Issue 330 30 Jul - 05 Aug 2021
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A LOT HAPPENS IN A WEEK ...
A Passage to Tibet
From sea level to climbing 5700 meters filming, Australian filmmaker Mark Gould’s documentary ‘A Pilgrimage into Tibet is his love letter to Tibet and his parikrama of Mt Kailash
Above: Freeman Trebilcock, Mark Gould and Murray Cox at north face of Mt Kailash
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NEWSVICTORIA
DIRECTORS Tonee Sethi & Amandeep Sethi
Lockdown Lifted Across Victoria
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MELBOURNE, July 27: A range of restrictions will ease across Victoria tonight, thanks to the incredible work of our public health teams and every single Victorian who has done their part to keep our community safe from coronavirus. Following a reduction in community transmission of coronavirus in Victoria, Victoria’s Chief Health Officer has advised that the lockdown will be lifted state-wide from 11.59pm tonight. There are still thousands of Victorians in quarantine and people will need to remain vigilant to stay on top of this highly infectious Delta variant. That means COVIDSafe behaviours like checking in everywhere, every time, wearing a mask and getting vaccinated when you’re eligible will remain key as we cautiously open up again. From 11.59pm tonight, Victorians will be able to leave their homes for any reason. Restaurants and cafes can also reopen for seated service. Retail and beauty and personal care will open in line with density limits, as will entertainment venues and community facilities. The Authorised Worker List will no longer apply, meaning businesses and venues can reopen with capacity and density limits of 1 person per 4sqm. Victoria will return to the rule that ‘if you can work from home, you should work from home’ but office workers will be able to return up to 25 per cent or up to 10 people, whichever is greater. In welcome news for families, kids can get back to the classroom with schools reopening for onsite learning to all students from tomorrow. Public gatherings will be allowed with up to 10 people, with infants under 12 months not included in the cap. However, due to the significant transmission risk we have seen throughout the pandemic, gatherings in the home are still not permitted. People will only be able to book accommodation
Dr. Noel Nadesan, VP
with their household, intimate partner or single bubble person. People will be free to visit ski fields again, but due to the higher risk in these settings entry to Victoria’s alpine resorts will require a COVID test and receipt of a negative result within 72 hours prior to visiting. Children under 12 years of age are not required to be tested. Live music venues, dance classes and physical recreation facilities, including gyms, will all open with density requirements of 1 person per 4sqm. A maximum of 50 people will be permitted at weddings. Funerals will also have a cap of 50 mourners, plus those conducting the funeral. Infants under 12 months are not included in the cap for either. Masks will continue to be required everywhere indoors and outdoors (except private residences) unless an exception applies. Results from a recent Burnet Institute study show that masks played a huge role in slowing the spread of the virus in 2020 – and they will be an important part of our defences against the virus for some time to come. While case numbers in Sydney remain so high, we are still at risk of another significant incursion from NSW so on the advice of the Chief Health Officer, changes will also be made to tighten our cross-border bubble with NSW. The City of Wagga Wagga, Hay Shire Council, Lockhart Shire Council and Murrumbidgee Council will no longer be included in the cross border bubble. These local government areas will be included under the Extreme Risk Zone from 11:59pm tonight, in line with the rest of NSW and residents will need a Specified Worker Permit, transit permit, or an exemption to enter Victoria. For more information on the latest COVIDSafe settings please visit coronavirus.vic.gov.au 30 JUL - 05 AUG 2021
Victorian Business Support Package MELBOURNE, July 28: A new jointly funded package from the Commonwealth and Victorian Governments will give Victorian small and medium businesses the extra support and confidence they need to recover from the recent lockdown. The new Victorian Business Support Package will deliver an additional $400 million in support to thousands of businesses, with funding to be split 50/50 between the Commonwealth and Victorian Government. The package includes a new $85 million Small Business COVID Hardship Fund and $156 million Business Continuity Fund, as well as delivering support for commercial tenants and landlords. It will also build on Victorian Government support for licenced hospitality and alpine venues, with $70 million for the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021 and $9.8 million for Alpine Business Support. The programs will be administered by the Victorian Government. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said Victorian businesses had borne the brunt of the heavy cost of lockdowns that kept the state and Australia safe. “Together we can, and we will recover from this,” the Prime Minister said. “We’ve done it before, and we’ll do it again. “Last year, Victoria and our nation faced heavy blows from COVID, but with the right supports in place our economy and businesses came back strongly and a million people returned to work. “We will continue to do what is necessary to support Victorian businesses as we face the evolving challenges of COVID-19.” The Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews said, “This package is all about jobs – protecting and growing jobs to support Victoria’s economic recovery.” “With this funding we’ll continue driving jobs and economic recovery here in Victoria, and for the nation.” The Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said the Morrison Government supported Victorians during the crisis and will continue to support them to the end of this crisis. “Having battled five lockdowns Victorian businesses have been amongst the hardest hit in the nation,” the Treasurer said. “No amount of support can make up 30 JUL - 05 AUG 2021
for what business owners have experienced over the last year and half, but this latest package will support them as they reopen after this latest lockdown.” The Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas said, “We’re supporting Victorian businesses each step of the way as we continue to fight this pandemic.” “We know small businesses have been doing it tough and this new fund will give them the support they need to recover.” Five key elements make up the support package to help businesses deal with ongoing public health restrictions. Business continuity fund A $156 million Business Continuity Fund will be established to deliver $5,000 grants to up to around 30,000 businesses that remain impacted by capacity limits placed on businesses by necessary public health restrictions. Twenty-four eligible sectors are covered by the fund including gyms, cafes, restaurants, catering services and hairdressers. Recognising businesses located in the CBD will continue to be impacted due to restrictions on the number of staff allowed in office buildings, they will be eligible to receive an additional $2,000 recognising reduced foot traffic due to office density limits. All recipients must have received or been eligible for the previous Business Cost Assistance Program. Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021 The Licenced Hospitality Venue Fund will receive a $70 million boost, with grants of up to $20,000 to be made available to support licensed venues as their operations continue to be impacted by current restrictions. These grants recognise that larger venues depend more on dine-in and have higher operating costs, so need more support than smaller operations. Again, an additional $2,000 will also be made available to the business if it is
located within the CBD. To receive this funding, venues will need to have received or been eligible for the Licensed Hospitality Venue Fund 2021. Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme and Landlord Hardship Fund The package, to be fully funded by the Victorian Government, will deliver $80 million to provide support to landlords that provide rent relief to their tenants. The Commercial Tenancies Relief Scheme will be reinstated to provide much needed rent relief to small to medium commercial tenants and their landlords with more details on the roll out to be provided by the Victorian Government soon. Small Business COVID Hardship Fund A new $85 million fund will be established to support small businesses who have not been eligible under existing business support funds. Small businesses with a payroll of up to $10 million who have experienced a 70 per cent or greater reduction in revenue will be eligible for grants of up to $5,000. Alpine Business Support Program Alpine Business Support will receive a further $9.8 million to deliver grants of between $5,000 and $20,000 to 430 Alpine based businesses in recognition of restricted inter and intra-state travel during the peak winter season. The funding also includes an additional $5 million support to alpine resort operators and management boards. The Commonwealth and Victorian Governments continue to work together to support Victorians through this challenging time. (MEDIA RELEASE)
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NEWSVICTORIA
Commercial Tenancy Relief for Victorian Businesses MELBOURNE, July 28: The Victorian Government is acting decisively to back the state’s small and medium-sized businesses as they emerge from lockdown, facilitating commercial rent waivers and deferrals from today. Many commercial landlords have done the right thing and offered rent relief – today’s announcement goes further and make it a requirement for landlords to help eligible businesses that have endured a serious trading downturn due to no fault of their own. In a boost to thousands of businesses across the state, the reintroduced Commercial Tenancy Relief Scheme will ease pressure by providing rent relief for eligible tenants, while separate support will be provided to landlords who do the
right thing by their tenants. The Scheme will be available to businesses with an annual turnover of less than $50 million and have suffered a decline in turnover of at least 30 per cent due to coronavirus. Landlords will be required to provide proportional rent relief in line with a business’s reduction in turnover. For example, a business with a turnover of 40 per cent of pre-pandemic levels can only be charged 40 per cent of its rent. Of the balance, at least half must be waived, with the remainder to be deferred. A mediation service for tenants and landlords will further support fair tenancy negotiations. Tenants and landlords will be encouraged to enter negotiations
directly, with the Victorian Small Business Commission (VSBC) available to provide mediation if parties cannot reach satisfactory agreement. Landlords will not be able to lock out or evict tenants without a determination from the VSBC. Legislation will shortly be introduced to enact the Scheme, which will be applied from today to ensure rent relief can start immediately. We will create an $80 million hardship fund for landlords who provide rent relief to eligible tenants, with further details to be confirmed in due course. Tenants and landlords can contact the Victorian Small Business Commission for further information on 13 87 22 or visit vsbc.vic.gov.au.
