India News - April 1-15, 2021 (Vol 1 Issue 19)

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Aus PM condemns 'sex acts' in Parliament House Canberra, March 25 (IANS): Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Tuesday condemned "disgusting and sickening sex acts" reportedly performed by government staffers in Parliament House.

On Monday night, News Corp Australia and Channel Ten News reported that four senior government staffers were involved in a group which shared images and videos of sexual encounters in Parliament, reports Xinhua news agency. An unidentified whistleblower said that the content includes acts performed on the desks of female MP).

20k still evacuated in Aus states due to floods, worst flood in 60 years Sydney, March 30 (IANS): Some 20,000 people in Australia's New South Wales (NSW) were still unable to return to their homes on Thursday after being evacuated in the wake of the state's flood crisis.

systems have peaked in NSW, state premier Gladys Berejiklian

said in a Thursday morning press conference.

After days of downpours that battered the state, rain had eased and blue skies emerged over parts of NSW on Wednesday, but authorities warned that some areas were still at risk, dpa news agency reported.

It is believed most of the river Continued on Page 3

50 new ways to permanent

In a statement, Morrison said that a staffer “at the centre of the Continued on Page 3

residency in Western Australia

Australian Government’s W Student Visas I Skilled Visas I Tourist Visas hypocrisyTemporary revealedGraduate Visas I Business Migration A

n Indian-origin family living in Australia from a decade faces eviction. The reason – their son was born with cerebral palsy.

The reason being their son was born with cerebral palsy and the Australian government believes that bringing up young Kayaan Katyal in the country would incur the taxpayers a huge sum, which would be an “undue cost to the Australian community”.

Continued on Page 3

estern Australia’s Kalgoorlie Goldfields Designated Area Migration Agreement (DAMA) has been expanded to cover 50 more in-demand occupations and three new shires.

2.

Age limit of 49 for Skill Level 2-4 at the time of permanent residency nomination remains

3.

Goldfields DAMA has added occupations not included in ANZSCO

Family stream Visas I Partner Visa TheseSpecialist occupations provideI aSponsored Visas pathway to permanent residency 4. From 2021, the Shires of Job Ready I Skill Assessments AAT representation for DAMAIvisa holders.

Dundas, Esperance and

An Indian-origin family that has been living in Australia for almost a decade had to face eviction just as they were on the verge of getting citizenship.

Ravensthorpe have also joined the program.

Highlights: 1.

Over 50 new occupations have been added to Kalgoorlie Goldfields DAMA

5.

Melbourne-based Migration advisor Chaman Preet

The right guidance, at the right time.

Providing professional migration services since over a decade

says that many states and territories have negotiated agreements with the Commonwealth government to address labour shortages being experienced by local businesses.

“These are labour agreements negotiated between the Department of Home Affairs and individual states and territories,” explains Ms Preet.

Continued on Page 3

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Principal Migration Consultant MARN: 0965020

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April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

EDITORIAL TEAM Dr Ram Mohan, Chairman Dr Ashutosh Misra, Editor-in-Chief Dr Priyabrata Behra, Bureau Chief, New South Wales Ms Priyadarshini Rana, Bureau Chief, Victoria Ms Apoorva Raghubanshi, Bureau Chief, ACT Ms. Garima Sangar, Associate Editor

No insurance claim if death due to alcohol consumption: SC

EDITORIAL BOARD Professor Prasad Yarlagadda, Queensland University of Technology Ms Audrey Courty, Griffith University Dr Uttam Kumar Sinha, Senior Fellow, Nehru Memorial Museum & Library, India Mr Shaun Star, Director, Centre for Australia India Studies, Jindal Global University, India INDIA NEWS TV Mr Karthik Pratap Singh, News D irector Mr. Agastya Yeturi, Cinematographer Mr Nishit Chandan, Special Correspondent WRITERS Mr Devashish Chakraborty Ms Deepika Banerjee Mr Rabindra Mukherji INSTITUTIONAL PARTNERS Institute for Australia India Engagement Australia India Business Council

WORLD THIS WEEK

News from India

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News from Queensland Quad manthan in the Indo-Pacific: A new phase in Indo-Australian strategic partnership heralds

World News

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Page 24

Decoding India’s stake in the South China Sea

Editorial Dashboard on ‘Flow of Foreign Direct Investments from top 50 countries into India 2014-20’

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Special Feature

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Make in India

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Energy and Resourcses

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April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

50 new ways to permanent residency in Western Australia

COVER STORIES

Australian Government’s hypocrisy revealed

Kalgoorlie Goldfields DAMA program are not included in the Australia and New Zealand Standard Classification of Occupation (ANZSCO).

“Occupations like Sound and Light Technician, Rope Access Technician, Asphalt Technician and Process Technician are not there in ANZSCO. But the Goldfields DAMA Program includes them,” she elaborates.

Continued from Page 1 How does DAMA work? Click here to know more.

Till last year, the Kalgoorlie Goldfields DAMA program had 72 eligible occupations for sponsorship. This number has increased to around 122 in 2021.

The age limit of 49 years for Skill Level 2 to 4 at the time of permanent residency nomination remains. The age limit of 54 years (cannot have turned 55) for Skill Level 1 at the time of permanent residency nomination also remains.

Within this DAMA program, the following Temporary Skilled

Migration Income Threshold (TSMIT) concessions are available for these occupations: · Aged or Disabled Carer · Agricultural and Horticultural Mobile Plant Operator · Slaughterer · Shearer · Personal Care Assistant · Nursing Support Worker · Meat Boner and Slicer · Family Day Care Educator · Child Care Worker · Beef Cattle Farmer Ms Preet says the new occupations added to the

This provides the applicants more occupations to choose from which are not available in the occupation lists of other states and territories.

The City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder and the Australian Government had reached a five-year agreement on the Goldfields DAMA, which was approved by then Minister for Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs David Coleman in March 2019.

Disclaimer: Information contained in this segment is general in nature. For information relevant to your situation, consult a registered migration agent.

(Source: Govt. of Western Australia)

Aus PM condemns ‘sex acts’ in Parliament House

Continued from Page 1 allegations” had been identified and fired.

"The reports aired are disgusting and sickening. It's not good enough and is totally unacceptable," he said.

"My government has identified the staff member at the centre of these allegations and has terminated his employment immediately.

"The actions of these individuals show a staggering disrespect for the people who work in

Parliament, and for the ideals the Parliament is supposed to represent," the Prime Minister added.

The revelations come at a time when the culture and treatment of women in Parliament House is under intense scrutiny.

Former government staffer Brittany Higgins in February went public with allegations that she was raped by a colleague in Parliament in March 2019, while Attorney-General Christian Porter has taken leave after being

accused of a historical rape which he denied.

Simon Birmingham, the Minister for Finance, on Monday evening called for the staffers to be fired.

"It equally shows a complete contempt for the Australian taxpayers who have paid the wages for such staff and, in my opinion, any individuals who engaged in such activity ought to prepare to pack their bags and leave the building for good," he said.

20k still evacuated in Aus states due to floods, worst flood in 60 years

Continued from Page 1 But flows and currents are still strong in floodwaters, and Berejiklian urged the public to stay out of them.

On the mid-north coast, communities have faced the worst flooding in almost a century.

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In a report published by the Australian media outlet ABC News, Kayaan’s father Varun Katyal, who has been living in Australia for 12 years now, says they have done everything right, have followed all rules laid out by the government, have been paying all taxes in the country and yet, their son is being evicted from the country, Varun said, “The only thing that is wrong with our visa application was not in our hands.

The things that were in our hands, we did right.”

Kayaan was a premature child and was born with cerebral palsy. Australia’s migration laws consider disability as a strong enough drawback to cancel visa application. The Australian home department has said it is the only reason for the rejection.

The government has said in its rejection letter that Kayaan’s disability would cost taxpayers $1.23 million for a period of over 10 years, which would be an “undue cost to the Australian community”.

Now, Varun fears if Kayaan and the family is forced to move out of Australia, the child’s disability may further increase and his condition could deteriorate, and if this happens who is to be blamed? Varun, who left India at 19, doesn’t know if he will be able to find employment back home, said the report. He continues to appeal to the Australian government and requests them to

kindly check his visa application again.

Meanwhile, the report has triggered outrage against the Australia visa laws. Human Rights Watch Australia director Elaine Pearson took to twitter to share the report and say, “This is so heartbreaking. If Australianborn Kayaan Katyal didn't have a disability, he'd likely be an Australian permanent Resident by now. Instead, he is facing deportation. Kayaan was born prematurely at 32 weeks with cerebral palsy.”

Labor Party MP Peter Khalil wrote, “Is this who we really are as a country? Is this the type of leadership Australians wanted when they elected the Morrison Liberal Government?”

“To deport an Australianborn disabled child in such a vulnerable state, to a country which cannot provide him with the quality and care he requires highlights the immoral and mismanaged priorities of this Government,” Khalil said.

The ABC report further narrated the ordeal of Jamshed, who is facing a similar eviction from Australian Govt. over his 4-yearold son’s brain injury that he suffered during birth.

Jamshed has been fighting a long battle to keep his son Kayban and the family in Australia as the boy requires extensive and complex healthcare facilities.

Source: ABC News

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Some 3,000 people returned to their homes on Wednesday, but 20,000 were still evacuated and tens of thousands remained on evacuation alert, Berejiklian said.

Authorities will need to check that roads are safe and bridges can support vehicles before giving the all-clear for returns, she said.

Continued from Page 1

NSW police confirmed the death of a man in floodwaters in Sydney on Wednesday.

Police in the neighbouring state

of Queensland confirmed another death likely linked to flash flooding.

Both bodies were found in cars.

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April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

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April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

INDIA NEWS

NEWS FROM INDIA

No insurance claim if India is key to the Quad death due to alcohol and the Indo-Pacific region consumption: SC

By Asad Mirza

India's future in the Quad

New Delhi, March 23: The importance attached by the US to the Indo-Pacific, places India at an advantageous position, both in defence and economic sectors.

The moot question is whether Quad in essential sense would be transformed into a real regional alliance or will it continue to serve some countries only, to use it as and when required as per their necessity.

While the world was combating the Covid pandemic, international leaders were also busy in realigning the world as per their country's priorities and goals. One region, which has emerged on the top of this new realignment, is the region of the Indo-Pacific.

The Indo-Pacific comprises the Indian Ocean, the western and central Pacific Ocean, and the seas connecting the two oceans around parts of Indonesia.

The term "Indo-Pacific" gained usage in geopolitical discourse after 2011. It is also described as a substitute for "Quad" or the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, an informal grouping of likeminded democracies in the region, comprising Australia, Japan, India, and the US. Historically, "Indo-Pacific" was first used by the German geopolitician Karl Haushofer in the 1920s in his academic work "Indopazifischen Raum". But its security aspects emerged in early 2000s, when the analysts began to observe the 'security' linkage between the two Oceans.

In this context, the term was first used in an article authored

by Gurpreet Khurana, carried in the January 2007 issue of the Strategic Analysis journal titled "Security of Sea Lines: Prospects for India-Japan Cooperation". The author refers to the 'Indo-Pacific' as the maritime space stretching from the littorals of East Africa and West Asia, across the Indian Ocean and western Pacific Ocean, to the littorals of East Asia.

Former Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expanded on the spirit of the term in his speech to the Indian Parliament in August 2007 when he talked about the "Confluence of the Indian and Pacific Oceans" as "the dynamic coupling as seas of freedom and of prosperity" in the "broader Asia".

American push for the Quad Quad was first floated in 2004 to manage disaster relief after the Tsunami. Later, Dick Cheney tried to redefine it as a military club, to counter Chinese influence, but was abandoned in 2010 as India and Australia didn't wanted to ruffle the Chinese feathers. The Trump administration revived the regional grouping in 2017, ostensibly to counter China in the region, particularly in the South China Sea, where the Chinese have continually challenged the Japanese and Americans.

US under Trump wanted to shape the Quad into an Asian NATO, a point that has been raised

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and challenged by the Chinese again and again, as they see it as a potential defence deterrent in the region. The importance being attached to this by the original members, and the recent desire expressed by the British and French to join also underlines both its economic and defence utility. Though the Biden administration wants to position it as an American outreach on trade, immigration, public health, climate change, yet its security aspect can't be overlooked.

To give a boost to the alliance, the leaders of the Quad met on March 12, 2021through a virtual summit. The summit and the joint statement issued highlights the evolution of the grouping and its agenda made clearer and resolve by the member states to sustain the momentum.

At a White House press conference following the summit, the US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan noted that each of the four leaders present had described the meeting as "historic."

Quad talks were elevated to the ministerial level in 2019 with foreign ministers from all four countries holding a meeting on the margins of the United Nations General Assembly session in New York in September that year. Since then, Quad foreign ministers have met twice: in-person in Tokyo in October last year, and virtually last month.

President Biden has zealously endorsed the "free and open Indo-Pacific" jargon favoured by his predecessor, contrary to apprehensions that he would seek to adopt a softer line toward China and that the Indo-Pacific paradigm would not be so significant for the new administration.

However, the reality is that the Quad, in essential sense is not a formal alliance, yet. The recent summit concentrated primarily on urgent global catastrophes comprising coronavirus and the climate emergency and tried not to ruffle feathers or cause undue apprehensions in the regional countries, particularly ASEAN member states. A joint statement after the assembly noted that the four nations would collaborate to increase Covid vaccine production, in which India would be helped financially by other members to boost its vaccine production base.But differences remained among the member states on how to handle China.

Though one country, which seems poised to gain most out of Quad is India. Due to its vast market potential and also as a counter to China in the region, most western powers attach great importance to it in the region. Indian leaders also realise this besides the fact that to transform into a regional power it has to pursue a geopolitical strategy, which maximises its economic interests and security.

The Indian Prime Minister has spelled out the Indian vision of Indo-Pacific as an enabler for "a common pursuit of progress and prosperity... not directed against any country... (albeit based on) our principled commitment to rule of law."

India's role at the Quad seems central to the Biden administration's plans for the region and the quest to counter China. US initiatives so far suggests the Biden administration is serious about its stated intention to counter China through alliances, based on shared values, and that it sees the Quad and India as central to that. At the same time the US seems ready to moderate India's feeling of insecurity in regard to be part of a binding alliance along with its ambition to emerge as a dominant regional player, while downplaying China.

It seems that the US wants to promote bilateral ties by bolstering India at the Quad, and also focussing on more areas of cooperation, which were ignored during the Trump regime. The recent visit of the US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin to India demonstrates both these aspects.

With Antony Blinken at the State Department and Jake Sullivan at the National Security Council, as well as Biden himself, the current US administration possesses more experience of dealing with India than any of its predecessors.

It also highlights its resolve to make Indo-US relations as central to its plans. With China as a common denominator, the relationship holds more chances of being robust and fruitful for both. And the key role, which the US wants India to play at the Quad, is more apparent now.

It may also open the doors for increased bilateral cooperation and sale of more American military hardware to India besides economic benefits.

(This content is being carried under an arrangement with indianarrative.com)

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New Delhi, March 25 (IANS): The Supreme Court on Monday declined to grant the insurance claim to the legal heir of a man who died of asphyxia due to alcohol consumption.

A bench of Justices M.M. Shantangoudar and Vineet Saran said the provison of the insurance company makes it amply clear that the injured is not entitled to compensation since it was proved that he was intoxicated and that death was due to intoxication.

The top court said the insurer was only liable to compensate a person who got injured solely and directly from an accident.

The bench upheld the order of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC) which ruled that the death was not accidental and therefore, the firm had no statutory liability to compensate the loss of life of the deceased according to the terms of the insurance policy.

"The provisions of insurance policy specifically disclose that compensation will not be paid in respect of injury of the injured if he is under the influence of intoxicating liquor," it said.

The bench said it does not find any reason to interfere with the April 24, 2009 passed by the NCDRC. "From a bare perusal of

the insurance policy, it is clear that only if the insured sustains any bodily injury resulting solely and directly from accident caused by outward, violent and visible means, the insurance company would be liable to indemnify the insured," it said, adding that as per the insurance policy, only accidental death of the insured should be indemnified.

The judgment of the top court came on an appeal filed by Narbada Devi, the legal heir of a man employed as watchman with the Himachal Pradesh State Forest Corporation. The man died on a rainy cold night of October 7-8, 1997, in Chopal Panchayat of Shimla district. The post mortem indicated that the probable cause of death was asphyxiation caused by alcohol consumption and regurgitation of food into larynx.

"We find that the National Commission and the State Commission have rightly held that the deceased's death was not accidental, and that the insurance company would not be liable to settle the appellants' claim", said the top court.

The HPSFC had taken the insurance policy for its 3,008 employees from the New India Assurance Company under with coverage of Rs 1 lakh. As Narbada Devi's claim for the death of the man was rejected by the insurance company, she approached the District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum, Shimla claiming insurance amount of Rs 2 lakh, along with interest and cost.

4 Lashkar militants killed in Kashmir encounter

Srinagar, March 25 (IANS): Four terrorists have been killed in an encounter underway in South Kashmir's Shopian district, officials said on Monday. Police said the slain terrorists belonged to proscribed terrorist outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba. The encounter started at 2 a.m. in Manihal.

"One more unidentified terrorist killed in Shopian encounter, total four terrorists affiliated with proscribed terror outfit LeT killed, incriminating materials including arms and ammunition recovered. Search going on,"

police said.

Army said the joint operation is in progress and the weapons recovered include one AK rifle and three pistols.

The gunfight started after security forces cordoned off the area where the militants were said to be hiding and launched a search operation on the basis of a specific information.

As the security forces zeroed in on the terror hideout they came under a heavy volume of fire that triggered the encounter.

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April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

Himachal tribal women impose ban on gambling

NEWS FROM INDIA

BJP selling endangered animals, strategic assets to its friends: Priyanka

the youth. To check it, we have unanimously decided to impose ban on gambling across the Kaza panchayat. A fine of Rs 40,000 would be imposes in case of violation," she said.

According to her, snooker betting was also a serious issue here.

BY VISHAL GULATI Shimla, March 26 (IANS): Tribal women of Himachal Pradesh are dead against gambling and snooker and will take all necessary steps to curb any menace.

The Mahila Gram Sabha has decided to impose a fine of Rs 40,000, if anyone is caught gambling, within the area of the Kaza panchayat in the Spiti Valley, some 320 km from the state capital Shimla. Even playing cards has been prohibited.

Also, it has imposed a ban on playing of snooker by teenagers.

For snooker, it has fixed timings from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Mahila Gram Sabha head Sonam Dolma told IANS over phone that playing of cards and gambling by the men has been a serious problem across Spiti, especially in winter when they are free from agriculture and related works.

"The gambling became more than a social activity with its addiction on the rise among

"We have decided to impose a ban on playing snooker by teenagers as they often indulged in brawls too. To check this menace, we restrict its timings from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. earlier, people were playing snooker till midnight," she said.

"We will do surprise checking. If any teenager is found violating, we will impose a fine of Rs 5, 000," a futuristic Dolma added.

To check household waste that is often dumped in open spaces, water bodies, drains, and burnt or buried, the Mahila Gram Sabha has made a provision of a fine of Rs 1,000 on violators.

Will hear manual scavenging issue even if all states don't respond: SC New Delhi, March 27 (IANS): The Supreme Court on Monday said it cannot compel state governments to file their response on the issue of manual scavenging, but can still proceed with the hearing in the matter.

Advocate Ashima Mandla, representing NGO Criminal Justice Society of India, headed by senior advocate K.T.S. Tulsi, submitted before the bench that one manual scavenger dies every five days and this matter had also come up in the Rajya Sabha.

She added that notice was issued in the matter on February last year, and there were more than 40 respondents, but only 13 have submitted their counter-affidavits in the matter.

In February 2019, the apex court had asked Chief Secretaries of all states and Union Territories to submit status report on the number of manual scavengers employed directly or indirectly since 1993, when the practice was declared illegal.

A bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde and comprising Justices A.S. Bopanna and V. Ramasubramanian said: "We cannot compel people to file counter affidavit."

The bench, however, added that the court will proceed and draw adverse inference against those who have not submitted their response.

"Put up the matter for hearing in the third week of August, 2021,"

the top court said in its order.

The top court had noted the issues with manual scavenging was "serious" and asked all the states and the UTs to file their response within four weeks.

Advocate Fuzail Ahmad Ayyubi filed the plea for the NGO seeking the number of manual scavengers who have died since 1993.

The plea had sought direction to all the states, UTs and the Indian Railways to investigate the death of manual scavengers and initiate criminal proceedings under IPC's Section 304 (punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder) against authorities concerned or contractors in connection with the employment of manual scavengers.

Guwahati, March 27 (IANS): Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra claimed on Monday that the BJP governments in Assam and at the Centre have been selling endangered animals and strategic assets to their close friends for which the saffron party must be voted out of power in the coming Assembly elections in the northeastern state.

Addressing three election rallies at Sarupathar, Kaliabor and Nagaon in central Assam, Priyanka said the BJP has been selling a range of things, from black panthers to ONGC, airports and other public assets, to the friends of party leaders for their benefit, forgetting the interests of the people and the nation.

Last month, the opposition Congress in Assam had strongly condemned the transfer of two black panthers from the state zoo to a private zoo in Gujarat.

The Congress General Secretary said that her party has been opposing the Citizenship

New Delhi, March 27 (IANS): The Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill, 2021 was passed in the Lok Sabha on Monday.

In reply to a debate, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs, AG Kishan Reddy said, "No murder of democracy is taking place with the amendments in Government of National Capital

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"This amendment only seeks to remove ambiguities in governance and is in line with court judgments and it will enhance accountability," Reddy said.

Participating in the debate, Congress's Manish Tewari said, "The problem with the BJP is that their stand changes on the side they are seated in Parliament."

Tewari pointed out that former Home Minister L.K. Advani

After the passing of the bill, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted, "Passage of GNCTD amendment Bill in Lok Sabha today is an insult to the people of Delhi. The Bill effectively takes away powers from those who were voted by people and gives powers to run Delhi to those who were defeated.

BJP has cheated the people."

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Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had released the party's manifesto for poll-bound Assam on Saturday, in which the mnain promises include restarting the process of National Register of Citizens (NRC), repealing the CAA, Rs 365 daily wage to tea garden workers, 5 lakh jobs in five years, Rs 2,000 per month to housewives and 200 units free electricity per household.

Elaborating on the party manifesto, Priyanka alleged that the BJP government has cheated lakhs of poor tea garden workers despite promising to increase the daily wages of 10 lakh tea estate workers to Rs 350 a day.

their bail bonds and personal bonds would be discharged only after the appropriate action by the Central government.

In the order, the judge said that there was no prima-facie evidence against them to make them face trial.

The court passed the order on the discharge application moved by the accused foreigners.

had talked about granting full statehood of Delhi except areas falling under New Delhi.

Aam Aadmi Party MP, Bhagwant Mann said that the union government is encroaching upon the powers of an elected state government and thanked the parties who opposed the Bill.

"The BJP leaders, while campaigning in West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Assam, are making contradictory statements about the implementation of CAA," she claimed.

9 Thai Tablighi Jamaatis discharged by court

LS passes Government of the National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Bill Territory of Delhi (Amendment) bill. No right has been taken away from the Delhi government neither any new right has been given to the Lieutenant Governor."

(Amendment) Act (CAA) across the country as it would split the society and create unrest in the country.

Lucknow, March 26 (IANS): A Lucknow court has discharged nine foreigners belonging to the Tablighi Jamaat from the cases lodged against them during the Covid outbreak in the country.

She also clarified that the accused foreigners would be entitled to their passports and mobile phones only after the conclusion of proceedings pending before the Central government.

The nine had been booked for allegedly committing various offences and breaching provisions of the Foreigners Act and Epidemic Act last year.

The discharged foreigners have been identified as Mohammad Madali, Hasan Pancho, Sithipanglimsiripat, Suraskalamulsak, Arsen Thomya, Romlikole, Abdullah Maming, Abdul Basir Idorothai and Apdunbahav Vimuteekaan.

Chief Judicial Magistrate Sushil Kumari, while discharging the nine, however, stipulated that

All the accused, who belong to Thailand, had earlier been granted bail.

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INDIA NEWS

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April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

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WHAT’S ON

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April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

INDIA NEWS

NEWS FROM INDIA

Over 500 drones to measure India's rural assets, end property dispute woes Shillong to Somnath, would be deployed by the Survey of India (SOI).

"A hi-tech drone takes around 15 minutes to map an average Indian village. We expect that by March 2024, the 'drone flying' in the country would be complete," said Sunil Kumar, the Union Secretary for the Panchayati Raj Ministry, the nodal agency for implementing the massive land survey scheme.

New Delhi, March 27 (IANS): In one of the biggest aerial surveys, over 500 high resolution drones would be deployed soon to map nearly 6 lakh villages in the country to validate the residential properties of more than 83 crore Indians.

Almost all Indian states, except Telangana, have consented to map the entire rural properties in their respective jurisdiction.

The survey, once completed, would enable a large population of India to validate their rural residential property and use it as a financial asset.

"Once the survey would be complete, every owner would be given a property card. This card will enable countrymen to use their residential property as a financial asset... They can further be entitled to seek loans from banks," Sunil Kumar, also an IAS officer of the UP Cadre, noted.

A big force of drone pilots on the ground to measure the rural land in India stretching from Kanyakumari to Kashmir and

The mega scheme, promoted by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, enables people in rural areas to unlock their rural assets.

A pilot project of the drone survey has been hitherto successful as more than 40,000 villages have been covered.

The country now gears for the full and final survey to map the rural assets of people.

Sources said that in Uttar Pradesh, hundreds of people have got their property cards during the pilot project. In some villages, farmers who got the validation of their houses also sought loans from the banks.

Last year, Modi had launched the pilot project for the drone survey which then covered only six states; Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Maharashtra.

Later, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh also joined hands with the Centre and consented to go for the land survey, being conducted by Survey of India.

Sources said that during one of the meeting of the group of Ministers in late 2019, the idea of land survey of rural properties

was picked up by Modi.

"The Prime Minister realised that by validation of property, the survey would benefit over 68 parent of population living in rural India. He quickly gave the go ahead. In fact, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, who also looks after Panchayti Raj Ministry, has been in touch with a team from Maharashtra which had earlier suggested the benefits of validation of rural property," the sources said.

