing for a federal election, promising to release his signature economic policies well in advance of votes being cast.

He told Sky News that the economic policies of the two major parties would be the main issue in the election, promising that a Labor government would prioritise boosting productivity and better outcomes for workers. He said there would be revenue policies and expenditure policies before the election. An election is not due until 2022, but there is speculation Prime Minister Scott Morrison will call one in the second half of this year. "If it's early, it's because Scott Morrison doesn't have the confidence in his own government to be able to last a three-year term," Albanese told Sky News. The Labor Party has not governed in Australia since 2013. The party was defeated by the Liberal

National Party coalition in the 2019 federal election despite opinion polls projecting a comfortable victory. According to the latest polls, the coalition

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holds a narrow lead over Labor with Prime Minister Morrison enjoying record-high approval ratings for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic.

(AGENCIES)

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

MEDIA RELEASE

Staying safe around water

MANY enjoy Victoria’s beautiful beaches, oceans and rivers but it’s not without risks. Drowning statistics show a wide variety of situations and activities can result in drowning.

That is why people are reminded to know the risks and how to best be prepared for the weather, the conditions, and for the activity they are taking part in. When at the beach, you should swim between the red and yellow flags where lifeguards can see you if you get into trouble. When swimming at a lake or river, you should read the safety signs first to understand dangers. Never swim in a river before checking for hidden dangers such as strong fast-flowing currents, colder than expected water temperature and submerged branches and debris. Also, make sure to postpone drinking alcohol until after your swim. It only takes one drink to slow reaction times, increase risktaking and impair your skills in the water. If you are someone who enjoys boating, wear a lifejacket as it can help you stay afloat if needed until help arrives. You should also always carry a means of raising the alarm, like a mobile phone and other emergency safety equipment. Make sure you always supervise children around water and keep children under five years of age within arm’s reach at all times. Remember, when looking out for the safety of others, the people you’re looking out for should also include you. Know the conditions. Know your limits.

Google-Australia tussle over new media code deepens

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SYDNEY, Jan 22: The News Media Bargaining Code has started a bitter war between Google/Facebook and the Australian government, with Google threatening to pull its Search engine from the country. Rod Sims, chair of the watchdog Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), said on Friday that Google and Facebook just don't want the code to be implemented. "Google and Facebook like to do things on their terms. I think the code does what it's intended to do. It is workable. It allows for a process of negotiation we've seen these sorts of things work in the past where you've got negotiate-arbitrate regimes, so I think this is just something Google and Facebook don't want," he was quoted as saying in media reports. Sims has said the majority of issues Facebook and Google have raised with the News Media Bargaining Code had been addressed in the legislation that passed the lower house in December, reports ZDNet. "They don't like the idea of arbitration, they talk of commercial deals, where they're in full control of the deal. In my view, that's not a commercial deal," Sims emphasised. Facebook and Google have been engaged in a battle with the ACCC since August last year over the new media code. Google threatened to pull its Search engine from Australia if a proposed media bargaining law, that directs Google to pay news publishers, goes into effect. Mel Silva, Managing Director of Google

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Australia and New Zealand, appeared before a public hearing of the Senate Economics Legislation Committee that is reviewing the proposed new law. She said that in its current form, the Code remains unworkable and if it became law would hurt not just Google, but small publishers, small businesses, and the millions of Australians that use our services every day. "Coupled with the unmanageable financial and operational risk if this version of the Code were to become law it would give us no real choice but to stop making Google Search available in Australia," Silva told the panel. Australia's Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC), which drafted the law, suggested last year that this shouldn't affect Google's search business. "Google will not be required to charge Australians for the use of its free services such as Google Search and YouTube, unless it chooses to do so," the ACCC had said. The proposed News Media Bargaining Code law is currently in draft and targets Facebook and Google. Facebook has also threatened to block its news from being shared in Australia if the new media code is implemented.

(AGENCIES)

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NEWS AUSTRALIA

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

Australia gives provisional approval to Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine

SYDNEY, Jan 25: Australia's medical regulator granted provisional approval to Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine, making it the first Covid vaccine to receive regulatory approval in Australia.

The first doses of the vaccine are expected to be administered in late February. "The TGA (Therapeutic Goods Administration) has today provisionally approved the Pfizer/BioNTech #COVID19 vaccine for use in Australia. This is an important step in our fight against this terrible virus," Prime Minister Scott Morrison tweeted. The TGA provisional approval is for individuals 16 years of age and older. Provisional approval of this vaccine is valid for two years and means it can now be legally supplied in Australia. The approval is subject to certain strict conditions, such as the requirement for Pfizer to continue providing information to the TGA on longer term efficacy and safety from ongoing clinical trials and post-market assessment. The vaccine has been shown to prevent

Covid-19 however it is not yet known whether it prevents transmission or asymptomatic disease, the TGA said in a statement. "Australians should take confidence in the thorough and careful approach taken by our world-class safety regulator," Morrison said in a statement. "Our priority has always been to keep

Australians safe and protect lives and livelihoods. Today's approval is another big step forward for our community, particularly in the protection of our most vulnerable people." In Australia the vaccine will be rolled out in five phases over the coming months and, over time, will involve more than 1,000 vaccination administration sites.

(AGENCIES)

Merv Hughes inducted to Australian Cricket Hall of Fame life personality, a wonderful international cricketer, an ambassador for the sport and a deserved inductee into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame," Peter King, Australian Cricket Hall of Fame Chairman, said.

Melbourne, Feb 2: Former Australian fastbowler Merv Hughes has been inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame. An integral part of Australian cricket's return to the top of the Test cricket rankings, Hughes' career spanned 53 Tests and 33 ODIs from 1985-94, taking 212 Test wickets at an average of 28.38. "Merv Hughes was an icon of the Australian summer for so many of us, a larger-than-

"A lion-hearted competitor, Merv boasts a proud career for Victoria and Australia in the Test and One Day International arenas, paving the way for an incredible era of Australian cricketing dominance. Even as synonymous as his on-field record, Merv will be forever remembered as a fan-favourite and his iconic warm-ups close to the boundary, especially at the MCG, that prompted bays of spectators to join in with him at stadiums all over the country," he added. A Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1994, the 6'4" tall fast bowler also represented Victoria, Essex, and the ACT over a First-Class career spanning 14 seasons. "Merv Hughes is an Australian sporting legend who was one of the greatest bowlers

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to have played our national game," said Earl Eddings, Cricket Australia Chair. "He gave everything he had to try and help his team to win, coupled with his enthusiastic theatrics on the pitch and his love for the game he will always be warmly remembered as the big-hearted fast-bowler and larrikin who demolished batting line-ups all over the world," he added. The Australian Cricket Hall of Fame was first proposed by the Melbourne Cricket Club in 1995. The Hall of Fame was officially opened by the then Prime Minister John Howard MP in 1996. "Merv gave it everything he had on the field, from the first ball to the last. You certainly knew you were in a contest if you were playing against him and you had a teammate prepared to deliver an absolute 100 per cent effort if you had him on your side," said Greg Dyer, former teammate and Australian Cricketers' Association Chair.

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

Aus volunteer firefighters to undergo virtual reality training

CANBERRA, Jan 25: Australian volunteer firefighters will undergo a state-of-the-art virtual reality training to help them grow accustomed to a range of different emergency scenarios, officials announced. Victoria state's Country Fire Authority (CFA) will roll out the training to 30,000 of its volunteers, who played a crucial role in the devastating 2019-20 "Black Summer" bushfire season disaster response. The scale and devastation of Australia's 2019-20 bushfires garnered global attention, causing the loss of five lives and more than 300 homes in Victoria. The fires also burned more than 1.5 million hectares of critical wildlife habitat.

"The launch of the state-wide Virtual Firefighter training program today represents an exciting development in the evolution of firefighting training in Victoria," said Minister for Police and Emergency Services Lisa Neville.

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"We're ensuring our emergency services have the tools and resources they need to keep the community safe."

Similar to flight-simulator technology but designed specifically for firefighters, the Virtual Firefighter training program simulates dangerous fire scenarios such as house fires, grassfires and plane fires, while teaching reallife firefighting skills. The technology mixes real-life firefighting equipment such as breathing apparatus and hose reels, with sense-perception devices such as heat pads and virtual reality headsets. "It will give our hard-working volunteer firefighters the ability to extend their skills without exposing them to danger, and allow the CFA to expand its practical training to include more complex scenarios, such as aeroplane fires, without the costs of acting out this scenario in real life," Neville said. The "Black Summer" fire season destroyed thousands of homes and claimed 33 lives,

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including nine firefighters. Nearly 3 billion animals were also killed or displaced, and the fires harmed many threatened species and ecological communities.

(AGENCIES)

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NEWS WORLD

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

US court rejects Musk's claim against Indian American student Tesla's "published claims regarding the electric vehicle manufacturer's automation, technology and production processes," www. courthousenews.com had reported in August last year. According to Hothi's lawyer, his client started fact-checking Tesla via a Twitter account "as a social experiment through crowd-sourcing information related to his social science doctorate work".

SAN FRANCISCO, Jan 30: In a big first round win for Indian American student and Tesla critic Randeep Hothi, a US court has rejected Elon Musk's argument against him. Hothi had sued Musk, claiming that the accusation made by the Tesla CEO that he "almost killed" his factory employees is defamatory.

Beginning in 2018, Hothi, donning the role of a social activist, observed Tesla's production at its Fremont, California-based factory. He also documented the construction of Tesla's Model 3 assembly line tent, sharing photos of his Twitter followers. Tesla also apparently investigated Hothi from its end. In 2019, Hothi saw a Tesla-owned vehicle with roof-mounted cameras on the road that was recording audio, video and data.

A judge in California state has now rejected Musk's argument that the suit filed by Hothi was baseless and against his free speech. The judge said that Hothi has shown that he can win the lawsuit, according to media reports.

"Hothi followed the vehicle, observed it, photographed it and posted the photographs on Twitter. At no point did Hothi either drive recklessly or endanger the safety of the occupants of the Tesla vehicle," the defamation lawsuit read.

A doctoral candidate in Asian languages and cultures at the University of Michigan, Hothi created the @skabooshka Twitter account where he fact-checked Musk and

A few days later, Tesla filed a civil restraining order against Hothi claiming that he trespassed, stalked, harassed and endangered Tesla employees.

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The harassment case against Hothi was dropped by Tesla later. But Musk apparently did not let the dispute go. In an exchange of emails with Aaron Greenspan, the owner of the litigation publishing website PlainSite.org, Musk said: "As for the people you mention below, they have actively harassed, and in the case of Hothi, almost killed Tesla employees." "What was a sideswipe when Hothi hit one of our people could easily have been a death with 6 inches of difference," the email further said, which has been cited in Hothi's lawsuit. "As one of the highest-profile and wealthiest individuals in the world, Musk knew or should have known his accusations concerning Hothi would be conveyed to a worldwide audience and would result in the accusations receiving significant publicity," the lawsuit claimed. According to Hothi's bio on University of Michigan's website, he is interested in how minority communities - specifically diasporic Sikhs - creatively respond to the world around them. "My interest in Sikh studies is inspired by a real need to contribute knowledge to Sikh communities while also contributing to academic debates in the humanities and social scientists," the bio read.

(IANS)

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

8-yr-old Indian boy in Johns Hopkins 'brightest students in the world' list

NEW YORK, Jan 29: Advay Misra, 8, an Indian student in New York, has been named among 1,400 of the "brightest students in the world" by the Johns Hopkins Center for Talented Youth (CTY) in Baltimore which counts among its alumni the founders of Facebook and Google, Rhodes Scholars and MacArthur Fellows.

Hopkins said Misra, a student at PS 59 Beekman Hill International Elementary School, was honoured for "exceptional performance on the SAT, ACT, or similar assessment" taken by 15,000 students in grades two through eight as part of CTY's Talent Search program. Test scores are based on above-grade level testing. "It was a little hard...um, the verbal part but the mathematics part wasn't as hard," Misra told IANS, over phone. Misra said he took "some practice tests to get familiar" with the Johns Hopkins test but "didn't have to do a lot of preparation." Misra credits his "mom!" for his academic smarts. The 8-year-old cheerfully rattled off his bucket list of favourite geek outs: "Reading, Python programming and Khan Academy videos."

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When contacted, Hopkins did not confirm how many Indians or Indian Americans took the test but said "several" students were living in India during the testing period. More than 15,000 students from the US, Europe and 70 other countries in grades two through eight tested through CTY's Talent Search over 12 months ending June 2020. Nearly 1,400 students finished in the top 9 per cent, like Advay Misra. Five test takers got a perfect score on the reading or math section. More than 160 testers under age 13 scored 700 or higher on the math or verbal section of the SAT. "This is especially commendable in a year that has been difficult for students everywhere. The global pandemic has affected nearly every part of your lives, from daily school routines to the special celebrations you look forward to all year. Nonetheless, you have demonstrated outstanding academic potential, and we hope you and your family will take the time to celebrate it together," said Dr. Virginia Roach, CTY's Executive Director, in a prepared statement that IANS has reviewed. According to the Hopkins CTY site, the center's origin story goes back to the late 70s

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when a seventh grade boy from Baltimore had exhausted all options for math courses he could take at school by the time he was thirteen and a professor of psychology at Johns Hopkins then designed above grade level courses that could challenge gifted students around the world. By Nikhila Natarajan

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NEWS INDIA

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

Foreign celebrities attack India, govt calls them out

NEW DELHI/WASHINGTON, Feb 3: In a clear attempt to polarise India, US Vice President Kamala Harris' niece Meena Harris and some international celebrities with hardly any expertise on Indian affairs, extended their support to the Indian protesters agitating against the new farm laws. The government in a strong reaction described them as part of "vested interest groups" and their support as "sensationalist social media hashtags and comments" which are "neither accurate nor responsible." A Twitter frenzy broke out on Wednesday when American pop singer Rihanna on Tuesday night posted a news link on India's farmers' protest and tweeted, "why aren't we talking about this?!" It triggered widespread outrage from Indians questioning Rihanna's credentials and knowledge about India's internal matters. This was followed by Greta Thunberg, the celebrity teenager famous for her environmental activism, tweeting, "We stand in solidarity with the #FarmersProtest in India." Meena Harris on Wednesday morning participated in the coordinated attack on India. "It's no coincidence that the world's oldest democracy was attacked not even a month ago, and as we speak, the most populous democracy is under assault. This is related. We all should be outraged by India's internet shutdowns and paramilitary violence against farmer protesters," she tweeted. Lebanese-American former pornographic

actress Mia Khalifa also joined the bandwagon by posting a picture of Indian women protesters with a comment, "What in the human rights violations is going on?! They cut the internet around New Delhi?! #FarmersProtest" While their tweets got hundreds of likes and retweets from around the world, thousands of Indians including Indian film star Kangana Ranaut trolled all of them. In the meantime, the ministry of external affairs issued a statement lashing out at them. "Before rushing to comment on such matters, we would urge that the facts be ascertained, and a proper understanding of the issues at hand be undertaken. The temptation of sensationalist social media hashtags and comments, especially when resorted to by celebrities and others, is neither accurate nor responsible," the statement said. The Parliament of India, after a full debate and discussion, passed reformist legislation relating to the agricultural sector, the government explained. "These reforms give expanded market access and provided greater flexibility to farmers. They also pave the way for economically and ecologically sustainable farming." The government said that a very small section of farmers in parts of India has some reservations about these reforms. "Respecting the sentiments of the protesters, the Government of India has initiated a series of talks with their representatives. Union Ministers have been part of the negotiations,

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and eleven rounds of talks have already been held. The Government has even offered to keep the laws on hold, an offer iterated by no less than the Prime Minister of India." The ministry said, "Yet it is unfortunate to see vested interest groups trying to enforce their agenda on these protests and derail them. This was egregiously witnessed on January 26, India's Republic Day. A cherished national commemoration, the anniversary of the inauguration of the Constitution of India, was besmirched, and violence and vandalism took place in the Indian capital." "Some of these vested interest groups have also tried to mobilise international support against India. Instigated by such fringe elements, Mahatma Gandhi statues have been desecrated in parts of the world. This is extremely disturbing for India and for civilised society everywhere," the government said. Indian police forces have handled these protests with utmost restraint. It may be noted that hundreds of men and women serving in the police have been physically attacked, and in some cases stabbed and seriously wounded. "We would like to emphasise that these protests must be seen in the context of India's democratic ethos and polity, and the efforts of the Government and the concerned farmer groups to resolve the impasse," the government said. (IANS)

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

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PETA India's EV chariot design to replace elephants at Amer Fort

JAIPUR, Jan 29: PETA India representatives, in an in-person meeting with Rajasthan Chief secretary Niranjan Arya, submitted a design of electric royal chariot for replacing elephants at the Amer Fort. The unique design, which PETA India and Desmania Design suggested to be named "Maharaja", resembles a royal chariot. The vehicle could ferry four tourists per trip and would be suitable for the hilly terrain like that at Amer Fort.

