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India's Historic aditya-L1 solar Mission achieves successful Launch

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has successfully launched its maiden solar mission, Aditya-L1, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC-SHAR) in Tirupati district on Saturday. The ‘Aditya L1’ mission marks India's entry into the field of space-based solar observatories.ISRO successfully launched the mission at 11.50 am, with the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) carrying AdityaL1 took off from the second launchpad at the SDSCSHAR. This mission is the 59th flight of the PSLV rocket and the 25th mission using the PSLV-XL

configuration, highlighting the reliability of the launch vehicle.

Aditya-L1 spacecraft's trajectory involves several phases, beginning with its placement in a low Earth orbit. It will then transition into a more elliptical orbit before being propelled towards the Lagrange point L1. This journey, from launch to reaching L1, is expected to span approximately four months. L1 is located around 1.5 million km from Earth and is considered the ideal vantage point for observing the Sun continuously without interruptions. This strategic location will enable

Aditya L1 mission carries seven payloads to orbit to observe the photosphere, hromosphere and the outermost layers of the Sun's atmosphere.

Aditya-L1 to monitor solar activities in real-time and provide valuable insights into space weather.

Aditya-L1 is equipped with seven payloads designed to study various aspects of the Sun, including the photosphere, chromosphere, and the corona. Among the instruments are the Visible Emission

Line Coronagraph (VELC), the Solar Ultra-violet Imaging Telescope (SUIT), the Aditya Solar Wind Particle EXperiment (ASPEX), and Plasma Analyser Package for Aditya (PAPA). The observatory also features the Solar Low Energy X-ray Spectrometer (SoLEXS), the High Energy L1 Orbiting X-ray Spectrometer (HEL1OS), and an Advanced Tri-axial High-Resolution Digital Magnetometer payload. Of the total payloads, four onboard the spacecraft would directly view the Sun while the remaining three would undertake insitu studies of particles and fields at the L1 point.

Allegations against Adani: Rahul demands

PM’s “explanation”, JPc probe

Mumbai: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Thursday demanded Prime Minister Narendra Modi “categorically explain what is going on” in the light of fresh allegations against the Adani Group and sought a joint parliamentary committee (JPC) probe into the accusations. Addressing a press conference here ahead of the I.N.D.I.A alliance meeting, Gandhi presented the clippings of two foreign newspapers on Adani and said the publications have raised serious questions abot the Adani Group with evidence which needs a detailed probe.

The reports were based on fresh allegations brought against the Adani Group by the Organised Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP), Gandhi said. The former Congress chief demanded a JPC be formed and a thorough investigation carried out to probe the allegations against the business conglomerate.The OCCRP report alleged that “opaque”

Mauritius funds were used to funnel substantial investments into the publicly traded stocks of the Adani Group, purportedly masking the involvement of business partners associated with the Adani family. Gandhi demanded that PM Modi clear up the issue before the G20 leaders arrive for the summit which will be held in New Delhi on September 9 and 10.“They (G20 leaders) are going to be asking what is this special company that is owned by a gentleman close to the PM and why is it that in an economy like

Fresh Spell of Ethnic Violence in Manipur, Two Killed

Guwahati: In the ongoing ethnic clash in strife-torn Manipur, two more people were killed and five others including two police personnel critically wounded in the ongoing firing between two communities at the border of the state’s Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts on Thursday.Informing that firing broke out between the two communities on Wednesday, security sources said that at least five people

had sustained injuries out of which three were taken to Churachandpur district hospital. While one was hit by splinters on his head, the others sustained injuries on their shoulders, legs and back, officials said.Security sources said that intermittent firing continued even on Thursday, one person from Bishnupur, four people from Churachandpur and two IRB personnel had sustained injuries.

India this gentleman is being given a free ride?” said the Congress MP. Iterating that the newspapers which carried the allegations impact investment in the country, he said “These are not random newspapers. These newspapers affect investment in India and the perception of India in the rest of the world. They are stating that over a billion dollars of money went from India, was circulated in different places and then came back to India”.

Raising a series of questions, he said “Whose money is this?

I don’t understand why the Prime Minister is not forcing an investigation. Why is he quiet? Why doesn’t he say that he is going to make sure that this issue is investigated and the people who are responsible are put behind bars? This is raising a very serious question on the Indian Prime Minister just before the G20 leaders come here,” said Gandhi.

