Rohit-led Indian team meets Australian PM Anthony Albanese in Canberra ahead of tour game
Anthony Albanese on Thursday as the Aussie PM hosted a reception at the Federal Parliament House ahead of the tour game.
The official 'X' handle of PM Albanese shared pictures of the meeting along with a message for the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
"Big challenge ahead for the
‘Second Innings’: BJP-led Mahayuti scripts history with Maha landslide, JMM retains Jharkhand
Mumbai/Ranchi, Nov 23 (IANS)
The BJP-led Mahayuti stormed back to power in Maharashtra with a historic landslide that saw it on course to get over 230 seats
in the 288-member Assembly, utterly crushing the MVA, which was reduced to less than 50 seats, while in Jharkhand, the JMM became the first party to retain power for a second consecutive term.
The BJP also dominated the bypolls to 48 Assembly constituencies in 14 states, sweeping Assam, Bihar,
PM’s XI at Manuka Oval this week against an amazing Indian side. But as I said to PM @ narendramodi, I’m backing the Aussies to get the job done," the post read.
High Commission of India, Canberra also shared the glimpses from the meeting.
Bangladesh continues to target Hindus, freezes bank accounts of Chinmoy Krishna Das and 16 others associated with Iskcon
Dhaka, Nov 29 (IANS) In spite of facing a severe backlash from Hindus all over the world over the shocking arrest and jailing of Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, the Bangladesh
government headed by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has reportedly ordered the country's banks to freeze accounts of 17 people with "interests associated" with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) in Bangladesh.
Local media in Dhaka reported
Gautam Adani, nephew Sagar Adani clear of bribery charges as per US DoJ indictment
New Delhi, Nov 27 (IANS) Adani
Group Chairman Gautam Adani, nephew Sagar Adani, and senior executive Vneet Jaain are clearof any bribery charges as per the US Department of Justice (DoJ), according to the latest filing with
Constitution is India’s guiding light: PM Modi on 75th Samvidhan Divas
on
Tuesday extended his heartfelt wishes to the nation on the occasion of the 75th Constitution Day, marking the adoption of the Indian Constitution on November 26, 1949.
Also known as Samvidhan Divas, the Constitution Day
commemorates the Constituent Assembly's adoption of the Constitution, which came into effect on January 26, 1950. The observance was officially declared in 2015 to honour the principles of justice, liberty, equality, and
the stock exchanges by a group company, Adani Green Energy Ltd. (AGEL).
In its filing, AGEL has cited the news reporting by various media houses on the bribery and corruption charges against Adani Officials as ‘Incorrect’.
“Media articles which state that certain of our directors namely Mr Gautam Adani, Mr Sagar Adani and Mr Vneet Jaain have been charged with violation(s) of the US Foreign Corrupt Practices
Act (FCPA) in the indictment. Such statements are incorrect,” said the statement filed by Adani Green Energy Ltd.
“Mr Gautam Adani, Mr Sagar Adani and Mr Vneet Jaain have not been charged with any violation of the FCPA in the counts set forth in the indictment of the US DOJ or civil complaint of the US SEC,” it added. In a legal indictment, count refers to individual charges against a defendant.
Schools shut, fishers told to avoid sea as Cyclone Fengal set to make landfall near Chennai
Chennai, Nov 30 (IANS) Cyclone Fengal, a slow-moving weather system that has recently picked up pace, is expected to make landfall near Chennai on Saturday afternoon, according to the Regional Meteorological Centre
(RMC), Chennai. Schools and colleges have been shut and fishermen asked to stay home as the cyclone is projected to cross close to Puducherry.
The weather department has issued warnings for high tides and rough seas. Fishermen have been advised to avoid venturing into the sea.
A Red Alert has been announced in eight districts of Tamil Nadu, including Chennai, Chengalpattu, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Cuddalore, Villupuram, Kallakurichi, and Mayiladuthurai, where heavy to very heavy rains
New Delhi, Nov 26 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Canberra, Nov 28 (IANS) Rohit
Sharma-led Indian Test team met Australian Prime Minister
EDITORIAL TEAM
Dr Ram Mohan, Chairman
Dr Ashutosh Misra, Editor-in-Chief
EDITORIAL BOARD
Amrita Deshpande, Community News Editor
Paras Sharma, Assistant Editor
Dr Uttam Kumar Sinha, Senior Fellow, Nehru Memorial Museum & Library, India
Mr Shaun Star, Director, Centre for Australia India Studies, Jindal Global University, India
Rohit-led Indian team meets Australian PM Anthony Albanese in Canberra ahead of tour game
"Hon’ble Prime Minister@AlboMP graciously hosted a Reception at the Federal Parliament House on the occasion of Prime Minister's XI vs India at Manuka Oval in the nation’s capital. Looking forward to a great game of cricket this weekend ahead of the next Test match at Adelaide," it shared on X.
The Indian team landed in Canberra from Perth on Thursday
morning. They will play the dayand-night game against the Prime Minister’s XI, scheduled at the Manuka Oval, on Saturday.
India registered a monumental 295-run victory over Australia in the first Test of the Border Gavaskar Trophy in Perth to go 1-0 up in the five-Test series. India, led by Jasprit Bumrah in the absence of regular captain Rohit, dismissed Australia
for 238 in the final session of day four while chasing a 534 target. India's victory over the reigning champions Australia is their biggest away-from-home victory margin in terms of runs, surpassing their 222-run victory in Melbourne in 1977.
This victory marks India’s fifth win and just two losses in its last nine Tests in Australia, dating back to the 2018-19 tour.
Schools shut, fishers told to avoid sea as Cyclone Fengal set to make landfall near Chennai
Continued from Page 1 Continued from Page 1 Continued from Page 1
are expected on Saturday.
In anticipation of the cyclone’s impact, the Tamil Nadu government has declared a holiday for all schools and colleges in these districts.
The Tamil Nadu Revenue and Disaster Management
Department has set up 2,229 relief centres in areas under heavy rain warnings.
Currently, 471 people from 164 families have been relocated to relief camps in the Thiruvarur and Nagapattinam districts.
The department has stated that it is prepared for further
evacuations if necessary. With heavy rain and gusty winds predicted, the Chennai International Airport has canceled 18 flights to and from the city. Additionally, the state government has issued a public safety advisory.
Gautam Adani, nephew Sagar Adani clear of bribery charges as per US DoJ indictment
‘Second Innings’: BJP-led Mahayuti scripts history with Maha landslide, JMM retains Jharkhand
Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, and Uttarakhand, while winning a major chunk of the seats in Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. However, it faced setbacks in Karnataka, Punjab, and West Bengal and split honours with the Congress in Madhya Pradesh.
In some solace for the INDIA bloc, it retained Jharkhand, while for the Congress, there was cause to cheer as General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi won her debut election from the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat, while the party also managed to retain the Nanded Lok Sabha seat and to win all three Assembly bypolls in Karnataka, wresting away one seat from both the BJP and the Janata Dal-Secular. The Trinamool Congress won all six Assembly bypolls in West Bengal.
The Mahayuti's unprecedented triumph may spell curtains for the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena-UBT and the Sharad Pawarled Nationalist Congress Party which were utterly demolished by their Mahayuti rivals. Even the Congress was badly singed, with its state chief Nana Patole himself losing the election, though by 660 votes odd.
The Raj Thackeray-led Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) also failed to open its account, despite all its hyperbole.
Prime Minister Modi termed the verdict given by the people of Maharashtra to the Mahayuti, which swept back to power with a near absolute majority, as a "stamp" of approval for the good governance of the BJP-led government.
The DoJ Indictment, which has five counts, does not have any mention of and has excluded Gautam Adani, Sagar Adani or Vneet Jaain in Count One:
‘‘Conspiracy to Violate the FCPA’; neither does it have mention of these three names in Count Five: “Conspiracy to obstruct justice”. Count One of the indictment, which refers to the corruption and bribery charges, only involves Ranjit Gupta, Cyril Cabanes, Saurabh Agarwal, Deepak Malhotra and Rupesh Agarwal of Azure Power and CDPQ (Caisse de depot et placement du Quebec -a Canadian institutional investor and Azure’s largest shareholder). No Adani official has been named by DoJ under this.
However, a flawed understanding of the DoJ indictment by various media -- foreign as well as Indian -- has led to incorrect
and reckless reporting of Adani Directors of being charged with corruption and bribery under or of all five counts by the US DoJ and SEC.
Adani officials are only charged for Count 2: "Alleged securities fraud conspiracy”, Count 3: "Alleged wire fraud conspiracy”, and Count “Alleged securities fraud.”
The DoJ Indictment offers no evidence that bribes were paid by Adani executives to Indian government officials, the indictment and the complaint solely rest on claims that bribes were promised or discussed.
All of this is based on likelihoods and hearsay from former employees of Azure Power and CDPQ placing the US DoJ’s and US SEC’s action against Adani on dangerously shaky ground -- both morally and legally.
Constitution is India’s
The ill-founded US action and reckless false reporting have led to significant repercussions for the Indian conglomerate, such as international project cancellations, financial market impact and a sudden examination from strategic partners, investors and the public.
Adani Group is India’s largest infrastructure player with sizable operations in the global energy and logistics space. Over the past few years, the Indian conglomerate has been expanding its operations in international markets and directly competes with several US and Chinese entities in Africa, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Israel, Australia, etc.
Since the intimation of the US DoJ Indictment, the Group has suffered a loss of nearly $55 billion in its market capitalisation across its 11 listed companies.
guiding light:
PM Modi on 75th Samvidhan Divas
Continued from Page 1 Continued from Page 1
fraternity enshrined in the Constitution.
Taking to social media platform X, PM Modi wrote, "Happy Constitution Day to all countrymen on the auspicious occasion of the 75th anniversary of the Indian Constitution."
He also shared a video highlighting the significance of the Constitution as India's "guiding light."
In the video, the Prime Minister said, "Constitution is our guiding light. The Constitution is not just a compilation of Articles but a modern expression of India's unbroken civilisational tradition
of thousands of years."
He emphasised the importance of the opening words, "We the people," describing them as "a call, a promise, and a belief" representing India's democratic roots.Union Home Minister Amit Shah also extended his greetings on the occasion, paying tribute to the architects of the Constitution, including Dr. B.R. Ambedkar. "Heartiest greetings on 'Constitution Day'. Today, India is celebrating the 75th anniversary of the Constitution with great enthusiasm," Shah posted on X.
He acknowledged Prime Minister Modi's initiative to commemorate the day and stressed the
Constitution's role in ensuring justice, equality, and national unity. "The strength of democracy of a huge country like India is our Constitution, which gives the mantra of national unity and integrity by ensuring justice and equal rights to every person," he wrote. "We believe that the Constitution is not just a book to be displayed on stage, but it is the key to making the highest contribution to public life by internalising it with full devotion. Come! On this Constitution Day, let us pledge to build a strong, prosperous and self-reliant India," the Home Minister posted.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s nine rallies across Maharashtra and his slogan of “ek hai toh safe hai” appear to have worked magic for the BJP, which was set to win 133 seats in the sprawling western state, while its major allies, the Shiv Sena, led by Eknath Shinde, and the Nationalist Congress Party of Ajit Pawar, were likely to end up with 57 and 41, respectively.
“Without a doubt, the Maharashtra result is historic. The verdict of Maharashtra is a stamp for the BJP model of good governance. The people of Maharashtra have blessed us for the time because they trust us. The BJP has also become the largest party in Maharashtra for the third time,” said PM Modi in his victory speech at BJP headquarters in the national capital.
Bangladesh continues to target Hindus, freezes bank accounts of Chinmoy Krishna Das and 16 others associated with Iskcon
Continued from Page 1
on Friday that the Bangladesh Financial Intelligence Unit (BFIU) has ordered the freezing of bank accounts belonging to 17 individuals associated with Iskcon Bangladesh, including its jailed leader Chinmoy Krishna Das Brahmachari, for 30 days.
Reports indicated that the government directive to suspend all transactions from the accounts for one month has been sent to several banks and financial institutions in the country.
Besides Das, who was taken into custody by the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Monday and jailed a day later, the other 16 Hindus targeted by the Bangladeshi government are Kartik Chandra De, Anik Pal, Saroj Roy, Sushanta Das, Biswa Kumar Singha, Chandidas Bala, Jaydev Karmakar, Lipi Rani Karmakar, Sudhama Gaur Das, Laxman Kanti Das, Priyatosh Das, Rupan Das, Rupan Kumar Dhar, Ashish Purohit, Jagadish Chandra Adhikari, and Sajal Das.
"BFIU's letter said, under the powers conferred by Section 23(1) (c) of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act-2012, orders to suspend for 30 days the transactions of accounts (other than accounts of import and export companies) maintained
in the name of ISKCON and its related parties and entities owned by them.
given At the same time, BFIU has asked to send the accounting related information of all the accounts, such as account opening form, KYC form, up-to-date transaction statement etc., within the next three working days," reported Prothom Alo, a leading Bengali newspaper in Bangladesh.
Chinmoy Krishna Das, spokesperson for the Sanatan Jagaran Jote, has been accused of sedition by the Bangladeshi authorities for allegedly disrespecting the country's flag by hoisting a saffron flag above it in Chittagong, last month.
As Bangladeshi Hindus in the country took to the streets, Das was produced in a Chittagong court on Tuesday and sent to jail subsequently.
At the same time, violence broke out in the court building, leading to the death of a 32-yearold advocate Saiful Islam Alif. Radicals in Bangladesh are now blaming supporters of Das for the lawyer's death even though Iskcon and other Hindu organisations have made it clear that no Hindus were involved in the ruckus that took place in the court premises on the given day.
Chandrababu Naidu promises to act tough to enforce law & order in Andhra
Amaravati, Nov 21 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday promised to strengthen the police setup and implement criminal laws strictly, saying development of any country or state is possible only if there is effective law and order.
The Chief Minister told the Assembly that the state can attract investments only if effective law and order is maintained and the youth will get employment opportunities only if there are investments in the state.
Naidu announced that the police setup will be strengthened and the 6,100 vacant posts in the department will be filled soon.
"There will be no development if people live in fear. If industries are set up, employment can be generated and for industries to be established investments should be made. Strong measures and
stringent laws are necessary for providing a peaceful atmosphere," the Chief Minister said, making a statement on the A.P. Prevention of Bootleggers, Dacoits, Drug Offenders, Goondas, Immoral Traffic Offenders and Land Grabbers (Amendment) Bill2024 and A.P. Land Grabbing (Prohibition) Bill-2024.
Pointing out that the previous government did not conduct even a single review meeting on the abuse of ganja, the Chief Minister said that at that time if the narcotic substance was seized in any part of the country, the roots were found in Andhra Pradesh.
When the TDP staged protests against this, the party office was attacked, he said.
Regretting that the YSRCP chief Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy is defending all those who are posting objectionable comments on his own sister and mother, Naidu said that he really felt distressed on seeing the obscene comments posted against the family members of Deputy Chief Minister, Pawan Kalyan.
He said these elements resorted
to character assassination of the Dalit woman Home Minister, Vangalapudi Anitha.
The leaders in the previous ruling dispensation resorted to organised crime on social media, the Chief Minister remarked.
To completely check this trend, a national forensic science campus will be established in the State, he announced.
The Chief Minister told the House that the previous government had brought in the Land Titling Act only to encourage the land mafia. Terming this Act as a conspiracy and against the provisions of the Constitution, he said that taking advantage of this law, the previous government raised curtains for cheating and even snatched the powers of the judicial officers.
After noticing all these issues, the Chief Minister said that he revoked the law immediately after assuming power. Naidu also made it clear that anyone who resorts to any kind of irregularities with regard to land or if illegally occupies land such persons will be sent to jail.
PM Modi launches scathing attack on opposition parties at public meeting in Bhubaneswar
Bhubaneswar, Nov 30 (IANS)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched a scathing attack on opposition parties during a public meeting here on Friday.
The Prime Minister stated that the opposition parties are engaged in spreading propaganda and falsehood against the BJP government day in day out but the public cast their votes seeing the good works done by the BJP.
PM Modi, who is in Bhubaneswar on a three-day Odisha visit to attend the all-India DG/ IGP conference, addressed the party workers at a felicitation programme after his arrival at Biju Patnaik International Airport here on Friday.
“Those who consider power is their birthright, they have been out of power at the centre for over the last decade.
They are angry at the people for voting for someone else. The situation has filled so much anger in them that they have been conspiring against the country
and started misleading people to take the country on a wrong path,” said PM Modi.
He said that the opposition has been running their ‘jhoot aur afwah ki dukan’ (shop of lies and propaganda) for the last several years.
“Their shop of lies and rumours have been operating since the last ten years. They have now intensified this campaign,” he said.
He further noted that the activities of such people have emerged as a challenge before the alert citizens, BJP workers and those who respect the Constitution.
He appealed to countrymen and BJP workers to remain alert and bring awareness among people to expose the lies being spread by the opposition parties.
He also alleged that power-hungry people continue to tell lies.
Targeting the opposition, the Prime Minister further said that the opposition is no longer using the ‘Chowkidar chor hai’ slogan. Their only aim is to capture power and loot the country by misleading people.
PM Modi also lauded the Mohan Charan Majhi-led BJP government in Odisha for fulfilling all its promises made to the people. He asserted that the BJP has been giving utmost priority to Odisha without considering which party is ruling the state.
Manipur: Cash, jewellery, relief items looted from MLA’s residence by mob
Imphal, Nov 21 (IANS) A mob vandalised a Manipur MLA's residence and also looted Rs 18 lakh cash, and jewellery items worth Rs 1.5 crore from there, police said on Thursday.
A police official said that the mother of Janata Dal-United MLA Khumukcham Joykishan Singh has lodged a complaint at the Imphal Police Station alleging that Rs 18 lakh in cash and jewellery items worth Rs 1.5 crore were looted by a mob that vandalised the legislator's residence on November 16.
As per the FIR, many other items kept at Singh's residence in West Imphal district's Thangmeiband area for displaced people sheltered in relief camps were also destroyed during the attack, the official said.
On the day of the attack, the MLA was in Delhi in connection with medical treatment for one of his family members.
He said for the first time the DGP conference is being held in Odisha. The Indian Navy is going to show its strength in the ‘Operational Demonstration’ going to be held at the Blue Flag Beach of Odisha on December 4.
PM Modi said that the Pravasi Bharatiya Divas event will be held in Bhubaneswar from January 8 to 10. Indian-origin people from across the globe will participate in the mega event.
He said people of Odisha will get the opportunity to welcome people from across the globe. He stated the event will be a major boost to the tourism sector in Odisha.
After attending the felicitation programme, PM Modi went to the Raj Bhawan. Thousands of common people and many cultural troupes who came from different parts of the state welcomed PM Modi by performing various traditional cultural programmes and musical instruments on both sides of the road.
PM Modi later in the evening held an important two-hour-long meeting with party MLAs, MPs and other senior leaders at the BJP state office.
PM Modi will attend the All-India Conference of Director Generals/ Inspector Generals of Police 2024 from 30th November to 1st December 2024 at the State Convention Centre, Lok Seva Bhawan here.
A relief camp was set up at the Tombisana Higher Secondary School at Thangmeiband a few metres away from the MLA’s residence.
Relief materials, including potatoes, onions, and other items as well as winter clothes for the relief camp have been stored in the MLA’s residence.
"Most of the relief materials were either looted or destroyed by the mobs. Lockers, electronics items and furniture were also damaged. Seven gas cylinders were also taken away by the mob,” the police official said quoting the MLA’s mother.
The official said that the attackers also damaged many documents of the relief camp inmates.
During the widespread violence on November 16 and 17, more than a dozen houses and bungalows of several ministers, legislators and political leaders were also attacked in a few districts, especially in Imphal West, Imphal East and Jiribam.
The mob violence occurred following the recovery of six bodies of three missing children and three women in the Jiribam district on November 15 and 16. The three women and three children belonging to the Meitei community had been kidnapped by suspected militants on November 11 in Jiribam district following an encounter between security forces and suspected Kuki-Zo militants that resulted in the deaths of 10 extremists on the same day.