The report notes that of the 98 captive elephants inspected, 22 suffered from irreversible eye problems and 42 had foot problems, including overgrown nails and flat footpads from walking on concrete roads. Three elephants tested positive for tuberculosis, a disease that could be fatal for tourists who catch it.

It needs to be mentioned here that the committee constituted by the Project Elephant Division of the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change recently recommended to phase out elephant rides at Amer Fort by replacing them with electric vehicle rides. People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India, soon after the recommendations, collaborated with leading design company Desmania Design to create a modern electric vehicle. PETA India representatives also submitted a factsheet to the Chief Secretary citing shocking instances in which captive elephants have reacted to their abuse at Amer Fort, leading to serious injuries, deaths, and destruction of property, and requested him to safeguard tourists and the general public from such health and safety risks. "The respected chief secretary listened to PETA India, which represents kind people around the world, and now we hope tourists and elephants will be given the royal treatment with these majestic, cutting-edge cars, which can replace animals forced to give rides," says PETA India Chief Advocacy Officer Khushboo Gupta. "Desmania is delighted to offer this eco- and animal-friendly electric vehicle design, which would deliver a memorable experience for visitors while helping to end cruel and archaic elephant rides," says Desmania Design Managing Director Anuj Prasad. The Central government appointed the expert committee as per a March 6, 2020 order of the Supreme Court of India, and the committee report incorporated recommendations made by PETA India, including ending elephant rides, citing ageing elephants and tourists' declining preference for these rides. The committee's recommendations include refraining from using elephants with irreparable eye problems for rides and banning any new additions of elephants for rides.

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(IANS)

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NEWS INDIA

Modi's brother sits on dharna at Lucknow airport

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

Twitter suspends several highprofile accounts in India

NEW DELHI, Feb 1: Twitter suspended several accounts of high-profile celebrities and organisations, including actor Sushant Singh, Caravan magazine, Kisan Ekta Morcha, Tractor2twitr and several other politicians, farmer leaders, writers and activists, at the behest of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) for spreading misinformation during the farmers' protests.

prohibited from doing so e.g. if we receive a court order under seal)," the company informed.

The IT ministry and law enforcement agencies had last week ordered Twitter to block these tweets and accounts under Section 69A of the Information Technology Act.

The farmers swarmed the Red Fort and waved farmer union flags from its ramparts. They even hoisted farmer union flags as well as a pennant with a Sikh religious symbol from a flagpole.

According to Twitter, the company blocked these accounts in the interim in response to a valid legal request from the MeitY pending discussions with them.

LUCKNOW, Feb 3: Prahlad Modi, the younger brother of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sat on dharna at the Lucknow airport, demanding the release of his supporters who have been arrested. Sitting at the Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport, Prahlad Modi, who is the Vice President of All India Fair Price Shop Dealers' Federation (AIFPSDF), questioned the functioning of Lucknow police and even threatened to go on an indefinite hunger strike if his supporters were not released. He said that he had come to Lucknow from where he was scheduled to visit Prayagraj, Sultanpur and other districts. "Is there a law in Uttar Pradesh that prevents people from welcoming someone who has come to their city? I want a copy of that order. Some policemen told me that there were orders from Prime Minister's Office too. I want to see that order as well," he told reporters. He further said, "Unless I am shown copies of the orders, I will not move from here. I have also decided to proceed on a hunger strike." Senior officials are rushing to the airport to meet Prahlad Modi.

(IANS)

Twitter last week said it suspended more than 300 accounts engaged in spam and platform manipulation as the farmers' tractor rally went violent in the national capital on the 72nd Republic Day.

A Twitter spokesperson said that many countries have laws that may apply to Tweets and/or Twitter account content.

A Twitter spokesperson had said that the company has taken strong enforcement action to protect the conversation on the service from attempts to incite violence, abuse and threats that could trigger the risk of offline harm by blocking certain terms that violate our rules for trends.

"In our continuing effort to make our services available to people everywhere, if we receive a properly scoped request from an authorised entity, it may be necessary to withhold access to certain content in a particular country from time to time," the micro-blogging platform said in a statement.

"Using a combination of technology and human review, Twitter worked at scale and took action on hundreds of Tweets that have been in violation of the Twitter Rules and suspended more than 300 accounts engaged in spam and platform manipulation," the spokesperson informed.

Transparency is vital to protecting freedom of expression, so we have a notice policy for withheld content. Upon receipt of requests to withhold content, we will promptly notify the affected account holders (unless we are

The Delhi Police had warned that 308 Twitter handles have been generated to create confusion over the tractor rally proposed by protesting farmers on Republic Day. (IANS)

Tech-based startup driveBuddyAI ties up with US-based Roadzen

NEW DELHI, Jan 29: Tech-based startup in the automotive segment, 'driveBuddyAI' (DBAI) has announced that they have entered into a strategic partnership with US-based insurtech company Roadzen for securing a strategic funding from the latter. Roadzen will support the startup's funding needs, business collaborations, and opportunity exploration, the startup said in a statement. The partnership with Roadzen is aimed at positioning DBAI in the global list of Visual Telematics in the insurtech domain. The funds will be primarily utilised for team expansion in the domain of artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML), embedded software and hardware and cloud computing domains.

Talking about their strategic partnership, Rohan Malhotra, CEO of Roadzen, said: "We're excited about our investment and the opportunity for drivebuddyAI. The world is heading towards a data driven, decisionmaking process and DBAI with its AI technology, is positioned to target the future of autonomy, claims processing and risk assessment for global markets." (IANS)

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G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

Indian billionaires increased their wealth by 35% during Covid NEW DELHI, Jan 25: As the pandemic severely hit the economy leaving millions out of job, the wealth of Indian billionaires increased by 35 per cent during the lockdown and by 90 per cent since 2009 to $422.9 billion, ranking India sixth after the US, China, Germany, Russia and France, a new report by Oxfam said.

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the brunt of this crisis. They are more likely to be pushed into poverty, more likely to go hungry, and more likely to be excluded from healthcare," said Bucher. Women are hardest hit, yet again.

The 1,000 richest people on the planet recouped their Covid-19 losses within just nine months, but it could take more than a decade for the world's poorest to recover from the economic impacts of the pandemic, reveals the report titled 'The Inequality Virus,' published on the opening day of the World Economic Forum's 'Davos Agenda'. "In fact, the increase in wealth of the top 11 billionaires of India during the pandemic could sustain the NREGS scheme for 10 years or the health ministry for 10 years," according to the Oxfam report. Since March as the government announced lockdown, India's top 100 billionaires saw their fortunes increase by Rs 12.97 trillion. The money was enough to :give every one of the 138 million poorest Indians a cheque for Rs 94,045 each".

"Globally, women are overrepresented in the low-paid precarious professions that have been hardest hit by the pandemic. If women were represented at the same rate as men in these sectors, 112 million women would no longer be at high risk of losing their incomes or jobs," the report noted. Infection and mortality rates are higher in poorer areas of countries such as France, India, and Spain while England's poorest regions experience mortality rates double that of the richest areas. "Extreme inequality is not inevitable, but a policy choice. Governments around the world must seize this opportunity to build more equal, more inclusive economies that end poverty and protect the planet," added Bucher. "Governments must ensure everyone has access to a COVID-19 vaccine and financial support if they lose their job."

"We stand to witness the greatest rise in inequality since records began. The deep divide between the rich and poor is proving as deadly as the virus," said Gabriela Bucher, Executive Director of Oxfam International. "Rigged economies are funnelling wealth to a rich elite who are riding out the pandemic in luxury, while those on the frontline of the pandemic -- shop assistants, healthcare workers, and market vendors -- are struggling to pay the bills and put food on the table". Worldwide, billionaires saw their wealth increase by a staggering $3.9 trillion between March 18 and December 31, 2020. Their total wealth now stands at $11.95 trillion, which is equivalent to what G20 governments have spent in response to the pandemic. Only three of the 50 richest billionaires in the world saw their fortunes diminish over that period, losing $3 billion between them. "Elon Musk increased his net wealth by $128.9bn, Jeff Bezos by $78.2 billion. The world's 10 richest billionaires have collectively seen their wealth increase by $540bn over this period," the report mentioned. The report showed that COVID-19 has the potential to increase economic inequality in almost every country at once, the first time this has happened since records began over a century ago. "Rising inequality means it could take at least 14 times longer for the number of people living in poverty to return to pre-pandemic levels than it took for the fortunes of the top 1,000, mostly White male, billionaires to bounce back," the findings showed. Oxfam's report showed how the rigged economic system is enabling a super-rich elite to amass wealth in the middle of the worst recession since the Great Depression while billions of people are struggling to make ends meet. It revealed how the pandemic is deepening long-standing economic, racial and gender divides. "Women and marginalized racial and ethnic groups are bearing

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(IANS)

JOB VACANCY

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

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G’Day Mate

!

Tamil couple ties knot, exchanges garlands 60 ft under water

CHENNAI, Feb 2: A couple in Tamil Nadu tied the knot 60 feet under water in the Bay of Bengal near the coast off Neelankarai in the south of Chennai.

V. Chinnadurai and S. Swetha, both software engineers, married under water on Monday morning and exchanged garlands. Chinnadurai, the groom, said that he and Swetha dived under water during the auspicious time before 7:30 a.m., following the priest's directives. Incidentally, the groom is a licenced scuba diver while the bride only started to learn scuba diving a month ago to be ready for her marriage. For the wedding dive, as many as eight other divers accompanied the couple even as they were dressed in the traditional clothes of saree and vesti (lungi). For their safety, loose ends of their clothes were velcroed.

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Following the underwater ceremony, which was videographed, the couple emerged on the shore to continue with the remaining rituals. Incidentally, their wedding was at the mercy of the ocean currents and even compelled the organiser to make the couple keep their wedding date blank in the wedding invitation cards. Meanwhile, the organiser said that a few more diving enthusiasts are interested in under water weddings. (IANS)

OFF BEAT

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

About searching for love and rediscovering yourself

WHAT if you ran away from your life today? Twenty years later, three people are looking for you. One is dying to meet you again. The other wishes you had never met them. The third wishes they could have met you at least once. You are one person. Aren’t you? But you are not the same person to each of them. Struti Changle's "You Only Live Once" (Penguin) is a marvellous blend of fiction and self-help, and follows three characters: YouTube star Alara, beach shack owner Ricky, and Aarav, who works in a corporate firm but pursues his passion of being a stand-up comedian on the side. Together, take the journey to seek the truth behind the famous singer Elisha's disappearance somewhere by the deep sea in Goa. Readers are set for a journey of selfdiscovery through the questions and challenges each of these characters face. From the truth about love to learning to love oneself, this book, set on the picturesque beaches of Goa, explores the big questions and travels through time, presenting a story of transformation.

Will you be able to find Elisha? Or will you end up finding yourself?

"My book is about searching for love and discovering yourself. It draws inspiration from my real-life experiences," says Changle about her second book. She won notable mentions in Amazon Kindle's Pen to Publish 2017 competition. Changle is a postgraduate in management from IMI, Delhi. She quit her corporate career to inspire people by sharing lifechanging stories. She made her TV debut in 2019 as a host of the TV series "Kar Ke Dikhaenge". She is currently based in New Delhi, where she lives with her husband, Kushal Nahata, cofounder and CEO of FarEye. Editor of the book, Roshini Dadlani, says:

GETTING MARRIED IN AUSTRALIA REGISTERED RELATIONSHIPS Most state and territory Registries of Births, Deaths and Marriages provide couples an alternative to marriage in the form of a relationship register. Registers are available to adults who are in a relationship as a couple, regardless of sex. A relationship register provides legal proof of a relationship, which may be helpful for tax purposes, superannuation and government payments, providing next-of-kin status to funeral directors and medical emergencies. Registered relationships are not included in marriage statistics. However, each state and territory Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages that has a relationship register provides counts of registered relationships to the ABS. These counts provide a more holistic picture of how relationships are legalised. Currently Western Australia and the Northern Territory are the only jurisdictions without a register. When considering the states or territories with a relationship register at the time, registered relationships as a proportion of all legal relationships that is,

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registered relationships plus marriages has increased over time, from 9.2% in 2015 to 16.4% in 2019. All of this data is based upon the National and state statistics on marriages and divorces, including same-sex couples. Marriage statistics are presented by the state or territory in which the marriage was registered, rather than the state or territory of usual residence of the couple. In 2019, all states and territories recorded a decrease in marriages compared with 2018, with the exception of the Northern Territory. South Australia recorded the greatest proportional decrease in marriages, down by 8.0% (616 marriages).