Is it Adani’s or someone else’s? The mastermind behind this is a gentleman called Vinod Adani who is the brother of Gautam Adani. There are two other people who are involved in this round-tripping of money.“One is a gentleman called Nasir Ali Shaban Ali and another is a Chinese gentleman called Chang Chung Ling”, he said.

in the ongoing ethnic clash in strife-torn manipur, two more people were killed and five others including two police personnel critically wounded in the ongoing firing between two communities at the border of the state’s Churachandpur and Bishnupur districts on Thursday.

Govt trying to manage news cycle in 'Modi style', says Congress on Parliament's special session

New Delhi: Hours after the government called a special session of the Parliament from September 18 to 22, the Congress hit out at it, claiming that it is trying to manage the news cycle in "Prime Minister Narendra Modi style" but the demand for a JPC will continue to resonate inside and outside Parliament. In a tweet, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said: “Managing the News Cycle, Modi style. One, news today has been dominated by latest revelations on the Modani-scam. Second, tomorrow the evergrowing INDIA parties meet in Mumbai. How to counter? Announce a five-day special session of Parliament when Monsoon session has

just ended three weeks back. Regardless, the JPC (Joint Parliamentary Committee) demand will continue to resonate inside and outside Parliament.”

Congress leader Manickam Tagore, in a tweet, said: "Thank you for calling the session on 18th September. The Adani Mega Scam is the largest corruption scandal in Indian history. Who are Chang ChungLing and Nasser Ali

GOvt callS SPecIal PaRlIaMent SeSSIOn fROM SeP 18-22

New Delhi: A special session of Parliament has been convened from September 18 to 22, Parliamentary Affairs

Minister Pralhad Joshi said on Thursday. In a post on micro-blogging platform X, Pralhad said, “The Special Session of Parliament (13th Session of 17th Lok Sabha and 261st Session of Rajya Sabha) is being called from September 18th to 22 having 5 sittings”. “Amid Amrit Kaal looking forward to having fruitful discussions and debates in Parliament,” Joshi said. Earlier, the monsoon session of Parliament, which began on July 20, concluded on August 11. During the monsoon session, the Lok Sabha passed 22 bills while the Rajya Sabha cleared 25. Both Houses approved 23 Bills. The monsoon session witnessed acrimonious exchanges between the government and the opposition I.N.D.I.A.

Shabhan, who ended up controlling 13 per cent of Adani shares through offshore operations from Mauritius? question remains."

The remarks from the Congress leaders came after the government said that it will convene a special session of Parliament between September 18 and 22. According to sources, President Droupadi Murmu is likely to address both Houses in the new Parliament building. The President, who was not present during the inauguration of the new Parliament building on May 28, which was inaugurated by the Prime Minister, is likely to address both Houses in the new premises.

"Special Session of Parliament (13th Session of

17th Lok Sabha and 261st Session of Rajya Sabha) is being called from 18th to 22nd September having 5 sittings. Amid Amrit Kaal looking forward to have fruitful discussions and debate in Parliament," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi tweeted. Sources aware of the developments said that a discussion on the roadmap for the next 25 years is also likely to take place during the session. Meanwhile, Shiv SenaUBT Rajya Sabha member Priyanka Chaturvedi questioned the timing of the special session of Parliament. "This special session called during India’s most important festival of Ganesh Chaturthi is unfortunate and goes against the Hindu sentiments. Surprised at their choice of dates."

Sharmila eyes key post in Congress, 15 Assembly tickets

Hyderabad, Aug 31 (IANS): YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP) chief Y. S. Sharmila, who met senior Congress leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi on Thursday, expects a key position and 15 Assembly tickets in return for the merger with the Congress.

During the meeting with Gandhis, she discussed wide-ranging issues related to Telangana politics and placed before them what she expected from the party leadership. Sharmila, daughter of Congress leader and former chief minister of undivided Andhra Pradesh late Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy (YSR), is said to be keen to get the position of Congress General Secretary.

Sharmila, who has already announced her intention to contest the Assembly election from Palair constituency in Telangana’s Khammam district, wants the party to give tickets

to her nominees for at least 15 constituencies."She will now wait for a response from the Congress high command and depending on the further talks the modalities for the merger will be worked out," a source in YSRTP. The YSRTP leader had detailed discussion with Rahul Gandhi on the Telangana politics. Sonia Gandhi later joined them.