The government which started the pilot project in April 2020, named it as "Swamitva Scheme".

"Now from the pilot project, the scheme would benefit the entire population," sources in the government added one of the key benefits of the scheme is to end disputes over measurement and ownership of rural residential property.

In fact in most cases, rural residential property has not been validated as it's not taxed, though agriculture land is well documented. The residential

survey of villages will also help the state governments to create accurate land record for a better rural planning.

According to a mid-level officer of the Panchayti Raj Ministry, at present 162 drones, mostly imported from Germany, have been been deployed to conduct the land survey.

The hi-tech drones have an accuracy of around 5 cm, a condition required to measure land.

Efforts are on to encourage Indian companies to manufacture such drones.

For every drone, almost two technicians are required to conduct the aerial survey properly.

"Once an accurate survey is completed, postal delivery of goods through e-commerce can begin in rural areas too," said the officer.

During the current financial year, government has provided rs 566 crore to expedite the mega land survey project in India.

US Consulate, Andhra University to set up American corner committed to providing young people, especially women from underserved communities, with educational and economic opportunities.

With the new American Corner and its programmes, the Consulate aims to improve communication and leadership skills among the local youth.

"The American Corner programming will focus on English language learning, STEM education, women's empowerment, American culture, and US higher education," noted Reifman.

Visakhapatnam, March 26 (IANS): The US Consulate in Hyderabad and the Andhra University on Tuesday signed an agreement to establish an American Corner on the varsity campus in Vizag.

"We hope that this will be a fun and energetic meeting place where our two cultures and countries can blend together, and where we will welcome youth and people from underserved communities to learn more about the US," said Joel Reifman, Consul General, US Consulate, and Hyderabad.

Opening in the summer of 2021, the American Corner will provide a plethora of educational and cultural programmes to the people of Andhra Pradesh,

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especially the youth and students.

The education and cultural centre will also provide access to materials and conversations on American life and culture.

"It is intended to be the first place to visit for accurate and up-todate information about political, economic, cultural, educational and social trends in the US," said a consulate official.

The American Corner will also serve as a space for dynamic conversations on a wide range of topics and interests for the local community.

According to the consulate officials, the US and Indian governments share many top priorities, including being

The Consul General, Andhra Pradesh Education Minister Adimulapu Suresh and Andhra University Vice Chancellor Prasad Reddy were present in the event in which Reifman and Reddy virtually signed the agreement.

"This will act as an academic and cultural space that will organise programmes to help our students, young people, and realize the vision of our Chief Minister. The American Corner will contribute to strengthening the relationship between Andhra Pradesh and the US," said Suresh.

Incidentally, the Vizag American Corner will be the third one in India and the second one belonging to the Hyderabad consular district, which covers Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Odisha.

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April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

HOLI SPECIAL

PRIME MINISTER

THE HON ALEX HAWKE MP

MINISTER FOR IMMIGRATION, CITIZENSHIP, MIGRANT SERVICES AND MULTICULTURAL AFFAIRS

MESSAGE FROM THE PRIME MINISTER HOLI 2021

MESSAGE FOR HOLI

Namaste to all my Indian Australian friends as you celebrate the Festival of Colours.

Holi is a story with ancient origins –– a timeless festival that draws Indian families and communities together around the world.

I send my warmest wishes to everyone celebrating Holi, the Festival of Colours.

Last year, the colour, life and enthusiasm of Holi was overshadowed by the pandemic – and celebrations were curtailed.

As one of the most vibrant and vivid cultural celebrations on the Australian calendar, Holi brings people from around the world together. Its message of renewal, harmony, equality and the triumph of good over evil is particularly important at this time.

While the pandemic will still shape much of what we do, this year we can lift our eyes and look to the future with confidence.

As we emerge from a year of challenges, may we look to the new season with optimism and as an opportunity for growth and renewal.

After a year of heroic sacrifice, we can be proud of how our country and our recovery is tracking.

Australia is home to over 700,000 people of Indian ancestry, and I commend you for bringing this festival to life for the wider Australian community. It is a valuable addition to our nation’s rich cultural traditions.

Our Indian Australian community is a community that has given so much to our country.

Australia and India share a deep bond – not just economically and strategically – but in the very real and warm friendship between our peoples.

It’s that unity that gives all of us the strength to prevail against the most difficult of times.

So in that spirit of unity and strength, I wish you all a very happy and joyous Holi.

Holi Ki Shubh Kaamnayen!

As a community, you have significantly contributed to the development of modern Australia.

Your support for all Australians at times of need, from the devastating bushfires to the COVID-19 pandemic, has shown the community to embody the values that bind all Australians together.

May your Holi celebrations be filled with colour and joy, and I wish you good health, happiness and prosperity.

Yours sincerely

ALEX HAWKE

The Hon Scott Morrison MP Prime Minister of Australia March 2021

Happy

Holi

Team INDIA NEWS Wishes Everyone a Joyous, Happy and Colorful Holi.

Stay Safe And Well

Best wishes for a happy and colourful Holi

Paul Scarr Senator for Queensland

Scott Morrison Prime Minister

Alex Hawke Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs Member for Mitchell

Amanda Stoker Senator for Queensland

Authorised by A.Hirst, Liberal Party of Australia, Cnr Blackall and Macquarie Sts, Barton ACT 2600.

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April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

INDIA NEWS

HOLI SPECIAL

HOLI! The happiest and colorful for all many parts of South Asia, as well as people of other communities outside Asia. In addition to India and Nepal, the festival is celebrated by Indian subcontinent diaspora in countries such as Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, South Africa, Mauritius, Fiji, Malaysia, the United Kingdom, the United States, the Netherlands, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. In recent years, the festival has spread to parts of Europe and North America as a spring celebration of love, frolic, and colours.

L

ast year, Holi was the last normal festival for Indians around the world. And being a festival which involves lots of energy and participation this year with the advent of the second wave that charm was limited to indoors. The fun was still witnessed around the world, in India and in Australia too.

Gatherings were restricted in major parts, yet who can stop friends and family from meeting.

History of Holi Holi is a popular ancient Hindu festival, also known as the "Festival of Love", the "Festival of Colours", and the "Festival of Spring". The festival celebrates the eternal and divine love of Radha and Krishna. It also signifies the triumph of good over evil, as it celebrates the victory of Lord Vishnu as Narasimha Narayana over Hiranyakashipu. It originated and is predominantly celebrated in Nepal & India but has also spread to other regions

of Asia and parts of the Western world through the diaspora from the Indian subcontinent.

Holi celebrates the arrival of spring, the end of winter, the blossoming of love and for many, it is a festive day to meet others, play and laugh, forget and forgive, and repair broken relationships.

The festival also celebrates the beginning of a good spring harvest season. It lasts for a night and a day, starting on the evening of the Purnima (Full Moon Day) falling in the Hindu calendar month of Phalguna, which falls around middle of March in the Gregorian calendar. The first evening is known as Holika Dahan (burning of Demon Holika) or Chhoti Holi and the following day as Holi, Rangwali Holi, Dol Purnima, Dhuleti, Dhulandi, Ukuli, Manjal Kuli, Yaosang, Shigmo or Phagwah.

Holi is an ancient Hindu religious festival that has become popular among non-Hindus as well in

Holi celebrations start on the night before Holi with a Holika Dahan where people gather, perform religious rituals in front of the bonfire, and pray that their internal evil be destroyed the way Holika, the sister of the demon king Hiranyakashipu, was killed in the fire. The next morning is celebrated as Rangwali Holi (Dhuleti) – a free-for-all festival of colours, where people smear each other with colours and drench each other. Water guns and water-filled balloons are also used to play and colour each other. Anyone and everyone is fair game, friend or stranger, rich or poor, man or woman, children, and elders. The frolic and fight with colours occurs in the open streets, parks, outside temples and buildings. Groups carry drums and other musical instruments, go from place to place, sing and dance. People visit family, friends and foes come together to throw coloured powders on each other, laugh and gossip, then share Holi delicacies, food and drinks. In the evening, people dress up and visit friends and family.

Exuberant Holi celebrations across Australia even as PM Morrison extends greetings to PM Modi The Indian festival of colours, Holi which fell on 29th March this year is being celebrated across different venues in Australia with festivities commencing on 26th March and more celebrations are on the cards till the first week of April.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison extended his heartfelt wishes to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Indian diaspora in Australia on the delightful

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occasion of Holi. In his video message on his Twitter account he also praised India for doing a tremendous job as part of the Quad and in making vaccines which are playing a vital role in combating the health crisis. He ended the video saying ‘Holi ki shubhkamnaye’ which means “Best wishes and greetings on the occasion of Holi”. In a special message to the Indian community in Australia, he wrote, “Holi is a story with ancient origins- a timeless festival that draws Indian families and communities together around the world.”

According to the Hindu calendar, on the full-moon day of Phalgun month, Holika Dahan is celebrated and the following day people play Holi with colours.

Holi is celebrated all across India with reasons varying from place to place. Although what is common in Holi is that it marks the beginning of spring in India and signifies the triumph of good over evil.

PM Morrison’s buoyant wishes for Holi this year and a hope for a healthy future were echoed by the Indian community members across Australia as they congregated in plethora of venues to play with colours and enlivened the spirit of Holi which commemorates the idea of bolstering solidarity and amicability as well as brings forth the victory of virtues over vices.

Gold Coast festival of colours Holi The Great lawn in Broadwater Parklands, Gold Coast served as the venue for one of the biggest Holi celebrations in Australia on March 28, 2021 from 9.00 am to 3.00 pm. Apart from getting covered and splashed with colours, the visitors were also entertained by various cultural programmes. The event was also a gastronomic delight as the food stalls at the venue not only offered iced tea and ice creams but also several savoury Indian dishes and intercontinental cuisines.

Knox Holika Dahan and Hindu food festival 2021

held from 4.00 pm to 7.30 pm at Shree Swaminarayan Temple Melbourne in Dinsdale Ward, Knox. Councillor for Dinsdale Ward, Sorina Grasso also joined the celebrations where she was welcomed with open arms and given an introduction to the temple. She also enjoyed some of the delicacies on offer.

Melbourne Holi Festival 2021 Birrarung Marr playground in Melbourne was the ideal venue for fun, frolic and dancing that is inextricably linked with Holi festivities. The event was a twoday affair lasting from March 27 to March 28. The wonderful sight of the sea of humanity swathed in vibrant hues swaying to Bollywood chartbusters was worth beholding thus dispelling the gloom which had for so long descended over Australia due to the terror unleashed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Point Cook Bolly Holi Picnic park, Point Cook in Victoria also saw many enthusiastic community members gathering together to play the festival of colours this year from 11.00 am to 8.30 pm. The lineup of programs included a rangoli competition from 11.00 am to 1.00 pm; Holi DJ dance party from 12.30 pm to 3.00 pm- the most awaited event of the day, followed by cultural performances and Bolly Dance workshop from 3.30 pm to 5.00 pm and, ending with the airing of the hit Bollywood movie - 3 Idiots from 5.30 pm onwards.

Balam Pichkari Neon Holi Cruise party The Balam Pichkari Neon Holi Cruise party which was held on March 26 was a one of its kind neon colours and glow light themed party on board a luxury cruise with two decks and rooftop. The boarding commenced at 8.00 pm from King Street wharf with the party lasting for well over four hours. The event featured DJs with Bollywood and retro music; a night cruise and an evening to be the part of the most hyped party of Sydney.

The Cultural Diversity Week which was being celebrated in Knox culminated with the Holika Dahan and Hindu food festival on March 28, 2021 which was

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INDIA NEWS

Australians warned against persistent floods

NEWS FROM AUSTRALIA

Aus under pressure to establish suicide inquiry for veterans

an evacuation warning applied to residents along the river.

BoM hydrologist Victoria Dodds said that there were flood warnings and flood watches in force from the northern border with Queensland "all the way down the east coast to Victoria" with a "developing flood situation in inland New South Wales.

Dodds said that colleagues in Sydney who have been forecasting for over 20 years "have never seen anything like it".

Sydney, March 25 (IANS): Meteorologists on Tuesday warned residents of Australia's eastern coast that the threat of flooding persists in many areas after days of torrential rain, despite a slight improvement in weather conditions in parts of New South Wales (NSW) state.

Australia's Bueau of Meteorology (BoM) said "blue skies and sunshine" were expected across Sydney and the Mid North Coast on Tuesday afternoon but flooding dangers remained, reports dpa news agency.

With some 18,000 people in NSW already evacuated, another 15,000 residents were on high alert on Tuesday as two "catastrophic" weather fronts roll across large swathes of the state, state Premier Gladys Berejiklian said in

a press conference.

In remarks to the state Parliament, Berejiklian spoke of "a weather incident beyond anything we could have comprehended".

Communities north-west of Sydney were ordered to evacuate amid the unrelenting rain as a massive amount of water flowed into catchments, causing rivers to break their banks.

Major flooding was occurring along the Colo River in the Hawkesbury River region. The NSW State Emergency Service ordered about 500 people in 200 homes in the area to start evacuating on Tuesday morning.

A flood peak similar was expected along the Colo River in the course of Tuesday, the NSW State Emergency Service (SES) said, and

She added that there was still a very real risk of continued flooding and other dangers associated with damaging winds, hazardous surf conditions and coastal erosion.

The highest rainfall total recorded for the current flood event, 1,083 mm was at Mount Seaview, just west of Port Macquarie on the NSW coast north of Sydney, the BoM's Agata Imielska said in the press conference.

The flooding seen in the state in recent days is the worst in decades.

Communities on the MidNorth Coast were facing the worst flooding since 1929, while Newcastle, some 140 km north of Sydney, and the Nepean Valley west of the city are experiencing the worst flooding in some 50 years.

Canberra, March 26 (IANS): The Australian government is under mounting pressure to establish a royal commission into veterans' suicide.

many as six government MPs have told the Prime Minister they will vote in favour of the royal commission, which would mean it has the support to be passed.

The lower house of Parliament, the House of Representatives, is set to vote on the proposed inquiry within days after the Senate unanimously votes in favour of a motion calling for a royal commission, reports Xinhua news agency.

And the motion noted that members of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) are half as likely as the general population to take their own lives before serving but twice as likely once they leave.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has pushed to establish a national commissioner for defence and veteran suicide prevention, legislation for which is stalled in the Senate.

The Sydney Morning Herald (SMH) reported recently that as

Heston Russell, a former Special Air Service (SAS) major and proponent of the inquiry, said that the royal commission had become a "symbol of hope" for veterans.

However, Finance Minister Simon Birmingham said the government would continue to push for the commissioner.

Aus unemployment lowest in 11 months Snakes, spiders swarm Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that the figures were a "great credit" to the resilience of Australians.

"It has been an extraordinary year in Australia's fightback in dealing with the Covid-19 pandemic," he said in Canberra.

"In less than 12 months from when the recession began, caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, there are now more jobs in the Australian economy than there were before the pandemic."

Female full-time employment was 1.8 per cent higher than in March 2020 while for males it was 0.8 per cent lower.

Youth unemployment fell by 1.1 per cent between January and February but remained 0.5 per cent higher than 12 months earlier.

Canberra, March 28 (IANS): Data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Thursday showed that the country's unemployment rate fell to its lowest level since restrictions were introduced 11 months earlier to prevent the spread of Covid-19.

The ABS data showed that unemployment was 5.8 per cent in February, down from 6.3 per cent

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in January, reports Xinhua news agency.

It is the lowest figure in the past 11 months when much of the country was shut down in response to the coronavirus pandemic.

The total number of employed Australians rose past 13 million and was only 1,800 lower than pre-pandemic levels.

The underemployment rate, which measures people who are employed but want more hours, rose from 8.1 to 8.5 per cent.

However, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said that the road ahead could still be bumpy.

"We know that JobKeeper is coming off at the end of March," he said. "It will be challenging and the economy will continue to go through the transition."

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to escape Aus floods Sydney, March 26 (IANS): As Australians endured widespread flooding in the country's east on Tuesday, snakes and spiders were also being forced from their dwellings to escape the rising waters.

Perhaps most unnervingly were reports of the swarms of spiders, seeking refuge on raised trees, fences and in homes across the Mid North Coast of New South Wales (NSW) state, reports Xinhua news agency.

Social media posts showed swarms of thousands of spiders fleeing flood waters which had forced them from their usual hiding places.

Professional snake catcher Stuart Johnson from Reptile Solutions in Port Macquarie, told Xinhua that the dramatic rise in water levels had likely prompted all sorts of wildlife out of hiding.

"I've had a few calls for snakes that have found their way up on verandas and into sheds and things like that in properties that have been affected just sort of seeking refuge," Johnson said.

Australia's mid-north coast has just over 20 species of snakes, many of which are venomous

including the notorious brown snake and red-bellied black snake.

However a good number of the snakes seen during the floods posed no risk to humans and were simply looking to curl up out of sight and wait for conditions to improve.

Despite being trained and equipped to handle snakes, Johnson said that with floodwaters blocking roads and cutting off properties he had been forced to consult remotely based on photos of the reptiles.

In most cases his advice is to steer clear of the snake, block its access to the rest of the property, and wait for it to move on.

Johnson warned that when residents begin the job of cleaning up and shifting debris, they may encounter snakes and other wildlife either trapped or seeking refuge within.

"In these unique situations those animals are quite likely to be distressed, injured and that can potentially increase the chances of them acting defensively where a bite or a sting can occur," Johnson said.

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INDIA NEWS

Aus announces more funding for covid fight spending on the health response to the pandemic to more than A$23 billion, including about A$6 billion on the vaccine rollout.

Canberra, March 24 (IANS): Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Sunday announced additional funding to extend the Covid-19 health response until at least the end of 2021.

Morrison said that the A$1.1 billion in funding would protect Australians from the "ongoing threat of the pandemic", reports Xinhua news agency It takes the total government

"We are moving into the sort of post-emergency phase, particularly economically from the end of this month, which is the same time that the Covid-19 response with the vaccination program ramps up to a whole new level," Morrison told reporters after receiving his second dose of the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine.

As of Saturday more than 160,000 vaccines had been administered in Australia.

Morrison and Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Paul Kelly were among the first Australians to receive their second dose.

It came as authorities in New South Wales (NSW) state confirmed that a hotel quarantine

worker who had been vaccinated tested positive for virus.

Morrison said he was not "disturbed" by the news.

"The vaccination isn't immediate.

I've just had my second dose and the second after I had my first dose. It does take a while," he said.

"And so once you're vaccinated, you still have to try and observe, as you should, the Covid-Safe behaviours. I'm wearing a mask today, I've had two vaccines."

Anthony Albanese, the leader of the opposition Labor Party, on Sunday criticised the vaccine rollout, saying that the government's previous goal of vaccinating 4 million people by the end of March had fallen by the wayside.

"We are way way short," he told Sky News Australia.

Two Australians detained in Myanmar: Report Sydney, March 27 (IANS): Two Australian business consultants have been detained in Myanmar while trying to leave the country which is gripped by unrest following the February 1 military coup, a local media report said on Monday.

They are believed to be under house arrest after trying to leave the country on a relief flight on March 19, dpa news agency quoted the report published by Australian news wire AAP. The Sydney Morning Herald newspaper named the two men

as Matthew O'Kane and Christa Avery, a Canadian-Australian.

They run a business consulting firm for project development in the troubled South-East Asian nation.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade told AAP on Monday it was providing consular assistance but could not comment further.

According to AAP, their business consultancy firm has been working in South-east Asia for over 20 years, including seven years on the ground.

Myanmar's former de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi was dislodged by the military coup on February 1.

Since then, large swathes of Myanmar's population have turned out for regular protests demanding her release, as well as a return of the democraticallyelected government.

According to the Myanmar prisoners' aid organisation AAPP, 235 people have already been killed and some 2,330 at least temporarily detained in the country since the coup.

Aus spy agency to re-label Islamic extremism motivated violent extremism" and "ideologically motivated violent extremism", which more accurately describe what security agencies are seeing, reports dpa news agency.

Canberra, March 28 (IANS): Australia's domestic intelligence agency ASIO will ditch the expressions "Islamic extremism" and "right-wing extremism" to refer to violent threats as the labels are "no longer fit for purpose".

In his second annual threat assessment on Wednesday evening, ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess said the terms will be replaced with "religiously

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"These are umbrella terms, and there may be circumstances where we need to call out a specific threat that sits underneath them... But we believe this approach will more accurately and flexibly describe security-relevant activities," Burgess said as he delivered the assessment here.

The ASIO chief said that due to reduced physical mobility during the coronavirus pandemic, foreign spies and violent extremists have taken to the internet.

He revealed that a number of foreign spies and their proxies "in double figures" were either

removed from Australia or incapacitated over the past twelve months.

ASIO also investigated a "nest of spies" operating in the country which developed relationships with politicians, a foreign embassy, a state police service and successfully recruited "an Australian government security clearance holder who had access to sensitive details of defence technology", he said.

The government employee's security clearance was cancelled and the foreign spies were "quietly and professionally removed them from Australia", Burgess said.

He said that Australia's threat level remained set at "probable", as it was a year ago, which means ASIO has "credible intelligence that individuals and groups have the capability and intent to conduct terrorism onshore".

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NEWS FROM AUSTRALIA

Australian women protest against misogyny Canberra, March 25 (IANS): Thousands of Australian women gathered across the country on Monday to protest against misogyny in the federal Parliament.

Protesters participated in more than 40 rallies, calling for an end to "sexism, misogyny, dangerous workplace cultures and lack of equality" in politics and the community at large as part of the 'March4Justice', reports Xinhua news agency.

The movement, which organisers described as "the biggest uprising of women that Australia's seen," was established after former government adviser Brittany Higgins went public with allegations that she was raped in the Parliament House in 2019, and Attorney-General Christian Porter was accused of an earlier rape.

Addressing the rally in Canberra, Higgins said she was speaking out for the victims of sexual assault who could not.

"One out of every five women in Australia will be sexually assaulted or raped in their lifetime. If you are a woman of

colour, the statistics are even higher.

"I was raped inside Parliament House by a colleague and for so long it felt like the people around me did not care about what happened because of what it might mean for them.

"They were my social network, colleagues, and my family.

As suddenly they treated me differently. I was not a person who had just gone through a lot of changes, I was a political problem," she said.

Earlier on Monday, Janine Hendry, an organiser of the event, turned down an invitation from Prime Minister Scott Morrison and Foreign Minister Marise Payne to meet behind closed doors.

"We have already come to the front door. Now it's up to the government to cross the threshold and come to us. We will not be meeting behind closed doors," she said.

Morrison said on Sunday that he could not accept an open invite to all federal politicians to attend the Canberra event because he was busy.

Thousands evacuated in Aus due to major flooding event Canberra, March 25 (IANS): Tens of thousands of people have been evacuated as of Monday due to a major flooding event on Australia's east coast, with heavy rainfall across large parts of New South Wales (NSW) state expected to continue.

By Monday, roughly 15,000 people have been evacuated from properties in northern NSW, while closer to state capital Sydney, around 3,000 others were forced to leave their homes near the Nepean and Hawkesbury rivers, reports Xinhua news agency.

Across NSW, 38 regions have been designated as natural disaster areas, with state Premier Gladys Berejiklian warning that further evacuations were expected as sustained heavy rainfall continued.

"Some communities who were battered by the bushfires are now being battered by the floods, and a deep drought prior to that," Berejiklian said.

I don't know any time in our states' history when we've had these extreme weather conditions in such quick succession in the middle of a pandemic."

Some areas on the NSW midnorth coast have received over 1 meter of rain fall since March 19, with one data centre north of Sydney recording 249 mm in just 24 hours on Sunday.

"This is due to the combination of a slow moving coastal trough and

the approach of another system coming through from the west," Bureau of Meteorology NSW manager Jane Golding explained.

A severe weather warning was extended on Monday to include the south coast and western districts of NSW, on top of the central and mid-north coast.

"With the approach of this new system coming through today, we're expecting heavy rain to fall in areas that haven't seen as much rain over the last few days and we're expecting the flood risk to develop in those areas as well," Golding said.

National Flood Services Manager at the BoM Justin Robinson described the situation as the worst he had seen in 20 years as a flood forecaster.

"This is a statewide flood event.

We've got a flood-watch that covers all the way from the Queensland border down to the Victorian border, all of those coastal rivers," Robinson said.

"So we're expecting this rainfall in the coming days to cause flooding in those rivers, renewed flooding in many of those communities that have already been impacted by flooding over the last couple of days."

Immediate government financial assistance was made available to those directly affected by the disaster, in the form of a one-off payment of A$1,000 for adults and A$400 for children.

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April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

Two charged for $3mn counterfeit postage stamp under operation

Government extends relief for flood-affected business

24 March 2021: Detectives from Moreland Crime Investigation Unit have charged two men as part of an investigation into possession, supply, and distribution of alleged counterfeit postage stamps. The joint operation with Taskforce Icarus, identified an online seller who was allegedly supplying and distributing many counterfeit postage stamps across Australia.

On Wednesday 24 March, a search warrant was executed at a property on Lygon Street, Brunswick East. Detectives located many boxes allegedly containing the counterfeit

stamps, believed to be worth more than $3 million and arrested two men. A 22-year-old man and a 21-year-old man, both Pakistani Nationals, have been charged with: - Possession of counterfeit postage stamp (Commonwealth charge) - Selling and distribution of counterfeit postage stamp (Commonwealth charge) - Obtaining property by deception - 2 x deal with proceeds of crime, both men have been remanded to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court today.

Funding boost for Victoria’s multicultural media outlets 24 March 2021: Multicultural and multilingual community media organisations across the state will receive extra support to deliver their vital media services, thanks to the Andrews Labor Government’s Multicultural Media Stimulus Program. Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ros Spence today announced $1.6 million to support 48 multicultural media outlets as they recover from the impact the coronavirus pandemic had on their services.

These organisations have been critical in supporting Victoria’s multicultural communities over the past year – delivering up-todate, culturally, and linguistically appropriate health directions to all Victorians. Organisations receiving extra funding include Neos Kosmos, a popular national Greek community newspaper, which will be able to re-engage freelance contributors to broaden

their coverage, and G'day India – which will employ more staff to develop their existing website and better serve their readers.