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"I'm excited to publish Stuti and take her book to more readers. She has a wonderful way with words, and I'm sure ‘You Only Live Once' will not only delight readers but also help them introspect and learn more about themselves." (IANS)

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FEATURE

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

SUPER SIKH SPIRIT T Best Buddies race across Australia

he Amazing Race Australia Season 2 contestants, Jaskirat and Anurag, grab their turbans and backpacks for the race of their lives and hit the ground running February 1st on Network 10 and WIN Network. With former NRL star, Beau Ryan, taking on the massive task of hosting Season 2 of The Amazing Race Australia, it is guaranteed to deliver engaging entertainment every leg of the way. Apart from the familiar route markers, roadblocks, pit stops, detours and U-turns, to name a few, this season features many more advantages the teams can employ with First Class Pass, salvages, sabotages and T-Junction. One such team are Super Sikhs, NSW and they are ready to conquer fears and compete in the race with super Sikh spirit. When friends, Jaskirat Dhingra, 30, and Anurag Sobti, 29, first considered applying for The Amazing Race Australia, never in their wildest dreams did they think their best buddy status would elevate to teammates. Their love for adventure and travelling ignited curiosity and enabled them to discuss the possibilities of taking it to the next level and compete. Jaskirat, known as Jas, and Anurag were successful and are one of the 14 teams to progress out of an impressive 30,000 teams, all vying for their chance to participate in the TV reality show. Now committed, Jas and Anurag inevitably explore more about themselves and each other under challenging, relentless and unpredictable circumstances, while discovering glorious Australia. They are known as Super Sikhs, keeping true to their core values, Jas and Anurag, give it their best shot. One summer, ten years ago at a Sikh youth camp, two young men become friends. Jas and Anurag discovered they held similar values, strong willpower to succeed, a desire to push themselves to new heights and total respect for their Sikh identity. A decade on, these best buddies are each other's guiding light and infallible force. With their strong mental and physical strength, along with their ability to adapt to any level of stress and difficulty, sees them entering one of the most competitive races of a lifetime. Game on! Both Jas and Anurag were born in New Delhi, India, but raised in Australia and call this incredible land Downunder home. Sydney is where they live and work, and acknowledge the world is their playground. Jas, is a Strategy Consultant and Anurag is a Geotechnical Engineer, and take time out from their busy work schedules, to travel the world looking for high-adrenaline adventures. From the get-go, it is a no brainer what Jas and Anurag would love to do if they get their hands on the $250,000 grand prize – travel the globe. Recently, Mr Tonee Sethi from G'day India

had the pleasure of interviewing Jas and Anurag about their experiences and how they endured the challenges they faced in the competition. During the interview, one overriding factor that stood out for Mr Sethi was that these two men transitioned from friends to teammates seamlessly and never lost sight of their Sikh fighting spirit. In other words, they never give up. Jas and Anurag realised that they are probably the first Sikhs to compete on an Australian reality TV show. They remained mindful, to showcase their Sikh identities by being themselves and to be competitive in a competition. In no way did they feel compelled to preach Sikh beliefs, but rather overcome the hurdles of setting limits and failing to explore opportunities because of religion. Anurag strongly feels, “To everyone out there, doesn’t have to be Sikh, it could be anyone. Your beliefs, your identity and

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your culture, isn't a limiting factor in life. It's not something that holds you back. Anything is possible”. The Sikh fighting spirit is something that Jas and Anurag both agree helped them maintain focus and sustain strength every day. Anurag clarifies, “We have been born and brought up in Sikh families, and the Sikh values have been instilled in us through and through. So, we just told ourselves, look we're just going to be ourselves, and we made sure of that throughout the race. By helping people that need help, showing generosity, integrity and compassion to those people, but at the same time, showing them, look, when we put our minds to something, we will achieve it”. Mr Sethi is impressed with the Super Sikhs and shares, “I must say that you both make everyone very proud to see you with your turbans”. Jas admits a media exclusive,

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

“We do the entire race with our backpacks. Everything that goes in our bags, we have to carry. So, even throughout the race, everybody is shedding away socks, they are shedding away undergarments, they are shedding away singlets. Anurag and I kept our turbans in our backpacks, every single day. We may not wear it during the race because of whatever activities, but at the end of every day we would wear our turbans, and we would wear it with pride. To showcase who we are because that is who we believe we are”. Fortified with Sikh strength and spirit, Jas and Anurag prepared for the race by working together. They dedicated most of their spare time working on a list of skillsets that they think are important for the unknown. Anurag reveals, “Every weekend we'd go through each one of those items and start ticking them off. The Amazing Race being filmed in Australia, we knew there’d be a lot of Australian cultures and a lot of Australian activities. So, we learnt things like how to shuck oysters, how to crack a whip, how to throw a boomerang and then other basic stuff, like working on our physical ability, building on our physical stamina, trying to overcome the fear of heights, overcome the fear of water and things like that”. Jas

confirms, “Both of us, in our jobs and our daily lives are quite strategic as problem solvers, so while we did a lot of prep beforehand, even during the race we would recap after every challenge”. Despite Jas and Anurag having the ability to plan, push ahead and overcome obstacles, both had to admit to Mr Sethi that The Amazing Race Australia is unpredictable and drives you out of your comfort zone time and time again. Jas renames the show, “The Unpredictable Race because every day was a new challenge; every day we had no idea what to do. That’s the reality of it though”. However, Anurag compares the race to life. He comments, “For me, it is a metaphor for life this race. I mean, there are times when you're in your comfort zone, there are times when everything is going well. All of a sudden, you get thrown a curveball, and it very quickly goes from everything's good to oh my god, I have no idea what I am doing, I still need to get through this. You get thrown these obstacles, and it just happens continuously, and in an unexpected manner”. Jas and Anurag reiterate that simply being friends was not enough, and they had to become teammates with a common goal for any chance to succeed in this competition. Jas expresses, “I think it was that duality between the two of us that I really learnt. I was able to see that Anurag was there to help push me in those moments when I was feeling low. Or when the moments I couldn’t do anything, Anurag was there saying, ‘come on Jas, come on Jas, you can do it’”. Anurag proudly adds, “And that’s what the race made us learn a lot about each other, how deep and how far we can push the other and how strong that bond is”. The new norm of living and succeeding around Covid -19 did make Jas and Anurag appreciate 2020 a lot more. Specifically, the experience of travelling

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around Australia and being thrown in the deep end was a challenge as much as it was a reward. For them, whether it was being stuck in quarantine to constantly resetting their boundaries and pushing themselves that bit further, paved their way to succeed and achieve personal goals. Ultimately, all Jas and Anurag wanted to do was give it a red hot go, side by side, using their strengths of preparedness, Sikh values and strategic problem-solving. As Jas sums up, “We are Australians at the end of the day. We are Australians on The Amazing Race who happen to be Sikh. And for us that distinguishes what we want to emphasise. Australia is one of the most diverse countries in the world. The show is a pure representation of Australia”. Both Jas and Anurag invite everyone to follow their Instagram pages and indulge in real stories, tidbits, special moments and more of their TV reality experience, as each leg of the race progresses. They would love you all to connect with them and be inspired by how much you can achieve with pure determination and strength to overcome and succeed. By Agata Zema

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LEGAL

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

The Challenges of Relocation of a parent and welfare of the child BY GURPAL SINGH

O

ne of the most tricky, daunting and difficult issues which may require determination in the parenting matter is a proposal of a parent proposing to live with the child at a place long away from the other parent making it practically difficult for the other parent to have an access to the child on regular basis and/or the shared parenting responsibility. The relocation dispute is about the exercise of parental responsibility in relation to one of the ‘major long-terms issues’ require determination. The major long-term issue about the case, welfare and development of the child includes but not limited to a. the child’s education (both current and future); b. the child’s religious and cultural upbringing; and c. the child’s health; and d. the child’s name; and e. the changes to the child’s living arrangements that make it significantly more difficult for the child to spend time with a parent. The issue of relocation significantly more difficult. The short distance moves will possibly not fall into the scope of the definition. A move to a different suburb in the same city or state may require a rearrangement of changeover and/ or times but to seek restraining the other parent’s freedom of movement, one would

require to establish the immense difficulty in spending time with the child. Obviously, the determination of this ‘immense difficulty’ would need to take into account the technology advancement making the communication more comfortable and readily available for the parents. The Family Law Act 1975 does not provide extensive and clear direction in this respect which makes the job of the lawyers and the judges more difficult and many a times failing to meet up with the expectations of the client. Notwithstanding the practical difficulties, the focus in determining such a dispute would always be the ease and welfare of the child. Like it may be more difficult for a parent to travel to meet with the child however such difficulty would carry little sympathy if the amount of time and travel required for the child to undertake is more and not convenient. The restriction on the other parent’s freedom of movement is focussed on the impact on the child’s time with a parent, not siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, best friends, peer group mates and class-mates. The meeting with the other important people is relevant and allowed only to the extent of best interest of the child. However, the primary focus is on the time with the other parent who would be caused the disadvantage by making such a change. The earlier decision of the court required determination of factors in the case of international

relocation including but not limited to a. the welfare of the child being the paramount consideration; b. reasonable proposal of the parent with the residence order seeking to live abroad carry the weight; c. the effect on the applicant parent and the new family of the child of a refusal of leave; d. effect upon the child of the denial of the contact with the other parent and the extended family; e. the opportunity for continuing the contact between the child and the parent left behind being very significant. However, there been a great deliberation on the different issues causing an impact on the child since the delivery of this judgment in the year 2001. The courts have now opined that the above guidance is redolent with gender-based assumptions to the role and relationship of parents with the child. The courts would base its conclusion on the primary factors being the welfare of the child; the wishes and feelings of the parents are relevant only in the context of evaluating and determining the welfare of the child. In a very interesting matter of Wendland [2017] the issue was about the relocation of a child born in 2013 while the parties separated in 2016. The mother had served the Australian Defence Force for 18 years since her age of 20. The parties met and lived in Queensland. In the year 2016 the mother was told that she would be posted to another town from January 2017. The mother made an application to the court for the relocation of the child and the matter ended up in the full court which favoured the mother while giving a great deal of importance to the fact that at the time of the relationship, the father was aware of the peculiar situation of the mother.

Gurpal Singh is the principal lawyer of Melbourne law firm, Saundh Singh & Smith Lawyers | W: www.sssl.com.au

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EMPOWERING DESTINY

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

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“Learn to leverage the best of both worlds” BY BARINDERJEET KAUR

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ur world consists of optimists and pessimists. People exhibit behaviours that are likely towards one extreme or the other. What do you think is the reason for anyone to fall on one side of the pendulum? What influences a person to be an optimist or a pessimist? Is it by choice? Can you change it? Is it possible to make a shift? Is it possible to adapt to an alternative view? Why does one person highlight the negative side while ignoring the positive, and others emphasise the positive while overlooking the negative? Is the glass half full or half empty is determined by how a person views the world? The lens they use to view the world is different, and it is not just their perspective. Let's look at their style of thinking, how they perceive their external and internal world, and how that impacts their lives in various ways. Future Expectations: Optimists and pessimists use different strategies to navigate life. In general, optimists expect good things to come their way, are hopeful about their future possibilities, the world is full of opportunities, and they generally feel very confident. An optimist expects positive results, feels different energy within them and collects references of success from their environment to perform a task that helps them perform at their best, making them high achievers. For instance, they will apply for a job interview for which they don't have much of the knowledge, as they see it as an opportunity to learn and envision its possibilities. On the other hand, pessimists expect negative things to happen, think about the potential danger along the way, have little or no hope for the future, and believe their efforts are futile, so they are very passive regarding their approach towards any possible challenges. Pessimists perceive themselves as failures, recollect memories where there were disappointments, minimise their character or role, set low expectations, avoid situations where there is a possibility of failure, take a very calculated risk, and are ultimately low achievers. For instance, after submitting a job application, pessimists often think that they are incapable of completing the job duties. Even if called for an interview, they will look for reasons to avoid facing it because they believe it will lead to rejection. Beliefs: An optimist generally has the belief that good things will happen. However, a pessimist carries the belief that bad

things are going to happen. These cognitive styles become the determinants for the outcome or results they achieve. Optimists tend to believe life is full of possibilities, as opposed to pessimists, who generally have a negative belief about life – life is hard, it's not easy. Meaning: The meaning one attaches to challenges or adversity while pursuing a particular goal – success, hardships, achievements – identifies whether or not a person will attain the goal or abandon the pursuit. Despite failures, an optimist will show up more prepared or with an alternative solution. To optimists, the meaning of failure is different. Their perception is based on the foundation of possibility, improvement, or a better plan. A pessimist might decide to give up during a similar situation because their perception is based on the mentality that 'It's not for me, other people are lucky. I don't have what it takes, and so on.' Persistence: Optimists appear to have a remarkable ability to make the best out of everything, every situation, and tend to be more persistent in pursuing their goal, which boosts their confidence and builds their trust towards the possibility of it. On the other hand, pessimists focus more on the negative aspect; they feel less confident, which impacts their persistence in pursuing a goal. Disappointments, failures, rejections make them reluctant in their approach, which results in avoidance. Self-perception: Pessimists are very hard on themselves and tend to be ignorant about their qualities and strengths. Optimists tend to be clueless about their weak points and think highly of themselves. The lens they use go through different filters which is why how they see the world is different, and it is not just their perspective - let’s have a close look at their filters: Control: Pessimists believe outside forces – luck, chance, and other people control events in their life. Optimists trust their ability to influence the environment and feel that they are the creator of their destiny. Time-Duration: The time duration perceived by an optimist's adverse situation is short term, whereas a pessimist perceives it to stay for longer or forever. Global impact/generalisation: To a pessimist, one area's impact is perceived

as if it's going to impact their whole life or many aspects. An optimist considers it to be a one-off, relating it to one particular area, independent of others. Extensiveness: For pessimists, if one bad thing happens, they will expect other negative things to happen. For an optimist, if one good thing happens, they will expect many good things to happen. Excessive pessimism can make life miserable, leading to avoidance behaviour by worrying too much about potential challenges and focusing too much on what could go wrong. Extreme optimism can lead to dangerous risk-taking behaviour like taking uncalculated financial risks and negligence towards necessary precautions, leading to health or safety hazards. Therefore, it becomes essential to learn to create a balance between both. The term 'being realistic' might look appropriate, but pessimists often consider their approach a realistic approach. The middle of the optimism-pessimism continuum might not be a great approach either. Leaders need to learn to harness the power of both traits. Any investment or long-term planning requires an optimistic approach, and you need a pessimist when it comes to contingency planning. In an organisation, you can't let either of these leaders’ traits overly influence your business. As much as it sounds that an optimist leader positively impacts people, pessimism in a company can be a tremendous asset if placed in the right position. While optimists can make the work environment more positive, pessimists can save an organisation with foresight. An optimist might repeatedly make the same mistake, and a pessimist can keep you from making that same mistake by using the past as their reference point. Optimists are great at grabbing the opportunity; pessimists can save you from disastrous decisions by focusing on what could go wrong. Optimism and pessimism were previously considered as fixed traits, but it's a mindset you adopt. Anyone can learn to be an effective leader by using both traits; you need to learn how. Learn how to leverage the best of both worlds. Contact me today to schedule your free strategy call at 0426886501.