Centre approves Mamata’s overseas tour next month to seek investments for Bengal

Kolkata: The Central government has approved the proposed overseas tour of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee next month to scout investments for the state, sources from the state government said. The chief minister, who is currently in Mumbai to attend the two-day grand opposition INDIA meeting, is supposed to leave for Dubai on September 12. From Dubai, she is to go to the Spanish capital of Madrid. The chief minister is supposed to come back to India on September 23 after completing her overseas tour. The main purpose of the tour

is to scout for investment opportunities although the state government official or the chief minister’s cabinet

The Central government has approved the proposed overseas tour of West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee next month to scout investments for the state, sources from the state government said.

colleagues are totally tightlipped about the details of her overseas tour schedule. State government sources said that as per protocol a communication was forwarded to the Centre from the state for the approval of

the chief minister’s overseas tours, which has finally arrived.It is learnt that the main aim of the chief minister’s overseas trip this time will be to interact with the non-resident Indian (NRI) businessmen settled there mainly in Dubai and Madrid.“She is supposed to highlight the investment atmosphere and excellent infrastructure in the state conducive for investments here. The chief minister is also expected to highlight the nature of cooperation and assistance that the state government is willing to provide for the sake of fresh investments in the state.

Principal director General, Sh. Rajesh Malhotra at the celebration of his Remarkable Journey Superannuation in PiB at national Media centre, in new delhi.

How concerned should we be about the latest COVID variants?

Every time I think about COVID-19, I cannot help but relive the memories and trauma of the early, pre-vaccine days of the pandemic, when we were all living under the fear of infection. As the world continues to try to consign the threat and bad memories of the virus to the pages of the history books, there are recent reports of increasing numbers of COVID-19 infections and scientists have identified new variants of concern around the world.

The question on everyone’s mind, especially government officials and health authorities, is whether or not a new wave of COVID-19 is likely to disrupt our world once again, especially with many countries in the Northern Hemisphere bracing for what has become an annual spike in infections with the return of colder weather, on top of the usual seasonal flu cases that can put vulnerable people at risk and add to the strain on overstretched national health systems.

Although COVID-19 has been controlled to a great extent globally, with North Korea recently becoming the latest country to lift precautionary measures, a few months after China did so, some places are starting to see increases in infection and hospitalization rates.

Authorities in the US have warned of newly detected variants of concern, prompting medical experts to reemphasize the need for people in highrisk groups to resume precautionary measures such as wearing masks in public to reduce the risk of potentially deadly infection.The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said a new

variant called BA.2.86 was discovered during routine monitoring of wastewater. It follows similar reports from South Africa, Switzerland, Israel, Denmark and the UK, according the World Health Organization. This new Omicron variant has more than 35 mutations in key portions of the virus compared with XBB.1.5, which has been the dominant variant for most of 2023.The question on everyone’s mind is whether or not a new wave of COVID-19 is likely to disrupt our world once again

Mohamed Chebaro

It is too early to know how virulent or widespread this new variant might be but most countries are carefully

monitoring for signs of increased transmission, more severe illness, and higher hospitalization rates. So far, the increases have not reached levels where they would be a major cause for alarm. However, the most recent UK government statistics show that COVID-19 cases have doubled in recent weeks. They reveal that 875 cases were recorded in England on Aug. 11, compared with 449 a month earlier. Hospital admissions increased by 20 percent in the space of a week. Health authorities also reported that 589 out of 6,500 neighborhoods in England had detected at least three COVID cases in the week ending Aug. 12.

Experts have been warning for some time that although the virus could mutate and weaken, effectively disappearing as a threat, it could also become more infectious and its effects more serious, potentially rendering current vaccines ineffective. Although pharmaceutical companies are likely to be able to modify their vaccines to cope with the new variant, blind spots resulting from reduced levels of testing and data gathering as the threat has receded could affect how prepared they are

and how quickly they can act.Attempting to predict the evolution of COVID-19 without effective ongoing data could be harmful, as the vaccinated population’s immunity wanes with time without regular boosters, and vaccines that are highly effective now are not guaranteed to be so as new variants emerge. If we add in other factors such as the colder weather as we move into fall, the return to school after the summer break, and the increasing trend of people returning to offices as many employers cut back on remote-working arrangements, then there is the risk of providing a dangerous breeding ground for the virus and new mutations.Despite all the cost pressures currently affecting authorities in most countries, governments must not fail in their duty to preserve public health That is why experts have advised that awareness campaigns be revived to help highlight the continuing risks, and renewed their calls for masks to be worn in public, at the very least by people who are particularly vulnerable to the effects of the virus, and in healthcare settings.I was on a plane the other day and was one of only five people who opted to wear a face mask during the four-hour flight, to protect not only myself but others from the possible spread of the virus.