Fan murder case: Darshan has not followed interim bail guidelines, govt tells Karnataka HC
Bengaluru, Nov 21 (IANS)
Kannada superstar Darshan, who is out on medical bail in the fan murder case, has not adhered to the guidelines dictated to him during the granting of bail, the Karnataka High Court was told on Thursday.
Special Public Prosecutor Prasanna Kumar made the submission while the High Court took up the petition seeking regular bail for the actor in the sensational fan murder case.
He further said that the copy of the latest medical report had not been submitted to him.
The bail is granted on medical grounds for six weeks. However, the date of surgery is not conveyed yet.
Darshan’s counsel C.V. Nagesh then submitted the latest medical report of the actor to the court.
The copy was also provided to the SPP.
Meanwhile, the police submitted an additional charge sheet to the court in the case.
The court asked the SPP to submit his response after studying the medical report and adjourned the matter to November 26.
Darshan was granted bail on medical grounds three weeks ago and he had not undergone surgery, according to sources.
The police department is all set to approach the Supreme Court questioning the medical bail granted to Darshan in the High Court. Darshan, his partner Pavithra Gowda and 15 others were arrested on June 11 on charges of kidnapping and brutally murdering his fan Renukaswamy from Chitradurga. Renukaswamy had allegedly sent derogatory and obscene messages to Pavithra Gowda as he was miffed with the actor having a relationship with Pavithra Gowda despite being married.
Delhi’s Khan Market ranked as 22nd most expensive high street globally
New Delhi, Nov 21 (IANS) Delhi’s Khan Market has been ranked as 22nd most expensive main street globally, retaining its position and continuing to be India’s most expensive high street, registering a 7 per cent (year-on-year) rental growth, according to a report on Thursday.
According to a Cushman & Wakefield report, which focuses on rents in 138 urban and luxury retail locations across the globe, Khan Market has rents at $229 per square foot annually (about Rs 19,330).
Interestingly, Delhi-NCR now hosts India’s top three most expensive retail high streets. Alongside Khan Market, Connaught Place (Delhi) and Galleria Market (Gurgaon) also feature prominently in the APAC rankings, with rentals of $158 (Rs 13,335) and $156 (Rs 13,166) per square foot annually.
Bengaluru’s Indiranagar saw strongest rental growth market in the Asia-Pacific region, while Anna Nagar in Chennai as the most affordable in the region, the report mentioned.
“Khan Market’s position among the world’s top retail destinations underscores the resilience and strength of India’s retail sector.
Known for its curated mix of premium brands and upscale boutiques, Khan Market attracts affluent shoppers, solidifying its reputation as a high-end retail hotspot,” said Saurabh Shatdal, Managing Director, Capital Markets and Head-Retail-India, Cushman & Wakefield.
The limited availability of retail space in the area creates intense competition, pushing rental values higher.
“With malls facing supply constraints, main streets across India are thriving, driven by robust demand and strong rental growth. As of YTD 2024, main streets have recorded leasing of 3.8 msf, marking a 11 per cent year-on-year growth,” Shatdal added.
Milan’s Via Montenapoleone, where rents have risen by nearly a third in the past two years, has overtaken New York’s Upper 5th Avenue to be crowned the world’s most expensive retail destination, according to the report.
“Globally, super-prime physical retail spaces remain central to retailers’ strategies, highlighting the enduring importance of vibrant shopping destinations like Khan Market. With India’s robust economic growth and evolving consumer preferences, the country’s retail sector is poised for sustained success,” Shatdal added.
Competitive tension for limited space saw rental growth recorded in 57 per cent (79) of the 138 locations tracked, declines in just 14 per cent (19), with the remainder 29 per cent (40) flat. This resulted in a global average rental increase of 4.4 per cent. Americas was the strongest performer regionally at 8.5 per cent, driven by rental growth of almost 11 per cent in the U.S. –more than double the 5.2 per cent recorded last year.
‘I am very happy today’, Priyanka Gandhi takes oath as Lok Sabha MP
New Delhi, Nov 28 (IANS) It is another milestone for the NehruGandhi family as Priyanka Gandhi Vadra took the oath of affirmation as a member in the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
Wearing an off-white saree with a golden border and holding the Constitution booklet, which has become a familiar sight in this Parliament session after Rahul Gandhi and other MPs of the INDIA bloc started carrying it, Priyanka Gandhi was greeted with loud cheers and chants of Bharat Jodo as she took the oath. Earlier, she was accompanied by her mother Sonia Gandhi, brother Rahul Gandhi and Congress MPs when she reached the Parliament House, saying, "I am very happy today".
Her resounding victory in the Wayanad bypoll is not only her successful electoral debut but another big achievement for the family as for the first time, three
members of the Nehru-Gandhi family are simultaneously in the Parliament.
Her brother Rahul Gandhi - the former Wayanad MP - is present as the MP from the family through Rae Bareli, which he chose to retain after winning both in the Lok Sabha elections this year.
Their mother Sonia Gandhi is a member of the Rajya Sabha.
This marks a significant step for Priyanka Gandhi, aligning her political journey with her mother Sonia Gandhi and brother Rahul Gandhi, both pivotal figures in the Congress party.
The bypoll in Wayanad was necessitated after Rahul Gandhi vacated the seat. The only talking point during the campaign was whether Priyanka Gandhi could surpass her brother's impressive 2019 victory margin of 4.30 lakh votes. Although she fell slightly short, she still achieved a remarkable win, securing the seat with a margin of over 4.10 lakh votes. Her dynamic campaign, focused on grassroots issues, underscored her growing influence within the Congress.
Her debut into the electoral fray comes 20 years after she campaigned for Sonia Gandhi in Rae Bareli and Rahul Gandhi in Amethi during the 2004 Lok Sabha elections.
Priyanka Gandhi initially stayed away from direct involvement in politics, focusing on her family and personal life. However, her
Man who came alive on funeral pyre in Jaipur, dies
Jaipur, Nov 22 (IANS) A man who came alive on the funeral pyre on Thursday in Rajasthan, died on Friday during treatment in a Jaipur hospital.
The District Collector on Thursday night suspended three doctors who declared the man dead and sent him to the mortuary and then to the cremation ground.
The deaf and mute 25-year-old youth, Rohitash, was brought to Bhagwan Das Khaitan (BDK), the biggest government hospital in Jhunjhunu district, for treatment on Thursday afternoon, but the doctors there declared him dead at around 2 P.M.
Rohitash’s body was then kept in the deep freezer of the mortuary for two hours.
After this, the police were called and a Panchnama was made and the body was taken to the crematorium with the help of an ambulance.
When his last rites were being performed at around five in
deep bond with the Congress party saw her finally take the political plunge. And she soon became a key figure in the party’s campaigns.
Though she had been actively campaigning for her mother and brother, it wasn’t until 2019 that she took on a formal role when she was appointed party General Secretary for Uttar Pradesh. However, her stint as UP incharge did not yield any positive result and the party has not been able to even sustain itself independently in the state.
Priyanka Gandhi’s parliamentary debut comes at a critical juncture for Congress, as it grapples with the political dominance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. However, her presence in the Lok Sabha adds a new dimension to the party’s strategy, particularly in the South.
Critics may reignite debates over dynastic politics, but her supporters highlight her strong public connect and articulate advocacy of grassroots issues. Her entry signals a renewed hope for Congress in regions where its campaigns have recently shown promise. For Wayanad, Priyanka Gandhi’s victory is more than a win; it symbolizes a fresh opportunity to bolster Congress’ position in the South, amplifying her political journey on a national stage.
the evening, suddenly there was movement in his body and Rohitash started breathing, just moments before the funeral pyre was set to be lit.
Even though initially the people conducting the funeral got scared, but eventually they called an ambulance and Rohitash was sent to the district hospital where he underwent medical treatment in the ICU. His condition was stated to be stable initially but he died on Friday morning.
According to information, Rohitash who lived in the shelter home of Maa Seva Sansthan in Bagad of Jhunjhunu district, fell ill on Thursday afternoon.
Rohitash was an orphan and had been living at the shelter home for quite some time before the whole incident took place.
Meanwhile, following the drama, the District Collector suspended four officials on negligence charges. Also a committee was formed for an enquiry into the embarrassing incident.
Now a probe is on to determine if the doctors performed the postmortem or not. Had the autopsy been performed, he would not have come alive. However, strangely, his postmortem report is already there in medical records. So the next line of investigation in on, said sources.
Grand conclave of priests of 51 Shaktipeeths, 12 Jyotirlingas in Varanasi today
New Delhi, Nov 30 (IANS) An extraordinary event is set to take place in Uttar Pradesh's Varanasi on Saturday, bringing together priests of sacred shrines from across India and abroad.
The grand conclave will unite representatives of 51 Shaktipeeths and the 12 Jyotirlingas, along with saints and spiritual leaders from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, and various Indian states.
Scheduled for Saturday and Sunday (December 1), the event aims to foster collaboration and address key challenges facing these revered spiritual centres.
Organised by the Centre for Sanatan Research and Trident Seva Samiti Trust, the conclave will be held at the Rudraksha Convention Centre.
Raman Tripathi, President of the Center for Sanatan Research, highlighted that over 400 saints, mahants, and shrine custodians are expected to participate in the conclave. So far, more than 700 registrations have been
confirmed, with over 2,000 still pending for the participation.
The event began on Friday with a ceremonial Kalash Yatra from Chittaranjan Park to Kashi Vishwanath Dham. The formal inauguration of the conclave on Saturday will feature Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak as the chief guest. The concluding ceremony on December 1 is expected to be graced by Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
The program will commence with a 'mangalacharan' performed by 101 Brahmins, accompanied by the sound of drums and conches symbolising the essence of Sanatan Dharma.
Raman Tripathi emphasised that the primary goal of this gathering is to promote the values, traditions, and teachings of Sanatan Dharma through collaborative and constructive efforts.
Discussions will focus on challenges such as encroachment on holy sites, threats to religious freedom, the need for better funding, corruption, safety, and the preservation of the sanctity of temples.
Australia’s scientists call for establishing institute to coordinate climate change response
Canberra, Nov 25 (IANS) Australia must urgently establish a national institute to coordinate the national response to climate change, the country's top scientists have said.
The National Committee for Earth System Science (NCESS), part of the Australian Academy of Science, an NGO, on Monday recommended that the federal government establish an Australian Institute for Earth System Science, reports Xinhua news agency.
Under the model proposed by the NCESS, the institute would be responsible for the long-term
national oversight, strategy and implementation of Australia's climate science research.
The NCESS warned that Australia would struggle to achieve netzero emissions, mitigate the risks from natural disasters and ensure water security and ongoing agricultural success unless the nation's approach to climate science research is updated.
"A unifying agency is needed to address the critical gaps in our understanding of Australia's climate and the impacts of change, and to support and engage the excellent individual researchers we have," Andy Pitman, chair of the NCESS and Director of the Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Climate Extremes, said in a statement.
Establishing the new institute was the first of 14 recommendations in a 10-year plan for Australian
Earth system science released by the committee on Monday. Pitman said that Australia must have ambition, organisation and leadership to answer questions such as how best to support the net-zero transition, where the country is most at risk from abrupt changes in weather and climate and how the exposure of cities to climate extremes can be managed.
"By implementing the recommendations in this plan, Australia can build the foundations for far more robust and actionable climate intelligence," he said.
The 10-year plan called for Australia to work with regional neighbours in the Pacific and beyond to confront weaknesses in existing climate projections and boost the understanding and management of climate risks.
Australia commits $56.8 million to eliminate violence against women in Southeast Asia
Canberra, Nov 25 (IANS) Australia on Monday announced that it will commit $56.8 million to a new programme to advance sexual and reproductive health and rights in Southeast Asia, including working towards eliminating all forms of violence against women and girls. The announcement came on November 25, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.
The 'Towards Universal Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights in the Indo-Pacific' programme will enhance efforts by long-term partners
United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), International Planned Parenthood Federation, Marie Stopes International and UNICEF to improve access to and quality of services, information and education for sexual and reproductive health and rights.
According to a statement issued by the Australian government, under the new programme, the country's partners will facilitate outreach, digital health services, boost community awareness, support government initiatives and strengthen capacity to make data-informed policy decisions. It will also support progress towards eliminating child, early and forced marriage.
"This builds on Australia's Covid-19 Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights Surge Response Initiative in 2021-2024, which delivered sexual and reproductive health services to
4.5 million people and supported over 125,000 survivors of sexual and gender-based violence across Southeast Asia and the Pacific. It also complements the Transformative Agenda for Women, Youth and Adolescents in the Pacific Phase 2 programme which commenced in November 2023 and is delivering similar support and services across the Pacific," the statement mentioned.
The Australian government affirmed that it is committed to the elimination of all forms of violence against women and girls globally, in its region and in the country.
"This new programme reflects Australia's commitment to the universal realisation of sexual and reproductive health and rights, which are central to inclusive development," the statement added.
Large parts of Australia facing increased summer bushfire risk: Authorities
Sydney, Nov 28 (IANS) Australian emergency authorities warned on Thursday that much of the country's south coast is facing an increased bushfire risk during the upcoming summer.
The National Council for Fire and Emergency Services (AFAC) released the Seasonal Bushfire Outlook for Summer 2024 on Thursday, warning of an
Social media ban gives companies responsibility to protect children: Australian PM
Canberra, Nov 29 (IANS)
Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese declared Friday that social media companies have a social responsibility to protect children after parliament passed laws banning under-16s from using their platforms.
Albanese told reporters in Canberra that the world-first laws banning anyone under the age of 16 from accessing social media will ensure the safety of young Australians, Xinhua news agency reported.
"Platforms now have a social responsibility to ensure the safety of our kids is a priority for them," he said.
The Senate late on Thursday night voted in favour of the government's legislation.
The legislation passed through the lower house of parliament, the House of Representatives, for the second time in a procedural
session on Friday morning, paving the way for the laws to come into effect in 12 months.
The government has not specified how the new laws will be enforced. Under the legislation, social media companies that fail to take reasonable steps to prevent under-16s from using their platforms will face fines worth up to 50 million Australian dollars ($32.5 million).
"We don't argue that its implementation will be perfect, just like the alcohol ban for under 18s doesn't mean that someone under 18 never has access, but we know that it's the right thing to do," Albanese said on Friday.
Responding to the passage of the ban, Meta -- the parent company of Facebook and Instagram -said it was concerned about the speed at which it progressed through parliament.
"We are concerned about the process which rushed the legislation through while failing to properly consider the evidence, what industry already does to ensure age-appropriate experiences, and the voices of young people," a spokesperson for the company said in a statement. A government-funded trial of age verification technologies is expected to inform how the age limit is enforced.
Australian govt orders national review into school bullying
Canberra, Nov 25 (IANS) The Australian government has ordered a nationwide review of bullying at schools.
increased fire risk for large areas of the country, reports Xinhua news agency.
It said that approximately half of the southeastern state of Victoria, Australia's second-most populous state, the southern coastline of the state of Western Australia (WA), and parts of the coastal region of the state of South Australia (SA) have an increased fire risk.
Large parts of the Northern Territory (NT) outback are facing an increased fire risk, AFAC warned, as are inland areas in New South Wales (NSW), the most populous state, and WA's central
west coast.
According to AFAC, mean temperatures across Australia between April and October were the third-highest recorded since 1910 and rainfall in the country's south was below average.
"The dry winter and spring period across southern Australia mean the landscape is well primed for bushfires. Communities should be ready for bushfires and have a plan in place. We hope the rains come, but it makes sense to plan as if they don't," AFAC chief executive Rob Webb said in a statement.
Jason Clare, the Minister for Education, on Sunday, said he has written to state and territory counterparts to recommend an expert-led review of current school responses to bullying, Xinhua news agency reported.
He said that the review will be funded by the federal government and report back with options to develop a national standard on bullying to better protect students across the country.
"The investigation will look at what is working and what needs strengthening, before reporting to education ministers with options for the development of a national standard," Clare wrote.
"This would inform policies across jurisdictions and sectors to provide children and parents confidence that no matter where
their child goes to school if they're experiencing bullying, it will be managed in an appropriate way."
It comes after 12-year-old Charlotte O'Brien died by suicide in September after experiencing bullying at her Sydney school.
Shortly after her death, O'Brien's parents revealed that her dying wish was to raise awareness about the bullying crisis in schools.
According to the Australian Council for Educational Research, an NGO, one in six Australian students experience bullying at school.
The government of New South Wales, Australia's most populous state, earlier in November committed to creating an antibullying policy for all its schools. Clare said in his letter that a national approach to bullying would build on Australia's proposed world-first social media ban for children younger than 16. Legislation for the social media ban has been introduced to the federal parliament and is expected to be passed into law within days. It will take effect at least 12 months after the legislation is passed.
No evidence linking PM Modi, EAM Jaishankar to criminal activity in Canada
New Delhi, Nov 22 (IANS) The Canadian government on Friday clarified formally the allegations linking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, and National Security Advisor Ajit Doval to criminal activities in Canada.
The statement emphasised that no evidence supports such claims and sought to dispel speculation surrounding the matter.
The clarification came from Nathalie G. Drouin, Deputy Clerk of the Privy Council and National Security and Intelligence Advisor to the Canadian Prime Minister.
"On October 14, because of a significant and ongoing threat to public safety, the RCMP and officials took the extraordinary step of making public accusations of serious criminal activity in Canada perpetrated by agents of the Government of India. The Government of Canada has not stated, nor is it aware of evidence,
linking Prime Minister Modi, Minister Jaishankar, or NSA Doval to the serious criminal activity within Canada. Any suggestion to the contrary is both speculative and inaccurate,” the statement read.
This statement comes after heightened diplomatic tensions between India and Canada.
Earlier in October, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau accused the Indian government of conducting covert operations on Canadian soil, which he claimed posed significant risks to public safety.
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP), according to Trudeau, had gathered credible evidence implicating Indian agents in activities ranging from surveillance and coercion to involvement in serious crimes.
Trudeau called these actions a violation of Canada's sovereignty and demanded they cease immediately.
India, however, has consistently denied these allegations, describing the accusations as "absurd and baseless," dismissing them as part of a deliberate
strategy by Canada to discredit India.
Recently, Ottawa’s proceedings before the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security on October 29, 2024, drew sharp criticism from New Delhi. During the session, Canadian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, David Morrison reportedly made remarks implicating India’s Union Home Minister Amit Shah in targeting pro-Khalistan activists in Canada. India responded with a strong diplomatic protest. At a media briefing, Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal stated, “We had summoned the representative of the Canadian High Commission yesterday. A diplomatic note was handed over in reference to the proceedings of the Standing Committee on Public Safety and National Security in Ottawa on October 29, 2024. It was conveyed in the note that the Government of India protests in the strongest terms to the absurd and baseless references made to the Union Home Minister of India before the Committee by Deputy Minister David Morrison.”
42 Shias killed in attack in Pakistan’s Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa
Peshawar, Nov 21 (IANS) At least 42 people have been killed while 14 others were critically injured after three vehicles in Kurram Agency, a remote area of Pakistan’s Khyber Pukhtunkhwa (KP) province, were ambushed by militants.
Officials said that all the buses carrying locals, on the way from Parachinar to Peshawar, were mostly from the Shia community.
“42 people have died as a result of firing on passenger vehicles in Kurram district. These include women as well. 14 of them have no IDs. We are trying to get in touch
with their relatives,” said a police official.
The Shia-dominated Parachinar area has had bloody confrontational clashes with the surrounding areas of the Sunni majority in the past.
No militant groups have claimed responsibility for the attack while the security forces have initiated a search operation to track down the attackers.
Pakistan’s Federal Minister Mohsin Naqvi condemned the attack, stating that the federal government is in constant contact with the KP provincial government.
“This past week has been difficult and upsetting. We see a new incident every day and now are in constant contact with the KP authorities,” he said.
President of Pakistan Asif Ali
Zardari also condemned the tragic incident and said that “attacking innocent passengers is a cowardly and inhumane act”.
Kurram agency has witnessed violent and deadly clashes in the past over land disputes between Shia and Sunni tribes. Over the years, both tribes have engaged in conflicts, which have claimed the lives of hundreds on both sides.
Since the last conflict between the tribes, the locals were allowed to travel in only convoys as per the decision taken by the local elders.