Supporting Our Senior Secondary Students to Succeed MELBOURNE, July 23: The Victorian Government will continue to provide extra support to students in their final years of school, with the Consideration of Educational Disadvantage process to continue in 2021 in light of continued disruptions to the school year. Once again, Victorian students have done a remarkable job adapting to the ongoing impacts of the pandemic on schooling in 2021 – with coronavirus restrictions forcing students across the state back to remote learning and pushing back important school milestones. With so few Australians vaccinated, and the Delta variant causing unprecedented situations right around the country, the CED process will ensure that every student is assessed fairly, with any disruptions to learning throughout the year factored into their results. In a normal year, individual students are assessed for special consideration on a case-by-case basis – but the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority will again use the CED process to finalise VCE results for each and every student completing one or more VCE or scored 6
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VCE VET Unit 3 –4 sequence in 2021. Consistent with the approach in 2020, the process considers a range of data alongside exam results to calculate final VCE results - like the General Achievement Test (GAT), comparisons of performance across all assessments and schools and other learning data. The process will also include assessments of the individual impact of coronavirus on each student including school closures, direct impacts on student’ health, ongoing issues with remote learning and mental health challenges. All Year 12 VCAL students will also have access to individual consideration – with schools required to apply special consideration for all students who have been subject to significant disruptions.
On advice from the Chief Health Officer that the current restrictions will continue until Tuesday 27 July, the GAT will be rescheduled to 12 August, pending further public health advice and logistical constraints on that date. The rescheduling of the GAT will allow schools time to organise logistics and put COVIDSafe protocols in place to make sure students and staff can participate safely with minimal disruption to their assessments.
(MEDIA RELEASE)
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Putting Gender Equality at The Heart of Victorian TAFE MELBOURNE, July 27: An Australianfirst guide to gender equality and respect will be rolled-out across Victorian TAFEs, thanks to support from the Andrews Labor Government. Minister for Training and Skills Gayle Tierney today launched the Respect and Equality in TAFE guide, supported by $800,000 from the Labor Government and led by Our Watch in collaboration with Victorian TAFEs. The step-by-step guide includes written and visual resources that work alongside a dedicated website, encouraging TAFEs to create change by implementing equality action plans, fostering female leadership, encouraging female students to enrol in non-traditional courses and supporting staff to identify and respond to incidents on-campus. Teachers at Melbourne Polytechnic,
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which was one of six TAFEs involved in the pilot, have already developed a project for VCAL students to reflect on their own values and behaviours relating to family violence and prevention. The initiative responds to key recommendations from the Royal Commission into Family Violence. A national version is currently under development. Since 2015, the Labor Government has
made a record $3.2 billion investment to rebuild TAFE and support universities and higher education to ensure all Victorians have access to high quality education and rewarding career pathways. The Victorian Budget 2021/22 includes a $383.8 million investment in the sector to ensure more Victorians get the training they need for in-demand jobs. (MEDIA RELEASE)
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OPINION
Vaccination protects you and your family
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round 11 million doses of the COVID 19 vaccine have now been administered. We are now tracking at around 1 million doses a week. Sure, we’ve had our problems. Not all the calls we have made have turned out like we had hoped. In a pandemic no country gets everything right. But having saved more than 30,000 lives, having supported over 3 million Australians through Jobkeeper and getting 1 million Australians back into work, we’ve also got a lot right. After a difficult start, over recent months we have been turning the vaccination programme around. We’re definitely making up lost ground. Lieutenant General Frewen and his team in the Department of Health are doing a great job getting us back on track. The program is accelerating even more with the new additional supply we have secured - around one million Pfizer doses now arriving every week. As more and more Australians get vaccinated, we rob the virus of its potency and power to disrupt our lives. Getting vaccinated protects you, your family and your community. Though we are currently responding to the threat of the COVID Delta variant in many parts of Australia, we can be confident that we will emerge from this pandemic successfully as we have done before. Our record in saving lives and livelihoods is world’s best. We see it clearly from the 8
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health and economic data. More than 30,000 lives saved and 1 million jobs restored. Very few countries can claim these results. However, I understand Australians facing lockdowns are asking immediate questions about their incomes and about the weeks ahead, as well as the pathway back to normal life. For Australians facing lockdowns, we are directly delivering financial support to individuals and businesses impacted by the lockdowns through Services Australia. And we are sharing costs with state governments delivering much needed support to small and medium sized businesses. People who have lost more than 20 hours of work in the previous week can claim $750. People who have lost between 8 hours or a full day of work to 20 hours, can claim $450. Individuals who currently receive an income support payment through our social security safety net will receive a weekly payment of $200, in addition to their existing payment, if they can demonstrate they have lost more than 8 hours of work and meet the other eligibility requirements for the COVID-19 Disaster Payment. For more information about accessing these payments in your language visit www.servicesaustralia.gov.au or call the multilingual phone service on 131 202.This is in addition to other help like Medicare telehealth, mental health and child care gap fee relief to help respond to outbreaks when and where they occur. Importantly, we are also setting out a pathway back to normal life. It is built on a clear premise: if you get vaccinated, we can make lockdowns, border closures and restrictions a thing of the past. The National Cabinet has agreed to set out a four-stage path. Moving from one stage to the next will depend on achieving vaccination targets of the population informed by the best health and economic advice and scientific modelling. The plan recognises that Australians who get vaccinated pose less of a health risk to themselves and others than people who are not vaccinated and should therefore face fewer or no restrictions as vaccination rates increase. It’s only fair. I will be recommending these vaccination targets to Premiers and Chief
Ministers in coming weeks so we all know what we are aiming for. Stage 1 is where we are at now suppressing the virus and offering every Australian an opportunity to be vaccinated, while we trial new ways to ease restrictions, like home quarantine. Stage 2 is where have enough confidence in the vaccine take-up to shift our current focus on COVID case numbers to the numbers of people with serious illnesses, hospitalisations and fatalities. This change means we will be able to ease restrictions for vaccinated residents. In this stage, lockdowns will only be in extreme circumstances to prevent escalating hospitalisations and fatalities, not a few cases. In Stage 3 we will be managing COVID-19 consistent with public health management of other infectious diseases, like the flu. In this stage, we will see the complete end of lock downs and a continued easing of the border controls that have protected us for so long, so Australians can travel overseas again and we can lift restrictions at our airports. Stage 4 is the final phase, the return of normal life. In this stage, there will still be modest, but prudent controls at our borders, because the virus will never be eliminated. But for the most part COVID will be managed just like any other infectious disease. Over the past 18 months, I have asked a great deal of Australians, and there is still a way to go - and we can all play our part in the weeks and months ahead. During the COVID Pandemic we have not got everything right. But we have done better than almost every country in the world. We now have to finish the job of getting our country vaccinated. What we all have to do is clear: follow the public health advice; maintain social distancing; be COVID safe; and if you haven’t already done so, make your appointment to get vaccinated. To find out if you can get a COVID-19 vaccination now and to find out where and book an appointment in your language visit https://covid-vaccine.healthdirect.gov. au/eligibility?lang=en - Scott Morrison - Prime Minister 30 JUL - 05 AUG 2021
NEWSAUSTRALIA
Australia secures additional PfizerBioNTech vaccine for 2022 and 2023 CANBERRA, July 23: The Morrison Government has secured an additional 85 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, providing access to additional booster vaccinations that will protect Australians in the future. Through continued engagement with Pfizer-BioNTech, the Government has secured 60 million doses in 2022, and 25 million doses in 2023. Delivery will begin in the first quarter of 2022 and enable booster coverage throughout the year. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the new supply schedule that the Government had successfully negotiated with PfizerBioNTech would provide every Australian with a booster vaccine if required.
