1 April 2023

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India sees 114% rise in Covid-19 deaths

NEW DELHI, MAR 31

(AGENCIES): India recorded over 114 per cent rise in Covid-19 deaths and 437 per cent spike in cases in the last 28 days, showed the epidemiological report released by the World Health Organization (WHO) on Friday. The report states that the South-East Asia Region reported over 27,000 new cases, a 152 per cent increase as compared to the previous 28-day period, with the highest proportional increase observed in India (18,130 versus 3,378 new cases) followed by the Maldives (129 per cent) and Nepal (89 per cent). Similarly, India reported at least 62 new deaths which, means 114 per cent rise with 1 new death per 100,000, BT report stated.

The WHO is monitoring the new Omicron variant XBB.1.16 in India which is believed to be behind the sudden surge of the cases.

Power dept informs on revised tariff

DIMAPUR, MAR 31

(NPN): The Nagaland Electricity Regulatory Commission has notified all consumers about the revised tariff for 2023-2024, which would be effective from April 1, 2023. In a press note, the department said that the revised tariff rates would have to be updated in the existing pre-paid meters, for which a one-time token would be provided in the next recharge.

It said that for Kohima, the one-time token would 120 digits (Genus make meters) and for Dimapur 40 digits (Secure make meters).

In this regard, all consumers have been asked to enter the digits in the same manner as done during recharge of the token and subsequent recharge token would be of twenty digits only. For customers facing difficulties, they may contact-- 8415900400. Meanwhile, the department assured that it was putting all efforts to resolve the issue of large number of digits in the one-time recharge token.

Power outage in 4 dists

Power department has informed that power supply to the districts of Dimapur, Chumoukedima, Niuland and Peren would be affected on April 1, 2023 from 6am to 9 am as the department would be availing shutdown of 132/66/33kV 2x100MVA Nagarjan sub-station on to facilitate routine maintenance of 132kV Busbar, 132/66kV 100MVA transformer & 132/33kV 100MVA transformer.

Donald Trump indicted; expected to surrender early next week

Dr Maria Van Kerkhove, technical lead for the Covid-19 response at WHO, said that there are about 800 sequences of Omicron variant XBB.1.16 from 22 countries. Most of the sequences are from India and in India XBB.1.16 has replaced the other variants that are in circulation.

“XBB.1.16 is actually very similar in profile to XBB.1.5 (Omicron subvariant). It has one additional mutational mutation in the spike protein, which in lab studies shows increase infectivity, as well as potential increased pathogenicity (prop-

erty of causing disease). It has been in circulation for a few months,” she said. Public health experts have said that the symptoms of this new variant are mostly low-grade flulike. People may experience symptoms in the upper and lower respiratory tract. In terms of upper respiratory tract symptoms, people may experience nasal discharge, a sore throat, a slow-rising fever that lasts for one or two days, and loss of smell.

“In case of these symptoms, it is recommended to get tested for Covid. For lower respiratory tract

symptoms, people may suffer from severe bronchitis and cough. This new variant is different from others in the sense that it spreads faster than other variants. However, hospitalization rates are very low and can be managed at home,” said Dr Kuldeep Kumar Grover, head of critical care and pulmonology at CK Birla Hospital.

Grover explained that in recent times, people who have been vaccinated and exposed to natural infection during the last Covid waves are developing strong immunity against the virus, which is called hybrid immunity. In hybrid immunity, the body develops antibodies that help fight against mutations of the virus. It has been seen that Covid cases are rising, but they will not lead to massive hospitalizations because of hybrid immunity. “However, it is recommended to follow Covid-related behaviour during the surge of

CNWA welcomes repeal of NM Act

new variants and influenza. People should wash their hands, wear masks, and avoid social gatherings to prevent the spread of any virus. People with symptoms like cough and cold should avoid meeting people so that the infection is not transmitted to healthy individuals,” said Grover.

3095 cases in 24 hours: India reported a massive rise of 3,095 new cases in the last 24 hours with a daily positivity rate of 2.61 per cent. Concerned over the resurgence of Covid-19 cases in the country, the central government has been taking stock of the situation in the states.

According to the data released by the union health ministry, the weekly positivity in Maharashtra has gone up to 4.58 per cent as on March 24, 2023 from 0.54 per cent in the week ending March 3, 2023. In Gujarat, it has increased to 2.17 per cent from 0.07 per cent.

Closure of Kohima to Jessami road

ABAM flays govt plea to relax dry act for G20 foreign delegates

DIMAPUR, MAR 31 (NPN):

Ao Baptist Arogo Mungdang (ABAM) has expressed shock at the state government’s decision to allow sale and consumption of liquor for a fixed period only for foreign delegates attending the G20 business summit at Kohima from April 4-6 under the plea of enhancing tourism based on Section 16 of the Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act.

This Group of Twenty comprises of 19 countries namely Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Türkiye, United Kingdom, and United States and the European Union.

ing liquor the only answer to introduce Tourism in Nagaland?”.

The two ABAM leaders also said it they were “amused and attracted when such events are initiated in the name of development, trade and corporate investments with first world countries.” Further ABAM said it needs to be examined how far Nagas can balance between tourism and liquor drinking culture especially in a Christian dominated state.

slogans such as Incredible India, Look/Act East as a motor for development. Further ABAM maintained that the north east region is known for its artistic natural features, appealing to tourist domestic and international and for the Directorate of Tourism in their respective states, to identify certain thrust areas based upon the opportunities available in the state for the growth of tourism.

DIMAPUR,

MAR 31 (NPN): Differing with the stand of a section of the Naga women that raised objection to the decision of repealing the Nagaland Municipal Act, 2001, the Central Nagaland Women Association (CNWA) lauded the decision pointing out that the NM Act infringed upon the rights of the Nagas.

In a statement through its information and publicity secretary Angelina Ngullie, CNWA said the association “supports the significant decision, bearing in mind that the taxes on land and building were clearly in violation of Article 371A of the Indian Constitution.”

While urging the government to expedite the process of the enactment of the new Municipal Act, CNWA was of the view that consultations and deliberations should be held with various stakeholders. It also appealed to the government for conducting elections to the Urban Local Bodies at the earliest for the benefit of the society.

Meanwhile, the association lauded the Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) and chief minister Neiphiu Rio for repealing the NM Act, 2001. It may be mentioned that Nagaland Assembly on the last day of the recently concluded first

Manipur forms population panel to identify ‘illegal immigrants’

IMPHAL, MAR 31

(AGENCIES):

Manipur

chief minister N Biren Singh on Friday said his government has set up a State Population Commission to identify “illegal immigrants”, adding the government was ready to implement National Register of Citizens (NRC) once it gets approval from the central government, reports NDTV.

“We need the Centre’s approval for NRC to be implemented in the state but with the enactment of the population commission we will be able to detect legal and illegal residents,” Singh

said. The announcement comes days after Imphal witnessed massive protests against the government’s alleged “delaying tactics” in implementing the citizens’ register to keep in check the surge in the population of illegal immigrants.

Earlier this week, students along with civil society organisations clashed with police while taking out a march to CM’s official residence. The protesters alleged that the rising influx of outsiders from across borders and neighbouring countries were a threat to the indigenous Manipur population.

session of the 14th NLA unanimously resolved to repeal the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 “in toto” after a thorough discussion by the members. After through deliberation, the house deemed that ULB election cannot be conducted unless the NM Act 2001 was repealed. Following the resolution passed by the Assembly, the State Election Commission (SEC) Thursday notified the cancellation of the May 16 elections to urban local bodies. SEC on March 9, 2023 notified general election to civic bodies in Nagaland along with 33% reservation of seats for women.

DIMAPUR, MAR 31

(NPN): Due to ongoing two-lane road construction at km 72+800 to km 73+000 (between Horticulture farm and Mesulumi village) along Kohima-Jessami road NH29, there would be a complete road closure along the mentioned stretch from 8pm to 6am for 30 days with effect from April 1, 2023.

The additional deputy commissioner (ADC) Pfutsero, Japheth Woch has advised all vehicles traveling along that stretch during the timing and period of road closure to take the alternate route i.e., Razeba Market Junction to Chizami.

In a joint statement, ABAM president Rev. Temshi Longkümer and executive secretary Rev. Dr. Prof., Mar Pongener said that as right thinking citizens, they wonder whether there were no other options of doing development/tourism without abetting the culture of drinking liquor in any manner in Nagaland?

They asked if “drink-

While note denying that Tourism was a font of revenue, service production, and regional progress as well as advantage for those interested in foreign exchange and economic development, ABAM, however, said that one can dream of milestone achievements in tourism industry in the light of entrepreneurship development particularly in Northeast solving various emerging problems in the region.

The ABAM leaders also cited various methods for advancing development for indigenous people in North East to envision strengthening the outlook using various attractive

Countering the relaxation of alcohol on the plea of promoting tourism, ABAM pointed out whether “ indigenous Naga Christians” contemplate contemporary issues such as contemplate on the issues such as: when the pattern of development heralded by Tourism is product centered and not life centered; If such initiatives are focused on the quantity of products and not on better quality of life; If it is for the privileged and not for less disadvantaged, then such development remains questionable. Any industry including Tourism that operates by profit mode and commercial standard needs critical assessment.

NTC for consultation before enactment of NM Act

DIMAPUR, MAR 31 (NPN): Welcoming the Nagaland Municipal Act (Repeal Bill 2023), the Nagaland Tribes Council (NTC) has appealed to the government to hold consultations with all concern stakeholders before enacting the new Nagaland Municipal Act.

In a statement through its media cell, NTC hoped that the new Act would be “free of criticism, Art 371A of the Constitution of India, the customary practices & traditions, and people of Nagaland friendly Act.”

NCM working on school ‘textbook’ to promote interfaith bonhomie

NEW DELHI, MAR 31

(AGENCIES): To quell misconceptions and promote interfaith bonhomie, the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) is working on finalising the draft of what could take the shape of a textbook for schoolchildren with basic information on all six recognised minority religions and Hinduism, reports the Times of India. There are six religions in India that have been awarded the minority status-- Islam, Christianity, Sikhism, Jainism, Buddhism and Zoroastrianism (Parsis).

Speaking on the sidelines of a daylong conference of state minorities commissions this week, NCM chairman Iqbal Singh Lalpura elaborated that the commission plans to send the draft to PMO once it is finalised and recommend that the government consider making the book part of school curriculum, so that children understand the basic idea, rituals and history of various religions. “The members of the Commission are working on finalising the draft,” Lalpura said.

As part of efforts to

G20 meet: Traffic advisory for Dimapur & Kohima

DIMAPUR, MAR 31

(NPN): In view of the G20 Business meet to be held in Kohima from April 4 to 6, Dimapur police have informed that certain traffic restrictions would be enforced on April 4 and 6.

On April 4, 2023, movement of vehicles would be restricted and no vehicles would be allowed to be parked from 3rd Mile junction towards Kohima side till Patkai Bridge from 12 noon to 3 p.m.

On April 6, 2023, movement of vehicles would be restricted and no vehicles would be allowed to be parked from Patkai Bridge towards Dimapur

till 3rd Mile junction from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Police have advised all shopkeepers and the public in general not to park their vehicles along the mentioned routes during the restricted timings to avoid any inconveniences.

Odd-evenschemefor

vehiclesinKohima

In view of the G20 Summit and in the interest of public convenience, the Kohima district administration has informed that odd-even scheme for all

commercial vehicles (two and four-wheeler taxis, pickups/Tata mobile, buses) would be enforced at Kohima town on April 4 and 5, 2023 from 6 a.m. till 9 p.m.

In a notification, deputy commissioner (DC) Kohima, Shanavas, informed that vehicle with registration numbers ending with an odd digit (1,3,5,7,9) would be allowed to ply April 4, 2023 while vehicle with registration numbers ending with an even digit (2,4,6,8,0) on April 5, 2023.

DC has cautioned that violators would be penalized under section 179 of the Motor Vehicle Amendment Act 2019.

prevent miscreants from spreading communal hatred, NCM has also written to Union home minister Amit Shah, seeking that directions may be given to the states for measures to create a mechanism to check isolated vigilante groups to prevent them from creating communal disharmony.

In a bid to expand the outreach of the Commission, he said NCM would soon will bring an app that will allow people to register their concerns and complaints from anywhere and at any time.

It said that the legislation to repeal the NM Act 2001 vis-à-vis ULB election has done much of the damaged control of the protective Art 371A of the Constitution of India, and for smooth administration of Municipal and Town Councils in the state in the long-run. NTC expressed gratitude to the government for taking up with concern the anomalies in the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 as has been brought to public domain by the Nagaland apex tribes hohos and civil society organizations.

Supongmeren appointed as NPCC chief after Therie resigns

DIMAPUR, MAR 31

(NPN): Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Friday appointed Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) vice president and former MLA, S Supongmeren Jamir as the new party chief after incumbent president K Therie resigned from the party on moral grounds on Friday.

After the party failed to secure a single seat in the recently concluded Assembly elections, NPCC president K Therie said he resigned “owing to the moral responsibilities of the election debacle,” NPCC communica-

Supongmeren Jamir (File)

tions department stated in a press note. While informing about the new appointment of Supongmeren as the PCC chief, Congress MP and general secretary KC Venugopal said that the Congress appreciated the contributions of the outgoing PCC president K. Therie.

Gov, CM others extend festival greetings

DIMAPUR, MAR 31

(NPN): Nagaland governor

La Ganesan, chief minister Neiphiu Rio and others extended greetings to the members of the Konyak, Phom and Chang communities on the occasion of Aoleang festival, Phom Monyu festival and Kündanglüm festival.

In a massage, governor said Aoleang is an occasion to welcome the New Year beginning with spring seasons to pray for a bountiful harvest of crops in the current year. He said it was also to recall the rich culture and traditional practices and honoured the significance of the day, which is observed with beautiful attire with ornaments during the fes -

tival. Ganesan wished the Konyak community members good health, happiness and prosperity.

In another message, governor said Monyu festival was an occasion to mark the end of the old year and welcome the arrival of New Year. “It is to pray for a favorable sowing seeds and bountiful harvest,” he said and encouraged the youth to carry forward the essence of significant of the festival. He wished Phom brother and sisters to celebrate with grandeur and in good spirit.

CM: Taking to twitter, chief minister Neiphiu Rio extended Aoleang greetings. “It is a festival which is observed after completion

of sowing of seeds and to welcome the new year. May the festivities be successful and our prayers for a bountiful harvest be answered,” he tweeted.

In another tweet, Rio wished the Chang community on the occasion of Kündanglüm. ”Best wishes for good health, peace and prosperity and may we forge ahead into the new year with renewed vigour,” he stated.

TR Zeliang: Deputy chief minister TR Zeliang has also extended greetings to the members of Chang, Konyak and Phom communities on the occasion of Kündanglüm, Aoleang and Phom Mongyu festivals respectively.

437% rise in cases in 28 days, Omicron variant XBB.1.16 behind the surge, warns WHO

DC Kohima, Shanavas C chairing RTA meeting at DC’s conference hall, Kohima on Friday. (DPRO Kohima)

Sharingain, Pangjung hold thanksgiving prog

Medical deptt conducts various programmes

DIMAPUR: Department of Health and Family Welfare (DoH&FW) have been conducting various programmes across the state for the women, children and public under various central schemes.

Kohima: A feedback on inspection and training on Pre-Conception and PreNatal Diagnostic Techniques (PC & PNDT) Act, 1994and Rules was organised by the office of the Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Kohima along with District Health Society (DSH) National Health Mission (NHM) on March 31 at the CMO’s Conference Hall.

LRD felicitates Ikuto Zhimomi

ing on National Programme for Climate Change and Human Health ((NPCCHH) and National Rabies Control Programme (NRCP) was organised for the Senior Medical Officers (SMOs), Medical Officers (MOs) and Community Health Officers (CHOs) on March 30 at the Conference Hall, Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Mokokchung office.

Correspondent

MOKOKCHUNG/DIMAPUR, MAR 31 (NPN):

Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA) speaker, Sharingain Longkumer, who has been elected from 26 Aonglenden A/C and advisor of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, A. Pangjung Jamir elected from 21 Tuli A/C held a thanksgiving programmes at their respective constituencies on Friday. Addressing the programme held at Yimtsungta Arok Sapang, Ungma, Sharingain thanked the electorates for electing him for the second term and assured to work for the welfare of the people.

He also shared his vision to bring about equal distribution of development, in terms of infrastructure and employment in the constituency.

On the Urban Local Bodies elections, Sharingain said that Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 was strongly opposed by the people and for which the government has repealed the Municipal Act.

Short speeches were delivered by representatives from NDPP, Mokokchung Region, president 26 A/C BJP Mandal and 7 units ward and village authorities of the constituency. The programme was chaired by 26 A/C general secretary (adm) M Sutsung Jamir, welcome address by 26 A/C president, Nungsangmeren Longkumer while the vote of thanks was proposed by 26 A/C vice-president, Lipoktemsu Imsong.

Earlier, the programme began with an invocation by associate pastor, Women, UBA, Talijungla and benediction by associate pastor, UBA, T. Wati.