The next round of grants under the Multicultural Media Stimulus Program are also now open, with multicultural media outlets encouraged to apply for grants of up to $50,000. Funding can be used to support operating and production costs, equipment, or training to ensure Victoria’s rich and diverse multicultural media sector can continue to grow. As the most multicultural state in Australia, Victoria has a long history of celebrating cultural, linguistic, and religious diversity. Victorians come from more than 200 countries, speak 260 languages, and follow 135 different faiths – and the Labor Government is ensuring this diversity is reflected in the media landscape.

Nominations for Multicultural Film Festival open

25 March 2021: Nominations are now open for this year’s Multicultural Film Festival, which showcases the stories, cultures and experiences of Victoria’s diverse multicultural community.

Minister for Multicultural Affairs Ros Spence and Victorian Multicultural Commission Chairperson Vivienne Nguyen today called for creative and original short films about cultural diversity and multiculturalism.

Film has a unique capacity to connect audiences to other points of view and can be made by, and be about, people from any cultural background. The Festival is run by the Victorian Multicultural Commission (VMC) and supports emerging

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filmmakers from diverse backgrounds. For the first time, the young film makers’ category will be broadened to include young film makers from Prep to Year 12. While primary students have been included before, the VMC is interested to see how secondary students interpret the meaning of cultural diversity and multiculturalism to connect with audiences. Winning films will be announced and screened at a presentation ceremony as part of the Multicultural Film Festival in August. The Festival would not be possible without the support of our partner, Swinburne University of Technology, or without the work of Department of Education and Training.

27 March 2021: The Morrison Government will extend the SME Recovery Loan Scheme to provide further support to flood-affected businesses. The SME Recovery Loan Scheme was designed to help businesses that were on Job Keeper during the March quarter by providing them with easier and more cost-effective access to finance, greater repayment flexibility, the ability to re-finance existing loans into the Scheme and to better management of their cash-flows through an extended loan term and lower combined repayments. From 1 April, businesses impacted by COVID-19 and the floods will

also be eligible to access the SME Recovery Loan Scheme. These flood-affected businesses will not be required to have been on Job Keeper during the March quarter to be eligible. Expansion of the Scheme will allow eligible flood-affected businesses with a turnover of less than $250 million to be able to access loans of up to $5 million over a term of up to 10 years and to also be offered up to 24-month repayment holidays. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said businesses will be able to rebuild quickly. “We want businesses and producers affected by floods to get back on their feet. Know that the Federal

NEWS FROM VICTORIA

Government is backing you,” the Prime Minister said. “This loan extension will allow businesses to have the security of capital to develop a tailored recovery plan that works for them.” “The Federal Government is committed in ensuring that small businesses get the support they need in the face of these devastating floods,” Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said. “The extension of this scheme will help businesses in the flood-affected areas get back on their feet.” The Minister for Agriculture, Drought and Emergency Management said the extension of the recovery loan scheme will be good news for businesses in rural and regional Australia. “Businesses in the bush were already hit by COVID and the associated restrictions,” Minister Littleproud said. “The floods might slow their recovery but not their determination.

“We will stand shoulder to shoulder with them.” The SME Recovery Loan Scheme is part of the Morrison Government’s commitment in supporting Australia’s economic recovery from COVID-19 and these devastating floods.

Victoria gets its first Indian Community Centre “The Indian community is the fastest-growing diaspora in Australia and their values of aspiration and hard work have helped to shape modern Australia.”

I

ndian communities across Victoria are set to benefit from a new Indian Community Centre opened by the Hon Alan Tudge MP in Rowville today.

The centre was partially funded by the Australian Government with $2.5 million in funding.

Federal Member for Aston Alan Tudge said that once final council approval is complete the two-storey building will be used as Victoria’s first Indian Community Centre, and include multiple assembly halls, a commercial kitchen, meeting and storage rooms, a carpark, an administration and reception area, offices for three Indian community peak bodies as well as a secure area for Museum India which showcases India’s rich history and heritage.

“This was an election commitment of the Morrison Government and I am so pleased to see it up and running,” Mr Tudge said.

“There are now over 200,000 people of Indian heritage in Victoria who call Australia home.”

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“This centre will be a meeting place, a place for learning, for charitable activity and for sharing the rich Indian culture.”

“I hope everyone in the community will access it and be enriched by it.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development Michael McCormack said the Australian Government’s $2.5 million investment in the Indian Community Centre would provide long term benefits to Victoria’s Indian communities and the local economy.

“In addition to Indian communities, this investment will produce long-term economic benefits to the region through generating increased foot traffic to local businesses,” the Deputy Prime Minister said.

“By supporting 2 jobs in construction and creating an expected 15 ongoing jobs after completion, in addition to using local businesses and supplies, this project will bring economic benefits to Knox for many years to come.”

Chair of the Australia India Community Charitable Trust Vasan Srinivasan said that he was truly excited for the community centre to officially opened.

“I wish to thank the Morrison Government and our Deputy Prime Minister, the Hon. Michael McCormack for the funding and approval of this project, along with Hon. Alan Tudge and Hon. Michael Sukkar for their support to see this project formalised and delivered,” Mr Srinivasan said.

“I am also excited to see the Community Centre become the new home of the Museum India, which will be named in memory of Dr Dinesh Parekh – the collector and curator or the museum’s collection.”

This Indian Community Centre is funded by Australian Government under the Community Development Grants Programme.

The Programme delivers projects identified by the Australian Government to support needed infrastructure that promotes stable, secure and viable local and regional economies.

Projects range from new sporting facilities, to upgrading community centres and smallscale infrastructure projects.

The Australian Indian Community Charitable Trust are providing the remaining $892,232 of funding towards the project.

Source URL: https:// indiandownunder.com. au/?p=16233

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April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

INDIA NEWS

NEWS FROM VICTORIA

AIBC conducts webinar on the outcomes of recent Quad summit

I

n the wake of the momentous March 12 Quad summit, which saw the leaders of Australia, India, Japan and United States coming together virtually, signaling a milestone in the strengthening bond between the four nations, the Australia India Business Council (AIBC) conducted a webinar on March 30 to debate the potential outcomes of the Quad summit in terms of the business and trade ties between India and Australia.

AIBC, which has been fostering bi-lateral trade relations between the two countries ever since its inception in 1986, has in the past also hosted such pivotal discussions to comprehend the profound implications of bilateral and multi-lateral meetings featuring India and Australia.

Among the panel of key speakers were Jim Varghese AM, National Chair AIBC; Dr. Ashutosh Misra, CEO and Executive Director , Institute for Australia India Engagement, Editor-in-Chief INDIA NEWS Australia; Dr. Nik Senapati, AIBC Queensland President; and Muthuraj Guruswamy, AIBC Queensland Committee Member.

Broadening outlook for stronger partnerships Introducing the panel of speakers, Dr. Nik Senapati invited Jim Varghese AM to open the discussions, who went on to praise the agility of AIBC in pushing ahead with the agenda of increasing the trade and investment opportunities.

Dr Ashutosh Misra

Sharing his reflections on the media analysis of the Quad, he stated that the re-emergence of the Quad in recent times is of strategic significance and it is apparent that the Quad is placing an emphasis on practical actions that the four countries in the Quad can take rather than narrowly defining itself as a bulwark against China’s expanding role in the economic, military and strategic presence.

With the Quad leaders focusing on a free and open Indo-Pacific region, Varghese stated that the ambition of such engagements is leveraging partnership to help the world’s most dynamic region respond to crisis. There is a growing need for closer cooperation specifically between India and Australia in matters such as supply of cheaper goods, countering cyber-attacks and telecommunication deployment.

The spirit of the Quad is to have an Indo-Pacific which is free, open, inclusive, healthy, anchored by democratic values and unconstrained by coercion.

However, the key challenges are the economic and health impacts of the Covid-19, climate change, cyber space critical technology, counter-terrorism and humanitarian assistance for disaster relief; and to address these issues, working groups are being formed.

Tracing the Quad’s evolution and Ind-Aus bilateral history Dr. Ashutosh Misra delineated the global context leading to

the Quad’s fruition and also focused on the bilateral relations between India and Australia.

The Quadrilateral comprising US, Japan, Australia and India transpired in 2007, but it was bogged down by certain differences between India and Australia. However, more recently there has been an upswing in bilateral relations in terms of defence, business and trade ties between US and India; India and Japan; and Australia and India.

Now, with US President Joe Biden hosting the 12 March inaugural Quad summit, the diplomatic ties among the four nations have reached a new high. It is notable that by keeping a broad agenda of Covid-19 strategy, vaccine production, climate change, supply chain resilience, critical and emerging technologies; and a free, open, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific, the Quad nations succeeded in downplaying the mutual “Anti-China” concerns and thus avoided disparaging China unnecessarily.

Dr. Misra also recapitulated the consistent progression of India and Australia relations which had begun to come into the limelight with the materializing of a strategic partnership in 2009 which was further elevated to a comprehensive strategic partnership with the signing

Jim Varghese AM

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AIBC Queensland President Dr. Nik Senapati

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of nine Memorandums of Understanding in the historic June 4, 2020 virtual summit amid the onslaught of the Covid-19 pandemic. Despite noticeable rise in volume of trade which made India Australia’s eighth largest trade partner which is still way below the potential. With the reports of both Peter Varghese and Ambassador Wadhwa recommending more profound involvement of India and Australia as trade partners, Dr. Misra hailed the two reports as the “Magna Carta” of bilateral trade and business ties. He also stated that although the initial context which played a crucial role in bringing India and Australia together were the two nations’ subjective acrimonies with China, both the countries have since then realized the broader advantages of closer ties.

Highlighting the likely opportunities for Australia and India, he remarked that as both nations are keen to expand business and trade relations in sync with new geopolitical realities, they are well-positioned for a leadership role. Moreover, both nations have immense opportunities in a wide array of fields including education, agriculture, energy, resources, tourism and healthcare to name a few. He also emphasized that the

role of AIBC, Indian diaspora and the larger community is vital to fortify the ties between the two countries.

This was followed by a question and answer session to follow up on the points highlighted. One of the participants queried about the role AIBC and other concerned groups can play in easing capital mobility and investment from Australia to India. Dr. Misra replied by saying that India’s economic strategy has changed substantially to facilitate greater foreign investment and Australia can thus look forward to more propitious business opportunities in India in the near future. He also said that AIBC and other organisations committed to promoting bilateral ties between the two nations must take concrete steps to enlighten the Australian businesses about the nature of the Indian market and other dynamics at play.

Muthuraj Guruswamy closed the curtain on the webinar by thanking all those who had made the webinar possible and the participants who joined the session as well as the panel of speakers who edified the deeper factors at play to gain a better insight into the impending developments in the Indo-Pacific.

AIBC Queensland Committee Member Muthuraj Guruswamy

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INDIA NEWS

Canberrans honoured in 2021 Gold Awards Canberra, March 24: A former ballet dancer, the tiler behind some of the city’s most iconic buildings and a woman who shares her birthday with Canberra are just some of the long-running citizens recognised by the 2021 Gold Chief Minister’s Awards. The annual awards recognise the unique contributions made by individuals and groups who have resided or operated in the ACT for 50 years or more. Since 2005, more than 4580 Gold Awards have been presented to individuals and groups who have contributed to our community.

Diana Sandeman: Diana was born and raised in South Africa, and lived in the UK and USA before arriving to Canberra in 1969.

Diana has held a variety of roles in the Canberra community – from owning The Opal Studio Gem Shop, to tutoring gemmology students, to performing in ballet productions. She was an inaugural member of the GOLD (Growing Old Disgracefully) dance company, who are celebrating their 10th anniversary this year.

She enjoys performing in a group, and promoting active, healthy, and positive ageing in our community.

Heiner and Rita Eckardt: Heiner came to Canberra from Germany in 1958 after completing his ceramic tiling apprenticeship.

He put his skills to good use in Canberra, starting his own tiling business which he operated until his retirement in 2010. One of Heiner’s first jobs was assisting several other tilers in putting the finishing touches on the Dome of the Hall of Remembrance at the Australian War Memorial.

He also tiled the High Court of

Australia, and Belconnen Mall, as well as many homes across Canberra. Rita came to Canberra with her parents in 1957 from the Netherlands. She worked at the ANU Cafeteria, and then managed books for her husband's business until their retirement in 2010. She now spends most of her days in her beloved garden, in the house she and Heiner have owned since 1967.

William Inveen: A home grown Canberran, William was born at the Royal Canberra Hospital in 1971. His father worked at the Parliament House (now Old Parliament House), and has fond memories of running the corridors as a young boy in the 1970s. He was a member of the inaugural Canberra Boys Choir, as well as the Canberra Youth Orchestra Society, performing for many Canberrans. William has worked across many science and environmental science educationbased roles in the ACT. Of special significance was his time at the historic Mugga Mugga Cottage, where he worked closely with one of its early inhabitants, Sylvia Curley, to ensure the property’s preservation as a historic place for the community.

Saskia Haalebos: Saskia was born on Canberra Day, 12 March, 50 years ago. She not only shares her birthday with Canberra, but with her beloved Nan, who was also born on Canberra Day. Saskia has fond memories of growing up and spending time with her Nan at Manuka Pool, the old Capitol Cinema, and the “Owl” Supermarket, as well as volunteering at the old Canberra Hospital, where her youth was comforting to the elderly patients they visited.

The Lions Club of Canberra Belconnen: The Lions Club of Canberra Belconnen was formed in 1970, celebrated their 50th Anniversary last year. Over these 50 years the club has raised thousands of dollars through Barbeque and Christmas cake sales, as well as the annual breakfast at the Balloon Spectacular. All the money has been donated to Local, National, and International charities. The club currently has 48 members, one of whom is a Charter Member, John Neil. John was with the club when it formed in 1970 and has been a member of Lions since then.

Table Tennis Association: Although the ACT Table Tennis Association was established in 1946, it has a documented history dating back to club matches in 1925. The club has members having over 50 years of Club Membership, including Arthur Wilkes, who has also authored a book on Table Tennis in the region. With a new building, the sport is continuing to grow in popularity across the ACT. Red Cross ACT Meals on Wheels: For 52 years, the Red Cross ACT Meals on Wheels team have provided healthy, easy to prepare food to the aged and vulnerable people of the community. Many Volunteers look forward to their deliveries which act as an opportunity to check in with the recipients, catch up on their worries and celebrations, and ensure they are accessing all the services they need to live their life comfortably. Meals on Wheels not only supports their customers, but the hundreds of volunteers who have dedicated their time to such a worthy cause.

Twelve months into COVID-19 Canberra, March 11: Twelve months ago the ACT recorded its first COVID-19 case. Since that time, like the rest of the country and the world, city has undergone a period of immense change. However, Canberra’s community spirit, resilience and determination, generosity and ingenuity have never been more evident. Organisations small and large, local businesses, school communities and families across this city have all demonstrated that the ACT is courageous, adaptable, and able to tackle any challenge thrown in the way.

Have seen a dramatic rise in the use of technology. Adjusted to life working from home, or staying at home and keeping in touch with loved ones, have embraced the many benefits of modern technology. New babies were introduced via FaceTime,

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grandparents’ birthdays were celebrated on Zoom, and friendships were nurtured on WhatsApp. As all stayed home and stayed safe, and used technology more than ever before to stay connected.

COVID-19 has also strengthened the sense of community. Whether it was checking in on neighbours, dropping off care packages, or offering to do groceries – Canberrans rallied around those who needed social connection or assistance. Embraced the great outdoors. Whether its trips to Tidbinbilla, adventures through the Arboretum or more time spent at lakes and local parks, keeping it local has meant Canberrans have had an opportunity to holiday at home, rediscovering the very best the city has to offer.

Have now reached on a first name basis with the local delivery driver. If a workday at home has been frequently punctuated by a smart rap on the door, definitely not alone. Meals, groceries, medications and parcel deliveries have all skyrocketed, as we’ve embraced steering clear of shops and supermarkets to stay safe.

And in the midst of so much change, news from Canberrans who hope some of the changes stick around for the long haul.

Initiatives like booking a spot at Canberra’s public pools, reduced capacity at sporting and event venues, and hygiene stations all around town, are all examples of COVID-Safe initiatives Canberrans are enjoying.

Every Canberran has had to make sacrifices over the last year in order to keep the community safe.

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NEWS FROM THE ACT

Sonam Choden named ACT Woman of the Year

where English was not her first language, Sonam has been working at Calvary for four years.

Sonam also supports her husband and two teenage children as they study on student visas.

Canberra, March 19: Sonam Choden has been named as the 2021 ACT Woman of the Year for her work at Calvary Public Hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. Sonam is an incredible woman who has brought awareness to women who have been disproportionately affected

by COVID-19 and advanced gender equality and respect for migrant women in her workplace.

Since migrating from Bhutan,

Dhani Gilbert was named the 2021 ACT Young Woman of the Year and Liz Stephens was named the 2021 ACT Senior Woman of the Year. Dhani is a proud Wiradjuri woman who is focused on achieving just and sustainable outcomes for Country, community, and young people. Dhani is an exceptional community activator and advocate, she contributes to improving the lives of women and girls in the ACT through her active contributions towards the Canberran Community.

Liz has made an outstanding contribution in improving the lives of queer women through her organisation and coordination of events and bringing together the community through her work at Diversity ACT. Liz is a positive, tireless community volunteer who has brought women together to connect and make lifelong friends.

Streamlining new born registrations Canberra, March 17: The ACT Government is taking part in a pilot program to make it easier for parents to enrol and register their new born. Working with the Australian Government, the program will take trials of a streamlined process where parents will only need to provide their baby’s details once through a digital system to register their new baby for multiple government services. Every year

there are around 6,000 births in the ACT. Currently new parents need to fill three separate forms and have several interactions with different governments to get their child registered. The program will help parents focus on the important things like taking care of their baby, and bonding with their baby. The Birth of a Child Pilot Program is a joint initiative by the ACT, Queensland and Australian Government.

Canberra, March 28: Canberrans who contributed to the territory’s public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic have jointly received the 2021 Canberra Citizen of the Year award. One year in to the COVID-19 public health emergency, this honour recognises the contribution of hundreds of Canberrans.

Representatives of Canberra’s Public Health Sector were awarded at a ceremony, in recognition of their sustained commitment and exceptional work to keep the economy running and community healthy.

ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the award was fitting given this week marked the one year anniversary of the public health emergency being declared in the ACT.

our community during the pandemic,” the Chief Minister said. “This award recognises the Canberrans on the frontline to this response – the nurses in testing centres, and now pathology labs, who have conducted more than 100,000 tests; the nurses and health professionals who have supported people in quarantine or who have become ill during COVID-19; our COVID-19 compliance teams, who have conducted visits to businesses to stay open to provide services to our community and do so in a safe way; our doctors and health professionals; and teams behind digital innovations such as the Check-in CBR app.

2021 Canberra Citizens of the Year awarded

“Our city’s highest honour recognises the sustained commitment and exceptional work from this enormous group of people who have protected

The Chief Minister acknowledged ACT Chief Health Officer Kerryn Coleman as being at the forefront of this team effort. Dr Coleman said it was “an incredible privilege” to accept the award on behalf of the team.

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April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

Disaster assistance extended to more floodimpacted communities in Southern Queensland continue to be supported in their clean-up and reconstruction efforts following the sustained rainfall and dangerous flash flooding of the past few days.

Brisbane, 25 March: Disaster assistance has been extended to the local government areas of Goondiwindi, Lockyer Valley, Quilpie and Southern Downs following the heavy rainfall and flash flooding that drenched Southern Queensland this week.

Assistance is being provided through the jointly funded Commonwealth-State Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA).

Minister for Emergency Management David Littleproud said communities across Southern Queensland would

"As the flood waters recede and councils start to assess the damage left behind, both the State and Federal governments are working to ensure financial assistance is available to communities to support their clean-up operations," Minister Littleproud said.

“This assistance will fund the work needed to repair essential public infrastructure, such as roads and bridges, across the four local government areas, assisting these communities to recover as quickly as possible.”

Queensland Minister for Fire and Emergency Services Mark Ryan said that the rain and flooding had caused widespread disruption across Southern Queensland, cutting power and blocking access to hundreds of properties.

“We’re seeing reports of damage to floodways, as well as roads that

were scoured by the fast-flowing water,” Minister Ryan said.

“Not only will this funding help rebuild those assets, it will also cover costs associated with the many SES crews that were out helping the community during the worst of the rain and flooding.

“The Commonwealth and Queensland governments will continue to stand by these communities and support them until their recovery is complete.”

DRFA assistance is now available in seven local government areas in Southern Queensland in response to this severe weather event: Gold Coast, Goondiwindi, Lockyer Valley, Logan City, Quilpie, Scenic Rim and Southern Downs.

Information on disaster assistance can be found on the Australian Government’s Disaster Assist website at www. disasterassist.gov.au and the Queensland Reconstruction Authority’s website at www.qra. qld.gov.au .

Grants to help Queensland export businesses grow overseas Brisbane, 27 March: A new grants program has opened aimed at helping Queensland export businesses better sell their products online to overseas customers.

The new $400,000 E-commerce Grants Program will offer up to $10,000 to Queensland exporters that already have an e-commerce deal but want to ramp up their online activity in Queensland’s key export markets.

Premier and Minister for Trade Annastacia Palaszczuk said it was all part of her government’s economic recovery plan.

“COVID-19 impacted the global economy and has brought substantial challenges to export businesses including increases in air-freight costs and lower availability of those services,” the Premier said.

“But it has also brought home the power of online shopping and rolling out grants programs like this will assist Queensland export businesses better tap into global e-commerce channels to not only grow their businesses but help them thrive.

“E-commerce is booming all over the world as more consumers in more markets see value in the convenience of online purchasing and home delivery, so there’s an opportunity for Queensland exporters to use e-commerce to achieve higher returns.

“This grants program helps with the cost of executing a new e-commerce initiative and is just one of many ways my government is assisting businesses to recover

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from the disruptions caused by the pandemic.”

Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries and Minister for Rural Communities Mark Furner said the grants program is being run by the government’s global business agency Trade and Investment Queensland (TIQ).

“TIQ will deliver the grants as part of a broader program to get more Queensland businesses using e-commerce,” he said.

“Funding will help cover the cost of ‘last mile’ elements such as inmarket logistics, and research and consumer profiling.

“Last year we committed $12.5 million to support agribusiness and the food industry as part of our economic recovery with $5 million in partnership with the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries going towards reinvigorating trade relationships post COVID-19.

“This e-commerce grants program is part of that funding.”

Townsville-based mango grower Manbulloo has been using e-commerce for the past five years and now sells its mangoes through digital channels in Korea, China, Canada and the USA. With limited availability and higher cost of air freight in 2020, Manbulloo needed to add value to its products to maintain export volumes and returns, with e-commerce providing the answer.

Export Manager Scott Ledger said the company targeted

two e-commerce platforms in Korea, with help from Trade and Investment Queensland, and sold $100,000 worth of R2E2 mangoes in just one hour on the GS Home Shopping Channel in November.

“Using e-commerce, consumers will pay more because they value the convenience of buying online and the freshness of the product delivered to their home,” he said.

“An extra benefit of e-commerce is the direct engagement with consumers and the feedback you receive on how your product is performing.”

Mr Ledger said Manbulloo was also focused on innovation and is currently working with the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries to develop real-time temperature monitoring systems to predict shelf-life.

“Exporting provides us with another way to grow our business and provides us with opportunities to innovate in the supply chain,” he said.

“The information and encouragement we have received from government has been critical to our export development, specifically in terms of understanding the market dynamics and developing product-handling systems.

“With this kind of support, we’re always looking at ways to build on what we’re doing and continue to innovate and expand.”

For more information or to apply for an e-commerce grant, visit tiq.qld.gov.au.

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NEWS FROM QUEENSLAND

Cairns Indigenous Art Fair set for another successful year Brisbane, 26 March: The Cairns Indigenous Arts Fair (CIAF) is set to reach new heights this year, thanks to a $200,000 funding boost from the Palaszczuk Government.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said events were an important part of the government’s economic recovery plan.

“The Cairns Indigenous Art Fair is an iconic event - helping to showcase some of the Far North’s greatest experiences to thousands of tourists each year,” the Premier said.

“Events like this that support local jobs and generate cash for local businesses are vital to our economic recovery.

“We’re partnering with event organisers to safeguard local jobs and rebuild our economy.

“The support of the government will help to ensure the future of this event beyond the pandemic.”

Minister for the Arts Leeanne Enoch said Australia is home to the longest continuous living cultures in the world, and CIAF helps to showcase this every year through its program of arts and cultural activities.

“The arts sector was impacted by the pandemic, and the Palaszczuk Government is supporting the industry through the $22.5 million Arts and Cultural Recovery Package,” Minister Enoch said.

“This $200,000 funding for CIAF, under the Spaces and Places program which is supported by the Recovery Package, will help the Fair build on the incredible success of last year’s event, which saw over $330,000 in arts sales, and reached more than 2.5 million people in 85 countries.

“Because of the pandemic, last year’s Fair moved entirely online, allowing Queensland’s First Nations artists, history and culture to be showcased on an international scale.

“This year’s festival is sure to be another hit. This funding will go towards creating new large scale, 3D works from First Nations artists, as well as a mentoring program to help boost artists’ skills, careers and networks.

“Last year I launched Creative Together 2020-2030: A 10-Year Roadmap for arts, culture and

creativity in Queensland, which includes key priorities to elevate First Nations arts and share our stories and celebrate our storytellers, and this investment will further assist CIAF to support those priorities.

“The arts are key to delivering the Palaszczuk Government’s plan for economic recovery, each year injecting $8.5 billion into the state’s economy and supporting more than 92,000 jobs for Queenslanders, which is why we continue to invest in events such as CIAF,” Ms Enoch said.

Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Partnerships Craig Crawford said the Palaszczuk Government has invested in CIAF with $600,000 annually, through the Backing Indigenous Arts initiative.

Member for Cook Cynthia Lui said it was exciting to welcome back the festival, which help boost the local tourism and showcase the unique cultures in the region.