“It can at least be established that the gunmen were aware of the movement of the convoy from Parachinar towards Peshawar and had placed themselves in hiding positions around the surrounding mountains to carry out the attack,” said a local resident of Ochut.
Germany provides technical, financial support to Bangladesh
Dhaka, Nov 30 (IANS) Bangladesh and Germany signed two financial and technical agreements on development cooperation worth more than 180 million euros ($190.8).
Md Shahriar Kader Siddiky, secretary of the Economic Relations Division at Bangladesh's Ministry of Finance, and Achim Troster, German ambassador
to Bangladesh, signed the agreements on behalf of their respective sides, Xinhua news agency reported quoting a press release.Out of the total amount, 45.8 million euros will be used for technical cooperation and up to 135 million euros for financial cooperation.
Cooperation under the agreements will take place in the
ICC issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu, Gallant, Hamas leader Deif
The Hague, Nov 22 (IANS) The International Criminal Court (ICC) in the Hague has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, former Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, and Hamas military commander Mohammed Deif.
In a statement, the ICC's pre-trial chamber accused Netanyahu and Gallant of committing "crimes against humanity and war crimes" between at least October 8, 2023, and May 20, 2024, the date when the prosecution submitted the arrest warrant applications, Xinhua news agency reported.
The ICC said that there are "reasonable grounds" to believe that Netanyahu and Gallant "each bear criminal responsibility as co-perpetrators" for committing war crimes of starvation as a method of warfare, and crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts.
The court's statement outlined a series of alleged war crimes, including "intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population," and depriving the "civilian population in Gaza of objects indispensable to their survival, including food, water, and medicine and medical supplies, as well as fuel and electricity".
The ICC also issued an arrest warrant for Mohammed Deif, the commander of Hamas' military wing, accusing him of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity in the territories of Israel and Palestine from at least October 7, 2023.
Although Deif has reportedly been killed by Israeli forces, the ICC noted that it cannot conclusively confirm his death.
Prosecutor Karim Khan informed the court that available information from Israeli and Palestinian sources about his death remains inconclusive, leaving the arrest warrant active.
denies war crimes in Gaza.
The US, Israel's main diplomatic supporter, is also not a member of the ICC. It said it "fundamentally rejects" the move.
"We remain deeply concerned by the prosecutor’s rush to seek arrest warrants and the troubling process errors that led to this decision," a White House National Security Council spokesperson said, adding that the US is discussing next steps with its partners.
Global powers Russia, China, and India have also not signed onto the ICC, the world's permanent war crimes court, which is backed by all of the European Union, Australia, Canada, Britain, Brazil, Japan, and dozens of African and Latin American countries.
ICC prosecutor Khan had announced on May 20 that he was seeking arrest warrants for alleged crimes connected to the Hamas-led attacks on Israel and the Israeli military response in Gaza. Israeli and Hamas leaders have dismissed allegations that they committed war crimes.
The court does not have its own police force to carry out arrests and relies on its 124 member states for that, with only limited diplomatic means to force them if they do not want to.
Khan called on signatories of the court's founding treaty "to live up to their commitment to the Rome Statute by respecting and complying with these judicial orders".
In a statement, he said, "We count on their cooperation in this situation, as with all other situations... We also welcome collaboration with non-state parties in working towards accountability and upholding international law."
Netanyahu's office said the ICC decision was "anti-Semitic" and he would "not yield to pressure, will not be deterred" until Israel's war objectives are met.
The ICC has "lost all legitimacy" after issuing the arrest warrants for Netanyahu and Gallant, Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said.
areas of renewable energy and energy efficiency, sustainable urban development, technical and vocational education and training, socially and environmentally sound supply chains, trade and infrastructure, protection of biodiversity and for a project on combating domestic violence against women and children. (1 euro equals $1.06)
In May, Khan initially requested arrest warrants for five individuals: Netanyahu, Gallant, Deif, and senior Hamas leaders Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar. However, after confirmed reports of Haniyeh and Sinwar's deaths, the court withdrew those applications.
Israel has said it killed Mohammed Deif, in an airstrike in July but Hamas has neither confirmed nor denied this. The prosecution indicated it would continue to gather information concerning his reported death.
Israel has rejected the jurisdiction of the Hague-based court and
"A dark moment for the International Criminal Court," Saar said on X, adding that it had issued "absurd orders without authority".
There was no immediate comment from Gallant.
In a statement, Hamas welcomed the warrants against Gallant and Netanyahu and urged the court to expand accountability to all Israeli leaders.
The EU's foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said the decision was not political but made by a court and thus should be respected and implemented.
South Korea confirms North Korea stole 58 billion won worth of cryptocurrency in 2019
Seoul, Nov 21 (IANS) South Korea confirmed on Thursday that North Korean hackers were behind the theft of 58 billion won ($41.5 million) worth of cryptocurrency in 2019.
The National Office of Investigation of the National Police Agency announced the finding, saying North Korea's state-sponsored hacking groups Lazarus and Andariel were involved in the theft of 342,000 Ethereum tokens from the cryptocurrency exchange Upbit in November 2019, Yonhap News
Agency reported.
The tokens, valued at 58 billion won at the time, are now equivalent to 1.47 trillion won.
This marks the first time a South Korean investigative agency has confirmed North Korea's involvement in cryptocurrency hacking crimes, though similar charges have been raised by the United Nations and other countries.
Police said they were able to confirm North Korea's involvement by tracking IP addresses and cryptocurrency flows, as well as by detecting the use of the North Korean language and analysing material secured with the help of the US Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Police did not release details of
the methods used in the hacking attacks, citing concerns of their recurrence or copycat crimes.
North Korea sold 57 per cent of the stolen Ethereum tokens at 2.5 per cent below market price in exchange for bitcoin tokens on three cryptocurrency exchange websites presumably established by the North, according to police. The remainder of the Ethereum was distributed to 51 overseas exchanges and laundered, they said.
In 2020, a portion of the stolen cryptocurrency was discovered on a Swiss cryptocurrency exchange, and after proving their source to the Swiss prosecution over four years, police said they returned 4.8 bitcoin worth around 600 million won to Upbit last month.
‘Dedicate this to 140 crore Indians’, says PM Modi as Dominica confers him with top award
Georgetown (Guyana), Nov 21 (IANS) After being conferred the highest award for his contributions to the Caribbean nation during the Covid-19 pandemic and his dedication to enhancing the bilateral partnership between India and Dominica, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday dedicated the honour to the "140 crore people living in India". "Honoured to be conferred with the highest national award by Dominica. I dedicate it to the 140 crore people of India," Prime Minister Modi said in a post on social media platform X.
Prime Minister Modi also said that he dedicated the highest national award conferred by Dominica to the efforts, culture and traditions of the people of India.
He also thanked President Sylvanie Burton for giving him this special honour by coming to Guyana personally and hailed both India and Dominica not
only as democratic nations but also as role models for the whole world to emulate regarding women's empowerment, adding that President Droupadi Murmu is the first Indian President to be elected from the tribal community whereas President of Dominica Sylvanie Burton is also the first President from the indigenous community.
"India and Dominica not only share centuries-old historical and civilisational ties," PM Modi added.
The Prime Minister, who is in Guyana on the last leg of his three-nation visit, was conferred the "Dominica Award of Honour" by President Sylvanie Burton of Dominica during the IndiaCARICOM Summit here on Wednesday.
"The award is a recognition of PM's statesmanship and contribution to Dominica during the Covid-19 pandemic and his commitment to strengthening India-Dominica ties," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said in a post on X.
"President Sylvanie Burton of Dominica conferred on PM @ narendramodi the "Dominica Award of Honour", the highest National Award of the Commonwealth of Dominica. The award is a recognition of PM’s statesmanship and contribution to during the Covid pandemic and his commitment to strengthening India-Dominica ties," said MEA
spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal in a statement.
Guyana and Barbados will also confer their top awards on Prime Minister Modi, bringing his tally of international honours to 19. Dominica announced its top award to PM Modi a few days ago.
"In February 2021, Prime Minister Modi supplied Dominica with 70,000 doses of the AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine -- a generous gift which enabled Dominica to extend support to its Caribbean neighbours," said a statement by the office of the Dominican Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit.
The award also recognises India's support for Dominica in healthcare, education and information technology under PM Modi's leadership and his role in promoting climate resilience-building initiatives and sustainable development on a global level, it added.
The statement quoted Prime Minister Skerrit as saying that the award is an expression of Dominica's gratitude for PM Modi's solidarity with Dominica and the wider region.
In accepting the offer of the award, Prime Minister Modi emphasised the importance of collaboration in tackling global challenges such as climate change and geopolitical conflicts and affirmed India's commitment to working alongside Dominica and the Caribbean in addressing these issues, the statement underlined.
Iran denies allegation of violating Chemical Weapons Convention
Tehran, Nov 30 (IANS) Iran's permanent mission to the UN in New York has firmly rebutted claims suggesting that the nation had breached the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the official news agency IRNA reported.
The Institute for the Study of War, a policy research organisation on US national security, alleged that Iran had been focussing on how to produce and deliver pharmaceutical-based chemical agents for military use, citing a November 26 report by the US Institute for Science and International Security, Xinhua news agency reported.
In response to the allegation, the Iranian diplomatic mission wrote on Thursday on social media.
Freedom of religion must be preserved: UK MP over attacks on Hindus in B’desh
London, Nov 29 (IANS) The U.K. Conservative MP Bob Blackman lashed out at the Bangladeshi interim government over the attacks on the Hindu community in Bangladesh following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in August this year.
“I condemned the attacks on Hindus in Bangladesh and the imprisonment of Chinmoy Krishna Das. Freedom of religion must be preserved globally,” the MP wrote on X.
He added, “I am also concerned by the attempt in their High Court to rule that #ISKCON should be banned from the country.”
He added that there was an attempt made in the Bangladesh court to ban the ISKCON which is a direct threat to minorities in the country.
“We have fought for the freedom of Bangladeshi and we cannot
allow any government there to persecute minorities there,” the MP said.
Chinmoy Krishna, also known as Krishna Prabhu Das, was taken into custody by the Detective Branch (DB) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Monday at 4:30 pm.
Chinmoy Krishna Das was taken into custody by Dhaka Metropolitan Police on Monday.
Chinmoy Krishna was not only associated with the Bangladesh Jatiya Hindu Mohajot (BJHM), a grand national alliance of 23 religious organisations in the country but also with the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON).
As the news about Chinmoy Krishna's arrest spread on social media, several protests broke out in Chittagong, demanding his immediate release. It was reported that protesters marched and rallied at the Cheragi intersection in the city, chanting slogans and demanding his release. Several videos that went viral on social media late Monday evening showed Bangladeshi policemen targeting the protestors who were marching towards the Cheragi intersection.
London ranks as World’s Best City for 10th consecutive year
the world's best city for the 10th consecutive year in the annual World's Best Cities rankings. The British capital retained its top spot, ahead of New York, Paris, and Tokyo.
The rankings, compiled by Resonance, a global advisor in real estate, tourism, and economic development, evaluate cities with populations of over 1 million. London has consistently dominated the rankings since their inception, even as the evaluation criteria evolve each year, Xinhua news agency reported.
The rankings underscore London's global appeal as a city that consistently combines rich cultural heritage, robust business infrastructure, and an unmatched quality of life.
This year's rankings, in partnership with leading pollster Ipsos, introduced public perception as a key metric. For the first time, insights from over 22,000 people across 30 countries were incorporated, adding perception-based data to the analysis.
The evaluation considered a wide
range of other factors, including the quality of natural and built environments, cultural vibrancy, dining, nightlife, shopping, and business infrastructure. It also assessed regional airport connectivity and the quality of universities, all of which have shown strong correlations with attracting residents aged 25 to 44.
"People are moving and migrating, a trend amplified during the pandemic as individuals sought not just affordable places but lovable places," said Chris Fair, Resonance's president and CEO.
"The results show that people around the world continue to aspire to live, visit, and work in the world's largest cities."
Fair acknowledged inherent biases in the rankings due to reliance on data from platforms like TripAdvisor, which tend to favour a Western perspective.
Laura Citron OBE, CEO of London & Partners, the UK capital's growth agency, highlighted London's appeal to Chinese visitors. "We always love to see more Chinese tourists in London," she told Xinhua.
"Our iconic attractions, worldclass financial sector, and fastgrowing tech industry showcase our city's strength, but it's the diversity of our people and ideas that drives the innovation and opportunities shaping our future," she added.
London, Nov 21 (IANS) London has been crowned
From the editor’s desk
Springfield: A vision turned vibrant reality
Springfield is a shining example of what thoughtful urban planning and visionary leadership can achieve. In just a few decades, this masterplanned city has transformed from a quiet stretch of bushland into a thriving hub of community, innovation, and opportunity. It stands today not just as a place to live but as a model for the future of Australian cities. In fact, people from other parts of the world, more so from India have a lot to learn from Springfield. It highlights the importance of how much human aspirations backed up by a zeal that knows no bounds and the capacity to work hard culminates into what Springfield has emerged to become today. And the experience of visiting this city and more so residing here is nothing short of a dream that has materialized. So what is it that makes Springfield different?
What sets Springfield apart is its balance. It was all about an idea, quite literally, that was meant to concretize itself. The city was built on a bold idea: to create a community where people could live, work, and play without compromising on lifestyle. That vision has materialized into a city buzzing with life, where everything—from homes and schools to businesses and parks—is interconnected. It’s a place here families grow, professionals innovate, and neighbours become friends. The confluence of all these elements of this model city is conspicuous b y its absence in most other cities of the world.
Take its educational backbone, for instance. Springfield’s dedication to learning is unmatched. With top-tier schools and the University of Southern Queensland, it has become a destination for families seeking quality education and for students who want to shape their future in a supportive environment. This focus on education ensures that Springfield is not just growing—it’s preparing the next generation to lead.
Then there’s the city’s economic vibrancy. Springfield’s ability to attract major investments has made it a hotspot for technology, healthcare, and entrepreneurship. The Health City precinct and cutting-edge Springfield Data Centre are just two examples of how this city is positioning itself as a powerhouse of innovation.
Adani allegations: Resilience amid renewed US pressure on India’s growth
These developments don’t just fuel the economy—they create jobs, opportunities, and a sense of purpose for its residents.
Moreover, Springfield’s emphasis on green energy and sustainability sets it apart. With initiatives like solar-powered infrastructure and ecofriendly buildings, the city is not just planning for today but also safeguarding its future. Residents enjoy the benefits of sustainable living without sacrificing convenience or modernity.
Springfield isn’t all about work. It’s a city that values quality of life, evident in its lush green spaces, cycling trails, and recreational hubs. Robelle Domain Parklands, with its open spaces and water features, is a place where families gather, children play, and people unwind. It’s this seamless blend of urban convenience and natural beauty that makes Springfield so livable.
At its core, Springfield is about community. It’s the warm greetings between neighbors, the local businesses that thrive on personal connections, and the shared pride in a city that’s growing stronger every day. This is more than just a city where people reside—it’s a place where they truly feel at home.
As Springfield grows, it’s also setting an example for other cities to follow. The model of integrating education, employment, and recreation into one cohesive urban plan is one that can inspire city planners worldwide. The city’s leadership has not only prioritized infrastructure but also ensured that Springfield remains a place that fosters human connection and wellbeing.
Springfield’s story is far from over. It continues to attract dreamers, doers, and investors who see its potential. Its success is a testament to what’s possible when vision, planning, and community come together.
As Springfield flourishes, it sends a powerful message: with determination and foresight, we can build cities that aren’t just places to live but places to thrive. Springfield’s journey is one worth celebrating—and one we should all look to for inspiration.
The recent bribery allegations against the Adani Group by US authorities have revived suspicions, especially given the historical backdrop of similar charges that have previously failed to hold up under scrutiny. Much like the widely criticized Hindenburg report from last year, these new allegations appear to be founded more on conjecture than concrete evidence. In fact, no substantial proof has emerged to validate these claims, leading many to question the true motivations behind these recurring attacks on Adani. Adani, a conglomerate that plays a crucial role in India’s infrastructure and green energy push, stands as a pillar of the country’s economic vision—one that seeks selfreliance, innovation, and global competitiveness. So, when allegations surface repeatedly, it’s vital to look beyond the surface and understand the broader context. This is not the first time that such charges have been levied against Adani, and it’s certainly not the first time these allegations have surfaced at a crucial juncture in India’s rise on the world stage. The timing of these charges inevitably raises questions about their true intent, especially when considered alongside the ongoing geopolitical tensions between India and the US.
India’s foreign policy, which includes strengthening its ties with Russia and pursuing a pragmatic approach towards China, has long been a point of friction with Washington. The US has consistently sought to
influence India’s choices in these areas, with attempts to sway its stance on issues related to both Russia and China. In this context, the new allegations against Adani can be viewed as part of a larger strategy aimed at applying pressure on India—economically and politically—at a time when the country is asserting its autonomy and forging independent paths in international relations.
India’s relationship with Russia, in particular, has been a cornerstone of its strategic policy for decades. From defense to energy to space cooperation, Russia remains an irreplaceable ally. Meanwhile, India’s recent efforts to improve relations with China, despite the challenges, reflect its commitment to regional stability and economic growth. Yet, these independent policy decisions are not always in alignment with the strategic interests of the US, which has historically sought to influence global dynamics to its advantage. In this light, the accusations against Adani are not just a corporate issue, but a tool to exert pressure on India’s broader foreign policy choices. Despite the baseless nature of these charges, the Adani Group continues to contribute significantly to India’s growth. Adani’s investments in renewable energy, infrastructure, and mining have created jobs, driven innovation, and helped India emerge as a competitive force on the global economic stage. This is why the renewed attacks on Adani, while concerning, cannot be allowed to overshadow India’s greater vision for itself.
These allegations should not detract from the undeniable fact that Adani continues to play a key role in realizing India’s developmental goals, as it works to reduce its reliance on foreign imports, promote sustainable energy solutions, and build infrastructure that will support the nation’s long-term ambitions. Moreover, these charges must be recognized for what they are— part of a broader geopolitical strategy that seeks to keep India from fully realizing its potential. By targeting high-profile Indian companies like Adani, there is an attempt to weaken the nation’s economic momentum, which is intrinsically linked to its political sovereignty. Adani’s resilience in the face of such allegations is a reflection of India's own determination to carve its path, independent of external pressures.
While allegations against Adani deserve a fair and thorough investigation, the persistent pattern of baseless accusations must be seen as more than just corporate missteps. The broader implications of these attacks are clear: they are an attempt to slow down India’s rise, disrupt its economic self-sufficiency, and undermine its global standing. Just as India continues to engage with Russia and seeks improved relations with China for strategic reasons, it must also defend its economic giants like Adani, who play a vital role in the country’s future. India’s path to economic and political autonomy should not be derailed by external interference, no matter how cleverly disguised it may be.
Revolutionizing education in Australia: The better and fairer approach
The Australian education system is at a transformative juncture. With the passage of the Better and Fairer Schools (Funding and Reform) Bill 2024 and a suite of associated reforms, the nation is poised to address entrenched inequities, elevate student outcomes, and redefine its commitment to quality education. These initiatives reflect both an acknowledgment of past inadequacies and a resolve to shape a more inclusive and equitable future for Australian students.
Central to these reforms is the Better and Fairer Schools legislation, which introduces a groundbreaking shift in public school funding. For decades, disparities in funding across states and territories have hindered the ability of many public schools to meet the needs of their students. By amending the Australian Education Act 2013, the bill establishes a minimum Commonwealth contribution
of 20% for public schools, with provisions for further increases in jurisdictions participating in the Better and Fairer Schools Agreement (BFSA). This is more than a financial adjustment; it represents a moral commitment to recognizing public education as a cornerstone of an equitable and fair society, emphasizing its importance as a top priority.
The implications of this policy shift are profound. For regions like Western Australia, Tasmania, the Northern Territory, and the Australian Capital Territory, which have often struggled with underfunding, this new financial framework offers the possibility of transforming educational infrastructure, teacher resources, and student support services. By fully meeting the Schooling Resource Standard, public schools in these areas can finally address the chronic shortfalls that have long disadvantaged their students. When properly implemented, these changes have
the potential to break cycles of educational inequity, offering children from all backgrounds the chance to thrive.