“We have secured an additional 85 million doses of Pfizer, which brings Australia’s total Pfizer doses to 125 million,” the Prime Minister said. “This is a significant shot in the arm for Australia’s vaccine supply. Every Australian will have access to a booster shot if it is needed. “This will ensure individuals, families and communities have certainty about their continued protection against the evolving threat of COVID-19 over the next two years. We have turned the corner in Australia’s vaccine programme and this is another milestone on our pathway back to a normal life.” Minister for Health and Aged Care Greg
Hunt said this reaffirmed the nation’s vaccine supply and provided additional capability to manage booster timing requirements if recommended by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation. “These additional doses further expands and strengthens Australia’s vaccine capacity,” Minister Hunt said. “More than 280 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines have now been secured to support the COVID-19 vaccine roll-out.” “We’ve taken this step on advice from the expert Science and Industry Technical Advisory Group.” (MEDIA RELEASE)
MEDIA RELEASE
Villawood’s Projects Driving A New-Look Sunbury Big changes are afoot in Melbourne’s northwest where a 5300-lot tripartite project by Villawood Properties is set to transform the sleepy satellite city of Sunbury. Redstone, the first of three housing projects by the award-winning developer, will see a 2500-lot community just behind Melbourne Airport on the main road into Sunbury. With a signature Villawood resort-style residents club, a 40,000 sqm town centre, major hilltop park and 100 hectares of open space featuring Jackson’s Creek – site of the legendary 1970s rock festivals – Redstone is tipped to be a major drawcard for home-buyers and a springboard for new business investment in the corridor. From a property perspective, Villawood’s Redstone – and sister projects Sherwood Grange, a boutique 300-lot offering, and the 2500-strong Raes Road – are bolstered by population growth, growing demand, and affordability. Sunbury offers ready rail and road commuter access to the CBD and adjoining corridors. In addition to freeway CBD access, rapid rail transit clean across Melbourne, and all the signature features that have earned Villawood leading developer status, Sunbury also has an ace up its sleeve. It’s an extraordinarily picturesque town 30 JUL - 05 AUG 2021
with broad sweeping vistas to Melbourne and the pretty Macedon Ranges. It boasts what is arguably Melbourne’s best back yard, with bush, gardens, vineyards, Gisborne, Woodend, Hanging Rock and much more as close as 10 minutes away. And Sunbury has a rich and colourful history. Think the Clarkes, Rupertswood and The Ashes, Emu Bottom, seminal rock festivals, including a Queen brouhaha which Villawood has happily recalled with a giant mural of the rockers on its Redstone land sales office. Villawood executive director Tony Johnson has a special interest in the town. He lived there for 30 years, raised a family of three daughters and immersed himself in practically every community organisation there – particularly the yellow and blue colours of the Rupertswood Football and Netball Club, the Sharks. Johnson is spearheading Villawood’s sister Sandhurst Retail, which will build Redstone’s town centre, further sharpening the group’s focus on the pointed delivery of community facilities and services. “This regional hub combines everyday retail with entertainment, leisure and community services through a high-quality design that gets the fundamentals right and puts the community and operators’ needs first,” he says. With Sunbury at the epicentre of
Melbourne’s north and west – and Melbourne’s fastest and largest population growth – Villawood will be a key player. Its holdings make up 29 per cent of all the land within the area’s two precinct structure plans – Sunbury South and Lancefield Road – planned to accommodate 20,000 new homes and 52,000 people. In typical Villawood fashion, its focus is on community, services, lifestyle and environment. As Villawood fellow executive director Rory Costelloe says: “The vision for Sunbury is to deliver the best masterplanned communities Villawood has ever produced, promoting robust key points of difference within the projects that sets a new and aspiration standard for resort-style living in Sunbury. “In the execution, our vision is to also salute the rural comforts of Sunbury’s unique picturesque location, existing township and suburb history; adding value to an existing historic suburb. ”There will be many things to love about Redstone with so much on offer, including the exclusive residents-only Club Redstone, Redstone Major Town Centre, Redstone Hill Park, Jacksons Creek reserve, parks, proposed schools, childcare, proposed community amenities, a variety of housing options and so much more.” And so much more is right.
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WORLDNEWS
Fauci says US going in ‘wrong direction’ on Covid-19 cases WASHINGTON, July 26: As Covid-19 cases, deaths and hospitalisations continue to increase among the unvaccinated across the US, top infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci said that the country is “going in the wrong direction”, the media reported. “If you look at the inflection of the curve of new cases, that it is among the unvaccinated. And since we have 50 per cent of the country is not fully vaccinated, that’s a problem,” Fauci was quoted as saying to CNN on Sunday. The majority of deaths could be, thus, among the unvaccinated, Fauci said. “So it really is, as (Rochelle) Walensky (Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) has said many times and I have said, it is really a pandemic among the unvaccinated, so this is an issue predominantly among the unvaccinated, which is the reason why we’re out there, practically pleading with the unvaccinated people to go out and get vaccinated,” said the chief medical adviser to President Joe Biden. The warning from Fauci comes as the dangerous Delta variant of Covid-19, which has spread to 124 countries, is now sweeping across the US. Health officials are urging Americans to
get vaccinated to help curb its spread. Every state in the US reported more Covid-19 cases in the week ending on July 23 than the week prior, data from the Johns Hopkins University revealed. Thirty states have yet to fully vaccinate at least half of their residents, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). And as of July 23, the daily average of people becoming fully vaccinated was the lowest it had been since the end of January, the report said. Meanwhile, the CDC is also weighing the option of revising its Covid-19 guidelines to recommend that even fully vaccinated people wear masks in public, Fauci said. He noted that some local areas where infection rates are surging are already urging individuals to wear masks in public regardless of their vaccination status. The US continues to be the worst-hit country with the world’s highest number of cases and deaths at 34,443,064 and 610,891, respectively, according to the latest update on Monday by Johns Hopkins University. Health experts have blamed the recent surges on the low vaccination rates and the accelerating Delta variant transmission. (IANS)
Americans’ optimism about country’s direction drops: Poll WASHINGTON, July 27: Americans’ optimism about the direction of the country has dropped nearly 20 points, according to a latest news poll. The ABC News/Ipsos poll revealed that currently 45 per cent of those surveyed are optimistic about where the country is headed over the next year, while 55 per cent are pessimistic. This marked a nearly 20-point decline in optimism from late April, the last time this question was asked. At that time, 64 per cent were optimistic about the year ahead. This growing pessimism is happening across all age groups, income levels, educational attainment, and partisan affiliation, the survey showed. The decline is also occurring across the 10
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board among Democrats, Republicans, and independents, according to the poll. Optimism is down about 20 points among Democrats and Republicans and down 26 points among independents. Among Democrats, about seven in 10 (71 per cent) now say they are optimistic about the direction of the country over the next 12 months. This figure much lower than the near universal (93 per cent) approval from Democrats on President Joe Biden’s handling of the Covid-19 pandemic. This poll was conducted on July 2324 based on a nationally representative probability sample of 527 general population adults aged 18 or older. (IANS)
UK court declares Vijay Mallya as ‘bankrupt’
LONDON, July 26: A UK court on Monday declared fugitive Indian businessman Vijay Mallya, the chairman of now defunct Kingfisher Airlines, as “bankrupt”. The UK court order comes as a massive boost for the consortium of banks led by the State Bank of India (SBI) to initiate freezing of assets owned by Mallya’s Kingfisher Airlines, both in India and abroad, to repay its debt. Mallya is wanted in India for Rs 9,000 crore loan defraud. “As at 15.42 (UK time), I adjudicate Dr Mallya bankrupt,” Chief Insolvencies and Companies Court Judge Michael Briggs said during a virtual hearing of the Chancery Division of the London High Court. The consortium of banks led by SBI had argued for the bankruptcy order to be granted in their favour. The Indian banks were represented by the law firm TLT LLP and barrister Marcia Shekerdemian. Mallya is currently out on bail in the UK while a “confidential” legal matter, believed to be related to an asylum application, is being resolved in connection with the unrelated extradition proceedings.
(IANS)
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NEWSINDIA
No clean chit yet by Mumbai Crime Branch to actor Shilpa Shetty MUMBAI, July 27: Mumbai Crime Branch said that actor Shilpa Shetty has not yet been given a clean chit in the pornography racket case where her husband and businessman Raj Kundra is the prime accused. According to official’s forensic auditors have been appointed to investigate the transactions in all the accounts of the people involved in the case. “Shilpa Shetty has not been given a clean chit yet. All the possibilities and angles are being probed. Forensic auditors have been appointed and they are looking into the transactions of all the accounts in this case. This audit may take some time as it is a lengthy process but until the audit is complete, no clean chit to anyone,” the officials said. The officials also mentioned that actor Sherlyn Chopra has been called to provide a statement as a witness in the case. Meanwhile, Arvind Shrivastava alias Yash Thakur, who was the owner of the app ‘Neuflix’ has written to the Mumbai Police requesting to defreeze his bank accounts which have been seized with around Rs six crore. The Crime Branch officials said that Shrivastava has been asked to appear before the Mumbai Police and join the investigation.
“No direct connection between Yash Thakur and Raj Kundra has been established as of now. Interestingly, all the persons arrested till now have told the police that they have not met Yash Thakur even once. All know him through a common number starting with +65 (Singapore ISD code),” the official informed. “Rowa Khan, Gehna Vashisth and Tanveer Hashmi were the production team for Raj Kundra (Hotshots) and Yash Thakur (Neuflix) both the apps,” he said. The crime branch officials also stated: “Police suspects that Raj Kundra’s brotherin-law, Pradeep Bakshi was only used as a face but all functioning of Hotshots was looked after by Kundra himself. After his arrest, some other victims approached police and gave statements.” Earlier in the day, the Bombay High Court adjourned the hearing on Kundra’s bail plea till Thursday. The court has also asked the investigating officer to remain present during the hearing in the pornography racket case. The court has not given any interim relief to the businessman. Kundra and his associate Ryan Thorpe have been sent to judicial custody for 14 days.