Barinderjeet Kaur is a Life coach and human behavior specialist based in Melbourne. | Facebook page: Empower Your Destiny

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OPINION

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

Indian Australians – Children of Two Mother’s!! BY KARTHIK ARASU President of “Australia India Sports Council

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s we celebrate Australia Day on 26th January, for Indian Australians there is another significance, it is India’s Republic day as well. Like every other immigrant community who has crossed the seas to this beautiful sunburnt land, the love for both the birth and adopted countries has given us the pleasure to cherish and enjoy both with equal fervour. Now visualise this; a suburban Melbourne home and Australia vs India Boxing Day Test, Indian Australian parents watching with their Aussie born kids, I can guarantee more fun & sledging in the house than the field. One has to experience this unique situation to understand the gravity of what an Indian Australian parent will be going through with their Aussie team supporting kids, it’s not an easy place to be in during these matches. I know many who bribe their children with goodies to back the Indian cricket team over the Aussie team, of course, there are benefits when the Indian team doesn’t play well there will be the united chants of Aussie, Aussie, Aussie - Oi Oi Oi! The Australian Indian diaspora is a national economic asset and should be engaged and deployed as such. Indian diaspora in Australia is highly educated, employed, and wealthy. At almost 700,000 strong, Australia's Indian diaspora,

comprising both Australians of Indian origin and Indians residing in Australia, makes a significant contribution to Australia's social, cultural, and economic spectrum. Behind the British, they are the second-highest taxpaying diaspora. As per DFAT, India-born Australians are expected to outnumber China-born Australians by 2031, reaching 1.4 million. (Source: https://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/india/ ies/chapter-18.html) Not only in Australia but also in India, the role of Indian Australians is very significant in developing a positive understanding of Australia. The zeal in which the diaspora loves both India and Australia be it in Melbourne or Mumbai is very much admired by the wider community. Lowy Institute poll found, according to 75% of Indians “Australia ranks second after the United States as a good place to be educated and rates more highly than Canada, Singapore, Britain, and Germany”. This shows the diaspora actively promoting Australia and acting as ambassadors in India. The government should utilise them with more people to people programs and awareness initiatives. Indian diaspora is very entrepreneurial, globally it accounts for more than 20 million and has tremendous potential for cultural trade, and investment linkages throughout the globe. Australia – India relations are at an all-time high, this strategic partnership will certainly spearhead the course of the world post Covid19. Blurred Lines: It’s not just cricket, but politics and entertainment (Bollywood, etc.) are also followed passionately by the Indian Australian. Unfortunately, this brings the political issues of India to our suburbs and creates division and sometimes even untoward

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incidents in the community. News & Opinions on religion, film stars, politics landing here from India are very convoluted, it will be most certainly never be linear. It has been the point of crossing swords on social media in recent months. A policy in India can create more protest and support than a policy in Australia. We have called Australia home, we as a community have a huge responsibility because what we do affects not just the image of India but also the image of our entire community. I know, what happens in India will always be in our heart and mind but it should never be bought out with anger and hate. In short, it will affect you, your children, and your community at large, so acting responsibly is essential. It's not a choice, if we don’t pull our strings together, it will adversely affect us for years to come. Crisis times in Australia have always seen Indian Australians among the first responders to lend a hand of support, be it bushfires or Covid19. Hundreds of individuals and organisations from the Indian Australian community have made remarkable efforts. Indian Australians have outperformed in almost every area, but for politics, it can’t be said the same. Indians are inherently political, but lack of understanding and want of instant success keeps the Indian diaspora away from their true potential. More active and strong participation in political processes will certainly ensure that our community’s interests are taken into account and soon success will be inevitable in the political arena too. Indians in the US, UK, and Canada have been very successful in almost every field, be it business, arts, politics, service, philanthropy, etc. In the US, some of the top companies of the world are led by Indian Americans and given the trajectory, soon in the future Indians will be Australia's most skilled, most successful migrant group. As I see the hard-working Indian Australians around me every day this gives hope that our best is yet to come in Australia.

FESTIVALS

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

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Welcoming Spring with Basant Panchami BY ARCHITA BAWEJA

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asant Panchami is one of India's most vibrant and colourful festivals and is celebrated in myriad forms across the country. This auspicious occasion is also known as Saraswati Puja, to honour and worship Goddess Saraswati who imparts wisdom. It is celebrated on the fifth day of the month of Maagh (a month in the Hindu calendar) which is the onset of the spring season. The festival also announces the arrival of ‘Holi’ which takes place forty days later. During Basant Panchami and with the onset of Spring in India the mustard flowers bloom. It is the colour yellow that is associated with the festival, and entire fields of mustard resemble beds of yellow flowers when in full bloom. The colour yellow holds a special meaning for this celebration as it signifies the brilliance of nature and the vibrancy of life. People wear yellow clothes, decorate their house with yellow flowers, and make yellow delicacies/sweets. The history associated with the festival says that when Kalidasa was left by his wife, a beautiful princess, he planned to kill himself in despair. When he was about

to commit suicide by drowning himself in a river, Goddess Saraswati emerged from the same waters and asked him to bathe in it. When Kalidasa took a dip in the river, its water gave him wisdom, and he became a famous poet, celebrated throughout the world. Talking about the Indian subcontinent and its celebration, the festival is celebrated in the northern region and parts of the west. Each state and region have its unique way of celebrating and enjoying the festivity. In the northern states of Punjab and Bihar

people celebrate it as a festival of kites. In Rajasthan, people wear jasmine garlands on the day of the festival. In Bengal, schools and colleges celebrate Saraswati Puja mainly as a children’s festival. The children do the preparations to pray to the goddess for wisdom and knowledge. Once the puja is done then they go out to enjoy the day. For the adults wearing yellow is considered auspicious during Basant Panchami. Women wear yellow sarees, while men ‘dhuti’ or ‘pajama’. People eat khichuri, a blend of rice and pluses and pair it up with various fritters. Sweets like Rajbhog and Payesh are also savoured on Saraswati Puja. Odisha is another state that observes Saraswati Puja. Pushpanjali is offered to the deity; bright, yellow flowers are used. As Saraswati is also the goddess of music, culture and learning, so singers and musicians also observe the day with great devotion. In Australia -Melbourne, various Indian restaurants do yellow curry/ delicacies special during the feast. The Bengali society of Melbourne also organises a Saraswati Puja in the western suburbs. Like any other celebration, the festivities associated with Basant Panchami transcend all limitations, connect our community, and bring warmth and happiness in all lives. It is all about the congregation and expressions of fraternity. With the festival this year may Goddess Saraswati bless us all to attain enlightenment through knowledge and get rid of any ignorance. Happy Basant Panchami!

Archita Baweja of Melbourne is an engineer by profession but a writer at heart

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32

FEATURE

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

How stress impacts skin Staying at-home has resulted in a lot of stress for people -- of being stuck indoors for week on end; the uncertainty has taken a toll on people’s mental wellbeing. Stress cannot be hidden; it shows on your face. The first tell-tale signs reflect on your face as pale skin and mild eruptions on the surface. Stress causes hormonal imbalance which leads to acne, rashes, hair thinning and fall, and various other skin break-outs. It is imperative that people follow good skin care routine while they’re indoors. Staying inside does not necessarily mean you can forego or overlook skin and hair care. These are prone to more damage owing to stress. One should follow a strict, if not elaborate, skincare routine, which involves cleansing, toning and moisturizing. Geetanjali Shetty, Consultant Dermatologist and Cosmetologist on behalf of Cetaphil India shares most important of all, keep yourself hydrated with water and lots of liquid! Side effects of Stress -- Oily Skin & Acne

Acne and oily skin are the most common side effects of stress. When our body is stressed it releases cortisol which is our fight or flight hormone. The cortisol (stress hormone) weakens the skin’s immune system, leading to oxidative (free radicals) stress, which manifests itself as wrinkles, lines and lack lustre skin. It also increases inflammation in the body and conditions like eczema, rosacea and psoriasis can flare up. Prevention For skin, stress is quite evident in various forms like redness of skin, acne, etc. If there are skin breakouts and eruptions -- it is better to avoid exfoliation and stick to cleansing your face thrice daily. Similarly, those with skin on the drier side should aim to wash their face only twice a day with a foaming cleanser. Should your skin need a little boost, indulging in Vitamin C to help combat the loss. If you know you’re about to enter a stressful period, try to make time for the activities that will help you feel calm and rested -- your skin will

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thank you. Home Remedies to fight acne It is highly imperative to discover what one is getting exposed to and when. Stick to your skincare routine - cleansing, exfoliating, and moisturising, and keep a sunscreen handy for the times that you may have to make a quick dash to the grocers. Even if you’re not wearing makeup, your face still gathers sweat, sebum and dirt build up throughout the day. Lastly, it’s important that to stay away from fried and spicy food. Vitamin E is a superfood for your skin -- you can apply it topically or you can choose to consume it through vitamin E rich foods like almonds, corn oil, cod-liver oil, hazelnuts, lobster, peanut butter, safflower oil, salmon steak, and sunflower seeds. The most essential thing to bear in mind is to keep yourself hydrated -- drink lots of water, juices and liquids. By N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe

EXPLORE VICTORIA

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

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Melbourne’s Most Insta-worthy Lanes BY DEBASREE DAS

Melbourne, the world's most liveable city is known for rich and rare adventures and Insta-worthy laneways. So today, I am going to take you with me to explore Melbourne's most iconic laneways. The most Insta-worthy lanes, which is a must-do adventure for any tourist. With International travel seeming like a distant future, me as a travel blogger took this opportunity to be a tourist in my own city. Yes, you heard it right, I explored these Murals with a fresh set of eyes. Graffiti, murals, street arts, you may call it by any name, I am taking you around to the Mural hotspot in Melbourne which is Hosier Lane and the DeGraves Lane. The Hosier Lane, known for its sophisticated Urban artworks, is located opposite the entrance to the Atrium at Federation Square on Flinders St. Prominent

for its location and its urban art. I recently took a tour on these iconic lanes, to rediscover these lanes and learn more about its historical significance. Grab a coffee in the small laneway cafes on the Hosier Lane, where various murals of the aspiring artists adorn the walls. Contributing to Melbourne's colours and vibrancies, this lane is one of Melbourne's hero lanes. While exploring and appreciating the various street art, do not forget to eat and drink like locals. There are many street cafes and restaurants which offer an amazing gastronomical experience. I prefer to have a sumptuous brunch on the flinders lane, before embarking on my mural adventures The Degraves Lane, offers various cuisines across the globe, if you cannot travel, all you need to do is head to these lanes and eat what your heart wants. These lanes become more vibrant at night, with friends who wish to join you on a Friday night for drinks at these lanes. They would be greeted with some amazing music and food.

ACDC Lane, which features the cherry bar, and few street arts is a unique find, as the name says it all named after the Australian Musical heroes. Here you will find a mix of cafes and food. Before entering the Presgrave lane, which is not impressive enough like the other lanes, however, offers framed pictures and sculptures. The rustic vibe of this lane takes me back to Asia. You would know what I mean when you look up above the lane and find clothes hanging out, isn't that something interesting? There are a couple of lanes like Union Lane, Presgrave Lane, ACDC Lane, where you can find hidden murals tucked away from the usual limelight, it’s always amazing to find a hidden gem in these not so famous lanes. So, what are you waiting for? Grab a friend and head over to these Insta-worthy lanes. Remember these street arts are everchanging, giving you an opportunity to discover something new every now and then. Be a tourist in your own city, just like me!

Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram @travelinstylewithdebs for your daily fashion inspiration. travelinstylewithdebs

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34

TECH

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

SpaceX Starship prototype again explodes on landing after test flight

SAN FRANCISCO, Feb 3: A prototype of SpaceX’s next generation heavy-lift rocket Starship exploded on landing after a highaltitude test flight in Texas.

SpaceX said that all four flaps are actuated by an onboard flight computer to control Starship’s attitude during flight and enable precise landing at the intended location.

The prototype, Starship serial number 9 (SN9), marked the completion of SpaceX’s second high-altitude flight test of a Starship prototype from the company’s site in Cameron County, Texas.

But during the landing flip manoeuvre, one of the Raptor engines did not relight and caused SN9 to land at high speed, causing an explosion.

Similar to the high-altitude flight test of Starship serial number 8 (SN8) in December, SN9 was powered through ascent by three Raptor engines, each shutting down in sequence prior to the vehicle reaching apogee -- approximately 10 kilometres in altitude, said SpaceX.

Starship is Elon Musk’s aerospace company SpaceX’s ambitious spacecraft to take humans to the Red Planet. The company has been working on prototypes to find the right design that will work for the transport.

The test involved flying SN9 to an altitude of around 10 km, TechCrunch reported.

descent.

SN9 successfully performed a propellant transition to the internal header tanks, which hold landing propellant, before reorienting itself for re-entry and a controlled aerodynamic

The Starship prototype descended under active aerodynamic control, accomplished by independent movement of two forward and two aft flaps on the vehicle.

“These test flights are all about improving our understanding and development of a fully reusable transportation system designed to carry both crew and cargo on long-duration, interplanetary flights and help humanity return to the Moon, and travel to Mars and beyond,” SpaceX said after the latest test flight. .

(AGENCIES)

Tesla’s new Model S will automatically shift by ‘guessing’ ELECTRIC car maker Tesla’s redesigned Model S and Model X will have automatic shifting between the park, reverse, neutral and drive (or PRND) by “guessing”. There will be an option to change drive modes on the touchscreen, but CEO Elon Musk made the case for automatic shifting on Twitter late Wednesday night. “No more stalks. Car guesses drive direction based on what obstacles it sees, context & nav map. You can override on touchscreen,” Musk tweeted. “After you drive without using a PRND stalk/ stick for a few days, it gets very annoying to go back & use a shifter!” he added. An internal Tesla document obtained by Electrek expands, slightly, on what Musk means by “guesses” -- the vehicle uses its Autopilot sensors to intelligently and automatically determine intended drive modes and select them, according to a report in The Verge. The general idea behind the decision fits into the larger Silicon Valley ethos that Tesla subscribes to, though, of “eliminating friction.” The consequences of trying to automate PRND won’t be clear until people start taking deliveries of these new cars, which is supposed to happen in a matter of weeks, the report added. The Tesla Model S was updated with a totally new interior on Wednesday, and the most radical change is the new yoke-style steering “wheel”.

The removal of the PRND stalk that the Model S and Model X previously featured is part of a wider overhaul of the interior design of those vehicles, the report said.Tesla has ditched its circular steering wheel in favour of one that’s U-shaped -- a decision that Roadshow reports have already drawn the interest of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the federal safety regulator for motor vehicles, it added. The electric car maker is set to begin its India journey with its highest-selling Model 3, before the premium Model S and Model X,

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which would be available later in the year and in early 2022. Arriving in India via Tesla Motors Amsterdam that will give the electric car-maker tax benefits related to dividend payments and capital gains, the Model 3 may start from around Rs 60 lakh. The base Standard Range Plus model now claims a driving range of 423 km per charge, while the Long-Range Model 3 can give you 568 km range on one single charge .

(AGENCIES)

VIRTUAL

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

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1 in 2 Indian users say WhatsApp changes unacceptable AS WhatsApp faces intense scrutiny over its upcoming data and privacy policy, a new poll on Tuesday revealed that nearly one in two Indian users will not accept the updated terms of service.

WhatsApp users in India and elsewhere are looking forward to join either Telegram or Signal, but are currently confused which app to choose from.

WhatsApp’s new terms of service and privacy policy will go live on February 8. To continue using the platform, users will have to accept the terms and conditions. If the users do not accept the new terms of service, they will no longer be able to use WhatsApp. According to the poll conducted by leading English news app Inshorts, 47 per cent respondents said that they would not accept the policy and will look for alternatives of the messaging app (like Telegram and Signal). Only about 14 per cent respondents did not see any privacy concerns, saying they will accept and continue using WhatsApp. Over 39 per cent respondents said that they will accept the policy as they are not aware of any suitable alternatives at the moment, the poll

At about 500 million users globally and growing, Telegram has become a major problem for WhatsApp. Over 400 million Indian WhatsApp users last week received an in-app notification from WhatsApp as part of an upcoming global rollout for over 2 billion users, asking them to either accept the changes in its terms of service and privacy policy by February 8 or their accounts will be deleted. showed. Over 1.8 lakh app users participated in the survey. Meanwhile, WhatsApp issued a clarification, saying that individual chats would not be affected by the changes in its terms of service and privacy policy.

