Indian Abroad - Dec 1-15, 2022

Australian Parliament ratifies free trade deal with India

summit, the Prime Minister said, “I also met with Prime Minister Modi of India, where we discussed the finalization of the closer economic cooperation agreement between Australia and India, which we regard as being very important for expanding the economic relation ship between Australia and India. I will visit India in March.”

“We’ll take a business delegation to India. And that will be an important visit and an upgrade in the relation ship that we have between our two nations,” he further said.

Indian Abroad Newsdesk

Canberra Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced recently that country’s Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with India has passed the Parliament test. Following the approval of the Parliament,Albanese tweeted:”BREAKING: Our Free Trade Agreement with India has passed through parliament.” q a

This announcement receives sig nificance in the light of the fact that a few days ago, on the sidelines of the 17th edition of the G20 summit, Albanese had said that he would visit India in March next year.

Addressing the media at the G20

Only a week ago Australian Trade Minister Don Farrell had said that the trade agreement with India presents an enormous opportunity for Australian services companies and professionals accessing the Indian market.

As reported by the media Farrell had said, “The quality of this Agreement, in terms of market access and opportunity for Australian busi nesses, demonstrates India’s com mitment to our bilateral economic partnership.”

Underscoring the significance of trade with India Farrell further added, “India presents unparalleled growth opportunities for Australian business across a range of sectors, from food and agriculture, technol ogy and green energy, to health and

education services.”

The Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) was signed on April 2 from the Morrison-led government was in power. However, the crucial ratification of the agreement by the Australian Parliament remained pending, though it was more of a forgone conclusion from any government.

According to the Australian government, the agreement will provide Australia the opportunity to establish its foothold in the world’s fastest growing economy enabling Australian businesses to expand their footprints in a market as large as of nearly one and a half billion consumers.

In fact the ratification of the agree ment was smooth with both the House of Representatives and the Senate passing the bill without any roadblock.

In this regard, media reports quoted Don Farrell as saying “Closer eco nomic ties with India are a critical component of the government’s trade diversification strategy.”

The ratification of the trade agreement with India assumes significance in the light of the fact that Australia would like to look upon India as a viable alternative to China in matters of trade.

India to focus on global good, world welfare as G2O president, says Modi

rocket ‘Vikram-S’, Modi said, “On November 18, the whole country wit nessed new history being made in the space sector. On this day, India sent its first such rocket into space, which was designed and prepared by the private sector of India. The name of this rocket is - Vikram-S. As soon as this first rocket of the indigenous space startup made a historic flight from Sriharikota, the heart of every Indian swelled with pride.”

Daniel Andrews and Labor voted to power in Victorian poll

Indian Abroad Newsdesk

Melbourne: Premier Daniel Andrews has emerged triumphant for Labor in what is his thirdstraight election win as leader. This victory had led the Premier to say “hope always defeats hate”. The Labor has overcome some large swings against it, particularly in Melbourne’s west and north, in areas once considered its bastion.

This victory means that Andrews has been instrumental in leading his party to a third consecutive election win, which is a record that equals former premier Steve Bracks’s record.

Amidst crowds cheering him from all around Andrews reached Labor headquarters after Opposition Leader Matthew Guy had to concede defeat.

Addressing the gathering premier Andrews said that it had been an “incredibly challenging” few years, and his government had to make “some very tough decisions”.

In what was an obvious reference to Covid-19 without of course naming it, Andrews applauded the commu nity saying it had stuck together through a one-in-100-year event and was not as divided as some had said.

Reaffirming the key policy platforms of the campaign, Andrews said that his government had put forward a “positive and optimistic plan” highlighting such initiatives as free kinder, free TAFE courses,

recruitment of healthcare workers and reinstatement of the State Electricity Commission.

Irrespective of who had voted him back to power, the premier said his party would govern for all Victorians.

Meanwhile the deputy premier echoed the sentiments of the premier saying ‘positive agenda’ was responsible for Labor’s election victory.

It is worth mentioning that prior to the election, many analysts pre dicted that a minor government for Labor was on the cards. The election was at times characterized by bitter campaigning. Andrews was also instrumental in polarizing opinions during Victoria’s long lockdowns.

Deputy premier Jacinta Allan was of the opinion that the electorate had

New Delhi, Nov 20 (IANS) History was made for vulnerable countries and civic society who have been calling for funding for decades, diplomats from over 190 countries on Sunday struck a deal to set up a loss and damage fund to pay for climate-related damage, officials said, as the two-week-long United Nations climate talks (COP27) drew to a close on after two days of overrun.

New Delhi, Nov 27 (IANS) Prime Minister NarendraModi on Sunday said that India will have to focus on global good and world welfare during its presidency of G20.

In his monthly radio broadcast ‘Mann Ki Baat’, the prime minister said that India was set to assume the presidency of G20 from December 1 onwards, which is a “big opportuni ty” for the country.

\“The Presidency of G-20 has arrived as a big opportunity for us. We have to make full use of this opportunity and focus on global good, world welfare. Whether it is peace or unity, sensitivity towards the environment, or sustainable development, India has solutions to challenges related to these.

The theme that we have given “One Earth, One Family, One Future” shows our commitment to VasudhaivaKutumbakam,” Modi said in his address.

He further said that “in the coming days, many programmes related to G20 will be organised in different parts of the country. During this period, people from different parts of the world will get a chance to visit your states. I am sure that you will bring the diverse and distinctive colours of your culture to the world and you also have to remember that the people coming to the G20, even if they come now as delegates, are tourists of the future”.

Referring to the recent launch of the country’s first private

Vikram-S rocket is equipped with many features, he said, adding that it is also lighter than other rockets, and also cheaper.

“Its development cost is much less than the cost incurred by other countries involved in space mis sions. In space technology, World class standard at a low cost, has now become the hallmark of India. Another modern technology has been used in making this rocket. You will be surprised to know that some crucial parts of this rocket have been made through 3D Printing. Surely, the name ‘Prarambh’ given to the launch mission of ‘Vikram-S’, suits it perfectly. This marks the dawn of a new era for the private space sector in India,” he informed.

Australia and India begin joint military exercise

Army began on November 28 at Mahajan Field Firing Ranges Rajasthan.

A special brigade of the Australian Army has arrived in India to take part in the military exercise. This is the first exercise in the series of AUSTRA HIND with the participa tion of all arms and services con tingent from both armies. The joint military exercise by the Indian and Australian armed forces will last up to December 11, a defence ministry official informed recently.

The Ministry of Defence said that the Australian Army contingent comprising soldiers from the 13th Brigade of the 2nd Division has

arrived at the exercise location. The Indian Army is represented by troops from the DOGRA Regiment. Exercise “AUSTRA HIND” will be a yearly event that will be conducted alternatively in India and Australia.

“The aim of the exercise is to build positive military relations, imbibe each other’s best practices and pro mote the ability to operate together while undertaking multi-domain operations in semi deserts terrain under a UN peace enforcement mandate. This joint exercise will enable the two armies to share best practices in tactics, techniques and procedures for conducting tactical

But fossil fuels remain elephant in the room, say climate negotiators. Hailing the decision to establish a loss and damage fund and to opera tionalise it in the coming period, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres at the conclusion of COP27 in Sharm el-Sheikh in Egypt said: “From the beginning, this conference has been driven by two overriding themes: justice and ambition. Justice for those on the frontlines who did so little to cause the crisis -- including the victims of the recent floods in Pakistan that inundated one-third of the country.”

Taking the lead, Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at COP27 announced a 5 million pound funding to tackle loss and damage caused by climate change in devel oping countries.

The Alliance of Small Island States, a group of low-lying and island

New York, Nov 27 (IANS)

Commemorating the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks of 2008, protests were held across the US against Pakistan-sponsored terrorism.

South Asians and others demon strated outside Pakistani diplomatic missions in New York, Washington and Houston on the anniversary of the attacks on Saturday, denounc ing the support and protection given by Pakistan to terrorists.

Digital media trucks with the message ‘Never Forget’ and display ing images of the 26/11 carnage in Mumbai as well as the perpetrators of the attack now in Pakistan made

countries, had proposed a multilat eral fund organized under the UN climate change convention which would be established over the next year.

Harjeet Singh, Head of Global Political Strategy, Climate Action Network International, told IANS in a phone interview that with the creation of a new Loss and Damage Fund, COP27 has sent a warning shot to polluters that they can no longer go scot-free with their climate destruction.”From now on, they will have to pay up for the damages they cause and are accountable to the people who are facing supercharged storms, devastating floods and rising seas. Countries must now work

rounds of the five cities.

The protesters in New York and Washington asked the US to impose

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

Daniel Andrews

New Delhi, Nov 27 (IANS) The bilateral military training exercise between the contingents of the Indian Army and the Australian

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Sunak’s idea of restricting foreign students to UK could meet resistance

lose money on teaching British students and offset that loss by charging more for international students,” Bell emphasised.

Indians constitute the largest contingent of foreign students in the UK at present. If the restriction being mulled over by Sunak becomes policy, they are likely to be the worst sufferers.

One such lawmaker who won from a constituency that was formerly an opposition Labour party stronghold in the north of England, commented to the pro-Conservative Daily Mail newspaper: “Rishi would be a decent project manager. Or senior civil servant. But he’s not a natural Prime Minister. He’s just not the sort of guy you want to follow out of the trenches.”

Mangaluru blast case: K’taka police conduct searches in

Chennai, Nov 27 (IANS) A special team of Karnataka police have searched multiple places in Tamil Nadu and summoned a few persons as part of its investigation into the Mangaluru blast case.

The police reached Tamil Nadu to investigate into key accused Mohammed Shariq’s travel and stay in the state.

A source in the Tamil Nadu police, who was also involved in searches and raids at various places along with the Karnataka police, said that he had met a few people in Madurai and Nagercoil.

By Ashis Ray

London,

Nov 27 (IANS) British

Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak’s reported plan to restrict foreign students to premier universities in the UK could meet resistance from his chancellor of the exchequer, Jeremy Hunt.

Hunt told media immigration was required to boost growth, adding there had to be “a long-term plan if we’re going to bring down migration in a way that doesn’t harm the economy”.

Besides, the British government’s department of education could also raise objections, as the contemplat ed cut-down would increase state funding of universities, who other wise benefit from high fee-paying international students.

The chairman of Whitehall’s Migration Advisory Committee, Brian Bell, said in an interview to BBC that the idea said to be in Sunak’s in-tray could “send many universities over the edge”.

“Most universities for most courses

New figures disclosed net migration had exceeded half a million - an increase of 300,000 in a single year. Among additional, the steps Sunak is believed to be considering is a clamp down on visas for depen dents of overseas students.

Sunak’s hard line Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, previously expressed concern about foreign students “bringing in family mem bers who can piggyback onto their student visa”. According to her, they undertake “substandard courses in inadequate institutions”.a

Earlier, in an interview to The Spectator magazine, she accused Indians of being the biggest illegal over-stayers in the UK.

Braverman is in fact opposed to freer movement of people from India to the UK, which is one of the Indian government’s demands in the current negotiations over a free trade agreement with the UK.

However, the right-wing, inward looking Conservative party are happy about their 42-year-old new Prime Minister contemplating curbing the intake of foreign students to reduce immigration. At the same time, some of his MPs are already beginning to give up on him.

Meanwhile, the UK’s National Grid issued its first emergency warning about a winter blackout. And inflation is soaring. “But”, the Daily Mail, highly influential among Conservatives, said: “The Prime Minister was absent. Or, if not exactly absent, busy elsewhere.”

Sunak recently visited Kiev to pledge 125 anti-aircraft guns to Ukraine in its fight against Russia.

As economic hardship bites, a majority Britons are seemingly beginning to tire of the war, which wasn’t the case in the summer.

In the Mail’s opinion: “After the unrelenting bombast of the Boris Johnson years, and the frenetic mayhem that was the month of Truss, such reflective disengage ment may be welcome... But the country is experiencing a growing sense of crisis. And what it needs isn’t a manager, but a leader.”

It headlined elsewhere: “Dire warning for ‘tainted’ Tories (Conservatives) as bombshell polling reveals Sir Keir Starmer (Labour leader) is ahead of Rishi Sunak on 11 out of 12 key issues - including cost of living, NHS (National Health Service), immigration and Brexit.”

Covid protests widen in China with calls for Xi Jinping to step down

restrictions. Many were heard calling for President Xi Jinping to resign, BBC reported.

The BBC has seen at least three people being bundled into police cars.

The lockdown of blocks of flats has been blamed for deaths in the fire.

While Chinese authorities deny it was the cause, officials in Urumqi did issue an unusual apology late on Friday, and pledged to “restore order” by phasing out restrictions.

Such demands are an unusual sight within China, where any direct criticism of the government and the president can result in harsh penalties, BBC reported.

One protester said he felt “shocked and a bit excited” to see people out on the streets, calling it the first time he’d seen such large-scale dissent in China.

They have summoned Kamaraju, the owner of the mansion in Coimbatore where Shariq had stayed.

According to the police, Shariq had used a fake identity and stayed at the mansion. Kamaraju is to appear before the Mangaluru police within three days.

The police team has also questioned the manager of the lodge at Nethaji Road in Madurai where the perpe trator of the Mangaluru blast had stayed. The police identified the lodge tracing the phone details of the accused.

It may be noted that the accused had made a call from a phone number of an Assamese migrant worker at Tamil Nadu’s Kanniyakumari district. The police detained and questioned the migrant worker but was let off as he had no relation with the accused.

The police is also probing as to why Shariq had kept the photograph of Coimbatore’s iconic Adiyogi statue as a WhatsApp display picture (DP) on his mobile phone. The question arises whether it was for misleading the police or whether it was his way of communicating to the world about his target.

After the ban of the Islamist outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) in India, the two incidents of lone

wolf attacks at Coimbatore and Mangaluru have made the intelli gence agencies focus in detail on individuals who were earlier let off in past incidents of violence.

The police have already alerted house owners, lodge, mansion, and guest house owners to properly verify the identity cards of those who are taking rooms and to intimate the authorities if anything suspicious was noticed.

Will crush attempts to topple govt with protests with military

power: SL President

By Susitha Fernando Colombo, Nov 23 (IANS) Sri Lanka

President Ranil Wickremesinghe warned on Wednesday that any attempt to topple the government through an anti-government protest or ‘Aragalaya’ would be crushed using military power and Emergency laws.

Addressing the Parliament during the budget debate, Wickremesinghe said that he would not allow un lawful protests as were seen since March this year, which overthrew the government led by then President Goatabaya Rajapaksa.

He also charged Kumar Gunaratnam, leader of one of the Marxist parties, Frontline Socialist Front, with initiating protests and alleged that Gunaratnam was accused of killing Indian Peace Keeping forces that were in Sri Lanka during the war in the North and the East of the country.

“Anyone can hold protests or meetings legitimately. You can shout as much as you want and call me a dictator. I don’t mind. However, I must say one thing. Get your permit to protest before you take to the streets,” he said.

Beijing, Nov 27 (IANS) Protests against Covid restrictions in China appear to have intensified in the wake of a fire which killed 10 people in an apartment block in Urumqi, local media reported.

Thousands of people took to the streets of Shanghai to remember the victims and demonstrate against

At the protest in Shanghai - China’s biggest city and a global financial hub - some people were seen lighting candles and laying flowers for the victims.

Others were heard shouting slogans such as “Xi Jinping, step down” and “Communist party, step down”. Some also held blank white banners.

He said lockdowns made him feel “sad, angry and hopeless”, and had left him unable to see his unwell mother, who was undergoing cancer treatment.

A female demonstrator told the BBC police officers were asked how they felt about the protests, and the answer was “the same as you”. But, she said, “they wear their uniforms so they’re doing their job.”

India to send helicopter unit to UN peacekeeping mission in Mali

Haq said on Wednesday that the utility helicopter unit from India that is to be deployed in March will “provide much-needed support to our forces and are critical for early warning and rapid response to protect civilians”.

Bangladesh and Pakistan will each be sending an armed helicopter unit to the operation known as Multidimensional Integrated Stabilisation Mission in Mali (MINUSMA).

India does not have troops deployed with MINUSMA, but 18 Indians worked with it as of September.

the government is battling Islamist terrorists.

MINUSMA is one of the deadliest operations having claimed the lives of 292 peacekeepers.

France completed its withdrawal earlier this year and it was followed by Egypt in August.

Germany said that it was withdraw ing its personnel, who numbered 595 in the latest UN roster, from MINUSMA by May next year.

Britain is also pulling out its 249 personnel.

“If anyone thinks that they can engage in another struggle without obtaining a licence, stop it. I have instructed the police. If anyone tries to stage a protest to topple the government, I will not allow it. I will impose Emergency law and deploy the military. There is no room for ‘Dinh Diems’ in this country,” the President said, referring to the dictatorial first President of South Vietnam, Ngo Dinh Diem.

Wickremesinghe, whose house was also burnt during the July 9 attacks on pro-government politicians, said that a commission will be appointed to investigate the violent incidents.

Wickremesinghe also vowed that he would not dissolve the Parliament as demanded by the opposition.

“There is a big problem with the economy of this country. Many people in the country are fed up with elections, and the political parties are also fed up,” he said.

During his address, Wickremesinghe also invited all the lawmakers to meet on December 11 and find a solution to the ethnic crisis, including power devolution.

He said that since 1980s, various solutions have been discussed, and he plans to find a final solution to

the ethnic crisis by next year before celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Sri Lanka’s independence.

With Sri Lanka going through unprecedented economic crisis without basic essentials like food, fuel, medicine and electricity, people took to the street in March this year and launched an island-wide protest that led to the ouster of the Rajapaksa-led government.

Wickremesinghe, backed by pro-Ra japaksa party MPs, has formed a government but the opposition parties have accuse him of continu ing Rajapaksa rule.

Indian, Indonesian troops engage in joint military exercise

New Delhi, Nov 23 (IANS) Indian and Indonesian Special Forces have started a joint military exercise ‘Garuda Shakti’ in Indonesia, aiming to enhance cooperation and interop erability between the two countries.

“Under this military-to-military exchange programmes, a contingent of Indian Special Forces troops is currently engaged in a bilateral joint training with Indonesian Special Forces at Sangga Buana Training Area, Karawang, Indonesia. Exercise ‘Garuda Shakti’ is the eighth edition of the series of bilateral exercises under this banner,” a Defence Ministry official said.

By

India will send a helicopter unit to the UN peacekeeping operations in Mali, which is facing with a crisis as several countries have withdrawn or announced plans to withdraw from it, according to a UN spokesperson.

Secretary-General Antonio Guterres’s Spokesperson Farhan

Haq added, “The UN continues to discuss with member states the deployment of new assets and plans to fill longer-standing gaps in addi tion to those resulting from recent announcements” of withdrawals.

MINUSMA, set up in 2013, has 17,622 personnel.

Several countries have pulled out of or announced plans to withdraw from the operations in Mali, where

Ivory Coast also said that it would discontinue the participation of its personnel, who numbered 898, in MINUSMA when the current deploy ment ends because of a separate dispute with the Mali government over the arrest of its soldiers who went there on a mission unconnect ed to the UN.

(Arul Louis can be reached at arul.l@ians.in and followed at @ arulouis)

Indonesia quake toll reaches 268; 151 still missing

aftershocks, also caused landslides that buried entire villages.

A search and rescue operation is underway to try and find more trapped survivors.

President Joko Widodo visited the disaster zone on Tuesday where he was pictured with responders.

“My instruction is to prioritise evacuating victims that are still trapped under rubble,” the BBC quoted the President as saying.

Operations in jungle terrain, strikes on terrorist camps sharing information on weapon, equipment, innovations, tactics, techniques will also be part of this exercise, the Defence Ministry official added.

The Defence Ministry in a statement on Wednesday said that the exercise aims at enhancing understanding, cooperation and interoperability between the Special Forces of both armies.

“The scope of the joint exercise includes orientation to advance special forces skills, sharing of information on weapon, equipment, innovations, tactics, techniques and

procedures and lessons learnt from various operations undertaken, Special Forces Operations in Jungle terrain, strikes on terrorist camps and a validation exercise integrating basic and advance special forces skills apart from gaining an insight into the lifestyle and culture of both countries to foster military coopera tion,” the Ministry stated.

“The joint training would also focus on a high degree of physical fitness, tactical drills, techniques and procedures for which a compre hensive 13-day training programme has been worked out. The exercise

will culminate in a 48-hour long validation exercise,” it said.

“The joint exercise will facilitate both armies to know each other better, and share their wide expe riences and combat experience on countering terrorist operations, regional security operations and peace keeping operations in an international environment. The exercise is yet another significant milestone in ensuring cordial relations between the two countries and another step forward towards ensuring regional security,” the Defence Ministry added.

India successfully test fires intermediate-range ballistic missile Agni-3

New Delhi, Nov 23 (IANS) India on Wednesday carried out a successful training launch of an intermedi ate-range ballistic missile, Agni-3, from the APJ Abdul Kalam Island off the coast of Odisha.

Jakarta, Nov 23 (IANS) The death toll from the 5.6-magnitude earthquake that struck Indonesia’s West Java province earlier this week has increased to 268, while 151 people still remain unaccounted for, authorities said on Wednesday.

The quake that struck Cianjur town at a depth of 10 km on Monday, also

led to more than 1,000 people being injured, the BBC reported.

According to the National Disaster Mitigation Agency, 22,000 houses were damaged, and more than 58,000 people are currently in shelters.

The Agency added that the quake, which was followed by dozens of

Earthquakes are common in Indonesia, which sits on the “ring of fire” area of tectonic activity in the Pacific.

The country has a history of devastating tremors and tsunamis, with more than 2,000 people killed in a 2018 earthquake on the island of Sulawesi.

A Defence Ministry official said that the successful test was part of routine user training launches carried out under the aegis of the Strategic Forces Command. The launch was carried out for a predetermined range and validated all operational parameters of the system, the official added.

In another move, DRDO’s com pendium on low intensity conflict (LIC) products was released jointly on Wednesday by Union Home

Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla and Secretary DDR&D and Chairman DRDO, Samir V Kamat.

DRDO officials said that in line with the Aatmanirbhar Bharat campaign of the Government of India, the compendium consists of more than 100 technologies, systems and products developed by DRDO for LIC operations. It is a valuable repository of information for the central security forces.

The collaboration, institutionalised to develop technologies and sys tems for LIC operations, has helped DRDO develop many products and systems required for the central se curity forces during LIC operations.

The collaboration has also helped in

identifying futuristic requirements for LIC operations and defining the roadmap for their development, DRDO said.

Arul Louis United Nations, Nov 24 (IANS)

Hyderabad, Nov 27 (IANS)

Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao will lay foun dation stone for Hyderabad Airport Express Metro next month.

The 31-km long project will connect the information tech nology district Hitec City to Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at Shamshabad.

Municipal administration and Urban Development Minister K. T. Rama Rao revealed that the chief minister will lay the foundation stone on December 9.

“Hyderabad is Forging Ahead. Happy to announce that Hon’ble CM KCR Garu will be laying the foundation

for Airport Express Metro on 9th December,” minister KTR tweeted.

“This project starting at Mindspace junction to Shamshabad Airport will be 31 KM long & will be costing approximately Rs 6,250 crore,” he wrote.

The state government had allocated Rs 377.35 crore for the project in 2022-23 budget.

The Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) has already prepared a detailed project.

The proposed high-speed Airport Express Metro will contain both elevated and underground sections.

About 2.5 km of the total stretch will be underground.

Once completed, the project will help commuters reach the airport in just 20 minutes.

Bio-Diversity Junction, Nanakramguda, Narsingi, TS Police Academy and Rajendranagar are likely to be some of the stations on the stretch.

The city already has fully operation al Hyderabad Metro Rail spanning over 69 kms. The elevated Metro is operating on three corridors.

The state government has urged Central Government to accord

in-principle approval for the Hyderabad Metro Rail Phase -II Project from BHEL to Lakdikapul costing Rs 8,453 crore as a jointly owned project of Union Government and Government of Telangana State (GoTS) with external financial assistance.

In a letter addressed to Union Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, state minister KTR requested him to include the said proposal in the ensuing union budget for 2023-24. The new Metro Line is proposed to be of 26 kms long with 23 stations.

To avoid delays in processing, Detailed Project Reports (DPRs) of the project (as prepared by DMRC) and other related documents were sent to Government of India by the Telangana Government on October 27, 2022, the Minister added.

The Minister said that Hyderabad is the fastest growing Metropolitan city in terms of quarterly and year on year growth of real estate sector especially since 2019-20. With the opening up of all the offices in post-COVID scenario, the need for expansion and strengthening of public transportation system needs no emphasis, he added.

Toqayev sworn in as Kazakh President

Astana, Nov 27 (IANS) QasymJomart Toqayev was sworn in as the Kazakh leader.

After taking an oath at an inaugu ration ceremony held in the capital city of Astana, Toqayev on Saturday said the Central Asian country will enter a new era of development.

Kazakhstan held a snap presidential

race last Sunday, with six candidates running for the top job. Toqayev garnered 81.31 per cent of about 8.3 million ballots, which were cast by more than 11.95 million registered voters, Xinhua news agency reported.

Indian diaspora in UK to hold car rally in support

London, Nov 26 (IANS) The Indian diaspora in the Uinted Kingdom has decided to hold a car rally on Sunday in support of the BJP and to show solidarity with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“We want to show our love and support for the BJP and Narendra Modi for the upcoming elections in Gujarat,” one of the organisers said.

The rally will be organised in London on Sunday. Hirdesh Gupta, one of the organisers, said that they

thought a car rally would be ideal due to the unpredictable weather in the UK.

“It will be a symbolic rally to send a loud massage to the people of Gujarat to vote for the BJP. We want to show our support and unity and send a clear message to the families in Gujarat that we stand in support of Modi and encourage everyone to vote for betterment, hence vote for BJP. Gujarat became the most progressive and developed state

of BJP

voted in favour of Labor’s “positive agenda”. She emphasized that the Liberal Party’s strategy to focus on Andrews “seems to have backfired”.

Calling the election results a “bitter blow for the Liberal Party” Allan said that “the Liberal Party chose to put him on their how-to-vote cards, that seems to have backfired”.

The junior Coalition partner, the Nationals, has performed much

the regions.

In fact, Labor went into the election with a majority of 56 seats in the state’s 88-district lower house, compared to the Coalition’s 27. The crossbench comprised three Greens MPs and two regional independents.

The Greens are now all set to in crease their number of lower-house seats.

COP27: History for vulnerable nations as deal to establish loss and damage fund

together to ensure that the new fund can become fully operational and respond to the most vulnerable people and communities who are facing the brunt of climate crisis,” an elated Singh said.

For JoabOkanda, Christian Aid’s Pan African Policy Advisor, this is a victory for climate vulnerable countries and civil society who have been demanding this outcome for 30 years. For the first-time vulnerable communities have a fund dedicated to support them deal with the devastating loss and damage they have suffered.

“It has been a long fight for devel oping countries to get this fund, the devil will be in the detail and still need to see it filled with money, but it is a positive step forward towards climate justiceaIt’s disappointing that despite all the warm words from world leaders at the start of this summit about the seriousness of the climate emergency, countries couldn’t even commit to a phase down of all fossil fuels.”

VaibhavChaturvedi, Fellow, Council on Energy Environment and Water, said the only solace that the latest text offers to developing countries is a semblance of institutional struc ture for the Santiago network.

“This consists of a secretariat, an advisory board, and a network of members. This is too little and too

late in the process. There is no funding in sight for loss and dam age. Developed world has used its usual tactics to delay and divert the discussion on finance for mitigation, adaptation, and loss and damage.”

According to the Loss and Damage Collaboration (L&DC), a group of 100 plus practitioners, researchers, activists, and decision-makers from the global South and North, aCOP27 had a focus on Loss and Damage like never before.

Given the drumbeat of climate impacts coming into COP -- one third of Pakistan flooded, dev astating drought and famine in Kenya, heatwaves and drought across Europe and southern China, Hurricanes in Cuba and the US, glaciers disappearing and sea level rise and coastal erosion forcing Pacific Islanders to relocate.

“Developing countries were more aligned than ever before -- in pre-meetings and throughout COP all 134 countries in the G77 and China spoke with one voice to demand climate justice. And civil society provided the flank with protests around the world and in the COP venue itself. And, finally, grudgingly, developed countries, with leadership from the European Union, agreed to establish a Loss and Damage fund,” said L&DC in a statement.

“This issue is still live. While coun tries keep referring to 1.5C, they fail to take the necessary action to stay below this limit to prevent future harms from happening. As long as countries keep fueling the loss and damage crisis by expanding oil, gas and coal, real justice will not prevail.

“Importantly, the new Loss and Damage Fund needs to be filled, and the US and other developed countries did not agree to include loss and damage as a target within the new collective quantified goal for climate finance (NCQG), which will need to be corrected at future meetings,” it added.

after BJP came to power there,” Gupta said.

13,214 Norwegian visitor visas for Indians from Jan-Oct 2022

New Delhi, Nov 26 (IANS) Indians gained the most as Norway granted a total of 13,214 visitor visas to them from January until October this year, according to a report.

Statistics provided by the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration (UDI) to SchengenVisaInfo.com marked a notable monthly increase in the number of visitor visas for Indians from January until June. A total of 138 visitor visas were granted to Indian citizens in January, 273 in February, 842 in March, 959 in April, 1,500 in May and 2,368 in June.

The highest increase in the number of visitor visas granted to Indian

nationals was noted in September, clocking a total of 2,156.

In July, Indians received a total of 1,635 visitor visas, followed by a total of 1,869 in August, in September and 1,476 in October, the visa website reported.

In total, 47,917 visitor visas were granted for a period between January and October this year, according to UDI.

A visitor’s visa allows one to stay in Norway or other countries in the Schengen area for up to 90 days over a period of 180 days. The processing time for these visas

is between 15 and 30 days. To cut down processing time, one can apply up to six months in advance.

The visa fee costs 80 euros (approx Rs 6,700) for adults and 40 euros (Rs 3252 approx) for children aged six -11. It is free for children under six years.

Toll in Indonesia earthquake rises to 318

Jakarta, Nov 26 (IANS) The death toll from the devastating earthquake in Indonesia’s province of West Java rose to 318, with 14 others still missing, a senior official of the country’s disaster agency said on Saturday.

The 5.6-magnitude quake hit West Java on Monday.

Eight more bodies were recovered in the search operation on Saturday,

bringing the death toll to 318, Deputy for Emergency Response of the National Disaster Management and Mitigation Agency Fajar Setiawan told a press conference, Xinhua news agency reported.

The quake also left 7,729 people injured in Cianjur district, one of the hardest-hit areas, destroyed 58,049 houses and displaced as many as 73,693 people, Setiawan said.

Spokesman of the Search and Rescue Office of West Java Province Joshua Banjarnahor said at the press briefing that rains had ham pered the search and rescue mission for quake victims.

Rains are expected in the district of Cianjur within the next three days, according to the meteorology, climatology and geophysics agency.

Commemorating 26/11, protests held in US against Pak-sponsored terrorism

sanctions against Pakistan for its role in promoting terrorism and sheltering terrorists.

At least 166 people, including several Americans, were killed in the 2008 terror attacks in Mumbai carried out by the Pakistansponsored Lashkar-e-Taiba, whose leaders are still in that country, and with the help of an American, DavoodSayedGilani who used the name David Headley, and a Canadian, TahawwurRana.

Headley and Rana have been tried and convicted in the US.

Meanwhile, the All India Shia Hussaini Fund members have demanded justice for the 26/11 Mumbai attack victims by hanging its mastermind, Hafiz Saeed.

Shia religious leaders and intel lectuals from different parts of the country, who had gathered at Ahl-eBait conference here, unanimously condemned terrorism, saying that the terrorist organisations in Pakistan are enemies of both India and the Shia community.

MaulanaZaheer Abbas, who came from Mumbai to attend the confer ence, said, “I am a witness to the 26/11 Mumbai attack. My own son was trapped inside the Taj Hotel along with other guests. In fact, a

bullet whizzed past me during the attack. Justice to the 26/11 Mumbai attack victims will be meted out, until Hafiz Saeed, its mastermind, is hanged.”

He said that in April 2012, the US had placed a bounty of US$10 million on Saeed for his role in the 2008 Mumbai attacks that killed 166 civilians.

While India officially supported the American move, there were protests against it in Pakistan.

Saeed co-founded Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), a Pakistan-based Islamist militant organisation that is des ignated as a terrorist group by the United Nations Security Council.

He is listed on India’s NIA Most Wanted.

Abbas further said, “Lectures of

extremists

Meanwhile, Shia cleric MaulanaYasoob Abbas said, “Extremists are enemies of both humanity and education. This is why the terrorist organisation Al Qaeda targeted educational institu tions and school-going children in Afghanistan.

“

The Shia leaders demanded that UNO should pass a resolution against the Shia genocide in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, and Iran, and ensure the protection of Shia lives, places of worship, and shrines in these countries.

Australia and India begin joint military exercise

operations at the Company and Platoon level for neutralising hostile threats,” the defence ministry official added.

Training on new generation equipment and specialist weapons, including snipers, surveillance and communication equipment to achieve a high degree of situational awareness apart from casualty management, casualty evacuation and planning logistics at Battalion, Company level are also planned, the

official added.

According to the ministry of defence, during the exercise, participants will engage in a variety of tasks ranging from joint planning, joint tactical drills, sharing basics of special arms skills and raiding a hostile target. The joint exercise, besides promoting understanding and interoperability between the two armies, will further help in strengthening ties between India and Australia.

KCR

lay foundation stone for Hyderabad Airport Express Metro on Dec 9

Disappointingly there was pushback against a definitive call to phase out all fossil fuels -- blocked by Russia, Saudi Arabia and Iran.

Daniel Andrews and Labor voted to power in Victorian poll more strongly in

like ZakirNaik, which encourage terrorism, are anti-Is lamic and anti-Quran. People like him should be banned all over the world.”

A timely deal in best interest of both countries

50 per cent in 10 years. The agree ment will also provide duty-free access to over 6,000 categories of Indian products in the Australian market.

The historic India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) which was signed on April 2, 2022 when the Liberal Party was in power. But the change of regime in Canberra with the coming in power of Labor may have raised a few questions i.e. if and when the agreement will receive the support of the Australian parliament, which is essential in any parliamentary democracy. With the ratification of the ECTA by the Australian parliament on November 22, the roadblocks have been cleared for the implementation of the deal. This deal has been hailed as historic given the fact that most free trade agreements India has entered into have been mostly with South Asian countries and these deals have done mighty little to serve India’s trade interests. On the contrary, experiences have shown that some of these deals were found to be counterproductive from the standpoint of India’s interests. The Australian government led by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Trade, Tourism and Investment Minister Don Farrell must be complemented for entering into such a comprehensive deal with a developing country like India.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal must also be congratu lated for having represented India’s interests effectively in negotiating this deal with Australia, a country characterised by multicultural ethos that offers opportunities for other nations to progress as well.

While it provides an opportunity for Australian exporters to gain from the vast Indian market of 1.4 billion consumers, it also offers an oppor tunity for Indian exporters to market their bourgeoning value-added products.

From India’s perspective, the India-Australia ECTA will increase exports of pharmaceuticals, which is India’s second-largest export after petroleum products, to Australia. On the other hand, from the Australian point of view, it is pertinent that India being the world’s largest importer of coal, out of India’s coal trade deficit of $24 billion, Australia accounts for $11 billion. Also, raw materials such as duty-free imports of copper, nickel, aluminium, man ganese, wool, hide and skins, etc., from Australia are likely to provide the much-needed impetus to Indian industry and create enormous job opportunities as well. Australia will facilitate duty-free import of Indian wines, and India will reduce import duties from 150 per cent to 100 per cent on Australian wines of $5 per bottle, and it will further go down to

The first official meeting between the leaders of Australia and China since 2016 has now taken place, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Chinese President Xi Jinping making it apparent, on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in Bali that they both hoped to put years of differences behind them. An atmosphere of goodwill between Australia and China will, in all likelihood, pave the way for resump tion of economic ties between the two nations. While this may seem heartening and even hailed in some quarters, both domestically in both the countries and even internation ally, the contentious issues between the two still remain a major hurdle in their relations.

The Australian government has made all the right moves as a responsible democratic country should that harbours no ill-will against any country and at the same time is aware and conscientious of the interests of its own people. Australia is a strong and vibrant democracy, and democracies are for adherence to values both within and outside their countries.

In the backdrop of China’s aggres sive military claims in the South China Sea, expanding footprints in the Indo-Pacific, and its consistent drive to encroach on South Pacific island nations, the meeting between the two leaders of Australia and China assumes significance for both the countries. This meeting was significant because Australia needed to make its stand clear with respect to certain areas that may have increased China’s concerns. That

What is noteworthy is that the India-Australia ECTA is not all about the merchandise trade; rather the Indian services sector will also ben efit as the scope of the deal caters to around 135 service sectors. India will be granted the Most Favoured Nation in about 120 sub-sectors such as IT, ITES, education, health and audio-visual. Moreover, the deal is likely to increase bilateral mer chandise exports by $10 billion by 2026-27. It will pave the way for the creation of additional job opportuni ties for Indians in Australia and an additional 10 lakh jobs in India due to Australian investments. Besides, the Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement related to IT/ITES, which was lingering for a long time, has also been resolved. It will lead to yearly savings of over $200 million.

The trade deal provides a historic opportunity for both India and Australia to boost their relationship and take it to a new dimension all together. A deal of this nature will not only boost economic growth and strategic partnership between Australia and India but also create an atmosphere for mutual coopera tion in many other areas, including more people-to-people cultural exchange and defence cooperation. In a highly globalised world such trade deals are trendsetters and inspirational for other countries to follow suit. While the World Trade Organization was created in an apparent bid to boost global trade, it continues to be overly favouring the affluent developed countries of the world. In such a global trade scenario where multilateral trade agreements do not necessarily favour the interests of developing countries, bilateral free trade agree ments are more likely to become popular throughout the world since such agreements are entered into keeping the interests of both the countries in mind. Moreover, in a world that is attempting to rid itself of the shackles of parochialism and narrow regional interests, and that has had to combat the virulence of the pandemic and fight against poverty, war and deprivation, free trade agreements are an opportunity to come together in mutual cooper ation and offer each other support and paving the way for each other’s progress. The destinies of nations are intertwined in a world that is facing other challenges such as that of climate change and global warm ing. Therefore, it is pertinent that such trade agreements must inspire other countries to enter into bilateral trades creating a favourable trade atmosphere throughout the world as multilateral trade agreements are still a far cry from fulfilling the interests of all countries, especially that of the developing countries whose trade interests are mostly overlooked in a multilateral trade structure.

Australia, as a responsible democ racy, is capable of balancing its various international commitments such as its joining of the Quad, signing of the AUKUS, its expanding strategic partnership with India, and its diplomatic efforts to engage the Pacific countries, with its relations with China. In a multilateral world order, unlike the days of the US and USSR induced Cold War, respon sible countries enter into many agreements with many different countries, even with ideologically disparate ones, without hurting the interests of any one of them. Certain issues such as the disagreements over trade and Taiwan, human rights, Chinese military ships following Australian warships, and China’s assertiveness in the IndoPacific remain contentious ones and China is yet to address these concerns of Australia.

Therefore, the need for the much-awaited meeting notwith standing, while meeting with his Chinese counterpart, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was firm in putting Australia’s national interest first. While this meeting was primarily aimed at resumption of trade ties between the two countries, Australia continues unaltered its stand vis-à-vis China that is part of Australia’s strategic vision. The fact that Albanese met US President Joe Biden before he met the Chinese leader underscores the point that Australia and US are not prepared to budge from their positions with respect to China.

Identity politics reaches G20 Summit

By DC Pathak

In a first of its kind event, Indonesia, hosting the G20 Summit this time, prefaced it by organising a global meeting of religious and intellectual leaders called R20 - short for G20 Religious Forum - in Bali purportedly to decry radicalism and extremism and ‘promote moderate Islam’ and to help ensure that in the 21st century, religion becomes part of ‘global solutions rather than problems’.

In keeping with the origin of R20 as an adjunct of G20 that focused on climate change issues, the Bali meet on November 2-3 was also called ‘Spiritual Ecology Movement’ to which leaders of all faiths were invited for joining in the efforts to solve global economic, political and humanitarian problems including poverty, Covid-19 and the ongoing Russian-Ukraine war.

R20 was jointly sponsored by Nahdlatul Ulama, the leading Islamic organisation of Indonesia, and the Mecca-based Rabitae Alame Islami (Muslim World League). Incidentally, the well-known Nadwatul Ulema Darul Uloom in India was also largely funded by Saudi Arabia.

The invitees included leaders of Catholic church, Anglican denom ination, World Evangelical Forum, Chief Rabbi of UK as also the RSS from India, which is known to be the world’s largest Hindu cultural organisation. The preamble of R20 spelt out that the forum will mobilise diverse religious, political and economic leaders from G20 Member States and elsewhere throughout the world, to ‘prevent the weaponisation of identity, curtail the spread of communal hatred, promote respect among the diverse peoples and cultures and work for a world order upholding the equal rights and dignity of every human being’.

Nahdlatul Ulama, said to be the world’s largest Muslim organisation, spearheaded the idea of R20 as the ‘first inter-faith communication group in the history of the world’s most powerful economies’, in collaboration with Muslim World League headquartered at Mecca.

Together they represent the predominant part of Sunni Islam covering all the sects - from Hanafi to Hanbali - and seek guidance and support from Saudi Arabia which leads the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) too.

Ever since the rise of Islamic radicals such as Taliban, Al Qaeda and ISIS subsequent to the victory of Afghan Jehad against the Soviet army - that led to the collapse of USSR as a superpower - there has been an escalation of conflict within the Muslim world between the radicals who consider US-led West as their prime enemy and the Saudi-led fundamentalists who believe in the Islamic State but who also want to be on the right side of the US politically.

R20 marked the centennial anni versary of Nahdlatul Ulama whose chief, Yahya Khalil Thaqouf, invited Shaykh Mohammad bin Abdul

Karim Al-Issa, Secretary General of Muslim World League, to be the Chairman of the R20 conference. The whole show helped demon strate unity of the Muslim world and assert the credence of Islam as a religion of peace in a world current ly getting destabilised because of the global terror unleashed by radicals.

Saudi Arabia, though subscribing to the extreme puritanical line of Ahle Hadis, has been at the receiving end of violence of Islamic radicals because of its traditional closeness to the US. R20 thus had a political message too for the G20 summit led by the world’s most developed countries.

President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo, in his inaugural address emphasised that ‘unity in difference’ is what had brought together Indonesians as one nation despite the country’s multiple religions, languages and tribes and added that ‘activities in mosques, churches and temples are needed for national unity’.

Al Issa, Secretary General of Muslim World League, envisaged R20 as a forum for building bridges ‘between East and West’ and establishing peace and declared that the ‘text of Islam refuted clash of civilisations’.

Yahya Thaqouf, chief of Nahdlatul Ulama, stressed that the G20’s R20 initiative stemmed from the faith ful’s sincere concern for the future of humanity and hoped that it would make important contributions to the global efforts to solve multifarious problems.

Sheikh Muftah Al Akhyaar, Chairman of the Indonesian Scholars Council, wanted R20 to present religious values as a solution to global conflicts and help build a global civilisation based on respect for human rights and human dignity of all.

It may be mentioned that the Muslim World League, which is represented in the UN as an observer member for economic and social council, works for defining Islam and explaining its pure values as revealed in the Holy Quran and Sunnah, pays special attention to Muslim minorities and their issues and utilises the Hajj season for interaction with Muslim scholars and chiefs of Muslim organisations for the purpose of ‘elevating the status of Muslims in the world and safeguarding the identity of Muslim societies’.

The Mecca Declaration of 2019 had called for addressing the practices of ‘injustice, aggression and racist slogans’ and favoured a civilised dialogue to reach just and compre hensive peace. The Muslim World League has warned against diversity being turned into ‘fear, hatred and conflict’. It has since established a Council for Southeast Asia under its umbrella to promote ‘tolerance and respect for the rights of others’.