Pangjung promises to uphold election motto Pangjung Jamir has assured to the supporters to work with dedication and new vision as mentioned in his election motto “New Vision, New Direction”. He said this while addressing a thanksgiving programme held at public ground, Shitikolak Ward, Tuli.

The advisor also acknowledged the general public for giving him an opportunity to represent 21 Tuli AC.

Short speeches were delivered by Asangma Village Council, Kangtsung Village Councl, Wameken Village Council, Anaki Village Council, Tzudikong Adhoc Town committee and others. Earlier, the programme began with an invocation by pastor ABA, T. Anungba and benediction by P.B. Wati pastor I/c TTBC.

Kohima police arrest 1 with heroin

DIMAPUR: Kohima police personnel manning Khuzama inter-state check gate while conducting routine checking of vehicles on March 30 detected 360 grams (approximate) of suspected heroin and arrested one person.

In a press release, Kohima police PRO informed that the police personnel intercepted a Hyundai I20 (AS-05L-2800), which was proceeding towards Dimapur from Senapati, and detected the suspected heroin neatly packed in 30 soap cases.

In this connection, police arrested the driver of the vehicle namely S. Livingpeace (42), resident of Senapati, Manipur and seized the contraband along with the vehicle.

During preliminary investigation, PRO said the total value of the illegal contraband was found to be worth approximately Rs. 50 lakh in the national market. Accordingly, a case under the NDPS Act has been registered at Khuzama Police Station for the purpose of further investigation, informed PRO.

At the programme, CMO, chairperson and District Appropriate Authority Kohima, Dr. Tumchobeni highlighted on the importance of PC & PNDT Act and deliberated on few basic requisitions of the Act. She said the Act was enacted with the intent to prohibit pre diagnostic techniques for determination of the sex of the fetus leading to female feticide. She also informed about the preliminary object was to put a check on female feticide. “No doubt the bare perusal of the Act indicates that it is a draconic act from the point of its effect on radiologists/sinologists,” said Dr. Tumchobeni.

A detailed power point presentation on feedback on inspection and training on PC & PNDT Act and Rules was given by drug control officer, Ethungbemo Ezung. Earlier, the programme began with welcome note address by deputy CMO and Nodal Officer (PC & PNDT), Dr. Imchatoshi.

Mokokchung: A train-

Dimapur police raid restaurants, lounges

DIMAPUR: Dimapur police on March 30 raided several restaurants and lounges in Dimapur and seized more than 500 bottles of assorted liquor on March 30.

PRO of Dimapur police informed that six persons namely- Onito Zhimo (25) son of Hukavi Zhimo; Nuveta Venuh (23) son of late Nushole Venuh; Apulo Ayemi (34) son of late Atoshe Ayemi; Vishal Chetry(35) son of Dhanu Chetry; Pophizo (32) son of Phukhuhu and Munguli Keor (25) son of Teloju were also apprehended.

The restaurants and lounges raided wereSutido 69, Dejavu, Escape, Rooftop, Weke’s Restaurant and Tipsy Restaurant. PRO said that in all these cases have been registered at East and West Police Stations.

In another separate incident on March 31, one person Akabo Chishi son of Vihokhe Chishi was apprehended from Nagarjan near Spirit of Faith Church in connection with hit and run case by OC Traffic, Chumoukedima. On search of the vehicle 39 boxes of sampex+ capsules was recovered from the vehicle (NL-01C-0706). In this connection, the seized vehicle alongwith the arrested person was produced to East PS for further investigation, PRO said and a case has been registered at East police station.

NSRLM holds alumni meet for DDUGKY trainers

PLS Aut oshell Industries Pvt. Ltd., and Apeng Jantrii of SRK People Consultants Pvt. Ltd., who shared their experiences on getting placements outside the state after undergoing trainings through DDUGKY.

Aluminis who delivered short speeches encouraged and urged youths undergoing trainings to take the trainings seriously and encouraged them to take the testimonies of the alumins as a living example on the potential of the training.

A press release by CMO Mokokchung office stated that during the training, the trainees were introduced and trained on NPCCHH, heatrelated illnesses, identification of rabid dog and prevention of dog bite including prophylaxis/vaccination of pets, animal bite management and rabies prophylaxis and reporting procedures for both the programmes. The trainers were DVBO and DSO, Dr. Lhishelo Tsuhah, DPO-NCD, Dr. Limanaro, Veterinary Assistant Surgeon Mokokchung, Dr. Watitoshi, Medical Officer CHC Tuli, Dr. Joshua L and epidemiologist (IDSP) Mokokchung, Dr. Toshimongla Longkumer. Satakha: A Reproductive Child Health (RCH)-cumMobile Medical Unit (MMU) camp was held on March 28 at Satakha Primary Health Centre (PHC), Zunheboto district. The medical team was led by DPO (RCH&UIP) Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Zunheboto office, Dr Heto Swu, obstetrics and gynaecology District Hospital Zunheboto (DHZ), Dr Kapfo, Dr Limasenla (Dental) RBSK Zunheboto, DPM Zunheboto, Vitoli Tsuipu along with laboratory technician and other vertical program staffs.

with the department officers.

DIMAPUR: Land Resources Department (LRD) organized a felicitation programme for advisor, G. Ikuto Zhimomi on March 31 at the directorate of Land Resources. The programme was chaired by additional director and HoD, Albert Ngullie and welcome address was delivered by

Vikeyie Kenya, commissioner & secretary, Land Resources Department. In his speech, Ikuto highlighted on the important role of department which was critical and relevant for rain-fed region in bringing about economic transformation in rural areas through promotion of various com -

mercial and agricultural crops. He encouraged the department officials and field officers to keep up the commendable works and continue to make impact on the lives of the rural populace of the state. The programme concluded with vote of thanks by joint director, Hekato N.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

“The

Sazolie College awarded B++ Grade by NAAC:

Sazolie College has been awarded B++ Grade with a CGPA of 2.87 by National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) Bengaluru in the 2nd cycle of assessment. The college was first assessed in 2016 for the 1st cycle of assessment.

Wokha DPDB meeting: Deputy Commissioner and vice chairman DPDB Wokha, Ajit Kumar Ranjan, has informed that the monthly District Planning & Development Board meeting will be held on April 6, 2023 at Deputy Commissioner’s Conference Hall, Wokha at 11 am. Therefore, all the members have been requested to attend the meeting positively.

Orientation for head of govt. schools: District Education Officer (DEO) Kohima has informed that orientation programme for all heads of government schools (GPS/ GMS/ GHS/ GHSS) under Kohima and Tseminyu districts would be held on April 4, 10 a.m. at Ura Academy Hall, Mission Compound, Kohima. All the school heads have been requested to attend the meeting. Failing which, DEO warned that strict disciplinary action will be initiated against the absentees.

ATBC, NGOs observe: Aboi Town Baptist Church (ATBC) youth department in in collaboration with Aboi Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) observed “anti- social elements day” on March 31 at Public Ground, Aboi under the theme, “Live Drug Free Life” with Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC) Aboi, Phuleshe K Yepthomi.

YAA holds executive meeting; resolves

DIMAPU R: Yimkhiung

Akherü Arihako (YAA) held its executive meeting on March 30 at Kohima and adopted three-point resolutions to be strictly enforced for the welfare of the Yimkhiung community.

ever contravenes the resolution shall be liable to face stringent action.

Further, YAA has directed all federating units to keep a check on the same and report any anomalies found to the YAA office.

Born : 21/12/1995 – Died : 26/03/2023

We the family members of Late Pukivi Swu Pastor of Natsumi Village NCRC Sumi and native of Kilomi Village express our sincere gratitude and appreciation to all the Individual, Groups, Institutions, Organisations, Friends and all the well wishers for sparing us your precious time and extending materials, financial and prayer supports.

We the family members sincerely appreciate your thoughtful expression of sympathy towards our family during our hard times, your good deeds will always be remembered.

We convey our special thanks to :

1. Kilomi Village Council

2. Kilomi (M) Baptist Church

3. Kilomi (M) NCRC Sumi

4. Kilomi III (BN) BSF

5. E.S. Rev. Vitoka Kinimi NCRC Sumi Pughoboto and Staff

6. All the NCRC Sumi Churches and Pastors Pughoboto Area.

7. NCRC Sumi Doyapur Road

8. Kilomi Association Dimapur

9. Natsumi Village NCRC Sumi

10. Vitoka Swu G.B. and Brothers Kilomi Village

11. NCRC Sumi Kohima

12. Living Bible College Ayinato (Dimapur)

13. Kilomi Association Kohima

14. Holy Kingdom Theological College Delhi

15. Y. Viqheho Swu Ex-MLA 13 A/C Pughoboto

16. Natsumi Association Dimapur

17. NCRC Sumi Ayinato

18. Mapulumi Village NCRC Sumi

19. Sasuta Village NCRC Sumi

20. Stiphen Catholic Natsumi Village

21. Natsumi Baptist Church

22. Mishikito Baptist Church.

23. Western NCRC Sumi Pastor Association

We will always miss your presence tremendously APUKI. Loving Mom, Brothers & Loved One’s

Staff Reporter

DIMAPUR, MAR 31

(NPN): Nagaland State

Rural Livelihoods Mission (NSRLM) conducted an alumni meet on Chümoukedima Town Council Hall, for the alumni of DDUGKY trainers on Friday.

Addressing the gathering as special guest, joint secretary, RD & Mission Director, NDRLM, Imtimenla, expressed pleasure in listening to the testimonies of the alumni and said she was encouraged to know that even though there were challenges faced by the alumnis after place-

ment, they endured struggles and continued to work harder by considering themselves masters of their lives. She expressed hope that the testimonies of the alumnis would serve as an encouragement for the current students, and also was optimistic that the programme will served purpose of encouragement to the current students.

Highlighting on the DDUGKY scheme, she informed that many Naga youths were provided jobs and placements outside the state through the scheme imparted trainings and huge amount of finances, in terms of crores, have been

invested on training the students freely by both state and central government. She said many Naga youths who underwent trainings through DDUGKY were also working abroad.

Speaking on getting placements outside the state, she urged all to learn to adjust to the environment, working hours, food habits, etc, and appealed to be mentally prepared to undergo necessary changes in their lifestyles.

Meanwhile, short speeches were delivered by Limaren of B-Abled Ltd., Kinwi of TOKA MPCS, Sentina Kichu of Pinnacle Skills, Nikali Zhimomi of

They also spoke on the problems faced by them after getting placements outside the state, such as food habits, working hours, different environment, ease of living, etc.

Earlier, the programme was chaired by state programme manager, NSRLM, Ebibeni Humtsoe, and invocation by associate pastor, Lotha Baptist Church, Chümoukedima, M Khodao Lotha and welcome address delivered by Chief Operating Officer (Skills), Menuoneituo Chadi.

Highlights of the programme included group songs and short play.

In a press release, YAA president, Keyoungkhum K informed that the house in reference to YAA resolution No. 19 (Act 2021) resolved to totally prohibit the engagement of proxy teachers in government schools under its jurisdiction. The union said “befitting action” will be initiated against defaulting teachers.

YAA has also directed all government employees posted under its jurisdiction to report to their place of posting and perform their duties efficiently. The union warned that it would take “necessary action” against those employees found defying the office directive.

As contained in YAA resolution No. 7 (Act 2006 & 2007), the union said illicit exploitation of flora and fauna within its jurisdiction was strictly prohibited. The union warned that whoso-

In Remembrance

Papa

You were one in a million and truly irreplaceable,

A dear precious soul

15th Death Anniversary

Good men must die, but death cannot kill their name

Men is mortal but the love of them is immortal

We do not need a special day to bring you to our mind

Your soul so strong but your vessel surrendered

Our family chain is broken

And nothing seems the same

Who gave us so much of himself, that even now we get to keep it

For your love is forever imprinted in each one of us secure and unremovable.

We hold you close within our hearts and there you will remain

Your memories is a keepsake with which we will never part

God has you in His keeping

We have you in our hearts reserved

You are our Papa who is unforgettable

G. Ikuto Zhimomi

Revenue officer, Dimapur, Thejavizo Nakhro and participants at the seminar on “Segregation and Disposal of Waste” under the aegis of Sovima Village Council organised by Sovima Sanitation Committee on March 28.

The arrested person with the seized consignment.

Sharingain Longkumer Pangjung Jamir

Special guest, Imtimenla and alumni at Chümoukedima Town Council Hall, on Friday. (NP)

DAN holds consultative workshop on child rights

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DIMAPUR: One-day consultative workshop on child rights under the theme, “Ensuring safety of the children in the virtual spaces: The critical questions” was organised by Development Association of Nagaland (DAN) on March 31 at DAN Training Centre, Dimapur.

A press release by DAN informed that while delivering the keynote address, state information commissioner, Nosazol Charles stated that children of today were the future adults who would lead and guide the progress of the human race. Therefore, he said it was crucial to protect, guide, educate and to continuously improve the children’s lives and opportunities for the children in every field. He mentioned

that information technology has permeated almost all aspects of human life and today’s children have better knowledge and access to the digital technology.

Whereas the technological growth has opened several opportunities for the children, Charles said it was also teeming with several dangers. Therefore, he urged that adults and educators to enhance their awareness and knowledge to ensure that the children utilize the technology for their benefit and do not fall prey to the many dangers that are posed by them.

During an input session, program manager, training, ICE and Advocacy, Nagaland State Child Protection Society, Raitale

YAA holds executive meeting; resolves

DIMAPUR: Yimkhiung

Akherü Arihako (YAA) held its executive meeting on March 30 at Kohima and adopted three-point resolutions to be strictly enforced for the welfare of the Yimkhiung community.

In a press release, YAA president, Keyoungkhum K informed that the house in reference to YAA resolution No. 19 (Act 2021) resolved to totally prohibit the engagement of proxy teachers in government schools under its jurisdiction. The union said “befitting action” will be initiated against defaulting teachers.

Rio hands appointment letters to chairmen and advisors

Zeliang highlighted the various strategies adopted in order to ensure the security and safety of the children in the digital world. She elaborated on Mission Vatsalya, its objectives and the interventions. Zeliang also provided inputs on the different schemes and programmes being implemented by the state child protection society and other government agencies.

Earlier in the session, DAN director, Rev. Fr. Sajan Joseph welcomed the guests and delegates while vicar general, Diocese of Kohima, Rev Fr. Carolus Neisalhou delivered an exhortation message, and an introduction to DAN and its initiatives was highlighted by SPO, DAN, Jiji Joseph.

No change of guard at state level: NPP

determination. They further called upon all partymen irrespective of state or districts to work with a common mindset and not seek undue opportunities.

YAA has also directed all government employees posted under its jurisdiction to report to their place of posting and perform their duties efficiently. The union warned that it would take “necessary action” against those employees found defying the office directive.

As contained in YAA resolution No. 7 (Act 2006 & 2007), the union said illicit exploitation of flora and fauna within its jurisdiction was strictly prohibited. The union warned that whosoever contravenes the resolution shall be liable to face stringent action.

Further, YAA has directed all federating units to keep a check on the same and report any anomalies found to the YAA office.

DIMAPUR: Chief minister, Neiphiu Rio officially handed over the appointment letters of the 11 newly appointed chairmen/advisors at the Chief Minister’s Office, Kohima on March 31.

A DIPR report stated that Rio presented the appointment letters to

advisor to chief minister, Dr. Chumben Murry; advisor to chief minister and chairman, IDAN, Abu Metha; advisor to chief minister and chairman, NKVIB, Dr. Neiphrezo Keditsu; chairman, DAN, Dr. Watizulu Jamir; chairman, NHL, Thongwang Konyak; chairman, NS -

MDC, Kuputo Shohe; chairman, MARCOFED, Dr. M. Chuba Ao; chairman, Honey Mission, Obed Quinker; chairman, Bio-Resource Mission, Wanpong Konyak; chairman, NEPED, Supongmeren Hoki and chairman, TaFMA, Theja Meru.

KAGBU directs teachers to report by Apr 3

DIMAPUR: Kiusam Area GBs Union (KAGBU) has directed teachers of Government Primary School (GPS) Kiusam Town to report to duty by April 3. In a press release, KAGBU president, L Y Tokim and secretary, Khiungju stated that teachers of GPS Kiusam

AAGBA calls off indefinite bandh

DIMAPUR: An emergency meeting with the members of Ato Area GBs Association (AAGBA) and executive engineer (R& B) was held on March 31 at Deputy Commissioner Niuland conference hall in connection with the indefinite bandh called by the association.

Town were yet to report to school since the start of 2023 academic session. In this regard, the union has directed the teachers to report at the station and perform their duties. In case of failure to adhere to the directives, KAGBU said it would initiate “necessary action”.

IRCSN team calls on Governor

DIMAPUR: National

People’s Party (NPP) Nagaland State held its first annual general meeting for the year 2023 on March 30 at Hotel Saramati, Dimapur, wherein the house, including the district representatives, unanimously endorsed confidence and support towards state president, Dr. Andrew Ahoto Sema, and also resolved there should not be any change of guard at the state level.