The in-app notification did not elicit much details but clicking on the link clearly mentioned the key changes in how WhatsApp will collect and process users’ information going forward, and the partnership with Facebook, its parent company, as part of a larger unification drive between its family of apps. (AGENCIES)

Telegram makes it official to import your WhatsApp chat history ENCRYPTED messaging app Telegram which added over 100 new million users in January has made it official to bring your chat history to its platform from apps like WhatsApp, Line and KakaoTalk. This works both for individual chats and groups and you can transfer photos as well as video calls. Telegram which has now crossed 600 million users said in a statement that Messages will be imported into the current day but will also include their original timestamps. “All members of the chat on Telegram will see the messages,” the company said. “With this update, you get even more control: secret chats, groups you created and call history can now also be deleted for all sides at any time”. Messages and media you move don’t need to occupy extra space. “Older apps make you store all data on your device – but Telegram can take up virtually no space while letting you access all your messages, photos and videos anytime you need them,” the company said. The company also announced improved

chats where the users can adjust the volume of individual participants to manage microphone levels. “Adjustments made by group admins are applied for all listeners,” Telegram said. You can now see which of your groups have active Voice Chats from the top of the Call History page. Telegram also has an improved audio player where when a track is playing, tap

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the author name in the player to see their tracks from all your chats. “If you need to skip ahead or repeat something you missed, press and hold on the Next and Previous buttons to fastforward and rewind”. Telegram has seen a significant uptake in new users as WhatsApp’s new Terms of Service and Privacy Policy trigged a fresh data sharing debate. (AGENCIES)

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BEAUTY

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

Experts bust myths about hair transplantation

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hat a hair transplant procedure is as painful as any other surgical process is a myth, points out Dr Pradeep Sethi, Hair Transplant Surgeon at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi and Managing Director Eugenix Hair Sciences. Many people think that the procedure might result in regular headache or migraines which is also untrue, clears Dr Arika Bansal, Hair Transplant surgeon, AIIMS New Delhi.

and will come back to its originality with growth. Hence, you can grow your hair as long as you want without any further treatment or procedures. The procedure may cause cancer -- There is no relation to cancer at all. The transplant doesn’t cause any health conditions

There are lifelong scars after the procedure -- There are rarely any chest extraction cases that leave scars on patients. Scars are generally not seen on Speaking to the experts who bust all the the scalp if extracted in a proper manner. myths around hair transplant and point to Whereas, any break in skin leaves a scar the facts. Read on: which are generally lifelong, if done by an expert, there will hardly be any visible The procedure needs to be retouched scarring. or done again and again -- It will always remain intact once done, only if done by a The hair transplantation procedure is highly experienced professional. One may temporary -- There is nothing temporary lose hair in a different region where the about the procedure, the characteristics procedure has not been done and might of the transplanted hair might change with require transplantation for the same. age like greying of hair but otherwise, it remains as is life long without any losses. People cannot get hair transplantation after a certain age -- Advancing age is A person can differentiate between never a problem as long as there is good natural hair and those transplanted blood flow in scalp region and if the person -- If done by a highly experienced is not suffering from any uncontrolled pre- professional, an onlooker cannot make out existing health condition. if the hair has been transplanted or if its natural. It is recommended one research’s’ Donor can be anyone - Wrong. Only properly before opting for the procedure your own hair can be transplanted on you. as it depends entirely on the person who performs it. Hair doesn’t grow any longer than the grafted length -- Once the hair is grafted, it The process is very painful -- There is becomes as natural as your existing hair. a misconception for the hair transplant You can do whatever you want at your procedure to be painful like every other will. It can be shaved, dyed, treated, etc. surgical process, which is absolutely

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untrue. The procedure is initiated with inducing local anesthesia which is a pinprick with a very fine needle following which the procedure of transplant is absolutely painless and doesn’t cause even slightest of discomfort. Causes headaches and Migraine -Many people think that the procedure might result in regular headache or migraines which is again untrue. There has never been a case as such where people who have had the procedure complained anything as such. Will lack density -- No, the hair is nice and dense. It will be thick and healthy, but we cannot match nature in its density. Hair cannot be implanted on scarred tissue -- Hair can only be transplanted on regions with ideal blood supply. As long as the scar is completely remodulated and has an optimal blood supply, it can be grafted upon as they will grow naturally. The procedure is done with cut and stitch technique -- The old cut and stitch technique has now been replaced by an entirely modernised procedure with absolute precision. Now individual grafts are extracted by modern aided equipment. The transplanted hair will develop into scalp hair characteristics -- The body hair grafted onto scalp during the transplantation procedure will retain its own nature while the rest of the features remaining as it is.

By Puja Gupta

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

37 37

5 benefits of hemp induced skincare products H

emp is one of the most talked about ingredient in the beauty industry. When it comes to skincare the many benefits of hemp or hemp seed oil makes it’s a hero ingredient. It contains a very little cannabinoid, a compound often used for therapeutic purposes and help in soothing the skin and relieving inflammation. Along with essential fatty acids, hemp oil contains vitamins, minerals, and amino acids which improves skin’s health. Nowadays the buzzy ingredient is taking over the world of beauty and skincare, from hand cream and facemask to body oil, creams and cleansers, there is an array of hempinfused products popping up in beauty supply stores everywhere.

been found to have significant soothing properties. Its substantial skin-soothing and skin-normalizing effects can help minimize issues related to skin sensitivity, dryness including redness and reactivity. Since all skin types are affected daily by environmental stressors, hemp seed oil soothing mechanism can help and keep everyone’s skin in check.

Plabita Sharma, Beauty Training Manager, The Body Shop India lists down the top five benefits of hemp induced skincare products:

Promotes clearer skin: Acne is a most common concern for oily skin however incorporating a skincare product enhanced with hemp oil could mean the difference between pimple-ridden skin and a clearer complexion. Hemp oil is perfect for most skin types as it can moisturize without clogging your pores.

Good for sensitive to super dry skin: One of the many benefits of hemp induced skincare product is that it has

Rich in Antioxidant: Hemp seed oil is a rich source of antioxidant and helps in promoting repair and rejuvenation of skin. It can also protect the skin from environmental damage, such as overexposure to sunlight which can accelerate premature sign of aging like fine lines, dark spots and more.

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It can even help to balance out oily skin, hydrating it and regulating the skin’s oil production. Dryness can also cause your skin to overproduce oil, which in turn, can stimulate acne. Hemp oil can prevent dry skin without clogging pores. This helps reduce acne that’s caused by excess oil. Improved collagen production: Hemp seed oil has an ability to improve collagen production, it contains vitamin C which is important in collagen synthesis. Increased collagen results in increased skin elasticity and decreased appearance of fine lines and wrinkles Natural humectant: Just like other skincare oils, hemp seed oil also has ultra-nourishing capabilities. But what really sets this ingredient unique is its ability to lock in moisture. This oil contains polyunsaturated fatty acids, vitamin E and amino acids. When applied topically, these components moisturize the skin and help it to retain moisture. (IANSlife)

38

RELATIONSHIPS

Inviting

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

micro-tales of love

The past year has affected all aspects of life as we knew it, and romantic relationships are no different. To celebrate moments of love and playful romance, ITC Engage has rolled out a campaign inviting stories of love and romance in line with the current pulse of the world. THE Engage’s Pocketful O’ Stories 3.0, around the theme of #RomanceUnlocked has been designed to engage young audiences and fans of the brand to share their own ‘unexpected, uninhibited moments’ of love and playful romance via social media within 400 characters. At the end of the campaign, 400 participants, handpicked by romance author Durjoy Datta will be featured in ITC Engage’s Pocketful O’ Stories 3.0 book curated and co-authored by Durjoy. The first two seasons of Engage Pocketful O’ Stories, garnered the campaign a cumulative of over 36,000 micro tales which were then

IN contrast, women with more anxious behaviour during sexual activities and those with more severe menopause symptoms were more at risk for sexual dysfunction, the researchers noted. According to them, sexual dysfunction often accompanies the menopause transition. Yet, not all women experience it the same. The new study, published in Menopause: The Journal of the North American Menopause Society (NAMS), identified the determinants that affect a woman’s risk of sexual dysfunction and sought to determine the effectiveness of hormone therapy in decreasing that risk and modifying sexual behaviour.

stitched together in respective books curated by Durjoy. Whether it was finding love digitally or creatively engaging with their long-distance partner, the year has reshaped a lot of love stories. The annual crowdsourcing campaign is aiming to be bigger and better than the last two editions. Sharing his excitement on the campaign, Durjoy says, “Not just because of my profession, personally, I am definitely a romantic at heart. While I try to write through experiences and take inspiration from the people, I surround myself with,

‘Women with more partners less likely to face sexual dysfunction’ Ladies, if you have a greater number of lifetime sexual partners, there’s good news for you. A new study has revealed that such women are less likely to experience sexual dysfunction in life. www.gdayindia.com.au | M: 0412-114-383

the past year has forced us into situations that are beyond our comfort zones. Engage Pocketful O’ Stories is a campaign that is very close to me. Not only have I gotten to connect with readers and budding writers, but it has also given me renewed perspective about my own writing. This year’s theme is topical to the story of most couples around the world who have been away from each other for an extended period and calls for them to Unlock their Romance! So, get your writing hats on and I will see you in the comments section! I am really looking forward to reading some really innovative stories on how people had their #RomanceUnlocked. By Siddhi Jain These results are consistent with the findings of prior studies. The results “emphasize that factors other than the use of hormone therapy, such as higher importance of sex, positive attitudes toward sex, satisfaction with one’s partner and fewer genitourinary symptoms associated with menopause appear to be protective and are linked to better sexual function across the menopause transition,” said researcher Stephanie Faubion, Medical Directorof North American Menopause Society (NAMS), Ohio. For the study, the researchers involved more than 200 women aged between 45 to 55 years. Hormone therapy was not found to mitigate the risk of sexual dysfunction, nor did it play a major role in determining sexual behaviours. However, women using hormone therapy typically had higher body-esteem during sexual activities; better sexual function in all domains, except for desire/interest; better quality of relationships; and fewer sexual complaints (other than arousal problems) than those women who do not. Of importance to helping maintain a woman’s sexual function were positive sexual experiences, attitudes about sex, body image, and relationship intimacy, the study noted. (AGENCIES)

LIFESTYLE

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

39

Job seekers believe online learning will be critical in 2021: LinkedIn

INDIAN professionals remain resilient towards career growth as two in three (64 per cent) of them say they are confident about future progression, according to a new survey by the world’s largest online professional network LinkedIn. Two in five think attending networking events (38 per cent) and investing in online learning (37 per cent) will be critical to landing a job in 2021, showed findings of the research released. It said job seekers in India are overcoming challenges of finding a job today and they are leaning on their communities to find new career opportunities. Based on 1,016 survey responses, findings show that more than three in four professionals will consider changing jobs or actively look for a new role in the next 12 months. But the research also shows a sense of professional uncertainty and worry among professionals as the job market continues to get more competitive in 2021. More than one-third

of job seekers in India are worried about too many recruitment stages (38 per cent) and extensively long application documents (32 per cent) while three in four (74 per cent) professionals say they have reservations about networking. As job seekers continue to navigate the uncertainties of job market, LinkedIn has launched the 2021 ‘Jobs on the Rise’ India list to empower professionals with critical insights about the dynamic jobs landscape, especially those who may have lost their jobs during the pandemic. The list looks at 15 fastest growing career opportunities that have seen the highest year-on-year growth rates in hiring based on LinkedIn data for the timeframe of April to October 2020. This year, LinkedIn’s economic graph data scientists looked across 15,000-plus job titles to uncover the jobs that have grown the most compared to 2019 levels, those titles were then grouped into 15 career trends that capture as many as 25 job titles within each category.

The top 15 career trends are: freelance content creators, social media and digital marketing, marketing, business development and sales, specialised engineering, finance, education, artificial intelligence, e-commerce, cybersecurity, data science, healthcare, human resources, user experience designers and customer service. The research was conducted for LinkedIn by ACA Research in Australia with fieldwork running between December 22, 2020 and January 3, 2021.

The sample consisted of 1,016 Indians aged 18 to 65 years who are in the labour force (that is working or actively seeking work) with quotas set to ensure it was nationally representative by age, gender, and location. Ruchee Anand, Director for talent and learning solutions in India at LinkedIn, said the list is a reflection of how the work ecosystem and jobs market rapidly changed in 2020. “Digital transformation has continued to drive all industries, and both tech and non-tech roles have shifted to meet the needs of a new collaborative, remote work culture,” she said. “Audience builders and content creators are key to brands while HR continues to be at the heart of all operations. User and customer experience are critical in the new online world of service, and emerging tech -- especially edtech -- continues to boom,” said Anand.

Dealing with adversity;

(ANI)

emerging strong and successful

THE COVID-19 pandemic has been a bolt from the blue. This is a kind of crisis that most of us are unlikely to experience more than once in our lifetimes. Individuals and companies are trying hard to cope and adapt. The truth though is that we constantly deal with crises in our lives. The consequences of some of these crises are far worse than those posed by the pandemic. Imagine being born in Afghanistan in the 1980s or 1990s or being born to a sex worker in any country. Life itself would be a crisis. Yet, some deal with a crisis with equanimity and courage while some others give up. A crisis can be a great opportunity for innovation. Almost every great innovation has been in response to a crisis of some sort. We

have seen this in recent times, and we have seen this throughout history. “Sailing through a Storm” (Bloomsbury), co-authored by T.N. Hari and Sanjay Swamy, brings us this hope. An inspiring read, the book comprises beautiful stories of women and men who dealt with adversity, how they emerged strong and successful, and how drawing from their lives we too can turn the storm around to make it work for us. T.N. Hari is an advisor and sounding board to numerous entrepreneurs and start-ups. He is a strategic advisor at The Fundamentum Partnership and Arkam Ventures as well. He also heads human resources at Bigbasket. A graduate from IIT and IIM, Hari has worked at an executive level with several start-ups/ scale-ups. He has anchored four successful exits in different industries (Daksh, Virtusa, Amba Research and TaxiForSure). The coauthor of four books, his last two published

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titles are “From Pony to Unicorn: Scaling a Start-up Sustainably” and “Saying No to Jugaad: The Making of Bigbasket”. Sanjay Swamy is an Indian technologist, entrepreneur and venture capitalist and a huge champion of the start-up ecosystem. He is making his debut as an author with this book. He has previously worked with the UIDAI project. (ANI)

40

HEALTH

AI-based technique may detect prostate cancer from urine

A novel Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based technique may help in diagnosing prostate cancer from urine within only twenty minutes with almost 100 per cent accuracy, a new study suggests. The research team, including Kwan Hyi Lee from the Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST), developed this technique by introducing a smart AI analysis method to an electrical signal-based ultra-sensitive biosensor. “This research developed a smart biosensor that can rapidly diagnose prostate cancer with almost 100 per cent accuracy only through a urine test, and it can be further utilized in the precise diagnoses of other cancers using a urine test,” said Lee. Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancers among men. Patients are determined to have prostate cancer primarily based on Prostate-Specific Antigen (PSA), a cancer factor in blood. However, as diagnostic accuracy is as low as 30 per cent, a considerable number of

Being obese If you are obese, there are chances that it may lead to some mental health issues, as a new study suggests that half of all young people treated for severe obesity have a neuropsychiatric problem.