In his valedictory address at the R20 handover ceremony on November 3 - India is the host of the G20 summit next year - Ram Madhav, Member, RSS Karyakarini Samiti, praised Indonesia for organising a meet that brought together ‘God the heavenly,

Allah the merciful, Bhagwan the omnipresent and Buddha the enlightened’ to bless the mankind and guide it through the turbulent times ahead.

Pointing out that R20 was held in a province of Indonesia with 83.5 per cent Hind majority in a country with over 86 per cent Muslim population, he declared that there cannot be a better country than India - a mosaic of religions and the mothership of spiritualism - to carry the Bali mission forward.

Referring to the fact of India having the second largest Muslim popu lation in the world, Ram Madhav stated upfront that far from the baseless propaganda about persecu tion, India ‘has always sheltered the persecuted’ and installed Muslims as Presidents, Vice Presidents and Chief Justices.

He summarised India’s concerns in today’s world when he said that ‘not just the traditional challenges of hatred, disharmony, terror and war, but also the new age challenges like climate change, healthcare crises, overpowering technologies and woke social ideologies are posing a serious threat to mankind in the 21st century’.

In a pithy comment on what divides the world in the name of religion, Ram Madhav stated that while R20 discussed about the concept of ‘One God’, Hindu philosophy talks of the concept of ‘Only God’ and believes that whatever exists is divine, that this entire creation is manifestation of God and that since divinity is all pervading, there should be little scope for conflict and hatred.

He did well to implicitly tag the issues of ‘exclusivism’ and claim of ‘superiority’ over other religions that have surfaced because of the stand of Islamic fundamentalists.

The final communique of R20 issued on behalf of the religious leaders of member countries and elsewhere expressed deep concerns over global challenges such as environmental degradation, natural and man-made disasters, poverty, unemployment, displaced persons, extremism and terrorism and held that the situation has been rendered more difficult because of rivalry among major powers, resurgence of identity-based conflict world wide and erosion of public commitment to ethical and spiritual values.

It declared its resolve, among other things, to develop concrete initiatives for building bridges between nations and civilisations, prevent the political weaponisation of identity, curtail the spread of communal hatred, safeguard human beings from violence and suffering precipitated by conflict and foster the emergence of a truly just world order founded upon respect for equal rights and dignity of every human being.

All of this is unexceptionable and it is expected that the Islamic states would begin by putting all their citizens, regardless of faith, on the same footing, giving everybody freedom of worship and in fact treating all religions at par with their own - beyond of course presenting

The Afghan conundrum

By Asad Mirza

After a relatively silent phase on the Afghan situation, which was overtaken by the global geo-polit ical concerns after the start of the Russia-Ukraine war, it was once again on top of the agenda of region al and global powers in Moscow, last week.

At the Moscow Conference on Afghanistan, representatives and officials from more than 14 countries exchanged views on the current situation in Afghanistan. The meeting was hosted by Russia and participants discussed the political, economic and humanitarian situa tion in Afghanistan.

The 10 countries, none of which was involved in military occupation of Afghanistan, were meeting after over a year in Moscow. The partici pants included representatives from India, Pakistan, Russia, China, Iran, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.

Representatives of Qatar, the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Turkey were also present.

At the start of the conference special Russian envoy Zamir Kabulov stated that we have to provide a comprehensive solution to the Afghan economic issue. To achieve this, the main responsibility lies with the collective West. Those who

drove the country for 20 years to the current deplorable state, as well as shamelessly continued econom ically suffocating the country by holding the frozen national assets of Afghanistan, are not ready to step in, an obvious reference to the US, which was not present at the conference.

Regional views

At the conference, the MEA’s Joint Secretary J.P. Singh, who called for joint work to ensure that the “voice” of the Afghans is not lost, repre sented India. We all need to work together to ensure that the voice and aspiration of Afghans is not lost and reassure them that we are standing with them at this difficult time, he said.

The Chinese special envoy on Afghan affairs, Yue Xiaoyong said that the US has shamelessly seized the $7 billion assets of the Afghan Central Bank and suspended all development aid, unilaterally.

The Iran special envoy for Afghanistan, Hassan Kazimi Qomi, said that there will be a meeting of the regional foreign ministers in Tehran very soon to discuss Afghanistan’s economic woes.\

Right from the beginning India’s view has been that of engaging with the Taliban. Though after making an initial foray by engaging in dialogue

with the leadership in Doha, before the formation of the Islamic Emirate, it acted rather slowly afterwards. Yet, it remains firm that development and reconstruction of Afghanistan should be dealt with by its regional neighbours and those countries, which in the past have played a factitious role in Afghanistan politics, should be kept away from it.

Meanwhile, the Islamic Emirate has made clear that meetings in which there is no representative from Kabul are not effective. The Afghan Foreign Ministry in a statement said that, “We want to underscore that Islamic Emirate, just as it fought against the 20-year occupation posing a direct threat to the security and stability of Afghanistan and the region, as an independent government will not allow any third country to place military facilities in Afghanistan. Similarly, we strongly urge other countries to not put their land and airspace at the disposal of other countries against Afghanistan,”

It also said that the interim Taliban regime is an “accountable govern ment” and has taken “serious steps against antagonistic groups”.

Pakistan’s criticism

However, in an unusual move, Pakistan gave a damning

the universally applicable precepts of morality and human values embodied in Islam.

The pull of exclusivism originating from the claims of a religion of being the only ‘perfect’ faith and that too the ‘last one’ - since Prophet Mohammad was the ‘Khatimul Anbia’ - has to be understood.

In today’s world, a democratic secular state - deemed to be the best system of governance - has to rest on ‘one man one vote’, equal oppor tunities to all as well as the same protection of law for everybody and avoidance of putting a religious stamp on the state.

India is the perfect example of a state that has secularism built into its Constitution. India’s approach to domestic governance and interna tional relations reflects this outlook. India opts for bilateral relations that brought in mutual gains for both security and development and adhered to the cause of global peace.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has already released the logo for the G20 Summit of 2023 to be held in India. India has to steer the mission of R20 forward and ensure that beyond the advocacy of moral values prescribed by various faiths, there is no pro jection of religion in international politics as such because that would tend to divide rather than unite the world community.

Also, considering that in recent times an anti-India narrative has been built by forces within and outside the country about ‘majoritar ianism’, ‘authoritarianism’ and safety of minorities and that Pakistan with its closeness to Saudi Arabia and influence on OIC has charged Modi government with following the ‘Hindutva’ agenda and putting the Muslim minority in jeopardy, India has to check any attempt of the Pak sympathisers in R20 to use the forum for running down this country on the pretext of advocacy of human rights and preservation of communal harmony.

G20 in Bali, meanwhile, has done well to focus on post-pandemic recovery and the energy and food security impacted by UkraineRussia military confrontation. Prime Minister Modi too gave special attention to the global problems in keeping with the rise of India as a major world power under his lead ership and in particular stressed the importance of bridging the digital gap in the world.

The summit reiterated the call for a peaceful resolution of the UkraineRussia conflict through diplomacy and dialogue and endorsed Prime Minister Modi’s stand that ‘this must not be the era of war’.

(The writer is a former Director of Intelligence Bureau. The views expressed are personal)

assessment of the Afghan Taliban regime’s 16 months in power, saying the interim government has done little to form inclusive government, protect the rights of women and eradicate terrorist groups.

Pakistan’s special envoy for Afghanistan, Sadiq Khan, called for support for Afghans. The lack of progress, he noted, means that the critical support needed by Afghanistan to deal with the hu manitarian and economic crises and other challenges has faltered.

Sadiq said the progress report of the last 16 months was mixed, while some of the worst fears, including a rapidly deteriorating security situation in Afghanistan, mass exodus of refugees and a prolonged period of instability and violence did not materialise, the interim Afghan government had also not made the kind of progress that the international community would ideally expected.

(Asad Mirza is a political commen tator based in New Delhi.)

Albanese-Xi meeting and Australia’s strategic vision

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 22

(IANS) A Kerala couple’s wedding invite that addressed the Indian Army garnered lavish praise and went viral as soon as it was shared on social media, after gaining the army’s recognition and praise.

Rahul, an assistant bank manager in Coimbatore and Karthika, an IT professional in Technopark, penned a handwritten note in their invitation card, thanking the army for their relentless service along with inviting them to their wedding

ceremony held on November 10, in an auditorium near the Pangode military station.

The letter began with the salutation “Dear Heroes”.

It stated: “We (Rahul and Karthika) are getting married on November 10th. We are truly thankful for love, determination, and patriotism towards our country. We owe a deep debt of gratitude to you for keeping us safe. Because of you, we sleep peacefully. Thank you for giving us happy days with our loved

ones. Because of you, we are getting married happily. We are extremely delighted to invite you on our special day. We wish your presence and blessings. Thank you for protecting us.”

The army took to its official Instagram handle to extend wishes to the pair.

The army tagged the groom in their post along with adding a picture of the invite with the caption: “Best Wishes. #IndianArmy conveys sincere thanks to Rahul & Karthika for the Wedding Invite and wishes the couple a very Happy & Blissful Wedded Life. #TogetherForever.”

As a token of the army’s response, the Pangode Military Station Commander Brigadier Lalit Sharma felicitated the couple at the station on Monday, where they were wel comed with a bouquet.

The Station Commander conveyed the army’s deepest appreciation for their adorable marriage invite and interacted with the couple. He also presented them with a memento.

He advised the couple to strive for contributing towards nation building.

He added: “To be in uniform or not, the contribution of every citizen is valuable and the army’s existence depends upon the citizens.”

He says he guided a herd of 25 elephants and three calves from Hazaribag to Barkagaon as recently as September 28.

“Dudhmatiya mela has been a success. Three herds regularly come to Hazaribag now and stay there for five to 10 days,” adds Ram.

A festival for the forest

For the last 27 years, people in Hazaribag have been organising the annual Dudhmatiya mela to spread the message of the conservation of trees and wildlife. Incidentally, Hazaribag district now accounts for 34.91 per ecnt of Jharkhand’s forest cover.

By Faiz Anwar Hazaribag, Nov 22 (IANS/101Reporters)

A grave mis take made in the past has turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the villages surrounding Dudhmatiya forest in Tatijhariya block, around 25 km from Hazaribag in Jharkhand. It all began in the 1980s when the population of wolves in the forest began to increase rapidly, making them stray out and launch attacks on children and elderly. Panicky residents then axed trees in Dudhmatiya to shoo away wolves. But the dwindling forest cover made wild elephants stray into villages and attack people.

Mahadev Mahto, then a government school teacher, was among the many who suffered severe injuries when over 20 elephants went on a ram page in Berho village of Tatijhariya block in 1989. The incident spurred Mahto into making plans to revive the natural habitats of elephants so that they do not enter villages for food and water.

He roped in people from his village, and nearby Bada and Chhota Darbhanga. The same people, who once vigorously chopped down trees, were now told to plant and protect. It was not an easy task.

In 1991, Berho residents along with a forest beat officer formed a 10-mem ber ‘jungli pashu kshati sahayta kosh’ to create awareness of forest conservation and habitat revival for wild elephants. For five years, the committee sensitised people by holding meetings and making announcements using loudspeakers. Over the years, more members joined the team.

In 1995, the committee changed its name to ‘van prani suraksha samiti’ on getting full-fledged support from the forest department. The 100-hectare lush green Dudhmatiya forest that we see today is the result of hard work put in by the commit tee members to involve as many villagers as possible.

Now aged 72, Soniya Devi of Bada Daharbhanga was among the first to understand the benefits of forest conservation. At that time, she vol untarily took up the task of staying in a machan (a raised platform made of bamboo and wood) in the forest for a span of six months to alert villagers of any suspicious vehicle or movement, besides stopping people from felling trees and grazing cattle.

Her forest stay is not as regular now as it was before. But whenever she stays in the machan, village women come to spend time with her in the evenings. Though there are no formal groups or rotational machan duty, things are going well here.

Several villages have subsequently adopted the idea, leading to the formation of 434 forest committees.

Narayan Yadav (76) from Bada Daharbhanga was among the first to join the initiative.

“I have been troubled by the recur ring dream of ‘Vanaspati maiya’ ask ing me to save the forest ever since my wife’s death. She was digging up the forest floor to get mud for house repair, but accidentally got trapped in a heap of loose mud. Two others also died in the 1991 incident,” says Narayan, who has adopted Teliya Mat, a nearby forest.

• Ensuring a safe passage

In 2015, the ‘van prani suraksha samiti’ members undertook a 100-km march to mobilise people to revive the forest. Then divisional forest officer Siddharth Tripathi also participated in the march, which covered almost 150 villages along the elephant corridor.

“In the past, only one or two elephants used to cross the corridor. Now, three big herds march togeth er. The corridor at Pipcho in Daru block has water and food in abun dance. The elephants halt there for four to five days. This is something that has never happened before,” says Ram Nandan Ram, a forest beat officer with Hazaribag East Division since 1996.

The elephants now move from Pipcho to Badwar, Garya, Turiwar, Ango, Hatyari, Morangi and reach Demotand. From there, they move towards Besh and Resham in the west forest division and towards Barkagaon.

The forest guards and beat officers move with the herd and guide them to another jungle. The villagers carrying mashals (torches) join the guards at night. “Since 2010, we have built around 73 earthen water reservoirs along the corridor to ensure a hassle-free journey for elephants,” says Hazaribag East Divisional Forest Officer Sourav Chandra.

According to forest guard Ashish Kumar, more and more elephants are entering the corridor now.

The forest department and ‘van prani suraksha samiti’ organised the first Dudhmatiya mela or raksha bandhan on October 7, 1995. Around 5,000 people participated in it.

As per the ritual, sacred threads are tied around the trees with a promise to protect them. Three days before the mela, a group of women go on a bhikshatan to nearby villages to raise funds. They sing and beat drums to motivate villagers to participate.

Tatijharia sarpanch Suresh Yadav was in Class 8 when the first Dudhmatiya mela was organised.

“I still remember taking part in the mela along with my father. We sang songs and performed in plays. Now, my son participates,” he says.

Basanti Devi (43) and Rukmani Devi (45) from Bada Daharbhanga, who help collect money every year, believe that van devi has rewarded them by not letting COVID-19 “enter the village”.

The main agenda of this year’s mela, held on October 7, was to save the green cover from a proposed four-lane road that will run close to the forest. NH 100 already passes through Dudhmatiya forest.

Tackling man-animal conflict Only four deaths have been reported in man-animal conflicts in the region since 2000, claims Anil Agarwal, a clerk with the forest department in Hazaribag East, pointing to the success of forest committees. Parmeshwar Prasad Yadav (55), a migrant labourer who makes it a point to visit his native Bada Daharbhanga during Dudhmatiya mela, echoes Agarwal.

Demotand resident Surendra Prasad Sahu (52) lost only five quintals of agricultural produce to elephant rampage this year. “Earlier, it used to be much more,” he says.

With a variety of trees such as sal, neem, banyan, peepal, amla, mango, banana, karam (adina cordifolia), bael, bamboo, shammi (prosopis cineraria) and mahua flourishing in the dense forest, villages in Hazaribag district have come a long way in saving human lives and promoting elephant population in the region.

( Faiz Anwar is a Hazaribag-based freelance journalist and a member of 101Reporters, a pan-India net work of grassroots reporters)

B’luru student held for installing secret camera in women’s restroom Bengaluru, Nov 22 (IANS) A college student was arrested for allegedly installing a secret camera in a ladies’ restroom here on Tuesday.

According to police, the accused was caught red-handed while fixing the camera.

The arrested student is identified as Shubham M Azad, the student of a private college in Hosakerehalli locality of Bengaluru. Shubham, studying in fifth semester of BBA, had fixed a secret camera in the ladies toilet, police said.

Preliminary investigations have shown that he had recorded more than 2,000 videos and photos of the college girls and his friends. He is

also alleged of taking private and embarrassing photos of his friends.

Police said that accused Shubham was caught by the students when he was trying to fix a secret camera in the bathroom. The accused had managed to escape when the girl students had raised an alarm.

Though he managed to escape from the spot, he was caught after checking the CCTV footage. The police stated that Shubham was a habitual offender and he was caught while taking private videos of girls. Then, he tendered an apology and he was pardoned by the college management.

This time, the college authorities

have lodged a complaint with Girinagar police station. The police have seized his mobile and found more than 1,200 private videos and photos of the girls.

Investigation revealed that the accused has one more mobile phone and police are yet to recover it. Further investigation is on.

Lucknow to get happiness park

Lucknow, Nov 20 (IANS) The people of Lucknow have something to be happy about.

The musical Happiness Park will soon come up near the Gomti riverfront, while the UP Darshan Project, another park, will come up in a vacant area behind Hotel Taj in Gomti Nagar.

The Happiness Park will come up inside the Buddha Park opposite the Scientific Convention Centre where children will be able to play forgotten games like Gulli-Danda, Kancha (marbles) which were once popular but vanished as computer games took over.

Lucknow Divisional Commissioner, Roshan Jacob, said that the proposal for both parks had bene discussed in detail.

“In the Happiness Park, there will be a number of funny sculptures on which the children can pose for

photographs. Many of these will be created with waste material,” she said.

“A musical park will come up all along the Gomti River Front where musical instruments and murals of our maestros will be placed. Those interested and skilled people can even play those musical instruments.”

Another

She

Delhi Police initiates

New Delhi, Nov 22 (IANS) Delhi Police has initiated legal action against AAP workers after they thrashed party MLA from Matiala Gulab Singh Yadav during a meeting at Shyam Vihar in the national capital.

The altercation had taken place over distribution of civic polls tickets on Monday.

An information regarding man handling of MLA Gulab Singh was received around 8 p.m. following which a police team rushed to the spot, a senior police official said on Tuesday.

“There was an altercation over the issue of ticket distribution which resulted in alleged manhandling of Yadav by some party workers.

legal

action against AAP workers who thrashed party MLA

He has been medically examined and no external injury found. Legal action being taken as per the state ment,” said the official.

Indian biologist gets UN’s highest honour for saving world’s rarest storks New Delhi, Nov 22 (IANS) Purnima Devi Barman, conservation biologist known for initiating all-female grassroots conservation move ment from Assam for saving the greater adjutant, one of the world’s rarest storks, is among the UN Environment Programme’s (UNEP) 2022 Champions of the Earth award announced on Tuesday.

Since its inception in 2005, the an nual Champions of the Earth award has been awarded to trailblazers at the forefront of efforts to protect the natural world.

It is the UN’s highest environmental honour. To date, the award has recognized 111 laureates: 26 world leaders, 69 individuals and 16 organizations.

This year a record 2,200 nomina tions from around the world were received.

“Healthy, functional ecosystems are critical to preventing the climate emergency and loss of biodiversity from causing irreversible damage to our planet. This year’s Champions of the Earth give us hope that our relationship with nature can be repaired,” said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of UNEP.

“This year’s Champions demon strate how reviving ecosystems and supporting nature’s remarkable capacity for regeneration is every one’s job: governments, the private sector, scientists, communities, NGOs and individuals.”

UNEP’s 2022 Champions of the Earth are Barman honoured in the Entrepreneurial Vision category, is a wildlife biologist who leads the “Hargila Army”, an all-female grassroots conservation movement dedicated to protecting the greater adjutant stork from extinction. The women create and sell textiles

with motifs of the bird, helping to raise awareness about the species while building their own financial independence.

Arcenciel (Lebanon), honoured in the Inspiration and Action category, is a leading environmental enterprise whose work to create a cleaner, healthier environment has laid the foundation for the country’s national waste management strategy.

Today, arcenciel recycles more than 80 per cent of Lebanon’s potentially infectious hospital waste every year.

Constantino (Tino) Aucca Chutas (Peru), also honoured in the Inspiration and Action category, has pioneered a community reforestation model driven by local and Indigenous communities, which has led to three million trees being planted in the country.

He is also leading ambitious reforestation efforts in other Andean countries.

Partha Dasgupta (Britain), honoured in the Science and Innovation category, is an eminent economist whose landmark review on the economics of biodiversity calls for a fundamental rethink of humanity’s relationship with the natural world to prevent critical ecosystems from reaching dangerous tipping points.

Cecile Bibiane Ndjebet (Cameroon), honoured in the Inspiration and Action category, is a tireless advocate for the rights of women in Africa to secure land tenure, which is essential if they are to play a role in restoring ecosystems, fighting poverty and mitigating climate change.

She is also leading efforts to influence policy on gender equality in forest management across 20 African countries.

Following the launch of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration (2021-2030), this year’s awards shine a spotlight on efforts to prevent, halt and reverse ecosystem degradation globally.

Ecosystems on every continent and in every ocean face massive threats. Every year, the planet loses forest cover equivalent to the size of Portugal. Oceans are being over fished and polluted, with 11 million tonnes of plastic alone ending up in marine environments annually.

One million species are at risk of extinction as their habitats disap pear or become polluted.

Ecosystem restoration is essential for keeping global warming below 2 degrees Celsius and helping societies and economies to adapt to climate change.

It is also crucial to fighting hunger: restoration through agroforestry alone has the potential to increase food security for 1.3 billion people.

Restoring just 15 per cent of converted lands could reduce the risk of species extinction by 60 per cent. Ecosystem restoration will only succeed if everyone joins the #GenerationRestoration movement.

People power revives Jharkhand forest, elephant corridor

park, UP Darshan will come up in a vacant area behind Hotel Taj in Gomti Nagar, where the popular items of every district will be dis played like Lucknow’s Chikankari.

said all these projects will be developed under a public-private partnership model and will come up under Smart City Project.

A video of the incident was doing the rounds on social media. In the video, the AAP workers are seen grabbing Yadav by collar and hitting him.

UP govt begins preparing for 2025 Maha Kumbh

Lucknow, Nov 22 (IANS) The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has started preparing for the Maha Kumbh, scheduled to be held in Prayagraj in 2025.

To chalk out the outline of the Maha Kumbh 2025, a high-level meeting will be held in Prayagraj on Thursday.

The Chief Minister is going to preside over the meeting along with senior officials of his office, chief secretary and heads of at least eight to 10 other departments who will play a crucial role in making the religious event successful.

According to the official spokesman, Yogi will go through the preliminary

MEHRAULI MURDER

presentation during the meeting and give his inputs.

A basic blueprint of the event has been prepared.

“The scale and size of the event will be extremely grand. We are going to bring all the options on the table to make the event historic,” said a state government spokesman.

Senior government officials and heads of the public works, power, irrigation, urban development, health, home, housing and urban planning, transport, tourism, infor mation among other departments, are expected to participate in the high-level meeting to note down the issues that require inter-department coordination and collaboration.

From spurned men to unfaithful partners, the many shades of crimes of passion

Sonu Oraon, reached her house and asked her to accompany him. On being refused, he shot her dead with a pistol.

In another case, a youth brutally stabbed a school girl with a knife and shot her dead in Kariwadih village of Garhwa district. The police investigation revealed that the accused wanted to marry the victim and killed her after she rejected his proposal.

In Patratu in Ramgarh district, Chanchal Kumari along with her lover killed her younger brother, Rohit, and buried his body in the quarters where she lived alone in June. The police revealed the matter several weeks after the incident.

New Delhi, Nov 18 (IANS) With investigation picking up pace, Delhi Police have come across the chats between Shraddha Walkar and her friends, which reveal a pattern of abuse by Aftab Ameen Poonawalla that ended up in her murder on May 18.

Shraddha, who was beaten up and strangled to death and then chopped into 35 pieces by Aftab, had conversations with her friends and a co-worker either on WhatsApp or Instagram. She had told them that she has been physically assaulted by Aftab since the beginning of their relationship.

“I won’t be able to make it today from all the beating yesterday... I guess my bp (blood pressure) is low and the body hurts,” she had this conversation with the co-worker two years ago, when she along with Aftab lived together in their home town Vasai near Mumbai.

“I don’t have the energy to get off the bed,” she had told her colleague while attaching her photo with injury marks on her face, she told her colleague.

“Sincere apologies for the trouble I have caused to you and the way it impacted work,” she added.

She even told her colleague that they had met Aftab’s parents and she needed to make sure he moves out

today.

In December last year, she was even admitted to a private hospital in Vasai.

The doctor, as per his report, said that when she came to her there were “only internal injuries”.

She had severe back pain, nausea, neck pain, difficulty in movement of neck, and tingling and numbness in lower limb, as per the doctor’s report.

Shraddha and Aftab had met through the dating app’ Bumble’ in 2018. They had come to Delhi on May 8 and shifted to the Chattarpur area May 15. On May 18, Aftab killed Shraddha and then chopped her body into 35 pieces and threw her remains across various places.

Sources said that when Aftab was first called for questioning, he told the investigators that Shraddha had left the house on May 22.

“However, all her belongings were at the house to which Aftab told the police that she had only taken her phone. He also said that they did not speak to each other since she left,” sources said.

The investigators doubted his version and on sustained question ing, Aftab finally confessed to killing Shraddha. He was arrested on November 12.

By Shambhu Nath Choudhary Ranchi, Nov 20 (IANS) In Jharkhand’s sub-capital Dumka, Shah Rukh and his accomplice Naeem recently set Class 12 student Ankita Singh on fire after pouring petrol on her.

The main accused Shah Rukh, who was in ‘love’ with the victim, had been troubling her for the past few months. He kept pressurising her for marriage over phone, after getting her number from somewhere.

The victim’s parents had advised Shahrukh to stay away from Ankita, but to no avail. The accused even gave death threats to Ankita over phone on the night of August 22. A few hours later at 5 a.m., he poured petrol on the victim through the window of her room and set her on fire.

The victim succumbed to her burn injuries after battling for her life for six days in the hopsital. Lakhs of people across the country,

Social media has made the love + sex + dhoka equation murkier

By M. K. Ashoks

Bengaluru, Nov 20 (IANS) A young doctor who allegedly used social media as a weapon to denigrate and humiliate his live-in partner and fiancee could not have known that his actions would cost him his life.

The case triggered a debate about social media becoming a tool in the hands of individuals to commit crimes.

The law soon caught up with the live-in partner and fianc�e, who allegedly attempted to exonerate herself by hiding behind her lover’s act of exposing her private videos. This is the tragic story of Dr Vikas and Pratibha, an architect, reported in the limits of Begur police station, which shocked Bengaluru. The police investigations revealed that Vikas did it as he found out that Pratibha was allegedly having an affair, even as her marriage to him was fixed.

In a fit of rage, Pratibha and five of her friends cornered Vikas and beat him up fatally. Vikas later suc cumbed to injuries at the hospital. When asked about the trend of social media becoming a weapon to settle scores often leading to crimes, Belagavi Police Commissioner M.B. Boralinagaiah told IANS that the trend is picking up and it is going to be a challenge.

“I think KYC, which is there on many fronts, should be adopted in social media as well. Any Tom, Dick and Harry with some pseudo names will indulge in crimes. The case needs to be looked into in-depth, but at what cost is the question?” Boralingaiah said.

There is a need for strict punish ment for this. Some data has to be there to immediately track the user such as Aadhaar authentication. People are becoming perverts. It is all about clicking a button now, he

said.

Psychologist Dr A. Sridhara opined that the way relationships are defined by social media in young adults requires more attention and analysis.

It’s more of a psychopathic tendency and there is more scope for the media to exaggerate such tenden cies. You watch violent movies. You will watch and try to experiment with it. There is no feeling, there will be no fear, he said.

Individuals, adults are going through difficult times psycholog ically. They have not been able to understand what is happening. They get attached to even more violent people knowingly. It very clearly indicates there is no option available to them. They are trusting technolo gy, he explains.

“Apart from all the present day sce narios, the nature of crime and the attention of the media that they are getting, it’s hyped. When we go back to �Mahabharat’, Draupadi, when she was being stripped in full public view, she took an oath that she will drink the blood of Dushasana who pulled her saree.”

Sridhara explains that after this there are many instances of punishing people, murdering people, piercing the eyes to make someone blind, cutting of limbs. By nature violence is a part of human emotions.

Over a period of time we have managed to minimize it by peaceful co-existence, reasoning and culture and concern for other human beings. The element of destruction, giving punishment can go to any extent. In America, the nature of serial killers and what they do is unbelievable, he said.

“We all know about the tandoor case in New Delhi, where the young woman was killed, chopped and

burnt in a tandoor. In Bengaluru, a professor attached to a reputed university and his son committed a similar crime 15 years ago,” he says.

He explains, “if you look at all superhit Hindi movies, revenge films have the most following.

In the present day, technology created social media, if aggression is demonstrated, every individual feels in his own way.”

The reports the media is getting are all the police version. You don’t know if that man is telling the truth and there is a chance of fictional ization by the police. There is little chance of verifying this. Social media is being utilized to sensation alize horrible human emotions.

“Social media is regulating human passion as well as extremes of human passion like violence.”

Senior advocate Rajalakshmi Ankalagi said social media has a positive as well as a flip side. It gives everything uncontrolled and unedited. What you choose depends on the person. Social media also facilitates many campaigns which will get a response from one corner of the country to another corner. This is possible with social media. But, if a person is negative from inside, this will make him stronger. Media, social media and movies showed the trend of the mindset of people. I don’t agree with people learning through them, she said.

especially on social media, expressed anger over the incident after a video of the accused laughing while he was being taken to jail surfaced.

After a month-and-a-half, a similar incident was reported from Bhalki village under Jarmundi police sta tion area of Dumka. A man named Rajesh Raut barged into 19-year-old Maruti’s house and set her ablaze by pouring petrol on her. The victim died the following day.

The accused had been pressurising Maruti to marry him despite already being married. He committed the crime after she turned down his proposal.

In September, 22-year-old Khushbu was shot dead by her boyfriend Raju Oraon, with whom she had been in a live-in relationship for a year in Chanho, Ranchi. The victim went to live in her father’s house after a strife with the accused. Raju along with his accomplice,

By Supriya Ramesh

New Delhi, Nov 20 (IANS) The new year is just around the corner and as we all gear up to enter 2023, the brutality in the air is impeding our high hopes.

Phrases like ‘love is blind’, ‘all’s fair in love and war’, ‘love makes the world go round’ etc. seem to take a bad turn these days, costing us innocent lives.

Looking back, there has been a surge in murders that were moti vated by romantic relationships. Now, the appalling and blood-cur dling killing of partners in India -- Shraddha Walker in Delhi, Shipra Jharia in MP, Krutika Baranda in Gujarat, Anitha in AP, Rukhsar in UP, and more -- have caused fear among people.

With people now learning to speak up and take strong decisions, a few seem to have a problem with it. However, a controlling mindset, strong patriarchal setup, substance abuse, financial issues, suspected infidelity, etc. are some of the most common reasons found in these cases. We talk to experts to know more.

It would be difficult to put a number to the number of cases that are seen every day. We come across new murder cases every day, but those are cases that are being reported. What about the ones not getting reported? Domestic abuse is grossly underreported and the rates are much higher than seen in usual practice.

“According to National Family Health Survey (NFHS), approximate ly 30 per cent of women between the age of 18 and 49 years have had to face such abuse.

“In my clinical practice, domestic abuse is seen in 3-4 couples per week,” said Paramjeet Singh, Senior Consultant Psychiatrist, PSRI Hospital, New Delhi.

There could be several reasons that drive the perpetrators to take such gruesome steps and it all starts with being mildly violent at home.

Several incidents similar to such crimes of passion have been coming to the fore in Jharkhand almost every other month.

Dharmendra Kumar, lecturer of psychology at Kolhan University, said that one of the major reasons behind the increase in such crimes is personality and mental disorders due to complicated lifestyles.

The result of anger, excess of emo tions and impractical aspirations dominating the youth and teenagers is being seen behind such incidents, he added.

On the night of June 29, Kanhaiya Singh was murdered on the steps of his house in Jamshedpur, following which the the city’s political tem perature rose.

The SIT constitued by the police revealed a shocking tale -- the victim’s daughter Aparna Singh along with her lover Rajveer Singh hatched the plot for the murder as she considered him an obstacle to their love.

Aparna gave a diamond ring gifted by her father to Rajveer to sell for arranging the money to be given to a shooter. She guided the shooter about her father’s activities over phone to help with the murder.

The reason, however, can be very diverse for these people who find themselves in this situation. It may not involve a real rational reason as well a lot of times.

Instead of trying to resolve or work through problems or situations that they find themselves in with more healthy adaptive behaviours, they tend to have a more aggressive approach.

“Having or being in a relationship where there is infidelity, financial concerns, concerns which happened at the level of the larger family or an individual that you are with could have temperament or personality issues,” said Kamna Chibber, Head of Department, Mental Health & Behavioural Sciences, Fortis Memorial Research Institute, Gurugram.

“However, what has been found common in the victims is their tendency to keep quiet, seeing this as socially acceptable, submissive traits, financially and emotionally dependent, poor support from paternal family, etc.,” added Singh. Domestic abuse is seen in all strata, educational and social backgrounds. It is a rampant problem and can be happening around us without us being aware.

It is only rarely that the abuser ever stops abusing.

Jaya Sukul, Clinical Psychologist, Marengo QRG Hospital, Faridabad, said that the form and degree of abuse changes but doesn’t entirely stop in most cases. It could vary from person to person. The abuser needs to work actively and have the willingness and motivation to get rid of one’s abusive behaviour.

“The individual should be willing to work with an expert in order to be able to determine what could be the ways forward,” Chibber said.

She said that for a victim, it is extremely important to try and look at whatever is the earliest stage at which she can start seeking help.

Talking and sharing experiences are

Similarly, on June 18, a man identified as Arpit barged into his girlfriend’s house in Janak Nagar locality in Ranchi and killed her and her brother, Praveen Kumar Singh. The student and her brother were stabbed with a knife and later hit by a hammer. The victims’ mother, Chanda Devi, was grievously injured after being attacked on the head with the hammer.

Ranchi-based psychologist and counsellor Bhagyashree Kar said that these methods of committing crimes are often inspired by web series, films and crime shows.

Uncontrolled use of social media also creates such complications, he added.

DSP Vikas Chandra Srivastava, posted at the Investigation Training School of Jharkhand Police, said that it is difficult to prevent such incidents through policing. He said the criminals who plan such crimes by sitting inside their homes cannot be kept under police surveillance.

“It is definitely the police’s responsibility to gather evidence in such cases, to prepare strong chargesheets and show readiness in getting the criminals punished by the courts. If speedy trials are held and strict punishments are given, it would definitely create a sense of fear among the criminals,” added Shrivastava.

very crucial. Ensuring that they do not end up allowing themselves to submit when they see their per sonal space or boundary is getting breached is important.

They should not try and believe that there’s something that they have done, which is causing this kind of behaviour or this kind of action.

“Do not allow yourself to believe that this is something which will change on its own, that maybe this was just a one-off if you see that there is a pattern emerging. Don’t ignore that pattern. If your partner is not someone who is willing to work on his bad side, seek support for your own self,” Chibber said.

It is for the betterment if we talk more and more about these things and spread awareness. Reaching out and sharing your support with someone you think might be a victim of domestic abuse, and being active in encouraging them to be able to stand up for themselves becomes important. Also, a lot of these things need to start at a very early age.

Working with children and adoles cents within schools and colleges becomes extremely important because that is where a lot of shap ing is happening.

“Talking about the consequences and bringing about changes even in how the justice system tends to function so that more and more people become aware of what is going to be the consequence of having committed a certain crime or having acted in a certain way becomes really important,” Chibber concluded.

It all starts with domestic abuse; speak up before it’s too late: Experts

Mehrauli Murder: Shraddha was physically assaulted multiple times by Aftab

Australia to grant thousands of refugees right to travel overseas

exacerbating mental health issues and imposing great and enduring uncertainty on their lives,” Giles said in a statement.

“Under these changes, TPV and SHEV holders will still be required to request permission to travel to a third country, and still can not travel to the country by reference to which they were found to engage protection obligations.

Bubs Australia receive Australian Exporter of the Year award

Canberra, Nov 19 (IANS) Australia’s Immigration Minister Andrew Giles on Saturday announced a major change that will allow refugees to travel overseas and return to the country.

Giles flagged that the federal government will amend a direction making people who arrived in Australia by boat before July 2013 the lowest priority applicants for family reunion visas, reports Xinhua news agency.

It means that more than 19,000 refugees who have lived in the coun try since before 2013 on temporary protection visas (TPVs) and safe-ha ven enterprise visas (SHEVs) will be converted to permanent protection visas, delivering on a government election promise.

“The government is improving the family reunion pathways for these permanent visa holders, many of whom have been separated from family for over a decade,

“However, the new policy will broaden the circumstances in which they are able to travel to a third country,” he added.

Refugees and asylum seekers who arrived in Australia by boat after July 19, 2013, the date former Prime Minister Kevin Rudd declared nobody who arrived by boat would ever settle in the country again, will be locked out of the changes.

The government is exploring settlement options in New Zealand, Canada and the US for those refugees.

Australia facing more heat, droughts: Climate report

(CSIRO) and the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) published their biennial State of the Climate report, revealing the continent has warmed by 1.47 degrees Celsius since 1910, reports Xinhua news agency.

According to the report, sea levels around Australia’s coast are rising at an accelerating rate, heatwaves are becoming more frequent and bushfire season is growing longer.

There were 33 days in 2019 when the maximum temperature in Australia exceeded 39 degrees Celsius, more than the previous 59 years combined.

The eight years between 2013 and 2020 all rank in Australia’s 10 warmest years on record.

Sea surface temperatures in the Australian region have increased by

an average of 1.05 degrees Celsius since 1900.

In the Gulf of Carpentaria and around Sydney, sea levels are rising by 7-8 mm every year.

Snow depth, snow cover and the number of snow days in alpine regions have decreased since the 1950s.

A decrease in cool season rainfall across southern and eastern Australia is projected to lead to more time in drought.

Tanya Plibersek, minister for the Environment and Water, said it reinforces the need for action.

“This report is sobering reading. Australia is experiencing climate change now, with impacts being felt by many communities, ecosystems and industry sectors,” she added.

Australian state on alert for Japanese encephalitis

and Western NSW Dugald Saunders said mosquito numbers are ex pected to rise in the coming weeks, given the extended periods of wet weather across the state.

“As we recover from high rainfall and head into warmer temperatures, the conditions are ideal for Japanese encephalitis to spread,” he said.

humans are most commonly as ymptomatic, but on rare occasions, they can result in severe disease and even death.

Canberra: November 25 (DFAT Media Liaison) Bubs Australia, one of Australia’s most successful and in-demand exporters of infant nutrition products, has been named the 2022 Australian Exporter of the Year, according to a media release from the office of the Minister for Trade and Tourism Hon Don Farrell. Bubs Australia grew from a Sydney kitchen in 2006, to a leading export er of organic formula, toddler milks, baby foods and snacks to 10 export markets, including China, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and the US. In May this year, Bubs assisted an ally in need, securing approval

from the US Food and Drug Administration to ship its infant formula products to help relieve US supply shortages. Bubs shipped more than 1.25 million tins of Bubs infant formula – equal to 27.5 mil lion bottles – to the US as part of the Biden Administration’s “Operation Fly Formula”.

There were 84 national finalists in this year’s awards, who have each made an important contribution to Australia’s economy.Collectively, these exporters employed more than 12,600 Australians and generated over $1.9 billion in export earnings during the last financial year.

The Australian Export Awards are

the nation’s most prestigious and longest-running export awards program.

Ministers welcome international students

Canberra: November 24 (DFAT Media Liaison) Minister for Trade and Tourism Don Farrell and Minister for Education Jason Clare met with International Education and Training finalists at Parliament House on November 24, according to a joint media release from Minister for Trade and Tourism Hon Don Farrell andMinister for Education Jason Clare MP

These Australian education provid ers have been recognised for their outstanding international success and for providing exceptional learning curriculum, support and experiences for international students.

Ministers Farrell and Clare congrat ulated the International Education and Training finalists, and thanked them for championing our vibrant international student sector, after former Prime Minister Scott Morrison told international students to go home at the beginning of the pandemic.

Minister for Trade and Tourism, Senator the Hon Don Farrell said, “On behalf of the Albanese Government, I extend my warmest welcome to all international stu dents studying or planning to study with Australia.”

further said.

He added, “The Albanese Government supports our worldclass international education sector and I congratulate the Australian Export Awards International Education and Training finalists.”

Welcoming the students, Minister for Education, the Hon Jason Clare MP said, “Thank you to our international student community for continuing to choose Australia as your study destination, and for the invaluable contribution you make to our country, “he added.

there is still a lot more work to do.”

The Albanese Government warmly welcomes all international students studying or planning to study with Australia, says the media release.

Australia is a safe and friendly country offering a world-class edu cation across our school, university, English language, and vocational education and training sectors, says the media release.

According to the media release quot ing statistics, Australia is currently home to 500,000 international students representing 190 countries.

Sydney, Nov 23 (IANS) Authorities of Australia’s New South Wales (NSW) on Wednesday warned its residents to be alert for Japanese encephalitis as the state is experi encing an extended period of wet weather.

The government urged livestock owners to watch for signs of this infectious disease as routine surveil lance indicated the virus remains present in parts of regional NSW,

The

Japanese encephalitis is caused by the Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV). It is spread through mosquito bites and is more common in areas of increased mosquito activity.

Saunders said the disease won’t pose a food safety risk, but it could cause reproductive failures in pigs, with 50-70 percent losses reported in previously affected populations.

“We’re encouraging farmers to be on high alert for ill livestock, with clinical signs of infection including a high temperature, jaundice, lethargy, anorexia and neurological signs including incoordination and impaired vision,” he added.

Japanese encephalitis infections in

NSW Minister for Health Brad Hazzard also warned residents who live or frequently work in areas identified as having the disease to take precautions such as vaccines and wearing long-sleeved clothing to prevent mosquito bites.

The state is providing free JEV vaccines to those aged 2 months or older who live or routinely work in areas of high JEV concern or at higher risk of exposure to mosquitoes.

Since it was first detected in Australia in 1995, human cases of JEV acquired in Australia have been very rare, but in 2022, the number has increased, with human cases identified across several states.

As of October 19 this year, 42 cases of JEV infections have been notified in Australia since January 1, 2021.

Australia Post restarts to receive int’l sea mail

international sea mail after more than seven weeks of suspension.

The national postal service provider suspended this mail service from October 1, due to a high volume of prohibited items entering the country by sea mail, reports Xinhua news agency.

However, the recent inconvenience to some customers during the festi val season prompted the company to resume sea mail deliveries.

“We know that the temporary suspension inconvenienced some of our overseas and local customers and have worked tirelessly to restart the service,” said Paul Graham,

Australia Post’s Group Chief Executive Officer.

Australia Post has seen an increase in parcel volumes coming through from the recent sales.

It has also commenced weekend delivery in all metro capitals and some regional areas to help support the expected increase in parcel volumes in the lead-up to Christmas.

Australia Post said they will work with relevant border agencies to continue to closely monitor the volume of prohibited items coming to the country and will take all steps necessary to ensure border integrity remains intact.

Australian state updates Covid risk rating as cases spike

risk rating from green to amber, requiring masks to be worn in all hospital areas and visitor numbers monitored to protect staff and patients.

In a statement, NSW Health Deputy Secretary Deb Willcox pointed out that the requirements in all public hospitals and health facilities are due to increasing case numbers in the community, reports Xinhua news agency.

community can look forward to the festive season with greater confidence,” Willcox said.

According to the statement, a significant factor in upgrading alert levels was the number of health staff unable to work due to positive Covid-19 status, and/or while awaiting a negative test result.

“As of November 16, there were 1,089 health care workers in isolation up from 645 the previous week,” he said.

“We are excited to have you with us, in Australia and around the world. You are such an important part of our proudly diverse society and our global education programs,” he

He further added, “We are breaking the back of the visa backlog. We have also announced an extension of work rights for students who get degrees in areas where we have a skills shortage and students are coming back. It is great to see, but

These students bring diversity to our campuses, workplaces and communities, and help to foster an inclusive and connected Australia.

Australia’s international education sector is the country’s fourth largest export earner.