In a press release, NPP Nagaland State informed that during the business session the house deliberated on current issues of the party including post-poll analysis, strengthening the party and various proposals to be sent to the party high command.

The house, including the district representatives, also unanimously endorsed full confidence and support towards the state president and his “dynamic leadership which has taken the party

forward at all levels.”

The house further resolved that there should not be any change of guard at the state level especially at a time when the party has seen such an “epochal success which has solely been possible due to the immense sacrifice and consistent efforts of the state president and his team.”

Delivering the presidential address, NPP Nagaland state president, Dr. Andrew Ahoto Sema expressed gratitude to the party workers and supporters for their relentless confidence and faith on the party.

He congratulated the five MLAs of the party who have come out successful despite all the odds and hoped that they would work for the betterment and progress of the state as a whole. Dr. Andrew also urged them to support and work in sync with the party men for the

larger interest of the party which has been monumental in their success.

Dr. Andrew maintained that NPP has always shown an upward trend since 2017 and has been successful in representing the people’s cause despite all the odds. He termed cohesion, symbiosis and loyalty as the key factors for the success of any organization including the NPP and so he called upon the partymen to maintain the decorum of the party.

Dr. Andrew also encouraged the gathering to remain firm in the party ethics and principles and take the legacy of the party forward through coordinated efforts.

The districts, represented by two members each, termed the success of the party as a hard earned one and thanked the party leaders led by the state president for their consistent trust upon them which led them to work with more

The meeting was chaired by the state advisor, Thangkhokai Gangte, invocation prayer by state general secretary (IPR & Media), David Khobung, welcome address by state general secretary (admin), Jacob N. Korcha while the organizational report was presented by state general secretary (org), Philip Lam.

A motivational talk for youths entitled “Youth Empowerment” was delivered by general secretary (Admin) of NPYF, Nagaland Justin Lotha while various representatives of districts, state advisors and other leaders also spoke during the occasion.

The closing remarks and vote of thanks was proposed by president, State Women Wing, NPP, Nagaland, Dr. Thungbeni Ngullie, and the meeting concluded with closing prayer by district women wing president of NPP, Mon district, Nino. The annual general meeting was attended by senior leaders of the state led by the state president along with officials of the state women wing, State National People’s Youth Front (NPYF) and the district units.

As per the minutes of the meeting, held under the chairmanship of DC, several resolutions were adopted where the EE PWD (R&B) assured the house that the work would continue without stopping till completion.

With regard to the memorandum (point No.1) for placement of machineries at Hozukhe village by March 31, based on the advice of the EE, that the work progress would hamper, the house resolved to let the work continue from as before. It was also agreed that the EE would ensure that the contractor complete the work at the earliest without compromising the quality and the work to be implemented according to DPR specification.

It was also decided that AAGBA would supervise the work under Ato Area jurisdiction and co-ordinate with EE PWD R&B on a regular basis.

Based on the abovementioned assurance, the members decided to call off the bandh in the interest of the general public.

DIMAPUR: A team of Indian Red Cross Society Nagaland (IRCSN) led by IRCSN general secretary, Akhale V. Khamo and managing committee members called on Governor of Nagaland and IRCSN president, La Ganesan on March 29 at Raj Bhavan, Kohima.

A press release by IRCSN informed that during the visit,

the team apprised the governor on the various activities of IRCSN, and discussed the upcoming programmes and activities of IRCSN. Governor Ganesan also expressed gratitude towards the society for its voluntary service rendered towards the society and assured his support to Indian Red Cross Society Nagaland in the coming days.

Members of DAN along with participants and others.

Nagaland governor La Ganesan with the members of IRCSN.

NPP Nagaland unit office bearers and members at Hotel Saramati, Dimapur.

Neiphiu Rio with the newly appointed chairmen and advisors. (DIPR)

SNIPPETS

Four killed in blast in chemical factory

Sec 144 CrPC imposed after unrest in Howrah

in UP

BULANDSHAHR, MAR 31 (IANS): Four people were killed on Friday in an explosion in a chemical factory in Bulandshahr district in Uttar Pradesh. The incident took place in a house, where the factory was running, on Dhikoli road in the Nagar Kotwali area. The house where the explosion took place has collapsed, more persons are suspected to be buried under the debris. Cylinder pieces have also been recovered from the spot.

Shah,Mamatatalk toWBgovernor

HOWRAH/NEW

DELHI, MAR 31 (PTI/IANS):

After fresh incidents of stone pelting in Howrah’s Kazipara on Friday, a day after violence and arson broke out in this industrial suburb, chief minister Mamata Banerjee and Governor C V Ananda Bose reviewed the situation and prohibitory orders imposed besides increasing riot police deployment in the area.

PoliticalslugfestfollowsafterRamNavamiclashes

The clashes in Howrah district over a Ram Navami procession on Thursday, which continued till Friday afternoon, have evoked Political slugfest. Interestingly, the statements made by the political leaders are often quite self-contradictory as is evident this time as well.

Nadda slams Congress over language used against PM

HYDERABAD, MAR 31

Security personnel cordon off an area after clashes broke out between two groups in Howrah, Friday. (PTI)

sources said in New Delhi.

can hoodwink the people will soon realise they are in a fool’s paradise.

6 die of

suffocation in Delhi house fire

NEW DELHI, MAR

31 (IANS): Six people, including a toddler, died due to suffocation after a fire broke out in their house in Delhi’s Shastri Park on Friday, a fire department official said. According to a senior police official, the police control room received a distress call around 9 a.m. at the Shastri Park police station that fire had broken out in a house at Mazar Wala Road, Machhi Market, Shastri Park. As per initial reports, six persons -- four men, one woman and a child -- have died due to burns and suffocation.

500 shops gutted in Kanpur fire

KANPUR, MAR 31 (IANS) : At least 500 shops were gutted in a massive fire that broke out during the wee hours on Friday in the Basmandi area in Kanpur. Firefighters were able to rescue all the people trapped in the building in AR Tower. As many as two dozen fire tenders were rushed to the spot to douse the fire and the operation lasted more than six hours. More than two dozen fire tenders are on the spot, trying to douse the inferno. The flames spread to the adjacent market and buildings due to strong winds. Affected areas include Masood Tower 1, Masood Tower 2 and Hamraaz Complex.“The fire is under control now. No one is trapped in the building,” said Ajay Kumar, Deputy Director, Uttar Pradesh Fire Service.

Woman sitting in park dragged into car, gang-raped

BENGALURU, MAR 31

(IANS): A young woman, who was sitting in a park with her male friend, was forcibly dragged into a car and gang-raped, police said on Friday. The case has been reported in the Koramangala police station limits. The police have arrested a gang of four persons in connection with the case. The arrested accused have been identified as Satish, Vijay, Sridhar and Kiran.

According to police, the incident took place late night of March 25. The young woman was sitting with her male friend at the National Games Village Park. The accused persons threatened her male friend and dragged her into the car. The victim told police that she was gang-raped in the moving car.

4 members of a family found dead

MANGALURU, MAR

31 (PTI): A four-member family was found dead in a city lodge on Friday with police suspecting that they had all died by suicide. A suicide note found in the room cited financial problems as the reason behind the extreme step, police said. Police found the body of Devendra (aged 46), who hailed from Mysuru, along with his wife and two children in the hotel room, and have launched an investigation.

Earlier in the day, Banerjee claimed that the BJP and other right-wing organisations such as Bajrang Dal were “were involved in violence with arms” in Howrah on Ram Navami.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah also dialled the West Bengal Governor to enquire about the security situation in the town situated across the Hooghly river opposite Kolkata.

A press statement from Raj Bhavan said Governor Bose asked the state government to “ensure fool proof arrangements to maintain law and order effectively” besides action to be taken “against miscreants.”

The governor also said those who resort to violence under the illusion that they

“There will be effective and concerted action to book the culprits and bring them before the law. Setting fire to public property, that too on the sacred Ram Navami day, is a highly provocative act and will be viewed seriously,” he said.

Raj Bhavan will keep its eyes and ears open to ensure protection to the life, property and dignity of the common man, Bose said.

During the telephonic conversation with Bose, the union home minister sought to know the prevailing situation in the state, particularly in the violence-hit areas of Howrah. The governor is believed to have provided the home minister details about Thursday’s violence and the present situation,

8 AAP workers held for putting up anti-Modi posters

AHMEDABAD, MAR 31

(PTI): Eight workers of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) have been arrested for allegedly putting up posters saying “Modi Hatao Desh Bachao” in different parts of Ahmedabad city in Gujarat, police said on Friday.

The Gujarat unit of AAP condemned the arrests saying the action has proved their point that “democracy is in danger”.

In a release, the city crime branch said eight persons have been arrested on the charge of damaging public property by putting up posters with the text “Modi Hatao Desh Bachao” in areas like Isanpur, Maninagar, Vatva, Narol and Vadaj. The posters were put up by the AAP workers on Thursday, it said.

The arrests were made on Thursday night after the registration of first information reports (FIRs) in different police stations earlier in the day, said the release.

Police have identified

the AAP workers as Natwar Thakor, Jatin Patel, Kuldeep Bhatt, Bipin Sharma, Ajay Chauhan, Arvind Chauhan, Jivan Maheshwari and Paresh Tulsiani.

AAP’s Gujarat vice president Sagar Rabari said though the party posted such posters in many other states on Thursday, only Gujarat police booked their workers.

“Ahmedabad is the only city where people are deprived of their Constitutional rights because police can arrest you anytime and book you as per their whims and fancies. This police action proves that our apprehension that democracy is in danger is not misplaced and we were not wrong in carrying out that poster drive,” said Rabari.

In last year’s Gujarat Assembly elections, AAP won five seats and secured 13 per cent of the popular vote, in a performance that belied its high-decibel campaign in the state. BJP registered a record 156 wins in the house of 182 seats.

As unidentified people pelted stones on police personnel on Friday afternoon, the police used batons to disperse a group of people who had gathered there.

At least three policemen were injured in the brick batting.

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC were imposed in Kazipara area, a senior IPS officer told PTI.

Altogether 45 people were arrested in connection with the violence since Thursday.

“The situation was calm and peaceful until this afternoon. After that, police personnel were pelted with stones which sparked tension in the area. Some people were arrested as our officers reacted instantly,” he said.

CM Mamata Banerjee, while admitting that there have been lapses on the part of the state police in bringing the situation under control before it turned serious, has held the organisers of the procession, who according to her enjoy the backing of BJP, responsible for the violence.

According to Banerjee, the organisers changed the route of the procession at the last moment and deviated from the route permitted by the police, which ultimately led to the clashes.

Trinamool national General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee went a step ahead and said the clashes were deliberately planned and instigated by the BJP. The Lok Sabha MP also said that the main aim of the procession was to instigate violence as many armed with firearms and lethal weapons were seen taking part in it.

State BJP President and Lok Sabha MP Sukanta Majumdar said that he agrees with the Trinamool leadership that the clashes were pre-planned. “But the conspiracy was hatched by the ruling party in close collaboration with a section of the police. In the recent bypoll to the Sagardighi Assembly constituency, Trinamool got a clear indication that a fast erosion in their dedicated minority vote bank has started. So, the Howrah clashes were deliberately orchestrated to win back minority votes using the so-called ‘fear’ formula about the BJP,” Majumdar said. State Congress chief and veteran leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury criticised the state administration on the point of change of route.

“What were the police doing when the first attempt was made to change the route? Why were there no intelligence inputs of such possible attempts to create clashes,” asked the Congress Lok Sabha MP. Chowdhury also claimed that there was a deep-rooted conspiracy behind the “orchestrated” clashes in Howrah over a religious procession.

India under PM Modi helped other countries fight Covid-19: Mandaviya

DEHRADUN, MAR 31

(PTI): Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Friday said under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India not just took good care of itself during the peak of the Covid-19 pandemic but also helped other countries.

The stellar role played by the country in battling with the pandemic under the leadership of PM Modi is being lauded internationally, Mandaviya said after virtually laying the foundation stones of four healthcare projects here worth nearly Rs 180 crore.

Citing an example of this, he said Bill Gates congratulated India when he led the Indian delegation to the World Economic Forum in Davos for the best Covid management and best vaccination drive.

Lauding Modi’s leadership for this, the minister said India did not just take good care of itself during the peak of the pandemic but also helped over 150

Won’t stop questioning govt on Adani: Cong

NAGPUR, MAR 31 (PTI): The Congress party on Friday said it will continue to raise the Adani issue and the government will have to respond to its questions someday, even as it wondered the real reason behind embattled IPL founder Lalit Modi’s recent Twitter outbursts.

Addressing a press conference here, Congress spokesperson and Rajya Sabha member Ranjeet Ranjan targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party over Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification as a Lok Sabha member following his conviction by a Surat court in a 2019 criminal defamation case. The Congress and opposition parties won’t keep quiet and instead demand a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into the Adani matter whether Gandhi is in Parliament or not, Ranjan said. “Congress will not remain silent or be scared. We will not let BJP’s intention be successful. Because

this is not an issue of any party but an issue concerning India’s democracy,” the Rajya Sabha MP said.

The Congress has been demanding a JPC probe after US short-seller Hindenberg Research in January accused the Adani Group firms of “brazen stock manipulation and accounting fraud” and using a number of offshore shell companies to inflate stock prices. The Adani Group has rejected the charges. “We will continuously ask questions about the Adani scam, whether you keep Rahul Gandhi out of Parliament or inside. Congress and opposition will constantly raise the issue of Adani and question about inflation and unemployment,” Ranjan said. She said the entire Opposition will also demand to know how “Rs 20,000 crore went into the shell companies owned by Adani”. She said, “Someday, BJP will have to answer these questions.”

Excise policy case: Sisodia’s bail plea rejected

NEW DELHI, MAR 31 (PTI): A court here on Friday dismissed a bail plea of incarcerated former Delhi deputy chief minister Manish Sisodia in the excise policy case lodged by the CBI, saying prima facie the AAP leader is the architect of the criminal conspiracy in the matter.

The court said his release may adversely impact the ongoing investigation and “seriously hamper” its progress.

Special Judge M K Nagpal, who had reserved

order on the AAP leader’s bail plea on March 24, said he was not inclined to release him at this stage. “Thus, it is clear from

the above discussion that the applicant had played the most important and vital role in the criminal conspiracy and he had been deeply involved in the formulation as well as the implementation of the said policy to ensure the achievement of objectives of the said conspiracy... Thus, as per allegations made by the prosecution and the evidence collected in support thereof so far, the applicant can prima facie be held to be the architect of the said criminal conspiracy,” the judge said.

countries fight the crisis by providing them with vaccines.

“We imported vaccines to 78 countries at the rate of USD 3 per dose at a time when it was being sold at the rate of USD 16-18-20 per dose in other countries,” Mandaviya said.

“To us, health means service, not commerce or business. India’s gesture to the world during the pandemic was in keeping with its legacy of ‘Vasudhaiv Kutumbakam’ (entire world is one family),” he said.

“A new India is emerging and Uttarakhand is among the other states that

Animals as legal entities: SC dismisses PIL

NEW DELHI, MAR 31 (PTI): The Supreme Court has dismissed a PIL seeking declaration of all animals as legal entities having rights like any living person.

A bench of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justices P S Narasimha and J B Pardiwala dismissed the PIL saying “we find that the prayer sought in the writ petition cannot be granted by this court in its extraordinary jurisdiction under Article 32 of the Constitution of India.”

“The writ petition is, accordingly, dismissed,” it added. The PIL filed by the NGO People’s Charioteer Organisation said that of late cases of cruelty towards animals have come to light which have raised questions as to how humans have absolutely no respect for animals’ lives and how can they be absolutely devoid of sympathy.

“Such incidents have further enraged many and made one ponder as to whether the laws in existence are sufficient enough to protect animals from possible abuse and cruelty,” the plea said, while referring to various incidents of cruelty in various states.

(PTI): Slamming the Congress party and Rahul Gandhi over its allegedly insulting attitude towards Other Backward Classes and for allegedly using undignified words against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president J P Nadda on Friday said the OBC community would never forgive the party and would teach them a lesson.

Speaking after inaugurating BJP’s district unit offices in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh virtually, he alleged that Congress had become desperate after losses in successive elections. The party is faced with “mental bankruptcy”, he claimed.

The ruling party chief accused the Congress of forgetting the dignity of words while attacking PM Modi.

“Today, they forgot the dignity of words also. They are not even bothered about the words to be used. They are saying ‘Modi teri kabar khudegi’ (Modi, your grave will be dug). See the language of a party which had a national character,” he said.

“They say ‘Modi teri kabar khudegi’ at a time when people -- from North East to Kutch, from JammuKashmir to Kerala -- are

saying ‘Modi aapka kamal khilega’ (Modi, your lotus will bloom),” he claimed.

Condemning Rahul Gandhi’s alleged “insult” to OBCs, Nadda said the community “gave their everything for the sake of nation’s development and the society” “Rahul ji is crushed in pride. (Rahul says) I will not apologise. What is his outlook towards society, especially towards the backward and most backward, towards OBC? Using insulting words towards a community, how far it is (sic)... what sort of a party is this and (what sort of) a leader,” Nadda asked.