However, funding alone cannot address the systemic challenges facing Australian education. The extension of the National School Reform Agreement (NSRA) to the end of 2024 underscores the need for a broader, strategic approach. Focused on improving teacher quality, boosting student engagement, and strengthening school leadership, the NSRA seeks to enhance the core elements that define successful education systems. Some may view these goals as ambitious, but after assessing them they will come to know that these are necessary. Effective teaching is the single most significant in-school factor influencing student achievement, and by investing in professional development and support for
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Explained: Why US handed over landmines to Ukraine in big policy shift
New Delhi, Nov 21 (IANS) The US decision to send anti-personnel landmines to Ukraine was triggered by a change in Russian battlefield tactics favouring infantry over mechanised units, US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said.
"They don't lead with their
mechanised forces anymore," Austin told reporters while on a visit to Laos. "They lead with dismounted forces who are able to close and do things to kind of pave the way for mechanised forces."
The announcement made on Wednesday points to a major
policy shift, which has been slammed by rights groups.
President Joe Biden's reversal of his previous curbs on US landmines comes just days after Washington gave Ukraine the green light to use US-made longrange missiles on targets within Russia, a longstanding ask from Kyiv.
The outgoing US administration is aiming to give Ukraine an upper hand before President-elect Donald Trump enters office.
Trump has repeatedly criticised US assistance for Ukraine, claiming he could secure a ceasefire within hours, without explaining details.
His comments have triggered fears in Kyiv and Europe about Ukraine's ability to withstand Russian attacks without US support.
In 2022, Biden said that the United States would mostly ban its use of landmines, at the time specifically drawing a contrast with Russia's
use of the weapons in Ukraine.
Both Russia and the United States -- neither of which are signatories to the UN Mine Ban Treaty -- have been criticised for using anti-personnel mines in the past.
However, Ukraine is a signatory of the treaty. A report from the International Campaign to Ban Landmines on Wednesday said that Kyiv was investigating the reported use of anti-personnel mines by its soldiers in 2022, in violation of the treaty.
The United States said that Ukraine would be supplied with so-called "non-persistent" mines that can self-destruct or render themselves inactive after losing battery charge -- in theory limiting the risk to civilians.
"Within two weeks, if they have not been detonated, they become inert," State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.
The landmines will be provided
as part of a larger tranche of aid being supplied to Ukraine valued at $275 million, which also includes HIMARS rocket ammunition, TOW missiles and small arms.
Both Moscow and Kyiv are jockeying to secure battlefield advantage before Trump assumes office in January.
Kyiv recently fired long-range, US-supplied ATACMS missiles at Russian territory for the first time.
On Tuesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a decree lowering the threshold for when Russia could use nuclear weapons.
Laos, where Austin made his comments, is still recovering from heavy US bombing during the Vietnam War.
More than 20,000 people have been killed or injured from unexploded ordnance in the halfcentury since, according to The Halo Trust, a de-mining group.
Failed predictions, lost credibility: Why Indian pollsters should step back
New Delhi, Nov 18 (IANS) Veteran Iowa pollster J Ann Selzer made headlines with her decision to step away from election predictions. She is doing so after a successful career spanning nearly three decades. Now she has expressed disappointment over her failure to predict the outcome of the 2024 U.S. presidential elections. She wrongly predicted Iowa’s strong shift toward Vice President Kamala Harris. Finally, Donald Trump won the state and presidential race by a landslide, and the Democrats were left in disarray.
In a statement released Sunday, Selzer made it clear that she was moving on to "other ventures and opportunities" as she bid farewell to the field of election
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educators, Australia is making a direct investment in its future.
One of the most promising aspects of the reforms is their commitment to equity
polling, acknowledging the increasing difficulty of predicting election outcomes in today’s shifting political landscape.
Her action does have a subtle message for those in the same business in India as well. They are facing similar challenges in poll forecasts as Selzer did.
Her exit has brought the spotlight to the practice of opinion and exit poll surveys in India, where agencies have also struggled with inaccurate predictions in several elections. For several years together, the pollsters in India have drawn flak for their wrong projection in various Lok Sabha and assembly elections, with their exit and opinion polls often going awry. The question now being asked is whether Indian survey
and access, particularly for tertiary education. The 2024–25 Budget includes provisions recommended by the Australian Universities Accord, which aim to reduce financial barriers for students and expand
agencies should follow in Selzer’s footsteps and move away from the increasingly uncertain and controversial profession.
Selzer’s statement has triggered a broader debate about the reliability of surveys, particularly in the face of consistent failures. She wrote, “My integrity means a lot to me. To those who have questioned it, there are likely no words to dissuade.”
Needless to say, the failure to accurately predict electoral outcomes, especially in an age of shifting voter behaviour and volatile political spheres, has raised serious concerns about the credibility of polling in India. In her departure note, Selzer laid emphasis on the difficulties faced
opportunities in underserved areas such as regional and outer suburban communities. These measures address an oftenoverlooked reality: the obstacles to higher education are not merely academic but also deeply
by pollsters, acknowledging how recent elections have highlighted the complexities of trying to forecast voter preferences with any degree of certainty.
The debate in India over any possibility of exit polls being exact polls has been going on for several years together. Opinion as well as Exit Polls has often proven to be inaccurate leading to the debate centring on whether the practice should be stopped now. Remarkable instances of polling failures include the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the 2023 Chhattisgarh elections, the 2017 Uttar Pradesh elections, the 2015 Bihar elections, and the 2015 Delhi elections. Most recently, Haryana's election results have once again defied the predictions of exit polls, further raising doubts about the reliability of such surveys.
Election results have shown that pollsters are frequently off the mark, with the actual outcomes differing sharply from the predictions. In some cases, the differences have been so stark that they have called into question the integrity and competence of the agencies involved. The growing doubt over exit polls has led many to wonder whether these surveys are losing their relevance or if the very nature of polling needs to be re-evaluated.
The failure of exit polls has often been attributed to pollsters getting carried away by the "noise" of the election campaign in India. They relied too heavily on public
economic. For students burdened by cost-of-living pressures, financial relief can mean the difference between pursuing their aspirations and abandoning them. By easing these pressures, the reforms open doors to higher
sentiment without paying enough attention to the silent, less vocal segments of the electorate.
Many observers argue that pollsters fail to accurately assess the so-called "silent voters" — individuals who may not openly express their opinions but ultimately have a significant impact on the final results. This oversight is one of the reasons why outcomes often defy expectations and leave pollsters scrambling to explain their miscalculations.
Despite these setbacks, pollsters in India might be ready with upcoming forecasts, including for Maharashtra, Jharkhand, and several by-polls held this month. However, with a history of inaccurate predictions in mind, it is clear that the public and political analysts alike are growing increasingly cautious about the validity of these surveys.
As with Selzer’s farewell to this industry in the U.S., there is a growing sense that polling agencies in India need to either reassess their methodologies and approach or think better about what they are doing.
The growing number of instances where predictions have gone wrong has left many questioning whether it is time for the agencies to consider winding up the business. As Selzer's departure demonstrates, the challenges of accurately predicting electoral outcomes have never been greater.
education for those who might otherwise be excluded, paving the way for a more diverse and dynamic workforce.
Asia Pacific investors bullish on Indian real estate in 2025, office spaces to lead
Mumbai, Nov 22 (IANS) Nearly seven in 10 (68 per cent) of Asia Pacific investors expect regional economic growth to have a positive impact and India is likely to see heightened institutional real estate investments in 2024, with the momentum accelerating further in 2025, according to a report on Friday.
The share of APAC countries in overall institutional investments in Indian real estate stood at 28 per cent in January-September period this year.
About 69 per cent of APAC respondents intend to allocate more than 30 per cent of their total global assets under management (AUM) to real estate in the next five years, and India looks uniquely positioned
to attract both domestic and foreign institutional investments, according to a Colliers India report.
Since 2021, institutional inflows have totalled $19 billion, with investment volumes rising each passing year. According to the report, this growth is fuelled by surging demand across core real estate segments.
While office assets have driven over 40 per cent of inflows during the last four years (2021-24), both industrial and warehousing and residential sectors are now seeing accelerated momentum in recent years,” mentioned the report.
In the first three quarters of 2024, institutional investments in Indian real estate have reached $4.7 billion, accounting for 87 per cent of the inflows in the entire year of 2023.
This momentum also sets a promising tone for institutional investments across real estate asset classes in 2025.
According to Piyush Gupta, Managing Director, Capital Markets & Investment
Services at Colliers India, the office sector is likely to have its best year in India, with record absorption fuelled by global capability centres (GCCs) and domestic demand.
“The residential sector is witnessing strong end-user sales. Equity capital in Indian real estate is now more diversified, with an increasing share of domestic capital,” he added.
The office sector will continue to present increased opportunities in developmental assets, while rising and evolving consumption patterns and strong demand from e-commerce and third-party logistics (3PL) players will bolster the industrial and warehousing sector.
“Additionally, with evolving demographic patterns, investments in alternatives such as data centres, senior living, student housing, schools, life sciences, holiday homes etc. will continue to hold immense long-term potential." said Vimal Nadar, Senior Director and Head of Research, Colliers India.
‘Baseless’: Adani Group denies US govt department allegations
New Delhi, Nov 21 (IANS) The Adani Group on Thursday denied allegations made by the US Department of Justice (DoJ) and the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) against directors of its subsidiary company Adani Green, saying that all possible "legal recourse will be sought".
Maintaining that these are mere allegations and must be seen only as that, an Adani Group spokesperson said in a statement that “the allegations made by the US Department of Justice and the US Securities and Exchange Commission against directors
of Adani Green are baseless and denied".
As stated by the US Department of Justice itself, "the charges in the indictment are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty," said the spokesperson.
"All possible legal recourse will be sought. The Adani Group has always upheld and is steadfastly committed to maintaining the highest standards of governance, transparency and regulatory compliance across all jurisdictions of its operations," the company spokesperson said.
"We assure our stakeholders, partners and employees that we are a law-abiding organisation, fully compliant with all laws," the spokesperson added.
Meanwhile, BJP leader Amit Malviya maintained that this is
a mere abuse of jurisdiction and said: "Besides, an Indian court can similarly, on legitimate grounds, accuse American firms of bribing US government officials, to deny access to Indian markets. Should we then allow the law to take its course and the concerned corporate to defend or plant ourselves in the domestic politics of a foreign country?"
BJP leader Sambit Patra said that since morning, "we have been seeing in the media an issue regarding a company".
"There is a case against that company in the US. There are allegations and counterallegations. We clearly believe that as far as the company and the case against it are concerned, the company will issue a statement and defend itself on its own. Law will take its own course," Patra added.
Nasscom launches playbook for developers to identify, mitigate AI risks in India
New Delhi, Nov 29 (IANS) Nasscom on Friday unveiled
The Developer’s playbook for responsible AI in India, which will help developers identify and mitigate risks in AI development, deployment, and use in the countr
The playbook, launched at the inaugural edition of Confluence for Responsible Intelligence
(RICON) in New Delhi, comes amid rising challenges faced by developers in navigating the complex and rapidly evolving AI risk management landscape.
It underscores the shared commitment of the Government of India and Nasscom to establish a unified industry framework for AI risk identification and mitigation in India.
The IT industry body noted that a diverse group of Indian and
Indian MSMEs create about 10 crore jobs in 15 months
New Delhi, Nov 21 (IANS) The total number of new jobs created by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in the country has gone up by close to 10 crore in the last 15 months, official data recorded on the government’s Udyam portal showed.
According to the figures, the number of registered MSMEs has now gone up to 5.49 crore from 2.33 crore in August last year while the number of jobs reported by these enterprises has shot up to 23.14 crore from 13.15 crore during this period.
The total employment also included 2.84 crore jobs by 2.38 crore informal micro units registered with the government through Udyam certification and 5.23 crore women employment. Out of the total registered units, 5.41 crore are micro enterprises while small enterprises are 7.27 lakh and medium enterprises are only 68,682.
The budget has also accorded high priority to micro small and medium enterprises as they have the capacity to create a large number of jobs.
The Union Budget 2024-25 allocated Rs 22,137.95 crore to the MSME Ministry which was a 41.6 per cent increase from the previous fiscal year. The budget included a number of initiatives to support MSMEs, including a new scheme to provide term loans to manufacturing MSMEs without collateral or a third-party guarantee
The limit for Mudra loans was increased to Rs 20 lakh for entrepreneurs who have repaid previous loans under the “Tarun” category. The turnover threshold for buyers was lowered from Rs 500 crore to Rs 250 crore. Financial support for establishing food irradiation units and food quality and safety testing labs. Besides, public sector banks were asked to develop in-house capabilities to assess MSMEs for credit, using digital footprint scoring.
The budget also recognised the importance of digital transformation for MSMEs, with only 6 per cent of MSMEs actively selling on e-commerce platforms. The Finance Minister said, "to facilitate term loans for MSMEs for the purchase of machinery and equipment without collateral and guarantee, a new scheme will be introduced. This guarantee fund will provide guarantees of up to Rs 100 crore."
Andhra Pradesh State Investment Promotion Board (SIPB) on Tuesday cleared an investment of Rs. 85,000 crore.
This investment is expected to create 33,966 jobs in the State.
The investment proposals were cleared at the maidan meeting of SIPB chaired by Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu.
The SIPB meeting mainly focussed on the proposed investments in the past five months, the MoUs entered into and the progress on these issues.
international subject matter experts and stakeholders across industry, government, academia, and civil society have done “rigorous review and validation” of the playbook.
It reflects a balanced and well-supported approach to responsible AI practices that firmly align with the nation’s broader interests and societal well-being.
The meeting cleared the proposals for launching 10 heavy industries including ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steels, which will establish an integrated steel plant (including capital port) at Bagaraiahpeta near JV Nakkapalli.
This company initially will invest Rs 61,780 crore to provide employment to 21,000 people.
The LG Electronics India Pvt Limited will invest Rs 5,001 crore providing 1495 jobs, the Kalyani Strategies System Limited is setting up its plant with Rs 1,430 crore providing 565 jobs, Phillips
Carbon Black Limited to provide 200 jobs with an investment of Rs 3,798 crore and Azad India Mobility Limited with an investment of Rs 1046 crore to give employment to 2,381 persons and investments by several other companies too are cleared by the meeting.
He told the officials to work hard to attract investments to the state by resisting the stiff competition from all other states.
Stating that due to the adverse policies adopted by the previous government, there were absolutely no investments in the State, the Chief Minister said that even those who have entered into Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with the State have left Andhra Pradesh in the past five years.
The Chief Minister said that the policies adopted by the ruling dispensations have a high influence on society and thus the ruling parties form their policies after deep study of the industrial sections and the companies. Chandrababu told the meeting that all those who come forward to invest in the State should be accorded high respect and the official circles should extend all kinds of cooperation to them. Only then the youth will get employment opportunities, he
Amaravati,
(IANS)
AIBC Diwali Dinner strengthens Australia-India ties
Brisbane, November 15 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The Australia India Business Council (AIBC) Diwali Dinner 2024 was held on November 14 at the Stamford Plaza Brisbane, bringing together business
leaders, policymakers, and community members to celebrate and strengthen Australia-India trade and diaspora connections.
Dr. Ram Mohan, Editor of Australia India News, hosted the evening, which featured the
ceremonial lighting of a diya, symbolizing prosperity and positivity. The event showcased cultural performances, including a captivating Kathak dance, and speeches by dignitaries such as Consul General, Brisbane, Neetu
Bhagotia, Senator Paul Scarr, and Graham Perrett MP.
The event also recognized Mahindra Automotive Australia for their support and featured a special presentation by Prerna Pahwa of Simply Human,
highlighting their community initiatives. The evening concluded with a soulful musical performance by Darshil Shah and his musical group.
NSW parliament hosts celebration of Guru Nanak Dev’s birth anniversary
Sydney, November 22 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The 555th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev Ji, the revered founder of Sikhism, was commemorated in an event organized by the AustralianIndian Sports Educational & Cultural Society (AISECS) at
the parliament of New South Wales, recently. The Australia India Business Council (AIBC) participated in the celebration, emphasizing the enduring relevance of Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s teachings.
The event honoured Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s profound messages of
truthfulness, selfless service, equality, and harmony with nature. These teachings continue to inspire communities across the globe, promoting values that resonate deeply in Australia’s multicultural society.
Key speakers included Dr. Janakiraman Sarvesvaran, Consul
General of India in Sydney, Daniel Mookhey MP, Treasurer of NSW, and Gurmesh Singh MP, Deputy Leader of NSW Nationals. They highlighted Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s timeless legacy and the contributions of the Sikh community to Australia’s cultural and social fabric.
The gathering also underscored the importance of such events in fostering closer ties between Australia and India, celebrating shared values of inclusion, diversity, and mutual respect. The AIBC reiterated its commitment to supporting initiatives that strengthen cultural and social bonds between the two nations.
FICQ joins BBSIA for spectacular Diwali celebration
Brisbane, November 3 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland (FICQ) committee attended the
Brisbane Bayside South Indian Association (BBSIA) Diwali celebration at Victoria Point on November 2, 2024, where the event captivated all those in
attendance.
The celebration was exceptionally well-organized, offering a diverse range of activities for all age groups. The vibrant atmosphere
showcased the multicultural richness of the community, highlighting various traditions and cultures.
The event was a true reflection
of the spirit of multiculturalism in Queensland, bringing people together to celebrate the festival of lights with joy, unity, and cultural pride.
Diwali Milan celebration highlights cultural unity & heritage
Perth, November 18 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The Bihar Jharkhand Sabha of Australia and New Zealand hosted a vibrant Diwali Milan celebration recently, bringing together members of the local community for a festive evening. Consul General Amarjeet Singh Takhi was among the guests at the event, extending his Diwali greetings to the attendees and sharing heartfelt messages of unity and cultural pride.
In his address, the Consul General also acknowledged the significance of the Janjatiya Gaurav Divas and marked the commencement of the 150th Birth Anniversary Year celebrations of Dharti Abha Bhagwan Birsa Munda. He emphasized the importance of conserving tribal heritage and paying tribute to the immense contributions of the tribal society, particularly in the fields of India’s ancient medical systems and their unwavering
efforts to protect Indian culture and independence.
Furthermore, Consul General Takhi expressed his gratitude to the Bihar Jharkhand Sabha of Australia and New Zealand (BJSM) Committee and the dedicated volunteers for their outstanding contributions, especially for their role in showcasing the cultural richness of Bihar and Jharkhand at the recent Fusion Multicultural Festival in the City of Gosnells.
First India-Australia sports roundtable strengthens collaboration
Melbourne, November 26 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The first-ever India-Australia sports roundtable meeting was held at the Victoria Investment Centre in Melbourne, recently, marking a significant step towards strengthening bilateral ties in the field of sports. The roundtable brought together key stakeholders from both countries, focusing on enhancing collaboration in various areas
such as capacity building, infrastructure development, and promoting technological innovations. The discussions also centered on fostering business and investment linkages, aiming to create new opportunities for cooperation in the sports sector.
In addition, the meeting explored strategies to deepen people-topeople ties between Australia and India through sports, highlighting the role of athletic
exchange and joint ventures in boosting bilateral relations. The event underscored the shared commitment of both nations to advancing their sports sectors while fostering greater mutual understanding and collaboration. The roundtable concluded with a strong consensus on the importance of continued dialogue and collaboration in realizing the full potential of the IndiaAustralia sports partnership.
AIBC hosts resources & mining session with Coal India delegation
Brisbane, November 29 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
Strengthening sector-focused dialogue to accelerate bilateral trade and investment has been a priority for the Australia India Business Council (AIBC).
Recently, AIBC hosted a dedicated Resources and Mining Sector Networking and Insights session in Brisbane, marking the visit of a senior delegation from Coal India Limited, the world’s largest coalproducing organization.