Australia beach murder: Delhi court sends nurse to five-day judicial custody

New Delhi, Nov 25 (IANS) A Delhi court on Friday sent a 38-year-old Indian-origin nurse, who allegedly killed an Australian woman in Queensland in 2018, to five-day judicial custody till November 30.

Rajwinder Singh, who fled Australia after the crime, was arrested by Delhi Police Special Cell earlier in the day.

Toyah Cordingley was walking her dog on Wangetti Beach, 40 km north of Cairns in Queensland, when Singh killed her.

Recently, the Australian police had declared a million dollar reward for any information leading to his arrest.

Singh, who originally hails from Buttar Kalan in Punjab, used to work as a nurse in Innisfail, Queensland.

“On November 4, via Twitter, the Australian High Commission had declared a reward of one million Australian dollars on the arrest of Singh, an Indian-origin Australian

citizen,

According to a senior police official, Interpol had also issued Red Corner Notice (RCN), regarding the said accused and the CBI/Interpol, New Delhi had also issued a non-bailable warrant, under the Extradition Act,

Sydney,

The state’s latest figures showed there were a total of 27,869 new infections recorded for the seven days up to Thursday, up from 19,800 the week before.

“Implementing these changes now means that our staff and the

“This is an important indicator for our health system that we need to find the right balance with simple measures that can help us avoid more significant changes.”

Canberra, Nov 25 (IANS) Australia has reported a small uptick in active Covid-19 cases as the country nears the peak of its fourth wave of infections, the Department of Health said on Driday.

According to the Department data, there were an average of 11,953 new cases recorded daily in the week to Friday, reports Xinhua news agency. It represents an increase of 10 per cent from the previous week -- a significantly smaller increase than in early and mid-November.

On average there were 2,242 Australians with coronavirus being treated in hospital over the last seven days -- up from 1,973 of the previous week - and there were more than 100 deaths.

In South Australia (SA), chief health officer Nicola Spurrier said she believes SA is approaching the peak

of the current wave after cases increased by 3 per cent in the last week.

“We are getting towards the peak. Until we see those case numbers come down I can’t officially tell you we’re at the peak, but we’re certainly

“On

6 a.m.,

Australia nears peak of current Covid wave

at that top-end plateau,” she told reporters.

“We are very hopeful that we will be on the other side of that wave well before Christmas, so we can all enjoy a healthy Christmas.”

reports Xinhua news agency.

state’s Minister for Agriculture

Nov 19 (IANS) The Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) has changed its Covid-19

Canberra, Nov 23 (IANS) Extreme weather events are becoming more severe and more common in Australia, a landmark climate report published on Wednesday warned.

The national science agency Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation

who had committed the gruesome murder of an Australian woman on October 21, 2018 in Queensland and had been abscond ing ever since,” said police.

against his name from the Patiala House Court on November 21, 2022.

November 25, at around

specific inputs were shared by CBI/Interpol and Australian counterparts following which in an intelligence-based operation, the accused was apprehended by the team of Special Cell from near GT Karnal Road,” said the official.

Canberra, Nov 22 (IANS) Australia

Post has announced that it will restart receiving inbound

Don Farrell

Jason Clare

Can there be 2 Indian-origin women running for US Prez? Haley hints she may contest

Haley who spoke proudly of her rise from “a brown girl growing up in a small rural southern town”, with a stark racial divide and her family’s immigration from India, took a dig at Harris, whose primary identification in politics is African-American from her father’s roots and has often focused on racism.

She accused Harris of being with those who promoted “self-loathing” among Americans and citing her own family’s experience said: “They have the gall to tell us, America is racist.”

surprisingly strong showing in the midterm elections which was seen as a referendum on him and Trump.

While being Vice President gives her an edge should Biden decide not run, she will still face strong challenges for the party nomination.

Haley will have an even more daunting task ahead if she decides to take on the race.

In a first, turbaned Sikh appointed Dy Mayor of Canada’s Brampton

Toronto, Nov 21 (IANS) Harkirat Singh has become the first turbaned Sikh to be appointed as Deputy Mayor of Canada’s Brampton city for a four-year term period from 2022-2026.

He has served as Brampton’s City Councillor for Wards 9 and 10 from 2018-2022.

Prior to his role as City Councillor, Singh served a four-year term as School Trustee at the Peel District School Board.

As a Trustee, he sat on the Audit Committee, Instructional Program/ Curriculum Committee and Physical Building and Planning Committee.

By Arul Louis

New York, Nov 22 (IANS) Can there be two women of Indian origin vying for the US presidential nomi nations from two opposing parties?

That’s in the realm of possibility, distant as it may seem, with Nikki Haley, the daughter of a tur ban-wearing Sikh immigrant from India, dropping a hint that she may seek the Republican nomination, but it also depends on the 80-year-old President Joe Biden deciding not to seek a second term opening a path for Vice President Kamala Harris to run for the Democratic Party nomination.

So far Biden has said that he is in for another term and will make a final decision with his family early next year.

The first person of Indian-American descent to serve on the US cabinet, Haley said on Sunday that she will look at a run for the presidency “in a serious way” and “will have more say soon”.

With a touch of bravado, she added: “For now, I’ll say this. I’ve won tough primaries and tough general elections. I’ve been the underdog every single time. When people underestimate me, it’s always fun. But I’ve never lost an election and I’m not going to start now. I’m ready for the road ahead.”

She spoke at a meeting of the Republican Jewish Coalition (RJC) in Las Vegas, Nevada, which was the first major Republican political gathering after former President Donald Trump had announced his run for the presidency.

Trump also addressed the meeting as did others who may run against him like Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Texas Senator Ted Cruz and former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

After resigning from the cabinet po sition as Permanent Representative to the UN with only two years on the job, Haley set about building her base in the party.

She set up a political action com mittee, Stand for America, which endorsed 60 candidates in the November 8 midterm elections and spent $10 million promoting them.

Before joining Trump’s cabinet, Haley had been the Governor of South Carolina, the second person of Indian origin to assume the post after fellow-Republican Bobby Jindal.

“A lot of people have asked if I’m going to run for President. Now that the midterms are over, I’ll look at it in a serious way. And I’ll have more to say soon,” she said.

“If my family and I decide to con tinue our life of service, we will put 1,000 per cent into it and we’ll finish it.”

She dropped a subtle hint while criticising Biden’s effort to resurrect the Iran nuclear deal that was broken by Trump.

“The next President will shred it on her first day in office,” she said with an emphasis on “her” as the audience cheered.

Harris sought the Democratic Party nomination for the 2020 election before dropping out in the initial stages of the campaign and ultimate ly was selected by Biden for vice president.

Her fortunes are tied to Biden in many ways, starting with whether he will run again.

A CNN poll showed that 67 per cent of all voters surveyed did not want him to run again, although 83 per cent of Democrats were for a second term.

The oldest president 80, Biden who has sometimes stumbled while speaking in public, referring to Harris as President or mixing up Fallujah in Iraq with Kherson in Ukraine, faces questions about his capacity to handle another term.

Giving voice to doubters in his party, Democratic Representative Dean Phillips said: “I think the country would be well served by a new generation of compelling, well-prepared, dynamic Democrats to step up.”

Should Biden decide not to run, the focus will be on Harris.

Her performance as Vice President has been mediocre, notably having failed to stem illegal immigration, a task entrusted to her by Biden.

But her stock has risen with Biden’s within the party after the Democrats’

RealClear Politics aggregation of polls about the Republican nomination for the 2024 election showed that Haley had only a 2 per cent backing, compared to 47.3 per cent for Trump and 29 per cent for DeSantis.

Haley is only 50 years old and even if she doesn’t make it in 2024, the run would have raised her profile for several opportunities ahead.

She may even have a shot at the Vice Presidential nomination.

While indirectly criticising Trump at the RJC meeting for the party’s expected red wave turning into a trickle, she also tried to make amends saying, “I disagree that our losses were due to one person”.

She has had a tenuous relationship with Trump.

She first endorsed his rival Florida Senator Marco Rubio for the party nomination but got behind Trump when he became the candidate and he picked her for the cabinet.

Her criticism of Trump has, on the other hand, made her a viable choice for Republicans opposed to the former President.

In what could be seen as a dig against Trump many of whose hand picked candidates gave the party a costly defeat, she said on Sunday: “We have to choose candidates that can win not just a primary but also a general election. We don’t need more politicians who love to go on TV and talk about our problems.”

After the January 6, 2021, physical attack on Congress by Trump’s rioting supporters, she told a party meeting the next day: “He was badly wrong with his words yesterday.

And it wasn’t just his words. His actions since Election Day will be judged harshly by history.”

In her Sunday speech, Haley repeat edly emphasised status as a racial minority in a party associated with whiteness and said it should reach out to minorities - Hispanics, Asians, African Americans and Jews.

Her parents came to the US “from India with $8 in their pocket” and successfully -- and proudly -- navi gated the American South, she said.

Her father Ajit Singh Randhawa became a professor, while her mother Raj Kaur Randhawa became a businesswoman (Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed at @ arulouis)

Andhra police rescue 36 donkeys, seize over 500 kg donkey meat

under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), 1860; the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (PCA) Act, 1960; and the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006.

The rescued donkeys have been moved to safety ahead of permanent rehabilitation.

Amaravati, Nov 21 (IANS) In the first-ever large seizure of donkeys meant for slaughter, the Prakasam district police, in a joint operation with PETA India and local groups from Andhra Pradesh, conducted raids in the district, and confiscated over 500 kg of donkey meat and 36 donkeys.

An illegal donkey killing roadside stall at pillar number 49 under the bridge of Vijayawada Ongole highway and donkey meat selling stalls in Vaddivari Kunta and under Koppolu flyover in the jurisdiction of Ongole taluka police station were raided. Donkey meat and discarded body parts, including heads, legs, and flesh attached to tails, were seized by the police.

An FIR has been registered by Ongole taluka police station

The raids were conducted following a complaint from People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India. Gopal Surabathula of Animal Rescue Organisation and Vijay Kishore Palika of East Godavari SPCA were also part of the raids.

On Sunday too, a truck has been intercepted by local volunteers and PETA India, and 26 donkeys were rescued.

Three persons involved in the illegal trade and slaughter have been arrested. Just last week, in a similar operation, the Bapatla police, with PETA India and local groups’ support, rescued 16 donkeys and seized over 100 kg of donkey meat, registered a first information report (FIR), and arrested four people in Bapatla in connection with the illegal donkey meat trade.

In October too, Bapatla police, with PETA India’s, help seized over 400 kg of donkey meat, registered three first information reports, and arrest ed 11 people in Chirala in connection

with the illegal donkey meat trade.

Over a seven-year period, India’s donkey population has declined by 61 per cent.

In Andhra Pradesh, butchers sell donkey meat by peddling unscientif ic myths about its supposed benefits even as killing donkeys and eating donkey meat violates a number of laws.

Donkey slaughter violates Section 429 of the IPC, 1860, and is pun ishable with a jail term of up to five years, a fine, or both.

Killing donkeys is also an offence under Section 11(1)(a) and (l) of the PCA Act, 1960. Consumption of donkey meat is illegal under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and slaughtering animals in public places is banned under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (Slaughter House) Rules, 2001, a PETA India release stated.

“We commend the efforts of the Prakasam police, led by Malika Garg, who have helped send a consistent message that cruelty to donkeys will not be tolerated,” says Meet Ashar.

“PETA India is calling on everyone to report illegal donkey slaughter to authorities and to extend compas sion to all animals by eating vegan.”

As a Deputy Mayor, Singh will preside at Council and other Committee meetings and assume ceremonial and civic event duties on behalf of the Mayor if the Mayor is absent or unavailable.

“I am proud to have Councillor Harkirat Singh serve as this Term of Council’s Deputy Mayor. He is a dedicated, hardworking Councillor with proven results in delivering what is best for Brampton,” said Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown.

“Entering his second term as Councillor, and holding a School Trustee role before that, he is a known and trusted elected official to many who I am confident will represent and serve the City of Brampton well in this role,” Brown said in a release by Brampton City Council.

“It is an honour to be appointed by my Council colleagues as this Term of Council’s Deputy Mayor. With the opportunity that lies ahead of us in Brampton, I am excited and proud to support Mayor Brown and Councillors in prioritizing the community while we move our City forward,” Singh said.

The position of Deputy Mayor was established by the City of Brampton in April 2022, and was divided into East and West parts.

Singh was also the regional rep resentative at the Ontario Public School Board Association (OPSBA).

Alongside his role as a Trustee, he spent two and a half years as a Professor at Lambton College and two years as a Professor at Humber College teaching Marketing & Entrepreneurship.

To promote community devel opment, Singh runs mentorship workshops and career fairs in local schools.

In 2016, he was nominated for a mentorship award by the Brampton Board of Trade for his work with youth.

He holds a B.A. from the University of Toronto, where he majored in Economics and Public Administration.

He is an M.Sc. in Economics from London Metropolitan University and has an MBA from the Schulich School of Business, specialising in Marketing, Entrepreneurship and Organizational Behaviour.

Indo-Canadian appointed Principal, V-C of McGill University

Toronto, Nov 19 (IANS) Indianorigin academic H. Deep Saini has been appointed as Montreal-based McGill University’s 18th Principal and Vice-Chancellor, and will begin his five-year, renewable term from April next year.

Saini, who grew up in Punjab, is currently President and ViceChancellor of Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia.

“Prof Saini brings to McGill an ex ceptional breadth and depth of lead ership experience, from Dalhousie, several other research-intensive universities in Canada and abroad,” Maryse Bertrand, Chair of McGill’s Board of Governors, said.

“He exemplifies the rare mix of strong academic leadership with a wide-ranging and international perspective. He is the perfect choice for McGill as it embarks on its third century,” Bertrand added.

A university statement described Saini as a “trusted and respected leader” who has worked at four of the top 15 research-intensive

universities of the country. Saini, who has a keen understanding of Quebec culture, having lived close to two decades in Montreal, said he is “humbled and honoured” to be chosen for the post.

“Already a leader on the national and international stage, McGill is entering its third century poised to take its global impact even further. I am looking forward with great an ticipation to returning to Montreal, joining this illustrious community, and making a bold contribution to the University’s most promising future,” Saini, who was chosen by a unanimous vote of the University’s Board of Governors, said.

Saini’s distinguished career has earned him several awards and recognitions, including honours from the Canadian Society of Plant Physiologists, Nanjing University, the Royal Society of New South Wales, the Punjab Academy of Sciences, and the Indo-Canada Chamber of Commerce. He is also the recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Platinum and Diamond Jubilee

Medals, in recognition of his service to education and Canada.

Saini completed his Master of Science (Honours) in Botany from Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana. Thereafter, he moved to Australia to earn a PhD in Plant Physiology from the University of Adelaide. He also served as President and Vice-Chancellor of the University of Canberra in Australia. He is fluent in four languages, in cluding English and French, and has also held national and international governance and advisory roles.

In a first, Himachal ‘Naati’ performed in Canada’s Parliament Hill

Shimla, Nov 21 (IANS) First time in history ‘Naati’ of Himachal Pradesh was performed in Canada at Parliament Hill in Ottawa by Himachali Pravasi Global Association (HPGA) during cele bration of Hindu Heritage Month, organisers said on Monday.

High Commissioner of India to Canada, Sanjay Verma, attended the event that was facilitated by Canadian Member of Parliament Chandra Arya on Sunday. Naati, the folk dance, was performed by Shivani Rathod, Shikha Verma, Neha Sharma, Simran Singh, Priti Kalia, Vasundhra Bhardwaj, Punam Guleria, Ashish Guleria and Jatin Kalia.

Himachal-origin Bhagya Chander, Arun Chauhan, Vivek Nazar and Sunil Sharma conveyed thanks to Arya for organising the event.

Chandra, who is associated with the HPGA, Canada, told IANS over phone that the number of Indian students coming to Canada is increasing every year owing to excellent salary packages with several work opportunities after course completion.

“After pursuing a course, it will be easy for them to work in

multinational companies. This will make it easier for them to become global citizens,” he added.

The HPGA is a non-profit organ isation with an aim to help the Himachal-based immigrants and students to understand the culture of the new country which they choose as the new home.

Ami Bera re-elected ensuring 5-member IndianAmerican ‘Samosa Caucus’ in US Congress

By Arul Louis

New York, Nov 16 (IANS) Ami Bera has been reelected to the House of Representatives, ensuring the “Samosa Caucus” has five Indian American lawmakers in Congress.

The longest-serving Indian American in Congress, Bera was declared winner on Tuesday night even as the counting of votes was continuing in his California House district a week after the November 8 election.

A doctor, Bera, 57, was first elected to Congress in 2012.

Bera joins reelected fellow Californian Ro Khanna, Raja Krishnamoorthi from Illinois and Pramila Jayapal from Washington State, and Shri Thanedar from Michigan elected for the first time. They lightheartedly call themselves the “Samosa Caucus”. The last time there were five law makers of Indian origin in Congress

was in 2020 when Kamala Harris was a senator before her election as Vice President.

Bera is campaigning for a leadership position in the House Democratic Party, Politico reported.

It said that he wrote to party col leagues making his case to be elect ed chairperson of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee citing his efforts as the head of its frontline programme that helped vulnerable party candidates blunt ing the Republican margin.

The committee works to elect party members to the House and its head, who ranks sixth in the party’s hierarchy in the House, wields considerable influence.

Although only 67 per cent of the votes were counted as of Tuesday, Bera was ahead of his Republican rival Tamika Hamilton by 13.2 per cent or 15,964 votes, a margin giving him a pathway to victory, declaring

(Arul

him the winner.

After constituencies were redrawn in the ten-yearly exercise, Bera moved from his constituency centred around California’s capital Sacramento to a nearby one that includes more suburbs while also retaining parts of Sacramento.

Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed at @ arulouis)

India-Australia cooperation on climate action

New Delhi, Nov 20 (IANS) As the 27th Conference of Parties in Egypt comes to an end, it becomes all the more necessary to assess the status of bilateral and multilateral coopera tion in climate action.

Positive and tangible action towards reduction in greenhouse gas emissions and the carbon footprint have now become the need of the hour. The world is, at this point, witnessing the brunt of years of negligence of global warming to an unprecedented level. This real isation at the state and community level has brought the question of climate action to the forefront once again.

With summits like COP27 criticised for being inconclusive, it becomes very important for states to engage in bilateral cooperation to develop the technical and legal infrastruc ture needed for a smooth transition to renewable energy sources, which is a significant step towards a reduction in carbon footprints.

The two powerful democracies of the Indo-Pacific, India and Australia have been diversifying their part nership to include issues of global concern and climate change must take priority in the list. The renewed interest in partnership over critical minerals for environment-friendly

technological development is one aspect of it.

During the months ahead of the COP27, India has reiterated the commitments towards achieving the net zero target by 2070 and had also approved an updated plan to reduce the carbon emissions by 25 per cent by 2030. This is an important step forward in the bid to create a tangible action plan.

While the international negotiations over climate action are generally mired by the debate between the ‘developed’ and the ‘developing’, questioning the principle of ‘com mon but differentiated responsibili ties’, Australia has often found itself at the centre of this tightrope walk.

Its commitment, however, to reduce the carbon emissions by 43 per cent by 2030 shows that there is an increased awareness to contribute to the climate action framework. The fact that both India and Australia have set the same time frame for achieving their respective targets suggests the scope of cooperation in the process as well.

A budding partnership

It has been previously acknowl edged that, among other areas, India and Australia could also mutually benefit from a robust involvement in the climate action sphere. It was

last year that the two nations jointly agreed on partnership over low emissions technology as well as a low cost solar programme. This is likely to become an integral part of the overall economic ties that the two countries share.

Building on these commitments, a letter of intent was also signed earlier this year between the two countries to cooperate effectively on the development of new and renewable energy technology as a part of the fourth India-Australia Energy Dialogue.

The recently-signed Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) would further facilitate the sharing of low emissions technolog ical resources, as well as the critical minerals that play an important part in transitioning towards a net zero target.

The need for increasing cooperation in climate action is highlighted best by Dr. Robert Glasser of the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) says that “we assume a set pace of change for the future but the pace is increasing much more rapidly than people realise” while addressing the impacts of climate change.

• Green Hydrogen There is immense potential of

India, Fiji in talks to set up language lab to promote Hindi

World Hindi Conference next year from February 15-17, 2023, which will be hosted by Fiji, making it the first country in the Pacific to host the prestigious event.

Over a thousand delegates are expected to be part of the inaugural event, which will include Hindispeaking scholars, language academics, and other officials.

reported earlier.

The language developed during the peak of the British Indentured labour system, where Indians, brought to the island between 1879 and 1916, were recruited as labour ers to work on the sugarcane and cotton plantations.

cooperation between the two nations when it comes to the extraction, investments as well as research and developments of critical minerals like lithium, nickel as well as green hydrogen and other rare earth minerals. Australia has a vast reservoir of not just lithium but green hydrogen as well. India could tap on to the economic investments that the Australian state is willing to make on the commercial production of green hydrogen over the period. Why is green hydrogen so important?

To put it in simplest terms, green hy drogen makes the use of renewable energy sources such as wind and solar energy. This is the hydrogen that is produced by splitting water into oxygen and hydrogen elements by using electricity produced through wind or solar energy. This makes it clear that all the resources involved in the production of green hydrogen are renewable, i.e. water, solar energy, and the wind.

It may be more beneficial for the environment to use green hydrogen for industrial production purposes but it is also very realistic to assume that there needs to be a greater level of investments in the research of this resource. The technological know-how to develop this resource

at a wide scale would involve not just the technical aspect but also a vast and consistent body of academ ic research.

This is where the opportunity for strong bilateral cooperation arises.

There is a vast potential of develop ment of green hydrogen in Australia and India can become a market for this resource. As the cooperation grows in terms of the critical miner al industry, the production of green hydrogen can be a resource that both countries can together tap.

• Navigating the impact of climate change

Cooperation in terms of climate change need not always be in technology and research, it is a known fact that the global effects of climate change have also led to a humanitarian crisis.

The vast scale of displacements of communities triggered by the effects of climate change has led to the need for state level and international intervention in their rehabilitation. There needs to be developed a robust mechanism of aid for the communities and bilateral coopera tion can become an important asset in this regard.

As Dr Glasser notes, India has a significantly developed capacity for disaster risk reduction and

prevention of high casualties in case of floods and cyclones especially. This can become another important breakthrough in the rapidly strengthening relationship between the two countries. Cooperating together on navigating the negative impacts of climate change would also become very beneficial at the very grassroots of the Indian and Australian communities as it would assist the vulnerable communities on both sides.

It may be very clear that there are a plethora of ways as to how India and Australia can increase their cooperation and develop a mutually beneficial climate action framework. Already committed to building their relationship further, cooperation on green technologies, critical and rare earth minerals can make the IndiaAustralia alliance even stronger.

Pak’s most powerful man, Gen Bajwa leaves in a significantly weaker position

Suva,

22 (IANS)

Hindi is one of the three official languages spoken in the country, the other two being Fijian and English.

“The government of India is also thinking of doing something to promote the (Hindi) language here,” Karthigeyan said, addressing the media recently.

“So as part of this, there is a propos al to kind of gift a modern language laboratory to Fiji and this will obviously focus on Hindi and we intend to do that in cooperation with the Government of Fiji,” he added. The move comes ahead of the 12th

“We are discussing with them the logistics of this and to locate the format of those things but the entire software and hardware for this language laboratory will be gifted by the government of India but the location and things are being discussed,” The Fiji Times quoted Karthigeyan as saying.

The three-day conference would be held in the Fijian city of Nadi -- home to Sri Siva Subramaniya Swami temple, the largest Hindu shrine in the Pacific.

“Space will be provided by the local stakeholders, it can be a government institution or it can be an institution of higher learning like universities or even some well recognised schools. The discussions have been initialised but we are hopeful that we are able to finalise this,” the High Commissioner said.

Fiji Hindi, also known as ‘Fijian Baat’ or ‘Fijian Hindustani’, is the lan guage spoken by Indo-Fijians, and is derived mainly from the Awadhi and Bhojpuri varieties of Hindi, IANS

Fiji Hindi is enshrined in the country’s Constitution as one of the official languages. The language is also taught in the country’s primary and secondary schools.

While it is compulsory for students of Indian origin in primary schools, it is an optional subject in secondary schools, and is also taught in Fiji’s universities.

“With a significant portion of our population having Indian heritage, we have worked together to ensure the protection and promotion of our languages, traditions, and culture.

We are proud to say that Fijian scholars have made a contribution towards developing Hindi not just in Fiji but across the world via the Fijian diaspora,” Anjeela Jokhan, Permanent Secretary for Fijian Ministry of Education, Heritage and Arts, had said last month.

A Regional Hindi Conference was held in Suva in 2002.

Indians make around 38 percent of the Fiji population. As of 2021, there are 3.20 lakh Indians approximately in the country, according to India’s Ministry of External Affairs data.

US and Barbara Woodward of the UK, to call for Council action against North Korea, which is formally known as the Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea (DPRK).

New Delhi, Nov 22 (IANS) After spending six years as Pakistan’s most powerful man, General Qamar Javed Bajwa leaves a country in a significantly weaker position: society is deeply polarised, the economy is on the brink of default, foreign partners are withholding significant support due to the ensuing political instability, and the long-term bet on Khan has blown up in the militarys face.

Uzair M. Younus, Director of the Pakistan Initiative at the Atlantic Council’s South Asia Center wrote in Dawn, that such has been the failure of this experiment that the military is back to dealing with the likes of Zardari and Nawaz to stabilise a collapsing political economy.

In terms of the relationship with India, the military is now eager to open trade and explore normalisa tion of ties.

This again is an about face, because years earlier when Nawaz Sharif tried to pursue a similar path, with Narendra Modi coming to Lahore in a surprise visit, the three-time Prime Minister was called a traitor and was undermined, Younus wrote.

As Bajwa retires and ends his six year tenure as chief of army staff, the painstaking work his predeces sors did to rebuild the military’s reputation and stature has been brought to nothing, if sentiments on social media are anything to go by.

But while General Bajwa moved quickly to solidify his control over Pakistan’s political economy, the turbulence that faced his tenure in those early moments was going to be a feature, not a bug during both his three-year terms -- by the end of which, he would oversee the collapse of the model of hybrid democracy that has governed Pakistan since 2008, and Pakistan’s military would experience a dramat ic decline in its standing across the country, the article said.

After spending six years as Pakistan’s most powerful man, Gen Bajwa leaves behind a country at odds with itself, and adrift globally.

Worst of all, Bajwa leaves behind an institution in a state of flux, with the army’s internal divides and rivalries coming out into the limelight.

These developments are breeding concern about the military’s unity of command, especially in countries concerned about Pakistan’s stability, Younus said.

The military’s growth in terms of influence and power has also brought about a lot of additional economic opportunities.

The institution remains a dominant economic actor in the country, gaining in excess of $1.7 billion in annual benefits “mainly in the form of preferential access to land, capital and infrastructure, as well as tax exemptions.”

become the norm.

Pakistan’s grey-listing by the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) forced a change of policy, with Pakistan going so far as to punish Sajid Mir a man on FBI’s most wanted terrorist lists.

For years, Pakistan’s military and civilian leadership had claimed that Mir had been dead.

However, intelligence gathered by the US and subsequently shared with the Pakistanis, proved that Mir was alive and in Pakistan. In order to get Pakistan removed from the FATF grey-list, the military finally had to act, and only when Mir was punished did the FATF logjam come to an end, Younus wrote.

“Proliferation of nuclear and missile technologies is a matter of concern, as they have an adverse impact on peace and security in the region, in cluding on India,” India’s Permanent Representative Ruchira Kamboj told the Security Council at its meeting on Monday on North Korea’s launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) last week.

Kamboj’s mention of nuclear and missile technology proliferation putting India at risk is a reference to the well-documented swap of Pakistan’s clandestine nuclear

technology for North Korea’s missile technology, although she did not name the countries.

“We condemn the recent ICBM launch,” she said, adding that the series of missile “launches consti tute a violation of the resolutions of the Security Council”.

Reiterating support for making the Korean Peninsula free of nuclear weapons, she said: “We hope the international community and the Security Council can be united on this front.”

China and Russia have been protect ing North Korea and they vetoed a Council resolution in May to tighten sanctions against the country and have blocked any statement coming out of the Council.

After the Council meeting, Kamboj joined the permanent representa tives of nine other countries, includ ing Linda Thomas-Greenfield of the

They demanded that the Council condemn Pyongyang’s missile tests with a unified voice and “take action to limit the DPRK’s unlawful weap ons of mass destruction and ballistic missile advancement, especially as it relates to nuclear missile technol ogies in the DPRK, the region, and beyond”.

“The DPRK is acting with impunity in the face of the Security Council’s inaction,” they said in a reference to China and Russia preventing stronger action.

While acknowledging that the “upward spiral” in tensions on the Korean Peninsula was a matter of concern for Beijing, China’s Permanent Representative Zhang Jun said at the Council meeting that it should not “always pressure or sanction DPRK”.

North Korea has tested eight ICBMs so far this year, the latest on November 18 landed about 200 km from Japanese waters and was reported to be a Hwason-17 missile, (Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed at @ arulouis)

While Bajwa professed a desire to strengthen democracy, he has left behind a political economy that is ripping apart at the seams. His desire to insert the military into the economic and business policy making domains has yielded subop timal results, Younus wrote.

In addition, the continued policy of either seconding military officers to key government posts, or appointing retired officers to government agencies or state-owned enterprises, has become a powerful tool of patronage. No-bid contracts to military-run organizations have also

In Bajwa’s last days in office, a journalist who was hounded out of Pakistan has been brutally mur dered in a targeted attack in Kenya and the country’s former Prime Minister, who is arguably the most popular politician in the country, barely survived an assassination attempt. T

he military, long seen as a guarantor in the political disputes that routine ly engulf Pakistan, has had its image tarnished, perhaps beyond repair, Younus wrote.

SL lawmaker files motion seeking study on Ravana

Colombo, Nov 22 (IANS) Sri Lanka’s opposition lawmaker has filed a motion in the Parliament seeking an in depth study on Ravana, the mythical demon king referred in the Ramayana - the oldest Sanskrit epic written in the 5th century BCE.

In a private member motion, main opposition - Samagi Jana Balawegaya’s MP Buddhika Pathirana has urged for initiating a systematic study on Ravana, on whom there are no specific histori cal information.

MP Pathirana has said that a study would help to know about the hidden period of Sri Lanka’s history and such study would enable to find the knowledge that king Ravana possessed.

“... study should be conducted about

King Ravana through a panel of experts due to the fact that a study on King Ravana enables to unveil a hidden period of time in Sri Lankan history, and use the knowledge that King Ravana possessed for the uplifting of the country and enhance the attitudes in the country about him, even though specific historical information about him is not available,” the lawmaker stated in the private member motion titled ‘Conducting a systematic study about King Ravana’ which is listed to for the presentation in the House on December 9.

Even though there are many loca tions related to Ravana in Sri Lanka and also other characters like Seeta in Ramayana, there is no specific study or available historical data.

In the recent past there is an interest in studying about Ravana; and groups and organisations related to Sinhala nationalism has used the name of Ravana to identify themselves.

India calls attention to threats from N.Korea’s missile tech proliferation

Nov

In a bid to promote Hindi, officials from India and Fiji are in talks to set up a modern language laboratory in the South Pacific nation, Indian High Commissioner to Fiji Palaniswamy Karthigeyan has said.

By (Arul Louis United Nations, Nov 22 (IANS) India has called attention to the threat posed by North Korea’s missile technology proliferation to New Delhi’s security and joined the US and eight other countries to demand UN Security Council action against Pyongyang.

A giant safety pin highlighting dignified healthcare for women

An innovative and evocative steel installation of a safety pin in Patna is mainstreaming the conver sation about dignified healthcare for women. The first of its kind in the city, the installation symbolizes the one million voices that have come together for women’s health. The gi ant safety pin placed permanently at Patna’s Ramnagri Mod Chowk is the first installation of its kind in India to stand for dignified healthcare.

The initiative titled ‘Khud Se Pooche’ underscores the importance of affordable, accessible, and judg ment-free healthcare with the safety pin, symbolizing a code of dignity, along with creating a safe space for women. . #PassThePin, a simple act of solidarity and support has now reached over 71 million people

across the country. Over 20,000+ physical pins have been collected, and 10,000+ women have shared their stories on social media.

“Dignity in any field is very import ant. Every woman has the right to access healthcare with dignity. We are glad to support the symbol of dignified healthcare for women and appreciate the beautiful rep resentation of dignity in the city of Patna,” says Sheela Irani, Additional Municipal Commissioner, City of Patna.

“To celebrate the collective voices of the women associated with the campaign and to make Patna the first city where women’s dignified healthcare is made a priority, we wanted to create a physical struc ture that stays in the city forever.

The safety pin installation stands as a powerful reminder for everyone in the city…to continue the work towards improving the conditions and situation for all women,” adds Samya Ghosh, Creative Lead, Khud Se Pooche.

“I see the safety pin as a symbol that connects and inspires action for solutions. During our campaign, we heard about many experiences with healthcare services, the judgemental behavior of doctors, discrimination, and issues related to pregnancy and abortion. This showed us that there is a huge gap in healthcare services in Bihar for women. And this pin somewhere works and fills that gap,” says Priyaswara Bharti, Ashoka Changemaker Fellow, and Khud Se Pooche Leader

The Khud Se Pooche movement reflects and acknowledges the diverse experiences that women have while accessing health ser vices, gives space to varied feminine perspectives, and makes women and young girls feel heard, validated, and respected.

One such woman is Rukhsana Parveen who says, “As an unmarried girl, when I missed my period for three months and visited the doctor, I was judged and offered a pregnancy test. I felt very ashamed and embarrassed and went back home without any information or medication that could have helped me. This is what happens to so many women who are denied requisite respect and medical guidance and feel deterred from seeking help.”

The movement has garnered

Bihar Youth for Child Rights, Sakhi, Gaurav Grameen Mahila Vikas Manch, Center for Social Equity and Inclusion, Patna’s colleges, universi ties, and health institutions such as IGIMS, AIIMS Patna, among others.

73% Indians feel taste is the biggest reason for snacking

Godrej Yummiez unveils The India Snacking Report

Snacking habits in India are al ways changing. Snacks and main course meals both serve important functions, but they are beginning to overlap. With the aim of under standing the (evolving) attitudes and views of Indian customers with regard to snacks & snacking, Godrej Yummiez, a brand of ready-to-cook products from Godrej Tyson Foods Ltd (GTFL), conducted a consumer survey at the ideal time. The India Snacking Report (Volume I) by Godrej Yummiez is titled “STTEM - Safety, Technology, Taste, Ease & Mood Uplifter” and largely focuses on attitudes and perceptions of frozen.

The study illustrates the subtle differences in likes and preferences across geographic regions, age groups, gender, and other factors in addition to bringing forth the nation of India’s consumer dynamics.

Commenting on the report, Abhay Parnerkar, Chief Executive Officer, Godrej Tyson Foods Limited (GTFL), said, “What comes out clearly is that going forward, the dynamics that will shape India’s snacking habits will be based on the acronym STTEM – Safety, Technology, Taste, Ease & Mood Uplifter – the five pillars. While taste and ease/ convenience have long been the key drivers, safety (hygienic during preparation, storage & delivery, use of preservatives, etc.), technology and as a mood uplifter are turning out to be the three new drivers for

How often do Indians eat snacks each day? What factors affect the consumption of snacks? What events come to mind when Americans think of snacking? What types of foods are most popular? How do people perceive the dy namics of snack food safety? Do individuals have serious concerns about preservatives? There are a tonne of options that are devoid of preservatives.

The key highlights across five pillars (STTEM) are as below:

SAFETY - Hygienic Preparation and Use of Preservatives

• 62% Indians actually limit their snacking consumption because they believe there is presence of preservatives 51% Indians feel less guilty to consume preservative-free frozen snacks

• 55% parents feel guilty as they feel frozen snacks contain preservatives 52% women will consume more frozen snacks if they are preservative-free

• 52% Indians prefer frozen snacks as they feel it is more hygienic

TECHNOLOGY - Individual Quick Freezing (IQF) Technology 53% Indians could recall they have heard of IQF technology (Delhi and Kolkata ranked

amongst the top two cities)

17% could further manage to explain what IQF stands for

• 60% women recalled IQF technology better as compared to 46% men

TASTE - India’s Preference for Potato/Vegetarian Frozen Snacks

• 73% Indians feel taste is the biggest reason for snacking

62% Indians feel potato-based snacks is an omnipresent part of their snacking platter

65% Indians prefer vegetarian frozen snacks (North India being the leading region)

• 65% Indians prefer potato-based snacks (potato bites, samosa, cheese bites, etc)

41% consume vegetarian frozen snacks daily 39% East and 38% South India prefer non-vegetarian frozen snacks

61% prefer Indian snacks over other options

43% parents believe children like frozen snacks

EASE - Convenience of Access, Storage, and Preparation 51% believe that frozen snacks are easily available and hence make it easier for consumption

50% Indians believe frozen snacks are convenient to cook 44% Indians believe that frozen snacks is easier to prepare by households without house help

• 55% Indians prefer frozen snacks

on special occasions (parties, weekends, etc)

83% mothers feel frozen snacks are quick-fix hunger solutions for kids

65% Indians confessed to indulg ing in anytime snacking

• 76% women snack more often than men

54% working women find snacking convenient for hunger management

• 52% fathers cook frozen snacks more than mothers

MOOD UPLIFTER - Correlation of Emotions to Snacking

• 55% Indians binge on frozen foods as a mood uplifter on various occasions

72% Indians confessed to snack ing when they are happy

74% women snack when they are happy

• 70% men snack when they are happy

60% women snack when they are sad

• 52% men snack when they are sad

Speaking on the report, Pritee Chaudhary, IRS, Regional Director, Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), West Region said “FSSAI is the nodal regulatory authority which takes note of safety parameters of the Food articles in India. Snacking is one such area where Safety parameters are checked, be it a domestic production

or import. Storage conditions for frozen snacks and transfat control in the final product is of the paramount importance. It’s gaining turf in the busy lifestyle and as it satiats pallets. However, responsible snacking is equally important. More emphasis on product development and industry innovation is needed where high fibre, low fat, low salt, low sugar snacks can be provided as an option. And finally a trade off between the health, taste and ease is possible”

Chef Ajay Chopra who was present at the launch of the report, said, “Snacking is an intrinsic part of India’s entity, existence, and future growth story. Especially in the frozen food & snacking category, the importance of standardization and safety is paramount. The potential growth of this sector is exponential due to various changes across social, cultural & economical

parameters. The pivotal matrix of STTEM – Safety, Technology, Taste, Ease & Mood Uplifter – will play a key role in a consumer’s decision to consume snacks”

Abhay Parnerkar, Chief Executive Officer, Godrej Tyson Foods Limited (GTFL) further added, “As the role of snacking broadens, India’s demand for judicious purchase choices certainly means good news for the industry. At the same time, the frozen food market is pegged at INR 3500 crores. I am bullish about frozen food category seeing over 10% growth in the coming years. The definition of what the best-suited snack is for an individual or a household has changed. Palates have changed. Consumers have be come more conscious now. Hereon, it will be interesting to watch India’s snacking industry growth story and how.”

Indian Cooking with Lata Modi

PANEER BUTTER MASALA

INGREDIENTS

She always made her own paneer at home and also used the Malai ( cream ) from milk to thicken the gravy . It tasted just amazing . Today we are buying the paneer from shops . And we will be using thickened cream or fresh cream in the gravy . Hope it turns out good . Let’s get started friends . Happy cooking everyone.

FOUR In a big saucepan heat one table spoon oil and same amount of butter

powder One tea spoon Coriander powder Add fresh cup green chillies Add one cup hot water One tea spoon sugar Half cup thickened cream and stir another couple of minutes . Add fried paneer . Transfer into a serving bowl Garnish with fresh chopped coriander leaves. Serve hot with fresh roti / chapati .

support from many celebrities as well including actor Manoj Bajpayee and Amrita Puri, and women con tent creators such as Dr. Trinetra, Oolfat, Astuti Anand, artist groups such as Princess Pea, La Pintura, BihArt, women-led groups such as

The installation in Patna symbolizes one million voices that have come together for women’s health

snacks.”

Dignified healthcare for women art installation in Patna’s Ramnagri Mod Chowk

DrParwinderKaurnamed member of STEM expert panel

Canberra: November 24

DrParwinderKaur has been selected as a member of the independent review panel for the Pathway to Diversity in STEM Review by the Federal Government.

She is the only person selected from Western Australia. The Albanese Government on November 24 announced the independent expert review panel for the Pathway to Diversity in STEM Review as well as

the terms of reference.

The review is part of the Government’s commitment to boost diversity and increase the participa tion of women in Australia’s science, technology, engineering and mathe matics (STEM) sectors.

The Minister for Industry and Science Ed Husic announced the review earlier this year to determine how Government programs can bet ter support diversity in Australia’s STEM sectors.

DrParwinderKaur is an experienced biotechnologist, a passionate sci ence communicator and an advocate for gender equity, working to close the gender gap in technology.

Funded by the Government and operated by the Australian Academy of Technology and Engineering, Elevate fosters more women-led collaborations in applied research and business, growing professional skills in STEM, and propelling more women into leadership.

Opportunities for India’s Textile sector discussed

India-WA Business Connect forum hosted

The

brought together prominent Australian and Indian entrepreneurs recently in an India-Western Australia (WA) Business Connect forum hosted at its premises, in close collaboration with Australia India Business Council (AIBC). This B2B event was presided over by National Chair of AIBC Jodi McKay.

In the networking event, the participants exchanged information

on various trade and investment opportunities offered by the buoyant economic atmosphere, especially with the Australia-India Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (ECTA) passed only a day before by the Australian Parliament. This agreement will not only substantial ly boost the trade relations between the two countries but also benefit the people from both countries in diverse fields.

During his presentation, the Consul General highlighted a series of progressive steps taken by the

Government of India in recent years and the huge potential Indian econo my offers to the global business with its phenomenal growth prospects. Many key business people from different areas of specialization and interest attended the event. Michael Carter, President AIBC along with Bradley Hogg, Australian Cricketer with business interests in India, Tamara Thorpe, TCS, TotoBoutdara from young Investor Circle did come up with very progressive initiatives that can grow the business pros pects, especially for new startups.

Council (AEPC), Handloom Export Promotion Council (HEPC) and Council for Leather Export (CLE) participated at the Expo with over 140 Indian exhibitors and companies in the areas of apparels, handlooms, textiles, and leather products.

The enthusiasm of Indian exhibitors and from the serious buyers from Australia was clearly an indication

of ever growing trade ties between the two countries. There is tremen dous scope for increasing trade in areas of engineering, electronics, auto components, Pharma, gems and jewellery, apparel, leather, handloom and handicrafts. On the sidelines, the Consulate organized an interaction of the AEPC with the Australian buyers.

India Pavilion inaugurated at International Sourcing Expo Australian delegation meets Indian Minister

education and skill development.

The VC and President of Western Sydney University The College Prof. Barney Glover was also present on this occasion. Prof. Barney Glover expressed his keenness for institu tional collaborations, particularly in Ayurvedic medicine, groundwater management, agriculture, and

entrepreneurship.

Australian High Commissioner Barry O’Farrell and Minister DharmendraPradhan agreed to strengthen bilateral cooperation through early finalization of the framework on mutual recognition of qualifications and joint academic, research and skill collaborations.

PUMA panel call on CG

Melbourne: Indian Abroad Newsdesk

Consul General DrSushil Kumar inaugurated the India Pavillion of the International Sourcing Expo which was held at Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre from 15-17 November.

The Federation of Indian Export Organization (FIEO) supported by Apparel Export Promotion

New Delhi: Indian Abroad Newsdesk

An Australian delegation led by Australian High Commissioner Barry O’Farrell met with Indian Education Minister DharmendraPradhanrecently and discussed about reinforcing Australia-India cooperation in

Perth: Indian Abroad Newsdesk

Consulate General of India in Perth Amarjeet Singh Takhi

Perth: Indian Abroad Newsdesk

The newly appointed Perth United Malayalee Association

Inc - PUMA Committee called on the Consul General (CG), Perth Amarjeet Singh Takhi and briefed about their

forthcoming activities, while inviting him to their 10th anniversary cele brations next month.