Stating the Gandhi was not ready to apologise when courts asked him to do so, he slammed the Congress leader for saying that injustice had been done to him, when the court awarded punishment.

People in Pak unhappy; believe Partition was mistake: RSS chief

are playing a significant role in it,” he said.

Mandaviya joined the foundation laying ceremony via video conference from Joshimath as he could not be physically present here for the programme due to bad weather.

The union minister is on a two-day visit to the state which began on Thursday when he went to the border villages of Malari and Niti to review the progress of development works being done there as part of the ‘Vibrant village scheme’’.

Sharing his feedback based on his talks with locals and officials in Malari, he said healthcare facilities in the remote border villages of Uttarakhand are improving with the establishment of health and wellness centres. “They go to the Health and Wellness Centres and get the advice of doctors at the district hospital through teleconsultation through the e-Sanjeevani platform,” Mandaviya said.

BHOPAL, MAR 31 (PTI): Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh chief Mohan Bhagwat on Friday said people of Pakistan were not happy after more than seven decades of Independence and they now believe the partition of India was a mistake. He was speaking at a function to mark the birth anniversary of teen revolutionary Hemu Kalani, which was attended by Sindhis from different parts of the country.“It was Bharat before 1947 (Partition). Those who broke off from Bharat, are they happy still? There is pain out there,” Bhagwat said in an apparent reference to Pakistan. However, in a reference to the acrimonious relationship the two nations have now, Bhagwat underscored the fact that India did not belong to a culture that calls for attacks on others.“I do not mean to say Bharat should attack Pakistan. Not at all. We don’t belong to that culture that calls for attack on others,” he said.

JOB VACANCIES

The North East Initiative Development Agency (NEIDA) is looking for a highly capable database manager to enhance the performance of our organization's Management Information System which will include collaborating with managers and team members to determine data needs, data flow design & database configuration and execute the system.

Job

Posting: Kohima

Qualifications: Bachelor/Post Graduate degree in Management Information Systems (MIS), computer science, information systems, or information technology | Advanced proficiency in database: Oracle/SQL Server/MySQ/(SQL)/XML etc., | 2-3 years IT operation with strong understanding of database structures, theories, principles, and practices | Experience with data management and data processing flowcharting techniques and data security | Knowledge of best practices in database management. Application Procedures: Qualified candidates only should apply. Please send applications (CV and statement of interest) to jobs.nagaland@neida.org.in by April 9, 2023 “Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for next stage of the selection process”

k-702/23

Mandaviya

Manish Sisodia

Collateral damage

Itwas somewhat of a surprise when the state assembly or in other words, the opposition-less assembly passed the Nagaland Municipal Act (Repeal Bill 2023), so as to ‘facilitate’ the repeal of the contentious Nagaland Municipal Act 2001. It may be recalled that the strong opposition to the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 and subsequent amendments arose when various apex tribe bodies maintained that the Act challenged the validity of Article 371A as it subsumed the latter through the 74th Amendment. The current issue is rooted in the Nagaland Municipal Act of 2001, amended in 2006 to provide for 33% reservation for women in keeping with Article 243(T) of the Constitution. The amended Act also empowers municipal bodies to collect land and building taxes. All apex tribe organizations have taken the stand that the clause for collection of tax, go against their customary laws. In April 2016, the debate was taken to another level when women activists took the case to the Supreme Court the through a Special Leave Petition challenging the constitutionality of a 2012 resolution by the Nagaland Assembly exempting the state from the reservation. The Naga Mothers Association and other advocates of the women’s quota have contended that the 74th amendment of the Constitution, which provides for 33% reservation for women in municipalities, supersedes Article 371(A). They have argued that exemptions under Article 371(A) extend only to Acts framed by Parliament, whereas the reservation flows from a constitutional amendment. Though this is a valid argument, it is also to note that the Nagaland GBs Federation, had raised a pertinent point in stating that Article 371A is a constitutional act of parliament which clearly states that “no Act of parliament” can be applied to Nagaland unless so okayed by a resolution passed with requisite majority by the state assembly. Also, Article 371A was inserted into the Part XXI of the Indian Constitution in the year 1962 whereas the 74th amendment was passed only in 1993. The GBs Federation also implied that the Nagaland Legislative Assembly which passed the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 had wrongly invited the provision under the 74th Amendment without understanding or realizing that by doing so, the legislators had weakened or compromised the legal validity of Article 371A by subsuming the sanctity of the special provisions. The proponents of the33% women reservation, the leaders of the Naga Mothers Association (NMA), at a meeting of some women leaders opposed and questioned the resolution of the 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly in passing the Nagaland Municipal Act (Repeal Bill 2023). The association also took to task the two women legislators for not making their stand and opposing the resolution. The NMA statement also cautioned that the 14th NLA could attract response from the Supreme Court since the Nagaland Municipal Act 2001 continues to be with the court and therefore a sub-judice matter. It may be concluded that while the focus of the various apex tribe organizations was about preserving the customary laws and traditions which are protected under Article 371A, the NMA on the other hand, insists that 33% women reservation should be implemented in view of it being brought under the 74th Amendment Act. Thus, by implication, the issue could turn out to be a debate on whether Article 371A can protect the state against constitutional obligation of the 74th Amendment or vice versa. The case or debate is not a gender issue but one that will determine whether the special act of parliament- Article 371A will remain as a unique law or be done away with as a bad law.

DailyDevotion

Heedfulness or Hypocrisy in Ourselves?

If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. —1 John 5:16

If we are not heedful and pay no attention to the way the Spirit of God works in us, we will become spiritual hypocrites. We see where other people are failing, and then we take our discernment and turn it into comments of ridicule and criticism, instead of turning it into intercession on their behalf. God reveals this truth about others to us not through the sharpness of our minds but through the direct penetration of His Spirit. If we are not attentive, we will be completely unaware of the source of the discernment God has given us, becoming critical of others and forgetting that God says, “…he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death.” Be careful that you don’t become a hypocrite by spending all your time trying to get others right with God before you worship Him yourself.

One of the most subtle and illusive burdens God ever places on us as saints is this burden of discernment concerning others. He gives us discernment so that we may accept the responsibility for those souls before Him and form the mind of Christ about them (see Philippians 2:5). We should intercede in accordance with what God says He will give us, namely, “life for those who commit sin not leading to death.” It is not that we are able to bring God into contact with our minds, but that we awaken ourselves to the point where God is able to convey His mind to us regarding the people for whom we intercede.

Can Jesus Christ see the agony of His soul in us? He can’t unless we are so closely identified with Him that we have His view concerning the people for whom we pray. May we learn to intercede so wholeheartedly that Jesus Christ will be completely and overwhelmingly satisfied with us as intercessors.

By Oswald Chambers

Quotes

Attitude is the ‘little’ thing that makes a big difference.

~ Winston Churchill

In the 1980’s, Steve Jobs talked about what a computer really is“A Bicycle for the Mind”. Computers are fantastic at optimization & coordination but only if the investment is made to create or adapt to a software that solves it.

Integrating software into the workplace has evolved from the basic need and curse of every office - reducing, manipulating, and storing written information. What software does is it extends people’s ability from merely what they can keep in their minds to suddenly far more expansive.

In today’s fast-paced business environment, the ability to quickly adapt to changing circumstances and customer needs is critical for any business’s success. This requires an organization to have a technology infrastructure that is both robust and flexible, allowing them to respond to customer demands and internal challenges with agility and speed.

A successful business or organization must be able to efficiently manage day-today operations, and this is only possible with a technology-backed ecosystem. This ecosystem should include a

(From previous issue...) Significance & Interpretation of Aoleang: The simple meaning of the word, Ao-leang is derived from two syllabics, “Ao” as bird of the air, “leang” as craving or fond of, which means season of sexual urge or sensual desire of the birds for gratification. Therefore, we may interpret ‘Ao-Leang’ as birds of the jungle sexual craving season because birds started building the nest, mating during the spring season, incubates to hatch and procreates new offspring. Bird produces chicks in spring period where there are plenty of insects, worms, larva and fruits to feed the young and jungle is still thick and foliage to protect and defence from the enemy intrusion and the weather also is moderately suitable in spring time for chicks to grow. So, Aoleang Monyu festival fall in the spring season when birds started mating, incubation, hatching, fledging the chicks and begin new family and the whole vegetations started to bud the new leaves simultaneously. The word “Monyu” is; ‘Mo’ means celebration and ‘Nyu’ means mother, the metaphor of big which means ‘Big Festival” this is how “Aoleang Monyu” is considered as the mother of all festivals for Konyaks. During Aoleang festival, a finely decorated Bamboo Pole called “Zangwan keihphong” or “Youngmo” have to erect in front of every Morung in the village. The significant of ‘Zangwan Keihphong’ Zang means sky or everlasting living being and Wan means powerful unseen deity and the word Keihphong means erection of the bundle bamboo pole. The word “Wan” could be same meaning of Hinduism term for god “Bhagawan” as Bhakti in Sanskrit means devotion and “Wan” means Lord or God in English. And the tune in Konyak dialect “Gawang” means Almighty God where Wan is derived from. And for the word ‘Youngmo’ Young means huge unseen deity and Mo means Feast. Therefore, the whole significant or interpretation of ZangwanYoungmo-Keihphong is, a big eternal sky being, finely decorated bamboo pole erection. The palm leaf shoot that decorates by hanging in the Zangwan Keihphong is a symbolism of the healthy crops in the jhum fields. And the recently hunted trophy skulls usually hang in the Zangwan-Keihphong during the head hunting days.

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Konyak Aoleang Festival

The priest of the village has to perform future prediction rite by casting lots with various means and he would read and predict as per the casting lots foresee. And it is the belief of the people that, during the Aoleang festival celebration the big sky deity would be visiting the keiphong in the character of Wangwan to celebrate and bless them in terms of offspring procreation, livestock multiplication, bountiful crops, good health and longevity of life span. But due to the westernization and Christianity had impacted those ancient traditional and customary practices and it has been modernised with the Christian belief and worship perspective according to the changes of scenario and the passes of time. And this Zangwan Keihphong can be uprooted and dismantled early in the morning before the sun rise, the next day of the festival ending night. In the Aoleang festival ending night people would come together in the Morung and usually danced and sang folk songs for whole night. During my childhood days, I usually wondered by raising my eyebrows why old men have to wept and shed tears while final “Zangwan Keihphong” dismantling folk song was singing because those old people they never ever cry or shed tears, even when their near and dear ones are demised! But I could realise later on why they have cried with tears on eyes and the reason being was, life is uncertainty and with pre-occupied thinking that they may not see the next Aoleang Monyu festival celebration as they are aging and nearing to grave.

Duration of Aoleang celebration: An observation of Aoleang Monyu Festival prolongs for six (6) days and each day of the celebration has its own characteristic and meaning. Before the commencement of festival, Morung sector youngsters have to clean the footpaths leading to the neighbouring villages and jhum fields. And the resting sheds in the jhum land foot ways, watch towers and Morungs are renovated and cleaned and the village surrounding vegetation are chopped up.

Day-One:- The 1st day of the Aoleang is known as “Shongtenshonglee” and “Moseang” nyih. The meaning of Shongten means Bamboo tube/mug is made and peel up the bamboo layer for cooking of meat and sticky rice and the word Moseang means decision making day to celebrate the festival. During

first day, women folks have to collect the banana leaves, other leaves and young palm leaves for the wrapping of meat, food and grains. And wild vegetables would be plucked up and bring to the village and variety of food grains are get ready and water also fetched up and keep in stored. On the first day itself “Zangwan-Youngmo Keihphong” can be erected and this is the community work and every male folk; young and old would be involved and participated during the making and erection of decorated bamboo pole. And the Morung can be properly renovated and the village vicinity, footways to jhum fields and wells are to be kept clean. Traditional attires, ornaments and other assets have to be properly cleaned up and exposed to the sun light for wearing in Aoleang feast.

Day-Two:- The 2nd day of the Aoleang Festival is called, “Pongkup Wakfu Nyih”. The meaning of ‘Pongkup wakfu’ means the day of livestock whether rearing or purchasing have to be caught and tethered or kept in confinement to be slaughtered next day. On 2nd day, smoked meats kept preserve can be consumed on that day and night because next day would be new meat and New Year celebration. According to A.Yanang Konyak’s write up article “Aoleang Monyu” KUK, Silver Jubilee souvenir 2014, this last day night supper meal is called as “Vamsong phong or Supper Meal”. In some Konyak area, the same Age Group called “Ei” party usually celebrates Group Aoleang feast a day ahead of mass celebration and by such Group’s tamed or purchased animals would be killed and celebrate with great joy by having food and drink with the same age peers. And the purpose of advance “Ei” Group feasting is, the meat from “Ei” Mo can be used or added to family feast as lots of meats are required for exchanges and giving of meat to the in-laws families and friends. The invited guests of distance relatives, in-laws and friends from other communities would be reached by 2nd day itself.

Day-3rd: The third day is called, “Pongtoi, Wakshiak nyih” or “Monyu nyih”. It is the greatest feasting day of the six prolonged day celebration. In animism days, priest of the village usually performed rites and rituals, subsequently livestock are slaughtered. In some Konyak region, if Mithun, Buffalo and cattle are killed by the individual

family, all the clan or relative male folks have to be invited. Right after livestock is slaughtered and belly is sliced with sword, all kinsmen shall rush to get the blood, intestine, stomach, lung and liver except heart by force and big rush. Such massive rushing and cutting up innards portion meats is one of the social customary practices of the people. And every individual must get its innards meats as per his might and strength and only kiths and kinsmen members are permitted to rush and get it. During an animistic society, blood and innards of slaughtered pig with variety of green leaves vegetables mixed would be cooked and the siblings of all the paternal family members; fathers, uncles, brothers and sons and married away aunts, sisters and daughters can come together to eat the “Blood-Innards Curry” and it has be consumed without rice by placing on a huge single receptacle container and this is the symbolical bond of fellowship and love. During this Blood-innards curry eating occasion, they have assumed that already demised spirits also eats along with them and it should be eaten off in one go without lift over. And even the mother and married brides in the family have no right to eat with them rather they would go to her paternal family house for same feast. In some Konyak area, where there is an absolute “Pongyin Angh” Chief Angh would be given sinewy limb of slaughtered animals as a tribute called “Angh yung” and this is the bound duty of the subject citizens and such respect and social obligation dignified and distinguish the status of the Angh in the community.

Day 4th: On fourth day in feasting, invited guests, relatives and in-laws are participate in celebration by singing folk songs, dances and drinks, variety of best food and meats are served. The singing, dancing, merry making and consuming variety of food items are the mark of feasting. At night log drum beating, muzzle loader guns firing and Gong beating sound would be heard constantly and singing folk songs simultaneously. During day and night time, young and old or men and women wears their best traditional costumes and ornaments in singing and dancing which displays or showcase their rich cultural and customary practices of the people. And gifts in terms of kind, materials,

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meats and food stuffs are exchanged with the in-laws, relatives and guests. And invited friends and in-laws would be visited clan’s men household turn by turn for dinner, launch and supper. Aoleang Monyu festival has a multi-purpose objective such as, thanks giving to God for his bountiful provisions, invoking manifold of blessings upon the crops before sowing seeds, rearing livestock and health of the people for forth coming life. It has also marks the end of the year and new beginning. During such feasting occasion, in-laws (Married away aunts, sisters and daughters) are invited to share the blessings of paternal family and this act of invitation and sharing creates lasting bond of love and relationship. Moreover, paternal parents and uncles usually bestows its blessings to new offspring nephews and nieces of the married away sisters and daughters because it is a traditional belief and customary practices of the people to utter paternal uncle’s blessings upon the nephews and nieces for longevity of life, to be good hunter and successful life.

Day 5th: The fifth day is known as “Molai or Leangha nyih”. In some area of the Konyak community, fifth day of the Aoleang is depicted as “Yim Mo” which means feast for deceased spirits. On that day spirit of the dead family members are recalled with sorrow and compassion. This tradition is an act of remembering the demised family members on festive season and graveyards or the symmetry surrounding are clean. And one’s though of regret is expressed and uttered an apology also, as if they have heard of and assumed that spirits partake in feasting with the living beings. During 5th day, group singing and dancing by visiting every Morung in the village continue and lovers, friends and peers constantly dance and sing songs in group praising each other, expressing loves and romance to one another.