The experts also stress that there is a need for a return to more widespread and effective testing and data collection, or at least to make better use of cheaper options such as analysis of wastewater, which can be a valuable indicator about the evolution of the virus and its effects on communities.

Every time i think about cOVid-19, i cannot help but relive the memories and trauma of the early, pre-vaccine days of the pandemic, when we were all living under the fear of infection.

Article 370: Sibal slams Centre for putting 5K people in J&K under house arrest, says don’t make 'mo

New Delhi: Senior advocate Kapil Sibal on Thursday asked Centre to not make “mockery of democracy” after Solicitor General Tushar Mehta said that “right people were under house arrest” as there “was no bandhs” post abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. At the outset on the 13th day of hearing, the Centre told the Supreme Court that it cannot give any fixed timeline for restoration of statehood in J&K and the Union government is ready for elections at any time in the valley.

SG Mehta argued that the region is continuously progressing by citing different figures. He apprised that in the previous year, around 1.88 crore tourists visited J&K and the one crore mark has been crossed till date for 2023.

He said that on comparing the present situation with 2018, terrorist initiated instances are reduced by 45.2 per cent, infiltration has been reduced by 90.2 per cent, stone pelting reduced by 97.2 per cent, and security persons casualties reduced by 65.9 percent. "In 2018, stone pelting was 1,767 (instances) and it is nil now and calls of organised bandhs (shutdowns) by secessionist forces were 52 and now it is nil," he said.

At this, Sibal, appearing on a petitioner’s behalf, asked whether the Constitution Bench will take into account the facts presented by the government because as per him such factual statistics were extremely "irrelevant". He countered the figures given by the Centre by saying that they "will go into the mind of the court" and it was "trying to show as to how this enormous change (revocation of Article 370) has taken place for the benefit of the peo-

ple of J&K".

"If you have 5,000 people under house arrest and Section 144 throughout the state, there cannot be bandhs," he said, adding that such facts are not "necessary" or "relevant" in adjudicating upon the constitutional reference. "Today, the kind of drugs that are happening with the youths in J&K is unbelievable. I don't want to enter that part. Those facts are not relevant for the purposes of the court," he said. Sibal contended that live-streaming of proceedings brings facts given by the government on the record. "They are part of the public space and people feel what a great thing has been done by the government. This creates a problem," he said.

Mehta interjected here, saying that "progress never creates a problem". "On the lighter side, there were some people under house arrest and therefore, there was no bandh. That means the right people were in house arrest." The remarks made by the second highest law officer of the country engaged Sibal.

"Let's not make a mockery of democracy. 5,000 people were under house arrest and (Section) 144 throughout the state. This court in a judgement has recognised that. The Internet was shut down and then how could there be bands when people can't even go to hospital.

Let's not go into all this," he said. The highintensity argument was cooled off with the intervention from the Constitution Bench headed by CJI D.Y. Chandrachud, which held that the "constitutional challenge will be considered on constitutional grounds and not on the basis of the policy decisions". It clarified that

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal on thursday asked centre to not make “mockery of democracy” after Solicitor General tushar Mehta said that “right people were under house arrest” as there “was no bandhs” post abrogation of Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir. At the outset on the 13th day of hearing, the centre told the Supreme court that it cannot give any fixed timeline for restoration of statehood in J&K and the union government is ready for elections at any time in the valley.

the development work undertaken by the Centre in Jammu and Kashmir post August 2019 will not be relevant in deciding the constitutional challenge against abrogation of Article 370.

CJI Chandrachud remarked that the roadmap given by the Union government on restoration of statehood of J&K and holding of elections cannot be an answer to the constitutional challenge

and it has to be dealt "independently".

"The nature of development work taken place post August 2019 may not be relevant to the constitutional challenge …. (and) cannot be an answer to the constitutional challenge .... These facts would possibly have no bearing on the constitution issue," he orally observed.

Earlier in the day, the Central government told the Supreme Court that it cannot give any exact timeframe and it would take "some time" for restoration of statehood in Jammu and Kashmir while reiterating that the Union Territory status is "temporary". Mehta said that Union Home Minister Amit Shah had already made a statement on the floor of Parliament that after the situation returns to normalcy in Jammu and Kashmir, it would become a state again.