THE study, published in the journal Acta Paediatrica, indicated that over half of the parents estimated that their obese teenagers had difficulties resembling ADHD and/or autism, despite only a few of them having been previously diagnosed with these conditions. “Symptoms of ADHD mean that the person has difficulty with impulse control. This increases the risk of eating without being hungry and the tendency to opt for quick solutions such as fast food,” said researcher Kajsa Jarvholm from Lund University in Sweden. For the study, the team involved 48 teenagers (73 per cent girls), with an average age of 15 and an average BMI of 42, which is severe obesity. Half of the participants received medical treatment for obesity, while the other half

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G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

patients undergo additional invasive biopsy and thus suffer from resultant side effects, such as bleeding and pain, the researchers said. For the study, published in the journal ACS Nano, the team developed an ultra-sensitive semiconductor sensor system capable of simultaneously measuring trace amounts of selected four cancer factors in urine for diagnosing prostate cancer. They trained AI by using the correlation between the four cancer factors, which were obtained from the developed sensor. The trained AI algorithm was then used to identify those with prostate cancer by analyzing complex patterns of the detected signals. The diagnosis of prostate cancer by utilizing the AI analysis successfully detected 76 urinary samples with almost 100 per cent accuracy. (AGENCIES)

may up mental health issues in teens underwent surgery. The teenagers’ parents completed questionnaires to measure their children’s symptoms of ADHD and autism. The adolescents themselves responded to questions about binge eating and symptoms of depression. “People on the autism spectrum are sometimes more selective in their eating than others. They only accept certain dishes but may eat more of them as a result,” she said. One-fifth of the adolescents reported suffering symptoms of depression. One-third of them reported problems with binge eating, which is a loss of control resulting in the person eating large quantities of food in a short time. “Contrary to our expectations, the adolescents with neuropsychiatric difficulties did not have more problems with binge eating and depression than the other adolescents in the group,” said Jarvholm. Altogether, the information provided by the parents and adolescents revealed that twothirds of the patients in the study had difficulties arising from neuropsychiatric problems, binge eating and/or depression. The researchers believe that the findings reveal a need to personalise treatments for adolescents with severe obesity as the majority also reported mental illness. (AGENCIES)

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

ASK DR. RAJ… This months Q: Q) Dear Dr. Raj, I have been suffering with Osteoarthritis of the knee joints and possibly of the shoulder joints since few years now. I am 54 and I was recommended to you by my friend who has benefitted from your treatment in the past. Please suggest how can you help me. Mr.Sri A) Dear Mr.Sri, Osteoarthritis is degenerative condition of the joints, involving breakdown of the cartilage at the ends of bones. Pain and inflammation, often from misalignment or overuse, can lead to thickening or bony deposits in these areas. Generally it is slow onset, with gradual deterioration of the joint structures causing pain, discomfort and affecting daily activities and in extreme cases leading to permanent disability. One thing is for sure; almost all the chronic and recurrent health issues if identified at an early stage provide a very good chance of achieving recovery in Homeopathy. Family history of this disease increases predisposition of getting it. Your age, mental and physical traits and family history, presenting symptomatology etc all have a huge role in deciding suitable and effective Homeopathic remedies for your ailment. Homeopathic remedies promote the body’s natural healing system and also can help to change the tendency of the body to attract this disease. The trick is to start treatment as soon as possible rather than depending on painkillers. Pain killers will give good relief of pain initially, with no impact on treating the cause of the pain. Once the pain is masked with painkillers you will start using your joints normally as if there is no problem, which will further deteriorate the joint structures until when the painkillers will stop working. In the initial stages there is definitely more scope to overcome the condition. Once the degeneration of the joint reaches to an irreversible stage, the treatment is to aim at preventing any further progress and reduce the presenting symptoms. This can be again well addressed in Homeopathy.

Health tip:

A healthy well balanced diet with an increased dietary intake of fish oils, Omega 3 fatty acids from fish, nuts, flaxseed oil etc to reduce flare ups and reducing food triggers like potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, corn and eggplants, orange juice etc are essential. All the deep fried and very oily and pungent food recipes should be reduced to minimal, since these are believed to cause damage to the degenerated joints. Moderate amount of grapefruit juice will help to reduce cartilage destruction in the joints. Moderate, regular exercise to maintain mobility and to prevent further deterioration is necessary. Cycling, walking, tai chi, water aerobics etc are great to help Osteoarthritis. Yoga asanas like Vajrasana, Padmasana, Dhanurasana, Marjarasana, and Pranayama (breathing techniques) like Nadishodan and Bhastrika are very useful in Osteoarthritis. Homeopathic remedies, Ayurvedic body treatments and yoga work wonders and can help a complete reversal of the arthritis in early stages and arrest the progress and symptom relief in well developed cases. People are increasingly turning to Homeopathy for an effective answer for arthritis. Homeopathy is also one of the easiest and most convenient remedies with no side effects. You may ask your personal query to Raj Kothuru (Homeopath) via email drraj@ aurahealth.com.au or ph: 9077 5044/ 0425761826 regarding your health issues. He would answer your questions through reply e-mail and some of the questions would be answered in the forth coming editions with your identity protected. I also take this opportunity on behalf of the staff at ‘Aura Health Concepts’ to wish all readers of ‘G’Day India’ magazine, a new year filled with health and happiness.

By Raj Kothuru

Please send any of your health related questions to drraj@aurahealth.com.au with Ask Dr Raj as the subject line or ph: 94788649 / 0425761826. The questions will be published with your identity protected.

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Jal neti, the practice of cleansing the nasal passages using warm salty water, dislodges and dissolves internal build up and allows for easier flushing out of impurities

The Pros and Cons of Allon-4 Dental Implants

T

he secret to a sparkling smile is impeccable teeth. We know how much our teeth matter when it comes to looks and missing some of our teeth is not only bad for the looks but also affects proper chewing. It is a pain going through teeth loss, but on the bright side for those of us suffering from teeth loss, dental implants work just like natural teeth. Read on to know more about Allon-4 dental implants. Dental implants are teethrestoration treatment. It includes inserting tiny posts of titanium fused with other friendly metals into your jawbone in a quick surgical procedure. These posts serve as anchors for the overlay dentures, which are a set of artificial teeth for a whole jaw. To support the dentures, the dental implants are inserted into four places that are strategically designed. This method is known as All-on-4 dental implants. It takes a period of up to three-six months for healing after inserting the implants. Once the implants are fused in with the jawbone, overlay dentures are secured on them using screws. Let us look at some of the pros and cons of the All on 4 implants. PROS 1. Fewer Insertions All on 4 dental implants require minimum insertions. An overlay denture is supported by only four titanium implants. The positions of these implants are strategically designed to withstand all the chewing forces and pressures in the oral cavity. Other options of dental implants for multiple teeth include All-on-6 and All-on-8. 2. Enjoy All Your Favourite Food After getting All-on-4 dental implants, you can eat all your favourite foods that you could not do without the full set of teeth in your mouth. You must have craved some foods and drinks in the teethloss phase, and now you can eat them to your heart’s content. Just remember that the food should not be too hard to chew and clean your teeth after eating. 3. Better Aesthetics Dental implants look better than temporary dentures or other teeth restoration methods as they have a positive impact on your looks. Dental implants enhance your jawline and make you look younger. 4. Reduces Jawbone Deterioration The friendly amalgam of titanium

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and other metals merge with the jawbone over time. This process is known as osseointegration. Due to the presence of these metals, the bone deterioration seen in normal individuals as a side-effect of aging can be reduced. 5. Better Longevity When cared for properly, All on 4 dental implants last much longer than other methods. There are even cases where dental implants have lasted a lifetime. 6. Easy to Care For Looking after All-on-4 dental implants is as easy as your natural teeth. A normal oral hygiene routine of brushing twice and flossing once a day would suffice. As they are not your natural teeth, any food particles stuck between the artificial teeth cannot decay them. However, care must be taken as the food particles can decay the tissues of your gums which can lead to a bad situation. CONS 1. Must be precise When going for All-on-4 dental implants, make sure you are consulting an experienced dentist since the success of dental implants depends greatly on the skill and expertise of your dentist. Dental implant surgery needs to be effective. Visit our dentists at Healthy Smiles Dental Group for a detailed analysis and check-up. Our expert dentists will be more than happy to help you out with your dental needs. Bottom Line As with any surgical procedure, the surgery for a dental implants procedure also has its risks and precautions involved. Make sure you follow the guidelines provided by the dentist. To decide if All-on-4 dental implants are a treatment option for you, visit our dentists at Healthy Smiles Dental Group. Feel free to contact us on 03 9877 2035.

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

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HEALTH

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

EVEN ONE ALCOHOLIC DRINK EVERY DAY MAY UP ATRIAL FIBRILLATION RISK PEOPLE who regularly drink a modest amount of alcohol are at an increased risk of atrial fibrillation, a condition where the heart beats in an abnormal rhythm. The study published in the European Heart Journal found that compared to drinking no alcohol at all, just one alcoholic drink a day was linked to a 16 per cent increased risk of atrial fibrillation over an average (median) follow-up time of nearly 14 years. “These findings are important as the regular consumption of alcohol, the ‘one glass of wine a day’ to protect the heart, as is often recommended for instance in the lay press, should probably no longer be suggested without balancing risks and possible benefits for all heart and blood vessel diseases, including atrial fibrillation,” said researcher Renate Schnabel, a professor at

HUMAN muscle has an innate ability to ward off the damaging effects of chronic inflammation when exercised, a new study suggests.

A total of 1,00,092 participants did not have atrial fibrillation when they enrolled and their median age was nearly 48 years (ranging between 24 and 97 years). During the median follow-up period of nearly 14 years, 5,854 people developed atrial fibrillation. The association between alcohol consumption and the risk of atrial fibrillation were similar for all types of alcoholic drinks and for men and women. the University Heart and Vascular Center, Hamburg-Eppendorf in Germany. For the study the researchers analysed information on 1,07,845 people who underwent medical examinations at the time they joined the studies between 1982 and 2010 and provided information on their medical histories, lifestyles (including alcohol and tobacco consumption), employment and education levels.

In addition to the 16 per cent increased risk of atrial fibrillation compared to teetotallers seen in people who consumed only one alcoholic drink a day, the researchers found that the risk increased with increasing alcohol intake; up to two drinks a day was associated with a 28 per cent increased risk and this went up to 47 per cent for those who consumed more than four. (AGENCIES)

EXERCISING MUSCLE MAY WARD OFF CHRONIC INFLAMMATION ON ITS OWN THE study, published in the journal Science Advances, indicates that inflammation is not inherently good or bad. When the body is injured, an initial low-level inflammation response clears away debris and helps tissue rebuild. “Our engineered muscle platform is modular, meaning we can mix and match various types of cells and tissue components if we want to. But in this case, we discovered that the muscle cells were capable of taking anti-inflammatory actions all on their own,” said researcher Nenad Bursac, Professor at Duke University. Among many molecules that can cause inflammation, one proinflammatory molecule in particular, interferon gamma, has been associated with various types of muscle wasting and dysfunction. While previous research in humans and animals has shown that exercise can help mitigate the effects of inflammation in general, it has been difficult to distinguish what role the muscle cells themselves might play, let alone how they interact with specific offending molecules, such as

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interferon gamma. To prove that muscle alone is capable of blocking interferon gamma’s destructive powers, the team turned to an engineered muscle platform that the laboratory has been developing for nearly a decade. They were first to grow contracting, functional human skeletal muscle in a Petri dish, and since then the lab has been improving its processes by, for example, adding immune cells and reservoirs of stem cells to the recipe. In the current study, the researchers took these fully functional, lab-grown muscles and inundated them with relatively high levels of interferon gamma for seven days to mimic the effects of a long-lasting chronic inflammation. As expected, the muscle got smaller and lost much of its strength. The researchers then applied interferon gamma again, but this time also put the muscle through a simulated exercise regime by stimulating it with a pair of electrodes. While they expected the procedure to induce some muscle growth, as shown in their previous studies, they were surprised to discover that it almost completely prevented the effects of the chronic inflammation. (AGENCIES)

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

43

Adding

mushroom

to your diet makes it more nutritious

ADDING a mushroom serving to the diet can increase the intake of several micronutrients, including shortfall nutrients such as vitamin D, without any increase in calories, sodium or fat, a new study suggests.

The findings indicated that adding an 84 grams serving of mushrooms increased several shortfall nutrients including potassium and fiber. This was true for the white, crimini and portabella 1:1:1 mix and oyster mushrooms. “This research validated what we already knew that adding mushrooms to your plate is an effective way to reach the dietary goals identified by the DGA,” said Mary Jo Feeney, nutrition research coordinator to the Mushroom Council in the US, who funded the study.

For the study, published in the journal Food Science and Nutrition, the team modelled the addition of mushrooms to National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2016 dietary data. The team looked at a composite of white, crimini and portabella mushrooms at a 1:1:1 ratio; one scenario including UV-light exposed mushrooms; and one scenario including oyster mushrooms for both 9 to 18 years and more than 19 years of age based on an 84g or half cup equivalent serving. The addition a serving of 84 grams of mushrooms to the diet resulted in an increase in dietary fiber (5 per cent-6 per cent), copper (24 per cent-32 per cent), phosphorus (6 per

per cent).

cent), potassium (12 per cent-14 per cent), selenium (13 per cent-14

It also showed increase in zinc (5 per cent-6 per cent), riboflavin (13 per cent-15 per cent), niacin (13 per cent-14 per cent), and choline (5 per cent-6 per cent) in both adolescents and adults; but had no impact on calories, carbohydrate, fat or sodium. A serving of UV-light exposed commonly consumed mushrooms decreased population inadequacy for vitamin D from 95.3 per cent to 52.8 per cent for age group 9-18 years and from 94.9 per cent to 63.6 per cent for age group more than 19 years. (AGENCIES)

HAPPY CHILDHOOD MAY LOWER DRINK, DRUG RISK

AMONG TEENS students at a high school and half (53 per cent) of the pupils included in the study were female.

IF your teenage child has memories of a happy childhood, they are less likely to indulge in drinking or substance abuse and enjoy learning, a new study suggests. The findings, published in the journal Addiction Research and Theory, indicated that positive attitudes towards the past, present and future put adolescents at lower risk of alcohol use, binge drinking and marijuana. “Many teenagers also aren’t engaging with online learning during Covid-19 or have lower engagement levels,” said researcher John Mark Froiland from Purdue University in Indiana, US. “But they are more likely to be enthusiastic learners and not use drink and drugs if teachers take time to build more positive relationships with them. They can help students see that everything they are learning is truly valuable. Parents have a role to play too,” Froiland added. For the study, the team assessed 1,961

The researchers looked at responses from pupils where they rated how nostalgic they were of their childhood, current happiness levels in life and how much they look forward to future happiness. They also analysed marijuana and alcohol habits over the past 30 days including binge drinking, and average academic grades. They analysed motivation levels, and behaviour in lessons such as how much teenagers paid attention and listened. Statistical techniques were used by the researchers to assess the associations between all these different factors and establish the key predictors for alcohol and marijuana misuse. The researchers are calling on teachers and parents to help students develop more positive mindsets and become motivated to learn so they are less likely to binge drink or use marijuana. The aim of this study was to establish how substance misuse and behaviour towards learning are affected by students’ feelings about the past, present and future.