Consul General Perth Amarjeet

Singh Takhi attended the RemembranceDay service recently which was led by the

Hon’ble Governor of Western Australia and attended by the State and Federal dignitaries at the Kings Park and Botanic Garden State

War Memorial and laid a wreath in honour of the soldiers who made supreme sacrifice. We will always remember them.

KPCA celebrates Annual Day Function

Melbourne: Indian Abroad Newsdesk

The Kashmiri Pandits’Cultural Association celebrated their

and a not for profit organisation. The Association promotes and fosters cultural heritage for the community it represents. The Association was

Australia and abroad.

rich culture on their Annual Day Function recently in Melbourne. The Kashmiri Pandits’ Cultural Association (KPCA) is a nonpolitical

established in September 2006 and proposes to be responsible for providing outstanding service to the Kashmir Pandit community in

Glimpses of celebration in the Consulate General of India, Sydneywith Friends of India coinciding with the Diwali festivities

gets Academic Chair in Ayurveda

CG, Perthmeets Premier McGowan

Perth: Indian Abroad Newsdesk

Consul General (CG) of India, Perth Amarjeet Singh Takhi called on Premier of the Western Australia Mark McGowan recently, and held discussions to

further strengthen bilateral relations in various sectors with an emphasis on deepening people-to-people ties through diaspora engagement, tourism and education.

CIACA hosts International Men’s Day event

Gold Coast: Indian Abroad Newsdesk

Team Coast Indian Arts

Cultural Association (Gold Coast) (CIACA) hosted a successful International Men’s Day event on November 19. This event has been the first of its kind on the Gold Coast.

It was an evening to promote the positive value men bring to their families and broader communities, highlighting the positive role models, and raising awareness of men’s well-being. Leading experts

Dr Neeraj Gill, psychiatrist and Dr Sagar Ramani radiation oncologist spoke about mental health and prostate cancer.

In the evening a variety of entertainment items were hosted such as the first-time ever black tie bhangra, scintillating Brazilian dancers and DJ Ashu who kicked off the dancefloor in true Bollywood style.

Team CIACA will organise more community functions like this in the near future.

Indian food stall at World of Food Festival

Sikh Gurudwara Perth celebrates Guru Nanak Dev’s birth anniversary

Perth: As part of the ongoing celebrations of the birth anni versary of Guru Nanak Devji, the Sikh Gurudwara Perth Bennett Springs invited the Consul General of India, Perth and the Consulate officials to receive the blessings of the Guru.

The Consul GeneralAmarjeet Singh Takhi addressed the devotees and, while lauding the contributions of the Sikhs to the Australian society, spoke about various initiatives of the Government of India for the welfare of Indian diaspora abroad.

He also invited the members of the Sikh community to participate in the forthcoming PravasiBharatiya Divas celebrations in Indore on 8-10 January 2023.

The CG presented a set of books to the Gurudwara Management Committee on Guru Nanak Devji, Guru GobindSinghji, SikhGurudwaras in India and around the world and on Sikhism.

A Consular Camp was also con ducted on the Gurudwara premises for issuing Life Certificates to the pensioners on gratis basis and providing information/clarifications on various other consular services. The community members greatly appreciated this outreach activity.

Among other dignitaries, Jessica Shaw MLA, Parliamentary Secretary to the Deputy Premier and the Minister for State Development, Jobs and Trade, Tourism, Commerce, & Science; and Councillor David Lucas, Mayor of Swan were present.

Indian Abroad Newsdesk

Perth: The Governor of Western Australia, Chris Dawson APM together with MrsDarrilyn Dawson, visited the Indian food festival at the 11thWorld of Food Festival 2022recently at Government House Western Australia. Consul General received the Governor and introduced him to Indian culinary dishes being served

there. CG and his family visited all food stalls and enjoyed dishes, including from Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia, Italy & Poland.

Indian food stall at the Festival presented several popular dishes, including snacks, drinks, curries and naans. Bharatanatyam dance featured in the cultural presentation from India

ICCR to organize international film making contest

Indian Abroad Newsdesk

Sydney: Indian Abroad Newsdesk All India Institute of Ayurveda, New Delhi, Ministry of Ayush, Government of India and Western Sydney University (WSU) have

announced recently the appoint ment of Academic Chair in Ayurveda to be based at the NICM Health Research Institute, WSU.

New Delhi:Indian Abroad Newsdesk

The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) in association with Routes2Root

PravasiBharatiya Divas from January 8 next year

New Delhi: Indian Abroad Newsdesk

The 17th PravasiBharatiyaDivas Convention will be organized on 8-10 January, 2023 at Indore, Madhya Pradesh.

PravasiBhartiya Divas convention provides a platform for the Indian government to interact with the diaspora who reside in several parts of the world.

Since 2003, PravasiBharatiya Divas conventions are being held every year. Its format has been revised since 2015 to celebrate the PravasiBharatiya Divas once every two years and to hold themebased PravasiBharatiya Divas Conferences with participation from overseas diaspora experts, policymakers, and stakeholders.

PravasiBharatiya Divas is celebrat ed to highlight the contribution of the Overseas Indian community to the development of India.

Indian Abroad Newsdesk

Perth: SaraswatiMahavidhyalaya (SMV) presented ‘UstavaAloka’ recently showcasing a rich reportoire of Indian music and dance, featuring Carnatic vocal and orchestral music accompanied by Bharatanatyam, Odissi and Kathak dance; percussion ensemble;

Rajasthani folk dance and a medley of Bollywood songs. Brilliant SMV students left the audience spell bound with their very energetic, soulful and awesome performanc es. It was indeed a memorable celebration of Deepavali with outstanding rendering of Indian dances and music.

Consulate organizes Unity Concert

Perth: Indian Abroad Newsdesk

The Consul General (CG), PerthAmarjeet Singh Takhi and the Indian community in Western Australia took a pledge by reading the Preamble of the Constitution of India on two days during Unity Concert organized by the Consulate and Phulwari by the Hindi Samaj of Western Australia (HSWA)and re-affirming the consti tutional ethos and values.

The CG highlighted the salient features of the Constitution and great contributions made by the Drafting Committee of the Constitution headed by Dr Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar.

The HSWA led by RashmiLoyalkaorganised wonderful Phulwari event put up by RupeshKulshreshtha-led Paathshala - Western Australian

Hindi Language School students, who gave beautiful performances on patriotic Hindi songs. The high light of the show was Ramkatha presented by students depicting the whole Ramayana in a beautifully choreographed presentation.

HSWA and Paathshala have been promoting and propagating Hindi over the last two decades and has played a leading role in introduc tion of Hindi language study in WA School from next academic year starting February 2023. Certificates were given to the students, teach ers, office bearers and volunteers of Paathshala.

Dr Jags MLA, CouncillorKeyurKamdar - Ranford Ward, City of Armadale and Adriana Douglas of WA’s School Curriculum and Standards Authority (SCSA) were present at the event.

The Tamil Arts Festival was organized recently. The students of the Valluvan Tamil School presented beautiful art forms of Tamil Nadu and mes merizing reflections of Tamilian culture. There are six Tamil Schools in Western Australia promoting Tamil language and culture.

The Tamil Arts Festival was also attended by Terry Healy MLA,

Sydney: Indian Abroad Newsdesk

Vice president (VP) of Sydney Malayalee Association (SydMal) Lalitha Paul with other dignitaries attended the Diwali celebrations hosted by

the Consulate General of India, Sydney. The Indian Consul General mentioned that there have been 8 Ministerial visits from India to Australia this year to strengthen ties between the two nations.

MLA for Southern River and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Education & Training, and Dr Jags MLA, Cr Shanavas Peter JP from the city of Armadale, besides members of Tamilian community and representatives of all Tamil Schools and the President of Tamil Association of Western Australia (TAWA).

SydMal VP attends CG-hosted Diwali

Sydney: Indian Abroad Newsdesk

orthwestMalayaleeAsso ciation Sydney (NANMA SYDNEY) elected its new executive committee members recently. Among the executive

committee members were Smitha Antony president, Sunil Pillai vice president, Sanju Mathew secretary, PreethaReynol joint secretary Roney Joseph PRO, Abraham John treasur er, and other members.

There’s no excuse not to conduct elections: Altaf Bukhari

interview with IANS said that the people of Kashmir have accepted change after the abrogation of Articles 370 and 35A and are looking forward to a peaceful life.

“Sensing the change on the ground, people want to lead a peaceful life because they have understood peace brings dividends to the people of Jammu and Kashmir and not to Delhi,” Bukhari said.

“If there is any law and order problem, we are the sufferers, not Delhi. We want peace, we are the stakeholders of peace,” he said.

BJP’s agenda.

Bukhari said the traditional parties of Kashmir have deceived the people and they run their politics on dead bodies.

He said if no stone pelting is taking place now, credit must go to the people and the security forces.

“Those ruling today do not fire pellets; the Lieutenant Governor did not order the use of pellets. Pellets were used during the rule of Mehbooba Mufti and Omar Abdullah,” he said.

“Delimitation has happened, and electoral rolls have been revised. Now there is no excuse not to conduct elections,” he said.

Bukhari also said that restoration of Article 370 is an important issue, but asked that can any political party or elections bring it back?

“Elections to Assembly are not for restoration of Articles 370 or 35A. The matter is in the Supreme Court and only the court can restore it,” he said.

saving Article 370 and now it is about restoring it,” he said.

“They arouse passions destroying the lives of youngsters leading them either to jails or to graves,” he said.

Bukhari also said that people have accepted the politics of truth, which is about facts.

powers.

By Zaffar Iqbal Srinagar, Nov 27 (IANS) Apni Party chief Altaf Bukhari in an exclusive

Hitting out at the National Conference and PDP for labelling Apni Party as the ‘B’ team of BJP, Bukhari said they are mistaken if they think telling truth to people is

Bukhari also said that his party cannot bind the people with just emotional slogans and asserted that the destiny of Jammu and Kashmir lies with Delhi.

He said for the last 75 years, elections in Kashmir have been won over emotions and not over issues of development and infrastructure.

“People have talked about plebiscite front, autonomy and self-rule and now Article 370. Earlier it was about

“Our destiny lies with Delhi. Delhi has given us wounds and Delhi alone can do the healing. We will not get a solution from Islamabad, Washington or London. We may not like the BJP, but we have to talk to the Central government.” he said.

On political parties talking about coming to power to stall the BJP from passing a resolution for rati fying the August 5, 2019 move, he said that the Assembly has no such

“Does any resolution of the J&K Assembly hold any value? In the past, the autonomy resolution was passed by two-third majority by the Assembly but it was thrown into the dustbin. When that previous Assembly did not have power, what power would this Assembly hold,” he asked.

“After the autonomy resolution was passed, why didn’t they go to court at that time? They should have gone to the court saying rhe J&K Assembly has passed a resolution with two third-majority, grant us autonomy. It was only a piece of paper meant for consumption in Kashmir Valley,” Bukhari said.

BJP sees Cong as only challenger; we’ll form govt again: Parshottam Rupala

decision should not be linked to the election strategy, terming it a ‘his toric decision’ taken in the national interest.

Rupala, who is also a RajyaSabha MP from Gujarat, spoke on a range of issues including the decision of the Gujarat government on Uniform Civil Code, the entry of AamAadmi Party in state Assembly elections and its aggressive campaign, and the prospects of the Congress.

Here are some excerpts from the conversation:

Code which has been started by the Gujarat government... discussion should be on this matter. The country needed this for a very long time. Congratulations to the Gujarat government that they have started working on this. This is not a polit ical but a historical decision taken under national policy.

Q: But how will the Uniform Civil Code be implemented in the state?

by demanding to put the picture of Lakshmi-Ganesh on the currency notes, in response to which the BJP government had to take this decision.

A: This decision is not politically motivated in any way. It is neither in favour of Hindu nor in favour of Muslim. This is not a decision taken in favour or against anyone, but to make everyone equal. It should not be confused with election strategy.

policy and democracy. My appeal to all the opposition parties is that everyone should support it in the national interest.

Q: But you are also going to announce the name of the chief ministerial candidate in Gujarat.

By SantoshKumarPathak

Q: Many questions are being raised regarding the timing of Gujarat government’s decision to form a committee on Uniform Civil Code. Why this decision was taken at this time when the Assembly elections are so close?

A: The discussion should be on whether this decision is right or wrong. Is there any mistake in the initiative to make Uniform Civil

A: It is clear in the decision of the Gujarat government itself that a committee will be formed under the chairmanship of a retired high court judge. This committee will give its recommendations to the state government after in-depth deliberation on all aspects of the Constitution, Law and Uniform Civil Code of India. On those recommen dations, the state government will try to make it legal.

Q: But your opponents say that the AamAadmi Party tried to snatch the issue of Hindutva from the BJP

Q: What will you say on the stance of the opposition parties?

A: The opposition parties are not concerned about national interest and national policy but they are more concerned about their vote bank. That is why they are doing such things to please a particular section. I challenge the opposition parties to clarify their stance and tell in whose favour this decision is. Is it in favour of Hindus or in favour of Muslims or in favour of all? This is a decision to strengthen national

Indian business has big role to play in Sri

have a major role to play investing in renewables with Adani already announcing important wind energy investments.

These were the assertions of Erik Solheim, who has been appointed President RanilWickremesinghe’s International Climate Adviser along with former Maldivian President Mohamed Nasheed.

In an exclusive virtual interview, Solheim told IANS on Friday that India has already extended critical help to Sri Lanka as an expression of support to brotherly people.

Power and Energy Minister

KanchanaWijesekera announced to grant provisional approval to Adani Green Energy for an investment of over $500 million in two wind projects in the island nation.

Solheim, who described his meeting with Wickremesinghe on October 12 as “good”, said the President has a great vision for green economic recovery and for Sri Lankan climate leadership.

By Vishal Gulati

New Delhi, Oct 14 (IANS) India has already extended critical help to debit-ridden Sri Lanka as an expres sion of support to brotherly people. The economic situation in the island nation is still very dire, but the wheels have started rolling again.

In the future, Indian companies

“The economic situation is still very dire in Sri Lanka, but the wheels have started rolling again, not least thanks to the Indian support.

In the future Indian companies have a major role to play investing in solar, wind, electric transport and a lot more. Adani has already announced important wind energy investments,” he said.

On August 16, Sri Lanka’s

Here are the excerpts from the interview:

Q: IIT-Delhi is helping the Indian Armed Forces and is a major partner of DRDO, what are the latest inventions and the areas where IIT-Delhi is helping the Indian Defence sector.

A: IIT-Delhi has developed a light weight bullet-proof jacket. Recently Indian Air Force signed an MoU with IIT-Delhi for various development projects to support the requirement of the IAF. We are looking for a technical textile. Indigenous fire resistance suits. We have airships, we are working with DRDO for the material of these airships. We are also working on quantum technol ogy and quantum communication. We were one of the few academic institutes. In the Defence Expo, one of our faculty-related startups received an award from the Prime

“It is hard to think of any politician with a better grasp of economic realities than President Wickremesinghe,” remarked Solheim, who worked as the UN Environment Program (UNEP) Executive Director.

“Wickremesinghe will provide the leadership needed to take Sri Lanka out of the crisis. But his job is thankless because the only way out of the crisis is hard work. There will be higher taxes and probably cuts in unnecessary public expenditure.

Minister in the field of innovation.

Q: The drone technology is in talk these days, what IIT-Delhi is doing to develop advanced drones and drone technology?

A: We have a hub for cobotics, ‘cobotic’ means collaborative robotics and the ‘drone’ is one of the areas. In Sonipat (Haryana) we are creating a drone facility, including drone pilot training, drone simula tion, we are planning next year to start M.Tech in robotics. We have a Centre of Excellence in bio-inspired robots, there are so many startups in drones, which are coming from our alumni and our research students. We are supporting DST, we have been identified as a national hub.

Q: What IIT-Delhi is doing for cybersecurity-related things?

A: Yes, we are doing a lot in cyber security. We have specialised in an M.Tech course for cybersecurity. We

Q: BJP is in power continuously since 1995 in Gujarat. In the earlier elections, the main contest of AAP has been with the Congress, but this time the Congress seems to be calm and the AamAadmi Party is campaigning very aggressively. In such a situation, with whom is going to be the main contest of BJP this time in Gujarat -- Congress or AAP?

A: It will not be fair to say that Congress has been finished in Gujarat. Congress will remain as the main opposition party here and as far as AAP is concerned, it has already contested elections in other states by talking big.... This is AAP’s election strategy and it is fighting accordingly but Congress will remain as main opposition party in the state.

A: In a democracy, everyone has the right to declare his/her candidate.

Q: According to you, what is going to be the biggest issue in the Gujarat Legislative Assembly elections this time?

A: People have seen how our governments (in state as well as Centre) are continuously working in the interest of Gujarat and the country. That is why this time also, the people of Gujarat are going to vote to form the BJP government in the state, putting their stamp on the agenda of development.

Q: How many seats BJP is going to win this time?

A: It is certain that this time by winning the maximum number of seats till now, BJP is going to form the government once again with a thumping majority in the state.

Lanka’s clean tech: Solheim

There will be pain in the short run, but in the long term the opportuni ties for Sri Lanka are very positive,” an optimistic Solheim, who acted as the main facilitator of the peace process in Sri Lanka from 1998 to 2005, told IANS.

With India being Sri Lanka’s third-largest trading partner after the US and the UK, it plays a crucial partner by extending unprecedented bilateral assistance amounting close to $4 billion this year for amelio rating the difficulties faced by the people of the island nation.

India has also advocated to other bilateral and multilateral partners supporting Sri Lanka expeditiously in its current economic difficulties, said the Indian embassy in Colombo on September 20.

“We continue to be supportive of Sri Lanka in all possible ways, in particular by promoting long-term investments from India in key economic sectors in Sri Lanka for

its early economic recovery and growth.

“In addition our bilateral develop ment cooperation projects in Sri Lanka, which cumulatively total about $3.5 billion, are ongoing,” it adds.

According to Solheim, green devel opment is a very important pathway out of the crisis for the island nation.

“Renewable energies as solar, wind and hydro, electric mobility, tree planting, green agriculture and environment-friendly tourism all provide massive opportunities for jobs and prosperity. These are winwin policies, good for environment and economy at the same time.”

As his role as President’s International Climate Advisor, he remarked, “I will help him and his staff formulate the right policies to attract green investment from domestic and international business, not least Indian. I will try to help making international

powers slew

train people who will be in organisa tions, who will be tackling all cyber crime-related things. Department of Telecom Communication R&D centre C-DOT and IIT Delhi have signed MoU for cooperation in various areas of telecom spanning and 5G and beyond technologies.

Q: Is IIT-Delhi looking forward to working with foreign universities, especially in the field of academic collaboration?

A: There are a large number of insti tutions and foreign universities with whom IIT-Delhi has done academic collaboration. There are American universities, European universities, universities from England, Australia, Taiwan University and many others. The University of Queensland of Australia is the largest one. IITDelhi has joint PhD programmes with many foreign universities. With Taiwan, IIT-Delhi has done a

collaboration for a joint degree. We have also collaborated with many foreign universities in the field of research.

Q: It will not be wrong if we say that IIT-Delhi is one of the main institutes for artificial intelligence. What is IIT-Delhi doing on artificial intelligence?

A: We have an alumni-funded school for artificial intelligence. We have master programmes for artificial in telligence and in machine learning. We are looking at a large number of research projects because artificial intelligence goes into many areas.

Q: Has IIT-Delhi prepared and planned to bring some new courses from the next academic session?

A: Yes, from next session there will be many new courses. As I told you, M.tech in Robotic is one of the new courses. We are planning to have a B.Tech in Design, we started

connections and help Sri Lanka learning from best environment practices in China, India, Europe and other places.”

“Yes, exactly,” remarked the former UN Environment chief when asked for remarks on climate change literally an existential threat to the nation.

“The dry north of Sri Lanka may be dryer, the wet south wetter. We may see more extreme weather and more landslides. But taking climate action is also a major opportunity for Sri Lanka to create jobs and prosperity, to make cities greener and improve health by reducing pollution,” added Solheim.

During his tenure at UNEP, he played a crucial role in 2018 in convincing India to phase out single-use plastics from July 1, 2022, a major achievement in his crusade against plastic pollution.

a Bachelor of Design but now we are also looking at Bachelor of Technology in Design, which will start from next year.

Q: Even during the Covid-19 period, IIT-Delhi came with its new innova tions and research. Can you share a few research and inventions of IIT-Delhi which will help common people in the coming days?

A: We have done a large number of things for differently-abled people. We have translated all the CBSE books, we have specialised tech nology so the visually challenged can actually read and convert these books.

In another invention we have made a smart cane. If there is a person who is unable to see. He or she can use that cane. That cane looks at obstacles and gives signals. There are a whole host of things which we are doing.

New Delhi(IANS) During a conversation with IANS, India’s Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, ParshottamRupala, said that this

By Ganesh Bhatt New Delhi, Nov 13 (IANS) Be it the Indian Army, Air Force or in the field of drone technology, IIT-Delhi is working closely with DRDO and the government. In an exclusive interview with IANS, Director of IIT-Delhi, Ranjan Banerjee, talked about a few such initiatives.

Mercury under free fall, frozen nights in Kashmir & Ladakh

Srinagar, Nov 25 (IANS) Mercury continued its free fall in Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh as minimum temperatures dropped further during the last 24 hours while the Meteorological (MeT) office on Friday forecast dry weather.

“Weather is expected to remain dry in J&K and Ladakh during the next 24 hours as the night temperatures are likely to drop further.

“Minimum temperatures in the Valley and Ladakh region remained notches below the freezing point

today,” an official of the MeT depart ment said.

Srinagar had minus 1.4, Pahalgam minus 3.6 and Gulmarg zero degrees Celsius as the minimum temperature today.

Drass town in Ladakh region had minus 12.7, Kargil minus 11.3 and Leh minus 8.8 as the minimum temperature.

Jammu and Katra both had 9.8, Batote 5.6, Banihal 5 and Bhaderwah 3.4 as the minimum temperature.

Ecotourism: Learn how to be a Responsible Tourist

his top recommended ways to travel responsibly:

• Be careful when engaging in animal activities:

travel recommendation is to avoid crowded regions, especially in the post-Covid-19 world.

Be aware of your carbon footprints:

By N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe

November 24, 2022 Tourism is on the rise because the world is full of undiscovered destinations, breath taking scenery, and wildlife that everyone should see at least once in their lives. In certain cases, growing tourism has a negative impact on neighbouring towns and resources. Furthermore, major movements to protect the planet’s health are ongoing, as the repercussions of our continued mistreatment are grave. Things that were formerly normal while travelling are now unaccept able. It’s not necessarily a bad thing!

To reduce tourism’s negative effects on people, the environment, and ourselves, we must shift our focus to more ethical travel. People are trav elling more frequently, farther away, and for longer periods of time. To demonstrate respect for the places they visit, travellers should observe local customs and contribute back to the community.

Speaking with Sanjay Wadhawan, Founder and CEO of Earthaa Escapes, he shares with IANSlife

Many individuals dream of riding elephants, swimming with dolphins or getting their picture taken with tigers while making trip arrangements, but these careless activities frequently cause more harm than good, as these gorgeous creatures are brought out of their native habitat for entertainment. It is better to avoid such activities as they injure the animals and are unethical. Hence, one must do their homework and refuse.

Watch your waste:

Plastic waste has spread like wildfire in this century. Packing reusable cloth bags, which individuals may use for local shopping, is one of the simplest ways to travel sustainably and prevent adding plastic garbage to the place they visit. It is advised to bring some disposable cutlery and straws while traveling, and use them as needed. Or, individuals can even ask for it at the hotel where they are staying. Moreover, the majority of hotels are currently attempting to eliminate plastic.

• Visit lesser-known locations: With traveling becoming a quick escape from reality for the major ity of individuals, it has become essential to travel responsibly and choose your location wisely.

In order to avoid overcrowding a tourist spot, one should concentrate on visiting less well-known sites and places. In fact, a prudent

Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, which is scheduled to close on Friday in the Egyptian coastal city of Sharm El-Sheikh.

Guterres said that COP27 will come to an end in 24 hours, but there is clearly a “breakdown” in trust between North and South, Xinhua news agency reported.

There is no time for finger-pointing, he noted, adding “the blame game is a recipe for mutually assured destruction.”

On climate actions, Guterres urged the parties to act in three critical areas -- to respond to loss and damage, close the emissions gap, and deliver on finance.

The UN chief also asked the developed countries to fulfill their pledge of providing $100 billion per year for developing countries and set a credible roadmap for doubling adaptation finance.

There is no denying the fact that flying is easy and comes with its own set of perks but it also increas es carbon emissions. If nothing else, flying a direct flight will cut carbon emissions. In addition, research suggests that taking off and landings are the worst. Therefore, taking the overland route rather than flying is another wise piece of travel advice one should definitely take into account.

Learn about other cultures: One of the most significant benefits of traveling is learning about other cultures and religions. Meeting various people, learning about their customs and traditions, trying their local food, and getting to know about their lifestyle seem fascinating.

Tourism is on the rise, especially in the post Covid era. This increased tourism has led to situations that have harmful effects on the environment. It is always suggested to gather some kind of information about the place they are planning to visit. In fact, most tourism boards have informative websites that are packed with valuable data. There is no denying the fact that travelers are becoming more socially conscious day by day. Thus, by following the simple ways mentioned above, individuals can ensure that their actions are not causing any harm to the environment.

He noted that developed countries “must” provide the support that developing countries need to devel op renewable energy and enhance their climate resilience.

“Renewables are the exit ramp from the climate hell highway,” he said, echoing his earlier remarks about the so-called “highway to climate hell” made at the COP27 leaders’ summit.

Guterres called for quickly reaching a consensus at COP27, warning that the “climate clock is ticking and trust keeps eroding.”

During the briefing, Egyptian Foreign Minister and COP27 President Sameh Shoukry stressed that there are still a number of issues lacking progress at the late stage of COP27.

The parties “are shying away from taking difficult political decisions,” he said.

Wet famine, new diseases give sleepless nights to farmers of Gogalwadi

By Pranoti Abhyankar Pune (Maharashtra),

Reporters)

“Look at these rotten tomatoes. Forget taking a basketful to sell in the market, even finding a few that are good enough to consume has become a task,” said Sashikant Ramdas Gogawale, a farmer from Gogalwadi in Pune’s Haveli taluka.

This year, ola dushkal (wet famine) has rendered a blow to the farmers, who are already facing the after-ef fects of crop damage during the pan demic. Wet famine is characterised by a shortage of food resources due to too much rain. It is a condition where crops, fruits or vegetables on a farm are damaged, making them completely unfit for consumption or sale.

“We were not anticipating such a downpour. The tomato harvest was good until the pandemic. Disruption in farm work during the lockdown and loss of market access affected us badly. The subsequent spread of new diseases worsened our condi tion,” Sashikant explained his farm’s deterioration over the last two years. He is fully aware of the damage that pesticides and weedicides cause in the long run. “Spraying too much pesticide is ruining the soil. But we have to use it to protect the current crop. This is the irony.”

Besides tomatoes, the combined impact of the pandemic and wet famine is significant in the case of fig farmers. The fig harvest season in Gogalwadi starts in February. So when the first Covid-19 wave hit India in March 2020 and led to a subsequent lockdown, the demand and sales dropped.

“We had no option but to consume as many fruits as possible. The rest were left unplucked, which caused the trees to rot from the inside. In fact, a new variant of crop disease started to affect the trees. It contin ues to infect the plants to date,” said Shrikant Gogawale, whose family owns a fig farm in the village.

“One of my friends had over 300 fig trees. Now the number is down to around 50. A variant of Anthracnose, a fungal disease that emerged during the pandemic, destroyed most of them,” he added.

Even custard apples and guava trees on Shrikant’s farm took a beating.

“All the fruits are turning black. These crops cannot withstand heavy rains. We plant and harvest according to the seasonal cycles.

However, climate change has dis rupted this pattern. Even foreseeing weather trends for a few upcoming weeks have become difficult,” he elaborated.

Gogalwadi has very few women farmers. One can barely see a woman working in the fields here.

“Actually, I am an Anganwadi teach er. At times, I work in these tomato fields to help out my husband. The fruits are rotting and they need to be picked and packed quickly because rains are again likely to pound this afternoon,” says Reshma Gogawale, Laxman Gogawale’s wife.

Compensation eludes many PIK Vima Yojana 2022, a crop insur ance initiative of the Maharashtra Government, aims at protecting the food producers in the State.

‘PIK Nuksan Bharpai’ (damage compensation) grants insurance amounts to the beneficiaries to tide over the crop losses caused by natural calamities. The Central Government also offers Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, a scheme with a similar purpose. However, farmers of Gogalwadi have not found these schemes very helpful.

Dattatray Gogawale, a farmer who harvests multiple crops such as jowar, rice, pulses, figs and onions, said he was told to register online to get compensation for the damage caused due to the lockdown and wet famine.

“A few of us have smartphones, but getting data network is difficult here. We are required to upload images of our farms to apply for compensation. Though we are educated, navigating through the online system is a challenge.”

Dattatray said he was told to file a panchanama (evidence of the crisis) when wet famine struck. “But even after doing it, no one reached out. If we do it offline also, the gram sevaks are supposed to pay a visit to the field and see if the farmer is eligible for crisis compensation. But they did not come,” he said, pointing to the lack of transparency.

When questioned about this, gram sevak Jyoti Tambe directed this reporter to Talathi Tamboli (Talathi refers to a revenue officer). “This is the officer assigned to visit the farms in Gogalwadi, note down the complaints, register panchanama and other documents required for Nuksan Bharpai Scheme,” Tambe said. Multiple attempts to reach Tamboli proved to be futile.

‘E-Pik Pahani’, which means check ing the crops through the photos uploaded online on the official government portal, is a service gram sevaks recommend farmers use for

registering their damaged farms for crisis compensation. However, sparse mobile network and lack of technical knowledge have made farmers shy away from applying online for Nuksan Bharpai.

“At times, we visit the district office where our names and details are taken down. But the compensation amount does not reach us,” said Dattatray’s family. To this, gram sevak Tambe stated: “The officials concerned will be sent to the farm to examine its status. The compen sation amount will be given if the farmer is eligible.”

However, the problems of farmers like Dattatray do not end with getting compensation. The newly emerging crop diseases and unpre dictable rainfall patterns have made farming unsustainable.

“We are investing in it by buying different types of pesticides and adopting agricultural technologies to improve crop health. But the rains are washing it all out. Forget about profit, we are not even getting back the invested amount,” Dattatray said while reminiscing how simple farming was earlier. Seasonal cycles could be tracked then, and farmers used to have their plans chalked out for the entire year.

“There is no doubt that our village is progressing. We have access to primary education. We have proper roads and most areas are well-lit. There are small clinics, where the services of doctors are available. But untimely rains are hampering prog ress,” said Shrikant, calling attention to waterlogging and damage caused to roads.

Walking through his field wearing a muddy raincoat and wiping the sweat from his brow, Sashikant requested, “Take a photo of these fallen tomatoes. It captures the reality of why farmers commit suicide.”

(Pranoti Abhyankar is a Pune-based freelance journalist and a member of 101Reporters, a pan-India net work of grassroots reporters)

US Biodiversity envoy supports fight against wildlife crime

New Delhi, Nov 22 (IANS) Monica Medina, the US Special Envoy for Biodiversity and Water Resources, attended the ongoing Fourth Global Meeting of the Wildlife Enforcement Networks (or WENs), convened by the CITES Secretariat on behalf of ICCWC (the International Consortium on Combating Wildlife Crime), in Panama to support the fight against wildlife crime.

Dar Es Salaam, Nov 26 (IANS)

At least 34.2 square kilometre of natural vegetation on Tanzania’s Mount Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak, were destroyed by the recent fire outbreak in about 10 days, an official said.

William Mwakilema, the Conservation Commissioner for the Tanzania National Parks (TANAPA), said on Friday that the destroyed natural vegetation was equivalent

to 1.9 per cent of the mountain’s conservation area.

Briefing journalists in Tanzania’s northern city of Arusha on the impacts of the fire that broke out on Africa’s highest mountain from October 21 to November 1, Mwakilema added the fire also killed a number of snakes, lizards and rats. He said firefighters from various public and private institutions faced challenges when fighting the fire,

in Germany.

The latest report of CCPI, released at COP27 on Tuesday, shows Denmark, Sweden, Chile and Morocco as the only four small countries that were ranked above India. The first, second and third ranks were not awarded to any country. In effect therefore, India’s rank is the best amongst all large economies, an official statement said.

including the inability to fight fire in high altitude, inaccessibility of areas that caught fire, and strong winds that made the fire spread faster, Xinhua news agency reported.

Mount Kilimanjaro, one of Tanzania’s leading tourist destina tions, is about 5,895 metre above sea level. Nearly 50,000 trekkers from across the world attempt to reach the summit of the mountain annually.

The WENs are regional networks that boost collaboration amongst countries in the regions to enhance their responses to wildlife crime. The US has had a long-standing commitment to supporting these networks.

It is estimated that the illegal wildlife trade could be worth more than $20 billion and causes incalculable damage to the world’s wildlife. For many species, it’s fuelling the drive towards extinction.

The Global Meeting of WENs is occurring on the margins of the World Wildlife Conference.

CITES is the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora.

A total of 183 nations -- including the US -- and also the European Union are Parties to the Convention.

It holds a COP once every two or three years to allow this ultimate decision-making body to modify the regulations governing international wildlife trade.

CITES in conserving the world’s endangered wildlife is down to the way the Parties work together to take the decisions that shape our policy and practice. The US has been committed to CITES, since it came into being, and we need that commitment now, more than ever, as we seek to tackle the planetary challenges we face.”

New Delhi, Nov 22 (IANS) India is now ranked eighth, after jumping up two spots, as per the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI, 2023) published by German Watch, New Climate Institute and Climate Action Network International based

India has also been ranked amongst top 5 countries in the world and the best among the G20 countries, based on its Climate Change performance.

The CCPI aims to enhance transpar ency in international climate politics and enables comparison of climate protection efforts and progress

made by individual countries. Published annually since 2005, the Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) is an independent monitoring tool for tracking the climate protection performance of 59 countries and the EU. Every year, the CCPI sets off important public and political debates within the countries assessed. The climate protection performance of these 59 countries, which together account for 92 per cent of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, is assessed in four categories: GHG emissions (40 per cent of overall score), Renewable Energy (20 per cent of overall score), energy use (20 per cent of overall score) and climate policy (20 per cent of overall score).

The conference, also known as CITES CoP19, is a meeting of repre sentatives of more than 160 nations to decide the regulations that will govern the conservation of more nearly 40,000 of the world’s most endangered species of animals and plants.

Medina was appointed Special Envoy for Biodiversity and Water Resources two months ago as a signal of the commitment of the Biden administration to addressing the environmental crises the world is facing.

Her presence in Panama has allowed her to hold discussions with some of the world’s foremost wild life conservationists and also see the work being done to tackle the illegal trade in wildlife.

It came into being nearly 50 years ago and no species in its history has gone extinct as a result of interna tional trade. This year the meeting comes at a crucial point with multiple scientific reports noting a drastic loss in biodiversity and more than a million species threatened with extinction.

Media, also the Assistant Secretary of State, met the Secretary-General of CITES, Ivonne Higuero. They discussed the coordinated, multi lateral conservation responses that are designed to reverse the loss in biodiversity and also how nature is central to addressing the climate crisis.

The Secretary-General acknowl edged the important role that the US plays in CITES: “The success of

Medina said: “I am here today (November 21) because the United States remains determined to end wildlife trafficking and other nature crimes. These criminal activities threaten national security, under mine the rule of law, rob countries and communities of their natural resource base and revenue, drive species to the brink of extinction, and spread disease.

“They must be stopped and the time to act is now. Only by working together can we put a halt to these insidious crimes.”

The meeting is taking place hard on the heels of the release of ICCWC Vision 2030, which is working towards an end to wildlife crime through its work and support to the CITES Parties.

Nov 24 (IANS/ 101

As crop failure becomes a norm, farmers in Maharashtra struggle to get access to crop insurance schemes for which online applications should be submitted

Sharm El-Sheikh, Nov 18 (IANS) United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called on coun tries to take climate actions instead of “finger-pointing” at the ongoing UN climate change conference.

He made the remarks on Thursday during a press briefing at the 27th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP27) to the United

UN chief calls for reaching consensus on climate actions at COP27

India moves two spots up to rank 8th in climate change performance index

Fire burns down nearly 2% of natural vegetation on Mount Kilimanjaro: Official

Dakshina Kannada, Nov 23 (IANS)

Karnataka Home Minister Araga Jnanendra stated on Wednesday that the government will soon hand over the Mangaluru cooker blast case to the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Speaking to reporters after a meet ing in Mangaluru, Jnanendra stated that NIA officers have been looking at the case since the blast took place. Other central agencies have also

joined the probe.

The initial investigation is being done by the state police and a decision would be taken soon to hand over the case to the NIA.

“I have visited the spot where the blast occurred and also paid a visit to the hospital (where the injured terror suspect and auto driver are being treated),” he said.

The focus would be on who sup ported terror suspect Mohammad Shariq and financed him to carry out subversive activities, the Home Minister stated.

“When the terror suspect gets well, many more inputs would come out. The injured auto driver and suspected terrorist are being treated by a team of eight specialist doctors,” he informed.

He said that the terror suspect learnt mobile repairing and pro jected himself as a Hindu. Accused

Mohammad Shariq had obtained bail from the High Court and he was being monitored.

For some time he worked in a shop in Tirthahalli but disappeared one day. Though attempts were made to trace him, he stayed elusive. He stole ID cards and assumed the identity of a Hindu. He did not use mobiles for communication, but other methods.

No one suspected him and he visited Cochin, Coimbatore, Kanyakumari, the minister stated.

He stated that a NIA unit will be established in Karnataka.

DG and IGP Praveen Sood stated that the life of the suspected terrorist needs to be saved to learn about the whole conspiracy.

Mangaluru Police Commissioner N. Shashikumar said that raids have been conducted at eight locations. Four persons have been taken into custody but they are not considered as accused persons, he added.

BJP attacks Gehlot for terming Shraddha murder case ‘an accident’

incident is an accident. It is not a new thing. For centuries, marriages have been taking place in the name of inter-caste, inter-religion, it is not a new thing.

“You (BJP) have targeted one com munity, one religion and on its basis, your politics is going on inside the country. You are getting its benefits. It is very easy to gather people, create mobs in the name of religion and caste. It is easy to start a fire, it is very difficult to put out a fire. It takes time to build a building, but it takes only half an hour to demolish it.”

Reacting to Gehlot’s remarks, BJP state president Satish Poonia said he regrets the fact that such a “grue some incident can also be termed as a normal phenomenon and the arguments that are given after that cannot be of logic but sophistry”.

“This incident, is a battle of mindset, it is a battle of thoughts that in what way love jihad, religious

conversion is being done through a well-planned conspiracy and if anyone is most affected by it, then it is Rajasthan. If the Home Minister of the state gives such a statement, then it is very irresponsible, I strongly condemn this statement.

“It seems that the sentiment of Shraddha murder case has no effect on him, on the contrary, the Chief Minister is trying to justify that it was a normal incident,” Poonia added.

Also condemning Gehlot’s state ment, Rajsamand BJP MP Diya Kumari said that it was “an attack on the Hindu religion”.

This leads to the promotion of increasing violent crime against women. The justification of such incidents by the Chief Minister of Rajasthan is condemnable,” she added.

By T. N. Ashok

Washington, Nov 24 (IANS) The ‘second term syndrome’ seems to have sunk into the minds of both the current US President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, anxious to occupy the White House again from where power flows, glob al attention follows and decisions affecting the world are made.

Both Biden (80) and Trump (76) are aging politicians who will be 82 and 78 when they run for the White House in 2024 and generally not favoured by either the Democratic or Republican voters, who both want a younger face like Ron DeSantis, the Republican Florida Governor who won a spectacular race, and Democrats -- California Governor Gavin Newsom and Vice-President Kamala Harris, all in their 40s and 50s.

Biden has announced his intent to run but he has not made a formal decision or announcement to oppose Trump, though majority opinion in the Democratic party is that if either Trump or DeSantis were to win the primaries, Biden is most favoured to beat them both by a larger margin in case of the former and probably by a smaller margin the latter.

Even as the Democratic National Congress awaits a formal an nouncement from Biden, a flurry of candidates are already lobbying with their donors and preparing for Plan B, should Biden choose not to contest on health grounds.

Though Biden has been successful in stemming the tide of the Republican Wave against his inept handling of the inflation issue, voters had abortion rights and jobs and election deniers as a threat to democracy uppermost in their minds while voting.

the primaries. Starting with VicePresident Harris.

Perhaps nobody would benefit more from an aging President stepping aside than his Deputy Kamala Harris, says BBC, adding a former prosecutor who went on to serve as California’s Attorney General and as its junior US Senator, the 58-year-old broke glass ceilings in 2020 as the first female, black and Asian-American Vice-President in the US history.

Last year, she briefly served as acting President in the 85 minutes it took Biden to undergo a colonos copy. Problem here is that Harris is even less popular than the President and some voters have even ques tioned her competence.

Since assuming office, she has been given some of the administration’s toughest portfolios -- influx of im migrants at the southern US border.

Conservative critics have accused her of awkward public appearances.

2020 he was among 28 candidates who ran for the primaries seeking candidacy in 2020. Pete Buttigieg was the only star that shone at the time, though he lost the bid. The 40-year-old out-performed seasoned politicians before drop ping out of the race and endorsing the eventual President, media reports said.

Buttigieg is young, dynamic, suave, sophisticated and polished in his speech. Voters gravitated towards the Harvard graduate who attended Oxford on a Rhodes scholarship and served with the US Navy in Afghanistan. He is however tainted by his gay leanings. Dubbed “Mayor Pete” by his supporters, Biden chose him as Transport Secretary.

Mehsana, Nov 23 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday urged the people of Gujarat to ensure that the BJP wins the state Assembly polls with a huge margin.

Addressing a public rally in Mehsana, he said, “I am confident that you will vote for us but this time, you should not just vote for victory, but for victory with a huge margin.”

Coming down heavily on the Congress, he said when the

AAP a

symbol

grand-old-party was in power 20 years ago, the state had only 55 lakh power connections and when the farmers protested for more, they had to face bullets.

Notably, during the Congress rule in the late 1980s, when the farmers were blocking highways under the Bharatiya Kisan Sangh demanding more electricity, the police had to open fire on them at various places, in which 15 farmers were killed.

Comparing the situations, he said now power connections in the state

have increased to 2 crore.

He also reminded that back then, only 2000 MW power was generated using gas, today the state is gener ating 4000 MW. Once the Mehsana and north Gujarat were facing acute shortage for water -- both drinking and irrigation, but since the BJP government has provided Narmada, Sujalam and Sufalam irrigation projects, farmers are able to engage in cultivation in all the three seasons.

Mehsana and Becharaji, he said, have turned into industrial hubs, Suzuki cars manufactured in Becharaji are being exported to Japan. There were 600 engineering units in Mehsana which has gone upto 2000. Soon electric vehicles (EV) will be manufactured here making it an EV hub, the Prime Minister said.

The Gujarat Assembly polls are scheduled to be held in two phases on December 1 and 5. The results will be announced on December 8.

of corruption and nepotism: BJP

as every day the wrongdoings of its party leaders are coming to the fore.

Addressing a press conference, Delhi BJP MP Ramesh Bidhuri said: “AAP has become a symbol of corruption and nepotism. The relatives of leaders, who are being accused of corruption, are getting tickets for the MCD polls.”