He said that the Union government is ready for elections at any time and call for polls will be taken by the State Election Commission and the Election Commission of India.

On Tuesday, the Constitution Bench asked the Attorney General and Solicitor General to seek instructions from the Central government over the timeframe to restore statehood of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir.

That day, the Centre said that the "Union Territory is not a permanent feature" and it will make a positive statement on August 31 before the court regarding Jammu and Kashmir.

During the hearing, the top court had stressed that the erstwhile state cannot be a "Union Territory in permanence", adding that the restoration of democracy was very important.

India to focus on offshore cage farming using bigger cages: Union Minister Rupala

Thiruvananthapuram: Union Minister of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Parshottam Rupala, on Thursday outlined a comprehensive plan to boost the mariculture sector of the country, saying that offshore cage farming is the immediate focus using bigger cages. During his visit to the Vizhinjam Regional Centre of the ICAR-Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute (CMFRI) here, Rupala said, “Cage fish farming is to be expanded to offshore waters with better cage designs having a size of 30-diametre or above that can accommodate lakhs of juveniles." Currently, cage farming is undertaken in near shore waters us-

ing 6-diametre cages.He added that CMFRI should spearhead research and development efforts in creating these advanced cages. “This is expected to significantly boost mariculture production in the country," added Rupala. He also urged CMFRI to expand seed production technologies for finfishes

to all the coastal states utilising the public-private-partnership (PPP) mode.This, he said, would help address the seed constraints and make available the required seeds to the fish farmers all over the country, adding that the Central government will soon come up with a mariculture leasing policy to ensure the sustainable use of mariculture resources. “This will ensure that mariculture operations are located in suitable areas and they do not cause environmental damage," Rupala said.Underscoring the untapped potential of Pearl Oyster production, he urged CMFRI to play a proactive role in scaling up its production in a bigger way.

Ready for J&K elections, can’t give exact timeline for restoring statehood: Centre to SC

New Delhi: The Centre on Thursday told the Supreme Court that it was ready to hold elections any time in Jammu and Kashmir, but could not give an exact timeline for restoring its statehood. Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Menta, appearing for the Centre, told the Supreme Court “We are ready for elections at any time in Jammu and Kashmir now”.

SG Mehta, however, said though steps to restore J&K’s statehood were already being implemented gradually, it (the Centre) cannot give an exact time frame for giving back its statehood. He made the submissions as the SC had on Tuesday asked the Centre whether there was a time frame to restore J&K’s statehood, and if a roadmap for that has been decided.

“The Union Territory status is temporary. We cannot give an exact time frame for restoration of statehood to the J&K UT, but the process of restoring statehood to J&K has already started,” Mehta told the five-judge Constitution bench, headed by the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Dr Dhananjaya Yeshwant Chandrachud, during the hearing of a batch of pleas challenging the abrogation of Article 370 in J&K.

The SG said the Centre is

ready to conduct J&K elections anytime. He also said the Legislative Assembly election in J&K is likely to be held after the Panchayat, and Municipal polls. He, however, clarified that it is up to the State Election Commission and the Central Election Commission to decide which election should take place first.

On the issue of the suspension of lecturer, Z A Bhat, SG Mehta told the SC that some advice has been given to the J&K administration and that he would seek instructions on the latest development on the issue. The four other judges of the Constitution bench of the Supreme Court hearing the batch of pleas pertaining to Article 370 are Justices Sanjay Kishan Kaul, Sanjiv Khanna, B R Gavai and Surya Kant Kant.

Justice (retired)

Jayant nath takes charge as acting chairman of dERc

New Delhi: Justice (retired) Jayant Nath on Thursday took charge as the acting chairman of Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC).

Justice (retired) Jayant nath on thursday took charge as the acting chairman of delhi Electricity Regulatory commission (dERc).

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal assured full support to Nath on behalf of his government. Kejriwal tweeted, “I wholeheartedly welcome Justice (retired) Jayant Nath as the new Chairman of DERC. Electricity is a very important sector, and we are making our best efforts to bring improvements. I assure full support from my government.” Delhi Power Minister Atishi said, “With the experience of retired Justice Jayant Nath, our government is ready to enhance and improve Delhi’s electricity department.” It is to be noted that the term of former DERC Chairman retired Justice Shabihul Hussain ended on January 9. The position was vacant since then. After a gap of around eight months, retired Justice Jayant Nath has taken charge, Delhi Power Minister’s office communiqué said.