Member for Cairns Michael Healy said CIAF provided an opportunity for local residents and visitors to explore Queensland’s rich artistic and cultural offerings.

“The Cairns Indigenous Art Fair has played a key role in the Palaszczuk Government’s commitment to providing arts and culture experiences that are unique to Queensland,” he said.

CIAF General Manager Darrell Harris said CIAF’s underpinning aim for the Spaces and Places funding was to generate a body of work that will be on show at CIAF and for sale.

Since the onset of COVID-19 the Palaszczuk Government has committed to nearly $60 million worth of initiatives to support the arts and cultural sector, including the $22.5 million Arts and Cultural Recovery Package.

CIAF also successfully secured $64,000 through the First Nations Commissioning Fund to develop the LIVE IT UP performing arts and music program to be presented in 2021, and $20,000 from the Digital Adaptation Fund for video and camera equipment through the recovery package.

CIAF will be held from 17-22 August 2021, for more information visit: https://ciaf.com.au/

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April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

INDIA NEWS

NEWS FROM QUEENSLAND

International Women's Day high tea hosted by GOPIO GC

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n Sunday the 14th of March GOPIO GC hosted their annual International Women’s Day event at the prestigious RACV Royal Pines Resort.

The event was attended by over 60 participants who enjoyed a wonderful afternoon of networking, sharing experiences, discussing challenges facing women and celebrating each other’s success over a delicious high tea and bubbly.

International Women’s Day. The afternoon got more exciting for the ladies as raffle prizes worth over $1000 were drawn and finished off with photography and mingling. The participants walked away having built many contacts and friendships in the community.

The event was a big success in promoting positivity and encouraging women to reach out for support to connect together socially and professionally.

The GOPIO GC International Women’s Day High Tea was kindly sponsored by Gaura Travels and Way2Wealth Advisers.

GOPIO GC had invited 3 very inspirational VIP speakers who shared their personal journeys and experiences that led them to where they are today. The speakers were Mrs Vahini Panda, Dr Tanya Chaithanya Unni and Ms. Parvin Balsara.

They each spoke on what they #choosetochallenge to allow personal and professional growth, keeping with the global theme of

Indian community bids farewell to Indian Aus recovery plan to boost exporters' online presence High Commissioner Mr A Gitesh Sarma

I

Canberra, March 27 (IANS): A series of Australian government grants will help exporters ramp up their online engagement with key overseas markets to aid economic recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic.

ndian Community in Australia gathered at Indian High Commission's premises in Canberra on March 24 and gave a heartwarming farewell to High Commissioner of India Mr A Gitesh Sarma and Madam Ratnamala Sarma.

Officials in the state of Queensland announced on Tuesday that $400,000 would be used to help local companies that already have an e-commerce deal and want to boost engagement, reports Xinhua news agency.

His Excellency conveyed his gratitude to the Indian Diaspora in Australia for the work during Covid times, especially with the international student community.

He also touched on the help and support of the Indian community during the recent NSW floods, which have been called as the worst floods in NSW in the last century.

Queensland Premier and Minister for Trade Annastacia Palaszczuk explained the scheme was part of her state's COVID-19 pandemic recovery plan.

"Covid-19 impacted the global economy and has brought substantial challenges to export businesses including increases in air-freight costs and lower availability of those services," she said.

"E-commerce is booming all over the world as more consumers in more markets see value in the

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convenience of online purchasing and home delivery.

"So there's an opportunity for Queensland exporters to use e-commerce to achieve higher returns," Palaszczuk added.

The state is Australia's second largest exporter in terms of value, much of which is made up of agricultural products such as meat, fruit and vegetables, which have a reputation for being among the best in the world.

Individual companies will be eligible for grants up to $10,000 as well as the guidance from Trade and Investment Queensland.

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April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

INDIA NEWS

NEWS FROM WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Stolen antiquities in Australian museums owing to lack of due diligence The National Gallery of Australia (NGA), the Art Gallery of South Australia (AGSA) and the Art Gallery of New South Wales (AGNSW) restituted stolen antiquities to India a few years ago but there are still some pieces left which were plundered from the country

C

onventionally, it would not be wrong to assume that state-financed art galleries and museums have stringent guidelines and policies for acquiring ancient works of art for they have accountability towards masses whose incomes in the form of tax revenues are utilised to make the purchases.

However, what came as a major jolt approximately seven years ago was the discovery of the blatant disregard of the red flags by museums such as the NGA, the AGSA and the AGNSW. These museums have turned out to be gross failures in matters such as due diligence and provenance.

Following these disconcerting exposures, the Australian government, in 2014, released the Australian Best Practice Guide

which says: “Provenance includes the full history and chain of ownership of an object from the time of its discovery or creation to the present day, through which authenticity and legal title are determined” and “Due diligence requires that every endeavour is made to verify the accuracy of information before deciding a course of action, particularly in identifying the source and history of cultural material considered for acquisition.”

Return of the Dancing Shiva but museum denies accountability In 2019, thousands flocked together in the South Indian town of Kallidaikuruchi in Tamil Nadu to welcome the arrival of the Dancing Shiva (Shiva Nataraja), a 16th century bronze statue. The 100-kilogram bronze statue was

plundered from a temple in early 1980s and then illicitly exported.

It had been in possession of the AGSA for nearly two decades and was among the eight antiquities with values ranging from $225,000 to $5,000,000that Australia has sent back to India since 2014. The decision for repatriation was taken after the discovery of irrefutable proof that all these ancient art works had been stolen from their place of origin. The museums in question denied having any inkling about the authenticity in the provenance of these antiquities despite stolen antiquities investigators like Vijay Kumar asserting emphatically that even a superficial glance at the provenance documents of the idols reveals several glaring inconsistencies. Kumar who is the author of ‘The Idol Thief’ and co-founder of the India Pride Project claimed that the NGA still has nine antiquities while the AGNSW has three pieces that were robbed from India in the 1970s or afterwards. He is nonplussed at the attitude of the Australian museums as they agreed to repatriate only the idols for which in-situ photographs could be produced as evidence although the paperwork for the other pieces were also conspicuously fraudulent.

Subhash Kapoor was linked to at least six of the eight antiquities with dubious provenances which were repatriated by the Australian institutions to India.

The Australian museums and art galleries in question had purchased these idols from Kapoor, the owner of Manhattan’s Art of the Past gallery, who is now in custody in an Indian prison awaiting trial for allegedly running an international network of illicit trade in stolen antiquities.

British adventurer and art dealer accused of smuggling and illegal excavation Bangkok-based British explorer and art dealer, Douglas Latchford, who died last year, had been under investigation for misrepresenting provenances and for producing false documents in order to cover up the fact that the South-East Asian antiquities supplied by him since the 1970s to art dealers across the globe were either stolen or obtained through unauthorized excavations. The

US-based Indian art dealer linked to illicit antiquities trade New York-based art dealer,

New York District Attorney’s office which had indicted Latchford revealed that a 2000-year-old statue of Seated Buddha, which the NGA returned to India in 2015 had been supplied by Latchford.

According to Jason Felch, an expert on illegal antiquities trade commented that if any kind of connection is found between Latchford and any piece of antiquity should sound the alarm bell for art dealers who have the moral obligation to thoroughly check the documents proving the veracity of the idol in question.

However, the NGA, the AGSA and the AGNSW have denied any connection with Douglas Latchford though they did claim that numerous objects with doubtful provenances were being investigated.

Multi-award winning WA tech firm takes home state government award for multiculturalism

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eading WA technology company, Illuminance Solutions, has been recognised for its contribution to multiculturalism and inclusion by being honoured at the 2021 Western Australian Multicultural Awards.

On March 18, the company’s Managing Director Nilesh Makwana was presented with the Multicultural Business Award by at a gala event at Optus

Stadium. The award recognises WA businesses who have shown leadership in supporting diversity and multiculturalism in the workplace. This included not only employing people from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, but also providing professional development opportunities for them within the business.

Both of the founders of Illuminance Solutions - Mr

Makwana (India) and Mr Vincent Lam (Hong Kong) have first-hand knowledge of the challenges encountered by migrants and those from a diverse linguistic background.

“We speak from experience when we say it can be really difficult to get a foothold in the workforce when you are new to a country or live with a disability,” Mr Makwana said. “We are humbled and thankful to receive this award which recognises our efforts in fostering an inclusive work environment and creating opportunities for our state’s migrants.

“This award is dedicated to the Illuminance team which represents various skill diversities and abilities including 24 nationalities in a team of 30 in total that includes 14 women and people wih disabilities and with an age group ranging from 19 to 64 and a team speaking 34 languages.

“From providing mentoring and editing services for those whose

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first language is not English to supporting the celebration of religious holidays, we look to provide an all-inclusive and wholistic approach to multiculturalism in the office.

“We understand our team members may have to communicate with their family members during office hours as their families may be based in different time zones, so we provided a room for those that need to make private phone calls

in their own language. There is also a space available for those that wish to conduct faith related activities.”

Mr Makwana took the opportunity to call on other Western Australian organisations to become more inclusive.

“The company’s focus has always been on supporting our employees by providing a compassionate and inclusive environment,” he said.

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INDIA NEWS

Pak to object on 2 Indian hydroelectric plants

WORLD NEWS

14 arrested in Britain after protest turns violent

give what it calls Islamabad's fair share of the water.

"Pakistan had always emphasised the need for a meaningful dialogue and peaceful resolution of all outstanding disputed with India, including the core issue of Jammu and Kashmir," Chaudhri said.

Referring to the recent statement of the Indian Foreign Secretary on meaningful Islamabad-New Delhi dialogue, Chaudhri said that "such statements were not helpful in resolution of the disputers which were a hurdle in the way of peace and stability in the region".

By Hamza Ameer Islamabad, March 20 (IANS): Pakistan will raise objections on the design of India's Pakal Dal and Lower Kalnai hydroelectric plants during the upcoming meeting of the Permanent Indus Commission (PIC) in New Delhi next week.

This was announced by Pakistan Foreign Office spokesperson Zahid Chaudhri during a weekly press briefing on Friday.

He said Pakistan will discuss a host of issues under the Indus Water Treaty (IWT), including objections on the two hydroelectric plants, during the meeting on March 23-24.

Indus Water Commissioner Meher Ali Shah is leading the Pakistan delegation, while officials from relevant departments will be accompanying him.

The meeting is part of a provision of the IWT 1960, under which, the

PIC is required to meet at least once a year.

This will be the 116th session of the Commission with scheduled discussions on the water-related issues falling under the 1960 Treaty.

Pakistan has been putting forward its argument and objections on the construction of two hydroelectric plants by India, claiming that it is trying to block the country's water.

The country maintains that the construction of the plants is a violation of the IWT, calling on India to stop the construction and

"Jammu and Kashmir is an internationally-recognised dispute and the core issue between India and Pakistan.

Pakistan has always underscored the need for a meaningful dialogue and peaceful resolution of all outstanding disputes with India."

The Foreign Office spokesperson went on to highlight that Pakistan's initiative of Kartarpur Corridor opening; along with the episode of capture and subsequent release of Indian pilot Wing Commandar Abhinandan as "indicative of Pakistan's desire for lasting peace in the region".

"The onus is on India to create the enabling environment necessary for a meaningful engagement," he said.

A bill currently making its way through British parliament could see the police being given more powers during protests.

2020.

Of the nearly 13,000 who got a flu shot in the previous year, 4 per cent tested positive for Covid-19.

Of the 14,000 who hadn't gotten a flu shot, nearly 5 per cent tested positive for Covid-19.

New York, March 26 (IANS): People who received a flu shot last flu season were significantly less likely to test positive for a Covid-19 infection when the pandemic hit, according to a new study.

The study, published in the American Journal of Infection Control, also indicated that those who did test positive for Covid-19 had fewer complications if they received their flu shot.

"It's particularly relevant for vaccine hesitance, and maybe taking the flu shot this year can ease some angst about the new Covid-19 vaccine," said researcher Hofmann, Associate Professor at the University of Michigan.

For the study, the research team included more than 27,000 patients who were tested for a

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The researchers found that people who received their flu shot were also significantly less likely to require hospitalisation, although the researchers didn't find a significant difference in mortality between the two groups.

"It is possible that patients who receive their flu vaccine are also people who are practicing more social distancing and following CDC guidelines. However, it is also plausible that there could be a direct biological effect of the flu vaccine on the immune system relevant for the fight against SARS-CoV-2 virus," the researcher said.

The Tuesday protest of about 200 people in Bristol, in the south-west of England, finished after officers "enforced Covid-19 legislation", DPA news agency reported citing the police.

"A total of 14 people were arrested for offences including breaches of Covid-19 legislation and obstruction of a highway," the statement said, adding that one of those detained was also arrested in connection to a Sunday demonstration -- also over the new police bill -- that turned violent.

Foreign Olympic Flu shot linked to fewer, less volunteers not severe Covid cases, says study allowed to enter Covid-19 infection in mid-July of Japan

The association remained significant after controlling for other variables including ethnicity, race, gender, age, BMI, smoking status and many comorbid conditions.

London, March 24 (IANS): At least 14 people have been arrested following a second "Kill the Bill" protest in Bristol in three days, the police said on Wednesday.

The proposed law foresees a new offence of "intentionally or recklessly causing public

nuisance," which could see people facing jail time or a fine if found guilty.

Chief Superintendent Claire Armes said that additional resources from neighbouring forces were brought in to safely end the protest, which was taking place in breach of "legislation in place to protect public health."

Aimes said it was "disappointing" that officers had to take action after protesters refused to move on "on a day we should be remembering all those who've lost their lives to Covid-19 over the past year."

She said it was "unacceptable" for people to insult efforts made by communities in Bristol to defeat the virus.

On Tuesday, Britain marked one year since it entered its first coronavirus lockdown. The UK has recorded over 4.3 million infections and almost 150,000 deaths connected to Covid-19.

Top-level flood alert issued for 5 Iranian provinces

Tokyo, March 25 (IANS): Foreign volunteers will not be allowed to serve in the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympic Games this summer, a countermeasure against Covid-19, the organisers said.

Tokyo 2020 organising committee CEO Toshiro Muto said on Monday that foreign volunteers with "special skills" necessary for the smooth running of the Olympics and Paralympics might retain their positions and enter Japan under special entry rules, Xinhua news reports.

An exception could be made for "around 500 volunteers", who will be selected from a pool of about 2,000 people living overseas.

Of the 80,000 registered volunteers set to work for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, 10 per cent are foreign nationals.

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Tehran, March 26 (IANS): Iran's Energy Ministry has issued a top-level flood warning for five provinces, adding that 36 hours of rains are expected to start on Thursday.

In a statement on Monday, the Ministry's Institute of Water Research said that provinces of Ardabil, East Azerbaijan, West Azerbaijan, Kurdistan and Zanjan could receive up to 150 mm of rain in the coming days, Press TV reported.

It said the record rainfall could cause rivers to burst their banks and lead to flash floods.

The warning comes exactly two years after massive floods swept through areas in northeast, north and southwestern Iran, displacing tens of thousands of people.

Those floods caused over $2.5 billion in damage to homes, infrastructure facilities and farming lands while leaving nearly 80 people dead.

Iran has witnessed record rainfalls in recent years after nearly three decades of drought that had affected farming and businesses in many regions across the country.

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INDIA NEWS

Considering executive actions on gun safety: White House the violence, urging Congress on Tuesday to pass legislation banning assault weapons and high-capacity magazines.

The president also called on the Senate to immediately pass two gun reform bills enhancing background check that the House approved earlier this month.

Washington, March 25 (IANS): White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters that the Joe Biden administration is considering taking executive actions on gun safety measures.

"We are certainly considering a range of levers, including working through legislation, including executive actions to address, obviously, you know, not just gun safety measures but violence in communities, so that has been under discussion and will continue to be under discussion," Psaki said in remarks addressing

reporters aboard Air Force One on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported.

The statement came in the wake of a shooting rampage a day earlier at a grocery store in Boulder, Colorado, that killed 10 people, and one week after three shooting incidents killed eight people in the Atlanta area in Georgia.

While investigations into these shootings are still ongoing and police have not yet identified either of the two suspects' motives, Biden condemned

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said during a Tuesday press conference that he will take up the Bipartisan Background Checks Act and Enhanced Background Checks Act -- the two House-passed bills -- on the Senate floor, adding he will discuss with Democratic senators this week to "figure out the best path forward" on gun reform legislation.

To put onto Biden's desk any legislation that tightens gun control, Democrats will need 60 votes, or at least 10 Republican defections in the current 50-50 Senate, to end the filibuster.

That's next to impossible given the degree to which Republicans are opposed to stricter gun laws.

US ignores Pak in climate change summit

By Hamza Ameer Islamabad, March 30 (IANS) Following Pakistan's exclusion from a virtual summit hosted by the US on climate change slated to take place next month, the countrys civil society activists, working in the field of environmental protection, have expressed their concerns over the decision.

The virtual summit on climate change, to be held on April 22 and 23 called by US President Joe Biden, will see the participation of at least 40 heads of state and governments, including India, Bhutan and Bangladesh.

As per details from the White House, "the virtual summit would be addressed by leaders of Russia, China, Argentina, Australia, France, Indonesia, Germany, Israel, Canada, Japan, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, Denmark, Colombia, Congo, Chile, Jamaica and other countries".

The exclusion of Pakistan has prompted response from many, who took to social media to express their surprise.

Pakistan is the fifth-most

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vulnerable country and is among the nations badly affected by climate change.

shortages.

Senior journalist Kamran Yousaf maintained that Pakistan's expulsion from the summit can be related to the recent statement of the former US envoy, who stated that the country lost agreat deal of importance in the minds of the American leadership.

Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson, said: "Pakistan, despite being among the top 10 countries affected by Climate Change, is one of the lowest emitters, with less than 1 per cent of the global emissions."

"What the current US leadership think about Pakistan, an eye opener statement by former US Ambassador to Islamabad and must serve as a wake up call," he said.

Another senior journalist and South Asian affairs expert Michael Kugelman said that Pakistan's expulsion from the summit came at a time especially when the prime agenda of the current leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan, is to take actions to mitigate the affects of climate change.

It is also the world's fifth most populous country.

The spokesperson added that the countries responsible for at least 80 per cent global emissions and GDP, have been invited to the summit.

WORLD NEWS

Biden names Indian American as Washington judge, dumps Trump nominee New York, March 31 (IANS): US President Joe Biden has nominated an Indian American to be a judge in the local court system of the nation's capital after having withdrawn another's nomination made by his predecessor Donald Trump.

The White House announced on Tuesday that Biden was nominating Rupa Ranga Puttagunta to be a judge of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, which is a local court for Washington.

Last month, he withdrew the nomination of Vijay Shankar to a higher local court, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, that Trump had made as one of a spate of last-minute appointments in January before his term was to end.

Shankar needed the Senate confirmation for his appointment, which he could not get with the Democrats getting control of it.

Puttagunta is now an administrative judge for the District of Columbia Rental Housing Commission dealing with landlord-tenant issues and rental housing regulations.

She had earlier represented the poor in criminal cases and worked with victims of domestic abuse, according to the White House.

Meanwhile, Biden has appointed a Pakistani American, Zahid N. Quraishi, to be a federal judge.

He would become the nation's first Muslim federal judge if confirmed by the Senate.

Another Muslim, Abid Qureshi, was nominated by former President Barack Obama in 2016 to be a federal judge but the Senate did not act on his nomination before Trump took office and it lapsed.

The federal judgeship would be an elevation for Quraishi who is now a federal magistrate judge in New

Jersey.

Magistrate judges are appointed by the federal judges to assist them on matters like first appearances by the accused in criminal cases and setting bail.

Unlike federal judges, they are not nominated by the President and confirmed by the Senate and, therefore, do not issue judgments or hear cases.

Quraishi is a former US Army captain who ad served in Iraq and has also worked as an assistant chief counsel in the Department of Homeland Security and as an assistant federal prosecutor.

The South Asian Bar Association welcomed their nominations, tweeting, "We are proud to see Judges Rupa Ranga Puttagunta and Zahid Quraishi on the list" of Biden's judicial nominees.

The White House said that the nominations announced on Tuesday reflect Biden's "intent to nominate highly-qualified candidates to federal courts that reflect his deeply-held conviction that the federal bench should reflect the full diversity of the American people -- both in background and in professional experience."

Biden, who has said that he would nominate an African America woman to the Supreme Court, named Ketanji Brown Jackson to be a judge on the Federal Appeals Circuit Court in Washington, which is considered the most important after the Supreme Court.

If she is confirmed, it would put her on a fast track to become the nation's first African American woman on the Supreme Court if a vacancy occurs during Biden's term.

We support IABCA 2021 Gala Awards

"Many in Pakistan are unhappy Imran Khan isn't on list of invitees. It appears the main criteria for being invited are (1) close partner of the US or (2) a major polluter or (3) highly vulnerable to climate change or (4) some combo of 1,2,3. Pakistan certainly qualifies for (3)," Kugelman tweeted.

Pakistan is one of the top-10 most vulnerable nation in world due to many natural disasters, densely populated coastal spaces, water

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April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

INDIA NEWS

WORLD THIS WEEK Contributed by the National Institute for Advanced Studies, Bengaluru

Compiled by D Suba Chandran, Sourina Bej, Avishka Ashok and Teshu Singh

The US: Biden calls for the return of America and diplomacy, as he unveils the US foreign policy Russia: New tension with priorities Europe, Moscow expels European diplomats

relief. Starting from Yemen, there are numerous conflict spots, that need a rightful engagement of the US. On this issue as well, there are enormous challenges – starting from Russia, Middle East, Africa, Afghanistan, Myanmar and the list would be a long one. Biden will have to prioritize.

What happened?

On 4 February, in a speech at the US Department of State, the new President Biden outlined his foreign policy priorities. The message he wanted the world to hear is: “America is back.

Diplomacy is back at the center of our foreign policy.”

As a general outlook on the American alliances, leadership, China and Russia, he said: “We will repair our alliances and engage with the world once again, not to meet yesterday’s challenges, but today’s and tomorrow’s. American leadership must meet this new moment of advancing authoritarianism, including the growing ambitions of China to rival the United States and the determination of Russia to damage and disrupt our democracy.”

In terms of principles that the US would like to follow in conducting foreign policy, he said: “we must start with diplomacy rooted in America’s most cherished democratic values: defending freedom, championing opportunity, upholding universal rights, respecting the rule of law, and treating every person with dignity.”

He considered climate change as an existential threat, as he wants to build global cooperation to address the same.

What does it mean?

As Biden underlined in his 4 February speech, the above would mean that the US is back and would use diplomacy and alliances to reengage the world.

This would be crucial and much needed, given the four disastrous years of American foreign policy of disengaging the world and breaking the alliances. Biden’s big challenge would be to fill the gap that Trump has yielded and fill it fast. 2021 is not 2016; there have been numerous changes in the last five years. Biden will have to be proactive.

The emphasis on human rights should be another significant

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untoward pushback from the EU yet. Second, international pressure didn't alter Russia's defiance on human rights and freedom in 2014. It probably will not now as the hallmarks of Moscow's preparation to handle the "Navalny issue" is the same as it did with the Crimean crises.

China: New Redlines on Xinjiang, Taiwan and Hong Kong, as US-China relations starts under Biden

and the US task to take their relationship back to "a predictable and constructive track". It stated, the two largest economies should build a model of interaction that "focuses on peaceful coexistence and win-win cooperation".

ALSO IN NEWS

China: BBC reports of systematic abuse in Xinjiang detention camps On 3 February, the BBC published a report regarding the horrifying treatment of women in China's "re-education camps". The report spoke about systematic rape, sexual abuse and torture of Uighur women at Chinese authorities' hands. The report has garnered strong statements from Australia, UK and the US, demanding inspection in the region by international bodies like the United Nations. While accusing the BBC of fake news, China has denied the reports of abuse and insists that the camps operate per the international regulations on human rights.

Japan: Two-plus-two meeting with the US to strengthen relations

What happened?

On 5 February, Russia expelled diplomats from Germany, Sweden, and Poland for joining the protests in support of opposition activist Alexei Navalny, who was jailed earlier last week. In its statement, the Russian foreign ministry said the diplomats had taken part in "illegal demonstrations" held on 23 January and "such actions do not correspond to their diplomatic status. Russia expects that in the future, the diplomatic missions of Sweden, Poland and Germany and their personnel will strictly follow international law norms."

What happened?

On 1 February 2021, in a conversation with Jacob J. Lew, the Politburo Member and the Director of the office of the Central Committee for Foreign Affairs of the Politburo of the 19th CPC Central Committee, Yang Jiechi expounded on the state of US-China relations and prospects for the future of the bilateral relations. In his address, he cautioned the US not to cross the "red lines".

The diplomats' home countries have condemned the expulsions along with the UK, France and the EU. German Foreign Minister Heiko Mass denounced the expulsion as being "in no way justified." Sweden said the claim was unfounded and said it reserved the right to an appropriate response. Poland reiterated that the expulsion could lead to the "further deepening of the crisis in bilateral relations." EU's foreign affairs chief Josep Borrell, who is currently in Russia, on behalf of the EU, said he "strongly condemned this decision and rejected the allegations that they conducted activities incompatible with their status as foreign diplomats."

What does it mean?

What does it mean?

Yang Jiechi speech was the most high-profile appeal by China to the US ever since Joe Biden took office. Through this speech, he has put the onus on the US to mend the damage caused by the "misguided policies" under the Trump administration.

Furthermore, after the speech, China Daily published an article titled, "US govt urged to focus on cooperation". The article highlighted that both China

First, despite tensions, the EU has not engaged in constructive criticism of Russia. Instead, they have come together to negotiate on the Iran nuclear deal or the Paris climate agreement. The EU is still Moscow's most significant trade and investment partner, and Merkel on 6 February has said Berlin's stance on the Nord Stream 2 remains "unaffected".

Thus, it is difficult to foresee any

Will the Biden administration go back on the Trump policies? The new administration has already reaffirmed Taiwan's enduring commitment and advised China "to cease its military, diplomatic and economic pressure." US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also said he agreed that China's actions in its western Xinjiang region should be designated as "genocide". He has also offered support to people fleeing Hong Kong, "the US should give haven to people fleeing political repression in Hong Kong.