Kundra was arrested by the police on July 19 along with 11 other people on charges related to the alleged creation of pornographic films. On Sunday, the police had informed that four employees of Kundra have turned witnesses against him in the pornography racket case, increasing troubles for him. Kundra has been named as the key conspirator by the Mumbai Police which has slapped charges against him under Sections 420 (cheating), 34 (common intention), 292, and 293 (related to obscene and indecent advertisements and displays) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) besides relevant sections of the IT Act and the Indecent Representation of Women (Prohibition) Act, said the police. (ANI)
Why Delta Covid variant is spreading rapidly BEIJING, July 22: People infected with the Delta variant of Covid-19 produce far more virus than those infected with the original version of coronavirus making it very easy to spread, according to a study. Researchers at the Guangdong Provincial Center for Disease Control and Prevention in China found that viral load -- a measure of the density of viral particles in the body -- is roughly 1,000 times higher in people infected with the Delta variant than those infected with the original coronavirus strain, Nature reported. According to current estimates, the Delta variant could be more than twice as transmissible as the original strain of SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing Covid-19. The variant, which was first identified in India in late 2020, has now become the predominant strain and has spread to at 30 JUL - 05 AUG 2021
least 111 countries. The team tracked 62 people who were quarantined after exposure to Covid-19 and tested their viral load every day throughout the course of infection to see how it changed over time. Researchers then compared participants’ infection patterns with those of 63 people who contracted the original SARS-CoV-2 strain in 2020. The findings, posted preprint, showed that the virus was first detectable in people with the Delta variant four days after exposure. On the other hand, the original strain took an average six days to be present in people. This suggests that Delta replicates much faster, said epidemiologist Jing Lu at China’s CDC. Individuals infected with Delta also had viral loads up to 1,260 times higher than
those in people infected with the original strain. The combination of a high number of viruses and a short incubation period makes sense as an explanation for Delta’s heightened transmissibility, Benjamin Cowling, epidemiologist at the University of Hong Kong was quoted as saying to Nature. Those infected with Delta carry a high number of viruses in the respiratory tract, which means that they can become super spreaders and infect more people. Moreover, a short incubation makes contact tracing more difficult, the researchers noted. “Putting it all together, Delta’s really difficult to stop,” Cowling says. (IANS) theindianweekly.com.au
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COVERSTORY
A Passage to Tibet
From sea level to climbing 5700 meters filming, Australian filmmaker Mark Gould’s documentary ‘A Pilgrimage into Tibet is his love letter to Tibet and his parikrama of Mt Kailash.
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umans are complex, always shifting between agility and frailty at times. To some, the most difficult things seem the simplest to achieve. This is exactly what my next interviewee is all about. He is charming, doesn’t mince words, knows his craft and shares his abundant love for India – and Tibet. Through Zoom, Mr Sethi, editor-in-chief of G’day India and The Indian Weekly, and I sat down with director, producer and writer Mark Gould on his documentary with ABC, A Pilgrimage into Tibet. In lockdown in Sydney with a glass of red wine, Gould is one of the few who is absolutely loving the lockdown. A swim along Bondi Beach every morning for this seventy-year-old is like taking a walk in the park during these winter months. Similarly, doing films on spirituality is not a ‘calling’ for him; the easiest way for a filmmaker to pay for his travelling bucket North face of Mt Kailash from Diraphuk Monastery
Tarboche maidan. Saga Dawa (Buddha’s Birthday) prayer flag pole raising 12
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Photo credit: Murray Cox 30 JUL - 05 AUG 2021
Tibetan community is something Gould loves talking about. Tibet opened for him when his dear friend married a Sikkimese girl and he was asked to make a film ‘a pig, a chicken and a bag of rice’ which was not only received well, but Gould was asked by Sonya Pemberton An audience with the Dalai Lama gave (science filmmaker from meaning to the word “Enlightenment” Melbourne, and Head Like meeting Lord Buddha himself. of Specialist Factual at ABC at that time) to go to list is to make something out of each trip, Stockholm and shoot a film about Barry and that’s the decision he made a decade J. Marshall and J. Robin Warren, a pair ago, making films from The Holy Dip to from Perth who won the Nobel Prize in History of Jerusalem. Medicine for studying Helicobacter pylori He explicitly says that he is not a (a bacteria causing stomach ulcers and religious person, but there is something cancer). transcendent in the human mind. Of The next years there has been a all the teachings, he most appreciates murder in the Himalayas: Chinese border Hinduism. Gould personally feels that police fired machine guns, murdering Buddhism is an offspring of Hinduism, kids crossing the Nangpa La pass. To as Christianity is to Judaism. He respects make Tibet: Murder in the Snow, Gould OSHO as a comparative religion scholar had to be very involved with the Tibetan but was never a devotee. To Gould, that refugee community to gain their trust and binary contrast between science and permission, as well as seeking blessings mysticism within the Indian world is what from the Dalai Lama to make this film. The he is attracted to, ever since he first visited film won awards all across the world. India in 1979. While in Himachal Pradesh, he realised The man that he admires the most in that the monks at the Gyuto Monastery the world is the Dalai Lama: his kindness, in Sidhibhari, near Dharamshala all his humanity and his smile. Making had Helicobacter pylori. Talk about seven films about the disenfranchised coincidences of life: two stories collided, making another film (Gut Instinct) for ABC. So, when the Ladakhi
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Kalachakra was happening, he just took off without any commission to make this film. Later, the ABC offered him an enhanced acquisition deal, giving birth to the Pilgrimage to Kalachakra. Gould’s involvement with the Tibetan community has lasted over twenty years now. Gould talks about how the Tibetan people are so grateful to India; they even have a ‘Thank-you to India’ ceremony. The Dalai Lama has called Dharamshala his home since 1961. Gould is vocal about how the Chinese government can rewrite history with lies such as celebrating 70 years since the ‘peaceful takeover’ of Tibet. One and half million people were murdered by the Chinese government in that takeover; Gould has met some of the survivors of this atrocity. So, A Pilgrimage into Tibet is Gould paying tribute to that period of time. In 2019 he formed an eight-person team for the trek, one of them being Sonam Ongmu Denzongpa, the Sikkimese bride of his Gangtok film – her fluency
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in five languages was key to opening many doors. They started their journey from Simikot in Nepal’s NW Humla District 200km from the Tibetan border; Gould did this deliberately because he wanted everyone to be acclimatised, as blood cells change at high altitudes. After walking for eight days, they crossed the border into Tibet. The walk to Mt Kailash starts at 4800m at Darchen, a classic Himalayan frontier town with Chinese soldiers everywhere. It’s not an easy environment; many pilgrims die, turn back or do the parikrama on a horse. Then, walking 25km to a beautiful place called Dirarphuk at around 5200 meters elevation, the terrain becomes tough, cold, dry and dusty. One of the ladies in Gould’s team didn’t come to the Kailash yatra (pilgrimage) and another had to turn back after 6km into the journey, as her lungs started burning. Climbing 5700 meters to the Drolma La Pass, he saw people prostrating for the parikrama. The principle of this entire yatra is the philosophy of death and rebirth. The ascent is tough as the oxygen level is about 40% compared to the sea level. The descend, a journey
of rebirth, takes one past the mythical birthplace of Ganesh, lake Gauri Kund. Gould is not spiritual, but he felt close to the divinity of creation, greater than any deity. Next was the Saga Dawa festival at Tarboche – a maidan on the gateway of the parikrama, and it’s a massive festival celebrating the birth of Buddha. Thousands of Tibetans come as if from nowhere. Gould could see that they were setting up the big pole of prayer flags. If the pole comes up perfectly erect, the coming year will be auspicious. There was deathly silence when the flagpole crashed to the ground for the first time in recorded history (900 years) … and Gould thought he had missed the shot. What he didn’t realise was that the Chinese government was locking down the entire vicinity; phone and internet signals were down. The military was arresting foreigners, confiscating their memory cards and erasing the filming. Gould had footage sitting in the GoPro camera in his pocket which he used in the film. Seeing the film, Mr Sethi and I agree with Gould that the moment the pole fell was the birth of COVID. Gould’s life is filled with coincidences. He goes to Kailash to make a film and he gets himself a story which will be remembered for centuries. A Pilgrimage into Tibet won over 16 major international awards from New York to India, including best director. I recommend watching this film for a brief view into the nomadic life of Tibetans returning to Tibet. As for Gould, passaging as a pilgrim and tourist while loving the danger, filmmaking, yet being the prudent human being he is, I can only think of Alfred Hitchcock: “Drama is life with the dull bits cuts out.” By Nandita Chakraborty Photos by: Murray Cox You can watch ‘A Pilgrimage into Tibet’ on the link below with a kind donation of $5.00 www.bondirocksmedia.tv or https://vimeo.com/ondemand/ apilgrimageintotibet
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cooperation and preparation play an equal role too. 4 Prepare yourself for enough recovery time so that you are mentally relaxed even post-surgery for a couple of days .