(AGENCIES)

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G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

44

BHUMI BEATS WINTER BLUES WITH ‘DESI’ HACKS BOLLYWOOD actress Bhumi Pednekar, who has made headlines announcing her switch to vegetarianism, has not only won the hearts of her fans, for her dedicated fitness routine but has received shout- outs from her peers, too. Sharing a message closer to home, the star took to social media to talk about her winter health routine. Being vocal about a healthy diet and workout routine, Bhumi inspires her followers regularly to stay fit and strong to lead a healthy life.

you’re feeling fine, the next, you have blocked nose and cough. My ‘nuskhas’ are simple, and one that I learned by just observing my mother. As a child, whenever I have cough and cold symptoms, she would make me practice steam inhalation using our household favorite, Vicks Vaporub. I still practice this today as it has traditional ingredients like Niligiri, pudina, camphor, and ajwain, and gives fast relief from blocked nose and cough. To ensure I was warm inside-out, my mum would give me a cup of haldi doodh right after.

By Puja Gupta

From choosing the right vegetables for immunity and strength during this season, to adopting a traditional route to manage her respiratory health, Bhumi certainly is on a winter-care streak.

The world has become a ‘masked wonder’: Big B

THE world has become a masked wonder, feels Amitabh Bachchan. His observation comes at a time when masking up before stepping out has become the new normal amid the Covid pandemic.

“The world has become a masked wonder. Each one in the human universe and at times some not so human be reminiscent of Zorro the masked wonder; or the Lone Ranger for the times of the comics,” Amitabh Bachchan wrote in a blog post. Big B took to his blog to further express how difficult it has become these days to recognise people’s faces or understand facial expressions when they are wearing a mask. He wrote: “The recognition of the friends all gone... there is an undisclosed distance between us all and unless it is work orientated the distinction of recognition remains a mystery not knowing what the one conversing with you is in fact having the right expression or not barring of course the give away from the lighted mask of mine in my recent acquisition.”

Sharing a message on Instagram, she talks about how easy it is to catch a cold or cough amid the low temperatures and hustle-bustle of film shoots. Therefore, for a healthy lifestyle during this time, she manages cold and flu symptoms by following a few simple doctor-approved practices like drinking lukewarm water, doing regular steam inhalation, exercising daily and of course, eating nutritious home-cooked meals.

Talking about his “recent acquisition”, the veteran actor flaunted his new mask on social media on Republic Day. The mask has lights near the mouthpiece, which blink as he speaks! (AGENCIES)

Speaking about it, Bhumi said, “Health has always been on the top of my list when it comes to self-care. I believe that if one is not careful about their health and well-being especially during peak months like winter, it can slow you down. One day

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G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021 ACTRESS Katrina Kaif says she endorse only those brands that are relevant to her and can be part of her daily life. In a candid chat, the actress, who is the brand ambassador of Reebok, gives an insight into her brand collaboration while sharing how she adopts sustainable fashion. Read excerpts: Q: What does fashion mean to you? A: Fashion to me is a way to express myself. It’s a mode of communication to the world and defines your individuality. Q: What is your idea of sustainable fashion and how do you feel you contribute to it? A: My idea of sustainable fashion is to use products that are organic and sustainable in nature. A few changes that I adapted to be eco-friendly and I recommend others to follow too are: 4B uy only what you need and don’t believe in compulsive shopping 4 Limit the use of plastic items as much as possible 4 Always keep reading about sustainability and educate yourself in order to contribute towards sustainable fashion 4 Always share your knowledge with others to create and spread more awareness 4 Most importantly, support fellow artisans with their innovations and vision about an eco-friendly future. Q: How can people contribute towards sustainable fashion? A: Before adapting to sustainable fashion, I believe a person needs to adapt to a sustainable lifestyle, be it the products that we use on a daily basis or the food that we use in our homes. Once we start adapting sustainable practices in our daily routines, our fashion choices will also start to improve. Q: What’s your criterion to select a brand before you start endorsing it? A: I endorse brands that are relevant to me and can be a part of my daily life. This is one of the most important criteria for me. Q: You have collaborated with Reebok for their new campaign. Tell us about it and why did you decide to be a part of it? A: In honor of the [Ree]Cycled Classic Leather Legacy and Legacy 83, Reebok is soon to reveal its second iteration of the “Write Your Legacy” campaign. The campaign was created by three ‘Classics Collaborators’ from across the globe who use their talent and creations to pave the way for a better future for their

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KATRINA KAIF SPEAKS FASHION

communities. While the means of how they impact their communities varies, their legacy is alike: you can’t change what came before you, but you can change what comes next. Reebok and the ‘Classic Collaborators’ recognise that what and how we create now impacts our future. Therefore, the campaign celebrates the new [Ree]Cycled Classic Leather Legacy alongside the Legacy 83. The shoes are also designed to celebrate community: the different backgrounds, personalities and outlooks that shape all of our legacies. The importance of community and the ability to make positive change for those to come is what each of the Classic Collaborators embody and celebrate. Q: What do you think such campaigns like this help? A: The campaign is a celebration of creators who use their talent and skills to create a positive future for those around them. The whole idea behind the campaign is to celebrate people with a legacy of work that can make positive change in the world. If brands like Reebok come forward and celebrate such changes, then consumers will have a positive messaging to relate to and that is what the brand aims to drive. Q: Any fashion tips for readers? A: Fashion is all about comfort, you need not blindly follow the latest trends to look stylish. Your confidence is your most special accessory. Don’t be afraid to play around with colours and garments, and remember, you have the power to make anything cool if you’re comfortable and confident. By Puja Gupta

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Travelled the world but no place like India: Janhvi Kapoor

ACTRESS Janhvi Kapoor on Tuesday declared her love for the country in her latest social media post. She says she has travelled the world but it is India that makes her jump with joy.

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

Gender-based violence is a harsh reality: Kirti Kulhari

Janhvi posted a gamut of pictures on Instagram that show her visiting a fort. The first few photos gave the actress posing for the camera while in the last picture she is seen jumping with joy. “Travelled the world but no place makes me jump like,” she wrote as the caption. Janhvi was last seen in the digitally released film, Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl.

Matta, the film also stars Deepak Dobriyal, Meeta Vashishth, Neeraj Sood and Sushant Singh.

She will next feature in Good Luck Jerry, which is currently being shot in Punjab. Directed by Sidharth Sengupta and written by Pankaj

Her other films lined up are Roohi Afzana and Dostana 2. (IANS)

‘The Girl On The Train’ let me challenge myself:

Parineeti Chopra ACTRESS Parineeti Chopra says as an actor she is always looking for ways to challenge herself, and her role in upcoming psychological suspense drama, The Girl On The Train, gave her an opportunity to do so.

“‘The Girl On The Train’ was an entirely different experience for me as I have never played this kind of a role before. Getting into the character of Meera Kapoor and working closely with (director) Ribhu (Dasgupta) to bring her to life was an immense learning experience for me,” Parineeti said. “As an actor, I have always wanted to challenge myself with more, and this role gave me the opportunity to do so. ‘The Girl On The Train’ will take the audiences on a dark journey trying to piece together the reality of who actually committed the crime and have them guessing the truth,” she added. The film is an official Hindi remake of the Hollywood thriller The Girl On The Train, which is based on Paula Hawkins’ 2015 bestseller of the same name. The Hollywood version by Tate Taylor featured Emily Blunt in the lead role. The Hindi remake follows the story of Meera (Parineeti), who fixates on the perfect lives of a couple she watches from afar during her daily train commutes. One day, she witnesses something out of the

ordinary that shocks her. The film also stars Aditi Rao Hydari, Kirti Kulhari and Avinash Tiwary. Talking about the film, director Dasgupta said: “The book enticed me tremendously, and I am excited to have the opportunity to bring this version of the story to screens around the world. This film has been a real ride of emotion and passion for me. I am happy that the trailer will drop on Netflix and everyone will see a glimpse of the world we have created.” The film was due to release theatrically in May 2020 but got pushed due to the Covid pandemic. It will now premiere on Netflix on February 26. (AGENCIES)

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ACTRESS Kirti Kulhari feels genderbased violence is a harsh reality, one that has gone up amid the pandemic. “Together, we are facing the largest social, economic and health crisis, known to humankind, in the form of Covid-19. But there are many who are suffering, perhaps much more than us, in silence. Lockdown was enforced to ensure our safety. But many women are not safe in their own homes. Cases of domestic abuse and domestic violence have risen by an alarming percentage,” Kirti said. She continued: “This is the shadow pandemic and you and I can actively work towards putting an end to it. It could be you, your neighbour, your friend, your help, your colleague, or anyone else facing gender-based violence and suffering in silence. It is happening to women around us, which is why this concerns you, me, all of us.” “One in three women in the world face violence usually by their partner. Genderbased violence is a harsh reality and as a society, we must do our bit to make a difference. If you see anyone experiencing violence, lend your hand and your voice to the situation. It is time we stand with survivors and initiate a much-needed conversation. While we are actively working towards ending the Covid 19 pandemic, let’s also treat this as an opportunity to build back a better and equal world,” she added. In sync with her thoughts, the actress has supported the cause of #BuildBackBetterAndEqual, an initiative by UN Women. Incidentally, her latest release, Criminal Justice: Behind Closed Doors, had her playing a victim of marital rape. Kirti will soon be seen in the third season of Four More Shots Please and the Hindi film, The Girl On The Train. (IANS)

One who gets typecast is the hero in Bollywood: Nawazuddin Siddiqui NAWAZUDDIN Siddiqui begs to differ when you tell him he is typecast in a particular kind of roles. He insists it is the Bollywood mainstream hero who is pigeonholed into doing similar roles.

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

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Sara Ali Khan reveals her love for home remedies

“I think I am the actor who does different characters and the one who gets typecast is the hero in Bollywood, who in their over 30 to 36 years’ career do only one role. Thank god I got the opportunity to do different roles. If I am doing a ‘Manto’ then I am also doing a ‘Thackeray’. If I am playing a police officer in ‘Raat Akeli Hai’, at the same time there is “Serious Men’, too,” Nawazuddin said. The actor has three films lined up in the coming months as of now -- “No Land’s Man”, the rom-com “Jogira Sara Ra” and “Bole Chudiyan”. He says the focus continues to be on “doing a different character”. “I have done ‘Photograph’ and I have also done ‘Kick’. So, I think the opportunity to play various roles the industry gave me is amazing,” he added. He feels the there is some “misconception about typecast” when it comes to our films. “The hero gets typecast. If you see in the last 40 years, a hero has been doing

one kind of role. There is only one kind of gesture and posture. There is one kind of costume and expression. Everything is of one kind. The one who does the same things get typecast,” he said. Nawazuddin feels grateful that he did not headline a “formula film” as a hero. “Thank god I did not become a hero -- as in, a hero in the typical formula film. If I do that then I will leave this profession because I will get bored doing the same thing. So, thanks to the industry that they saw me in various roles. They want to see me in different roles and they will keep seeing me in different roles,” he said. . (AGENCIES)

Randeep Hooda on exploring a career in the West ACTOR Randeep Hooda opened up on his Hollywood ambition saying he wants to be part of great stories in the West, and stay away from typecast Indian roles. Last year, Randeep made an actionpacked entry in Hollywood as Saju in the web film “Extraction”, starring Chris Hemsworth and David Harbour.

At the moment, the actor has lent his voice for “Ladakh Warriors: The Sons

She says: “I’m a big fan of ‘ghar ke nuske’ (home remedies). Cream and honey are my favourite scrubs, I also put fruit on my face.” Sharing her beauty regime, Sara says: “Most important part about my beauty regime is trying to sleep for 8 hours, waking up, washing my face and working out, that is extremely important to me.” Sara, who has been roped in as the brand ambassador of Purplle.com, an e-beauty destination, defines beauty as “just being you”. She says: “It does not necessarily mean too much make up or little makeup. It means being confident in your own skin, doing and dressing exactly the way you want to. Beauty is being you.” When asked for a beauty tip for young girls, Sara advises: “Do whatever makes you happy because I think happy girls look the prettiest.” The ‘Kedarnath’ actress also featured in a TVC, released under the new campaign #GoPurplle by Purplle.com.

Asked how he wants to explore his career in the West, Randeep said: “I want to explore it the same way I have explored it here.” “I want to be a part of great stories, hopefully great series and get roles that are not typecast Indian roles only, like in ‘Extraction’ it wasn’t. I am looking to do more of that and I would like to do more action. I want to work more and more over there, there’s no doubt about that,” he added.

BOLLYWOOD actress Sara Ali Khan reveals she is a big fan of home remedies for all her beauty needs.

Of The Soil” in Hindi. The show depicts the training that the ‘Snow Warriors’ go through at one of the highest regimental centres in the world. “Ladakh Warriors: The Sons of the Soil” is streaming on discovery+ in India. In Bollywood, he will be seen in the much-awaited film “Radhe”, starring Salman Khan, and “Unfair N Lovely. (AGENCIES)

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About her association with the brand, Sara says: “When the brand Purplle first reached out to me, I was extremely excited to join them because I think that their ethos is ‘Beauty for All’ and they try to beauty accessible to those who aspire for it the most. I think that is how it should be, instead of making beauty products an inaccessible luxury, they should be something that every girl in our country can aspire to use. That is something I really believe in and this kind of democratisation of beauty products is the reason I am proud to endorse Purplle. By Puja Gupta

FOOD

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bon appétit

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

Did you know:

Tulsi extract has been shown to reduce cortisol, lower adrenal gland hypertrophy, and normalise stress-induced hyperglycaemia in rodents

Foodies rejoice! Dubai Food Festival is back D

ubai will celebrate its status as the region's gastronomic hub with the return the Dubai Food Festival (DFF) from 25 February to 13 March, 2021. The eighth edition of the annual culinary extravaganza will include three weekends of food and dining experiences held throughout the city.

Organised by Dubai Festivals and Retail Establishment (DFRE), DFF will offer a range of mouth-watering experiences, including Dubai Restaurant Week, which will feature exclusive menus at more than 30 exceptional restaurants. Meanwhile, Foodie Experiences will offer innovative dining concepts including Chef's Tables, Masterclasses, and chef collaborations.

This year's edition will focus on four highlights of Dubai's foodie scene: rich culinary diversity, authentic and homegrown cuisine, unique restaurant experiences, and exceptional value for money.

Other main highlights include Etisalat Beach Canteen, which will focus on Dubai's evolving international and local food scene, and homegrown brands that have been established locally.

From street food sizzlers and family friendly fare to fine dining decadence, DFF has a cuisine for every palate and budget, making it one of the highlights of the year for visitors and residents alike.