Consequently, Yang Yechi alluded to draw a "red line" on the core issues and reiterated that the US should fulfil its commitment to abide by the One-China principle.

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On 4 February, the defence ministers and foreign ministers of Japan and Britain conducted a virtual meeting where the two countries agreed to cooperate on economic, national security, cyberspace, the pandemic and climate change. Japan raised the recently passed Chinese Coast Guard Law and appreciated the dispatch of Queen Elizabeth, an aircraft carrier strike group, in the South China Sea. The two countries signed a comprehensive economic partnership right after Britain's exit from the EU.

WORLD THIS WEEK On 2 February, the Russian Direct Investment Fund (RDIF) confirmed the safety and efficacy by announcing 91 per cent efficiency of the Sputnik Vaccine.

The vaccine was effective against the coronavirus even in senior citizens over the age of 60. The Chief Executive Officer of the RDIF said that the Sputnik V vaccine was among the only three vaccines in the world which provided with efficiency above 90 per cent and also provided ease in transportation and storage due to its requirement of 2 to 8 degrees Celsius.

Russia: Navalny's arrest intensifies protests across Russian cities

On 2 February, Alexey Navalny was declared guilty for violating the terms of a case from 2014. He was sentenced to three-and-half years in prison, but he failed to report regularly to the Federal Penitentiary Service. The court has converted his judgement into a real one after claiming his excuse for non-appearance to be insufficient. Over 1400 people have been detained for protesting against the arrest of Navalny.

Navalny also issued a statement from prison, urging the people not to give up the fight against Putin's government.

Canada: Proud Boys declared as a terrorist group

Myanmar: Coup leads to Civil Disobedience; increase in demands for Suu Kyi and Myint Win's release On 1 February, the military detained State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and President Win Myint and other members of the NLD. 24 Ministers of the

NLD were removed and instead an eleven-member bench was appointed comprising of retired military officers and members of the USDP. On 2 February, most detainees, except Suu Kyi and Myint Win were released. The UN Security Council met to release a statement on the subject but were blocked by China who stated the matter as an "internal matter" of Myanmar.

Russia: Sputnik V Vaccine announces 91 per cent efficacy

On 3 February, Canada has declared the Proud Boys group as a terrorist group for the US Capitol's insurrection 6 January.

The extremist group, an ardent supporter of Trump and Trump's policies, has been scrutinized for their actions at the Capitol Hill and Canada is the first country to label them as a terrorist entity.

Canadian Public Safety Minister said, "their intent and escalation toward violence became quite clear". In response, the chairman of the Proud Boys claimed that there were approximately 1500 proud boys in Canada and that a terrorist entity's designation is ridiculous.

About the authors D Suba Chandran is Professor and Dean in the School of Conflict and Security Studies at NIAS; Teshu Singh is a Research Fellow with the Vivekananda International Foundation; Sourina Bej is a researcher with the Global Politics team at NIAS; and Avishka Ashok is Research Assistant, in the School of Conflict and Security Studies at NIAS.

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April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

INDIA NEWS

HARMONY WEEK CELEBRATIONS

Harmony Week Celebrations national identity. All people who migrate to Australia bring with them some of their own cultural and religious traditions, as well as taking on many new traditions.

Collectively, these traditions have enriched our nation.

Facts and figures There are some fascinating statistics about Australia's diversity that can be good conversation-starters:

H

Nearly half (49 per cent) of Australians were born overseas or have at least one parent who was

armony Week celebrates Australia’s cultural diversity.

It’s about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone.

Getting involved can be as simple as hosting an event or attending a local celebration. Visit out 'Get involved ' page for more information.

The Department of Home Affairs leads national celebrations for Harmony Week to recognise diversity and inclusion activities that take place during the entire week. Harmony Week includes 21 March, which is the United Nations International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

Why orange?

Since 1999, more than 80,000 Harmony Week events have been held in childcare centres, schools, community groups, churches, businesses and federal, state and local government agencies across Australia.

What is Harmony Week?

It is a time to celebrate Australian multiculturalism, and the successful integration of migrants into our community.

Australia is one of the most successful multicultural countries in the world and we should celebrate this and work to maintain it.

Orange is the colour chosen to represent Harmony Week.

Traditionally, orange signifies social communication and meaningful conversations. It also relates to the freedom of ideas and encouragement of mutual respect. Australians can choose to wear something orange during Harmony Week to show their support for cultural diversity and an inclusive Australia.

Our cultural diversity Australia is a vibrant and multicultural country — from the oldest continuous culture of our first Australians to the cultures of our newest arrivals from around the world.

Our cultural diversity is one of our greatest strengths and is at the heart of who we are. It makes Australia a great place to live.

An integrated multicultural Australia is an integral part of our

We identify with over 300 ancestries Since 1945, more than 7.5 million people have migrated to Australia.

85 per cent of Australians agree multiculturalism has been good for Australia.

Apart from English, the most common languages spoken in Australia are Mandarin, Arabic, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Italian, Greek, Tagalog/Filipino, Hindi, Spanish and Punjabi.

More than 70 Indigenous languages are spoken in Australia.

Harmony Week – Key messages Harmony Week is about inclusiveness, respect and a sense of belonging for everyone.

It is about celebrating the benefits of our multicultural society that has come about as the result of the successful integration of migrants into the Australian community.

Be proud of our strong and successful multicultural society.

Sharing our cultural heritage is part of celebrating what it means to be Australian.

Our shared Australian values of respect, equality and freedom go beyond our different cultures, and are what makes Australia such a great place to live.

The message of respect and belonging goes beyond the week long celebration. It can be lived by each of us, every day These facts are taken from ABS 2016 Census Data. Check out the Australian Bureau of Statistics website.

Let's come together with friends and family and through schools, workplaces and our wider communities to celebrate our diversity.

Harmony Week is about inclusiveness, respect and belonging for all Australians, regardless of cultural or linguistic background, united by a set of core Australian values.

How to celebrate?

Let's come together with friends and family and through schools, workplaces and our wider communities to celebrate our diversity.

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April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

INDIA NEWS

EDITORIAL

Indian diaspora poised to Quad manthan in the Indoshape Australia-India ties Pacific heralds a new phase in Indo-Australian strategic partnership

By Dr Ashutosh Misra

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he Australia Indian Comprehensive Strategic Partnership is witnessing a meteoric rise since the virtual summit of Narendra Modi and Scott Morrison transpired in June 2020. The summit was held amidst the global havoc caused

by Covid-19, and as the world economies suffered a brutal battering from the pandemic, tensions with China spiralled dramatically. While Australia demanded an inquiry into the origins of the outbreak of the pandemic infuriating Beijing, Indian troops on the other hand were also locked into a bloody battle in the Ladakh sector with the People’s Liberation Army.

statistics, the role of the Indian diaspora remains still way below their potential. According to Surjeet Dhanji in a recent article in the Indian Express, “Australians of Indian origin account for 0.5 per cent of representatives in the federal parliament, 0.7 per cent in the Victorian state parliament, and even lower proportions for local councils in New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria. They are doing relatively well in the NSW state parliament, where they account for 1.5 percent of elected representatives”. In order to shape bilateral ties and Australia’s policy towards India, this record needs to improve considerably.

The cumulative effect of the two developments spurred Australia and India to deepen their bilateral ties and strategic engagement within the framework of Quad in the Indo-Pacific. The first virtual summit of the Quad leaders on 12 March has further brought Australia and India even closer.

Strategic analysts on both sides are in agreement that Australia India bilateral business and trade ties will benefit from their growing cooperation in the Quadrilateral framework. In this context, the Indian diaspora in Australia has now a critical role to play in complementing business and trade ties and complementing the core objectives of the strategic partnership.

Similarly, the diaspora also needs to build their prominence in the corporate sector as well. Peter Varghese in his India Economic Strategy to 2035 observed, “Most Indian diaspora business in Australia are SMEs, and they too have the capacity to be meaningful drivers of economic integration with India”. But having said that Indian corporates Infosys, Tata Consultancy Services, Wipro, Tech Mahindra, HCL, Cyient, NIIT, iGATE (now part of CapGemini) and the Adani Mining (now named Bravus) are bolstering India’s footprint into the big corporate world.

Numbering over 700,000, constituting 2.8% of the Australian population, the Indians are the fourth largest and the fastest growing migrant community here. Around the years 2001-2017 around 400,000 people migrated to Australia. Of the 700,000 Indians 88% are of the working age and 61% are in full-time and 27% in apart-time employment.

This makes them the second highest tax-paying migrant community after the UK-born migrants, contributing over $12 billion to the Australian economy.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics Hindi is the largest spoken language in the community, followed by Punjabi, Malayalam, Gujarati, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Marathi, Kannada and Bengali.

The Indian students contributing $6.6 billion to the Australian economy forming the second largest international cohort constituting over 15% of the Australian university enrolments.

While these are impressive

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Indian community organisations are now playing an even larger roles, attracting a larger turnout, of both Indians and non-Indian communities, in organising and celebrating major public events like Holi and Diwali across Australia, and enriching the multicultural ethos of Australia.

In sum, the Indian diaspora has a major role to play in building India literacy not only in the cultural realm but also in business, trade, academia and strategic realms. This will not happen on its own, and the diaspora leaders depending on their individual expertise in various fields will have to push harder to build new academic and research programs and institutional collaborations, set up new businesses, host larger public events, assist Australian businesses in doing business with India, and also fight for a greater pie in the Australian politics.

The constellation of bilateral, regional and global opportunities have never been so favourable, something the diaspora cannot afford to let slip away.

rime Minister Narendra Modi has labelled the inaugural leaders’ virtual summit as “Quad’s coming of age”. Quad’s evolution has been impeded for long by India and Australia's hesitation in formalising the Quad, owing to their own bilateral sensitivities towards China. But not anymore.

In the wake of Australia's trade tensions with China which triggered by the former's demand for an inquiry into the origins of the Covid-19 outbreak, and on the other hand, India's military confrontation in Doklam and Ladakh with China, their strategic cooperation has grown manifold in recent months. Their newfound willingness to stand up to China’s irridentist claims, Hong Kong and Xinjiang crackdown and periodic diplomatic bellicosity and bluster in bilateral dealings has underpinned Quad’s fruition into a formal entity.

The agenda for the inaugural Quad virtual summit was consciously kept quite wide including, Covid-19 strategy, vaccine production, climate change, supply chain disruptions, critical and emerging technologies and maritime security. The rationale being downplaying any "anti-China" posturing that Beijing may find disturbing and disruptive for the Indo-Pacific.

The bourgeoning quadrilateral vision was carefully articulated in the first of its kind joint op-ed by the US President Joe Biden, and the three prime ministers, Yoshihide Suga, Scott Morrison and Narendra PM. But for the watchers of international politics the op-ed is a significant document for its ‘in-between the lines messaging’.

For instance, the reference to ‘a group of democratic nations’ in the second paragraph is a veiled countervailing democratic pushback to China’s authoritarian and bullish international conduct under the garb of ‘peaceful rise’.

In particular, the op-eds broad emphasis on making a joint effort to tackle Covid-19 pandemic is a clever strategy to win the hearts and minds of the ASEAN member states, Pacific Island countries (the focus of India’s Pacific Island Countries and Australia’s Pacific Step-up strategies) and the Indian Ocean littorals to offset the longrunning Chinese economic and military influence. It is a welcome development for states who have long been buried under the weight of China’s debt-diplomacy and military dominance but were unable to articulate their displeasure for fear of a punitive backlash from Beijing. The use of the phrase ‘dark hour’ in the oped is another indicator of how the

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Quad wants the regional states to look at the current state of affairs in the Indo-Pacific.

While strategic commentators remained sceptical of Biden’s resolve in reining in the Chinese economic and military muscleflexing in the region, the decision to convene the historic virtual summit has put at bay some of those scepticism, at least for some time. The Quad’s messaging has not been lost on part of other regional democracies.

South Korea too, has expressed its desire to join the Quad in a "transparent, open and inclusive" manner, a clear sign of how widespread the unease runs amongst the regional states with China’s overbearing influence in the region.

So, what does the Quad mean for Australia and India relations?

India’s External Affairs Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar has expressed great satisfaction in how the Australia-India ties have deepened in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, battering the two economies and causing hundreds and thousands of deaths. Since June 2020 when the inaugural Modi-Morrison virtual summit transpired, the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership has not only been deepening, but also become the fulcrum of the Quad’s new collective avatar for ensuring a safe, open and secure IndoPacific regional architecture.

It is a double delight how the Quad and Australia-India bilateral business and trade ties have assumed a mutually complementary character. The growth of Quad will underpin the Australia-India strategic partnership and vice versa.

Engagements on both fronts will chart a parallel course and should not be seen in isolation.

Peter Varghese, the author of India Economic Strategy report had observed much before the Covid outbreak, “…the stronger that [Australia-India] broader relationship the better the prospect of an economic strategy.

India should not be seen only as a geopolitical partner”. Now New Delhi too sees Australia not only as an economic partner but also as a geopolitical partner, therefore vindicating the rationale for elevating their 2009 strategic partnership into a ‘comprehensive’ one.

The Department of Foreign

Affairs and Trade observes that India’s youthful population and diversified growth trajectory present significant opportunity in education, agriculture energy, resource, tourism, healthcare, financial services and infrastructure among other areas. Both sides have formalised over 20 MoUs last June covering some of these areas during the Modi-Morrison virtual summit.

Their two-way trade has risen from $13.6 billion to $30.4 billion in 2018, but it is still below their full potential. By 2035, both sides aim to double their bilateral trade and Australia seeks to bring India in its top 5 trading partners (currently 8th).

Ambassador Anil Wadhwa’s Australia Economic Strategy report launched a few months ago could not have come at a more opportune time in bilateral and regional affairs. The report has identified 12 key sectors inter alia, mining, services and start-ups, pharmaceuticals, healthcare and medical technologies, education and skills, agribusiness, infrastructure, power and renewable energy, railways, gems and jewellery, automotive spare parts, and tourism. The report very nicely complements the recommendations of Varghese’s India Strategy across 10 sectors.

Although, both reports lay less emphasis on defence cooperation, Quad’s evolution and new regional equations are likely to boost bilateral collaboration in drone development and shipbuilding. The Mutual Logistics Support Agreement and Island Support Agreement to use Andaman & Nicobar and Cocos (Keeling) Islands in the maritime domain, and India’s decision to include Australia into the Malabar Naval exercise, assume much greater significance in context of the Quad’s emergence. These are good signs even for the stalled negotiations on Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA).

Put wisely, Australia and India are now well-positioned to play their long-due leadership roles in the Indo-Pacific, and broadly speaking, in international affairs.

Business and trade benefits to both would automatically accrue.

It is a historic opportunity which must not be allowed to go untapped.

Dr Ashutosh Misra is the CEO, Institute for Australia India Engagement, Brisbane, executive committee member Australia India Business Council (Queensland) and editor-inchief, India News Australia

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April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

INDIA NEWS

SPECIAL FEATURE

Decoding India’s stake in the South China Sea

By Aditi Mittal

O

ver the past year the South China Sea (biggest maritime flashpoint) has found itself making headlines on multiple occasions. Tensions in the strategic waterway has once again brewed as a consequence of China encroaching 200 ships to the disputed reef. This has sent alarming concerns to Philippines - another major contestant of the disputed reef claiming this as a “provocative action of China militarizing the area.”

As the world diplomacy contextualizes if you control the seas you control world politics, thus justifying why this marine spot has become such a political hotspot. In a world where fortunes of powerful countries depend hugely on maritime trade, South China Sea’s location and span make it among the most vital geostrategic water bodies in Asia.

The 3.5 million square kilometers area accounts for a total trade of $3.37 trillion dollars which passes through some of the most crucial shipping lanes of the Asian continent. Apart from this the area is immensely resourceful for the fishing industry with some of the key sections of it lying on the vast oil reserves. These immense benefits associated with the region explain why China is trying to capture the area with militia control since many years starting almost back from 1947 with its

dubious cartographic efforts of the nine-dash line.

However the South China Sea is not China’s sea but a global common. Philippines, Malaysia, Brunei Indonesia and Vietnam are other countries in the area that have contested their claims over the region and vehemently protested China’s overambitious territorial claims by neither formally recognising the socalled nine-dash line nor by approving China’s attempt to militarise the waters of the South China Sea. The nine-dash has in fact framed a damaging impact on the stability in the region.

Interestingly, the most prominent disputes that today define the instability in the South China Sea all involve different sets of claimant countries, although the nature of the wrangles is fundamentally the same. China, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia and the Philippines have conflicting claims wholly or partly over the Paracel Islands, Spratly Islands, the Scarborough Shoal, Vereker Banks and Macclesfield Bank.

The same countries in various combinations have contesting claims over other less-known islands, banks and reefs in that zone.

China’s defence apparatus includes steadily turning small islands into de facto military bases which is nowadays the worst-kept secret of South

China Sea. The recent fleet of 200 ships of China is the result of according to China one of its many so called military drills that it is supposed to carry out during the month of March. However these efforts seem contemptuous enough and come with its own ramifications leading to shooting unrest in many political arenas, not just in Asia but also the west.

As a result of this many other political powers like the USA and India have started turning their heads towards this decades long dispute.

What is at stake for India in the South China Sea? First the region has been an important sea-lane of communication since the very beginning, and has been remained unimpeded over the centuries. Indians have sailed these waters for well over 1,500 years. Secondly nearly $200 billions of India’s trade passes through the South China Sea. Thirdly the region also calls for high stakes in the peace and security of this region which is common with others who reside there, along with freedom of navigation, as well as other normal activities with friendly countries make it essential for India’s economic well-being.

India has been cultivating its ties on the 10-member South East Asian countries of the

ASEAN. India has however not been part of any free trade deal with the ASEAN countries and it also pulled out from the RCEP (Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership) as a consequence of China’s uncertain designs. Instead India has opted for mini trade deals. Currently a preferential trade agreement with the Philippines is on the cards. This puts things into much perspective as to why India must intervene in the recent political disputes between Philippines and China (i) Philippines has been the third largest economy in ASEAN (ii) despite over 70 years of diplomatic ties India and Philippines have never been close. So, this could be a chance for India to bring a new country in its fold. Hence partnering with the major stakeholders in the region could address the trade and security concerns that India faces from the disputes over this strategic region as well.

Economically and politically not just India, in fact the entire world has a lot at stake in the high seas. The US recently backed Philippines in standoff over South China reef and accused China of using “maritime militia to intimidate, provoke and threaten other nations which undermines the peace and security in the region. Thus, all the above concerns show why deterring

China’s truculence is key and India could possibly be the bulwark against Beijing.

Aditi Mittal is a Research Intern with the Institute for Australia India Engagement.

As a final year student of Indraprastha College for Women, University of Delhi pursuing B.A (Hons) in Economics, over the course of her study Aditi has developed a keen interest in analysing the financial markets and public policy discussions.

She integrates in-depth research with current economic trends to build upon her writing endeavours. She truly believes that the participation by today's youth is necessary for growth and development which has further compelled her to initiate founding projects on pivotal areas concerning our society like women's safety and global health.

Reimagining diplomacy in the post-COVID world: An Indian perspective

By S. Jaishankar

W

e enter 2021, hoping to put the COVID-19 pandemic behind us. While each society has dealt with it uniquely, global diplomacy will nevertheless focus on common concerns and shared lessons. Much of that revolves around the nature of globalization.

Our generation has been conditioned to think of that largely in economic terms. The general sense is one of trade, finance, services, communication, technology and mobility. This expresses the interdependence and interpenetration of our era.

What COVID, however, brought out was the deeper indivisibility of our existence. Real globalization is more about pandemics, climate change and terrorism. They must constitute the core of diplomatic deliberations. As we saw in 2020, overlooking such challenges comes at a huge cost.

Despite its many benefits, the world has also seen strong reactions to globalization.

Much of that arises from unequal benefits, between and within societies. Regimes and dispensations that are oblivious to such happenings are therefore

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being challenged. We must ensure that this is not about winners and losers, but about nurturing sustainable communities everywhere.

COVID-19 has also redefined our understanding of security.

Until now, nations thought largely in military, intelligence, economic, and perhaps, cultural terms. Today, they will not only assign greater weight to health security but increasingly worry about trusted and resilient supply chains. The stresses of the COVID-19 era brought out the fragility of our current situation. Additional engines of growth are needed to de-risk the global economy, as indeed is more transparency and marketviability.

Multilateral institutions have not come out well from this experience. Quite apart from controversies surrounding them, there was not even a pretense of a collective response to the most serious global crisis since 1945. This is cause for serious introspection. Reforming multilateralism is essential to creating effective solutions.

Fashioning a robust response to the COVID-19 challenge is set to

dominate global diplomacy in 2021. In its own way, India has set an example. That it has done by defying prophets of doom and creating the health wherewithal to minimize its fatality rate and maximize its recovery rate. An international comparison of these numbers tells its own story.

Not just that, India also stepped forward as the pharmacy of the world, supplying medicines to more than 150 countries, many as grants.

As our nation embarks on a mass vaccination effort, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assurance that it would help make vaccines accessible and affordable to the world is already being implemented. The first consignments of Made in India vaccines have reached not only our neighbors like Bhutan, Maldives, Bangladesh, Nepal, Mauritius, Seychelles and Sri Lanka but partners far beyond like Brazil and Morocco.

Other key global challenges today deserve similar attention. As a central participant in reaching the Paris agreement, India has stood firm with regard to combating climate change. Its renewable energy targets have multiplied, its forest cover has grown, its bio-diversity has expanded and

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its focus on water utilization has increased. Practices honed at home are now applied to its development partnerships in Africa and elsewhere. By example and energy, Indian diplomacy is leading the way, including through the International Solar Alliance and the Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure initiatives.

The challenge of countering terrorism and radicalization is also a formidable one. As a society, long subjected to crossborder terrorist attacks, India has been active in enhancing global awareness and encouraging coordinated action. It will be a major focus in India's diplomacy as a non-permanent member of the Security Council and in forums like FATF and G20.

Among the takeaways from the COVID-19 experience has been the power of the digital domain.

Whether it was contact tracing or the provision of financial and food support, India's digital focus after 2014 has yielded impressive results. The "work from anywhere" practice was as strongly enhanced by COVID-19 as the "study from home" one. All these will help expand the toolkit of India's development programs abroad and assist the recovery of

many partners.

2020 also saw the largest repatriation exercise in history– the return home of more than 4 million Indians. This alone brings out the importance of mobility in contemporary times. As smart manufacturing and the knowledge economy take deeper root, the need for trusted talent will surely grow. Facilitating its movement through diplomacy is in the global interest.

Dr. S. Jaishankar is the minister of External Affairs of India and author of "The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World."

The views expressed in this article are the writer's own.

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April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

INDIA NEWS

MAKE IN INDIA

Make In India: Dashboard on ‘Flow of Foreign Direct Investments from top 50 countries into India 2014-20’ The investment climate in India has improved considerably since the opening up of the economy in 1991. of 720 km and presence of 55 ports facilitate about 22% of the total cargo transport in India.

Jawaharlal Nehru Port Trust ( JNPT), the largest container port in the country, is connected to 34 Container Freight Stations (CFS) and 46 Inland Container Depots (ICD). The state has a total installed power capacity of over 43,000 MW.

T

his is largely attributed to ease in FDI norms across sectors of

the economy. India, today is a part of top 100 club on Ease of Doing Business (EoDB). FDI inflows in India stood at $45.15 bn in 2014-15 and have consistently increased since then. Moreover, total FDI inflow grew by 66%, i.e. from $231.37 bn in 2008-14 to $384.45 bn in 2014-20 and FDI equity inflow also increased by 57% from $160.46 bn during 2008-14 to $273.88 bn (2014-20).

FDI inflows in India increased to $55.56 bn in 2015-16, $60.22 bn in 2016-17, $60.97 bn in 2017-18 and the country registered its highest ever FDI inflow of $62.00 bn (provisional figure) during the last Financial Year 2018-19. Moreover, India has attracted more than $74 bn investments across sectors during 2019-20.

Total FDI inflows in the country in the last 20 years (April 2000- June 2020) are $693.3 bn while the total FDI inflows received in the last 5 years (April 2014- September 2019) was $319 bn which amounts to nearly 50% of total FDI inflow in last 20 years.

During FY 2020-21, total FDI inflow of $35.73 bn is received

which is the highest ever for the first five months of a financial year and 13% higher as compared to the first five months of 2019-20 ($31.60 bn) and FDI equity inflow received during FY 2020-21 is $27.10 bn which is also the highest ever for first 5 months of a financial year and 16% more compared to first five months of 2019-20 ($23.35 bn).

During the first 9 months of FY2020-21, FDI inflows to India amounted to $67.54 bn, registering a growth of 22% over the same period last year. This is the highest ever for the first 9 months of a fiscal year. The FDI equity inflow grew to $51.47 bn, a growth of 40% over last year.

MAHARASHTRA Highest FDI inflow during 200020 Mumbai, the state's capital is known as the financial capital of India and houses the headquarters of major corporate and financial institutions.

Maharashtra is the automobile manufacturing hub of the country.

Maharashtra lies on the western coast of India. It is the third largest state in India, occupying approximately 9.4% of the country's total geographical area. The state is well connected to all the major markets with 4 international and 7 domestic airports, over 303,000 km of road network and 6,165 km of rail network. The state’s coastline

Maharashtra has a good presence of industrial clusters, especially automobile, IT & ITeS, chemicals, textiles and food processing clusters and offers lucrative investment opportunities in these sectors.

Maharashtra has ranked #1 in Export Preparedness Index in 2020. Moreover, the state has attracted over $10.8 bn of Foreign Direct Investments during Oct 2019 - Sept 2020.

MANIPUR India’s ‘Gateway to the East’ through Moreh town, which is the only feasible land route for trade between India and Myanmar and other Southeast Asian countries More than 70% of Manipur’s geographical area falls under forest cover. Major forest products of the state include timber, firewood and bamboo.

Manipur is primarily an agriculture-based economy and has scope for commercial plantation of a variety of horticulture crops such as figs, olive and mandarin. It is the largest producer of passion fruit among Indian states. Handloom, handicraft and sericulture-based industries are most-developed in the state and contribute significantly to state income.