Day 6th: The day sixth is the last of the Aoleang Monyu festival known as “Moyan or Yinyan nyih”. Right after five days continuous feasting of the Aoleang, the 6th day can be marked as end of the celebration. In some Konyak area, the 6th day night fall is the called “Baan Mo” Morung sector Aoleang Monyu called “Mo wangnyak” Aoleang Supper. For Morung feast, a rib portion of meat from killed animals

are reserved and be brought to Morung for final celebration. Since women folks are not permitted to participate in the Morung feast because it is taboo for women to enter into Morung. For that matter, the slaughtered animals head would be prepared for women folks, old people and children who would not be able partake in Morung celebration and they will feast at home. But male people shall participate in Morung celebration and this feasting would be very emotional and tears shedding occasion because, for whole night male folks usually sings folk song till dawn. And some old people usually expressed their last wishes while singing folk songs by saying, “Do not let the cock-crow, because it will soon be daybreak and the Aoleang would be over which I do not want it” “Do not approach the dawn because at rising sun, Aoleang would be over, for I may not be able to see next Aoleang Festival; which our forefathers dearly uphold and so cherished” “Please tell to youngsters in the days to come that, when I was alive how I dwelled on this Morung, sang our forefathers songs of victories and failures that taught us from the folk songs of eastern country site”. “Kindly convey to your lovers, boyfriends and friends that once a mighty warrior and good singer lived here and sang a beautiful romantic song of love and care”. “When I died please let my corpse be buried on the hilly top in the tri-junction so as to read and visible my epitaph by all passerby” “This is my grand tale to tell, a tale never ending to cherish”

Early in the next morning Aoleang feasting decorative Pole called, “Zangwan-Youngmo-keihphong” can be uprooted and dismantled by involving male folks of the Morung sector and old men those who are well versed in Zangwan demolish utterances in singing would pronounce final rite and pull down and dismantled everything in it by saying, “This is the festival which our forefathers continuously observes from the time immemorial. Even though we did not eat good food and best meat yet we have celebrated with great joy and gaiety. Even though great Aoleang Monyu is over by now, but let this Aoleang festival return to us next year very soon”.

(Concluded....)

Longang Konyak, Agri-Colony, Kohima

SNIPPETS

4 killed in house blast in Uttar Pradesh

BULANDSHAHR (UP), MAR 31 (PTI): Four people died in a suspected gas cylinder blast in a house here on Friday, police. A call was received in the afternoon regarding a cylinder blast in a house built in the middle of the fields in Nayagaon in Kotwali Nagar area, SSP Shlok Kumar said. The house where the explosion took place was destroyed, police said.Some cylinders have been found and police, district administration, fire brigade and CMO teams are engaged in relief and rescue operations, the SSP said.

Car overturns in Haryana, six killed HISAR, MAR 31 (PTI):

Six men were killed while another was seriously injured when their car overturned after hitting a tree and an electric pole on the Adampur-Agroha road in the district, the police said on Friday. The incident took place at around 2 am when the seven were returning after attending a wedding ceremony in Adampur, police said.

Kerala opposes raising

of marriage age for females

THIRUVANANTHA -

PURAM, MAR 31

(IANS) : Kerala has opposed raising the minimum marriageable age of females from 18 to 21 in its response to the National Commission for Women on the proposal. The state Women and Child Development Department held that when the voting age of females is 18, asking them to wait till 21 to get married is not right.

PM’s MA degree need not be furnished: HC

Political Parties raise the issue of “transparency”

AHME DABAD/NEW

DELHI, MAR 31 (PTI):

The Gujarat High Court on Friday quashed a 2016 order of the Central Information Commission (CIC) which directed the Gujarat University to provide information on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s degree to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, observing the AAP chief’s RTI plea appears to be more “politically vexatious and motivated” instead of being based on “sound public interest considerations.”

Holding that both the requests by Kejriwal and the order by the CIC were “absolutely causal” and there was an “indiscriminate misuse” of the RTI Act, Justice Biren Vaishnav also imposed a Rs 25,000 fine on the AAP leader, and asked him to deposit the amount within four weeks to the Gujarat State Legal Services

Rajasthan:

JAIPUR, MAR 31 (IANS):

Deadlock between the doctors and the Rajasthan government over the Right to Health Bill entered the 12th day with no immediate end in sight, leaving the patients in the lurch. On Friday, a doctors’ delegation met PCC president Govind Singh Dotasra to discuss the issue. However, the meeting remained inconclusive and the doctors were advised to approach the senior officers.

Doctors across the state have called strike demand-

Authority (GSLSA).

Expressing surprise that the CIC entertained Kejriwal’s request and issued an order, the single judge bench said, “Such requests cannot be made so casually making mockery of the very intent and purpose of the RTI Act.”

“This court finds that the CIC while passing the impugned order was well aware that what it was directing was not a specific and certain but a fishing and roving enquiry,” the bench said in its 79-page order. It further observed that Kejriwal “doubtlessly used an appeal against him to kick start and trigger a controversy not falling within the purview of the RTI Act”.

Allowing the Gujarat

University’s appeal against the CIC directive, the court refused to stay his order as requested by Kejriwal’s lawyer Percy Kavina.

The AAP said it would appeal against the order before the division bench of the high court and noted that the cost imposed on Kejriwal came as a “surprise”.

Reacting to the verdict, Kejriwal asked in a tweet, “Doesn’t the country even have the right to know how much the PM has studied?”

The BJP on its part accused Kejriwal of “peddling lies” against Modi, and also cited instances of him tendering apologies to its leaders for levelling “unverified” allegations, “history is repeating itself”. The Congress took a swipe at the

government, saying there is a limit to even transparency in “New India”.

The bench agreed with Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared for the Gujarat University, that the insistence of Kejriwal to get the educational degree of Modi through RTI route, when the same is already available in public domain, also creates doubt on the bonafide and motive of the Delhi chief minister.

The court said once the CIC came to the finding that the information sought for was neither relatable to accountability and transparency in public functions discharged by Modi nor there was any larger public interest in disclosure of the said information, as in, the disclosure sought for was merely something which was of ‘interest to the public’ and a matter of political curiosity and not something which was in the public interest, then the Commission ought to have strictly applied the exemptions ought to have refused disclosure of the said information.

Campus harassment: Students demand IPCW principal’s resignation

NEW

DE LHI, MAR 31

(PTI): Students and activists hit the streets and staged demonstrations at the DU’s North Campus on Friday as anger surged over the alleged harassment of students at Indraprastha College for Women (IPCW) during a fest and “inaction” of authorities. The students held marches at Arts Faculty and inside the IPCW campus. Inside the college, scores of students formed a human chain showing “dissent over the shameless procedure with which the college administration has been acting and working for the past few days,” according to the Left-affiliated AISA, which is at the forefront of the protest.

The students have demanded the resignation of principal Poonam Kumria. Some unidentified men trespassed into the college, shouted slogans and harassed women during the ‘Shruti’ festival on Tuesday.

At the Arts Faculty,

Police detain protesting activists from AISA, in New Delhi, Friday. (PTI)

several students accused the police of brutality as they were detained and filled in the police van. A police official, however, said those protesting were peacefully detained and removed from the area. Over 200 students marched from Miranda House to Arts Faculty demanding justice to the students of IP College for Women. The students organised the “Azadi March” against repeated incidents of harassment at the campus.

“The Delhi Police showed its ugliest form by beating students and patheti-

cally harassing women and detaining all protesters from AISA’s Azadi March at DU Arts Faculty,” the AISA, which organised the march, said in a statement. Another student organisation, the Krantikari Yuva Sangathan (KYS), also participated in the march. The students held placards that read, “Lock up these lumpens, not our hostel’, ‘Then Miranda Now IP’, ‘Where are women safeFight for women’s safety’ and ‘Strict action must be taken against the hooligans, police and DU authorities’.

Indore temple tragedy: Death toll rises to 36

BHOPAL, MAR 31

ing withdrawal of the bill. The office-bearers of the Private Hospital and Nursing Home Society held a meeting on Thursday and demanded the Chief Minister’s intervention in the matter. Soon after, the delegation also reached the Chief Minister’s residence where on behalf of the doctors, Virendra Singh conveyed the demand of the doctors to the Chief Minister.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot then authorised State Congress Committee

NEW DEL HI, MAR 31

(PTI): Taking a swipe at the Narendra Modi government, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh alleged on Friday that no other country has made its G20 presidency an “election campaign” as has been done by India.

“G20 has 19 countries + European Union as members. Its Annual Summit has been held in 17 countries & India is holding the 18th. No other country has made it an election campaign like India has, proving Mr. Advani’s insight on the man he prevented Mr. (Atal Bihari) Vajpayee from sacking,” he tweeted. The Congress leader also attached a media report on BJP veteran L K Advani claiming in April 2014 that Narendra Modi

Muslims help perform last rites of Hindu jawan in J-K

SRINAGAR,

MAR 31

(PTI): Muslims in Jammu and Kashmir’s Kulgam district Friday helped perform the last rites of a Hindu CISF jawan who died of cardiac arrest, officials said.

Balbir Singh, 55, a Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) jawan died Thursday evening of cardiac arrest at his home in Karkan area of south Kashmir’s Kulgam, the officials said.

Singh, posted in Amritsar, had taken leave to attend the first death anniversary of his brother who was killed by militants last year, they said.

Singh’s family is the only Hindu Rajput family living in the village, so, his friends and the local Muslim community came forward to help perform his last rites, they said.

People from the Muslim community also shouldered his ‘arthi’ and arranged wood for the cremation, they added.

was not his protege and was a “brilliant events manager”.

Prime Minister Modi had said earlier that India’s G20 presidency was a unique opportunity to showcase the country’s strengths to the entire world. The G20 summit is not merely a diplomatic meeting, he had said, adding India takes it as a new responsibility and as the world’s trust in it.

President Govind Singh Dotasra to listen to their woes. The agitation against the bill is gaining strength by the day.

Secretary of the Private Hospital and Nursing Homes Society, Dr Vijay Kapoor said that private hospitals across the state have given written consent to stop government schemes. From April 1, the process of mass de-empanelment of government schemes will be completed in all private hospitals of Rajasthan.

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(IANS): The death toll in Indore’s Sri Baleshwar Mahadev temple tragedy has risen to 36, with the body of the last missing person - a 53-year-old man - being retrieved from the deep stepwell on Friday afternoon.

With this, an over 24-hour-long rescue operation by around 140 personnel including 75 Indian Army men and SDERF (State Disaster Emergency Response Force) was concluded. Initiating action, Indore police have registered a case of culpable homicide against Sevaram Galani,

who is said to be head of Sri Baleshwar Mahadev temple trust. Meanwhile, the Indore Municipal Corporation said it had suspended two officers (a building officer and a building engineer), who were in charge of Patel Nagar area where the temple is located.

Out of total 36 people who died in the heart wrenching incident, the youngest victim was a two-year-old boy, Hitansh, while the eldest one was an 80-year-old woman identified as Jayvanti Devi, according to police. Most of the victims were women.

At least 20 people, who were rescued safely in the first four hours of the incident, were admitted at Maharaja Yashwantrao Hospital, popularly known as MY Hospital. Four to five of them were at a critical stage.

As per the official reports, over one hundred residents from several nearby localities thronged the temple to offer their prayer on the occasion of Ram Navami on Thursday morning. While, were busy in chanting mantras as the ‘havan’ process at the temple was going on, around 11.30 a.m., a con-

crete area on which around 40-45 people were standing and were praying caved-in and they all fell into a deep step-well. The people were not aware that the place where they were standing was an actually a makeshift cover over the deep stepwell, which was illegally covered years back.

Sources told IANS that the the Indore civic body had issued a couple of notices to the temple trust directing to remove the concrete slab from the stepwell, including a fresh notice issued in January this year, but no action was taken.

: NAGALAND

N.B: No forms will be accepted after the notified dates. For any query, Contact the college office (03862-357469/9863233963) during the office hours. D C-424/23 ST. JOSEPH’S COLLEGE (AUTONOMOUS)

P.B. NO. 39 - KOHIMA JAKHAMA - NAGALAND

Applications are invited for the Post of Assistant Professor in the mentioned Departments.

1. Department of Botany – 2 Posts

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Application with CV and Academic documents/certificates may be submitted to email sjccollege85@gmail.com on or before 15th April, 2023. Contact number: 9862483661

Principal DB-422/23

India has made its G20 presidency an ‘election campaign’: Jairam

Jairam Ramesh

Arvind Kejriwal and Narendra Modi

Medical services remain hit as govt-doctors deadlock enters day 12

Goyal unveils ‘dynamic & responsive’ FTP 2023

NEW DELHI, MAR 31

(PTI): India’s new foreign trade policy is pragmatic and positive, and has set a stage for exporters to increase the country’s share in global trade, industry bodies and experts said.

Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal unveiled a ‘dynamic and responsive’ Foreign Trade Policy (FTP) 2023 on Friday with the objective of raising the country’s outward shipments to USD 2 trillion by 2030, pushing the rupee trade and incentivising ecommerce exports.

Director General of industry chamber CII Chandrajit Banerjee said with many innovative measures, the new FTP will go a long way to help India achieve USD 2 trillion in exports of goods and services and is in line with the many policy announcements to promote exports in the recent past.

“At a time when the world is looking for resilient global value chains, FTP 2023 will facilitate the regulatory environment, foster globally competitive firms and make exports more inclusive,” he said.

Commenting on the policy, Assocham Secretary General Deepak Sood said India’s new foreign trade

Rupee rises by 17 paise to 82.17 against US dollar on forex inflows

MUMBAI, MAR 31 (PTI):

ABAM flays govt plea to relax dry act for G20...

Piyush Goyal

policy will set a stage for exporters to immensely increase India’s share in global trade as the 2030 target of USD 2 trillion for exports of goods and services is a confidence-building measure of the dynamic FTP.

“In a fast-changing global market, it goes to the credit of the government to follow a dynamic policy that would allow both the industry and the policy makers to stay nimble. A new thinking is clearly visible in the foreign trade policy that shifts focus from incentives to remissions so that we don’t end up exporting taxes and levies,” he added.

Saket Dalmia, President, PHD Chamber of Commerce & Industry said there is an immense potential to increase India’s share in world exports from the current level of 1.8 per cent in merchandise exports and 4 per cent in service exports.

Govt receives dividend tranches from NPCIL, UCIL and HAL

NEW DELHI, MAR 31

(IANS): The government on Friday received Rs 736 crore and Rs 102 crore from public sector undertakings (PSUs) Nuclear Power Corporation of India Limited (NPCIL) and Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) respectively as dividend tranches. Today is the last day of the current financial year 2022-23. Dividends and profits earned by the government from PSUs belong to the capital budget. Government also re -

ceived Rs 503 crore and Rs 23 crore from HAL and Mishra Dhatu Nigam Limited (MIDHANI) respectively as dividend tranches.

On March 29, Government had received Rs 224 crore and Rs 123 crore from Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) and HUDCO respectively as dividend tranches.

Government had received Rs 1,355 crore from GAIL (India) Limited as dividend tranche on March 28, the department for investment and public asset management (DIPAM) said.

The new FTP will remove uncertainties and create continuity and stability in India’s trade, he said adding there has been rationalisation of many export schemes which have now been made WTO-compliant. According to EEPC India Chairman Arun Kumar Garodia, the FTP is quite pragmatic and positive. It will promote exports of both merchandise and services in a big way, help MSMEs become part of the global value chain, and make the Indian rupee go global. “It is quite encouraging that the government has accepted our suggestion and provided for merchanting trade in the new trade policy. The move opens huge opportunities for the trading community. Now, a person sitting in India can buy in one country and ship to the other country,” Garodia said. Deviating from the practice of five-year FTP, the new policy is without an end date, and will be updated in accordance with the emerging global environment. Commenting on the measures announced, Pavan Choudary, Chairman, Medical Technology Association of India (MTaI) said the FTP will work as a catalyst for making India a USD 5 trillion economy.

The rupee appreciated 17 paise to 82.17 against the US dollar on Friday as foreign capital inflows and a rally in domestic stocks bolstered investor sentiment. Besides, easing global crude oil prices and rising appetite for riskier assets also supported the domestic unit, forex traders said. However, a strong dollar against major rivals overseas ahead of US inflation data capped the rupee’s gain, they added. At the interbank foreign exchange market, the domestic unit opened strong at 82.12 and touched an intra-day high of 82.09 and a low of 82.26 against the greenback. The local unit quoted at 82.17 at 1530 hrs, registering a gain of 17 paise over its previous close of 82.34.

The forex market was closed on Thursday for Ram Navami. The dollar index, which gauges the greenback’s strength against a basket of six currencies, gained 0.25 per cent to 102.08 ahead of the release of the US inflation data later in the day.

On the domestic equity market front, the 30-share BSE Sensex rose 1,031.43 points or 1.78 per cent to end at 58,991.52 while the broader NSE Nifty advanced 279.05 points or 1.63 per cent to 17,359.75.

Global oil benchmark Brent crude futures fell 0.24 per cent to USD 79.08 per barrel. Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) were net buyers in the capital market on Wednesday as they bought shares worth Rs 1,245.39 crore, as per exchange data.

India’s external debt rises to $613.1

NEW DELHI, MAR 31 (REUTERS): India’s external debt rose 1.2% quarter-on-quarter to $613.1 billion as of end-December, the government said in a statement on Friday. The country’s external debt-to-GDP ratio stood at the same level as the September quarter at 19.1%. The valuation loss in September-December, due to depreciation of the U.S. dollar against other major currencies such as yen, euro and UK pound was $3.8 billion, the statement said. The share of short-term debt, with maturity of up to one year, in total external debt increased marginally to 21.1% as of end-December 2022, from 21% as of September 2022. Earlier this month, Reserve Bank of India Governor Shaktikanta Das said India’s total external debt is well within manageable limits.