FEATURE
Going under the knife?
Prepare your Finances Get your finances sorted so that there is no stress during or after the surgery. Inform your insurance company regarding the surgery beforehand. Have a fair idea about the post-surgical medications and the extra recurring cost which may occur.
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or most people, an operation may be a worrying event, no matter the procedure or whether or not they have had surgery before. Surgery is never easy be it at any age. All surgeries need some type of preparation one being physical and the others being mental and financial. Though plastic surgery has gained a lot of awareness in the past decade and patient themselves are very aware of their requirements some amount of preparation is yet required before the procedure. Mumbai-based plastic surgeon Dr. Viral Desai shares a complete guide: Know It All
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Learn about your surgery and meet together with your medical team. Talk to your surgeon and to the expert who manages your comfort and care during the operation, your anaesthesiologist. Ask them questions on everything, from risks to healing time. Prepare your Mind Before going under the knife be sure you are in your best health and familiarize yourself with the surgery from a reliable source. Fear of unknown leads to undue stress so it’s best to have accurate information from your doctor rather than wondering ‘what if’ 4 Avoid anxiety: People cope with anxiety in different ways. Some prefer to have detailed conversation with their doctor and know about the surgery, others prefer to discuss with their friends and family members. Studies have shown the best way to relieve the anxiety is by listening to music or by reading. 4 Patients who get admitted in the hospital prior to surgery are given medications to enable them to get a good night sleep and to relieve their anxiety. 4 Have no illusions of the expectations from the surgery. Know what to expect from your surgery. 4 Success of the surgery does not hinge on the surgeon’s expertise alone; your
Before Surgery Discuss Your Medical Conditions -Tell your doctor if you’ve got any health issues, including heart or lung disease, diabetes, high vital sign, dental work, arthritis, or drug allergies. Tell your doctor about all the medicine you take. Some can cause side effects during surgery. For example, blood thinners and aspirin can put you in danger for an excessive amount of bleeding. 4 If your procedure is completed as an outpatient, make certain you arrange for someone to drive you to and from surgery and to stay with you for at least the first night following surgery. 4 Follow instructions regarding food and drink; most surgeries require no eating or drinking after midnight. 4 Stop smoking well in advance of your surgery. Smoking can create nausea and aggravate the lungs during surgery. It also slows down your recovery process. 4 Rule out any other illness and get a fitness approval from the physician. 4 Get the blood tested for bleeding time, clotting time and other tests for testing of any infections and proper functioning of liver and kidneys. 4 Get all appropriate tests as suggested by the treating surgeon. 4 Pack your bag the night before surgery. Bring any personal items that you simply might need. 4 Remove credit cards or valuables from your purse or wallet the night before surgery. 4 Do not wear any jewellery on the day of the procedure. 4 Bring a container to hold your eyeglasses or contact lenses as needed. 4 Bring comfortable clothes to wear after the procedure. 4 Bring your insurance card, advance directive, living will or medical power of attorney documents.
By Puja Gupta
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VIRTUAL
Polarised posts travel faster on social media
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n social media, posts with polarised or controversial views travel faster than the non-controversial ones, say researchers, adding that disagreement seems to spread online posts faster and further than agreement. To reach this conclusion, the team from University of Central Florida (UCF) in the US analysed more than 47,000 posts on public discussion platform Reddit. Approximately 23,000 posts were labelled controversial and about 24,000 were noncontroversial. The researchers found an association between controversially labelled comments and the collective attention that the audience paid to them. For the controversial posts, there were more than 60,000 total comments, whereas for the noncontroversial posts, there were less than 25,000 total comments. The researchers found that these posts were seen by nearly twice the number of people and travelled nearly twice as fast when compared to posts not labelled controversial. The study is important because it shows that disagreement may be a powerful way to get people to pay attention to messages, said study co-author Ivan Garibay. However, he advised caution to those inducing disagreement in their social media posts. “There may be an incentive in terms of
influence and audience size for a social media user to consistently include controversial and provocative topics on their posts,” Garibay said. “This benefits the person posting the messages. However, controversial comments can be divisive, which could contribute to a polarised audience and society,” he added in a paper published in the Journal of Computational Social Science. Reddit posts are also more akin to wordof-mouth communication since they are user generated and not paid advertising. The study’s findings are consistent with past research that has found that traditional
controversy increases the spread of word of mouth and discussions online, especially when contributions are anonymous, as they somewhat are on Reddit. Jasser, a doctoral student in UCF’s Department of Computer Science and the study’s lead author, said the findings highlight the need to better understand why the content labelled in Reddit as controversial spreads. “The next step in this work is to analyse the language used to induce such controversy and why it brings the attention of the social media users,” Jasser added. (AGENCIES)
YouTube hits 10 bn Play Store download milestone
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he Google-owned YouTube app for Android users has surpassed a whopping 10 billion downloads on the Google Play Store. According to 9To5Google, video streaming has exploded in popularity over the past decade with improving global internet speed, introduction of 4G devices and increasing access to smartphones/tablets. As the largest and most well-known streaming platform globally, it was always likely that YouTube would become the first “proper” user-facing Android app to hit such a download milestone on the Play Store, it added. Given that the app comes pre-installed on almost all devices, it is marginally bolstered and could even include some activations from back before the Play Store even existed. The company recently rolled out a new tool -- “Super Thanks” -- that will let users tip their favourite creators on the platform. This new feature gives the creators yet 16
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another way to earn money while also allowing them to strengthen their relationships with the viewers. Fans watching YouTube videos can now purchase Super Thanks to express their
gratitude and show support. They will see an animated GIF and, as a bonus, get a distinct, colorful comment to highlight their purchase, which the creators can respond to. (AGENCIES) 30 JUL - 05 AUG 2021
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pple has detailed how it used machine learning advancements to introduce significantly improved people recognition in iOS 15, including in situations when a face isn’t clearly visible. The company lists “improved recognition for individuals” as a new feature in the iOS 15 version of the Photos app, though the web page is sparse on details. However, a new blog post on Apple’s machine learning site reveals that the Photos app can identify people in a variety of scenarios, including if their faces aren’t clear to the camera. One of the methods Apple uses to achieve this is to match faces and upper bodies of specific people in the images, reports AppleInsider. “Faces are frequently occluded or simply not visible if the subject is looking away from the camera,” Apple wrote.