Manipur shares its border with Nagaland, Cachar district of Assam and Mizoram in India and the international border with Myanmar - Chin Hills and Chindwin. Imphal, the state’s capital, is well-connected with an international airport having air cargo services and four national

highways. The railway line on the Manipur-Assam border is being constructed on a priority basis.

MEGHALAYA Receives the highest amount of rainfall in India, 12m annually Meghalaya has a hydroelectric power potential of approximately 3,000 MW. The state has abundant deposits of coal, limestone, granite, quartz, kaolin feldspar, industrial clay and uranium.

Meghalaya, located in NorthEast India, shares its border with Assam and Bangladesh. The state is endowed with abundant natural resources in terms of flora, fauna, coal and limestone.

Of the 6,000 medicinal plants in India, 834 plants including the famous Himalayan Yew, are found in Meghalaya. The state is home to 8 of the top 20 medicinal plants that are traded in India and are in high demand. Meghalaya, one of the most picturesque states in India, has two national parks and three wildlife sanctuaries.

It offers many adventure tourism opportunities like mountaineering, rock climbing, water sports, and hiking and trekking, among others. The state receives the highest rainfall in India and Cherrapunji is the wettest region in the world.

Agro-processing, horticulture, tourism, minerals, electronics and IT have been identified as thrust sectors for development and promotion. The state provides excellent institutional support through various central and state government agencies such as North-East Council, Ministry of Development of North-Eastern Region and Meghalaya Industrial Development Corporation.

MIZORAM 2nd highest literacy rate in India Mizoram is among the four high growth States with its economy continuously growing at high rate of more than 8% during 2013 to 2016 The state where the potential area of 101,000 ha has been identified for oil palm cultivation, has seen growth in investments with offered state incentives.

Eastern part of India and shares 722 km of the international border with Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Major rivers flowing through the state, such as Tlawng and Tiau, provide hydroelectric power potential of 4,500 MW that is sufficient to meet the energy requirements of the state. The state is well connected to the rest of the country with an airport in Lengpui and has an 8,500 km long road network.

NAGALAND Naga chilli, one of the world's spiciest chillies, is grown in the state Nagaland is predominantly an agrarian economy with 71% of its population dependent on agriculture. Major horticulture crops grown in the state include banana, citrus, pineapple and potato.

Other cash crops grown in the state include rattan and bamboo.

The state is classified into four agro-climatic zones and receives an average rainfall of 2,500 mm annually. Among all the natural resources, forest resources such as medicinal plants and timber contribute maximum to the state’s economy.

Nagaland shares its international border with Myanmar in the east and is landlocked by Indian states on the other sides. The state is well connected with rest of the nation through road network of around 1,150 km and an airport in Dimapur and National Highway 19 which passes through the State from Dimapur via Kohima to Manipur. This NH 39 is soon to be an international route under the Look East Policy of the Government of India.

Hornbill festival of Nagaland, celebrated each year to promote the cultural heritage of the state, attracts a flock of domestic and foreign tourists. The event takes place in the first week of December, showcasing traditional Naga Morungs exhibition, state cuisines, herbal medicines, flower shows, songs and dances.

Source: Invest India, Government of India

Mizoram lies in the North-

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26

April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

INDIA NEWS

BUSINESS & TRADE

Australian economy on E-scooter by IIT Delhi has running cost of 20 paise per km track for full recovery figures were far better than was forecast in August 2020, reflecting the country's success in containing the virus as well as the efficacy of fiscal and monetary policy support.

the scooter and its lean design gives it the ability to easily move through dense traffic. The vehicle has a revolutionary slide and rides feature that allows riders to attach different load carrying accessories or rear seat depending on the requirement.

New Delhi, March 26 (IANS): The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi incubated startup, Geliose Mobility, has launched an electric scooter 'HOPE'. The running cost of this scooter is only 20 paise per kilometre.

'HOPE' is a cost-effective scooter for delivery and local commuting.

It gives a top speed of 25 km.

Along with this, it also falls in the discount category available for the e-vehicles and does not require a driving license or registration for driving.

'HOPE' comes with a portable charger and portable lithiumion battery, which can be fully charged in common sockets used at home. This battery takes 4 hours to charge completely. The customers have the option to select two different ranges of 50 km and 75 km of battery capacity.

IIT Delhi said that this scooter is

equipped with modern technology like battery management system, data monitoring system and pedal-assist unit. It comprises IoT which always informs customers about their scooters through data analytics. Due to such features, 'HOPE' falls into the category of smart and connected scooters of the future.

Geliose Mobility is one of the few companies which provides special features such as the pedal-assist system present in the scooter.

During the journey, customers can choose the option of pedal or throttle as per their convenience.

'HOPE' is equipped with special reverse mode technology for convenient parking, with the help of which the scooter can be parked even in difficult places.

'HOPE' has a strong and lightweight frame built for ultramodern usage. The structure of

Geliose Mobility is collaborating with logistics and delivery companies to meet local delivery requirements in food, e-commerce, grocery, essentials and other distribution applications.

Hubs for charging and maintenance of the scooters will be set up by the company on frequent routes of the delivery partners. In case of an emergency, contingency services such as roadside assistance and roadside battery replacement will be provided by the company.

Aditya Tiwari, Founder and CEO, Geliose Mobility, said, "We are going through an era of increasing pollution and climate change every day, and there is a need for sustained efforts in all the industries, especially in the field of automobiles. We started Geliose Mobility three years ago. 'HOPE' is our flagship step in the effort to build the vehicle ecosystem. The starting price of 'HOPE' is Rs 46,999, which makes it the most affordable Internet connected scooter in the market."

Water-related infra strengthening Punjab's rural economy water-saving projects to reduce water consumption across its businesses.

Recycling and treatment of industrial wastewater has been a key focus area to achieve zero liquid discharge.

Chandigarh, March 26 (IANS): Several water-related community infrastructure like tube wells, bore wells, ponds and percolation tanks, launched with the initiative of Vedanta Limited, are helping local communities access water for household and irrigation purposes in Punjab's Bathinda district.

At the same time, the company follows the required norms, including zero liquid discharge, to ensure that there is no groundwater contamination due to its operations.

"By building our capacities in sustainable livelihood, these projects have helped in supporting and generating sustainable livelihood opportunities," Ajaib Singh, a

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farmer living on the outskirts of Bathinda town, told IANS. He said the region is facing a severe problem of water logging and resultant soil salinity, which makes agriculture a risky affair.

Another farmer, Nirmal Singh, said that he has several techniques for sowing cotton on the raised beds that significantly lower water demand as compared to direct sowing. Also, this technique helps to double the yield.

Located in the southern part of the state, Bathinda faces problems of water logging and salinisation.

Vedanta Limited claims that it has recycled 282.65 million cubic metres of water in the past four years. It has taken up 19

One of the monetary policy measures was to drop the official interest rate to the record low of 0.1 per cent at a meeting in November 2020, which Lowe acknowledged had been partially responsible for increasing prices in the country's property market.

The company has incorporated efficient water usage practices, invested in state-of-the-art wastewater treatment plants and has completed water risk assessment of its entire operations.

The company's drinking water and sanitation programmes are aimed at providing drinking water and purification systems to the local communities, and it has implemented the 'WASH' initiative to develop safe and healthy habits.

Farmers say the company has been helping them adopt dripirrigation, treadle pump, solar powered water pumps and rainwater harvesting structures like percolation tanks to boost irrigation potential and reduce dependence on monsoons for crop yield.

The company has built several water-related community infrastructure to help the locals access water for household and irrigation purposes.

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Despite some speculation that concerns over affordable housing would put pressure on the RBA to shift the interest rate, Lowe said changing the current rate before 2024 would be unlikely.

Canberra, March 26 (IANS): Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) Governor Philip Lowe on Wednesday said that the country's economy has performed better than expected in terms of pandemic recovery due to to virus suppression and targeted stimulus measures.

In an address to the Australian Financial Review business summit, Lowe also reiterated the official interest rate would likely remain at 0.1 per cent despite concerns over increasing house prices, reports Xinhua news agency.

Australia's GDP increased by 3.1 per cent in the December quarter, following a 3.4 per cent lift in the previous three months.

"As a result, we are now within striking distance of recovering the pre-pandemic level of output," Lowe said.

The RBA Governor said the

"I would like to reiterate that the RBA does not target housing prices, nor would it make sense to do so," Lowe said.

"There are various tools, other than higher interest rates, to address these concerns, leaving monetary policy to maintain its strong focus on the recovery in the economy, jobs and wages."

While many professions have been hard hit by the pandemic, Lowe said that the recovery in employment in Australia had been "V-shaped", with the unemployment rate dipping to 6.4 per cent in January.

However, he warned that the downward trend in unemployment could be disrupted when the government's employment stimulus scheme, JobKeeper comes to an end in late March.

"There are still many people who want a job and can't find one and many others want to work more hours," Lowe said.

India improves on US chamber's International IP Index New Delhi, March 24 (IANS): India has improved its position on the ninth edition of the US Chamber of Commerce's International IP Index as it ranks 40th among 53 countries.

The US Chamber of Commerce's Global Innovation Policy Center (GIPC) has released its ninth annual International IP Index, evaluating IP rights in 53 economies, from patent and copyright policies to commercialisation of IP assets and ratification of international treaties.

"The overall global IP environment improved in 2020, with positive score increases in 32 of the 53 economies measured by the IP Index. India ranked 40th in 2020, scoring 38.4 out of 100 on a set of 50 intellectual property-related indicators," said a statement.

"As one of the world's most innovative and creative economies, a unified intellectual

property (IP) framework supports India's competitiveness.

This is especially true for many of India's most highly regarded sectors, including advanced manufacturing, biopharmaceutical products, and creative content," said Patrick Kilbride, Senior Vice President of the GIPC. India registered the secondhighest growth among the BRICS nations.

"We encourage the Government of India to build upon the positive momentum of the last nine years to address areas where challenges remain. The ecosystem for innovators and creators could be further strengthened through reforms to clarify trade secrets protection, the removal of bureaucratic barriers, and the passage of clean Cinematographic Law amendments to protect Indian creative content," said Kilbride.

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April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

INDIA NEWS

HEALTH

Humanity first: Nadda asks Aus regulator approves domesticallypublic to make way for manufactured vax ambulance during roadshow took place. Driving a very hectic schedule, Nadda had released the BJP manifesto in Assam in the morning.

Nadda was giving a speech towards the end of the roadshow when he spotted an ambulance stuck on the road as there were huge crowds for his roadshow.

Immediately, he asked the crowd and supporters to make way for the ambulance. As soon as the ambulance passed, the supporters cheered Nadda with a round of applause, Midnapore, March 26 (IANS): Putting social service before politics, J.P. Nadda, National President, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), on Tuesday stopped his packed road show to make way for an ambulance in Midnapore, West Bengal.

Nadda saw an ambulance during his packed roadshow during the poll campaign in West Bengal and asked the crowds to make way for it to pass.

Nadda was campaigning in West Midnapore when the incident

Social media also applauded Nadda for the gesture. Twitterati commented that no election or roadshow is bigger than humanity. Twitter comments said Nadda has shown that social service is the first principle of politics.

Australia announces support for Papua New Guinea's Covid response Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Wednesday that the Australian government will send 8,000 AstraZeneca vaccines and provide essential personal protective equipment (PPE) supplies to PNG, Xinhua reported.

The Australian government will also contact the European Union seeking access to 1 million AstraZeneca vaccines that it has already ordered and send them to PNG.

Canberra, March 27 (IANS): Australia will provide support to Papua New Guinea (PNG) to fight the Covid-19 pandemic.

"We've contracted them. We've paid for them and we want to see those vaccines come here so we can support our nearest neighbour, PNG, to deal with their urgent needs in our region," he told reporters in Canberra.

Travel restrictions between the two countries will be tightened

to prevent the spread of Covid-19 with a suspension of passenger flights from PNG into Cairns for two weeks after cases were found in Queensland.

Australian Chief Medical Officer Paul Kelly said all signs pointed towards a "major epidemic" in the community in PNG. The Australian government on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to the rollout of AstraZeneca's vaccine despite safety concerns overseas.

Several countries have suspended the rollout of the AstraZenecaOxford vaccine following reports of blood clots.

The findings, published in the journal Cell Host & Microbe, showed that the vaccine is effective against the original SARS-CoV-2 strain and the UK variant, but provides weakened protection against the South African variant and the combined UK-South African variants.

"Our findings show that future variants could necessitate a modified vaccine as the virus mutates to increase its infectivity,"

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said researcher Ran Taubea from the Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel.

For the study, the research team looked at the effectiveness of the vaccine against the original viral strain, the UK and the South African variants, as well as strains that harbour combined changes in the viral spike.

They are continuing to test other circulating variants as they constantly emerge with the hope to identify potentially risky mutations that can compromise the vaccine, the study indicated.

The research team also compared neutralising antibody levels

The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) announced the approval of the doses of the University of Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine manufactured in Melbourne by biotechnology company CSL, reports Xinhua news agency.

In a statement it described the approval as a "critical and very exciting milestone" in Australia's pandemic response.

"Specific approval of Australian manufacturing by TGA was required to ensure that the locally-manufactured vaccine had exactly the same composition and performance as overseasmanufactured vaccine, was made to the same quality and is free of contaminants," it said.

Australia has agreed to acquire 53.8 million doses of the

following administration of one and two doses of the vaccine, as opposed to levels in patients that have recovered from Covid-19.A The team found that vaccination provided optimal levels of protection, when compared to the lower levels of protection that were observed in recovered patients.

A recent study, published in the journal Nature, also indicated that Covid-19 vaccines developed by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech significantly appear less effective against the Covid variant that first emerged in South Africa.

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AstraZeneca vaccine, 50 million of which will be produced by CSL. The TGA said that the first domestically-produced vaccines were expected to be released "in the next few days".

Greg Hunt, the minister for health, said it was a "critical next step".

"It means the manufacturing process for CSL has been approved, it's safe, it's effective," he told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).

The approval is expected to significantly accelerate the speed of the vaccine rollout in Australia.

More than 6 million Australians became eligible to receive vaccines from Monday under phase 1B of the rollout, which covers the elderly, critical workers and people with underlying health conditions.

Australia has so far reported 29,196 confirmed Covid-19 cases, while the death toll stood at 909.

India crosses 5 cr milestone in Covid-19 vaccination

beneficiaries more than 60 years old and 45, 65,369 beneficiaries aged 45 and above with specific co-morbidities have also received the doses.

Australian Treasurer Josh Frydenberg said there was no eviden ce linking the vaccine to the clots.

Pfizer vax less effective against S. African variant: Study Jerusalem, March 27 (IANS): The Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine is moderately less effective against the South African variant, suggests a study.

Canberra, March 26 (IANS): Australia's medical regulator on Monday approved the domestically-produced AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine.

A total of 15, 80,568 vaccine doses were given till 7 p.m. on Tuesday, the 67th day of nationwide Covid-19 vaccination.

New Delhi, March 26 (IANS): India crossed another significant milestone in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic with vaccination of over five crore beneficiaries as on Tuesday.

According to the data by the Health Ministry, a total of 5, 00, 75,162 vaccine doses have been given, as per the provisional report till 7 p.m.

These include 79, 03,068 healthcare workers who have taken the first dose and 50, 09,252 administered the second dose, as well as 83, 33,713 frontline workers given the first dose) and 30, 60,060 the second.

A total of 2, 12, 03,700

A total of 13, 74,697 beneficiaries were vaccinated with the first dose and 2, 05,871 healthcare workers and frontline workers received the second dose, as per the provisional report.

The countrywide vaccination drive was rolled out on January 16 for healthcare workers and vaccination of frontline workers started from February 2.

The next phase of Covid-19 vaccination commenced from March 1 for those who are over 60 years of age and for people aged 45 and above with specific comorbid conditions.

Those over 45 years of age will get Covid-19 vaccine from April 1, irrespective of the co-morbidities, the Centre announced earlier on Tuesday.

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April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

INDIA NEWS

ENERGY & RESOURCES

India can increase renewable Aus threatens action target of 2030: Researchers over EU carbon tariff can cost-effectively avert the need for new fossil fuel power plants. These findings stem from an exhaustive analysis of India's power usage, weather patterns and energy infrastructure.

New Delhi, March 26 (IANS): Researchers at UC Santa Barbara have just released a study that demonstrates why India should double down on renewables.

The study examines electricity and carbon mitigation costs associated with achieving aggressive renewable energy targets in India's electricity grid in 2030, and finds that windmajority or balanced wind-solar targets have the most costeffective potential for power in India.

Researcher Ranjit Deshmukh, and co-authors Duncan Callaway and Amol Phadke, reveal in a paper published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that building significant numbers of wind and solar plants (600 GW) will reduce how often fossil fuel power plants must run.

This will hold India's 2030 electricity emissions at its 2018 level, at costs comparable to a fossil fuel-dominated grid while nearly doubling the supply of electricity.

As costs decrease, battery storage

The Indian government set a target of 450 gigawatts of renewable energy capacity by 2030. For comparison, the country's total energy generation capacity today is about 380 gigawatts, out of which 90 gigawatts are of renewable energy, not including large hydropower stations.

According to the Council on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), India would need to generate at least 83 per cent of its electricity from (nonhydropower) renewable energy sources in order to reach netzero by 2050.

However, mitigating carbon emissions is only one concern when it comes to developing countries like India.

Because the costs of wind and solar, as well as battery storage, are dropping so rapidly, Deshmukh explained, it's actually cost-effective to install these technologies instead of conventional fossil fuel technologies, like coal and natural gas, regardless of environmental considerations.

Renewable energy has become cheaper than conventional energy sources simply by avoiding the

cost of fuel that would otherwise need to be mined or, in the case of natural gas, imported to generate the same electricity.

Based on his simulation of a few hundred scenarios, Deshmukh and his colleagues contend that India could increase its target to 600 GW of renewable capacity by 2030 and increase the cost to its consumers by only a small amount -- or in many cases actually decrease the cost.

Batteries are becoming a costeffective tool for smoothing differences between energy supply and demand. They can store clean energy for times of peak demand, averting the need to call on conventional power plants, especially the expensive ones that will be operated infrequently.

Without this ability to store and shift energy, renewables may not be able to prevent the need for building new coal and natural gas power plants if India hopes to meet peak demand.

Fortunately, prices are already becoming so low that it will soon be less expensive to install batteries to store energy when demand is low compared to increasing power production when demand is high.

This will shift economic factors even more toward renewable energy.

India's methane emissions from coal mines rising: Report

Canberra, March 24 (IANS): Australian Trade Minister Dan Tehan on Friday said the country will fight an attempt by the European Union (EU) to introduce a carbon tariff on nations with weak emissions targets.

The European Parliament on Thursday voted to move ahead with the proposed Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), which would impose a levy on all goods imported from countries that do not have a carbon pricing mechanism including Australia, reports Xinhua news agency.

If introduced, millions of dollars of new tariffs would be slapped on Australian exports of energyintensive materials including aluminium, steel and chemicals.

In response, Tehan said that Australia would push back against the tariffs through the World Trade Organization (WTO).

"We want a trade liberalization approach, not a protectionist approach, in terms of how we deal with emissions reduction," he said.

Both US President Joe Biden and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson have indicated that they could follow the EU's lead on the tariff.

Proponents of the CBAM say it would create a "level playing field" for goods produced under EU regimes that are subject to a carbon price and those from abroad that are not.

It would ensure that imports are not cheaper than products from the EU. In February, Australia's Minister for Energy and Emissions Reduction Angus Taylor, said the government was "dead against" the CBAM.

Adani Green to buy 74.94 MW solar projects of Sterling & Wilson

Ryan Driskell Tate, a research analyst at Global Energy Monitor and author of the study, told IANS: "Coal mine methane has dodged scrutiny for years even though there's clear evidence it poses a significant climate impact."

"If new coal mines proceed as planned, without mitigation measures in place, then a major source of greenhouse gas will go unrestrained."

New Delhi, March 29 (IANS): The climate impact of methane emissions, including by India which is among the top five emitters, from proposed coal mines worldwide could rival the CO2 emissions from all the US coal plants, warned a new report

by Global Energy Monitor on Friday.

For India, the report estimates methane emissions to be at 45 million tonnes (Mt) of CO2 equivalent emissions over a 20-year horizon and estimates proposed new coal mines to be 52.

The first-of-its-kind analysis surveyed 432 proposed coal mines globally and modelled methane

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emission estimates at the individual mine level.

Unless mitigated, methane emissions from these proposed mines would amount to 13.5 Mt of methane annually, a 30 per cent increase over current methane emissions.

Methane is the second biggest contributor to global warming after CO2, with a shorter atmospheric lifetime, but much stronger potency and warming potential.

During mining, fractured coal seams and surrounding strata emit methane into the atmosphere.

According to the report, coal mines currently under development would leak 1,135 Mt of annual CO2-equivalent (CO2e) on a 20-year horizon and 378 Mt of annual CO2e on a 100-year horizon.

Based on a 20-year horizon, estimated emissions would exceed the annual CO2 emissions from the US coal plants (952 Mt in 2019).

The countries with the highest amount of methane emissions (CO2e20) from proposed coal mines are China (572 Mt), Australia (233 Mt), Russia (125 Mt), India (45 Mt), South Africa (34 Mt), the US (28 Mt), and Canada (17 Mt).

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Mumbai, March 26 (IANS): Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL) on Wednesday announced that it has signed a share purchase agreement for the acquisition of 100 per cent stake in two special purpose vehicles (SPV) holding 74.94 MW operating solar projects of Sterling & Wilson, a Shapoorji Pallonji group company.

The projects, commissioned in 2017, are located in Medak District of Telangana and have long-term Power Purchase Agreements (PPA) with the Southern Power Distribution Company of Telangana Limited.

The enterprise valuation of the target SPV is Rs 446 crore.

With this acquisition, AGEL will increase its operating renewable

capacity to 3,470 MW with a total renewable portfolio of 15,240 MW, Adani Green said in a statement.

The closing of the transaction is subject to customary approvals and condition, it added.

Vneet S. Jaain, MD & CEO, Adani Green Energy Ltd said: "Strengthening our portfolio through organic and inorganic growth opportunities is an integral part of the vision to build a capacity of 25 GW by 2025 and become the largest renewables company in the world. We will leverage the strength of our platform and capital management philosophy to achieve operational improvements and valueaccretive returns from the project."

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April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

INDIA NEWS

SPORTS

NZ's Jamieson fined 15% fee for Dad's novel idea showing dissent at umpire's verdict perfected Shafali's Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel, which relates to "showing dissent at an umpire's decision during an international match", the International Cricket Council (ICC) said in a statement.

Dubai, March 24 (IANS): New Zealand fast bowler Kyle Jamieson has been fined 15 per cent of his match fee for breaching Level 1 of the ICC Code of Conduct during the second One-Day International against Bangladesh in Christchurch on Tuesday.

Jamieson was found to have breached Article 2.8 of the ICC

In addition to this, one demerit point has been added to the disciplinary record of Jamieson, for whom it was the second offence in a 24-month period, taking his cumulative demerit points to two.

The incident occurred in the 15th over of Bangladesh's innings when Jamieson reacted angrily to the TV umpire's decision ruling Tamim Iqbal's return catch had not been

taken cleanly by Jamieson.

Jamieson admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by Jeff Crowe of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees and ratified by the ICC Cricket Operations department as per the COVID-19 interim playing regulations. There was no need for a formal hearing.

On-field umpires Chris Gaffaney and Chris Brown, third umpire Wayne Knights and fourth official Ash Mehrotra levelled the charge.

Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of a player's match fee, and one or two demerit points.

Kohli rises to fourth spot in ICC T20I rankings New Delhi, March 24 (IANS): India captain Virat Kohli rose to the fourth spot in the ICC T20I rankings for batsmen on Wednesday. Kohli scored an unbeaten 80 off 52 balls in the fifth T20I against England while opening the innings with Rohit Sharma, who moved up to the 14th position.

Pant too have made rapid progress.

to 27th) have advanced in the bowlers' list.

Kohli overtook K.L. Rahul in the rankings, who took the Indian captain's previous fifth position.

Yadav, who debuted in the second match of the series but could not garner any points as he did not get to bat, has pushed up from the bottom to 66th position after scores of 57 and 32, while Pant has moved up 11 places to 69th in the rankings.

Fast bowler Bhuvneshwar Kumar, named Man of the Match in the fifth T20I against England for his spell of 2/15, has moved up 21 places to 24th while Hardik Pandya has advanced 47 places to 78th.

In the ODI rankings, Jonny Bairstow is up four places to a career-best seventh position after his knock of 94 in the opening match of the three-match ODI series against India in Pune on Tuesday. England captain Eoin Morgan has advanced one place to 24th.

Rohit's 34-ball 64 in that match has helped him move up three places to 14th in the latest weekly rankings update, which took into account the three-match Afghanistan-Zimbabwe series in Abu Dhabi apart from the last two matches of the India-England series.

In other gains, Shreyas Iyer has moved up five places to a career-best 26th position while Suryakumar Yadav and wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh

For England, Dawid Malan maintains a healthy lead at the top of the batting rankings after his 68 in the fifth T20I against India, while Jos Buttler has inched up one place to 18th.

Leg-spinner Adil Rashid (up one place to fourth) and fast bowlers Jofra Archer (up 12 places to 22nd) and Mark Wood (up 12 places

big-hitting prowess

All-rounder Ben Stokes has moved up from 75th to 64th among bowlers, besides leapfrogging compatriot Chris Woakes to the third place in allrounders' list.

India opener Shikhar Dhawan's match-winning knock of 98 has lifted him two places to 15th while Bhuvneshwar has gained five places to move into the top 20 in the latest ODI bowlers' update, which considered performances in the opening India-England ODI and the first two matches of the New Zealand-Bangladesh series.

New Delhi, March 24 (IANS): When the Indian women team's batter, Shafali Verma, was entering her teens, her father would take her and her older brother to a ground near their house and engage in a competition that would see the three bat for a reward of Rs.5 or sometimes Rs.10.