In partnership with national corporate member EY, AIBC
curated a session offering valuable insights into opportunities in the coal and mining sectors. Anthony Christensen from Trade and Investment Queensland highlighted potential opportunities, while EY Partner Andrew (Andy) Carrick shared key risks and opportunities in the industry. The session also featured highlights from the journey of BRAVUS in Australia by Rajesh Gupta (MAICD), Head of Finance, and AIBC's Queensland management committee member. Key discussion points included
the need for exploration, capital, environmental stewardship, resource and reserve depletion, and emerging technologies. There was also significant interest in the ongoing Australia-India critical minerals investment partnership.
Indian Consul to Queensland, Sushil Goel, attended the event, reinforcing the government's commitment to advancing this critical partnership. The Coal India Limited delegation was in Australia as part of an educational tour facilitated by the Management Development Institute, Gurgaon.
INSV Tarini crew honoured at special reception in Perth
Perth, November 16 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
Lt. Cdr. Roopa and Lt. Cdr. Dilna, the crew members of the INSV Tarini, were formally recognised for their remarkable achievements during the Navika Sagar Parikrama-II expedition at a reception hosted at the Consulate premises in Perth, recently.
The event, attended by a large gathering of the Indian diaspora, was led by Senator Varun Ghosh, Consul General Amarjeet Singh Takhi, and the Acting High
Commissioner. Community leaders, including Cr. John Keogh (City of Armadale), Cr. Jibi Joi (City of Armadale), and Cr. Raj Doshi (City of Perth), joined the celebration, along with representatives from various local Indian organisations such as the Indian Society of WA (ISWA), Hindu Council of Australia Perth, Sikh Association of WA, and Tamil Association of Western Australia.
The program began with a vibrant performance by students from the Academy of Indian Classical & Bollywood Dance,
who also performed traditional naval dances. In their speeches, Consul General Takhi, Senator Ghosh, and the Acting High Commissioner lauded the officers’ pioneering expedition, emphasising their impact on women and youth across the globe.
The INSV Tarini crew members shared their inspiring stories of perseverance, courage, and teamwork, providing insight into their experiences during the historic global circumnavigation journey.
The event was emceed by Ritika Menon, an Indian student from the University of Western Australia, who brought a personal connection to the evening, given her background in the Indian Defence Force family and as a former NCC cadet.
This special reception highlighted the crew's trailblazing role in naval history, honouring their extraordinary contribution to India's maritime achievements.
FICQ lights up Brisbane with iconic Diwali celebration at King George Square
Brisbane, November 2 (Australia
India News Newsdesk)
The Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland (FICQ) hosted its iconic Diwali celebration on November 1, 2024, transforming Brisbane's King George Square into a vibrant hub of lights, culture, and joy.
Running from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., the event brought families, friends, and the Indian diaspora together for a day of captivating performances, delectable food, and unique shopping experiences.
Attendees enjoyed colorful henna designs, traditional Indian attire, and a wide array of cultural and creative activities.
The celebrations featured mesmerizing dance performances, lively music, and Bollywood hits that enthralled the crowd. Both Indian and Western music added to the festive atmosphere, creating a harmonious blend of traditions.
Indoz TV, FICQ's media partner, and ABC News provided extensive coverage of the event, highlighting its cultural significance and community spirit.
The magical night not only celebrated the festival of lights but also fostered unity and love, bringing together people from diverse backgrounds to share in the vibrant essence of Diwali.
Tamil Nadu delegation explores textile partnerships in Sydney
Sydney, November 21 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The Consulate General of India in Sydney hosted Tamil Nadu’s Minister for Handlooms and Textiles R. Gandhi on November 21, 2024. Accompanied by a delegation of officials and business leaders, Minister Gandhi aimed to strengthen trade and collaboration between Tamil Nadu and Australia’s textile and wool industries.
In partnership with the Australia India Business Council (NSW), a business interaction was organized to discuss
potential collaborations. The session focused on developing warehousing facilities in Australia to streamline storage and distribution, fostering technical partnerships in textiles, wool products, and apparel, and advancing research and development in man-made fabrics.
The session highlighted the synergies between Tamil Nadu’s dynamic textile industry and Australia’s expertise in wool and innovation, paving the way for future partnerships in trade and technology.
Consul General inaugurates India Pavilion at Global Sourcing Expo
Melbourne, November 19
(Australia India News Newsdesk)
Consul General Dr. Sushil Kumar inaugurated the India Pavilion at Global Sourcing Expo being held at Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre from November 19-21, 2024. The Consul General also joined R. Gandhi, Minister for Handloom & Textiles for
inauguration of Tamil Nadu Pavilion.
About 190 Indian exhibitors facilitated by Indian Export Promotion Councils and the government of Tamil Nadu participated in the exhibition to showcase India’s textile, apparel, handloom, handicrafts and woollen products. On the
sidelines, a business networking event was held to promote trade and investment ties in the textile sector and promote participation from Australia at the Bharat Tex 2025 , India’s largest textile expo scheduled to be held in New Delhi from February 14-17, 2025.
INSV Tarini officers inspire students with global voyage tales
Perth, November 18 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
Students from the Specialist Marine Studies Programme at Ocean Reef Senior High School had the unique opportunity recently to meet and engage with
Lt. Cdr. Roopa and Lt. Cdr. Dilna of INSV Tarini, who are currently docked in Fremantle as part of the Navika Sagar Parikrama-II expedition.
The students, keen on marine studies, were enthralled as
the two naval officers shared their personal experiences and challenges encountered during their historic global circumnavigation. The event was a source of inspiration for the students, who were eager to hear
about the officers' resilience, teamwork, and the significance of their remarkable journey.
Dr. James Kent, Principal of Ocean Reef Senior High, and Associate Principal Ashti Mullen warmly welcomed the officers,
ensuring the students had a meaningful interaction. This event, part of the school’s marine studies programme, highlighted the connection between education and real-world exploration.
Conversation on mental health in Indian communities organized
Brisbane, November 26 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
Brisbane’s Indian community gathered on November 23 for the ‘Let’s Talk: Indian Communities Mental Health Forum 2024’, an event aimed at fostering open conversations about mental health and well-being. Held at the Hare Krishna Temple, Burbank, and funded by the Queensland Government Community Benefit Fund, the forum was organized by Multicultural Community
Connect Queensland (MCCQ) in partnership with Ethnic Communities Council of Queensland (ECCQ), Bhartiya Samaj, and the Hare Krishna Temple.
The forum emphasized culturally sensitive approaches to mental health, with presentations from leading experts. Dr. Ram Mohan, Editor, Australia India News, highlighted the role of Mental Health First Aid in multicultural communities and ECCQ’s
initiatives for inclusive health strategies. Pushpa Vaghela, a transformational leader, shared MCCQ’s vision to connect diverse cultures for collaborative mental health solutions. Dr. Tarun Sehgal, a consultant psychiatrist, discussed various mental health challenges and introduced a mental health app developed by him and his team.
Bharti Gitay, an Accredited Mental Health Social Worker, led a mindfulness exercise, shared
practical strategies, and engaged the audience in addressing challenges faced by culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) families. The event concluded with a talk by Saki Rai Das on the significance of spiritual awareness in mental well-being. The evening ended with a community dinner, offering attendees a chance to network and share experiences in a supportive environment.
The forum addressed stigma
surrounding mental health and provided practical tools for individuals and families. Attendees praised the event for creating a safe, inclusive space and empowering the Indian community with knowledge and resources tailored to CALD challenges. By combining expert advice, cultural sensitivity, and community support, the forum set a strong foundation for ongoing mental health advocacy in Brisbane’s Indian community.
India Pavilion showcases space collaboration at IPSEC 2024
Perth, November 26 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The India Pavilion was officially inaugurated by Consul General Amarjeet Singh Takhi at the Indo-Pacific Space and Earth Conference (IPSEC) 2024, held at Crown Perth. The pavilion, organized by the Satcom Industry Association-India (SIA-India) in partnership with the Western Australian Government, featured a delegation of over 10 Indian space industry companies. These companies highlighted their technological capabilities
and explored collaborative opportunities with the global space community.
Head of the Australian Space Agency Enrico Palermo also visited the pavilion, where he was honored by SIA-India. Consul General Takhi interacted with space experts and officials, strengthening ties between India and Australia in the space sector.
During his visit, Takhi was also briefed on Australia’s prototype lunar rover, developed by the Australian Remote Operations for Space and Earth consortium in
Perth.
The exhibition, running through November 28, 2024, also spotlighted a new collaboration between WA-based LatConnect60 and India’s Skyroot Aerospace. The two companies announced a joint project to launch their first satellite in December 2026, with funding from the Australian Space Agency’s International Space Investment India Projects grant, aimed at fostering deeper ties between Australian and Indian space industries.
Indian Consulate brings Life Certificate services to Ermington
Sydney, November 24 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The Consulate General of India in Sydney held a special consular camp on November 24, 2024, at the Ermington Community Centre in New South Wales. The camp provided life certificate issuance services to Indian pensioners living in the region.
The Consulate General of India, Sydney also organised a special consular camp for issuing Life Certificates to Indian diaspora on November 17, 2024 at Dennis Johnson Branch Library, Stanhope Gardens, NSW.
The event saw a steady stream of attendees from the Indian community, who expressed appreciation for the convenient access to essential consular services. Organized at a central location, the camp aimed to ease the process for pensioners requiring life certificates to maintain their benefits. This initiative reflects the Consulate’s ongoing efforts to support the Indian diaspora in Australia by bringing vital services closer to the community.
West Test Breakfast celebrates cricket, collaboration & community
Perth, November 22 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The West Test Breakfast in Perth brought together key figures from the worlds of cricket, government, and the Indian diaspora, in a celebration of the sport and its community
impact, recently. Hosted by Deputy Premier and Minister for Tourism Rita Saffioti MLA, along with Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley, former WA Cricket CEO Christina Matthews, Australian cricket legend Mitchell Johnson, and respected commentator
Harsha Bhogle, the event was a notable occasion.
Consul General Amarjeet Singh Takhi joined the breakfast, alongside Narayana Murthy, the new CEO of the Western Australia Cricket Association (WACA), and John Stephensen, WACA's CEO.
Prominent members of the Indian diaspora were also in attendance, contributing to the vibrant atmosphere.
The event took a moment to honor the crew of INSV Tarini and senior Indian Navy officers for their dedication and service,
adding a unique element of recognition to the gathering. The West Test Breakfast highlighted the spirit of collaboration and the deep connections between Australia and India through the game of cricket.
Indian Consulates celebrate Constitution Day
Sydney, November 26 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The Indian Consulate in Sydney on November 26 celebrated Constitution Day by reading the Preamble to the Indian Constitution. This symbolic gesture reaffirmed the officials’ dedication to upholding the values and principles enshrined in the nation’s founding
document.
During the event, consulate representatives emphasized the enduring importance of justice, liberty, equality, and fraternity— the core ideals that guide India as a democratic republic.
Officials at the Melbourne Consulate read out the Preamble to reaffirm their commitment to uphold ideals and aspirations of the people, enshrined in the Constitution of India.
The Indian Consulate in Perth also celebrated the Samvidhan
Diwas reaffirming the pledge to uphold the ideologies of the Indian Constitution.
Constitution Day, observed annually on November 26, commemorates the adoption of the Indian Constitution in 1949.
The ceremony in Sydney reflected the pride and commitment of the Indian diaspora in preserving these values.
The gathering concluded with officials pledging to continue serving the community in alignment with the constitutional ideals.
IT icon Narayana Murthy says innovation & technology key in shaping future
Perth, November 22 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
Consul General Amarjeet Singh Takhi recently welcomed the iconic IT leader and Infosys cofounder, N.R. Narayana Murthy, on his first visit to Perth. Murthy, honoured with Padma Shri and Padma Vibhushan awards, delivered a captivating speech at the IIT Alumni Association
WA Innovation Hub, inspiring attendees with his thoughts on innovation and the importance of technology in shaping the future. The event highlighted the
achievements of Indian diaspora startups in Western Australia, showcasing cutting-edge ventures like GrowME, which aids high school students in college preparation, DataCynical's AIpowered data analytics platform, Lorgan Enigma's behavioral
science solutions, ProGenis Pharmaceuticals' pioneering RNA medicines, and TowTray, a startup providing on-demand road service and towing assistance.
A special highlight of the event was the recognition of the young women naval officers of INSV
Tarini, who were honored on stage for their outstanding service and contributions, receiving applause from an appreciative audience. The event underscored the critical role of the Indian community in advancing innovation and entrepreneurship in Perth.
Perth hosts Australia- India innovation symposium, highlights bilateral collaborations
Perth, November 22 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The India Connect Technology and Innovation Symposium organized recently by Invest & Trade WA and the Centre for Australia-India Relations (CAIR), took place at the WACA Ground, setting the stage for productive
discussions on strengthening India-Australia collaborations in technology, innovation, research, renewable energy, and infrastructure. The symposium, moderated by Prof. Gordon Flake, CEO of Perth US Asia Centre, featured in-depth conversations aimed at exploring new avenues of cooperation between the two nations.
The evening was capped off with the Western Australia Sundowner at Optus Stadium, where dignitaries such as former Australian cricketer Adam Gilchrist, WA Minister for Agriculture and Food Jackie Jarvis, CEOs of Cricket Australia
and CAIR, and the Chair of Cricket WA gathered to discuss further bilateral relations. Consul General Amarjeet Singh Takhi engaged with key participants, emphasizing the potential for growth in Australia-India partnerships.
A standout moment of the event was the recognition of the crew of INSV Tarini, who were commended for their remarkable courage during their global circumnavigation journey. Their achievements were met with widespread admiration from all in attendance, highlighting the spirit of adventure and international collaboration.
GOPIO announces 2024 conference on diaspora & future technologies
Brisbane, November 27 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) is excited to announce its 2024 International Conference, "The Diaspora's Role in Shaping Future Technologies." This landmark event, scheduled to take place in Brisbane, Australia, will bring together thought leaders, innovators, and diaspora
members to discuss and celebrate their contributions to emerging technologies while maintaining a forward-looking perspective.
The conference is set to run from March 28 to 30, 2025, at the Brisbane Marriott.
The event will feature a comprehensive schedule, including a welcome reception, a full day of conference sessions, a gala dinner, and a General Body Meeting for eligible members and delegates. Keynote speeches, panel discussions, and interactive workshops will focus on the role of the Indian diaspora in shaping technological advancements.
The welcome reception will offer delegates an opportunity to network in a relaxed setting, while the gala dinner will provide exquisite cuisine and entertainment. Morning tea and lunch will be provided on
the conference day, keeping attendees refreshed and engaged throughout the event.
Registration fees for the conference are as follows: Full Conference Package – AUD 300, Reception Only – AUD 60, Conference Only – AUD 100, and Gala Dinner Only – AUD 160. Accommodation options include the Brisbane Marriott and nearby Meriton Suites, with modern amenities and competitive rates. Breakfast is not included in the accommodation package, but numerous cafes and eateries are within walking distance of the venue.
Lal Motwani, President of GOPIO International, expressed his enthusiasm about hosting the conference in Brisbane, known for its innovation and vibrant community. "The
theme 'The Diaspora's Role in Shaping Future Technologies' is particularly relevant as we look to the future and recognize the critical contributions of the diaspora in driving technological advancements," he said.
For more information about the GOPIO International Conference and to register, one may contact ceo@chantex.com.au.
The Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) is a nonpartisan, non-sectarian organization dedicated to promoting the well-being and advancement of people of Indian origin worldwide. GOPIO aims to harness the diaspora's potential to contribute to the social, economic, and technological development of their respective countries and the global community.
Albany lights up for Diwali with cultural festivities and community unity
Perth, November 18 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
Diwali celebrations recently took over the Town Square in Albany, as over 500 community members gathered to celebrate the Festival of Lights. Hosted by the Rainbow Coast Neighbourhood Centre Albany and Great Southern Migrant Services, the event was a
vibrant display of cultural unity and joy.
The festival featured an exciting lineup of performances, including classical dances, Rangoli art, a fashion walk, and energetic Punjabi folk dances like Bhangra and Jago. The festivities were graced by Rebecca Stephens, Member for Albany, and Asha
Bhat OAM, CEO of the Southern Aboriginal Corporation, who served as the esteemed guests of honour.
The event highlighted the spirit of multiculturalism, with the Indian community and locals coming together to mark the auspicious occasion, making it a memorable celebration for all.
India Strategy inspires Sydney business leaders
Sydney, November 21 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The Consulate General of India, Sydney, in partnership with the Australia India Business Council (AIBC) National, hosted a thought-provoking business
session on November 21, 2024.
The keynote speaker, Prof. Rajendra Srivastava, Novartis Professor of Marketing Strategy and Innovation and Former Dean of the Indian School of Business, explored the theme "Do you have
an India Strategy?"
Prof. Srivastava’s presentation showcased India’s remarkable growth and emerging opportunities, sparking excitement among Australian companies about potential
partnerships in various sectors.
Founder of M/s Good Grains Archana Nanthakumar further enriched the session by promoting the health and sustainability benefits of millets. She highlighted their role in daily
nutrition and introduced milletbased products.
The session underscored India’s appeal as a dynamic market and encouraged Australian businesses to develop strategic connections with one of the world’s fastestgrowing economies.
‘Want more PMs like him’: Clive Lloyd after meeting Narendra Modi
Georgetown (Guyana), Nov 22 (IANS) Legendary cricketer Clive Llyod expressed his pleasure after meeting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Georgetown on Thursday. The two-time World Cup-winning captain lauded PM Modi's efforts at boosting cricket and stressed to have more leaders like him.
Leading cricketers from Guyana met PM Modi on Thursday and had a 'delightful interaction'.
"Connecting over cricket! A delightful interaction with leading
cricket players of Guyana. The sport has brought our nations closer and deepened our cultural linkages," PM Modi wrote on X.
Sharing details of the interaction, Llyod, who played 110 Tests for West Indies from 1966-85, thanked India for training 11 of their players in India and was impressed by PM Modi's support for the sport.
"We had a good discussion. I think 11 of our players will now be training in India. So, it has been a very good decision by them. We are thankful to them for that... He is interested in cricket and that is very good. He is doing things to help to boost cricket. So, we would like more Prime Ministers like him," said Lloyd of his meeting with PM Modi.
Former West Indies allrounder Alvin Kallicharran, who was also
part of the meeting, was left surprised by PM Modi's deep knowledge of cricket.
"Everybody in India knows cricket. But his knowledge is special because he knows when we went to India. He knows us by our first name. To meet the Prime Minister today personally is magic. The connection is tremendous. The kind of help to work with our young cricketers is very kind of the Prime Minister and India," said Kallicharran.
PM Modi arrived in Guyana on the third leg of his three-nation visit. It is the first visit to Guyana by an Indian Prime Minister in more than 50 years.
During this visit, PM Modi also joined leaders from the Caribbean partner countries for the second India-CARICOM Summit.
PM Modi congratulates Indian women’s hockey team for Asian Champions Trophy title
New Delhi, Nov 21 (IANS)
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the Indian women's hockey team for winning the Women's Asian Champions Trophy and said this success will motivate the young athletes. India defeated China 1-0 in the final to be crowned Champions of the Women’s Asian Champions Trophy at the Rajgir Hockey Stadium in Bihar on Wednesday
for the third consecutive time.
"A phenomenal accomplishment! Congratulations to our hockey team on winning the Women's Asian Champions Trophy. They played exceptionally well through the tournament. Their success will motivate many upcoming athletes," PM Modi posted on X.
Hockey India declared a reward of Rs 3 Lakh each for all players and Rs 1.5 Lakh each for all support staff following the Indian women’s triumphant victory in the Bihar Women’s Asian Champions Trophy Rajgir 2024.
Adding to this moment, the Asian Hockey Federation has also announced a reward for podium
finishers for the very first time in the competition's history. India will receive a substantial USD 10,000, while China and Japan will be awarded USD 7,000 and USD 5,000, respectively.
As a mark of celebration, the Bihar government has announced a significant cash award. Each player in the squad will receive Rs 10 lakhs in recognition of their outstanding performance at the Rajgir Hockey Stadium during the course of the tournament. In addition to this, Chief Coach Harendra Singh was rewarded with Rs 10 lakhs, while the rest of the support staff received Rs 5 lakhs each.