“Video of AAP minister Satyendar Jain enjoying massage in jail is viral, now new sting videos are coming out everyday which speaks of party workers corruption in selling tickets for the MCD polls”.

“A video of AAP MLA from Matiala Gulab Singh being thrashed by his party workers in their party office has left Delhiites shocked. Local AAP workers of Matiala openly accused

Vadodara.

Vadodara Rural Deputy Superintendent of police (ST/SC cell) Aakash Patel said a tribal youth (Dharmesh Tadvi)in his complaint on Monday evening alleged that these leaders intentionally insulted, voluntarily caused hurt and made casteist remarks against him.

Tadvi said that elected BJP leaders of Dabhoi municipal corporation -- Biren Shah, Vishal and Amit Solanki --have given him money for electric and other repair work of street lights.

Gulab Singh of selling election tickets.”

“Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Monday had accused the BJP of cooking up stories, so now, will he explain whether the video of Gulab Singh being thrashed by his own party workers also false,” Bidhuri said.

“Chief Minister should tell why AAP workers thrashed their MLA... Aam Aadmi Party tickets are not only being sold, they are also being distributed to the relatives of party MLAs. Matia Mahal MLA Shoaib Iqbal gave one ticket to his son and one to his nephew’s mother-in-law.

Chandni Chowk MLA Prahlad Singh Sahni has made his son contest the election”, Ramesh Bidhuri claimed.

Unhappy with the amount paid for the work, Dharmesh Tadvi approached the BJP tribal cell president Mehulbhai Tadvi, who asked him to return the money.

When Dharmesh Tadvi approached Biren Shah to return the payment, one of the complainant’s friend was recording it, which angered Shah.

Shah thrashed Dharmesh Tadvi and threatened him that once the Assembly elections are over, he will not allow him to run his business on road side and remove his vegetable cart.

While 61 per cent of the Republicans want Trump to run, there is a doubt if he will even make it to the prima ries because billionaires and donors and media barons see a great future for the GOP in DeSantis rather than Trump. In fact, billionaire media baron Rupert Murdoch lampooned Trump in his networks from Fox News to the New York Post to Wall Street Journal running edits against him as a liability for the party with his legal baggage. Post-November midterm polls show a seven per cent rise in popularity for DeSantis against Trump.

Trump has to contend with the January 6 panel hearings of his alleged involvement in the Capitol Hill’s insurrection, face the tax fraud evasion case with the New York Attorney General Letitia James (Democrat) suing him for $250 million in punitive damages for tax fraud, obtaining loans from banks on fraudulent claims by inflating its property values, and the Department of Justice chasing him for the 11,000 top secret documents he spirited away to his Florida home instead of handing them over to the National Archives. This is not going to be easy for him, media reports say.

The BBC of the UK says Biden is the oldest President in US history and his approval ratings have stalled in the low 40s. Is President Joe Biden ripe for a primary challenge in 2024, the network asked?

With both of them being too old and voters wanting a young energetic President, there is a chance for a lot of young liberals to make it to

High staff turnover and reports of low morale in the Vice-President’s office have only made matters worse, the network claimed. But her supporters have claimed she has been a victim of misogyny and sexist slander.

Gavin Newsom: He is in the spotlight among the Democrats garnering a lot of attention in the 2024 buzz for presidency. Newsom, 55, came into national focus when he issued the same-sex marriage licenses in 2004 in utter violation of the state law as the Governor of California. He is a wine merchant who strayed into politics and made it good when he was elected Governor of his home state in 2018.

Soon enough he became champion of the progressive campaign against the conservative Trump administration.

He has earned considerable admi ration for his assertive leadership when the Covid-19 pandemic broke out. But he was also caught-on-cam era on the wrong foot at a dinner in which he flouted his own Covid rules leading to a call to end his governorship before his term ended.

Finally, defeating the Republican-led recall, Newsom has just begun his second term as the California Governor having won impressively in the November midterms.

Newsom has a massive campaign war chest and the backing of major Democratic donors, but it is his will ingness to pick fights on the national stage recently -- from launching ads in Republican-held states like Florida and Texas to criticising his own party for its weak messaging -- that is drawing attention to his future ambitions, BBC said.

Pete Buttigieg, the Transport Secretary, is now attracting a lot of attention among the Democrats. In

EU proposes gas price cap

Brussels, Nov 23 (IANS) A European gas price cap at 275 euros ($283) per megawatt hour (MWh) has been proposed, Energy Commissioner Kadri Simson announced.

“We propose an upper ceiling on the month-ahead TTF (Title Transfer Facility) price in case it exceeds 275 euros per megawatt hour. Beyond that price, transactions will not be able to take place,” Xinhua news agency quoted Simson as saying

The market correction mechanism will be triggered when two condi tions are met, the Commissioner explained.

Firstly, when the gas price exceeds 275 euros for two consecutive weeks. Secondly, when the spread between the TTF price and global liquefied natural gas (LNG) price is 58 euros or more for ten consecu tive trading days.

When both these conditions are in place, the mechanism will be automatically activated, and will not require any additional procedures or decisions, he added.

Simson told a press conference that this is not a regulatory intervention to set the price on the gas market at an artificially low level; rather, it is a last resort solution to prevent episodes of excessively high prices which are not in line with global price trends.

“This is not a silver bullet that will bring gas prices down. But it provides a powerful tool that we can use when we need it, complement ing our more structural efforts to lower prices, namely by controlling our demand and ensuring sufficient gas supply for Europe through joint purchasing and active external energy policy,” she added.

The proposals will be debated by

Bernie Sanders: If Biden is being thought of as old, then Sanders is an 81-year-old Senator from Vermont. If he is to be a Presidential runner, it does not make sense. But many voters perceive the experienced lawmaker with a long tenure in the Senate as the frontrunner for a growing left-wing movement in the country.

It may be recalled that Sanders, an independent candidate from Vermont, who always votes with the Democrats, nearly beat the odds in the 2016 presidential nominating contest against Democratic heavy weight Hillary Clinton, BBC recalled.

Other presidential hopefuls in the Democratic party are: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: She is known to her legions of adoring fans as “AOC”, the youngest woman ever to serve in Congress. She will turn 35 -- the minimum age to be the US President -- one month before the 2024 election. Ocasio-Cortez has big plans for America and her popularity is ever growing with the supporter base expanding. She has avoided questions about her future, telling GQ recently that her time as a lawmaker has given her “a front-row seat” to the misogyny of American society.

Ro Khanna: A self-acclaimed “progressive capitalist”, the IndianAmerican lawmaker represents the heart of Silicon Valley in Congress. He has indicated he will not run if Biden is the nominee.

Elizabeth Warren: The 73-year-old Senator from Massachusetts is champion of the Left movement against the Supreme Court turning down the Roe Vs Wade case and stands staunchly for abortion rights.

Gretchen Whitmer: The 51-year-old from Michigan faced a kidnapping plot in her first term as the state’s Governor, then swept through the re-election in the midterms. She says she has no plans to ever run for President.

energy ministers from the bloc’s 27 member countries on Thursday. However, the Association of European Energy Exchanges said that the mechanism poses a serious threat to the region’s security of supply and financial stability, and will do little to achieve the goal of lowering energy costs.

In August, prices on the TTF virtual trading point surged from 220 euros to almost 320 euros per MWh, while global LNG prices were significantly lower.

Since then, gas prices have fallen considerably, to 116 euros currently.

Gujarat polls: PM urges people to ensure BJP’s landslide victory

‘Second term syndrome’ hits Biden and Trump for 2024 run to White

Three BJP leaders booked under SC/ST Act in Gujarat

New Delhi, Nov 22 (IANS) The BJP on Tuesday alleged the AAP is a symbol of corruption and nepotism

Vadodara, Nov 22 (IANS) Three BJP leaders have been booked under the SC-ST (Prevention of Atrocities Act) in Dabhoi town in Gujarat’s

Jaipur, Nov 22 (IANS) The BJP in Rajasthan has attacked Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot for terming the brutal murder of Shraddha Walkar by her live-in partner in Delhi, as “an accident”.

While addressing the media in reference to the murder case, Gehlot had said: “There is an incident. The

‘The best team ever’: Brazilian legends Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, Kaka watch Selecao defeat Switzerland

Ronaldinho surprised his fans by making his debut India’s own microblogging platform. The legend ary player became the latest popular personality from the sports fraterni ty to join the social bandwagon.

The popular sportstar finally marked his presence on Koo as he opened his official Koo handle.

His verified Koo account goes his the name of “@ronaldinho” with his profile picture.

Portugal joins Brazil, France into knockouts stage of World Cup

Doha, Nov 29 (IANS) A brace from Bruno Fernandes helped Portugal to a 2-0 win over Uruguay and a place in the knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup.

On Monday, in the last match of the day at Lusail Stadium in Qatar, Portugal’s second successive win took them to six points and to the top of the Group H standings leaving Uruguay, Ghana and South Korea to fight for the second qualification spot from the group.

New Delhi, Nov 29 (IANS)

If you have been an avid follower of football since the late 1990s or early 2000s, chances are you followed the legendary Brazilian team that had players like Ronaldo and Roberto Carlos. The team set the World Cup on fire in 2002 when it was held in South Korea and Japan, the last time the Selecao lifted the coveted trophy for a record fifth time.

The legendary players from the golden era of Brazilian football were in attendance as the Selecao won their second group match against Switzerland Monday. Former

Brazilian

The

Former AC Milan and Real Madrid forward Kaka

the photo on Instagram and it has amassed more than 1.1 million likes.

“Watched this team play live. Absurd,” commented a user in Portuguese. “The best team ever,” said another. “I miss these genius es,” expressed another netizen. In

Ronaldinho’s first post on Koo features “thumbs up” emojis, “I also participated, this is Ronaldinho.”

Former AC Milan legend Cafu was the captain of the 2002 World Cupwinning Brazil squad while Ronaldo won the golden boot for scoring eight goals in the tournament, including a brace in the final against Germany. Left-back Roberto Carlos scored one goal while Kaka made only one brief appearance at the tournament.

Brazil will take on Cameroon in their final group match at the Lusail Stadium. They had defeated Serbia in their opening game with two goals from Tottenham Hotspur striker Richarlison.

Australia’s way of play is very grounded in India, says hockey coach Reid ahead of five-match series

drag-flicker who will be the cyno sure of India’s penalty corner attack.

He further stated his excitement of playing in Adelaide. “It is great to be in Australia after so many years’ gap. Due to Covid, we couldn’t travel here, there are many passionate Indian hockey fans here and we always love playing in front of them.

I am looking forward to good match es here,” Harmanpreet said.

Portugal joins Brazil and France, the other two teams which have made it to the knockout stage so far.

Portugal started well on the ball, enjoying the lion’s share of possession but Uruguay fashioned the best chance. Rodrigo Bentancur worked his way brilliantly through Portugal’s defence but squandering the game’s best chance in the 33rd minute, firing straight at Diogo Costa from a one-on-one situation.

At the other end Bruno worked hard, winning 100 per cent of his tackles, registering a 93 per cent pass ac curacy rate and generally stringing play together for his side and with Joao Felix looking lively for Portugal on the left, Uruguay had a handful to deal with.

An attempt from distance from Joao flew wide but marked a warning shot for Uruguay, from the 23-yearold Atletico Madrid star.

Portugal continued to dominate possession but could not create a clear-cut chance while Uruguay struggled to get any control of the ball.

In a breakthrough move Bruno’s cross was travelling towards the net, Ronaldo tried to produce a glancing header but did not make contact which ended up in the back of the nets after eluding Uruguay keeper Sergio Rochet’s reach. Ronaldo celebrated wildly, but Bruno was officially credited with the goal.

Uruguay down by a goal pressed the panic buttons and shifted gears during which period they came close to scoring a few times with one of their efforts hitting the metal work. Due credit to the Uruguay substite who changed the pace of the match. All of a sudden, Uruguay had just grabbed the bull by the horns and were taking the game to Portugal

that VAR has been found wanting on penalties

With Ronaldo substituted, the trio of changes that coach Santos made pulling Ronaldo, Felix and Carvalho making way for Joao Palhinha, Goncalo Ramos and Matheus Nunes it was Bruno, who stepped up to take the spot kick, he made a little skip in the air and just waited for Sergio Rochet to fall to the left and just stroked it to the right. A really comfortable hit into the back of the net, 2-0.

Thereafter, Bruno had a chance to register his hat trick but his effort in the eight minute of stoppage time came off the metal work.

Adelaide, Nov 25 (IANS) World No. 5 India will take on No.1 side Australia in a five-match fixture starting in Adelaide from Saturday, in what is being pegged as a blockbuster series between the powerhouses of international hockey.

The two teams have been toe-to-toe in their recent performances and have met twice since 2020 -- at the Tokyo Olympic Games where India finished with a historic bronze and Australia with a silver. They also met in the final of the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games where Australia clinched gold.

On the eve of the series, India chief coach Graham Reid said, “There is no better place to come than Australia for preparation for the

World Cup.

“Australia’s way of play is very grounded in India. What’s great about this series is that both teams get to learn about the different skills that both bring to the table,” Reid added during a pre-match press conference in Adelaide.

With the FIH Men’s World Cup 2023 Bhubaneswar-Rourkela less than 50 days away, captain Harmanpreet Singh highlighted that each match against Australia will prove vital in their preparations for the marquee event at home.

“This series is really important for us. When you are preparing for a mega event like the World Cup, it’s always good to play against the best in the lead up,” said the ace

Colin Batch, Australia’s head coach, said, “This series is really important for us coming up to the World Cup in January. It’s great that India are here. We love playing against them and this will be great competition for us.

“It will be great competition for us.

India is a really strong team and these will be the only matches we will play before the World Cup, so we’re delighted to have a team of India’s calibre to play against,” added Batch.

“We feel like we can take some strong steps in our preparation for the World Cup. Unlike the Olympics where we had 6-7 months training together.

India vs Australia: Match days -November 26, 27, 30, December 3, 4.

We won’t go to India for 2023 World Cup if they don’t come to Pakistan for Asia Cup: Ramiz Raja

the president of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) last month said that the Indian team will not travel to Pakistan for the Continental champi onship and demanded that the event be moved to a neutral venue.

Shah’s comment had ruffled some feathers in Pakistan then and PCB requested the Asian Cricket Council to convene an emergency meeting.

In the latest development, the PCB chief once again reiterated his stance on the tussle.

happen when we perform well. In the 2021 T20 World Cup, we beat India. We beat India in the T20 Asia Cup. In one year, the Pakistan cricket team defeated a billion-dollar economy team twice,” he added.

The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, to be hosted by India, will be the 13th edition of the 50-over World Cup. India will be hosting the qua drennial tournament for the fourth time in its history and it is highly unlikely that the mega event will be moved out of the country.

After a barren first half, Portugal coach Fernando Santos was hoping that his side could find a way to break the deadlock, and they did by scoring nine minutes into the second half through Bruno. The Manchester United striker added a second one in stoppage time of the second half.

Bruno’s first goal was initially credited to his former Manchester United teammate Cristiano Ronaldo but thereafter credited to Bruno.

And it was a stunning introduction from Maxi Gomez. After getting a pass on the edge of the box, his first time curled past a flinging Diogo Costa under the Portugal bar only to find the ball bounce off the right upright and away. That was the closest Uruguay came close to equalizing.

Portugal celebrated the goal with a second one through a controversial injury-time penalty which was awarded after VAR review.

Portugal had a penalty awarded after a VAR check. Jose Maria Gimenez handled as he fell backwards after being nutmegged by Bruno.

Absolutely unintentional, but it has been given “The guy’s literally putting his hand down to cushion his fall” and it is not for the first time

Former winners and hosts of the first edition of the football show piece event Uruguay which drew with South Korea in their first match now have just a point from two matches and play their last match against Ghana. The African side earlier on Monday defeated South Korea 3-2 in a five-goal thriller.

The match saw five players aged 35 and above figuring in the game -- Pepe (39), Cristiano Ronaldo (37), Diego Godin (36), Luis Suarez (35) and Edinson Cavani (35) -- the most in a World Cup match in history.

Meanwhile in the second half, there was a pitch invader who ran on the pitch holding a rainbow flag.

His T-shirt had “Save Ukraine” written on one side and on the back were the words “Respect For Iranian Woman”.

New Delhi, Nov 25 (IANS) South Africa middle-order batter David Miller, who will be captaining Paarl Royals in the inaugural edition of the upcoming SA20 league, has pointed out tearaway pacer Anrich Nortje as a huge challenge who will bring in aggression and is eager to take him down in the tournament.

Though South Africa didn’t make it to the semifinals of the Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia, Nortje was a standout performer, picking 11 wickets in five matches with an economy rate of 5.37, including two four-wicket hauls. In SA20, Nortje has been signed up by Pretoria Capitals.

“I don’t really have anything against anyone, probably going to be Anrich Nortje, fastest bowler on the circuit at the moment. So, I know he’s going to come in hot and he’s going to bring his aggression, but I’m looking forward to taking him down,” said Miller in a tournament release.

Apart from Nortje, Miller is also eager to face-off and triumph over

England’s left-arm pace all-rounder Sam Curran, who will be playing for MI Cape Town in the tournament.

Curran was adjudged Player of the Match and Tournament in England’s seven-wicket victory over Pakistan in T20 World Cup final.

“There are so many good bowlers but I would probably say Sam Curran has definitely had little bit of an upper hand on me over the last couple years.”

“He’s just got Man of the Series and Man of the Match in the World Cup and he’s in top form. So, I’m looking forward to facing him but getting on top of him as well.”

In Paarl Royals, there are other squad members like England’s World Cup winning captains, Jos Buttler and Eoin Morgan, along with Miller’s Proteas team-mates like Lungi Ngidi, Tabraiz Shamsi, Dane Vilas and Bjorn Fortuin.

Paarl Royals will open the inaugural seasons of the SA20 in Cape Town, when they face MI Cape Town on January 10. “I’m very excited.

We’ve got a great squad and looking forward to linking up with all the guys early Jan.”

“We’ve got some good experienced players, World Cup winner Captain Jos Buttler as well, so that’s going to be really cool and then Eoin Morgan as well with all the experience in the World Cup in his bank, so good great experienced senior players and a lot of young players are looking forward to it,” concluded Miller.

Islamabad, Nov 25 (IANS) The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Ramiz Raja has said that the Pakistan cricket team won’t travel to India for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in 2023 if the Men in Blue don’t visit the neighbouring country for the next year’s Asia Cup. The Asia Cup 2023 is scheduled to be played in Pakistan in September of next year. However, BCCI secretary Jay Shah, who is also

“If Pakistan doesn’t take part in the World Cup scheduled in India next year, who will watch it? We have a clear stand: If the Indian team comes here then we will go for the World Cup. If they don’t come then they can play the World Cup without us,” Raja told Urdu News.

“We will adopt an aggressive approach. Our team is showing performance. I’ve always said we need to improve the economy of Pakistan cricket, and that can only

Notably, Pakistan and India do not play bilateral cricket and only meet in global tournaments or multi-team events since 2013 due to strained political tensions between the two countries.

India’s last trip to Pakistan was for the 2008 Asia Cup, while Pakistan’s last visit to India was for the 2016 ICC T20 World Cup. The two teams last played each other at the 2022 Men’s T20 World Cup in Melbourne on October 23.

Argentine World Cup team commemorates Maradona

legendary football star wearing his number 10 blue and white jersey.

Manager Lionel Scaloni noted, “it is a very sad day,” referring to Maradona’s anniversary, during a press conference ahead of Saturday’s match against Mexico in Qatar, reports Xinhua.

“We hope to bring him joy tomorrow if he is watching from heaven,” he said, adding that “it seems unbeliev able” that Maradona “is not here.”

Dhanraj Nathwani elected Gujarat Cricket Association president

Ahmedabad, Nov 25 (IANS) Dhanraj Nathwani was unanimously elected president of Gujarat Cricket Association last week in its 86th Annual General Meeting.

Nathwani was earlier vice-president of the association and succeeds Union Home Minister Amit Shah, who retired from the president’s office on completion of his term. He is determined to accelerate the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi of spreading the sports in remote areas of Gujarat.

Nathwani has also served as the president of Gujarat State Football

Association from 2017 to 2019.

He is group president at Reliance Industries Ltd and oversees the Jamnagar manufacturing division and Vadodara manufacturing divi sion of Reliance Industries Ltd and Reliance Jio business in Gujarat.

He is the son of Rajya Sabha member Parimal Nathwani, Director of Corporate Affairs, Reliance Industries Ltd. Parimal Nathwani is also president of Gujarat State Football Association.

Dhanraj Nathwani got married to Bhoomi Rajesh Khandwala in 2014. Bhoomi is daughter of

Imran Khwaja reappointed as ICC Deputy Chair

Dubai, Nov 25 (IANS) The International Cricket Council (ICC) Board has re-appointed Imran Khwaja as Deputy Chair for a two-year term, the world cricket governing body said on Friday.

Buenos Aires, Nov 26 (IANS)

Striker Lautaro Martinez comment ed that the squad is “thinking very much” about the greatest Argentine World Cup figure, who led Argentina to the championship in Mexico 1986 and to the runners-up in Italy 1990.

Khwaja currently holds an Associate Member Director position on the Board, having been re-elect ed at the ICC Annual Conference in July 2022. He was first elected to the ICC Board in 2008 and has

served as Deputy Chair since 2017.

Earlier on November 12, New Zealand’s Greg Barclay was also unanimously re-elected as chair man of the International Cricket Council (ICC) for a second two-year term.

Barclay was unopposed following the withdrawal of Tavengwa Mukuhlani from the process, and the ICC Board reaffirmed its full support of him to continue as Chair

Rajesh Khandwala, Chairman and Managing Director of KIFS Financial Services Ltd.

Members of the Argentine national football team commemorated Diego Armando Maradona at the 2022 FIFA World Cup on Friday, two years after his death.

A photo of former Brazilian legends Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, Kaka and Cafu turned the social media nostalgic.

Maradona died on November 25, 2020 of a heart attack at home at the age of 60, after brain surgery for a subdural hematoma.

Lionel Messi uploaded a story to Instagram with a photo of the

greats Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos, Cafu and Kaka were in attendance at Stadium 974 as the Selecao defeated the Swiss by a solitary goal from Casemiro.

photo of the former footballers sent social media into nostalgia mode as netizens recalled the golden days of Brazilian football.

posted

between, former footballer

Anrich Nortje will bring his aggression, but looking forward to taking him down: David Miller

A

Minimalistic jewellery styles for work-wear

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Once you need to include a sprint of colour, gemstone stud hoops are a simple choice. Littler studs around the 3mm check are particularly on-trend.

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Detachable jewellery has been in trend since the 90s as it offers varied styles to wear for any oc casion. Detachable pieces are not too expensive when compared to regular ones and there is nothing to worry about in terms of wear and tear. However, one should be careful while wearing detachable jewellery as there is a minute chance of the pieces falling down.

The all-time favourite is Ear Jackets.

A New age trendy pair of ear jackets can turn your otherwise boring outfits into a modern look. Diamond ear jackets add a surreal charm to your look. The jewellery is available in a vast variety of designs like Trillion Mountain, and Marquise leafy green emerald ear jackets to make a style statement.

November 17, 2022 COP27,

H&M,

companies

announced a collective commitment to purchase over half a million tonnes of low-carbon, low-footprint alternative fibers for fashion textiles and paper packaging. It is a move that will support the protection of the world’s vital forests and ecosys tems and lower forest degradation pressures from the fashion and packaging supply chains.

Spearheaded by environmental nonprofit Canopy, this commitment towards more sustainable, low er-carbon alternatives - known as Next Generation Solutions – reflects a building urgency across industries to accelerate the transition to na ture-positive business models. This market pull is essential to attract the investment necessary to scale these game-changing Next Generation alternatives on ecologically mean ingful timelines.

At last year’s UN Climate Change Conference, protecting nature was at the center of commitments to deliver on global climate targets.

Today one-third of the world’s most influential companies have yet to make forest conservation commitments1, despite the scientific community’s warnings that at least 50% of the world’s forests need to be conserved or restored by 2030 to

ensure global temperature rises stay below 1.5 °C.

Every year, over 3.2 billion trees are cut down to produce fiber for packaging and clothing, releasing vast amounts of CO2 into the atmo sphere. Alternatives to wood - such as agricultural residues and recy cled textiles - are readily available and can be scaled in order to pre vent the logging of these forests at this untenable rate. Moving to Next Generation Solutions could help avoid almost 1Gt of CO2 emissions between now and 2030.

“We are thrilled to advance this commitment with forward-looking partners who are willing to chal lenge the status quo and in doing so provide a breakthrough for these game-changing technologies,” said Canopy Founder and Executive Director, Nicole Rycroft. “This commitment will allow us to take a historic leap closer to the $64 billion of investments in sustainable alternatives needed to ensure forest conservation for our planet’s climate and biodiversity stability.”

Today’s commitment will help unlock the investment needed to build 10 - 20 new low-footprint, Next Generation pulp mills; provide farm communities and cities with new markets to replace the burning of straw residue and textile landfilling, and prevent an estimated 2.2 million tonnes of GHG emissions from going into the atmosphere relative to

Femina Miss India to be held in Manipur in April 2023

“At H&M Group, we are committed to becoming a circular business, in which moving towards more sustainable alternatives for our materials is crucial. Canopy has shown true leadership by bringing the fashion and regenerated cellulosic industries together with the purpose of reducing fashion’s dependency on forests,” said Madelene Ericsson, Environmental Sustainability Business Expert H&M Group Innovative low-carbon solutions, such as regenerated cellulosic fibers from waste textiles, microbial cellulose or agricultural residues, will play a vital role to help us reduce our impact on climate and protect forests, so no ancient and endangered forests are put at risk to make fashion. These next-gener ation solutions and collaborations like Canopy’s help us take strong steps towards our goal for all our materials to be either recycled or sourced in a more sustainable way by 2030.”

The signatories have also committed to ensuring their respective supply chains are free of Ancient and Endangered Forests and are calling on industry peers to follow suit by shifting towards sustainable Next Generation alternatives - such as fibers made from agricultural residue or recycled textiles.

When compared to forest fibers, Next-Generation Solutions have on average: 95% to 130% less CO2 emissions

• 18% to 70% less fossil energy resource depletion 88% to 100% fewer land-use impacts at least 5x lower impact on biodiversity/threatened species

“At Kering, we aim at reducing our footprint on biodiversity and contribute to preserving and restoring critical ecosystems”, said Yoann Régent, Head of Sustainable Sourcing & Nature Initiatives, “We

are excited to be joining our longtime partner Canopy to support a rapid scale-up of sustainable Next Generation materials production as well as uptake of low-carbon, low-footprint alternative fibers for textiles and paper packaging.”

“We are collaborating with Canopy to accelerate the development and adoption of Next Generation Solutions within supply chains rooted in forests. I am proud to say we have been partnering with Canopy since 2014 and have been a zero-deforestation brand since 2017 – never sourcing from ancient, endangered, or protected forests. We must take action today in order to protect our forests for tomorrow,” said Stella McCartney.

Information about the signatories to this campaign, as well as Canopy’s other work to save forests, is avail able here.

“We are so pleased to be a part of this initiative to keep precious forests standing and to help speed the switch to low-impact, circular alternatives for forest fiber,” said Kevin Dunckley, Chief Sustainability Officer at HH Global. “Now is the time for all of us – businesses, governments, and individuals, to do all we can to keep our climate stable.

We hope today’s announcement starts a trend toward supply chain shifts across all sectors and hope this announcement will inspire many other companies to join.”

“We’re proud to be working with Canopy to create a more sustainable sourcing strategy for our fiber-based packaging. Moving away from the virgin fiber is part of our larger strategy to reduce the footprint of our operations,” said Ben & Jerry’s Global Sustainability Manager, Jenna Evans. “While it’s clear that rapidly ending the age of fossil fuels is required to avoid catastrophic climate change, companies still must do the hard work to ensure their packaging isn’t contributing to deforestation as well.”

Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo come together

In a ceremonious event, the Department of Tourism, Government of Manipur, and Times Group announced that the 59th edition of Femina Miss India would be held in the North Eastern state of Manipur in April 2023.

Speaking on the partnership, the Chief Minister of Manipur, N. Biren Singh, said, “We are delighted to partner with the prestigious Miss India Organization to host the grand finale here in Imphal, Manipur. The primary motive behind the part nership is to celebrate the diverse and inclusive Indian culture while fostering the competitive spirit of the talented participants. We want to inspire and empower the local youth by welcoming the best of India’s talent to our home soil as well as showcase Manipur’s rich culture and heritage we are so proud of.” Miss India Organization Spokesperson further said, “We are excited to bring our iconic event to the People of Manipur, and we will pull out all stops to make it an inspiring and entertaining event the city has seen. Over the last 6 decades, Femina Miss India has reached audiences in different cities across the Country, and the Finale of the 59th edition in Imphal will be something to remember for a long time. Miss India has trans formed the lives of many Indian women, giving them empowerment, employability, opportunity and a

strong voice in the community. The state of Manipur also believes in empowering its women to be equal partners in development, hence this partnership is a natural culmination of ideologies and vision”.

Through strategic partnerships, the Miss India Organization hopes to build an ecosystem of international influence and social impact that will empower women to reach their full potential as ambassadors and role models and promote India on a glob al scale. The Miss India Organization fervently believes in the ability of beauty to alter perceptions, project confidence, and empower young women by instilling a sense of individuality and uniqueness, promoting self-expression, and creating significant and aspirational value among the youth.

Since its inception, the household name of Miss India has been a launchpad to million dreams, having scripted iconic success stories and hall of fame, such as Zeenat Aman, Juhi Chawla, Aishwarya Rai, Priyanka Chopra, Dia Mirza, Manushi Chhillar & Neha Dhupia, to name a few. In addition, India is among the few countries to have won 6 Miss World Titles.

VLCC & Trends co-present Femina Miss India 2023, hosted by Manipur Tourism co-powered by ORRA Fine Jewellery & Rajnigandha Pearls, is back, more significant than ever, with its 59th edition.

against one another, off the field, in a game of wits -- chess, played on iconic LV trunks. The athletes come together to promote Louis Vuitton’s Maison’s Art of Living Collections, which honours the company’s long heritage of producing trunks for the world’s most valuable athletic trophies.

By N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe French luxury house, Louis Vuitton make history as it treats football fans with its latest Instagram post which features two of the most outstanding football players, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Messi and Ronaldo are pitted

By N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe

leading

including –

Inditex, Ben & Jerry’s, Stella McCartney, HH Global, and Kering –

trendy pair of ear jackets can turn your otherwise boring outfits into modern ones

Earrings

Necklace

Multi-layered strings

Detachable jewellery Ear Jackets

Stackable Rings

Evil eye Bracelets

working and urban women to grace their elegance.

Thin gold, white gold, and rose gold rings see particularly chic after you highlight many on each hand.

Raise casual outfits with a couple of fundamental fine Evil eye Bracelets as it adds a classy look to your personality.

can create stream-lined outfits that do not compete with your clothes but rather complement them.

Milind Mathur, Creative Director & Partner, Kohinoor Jewellers Agra, and Rohan Sharma, Managing Director of RK Jewellers South Extension 2 share simplistic jewel lery to pair with your workwear:

Miss India has been a launchpad to names like Zeenat Aman, Juhi Chawla, Aishwarya Rai, Priyanka Chopra, Dia Mirza, Manushi Chhillar & Neha Dhupia

H&M, Inditex, Ben & Jerry’s, and other leading retailers drive momentum

For luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton

In time for Christmas, the renowned Covent Garden neigh bourhood of London will welcome the debut of Forest Essentials.

This is the Indian luxury ayurvedic beauty brand’s first overseas loca tion and the only famous “Made in India” company to launch a pre mium retail location in the United Kingdom when it opened on James Street in early November 2022. The shopping experience should be a relaxing haven for indulgence.

The flagship store will assist cus tomers in discovering and utilising the secrets of prized Indian beauty treatments as well as the holistic, wellbeing advantages of age-old Ayurvedic rituals adapted for con temporary daily living.

The variety of Forest Essentials skin, body, and hair care items will be available for visitors to explore. There will be a lot to learn, from their exquisitely crafted gift boxes, ideal for giving and self-pampering, to traditional goods like hair and body oils, which are the cornerstone of I-beauty. All products are manufactured whenever possible with natural, seasonal, and fresh ingredients that come from plants, trees, and herbs that are cultivated in the forests of the Himalayas. Throughout the whole product cycle, careful thought is paid to ingredient choice and packaging in order to significantly reduce environmental effect and benefit society.

Personalized Dosha consultations, explanations of the science un derlying the Ayurvedic procedure, and demystification of the three Doshas of Vata, Pitta, and Kapha will be offered to customers inside the store as an introduction to the opulent world of Ayurveda. Following the session, customers

can browse products that are advised for their particular Dosha and receive guidance on how to best manage other aspects of personal wellbeing, including as nutritional requirements, stress management, and sleep.

The brand will also introduce a brand-new gifting line, just in time for the holiday season. The Enchanted Forest Collection, a hand-picked assortment of gift boxes, offers beautifully rendered natural wonders to the art of gift-giving. These lovely gift boxes feature pictures that make for a lovely keepsake and are embellished with a dash of myth, legend, and folklore.

The company, which was estab lished in 2001 by Indian beauty trailblazer Mira Kulkarni, revolu tionised conventional Ayurveda by using methods that respect the local community and the environment while putting an emphasis on female empowerment. Since being found by Leonard Lauder, Forest Essentials has collaborated as a strategic partner with the Estée Lauder Group of Companies to promote commercial success and global expansion. The global ayurveda industry is expected to reach approximately £19 billion by 2029* as i-beauty continues to be popular among consumers seeking out efficient, natural formulas.

“It has been a dream of mine to see Forest Essentials open a store in the U.K., one of the most dynamic beauty markets in the West. We have been thrilled by the response to the Brand so far and we look forward to welcoming consumers to become a part of the Forest Essentials’ experience that we create within our stores”, says Mira.

Anti-pollution skincare tips for men

have to spend too long anti-polluting your face!

Exfoliate After you’ve cleaned your face, consider a resurfacing face exfolia tor. This step is great for removing dead skin layers and digging out the smaller molecules of grime debris. Another advantage of exfoliating is that it softens the hair follicles, preparing your skin for a closer and more comfortable shave in the morning.

Breathe new life into your hair

And renew its lost glory

From attending numerous dinner parties to dancing multiple nights away, the festive hustle and bustle would have totally engulfed you in a never-ending routine. With the weeklong festivities and party invites coming to an end, you end up finding your haircare routine in a complete mess.

Not to mention, your city now witnesses poor air quality due to increased air pollution after Diwali. It is high time to save your hair from complete damage due to post-festive stress and air pollution.

Dyson shares tips and tricks to breathe life into your hair and renew its lost glory:

• Go easy with your hairstyling and protect them from heat damage:

Opt for hairstyling tools that control heat, leading to minimal heat dam age. The Dyson Air wrap multi-styler is a great choice for those who wish to style their hair while protecting it from excessive heat damage. The Intelligent heat control measures airflow temperature over 40 times a second, intelligently controlling the heating element to keep the tem perature under 150°C. Preventing extreme heat damage.

• Another way to avoid hair dam age is by limiting mechanical

damage:

Dry your hair after every hair washes and don’t leave the house with wet hair. Hair is weaker when wet and so is more vulnerable to damage. It’s essential to take extra care when working with hair when it’s still damp or wet. The Dyson SupersonicTM hair dryer delivers powerful fast and focused airflow alongside Intelligent Heat Control to ensure heat doesn’t damage the hair. We can all agree that flyaway frustration is real! Nothing feels as good as that salon blow-dry finish and you can get it at home now with the Dyson Supersonic’sflyaway attachment or Dyson Airwrap multi-styler’s Coanda smoothening dryer.

• Cover it: When stepping out of your home it’s advisable to cover your hair to protect you from free radicals in the polluted air that is not visible to the human eye but super harmful to your hair. Try using a trendy scarf or a bandana to elevate any outfit while protecting your hair.

• Get a trim: A haircut or trim is another way to get rid of damaged strands and give way to fresh growth. Trimming your hair is essentially removing

A guide to protect your skin from pollution

If you live in Delhi, you are prob ably aware of the rising pollution levels in the city. Exposure to high levels of air pollutants for an extend ed period or repeatedly may cause serious harm to your skin.

As Delhi continues to get engulfed in smog with the air quality

Invest in a good air purifier for yourself. Since most allergies stem from dust, a good quality air

Always wash your hands thoroughly after every task and before touching your skin. Change your clothes at

Your skin may suffer because of increased pollution and seasonal changes, making it more sensitive and prone to irritation and allergies. People with sensitive skin may have a thinner or weakened skin moisture barrier, which allows irritants to penetrate and hydration to escape.

It is essential to use hypoallergenic products especially if you have

approaching a hazardous level, the harmful pollutants in the air may hamper your skin if appropriate care is not taken. To rescue your skin from harsh pollutants, a team of sensitive skin experts from Cetaphil shares a few tips to ensure our skin doesn’t lose its nourishment.

purifier is ideal to help clean the home environment and remove dust and other harmful particles.

least twice a day and ensure that you take a bath regularly to remove all the pollutants from your skin.

Make sure your skin is well-nour ished and moisturized to improve the resilience of sensitive skin. While stepping outdoors, always carry a moisturizer like Cetaphil Moisturizing Cream which can soothe irritated skin and provide intense moisture.

sensitive skin in this harsh climate. Using strong products on the skin

when it is already irritated may cause more harm than you can imagine. Look for ingredients like

Tracking air quality ensures that you can better manage your outdoor time. Go for a walk in the morning when the air is fresh and plan your day and tasks to avoid making multiple trips outside. In addition,

don’t forget to apply sunscreen as the harsh rays of the sun paired with the hazardous air quality can make your skin more irritated. This could also lead to stinging and itching.

What makes bio re-modeling different from fillers?

By Harleen Chatrath

We are all aware of the damage that extreme pollution may do to our respiratory and cardiac health. But let’s not forget that prolonged exposure to pollutants, which enter the superficial and deeper skin layers via transcutaneous and systemic routes, makes our skin one of the principal targets. There are several simple calculators on the in ternet that may be used to optimise skincare regimens for women and treatments against pollution-related health problems. Thoughts for males now? Not that many, actually. Here is a guide for males who have had a day filled with pollution in the city.

• Deep cleansing

The three most common effects of exposure to pollution are acceler ated skin aging, pigmentation, and acne formation. The thumb rule to prevent all this begins with deep cleaning, followed by the incor poration of antioxidants or a good regenerative compound. For deep cleansing, choose a facewash that has compounds like activated char coal in the ingredient list. Actives such as charcoal helps pull out dirt from deep in the skin, making them harder working and faster acting. And if you have a product like the Bombay Shaving Company Charcoal Facewash, you have the power of activated bamboo charcoal, which has stronger cleansing capabilities. The product is enhanced with vitamins and antioxidants extracted from papayas, and pomegranate extracts that hydrate while combat ing aging. Translation – you don’t

“With a scaling pollution rate, environmental stressors can cause oxidative stress, skin ageing, pigmentation, and breakouts. To tackle this, a proper skincare routine (cleansing, toning, moisturising) is a must for both men and women.

Grooming for men is equally important as they have more active sebaceous glands and open pores. Ingredients containing antioxidants like activated bamboo charcoal, green tea, coffee, acai berry, natural fruit extracts top the list to reverse the oxidative damage, promoting exfoliation and revealing a refreshed and healthy complexion,” says Harleen Chatrath, Dermatologist.

• Rehydrate

No, drinking tons of water before going to bed isn’t going to do the trick. You need to help your skin regenerate itself and prepare it to fight the free radicals it will be exposed to the following morning. Either choose a face mask that is rehydrating and regenerating at the same time or take a small capsule of an over-the-counter vitamin E, squish it and apply it all over your face. You’ll notice a visible difference in just a few days of consistency with this step.

Did you know men’s skin is more affected by pollution as compared to women’s? This is because men tend to wear less makeup! The makeup acts as a barrier, preventing free radical particles from permeating into the skin. Even if you choose to opt for adding more makeup to your routine, we recommend taking the nightly ritual seriously as well.

(Harleen Chatrath, a Dermatologist)

By Dr. Rashmi Shetty

For obvious reasons, taking care of the skin continues to be important. Therapies and practises for taking care of the skin have advanced along with technology. Given the current buzz surrounding bio-remodeling, you may be wondering how it differs from other treatments already in use, such as dermal fillers. Botox and other types of fillers were popular for many years among those wishing to en hance the condition and appearance of their skin. However, given that bio-remodeling is receiving so much attention, it’s critical to comprehend how they differ and the advantages that each provides.

We’d like to make clear that both treatments use hyaluronic acid (HA), a hydrating stimulant, before we go into the differences, even though one may have a higher concentration than the other. So let’s get started right away.

What is bio-remodeling?

In order to assist the skin retain moisture, promote collagen, im prove skin suppleness, and overall renew the skin, it is simply an inject able version of hyaluronic acid that is injected beneath the layers of the skin. It can be injected into several body areas, including the face, neck, knees, hands, and even the stomach.

What are dermal fillers?

Hyaluronic acid also makes up dermal fillers, however they have

a gel-like consistency. They are injected into particular facial regions, including the lips, chin, and nose. They can also be applied to the face to create contours for a better appearance. Additionally, they are quite helpful in reducing wrinkles and moisturising the specific areas of the face, giving them a fuller, younger, and healthier appearance.

Bio-remodelling vs dermal fillers

The first distinction to make is that HA concentrations in bio-remodel ling are typically higher, which acts to increase the skin’s production of HA, collagen, and elastin. Cellular transformation occurs, leading to noticeable enhancements that endure long after the HA has subsided. Additionally, the texture of bio-remodelling is runnier, support ing uniform distribution throughout various body areas. Bio-remodelling filler has been found to improve the general texture of the skin, particularly in regions where it had previously seemed crumply, thin, or crepey. On the other side, the filler is thicker and more viscous.

The way they are used and applied is another obvious distinction. The hydrolift effect that results from bio-remodelling targets specific predefined spots to help tighten the skin and increase hydration. This procedure can also help cure eczema, acne, hypopigmentation, hyperpigmentation, and a number of other disorders. It can consistently provide skin plumping in various

areas since it spreads evenly. Dermal fillers, which help to lift, volumize, fill, and shape particular areas, are thicker in texture and stay put where they are applied.

A discrepancy in treatment frequen cy is also present. Two treatments spaced one month apart are used for bio-remodelling. This is the recom mended dosage, but after the first two treatments, anyone who wants a top-up can have one. With fillers, this is not the case. After careful examination, each person must rely on the counsel of a licenced dermatologist or cosmetic injector consultant. The use of fillers should only be repeated once every 16 to 18 months, though.

Finally, bio-remodelling is done over the course of two scheduled treatments that are separated by a month. Getting an injection may just take ten minutes. Typically, each session comprises of 10 injections that are deliberately administered in various shots. While some people will start to see improvements 7 days after their first session, the majority of people see complete transformation around 30 days after their second appointment. This is because collagen needs time to be stimulated and disseminated throughout the various problem regions. Additionally, it will be roughly 6 months before a subse quent treatment is necessary.

If you’re wondering which is best for you, here’s a spoiler; if you require wholesome skin rejuvenation

across different parts of your body, bio-remodelling is what you should go for. When you need a specific part correction, change of shape, remodelling or filler deficit, it becomes more targeted, hence, enhancing, changing, and modifying the shape of the face. However, HA in a bio-stimulator will not do any of these. There will be no change in the structure or shape of your face. All it will do is boost your own collagen, thereby making your skin look beautiful. Thus, if you don’t want any structural change, bio-remodelling is the solution, but if you want structural changes and only need to boost specific areas of your face, such as your nasal bridge, chin and lips, then dermal filler and bio-stimulator together work best. Above all, it is important to only use certified brands. Profhilo is one of the top-rated solutions out there, and it comes highly recommended. Otherwise, you may just be putting yourself at risk by using unscrupu lous practitioners or products.