Aadhaar authenticated transactions jump over 13% to cross 226 crore

NEW DELHI, MAR 31

(IANS): Aadhaar authenticated transactions in February jumped over 13 per cent over last month to cross 226 crore, the UIDAI said, noting that there is growing adoption and usage of Aadhaar across sectors in India.

In February alone,

226.29 crore Aadhaar authentication transactions were executed, more than 13 per cent growth over January’s 199.62 crore.

Cumulatively, 9,255.57 crore Aadhaar authentica-

tion transactions have been executed so far, by the end of February 2023. While a majority of the authentications transaction numbers were carried out by using fingerprints, it is followed by demographics and OTPs. Over 10.97 million mobile numbers were seeded in Aadhaar after requests from residents in the same month, a jump of more than 93 per cent over the previous month. According to the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI),

while 5.67 million mobile numbers were seeded following residents’ application, the number saw a significant climb in February. The jump is indicative of the UIDAI’s continuous encouragement, facilitation, and residents’ willingness to keep their mobile number updated for availing various services. Nearly, 1,700 central and state social welfare direct benefit tansfer (DBT) and good governance schemes have been notified for use of Aadhaar.

(From-p1) ABAM then asked “who profits for whom? Who determines the structure and policies of the whole trade? Does the issue of commercialism outweigh the ethical justice and even-handedness particularly the tribal indigenous people who are often sidetracked and marginalized from the pool of fairness? Is it not a crime

Gov, CM others extend festival greetings

(From-p1)

In a message, Zeliang said every Naga tribe celebrates festival with a meaningful narrative and reverence to it and hoped that as they all celebrate their respective festivals, they be blessed with joy and happiness. ENLU: Eastern Nagaland Legislators’ Union (ENLU) has greeted Konyak and Phom communities on the occasion of Aoleang and Monyu festivals respectively.

In a statement, ENLU convenor and health minister P Paiwang Konyak urged both the communities to cherish and keep the cultural tradition and warmth of togetherness and also instil the spirit of renewal and new beginnings for a bright and hopeful future. He also wished that festive occasion bring joy, prosperity and abundance to all the citizens.

and violation when there is exploitation and objection of people and resources takes place in the name of Tourism? In the true sense of the word commercially oriented development does not liberate the people to reach the full potential or do justice to the poor and to entire God’s creation. Can we divorce tourism from the culture of liquor and its menaces?

The two maintained that ABAM continues to relentlessly hold on to the firm pathways of the undisputed Christian foreparents of Nagaland who fasted with tears and sacrificed their lives for this noble cause i.e., ‘The Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition Act, 1989’ (The Nagaland Act No.4 of 1990) assented by the then Governor of Nagaland on April 13, 1990.

Index of 8 cr industries rises 6%

NEW DELHI, MAR 31

(IANS): The combined index of eight core industries (ICI) increased by 6 per cent in February 2023 as against the year-ago period, as the production of fertilisers, coal, electricity, cement, steel, refinery products and natural gas increased during the period under review.

According to the data released by the Commerce Ministry, only the crude oil production declined by 4.9 per cent in February 2023 over February 2022.

Its cumulative index declined by 1.6 per cent during April to February period of 2022-23 over the corresponding period of last year.

ICI measures combined and individual performance of production of eight core industries i.e. coal, crude oil, natural gas, refinery products, fertilisers, steel, cement and electricity. These comprise 40.27 per cent of the weight of items included in the Index of Industrial Production (IIP).

SNIPPETS

Canadian police find 6 bodies in St. Lawrence River

OTTAWA, MAR 31

(IANS): Canadian police have found the bodies of six people, including one child, in the St. Lawrence River, local media reported.

According to CTV News, the police service said the first body was found after an air search involving the Canadian Coast Guard around 5 p.m. on Thursday in a marsh in Akwesasne, a Mohawk territory that straddles Quebec, Ontario and the US’s New York State, reports Xinhua news agency. Police said that a crew on board a Canadian Armed Forces Griffon helicopter discovered an overturned boat in the area where the bodies were located.

Police are attempting to identify the deceased persons and ascertain their status in Canada.

Donald Trump indicted; expected to surrender early next week

NEW YORK, MAR 31

(AP): Donald Trump has been indicted by a Manhattan grand jury, a historic reckoning after years of investigations into his personal, political and business dealings and an abrupt jolt to his bid to retake the White House.

The exact nature of the charges was unclear Friday because the indictment remained under seal, but they stem from payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an extramarital sexual encounter. Prosecutors said they were working to coordinate Trump’s surrender, which could happen early next week. They did not say whether they intended to seek prison time in the event of a conviction, a development that wouldn’t prevent Trump from seeking and assuming the presidency.

the heart of a national presidential race and ushers in criminal proceedings in a city that the ex-president for decades called home. Arriving at a time of deep political divisions, the charges are likely to reinforce rather than reshape dueling perspectives of those who see accountability as long overdue and those who, like Trump, feel the Republican is being targeted for political purposes by a Democratic prosecutor.

dictment “political persecution” and predicted it would damage Democrats in 2024.

In a statement confirming the charges, defense lawyers Susan Necheles and Joseph Tacopina said Trump “did not commit any crime. We will vigorously fight this political prosecution in court.”

A spokesman for the Manhattan district attorney’s office confirmed the indictment and said prosecutors had reached out to Trump’s defense team to coordinate a surrender. Tacopina said Trump is “likely” to turn himself in on Tuesday.

“We’re working out those logistics right now,” Tacopina said on NBC’s “Today” show Friday morning. “He’s not gonna hole up in Mar-a-Lago.”

Tacopina insisted that Trump would not take a plea deal: “There’s no crime.”

Israeli strikes near Syrian capital kill Iranian adviser

BEIRUT, MAR 31 (AP):

vice needed additional time as they made security preparations, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. The people spoke on condition of anonymity because they couldn’t publicly discuss security details.

Israeli airstrikes hit the suburbs of Syria’s capital city early Friday for the second day in a row, killing an Iranian adviser, the state media of Syria and Iran reported.

Loud explosions were heard over Damascus shortly after midnight Thursday, according to residents in the capital and the state news agency SANA. The airstrikes came after similar attacks early Thursday. SANA said Syrian air defenses confronted “hostile targets,” adding that the strike caused material damage. SANA said some of the Israeli missiles were shot down by air defenses.

3 IS militants killed in airstrike

in Iraq

BAGHDAD, MAR 31

(IANS): Three Islamic State (IS) militants were killed in an airstrike in Iraq’s eastern province of Diyala, a security source said. Based on intelligence reports, Iraqi warplanes carried out an airstrike on an IS hideout in the Himreen mountain range in northern Diyala on Thursday, destroying the hideout and killing three IS militants, Ali Fadhel Omran, commander of Diyala Operations, told Xinhua news agency. Omran added that a total of 40 IS militants, including some leaders of the terrorist organisation, were killed during the past five months in airstrikes in the Himreen Mountains.

Despite repeated military operations against IS remnants, extremist militants are still hiding in deserts and rugged areas, as well as in the Himreen mountains, in the Diyala, Salahuddin and Kirkuk provinces.

Stampede at food distribution centre

kills 11 in Pak

KARACHI, MAR 31

(PTI): At least 11 people, including women and children, were killed and several others injured in a deadly stampede at a Ramzan food distribution centre in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi on Friday, officials said.

The stampede took place after some people unknowingly stepped on a live wire where food was being distributed, leading to the tragedy.

Soon, people started pushing each other, due to which some even fell into a nearby drain, police said. At least 11 people, including women and children, died in the stampede and several others were injured.

The indictment, the first against a former U.S. president, injects a local district attorney’s office into

Trump, who has denied any wrongdoing and has repeatedly assailed the investigation, called the in-

Trump was asked to surrender Friday but his lawyers said the Secret Ser-

District Attorney Alvin Bragg left his office Thursday evening without commenting. The case centers on well-chronicled allegations from a period in 2016 when Trump’s celebrity past collided with his political ambitions. Prosecutors for months scrutinized money paid to porn actor Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, whom he feared would go public with claims that they had extramarital sexual encounters with him. The timing of the indictment appeared to come as a surprise to Trump campaign officials following news reports that criminal charges were likely weeks away.

Iran’s state television reported Friday that Milad Heidari, an Iranian military adviser, was killed during what it called a “criminal strike” by Israel early Friday morning in Syria. Without giving Heidari’s rank, the report called him a “guard of Islam.” The outlet said he was a member of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and warned Israel

will receive an answer for the crime.

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, said the strikes targeted an arms depot for government forces and Iranbacked groups just south of Damascus. Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes on targets inside governmentcontrolled parts of Syria in recent years, including attacks on the Damascus and Aleppo airports, but it rarely acknowledges specific oper-

ations. Israel says it targets bases of Iran-allied militant groups, such as Lebanon’s Hezbollah, which has sent thousands of fighters to support Syrian President Bashar Assad’s forces. An Israeli airstrike last week targeting the airport in Aleppo put it out of commission for two days. Israel has also struck seaports in government-held areas of Syria, in an apparent attempt to prevent Iranian arms shipments to militant groups backed by Tehran, including Hezbollah.

WASHINGTON, MAR 31

(AGENCIES): Writing an open letter to this effect, the stalwarts have said: “We call on all AI labs to immediately pause for at least 6 months the training of AI systems more powerful than

Russia might put nukes in Belarus: Belarusian Prez Charles III commemorates WWII dead, child refugees in Hamburg

BERLIN, MAR 31 (AP):

King Charles III commemorated the more than 30,000 people, mostly German civilians, who were killed in the Allied bombing of Hamburg almost 80 years ago as he visited the northern city Friday on the last leg of his first foreign trip since becoming monarch.

The attack in July 1943 carried out by British and American planes using incendiary bombs was a response to Nazi Germany’s deadly aerial raids on Britain.

It resulted in a firestorm which destroyed large parts of the city and remains a painful memory

being

JERUSALEM, MAR 31

(AP): Five days ago, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s decision to fire his defence minister set off a wave of spontaneous mass protests and a general strike that threatened to paralyse the country, forcing the Israeli leader to suspend his divisive plan to overhaul the judicial system.

But Netanyahu never even sent Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant a formal termination letter, a spokesperson for Netanyahu said.

As of Friday, Gallant — whose criticism of Netanyahu’s planned judicial changes led to his dismissal — was still on the job.

Gallant’s aides said it was business-as-usual at the Defence Ministry.

As local media this week crackled with reports of Netanyahu considering

in the Hanseatic port’s proud history. Charles laid a wreath at the ruined church of St. Nikolai, now a memorial site, and listened to Hamburg’s Bishop Kirsten Fehrs read the Coventry Litany of Reconciliation, written to commemorate the destruction of the English city of Coventry by German bombers in 1940.

Earlier, Charles and Camilla, the queen consort, visited a memorial to the Kindertransporte, or children’s transports, that saw more than 10,000 Jewish children receive refuge from Nazi Germany in the U.K. in 1938.

The royal couple were

accompanied to Hamburg by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, making the two-hour journey from Berlin by highspeed train.

The couple landed in the German capital on Wednesday, where Steinmeier greeted them at the Brandenburg Gate with full military honours and later hosted a banquet in their honour.

On Thursday, Charles became the first monarch to address the German parliament, telling assembled lawmakers that “together we must strive for the security, prosperity and well-being that our people deserve.”

TALLINN, MAR 31

(AP): Russian strategic nuclear weapons might be deployed in Belarus along with part of Russia’s tactical nuclear arsenal, Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said Friday. . Russian President Vladimir Putin announced last week that his country intended to deploy tactical, comparatively short-range and small-yield nuclear weapons in Belarus. The strategic nuclear weapons such as missileborne warheads that Lukashenko mentioned during his state-of-the nation address would pose an even greater threat, if Moscow moves them to the territory of its neighbor and ally.

Belarus was a staging

Israel’s def min caught in limbo

service, his office said, releasing a photo of him smiling beside Director Ronen Bar.

“We have a duty to calm the spirits in Israeli society and maintain an inclusive and unifying discourse,” Gallant said at the holiday toast.

ground for amassing Russian troops before the invasion of Ukraine a little over 13 months ago. Lukashenko, in office since 1994, delivered his annual address amid escalating tensions over the conflict in Ukraine. Both he and Putin have alleged that Western powers want to ruin Russia and Belarus.

“Putin and I will de-

cide and introduce here, if necessary, strategic weapons, and they must understand this, the scoundrels abroad, who today are trying to blow us up from inside and outside,” the Belarusian leader said.

“We will stop at nothing to protect our countries, our state and their peoples.”

“We will protect our sovereignty and independence by any means necessary, including through the nuclear arsenal,” Lukashenko said . “Don’t say we will just be looking after them, and these are not our weapons. These are our weapons and they will contribute to ensuring sovereignty and independence.”

Earlier in the address, Lukashenko called for a cease-fire in Ukraine.

A truce must be announced without any preconditions, and all movement of troops and weapons must be halted, he said. Belarus and Russia have intensified their cooperation since the start of the Ukraine war. The Russian military has used its troops and missiles stationed in Belarus, although no Belarusian troops have participated in the fighting. Belarus, Ukraine and Kazakhstan all relinquished nuclear weapons after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Under the so-called Budapest Memorandum that accompanied giving up the weapons, Russia, the United States and Britain agreed to respect the territorial integrity of those countries.

China’s influence looms over Harris’ Africa trip

and faces charges of corruption.

GPT-4.” Silicon Valley stalwarts, including the likes of billionaire Elon Musk and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, have asked people to hit the pause button on the training of artificial intelligence (AI) systems for at

whether to replace Gallant with stalwarts of his rightwing Likud party, Gallant remained in limbo — and even so, the public face of his ministry.

He greeted the Azerbaijani foreign minister, toured two military bases and attended Tuesday’s security cabinet meeting this week.

On Thursday, Gallant attended a celebration ahead of the Jewish Passover holiday with the director of the Shin Bet security

least six months, which are more powerful than GPT-4, citing risks it poses on society and humanity in general.

Writing an open letter to this effect, the stalwarts have said: “We call on all AI labs to immediately pause for at least 6 months the training of AI systems more powerful than GPT-4.” The open letter -- issued by nonprofit Future of Life Institute and signed by more than 1,000 people, including Musk, Wozniak and Stability AI CEO Emad Mostaque -- has called for a pause on advanced AI development until a set of safety protocols for advanced AI design and development are in place.

The questions swirling around the fate of Israel’s crucial Defence Ministry — which aintains Israel’s 55-year-old military occupation of the West Bank and contends with threats from Iran, Lebanon’s Hezbollah militant group and the Gaza Strip’s militant Hamas rulers — reflects the tensions tearing at Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition after one of the most dramatic weeks for Israel in decades.

It’s also a leadership test of Israel’s longest-serving premier as he governs a deeply polarised country

Netanyahu’s decision to pause plans to weaken Israel’s Supreme Court in the face of the country’s biggest protest movement underscores the complex juggling act that the prime minister must perform in holding together his governing coalition, experts say.

On the one hand, Netanyahu must please his far-right and religiously conservative coalition partners — supporters of the judicial overhaul — who vaulted him to power despite even as he stands trial.

But he also must weigh grave concerns over the plan from Israel’s closet ally, the United States, as well as anger from more moderate politicians and, significantly, dissent from within Israel’s military over fears the national crisis could threaten the country’s security.

APOLOGY LETTER

We the undersigned do hereby declare that Er. KETOUZO PESEYIE was not involved in the incident that happened on 4th March 23 at Science College Jotsoma relating to General Election 2023.

We hereby tender our apology and regret for our words.

• Seyiekhrielie Nagi

• Maziezokho Nisa

• Dr. Neizo Nagi

k-698/23

OFFICE OF THE GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES UNION LEPHORI

MOTTO: SKILFUL SERVING

Headquarter: Lephori (Estd.: 2006)

No.GEUL/GS/2022 Dated, Lephori, the 30th March, 2023

FELICITATION

The Government Employees Union Lephori extend its heartfelt congratulations to : Er. Rethokhwi Pojar on his promotion to SDO, Public Health Engineering Department, Government of Nagaland.

The Union further wishes him greater success in his future endeavor.

LUSAKA, MAR 31 (AP): When Vice President Kamala Harris arrived in Zambia on Friday for the final stop of her weeklong trip across Africa, she touched down at an airport that’s doubled in size and features glittering new terminals. Rather than a symbol of promising local development, it’s a reminder of

China’s deep influence. Beijing financed the project, one of many that has expanded its footprint on a booming continent that’s rich in natural resources, often generating goodwill among its citizens.

The global rivalry between the United States and China has been a recurring backdrop for Harris’ jour-

ney, and nowhere has that been more apparent than Zambia and her previous stop in Tanzania. Besides the airport, China built a 60,000-seat stadium in Lusaka, plus roads and bridges around the country. Zambia is on the hook for all of the development with billions of dollars in debt.