Chief MinisTer paid hoMage To The MorTal reMains of Thiru K. saMidurai, forMer jusTiCe of Madras high CourT

Minister for Social Welfare and Women Empowerment handed over financial assistance from Chief Ministers Public Relief Fund for medical treatment of Tmt Lalitha Natarajan, Member ,Child Welfare Committee, Chennai North Zone

SOUTH INDIA VISON

Centre’s domestic gas cylinder price reduction indication of LS polls : Stalin

Chennai: Asserting that there were possibilities of more political parties joining the Opposition’s grand INDIA alliance, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK President M.K.Stalin on Wednesday night said the Centre’s decision to reduce the price of domestic cooking gas cylinders by Rs 200 was an indication of the ensuing Lok Sabha polls.

In a brief chat with the media after inspecting the desilting works in various parts of the city to prevent stagnation of rain water ahead of the ensuing Northeast monsoon, Mr Stalin said he would not be surprised even if the fuel prices were also re-

duced (ahead of the elections).

“It’s an indication of the (LS) polls”, he said on the LPG cylinder price reduction. “Will not be surprised even if the petrol and diesel

prices are reduced (ahead of the elections)’, he said. Mr Stalin also said that more parties are likely to the join the grand INDIA alliance formed by the Opposition parties, the third meeting of which will be held in Mumbai from tomorrow after the first two sittings at Patna and Bengaluru.While the BJP-led NDA at the Centre has been striving to make Prime Minister Narendra Modi for a third successive term, the Opposition has been working to join all the dots with like-minded parties to defeat the BJP in the polls to end the 10-year NDA rule and herald a new dawn for India.

Chennai: Continuing its week long in-situ scientific experiments after successfully landing on the Moon’s south polar region, another instrument on board the Rover carried by India’s third Lunar Mission Chandrayaan-3, has confirmed presence of Sulphur in the region through another technique.ISRO on Thursday said “Chandryaaan-3 Mission : In-situ Scientific Experiments. Another instrument onboard the Rover confirms the presence of Sulphur (S) in the region, through another technique. The Alpha Particle X-ray Spectroscope (APXS) has detected S, as well as other minor elements, it added.

It said “This finding by Ch-3 compels scientists to develop fresh explanations for the source of Sulphur (S) in the area: intrinsic?, volcanic?, meteoritic?,......?.” Releasing a video, the Space Agency said it showed an automated hinge mechanism rotat-

ing the 18 cm tall APXS, aligning the detector head to be approximately 5 cm in proximity to the lunar surface. Operation of Alpha Particle X-ray spectroscope onboard Ch-3 rover as observed from the Lander on August 29, 2023, the video said. On a

topic “What are lunar soil and rocks made of in the south polar region where Chandrayaan-3 landed? and How’s it different from other highland regions?, ISRO said these are the questions that the Chandrayaan-3 rover is trying to find answers with its

scientific instruments. Alpha Particle X-ray Spectrometer (APXS) onboard rover deploys down to observe the lunar sample as seen in the video, which is captured by the lander imager. APXS instrument is best suited for in-situ analysis of the elemental composition of soil and rocks on the surface of planetary bodies having little atmosphere, such as the Moon. It carries radioactive sources that emit alpha particles and X-rays onto the surface sample. The atoms present in the sample in turn emit characteristic X-ray lines corresponding to the elements present, it said. By measuring the energies and intensities of these characteristic X-rays, researchers can find the elements present and their abundances, ISRO added.

APXS observations have discovered the presence of interesting minor elements, including Sulfur, apart from the major expected elements such as Aluminum, Silicon, Calcium, Iron. It may be recalled that LIBS instrument onboard the Rover also confirmed the presence of Sulfur. Detailed scientific analysis of these observations are in progress.

Another CH-3 instrument confirm presence of Sulphur in lunar region through another technique

President murmu expresses concern over pupils’ suicides

Raipur: Highlighting the grave and poignant issue of students’ suicides, President Droupadi Murmu averred on Thursday that she feels extremely pained when such youngsters end their very existence. Addressing the statelevel launch of the theme ‘The Year of Positive Change’ of Brahma Kumaris at the Chhattisgarh capital’s Shanti Sarovar, the First Citizen said, “In the recent past, a couple of candidates preparing for the NEET ended their lives. Competition is a positive sentiment that embellishes life but defeat and victory are part of the game that should lead from failure to success. I appeal to one and all to comprehend these youngsters’ mentality and help them advance with self-confidence.