Shafali, who won Player of the Series award in the T20I series against South Africa on Tuesday despite India losing the series, played some scintillating knocks in the series. She hammered a 30ball 60 on Tuesday night to lead India to a consolation win.

"She learnt to play attacking cricket from an early age. One of the things that helped her get into the attacking mould was a drill that we did together. I would pick an odd time, after 11 am or so, and take her and my son Sahil to the ground. I chose odd time to ensure there would be no crowd. Each of us would face six balls and whoever would hit most sixes or fours would get a reward of Rs.5 and sometimes Rs.10,"

father Sanjeev Verma, who runs a jewellery shop on Railway Road in Rohtak, told IANS. "For a 12 or 13-year-old, Rs.5 or Rs.10 was great. This drill went on daily for about four months and the base of her big-hitting was set," adds Verma.

When Shafali was just a nineyear-old, Verma had taken her to get admitted to the local Shri Ram Narain Academy, run by former Haryana coach Ashwani Kumar.

"We did not have money to enroll her back then. But when she started doing well in school games tournaments (School Games Federation of India-run events) and I realised that there was no future in that, I decided to enroll her as 12-year-old to Shri Ram Narain Academy. We had by then managed the money too.

She never looked back and was supported by coach Ashwani and Ranbir Singh Mahendra [former BCCI president]," added Verma.

Ashwani Kumar says Shafali was always a hard-hitter.

India-Pakistan T20 series in the offing: Report for a short ODI and T20 series.

New Delhi, March 24 (IANS): India and Pakistan could play a short T20 bilateral cricket series this year, Pakistani media reported on Wednesday. This comes on the heels of unilateral ceasefire by both countries along the Line of Control (LoC) last month.

If this series takes place, it would be the first bilateral exchange between the two countries in over eight years. The last bilateral series was played in 2012-13, when the Pakistani team visited India

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A report in Pakistani Jang newspaper on Wednesday quoted a Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) official as saying that their cricket board had been asked to "be ready" for a series with India, though no one from India has made any commitment on the series.

"A PCB official said that while there has been no direct discussion with anyone from India, indications are there and we have been told to be ready for such a series," said the report in the Urdu newspaper.

Interestingly, India skipper Virat Kohli during the recent T20I series against England had said that he has been told by the Indian cricket board that there

were going to be a few more T20 series this year.

However, the Indian and Pakistani boards have said they have no knowledge of any development on the resumption of the bilateral cricket.

A top Indian cricket official on Wednesday told IANS, "No, we have no information on India playing a series with Pakistan."

Pakistan's Geo TV quoted PCB chairman Ehsan Mani as saying that they have not been contacted by anyone for a possible IndiaPakistan series and neither has he been part of any discussion with his Indian counterpart on the issue.

A source in Pakistan told IANS that the series could be held before the T20 World Cup that is

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scheduled to be held in India in October-November. If it happens, a window will have to be created for it, he said.

The international cricket schedule is indeed tight. Indian players will get busy with the Indian Premier League, which begins on April 9 and ends on May 30. They then travel to England for the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand, starting June 18 at the Ageas Bowl in Southampton. However, the Indian team will have to reach there much in advance to undergo quarantine.

India will have over a month free after the WTC final. So, July could be a possible window for the India-Pakistan bilateral series.

India then play a five-Test series

against England in England, starting on August 4. The team returns after the fifth Test ends on September 14.

Again, the Indian team will have a month free before the T20 World Cup, and this could be another window in which the IndiaPakistan series can be slotted.

Just about two years ago, around the time of the Pulwama terror attack in early 2019, the sporting relations between the two countries also became cold, so much so that India declined visas to two Pakistani shooters who were to compete at the New Delhi World Cup, which started just a few days after the attack in Kashmir. The Delhi World Cup was staged from February 20-28, after the Pulwama terror attack on February 14.

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April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

Battle of brothers: India's Pandyas versus England's Currans

SPORTS

Shooting WC: India sweep women's 25m pistol medals, Tomar wins gold

All four players are all-rounders with Krunal being the only one who bowls spin. Krunal was also making his ODI debut in the match and ended up smashing 58 off 31 balls to propel India to 317/5.

Krunal's innings was part of a blistering 112-run partnership for the sixth wicket with wicketkeeper-batsman KL Rahul, who himself scored 62 not out off 43 balls. The pair's stand came off just 61 balls. Krunal hit four fours and as many sixes.

Pune, March 23 (IANS): India and England on Tuesday fielded a pair of brothers in their respective XIs for the first ODI. While England featured Tom and Sam Curran, the Indian team featured Krunal and Hardik Pandya at the Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium on Tuesday.

Krunal and Hardik are the third pair of brothers to play ODIs for India after Mohinder and

Surinder Amarnath and Irfan and Yusuf Pathan. The Amarnaths had played three ODIs together while Irfan and Yusuf played eight ODIs and as many T20Is. Meanwhile, Tom and Sam Curran were the first pair of brothers to play an ODI for England when they were included in the squad for a match against Sri Lanka in October 2018.

Hardik, however, could score just one run off nine balls.

Meanwhile, both Tom and Sam Curran went wicketless, though both bowled their full quota of 10 overs. While Sam conceded 48 runs, Tom was taken for 63, and was particularly targeted by Krunal and Rahul towards the end of the Indian innings. Krunal and Tom even had an argument after the latter had bowled the last ball of the 49th over.

India Legends win 1st Road Safety World Series cricket title

off 41 balls with four boundaries and as many sixes while Patahn remained unbeaten on 62 off 36 balls, with four hits to the ropes and five sixes. Other than the two big men, Tendulkar made a classy 30 that included five boundaries.

Raipur, March 21 (IANS): Allrounder Yusuf Pathan starred with an unbeaten 62 and two wickets as the Sachin Tendulkarcaptained India Legends beat Sri Lanka Legends by 14 runs in the final to win the first Road Safety World Series T20 title here on Sunday.

Pathan's two for 26 helped restrict Sri Lanka to 167/7 in 20 overs while they chased a target of 182 at

the Shaheed Veer Narayan Singh International Stadium. Sanath Jayasuriya scored the highest (43) while captain Tillakratne Dilshan failed to click this time, scoring just 21.

Earlier, Yuvraj Singh and Pathan went on a rampage by slamming half centuries to see India Legends put up a challenging total of 181 for four wickets in 20 overs.

For the Sri Lankans, none of the bowlers were impressive as Rangana Herath, Sanath Jayasuriya, FarveezMaharoof and KaushalyaWeeraratne took one wicket each. The tournament's leading wicket-taker and Sri Lanka's match-winner, Dilshan, returned empty handed, giving away 25 runs in two overs.

Brief scores: India Legends 181/4 in 20 overs (Yusuf Pathan 62 not out, Yuvraj Singh 60, Sachin Tendulkar 30) beat Sri Lanka legends 167/7 in 20 overs (Sanath Jayasuriya 43, Chinthaka Jayasinghe 40, Kausalya Weeraratne 38; Yusuf Pathan 2/26, Irfan Pathan 2/29) by 14 runs

Yuvraj scored an entertaining 60

26 sportspersons get government jobs in Punjab letters as Sub-Inspectors are Sarpreet Singh (cycling), Gurinder Singh (volleyball) and Jagdeep Kumar (boxing).

Chandigarh, March 17 (IANS): Twenty-six sportspersons were given government jobs by Punjab Minister for Sports Rana Gurmit Singh Sodhi here on Wednesday.

The players who get appointment

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The other 23 candidates -Gagandeep Singh, Jaspinder Kaur, Sandeep Kaur, Simarjit Kaur and Anju Sharma (all kabaddi), Gurbazz Singh, Rekha Rani and Pushpinder Kaur (all cycling), Jasvir Kaur (weightlifting), Neelam Rani (fencing), Gagandeep Kaur, Ramanjot Kaur, Mandeep Kaur, Rupinderjit Kaur and Harvinder Kaur (all handball), Ravinderjit Kaur (canoeing), Gurmeet Kaur (fencing), Jatinder Singh (boxing),

Harpreet Kaur (athletics), Palak (basketball), Preeti (wrestling), Sarabjeet (football), Ajay Kumar (taekwondo) -- have been appointed on the posts of constable.

"When I presented the file regarding the appointment of these players before Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, he cleared the file within a minute," said the minister.

He said as there were some glitches on part of medical, age and documentation, the process of appointing them has been delayed.

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New Delhi, March 24 (IANS): Indian shooters did a clean sweep of medals in the women's 25m pistol event at the shooting World Cup on Wednesday with Chinki Yadav winning gold, RahiSarnobat winning silver and Manu Bhaker taking bronze. Meanwhile, Aishwary Pratap Tomar won gold in the men's 50m rifle 3 positions event.

Rahi and Chinki both shot 32 in the final after which the latter won the shoot-off 4-3. Manu, meanwhile, shot 28 to finish third behind her compatriots.

Tomar managed a score of 462.5 in 50m rifle 3 positions, thus winning the title ahead of Hungary's Istvan Peni (461.6) and Denmark's Steffel Olsen (450.9).

Veterans Sanjeev Rajput (413.3) and Niraj Kumar (400.3) finished sixth and eighth respectively.

This takes India's medal tally in the World Cup to 19 including nine gold, five silver and as many bronze medals. USA remain second in the standings with a total of six medals -- three gold, two silver and one bronze.

Spotlight on youngsters as India face Oman

New Delhi, March 24 (IANS): India's 15-month break from international football came after their 2022 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Oman and they will face the same team to mark their return to action on Thursday.

The match will be played at Dubai's Maktoom Bin Rashid Stadium and will be the first of two international friendlies that India will play within a week, the second being against the United Arab Emirates (UAE) at the same venue.

Unlike the previous fixture, however, the match on Thursday does not come with the baggage of expectation or pressure. In fact, coach Igor Stimac made it clear in the pre-match press conference that he doesn't care as much about the results in these two matches as he does about the experience that the slew of young players in the Indian team will gain from facing higher-ranked opposition in foreign conditions.

The UAE and Oman are placed 74th and 81st, respectively, on the FIFA rankings while India are 104th.

As many as 10 players in the 27man squad, which has an average age of 24, are yet to make their international debut. All of them have been selected on the basis of their performances in this season's Indian Super League (ISL).

India had lost both the matches they played against Oman in the qualifiers, with their first defeat being a particularly painful experience. The Blue Tigers were leading 1-0 for much of the match and even dominated the first half to a large extent. But two late goals from Oman helped them

win the match 2-1.

"That first match (against Oman) was crucial, that match was going to determine whether we are going to fight for first two positions in group (and qualify for next round)," Stimac said at a virtual press conference on Wednesday.

"As it happened, with bad luck or inexperience (of players) in such important games, we fell down and that was something I always cry about. I felt sorry, not for myself because I have faced similar situations during my career, but for the players," he further said.

Sunil Chhetri, who tested positive for Covid-19 a few days before the team left for Dubai, won't be playing in the two friendlies which means that the likes of Manvir Singh or even Ishan Pandita could get some minutes under their legs in the two games.

Among the players who could make their international debut are FC Goa's Pandita, Hyderabad FC's breakout star Liston Colaco and Bipin Singh, who scored the winning goal for Mumbai City in the ISL final.

India: Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Amrinder Singh, Subhashish Roy Chowdhury, Dheeraj Singh, Ashutosh Mehta, Akash Mishra, Pritam Kotal, Sandesh Jhingan, Chinglensana Singh, Adil Khan, Mandar Rao Dessai, Mashoor Shereef, Rowllin Borges, Lalengmawia, Jeakson Singh, Raynier Fernandes, Anirudh Thapa, Bipin Singh, Yasir Mohammad, Suresh Singh, HalicharanNarzary, LallianzualaChhangte, AshiqueKuruniyan, Manvir Singh, Ishan Pandita, Hitesh Sharma, Liston Colaco.

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CULTURE

The 'dark realities of Intergalactic photo-exhibit from Hungarian photographers fishermen community' the photo-exhibit.

Pal Bodogh-Szabo, Director of the Hungarian Cultural Institute Delhi said: “The exhibition is a part of a huge collection of works by the members of the Hungarian Astrophotographers Association. The sky might seem the same across the globe but through the works of such talented photographers we can see through the celestial world in a different dimension.”

Hungary in India and Hungarian Cultural Institute Delhi, the exhibition commenced their cultural season.

March 19, 2021: A photo exhibition titled 'Constellations 2020' conceptualised by the Hungarian Astrophotographers Association (MAFE) was inaugurated on the lawns of the Hungarian Embassy. The exhibition took the onlooker from the Earth’s night time landscapes, through the celestial bodies of the Solar System to the mysterious world of the Milky Way and beyond the extragalactic bodies of the infinite cosmos.

Organised by The Embassy of

"Hungarian astrophotography is a unique, diverse and extremely high quality activity in the world, which represents a national value according to a sophisticated and accepted system of values. It was created and developed not by one person, but by a long, dedicated and complex pioneering work of members of a community that requires in many cases a whole person and enormous sacrifices.

That is why it is necessary to create an organization that protects and supports the values of Hungarian astrophotography, which guards the cleanness and diversity of this creative activity, provides support and protection for creators, and facilitates the promotion of astrophotography and the starry sky," said a note on

H.E. Andras Laszlo Kiraly, Ambassador of Hungary said: “It is with great pleasure that we are showcasing such a beautiful collection of astrophotography done by very talented Hungarians who bring us this close to the cosmos world surrounding us. Astrology is connected to the great tradition of Indian astronomy as well.”

Dr. Rathnasree shared that yhe exhibition resonates well with anyone with an interest in the wondrous celestial patterns in the skies.

"In particular, the planetarium being closely associated with amateur astronomers who have skills and a body of work along the same lines as that so beautifully presented at the embassy, hopes to be a partner in a continuation of this effort at the planetarium to showcase the skills of Hungarian and Indian astrophotographers.”

An ode to human strength, a 'statue of immunity' in the making kind winning over the death and future generations to remember and prepare for any future pandemics.”

March 19, 2021: In a cultural addition to the ongoing fight against COVID-19, noted radiologist and founder of MedscapeIndia, Dr Sunita Dube has announced the creation of 'the statue of immunity' and research centre, as a symbol of human resolve against the pandemic.

According to the doctor, this monument depicts the strength of the human body, the human resolve against any form of unwanted foreign invasion, whether it is the perilous virus COVID-19 which shook the entire world, or intangible negative thoughts.

The monument, the brainchild of Dr Dube, aims to become the new symbol of good health, which will

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inspire humanity to continuously resist the unknown threats and develop inner strength. It depicts the immunity within ourselves that fights and defeats any unwanted ingress in the health system, she said in a statement.

“Being a COVID-19 warrior, I really understand that the wellbeing of human is of grave concern and how we empower people with good health, strong immunity and healthy body and mind. We Indians and the entire world are fighting against COVID-19, and the war is still on but the winners are the ones who have good immunity.

Immunity is what keeps us healthy and alive and that’s what this monument will depict. It will be like an epitome of human

“I welcome all national, international, private and public government institutional bodies as well as corporations to come forward and contribute in the construction of this noble monument in India and for the entire world. We are working in five regions including three Indian states, Maharashtra, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh along with two international regions, Dubai and Western Europe.

Based on the feasibility of things, the availability of land, technical and financial support, we will accordingly select any one location for creating this monument," she further added.

March 16, 2021: Santosh Kumar Sahni, an artist from Bihar, whose work speaks of the classic, dark realities of his world precisely from the Mithila community, from Darbhanga, Bihar, is all set to exhibit his works through his first-ever art show 'BasantExpression of Art' from March 23-29 at Jehangir Art Gallery, Mumbai.

Sahni wasn’t always an artist.

He belonged to a fishermen’s community known as the Mallah community. His experience with vibrant colours, came from painting his home during Diwali and festivals since childhood.

"The subject of my painting is based on fisherman and their socio-economic, socio-cultural life. I find myself at ease with these subjects as being from a fisherman family. I have had number of experiences of fisherman's life which reflects in my paintings, these experiences enriched me as a person", says the artist.

In this show, the mermaids, fisherwoman and their lives -which exist in his paintings -- are his muse. The boat and fishing net of fisherman is just not means of earning but have importance beyond description.

Some of the notable works to

watch out for are, 'Gajgamini', 'Shakti', 'Lifeboat', 'Kashti', 'Janani', 'Sneh' and more.

He says, "My paintings are not just brushstrokes or blends of colours on canvas. But it is a convenient medium for me to establish, harmony, increase love, sacrifice, peace, beauty, spirituality and creative development in all the strata of society. I closely observed and encountered the various experience of life, truth, ugliness of the fishermen society.

I felt the pangs of their hardships and joy of their spirits, their struggles to make both ends meet.

Despite life's strugglex, they adapt themselves to every situation of life, even seasons like scorching heat, downpour, cold etc".

"My subjects also show the contradictions of this world and all the universal elements whether the life of man, mermaid or someone else. Somehow, every living being is striving for to prove his existence. I have made efforts to reflect rural life as well as to address the problem of urban life."

Sahni's works have been exhibited in tbe past in several notable group shows in places like Australia, Bangkok, Canada, Los Angeles, Nepal, France, New York, San Jose and Moscow.

‘The Statue of Immunity’ will not only be a stand-alone monument but an entire experience in itself, says MedscapeIndia. It will have pillars of strength around it which will depict various countries standing for the cause of ‘Immunity’, open forum discussion to exchange knowledge on immunity.

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Giving Sita a #MeToo-inspired voice "There has been utter chaos and deadly fear from the virus.

There has been torture and pain inflicted upon humans by fellow humans, just because they could.

All of this began to make me feel like our world exists on another unfamiliar and abnormal realm," she added.

"The George Floyd video showed the demons are still here, that they are in us. We are the demons. A microorganism, a simple messenger RNA, is powerful enough to teach us, the egotistical, narcissistic human race, a few tough lessons on nature and humility. I compared and contrasted the world in my novel, to the world we live in, throughout the editing process in 2020. Of course, there were plenty of chances for me to ponder these things, because of the isolated and lonely life under the pandemic," Panicker explained.

New Delhi, March 19 (IANS): When Indian American writer Sini Panicker, a trained chemist who is a heroin profiler for the US government, began her research into the Ramayana in early 2018, the #MeToo Movement was extremely popular and highly successful in the United States.

And, in her debut novel, "Sita: Now You Know Me", Panicker was inspired by these MeToo voices to give her protagonist a spirited and resilient voice befitting the present-day affairs that occupy the news cycles and social media.

By the time Panicker began her final editing process with Rupa Publications on the novel, the US and the world had been changed considerably. Black Lives Matter has gained significant strength; millions and millions of people have been protesting in countless cities and towns all over the world against racism and social injustice. In addition, a pandemic was raging on, killing people daily in several thousands, across the continents. Isolation and loneliness. These two words have started to define life for almost everyone on this earth, regardless of their race, age, nationality or faith. In an extremely cruel and punishing manner, these words began to define death too, for millions.

"I thought the world in the novel is surreal. It is an ancient world, it is an imaginary world, dating back to two millennia or more, where we, the good-natured humans fight the ghastly demons.

But no. The world outside - the living, breathing world of ours - is the surreal one," Panicker, whose normal topics of engagement are organic chemistry, forensic sciences, heroin investigations, and intelligence information on global heroin trafficking, told IANS in an interview.

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Coincidentally, the most continual feelings Sita experiences in the novel are isolation and loneliness.

The Dandaka exile is not a series of wonderful and joyful excursions to the hermitages

for Ram, Lakshman, and Sita in the book. The three of them are separated from the rest of the world, from fellow humans, and they lead an insulated lonely life in the deep jungle for 13 long years; their struggles and depression are openly discussed in my novel. Then there is a year of loneliness and misery for Sita in Lanka, which is almost immediately followed by her isolated life at Valmiki's ashram after Ram banishes her.

"I could not help but think about our current feelings, under the pandemic vs .the emotions detailed in the novel.

"I wrote this novel because of MeToo. MeToo is still happening.

There are several movements occurring as we speak, under the umbrella term Black Lives Matter too. The pandemic is still not over. It seems like everyone and everything on this earth is a work in progress. And a novel, a short story or a poem often provides a great opportunity for us to reflect on this work in progress; on what we are and what we should be, about our past, present and future. I hope 'Sita: Now You Know Me' will provide such an opportunity for the readers," Panicker elaborated.

The novel introduces the reader to a conflicted Sita, aged approximately 50, living like an ascetic at Sage Valmiki's ashram.

She is evaluating her prospects for the following day as she has been ordered by her husband King Ram to appear in his court in Ayodhya. Sita suspects that she will be asked to prove her chastity. Overwhelmed by an array of emotions - ranging from agony, resentment, and distrust, about the trial that occurs after long years of her punishment in exile - Sita realizes that in order to secure the future for her young sons, she has no choice but to appear in Ayodhya. The message from Ram, a husband whom she loves very deeply despite their estrangement, begins to torment Sita; and she reflects on her life's events, a series of misfortunes that led her to the ashram.

Sita narrates her turbulent life in extensive detail, revealing her deepest desires, grief and horrors, as well as her profound love for Ram and for scripture.

This Sita is deeply rooted in two major elements of her time: the agricultural practices that are further cemented by her connection to the mother earth and the magnificent era of debates on life and the cosmos, of the Vedas and Upanishads. We journey inside Sita's mind, to the steely core which sustains her through a life of stark privation and abundant emotional riches.

As she contemplates hymns and the very meaning of life, we see a woman evolved far beyond her time, a woman who speaks to us today, out of the narrative of one of the oldest epics of our world.

ART & LITERATURE

My own story relates to evolving global economy: Indra Nooyi It offers an intimate look inside PepsiCo, detailing how Nooyi steered the iconic American company toward healthier products and reinvented its environmental profile without curbing financial performance -- despite resistance at every turn. "My Life in Full" includes Nooyi's unvarnished take on

New Delhi, March 16 (IANS) Indra Nooyi is one of the worlds foremost business visionaries, who broke the glass ceiling in global business as a woman of Indian origin and immigrant leading an iconic American company that operates in 200 countries. Now, she essays her journey in "My Life In Full: Work, Family And Our Future" to be published by Hachette India.

A revered corporate strategist, she is also a sought-after advisor to entrepreneurs, executives and governments.

As Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of PepsiCo from 2006 to 2018, she was the chief architect of Performance with Purpose, PepsiCo's mission to deliver sustained growth by making more nutritious products, limiting the company's environmental footprint, and empowering its associates and people in the communities it serves.

the competing pressures on her attention and time, and what she learned as a leader along the way.

"As I wrote 'My Life in Full', I saw how my own story relates to our evolving global economy and how it may inform our progress on better integrating work and family in the years ahead. I hope this book inspires business leaders, policymakers and all women and men passionate about easing the work-and-family burden to come together and create change", Nooyi says of the memoir.

"While keeping the epic's storyline mostly intact, I have changed some events and subplots, added new scenes or twists, and altered a few characters as I needed to narrate Sita's story for contemporary readers," Panikcer said.

Sita journeys to Ayodhya and enters the palace to face her estranged husband and family.

Instead of a formal trial, the reunion becomes highly emotional. Ram offers her a public apology and pleads with her to stay with him and their sons in Ayodhya. Despite her intense joy upon seeing Ram, the agony and resentment over Ram's deceitful act cannot be forgotten or forgiven by Sita. To Ram's utter shock and torment, Sita walks away from him boldly, with a plan to convince her boys to stay in Ayodhya, without her. However, the cyclonic storms of emotions that she has experienced lately become unbearable for her already weakened heart. She collapses and dies in the hands of Ram, as he laments, brokenhearted.

"Sita: Now You Know Me" is a novel that will stay etched in your mind for ever.

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Solo woman traveller? Put these activities on your bucket list below the mountain and beautiful coastal trails.

TRAVEL

Nepal's Unnati Cultural Village a new destination for art, literature, and culture

Dance the night away in CapeTown Nothing quite prepares you for Cape Town – the captivating Mother City is where travellers can feel perfectly in tune with the new South Africa. Cape Town’s energy is unrivalled and the day doesn’t end at sunset. Revel in some of the most happening party places across the city. From old school bars and beerhouses to new cool sports bars and comedy clubs, Cape Town has it all!

March 21, 2021: While everybody seems to have been bitten by the travel bug, one particular segment has risen to the occasion in full force – that of women travellers! Women besides outperforming at work, managing their homes and slaying everywhere in general, are now increasingly turning to solo travel.

Not only is solo travel therapeutic for the modern Indian woman, but is also an enriching and bold statement of their empowered versions. Reasons to travel vary, from business and leisure to experiencing and exploring local cultures.

While there are a lot of destinations offering varied experiences, the stunning combination of captivating surroundings, fantastic year– round weather, thriving wildlife and a wide array of adventure sports to choose from, puts the rainbow nation of South Africa right on top for an unforgettable experience amongst women travellers.

Here is a look at some of the most bucket-list worthy activities to include in your itinerary on your next solo trip to South Africa: Shark-cage diving Great White Shark spotting is one of the biggest draws to South Africa. A trip to Rainbow Nation is incomplete without attempting the hair-raising shark-cage dive.

In fact, Indians are the top 3rd nationality to undertake Sharkcage diving in South Africa. There

Hot Air Ballooning in Gauteng: are two places in South Africa that promise fantastic shark cage diving experiences: Gansbaai and Mossel Bay. Situated in Gansbaai, Dyer Island is often credited as a hub for shark-cage diving. It also serves as a sanctuary to rare pelagic bird species and the whole of Marine Big Five.

The Wild Safari South Africa has to its name, a thriving and glorious wildlife. The major tourist attraction being the Big 5 – African Elephant, Cape Buffalo, Lion, Black Rhino and Leopard. The African Safari promises a myriad of species amid dramatic, unspoiled landscapes. Tourists have the option of choosing from a wide variety such as a game drive, a bush walk, or even a horse-ride for an authentic wildlife experience. From gritty experiences in the bush to opulent luxury in a private lodge, they have it all covered.

Go Hiking Hiking trails are the best way to experience South Africa's scenery, sunny climate and outdoor culture – it is one of the world's most popular hiking destinations.