“To solve these cases, we also consider the upper bodies of the people in the image, since they usually show constant characteristics -- like clothing -- within a specific context. These constant characteristics can provide strong cues to identify the person across images captured a few minutes from each other,” it added. The company takes a full image as an
TECH
Photos in iOS 15 can identify people by their upper bodies
input, and then specifically identifies the detected faces and upper bodies. It then matches the faces to the upper bodies to improve individual recognition in situations where traditional facial recognition would be impossible. The mechanism uses on-device machine learning to ensure privacy. Apple has also taken steps to ensure that the process minimises memory and power consumption. “This latest advancement, available in Photos running in iOS 15 significantly improves person recognition. Using private, on-device machine learning, we can correctly recognise people with extreme poses, accessories, or even occluded faces and use the combination of face and upper body to match the people whose faces are not visible at all,” Apple wrote. (AGENCIES)
Google Maps to help users avoid crowded travel in 100 countries
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oogle has expanded the number of cities where Maps offers information about public transport crowding, and would provide transit crowdedness predictions for over 10,000 transit agencies in 100 countries around the world. Google Maps will also provide more information about your past trips. Available to all Android users, you can now use the Trips tab to transport yourself back in time, Google said in a statement on Tuesday. “Whether you’re staying close to home or taking a trip, use the Covid layer to see how cases are trending in an area. You can also access quick links to trusted local resources so you’ll know at a glance if there are specific guidelines or restrictions you need to follow,” said Wanda X. Plore, Head of Safe Exploration, Google Maps. One can avoid crowds with live busyness information on Maps. “Before you go, search for your destination on Google Maps, then scroll down on the Business Profile to see how busy a place typically
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is or how busy it is right now. With busyness information, you’ll know instantly you’re about to face a long line or a big crowd and can adjust your plans accordingly,” Google explained. The company is also adding new features to Maps’ Timeline section on Android. A new “Insights” tab shows trends
about the amount of time and distance you’ve spent using different transport methods and the places you’ve visited. There’s another “Trips” tab that gathers together places visited. (AGENCIES)
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Malnutrition may increase risk of Covid severity
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dults and children with Covid-19 who have a history of malnutrition may have an increased likelihood of death and the need for mechanical ventilation, according to a study. Malnutrition hampers the proper functioning of the immune system and is known to increase the risk of severe infections for other viruses, but the potential long-term effects of malnutrition on Covid-19 outcomes are less clear, said Louis Ehwerhemuepha from Children’s Hospital of Orange County in California, US. Children older than five and adults aged 18 to 78 years with previous diagnoses of malnutrition were found to have higher odds of severe Covid-19 than those with no history of malnutrition in the same age groups. Children younger than five and adults aged 79 or above were found to have higher odds of severe Covid-19 if they were not malnourished compared to those of the same age who were malnourished. In children, this may be due to having less medical data for those under five, according
to the researchers. The risk of severe Covid-19 in adults with and without malnutrition continued to rise with age above 79 years. The findings are published in the journal Scientific Reports. Malnutrition, as a global health problem for both the paediatric and adult population, will continue to overlap with the Covid-19
pandemic that has already affected millions worldwide, Ehwerhemuepha said. The researchers suggest that public health interventions for those at highest risk of malnutrition may help mitigate the higher likelihood of severe Covid-19 in this group. (AGENCIES)
All you need to know about the vaccination if you’re pregnant
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ecently, Covid vaccination drives have started for pregnant patient as well. While pregnant patients are not more prone to the Covid infection when compared to normal persons, it is a wellknown fact that if pregnant woman catches the infection, her condition can deteriorate very fast. As there aren’t many studies on the adverse effect of vaccines on pregnant women, one needs to be very careful. Before taking the decision of taking the vaccine, it is advisable that pregnant women should talk to their gynaecologist and take their opinion whether they should take their vaccine shot or not and if yes, then which vaccine. Make things clear with your doctor and then proceed on to book your slot. Inform your gynaecologist you are going for the vaccination. The day before vaccination, keep yourself hydrated, get 8 hours sleep and have a light meal just before going for the vaccination. Wear loose clothes especially on the arms so that vaccines can be given easily. If you have any history of prior allergic reaction to any medication then make sure to tell the concerned authorities at the centre. While at the centre follow all Covid protocols like wearing a double mask, don’t 18
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touch the front part of the mask, don’t touch surfaces, maintain social distance. After taking the vaccine, wait for at least 30 minutes, because most of the adverse effects appear in the first 30 minutes. After going home if you experience any symptoms like fever, body pains, headaches, joint pains then take paracetamol after informing your gynaecologist. If you have a sore forearm then applying a heat pack will provide a lot of relief. Continue your supplementation of iron,
calcium along vitamin E and vitamin D to recovery faster. Rest the entire day and keep yourself hydrated the day you get your vaccination. If you are in your last trimester then take a note of fetal movements. If anytime you feel that fetal movements have decreased rush to the hospital immediately. If mild symptoms don’t subside or become worse immediately contact your gynaecologist. By Dr. Amodita Ahuja
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‘Good cholesterol’ may protect liver
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esearchers have identified a type of “good cholesterol” that protects the liver by blocking inflammatory signals produced by common gut bacteria. High-density lipoprotein (HDL) is mostly known for mopping up cholesterol in the body and delivering it to the liver for disposal. But researchers from the Washington University in St Louis, the US, found that a type of “good cholesterol” called HDL3, when produced in the intestine, protects the liver from inflammation and injury. If not blocked, these bacterial signals travel from the intestine to the liver, where they activate immune cells that trigger an inflammatory state, which leads to liver damage. “Even though HDL has been considered ‘good cholesterol,’ drugs that increase overall HDL levels have fallen out of favour in recent years because of clinical trials that showed no benefit in cardiovascular disease,” said Gwendalyn J. Randolph, Professor of Immunology at the University’s School of Medicine. “But our study suggests that raising levels of this specific type of HDL, and specifically raising it in the intestine, may hold promise for protecting against liver disease, which, like heart disease, also is a major chronic health problem,” Randolph added. The study, published in the journal Science, showed that HDL3 from the intestine protects the liver from inflammation in mice and in human blood samples.
Any sort of intestinal damage can impact how a group of microbes called Gramnegative bacteria can affect the body. Such microbes produce an inflammatory molecule called lipopolysaccharide that can travel to the liver via the portal vein. The portal vein is the major vessel that supplies blood to the liver, and it carries most nutrients to the liver after food is absorbed in the intestine. Substances from gut microbes may travel along with nutrients from food to activate immune cells that trigger
inflammation. In this way, elements of the gut microbiome may drive liver disease, including fatty liver disease and liver fibrosis, in which the liver develops scar tissue. “We are hopeful that HDL3 can serve as a target in future therapies for liver disease. We are continuing our research to better understand the details of this unique process,” Randolph said. (AGENCIES)
Cases of dry eyes, digital screen strain, mature cataract on the rise
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he number of cases of dry eyes and digital eye strain has gone up during the pandemic period, said a top official of Dr. Agarwal’s Eye Hospital. The cases of digital eye strain and dry eyes seen a significant rise as a result of excessive exposure to light-emitting digital screens as people adapted to work-from-home and study-fromhome scenarios, said Dr. Amar Agarwal, Chairman. According to him, the cases of matured cataracts surged from 10 per cent of the total cataract cases in the last quarter of 2019 to over 50 per cent during the same period in 2020. Citing an internal study conducted in 2020, he said that the delay in seeking medical interventions during the first
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wave of the pandemic -- due to lockdown restrictions or fear of infection risks, had severely deteriorated the eye conditions of many patients. Hence, without ignoring any eye issue, patients should seek medical intervention at the earliest. It is important for the patients and the public to take extra care of their vision
health and seek medical intervention without delay, as COVID-19 and the lifestyle changes - especially the increase in screen time, during the lockdown could harm eye health. The Covid-19 infection may lead to the onset of eye conditions such as conjunctivitis, uveitis, artery and vein occlusions, and optic neuritis, Agarwal said. (AGENCIES)
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LIFESTYLE 20
Respect is more valued by young workers than ‘fun’ perks
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oday’s young workers between ages 21-34, place more value on having respectful communication in the workplace over trendy and fun work perks, suggests a new study. The findings of the study were published in the International Journal of Business Communication. Millennials, often referred to as the “job-hopping generation,” represent a group of young workers who once grabbed the spotlight with their publicised demands for “fun” work perks, such as happy hours. However, researchers at the Novak Leadership Institute at the University of Missouri and Kansas State University discovered today’s young workers represent a life-stage shift toward placing more value on having respectful communication in the workplace over fun perks. “Millennials have been called the ‘entitled generation,’ and they kind of give young workers a bad rap because their often-publicized interests began with wanting to have fun in the workplace, but today’s young workers have shifted toward interests in doing valuable work and finding meaning in their day-to-day job functions,” said Danielle LaGree, an assistant professor of strategic communication at Kansas State University, who earned her doctorate at the Missouri School of Journalism. “Leaders and managers are the ones who have the power to help foster that connection of meaningful work, determine what employee well-being means and how to communicate that meaning in a respectful way to their employees,” added LaGree. The team of researchers, which includes experts from the Novak Leadership Institute and the MU Department of Communication, were able to identify this shift in workplace values for young workers after surveying more than 1,000 full-time workers, ages 21-34, who represent 18 different career areas, including the service industry. The team analysed how participants rated, on a 1 to 5 scale, how each of the following workplace culture aspects was representative of their current place of employment -- respectful engagement, autonomous respect, occupational resilience, job satisfaction, employee loyalty and retention, and job engagement. While previous studies have reported leaders and managers spend 70-90 per cent of their time communicating, LaGree believes this study shows more emphasis
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needs to be placed on training leaders and managers on how to be effective communicators and convey respectful communication with their employees. She believes that even though the study was completed before the COVID-19 pandemic began, their results continue to be relevant in today’s workplaces, which may have adjusted to more of a hybrid workplace split between work and home offices or gone entirely remote. LaGree acknowledged the extent to which leaders and managers can foster supportive cultures and outcomes is still unclear, yet she believes their study strongly contributes to the concept that workplaces are intensely social experiences. “As we see here with our research, actively recognizing employees for the value they bring to their organization will help equip them to bounce back after adversity, to perform better in their jobs and be more committed to their organizations in the long term,” LaGree said.