(Dr. Rashmi Shetty, Consultant Aesthetic Dermatologist)

Niacinamide, which helps in tack ling inflammation and helps in the oil regulation in your skin.

A man’s skin is more affected by pollution as compared to women’s

the damaged part of it without compromising the length, which can have a huge impact on the health of your hair.

Follow these simple but effective

hair care and styling tips to give yourself the much-needed hair detox and prep your tresses to shine during the upcoming season.

an injectable version of hyaluronic acid that is injected beneath the layers of the skin.

Love and longing in Kashmir

gratifying.”

Born to a Kashmiri father and a Maharashtrian mother, Jamal moved to Bangalore for college in the year 2012 and graduated from Srishti Institute of Art, Design and Technology with a specialization in Film in 2016. In fact, her graduation film got her selected as a film fellow at the Dharamshala International Festival Festival (DIFF) some years ago.

This time, at the recently concluded DIFF, her first non-student Short ‘Bad Egg’ was screened.

In the film, Zoya receives a disturb ing call from her mother - her sister Zara has gone missing during the pandemic. But, Zoya is not rattled enough. She’s hiding something, all of which leads back to the fateful night of a party. Throughout the film, Zoya interacts with her surround ings as if she is re-calibrating with them.

I wanted to make something that would work in that. The characters are twins, I also created them because I find twins very cinematic.”

‘Bad Egg’, which premiered at the Indian film festival in Germany and won the Audience Award was also shown at the Indian Festival of Melbourne and in Kerala.

Talking about the format of Shorts, she says it has a grammar of its own and when writing one, it is easy for her to see the end. “It allows me not to tell the audience everything and ask a lot of questions. If it was a feature, I would have to answer all the questions. I have the liberty to tell the story to the point I want to. You can play with the structure.”

National Museum to showcase finest silver treasures from India and Denmark

Showcasing the finest silver treasures from India and Denmark, Museum Kolding and the National Museum in New Delhi will open the joint exhibition in the beginning of March, 2023.

The exhibition “Silver treasures from Denmark and India” is focused on the Danish and Indian silver artefacts where both museums will show the best silver objects from their collections. Elucidating the beauty and magnificence of silver craftsmanship in both the countries, the exhibition will showcase the best selection of 200 objects in total.

Museum Kolding and National Museum in New Delhi will together open a silver exhibition, silver treasures from Denmark and India in the beginning of March”. He added that “The exhibition will focus upon similarities and differences in Danish and Indian silversmithing, where both the museums will showcase best silver objects from their collections. We are looking forward to how the exhibition will be perceived by Indian audiences.”

Well, that is what Kashmiri film maker Mehak Jamal’s upcoming book ‘Loal Kashmir’ is about. The project started two years ago when she started collecting stories of love in the times of unrest in the Valley.

“The respondents were moved by the concept, after all when it comes to Kashmir, the overpowering narrative is always conflict. Also, love can be taboo to talk about sometimes. Personally, to look at the larger situation in Kashmir through the lens of love was peculiar and

Conceived during the first wave of the Pandemic, the filmmaker got in touch with film professional friends as no shootings were being held and got working. Stressing that the movie is an amalgamation of stylized ideas, Jamal says it had to do with her mental and emotional space at that time.

“It is a psychological drama thriller, and that is something that I have always been interested in. There is always an urge to draw the audiences to experiences and tell them a ‘secret’, slowly giving them hints but not completely revealing till the ‘right’ moment. We had fewer resources, days, and people, and

Considering she is from Kashmir, is there not a certain internal pressure to work on stories from there? “Yes, it does feel obligatory. But I also quite vary about it. I am interested in telling stories because there are so many, and conflict is such a major part. Sadly, most narratives that emerge from there are seen through the prism of the media. I would like to tell personal stories that carry inside them multiple metaphors,” she says.

Now that the Valley has a multiplex, and book readings and intimate music concerts at cafes have become a norm, the filmmaker asserts, “It is a melting pot of talent. And there are so many young people who are opening cafés and a solid music scene is emerging. It is high time that people from there tell their stories and create more art.”

FTII offers free courses for persons with disabilities at IFFI

The courses at IFFI 53 are 8 days long and will run from November 21-November 28. While one course aims to mould participants into modern day auteurs, the other seeks to unleash their inner actors

Officials said that the basic course in smartphone film making for individ uals with autism will be taught by Ajmal Jami, a reputed professional in the field of visual communication.

For the first time, at the National Museum visitors will be able to see the parallel traditions of the Indian and Danish silver objects.

The collaboration and exhibition is under the recently agreed cultural exchange programme between India and Denmark for the years 2022 to 2026. A Memorandum of Understanding for the exhibition was signed and exchanged between the National Museum and the Museum Kolding in New Delhi on Thursday.

On the occasion, Freddy Svane, Danish ambassador to India, said that “I am very happy to note that

Chandigarh, Nov 15 (IANS) A meet ing was held here on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Dharam Pal, Adviser to the Administrator, and senior officials of the Chandigarh administration with a French expert team to discuss about the plan of action to protect, preserve and restore the heritage items.

The meeting was long due to seek guidance on various issues of heritage items.

The French government has now sent its 10-member expert team headed by Brigittee Bouvier, Director at Fondation Le Corbusier.

Lily Pandeya, Director General National Museum and Joint Secretary, Ministry of Culture, said that, “The National Museum India has a substantial collection of exquisite silver objects which belong to a vast timeline, starting from the beginning of the Indian civilization to the modern era. However, for this exhibition, to understand the story of Indian silver alongside the Danish silver around 100 objects have been selected from the reserve collection of the National Museum India to highlight the diverse and dynamic craftsmanship of Indian silver. This exhibition will indeed be one of its kind where the splendour of Indian and Danish silver together will be a delight for the audiences.”

Rune Lundberg, Director of Museum Kolding, said that, “I am very excited that Museum Kolding is invited to be part of the cultural exchange programme between India and Denmark. We are delighted to be working with the National Museum in New Delhi and look forward to showcasing the best of the museum’s silver collection and we are of course very excited about how our Danish silver will be received by the Indian public. Together with the National Museum, we have put together an exhibition that shows the best of the museum’s collection and the Gangsted Foundation’s collection, that focuses on the diversity of Danish and Indian silver traditions.”

The Film and Television Institute of India (FTII), Pune, under its Centre for Open Learning (CFOL) initiative, National Film Development Corporation (NFDC) and Entertainment Society of Goa (ESG) have announced two free courses for persons with disabilities as part of the 53rd edition of International Film Festival of India scheduled to be held from November 20 to 28 in Goa.

A basic course in smartphone film making for people with Autism and a basic course in screen acting for people in wheelchairs are what is on offer at IFFI 53.

With an objective to ensure that the process of creating art becomes accessible to all, FTII has been conducting a variety of courses to empower persons with disabilities to participate and excel in the magic of cinema.

He has garnered multiple awards in a range of fields, spanning from reporting from war zones and conflict areas to documentaries, promotional films, soft features and shows. As Cinematographer, Filmmaker and Photographer, he has worked on prestigious projects for organisations of national and international repute.

The course will feature multiple modules starting from introduction to the language of cinema to shoot ing and editing on smartphones. The module will also have a screening and review session at the end.

The team comprising conservation scientist, heritage restorer, conser vation architect, representatives from French Central Director of the Judicial Police, architects and Inspector General of Historic Monuments for the French Ministry of Culture. They would be in the city till November 19 to guide the administration in preserving the heritage items.

In 2016, a committee titled ‘Heritage

Items Protection Cell’ was consti tuted to meet the objective of pro tecting, conserving and preserving heritage furniture items.

This committee was reconstituted in 2019.

Further in March, 2020, a Heritage Items Identification & Inspection Committee (HIIIC) was formed under the chairmanship of a Senior Architect, UT, Chandigarh.

The expert team would assist the administration in establishing

Spoken Fest 2022 is an avenue for children to learn the art

By Anjali Kochhar

The art of telling stories comes from the privilege of growing up with grandparents and great-grandparents at home, who were storytellers, says actor and storyteller Mithila Palkar. Unlike today’s generation, who have access to I-pads while eating, their meal was never completed without parents and grandparents telling them several stories, she shares. Palkar shares that she only learnt the art of wording her thoughts when compelled by her grandmother.

“If I used to get stubborn about something for example, and start crying about something my grandmother would say stop crying and use your words and tell me what is wrong. These are things that kind of help us word our thoughts. And then, of course, bettering our language and everything comes over time comes with age and experi ence,” she says.

“I say this from a place of privilege as my grandparents gave us the privilege to just say what we thought was and not just mull over or cry over it because then you can find the solution to what our problem is.”

to tell us the same story over and over again because of the sheer joy of being able to listen to a story,” Malik shares.

Children spend most of their time at home or school or with friends. So, either they listen to the stories told by their family members or share their stories with their friends. This is how they learn to express themselves at a very young age and the culture should be encouraged, believes Malik.

“I think in all of these settings if we encourage storytelling as a source of joy, not necessarily as a subject.

in authenticity of heritage items, tagging of the items, guide in legal protection of heritage items, and help in laying guidelines or process to be followed for their conservation and restoration.

During the five-day visit, the French team would be personally visiting various sites to identify the heritage items and will be holding series of meetings with nodal officers appointed by different departments, institutions and offices, an official statement said.

BACARDÍ NH7 Weekender, is all set to thrill Indian audiences with one of the most impressive line-ups of the year, playing at the fest’s home ground of Pune, from November 25 to 27, 2022.

The festival has been witnessing increasingly unparalleled growth in popularity and footfalls over the years.

Sameeksha Uniyal, Brand Lead, BACARDÍ India & South East Asia, said, “Continuing our brand aim of keeping consumers at the heart of everything we do, we are thrilled to be bringing back our flagship music festival. The 13th edition of

the music festival will feature some of the world’s most talented artists from multiple genres and back grounds. The festival has evolved into a cultural phenomenon, and it will once again empower consumers to do what moves them while expe riencing the happiest music festival in India. We are eagerly looking forward to providing a space for our audience to enjoy, explore and discover music like never before, as they are the backbone that makes our festival a pulsating, rocking success.”

Known equally for its big-name headliners and breakout indie talents, the festival prides itself on its diverse appeal. With five massive stages, each showcasing a selected

genre of music, the Weekender has enabled the organic discovery of artists and cross-pollination of audiences across genres. It provides the biggest platform to nurture and support India’s growing indie music scene and is one of the driving forces behind the recent breakthrough of indie music into the mainstream Indian musical consciousness. Thirteen years on, it continues to be the stage for the discoverability of the best indie and live acts in India. It holds a proud position in the history of Indian music festivals, being the launchpad for numerous up-and-coming acts that broke through to become indie sensations over the last decade.

In the upcoming Spoken Fest to be held in Mumbai on November 19 and November 20, Palkar will be performing a piece about time spent with her grandparents.

The art of storytelling is hence not learnt but passed on from one generation to another, believes poet and storyteller Priya Malik.

“For instance, my first memories of storytelling are from my dad. My dad used to sit me and my sister down and he used to tell us stories like Ek badha sa bhalu hota hai jungle me (there used to be a big bear in the jungle). My mom also used to make a guest appearance in the story at the end. And it is a story that my dad had made up. That’s how it started and we would get dad

I think it will automatically lead to more storytellers. It will also lead to people being more open, honest and vulnerable with their stories. And I think that that is important,” Malik says.

We are all made of stories we listen to and tell. So, reading to the little ones when they sleep or encouraging them to read is also one of the ways to encourage them.

Instead of handing them I-pads or exposing them to television, it is better to make them read or listen to podcasts. This way, they can give wings to their imagination.

“I remember as a child, my most important possession was my imagination. And storytelling encourages just that. Storytelling allows you to feel for characters you

wouldn’t be or maybe even meet. I read out my first poem to my dad at 13 and I definitely see how that made me able to express myself and enjoy being a character in my own story than be a third person narrator to my life,” says artist and storyteller Kareema Barry, who is performing a piece about family, legacy and the things that connect us beyond life and death.

Asked how she pens her poetries and stories, Malik shares that the best stories come from the most honest experiences of who we are. In the upcoming Spoken Fest, Malik will be performing a piece on relationships.

“So it has to come from something that you feel very passionately about. It can be anything in your life. And if you see passionately about loving relationships, you write about love and relationships. If you feel passionate about mental health, you write about mental health. It has to be something that you deeply resonate with. And obviously, it has to come from your life. It has to come from your thoughts. It has to come from your opinions,” she says. And children are the most honest individuals as they speak what’s in their minds without a filter. So, they are innate storytellers, believes Palkar. All they need is some encouragement.

Let your child learn the art of storytelling says actor Mithila Palkar

French team to help preservation of Chandigarh’s heritage

By Sukant Deepak

November 20, 2022: What happens to love in the time of conflict? Does it survive something like a complete communication blackout? Can conflict be seen through the prism of love, of longing?

BACARDÍ NH7 Weekender returns on 25 - 27 November 2022 at Mahalaxmi Lawns, Pune

Kalinga Literary Festival rescheduled to Feb 24-26

diversity and social equity.

The key sessions will be on topics such as democracy, cultural nation alism, Generation Y, Indian languag es, publishing industry, mythology, media, market, children, women, transgenders, citizen engagement, cinema, sports, ethics, discrimina tion, revolutions, peacebuilding, conflict resolution, and harmony.

By Vikas Datta

The concept of peace is central to all religions, and the Bible even quotes Jesus Christ as saying: “Blessed are the peacemak ers...”, but like many other precepts, it is honoured more in the breach than in the observance. Likewise, the peacemakers are liable to attract suspicion and worse, the extremists’ violent prejudice, rather than any thanks or appreciation, as a spate of cases show.

The Kalinga Literary Festival (KLF) has been rescheduled and will now be held from February 24-26, 2023.

Earlier, the festival was supposed to take place from December 16-20 in Bhubaneswar.

Around 400 figures from the world of literature, cinema, media and pol itics will assemble in Bhubaneswar to deliberate on the theme ‘India and the World’.

India writes in many languages and speaks in many more voices. In order to promote deeper inclusivity across the nation, language, and folklore, the ‘Marga’ and the ‘Deshi’ traditions will be showcased in the festival.

The three-day festival will cover several dimensions of the inter connections between literature, freedom, republican values, cultural

There will be several one-to-one sessions with leading experts on the subjects. There will be storytelling sessions that promise to add new flavor to the literary spirit of the festival.

Apart from this, more than 30 new books and monographs will be released during the festival.

Four awards in literature will be conferred during the festival -- Kalinga Literary Award (for a distinguished writer in Odia), Kalinga International Literary Award (for a writer in any global language), Kalinga Karubaki Literary Award (for women writers) and and Kalinga Literary Youth Award (for a young writer in any global language).

Rashmi Ranjan Parida, Founder Director of KLF, said, “The 9th Edition of Kalinga Literary Festival (KLF) returns with the promise of hope and optimism. We are delighted to bring back the joy of literary spirit to the temple city of Bhubaneswar.”

In the last seventy decades in the wake of the First and the Second World Wars, as nations united so as to prevent the scourge of war, and if not, to at least ameliorate its effects on the innocents, peacemaking became a full-time and hopefully, sacrosanct activity. But, as said, both the peacemakers and the peacekeepers seemed to somehow attract the worst from the people whom they sought to protect, with zealots of either side or other vested interests, gunning for them.

Mahatma Gandhi is the best example in the Indian context, over accusations that he was not mindful of the interests of his “own” people, and calling for amity at a time when a sort of “blood lust” seemed to have seized people. But, there are more examples of those who sought to solve problems in faraway lands, where they had no stake at all, and still went to pay for it.

partial to the British and the Arabs and mistrusted his peace plan. His murderers were never brought to justice.

While Bernadotte’s own “The Curtain Falls” (1945), “Instead of arms: autobiographical notes” (1948), and “To Jerusalem” (1976) offer his views on his endeavours, the full story of his last futile venture can be better found in Kati Morton’s “A Death in Jerusalem: The Assassination by Jewish Extremists of the First Arab/Israeli Peacemaker” (1994).

abound about whether it was an accident or an assassination. Even in 2015, a probe was ordered by then Secretary General Ban-ki Moon but its findings remained inconclusive.

then served UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan, as his special represen tative - and state-builder - in Bosnia, Kosovo, East Timor, and finally Iraq.

Former BharatPe Founder and CEO Ashneer Grover has written his memoir called ‘Doglapan’ (double standards) - the Hard Truth about Life and Start-ups’ which is available for pre-orders and will be available next month.

Billed as an “unfettered story of Ashneer Grover - the favourite and misunderstood poster boy of Startup India”, the memoir is being called a “raw, gut-wrenching in its honesty and completely from the heart, storytelling at its finest”.

“Is kitab ko padhne ke baad ya to aap ek dum apni naukri chhod doge ya fir zindagi bhar naukri hi karoge. At least beech mein nahi phase rahoge (After reading this book, you will either quit your job or continue to only be in jobs your whole life. At least, you won’t be stuck in the middle),” Grover said in a tweet on Friday.

On Friday, he again tweeted: “So overnight my autobiography has become #1 Best Seller. And SOLD OUT as well !! I’ve scampered to print more copies - get yours before my publisher hits their max capacity.”

According to the book’s brief description on Amazon.in, a young

boy with a ‘refugee’ tag growing up in Delhi’s Malviya Nagar outpaces his circumstances by becoming a rank-holder at the pinnacle of academic excellence in India, IIT Delhi.

“He goes on to do an MBA from the hallowed halls of IIM Ahmedabad, builds a career as an investment banker at Kotak Investment Banking and AmEx, and is pivotal in the making of two unicorns-Grofers, as CFO, and BharatPe, as co-founder,” it reads.

As a judge on the popular TV show Shark Tank India, Grover became a household name even as his life turned upside down.

“Controversy, media spotlight, gar rulous social media chatter descend, making it difficult to distinguish fact from fiction,” read the description.

He said the book will offer readers “absolute clarity” on life.

After swindling fintech platform BharatPe, Ashneer and his wife Madhuri Jain Grover have formed a new company called Third Unicorn Private Ltd, and are set to launch a third startup.

Before co-founding BharatPe, Grover was associated with Grofers, which is now 15-minute delivery platform Blinkit that has been acquired by Zomato for Rs 4,447 crore (about $568 million) in an all-stock deal.

According to data accessed through Tofler, the Grovers have now regis tered a new company to begin their new journey.

The nature of the startup is not known yet.

Ashneer and Madhuri, former Head of Controls at BharatPe, are both directors of the firm that was founded in July this year.

for his upcoming book.

Patliputra Colony SHO S.K. Shahi said that the writer had left a suicide note where he has not blamed anyone.

At the same time, police also said that the body was found lying in the washroom with hands and legs tied with ropes and face was in a water-filled bucket and and leg on a chair.\

The local police claimed that it could be a case of suicide as he has left the suicide note but the way his body was found, it looks like he was murdered.

The family members of deceased are suspecting murder.

Let’s take up three cases - of two Swedes, and a Brazilian, who paid much for their efforts. Why they are still relevant is because peace is still elusive in the lands where they tried their best, and it is important to know what we can learn from them -- and the mindsets of those who opposed and eliminated them.

The first was Swedish nobleman and diplomat, Count Folke Bernadotte (1895-1948), who had distinguished himself by rescuing over 30,000 prisoners from the hellish concentration camps of Nazi Germany in the closing months of World War II and bringing them to his country for treatment and rehabilitation.

Unanimously chosen to be the United Nations Security Council mediator in the Arab-Israeli conflict of 1947-1948 in May 1948, he was successful in ensuring the first truce but amid it, he was shot dead in Jerusalem the same September by members of an extremist Jewish organisation, who deemed him

Not only does this explain the anato my of the assassination and why its perpetrators were shielded and the violent legacy that has since charac terised Arab-Israeli negotiations, but also shines light on the fratricidal conflict between Jewish moderates and extremists in the newly-born state as well the passion that first dictated the tactics of terrorism in Israel and that continue to shape the thinking and actions of those even now determined to block accommo dation with the Palestinians.

Then, there is the case of the UN’s second Secretary General, the Swedish diplomat Dag Hammarskjold (1905-61), who was unanimously selected by the Security Council in 1953 - the height of the Cold War - for the post and was re-elected in 1958. It was in his second term that civil war broke out in the newly-independent Congo and defied all efforts, including four personal visits by Hammarskjold for negotiations.

He lost his life in the last when his aircraft crashed in deep jungle in 1961 - and since then, theories

Susan Williams’ “Who Killed Hammarskjold?: The UN, the Cold War and White Supremacy in Africa” (2016) raises a lot of pertinent questions but fails to answer them convincingly or conclusively, and Ravi Somaiya’s “Operation Morthor: The Death of Dag Hammarskjold and the Last Great Mystery of the Cold War” (2021) goes down the same path, with some passages seeming more at home in a thriller novel, than a historical study.

With Congo continuing to be a vortex of violence that has led to “Africa’s World War”, not to mention causing the death of numerous UN peacekeepers, including Indian soldiers right from Capt Gurbachan Singh Salaria, PVC, down to the present, it does not remain the question of a remote and volatile African country, but something relevant to us.

Finally, and much nearer to our time is the example of Brazilian humani tarian and diplomat Sergio Vieira de Mello (1948-2003).

Joining the UN in 1969, he for the next 25 years, worked for the UN High Commissioner for Refugees to protect civilians and refugees across Lebanon, Bangladesh, Cyprus, Cambodia, Rwanda, and the Congo. During this, he used to drive fearlessly into the jungle, where he convinced Khmer Rouge killers to allow back refugees, and dealt with murderous Rwandan Hutu genocidaires in Conglose camps. He

Chronicling his story in all his courage, pragmatism, but more often, frustrations, is US journal ist-turned-official Samantha Powers’ “Chasing the Flame: Sergio Vieira de Mello and the Fight to Save the World” (2008).

But more than just an account of his life and work, it shows how the UN, despite all its flaws, shortcomings, and failures, and the duplicity of its powerful members, remains the best bet for world peace, over unilateral actions like the US in Iraq - which ultimately cost him his life, and of many other UN employees in a terrorist bombing.

This was especially ironic, given that he had begun to question the ambivalence of “national interests”, and post 9/11, examined the roots of terror, as many powerful nations were “pursuing their own security in ways that aggravated their peril”.

However, the real importance of De Mello, as Powers brings out, is how he learnt that engagement with all kinds of people, be they unsavoury killers and rogue states, was neces sary, even if it was distasteful, peace needed justice to be durable, it was important to have a wide linguistic and cultural base, and that if he couldn’t solve all problems, it should not mean that he should do what he could to solve some of them.

These traits are as important to common persons, as top-level diplomats.

(Vikas Datta can be contacted at vikas.d@ians.in)

Bengal Partition literature offers more than a stereotypical discourse

It’s a question that has continued to haunt till today, even after sev enty-five years of the Partition. Cyril Radcliff, whose fateful line of demarcation divided the Indian territory into a �Hindu India and a �Muslim Pakistan, had never before been to India, nor had he the nec essary skills for drawing a decisive border. But it was he who emerged as the destiny in the history of Partition that involved gruesome sectarian violence, persecution of minorities and wide-scale migration whose legacies (unfortunately) are visible even to this day.

“The Bleeding Border - Stories of Bengal Partition” (Niyogi Books) is an anthology of twenty-four parti tion stories written by both promi nent and lesser-known authors from West Bengal and Bangladesh. The poignant descriptions of various forms of violence, tension and anxiety at the porous border of two countries make these stories dis turbing reading. They delineate the ghastly communal riots at various places and the trauma and disrup tions of memory caused by them, the exodus of the �refugees’ from the then East Pakistan and their fierce struggle for survival in newly mushrooming colonies at unknown terrains, and above all, the nostalgia for an imaginary ‘desh’ (motherland) that defies cartographic barriers.

This obviously speaks of a politics in the formation of canon particu larly when it is evident that Bengal Partition fiction is no less powerful and appealing than its western counterpart. One may think of short stories and novels by the authors like Jyotirmoyee Devi, Pratibha Basu, Manik Bandyopadhyay, Sunil Gangopadhyay, Shirshendu Mukhopadhyay, Prafulla Roy among many, from the side of Bengal, and Syed Waliullah, Hasan Azizul Huq, Rizia Rahman and others from the Bangladesh side. The list of authors of Bengal Partition literature is not only huge in its corpus but immedi ately relevant in the socio-political context of the present day.

The stories of this present anthology include some of the most striking and dominant themes of the Bengal Partition and its aftermath. One major theme is obviously the cease less movement of rootless masses in search of safe shelter in an ambience of generalised violence.

Bengal Partition literature offers more than a stereotypical discourse. It has a tremendous sense of contemporaneity and it addresses various issues with which the readers of the present day may immediately identify.

said.

Dubey, who had been awarded by the President for his contribution in Bhojpuri literature, had taken the key to friend’s flat in Rajiv Nagar area a couple of days ago, saying that he wants to stay alone in a peaceful manner to write an important piece

“The preliminary investigation reveals to be suicide as the doors are shut from inside. The robbery angle does not appear here. We have called for an FSL team at the crime scene to take samples and finger prints. The investigation is currently underway,” Shahi said.

It is often said that the Bengal Partition in comparison with that on the western border of India has not received much literary attention. Some even go to the extent of saying that celebrated Bengali writers, more or less, remained �silent’ regarding this cataclysmic issue. Thus, ‘Partition Literature’ has become almost synonymous with the writings of Saadat Manto, Bhisham Sahni, Intizar Hussain, Joginder Paul and others, and we often tend to ignore the contribution of the authors from the eastern and north-eastern parts of the country and Bangladesh.

“The stories are representative of Bengal partition fiction in their poignant depictions of various forms of violence, agony and anxiety at the �border’ which is porous and bleeds still,” co-editor of the book Joyjit Ghosh said.

“Most of the stories included in the volume have been translated into English for the first time. They are largely concerned with �the human dimension of Partition’ and delineate the discontents and trauma of countless �refugees’ when the Partition of the country was thrust upon them overnight. But they are nostalgic narratives as well, as they voice a craving for a �desh’ that knows no margins or barriers,”

co-editor Mir Ahammad Ali said.

On publishing the book, Trisha De Niyogi, Director and COO, Niyogi Books, said: “Sometimes all it takes to revisit your history is just relocate yourself in a timeframe long left with the narratives unheard, hushed down, or perhaps ignored. The

Bleeding Border: Stories of Bengal Partition is a collection of Partition stories of those kinds on the eastern frontier---a rare assemblage. As a publisher, it is somehow our re sponsibility as well to unearth those unheard narratives and re-asses history as it is.”

Former BharatPe founder Ashneer Grover pens memoir called ‘Doglapan’

Award-winning Bhojpuri writer found dead in Patna flat

Famous Bhojpuri writer Brajkishor Dubey was found dead under suspicious circumstances in his friend’s flat here on Monday, police

Top 10 spots or a perfect I do!

By N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe

Unquestionably, getting married is one of the most romantic days of a person’s life because it allows the couple to celebrate their new beginning.

The choice of a stunning location for the wedding is one approach to

capturing this particular moment in time.

From picturesque mountains and sun-kissed beaches to sumptuous palaces, historic forts, and opulent hotels, these locations have everything you need to make your wedding ceremony special.

Having your wedding in Phuket is an occasion due to the romance and intimacy attached to the venues found here. A Phuket wedding is an other world, from exclusive clifftop villas to private garden setups acting as the perfect backdrops. Choose

For romance, Italy is the country that comes to your mind. The perfect wedding destination has loads of tranquil venues complete with historical centers/castles, luxurious lakeside villas, etc. The wedding dream becomes a reality in Italy

When you think Greece, you think Santorini. The whitewashed coast has beautiful sunsets, scenery & weather. All are great for getting married to your loved ones. The place also comes with ancient culture and architecture. Luxurious hotels are a norm in the location.

groom

When you have the eternal Taj Mahal in the city, it is hard not to miss having a wedding in Agra in Uttar Pradesh. You can have a grand and stunning wedding thanks to the beautiful surroundings and great

Stay where your favourite sports stars come out to play

If you are one of the fans hoping to watch the India vs. New Zealand Series live when it begins on November 18 in New Zealand, what we are going to tell

Get a bunch of friends together for the perfect getaway and book a room at Valley Views Glamping. Six solar-powered, off-the-grid dome tents are available, along with a sizable communal kitchen with a

you will be music to your ears. What if we told you that you could camp out in Eden Park Stadium and watch the intense action unfold there? You can do this by reserving a room at Eden Park’s Staydium

potbelly burner. Spend some time together relaxing in the outdoor double baths with breathtaking views of the Waitaki Valley before gathering around the fire pit with marshmallows and a guitar.

Glamping.

For sports enthusiasts, this extraor dinary glamping experience is ideal since it provides an elevated view of Eden Park’s renowned field from the comfort of a dome. Due to its central

At Clifton Glamping in Hawke’s Bay, you can look forward to clean coast al air and total relaxation. The tents are positioned atop a sunny hilltop, and they are furnished with opulent interiors and outdoor bathrooms. This is your chance to take a break from the pressures of everyday life. Thanks to the barbecue and fully functional kitchen, self-catering is simple. Alternatively, you could leave the cooking to your hosts and hire a private chef, or you could visit some of the many cellar doors in the Napier area.

with the stay to give guests a better understanding of what goes on behind the scenes. The excursions are led by knowledgeable historians who have a passion for sports and Eden Park.

Take a 45-minute trip to The Green Antler glamping location the next time you’re swimming with dolphins or hanging out with penguins and alpacas in Akaroa and spend a couple of nights there. Five people can stay in the

You can also check out more glamp ing spots in New Zealand - from one with outdoor bathtubs and spectac ular views, to those with cosy fires and spacious decks.

family-friendly, two-bedroom tent, which is equipped with everything you need for a comfortable stay. By day, explore the Banks Peninsula, and at night, relax in the wood-fired hot tub. This is unbroken ecstasy at its finest.

Auckland location, it differs slightly from other traditional remote, nature-based glamping experiences and makes for the perfect getaway without having to travel too far. A free stadium tour is included

Y ou fall in love with Bali in Indonesia, thanks to the beautifully vibrant culture, stunning beaches, and greenery. The best luxury hotels and resorts add to the Balinese charm. All in all, it is the perfect backdrop for getting married.

Choose amongst the many resorts & hotels specially prepared for weddings and come with qualified planners to handle the details. Location: The Cliff-Edge Cabana at Alila Villas Uluwatu

The Dana Villas have a view of the traditional quiet settlement of Firostefani. It also provides a beau tiful wedding terrace with a sight of the Caldera.

Location: Dana Villas

luxurious hotels dotted in the city. With one of the seven wonders here, having your dream wedding is possible.

Location: ITC Mughal

From Indian locales to international favourites

At The Staydium, Eden Park, New Zealand

SANTORINI, GREECE

AGRA, UTTAR PRADESH

Go off-grid with your mates at Valley Views

Experience glamping in a wine region at Clifton Glamping

Go glamping near dolphins, penguins and alpacas near Akaroa

BALI, INDONESIA

Dubai has become the must-visit destination for holidays and now glamorous dream weddings. You can call it the most prized destination for your perfect wedding, thanks to the sunny weather, myriad activities, and posh locations. Centrally located Dubai is well-connected to have your loved ones come down for the

The Pink City of Jaipur and the capital of Rajasthan has everything to offer for your perfect wedding, from beautiful backdrops & venues to tasty food. The luxurious hotels and resorts found here complete the

The tiny yet stunning state of Goa has always been a tourist paradise and a wedding destination. It has everything from amazing beaches to great seafood and perfect wedding venues. Have the picture-perfect

Himachal Pradesh is a favorite destination for a picturesque mountain wedding. And Manali is the hill station for the same. The snow-clad Himalayas enveloped by thick forests will stun the bride &

marriage. Al- Habtoor, Hilton, is Dubai’s best wedding venue that has a fantastic setting and a view of the Dubai skyline. Witness the star-filled skies and the beautiful gulf whilst enjoying the wedding.

Location: Al-Habtoor Hilton, Dubai

whole picture. Jaipur is a favorite destination for lavish weddings in India courtesy of the scenic archi tecture, royal background, and best places to stay.

Location: Fairmont Hotel

wedding you dreamt of in Goa. The best thing is the historical and cultural aspect which makes for a uniquely relaxing wedding.

Location: The St. Regis Goa Resort

and the attendees. Whatever the time of the day, hosting your wedding in Manali is a perfect idea.

Location: Citrus Resort, Manali

Phuket as the wedding destination. It has everything – gorgeous scen ery, the best facilities and accessi bility. The beaches here come with luxurious facilities for couples and their loved ones.

Location: Rosewood Phuket

thanks to its historical & romantic charm.

Lake Como happens to be a popular place for many luxurious & expen sive weddings, especially for many celebs all around the world.

Location: Lake Como

PHUKET, THAILAND

ITALY

DUBAI, UAE

JAIPUR, RAJASTHAN

GOA

MANALI, HIMACHAL PRADESH

Udaipur, the city of lakes, is yet another favorite wedding destina tion in Rajasthan with a royal touch. You find palaces & forts here with a rich history and tradition. The natural flora and fauna charms

everyone who comes here. With the perfect hospitality industry in place, everyone will find something in Udaipur while hosting and attending the wedding.

Location: Oberoi Udaivilas

UDAIPUR, RAJASTHAN

San Francisco, Nov 22 (IANS)

Alphabet, Google’s parent company, is reportedly gearing up to lay off about 10,000 “poor performing” employees, or 6 per cent of its workforce, in the Big tech layoff season kicked off by Meta, Amazon, Twitter, Salesforce and more amid the rough global conditions.

According to a report in The Information, Google plans to ease out 10,000 employees through a new ranking and performance improvement plan.

“A new performance management system could help managers push out thousands of underperforming employees starting early next year. Managers could also use the ratings to avoid paying them bonuses and stock grants,” the report mentioned.

Under the new system, managers have been asked to categorise 6 per cent of employees, or roughly 10,000 people, as low performers in terms of their impact for the business.

The new system also reduces the percentage of employees that can score a high rating.

Additionally, the new performance system at Alphabet could use the ratings to avoid paying bonuses and stock grants, according to the report.

Alphabet has yet to comment on the report.

Alphabet has a workforce of nearly 187,000 employees.

The median compensation for an Alphabet employee last year was around $295,884, according to a US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing.

Alphabet reported a net profit of $13.9 billion in the third quarter (Q3), down 27 per cent from a year earlier, while revenue increased 6 per cent to $69.1 billion, amid global slowdown and recession fears.

The company’s CEO Sundar Pichai aims to make Alphabet 20 per cent more efficient, hinting at job cuts.

Reports earlier surfaced that Alphabet was giving some workers 60 days to apply for a new role at the company if their jobs are set to be cut.

Pichai had said the company is “still investing in long-term projects like quantum computing. But it’s import ant “to be smart, to be frugal, to be scrappy, to be more efficient”.

“We’re committed to taking care of our employees. I think we’re just working through a tough moment macroeconomically and I think it’s important we as a company align and work together,” said Pichai.

Earlier, addressing the gathering at the Code Conference in the US, Pichai said that the more the company tries to understand the macroeconomic conditions, it feels very uncertain about it.

“The macroeconomic performance is correlated to ad spend, consumer spend and so on,” he told the audience.

Google has suspended hiring new employees and reportedly told some existing employees to “shape up or ship out” if expectations are not met.

Covid can deteriorate diabetes, associated heath disease: Indian-origin scientist

to diabetic patients who never had Covid.

The next step in his research is to analyze specific cellular differences in diabetics with and without a Covid infection.

Washington, Nov 23 (IANS) NASA’s Orion spacecraft has successfully performed its first Moon flyby as part of the uncrewed Artemis I mission, to pass within 130 kms of the lunar surface.

According to NASA, on its sixth day into the Artemis I mission, Orion successfully completed its fourth orbital trajectory correction burn using the auxiliary engines ahead the first of two manoeuvres required to enter a distant retrograde orbit around the Moon.

The Orion spacecraft performed the Moon’s closest flyby on November 21, the US space agency said in a statement late on Tuesday.

“The mission continues to proceed as we had planned, and the ground systems, our operations teams, and the Orion spacecraft continue to exceed expectations, and we con tinue to learn along the way about this new, deep-space spacecraft,”

San Francisco, Nov 23 (IANS) NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope has revealed another first: a molecular and chemical profile of a distant world’s skies.

Previously, Webb and other space telescopes, including NASA’s Hubble and Spitzer, have provided isolated readings of the planet’s atmosphere, but the new Webb readings reveal atoms, molecules, and even signs of active chemistry and clouds, according to an official report.

said Mike Sarafin, Artemis I mission manager.

Orion will enter distant retrograde orbit beyond the Moon on Friday with the second manoeuvre, called the distant retrograde orbit insertion burn.

This orbit provides a highly stable orbit where little fuel is required to stay for an extended trip in deep space to put Orion’s systems to the test in an extreme environment far from Earth.

Orion will travel about 57,287 miles beyond the Moon at its farthest point from the Moon on November 25, passing the record set by Apollo 13.

Orion has travelled 216,842 miles from Earth and was 13,444 miles from the Moon, cruising at 3,489 miles per hour.

Artemis I is the first integrated flight test of NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, an uncrewed Orion spacecraft.

chemical fingerprints inaccessible until (this mission),” said Natalie Batalha, an astronomer at the University of California, Santa Cruz.

The most recent data also suggest how these clouds might appear up close: broken up rather than a single, uniform blanket covering the planet, said the report.

In 2025, NASA plans to launch the first crewed Moon landings since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. That will include the first woman and the first person of colour to walk on the Moon.

Artemis I will provide a foundation for human exploration in deep space and demonstrate NASA’s com mitment and capability to extend human existence to the Moon and beyond.

New York, Nov 20 (IANS) Covid-19 can alter a person’s genetic makeup which can enhance the proliferation of disease and cause further deteri oration in diabetes and associated heart disease, an Indian-origin researcher has revealed.

Dinender Singla, Chair of Cardiovascular Science at the College of Medicine at University of Central Florida, believes that the genetic makeup of patients with diabetes or those predisposed to the disease makes them more prone to post-Covid inflammatory conditions that impact the heart and brain.

In an article published in the American Journal of PhysiologyHeart and Circulatory Physiology, he examined the mechanisms and

Humans

possible effects of Covid-19 on patients with high-risk diabetes and the virus’ potential to advance the disease, leading to inflammation and heart failure.

“Our thinking is Covid-19 could have three major long-term effects on patients,” Singla said.

“One is cognitive dysfunction, which can lead to Alzheimer’s disease.

Second, it can enhance diabetes in pre-diabetic patients or pre-diabetic conditions. Third, it can exacerbate complications of diabetes such as cardiomyopathy or muscle dysfunc tion,” he explained.

Some diabetic patients who were infected with Covid-19 may have developed a different cellular com position in their blood compared

“Our goal is to look into whether there is a difference in blood com position or variations in cytokines -proteins that affect communications between cells -- compared to the non-COVID diabetic patients,” Singla said.

“If any differences are noted, then we would need to examine what kind of diseases they could poten tially cause or enhance in those patients,” he added.

Covid-19 has affected more than 600 million people worldwide, and because vaccines have made the virus not as alarming today as it was two years ago, Dr Singla said there are still many unanswered questions about its long-term impact on health.

Singla is currently working on securing funding to explore the unanswered questions left in the wake of the virus.

can live on Moon for longer periods in this decade: NASA

“We’re going to be sending people down to the surface and they’re going to be living on that surface and doing science,” Hu was quoted as saying in the report that came out on Sunday.

“It’s really going to be very import ant for us to learn a little bit beyond our Earth’s orbit and then take a big step when we go to Mars,” he added.

Five days into the 25.5-day Artemis I mission, Orion continues on its trajectory toward the Moon.

The US space agency last week sent its next-generation rocket into space as part of its ambitious, uncrewed Artemis I Moon mission which faced two failed attempts amid years of delays and billions of dollars spent.

The Space Launch System (SLS) rocket took off from Cape Canaveral in Florida and sent the Orion space craft on its way to Moon’s orbit.

WASP-39 b, an orbiting planet about the mass of Saturn orbiting a star 700 light-years away, was observed with the telescope’s array of highly sensitive instruments.

“We observed the exoplanet with multiple instruments that, together, provide a broad swath of the infrared spectrum and a panoply of

“This is the first time we see con crete evidence of photochemistry -- chemical reactions initiated by en ergetic stellar light -- on exoplanets,” said Shang-Min Tsai, a researcher at the University of Oxford in the UK.

“I see this as a really promising outlook for advancing our under standing of exoplanet atmospheres with (this mission),” he added.

The chemical composition of WASP39 b suggests a history of collisions and mergers of smaller bodies

known as “planetesimals” to form an eventual goliath of a planet. It also implies that oxygen is more abundant in the atmosphere than carbon.

The Webb telescope’s instruments outperformed scientists’ expec tations by precisely parsing an exoplanet atmosphere, the report added.

India to take over as chair of Global Partnership on Artificial

Intelligence

New Delhi, Nov 20 (IANS) India will take over as the chair of the Global Partnership on Artificial Intelligence (GPAI), an international initiative to support responsible and human-centric development and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), once it assumes G20 presidency on December 1.

Minister of State for Electronics and IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar will represent India at the GPAI meeting to be held in Tokyo on November 21, for the symbolic takeover from France, which is the outgoing Council chair.

In the election to the Council chair, India had received more than a two-third majority of first-prefer ence votes while Canada and the US ranked in the two next best places in the tally - so they were elected to the

two additional government seats on the Steering Committee.

For the 2022-2023 Steering Committee, the five government seats will therefore be held by Japan (as Lead Council Chair and Co-Chair of the Steering Committee), France (Outgoing Council Chair), India (Incoming Council Chair), Canada, and the US, official sources said.

GPAI is a congregation of 25 mem ber countries, including the US, the UK, EU, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, South Korea, and Singapore. India had in 2020 joined the group as a founding member.

According to Ministry of electronics and IT, AI has been catalysing the tech landscape and pushing further the envelope of human possibilities.

AI is expected to add $967 billion

to the Indian economy by 2035 and $450-500 billion to India’s GDP by 2025, accounting for 10 per cent of the country’s $5 trillion GDP target, official sources said.

Artificial Intelligence is a kinetic enabler for growth of India’s technology ecosystem and a force multiplier for achieving $1 trillion digital economy goal by 2025.

LG develops ‘Invisible’ speakers for cars

London, Nov 21 (IANS) Not just SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, the US space agency also thinks that humans could stay on the Moon for a longer period in this decade.

Howard Hu, who leads the Orion lunar spacecraft programme for NASA, told the BBC that the Artemis missions “enable us to have a sustainable platform and transpor tation system that allows us to learn how to operate in that deep space environment”.

On Sunday, the uncrewed Orion had traveled 232,683 miles from Earth and was 39,501 miles from the Moon, cruising at 371 miles per hour.

“It’s the first step we’re taking to long-term deep space exploration, for not just the United States but for the world,” said Hu.

“I mean, we are going back to the Moon, we’re working towards a sustainable programme and this is the vehicle that will carry the people that will land us back on the Moon again,” the NASA official noted.

The Orion will continue onward to the Moon, which it will orbit for several days before its likely return to the Earth on December 11.

In 2025, NASA plans to launch the first crewed Moon landings since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972. That will include the first woman and the first person of colour to walk on the Moon.

Artemis I will provide a foundation for human exploration in deep space and demonstrate NASA’s com mitment and capability to extend human existence to the Moon and beyond.

Twitter is done with layoffs, ready to hire again: Musk

After firing about two-thirds of the micro-blogging platform’s 7,500 employees in only three weeks after his take over, Twitter CEO Elon Musk said that the company is done with layoffs and is hiring again.

At a meeting with employees, Musk also claimed that Twitter is now actively hiring for positions in engineering and sales, reports The Verge.

He also asked the staffers to recom mend potential candidates.

The micro-blogging platform does not currently have any open positions advertised on its website, and Musk did not name the specific engineering or sales posts for which the company was seeking.