Whether you like to hike up mountains, along rivers or through valleys, you’re certain to find a perfect route. In Cape Town you’re spoiled for choice when it comes to hikes – take your pick from Table Mountain’s many routes, Lion’s Head’s popular and spectacular trail, walks in the various forests spread out

You rise ever so slowly into the sky and drift gently in the wind. A hot air ballooning adventure is a low-anxiety adventure which will take you to an emotional high as you look down like a bird in flight at the landscape that unravels below. And tradition requires that a hot air balloon flight ends with a toast of sparkling wine. Say cheers to a good time!

Explore Winelands by the Moonlight Experience the cape winelands from a completely different perspective lit by moonlight! A trail by moonlight on horseback will take you back in time and offer a truly magical experience in the Witzenberg Valley. Just 90 minutes from Cape Town, away from city, lights, and pollution – you will be blown away by the brightness of the moon and be fascinated by your very own moon shadow.

Lip-smacking food in Durban Durban is sure to tantalize your taste buds with the deliciously diverse spectrum of cuisines it has to offer. While gorging on the world cuisines, don’t forget to try the South African Bunny Chow. Bunny Chow is the Big Mac of South Africa. It’s a delicious treat unique to Durban that dates back to the 1940s, and your trip wouldn’t be complete without sampling it. Interestingly, the Bunny Chow has Indian origins!

The dish consists of a hollowedout loaf of white bread filled with meat or vegetable curry.

March 18, 2021: In response to disappearing cultures due to increased urbanization and modernization, Nepal's Chaudhary Group, through its foundation, has established a 'Unnati Cultural Village (UCV)' at Harkapur, Nawalpur. The goal of the village is to offer a place where Nepali artists and writers can visit and create their art and literature, said the Chaudhary Foundation.

Spread across approximately six bighas of land, the village houses a Nepali Arts Museum. An Art Center has been set up for the promotion of art and literature.

Kala Ghar, where artists can stay and create artworks can also be found once inside the Village.

There are restaurants, guesthouses and rooms that reflect Tharu culture at UCV. The structures are adorned with paintings of various Tharu festivals and celebrations. The essence of Tharu culture and community is engraved in this cultural village.

Located 12 kilometres away from Chitwan's Narayangadh Bazaar, it is a culturally significant Tharu Village with a Tharu Dabali and Tharu Bar within the premises.

Other structures too have been named in Tharu language. Not just Tharu culture, other cultures too are represented in the Village.

Speaking at the inauguration, Binod Chaudhary, Chairman, Chaudhary Foundation mentioned that UCV has finally come to fruition after years of tireless efforts. “Art, literature and culture are the foundations of any society. If we do not strengthen these foundations, the future generations will forget about it, "he said, adding, “We have established Unnati Cultural Village keeping in mind the present and future generations.”

Chaudhary mentioned that his interest in Nepali arts piqued around five years ago when he saw Nepali art at museums set up

by World Bank sponsored Asian Heritage Foundation. The World Bank had provided financial support of 40 million dollars to Asian Heritage Foundation. “I saw some Nepali arts and crafts there.

But, I could not find it in Nepal.

That’s why my efforts are directed towards conserving such arts".

The Foundation hopes to open

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cultural centres across all seven provinces and says that UCV is a pilot project.

Nirvana Chaudhary, Vice Chair of Chaudhary Foundation and Managing Director of Chaudhary Group, said that they have been trying to raise the living standards of Nepalis since the past three decades. He informed that Chaudhary Foundation has been working in the field of women's livelihood, self-reliance, and socio-economic upliftmentin collaboration with Bill-Melinda Gates Foundation and Tata Group among others.

“Since the beginning we felt the need to invest in society. We have been working in various sectors including arts and culture, social economy, disaster management,” he said, adding, that Unnati Cultural Village is a continuation of those efforts.

An art gallery within the premises of UCV was also inaugurated.

The Village will have a Cultural Multipurpose Hall, where cultural banquets, gatherings, meetings, and cultural exhibitions can be organized. A separate space has been assigned for 'Kala Batika', with 18 places identified for the 'Open-Air Museum'. Artists can create artworks and exhibit them here.

The Village will also produce various local handicraft tools.

There are plans to produce skilled manpower and bring the handicraft products to the market. A 'History Museum' has also been set up to arouse interest in Nepali Arts and Crafts. The museum will showcase ancient, medieval, and modern Nepali crafts.

Besides Tharu community, the Village will also incorporate the cultures of other communities including Majhi, Bote, Darai, and Magar, from the Nawalpur region.

Dances like Ghatu and Sorathi will also be performed at the Village.

While the concept of Village has led to job creation, it will also increase self-employment.

The Village offers opportunities for self-employment. And, with the motive to involve the local population, the Village has employed local people and they are at the forefront from handicraft production to hospitality.

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TRAVEL

Offbeat experiences in desi locales

O

ne-of-a-kind activities designed and hosted by locals gives you a feel of the destination like nothing else can.

Airbnb Experiences go beyond the activities themselves and offer a deep-dive into the local host’s world through their passion.

Hosts offer their guests special knowledge, unique skills, and inside access to local places and communities that guests couldn’t find on their own, creating lasting connections and treasured memories.

Hilloferry - A guided Bike Ride in Dharamshala Experience the joy of riding a mountain bike amidst beautiful views of Dhauladhar ranges, enjoy sight-seeing, cherish the nature closely and explore hidden treasures. One will be provided with a well-equipped mountain bike, suitable costume for cycling and helmet for safety. Witness beautiful landscapes close to nature and beautiful tea gardens!

Colonial Walking tour in Pondicherry in Puducherr The Colonial Walking tour has been created to give tourists the real French colonial experience

in the Pondicherry. France is still in the food, the architecture, the games of boules played by local Tamils and the language French is spoken widely in the city. Know more about local history, food, festivals, customs, street names, connections with French with this mind blowing experience.

Himalayan village hike & Nepali lunch in Kalimpong These handpicked walks will take you through the adjoining villages and introduce you to the rural, rustic and peaceful life beyond the hustle-bustle of cities. You get to interact with the local communities and gain tremendous traditional knowledge on their lifestyle, history, culture besides learning more about the flora and fauna of the surrounding landscape. The walks are of different levels of difficulty, from easy to moderate, and can be tuned to your needs and preference. You will be served with a sumptuous Nepali vegetarian lunch prepared just for you using fresh local produce.

Kalimpong coffee or Darjeeling tea will follow before you make your journey back.

Dessert Safari in Bengaluru In this 3 hour tour, you will be taken around to the choicest spots in Bengaluru to sample the tastiest desserts. You will also learn about what goes into making them, the different techniques used, the different variants of the same dessert across countries and so on. This will include a walk in the alleys of Bangalore parking your sweet tooth at best desserts cafe on the way tasting both local Indian and international desserts.

bee civilization. From the guards at the hive entry, to the nurses tending the little, to the “energetic females” and “lazy males,” to the glaring elusive queen, each bee has a place inside this complex community. A memorable experience to “suit up” in a beekeeping suit, and get up close and intimate with the bees for a thrilling experience and a great photo opportunity.

Kayaking's Sal Backwaters in Goa This popular and celebrated excursion on flat dammed up waters, takes you on a winding journey through narrow waterways deep in the mangroves, sighting different birds, fish, otters and exotic local plants like cashew, bamboo and mango. Red and white lotus and migratory birds, make this a must do trip for all ages.

Learn Honey Beekeeping in Himalayas at Bhimtal At Silent Valley-Alchauna, observe the sophisticated structure of

Exploring outdoors in Philadelphia the Fairmount Park Horticultural Center.

Schuylkill River Trail Winding its way through Philadelphia along the Schuylkill River, the Schuylkill River Trail serves as a recreation trail with paved lanes for biking, running, or walking, including a 2,000-foot-long Boardwalk that hovers over the river near the city’s Rittenhouse neighborhood.

The trail extends from South Philadelphia through Fairmount Park along Kelly Drive. In total, the trail is 120 miles long and extends to Frackville, PA.

P

hiladelphia, a large city in Pennsylvania, USA, is home to one of the largest urban park systems in the nation, with over 100 parks, squares, and recreation sites totaling over 10,000 acres.

The green spaces both in the city and in surrounding areas present ample opportunities for visitors to spend time exploring outside, while also not venturing far from the heart of the city.

The Philadelphia Convention and Visitors Bureau lists a few key parks, historic sites, and other outdoor experiences to seek out during your visit to Philadelphia.

Fairmount Park Totaling over 2,000 acres when combined, Philadelphia’s East and West Fairmount Park offers visitors an abundance of biking, walking, and hiking trails as well as recreation fields to explore.

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Parks and Squares The park system is also home to several museums and attractions (Philadelphia Zoo, Please Touch Museum), six historic mansions, a music venue (Mann Center for the Performing Arts), and horticultural center. Kelly Drive — named after John B. Kelly, Jr., the brother of actress and Princess of Monaco, Grace Kelly — and MLK Jr. Drive run parallel to one another on the banks of the Schuylkill River, each with their own set of paths and picnic areas. TIP: Sections of MLK Jr. Drive are closed to auto traffic Saturdays and Sundays in April through October.

Don’t miss the iconic Boathouse Row that caps the park’s eastern end (best viewed from along MLK Jr. Drive) and the beautiful grounds of the Shofuso Japanese House and Garden adjacent to

In William Penn’s original plan for the city of Philadelphia, he envisioned five squares stationed evenly throughout the city’s gridlike system of streets. Originally intended to help prevent the spread of fires from building to building, now four of these squares — Rittenhouse, Franklin, Washington, and Logan — serve as recreation and community spaces, each with their own unique features. The fifth square, Centre Square, is where you will now find Philadelphia’s historic City Hall — the largest municipal building in the United States — and accompanying Dilworth Park, which transforms into an outdoor ice rink and holiday market each winter.

acre Wissahickon Valley Park follows the Wissahickon Creek as it winds through northwest Philadelphia. The wooded park is home to 50 miles worth of trails, a quaint tavern and event space (Valley Green Inn), and Historic Rittenhouse Town.

Countryside of Philadelphia A short drive west from Philadelphia will bring you to either Valley Forge or Brandywine Valley. Both of these countryside destinations offer a green escape from the historic and downtown settings of Center City. In Valley Forge, visitors can explore the over 3,400 acres of Valley Forge National Historical Park —

once home to General George Washington’s encampment during the Revolutionary War — or any number of biking trails throughout Montgomery County.

Alternatively, in Brandywine Valley, visitors can find the renowned Longwood Gardens — a sprawling botanical garden complete with lush conservatories and beautiful fountains.

Heading north from Philadelphia, you can visit the Andalusia Historic House, Gardens and Arboretum — the ancestral home of the Biddle family — in nearby Bucks County.

Wissahickon Valley Park Originally considered part of Fairmount Park, the 1,800-

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INDIA NEWS

April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

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INDIA NEWS

April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

Radhika Madan: Not many TV actors want to bring down their ego

ENTERTAINMENT

Dia Mirza poses with stepdaughter in Maldivian vacay pic

people watch it -- especially the saas-bahu sagas -- while taking care of their kids or cutting vegetable or doing household chores. The actors' performance needs to be up by a notch to get the attention but in movies even if you blink an eye, you miss the scene," she said.

For Radhika, who played the lead in television show "Meri Aashiqui Tumse Hi" between 2014 and 2016, taking the leap wasn't difficult because she was ready to evolve in accordance to her new medium.

"It (change of medium) was not difficult in my head. I understood both the mediums and I think people see you as you see yourself. Because it wasn't a hindrance in my head, I don't think people saw it as hindrance as well. I was aware that television is a different medium and movies are different and I needed to change my acting style. I needed to unlearn whatever I have learnt," said the actress.

Radhika, who will soon be seen in the film "Shiddat", added: "The problem comes when you want to approach movies with the same attitude, with same acting style as TV and you expect them to take you. It is about understanding the medium. Unlearning happens with every project."

Mumbai, March 19 (IANS): Actress Radhika Madan has made a mark as a Bollywood actress with her roles in "Angrezi Medium", "Pataakha" and "Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota". However, before her film debut in 2018, she was a well-known television star.

Talking about her transition from television to films, the actress said it was important to shed the ego that comes with television stardom.

"In television, fame comes really quickly, so you get the ego boost

really quickly. Once the ego is high up there and you want to start with films, I don't think a lot of people are ready to bring their ego down and start as a student," she told IANS. Was it easy for her to leave her ego behind? "I wouldn't have survived otherwise. It's a different medium. The dialogues are different, the delivery scenes are different. Now you are sitting a dark room in front of a huge screen in front of you without distraction. Whereas in television,

"Earlier, there used to be a certain taboo connected with OTT. If you are coming on digital platform then it was a step down. Now if you are digital star, then people are in awe and they also want to be one. A time may come when digital stars are bigger than films stars. I wouldn't be surprised," said Radhika.

always," wrote Taapsee.

Tillotama had earlier tweeted how her friend's grandmother was in the need of platelets, and Taapsee reached out to help.

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in return.

"Least I could've done. Not everyone gets a chance to save someone's life. Bigger than any other achievement for me. big hug n u keep spreading love like

In the images, Dia is in perfect holiday mood, dressed light summerwear, big rounded shades and a hat, as she poses against the backdrop of the sea, the beach, blue sky and island flora. The photographs have been clicked by Vaibhav.

Radhika will also be seen in two OTT original films. She says that she is open to the probability of the web some day overpowering films.

Taapsee Pannu talks about donating platelets to elderly woman

Mumbai, March 26 (IANS): Actress Taapsee Pannu donated platelets to an elderly woman, and Tillotama Shome on Friday tweeted praising her for the act.

In reply, Taapsee tweeted later the same day to share a "big hug"

poses with her step daughter, has particularly captured social media fancy.

"I have never worked or hung out with @taapsee but I was aware of how hard working she is!! I was however, unaware of how incredibly humane she is.

Going beyond an RT to actually offering to donate her platelets.

You are gold!! I wish you my best and admire your strength," went Tillotama's tweet earlier on Friday.

She had also mentioned in one of her tweets: "My friend's grandma needed platelets and she offered to donate even though she doesn't know me or my friend, that's not humane?

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"Cast Away' let's play Our #JAMoment on a secluded island in the sun! What fun Thank you @travelwithjourneylabel @jamanafaru_maldives for a another perfect day. Photos by Him (Getting better)," Dia wrote.

Male, March 27 (IANS): Dia Mirza is in Maldives with husband Vaibhav Rekhi, on their first vacation post wedding in February. She has posted a string of images on Instagram from the trip. One picture, where Dia

Dia got married to Vaibhav last month. The actress had then shared that the wedding was completely biodegradable. The high point of the wedding was a vedic ceremony conducted by a woman priest.

Jacqueline Fernandez is grateful to be part of 'Ram Setu' Mumbai, March 19 (IANS): Actress Jacqueline Fernandez posted a picture on Instagram with "Ram Setu" co-stars Akshay Kumar and Nushratt Bharuccha on Friday, announcing the start of the ambitious film.

"Here we go!!! #ramsetu feeling so grateful and blessed to be a part of this film!!!" Jacqueline wrote as caption.

The actors started off with the Mahurat shot of the Abhishek Sharma directorial on Thursday.

Besides "Ram Setu", Jacqueline will also be seen in "Bachchan Pandey", "Bhoot Police", "Kick 2", "Cirkus", and "Attack" in the coming months

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INDIA NEWS

April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

Shruti Haasan wants to develop her stories into scripts

Pagglait 'a simple story dealing with complex emotions': Director Umesh Bist

into fullfledged scripts and I'm currently working on those," Shruti tells IANS.

nuanced moments of joy and happiness, confusion and chaos together," said writer=director Umesh Bist.

At the box office, her year started on a good note. The Ravi Tejastarrer "Krack", which features her in the cast, opened to phenomenal response in theatres.

Shruti has a list of projects lined up.

Producer Guneet Monga added: "Pagglait is rooted in deep family ethos and captures Sandhya's internal journey. I'm in awe of the incredible work of Umesh Bist, Arijit Singh and each actor who has lent depth to their characters in this film."

Writing for her is a therapeutic exercise.

Chennai, March 16 (IANS): Actress Shruti Haasan has developed an interest in scriptwriting. Shruti, who is also a singer, has been writing songs from the age of 15, and has lately started exploring scriptwriting.

"Writing has always been a liberating process for me. I have been writing songs, poetry or at times just my feelings down, and I believe it can help you express yourself so much better.

I have been writing poetry and stories I would love to develop

"With all the hectic schedule, writing helps me unwind and its extremely therapeutic for me.

Song writing is another aspect I thoroughly enjoy, and I have been constantly sharpening my skills over the years," says the actress.

Shruti has recently completed the shoot of her Tamil film "Laabam", in which she stars alongside Vijay Sethupathi. She also has "Salaar" with Prabhas, which is being shot in Hyderabad. She will also be seen in an untitled OTT series.

On her musical career, she has sung the track "Yaazha yaazha" in "Laabam". The song is written by Yugabharathi and composed by D. Imman.

ENTERTAINMENT

Mumbai, March 16 (IANS): The trailer of the Sanya Malhotrastarrer "Pagglait" dropped on Tuesday, and has garnered over five and a half lakh views on YouTube within a few hours.

By the evening, the trailer has over 38k views, and has been drawing praise for its quirky style.

The film casts Sanya as Sandhya, a young woman who becomes a widow within a few months of getting married. While the family

grieves, Sandhya is unable to bring herself to mourn the death of her husband.

"The story of Pagglait comes from a deep personal experience, and I hope the viewers would be able to relate to it. It's a simple story dealing with complex emotions of life and death, told through the unique lens of a young widow who is surrounded by a family that is eager to take decisions for her.

Our talented cast brings these

Producer Ekta Kapoor said: "Pagglait is a heartfelt story of a girl who finds new meaning to life once she discovers herself.

The film will take viewers through a multitude of emotions while falling in love with the characters in spite of all their flaws."

The film also features Sayani Gupta, Shrutii Sharma, Ashutosh Rana, Raghubir Yadav, Sheeba Chaddha, Meghna Malik and Rajesh Tailang, and is scheduled to drop on Netflix on March 26, 2021.

Farah Khan teams up with Naga Chaitanya father Nagarjuna. Now, she is collaborating with Naga for a commercial.

Arjun Kapoor: I've been slapped yet again by Parineeti Chopra

"25 years ago I choreographed his dad #nagarjunaakkineni who became a friend for life.. n today I got to direct his wonderful boy @ chayakkineni for a commercial.. #humble #lifecomesafullcircle #imreallyold."

Naga Chaitanya is currently shooting for an upcoming Telugu romantic film titled "Love Story", which co-stars actress Sai Pallavi.

Mumbai, March 16 (IANS): Filmmaker-choreographer Farah Khan Kunder on Tuesday posted a picture of herself with Telugu actor Naga Chaitanya

Mumbai, March 16 (IANS): Actor Arjun Kapoor has been slapped yet again by Parineeti Chopra! Strictly on screen, of course, and in their upcoming film "Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar", after their 2012 co-starrer "Ishaqzaade".

On a serious note, Arjun opens up on how Dibakar Banerjee's upcoming film trains focus on violence against women.

"Violence against women is taken seriously by someone like me who has grown up in an environment surrounded by women. I firmly believe when you are doing a character you have to step out of being your personal self and believe that you have signed up to play a character because people like that exist in society," he told IANS. "Having said that Pinky (his character in the film) does not raise his hand on Sandeep (played by Parineeti Chopra).

The physical violence that is

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there is circumstantial. It is more about helping one another and protecting one another. There is also a feeling of angst and frustration that Sandeep feels towards Pinky, where she literally wants to cry and hit me and at the same time it is just me protecting myself in that sequence," he added.

on Instagram, sharing a mix of news update and nostalgia in the process.

In her post, Farah recalled working with Naga Chaitanya's

Katrina Kaif all set for ‘new film’

wearing a blue crop top and denim shorts. She completed the look with open hair and minimal make up.

"New day New haircut New film," She she captioned the picture.

However, the actress did not give details of the project she had begun.

Arjun says the situation is "real because that is what the director wanted".

Katrina was spotted a few days back with superstar Salman Khan which led fans to speculate if the two had started shooting for "Tiger 3".

"I have been slapped yet again by Parineeti like I was in ‘Ishaqzaade' and that trend continues! But it was not pressuring because you have read a script and you have understood the demand of the character and circumstances, and it comes in a moment of emotional chaos in both their lives, so it is not like I am beating her up. I don't think I would play a character like that," he added.

"Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar" is set to release theatrically on March 19.

Besides this, he will be seen in the film "Thank You", which made headlines when a leaked clip from the film's set showed Naga Chaitanya playing a fan of Telugu star Mahesh Babu and climbing a huge cut out of the senior actor.

The Bollywood star has Rohit Shetty's Akshay Kumar-starrer "Sooryavanshi" lined up for release. The cop action drama is slated to hit screens on April 30.

Mumbai, March 18 (IANS): Katrina Kaif has a new haircut and a new film to focus on, she shared

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in an Instagram post with fans on Thursday.

She has also been shooting for the horror comedy "Phone Bhoot".

This film is directed by Gurmmeet Singh and co-stars Ishaan Khatter and Siddhant Chaturvedi.

Katrina posted a stunning picture

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INDIA NEWS

April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

What's in a name? Ask Bollywood's 'Gods'

ENTERTAINMENT

'Satyameva Jayate 2' to clash with 'Radhe' on May 13

hero and the heroine were named Raj and Simran, Rahul and Anjali.

Indeed, if names of our stars on the screen reflect pervading mindsets, this is an era when Bollywood is exploring the "Ramayan" and "Mahabharat" for story ideas again. Names of characters, even in films that don't directly reference the epics, had to reveal an influence.

As Hindi cinema digs out names from the pages of Indian mythology once again, we take a look at traditional names that are suddenly back in vogue.

SITA By every yardstick, she is Bollywood's chosen one at the moment when it comes to name and/or screen identity. Not one but four top heroines are playing Sita in upcoming projects, either in terms of name or role.

Over the next Alia Bhatt is Sita in "RRR", Kriti Sanon essays the role in Adipurush. According to reports, Deepika Padukone and Kareena Kpaoor Khan are also gearing up for a tryst with Sita on screen.

RAM

Mumbai, March 17 (IANS) :Raj, Rahul and Prem don't set the heartbeats racing as youth icons anymore. Bollywood is increasingly returning to its roots, and Ram, Sita, Radhe and Shyam have taken over.

In an era when Hindi mainstream is rapidly drawing inspiration from the epics, names of gods and goddesses are cool again for our screen heroes. The trend of naming protagonists with a touch of divinity was popular among Bollywood filmmakers from Ram Aur Shyam via Seeta Aur Geeta to Ram Lakhan. It was not uncommon for top heroes and heroines till the nineties to favour such names.

The advent of globalisation in the nineties, and the urge to reach out to the NRI market changed that. Suddenly, romance in the Swiss Alps seemed cooler if the

Telugu superstar Prabhas plays Ram in Adipurush, an adaptation of the Indian epic Ramayana. It does not stop there, there is a character named Ramaraju in the upcoming magnum opus "RRR", a period action drama based on freedom fighters, directed by S.S. Rajamouli.

OM Adiya Roy Kapur will be seen playing a character named Om, another name of Lord Shiva. The actor is named thus in the film "Om: The Battle Within". Shiva, is known as the destroyer, and the film is high-octane action fare.

John unveiled a new poster of the film" "Satyameva Jayate"2" casts John in a double role, and the poster shows the two avatars engaged in a fight.

"This EI' it's SATYA vs JAY as LADENGE iss SAAL, Dono BHARAT MAA KE LAAL! #SatyamevaJayate2 releasing this EID on 13th May 2"21," the actor wrote.

Manoj Bajpayee and Divya Khosla Kumar. The film has been directed by Milap Zaveri. Milap has written films su"h as "Des" Boyz" in 201" and "Shootout At "adala" in 2016, which also starred John. Milap directed the actor in the"film "Satyameva "ayate" in 2018.

The sequel was originally slated to release in October last year but got delayed due to the pandemic. The film has been produced by Bhushan Kumar and Krish'n Kumar's T-Series and Monisha Advani, Madhu Bhojwani and Nikkhi' Advani's Emmay Entertainment.

The action drama also features

'83' merchandise launched

ASHWATTHAMA Vicky Kaushal's upcoming "The Immortal Ashwatthama" is a superhero film with a traditional name at its core. In "Mahabharat", Ashwatthama was the son of guru Dronacharya, the weapon instructor of the Pandavas and the Kauravas, and the final commander-in-chief of the Kauravas in the Kurukshetra War. According to the epic, he was cursed to becoming Chiranjivi, or immortal, by Krishna.

RADHE Bollywood superstar Salman Khan will play the title role in "Radhe", a name synonymous with goddess Radha, the consort of Lord Krishna. An out-and-out action film, Salman's Radhe will be seen showcasing Krishna's trait of protecting the good against evil the film. Incidentally, Salman has played a protagonist named Radhe once before -- he was Radhe Mohan in the 2003 hit "Tere Naam".

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Mumbai, March 17 (IANS): Actor John Abraham tweeted to announce that his film "Satyameva Jayate 2" will hit screens on May 13. Incidentally, it is the same day as Salman Khan's film "Radhe: Your Most Wanted Bhai".

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Mumbai, March 17 (IANS): Production powerhouses Reliance Entertainment and Phantom Films have joined hands with tennis ace-turned-entrepreneur Mahesh Bhupathis apparel and accessories company Swag Fashions Hub Pvt Ltd to launch a merchandise collection for the upcoming cricket film "83".

The film's lead actor Ranveer Singh and director Kabir Khan promoted the launch, posing with the merchandise. Also present on the occasion was Shibasish Sarkar, Group CEO, Reliance

Entertainment.

"83" is slated to release on June 4.

The film revolves around India's victory in the 1983 cricket World Cup. Ranveer plays the team's captain Kapil Dev. According to reports, the merchandise is called ‘83 Believe' and it offers products inspired by the victory. The line includes apparel, accessories, face masks, crockery, furniture, backpacks, home decor, home furnishings, pillows, and clocks.

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INDIA NEWSAdvert 220x307.qxp_Layout 1 SLC_GSSS

2/2/21 2:18 pm Page 1April 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 19

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