Dubai Food Festival is a citywide culinary celebration that showcases the emirate's emergence as the gastronomy capital of the region through a packed 17-day programme of food-related events, activities, promotions and appearances by food celebrities. DFF promotes

the diversity, creativity and multicultural nature of Dubai's culinary offering from its five-star gourmet dining to its hidden gems. By Puja Gupta

Paddock to Plate Option on The Table for Kangaroo Harvest

MELBOURNE, Jan 28: The Andrews Labor Government is improving access to sustainable food and supporting sustainable jobs, with changes to the Kangaroo Harvesting Program that will see more meat available for Victorians to enjoy. Minister for Agriculture Mary-Anne Thomas announced the 2021 quota allocation for the Kangaroo Harvesting Program – which has risen due to a notable increase in the estimated state-wide kangaroo population in the last three years. The 2020 survey estimates the current kangaroo population at almost 2 million across Victoria – up almost 40 per cent compared to 2018. While natural in the Victorian environment, over-abundant populations compete with

livestock for stock and feed, and damage crops and fences. To reduce these impacts, the Kangaroo Harvesting Program quota in 2021 is 95,680 kangaroos – an increase of 37,780 from last year. To reduce waste and boost economic opportunities, the Labor Government will allow the extra meat to be made available for human consumption – not just for pet food as is currently the case – and look for opportunities to export the skins. Kangaroo meat is an environmentally friendly protein – the animals have less impact on land and they are a low-emissions meat source. Boosting supply of locally sourced kangaroo meat will also reduce the environmental impacts of importing kangaroo meat from other states.

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Only trained professional shooters authorised through the Program meeting strict health and safety measures will be able to provide animals to abattoirs to be processed for the table. To be part of the program, harvesters must be authorised, hold a firearms licence and be accredited in firearm proficiency and game harvesting. Harvesters must abide by the National Code of Practice for the Humane Shooting of Kangaroos and Wallabies for Commercial Purposes. Their vehicles and cool rooms must also be accredited through PrimeSafe. Since October 2019, 86 harvesters and five meat processors have taken part in the pet-food-only program, with many calling for changes that allow processing for human consumption to support jobs in country communities. Domestic demand for the high protein, low fat meat, plus interest from overseas for the skins, could help as many as 100 regional businesses grow. The sustainability of kangaroo populations is protected through annual quotas, in accordance with Victoria’s Kangaroo Harvest Management Plan 2021-2023. The quota is based on population surveys and modelling from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning and is set alongside the estimated numbers of kangaroos controlled under their Authority to Control Wildlife permit system.

(MEDIA RELEASE)

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

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Will Dhoni's push make Kadaknath chicken a favourite of Indian foodies? C

hennai: Will the popularity of Kadaknath chicken soar among Indian foodies as former ace cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni too has ordered around 2,000 chicks of the Indian breed for his poultry farm?

Well, we will have to wait for a few months to get the answer. But one thing is sure -- more and more people are getting to know about the Kadaknath chicken with the passage of time. The chicken species, with a Geographical Indicator (GI) tag, is originally from Jhabua area in Madhya Pradesh. Not only are the bird's feathers black, its meat and eggs too are of the same colour. The Kadaknath chicken's meat is rich in protein but with far less fat as compared with a broiler or other chicken varieties, apart from having medicinal properties. Even though the chicken from the countryside has a unique taste and texture, it not very popular at very many eateries at present. "When we served Kadaknath chicken dish at 'Desi Di' restaurant in Chennai, guests enjoyed its distinctive taste. But perhaps owing to its high cost, there were not many repeat orders," Pune-based chef Aaron Coutinho said. As for Kadaknath chicken not finding favour among star hotel chefs, Coutinho said: "A combination of factors are responsible. Firstly, it is three times costlier than a broiler -- Rs 700-900 per bird. So, its dish has to be priced higher. The meat too is hard and needs a different style of cooking, unlike a broiler. If not cooked properly, one is in a soup as the meat becomes chewy." "The meat's black colour is not an issue. Indians want everything soft. They are accustomed to soft and fleshy broiler meat," Prakash Jaydevan, a chef turned General Manager of Trident Hotel, part of Oberoi Group, said. According to Coutinho, people may try

the Kadaknath chicken dishes for its novelty factor -- black meat. Generally, it takes a lot of guts for a young chef to try out something that is entirely off-beat at a new restaurant. But Coutinho took up the challenge to offer Chettinad chicken dish made with Kadaknath chicken meat two years ago. According to Coutinho, if the Kadaknath chicks are reared like poultry birds, the economies of scale may work out better for the poultries. Owners of Jolarpettai-based Rudra Breeders -- one of the earliest chicken farm in Tamil Nadu to raise Kadaknath chicks -- are happy with their business and the fact that Dhoni is now ready to rear the indigenous variety at his farm. "We supply Kadaknath chicks to all states, except the north-eastern states. We can also supply big birds and their meat, if needed, but on advance payment basis," Rudra Breeders owner S Shanthi said. She said her farm supplies around 2,000 Kadaknath chicks a month. "A close relative of mine had some www.gdayindia.com.au | M: 0412-114-383

health issues. We had heard of Kadaknath chicken had some medicinal properties. We sourced the chicken and put it on the relative's diet. There was some improvement in her health. It was then that my son thought of the business aspect of Kadaknath chicken," Shanthi recalled. She said that Covid-19 lockdown did not impact Rudra Breeders as many people had returned to nearby Ambur and Vanniambadi localities from the Middle East. "They knew about the black chicken and bought the birds from us for consumption. So, we were not largely affected due to the lockdown," Shanthi said. According to her, a female Kadaknath chick can grow up to weigh 1.5 kg while the male grows up to 2.5 kg. A pair costs around Rs 5,000. A single male and six female birds can help start a breeding farm. She said the Kadaknath chicken meat can be used to make all kinds of dishes. Rudra Breeders deals only in Kadaknath chicken whereas some others deal in multiple varieties, which results in crossbreeding of birds. Shanthi said that if all Kadaknath chicks are reared like poultry broilers, the meat taste would be uniform but each bird's meat would taste distinct in case of freerange farms as it would depend on their food intake. By Venkatachari Jagannathan

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DIET

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

Fruits – Is there ever too much? BY DEEVYA GUPTA

F

ruits are a beautiful creation of nature we all get to enjoy. Fruits are highly nutritious containing many vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, folate, calcium, potassium, and fibre just to name a few. Is there a limit on how much we should have? Let’s see what the evidence suggests. The current guidelines: The current Australian Dietary Guidelines suggest an average daily intake of approximately two servings a day for adults. This includes various types of fruits such as: • Fresh • Dried • Frozen • Canned • Juice The most common types consumed being fresh or dried fruits. What is a serving of fruit?

One serving of fruit is the equivalent of: • 1 medium sized fruit (e.g. apple, pear, banana, orange) • 2 small sized fruits (e.g. kiwis, nectarines, peaches, apricots, plums) • 1 cup cut up fresh or frozen fruits Occasionally: • 30g dried fruit (e.g. 1.5 tablespoons sultana, 4 dried apricots) • 125ml fruit juice Are there certain fruits I should not have? Not specifically. It is suggested to have the whole fruit instead of opting for juice as the fruit itself will contain more fibre which is beneficial for our gut and bowel health. This will also help to keep you full for longer, as compared to juice which has minimal fibre and more sugar. Also think about how many fruits it takes to make 1 glass of juice – certainly more than 2 fruits! At times people may be medically advised to reduce their overall intake of certain fruits if they have interactions with medications. Other than this it is not usually suggested to avoid certain fruits. Some fruits are higher in fibre therefore keep you full for longer such as apples, other fruits such as watermelon may be easily eaten without making you feel full. If you feel less full, you are more likely to eat more. Fruit juice for children- is it recommended? Fruit juice is not recommended for regular intake with children, especially for under the age of 2 years. This is because, in addition to

the slightly higher sugar levels present and the lower nutritional value compared to eating the whole fruit itself, the juice may cause tooth decay. I have Diabetes, am I still able to have fruit? Most definitely yes. The two fruits per day suggestion is also applicable to those who are living with diabetes also. Just remember to have high fibre fruits wherever possible and not to over-eat at one time. Is there a specific time to eat fruit? Generally, fruit is best had in between meals, to help bridge any hunger gaps throughout the day. It is also recommended to spread your two daily serves out so that your body has a chance to digest the fruits one at a time. A good indicator of when to eat fruit is when you are starting to feel hungry. Try spreading the fruit intake out during the day or afternoon as most likely in the evenings after dinner time you may not be as active. In Summary… Enjoy a variety of whole fruits with the family as a nutritious snack! 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 any changes.

Deevya Gupta is an Accredited Practicing Dietitian in Melbourne | W: www.abcofnutrition.com.au

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RECIPE

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

Turkey Kebabs

Christmas is incomplete without Turkey! In preparation for Christmas, there’s no doubt that roast Turkey is on the menu. What about trying something different this year? These spicy turkey kebabs are quick to prepare and taste great, so you can spend more time with your loved ones instead of in the kitchen. Try them... they won’t disappoint! This is a quick and easy recipe of turkey kebabs, made with minced turkey, Indian spices and served with mint and cranberry sauce

Ingredients: • 500g turkey mince • 1 egg • 2-3 tbsp breadcrumbs • 1 tbsp ginger, finely chopped • 1-2 green chillies, finely chopped • 1 med red onion, finely chopped • 2 tbsp coriander, finely chopped • 2 tbsp mint leaves finely chopped • ¼ tsp cardamom powder • ½ tsp black pepper, coarse • 1 tsp red chilli flakes • Salt to taste • For frying: Olive oil

Serves 2-4

Method: 1. In a large bowl, mix all the ingredients with the turkey mince. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours until ready to cook. 2. Take 2–3 tbsp of the mixture and roll to form smooth patties or kebabs. 3. Heat olive oil in a pan and fry until cooked through and golden brown. 4. Serve hot

Garnish: With fresh Garden salad and trio of sauce – cranberry sauce, mint sauce and tomato sauce.

Tip: Gently stir the rice because basmati after soaking becomes very fragile

Variation: Have as a snack, in a wrap or in a burger.

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recipe

BY MANJIT SETHI

from the private collection

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ASTROLOGY

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

By D. Narayan (Tantracharya) Mesha (Aries)

Vrishabh (Taurus)

Mithuna (Gemini)

M: 0425 660 220

Karkat (Cancer)

The Aries people are likely to experience remarkable transformations this month. And you may even find yourself moving to a different job. Month will bring a huge transformation in your career and wealth. You will be able to assess your work projects and can think of new projects and wealth inflow. This may bring good further improvements in your wealth sector.

February is a great month to get interested in family matters and to bring pleasure to your loved one. You will be in the centre of interest, so your personal career will start gaining momentum. You will take on quite new obligations on your shoulders, but be careful, it will not turn out that the excess of your duties will make it impossible for you to perform them on time.

This is now the best time to go out and stay with your family. However, it is not advisable to make any important financial decisions, because through holiday and distraction you can perceive everything in a pink where it is not normally. It will be much more sensible if you focus all your attention on friends and related entertainment that will bring a lot of joy into your life.

In free time, the zodiacal Cancer should reflect on the correctness of the path they took in their personal as well as professional life. February is a great time to reflect on values in life and what is really important in it. Carefully approach people, especially those who offer golden mountains. February will be a good prospect for spiritual and artistic matters.

Best days: 3, 12, 30 Lucky Colour: Red, Orange, Cream

Best days: 9, 18, 27 Lucky Colour: Green, Blue

Best days: 2, 7, 9 Lucky Colour: Red, White, Yellow

Best days: 9, 18 Lucky Colour: Red, Blue

Simha (Leo)

There will be numerous changes and shifts in your private life as well as your professional life. As a result, misunderstandings in dealing with loved ones - be it with family or friends - will be very comfortable. Therefore, to avoid this, try to express your own views and opinions in a clear, understandable, and communicative way. Best days: 5,3 Lucky Colour: White & Orange

Dhanu (Sagittarius)

Kanya (Virgo)

Tula (Libra)

Vrishchik (Scorpio)

Your social popularity will increase significantly, yet recklessness and hasty behaviour will make all the financial undertakings you have recently seriously strained your home budget. That is why it will be much wiser to leave your lifestyle and leave your belt firmly in place for a while. You will see that this will be the best, especially since it is possible that the situation in the future may get even worse.

You can now successfully expect recognition at work. He will be more willing than ever to be in public. In February you will have lots of things on your mind. As a result, you can be distracted and tired. You can now successfully expect recognition at work. Although there will be many responsibilities, do not be overwhelmed by their excess.

February will be the month in which you bet everything in your life on one card. You have enormous plans and either you manage to do everything and succeed in your immediate surroundings or you forget about your own needs and devote yourself to matters related to helping others. In the middle of the month, you will show greater interest in general matters.

Best days: 9, 18 Lucky Colour: Red, Blue

Best days: 1, 3, 4 Lucky Colour: Red, Orange

Makara (Capricorn)

Kumbha (Aquarius)

Best days: 3, 12 Lucky Colour: Orange, Green

February will undoubtedly be a month of many commitments to those close to your heart. Do not take what's going on in your work. At the end of the month, a lot of confusion may arise. But you have fought too hard for too long to be provoked by stupid rumours. Do not believe everything you hear and you will see that you will go out well.

Make sure you do not run out of time for entertainment, meetings with friends - especially in the middle of the month, because it is at this time that you will meet someone who will completely change your life and make you look at the world with a completely different, more sober eye. It's time to end with fantasizing, it's time for specifics.

Best days: 9, 18 Lucky Colour: Red, Blue

Best days: 1, 3, 4 Lucky Colour: White, Green, Blue

February, specifically the period between 3 and 15 days will be a good month to go on a journey, but only in the company of your important person. You need a rest, and you know it. If you do not take time to relax, the mundane problems of everyday nature will overwhelm you to such an extent that you will not be able to go straight afterwards. You should focus all your attention on professional matters. Best days: 5, 3, 6 Lucky Colour: White, Green

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Meen (Pisces)

During the month you can expect a more joyful attitude to people. This optimism will motivate you to work and personal development, as well as to start searching for new spiritual values that will completely change your life. On the horizon, you can also see new ideas that are extremely attractive because they are an opportunity to develop your own talents.

Best days: 2, 7, 9 Lucky Colour: Red, Yellow, White

Have a laug h

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

HAVE A LAUGH

Classic example of honest politician... A Businessman went to see a politician to get his work done. He said “Sir, I want to present you a *Brand new car* in lieu of approval for my contract... Minister: No. No. No.... I don't want to get it free. I want to give some money for this car .... Businessman after high persuasion agreed and said okay sir! Please give one rupee. The minister did not have change and gave a two-rupee coin. Businessman jokingly said: Sorry sir. I have no change to return one rupee to you...

Minister: No problem. You give me another car for *my wife*.... A masterpiece! A rat swallowed a diamond, and the owner of the diamond contacted a man to kill the rat. When the rat hunter arrived to kill the rat there were more than a thousand rats bunched up all together and one sitting by itself away from the pack. He spotted and killed the one sitting by itself and to the owner’s surprise, that was the exact one that had swallowed the diamond! The amazed diamond owner asked: "How did you know it was that rat?" He responded: "Very easy, *When idiots get rich, they don't mix with others!!!"*

www.gdayindia.com.au | M: 0412-114-383

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G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

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www.gdayindia.com.au | M: 0412-114-383

G’DAY INDIA | FEB 2021

www.gdayindia.com.au | M: 0412-114-383

55 55