“In terms of critical hires, I would say people who are great at writing software are the highest priority,” the report quoted Musk as saying. According to the CEO, there are “no plans” to have the company’s headquarters in Texas, as he did with Tesla, although it would make sense to have “dual-headquartered” offices in Texas and California.

“If we want to move the headquar ters to Texas I think it would play into the idea that Twitter has gone from being left-wing to right-wing, which is not the case,” Musk told employees.

“This is not a right-wing takeover of Twitter. It is a moderate-wing takeover of Twitter,” he added.

Seoul, Nov 22 (IANS) LG Display has announced that it has developed the “Thin Actuator Sound Solution”, a new sound technology for automobiles.

While traditional speakers are large and heavy due to components such as voice coils, cones and magnets, LG Display’s film-type exciter technology makes the “Thin Actuator Sound Solution” extremely thin and light, making it an invisible speaker for cars.

“We have transformed the conven tionally heavy and bulky speaker into a high-quality ‘invisible’ sound solution by using our cutting-edge technology to elevate space, design, and eco-friendly factors and provide a next-level sound experience like none before,” Yeo Chun-ho, Vice

President and Head of the Business Development Division at LG Display said in a statement.

The new speakers come in a pass port-like size (150mm x 90mm) with a thickness of 2.5mm, equivalent to that of two coins stacked together, and a light weight of 40g, making it just 30 per cent of the weight and 10 per cent of the thickness of a conventional car speaker, according to an official report.

The device uses the company’s unique technology to vibrate off display panels and various materials inside the car body to provide a rich, 3D immersive sound experience.

Moreover, the compact size and innovative form factor of the speaker enable it to be installed in various parts of the car including

the dashboard, headliner, pillar, and headrests while eliminating deviations in audio quality, the report added.

Musk greets Indian followers with Namaste, Twitter in splits

New Delhi, Nov 22 (IANS) Elon Musk on Tuesday greeted millions of Indian followers with ‘Namaste’ as he paused Blue service with verification again which was sched uled to be launched from November 29.

“I am having a great time. Namaste,” tweeted Musk, as he understands that India is a key market for Twitter and several Indian-origin sofitware engineers are working at the company.

He also said that he is holding off the relaunch of Blue Verified until there is high confidence of stopping impersonation.

“Will probably use different colour check for organizations than indi viduals,” said Musk.

On his Namaste tweet, several follower also greeted him along with sarcasm.

“He wants Indian engagement on twitter,” posted one follower.

“Looks like Indians on your team are teaching you well!” posted another.

“Namaskar,” said another follower.

Sriram Krishnan, a former Twitter executive of Indian origin, is helping Elon Musk through initial changes at Twitter which he bought for $44 billion.

NASA’s Webb reveals molecular, chemical profile of distant world’s skies

NASA Orion spacecraft makes closest flyby of Moon at 130 kms distance

Alphabet ‘prepares’ to lay

High ‘good’ cholesterol levels no guarantee for low heart disease risk

“The goal was to understand this long-established link that labels HDL as the beneficial cholesterol, and if that’s true for all ethnicities,” said Nathalie Pamir, associate professor of medicine within the Knight Cardiovascular Institute at Oregon Health & Science University, Portland.

“It’s been well accepted that low HDL cholesterol levels are detrimen tal, regardless of race. Our research tested those assumptions,” Pamir added.

“What I hope this type of research establishes is the need to revisit the risk-predicting algorithm for cardiovascular disease,” Pamir said. “It could mean that in the future we don’t get a pat on the back from our doctors for having higher HDL cholesterol levels.”

As researchers study HDL cholester ol’s role in supporting heart health, they are exploring different theories.

Parents have crucial role in safeguarding children from drug abuse: Experts

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 18 (IANS) Experts who took part in the international forum on ‘Drug-free Childhood’ here feel that parents have a central role in safeguarding children from drug abuse, as even minor deviations on the part of their children that they tend to ignore could lead to serious consequences.

crucial at a time when the pace of transition to nucleus families has accelerated. Family settings are central to defining the trajectories of current and future generations, and parenting education remains a missing link in most youth safe guarding strategies,” said Schlaffer.

New Delhi, Nov 22 (IANS) As people strive to maintain high levels of “good” cholesterol in their diet, new research has revealed that high-den sity lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol may not be effective in “uniformly predicting cardiovascular disease risk” for adults belonging to all races and ethnic backgrounds.

A National Institutes of Health (NIH)-supported, published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology, found that while low levels of HDL cholesterol predicted an increased risk of heart attacks or related deaths for white adults - a long-accepted association, but the same was not true for Black adults.

Additionally, higher HDL cholesterol levels were not associated with reduced cardiovascular disease risk for either group.

To reach this conclusion, Pamir and her colleagues reviewed data from 23,901 adults who participated in the Reasons for Geographic and Racial Differences in Stroke Study (REGARDS).

For the current study, researchers were able to look at how choles terol levels from Black and white middle-aged adults without heart disease who lived throughout the country overlapped with future cardiovascular events.

The study was the first to find that lower HDL cholesterol levels only predicted increased cardiovascular disease risk for white adults.

It also expands on findings from other studies showing that high HDL cholesterol levels are not always associated with reduced cardiovas cular events.

One is quality over quantity. That is, instead of having more HDL, the quality of HDL’s function - in picking up and transporting excess cholesterol from the body - may be more important for supporting cardiovascular health.

“HDL cholesterol has long been an enigmatic risk factor for cardiovas cular disease,” said Sean Coady, a deputy branch chief of epidemiology within the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)’s Division of Cardiovascular Sciences.

The findings suggest that a deeper dive into the epidemiology of lipid metabolism is warranted, especially in terms of how race may modify or mediate these relationships.

“When it comes to risk factors for heart disease, they cannot be limited to one race or ethnicity,” said Pamir. “They need to apply to everyone.”

IIT-Delhi researcher reveals significant brain abnormalities in long Covid patients

This region is associated with many crucial bodily functions, including coordinating with the endocrine system to release hormones, relaying sensory and motor signals to the cerebral cortex and regulating circadian rhythms (the sleep-wake cycle).

“This study points to serious longterm complications that may be caused by the coronavirus, even months after recovery from the infection,” she noted.

About one in five adults will develop long-term effects from Covid-19, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

signaling such abnormalities,” said Mishra.

“Our study highlights this new aspect of the neurological effects of Covid-19 and reports significant abnormalities in Covid survivors,” she added.

The story was scheduled to be presented next week at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) in Chicago.

For this study, researchers used susceptibility-weighted imaging to analyse the effects that Covid-19 has on the brain.

The three-day conclave, which concluded on Friday, had the theme ‘Children Matter - Right to a Drugfree Childhood’ was organised by the Fourth Wave Foundation (FWF) in partnership with United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) and World Federation Against Drugs (WFAD).

Edit Schlaffer, a top global anti-drug campaigner and founder of ‘Women Without Borders’, said that four to 10 years is the formative period when the physical and mental personality of a child develops, and the use of alcoholic drinks or smoking by par ents at home, which have become a new normal, will seriously affect the character formation of children.

“The role of parents in ensuring a drugs-free childhood is especially

“It is important to keep in mind that drug abuse is not something that affects your neighbour’s children alone. It could happen in one’s own family. The tendency on the part of over-indulgent parents who justify minor deviations of their children is common these days. This is dangerous. Parents have to remain alert about what is going on in one’s own home,” Schlaffer added.

In the prevailing family ecosystem, parents should first give up alcohol ic drinks and smoking if they want their children to be insulated from drug abuse, said Diana Vincent, Director, Fourth Wave Foundation (FWF).

“Parents are the role model of children up to 10 years of age, at least. If the words and deeds of the parents are at variance, it would

confuse the children, and that could have a life-long impact on them,” said Vincent.

Raja Shanmugam from FWF said the age of a child is a sensitive factor which should be taken into serious consideration by the parents.

“The tendency to slip into drug abuse is strong till one turns 24. So, the parents should not approach their children in the same way they treat the grown-ups. In our society, pre-marriage counselling is organ ised by religious establishments and community outfits. On the same lines, counselling against drug abuse should be planned to root out this danger”, said Shanmugam.

Gene that naturally protects people against Covid discovered

Sao Paulo, Nov 22 (IANS) A team of Brazilian researchers has discov ered that a gene can protect people, even those aged 90 and above, from the deadly Covid disease.

Two research papers found that the frequency of variants of the gene ‘MUC22’ was twice as high in the mild Covid-19 group as in severe patients, and higher still in resilient super-agers.

This gene belongs to the “mucin” family and is associated with the production of mucus, which lubri cates and protects the airways.

On the other hand, overproduction of mucus has been linked to the lung inflammation typical of severe Covid-19.

then be based on these findings to try to understand the mechanisms underlying this resilience and develop medications that enhance protection against viral infections,” said Mayana Zatz, professor of Human and Medical Genetics at the University of Sao Paulo and lead au thor of the articles published in the journal Frontiers in Immunology, told Agencia FAPESP.

In one study, the researchers analyzed data sets for a cohort of 87 “resilient super-agers” a” patients over 90 who recovered from mild Covid-19 or remained asymptom atic after testing positive for SARSCoV-2. Their average age was 94.

MRI results showed that patients who recovered from Covid-19 had significantly higher susceptibility values in the frontal lobe and brain

to healthy controls.

“These brain regions are linked with fatigue, insomnia, anxiety, depression, headaches and cogni tive problems,” said study co-author Mishra.

The researchers also found a signif icant difference in the right “ventral diencephalon region” of the brain stem.

Neurological symptoms associated with long Covid include difficulty thinking or concentrating, headache, sleep problems, lightheadedness, pins-and-needles sensation, change in smell or taste, and depression or anxiety.

However, studies have found that Covid-19 may be associated with changes to the heart, lungs or other organs even in asymptomatic patients.

“Group-level studies have not previ ously focused on Covid-19 changes in magnetic susceptibility of the brain despite several case reports

in their distribution across infec tious syndromes and locations,” said the Lancet study.

“Hence, they should be considered an urgent priority for intervention within the global health community.

The researchers analysed the susceptibility-weighted imaging data of 46 Covid-recovered patients and 30 healthy controls.

Among patients with long Covid, the most commonly reported symptoms were fatigue, trouble sleeping, lack of attention and memory issues.

“Changes in susceptibility values of brain regions may be indicative of local compositional changes,” Mishra said.

“Susceptibilities may reflect the presence of abnormal quantities of paramagnetic compounds, whereas lower susceptibility could be caused by abnormalities like calcification or lack of paramagnetic molecules containing iron,” she noted.

infectious syndromes estimated in this study.

One research paper involved a group of resilient older people aged 90 or more, and the other analyzed a case of severe Covid-19 in identical twins, only one of whom suffered from long-term symptoms of the disease.

“If we can really prove that some genes promote resistance to SARSCoV-2, the same may also be true for other viruses. More research can

One woman was 114 at the time of the study and was considered the oldest patient to have recovered from the disease in Brazil.

They found that mutations in MUC22 are technically termed “missense” variants -- DNA changes that result in different amino acids being encoded at particular posi tions in the resulting proteins.

According to the article, they may weaken the hyperactive immune

responses to Covid virus and play an important role in protecting the airways against the virus. One of the hypotheses entertained by the authors is, therefore, that the resilient subjects may have optimal control of mucin production.

“It may be the case that the missense variants interfere with not only mucus production but also its composition since amino acids are switched. We need to conduct more studies to understand how they act during infections and in healthy people,” said Erick Castelli, a researcher at Sao Paulo State University’s Medical School (FM-UNESP).

A routine to follow when you’re in no mood to workout

By Gauthaman Ramesh

New Delhi, Nov 22 (IANS) Infections remain a leading cause of death globally and in India, five bacteria were responsible for at least 6.8 lakh deaths in 2019, a new Lancet study has revealed.

The five deadly bacteria in India are led by E.coli, along with S. pneumo niae, K. pneumoniae, S. aureus and A. baumanii.

E. Coli alone claimed at least 1.6 lakh lives in India in 2019.

Globally, there were 77 lakh deaths associated with the 33 bacterial pathogens (both resistant and susceptible to antimicrobials) across the 11 infectious syndromes.

“The 33 bacterial pathogens that we investigated in this study are a substantial source of health loss globally, with considerable variation

Strategies to address the burden of bacterial infections include infection prevention, optimised use of antibiotics, improved capacity for microbiological analysis, vaccine de velopment, and improved and more pervasive use of available vaccines,” the researchers noted.

The researchers estimated deaths associated with 33 bacterial genera or species across 11 infectious syndromes in 2019 using methods from the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study (GBD) 2019, in addition to a subset of the input data described in the Global Burden of Antimicrobial Resistance 2019 study.

This study included 343 million individual records or isolates cover ing 11,361 study-location-years.

From an estimated 13.7 million infection-related deaths in 2019, there were 7.7 million deaths associ ated with the 33 bacterial pathogens (both resistant and susceptible to antimicrobials) across the 11

Five leading pathogens -Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa -- were responsible for 54.9 per cent of deaths among the investigated bacteria.

“The age-standardised mortality rate associated with these bacte rial pathogens was highest in the sub-Saharan Africa super-region, with 230 deaths per 100a%000 population,” said the study.

S aureus was the leading bacterial cause of death in 135 countries and was also associated with the most deaths in individuals older than 15 years, globally.

Among children younger than 5 years, S pneumoniae was the patho gen associated with the most deaths.

“In 2019, more than 6 million deaths occurred as a result of three bacterial infectious syndromes, with lower respiratory infections and bloodstream infections each causing more than 2 million deaths and peritoneal and intra-abdominal infections causing more than 1 million deaths,” the study noted.

November 20, 2022: Consistency is among the most underappreciated aspects of fitness. We frequently place a lot of emphasis on the most efficient kind of exercise or what’s popular right now, but consistency-building is typically given less attention. The best fitness programme in the world won’t help you if you don’t stick to it. Because of this, adherence is regarded as the most important component of any workout programme.

A number of aspects, including nutrition, the correct activity programming, and motivation, go into making progress; if any one of these factors fails, it will have a domino effect that will cause you to fail or stagnate. To maintain the proper frame of mind and sufficient drive, one must adhere to and be consistent with their actions. With fitness goals, consistency helps to motivate people and fosters a sense of accomplishment. Consistency maintenance becomes crucial because of this. This implies that not every session will be fantastic, but what counts is that you showed up, made an effort to move toward your objective, and maintained the momentum.

Everybody experiences days when exercising or working out is completely out of the question, and it’s these days that can make or break momentum. We must make sure that these days are worthwhile. This does not imply that you should work out intensely. Simply put, this means that at the conclusion of days like this, we need to know that we exerted every effort to engage in activities and that we made progress toward our goal.

In order to keep up with our routine on days when we lack motivation, we must engage in enjoyable or simple activities. Here, there are a few straightforward things that can be done.

Some of the easiest things to keep up momentum when you are having a rough day are as follows:

Step Count: This is a seamless way to ensure that activity gets done without dedicating a separate time to work out. On busy days or days of poor motivation having a step target of something like 10k steps helps you get some activity done without hitting the gym. This can be spread across the day and can be done at your own pace

Walk/Jog: You do not need an intense workout all the time to reach your goals. Some days backing off and going on a nice long walk can serve as an activity to make sure that you keep up your consistency while also ensuring you clear your mind from a tough day’s work. It is very important to not have a blackor-white mindset with exercise and understand that not all days have to be intense.

Home Workout: Not all days have to be an intense gym workout with plenty of machines and weights. Home workouts are a simple and effective way to get done with the activity of the day while still getting in an effective session. The following is a quick and simple way to do a super simple home workout:

Warm upUpper body warm up ( eg arm swings or Shoulder rotations) - 10 reps

Lower body warm up ( eg leg swings or High knees) - 10 reps

• Main Workout circuit (Repeat them one after another for 5 rounds)

Exercise 1 - Core (Eg, Crunches or Tall plank sh taps) - 15 reps

Lowerbody exercise 1 (Eg, Bodyweight Squats or lunges) - 15 reps

Upperbody exercise 1 (Eg Wall push ups or push ups) - 10 reps

High intensity exercise 1 (Eg

Inchworms or burpees) - 10 reps

• Cooldown

Shoulder stretch - 30 secs / side

Hamstring stretch - 30 secs/ side

The above is just an example and please be sure to consult your doctor before starting any physical activity or exercise routine.

Casual Sports: These days there are so many apps that can help us to quickly be a part of nearby sports and game activities like football, cricket, badminton, tennis, etc. This is a great way to keep it interesting while getting a good high-intensity session in. The great part is that you’ll be able to socialize and gain some new friends too in the process. These are a few strategies you can use to maintain your momentum when things get challenging or when you’re lacking motivation. Always keep in mind that any improvement is better than none at all.

(By Gauthaman Ramesh, Fitness expert, Cult.fit)

New Delhi, Nov 22 (IANS) Sapna S. Mishra, a PhD candidate at the Indian Institute of Technology in Delhi, and a team of researchers have used a special type of MRI to uncover brain changes in patients up to six months after they recov ered from Covid-19.

stem compared

5 bacteria behind at least 6.8 lakh deaths in India in 2019: Lancet

The Adhyatma Ramayana

By Paddy Krishnan

The Ramayana is one of the major epics in Hinduism. The original Ramayana was composed by Valmiki. His aim was to describe the characteristics of an ideal person.

While Valmiki accepts Rama as an avatar of Vishnu, much of Valmiki’s descriptions are about Rama’s behaviour as a human rather than as God. This is clearly evidenced by Valmiki’s questions to Narada which is summarised in the Sankshepa Ramayana. The questions relate to identifying a great virtuous person who is kind, courageous and follows Dharma, an person who follows family traditions, one who is learned and skilful, one who is free from jealousy, has subdued anger in general, but is angry at injustice.

Narada narrates the story of Rama (called Rama Katha) which paints Rama as a perfect human being.

Valmiki expands on this and focuses on Rama as a role-model for others.

Valmiki downplays the divinity of Rama as he does not want people to worship Rama; he wants them to imitate Rama and live like him. That is also the reason Valmiki does not shy away from describing Rama’s human weaknesses and how Rama overcomes them.

The Adhyatma Ramayana, written sometime around the 13th century

CE and part of the Brahmanda Purana, is more about Rama’s divini ty, both as Saguna Ishvara (personal deity) and Nirguna Brahman (the supreme Self). It advocates Bhakti or devotion to Rama. By praying to Rama, one can get his grace, which will help one get knowledge as well as Moksha. It also talks about Jnana and understanding the non-dual nature of Brahman and one’s true Self. The Adhyatma Ramayana emphasises the joint path of Bhakti and Jnana to attain Moksha. Thus it is theistic like the Shvetashvatara Upanishad, but instead of Shiva as the supreme being, it is Rama, an avatar of Vishnu, who is the supreme being. To support this particular interpretation, the Adhyatma Ramayana has Shiva accepting Rama as the supreme being. The Adhyatma Ramayana is all about Shiva explaining Rama’s divinity to Parvati.

Many of the new concepts in the Adhyatma Ramayana (compared to Valmiki’s Ramayana) are discourses given by sages and provides the philosophical basis to equate Rama with Brahman. For example, to reinforce Bhakti, Rama is said to be the essence of all existence and only his grace can save one from Samsara (the cycle of birth and death). The Adhyatma Ramayana reiterates many of the Advaitic ideas such as Rama is the ultimate witness or pure consciousness (and hence cannot be an object of one’s knowledge) and failing to perceive Rama’s supremacy is because of one’s ignorance (Avidya). Sita’s teaching to Hanuman is perhaps derived from Samkhya where Rama is the supreme Purusha and she, as Rama’s consort, is Prakriti. Sita can create the world only because of Rama’s influence on her.

Thus the Adhyatma Ramayana is more philosophical and spiritual than Valmiki’s Ramayana which is mainly a story (hence called Katha) that can be used to identify

behaviour that is in accordance with Dharma. The Adhyatma Ramayana sticks to the main story and provides an extra layer of spiritual commentary. I will use examples to illustrate the introduction of spiritu ality and the elevation of Rama to a deity and how that is different from Valmiki’s Ramayana.

Sita’s kidnapping by Ravana is the reason why Rama goes to Lanka to fight Ravana and free Sita. This story is modified in the Adhyatma Ramayana via the introduction of a Maya, or Chaaya (meaning shadow) Sita. The real Sita disappears before she is kidnapped and is replaced by the Maya Sita. Even Lakshmana is unaware that the real Sita has been replaced by the Maya Sita.

At the end of the war, the real Sita appears. This is to show that Sita’s purity was preserved and how Maya can mislead people. This was also to help devotees who found it hard to accept that a God’s wife could be kidnapped and imprisoned by Ravana.

There are many instances where Rama teaches about Vedanta (including Advaita), Karma Yoga and Bhakti. The first instance is when Lakshmana asks Rama about Moksha. Rama tells Lakshmana that detachment and dispassionate action is the key to Moksha. A second situation is when Rama teaches Lakshmana the importance of ritualistic worship of Vishnu. During this process Rama reveals to Lakshmana that he is none other than Vishnu. A third example is when Rama’s mother asks him about spirituality. Here he describes how Karma Yoga, Jnana Yoga and Bhakti are all valid techniques to become spiritual.

The Adhyatma Ramayana not only portrays Rama as the teacher of Vedanta, it also emphasises his divinity. In the Valmiki Ramayana, Rama is just a morally upright person. This is important because of Ravana’s boon that he cannot be

killed by any of the Gods. So any divinity associated with Rama would mean that he cannot kill Ravana. But the Adhyatma Ramayana does not seem to worry about such inconsistencies.

In the Adhyatma Ramayana every one views Rama as God. This includes the sages Agastya, Bharadwaja, Narada, Vasishta and Vishwamitra, Jatayu, Sabari, and Hanuman. The Adhyatma Ramayana repeatedly presents the argument that Rama is the Saguna form of Brahman the Absolute and Sita is his Maya Shakti. Kaikeyi’s demand that Dasharatha banish Rama to the forest is said to be work of Sita in her role as Maya. But Rama, as the supreme, is the main orchestrator of these events. This elevates Rama to the highest level and justifies the worship of Rama. This type of constant praise and suggestion that Rama is Brahman is absent in Valmiki’s Ramayana. In Valmiki’s Ramayana, the sages do praise Rama; but as a morally upright king. The Adhyatma Ramayana, although shorter, has some incidents that are not there in Valmiki’s Ramayana. One of them is when the ascetic woman Swayamprabha comes to meet Rama and identifies him as the Supreme being. She indicates that Rama is above the three gunas (adopting ideas from Samkhya). She also indicates that she is caught in Maya’s bonds (adopting ideas from Vedanta) and wishes to attain Moksha by Rama’s grace (the key idea in Bhakti). Another incident is that of Sampati imparting spiritual wisdom to the monkeys who come to visit him. Sampati quotes Sage Chandramas, while explaining the role of Karma in one’s life, the notion of Ahamkara (or ego), how even reaching the heavens does not give eternal joy, and how the Atman or Brahman or Rama is the only eternal unchanging being.

The well known story of Rama worshipping a Shivalinga before

embarking on building the bridge is present only in the Adhyatma Ramayana. It is said that this was to illustrate that there can be different manifestations, i.e., Saguna Brahman of the supreme Nirguna Brahman. Thus Shiva and Rama are manifestations of the supreme. This is to avoid any sectarian claims about Shiva and Rama. Both Shiva and Rama accept each other as man ifestations of the single supreme.

The Adhyatma Ramayana also has Narada reminding Rama about his divinity with Rama agreeing with Narada. Even Ravana is aware of Rama’s divinity. He justifies the kidnapping of Sita because he wanted Rama to come to Lanka to kill him. Ravana is aware that being killed by Rama hand is an easier way of gaining Moksha, than through difficult spiritual practices, such as Bhakti. Ravana concludes that being killed by Rama is the fastest way to get Moksha. The Adhyatma Ramayana states that when Ravana was killed by Rama, Ravana’s spirit in the form of lighting enters Rama, signifying Moksha.

The Adhyatma Ramayana also reinterprets some of the verses in the Valmiki Ramayana to emphasise Rama’s divinity. In the Valmiki Ramayana, when Vibhishana defects to Rama’s side and seeks Rama’s refuge, Rama says that I grant refuge to all those who come to me, even if they are an enemy in battle. The

In conclusion, though the tra ditional Valmiki Ramayana and the Adhyatma Ramayanas have differences in the treatment of how Rama is projected, one should not jump to the conclusion that they are poles apart. Both of them deal with the same history of Rama. What the Adhyatma Ramayana has done is only to make explicit what Valmiki has implicitly implied in his epic.

As a much smaller text (containing about 4,000 shlokas) than that Valmiki’s composition (containing 24,000 shlokas) it is nonetheless complete in itself. The Adhyatma Ramayana offers the devotees of Rama a smaller and devotional exposition of Rama’s greatness which they can use in their daily practices of worship.

Paddy Krishnan is a computer scientist, who got his BTech degree from IIT-Kanpur and PhD from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Being very interested in Hindu philosophy, he maintains a blog at www.goldcoasthindu. wordpress.com

Six booked for religious conversion in Bareilly

Bareilly, Nov 21 (IANS) Six persons have been booked for alleged forced religious conversions in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly district.

Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Rahul Bhati said the action was taken after the police got infor mation that religious conversion was going on at the Vanshi Nagar locality in Bareilly where 60-70 people were present.

Prasad.

Patel alleged that religious con version by Christian missionaries was allegedly being done at the residence of Bhagwan Das by luring, misleading, and also giving life threat to the people to accept their religion.

thousands of years,” he added.

The Prime Minister also congratulat ed Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for his dedication in making the proposal for expansion of Mahakaleshwar temple.

The inauguration was done following the rituals and chanting of shlokas and mantras by over hundred Hindu seers.

Attired in traditional ‘dhoti’ and ‘gamcha’ (stole), Prime Minister Modi entered the sanctum sanc torum of the Lord Mahakaleshwar temple, one of the 12 ‘Jyotirlingas’ of Lord Shiv to perform puja before he unveiled the newly developed corridor of the temple.

After the inauguration, PM Modi said that spirituality is contained in every particle and divine energy is being transmitted in every corner of Ujjain.

“Ujjain has led India’s prosperity, knowledge, dignity and literature for

PM Modi accompanied by CM Chouhan and Madhya Pradesh Governor Mangubhai C. Patel took a round of the 900 metre corridor, which has been designed with 93 murals of Lord Shiva.

The entire premise has been de signed with different avatars of Lord Shiva and walls and poles of the building have been inscripted with shlokas/ mantras defining Shiva.

The grand event is part of the Rs 856 crore Mahakaleshwar Temple corridor development project. The first phase of ‘Mahakal Lok’ has been developed at Rs 316 crore.

The more than 900-metre-long

Two majestic gateways -- Nandi Dwar and Pinaki Dwar --separated

Later, an FIR was lodged against six persons under provisions of the Uttar Pradesh Prohibition of Unlawful Conversion Act, 2021, said Bhati.

Those named in the FIR lodged by activist Himanshu Patel included Bhagwan Das, Prena Singh, Sunita, Sita, Pawan Kumar, and Janki

He also alleged in the FIR that indecent comments were made against Hindu gods and goddesses in the gathering.

However, Bhagwan Das said prayers were held in his fields for the past 22 years and allegations of religious conversion was made against him earlier too.

The allegations against him and others were found incorrect in the police probe and insisted that no

religious conversion was done at his place.

Das has also given an application to lodge an FIR against Patel and others alleging that they entered his place, misbehaved with him and give life threats.

Kerala temple says no to transgender wedding

the wedding.

a short distance,

been erected near the starting point of the corridor, which winds its way to the temple’s entrance and offers an aesthetic view along the way.

A colonnade of 108 ornate pillars made of intricately carved sand stones, gushing fountains and a running panel of more than 50 murals depicting stories from the ‘Shiv Puran’ are among the major highlights of the Mahakal Lok.

It was the first phase of developed and the second phase to be com pleted by August 2024, according to Madhya Pradesh government.

Tumbaknari: The Sound of the Valley

funnel like case, is still used in the Valley.

Be it on the occasion of marriage or other ceremonies, the use of tumbaknari is inevitable during any musical gathering.

It is a tool made by mixing clay and water. Its neck is long and hollow.

After making the shape with wet clay, it is burnt in a furnace, after which colours and pigments are applied to it.

or other pottery on a hand-operated wheel, but now electric wheels are used.

According to Mohammad Siddiq, a craftsman who makes this musical instrument in Srinagar, though the demand for pottery has decreased in the Valley, the demand for tumbak nari has not.

He said this instrument is a part of the culture of the Valley with which people are still associated.

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 24 (IANS) A transgender couple was left disappointed after the author ities of Kollengode Kachamkurissi temple, where they wished to tie the knot, denied permission.

Nilan Krishna and Advaika, both working in a local firm, approached the temple located in Kerala’s Palakkad district, with the request but it was turned down. They then got married at a nearby marriage hall.

The colleagues of the couple and the owner of the firm where they work were at the forefront to solemnise

The temple deity venerated as ‘Perumal’, is Chaturbahu Mahavishnu, holding Sankhu, Chakra, Gada and Padma.

He is seen, seated on the coils of Ananta, in ‘Chakravarthy’ posture - akin to Sri Rama at his Pattabhishekam. Thus, devotees are known to have approached him over the centuries, both as Lord Narayana and as Sri Rama.

The temple authorities said that since it was the first time a request had come for transgender wedding, they were a bit apprehensive with

regards to the people’s reaction. Hence, they decided not to give the permission.

TN: Search on for middleman involved in idol smuggling

Chennai, Nov 22 (IANS) Tamil Nadu

idol wing police is searching for a middleman who has led them to a hideout in Tiruvanmayur in the state from where 15 idols were recovered.

The police have given notice to the owner of the house Ramesh Banthia to respond within one week with full details regarding the idols or else face arrest.

searching for him.

Fifteen valuable idols of Amman, Devi, Shiva, Parvathy, Nandi, Buddha, Small Nataraja, Big Nataraja, Ram, Lakshman, Sita, Hanuman, horse, Narthana Vinayagar and a Nataraja idol with the plinth in the right leg folded.

Just like other civilisations, mud houses and other clay objects were frequently used in the ancient times in the Kashmir Valley, but with time their usage have declined.

With the advent of technology, these clay objects have been replaced by modern items but ‘tumbaknari’, a mini drum which is cast in a clay

According to experts, tumbaknari came from Central Asia and over time became an important part of the culture here.

While this particular instrument is made in many villages of the Valley, now modern techniques are also being used in its production. Earlier, potters used to make tumbaknari

“I work in my factory from morning to evening and produce at least 50 tumbaknaris, which are bought by the buyers,” he said.

Siddiq said that throughout the year, he gets orders from dealers to whom he supplies goods.

He added that a large tumbaknari is sold in the market for Rs 150-200.

Acting on a tip-off that idols were being stored at a home in Tiruvanmayur and would be shipped to some unknown desti nation, a police officer posing as antique dealer approached middle men Surendra.

Surendra led the police officer (decoy antique collector) to the home where the idols were stored but when he came to know that the antique collector was a police officer, he fled, and the police is now

Police officers told IANS: “We have information that Surendra was acting as the middleman between antique sellers and buyers in the international market.”

The owner of the house at Tiruvanmayur from where 15 idols were seized admitted to the police that he did not possess any license from the ASI nor does he have any documents for the idols.

With the support of ASI, police are trying to determine the age of the

idols using carbon dating. Police are also trying to find out the temples from where idols were stolen.

Adhyatma Ramayana suggests that this statement by Rama shows he is the supreme and the path of Bhakti will lead everyone to receive Rama’s grace. This is similar to Krishna’s statement in the Bhagavad Gita.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday inaugurated the newly developed “Mahakal Lok”, the expanded part of Mahakaleshwar temple premises in Madhya Pradesh’s Ujjain.

‘Mahakal Lok’ corridor, built as one of the largest such corridors in the country, spreads around the old Rudrasagar Lake which has also been revived as part of the redevel opment project around the famous Mahakaleshwar temple.

by

have

PM Modi unveils ‘Mahakal Lok’ corridor in Ujjain

Bengaluru-based tech firms raised record $7.5 bn in 2022: Report

Bengaluru, Nov 23 (IANS)

Bengaluru-based tech companies raised record levels in the first three quarters of this year with $7.5 billion in VC funding -- up from $5.2 billion in 2021, a report showed on Wednesday.

Bengaluru and London feature among the top 10 cities globally for most amount of VC investment over the last five years, according to the report from London & Partners in partnership with Dealroom.

The two major funding rounds for Bengaluru-based companies this year include Swiggy’s $700 million

round in January and $55.7 million Series D for Ather Energy.

In fact, Bengaluru is now attracting more investments than other global hubs such as Singapore, Paris and Berlin, the report mentioned.

“In the last few years, London and Bengaluru have created an increas ing number of exciting immersive tech companies. This research proves that these cities are not only the top hubs in their regions for immersive companies but are also competitive on the global stage,” said Hemin Bharucha, Country Director at London & Partners.

Bengaluru and London are also two of the world’s leading hubs for VC investment into immersive tech startups, where Bengaluru ranked fourth in the world with $510 million raised in 2022, followed by London at fifth place

For the Indian companies that are looking to grow their operation in Europe, “London’s strengths in the creative industries and gaming provides the expertise and talent needed to scale successfully”, Bharucha added.

In Europe, London is the leading hub for VC investment into immer sive tech start-ups.

Air India tops list in on-time performance, Go First at bottom

Similarly, Indigo airline recorded an on-time performance of 87.5 per cent while Spicjet had an on-time performance of 68.9 per cent. Go First was at the bottom with on-time performance of 60.7 per cent during the month.

New Delhi, Nov 22 (IANS) Air India turned out to be the most punctual airline in October while Go First was at the bottom in the list of airlines with regard to on-time performance during the month.

As per data from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, On-time performance of Air India flights was 90.8 per cent followed by Vistara and AirAsia recording on-time performance of 89.1 per cent during October.

The civil aviation regulator DGCA calculates on-time performance of scheduled domestic airlines at four metro airports including Bengaluru, Delhi, Hyderabad, and Mumbai.

As per DGCA, analysis disclosed that the majority of delays (nearly 68 per cent) were caused due to ‘Reactionary’ reasons.

Delay caused by late arrival of aircraft, crew, passengers or bag gage from previous journeys come under Reactionary category.

So far as market share is concerned, Indigo flew ahead of other airlines during the October month with

56.7 per cent share in the domestic aviation sector.

Vistara airline secured second slot with a market share of 9.2 per cent.

As per the latest data, of the aviation regulator, Indigo carried 64.71 lakh air passengers during the month while Vistara carried 10.49 lakh air passengers.

As per the DGCA, passengers carried by domestic airlines during JanuaryOctober 2022 were 9.88 crore as against 6.20 crore during the cor responding period of previous year thereby registering annual growth of 59.16 per cent and monthly growth of 26.95 per cent.

The data said, nearly 1.14 crore passengers were carried by the domestic airlines during October in the country as against 89.85 lakh during the same period last year.

IndiGo inaugurates 2nd MRO facility at B’luru airport

was inaugurated by the airline’s engineering head, S.C. Gupta.

The facility can accommodate up to 2 narrow body aircraft at the same time and it will also have support infrastructure, including an engine Quick Engine Change (QEC) shop warehouse and engineering offices for all repair and maintenance work.

Negotiations on India-UK free trade pact to restart next month:

Piyush Goyal

New Delhi, Nov 22 (IANS) The government said on Tuesday that the negotiations on the proposed free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the UK are very much on track and are expected to restart next month.

Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, while speaking on the side lines of a steel industry event, said that the India-UK FTA is a high-pri ority issue for both the nations and negotiations on it are expected to take place next month.

Goyal said he is already in touch with his UK counterpart for the next round of talks on the trade pact.

He added that while things on the agreement were progressing quite fast, due to the political develop ments in the UK, there was “little bit

of a blip” (after Boris Johson and Liz Truss resigned in quick succession as Prime Ministers and Rishi Sunak took charge last month), “but now there is a stable government (in the UK) and efforts are on to restart the negotiations next month”.

The Commerce Minister added that industry support is required for the agreement, which should be a balanced one for India.

He also said that there cannot be strict deadlines for wrapping up such sensitive negotiations, as thorough discussions are needed to safeguard the country’s trade interests.

Both India and the UK had begun discussions on the FTA in January this year, and former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson had

expressed optimism that these would be concluded by Diwali (October 24). However, due to the political crisis in that country, things got delayed.

Under India-Australia trade pact, duties on tariff lines to be eliminated: Goyal

New Delhi, Nov 22 (IANS)

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Tuesday said that under the India-Australia Economic Cooperation and Trade Agreement (Ind-Aus ECTA), duties on 100 per cent tariff lines would be eliminated by Australia.

The Ind-Aus ECTA was earlier ratified by the Australian parliament for its implementation.

Addressing a press conference, Goyal said that the agreement will come into force soon on a mutually convenient date once both the sides have completed their domestic processes.

He said that the ECTA would give a big boost to several sectors of the economy, especially textiles, gems and jewellery and pharmaceuticals. As many as 10 lakh jobs are estimat ed to be created as the result of the ECTA.

Goyal noted that the agreement would also open new opportunities for the service sector in India and would immensely benefit students by offering them an opportunity to work in Australia.

In fact, he informed that an annual visa quota of 1,800 is to be instituted for Indian yoga teachers and chefs.

The ECTA provides for an institu tional mechanism to encourage and improve trade between the two countries.

It is expected that with this agree ment, the total bilateral trade will cross $45-50 billion in five years from the existing $31 billion.

India’s merchandise exports is likely to increase by $10 billion by 2026-27.

Moreover, since the labour-intensive sectors will be benefitted, it is expected to create an additional 10 lakhs jobs in India, while setting up ample opportunities for investment

New Delhi,

The

on five acres of land and is the second largest maintenance facility at the airport.

IndiGo has signed a 20-year pact with the Bengaluru International Airport Ltd. for the facility which

IndiGo is amongst the low-cost carriers in the world.

With its fleet of over 275 aircraft, the airline is operating over 1,600 daily flights and connecting 75 domestic destinations and 26 international destinations.

AWS launches 2nd Cloud infrastructure region in India, to support 48K jobs

data centres located in the country.

New Delhi, Nov 22 (IANS) Amazon Web Services (AWS) on Tuesday announced the launch of its second AWS infrastructure Region in India in Hyderabad that will support more than 48,000 full-time jobs annually through a planned investment of more than $4.4 billion (Rs 36,300 crore) in the country by 2030.

The construction and operation of the AWS Asia Pacific (Hyderabad) Region is also estimated to add ap proximately $7.6 billion (Rs 63,600 crore) to India’s gross domestic product by 2030, the company said in a statement.

The Hyderabad region will help developers, startups, entrepreneurs, and enterprises, as well as gov ernment, education, and nonprofit organisations run their applications with ease, and serve end users from

“The new AWS Asia Pacific (Hyderabad) Region is part of our long-term commitment to India to invest in cloud infrastructure, provide training to upskill the nation with digital capabilities, create local jobs, and enable a more sustainable future,” said Puneet Chandok, President, Commercial Business, AWS India and South Asia, AISPL.

Customers will have access to advanced AWS technologies to drive innovation including data analytics, security, machine learning, and artificial intelligence (AI).

Rahul Sharma, President, Public Sector, AWS India and South Asia, AISPL, said that with a second AWS Region in India, “our customers have greater choice and flexibility to build new features, store critical data within India, and scale their solutions”

“The Indian government is already leading innovation and driving impact at scale, with transforma tional initiatives including Co-WIN, eSanjeevaniOPD, and DigiLocker, which run on AWS,” said Sharma.

Second AWS Region in India

provides customers with more options to run workloads with even greater resilience and availability, securely store data in India, and serve end users with even lower latency

Hundreds of thousands of cus tomers in India, including Acko General Insurance, Axis Bank, Clevertap, Digital India Corporation (MeitY), Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories, Government of Telangana, HDFC Bank, Jupiter, Lendingkart, National Skill Development Corporation, PhysicsWallah, and Tata Elxsi are innovating on AWS.

“Customers and partners in India will now have additional regional infrastructure to deploy applications with greater resilience, availability, and even lower latency,” said Prasad Kalyanaraman, vice president of Infrastructure Services at Amazon Data Services Inc.

With the launch of the AWS Asia Pacific (Hyderabad) Region, AWS now has 96 Availability Zones across 30 geographic regions, with announced plans to launch 15 more Availability Zones and five more AWS Regions in Australia, Canada, Israel, New Zealand, and Thailand.

Experts optimistic about India’s growth: PM

“Youth is the biggest strength of the country and the government is giving top most priority to ensure that their talent is utilised in nation building” Modi said.

Today’s Rozgar Mela shows that the government is working in mission mode to provide government jobs, the Prime Minister said further.

By Animesh Singh

New Delhi, Nov 22 (IANS) India would be able to achieve the target of becoming a $5 trillion dollar economy by 2025-2026 despite the prevailing global headwinds, top officials told a Parliamentary panel on finance on Monday.

The officials further said that even as the geopolitical situation is highly volatile due to the Russia-Ukraine war, Indian economy is doing well and at the current growth rate of 6.4 per cent, it would be able to become a $5 trillion dollar economy by 202526, sources privy to developments said.

The Parliamentary standing com mittee on finance had summoned senior government officials to seek their views on the overall economic outlook and roadmap for $5 trillion economy.

Economic affairs secretary Ajay Seth, Niti Aayog CEO Parameswaran Iyer and Chief Economic Adviser V. Ananth Nageswaran are learnt to have made presentations before the committee, where the projections on the economic growth and the roadmap towards becoming a $5

trillion economy were given, sourc es informed further.

Finance Secretary T.V. Somanathan, who was also summoned by the panel, could not attend the meeting.

Sources informed that when the committee members asked the officials about data on employment, they were informed that in urban centres, the employment scenario was satisfactory.

The Parliament panel, headed by BJP Lok Sabha MP Jayant Sinha, also quizzed the officials about rising prices of edible oil, capex and private investments in the country, sources said.

The optimism on steady economic growth despite global uncertainties, projected by the top officials was in stark contrast to the grim picture painted by representatives of three major public sector banks before the same panel last week.

Representatives of leading public sector banks namely State Bank of India (SBI), Punjab National Bank (PNB) and Union Bank of India had last week indicated to the Parliamentary standing committee on finance that owing to volatile

and promotion of start-ups, the minister said.

Similarly, it would provide enhanced job opportunities for Indians in Australia and increased remittance flows to India, he added.

New Delhi, Nov 22 (IANS) With rising inflation and the weakening rupee causing concern, even as geopolitical situation remains fluid, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday sounded a note of opti mism, saying that economists see India as a bright spot.

“Even as experts in developed na tions fear a major crisis, economists say India has golden opportunity to display economic capability,” he said while virtually addressing a “Rozgar Mela”, where 71,000 appointment letters were issued to newly

inducted recruits.

Modi also launched the Karmayogi Prarambh module -- an online orientation course for all new appointees -- on the occasion.

“Experts around the world are optimistic about India’s growth and confident that it is set to become global manufacturing hub,” the Prime Minister added further.

On the Karamyogi Bharat technol ogy platform, he said it has several online courses and this will greatly help in upskilling the youth.

Touching upon the crisis created for the youth at the global level due to the pandemic and the RussiaUkraine war, Modi said that as per experts, India has become a major force in the service sector and soon it will be the manufacturing hub of the world too.

While initiatives like PLI will play a huge role in this, the main founda tion will be the youth and the skilled manpower of the country, he added.

The PLI scheme is likely to create 60 lakh jobs, the Prime Minister informed.

geopolitical situations, achieving the target of making India a $5 trillion dollar economy by 2024-25 looks difficult and may only be possible by 2030 at the current GDP growth rate.

The bank officials are learnt to have informed the panel that at the current GDP rate of around 6.4 per cent, it would not be possible to make India a $5 trillion economy by 2024-25 and at this rate, the target may only be achieved by 2030.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had set the target of making India a $5 trillion economy by 2024-25.