“I think that’s especially relevant today, even though this study was conducted before the coronavirus pandemic,” LaGree added. Margaret Duffy, executive director of the Novak Leadership Institute and a professor of strategic communication in the Missouri School of Journalism, believes employers risk losing younger employees if they don’t make an effort to use respectful communication in the workplace. “There’s a giant risk for employers if they don’t help employees have a sense of purpose and a sense of well-being and engagement,” Duffy said. “Coming to work may not be joyful every day, but if work is something where I can feel fulfillment, I can feel respected as a human being and most importantly, that I can feel that I have earned the respect and recognition that I’m given by my boss and by my co-workers,” Duffy concluded. (ANI)
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A decline in ghosting, breadcrumbing & catfishing when it comes to dating
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ith the wider rollout of vaccinations among younger age groups in India, more than one in three, daters are feeling hopeful about dating in 2021, reveals a survey by Bumble. The women-first dating app and social networking platform, revealed how the pandemic has shaped the way single Indians are dating, especially post the second wave. Dating has changed for the better The time spent in lockdowns has allowed people to focus on what they are truly looking for while dating, giving them a renewed sense of clarity and confidence in taking control of their dating lives as they meet new people. Through recent research, Bumble has found that people are now dating more intentionally than before the pandemic -- they’re being more honest about what they’re looking for in a relationship, whether it’s something casual or serious. In fact, 74 per cent of single Indians surveyed feel there is a decline in negative behaviour in dating such as ghosting, breadcrumbing, catfishing, among others. 4 One in four (25 per cent) daters in India have said that they are now feeling less willing to compromise on what they want and need from a potential relationship, according to Bumble’s recent nationwide survey. 4 Nearly 54 per cent of single Indians claim there is increased clear communication on dating intentions and expectations while dating during the pandemic. 4 Forty eight per cent of single Indians claim there is an increased focus on personality rather than someone’s looks while dating during the pandemic. 4 One in three people feels less pressure when dating during the pandemic. 4 Thirty seven per cent of single Indians surveyed claim that they noticed a decline in catfishing while dating during this pandemic. 4 Thirty four percent of single Indians surveyed claim that they have noticed a 30 JUL - 05 AUG 2021
decline in ghosting while dating throughout the pandemic. Online dating is just... dating The platform noticed that there has been a positive shift in the way that people are viewing online dating following a year of social distancing measures. It’s no surprise that people have adapted to new ways of communicating and dating to find and explore meaningful connections during the pandemic. 4 An overwhelming 72 per cent of single Indians surveyed think it is possible to fall in love with someone online they have never met in person. 4 Forty five per cent of single Indians surveyed believe virtual or online dating is the normal way of dating in India People are finding virtual dates to be a safer way to engage with someone they met online before deciding to meet in person. Thirty-nine per cent have tried a video date as their first date in 2021. In fact, the most popular reason (48 per cent) why single Indians surveyed enjoy virtual dating is because it feels safer than meeting up with someone in person for the first time. 4 Forty five per cent like virtual dates because it saves them time and money. 4 More than one in three (31 per cent) people appreciate that they only have to get partially ready (“half-glam”) when going on a video date. Safety is still top of mind Following the recent second wave of the pandemic in India, safety is still on top of mind and many people are continuing to prioritize discussions on precautions and Covid vaccination statuses before meeting someone in person for the first time. 4 Thirty five per cent of people surveyed claim they are more safety-conscious now after the second wave than last year. 4 Vaccination status is essential to many as 38
per cent of daters surveyed would not go on a date or have sex with someone who hasn’t received the Covid vaccine. 4 To help its community feel comfortable dating right now and to help normalize conversations about dating during the pandemic, Bumble has added a Covid Preferences Centre that can be accessed by tapping the profile icon within the Bumble app. After matching with someone, both individuals will be able to see what the other person’s dating preferences are -- such as meeting outdoors and in uncrowded places only -- and what precautions they want to take. 4 The pandemic has brought about meaningful changes in our dating choices and behaviours as single Indians navigate this new world of dating. This last year, that people spent in lockdowns, has given them the opportunity to focus on what they are truly looking for while dating. There is a renewed sense of clarity and confidence in taking control of their dating lives as they navigate new rules of dating, both virtually and in person. As our recent research illustrates, single people in India are more intentional with their dating decisions than ever before and are prioritizing safety and compatibility as vaccinations increase in India,” said Samarpita Samaddar, Communications Director, Bumble India. Over the past year, the app has made several updates to its platform, including introducing 150 new interest badges in dating profiles and launching its “Night In” feature, where two people can participate in an interactive game during a video chat. The company also recently launched Snap’s AR Lenses within Bumble video calls and launched video notes that utilize Snapchat’s technology. (IANSLife)
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BOLLYWOOD
SONAM KAPOOR puts a full stop to pregnancy rumours
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ctress Sonam Kapoor Ahuja has put an end to rumours about her being pregnant, with a post on social media. Sonam posted a clip-on Instagram story where she talked about her first day of getting her periods. In the clip, the actress is seen sipping on ginger tea and holding a hot water bottle. “Hot water bottle and ginger tea for first day of my period,” she wrote as caption on the post that she shared. Rumours about Sonam’s pregnancy started as soon as she arrived in India from London. The actress will soon be seen in the film “Blind”. (IANS)
Want to make sure I get out of my comfort zone: Mrunal Thakur
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ctress Mrunal Thakur says she wants to keep exploring herself and push herself out of her comfort zone. Mrunal gained recognition with her stint in the television show ‘Kumkum Bhagya’. She ventured into films with the drama ‘Love Sonia’ in 2018. The 28-yearold actress was later seen in movies such as ‘Super 30’ and ‘Batla House’. Her latest film is the sports drama ‘Toofaan’, which is directed by National Award-winner Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra. It also stars Farhan Akhtar and Paresh Rawal. Looking back at her journey, Mrunal told IANS: “I just want to be known as a versatile actress and I want to keep exploring myself and genres. I want to work with different sets of directors. I want to make sure that I get out of my comfort zone, which I have learnt from Farhan (Akhtar).” Mrunal wants to inspire her fans through her work. She added: “I believe that I want to inspire people and if that is through my work nothing like that. I just want to make sure that I am a part of a movie that would leave an impact on the audience. Also, the most important part they need to be relatable. The connection is important.” Now, Mrunal awaits the release of her upcoming film ‘Jersey’ with Shahid Kapoor and ‘Aankh Micholi’. (IANS)
If I don’t play endearing characters, I will get bored: Pankaj Tripathi
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cclaimed actor Pankaj Tripathi has wowed the audience with his negative characters such as Kaleen Bhaiya from “Mirzapur” and the power-hungry Guruji from “Sacred Games”. He has also made many hearts melt with his endearing roles in films such as “Bareilly Ki Barfi” and “Criminal Justice”. The actor will again be seen playing an affable character in the upcoming film “Mimi”, where Pankaj will be seen going through the thick and thins along with Kriti Sanon’s character named Mimi. Is it a conscious choice to make a balance between grey characters and the endearing ones? P a t comes his
reply: “No.” He adds: “I don’t do it for balance, that is a coincidence because there are characters like south and north pole. Also, if I don’t play endearing characters like in ‘Mimi’ or a Bareilly Ki Barfi’ then even I will get bored.” The 44-year-old actor performs such roles; it turns out to be like a whiff of fresh air as he looks for change. “So, I even want a little change. I don’t do this intentionally. It is a coincidence that I get such films to do and chance to play different colours,” he concluded. “Mimi” also stars Sai Tamhankar, Supriya Pathak and Manoj Pahwa. The film streams July 30 onwards on Jio Cinema and Netflix. (IANS)
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Shefali Shah
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ational award-winning actress Shefali Shah, who is making her directorial debut with the short film ‘Happy Birthday Mummyji’, says that helming a film was always on her bucket list. Shefali said: “I wanted to direct a film for the longest time, but I wasn’t sure if immediately I can take the responsibility of a feature film. However, during the lockdown, we all have got a good amount of time to ponder upon many things, and directing a film was one such for me.” She added: “I started writing the story and worked on the script and eventually, I decided to direct the story by myself. That is how my directorial debut happened.” The film revolves around a housewife Suchi. Asked about the inception, Shefali said: “ During the lockdown, every one of us was so in each other’s face that after a point of time, we all just wanted to get away from everything. There was no mental space we had for ourselves because on one hand we had work-fromhome and on the other hand we had duties to be fulfilled to our families. There was no breather really, and the story stems from there.”
According to the “Satya” actress, directing a film was such a different experience and quite a tough job as opposed to acting. For the 15-minute-long film, she took a preparation time of two months. “I think for a feature film direction, I would take a year-long preparation and by the grace of God, the kind of acting opportunity I am getting now, even though I wish to direct, I will think about it next year onwards,” said the “Delhi Crime” famed actress. She added: “Direction is a job of taking responsibility for everyone’s faith in you, collaborating with them and giving the right credit, and justifying their effort while making the film. “Also, I realised that as a creative mind even though we can imagine doing a lot, as a director, we have to keep the logistical execution within a budget and timeframe in mind.” “Happy Birthday Mummyji” releases on July 23 on Royal Stag Barrel Select Large Short Films and its YouTube channel.