ICC should not have India-Pakistan matches till they resume bilateral series, says Kamran Akmal as CT imbroglio continues
Mumbai, Nov 30 (IANS) As the world awaits a decision by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on the fate of the Champions Trophy 2025 with both India and Pakistan playing hardball, former Pakistan wicketkeeper-batter Kamran Akmal says ICC should not schedule Indo-Pak matches till the two countries resume bilateral cricket. Akmal said there should be no matches between the two countries in multi-national events till a permanent solution is found to this issue. He said if a hybrid model is accepted for the Champions Trophy, it should be
the norm for ICC events hosted in India.
The Champions Trophy 2025 is slated to be played in Pakistan from February 19 to March 9. However, it has run into uncertainty after BCCI said it did not have the Indian government’s consent to travel and play its matches in Pakistan.
A virtual ICC Board meeting lasted just 15 minutes on Friday after the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) refused to budge from its stance against a hybrid model with all India matches, one semifinal and the final to be played outside Pakistan.
With the ICC set to decide on the Champions Trophy soon, Akmal said it is time to find a permanent solution to this problem.
“The ICC has to make a decision sometime and I think this is the right time to find a permanent solution. If this Champions Trophy adopts a hybrid model with India not coming to Pakistan,
Cricket Australia to honour late Philip Hughes on 10th anniversary
Melbourne, Nov 22 (IANS) Cricket
Australia is set to commemorate the 10th anniversary of Phillip Hughes' tragic passing, with tributes planned across domestic and international matches. Flags will be flown at half-mast, players will don black armbands and moments of silence will honour the memory of Hughes, whose life was cut short just days before his 26th birthday in 2014.
The Sheffield Shield matches starting this Saturday will initiate two weeks of reflection, coinciding with the anniversary of Hughes' untimely death on November 27, 2014.
South Australia, Hughes’ former team, will face Western Australia in Adelaide, while New South Wales, his childhood side, will host Tasmania at the SCG. Queensland and Victoria will also participate, with black armbands and moments of silence observed before play on the fourth day of all matches.
The final day of play in the Sydney and Brisbane matches will directly coincide with the anniversary, providing an opportunity for players, officials, and fans to reflect on Hughes’ life
and career.
The Adelaide Test between Australia and India, beginning on December 6, will be the focal point of national commemoration. Cricket Australia has collaborated with Hughes’ family to produce a documentary that will celebrate his life, legacy, and achievements. This special tribute will be broadcast before the match, almost ten years to the day since Test cricket resumed in Australia after Hughes' death.
"We understand this will be a time of reflection for the many people who knew and admired Phillip Hughes," Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley was quoted by ESPNcricinfo as saying.
"We wanted to ensure that the Hughes family, particularly, were comfortable with any commemorations and that we celebrate Phillip's life and incredible achievements appropriately."
Hughes was a promising young cricketer who had already played 26 Tests for Australia and was poised to secure a long-term spot in the national side.
Tragically, he passed away two days after being struck on the neck by a bouncer while batting at the SCG. Hughes was posthumously named Australia’s 13th man for the first Test against India in Adelaide in 2014, where 63 seconds of applause were observed before play.
International Kabaddi Federation sanctions World Super Kabaddi League 2025
then all other ICC events in India should adopt the same pattern with Pakistan not touring India," Kamran told Telecom Asia Sport in an exclusive interview.
"In my opinion, another solution is that the ICC should not schedule Indo-Pak matches until and unless there is a bilateral series. Once they start playing each other then only we should have matches in a multi-national event," Akmal was quoted as saying by the website.
“I am disappointed to see such a scenario but enough is enough as Pakistan have toured India despite one 2016 World Cup match shifted from Dharamshala to Kolkata and then Pakistan played in Ahmedabad last year despite reservations.
“Pakistan will have to take a strong decision and stick to it. That will help Pakistan create a good image,” he said.
New Delhi, Nov 22 (IANS) The International Kabaddi Federation (IKF) has officially granted permission for the staging of the World Super Kabaddi League (WSKL) 2025. The league is being organised in collaboration with the South East Asian Kabaddi Federation (SEAKF) and the Kabaddi Association of Thailand.
In a congratulatory note to SJ Uplift Kabaddi Private Limited, the organising body of the WSKL, IKF lauded their dedication and vision for kabaddi. "Starting a kabaddi league is no small feat. It requires not only a deep understanding of the game but also exceptional organisational skills and a commitment to
promoting this traditional sport."
"Your efforts will inspire young athletes and contribute significantly to the growth and popularity of kabaddi," the IKF statement read. The WSKL will feature players from IKF member countries, who will participate in a player auction before taking the field. This will not only provide opportunities for players to showcase their skills but also elevate the league to a globally recognized tournament.
Earlier this year in August, South East Asian Kabaddi Federation (SEAKF) granted SJ Uplift Kabaddi Private Limited the full and exclusive rights to organise the WSKL for a period of 15 years, ensuring a long-term vision for the league's growth and success. Additionally, the Kabaddi Association of Thailand endorsed SJ Uplift Kabaddi Pvt Ltd as the "sole and exclusive creator, conceptualiser, and rightsholder of the league." 1xsportz will be managing the WSKL and all operations related to the League.
Cities & forests merge into a dreamscape in Poonam Bhatnagar’s solo exhibition
Subtle yet tantalising, the paintings of Shiva, Saraswati playing the veena, a glimpse of Venice, and yesteryear's actor Madhubala with her bewitching smile -- artist Poonam Bhatnagar's solo exhibition in the national capital will encompass all that and more.
Brushed with a delicate mix of colours, Bhatnagar’s 24 paintings under the title ‘Between Dreams’ will be exhibited at the Bikaner House from April 12 to 17.
A trained textile designer, she brings a peculiar style into her work using minute strokes and a delicate palette of colours.
“I call this ‘web cast’ -- inspired by a spider’s web," says Bhatnagar.
Preferring to work on large
canvases, the artist feels she has much to say and show.
“That is why most of my works are huge,” she adds.
Preparing for this exhibition for the past two years, her painting of Saraswati is a 6x4 feet canvas showing the goddess playing the veena, while ‘Shiva Shakti’, done on a 4.5x4 feet canvas, has a three-dimensional effect, as the vertical and horizontal geometric lines merge with the squares and waves.
While she has participated in several group shows before, this is her first solo wherein through the series ‘Cityscapes’, she encapsulates her experiences of the sights of London, Venice, Zurich, and Ladakh, among other
places.
In ‘Vriksha’, the artist has merged her web design style with normal brush strokes.
Bhatnagar’s ‘Pensive Portrait’ series includes portraits of yesteryear's actors -- Madhubala, Meena Kumari, Suchitra Sen, and Madhabi Mukherjee, done mostly in black and white.
Talking about the web-like design style, the artist points out, “Initially, the lines used to be thicker but now they have become finer, intricate, and ‘closer’. The style has evolved.”
Bhatnagar says the painting ‘Ladakh’ is “completely covered with webcast”, with the fine lines raised, giving it a threedimensional effect. “You can feel it. Photos do not really do justice to my paintings,” she adds. Talking about the artist’s unique style, curator Uma Nair says, “Not texture, but illusion would be the right word to describe her work. Looking at her paintings in the ‘Mythos’ and ‘Cityscapes’ sections from a distance, the multiple layers create a peculiar visual experience.”
The exhibition presented by Masha Art will be inaugurated by noted filmmaker Muzaffar Ali.
Shrine Empire gallery to present Chris Basumatary’s debut solo exhibition from April 12
exhibition of Chris Basumatary titled ‘I have so much poetry inside me, but it is in the wrong language’ from April 12 to May 11.
Basumatary, who grew up next to a rivulet (Chota Rangeet) near Darjeeling in West Bengal, has developed an intimate
relationship with water. For Basumatary, art is a channel to speak about the intricacies of trans-identity through the concepts of water, stone, and flesh.
The exhibition will present a glimpse of the memories, desires, and fears of the artist.
India-adaption of Caryl Churchill’s play to take center stage
The National Centre for the Performing Arts, Mumbai present the first-ever professional production of Love and Information, in collaboration with award-winning director – Mohit Takalkar. Written in 2012 by celebrated British playwright Caryl Churchill, Love & Information is a creative and experimental presentation that delves into the contemporary lives of the present society through an unconventional yet immersive theatrical experience. The play is set to invite the audience to the Experimental Theatre from April 25 - 29.
Written as a series of over 50 disparate scenes divided into seven sections, the play is an exercise in reimagining the medium. The disruptive format of the script provides no stage directions, no character attributions and no notes for performance. Additionally, the play follows a non- linear narrative and is devoid of central characters, emphasizing the cumulative impact of diverse, brief scenes ranging from seconds to minutes. The scenes are of varying lengths and the structure allows for the viewer to narrow in on a world oversaturated with information. The vignettes mirror the rapid pace of channel-hopping or scrolling through social media, highlighting potential implications for relationships in an era dominated by instant
gratification and short attention spans.
The play doesn’t limit itself to its technical uniqueness but also promises to challenge the audience by addressing a wide range of subjects covered from mental illness to privacy erosion to memory atrophy that cloud the modern-day lifestyles.
Speaking about the first-ever professional production of Love and Information, Mr. Bruce Guthrie, Head, Theatre and Films, NCPA, expressed, “The NCPA is delighted to welcome Mohit Takalkar to direct Love & Information by Carol Churchill. She is a true trailblazing playwright in every sense of the word and is known as something of a disruptor of English theatre. She rarely, if ever, talks about her work, where the inspiration comes from and why she does what she does. She constantly reinvents her style as a playwright and explores what more theatre can be.
It is a matter of pride and joy to pull off this combination of two extraordinary artistes – writer and director to realise this quite extraordinary play. We hope that the audience will come with a curious mind and an open heart as we continue to create theatre that challenges and inspires.”
The ensemble cast comprises of Ashish Mehta, Dusha Madhav, Kashish Saluja, Lovleen Misra, Mahesh Saini, Mallika Singh Hanspal, Mrinmayee Godbole, Prajesh Kashyap, Rachel D’souza, Rytasha Rathore, Siddhesh Dhuri, who will be performing around 50 scenes in rotation. Love and Information most definitely promises to be a must-attend theatrical show this summer.
Stop cribbing all the time, filmmaker Sudhir Mishra tells ‘airy’ independent filmmakers
With almost a smooth furious glance, he says that it is high time that independent filmmakers stop cribbing about the fact that their films do not get theatrical releases or accepted by OTT platforms anymore. Stressing that for decades everyone has given preference to big budgets and well-known stars, National Award-winning filmmaker Sudhir Mishra asserts that like life, filmmaking is also about negotiating spaces perpetually
With almost a smooth furious glance, he says that it is high time that independent filmmakers stop cribbing about the fact that their films do not get theatrical releases or accepted by OTT platforms anymore. Stressing that for decades everyone has given preference to big budgets and well-known stars, National Award-winning filmmaker Sudhir Mishra asserts that like life, filmmaking is also about negotiating spaces perpetually. "It costs a lot of money to make films and release them. Anyways, these so-called independent filmmakers are too airy. But the
moment Karan Johar invites them for lunch, everybody will stand in a queue. Boss, it is a practical industry, and learn to live with that fact. Like life, there are no perfect situations or ideals around here.
"A poet also has to feed his children, and he realises that and works towards it. Stop cribbing all the time -- I am so intelligent, such a nice guy, still my films don't get distributed. The world owes you nothing,” laments Mishra.
"These independent guys need to realise that they are against the big boys. It is not easy to fight them. Sure, some crumbs may be thrown once in a while.
After three outings at Cannes, filmmaker Murli Nair had to stop making films. Where is he now? It is a tough world out there," says
the filmmaker best known for his films like 'Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi', 'Dharavi', 'Chameli', 'Is Raat Ki Subah Nahin' and 'Khoya Khoya Chand.
Making his directorial debut with the film, 'Yeh Woh Manzil To Nahin' in 1987 which won him a National Film Award, Mishra, talking about his cult classic 'Hazaaron Khwaishein Aisi', says he did not have to do any research while writing the film as he had grown up in the time when naxalism was at its peak and knew many of them.
"I come from Lucknow and to a large extent my world-view is Ghalib. Naxalism was in the air and I was very influenced by playwright Badal Sircar with whom I visited every area of Bengal where people were influenced by that ideology.
Besides, I come from a Nehruvian family, and we were close to the Congress. I bet I know more about the Congress of that time than any journalist even. I have seen the emergence of fixers, observed machinations up close, and student politics of that era."
Mishra says he is the 'Geeta' (female lead) in the film. "Because I am neither a Naxalite nor a fixer. Like her, I am the centre, and I have touched my feminine side often. Yes, I knew many Geetas.."
All his films have a strong sociopolitical base, something which he says comes naturally to him.
"It is extremely important that my cinema is socio-political because that is my being. I do not have to ‘try’ to do that. That is how I think, that is who I am. A person comes before the filmmaker. Education, background,
influences and ideological factors shape him. While making a movie certain aspects of the maker seep in naturally while others make a quiet exit," he says.
Upbeat about several new OTT platforms entering the digital space, he says the more the merrier. "Everything may not be perfect about them. But that holds for everything in life, no?" says the filmmaker who was at the recently concluded CineVesture International Film Festival (CIFF) held in Chandigarh.
Mishra, who is currently working on his next titled 'Summer of 77' which is about the Emergency and mainstream people bubbling with a certain kind of radicalism and confronting the state, asserts, "No one is a fixer or a Naxalite in this movie. It is about a more mainstream rebellion. There are multiple layers to the film," he concludes.
The Shrine Empire Gallery here will present the debut solo
Peaceful retreat in nature
Are you looking forward to the upcoming long weekend during the Holi and Good Friday long weekend? India, with its diverse landscapes and cultural richness, offers several exciting options for delightful getaways. Whether you're looking for a peaceful retreat in nature or an adventure-filled trip, there's something for everyone. Here are some great travel destinations to consider for a memorable holiday in March.
South: Coorg
Nestled in the lush green Western Ghats of Karnataka, Coorg
is a haven for nature lovers, offering breathtaking views and a serene environment. From hiking through dense forests to exploring historical monuments, Coorg offers an array of experiences. It is one of the most popular and easily accessible hill stations in South India.
North: Corbett
With its mystic beauty, scenic landscapes, and interesting history, Corbett is the perfect wild and exotic getaway. Resort Condominium International (RCI) affiliated resorts offer the most beautiful and relaxing stay
without worrying about the scenic surroundings. One can take in the true jungle atmosphere created by the perfect natural surroundings and varied flora and fauna. This is the place to enjoy the pristine beauty and enchanting wilderness of nature.
East: Gangtok
Gangtok is home to several breathtaking viewpoints that offer panoramic views of the city, surrounding hills, and snow-capped mountains of the Kanchenjunga range. These serene locations provide a peaceful retreat and a chance to connect with nature.
West: Goa
It's never a bad decision when it's Goa. A perfect place that leaves you with memories to cherish forever. RCI offers a perfect stay, catering to your room to food desires. Whether you are looking for a relaxing sunbathing spot or want to indulge in water sports the beaches of Goa have something for everyone.
Exploring UNESCO Heritage Sites in Turkiye
Atreasure
located in one of the world's most essential geographies, where the history of civilisation was written and shaped, Turkiye is an open-air museum of ancient sites. The country offers a rich wealth of history with 21 World Heritage Sites listed under the UNESCO
Treasure of the Inner Aegean: Aizanoi
Aizanoi, on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, is a remarkable ancient site in Kütahya, in the Inner Aegean. As the principal settlement centre of the Aizanitis living in ancient Phrygia, Aizanoi became
World Heritage Convention, and 79 on the Tentative List.
Let's look at some of Türkiye’s lesser-known archaeological treasures to inspire your next adventure!
a wealthy and prominent city during the Roman period due to grain cultivation and wine and wool production. Aizanoi is home to the world’s first trade exchange building, the Macellum, and Anatolia’s best-preserved Temple
Laos seeks to promote high-quality tourism
Laotian authorities gathered in the capital Vientiane to develop tourism plan from 2026 to 2030, aiming to ensure that the sector's development promotes high-quality tourism and aligns with international standards.
The meeting, held from Tuesday to Thursday, aimed to identify the future direction of tourism, with business operators and government officials from the capital and provinces sharing ideas on industry standards, according to a report from Laos' Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Xinhua news agency reported.
of Zeus.
Don't miss: In Kütahya, a part of the Phrygian Valley, there are numerous open-air temples and altars dedicated to the mother goddess Cybele, as well as rockcarved tombs. Visit these fantastic structures while you're in the region.
Kaunos and its rock tombs
Kaunos, an important port city of the ancient world, is among Turkiye’s most exciting ruins, with its rock tombs. On the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, Kaunos lost its port as silt filled the sea over time. Like Stratonikeia, Kaunos is in the Muğla province and accessible via a 10-minute boat ride from Dalyan. The Kaunos rock tombs, which can also be seen from Dalyan, were produced in the fourth century BC and used during the Roman period.
Don't miss: Tour boats can bring you to İztuzu Beach, a true natural wonder where you can observe the Caretta caretta sea turtles. During the incubation and spawning periods of the Caretta carettas, human visitors are prohibited from the beach from evening to morning, as the beaches are reserved exclusively for sea turtles during this critical time.
Kibyra, with water flowing from an Ancient Fountain
Located in Burdur, the geography of ancient civilisations, Kibyra is among the region’s most important ancient cities, along with Sagalassos. Since 2016, the structures in Kibyra, on the UNESCO World Heritage Tentative List, have been planned symmetrically to offer unobstructed views.
Speaking at the meeting, Lao Deputy Minister of Information,
Culture, and Tourism Darany Phommavongsa said tourism stimulates the development of other sectors of the economy by creating jobs and incomes, and is a main driver of economic and social development, helping to ease poverty across the country.
The quality of tourism in Laos has gradually improved, especially through the seven ASEAN Tourism Standards and the ASEAN Sustainable Tourism Awards.
In addition, business operators are encouraged to perform to high standards, make guests feel welcome, and provide services that meet guests' needs and ensure their satisfaction.
Lakshadweep
Coco Fest
showcases a blend of tradition and innovation
In a first of its kind in Lakshadweep, a massive turnout was witnessed at the three-day coconut festival, 'Coco Fest 2024' in Kavaratti.
The festival began on Wednesday night and Islanders flocked to the event with a festive spirit.
The objective of the event is to reinforce coconut as the lifeline of Islanders in local livelihoods and traditions by bringing together all the stakeholders under one roof.
The festival has been designed as a fusion of symbolising culture, art and technology -- all centred around coconut. Visitors can explore a wide range of local and traditional coconut-based products, such as oils, sweets, vinegar, neera, and other indigenous value-added items.
The event has turned into a blend of local tradition with technological innovation, featuring a diverse range of
activities from technological exhibitions and valueadded product showcases to entrepreneur meets, food fests, farmer-scientist interfaces and traditional art performances.
Unique events like coconut climbing contests and food recipe competitions, combined with traditional art and music performances, are making the festival a popular attraction.
The coconut festival has been organised jointly by the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) Lakshadweep of ICARCentral Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI), ICAR-Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute (ATARI), Department of Agriculture, Lakshadweep Administration and KICPCoS Farmer Producer Organisation, Kavaratti.
Future of AI regulation in US uncertain under Trump-Musk: Report
New Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS)
Some industry experts are skeptical whether Elon Musk’s unconventional methods and Donald Trump’s leadership will ultimately benefit AI regulation and the market at large, according to a new report.
Trump has been re-elected as President of the US with Musk appointed to lead the newly established Department of Efficiency.
Musk’s role focuses on streamlining government processes and integrating advanced technologies, a development that marks a significant shift in the regulatory landscape for artificial
intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies. However, some industry experts remain skeptical, said GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
According to forecasts, the global AI market is set to reach over $1 trillion by 2030, up from $103 billion in 2023, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 39 per cent over the period.
Kamilla Kan, senior data scientist, Medical Devices team at GlobalData, said that with the increasing adoption of AI across sectors, the need for robust, forward-thinking regulations is more critical than ever.