NAGALAND PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION KOHIMA

Kohima Dated the 31st March,2023

NO.NPSC/EXAM-2/2023

Advertisement No.NPSC-2/CTSE(Medical & Allied)2023

Applications are invited for filling up the following current vacancies under the Government of Nagaland in the manner prescribed below.

Backlog Vacancy-2016

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Donald Trump

Yoav Gallant

Steve Wozniak and Elon Musk

Damage of a medieval citadel after an Israeli airstrike in the capital city of Damascus, Syria, on Friday. (AP)

After

fired,

Musk and Wozniak signal concern over rise of AI in open letter

Alexander Lukashenko

New AI tool to forecast a solar storm 30 mins before

rens that sound an alarm in power stations and satellite control centres around the world, the researchers said.

The DAGGER team tested the model against two geomagnetic storms that happened in August 2011 and March 2015. In each case, DAGGER was able to quickly and accurately forecast the storm’s impacts around the world.

Blackpink’s Jisoo makes solo debut with ‘ME’

K-pop group Blackpink’s Jisoo became the last member to make a solo debut with her EP “ME” released on Friday. Having debuted in 2016, Blackpink has become one of the biggest girl groups in the world, breaking records such as having the most subscribers on YouTube as an artist.

Novel drug offers hope for heart failure, sleep apnoea patients

(122870.KQ), Blackpink’s agency, said it was reviewing the offer, though the presidential office denied the reports on Friday.

“We have our concerts and Coachella in April as a group. We have great things coming up.” Jisoo told fans in an online news conference.

Researchers have developed a novel drug that has shown promise for alleviating heart failure and sleep apnoea -- a sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts.

brain that sends nervous impulses to the heart is also controlling respiration, so this drug has a dual function, reducing the afight or flight’ response while also stimulating breathing to stop the sleep apnoea.

In the wake of increasing solar storms, a team of international researchers including from India have partnered with the NASA to develop a new computer model that combines artificial intelligence (AI) and satellite data to sound alarm for dangerous space weather.

Scientists have predicted a rise in solar storms because the Sun is gearing up to a peak of activity, which happens about every 11 years, and is expected to arrive sometime in 2025.

The impacts of these magnetic storms can range from mild to extreme, but in a world increasingly dependent on technology, their effects are growing ever more disruptive.

The new model uses

AI to analyse spacecraft measurements of the solar wind (an unrelenting stream of material from the Sun) and predict where an impending solar storm will strike, anywhere on Earth, with 30 minutes of advance warning. This could provide just enough time to prepare for these storms and prevent severe impacts on power grids and

other critical infrastructure.

“With this AI, it is now possible to make rapid and accurate global predictions and inform decisions in the event of a solar storm, thereby minimising -- or even preventing -- devastation to modern society,” said Vishal Upendran of the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) in India.

The team of researchers at the Frontier Development Lab -- a public-private partnership that includes NASA, the US Geological Survey, the US Department of Energy, and the IUCAA -- applied an AI method “deep learning” and developed a computer model called DAGGER (formally, Deep Learning Geomagnetic Perturbation).

DAGGER, detailed in the journal Space Weather, can quickly and accurately predict geomagnetic disturbances worldwide, 30 minutes before they occur. It can produce predictions in less than a second, and the predictions update every minute. With models like DAGGER, there could one day be solar storm si-

DAGGER is the first one to combine the swift analysis of AI with real measurements from space and across Earth to generate frequently updated predictions that are both prompt and precise for sites worldwide.

The computer code in the DAGGER model is open source, and according to Upendran, it could be adopted, with help, by power grid operators, satellite controllers, telecommunications companies, and others to apply the predictions for their specific needs.

Such warnings could give them time to take action to protect their assets and infrastructure from an impending solar storm, such as temporarily taking sensitive systems offline or moving satellites to different orbits to minimise damage. (IANS)

Local media reported this week that the group would put on a joint performance with pop star Lady Gaga at a state dinner U.S. President Joe Biden will host for South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in late April. YG En

Many meetings and a lot of thought went into her first record, she said, before adding that she was not nervous about her solo debut.

Jennie, another member of Blackpink, released her first solo work in 2018. Rose and Lisa also made their solo debut in 2021.

The group embarked on a world tour “Born Pink” in Seoul in October which is scheduled to continue until June. YG Entertainment said pre-orders for Jisoo’s debut album surpassed 1.31 million copies as of Thursday. Earlier this month, the K-pop superstars also became the most-streamed female band on streaming app Spotify, according to Guinness World Records. Their songs had a whopping 8,880,030,049 individual streams, overtaking British pop group Little Mix, Guinness World Records said at that time. (IANS)

The team from University of Auckland in New Zealand tested the drug, known as AF-130, in an animal model.

They found it improved the heart’s ability to pump, but, equally important, prevented sleep apnoea, which itself reduces lifespan.

“This drug does offer benefit for heart failure, but it’s two for the price of one, in that it’s also relieving the apnoea for which there is currently no drug, only CPAP (a breathing device), which is poorly tolerated,” said Professor Julian Paton, director of the University’s Centre for Heart Research.

When a person has a heart attack and subsequent heart failure, the brain responds by activating the

sympathetic system, the afight or flight’ response, as a way to stimulate the heart to pump blood.

However, the brain persists with this activation of the nervous system, even when it is no longer required, and this together with the consequent sleep apnoea, contributes to the patient’s reduced life expectancy. Most patients die within five years of a heart failure diagnosis.

“This study has revealed the first drug to temper the nervous activity from the brain to the heart thereby reversing the heart’s progressive decline in heart failure,” said Paton. The part of the

These findings, described in the journal Nature Communications, have real potential for improving the wellness and life expectancy of people living with heart disease.

The drug will soon undergo human trials in the next year or two, Paton said.

“Over recent decades there have been several classes of drugs that have improved the prognosis of heart failure,” said cardiology consultant and Associate Professor, Martin Stiles.

“However, none of these drugs work in the way that this new agent does. So it is exciting to see a novel method that potentially reverses some features of heart failure.” (IANS)

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FELICITATION

We, the Sumi Baptist Theological Fellowship Padumpukhuri, would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to Dr. S. Katoshe Aye , Son of Mr. Shiwoto Aye, on being awarded the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Systematic Theology with an exceptional dissertation, "A Comparative Study of John Calvin and Jacob Arminius on the Doctrine of Free Will: Evangelical Rapport," from the ACTS University, South Korea.

Your thesis represents a significant contribution to your field of study and we believe that your work will have a positive impact on the academic community and beyond. We pray that God will use you mightily in the days to come.

Once again, congratulations on this remarkable achievement. We wish you all the best for your future endeavors.

Ikaho Assumi Kaino Chishi President Gen. Secy. SBTFP SBTFP

The office of the UNGMA SENSO TELONGJEM Dimapur convey our heartiest congratulations to our bonafide member Dr. M. CHUBA AO for being appointed as chairman MARCOFED and Dr. WATIZULU JAMIR as chairman, Development Authority of Nagaland (DAN)

The Union further extends our prayers and best wishes as you take up new responsibility.

LIPOKMEREN LONGKUMER T. NUNGSHI LONGKUMER President, USTD General

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The Planning Committee Golden Jubilee of Loyola Higher Secondary School Kiphire and Alumni Association would like to express our heartfelt gratitude and sincere appreciation to all individual, families, well- wishers, past pupils, school administration and batches (1990-2022) for donating in cash, material and prayers during the construction and successful completion of Loyola Hr. sec school and St. Peter’s Parish main gate Kiphire. Though we could not thank each and every donor in person but it is our ardent prayers to Almighty God above to bless all in abundance.

1. Er. Inahato, EE, PWD, Dimapur & Robert 1st Class Contractor Sponsored carrying charge of one dumper truck from Dimapur-Kiphire.

2. Mr & Mrs. S.I Asangba, EE Transmission DMP - Rs. 30,000/-

3. Mr. Kasheto, Divisional Accounts Officer – Rs. 25,000/-

4. Mr.Akato Yeptho,Chief Secretary, NSCN/GPRN –Rs.25,000/-

5.

Mr. Carlus Kughato Zhimomi, Kilonser, NSCN/GPRN - Rs.25,000/-

6. Mr & Mrs.John Tsulise, Additional Secretary, RD, GON – Rs. 21,000/-

7.

Mr. Kyupise, 1st Class Contractor- Rs. 15,000/-

Mr. Likhase, Team Member MBDA – Rs. 10,000/-

8.

9. Mrs. Alumchumla, Sr. Accounts Assistant- Rs. 10,000/-

10. Mrs & Dr. Likhase, Professor, NU Lumami – Rs. 10,000/-

11.

Mr. David Thingchum, NPSC Member – Rs. 10,000/-

12.

Mr. Akyuba, Asst. Professor – Rs. 10,000/-

13. Mr. Kakuto, ARCS, IFAI – Rs. 10,000/-

14. Mrs. Adi Veronica, Education – Rs.10,000/-

15. Mr. Selichum, Joint Secretary, Water Resources – Rs. 10,000/-

16. Mr. Relise, SDO(Civil) Niuland – Rs. 5,000/-

17. Mrs. Amentoli Anar, Deputy Secretary, Evaluation – Rs. 5,000/-

18. Mr & Mrs. Yanglise, SDO, Water Resources Dept. – Rs. 5,000/-

19. Mr. Yangkhumse, Scientist-C NIC Kohima – Rs. 5,000/-

20. Mr. Mathew Seili, Superintendent, NHAK – Rs. 5,000/-

21. Mrs. Litila, LDA, Power Dept. – Rs. 5,000/-

22. Mrs. Lithrongla Tongpi Rutsa, Director, DUDA – Rs.5,000/-

23. Mr. Sethrongchum, Section Officer – Rs. 5,000/-

24. Mr. R James Khentimong, Public leader – Rs. 5,000/-

25. Mrs. Temsunaro, Additional Public Prosecutor – Rs. 5,000/-

26.

Mr. C Suralo, EE, Electrical Dept. – Rs. 5,000/-

27. Mr. Longtiba, SDO (Civil)– Rs. 7,500/-

28. Batches 1990-2022 Rs. 4,94,100/-

Sd- Sd/-

(TSALOBA DENIS) General Secretary, (Tushila Caroline) President, Alumni Association, LHSSK Alumni Association, LHSSK

Secretary, USTD

LaLiga launches Video Review System

MADRID, MAR 31

(IANS): LaLiga strengthens its position as a leader in cutting-edge technology during Matchday 27 in LaLiga Santander and Matchday

34 in LaLiga SmartBank by launching an innovative system called the “Video Review System”.

Through a powerful Surface Pro device equipped with Microsoft technology that LaLiga will make available to all clubs, their technical teams will be able to review actions in great detail from different camera angles in the technical area and the home and away benches at every fixture from this matchday onwards.

The service will have a dual medical and tactical function, which, among other things, will allow for more effective action or intervention in the event of injury. The initiative is part of the work that the Mediacoach area of LaLiga has

DDCA announces U-16 boys cricket tournament

DIMAPUR, MAR 31

(NPN): The Dimapur District Cricket Association (DDCA) has announced that the U-16 boys’ cricket tournament will commence from the second week of April.

DDCA has informed interested school/clubs who seek to participate to enrol with proper documentation i.e PCR book birth certificate, Aadhaar card.

Players born between 01-09-2007 and 31-08-2009 will be eligible to participate. For further information, participants can contact 8730867448/9862259701.

Ukraine looks to block athletes from competing with Russians

KYIV, MAR 31 (AP): The Ukrainian government is looking to block its athletes from sports competitions, particularly qualifying events for next year’s Paris Olympics, which readmit Russian athletes.

The International Olympic Committee recommended Tuesday that sports federations allow Russians and Belarusians to compete as neutral athletes without national symbols. Ukraine wanted to continue the full exclusion, which had been in place in most sports since shortly after last year’s Russian invasion. Government minister Oleh Nemchinov said Thursday that a decision had been taken only to enter events with no Russians involved, according to public broadcaster Suspilne. No ruling was immediately published and it was not clear exactly how it would be implemented.

The IOC recommends allowing Russians to compete as individuals but not as national teams. However, several Olympic sports run individual and team events together at a single location, as in gymnastics or fencing. International sports federations are not obliged to implement the IOC’s recommendations and most have yet to commit to readmitting Russian and Belarusian athletes. There was no clarification on how Ukraine’s approach might affect tennis, where individual Russians and Belarusians already play on the men’s and women’s tours, and have played against Ukrainians.

been carrying out for years to help protect the health of players.

The Video Review System (VRS) is a service that simultaneously provides a large portion of live video feeds from those used for broadcasting (TV production picture, master camera, close-up and tactical camera), via a Microsoft Surface Pro touchscreen device. The device also enables timedelayed playback to review a move immediately, zoom, looped replays for analysis of an action, multi-screen to

view up to 4 different angles simultaneously, and other new playback controls.

A multidisciplinary team of analysts and technicians will also be at the service of the clubs, both on the field and remotely, to resolve technical issues, in addition to the support provided by LaLiga’s Audiovisual and Match Directors departments.

The new system has two key functions. Protecting the health of players and preventing injuries. Allows for better diagnosis and in-

tervention, and offers a tool for medical staff to better and faster manage and intervene in case of injury, with real-time access to review all available images and angles. This capability is complemented by Mediacoach Mobile and Live, which send alerts to the coaching staff in real time during the match to warn them of the risk of injury.

Technical and tactical analysis used by the coaching staff. The live TV feed allows the review of moves and positions from several different cameras, making it easy to supplement this functionality with Mediacoach’s performance data and tactical camera feed.

This dual function is the differentiating factor that makes LaLiga a pioneer in being the first to implement it collectively, i.e. across all clubs, with the dual purpose of performance and medical care, together with the

ITF

Mysuru Open: India’s Prajwal upsets fourth seed Sasikumar to enter semis

support of the Mediacoach platform. This initiative also gives continuity to the efforts made in the development of a domestic concussion protocol, thanks to the cooperation and coordination of the working group formed by LaLiga, AFE and Javier Barrera (chief physician of the project), and following the framework cooperation agreement at European level between European Leagues and FIFPRO.

The initiative, carried out by HawkEye, is part of the LaLiga and Microsoft. Beyond Stats project, which promotes the use of advanced statistics and video analysis tools for fans and club technical staff. Under the agreement between the two organisations, strengthened in May 2021, work is being carried out on different projects with the aim of digitally transforming the sports and entertainment industry.

MYSURU,

MAR 31

(IANS): India’s S.D. Prajwal Dev showed immense tenacity in carving a 1-6, 7-5, 7-6(4) win over compatriot Mukund Sasikumar to waltz into the singles semifinals of the Cycle Pure Agarbathi ITF Mysuru Open 2023 at the Mysore Tennis Club on Friday.

Mysuru lad Prajwal, a world No 1027, came as the underdog against fourthseeded Mukund, a world No 401, but dished out a performance that masked the difference in ranking.

Cutting back to the match, once Mukund won the first set 6-1, a centre for him seemed the most possible outcome. But Prajwal showed massive dollops of fighting spirit despite being down by a break in the second set to win it 7-5 eventually.

Both the players bat-

Felicitation

The Tsiepfü Tsiepfhe AG Colony, Kohima Women Organisation is pleased to extend our heartiest congratulations to Smti. Neihunuo Sorhie who received the Padma Shree Award. We wish the best in your life and hope you will accomplish even more in the days to come.

Neisezonuo Ketsodinu President, TTWO Kohima Secretary, TTWO Kohima

S.D. Prajwal Dev

tled neck-and-neck in the decider as it stretched to the tie-break. Prajwal played the crucial points a lot better in the tie-break to come out as the winner after a battle that lasted precisely 3 hours.

In the semis, Prajwal will face George Loffhagen. Earlier, unseeded Loffhagen of Britain continued his winning spree in the tournament, beating India’s Karan Singh 7-6(4), 6-3.

In the doubles, the

top-seeded Indian pair of B. Rithvik Choudary and Niki Poonacha strolled past fourth seeds and compatriots Parikshit Somani and Manish Sureshkumar 6-3, 6-3 to enter the final.

Later, Mukund Sasikumar made up for his defeat in singles when he along with Vishnu Vardhan reached the doubles semifinals, defeating Indian duo Faisal Qamar and Fardeen Quamar 7-6(7), 3-6, 10-7 in a match carried over from Thursday. Results (Singles, QF): S.D. Prajwal Dev (IND) beat (4) Mukund Sasikumar (IND) 1-6, 7-5, 7-6(4); (2) Oliver Crawford (USA) beat Florent Bax (FRA) 6-4, 6-0; George Loffhagen (GBR) beat Karan Singh (IND) 7-6 (4), 6-3; (8) Ellis Blake (AUS) beat (3) Orlov Vladyslav (UKR) 7-6 (4), 6-4

OFFICE OF THE UNGMA IMLANG JAMIR KIDONG (Clan ) FELICITATION

The Ungma Imlang Jamir Kidong (Clan) would like to immensely thank our Hon'ble Chief Minister Shri Neiphiu Rio, Shri Chingwang Konyak President NDPP and Shri Sharingain Longkumer Speaker NLA for the appointment of one of our bona-fide clan member Dr Watizulu Jamir as Chairman DAN.

k-699/23

The Ungma Imlang Jamir clan Congratulates Dr Watizulu Jamir, and it is our ardent prayer that he has good health, prosperity, and success in all his endeavours. Sd/Onentiba Jamir Tatar, Rarentemjen Jamir Tatar, Takoyanger Jamir Tatar, Takanukshi Jamir Tatar, Nungsangmeren Jamir Tatar, Sentitsúk Jamir Tatar.