43% Indian IT employees find moonlighting favourable: Report

Bengaluru, Nov 22 (IANS) Amid the growing debate on moonlighting, a new report has revealed that 43 per cent of employees in the Indian IT sector find moonlighting favourable. The top reasons why employees work outside their jobs are to safeguard against job loss and supplement their incomes.

However, employers have a different view of this tendency as 31 per cent believe that employees moonlight because they are not adequately engaged in their work and 23 per cent believe that employees have ample time on hand for a second job, according to the findings from quarterly hiring tracker by job platform Indeed.

“The pandemic has made employees step back and reevaluate priorities. In an era where talent is valued more than ever, employers are shifting from a focus on employee experience to employee life expe rience,” said Sashi Kumar, Head of

Sales, Indeed India. Most moonlighting situations that may require an employer to develop a moonlighting policy occur when the moonlighting employee has a “primary”, usually full-time position, and a “secondary”, or part-time position.

Overall, the report showed that less than one out of five employees (19 per cent) surveyed want to moon light in India, with a large majority of employees (81 per cent) saying they do not wish to take up another job alongside the one they currently work in, citing it as unethical.

In most sectors, a large percentage of employees feel moonlighting is unethical and violates the contract.

This is seen in sectors like health care and pharmaceutical (70 per cent of employees), FMCG (71 per cent) and manufacturing (79 per cent) echo similar beliefs about moonlighting.

Similarly, quiet quitting is another

trend that has arisen due to employ ee stress and burnout.

“In the past few weeks there have also been several global uncertain ties that have led to layoffs across the globe. Amidst this, it’s important for employers to relook at their workplace culture and address the underlying issues that are driving such trends,” said Kumar.

Economy doing well, can reach $5 trillion target by 2025-26: Officials

Nov 23 (IANS) IndiGo inaugurated its second mainte nance repair and overhaul (MRO) facility at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport.

13,000 sq.metre hangar is built

New Delhi, Nov 29 (IANS) Crypto finance firm BlockFi has filed for bankruptcy to help “stabilise its business,” as investors are yet to recover from the fall of crypto exchange FTX.

BlockFi and eight of its affiliates has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy Code in the US Bankruptcy Court for the District of New Jersey to provide the company with the “opportunity to consummate a comprehensive restructuring transaction that maximises value for all clients and

other stakeholders”.

“With the collapse of FTX, the BlockFi management team and board of directors immediately took action to protect clients and the Company,” said Mark Renzi of Berkeley Research Group, the Company’s financial advisor.

“From inception, BlockFi has worked to positively shape the cryp tocurrency industry and advance the sector. BlockFi looks forward to a transparent process that achieves the best outcome for all clients and other stakeholders,” Renzi said in a statement.

The company said that platform activity continues to be paused at this time.

BlockFi has $256.9 million in cash on hand, which, it said, is expected to provide sufficient liquidity to support certain operations during the restructuring process.

According to a report from Decrypt,

the company is also planning to lay off “a large portion” of its workers.

Earlier this month, FTX filed for bankruptcy due to “an extreme amount of coordinated pressure”, which its CEO Sam Bankman-Fried said he agreed to “reluctantly.”

Bankman-Fried “froze up in the face of pressure” as his company col lapsed, bringing its collateral down to $8 billion from $60 billion.

The beleaguered crypto exchange had secured $420 million in October 2021.

BlockFi said that as part of its restructuring efforts, the com pany will focus on recovering all obligations owed to BlockFi by its counter-parties, including FTX and associated corporate entities.

“Due to the recent collapse of FTX and its ensuing bankruptcy process, which remains ongoing, the compa ny expects that recoveries from FTX will be delayed,” it said.

Binance launches proof-of-reserves system for Bitcoin reserves

The company currently has a 101 per cent reserve ratio. This indicates that it has enough BTCs available to cover every user’s balance, reports TechCrunch.

With the new proof-of-reserves website, the crypto exchange company confirmed that its own money is not included in the BTC wallets used in the proof-of-reserves system.

Regarding user assets, the business creates a cryptographic seal using a Merkle tree that contains all individ ual user accounts.

A few weeks ago, the crypto ex change company began by sharing wallet addresses for cryptocurrency assets worth billions of dollars.

New Delhi, Nov 28 (IANS) As the FIFA World Cup is currently underway in Qatar, cyber-security researchers on Monday warned that threat actors are selling fake Hayya cards, which is essentially a permit document, to fans who are willing to pay any amount to get one.

To attend the FIFA World Cup, one needs to have a Hayya card which must be presented along with the original ticket in order to enter the stadium.

According to researchers from AI-driven cyber-security firm CloudSEK, several Telegram chan nels were found selling Hayya cards for prices ranging from $50-$150.

“To create Hayya cards, the threat actors claim to require the buyer’s valid IDs like passports. And payment is only accepted in Bitcoin,” they informed.

Threat actors are also sharing hacking techniques that purportedly

allow one to register for a Hayya card without a valid FIFA ticket number, for free.

“Given that Crypto.com is an official FIFA sponsor and Binance has partnered with Christiano Ronaldo to promote soccer-themed non-fun gible tokens (NFTs), threat actors are piggy-backing on this hype to sell fake ‘World Cup Coin’ and ‘World Cup Token’ by promoting them as limited edition cryptocurrency,” the researchers said.

However, most of these purported coins don’t exist.

Also, to exploit the gap between the supply and demand of tickets, scammers have set up websites that sell fake tickets.

“The gap between the supply and demand of FIFA world cup game tickets, flight tickets, hotels, souvenirs, etc., has been co-opted by cybercriminals, to defraud fans and enthusiasts,” said a CloudSEK

researcher.

Despite the attractive offers and lures, users should restrict their purchases to official websites and mobile apps.

“Companies that are FIFA sponsors should bolster their security mech anisms and stay up to date on threat actors’ tactics and techniques,” the CloudSEK researcher emphasised.

Buy FIFA tickets and Hayya cards only from the official website and don’t avail FIFA-related services from Telegram or social media, the researchers advised.

Former FTX CEO has no stake in Twitter as a private company: Musk

San Francisco, Nov 24 (IANS) Elon

Musk on Thursday said that Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF), former CEO of bankrupt crypto exchange FTX, does not have any share in Twitter as a private company.

San Francisco, Nov 26 (IANS)

World’s largest crypto exchange Binance has launched a new website to explain its proof-of-reserves system, and is starting with Bitcoin (BTC) reserves.

“It is important to note that this does not include Binance’s corporate holdings, which are kept on a completely separate ledger,” the company was quoted as saying in the report.

opportunity.

“To be honest, I don’t think India is a very crypto-friendly environment,” Zhao was quoted as saying.

According to TechCrunch, Zhao is not the only person with such a grim view of the Indian market. Zhao’s comment is noteworthy because no other person of Zhao’s stature has publicly expressed a similar opinion, despite the fact that dozens of investors and startup entrepreneurs have privately voiced comparable concerns.

Zhao blamed the country’s high tax environment for making the market not so possible for global players.

The company demonstrated with this action that it does own a lot of assets and is capable of processing a ton of withdrawals, the report said.

However, Binance didn’t make it clear whether those assets are of users, or of its own balance sheet, or a combination of both.

and they will lose like 70 per cent of their money. There is not going to be any volume for an order book type of exchange. So we don’t see a viable business in India today. We just have to wait. We are in conversation with a number of industry associations and influential people and trying to put some logic there,” said Zhao.

“We are trying to get this message across, but tax policies typically take a long time to change,” Zhao cautioned.

India enforced a law earlier this year for taxing virtual currencies.

Semafor publication first reported that Sam Bankman-Fried owned a stake in Musk’s Twitter.

“Two weeks after clinching a deal to buy Twitter for $44 billion, he (Musk) texted Bankman-Fried just after midnight and invited him to roll the $100 million stake he had owned for a few months into a privately held Twitter,” claimed the publication.

Musk denied the report, saying that “He may have owned shares in Twitter as a public company, but he certainly does not own shares in Twitter as a private company.” “As I said, neither I nor Twitter have taken any investment from SBF/FTX.

Your article is a lie,” Musk posted.

“Now, I’m asking again, how much of you does SBF own?” He asked the publication.

Bankman-Fried is also an investor in Semafor.

Since FTX’s collapse, Musk has publicly slammed SBFAfor owning shares in Twitter.

“Everyone was talking about him like he’s walking on water and has a zillion dollars,” he said in a Twitter Spaces conversation, the day after FTX filed for bankruptcy. “And that (was) not my impression... there’s something wrong.”

In a letter to employees, BankmanFried wrote that he “froze up in the face of pressure” as his company collapsed, bringing its collateral down to $8 billion from $60 billion.

The former CEO apologised to the employees, saying he is “deeply

sorry about what happened”.

“I didn’t mean for any of this to happen, and I would give anything to be able to go back and do things over again. You were my family,” he wrote in the letter.

“I’ve lost that, and our old home is an empty warehouse of monitors. When I turn around, there’s no one left to talk to,” SBF added.

Google alerts users about 5 key holiday season scams

San Francisco, Nov 23 (IANS)

Google has alerted Gmail users about five key scams and spams during the holiday season.

San Francisco, Nov 18 (IANS) As cryptocurrency-focused venture capital firms have raced to India over the past two years, Binance CEO Changpeng Zhao has said that the crypto exchange does not see India as a viable business

“If you are going to tax 1 per cent on each transaction, there is not going to be that many transactions,” he said.

Binance, by far the world’s largest crypto exchange by volume, is operational for users in India, according to the report.

“A user could trade 50 times a day

It is levying a 30 per cent tax on income arising from the transfer of any virtual asset.

To capture details of all such crypto transactions, the government takes away a 1 per cent tax deduction at the source on payments made related to the purchase of virtual assets.

Over 100 countries exploring their own digital sovereign currencies

the government to assess the technological infrastructure and capacity needs for a potential US CBDC in a manner that protects the consumers’ interests.

The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) had announced in August that it has embarked on a project to explore the potential uses for a federally-backed digital currency.

currencies to brace for a fall in demand for cash and the emergence of cryptocurrencies in the private sector.

Central banks in some Latin American countries and African countries have started to issue CBDCs.

The company advised users to avoid gift card and giveaway frauds, charity-related scams, demographic targeting scams, subscription renewals frauds and crypto scams.

The tech giant protects users from around 15 billion unwanted messages a day and blocks more than 99.9 per cent of spam, phishing and malware, the company said in a blogpost.

Gift card and giveaway frauds are common during the peak holiday season. Scammers may try to fool victims into buying a gift card for them, by pretending to be a

recognised contact or offering a free present in exchange for their credit card number.

Moreover, if a giveaway seems too good to be true, it can be a scam.

Charity-related scams and phishing attempts are harmful to both the victims of the frauds and the chari ties that would have benefited from the donations.

Keep a look out for identity-based malicious emails, which may impersonate local parent-teacher association’s (PTA) board members or target certain age groups with fake emails, the company said.

Scams involving membership renewal may create fake antivirus services in an effort to attract vic tims with the promise of increased

security.

Even though some scammers are highly skilled at making their messages appear believable, users should always check the sender’s email. If something seems wrong, it might be fake.

Crypto-based frauds frequently come in the form of variations, one of which attempts to extort money from a victim by threatening them.

Hive ransomware actors extort over $100 mn from victims, warns US

San Francisco, Nov 19 (IANS) The US government has warned about an ongoing ransomware activity that has victimised over 1,300 companies worldwide, receiving approximately $100 million in ransom payments.

By Nishant Arora

As India embarks on its e-rupee journey, central banks of other countries are not behind and have kicked off plans for their own digital currencies to help people invest in safer instruments and not fall for highly volatile cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin.

Over 100 countries, including India, are exploring or piloting Central Bank Digital Currencies (CBDCs), a digital form of a country’s sovereign currency.

Among the G20 countries, 19 are exploring a CBDC, with 16 already in the development or pilot stage. They include South Korea, Japan, India and Russia, according to The Atlantic Council’s Geoeconomic Centre.

US President Joe Biden’s adminis tration this year issued a new exec utive order to regulate cryptocur rencies, asking regulators to ensure sufficient oversight and safeguard against any systemic financial risks posed by digital assets.

The executive order also directed

The RBA said that, in collaboration with the Digital Finance Cooperative Research Centre (DFCRC), it would run a year-long, limited-scale trial of a CBDC.

Andreas Furche, CEO of the DFCRC, said the technology for a digital currency already existed and rather the project was about understanding how a CBDC could help Australia.

“The key research questions now are what economic benefits a CBDC could enable, and how it could be designed to maximize those bene fits,” he said.

The Bank of Korea (BOK) had announced earlier this year that it successfully completed its first phase of a two-step mock test of the feasibility of a CBDC as it is reviewing whether to introduce the potential new form of money.

“We will confirm the possibility of operating various functions, such as offline settlements, and the appli cation of new technologies, such as one intended to strengthen privacy protection during the second phase of the test,” the BOK had said in a statement.

Global central banks have been speeding up their research on digital

China has been pushing to issue a CBDC this year, possibly making itself the first major economy using the new form of currency, while the US Federal Reserve reportedly launched a review of its potential benefits.

Kenya’s apex bank also said it was examining the possibility of creating a CBDC in response to accelerated adoption of various digital payments in the country.

Twenty per cent of large organisa tions globally will use digital cur rencies for payments, stored value or collateral by 2024, according to a recent Gartner report.

The prediction for wider adoption of digital currencies by 2024 is partly driven by the already healthy environment of service providers and off-the-shelf solutions available to large enterprises that have iden tified a specific use case for digital currencies.

“Increasing mainstream acceptance of cryptocurrencies on traditional payment platforms and the rise of CBDCs will push many large enterprises to incorporate digital currencies into their applications in the coming years,” said Avivah Litan, distinguished vice president analyst in the Gartner IT practice.

The Hive ransomware actors follow the ransomware-as-a-service (RaaS) model in which developers create, maintain, and update the malware, and affiliates conduct the ransom ware attacks.

“From June 2021 through at least November 2022, threat actors have used Hive ransomware to target a wide range of businesses and critical infrastructure sectors, including government facilities, communications, critical manufac turing, information technology, and healthcare,” read the joint advisory by the FBI, the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency,

and the Department of Health and Human Services.

The Hive actors have bypassed multi-factor authentication (MFA) and gained access to aFortiOS’ servers by exploiting common vulnerabilities and exposures (CVE) CVE-2020-12812.

“This vulnerability enables a mali cious cyber actor to log in without a prompt for the user’s second authentication factor (FortiToken) when the actor changes the case of the username,” according to the joint advisory.

Hive also attacked power generation company Tata Power in October. The Mumbai-based company had said that the attack impacted some of its IT systems.

Microsoft’s Threat Intelligence Center (MSTIC) researchers have

ED freezes 150.22 Bitcoins worth Rs 22.82 cr

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) said on Friday that it carried out a search operation on Binance crypto exchange, which led to the freezing of 150.22 Bitcoins equivalent to $24,86,693.73 (Rs 22.82 crore) with regard to its ongoing probe into a financial fraud by a gamming application named E-Nuggets.

The instant case was registered on the basis of an FIR filed under various Sections of IPC by the Park Street police station in Kolkata against Aamir Khan and others. The FIR was filed based on a com plaint by Federal Bank authorities

in the court of the Metropolitan Magistrate in Kolkata.

warned that Hive upgraded its malware, enabling it to use a more complex encryption method for its ransomware as a service payload.

“Hive actors negotiate ransom demands in US dollars, with initial amounts ranging from several thousand to millions of dollars. Hive actors demand payment in Bitcoin,” according to the US advisory.

in gaming app fraud case

Aamir Khan launched a mobile gaming application namely E-Nuggets, which was designed for the purpose of defrauding the public. After collecting handsome amount from the public, all of a sudden the withdrawal from the said app was stopped on one pretext or the other.

Thereafter, all data, including profile information, was wiped off from the app server. It was revealed that multiple accounts (more than 300) were used to launder money.

Earlier, Rs 17.32 crore in cash was seized from Aamir Khan’s residence in Kolkata, while 85.91870554 Bitcoins equivalent to $1674255.7 (or Rs 13.56 crore) were freezed in the Binance crypto exchange.

During investigation conducted under PMLA so far, a total of Rs 68.42 crore has been seized.

Crypto exchange doesn’t see viable business in India, says Binance chief

‘HIT: The Second Case’ trailer has eerie similarities with recent Delhi horror

The coincidence of a film that was written a year ago releasing within a week of such a gruesome real life tragedy, is surreal.

The mention of the name “Shraddha” in the trailer sends further chills down the spine.

‘HIT 2’ is the second instalment from Dr Sailesh Kolanu’s ‘HIT’Verse.

The film directed by Sailesh Kolanu is all set to hit the screens on December 2, 2022. As the release date fast closes in, the makers delighted movie lovers with the thrilling trailer on Wednesday.

the stakes getting sky-high. Will KD be able to solve the case, for exam ple? Will he be able to track down the true perpetrator of this heinous crime?

Adivi Sesh made his Hindi film debut with ‘Major’. Apart from being critically acclaimed and tasting box office success, the film has been selected by 53rd International Film Festival of India (IFFI) as a Hindi language film.

‘3 to 4 Drishyams’ are the tonic Bollywood needs, says Ajay Devgn

‘Drishyam 2’, headlined by Ajay Devgn has brought some much-needed cheer to the belea guered Bollywood box office with a strong opening worldwide weekend gross of Rs 89 crore, reports ‘Variety’.

In what seems like a case of life imitating art, the trailer of Adivi Sesh starrer ‘HIT: The Second Case’ reminds one of the horrific Shraddha Walkar murder case in Delhi. In an eerie similarity, the latest trailer of ‘Major’ fame, Adivi Sesh’s upcoming movie depicts the exact same crime.

The trailer gives a sneak-peek into the journey of a cool cop, Krishna Dev (KD) who comes across a terrifying case. In the trailer, KD mocks criminals as “bird-brained” and then he finds himself solving a gruesome murder that has shaken the entire city.

KD’s life, love, job, and everything else are all intertwined in this, with

In response to netizens’ requests, the makers of ‘HIT2: The Second Case’ are strongly considering a release for a Hindi version by the end of December.

The movie has Meenakshii Chaudhary in the female lead role while Rao Ramesh, Srikanth Maganti, Komalee Prasad will be seen in key roles. Prashanti Tipirneni is bankrolling the film while Natural Star Nani is the presenter under Wall Poster Cinema.

Kajol reunites with her first co-star Kamal Sadanah after 30 years on ‘Salaam Venky’ set

Venky’.

Director Revathy kept Kamal’s casting as a mystery specially from Kajol and surprised her on the set of the film.

The film features a huge ensemble of actors including Vishal Jethwa, Rajeev Khandelwal, Prakash Raj and Rahul Bose. The trailer also revealed that Aamir Khan plays an important role in the film.

Presented by Connekkt Media and produced by Suuraj Sinngh, Shraddha Agrawal, and Varsha Kukreja under the banner BLIVE Productions and RTAKE Studios, ‘Salaam Venky’ is directed by Revathy.

‘Aap jaisa koi...’: Zeenat Aman and her sizzling screen stint

However, from 2009, Zeenat Aman became more regular and is still active both on stage and screen, and is also set to return in a leading role.

A key ingredient of her successful films in the 1970s and early 1980s were the songs. Let’s review her glittering career with half-a-dozen odd of these.

The suspense thriller, which also stars Tabu and Akshaye Khanna, is a sequel to the 2015 hit ‘Drishyam’. The Hindi-language films are remakes of the Malayalam-language ‘Drishyam’ films (2013 and 2021) headlined by Mohanlal. Bollywood has been undergoing a box-office slump in 2022 and ‘Drishyam 2’ serves as a tonic to revive it.

“To talk about tonic, I feel it needs three or four Drishyams -- that is what is required, I hope this is the beginning,” Devgn told ‘Variety’ in an exclusive interview. “The bottom line is all about entertainment. Also, when I watch a film, I really need to enjoy it, whatever the kinds of emotion it has.”

He added: “I feel it is not very easy to make entertaining films -- you have to keep the audiences engaged for two and a half hours. And audiences have become very smart, so you can’t just give them bullshit. Even

when you talk about entertainment in commercial cinema, you have to give them something new.”

Looking into his future, Devgn said: “I want to pick up characters who have done great things and made great sacrifices, and people don’t know much about them. So, we have two or three scripts that we’re working on.”

He was referencing his period dra ma, ‘Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior’, which was the biggest Indian box-of fice hit of 2020. ‘Variety’ reports

Devgn is now planning on taking the franchise forward with films and series based on the concept of the unsung warrior.

“An unsung warrior for me does not mean sacrifices from that era, it could be in today’s society. There are a lot of people who amaze you by the kind of work they’re doing and making sacrifices,” he said.

Next up for Devgn is ‘Bholaa’, a remake of the 2019 Tamil-language Lokesh Kanagaraj hit ‘Kaithi’ (Prisoner), which he is also direct ing. The film is in post production and due for a March 2023 release, ‘Variety’ reports.

Kashmir and Bollywood - A never ending love story

By Zubair Qureshi

The love story between Kashmir and Bollywood began way back in 1949 when Raj Kapoor shot parts of his film ‘Barsaat’ in the Valley, taking its beauty to a wider audi ence. Ever since, the Kashmir Valley became the focus area of many film producers.

In the 60s and 70s, several Bollywood films, including ‘Kashmir Ki Kali’ (1964), ‘Jab Jab Phool Khile’ (1965) and ‘Bobby’ (1973), among many others, were shot in Kashmir. The songs of these films remained favourites for generations to come.

By Vikas Dutta

The first model to make it big in Bollywood, she went on to make her name as an actress ready for unconventional and ‘bold’ (for the time) roles, usually playing independent-minded, “Westernised” women and rarely sporting saris or other Indian dresses onscreen. Unfazed at the overt “sexualisation” of her onscreen persona, Zeenat Aman went on to score a string of successes in many Bollywood classics.

But Zeenar Aman, who turns 71 on Saturday (November 19), does not need to be only remembered for playing the rebellious, tuned-out Jasbir Jaiswal/Janice in “Hare Rama Hare Krishna”, or guitar-strumming “lal kapde wali memsahab” Sunita in “Yaadon ki Baraat” (1973), or Sheela, or rather, ‘Laila’, of “Qurbani” (1980), or Sheetal of “Dostana” (1980). The petite yet buxom actress with her exotic and sensual looks was as effective as playing the hapless, abused Rani Ranjit Singh in “Dhund” (1973), the gold-digger Sheetal in “Roti Kapada Aur Makaan” (1974), prostitute-going-straight Nisha in “Manoranjan” (1974), the ambitious Rashmi Kumar Saxena, who can even go in for abortion to advance her career, in “Ajanabee” (1974), cold-hearted assassin Rita Verma in “Warrant” (1975), the tomboyish, revenge-seeking Roma in “Don” (1978), the scarred Rupa in “Satyam Shivam Sundaram” (1978), and justice-seeking rape victim Bharti Saxena in “Insaaf ka Tarazu” (1980), and many more.

Born to a mixed religion couple in then Bombay in 1951, Zeenat Khan had a connection with the film industry right from her birth. While her parents separated when she was still young and she was raised by her mother, her father Amanullah Khan, a cousin of veteran actor Hakim Ali Murad or Murad, was a scriptwriter who contributed to landmark classics like “Mughal-e-Azam” and “Pakeezah” under the pen-name ‘Aman’.

A young Zeenat obtained a grant to go for her graduation to the University of Southern California in

Los Angeles but returned without a degree. Back home, she went into modelling and also entered the Femina Miss India pageant in 1970 and came second. She then competed - and won - in the Miss Asia Pacific International pageant, becoming the first Femina Miss India titleholder to win the pageant.

It was then she came to the notice of Bollywood, particularly Dev Anand, who gave her a break in the Indo-Filipino production “The Evil Within” (1970) and then O.P. Ralhan, whose quirky, commercially un successful but innovatively plotted “Hulchul” (1971) became her actual debut.

However, it was her role as the hero’s separated and rebellious sister in “Hare Ram, Hare Krishna” that brought her into the limelight, while “Yaadon Ki Baraat” (1973) further cemented her position.

Zeenat Aman - she had adopted her father’s pen name as her surname in her acting career - continued to rule through the 1970s and 1980s, paired often with reigning stars like Dev Anand, Rajesh Khanna, Amitabha Bachchan and Shashi Kapoor. In the latter part of 1970s, she was also the highest or second-highest paid Bollywood actress, along with Hema Malini.

However, her personal life was far from happy. Though linked and purportedly even engaged to several actors and other celebrities, she was married to actor Sanjay Khan in 1978 - becoming his second wife - but the marriage was annulled the very next year, and the year after that, the actor, aided or at least encouraged by his first wife, badly thrashed her, leading to a permanent disfigurement.

She then married actor Mazhar Khan in 1984, but this was scarcely better as he was not keen on her working on films. This led to her first hiatus from films till his death in 1998. Zeenat Aman returned to acting in 1999 but sparsely for the next decade, while she also essayed the part of Mrs Robinson -- a role immortalised by Anne Bancroft in the picture -- in a stage performance of “The Graduate”.

“Dum Maro Dum”: With its unfor gettable psychedelic presentation and subversive in-your-face lyrics, this defining youth anthem from “Hare Rama Hare Krishna” brought the stylish, garlanded, pot-smoking Zeenat into public focus.

“Chura Liya Hai Tumne”: Heroines serenading heroes are not new to Indian cinema, but this melodic representation of a guitar-strum ming Zeenat Aman from “Yaadon Ki Baraat” took it to an immortal level - going by its enduring popularity in remixes.

“Satyam Shivam Sundaram”: This hymn from the movie of the same name is one of the few where Zeenat Aman is portrayed in - for her - a different, more earthy millieu but she carries it off perfectly.

“Jiska Mujhe Tha Intezar”: A song with a deeper meaning than what the words convey was the perfect vehicle to introduce Zeenat Aman in this slick gangster-flick to the Don she wants to get even with - with a vengeance. On the other hand, “Khaike Paan Banaraswala” also owes its popularity to her impa tience - leading to the classic rebuke from Vijay-turned-Don in chaste Awadhi - “In kaari kaari akhiyen se, tu ghur na hamko ae gori”, and then, her inspired jiving.

“Hai Agar Dushman Zamana...”: She does not join this qawwali in “Hum Kisi Se Kam Nahin” (1977) till the very middle, shown sitting to a bemused mustachioed Ajit, but when Zeenat Aman does, she whips the floor away from Rishi Kapoor’s histrionics, introducing herself with “...Husn wale hi nahi ham/Dil bhi rakhte hain jigar bhi...” and then going on to declaim: “Bhes Majnu ka liya maine jo Laila ho kar/Rang laya hai dupatta mera maila ho kar”.

“Aap Jaisa Koi”: In “Qurbani”, you could be spoilt for choice in deciding the defining Zeenat Aman number - the beguiling “Laila o Laila” with Amjad Khan’s glint and energetic drumming providing an interesting counterpoint, but it is this more sedate, yet sensuous lyrics like “Main insaan hoon farishta nahi/Dar hai bahak na jaun kahin/ Tanha dil na sambhlega, pyaar bina ye tadpega..” rendered in the divine, honeyed voice of Nazia Hussain. (Vikas Datta can be contacted at vikas.d@ians.in)

Not only this, there are many places in Kashmir which are known by movie names or characters, like the landmark ‘Bobby Hut’ in Gulmarg, where the song of the super hit movie ‘Bobby’ -- ‘Hum tum ek kamray main...’ -- was filmed, or the ‘Betab Valley’ in Pahalgam where the Sunny Deol-Amrita Singh starrer ‘Betaab’ was shot.

This beautiful relationship between Kashmir and Bollywood lasted until Vidhu Vinod Chopra’s ‘Khamosh’ in 1985, after which the unfortunate circumstances that ensued due to terrorism in the region brought a temporary end to this love story. Bollywood made a comeback to the Valley post 2000, when films like ‘Mission Kashmir’ and ‘Haider’ were shot in Kashmir.

This relationship is also unique because this time the subject of these films was not the beauty of the Valley, but Kashmir itself.

During the last few years, many popular Bollywood films and web series have been shot in Kashmir, while many local actors also rose to prominence. Notable among them are Mir Sarwar, who acted in films like “Qaisari” and “Bajrangi Bhaijaan”, and Zaira Wasim, who acted in Aamir Khan’s “Dangal” and

With

Dalit group condemns ‘Daivardhane’ sequences of superhit Kannada movie ‘Kantara’

Dalit organisations have con demned the portrayal of Dalits in super hit pan-India Kannada movie “Kantara”.

Samatha Sainik Dal State Secretary Lolaksha has stated that the film has insulted Dalits. “The Dalit community has been shown in poor light,” he said, claiming that the “Daivaradhane” sequences in the movie are twisted.

He had also raised objections to the highlight of the movie, the last 20 minute climax.

Lolaksha had stated that they will bring their objections to the notice of the film team first. If their objections are not taken seriously, they will initiate legal proceedings against the film team.

“Kantara” is the second pan-India superhit from Kannada film industry after “KGF Chapter-2”.

The film was, however, mired in controversies as a band claimed one of the songs used in the movie as theirs and Kannada actor Chetan Ahimsa stated that “Daivaradhane” is not part of Hindu religion as

the

Just a decade ago in 2012, bol lywood had brought similar plot revolving around tribes story named ‘Chakravyuh’ in Prakash Jha’s direc tion which had failed at box-office to attarct audiences. Despite old movie failure,’Kantara’ is an adventure to watch which is already getting audiences attention.

“Secret Superstar”, among others. Film screening also got a boost in the region this year with Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha inaugurating cinema halls in Srinagar, Shopian and Pulwama districts. Also, a new film policy has been implemented in Kashmir, besides the announcement by Sinha about opening cinema halls in every district of the UT.

all these, the aspirations of local filmmakers and actors have also got a boost.

Also ready for theatrical release is ‘Maidaan’, a period biographical soccer film based on the life of the legendary Indian coach Syed Abdul Rahim. The film, which has Priyamani, Rudranil Ghosh and Gajraj Rao in other lead roles, and the music of A.R. Rahman, is sched uled to be released on February 17, 2023.

shown in

movie.

Bollywood actress Kajol reunited with her maiden film ‘Bekhudi’ co-star Kamal Sadanah after three decades on the sets of ‘Salaam

Kartik Aaryan to perform at the opening ceremony of 53rd IFFI

November 20.

The festival, which opens on November 20 and will run through November 28, will see the actor shaking a leg to some of the hit numbers from his films as a part of the opening ceremony. Kartik has amped up the curiosity of the view ers with the teaser of his upcoming movie ‘Freddy’.

Recently, the song ‘Kaala Jaadu’ from ‘Freddy’ was released to a pos itive response from the audience. He will be performing on the very song for his act along with the title track of his movie ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’.

Kartik Aaryan is currently making headlines for his upcoming film ‘Freddy’. After its intriguing teaser, the superstar made the nation groove on this recently released song ‘Kaala Jaadu’ from ‘Freddy’ and now he is all set to bring the magic of his dancing spectacles on the stage of IFFI 2022.

On the work front, as ‘Freddy’ is set to release on December 2 on Disney+ Hotstar, Kartik will also be seen in ‘Shehzada’, ‘Captain India’, ‘Satyaprem Ki Katha’ and Kabir Khan’s untitled next.

and Sachin Khedekar.

Commenting on the occasion, Producer Aman Gill said: “Kartik is a dream to work with, we all had a blast shooting this film, his person ality is infectious so we thought this would be a sweet little thing for his birthday to celebrate Shehzada’s birthday with the first look of our film.”

Kartik has had quite the year with ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’ becoming one of the biggest blockbusters of the year so far.

Producer Bhushan Kumar, who has produced both ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2’ and ‘Shehzada’, said: “Kartik is such a brilliant and nuanced actor and what better way to celebrate our very own Shehzada than this! The first look is a treat for his fans.”

Bollywood actress Yami Gautam Dhar’s investigative drama thriller movie ‘Lost’ will have its special screening at the soon to be held 53rd edition of the International film Festival of India.

IFFI shared the information about the film’s screening via Twitter.

They shared a video of the actress in which she can be heard saying: “Greetings! I know all of you are very excited for my film ‘Lost’. I’m eagerly waiting to meet everyone at the Asian premiere of ‘Lost’ organised by IFFI. Let’s meet on November 23.”

The film, directed by Aniruddha Roy Chowdhury of ‘Pink’ fame, will be screened at 6 p.m, IST on November 23 at INOX Panjim.

Yami will be seen playing a crime reporter in the film which also stars Pankaj Kapur, Rahul Khanna, Neil

‘No Smoking’ was way ahead of its time: ‘Drishyam 2’ director Abhishek Pathak

By Akshay Acharya

Mumbai,

The

bright

The

When asked if OTT has limited the cinema space, he said, “It’s just a matter of time (Samay samay ki baat hai). You never know what trends at which moment but everything has its own charm and space.”

He further said that he loves theatre and the fragrance of the stage and the audience sitting in front appeals a lot to him. “Theatres can never and will never die,” he further added.

When asked why he did not join the Army despite being from Rashtriya Military School, he said, “I was always inclined to join the Army and I miss it alot. Most of my batchmates are in the army. I see them in uni form, sit with them and this is how I recreate those missing moments.”

Elaborating his answer, he said, “I cleared my SSB but was talking about theatre in my interview. When interviewers asked me why I still

‘Shehzada’ is directed by Varun Dhawan’s brother, Rohit Dhawan, and features music by Pritam.

Produced by Bhushan Kumar, Krishan Kumar, Allu Arvind, S. Radha Krishna and Aman Gill, the film is set to arrive in cinemas on February 10, 2023.

want to get into the Army when I am so keen for theatre world, I answered that I am here because I don’t want to upset my parents.”

However, now I am doing Army characters, he quipped and said that he will come back to Jaipur with his play ‘Dhumrapaan’.

Mishra termed Nasser bhai (Naseeruddin Shah) , Alok Chatterjee as his inspiration.

When asked about the Bollywood boycott trend, he said, “If there are good films, people will come and watch and if those are not good, there is no need for a boycott as people will stop going to cinema halls.”

Speaking on his film ‘Jogi’ released on OTT, he termed 1984 riots as a ‘dark chapter in Indian history’.

She said: “I am in love with Bimla who is actually the househelp of Krushna Abhishek in the show. I have never done this kind of role before, and, in this show, whenever we are introducing a new character we decide that quite fast. Thus, I only got one night to prepare and saw lots of youtube videos to under stand the Bhojpuri dialect.”

The actress, who was last seen in ‘Yeh Un Dinon Ki Baat Hai’ shared about preparing for her role and how she got into the skin of her character.

“I also took help from one of my friends who is from Bihar. It was pretty nerve-wracking as I was rehearsing in my head until right before the final shot, but I am happy that everything went well. I have also got a lot of praise from the cast-crew. I even surprised myself by being able to pull off this kind of performance.”

‘Bigg Buzz’ streams on Voot.

Making

a successful sequel is not an easy task but director Abhishek Pathak has managed to achieve the rare feat with ‘Drishyam 2’. The film has managed to rake in close to Rs 16 crore on its opening day, as per trade experts.

The legacy of ‘Drishyam’ is so strong that the sequel has even left behind the first day collections of Ajay Devgn’s pre-pandemic movie ‘Tanhaji: The Unsung Warrior’ which collected Rs 15 crore on its first day.

=Abhishek, who is the son of Bollywood producer Kumar Mangat Pathak, took over the reins as the director of ‘Drishyam 2’ after Nishikant Kamat, the director of ‘Drishyam’ passed away in 2020 due to cirrhosis.

Pathak spoke to IANS about the technicalities of his film and remi nisced about the times when he was learning the ropes as a director back in 2006 from Anurag Kashyap. ‘Drishyam 2’ has quite an intriguing photography and imagery. The colour palette, the high contrast moving images and the tempera tures accentuate the viewing experi ence. The reason behind such sharp imagery is the perfect sync between the director and the cinematogra pher Sudhir K. Chaudhary.

Abhishek told IANS: “Sudhir and I have known each other for a long time, over a decade now. He did the cinematography for ‘Pyaar Ka

Punchnama’ (Abhishek was the producer of the film) and we share a very similar wavelength, our ideas are in sync. We worked around the photography of the film with a certain vision and everything right from the imagery, to its contrast and even the colour palette is a result of hours of brainstorming.”

Detailing is of essence as Pathak said: “Even the colour of the cushions that you see in the film was decided after putting a lot of thought into it.”

In a similar vein, he talked about the music of the film and his experience working with music composer Devi Sri Prasad (DSP), whose songs from ‘Pushpa: The Rise’ swayed the nation earlier.

The director mentioned: “DSP is a master composer. He has an acute sense of what will work sonically for a film or a scene. We jammed along with him in his Chennai studio and he was always on top of his game. The sounds and textures that he uses are simply unparalleled.”

He then walked down the memory lane and recollected his experience working with Indian auteur Anurag Kashyap on his 2007 release ‘No Smoking’ which tanked severely at the box-office, but gained a cult status over the years.

Abhishek served as the first assis tant director on the film, which built its narrative on the basis of a range of themes and allegory.

Abhishek shared: “We were shoot ing for a part of ‘Omkara’ in Juhu when my father told me that Anurag Kashyap was coming down to our residence for a narration. I was very happy because I was a big fan of Anurag having seen his earlier works. When I heard the narration, I was completely blown away and felt like this film had the tone of David Fincher’s movies.”

He went on to mention that the film was truly a masterpiece that could not attract the audience back in the day simply because it was way ahead of its time, adding that: “During its making, I learnt a lot from Anurag and the whole team.

‘No Smoking’ is a film that deserves a lot more love but sadly the audi ence weren’t ready for a film of that kind, it was quite ahead of its time and perhaps still is.”

‘Drishyam 2’, which stars Ajay Devgn in the lead, is currently playing in cinemas.

‘Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan’ hostess, actress Tabassum passes away

By Quaid Najmi

Veteran Bollywood actress Tabassum, who hosted the iconic television series, “Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan” on Doordarshan for two decades, passed away following a massive cardiac arrest, her son Hoshang said here on Saturday. She was 78.

Rushed to a private hospital after she suffered chest pain, Tabassum breathed her last around 8.40 p.m. on Friday, he said.

She is survived by her son, and other relatives including her broth er-in-law and actor Arun Govil, a Bharatiya Janata Party leader.

“Her funeral rites were also com pleted late last night itself,” Hoshang told IANS.

He described her as being totally healthy and her sudden departure has left the family in a state of shock.

Tabassum was married to Vijay Govil, the elder brother of the films and television actor Arun Govilwho portrayed the character of Lord Rama in the epic serial “Ramayana” (1987) and previously as King Vikramaditya in another cult serial, “Vikram Aur Betaal” (1985), both made by Ramanand Sagar.

Born in 1944 in Mumbai as Kiranbala to freedom fighter Ayodhyanath Sachdev and author-journalist Asghari Begum, the radiant and chubby Tabassum made her debut as a child actor at the age of 3 with the film “Nargis” (1947), and two other films the same year “Mera Suhaar” and “Majdhaar”.

Over the years, she became one of the biggest child stars, then as a bubbly teenager and later on to older character roles in over three dozen films.

Some of the major films she acted included: “Badi Behen” (1949), “Jogan” (1950), “Deedar”, “Bahar”, and “Afsana” (1951), “Baiju Bawra” (1952), “Mughal-e-Azam” (1960), “Dharmaputra” (1961), “Phir Wohi Dil Laaya Hoon” (1963), “Ganwar”, “Bachpan”, “Heer Ranjha” and

“Johny Mera Naam” (1970), “Ladki Pasand Hai”, “Adhikaar”, “Tere Mere Sapne”, and “Gambler” (1971), “Maa, Behen Aur Biwi” (1974), “Naache Mayuri” and “Chameli Ki Shaadi” (1986), and her final film, “Swarg” (1990).

Veteran Bollywood filmmaker-pro ducer A. Krishnamurthi and her close friend of over five decades described her as “a very well-read person, devouring newspapers or magazines and books, intelligent and aware person”.

“Tabassum always made an interesting conversationalist, who could speak knowledgeably on a wide range of topics, besides Bollywooda I also found her always concerned about social issues, other people, their welfare or wellbeing,” Krishnamurthi told IANS.

It was during the fledgling days of Doordarshan in India in the black-and-white era and Tabassum shone immensely on the legendary show, “Phool Khile Hain, Gulshan Gulshan” (PKHGG).

The show brought top film stars and celebs right into the peoples’ living rooms and it was among the biggest popular shows on DD in those days, running for a staggering two decades from 1972 onwards.

According to veteran Bollywood journalist Jivraj Burman, Tabassum never played the lead roles in films, but she had stiff competition from other child actresses of the era like Baby Naaz and Daisy Irani.

“However, she remained in the limelight due to her lively, vivacious personality, portraying mischievous roles or even as ‘saheli’, ‘behen’, ‘beti’, ‘bhabhi’, classmate, soul-mate, to the film’s hero or heroine,”, said Burman.

Tabassum enjoyed good relations with actresses like Suraiya, Meena Kumar, Madhubala, Nargis, but was especially pally with the character actress Shammi (Nargis) Rabadi, who was married to eminent film-maker Sultan Ahmed, he recalled.

In the mid-1980s, Tabassum turned producer to launch her son Hoshang in “Tum Par Hum Qurbaan” (1985), when she also introduced a rib-tick ler John P.R. Janumala to Bollywood - known to the world as the Comedy Superstar Johny Lever.

Bollywood director Madhur Bhandarkar, who is known for directing movies like “Chandni Bar”, “Page 3”, and “Fashion”, offered his condolences to the departed soul.

“Sad to hear the demise of Veteran Actress & Anchor Tabassum ji. As a kid we used to watch her famous show on @DDNational ‘Phool Khile Hain Gulshan Gulshan’. My heartfelt condolences to her Family Members & Admirers. #OmShanti”, he tweeted.

Actress turned politician Nagma too reacted to the veteran actress’s death. She wrote on Twitter:

“Extremely Sorry to hear this news. Pray to God her soul rests in peace . Also pray that god gives strength to her family for this grave loss .

#Tabassum Ji #RIP”.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at q.najmi@ians.in)

Kartik Aaryan shows his action hero prowess in ‘Shehzada’ first look on b’day

OTT has given many opportunities to theatre actors, writers: Kumud Mishra

Nov 22: As Bollywood star Kartik Aaryan celebrates his birthday on Tuesday, the makers of his upcoming theatrical release ‘Shehzada’ released the film’s first look.

special video, which is just under a minute in length, features

Bollywood actor Kumud Mishra, who was in Jaipur on Monday to attend the AWWA Lit Festival ‘Abhivyakti’ Season 2, said that OTT has given many opportunities to theatre actors and writers.

colours, soft imagery, and Kartik in the action hero avatar beating the goons and sending them flying like a true blue Bollywood star.

comedy action drama musical also stars Kriti Sanon, Manisha Koirala, Paresh Rawal, Ronit Roy

‘Never done this before’: Subuhii Joshii plays a shy house help from Bihar

Actress Subuhii Joshii is currently seen in the reality show ‘Bigg Buzz’ that features actor Krushna Abhishek and Kashmera Shah. The actress talked about her part in the show who is

a housemaid Bimla from Bihar and spoke about donning a completely desi look for the first time by wear ing a sari with her head covered and a red bindi.

She shot into national glory with “Phool Khile Hain...” - the forefather of several similar celeb shows which came much later, and were hosted by Simi Garewal or Karan Johar and others, and also acted in a couple of other teleserials like “Pyaar Ke Do Naam, Ek Radha Ek Shyam” (2006) and “Ladies Special’ (2009), aired on private TV channels.

Bollywood star Kartik Aaryan, who has had quite a successful run at the box-office, is set to perform

the closing act at the soon to be held 53rd edition of the International Film Festival of India, in Goa on

Yami Gautam Dhar’s ‘Lost’ to be screened at 53rd

Bhoopalam, Tushar Pandey and Pia Bajpai.