“AI technologies are becoming integral to a range of industries, and we expect this trend to accelerate globally in the coming years. However, it remains uncertain whether Musk’s approach will truly enable the responsible growth of AI or if it may inadvertently create
regulatory gaps that could hinder the technology’s safe and ethical integration,” Kan emphasised. Musk’s efficiency-focused mandate includes developing frameworks aimed at streamlining AI compliance while fostering innovation, though there is uncertainty about how effective his approach will be in practice.
His appointment reflects the government’s intention to strengthen the US position in AI and technology, which are now viewed as critical for economic growth and national security.
Musk’s Department of Efficiency is expected to provide some regulatory consistency and clear guidelines to help businesses harness AI responsibly.
However, concerns remain about whether this approach will adequately balance public trust with the rapid demands of technological advancement, said the report.
This is how generative AI will boost procurement function globally
New Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS)
Progress in generative AI (GenAI) is poised to impact the procurement function globally through advancements in three areas, according to a new report. Agentic reasoning, multimodality, and AI agents are the advancements that will redefine how procurement operates and significantly impact the agendas of chief procurement officers (CPOs), said the Gartner report.
According to Ryan Polk, senior
director analyst in Gartner’s Supply Chain practice, agentic reasoning, multimodality, and AI agents are coming to procurement.
“These advancements will usher procurement into an era where the distance between ideas, insights, and actions will shorten rapidly. Procurement leaders who build their foundation now through a focus on data quality, privacy and risk management have the potential to reap new levels of productivity and strategic value from the technology,” he stressed. Agentic reasoning in GenAI allows for advanced decision-making processes that mimic human-like
cognition.
This capability will enable procurement functions to leverage GenAI to analyse complex scenarios and make informed decisions with greater accuracy and speed, said the report.
Multimodality refers to the ability of GenAI to process and integrate multiple forms of data, such as text, images, and audio.
“This will make GenAI more intuitively consumable to users and enhance procurement's ability to gather and analyze diverse information sources, leading to more comprehensive insights and better-informed strategies,” the report mentioned.
India is world’s best place for data centres: Piyush Goyal
New Delhi, Nov 21 (IANS) India is the best place in the world to provide sustainable infrastructure to the digital world as there are very few countries where there is an interconnected grid in the way that it has, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal said on Thursday.
Addressing the UK-India Business Council "Technology Futures Conference" here, the minister said that by 2030 India would have a thousand-gigawatt grid connected through the length and breadth of the country with a healthy mix of traditional and renewable energy. For data centres, this huge amount of clean energy provides unheardof reliability and sustainability, he said, pointing out that India provides an unmatched opportunity for investors across the world.
Advocating India as the best place to invest in technology and innovation, Goyal informed that in addition to a robust legal system, India is going to bring out a new legal framework to ensure data privacy that will encourage the free flow of data among trusted partners.
He further stated that India and the UK can work together to leverage the high level of innovation that the UK’s universities produce. India has the lowest cost data in terms of per GB of data and is also the largest consumer of data, he said. India has the highest number of STEM graduates coming out of colleges and coupled with the demand being produced by an emerging market, it makes India an excellent opportunity
to partner in emerging fields, he said.
Today India is the fastest-growing telecom market in the world and India has seen the fastest rollout of 5G anywhere in the world and soon all of India will be 5G connected, the Minister pointed out, adding that India has the necessary ecosystem and infrastructure to help us to engage with the developed world.
India is working on many dimensions of technology, including the space sector, and in animation, gaming, artificial intelligence, and augmented reality, he said, adding that India has invested through public funding in the semiconductor industry in a big way. He quoted Prime Minister Narendra Modi who had said that it is our dream that every device in the world will one day have India India-made chip.
Minister Goyal said that he has five suggestions to offer in the areas of collaboration between India and the UK in technology: first, in AI learning the two countries can create platforms for personalised training and virtual reality can become a part of our curriculum in education; second, collaboration in telemedicine can bring down the cost of medical health in the UK and make quality healthcare available to the remotest part of India; third, the two countries can collaborate in developing climate modelling tools to help the world be in a better position to predict and manage natural disasters; fourth, precision farming tools and residue-free farming are the areas where India can benefit with increasing productivity; and lastly, industries in organic chemicals, engineering goods and food products are undergoing a churn due to technological advances and the two countries can collaborate to take advantage of the opportunities that this represents.
India turning into world’s Deep Tech Hub as reforms reverse brain drain: Hardeep Singh Puri
New Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS) India’s image as the 'IT Outsourcing Centre' has now transformed into a new identity as a 'Deep Tech Hub' due to the reforms undertaken by the government to promote innovation, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri said on Sunday. "As a result of the dedicated focus of PM Modi making India a hub for
innovation, even the most cutting edge, deep tech & frontier tech startups, led by Indian students with PhDs from major global universities are now taking root in India," the minister said in a post on X.
Instead of just being proud of working for MNCs, Indians are now daring to create their own multinational companies in a defining change which will fuel our next stage of economic growth, Puri said.
"For the past many decades, while Indian engineers & scientists were recognised for their talent and dedication in global technology companies and universities, they couldn’t dare to incubate their tech startups in India, owing to our onerous patents framework, lack of
funding, crumbling infrastructure and lack of government support," he added.
These new developments, of a reversal in the brain drain, are part of a larger fabric of technological innovation in India. A gradual journey of reforms and schemes to promote the entrepreneurial spirit in the early years of the Modi Govt has resulted in a technological boom, the minister pointed out.
He said that this transformation is visible in the energy sector too. The India Energy Week began in 2023 as a novel initiative to leverage this increasing prominence of India in the global energy landscape through collaborative dialogue and opening up the horizon for India’s talented young professionals.
Puri pointed out that in the Green Hydrogen segment, several Indian PSUs showcased new electrolyser technologies. At the same time, start-ups have demonstrated their membrane-less electrolyser for green hydrogen. Other firms have focused on building CCUS technologies, including direct air capture and enhanced oil recovery methods. There was also considerable progress made in advanced battery storage solutions, including solidstate batteries, lithium-ion improvements, and flow batteries, which promise better efficiency, longevity, and reduced costs. All eyes are now on the future as it takes shape in India.
He further stated that the National Deep Tech Startup Policy lays out a roadmap aimed
at spurring innovation in critical domains such as semiconductors, AI, and space tech. AI is so widespread in India’s software services now that it borders on ubiquity. It is no coincidence that India now has the third-largest start-up ecosystem in the world. "We need to further nurture Indian talent in deep tech domains to hasten the reversal of ‘brain drain’. We have always had good talent, but have also lamented that our youngsters leave India to pursue work and studies abroad. The trend is now noticeably reversing - a significant victory in its own right. Indians are coming back or even deciding to stay put when offered enticing opportunities abroad so that they can build in India, for the world," the minister
Trans women in India face stigma, depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts: Study
New Delhi, Nov 25 (IANS) Trans women in India face significant stigma, and have high rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts, according to a study on Monday.
Researchers from The George Institute for Global Health India with global collaborators, have highlighted the stigma and mental health challenges faced by trans women in India. The study examines their experiences of rejection, discrimination, and social exclusion, calling for urgent action to address these issues.
The study, published in the journal Wellcome Open Research, sheds light on how stigma begins early in life -- within families where trans women are often
rejected, leading to a loss of selfesteem.
In schools, bullying and harassment force many to drop out, leaving them without education or stable employment. Many trans women are left with limited options, often turning to begging or sex work to survive. Healthcare discrimination also emerges as a major issue. Stories of mistreatment by hospital staff and lack of understanding from healthcare providers discourage many trans women from seeking medical help.
As a result, their physical and mental health needs often go unmet. These experiences take a significant toll on mental well-being, contributing to high rates of depression, anxiety, and suicidal thoughts among trans women.
“One of the most pressing revelations from the study is the lack of mental health research focusing on trans women, especially in low- and middleincome countries like India. While
global studies often focus on HIV-related issues, the mental health needs of transgender communities remain largely unaddressed. This research highlights the urgent need for interventions to address stigma and its impact on their lives,” said Dr. Sandhya Kanaka Yatirajula, Program Lead- Mental Health, The George Institute for Global Health India.
For such people, social support is a beacon of hope. Acceptance, education, and opportunities for employment are powerful tools that can foster resilience and promote mental well-being. However, in India, where an estimated 4.8 million transgender people live, such opportunities remain scarce.
The study pressed the need for gender-affirming policies that promote inclusion and equity. Researchers stress the importance of creating safe spaces where trans women feel valued and respected.
Scientists decode brain activity that can help treat anxiety and depression
New York, Nov 24 (IANS) A team of scientists has uncovered newer parts of the brain, that support social interactions, and are connected to and in constant communication with the ancient amygdala region -- a discovery which can help treat psychiatric conditions such as anxiety and depression.
In a new study by Chicago-based Northwestern Medicine in the US and published in the journal
Science Advances, scientists sought to better understand how humans evolved to become so skilled at thinking about what’s happening in other peoples’ minds.
“We spend a lot of time wondering, ‘What is that person feeling, thinking? Did I say something to upset them?’” said senior author Rodrigo Braga. The parts of the brain that allow us to do this are in regions of the human brain that have expanded recently in our evolution, and that implies that it’s a recently developed process.
“In essence, you’re putting yourself in someone else’s mind and making inferences about what that person is thinking when you cannot really know,” Braga added.
The study found the more recently evolved and advanced parts of the human brain that support social interactions — called the social cognitive network — are connected to and in constant communication with an ancient part of the brain called the amygdala. Often referred to as our “lizard brain,” the amygdala typically is associated with detecting threats and processing fear.
“The amygdala is responsible for social behaviours like parenting, mating, aggression and the navigation of social-dominance hierarchies,” said Braga, adding that previous studies have found co-activation of the amygdala and social cognitive network, but “our study is novel because it shows the communication is always happening.”
New Zealand declares early stages of whooping cough epidemic
Wellington, Nov 22 (IANS) New Zealand has declared early stages of a highly contagious whooping cough epidemic, with a nationally coordinated response now in place, the Ministry of Health said on Friday.
New Zealand health officials have met to review the latest national and international trends in whooping cough, or pertussis, across the country, which have been closely monitored over recent months and can be particularly dangerous for newborn babies, and older adults, with three babies having died from whooping cough last year, Xinhua news agency reported.
Case numbers consistently increased for several weeks across New Zealand, meeting the threshold for a national epidemic
Study explains why females sleep less
New Delhi, Nov 21 (IANS) While caregiving roles often take a toll on women’s sleep, a new study on Thursday suggested that biological factors may also play a role in why females sleep less.
The study, published in the journal Scientific Reports, showed that women sleep less, and wake up more often. They also get less restorative sleep than men.
The findings based on experiments in mice shed new light on what may underlie sleep differences in men and women.
“In humans, men and women exhibit distinct sleep patterns, often attributed to lifestyle factors and caregiving roles,” said Rachel Rowe, assistant professor of integrative physiology at the University of Colorado at Boulder, US.
“Our results suggest that biological factors may play a more substantial role in driving these sleep differences than previously recognised,” Rowe added.
Sleep research has exploded in recent years, with thousands of animal studies exploring how insufficient sleep impacts the
risk of diseases like diabetes, obesity, Alzheimer’s, and immune disorders -- and how such diseases impact sleep.
For the non-invasive study, the team used specialised cages lined with ultrasensitive movement sensors to assess the sleep patterns of 267 “C57BL/6J” mice. They found that males slept about 670 minutes total per 24-hour period, about an hour more than female mice. That extra sleep was non-rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep -- the restorative sleep when the body works to repair itself.
Female mice were found to have shorter bouts of sleep -essentially, their sleep is more fragmented.
The study saw similar sex differences in other animals, including fruit flies, rats, zebrafish, and birds.
Rowe said biologically, “females are designed to be more sensitive to their environment and be aroused when they need to be because they are typically the ones who are caring for the young,” Rowe said, noting that stress hormones like cortisol (which promotes wakefulness) and sex hormones also may play a role.
The team hopes for more research to understand the underlying biological differences that can boost sleep treatment
Standing at work can actually be detrimental to BP: Study
New Delhi, Nov 23 (IANS)
Prolonged standing at work had a negative impact on blood pressure and in contrast, spending more time sitting at work was associated with better BP, a new study has revealed.
the heart has to work harder to cope with the increased pressure.
“Over the years, this can lead to the development of cardiovascular disease,” Norha added.
to be declared, a Ministry of Health statement said, citing the country's last major outbreak of pertussis in 2017, which lasted for months and potentially for a year or more.
Whooping cough cases have been steadily increasing again since September, following spikes in May, June and July, according to the Institute of Environmental Science and Research.
There were 263 cases in the past four weeks between October 19 and November 15 in New Zealand, the highest number of cases over
The Finish study from University of Turku, published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, suggests that activity behaviour during working hours may be more relevant to 24-hour blood pressure than recreational physical activity.
“Rather than any single measurement, 24-hour blood pressure is a better indication of how blood pressure stresses the heart and blood vessels throughout the day and night,” says doctoral researcher Jooa Norha.
If blood pressure is slightly high throughout the day and does not fall sufficiently even at night, blood vessels start to stiffen and
In the Finnish Retirement and Aging study (FIREA) conducted at the University of Turku, the physical activity of municipal employees approaching retirement age was measured using thigh-worn accelerometers during working hours, leisure time, and days off.
In addition, the research participants used a portable blood pressure monitor that automatically measured their blood pressure every 30 minutes for 24 hours. The results confirm previous findings that physical activity at work can be harmful to the heart and circulatory system.
In particular, prolonged standing can raise blood pressure as the body boosts circulation to the lower limbs by constricting blood vessels and increasing the pumping power of the heart.
“A standing desk can provide a nice change from sitting at the office, but too much standing can be harmful.
Sara Tendulkar, social media sensation and youth icon and the new face of Laneige, one of the most popular Korean beauty brands in the world. Known for her authenticity, charm and influential presence on social media, Sara has embarked on this new venture with the brand to support the its mission in the country.
She gracefully represents the brand's values of natural and sustainable beauty, while bringing to life the brand belief that everyone should shine with a unique inner and outer glow that is as distinct as their individuality. Along with the announcement of a new Brand Ambassador, the brand unveiled its Bouncy and Firm Sleeping Mask.
An elated Sara Tendulkar, Brand Ambassador, Laneige India, commented, “I am thrilled to be part of Laneige's family. As
someone with a biomedical background that makes way for a keen understanding of quality as well as a personal passion for skincare, I admire the brand's commitment to innovation and have been using their products for quite a while. It brings me immense excitement and humility to partner with Laneige, as their core belief in the radiance of each person's unique individuality resonates deeply with me."
At the launch, Paul Lee, Managing Director & Country Head of Amorepacific India, added, "Laneige proudly announces Sara Tendulkar as its Brand Ambassador, embracing her vibrant energy. Sara symbolizes the modern, self-assured youth advocating that beauty transcends mere appearances. With Sara onboard, Laneige aims to connect with a broader audience."
Mini Sood Banerjee, Assistant
Hydration is Key
Combat the drying effects of summer heat by regularly applying moisturising lotion or oil to your nails and cuticles. This simple step will help maintain their strength and flexibility, reducing the risk of breakage.
Summeris all about fun in the sun, beach outings, and showing off those fabulous nails! With the sunny season upon us, it's essential to step up our nail care game to keep our nails looking fresh and vibrant.
Experts in nail care from Tip and Toe Salon share with IANSlife
Protect from the Sun
Protect your nails from the sun's harmful UV rays, just as you would protect your skin. Consider using a nail polish with UV protection or applying a clear topcoat containing SPF. When engaging in outdoor activities, wearing gloves can also provide an additional layer of protection against sun damage.
Director & Head of Marketing and Training Amorepacific India said, "As Laneige's journey evolves, we are thrilled to welcome Sara Tendulkar into our family as the embodiment of timeless grace and modern elegance. Her vibrant spirit and innate charm perfectly resonate with Laneige's commitment to empowering individuals to embrace their unique beauty. Together, we embark on a new chapter, celebrating authenticity and the transformative power of skincare."
Social media sensation Sara Tendulkar for Korean Beauty Brand Laniege Summer nail care secrets
"We are delighted to announce Sara Tendulkar as the new Brand Ambassador for Laneige," said Sally Lee, Brand General Manager of Laneige India. Sara's luminous charm and timeless elegance resonate deeply with our brand's values. Sara's deeper integration into the Laneige experience marks a remarkable milestone, fostering deeper connections with a burgeoning generation of consumers."
Laneige is a brand that specializes in moisture research. They have developed advanced water complexes that are dedicated to creating intelligent skincare solutions for all skin types. With a range of products developed to address different skin concerns due to stress and a hazardous environment, Laneige offers solutions that awaken your skin’s ultimate moisture potential.
the importance of maintaining healthy and beautiful nails, especially during the summer months. Don't let the sun and heat take a toll on your nail health; follow these expertrecommended tips to keep your nails looking fabulous.
Use the Right Tools
Using the right tools is crucial for maintaining nail health. Avoid metal cuticle pushers, as they can cause damage and increase infection risks. Instead, opt for wooden or rubber cuticle pushers. Additionally, always use sharp, clean nail clippers and files to prevent nail splitting and peeling.
Chase the sun, not the damage: Smart skin care choices for summer
As the days grow longer and the sun shines brighter, many of us eagerly embrace the warmth of summer. However, the need for diligent skin care comes with the joys of outdoor activities and beach vacations.
Before diving into skin care tips, it's essential to understand the damaging effects of the sun's ultraviolet (UV) rays. Prolonged exposure to UV radiation can lead to many skin concerns, including sunburn and premature ageing.
"One of the most effective ways to shield your skin from sun damage is sunscreen. Look for a broad-spectrum sunscreen with a high SPF (Sun Protection Factor) rating to ensure comprehensive protection against both UVA and UVB rays. Apply sunscreen generously to all exposed areas of skin, including your face, neck, and ears, and remember to reapply every two hours, especially if you're swimming or sweating," says Mansi Sharma, founder of The Honest Tree by Boddess.
Hydration is key. Summer heat can take a toll on your skin, leading to dehydration and a loss of moisture. Mansi recommends
to combat the heat by staying hydrated from the inside out. She says, "Drink plenty of water throughout the day to keep your skin hydrated and plump. Additionally, incorporate hydrating skincare products into your routine, such as lightweight moisturizers and serums formulated with hyaluronic acid or glycerin."
While sunscreen provides crucial protection, it's not the only line of defence against the sun's rays. "Consider covering up with lightweight, breathable clothing, hats, and sunglasses to provide additional protection for your skin and eyes. Opt for tightly woven fabrics and dark colours for optimal sun protection," adds Mansi. "When possible, seek shade during the sun's peak hours, typically between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. This is when UV radiation is at its strongest, increasing the risk of sunburn and skin damage. Take breaks from direct sunlight by relaxing under a beach umbrella or finding shelter in a shaded area."
The founder of The Honest Tree by Boddess also suggests that while selecting skincare products for summer, opt for formulations that cater to the specific needs of sun-exposed skin. Mansi says, "Look for products enriched with antioxidants like vitamins C and E, which help neutralize free radicals generated by UV exposure. Incorporating a gentle exfoliant into your routine can also help slough off dead skin cells, revealing a fresh, radiant complexion."
Beauty addicts can now get Kylie Cosmetics in India
Iamso excited to launch Kylie Cosmetics in India – I created Kylie Cosmetics to give my fans access to the makeup products that I use and love, and I can’t wait to share my collection with all my fans in India.", said Kylie Jenner, Founder of Kylie Cosmetics.
In 2015, Kylie Jenner embarked on her beauty business with the launch of Kylie Lip Kits - a collection of three liquid lipsticks with corresponding lip liners. Since then, Kylie supported by Global beauty powerhouse Coty, have continued to expand her beauty empire around the world in over 50 countries, and across eye, complexion, and countless innovations in lip. The beauty line is carefully crafted with clean formulations and vegan ingredients that deliver on trend, high-quality, high-pigment, and
high-performance formulations that fans around the world have come to love.
In a significant milestone in the brand’s global expansion Kylie Cosmetics, launches in India. Partnering with House of Beauty, the leading beauty specialty company which brings coveted international beauty brands to India, Kylie Cosmetics’ arrival has been long awaited by Indian beauty consumers. This partnership marks the first time the brand has partnered with an Indian omnichannel specialist like House of Beauty.