BOLLYWOOD
I always wanted to direct a film:
By Arundhuti Banerjee
Playing Saina Nehwal was fulfilling Parineeti Chopra
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ctress Parineeti Chopra says that watching her movie “Saina” on television is going to be a fulfilling experience. She recalls the days she spent preparing for the role. While sharing her experience, Parineeti says: “’Saina’ has inspired millions and it was extremely fulfilling to play her on screen. It took blood and sweat to transform myself. I vividly remember spending my days as an athlete and even crying out of pain on the court. But it was all worth it. Saina Nehwal was my initial guiding force. Priyanka Chopra even gave me pointers on how to mould myself for the role, since she played a sports character in the past.” Ace badminton player Saina Nehwal says it was surreal to see her own life on screen. She is delighted looking at Amole Gupte’s creative vision, Parineeti and child actor Naishaa’s portrayal of 30 JUL - 05 AUG 2021
her character. “This experience of re-watching my journey has made me realise that sure, hard work and talent is what drives you to live your dreams, but one of the most important aspects is the support system. I am indebted to my parents, my husband and coaches as without them, my life wouldn’t be the same. They constantly motivated me and pushed me to chase my dreams, and that’s what kept me going on the most difficult days. I can only hope that my story will positively motivate young dreamers to go all out in the pursuit of their dreams,” says Saina. Directed by Amole Gupte, the movie featured the brilliant Parineeti Chopra donning the role of Saina along with the remarkable Manav Kaul, Meghana Malik and Eshan Naqvi in pivotal roles. The film will premiere on July 25 on Zee Cinema. (IANS)
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FEATURE
66% Indians want to travel to drive away destinations
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ndians are looking at travel in newer ways and exploring flexible, nearby travel and travel to work remotely, according to new YouGov research conducted in May 2021. The survey showed that 43 per cent of Indians would like to travel this year when able to (66 per cent to destinations that are a drive away) and are excited about visiting new places with loved ones, relaxing in nature, enjoying offbeat destinations and sharing their experiences and recommendations with others. A third would like to spend time travelling and working in different locations. Here are top trends from the latest survey: Looking forward to travelling: 4 While the timeline for travel recovery depends on a number of external factors such as vaccination coverage, Indians continue to be eager to get back to travelling and connecting with new people and places 4 The survey showed that 43 per cent would expect or plan to travel in the year and 66 per cent would consider trips that are within driving distance 4 More than a third of respondents (36 per cent ) would like to travel and explore new places with loved ones. About eight in ten (78 per cent ) said they would like to be closer to their family in order to receive or provide support Flexible living and working: 4 A third of Indian travellers (33 per cent ) would like to spend time travelling and working ‘anywhere’ in different 24
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locations, in a post-pandemic world. Ooty, Munnar, Coorg, and Kashmir. 4 About two-thirds (62 per cent ) of 4 The beaches of Goa, Kerala, and respondents say they would opt for Pondicherry are also sought-after off-peak times of the year to travel. destinations for Indian travellers (38 per cent ). Hosted travel catering to desire for 4 In addition, Gen Z (25 per cent ) flexibility and unique experiences: and Millennials (23 per cent ) hope 4 Seven in ten (69 per cent ) to explore offbeat travel to new respondents are interested in unique destinations such as visiting a wildlife accommodations when they travel reserve, when they travel next, next (formats such as heritage homes, compared with Baby Boomers havelis, farm stays and villas), and a third (35 per cent ) say that they Capturing travel experiences and sharing are very likely to stay in unique them with loved ones: accommodations when they travel 4 Thinking about ways they can next remember their trip, six in ten (59 4 GenZ (70 per cent ) and Millennials per cent ) Indian residents hoping to (73 per cent ), who comprise a large embark on a holiday say they will take pool of current and future travellers, pictures as a way of remembering are leading this trend. their trip, with close to half (47 per 4 We expect a travel rebound unlike cent ) saying they will share stories anything we have seen before, and with loved ones. we’ve made it easy for anyone who Commenting on these trends, wants to host and take advantage Amanpreet Bajaj, General Manager -of the coming travel surge. Half of Airbnb India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong new listings globally that were both and Taiwan, said, “As many of us think of activated and booked in early 2021 travelling again, stepping out of the door got a reservation request within four will be about spending quality time with days, and for the year ending April 30, loved ones and creating new memories 2021, the average annual earnings per in unique destinations nearby or in Homes Host who has welcomed at nature. It will also be about exploring least one guest on Airbnb was about more flexible ways to live and work in a US$9,600. new world. Reflecting these preferences in India and around the world, Airbnb Nature travel continues to inspire: recently launched more than 100 4 Nature travel continues to be upgrades that include new ways for preferred by four in ten (40 per cent customers to discover unique nearby ) respondents. destinations and easier ways to sign up 4 Hill stations seem to be a popular to be a host on Airbnb.” choice, with 44 per cent of Indian residents wanting to visit destinations such as Manali, Mussoorie, Nainital, (IANSlife) 30 JUL - 05 AUG 2021
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o matter its approach, the underlying philosophy of parenting is to assure the best for a child. A parent is a nurturer, guide and protector of the child and wishes to see them healthy and successful in life. The child’s physical health, mental and emotional well-being, behavioural patterns and development through different stages greatly depends on the parenting. The challenges faced by the parents, their behaviour, their circumstances, all leave a lasting impact on the child. In fact, adverse childhood experiences, like witnessing abuse or violence, neglect at home, mental health problems, family turmoil or emotional distress takes a toll on a child at a much deeper level than what meets the eye. There is no sure-shot method of parenting as every parent and child are unique. Instead of choosing between authoritative, permissive, progressive, uninvolved, fear-based or positive parenting styles, I highly recommend conscious parenting that enables one to be more aware as a parent and also be mindful of what is the situation. Conscious parenting is more about the parent than the child; it isn’t about ‘fixing’ the child but about enabling them to develop and thrive using different methods. Chandni Tugnait, a psychotherapist, coach and the founder-director of Gateway of Healing, shares some tips on Parent’s Day. Build Connections It is essential to build a connection with the child through engagement, listening, spending time together, expressing love, sharing and holding the space for them while fostering empathy, self-control, selfreliance, curiosity and compassion. Listen to all the little things your child shares with focus and love else one day the child won’t share the big things. Be a good role model Instead of telling the child to do
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something, show them. Children observe and imitate what they see. If you don’t want them to do certain things, don’t do them yourself too. The same is applicable when you lay down some rules or concepts for them. Make sure you follow those rules too or have a good reason for why you are excluded. Your child may not always be listening to you but is always ‘watching’ you. Walk the talk! Process your emotions Most people either repress or impulsively express their emotions. It is important for us to process our emotions constructively so as to avoid arguments, fights, yelling, sulking, etc. with or around the children. Model healthy behaviour and exhibit emotional intelligence in front of the kids. Offer healthy choices and then let them be It is important for you to remember that children have infinite resources and motivation at their disposal and hence you shouldn’t try to tie them down with your version of reality. Offer them healthy choices and then let them be. This helps in raising self-aware and confident children who aren’t constantly looking for approval from others and who have a deeper understanding of their choices and consequences that stem from them.
concise, consistent and compassionate boundaries, on the other hand, help in raising children who feel more secure when they choose to be authentic.
FEATURE
Choose Conscious Parenting Listen to ‘connect’ and not to ‘control’ Whether it is difficult unwarranted behaviour or erratic emotions, listen to the child in order to connect, understand and to hold the space for them by being present. Listening to the child and then bombarding them with forced suggestions, orders, ‘right & wrong’ judgements, sarcasm or scolding and exerting control, lead to a disconnection and the child begins to hide their true feelings and thoughts. This can cause fear, anxiety, guilt, shame, blame, anger, sadness, frustration, impatience and insensitivity in the child as well. Be mindful of your language Your language, tone and pitch along with the non-verbal cues, influence the child’s response and behaviour. Be mindful of the language you use. Is your language respectful, encouraging, uplifting and compassionate?
Be kind to yourself Give yourself credit for doing the best you can instead of criticising, judging and complaining. Indulge in self-care to keep your mind rejuvenated. Choose nonpunitive methods and focus on the big Set boundaries picture -- enabling your children to be Fear-based parenting yields results responsible, independent, productive, at the cost of a distorted mindset and grateful, compassionate, consistent, limiting beliefs in the child. Setting clear, authentic, respectful, caring and leading a healthy and fulfilling life. While parenting may have its fair share of challenges, it can be extremely rewarding. Use what works for you and your child and drop all the judgments. In case, there are areas where you can do better, focus on those and give it your best. By Siddhi Jain
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PHOTO OF THE WEEK Melbourne CBD
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