MkC-118/23

The

conducted from April 12th-15th, 2023 at Chavino Memorial Tennis Complex, Kuda Village Dimapur. This tournament is being organised by DDTA and KDTA under the guidance of NLTA. Events include Men’s Singles and Doubles, Veterans Doubles and Mixed Doubles. Interested athletes may kindly contact 8413087643/8118925708

2nd Dr. Savizo N Yhome Memorial Tennis Cup will be

A new fitness gym called ‘Fit Palace’ at Supply colony, opposite State Library, Kohima was officially opened on Friday during a short event hosted by the proprietors, Neizovolie Yhome and Dzevilanuo Yhome. (NP)

Titans begin IPL title defence with win over CSK

AHMEDABAD, MAR 31 (PTI): Shubman Gill

eclipsed Ruturaj Gaikwad’s high-quality knock with a dazzling half-century as Gujarat Titans began their title defence with a convincing five-wicket win over Chennai Super Kings in the IPL opener here on Friday.

Gaikwad was all class in his 92 off 50 balls before Titans pulled things back in the middle overs to limit Chennai Super Kings to 178 for seven after opting to bowl first in front of a near capacity crowd at the world’s largest cricket stadium here. In the form of his life over the past three months, Gill played some jaw-dropping strokes in his 63 off 36 balls to set up a fine win for the home team. Titans got home in 19.2 overs.

Gill’s opening partner Wriddhiman Saha showed he has still got it as he smashed a couple of sixes and as many fours in his 16ball 25 that got the Titans going in the run chase.

Gill’s best shot of the innings was the back foot punch off CSK’s impact player Tushar Deshpande and he followed with a pick

up shot over midwicket.

Titans’ impact player Sai Sudharsan, who was used in place of an injured Kane Williamson, contributed with 22 off 17 balls.

When Gill departed, Titans needed 41 off the last five overs but CSK managed to take the game down to the wire. It needed a cameo from Rashid Khan (10 not out off 3) to settled the nerves in the Titans dressing room. Earlier, it was a display of effortless hitting

from Gaikwad, who relied on his lofted drives over extra cover and crisp pull shots to collect as many as nine sixes.

Apart from Gaikwad, the only other batter who put the Titans under pressure was Moeen Ali who came up with a 17-ball 23.

Ali’s flat six off Mohammad Shami on a free-hit ball was the highlight of his cameo.

Gaikwad pulled IPL debutant Joshua Little on his very first ball to set the

Sri Lanka miss out on direct Cricket World Cup qualification after New Zealand loss

seal a six-wicket win for New Zealand.

With the victory in Hamilton, New Zealand secured a 2-0 win in the three-match ODI series.

With the defeat, Sri Lanka have failed to overtake West Indies (88 points) for the final direct qualification spot. Sri Lanka end their CWCSL campaign on 81 points.

HAMILTON, MAR 31

(IANS): Sri Lanka have failed to snatch the eight spot in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League table after losing to New Zealand in the third ODI here. Sri Lanka captain Dasun Shanaka opted to bat first in the crucial encounter. But the Sri Lankan batters failed to fire yet again, struggling against the pace and bounce of the New Zealand bowlers.

Matt Henry (3/14), Henry Shipley (3/32) and Daryl Mitchell (3/32) were all outstanding with the ball, as Sri Lanka huffed and puffed to cross the 150run mark. For Sri Lanka, Pathum Nissanka (57 off 64), Dasun Shanaka (31 off 36) and Chamika Ka-

runaratne (24 off 42) were the only batters to show any form of resistance. The visitors were bowled out for 157 in 41.3 overs, with their bowlers now facing a herculean task of getting their side over the line.

In reply, New Zealand’s chase got off to a rocky start as they lost three wickets within the first seven overs. Four of their batters Chad Bowes, Tom Blundell, Daryl Mitchell and Tom Latham failed to reach the doubledigit mark.

But Will Young and Henry Nicholls played vital knocks to get the hosts over the line. The pair established a partnership of 100 runs with Young scoring 86* and Nicholls 44* to

Sri Lanka will now travel to Zimbabwe in June to compete in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier and look to secure their place in the 2023 edition of the tournament later this year, reorts ICC.

New Zealand end on the top spot of the CWCSL standings, accumulating 175 points in their campaign.

West Indies could still be pipped in the race for the eighth spot by South Africa (78 points) and Ireland (68 points). South Africa will play a two-match ODI series against Netherlands starting today, while Ireland have a three-match ODI series against Bangladesh in May.

tone of his innings. That over went for 15 runs and with Shami conceding 17 runs in the following over, CSK got the momentum they were looking for.

Titans’ trump card Rashid Khan was introduced in the powerplay and as he often does, he got the wicket that his team was looking for by getting the dangerous looking Ali caught behind. Rashid’s second over saw him getting rid of England Test captain Ben

SAI recognises their meritorious coaches, players

NEW DELHI, MAR 31

(IANS): The Sports Authority of India (SAI) felicitated their meritorious players and coaches for the year and gave them SAI Institutional Awards 2022-23, celebrating their 39th Foundation Day with a first-of-its-kind cultural event - Sangat.

The grand celebrations, which were held in Delhi’s Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, had Honourable Union Minister for Youth Affairs and Sports and Information & Broadcasting Anurag Singh Thakur as their chief guest who gave away the awards. The event also felicitated Sports Padmasree awardees of the year 2022, who have also been SAI Coaches and/or players -Gurcharan Singh (Cricket), Capt. Shriram Singh (Athletics), Rani Rampal (Hockey), Mariyappan (Para Athlete), Late N Dingko Singh (Boxing) -- award collected by his wife Babai Devi.

SAI also recognised the four women boxers who have emerged from SAI Schemes and won India gold medals at the recently concluded Women Boxing World Championships.

Stokes, who too was caught by wicketkeeper Saha, leaving CSK at 70 for three.

However, the fall of wickets did not make Gaikwad change his game as he kept getting the boundaries. He welcomed Alzarri Joseph into the attack by smashing him for three sixes in the eighth over. Titans did well to stem the flow of runs in the middle overs and got the wicket of Ambati Rayudu. Shivam Dube struggled to find the big hits and that put pressure on Gaikwad who was caught in the deep in the 17th over and missed out on a deserving hundred.

Skipper M S Dhoni came out to bat at number eight but still managed to make an impact as he pulled Little for a six before flicking him for a four in the final over, sending the crowd into a frenzy. The last five overs yielded 45 runs for CSK.

BRIEF SCORES: 178 for 7 in 20 overs (Ruturaj Gaikwad 92; Moeen Ali 23; Rashid Khan 2/26, Mohammed Shami 2/29, Alzarri Joseph 2/33) Gujarat Titans 182 for 5 in 19.2 overs (Shubman Gill 63; Rajvardhan Hangargekar 3/36).

Madrid Spain Masters: Sindhu storms into semis; Srikanth ousted in quarters

MADRID, MAR 31

(IANS): India’s two-time Olympic medallist P.V. Sindhu stormed into the semifinals of the Madrid Spain Masters 2023, beating Denmark’s Mia Blichfeldt in straight games here on Friday.

On a mixed day for India, Kidambi Srikanth crashed out of the BWF Super 300 badminton tournament, losing to Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto in a quarterfinal match.

Sindhu got into the act after a tight start as she defeated Blichfeldt 21-14, 21-17 in a 40-minute encounter, registering her sixth win against the Danish player. Sindhu, the silver medallist at the 2016 Rio Olympics and bronze medallist in Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021, has recently dropped out of the top 10 in the BWF World Rankings.

The 27-year-old Sindhu has recently returned from the injury she suffered during the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham and has had indifferent results in the events she

has played in 2023 so far.

In the semifinals, Sindhu will take on Yeo Jia Min of Singapore, who defeated American eighthseed Beiwen Zhang 21-16, 21-14,

After a tight start to the match, Sindhu, the world No. 11 and second seed, won six consecutive points to finish off the opening game and take the lead.

Blichfeldt, 19th in the latest BWF rankings, took the fight to Sindhu in the second game and raced to a 12-6 lead. The Indian

Wimbledon allows Russian and Belarusian players to compete as ‘neutral athletes’

LONDON, MAR 31 (IANS): Russian and Belarusian players are allowed to compete at Wimbledon this year after the All England Lawn Tennis Club (AELTC) on Friday lifted the ban on players from the two countries, which was imposed last year in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The players from Russia and Belarus can take part subject to competing as ‘neutral athletes’ and complying with appropriate conditions which include -- not receiving funding from the Russian and/or Belarusian state (including sponsorship from companies operated or controlled by the state) and not to support the Russian and/or Belarusian state or their regimes and leaders.

The AELTC said the decision was taken after constructive dialogue with the UK Government, the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) and international stakeholder bodies in tennis.

The LTA said that all Russian and Belarusian players and support staff who wish to take part in Wimbledon and all the UK warm-up events including the tournaments at Queen’s

NECDC: Nagaland and Manipur register wins

for 1 wicket each.

Nagaland Captain Jonathan Rongsen dazzling performance with the bat and ball, scoring 102 runs and 2 wickets made him the undisputed man of the match. With this win, Nagaland topped Group-B and will play Meghalaya

DIMA PUR, MAR 31

(NPN): Nagaland and Manipur have registered their respective matches at the ongoing North East Cricket Development Committee on Friday played at the Nagaland Cricket Stadium and Sovima Cricket ground. Both Nagaland and Manipur have topped their respective group.

Nagaland beat Sikkim

Host Nagaland took on Sikkim at the other ground at Sovima elected to bat first after winning the toss in a reduced to 33 overs per side because of soggy outfield.

A perfect captain’s knock of 102 runs off 87 balls from Jonathan Rongsen saw Nagaland post an

imposing total of 183 runs on the board to set Sikkim a target of 184

Sikkim bowler Palzor Tamang picked up 4 crucial wickets, while Lee Yong Lepcha also picked up 3 important wickets even as Jonathan Rongsen dazzled with the bat.

Sedezhalie Rupreo (24), Tahmeed Rahman (14) runs and Hem Bahadur Chetri (13) were the other notable run getters for Nagaland. Faced with an uphill task and field condition, Sikkim had the worst possible start as their opening trio of Pankaj Rawat, Arun Chettri and Nilesh Lamicha made their way back to the pavilion with a meagre score of

3, 2 and 6 runs respectively. There was however some fightback as Ashish Thapa (11), Anwesh (28) , Palzor Tamang (22) runs, Lee Yong Lepcha 18 runs and Ankur Malik (30) built important partnerships to comeback fight for the Sikkimese team. Sikkim could have got home with the run chase if not for the Nagaland Spinners who spun the web and took the wickets of Anwesh, Palzor Tamang, Lee Yong Lepcha and Ankur Malik and drew the curtains on Sikkim. Nagaland bowlers Nagaho Chishi, Tahmeed Rahman and Jonathan Rongsen took 2 wickets while Khrievitso Kense and Hoponkyu Sangtam settled

on 1st April 2023 at Sovima Cricket Ground at 08:45 am. Manipur will play Sikkim, runners-up of Group-2 at Nagaland Cricket Stadium on April 1 at 08:45 am. Nagaland will play Meghalaya, runners-up of Group-1 at Sovima Cricket Stadium on April 1 at 08:45 am.

Manipur beat Meghalaya

On the back of a convincing win against Arunachal Pradesh by 8 wickets in the last match, Meghalaya who won the toss, chose to bat first. They got off to a flying start with Kishan Lyngdoh (37 runs) and Arien Bonchang (55 runs) providing a dream start. Manipur’s bowling which showed discipline in the last match against Arunachal Pradesh, however and slowed the progress of Meghalaya. Meghalaya battersSwarajeet (11), Anish Charak (17), Lerry (13) and Sanvert B Kurkalang (12) could not convert their start into big scores. Manipur bowlers Bisworjit Singh and Kishan Laishram picked up 3 wickets each while Jotin Pheiroijam, Rajkumar Rex Singh and Bikash Singh picked up a wicket each to

reduce Meghalaya to 178 runs all out in 48.3 overs.

In reply, Manipur reached the target in 38.1 overs losing 4 wickets. Md Basir Rahman and Langlonyamba both managed to complete their half centuries, while Kamnajit Yumnam and Longjam Ronald scored 19 and 11 runs respectively. Md Sultan Karim (4) and Jotin Pheiroijam (30 not out) took Manipur team home to top Group-A table thus qualifying for the Semi-finals. Manipur will now face the runner up of Group-B Sikkim on April 1 at Nagaland Cricket Stadium. Manipur captain Langlonyamba was awarded the man of the match for his 50 runs and explicit leadership role inside the field. Manipur tops group-1 to qualify for the semi-finals with Meghalaya as the runners-up.

and Eastbourne in 2023 will be required to sign neutrality declarations. There will also be a zero-tolerance approach to any flags, symbols or other actions which support Russia, Belarus or the war from anyone in the venues, including players and spectators.

“We continue to condemn totally Russia’s illegal invasion and our wholehearted support remains with the people of Ukraine,” Ian Hewitt, Chairman of the All England Club said in a statement.

“This was an incredibly difficult decision, not taken lightly or without a great deal of consideration for those who will be impacted. It is our view that considering all factors, these are the

most appropriate arrangements for The Championships for this year.”

Last year, the AELTC and LTA banned the Russian and Belarusian players from British tournaments which led to significant penalties being imposed on them by both the ATP and WTA tours.

The LTA was hit with a fine and world ranking points were removed from last year’s Wimbledon. The decision opened doors for Russian trio Daniil Medvedev, Andrey Rublev, and Daria Kasatkina, the highest-profile players, to return to the championships, along with Belarusian women’s singles player Aryna Sabalenka, who won the Australian Open earlier this year.

former World Champion, however, stepped up to level up the game at 16-all before ending the match in straight games.

In the men’s quarterfinal, former World No. 1 Srikanth bowed ou’ from the men’s singles competition following a 21-18, 2115 loss to top-seed Kenta Nishimoto of Japan. Srikanth, who slipped to the 21st place in the latest BWF rankings, went toe-to-toe with the Japanese shuttler in the opening game and trailed Nishimoto by a single point at 17-16.

Barcelona on right track to secure title: Laporta

WARSAW, MAR 31 (IANS): FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta has said that the team is “on the right way to winning the La Liga title, but the race is not over.”

Xavi Hernandez’s team are on course to regain the La Liga title as the Catalans have a 12-point advantage over Real Madrid with 12 matches to play. “We are on the right track to take the crown, the players know that. We defend very well and we attack effectively. However, there are still three months until the end of the season. It’s time to continue hard work and it’s definitely too early to celebrate. The race for the title is not over yet,” Laporta told Xinhua.

The Barcelona top official came to Poland for the premiere of a documentary about Poland international Robert Lewandowski who has had a brilliant start to life at Camp Nou, with 25 goals in all competitions. “I’m happy that I’m the one who brought Lewandowski to Barcelona. He made the club happy again as he is a great player and a great professional”, Laporta said.

Neithongunuo conferred with Women Leadership Award by WWLC

DIMAPUR, MAR 31

(NPN): Neithongunuo Rio

Achumi received the Women Leadership Award for her contributions as an athlete and coach (Health, Fitness and Beauty category) by World Women Leadership Congress (WWLC) and Awards, North East’s Woman Leaders. The conference and award ceremony was held on the March 30 at Vivanta, Guwahati, Northeast regional round.

The WWLC hosts its annual Women Leadership Awards to identify and celebrate the outstanding leadership and achievements demonstrated by women leaders that are reflected by the distinct innovations and initiatives brought in by them in various private and public sectors.

The Women Leadership Award recognizes and appreciates the profound role played by women as leaders, executioners and decision makers, in shaping the future of the region and nation and who embody the qualities of leadership in displaying active, creative and integrative efforts in achieving the best possible

Neithongunuo Rio Achumi receiving the Women Leadership Award from WWCL in Guwahati.

results in the national and regional development plans.

The World Women Leadership Congress (WWLC) honours the strategic and influential role of various women leaders in the development of the

modern economy, technology and administrative methodologies that promotes the advancement of the government and business organization according to the standards of global competitiveness.

P.V. Sindhu

Match in action between Manipur and Meghalaya during the NECDC tournament.

Gujarat Titans batter Shubman Gill plays a shot during the IPL match between Chennai Super Kings and Gujarat Titans, at Narendra Modi Stadium, in Ahmedabad. (PTI)