The launch collection includes the best-selling Matte and Velvet Lip Kits, as well as recent must-have launches such as Precision Pout Lip Liner, Power Plush Longwear Foundation, Kylash Volume Mascara, Power Plush Longwear Concealer and Tinted Butter Balm.
Starting 25th April 2024, Kylie Cosmetics will be available exclusively in 25 Sephora India stores nationwide and online on www.sephora.in
High-street fashion players looking at India for manufacturing: Report
Amid rising private consumption, India’s strong growth is rendering it a key global fashion market for 2025, particularly for high-street players for their manufacturing needs, according to a new report.
India’s mid-market fashion segment is also expected to grow around 12 to 17 per cent in 2025 compared to the projected low single-digit growth of the global fashion market, according to global consultancy firm McKinsey & Company.
One in five respondents in ‘The Business of Fashion and McKinsey State of Fashion 2025 Executive Survey’ mentioned India as a focus market for 2025.
According to the report, India is expected to become the fourth largest economy in 2025, growing at 7 per cent year on year, outpacing all other economies. This puts India on track to become the world’s third-largest consumer market by 2027.
"Strong growth is fuelled by the middle class and digitisation. There are 430 million people in India’s middle class - greater than the middle classes of the US and Western Europe combined. It is expected to reach 1 billion by 2050, largely from tier-two and -three cities," the report noted. In such a scenario, markets such as India are expected to become key sourcing hubs for US and European apparel and
Why Manish Malhotra is
textiles. Fashion brands initially turned to Vietnam to reduce their dependence on China, with the value of apparel and textile exports from Vietnam increasing by 35 per cent between 2015 and 2020.
"Now, other Asian countries such as India and Bangladesh are also hotspots," the report mentioned. This trend is expected to continue as fashion executives rank Asia growth markets as their top sourcing hotspots for the next five years and regulatory incentives fuel manufacturer capability building in these countries.
"India is expected to play a more prominent role. The Indian government has invested around $2.5 billion in Production-LinkedIncentives and reforms to Quality Control Orders, while foreign investment has increased 3x since 2019," said the report.
India’s population of ultrahigh-net-worth individuals (UHNWI), with over $30 million in assets, is expected to grow 50 per cent from 2023 to 2028, making it the fastest-growing UHNWI population in the world. Aspirational customers, who make up about half of global luxury sales, are expected to grow from 60 million in 2023 to 100 million in 2027, said the report.
‘obsessed’
Mumbai, Nov 17 (IANS) Fashion designer Manish Malhotra recently expressed his admiration for actress Rekha. In a post on social media, he revealed that he is "obsessed" with her timeless beauty and style.
On Sunday, Malhotra shared a series of photos featuring Rekha posing with style. Alongside the photos, he wrote in the caption, “OBSESSED with the One and Only ICON #Rekha … Her timeless style and just her, and there is always her in every look of hers... love her for that. #Rekhaji Stunning in #BlackTrench
#BlackOrganzaShirt
#BlackStructuredSkirt #GoldSling
all @manishmalhotraworld.”
In the photos, the ‘Khoon Bhari Maang’ actor is seen donning a stylish black outfit, paired with statement earrings and a purse. Today, legendary actor Dharmendra posted a throwback photo featuring himself and Rekha.
The ‘Sholay’ star shared a rare vintage photo on his Instagram handle and wrote, “Friends, Rekha will always be the laadli of our family.” The black-andwhite photo captures the actress smiling warmly as she touches Dharmendra’s face, with both seated together.
Sidhant Gupta brings back Nehru’s classic style with his iconic accessory
with Rekha?
The ‘Policewala Gunda’ actor also shared a throwback video of Rekha presenting the Best Actor award to his son, Sunny Deol. Meanwhile, in October, Rekha was spotted attending Manish’s stylish Diwali bash at his residence in Mumbai.
The actress made headlines after photos of her kissing Shabana Azmi on the cheek went viral.
The designer first met Rekha in 1996 during the Filmfare Awards when she presented him with the costume award for Rangeela. Manish later worked with her on Ram Gopal Varma’s film “Bhoot.”
Over the years, he has designed for her appearances and events.
Earlier, in a birthday post, Manish called Rekha an “original style maker.”
He shared a string of pictures posing with the evergreen actress and captioned the post, “Truly The One And Only REKHAJI... Iconic, Superstar, Beautiful, and an Original Style Maker from her movies to her appearances... Birthday Wishes, Lots and lots of Love and Respect for someone who is not only supremely talented but is also an extremely warm and loving person.”
He added, “Her FABULOUS expressions, her performances, and her dances—the movie list is endless. I am honoured to not only work with her but also to know her closely. Admiration and love.”
Actor Sidhant Gupta, who played the role of Jawaharlal Nehru in “Freedom at Midnight,” paid a stylish tribute to India’s first Prime Minister by sporting the iconic red rose-a signature accessory famously worn by Nehru.
Known for his distinguished style, Nehru’s signature red rose pinned to his jacket has long been associated with his leadership and legacy. Sidhant chose to incorporate this timeless accessory into his look. The red rose, which was a hallmark of Nehru’s outfits, symbolized a touch of elegance and national pride. Gupta sported all-blue ensemble. He paired up bandgala Jodhpuri jacket with matching pants and a red rose.
The actor shared his photos on his social media handles.
Expressing his thoughts on fashion, Sidhant shared, “Fashion is an exhilarating journey, and this blue bandhgala look truly embodies elegance in simplicity.”
On a related note, "Freedom at Midnight," directed by Nikkhil Advani, also stars actors Chirag Vohra, and Rajendra Chawla. Nikkhil revealed his thought
process behind casting Gupta as Jawaharlal Nehru in the series.
The director stated, “Casting for this project was no easy feat, it was critical to find actors who could truly embody these iconic leaders. Nehru’s character was the last to be cast for the show. We needed someone who could truly embody Pandit Nehru, and while Sidhant's talent was undeniable, it was his striking resemblance, especially his nose, to Nehru Ji that sealed the deal.”
The series also starred Chirag Vohra, Rajendra Chawla, Arif Zakaria, Ira Dubey, Malishka Mendonsa, Rajesh Kumar, KC Shankar, Luke McGibney, Cordelia Bugeja, Alistair Finlay, Andrew Cullum, and Richard Teverson in pivotal roles.
“Freedom at Midnight” is inspired by the bestselling book by Dominique Lapierre and Larry Collins. The series explored the motivations, struggles, and sacrifices of prominent leaders such as Mahatma Gandhi, Jawaharlal Nehru, and Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel during India's fight for independence.
The show was released on November 15 on Sony LIV.
Fiuggi : External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar meets US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in Fiuggi on Tuesday, November 26, 2024
Canberra: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese poses for photos with team India and PM’s XI during a reception hosted at the Federal Parliament House in Canberra on Thursday, November 28, 2024.
Guwahati: Members of the All India Buddhist Forum stage a protest over their at Chachal Dharna Ground
New Delhi: Telangana Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Deputy Chief Minister T. Mallu Bhatti meet Defence Minister Rajnath Singh in New Delhi on Tuesday, November 26, 2024.
Canberra: Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese interacts with Team India during a reception at the Federal Parliament House in Canberra on Thursday, November 28, 2024.
Greater Noida: Farmers of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) demonstrate outside the Greater Noida Authority office
Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath pays tribute to the statue of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar as part of the 75th anniversary of the ratification of the Constitution in Lucknow on Tuesday, November 26, 2024.
Mount Bukak, behind the former presidential office Cheong Wa Dae, is covered in snow on Nov. 28, 2024, during the second day of heavy snowfall.
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi with Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna during Constitution Day celebrations at the Supreme Court in New Delhi on Tuesday, November 26, 2024.
New Delhi: Jharkhand CM-designate Hemant Soren meets Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi on Tuesday, November 26, 2024
New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar meets Ambassador of Denmark Daikanyama in New Delhi on Friday November 29. 2024.
Chattogram: Bangladeshi Hindus protest outside Chattogram Court as Chinmoy Krishna Das, a senior ISKCON monk, is produced by Bangladesh police
Mumbai: Indian actors Farhan Akhtar, Saiyami Kher, Divyendu, Udit Arora, Sai Tamhankar, and Pratik Gandhi, among others, attend the trailer launch of the film Agni in Mumbai on Thursday, November 21, 2024.
Baby John
RELEASE DATE: 25 December 2024
LANGUAGE: Hindi (With English Subtitles)
PRODUCER: Murad Khetani, Priya Atlee, Jyoti Deshpande
SYNOPSIS: A historical drama based on the life of Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the son of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj.
SkyForce
RELEASE DATE: 24 January 2025
LANGUAGE: Hindi (With English Subtitles)
PRODUCER: Jio Studios, Maddock Films
DIRECTOR: Abhishek Kapur, Sandeep
CAST: Akshay Kumar, Nimrat Kaur, Sara Ali Khan
Kewlani
ALPHA
Alia Bhatt on ALT EFF: It’s a celebration of films that uplift nature’s resilience
Actress and producer Alia Bhatt, who is the goodwill ambassador of All Living Things Environmental Film Festival (ALT EFF), said that the festival is a celebration of films that uplift and showcase nature's resilience.
Alia said: “I am so thrilled to announce that once again Eternal Sunshine Productions partnering with All Living Things Environmental Film Festival for its 2024 edition. So this festival
is truly special, it's a celebration of films that uplift and showcase nature's resilience and reminds us how beautiful it is to protect our planet.”
“It is an opportunity for all of us to see and feel the real impact of environmental change through powerful storytelling. With over 100 screenings across India Alt Eff brings together the most compelling stories about our climate, our planet and the future
shaping together”.
Joining Alia in this mission is award-winning filmmaker Richie Mehta, who also serves as a brand ambassador for the festival. ALT EFF, known for curating impactful films that shed light on critical environmental issues, has found a steadfast ally in Alia.
Festival Director Kunal Khanna expressed his excitement about Alia’s continued association, stating, "Alia Bhatt is not just a remarkable artist but also a passionate advocate for the environment. Her creative endeavors through Eternal Sunshine exemplify the transformative power of storytelling in addressing pressing global challenges.
“With Alia and Richie Mehta as our ambassadors, ALT EFF is uniquely positioned to amplify the voices of filmmakers who seek to use impact film and storytelling to drive environmental action. Together, we are building a platform that goes beyond films, inspiring tangible change and hope."
On the acting front, Alia will next be seen in “Alpha”, where she will be starring alongside names such as Sharvari. The two actresses will be seen playing super agents. She is also prepping for her next “Love And War” alongside husband Ranbir Kapoor and Vicky Kaushal. The film is directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali.
Megastar Amitabh Bachchan seems to have broken his silence over the ongoing divorce speculation surrounding his son Abhishek and daughter-in-law Aishwarya Rai.
In his latest blog post, Big B penned a note addressing his concerns about "information ending with question marks" and the negative impact it has on those involved. The veteran actor wrote, “It takes immense courage conviction and a sincerity to be different and believe in its presence in life… I rarely say much about family, because that
is my domain and its privacy is maintained by me…”
Amitabh added, “Speculations are speculations… they are speculated untruths, without verifications. Verifications are sought by the seekers to authenticate their business and commercials of the profession they be in… I shall not challenge their desire to be in the profession of their choice… and I shall appreciate their effort in serving society…”
The post further read, “But untruths .. or selected question marked information can be a legal safeguard for them that inform ..
Anil Kapoor says collaborating with Yash Chopra was about creating magic, not chasing numbers
As his film “Lamhe” completed 33 years in Hindi cinema, veteran Bollywood star Anil Kapoor remembered Yash Chopra and said that collaborating with the late filmmaker was always about creating magic on screen, not chasing numbers.
Anil took to Instagram stories, where he shared a string of pictures and moments from the 1991 film “Lamhe”, which also stars late actress Sridevi, who passed away in 2018 due to accidental drowning in Dubai.
For the caption, Anil wrote: “Collaborating with a visionary director like Yash Chopra ji was always about creating magic on
screen, not chasing numbers.”
The 67-year-old actor said that for him, the romantic drama film was a journey to emotions.
“For me, Lamhe was never just a film-it was an experience, a journey into emotions, and a testament to bold storytelling ahead of its time.”
He added that “Lamhe” is one of Yash Chopra’s finest works.
“To this day, I'm proud to say it remains one of his finest works, and I'm deeply honored to have been a part of it. Here's to the unforgettable memories and the timeless legacy of Lamhe! #33yearsofLamhe,” Anil concluded.
but the seed of suspected belief is sown with this most used emblem .. the question mark ..write express whatever you like .. but when you follow it up with a question mark, you are not only saying that the write may be questionable .. but also quite surreptitiously wanting the reader to believe and expand on it, so that your write gets valued repeats ..”
Bachchan went on to mention, “Your content is done , not just for that one moment, but for many moments ..the reader when they react to it gives content expansion ..the reaction could be in belief or in the negative ..anything that be , give credence to the write ..and that is the writes business .. his or her commerce dependence ..fill the World with untruth or questioned untruth and your job is over ..how it may have affected the subject individual or situation has been hand washed away from your hands..”
The actress’ post comes amid reports of trouble in Abhishek and Aishwarya’s marital paradise. Not to forget, Aishwarya recently gave a glimpse into her daughter Aaradhya’s birthday celebrations by sharing a heartfelt photo dump on Instagram.
Denzel Washington admits to drinking 2 bottles of wine a day in the past
Hollywood star Denzel Washington has shared that at one point he used to wash down his throat with two bottles of fine wine a day.
The 69-year-old 'Training Day' star spent years battling a drinking problem but he has been sober for 10 years and he has revealed that his issues with alcohol started when he got a taste for pricey vintages after adding a wine cellar to the family home, reports 'Female First UK'. He told 'Esquire' magazine, "Wine is very tricky. It's very slow. It ain't like, boom, all of a sudden. I never
got strung out on heroin. Never got strung out on coke. Never got strung out on hard drugs. I shot dope just like they shot dope, but I never got strung out. And I never got strung out on liquor. I had this ideal idea of wine tastings and all that, which is what it was at first. And that's a very subtle thing."
He further mentioned, "I mean, I drank the best, I learned to drink the best (when we added the wine cellar). So I'm gonna drink my '61s and my '82s and whatever we had. Wine was my thing, and now I was popping $4,000 bottles just because that's what was left."
Rashmika Mandanna’s old engagement video goes viral
An eight-year-old engagement video of actress Rashmika Mandanna, who is gearing up for the release of her upcoming film “Pushpa: The Rule” starring Allu Arjun, has started doing the rounds on social media.
It features Rashmika with actorfilmmaker Rakshit Shetty and the “Animal” star flaunting their engagement rings. The video in question is almost eight-yearsold. It was in 2017, when the actress exchanged rings with Rakshit.
According to media reports, the actress was just 21-years-old,
Ananya
when she got engaged to Rakshit, who was 34 at that time. It is also said that the two started dating after working on the 2016 film “Kirik Party”, which marked the actress’ debut in cinema. A year later, the two got engaged. However, it was in 2018, when their love story came to an end. The two never discussed the reason behind their split. The two may have split but share a cordial relationship. Rakshit in an interview had discussed how the former couple still message each other. He had shared that Rashmika congratulates him,
whenever he has a release and vice versa. The two even wish each other on their birthdays.
Talking about “Pushpa: The Rule”, the makers unveiled the trailer on November 17 in Patna, Bihar. The sequel to the film promises a high-voltage action-drama with Telugu superstar Allu Arjun at the forefront. It opens with a person in background introducing Allu Arjun’s titular character of Pushpa as the one who is not afraid of power, and has no greed for money.
Directed by Sukumar and produced by Mythri Movie Makers, the music of the film is from T Series. ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’ went through production delays as the makers moved its release date from August 15 to December 6.
The release date was once again changed to December 5. The film was earlier supposed to clash with the Vicky Kaushal-starrer ‘Chhaava’ which is based on the life of Maratha warrior king Chhatrapati Sambhaji Maharaj, the son of Indian warrior-king Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj. However, the makers of ‘Chhaava’ have reportedly moved the film’s release date in order to avoid the clash. ‘Pushpa 2: The Rule’ is set to arrive in cinemas on December 5, 2024.
Ananya Panday’s recent Instagram Story has gained attention for the wrong reasons. The actress recently took to the Stories section of her Instagram, and shared a throwback picture of herself with her grandmother as she wished her on her birthday. The throwback picture showed her nani holding a glass of beer while feeding the milk to baby Ananya through a bottle.
While the picture earlier received a fair share of criticism, it has now triggered the fans of Punjabi superstar Diljit Dosanjh, who recently performed in
Ahmedabad.
The fans of Diljit gave negative reactions to the picture on social media and aggregator websites saying that artists like Diljit bear the brunt of righteousness while everything in Bollywood goes about as usual business.
Earlier, the Telangana government had issued a notice to Diljit over performing songs referencing alcohol following which Dijit performed to those songs with changed lyrics. However, the Punjabi superstar pointed his guns at the Telangana government as he took a bold stand, and played an Uno
Amid controversies, AR Rahman feted with Hollywood Music In Media Award For ‘The Goat Life’
Amid the ongoing divorce and Mohini Dey controversy, Oscar and Grammy-winning composer A.R. Rahman has shared a celebratory post after he won a trophy for giving the background score to Malayalam movie "The Goat Life" at the 2024 Hollywood Music in Media Awards (HMMA).
Rahman won the award for score in the independent film (foreign language) category. The event was held at the Avalon Theatre in Los Angeles on Wednesday. The film’s director Blessy received the honour on Rahman's behalf at the ceremony.
Talking about the film, it is based on the 2008 bestselling novel "Aadujeevitham". It follows
An Indian migrant worker named Najeeb Muhammed, who goes to Saudi Arabia to earn money to send back home, but he finds himself living a slave-like existence herding goats in the
reverse as he challenged all state governments across the country, and proposed a ban on alcohol consumption.
Diljit said in one of his shows that people from Bollywood showcase and glorify the usage of alcohol in their films and songs but nobody from the authorities bats an eye.
The Punjabi superstar said that when it’s his turn to perform his songs referencing alcohol, which are very few in his illustrious discography, he is discouraged by the authorities.
He said that if alcohol consumption is banned across India, he would permanently stop singing songs that use alcohol as reference.
He said that he recently released two devotional songs as well, and has very few songs related to alcohol as he himself is a teetotaller.
A nationwide ban on alcohol would prove detrimental to the economy as licensed alcohol forms a huge part of the GDP and tax collections across the states.
Of late, Diljit’s concerts have been gaining massive national attention owing to his performance and the content coming out of them.
middle of the desert.
At the event, “Emilia Pérez” and composer Hans Zimmer each received three awards at the 15th annual Hollywood Music in Media Awards (HMMA). The HMMA honours composers, songwriters and music supervisors for their contributions over the previous year in music for film, TV, video games and more.
Along with Rahman, other nominees also included names such as Elton John, Brandi Carlile, Miley Cyrus, Lainey Wilson, and Pharrell Williams, alongside acclaimed composers like Hans Zimmer, Harry Gregson-Williams, Kris Bowers, and the duo Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross. It was on November 20, when Rahman and his wife Saira Banu announced their separation after 29 years of marriage. After the announcement, the composer penned a note about how their relationship saw an 'unseen end'.
Sara shares fun BTS of adshoot, says ‘let your spirit fly’
Bollywood actress Sara Ali Khan shared some behindthe-scenes fun from her recent ad-shoot and expressed her happiness in the form of a poem.
Sara took to Instagram, where she shared a video of herself from the pool and sea-side. In the clip, she is seen doing many things from enjoying near the water, to having coffee, making dinner, shooting for the advertisement.
“Smell the sea and feel the sky, Have some coffee eat a fry, Let your soul and spirit fly,” she wrote as the caption.
Recently, in an interview to IANS Sara Ali Khan spoke about her love for exploring places and that she said that nothing beats exploring India in terms of heritage, culture and landscapes.
Talking about her love for travelling in the country or abroad, Sara told IANS that she loves both.
"There’s no way I can pick. While I love travelling abroad, In India nothing beats exploring my country in terms of heritage, culture and landscapes and I’d love to explore all of it,”