“If competition is causing pressure, then the latter can be tackled through positive thinking. Life’s challenges should be confronted with steely determination. Today’s theme is helpful in that direction especially for the country’s children who are leading incomplete existences. Everyone is unique. Deriving inspiration from others is fine but communication with one’s own self is imperative. In this scientific era, intelligent minors have to be mentally more robust. Non-

negative thinking enshrines the potential to improve our lives and those of the people in our vicinity,” she said. Emphasising that the nation is attaining dizzying heights, the President mentioned the success of Chandrayaan-3 and achievements in the global sports arena.

“The Indian scene is witnessing transformation. As an institution, the Brahma Kumaris are organising numerous programmes in more than 100 countries for the welfare of humanity. They helped me when I was living in hardship. Last month, I participated in a similar event in Odisha. The right path is easy to enunciate but difficult to fulfil. However, kasht karne se hi Krishna milte hain. The saying Chhatisgarhia sable badhiya (the residents of Chhattisgarh are the best) is a medium for conveying a centuries-old thought in a few words,” she underlined.

In this era of technology – when even kid speaks of artificial in-

telligence – it is necessary that people stay away from electronic gadgets during a certain portion of the day that should be reserved for spirituality, the President felt. “The purpose of life is not the mere acquisition of material assets. We are not bodies alone but also souls that are the Almighty’s inseparable parts. Even the soul requires nourishment. For developing inner peace, continue performing positive actions. Live among those who inspire you towards adopting the right path. It is our collective responsibility to change our times. To usher in a Ramrajya, we have to become Lord Ram and Goddess Sita,” she stressed during her 16-minute speech. Among the dignitaries present were Governor Biswabhusan Harichandan and Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel. Earlier, Mrs Murmu commenced a two-day visit of the state – her maiden such sojourn after assuming the mantle of the nation’s highest constitutional office.

If competition is causing pressure, then the latter can be tackled through positive thinking. Life’s challenges should be confronted with steely determination.

KCR says Telangana Model as a Leading Example for the Nation

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao said that the ‘Telangana model’ of welfare schemes and development programmes had become a guiding force for the country. He said Mahatma Gandhi's philosophy of ‘gram swaraj’ inspired him to introduce several village-centric welfare schemes and development programmes like Rythu Bandhu and Palle Pragathi.Addressing the closing ceremony of Swatantra Bharata Vajrotsavalu, organised to commemorate 75 years of India's Independence, at the HICC here on Friday, Rao said Gandhi's ideology influenced the state government in giving top priority to welfare, making farmer-centric plans and paying special attention to rural development.Rao said that the dream of Telangana state was realised only because the movement was taken up the Gandhian way even though some forces had said that the movement was a violent agitation.

"After the formation of TRS, I clearly declared that the Telangana movement will achieve victory only through a non-violent approach. Some did not agree with me. But eve-

ryone agreed that the path I chose was the right one and supported it. I decided not to leave the path of nonviolence come what may," Rao said, adding that even the idea of hunger strike was a Gandhian philosophy. "Some so-called intellectuals said that British rule was good during the Independence struggle. Such people were also there during the Telangana movement. They tried to mislead people by shamelessly announcing that they do not want Telangana.

Unity helped to achieve the goal." Rao stated."We solved the agrarian crisis like never before in Independent India. There is happiness in the eyes of farmers, thanks to schemes like Rythu Bandhu. We have travelled a long way towards village self-rule, self-sufficiency and uplift of rural professions. Now, villages have turned prosperous. No government has provided safe drinking water to all people. Telangana has set an example in this regard," he said. Stating that the state government was giving equal priority to villages, towns and cities, from agriculture to the development of industries and IT sectors, from tribals, Dalits, minorities to the upper caste poor, Rao said, "Telangana is moving forward with an integrated, inclusive and a comprehensive development model. Now, the Telangana model is a guiding force for the country." "Ours is the path of justice and of dharma. We are concerned with the welfare of all. Success will come to all of us. Let's fulfill the aspirations of freedom fighters. Let's keep Telangana at the forefront of nation building," Rao said.

Heavy rainfall likely over Odisha, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana & Kerala during Sep 4 to 6: IMD

New Delhi: The India Meteorological Department on Saturday said that isolated heavy rainfall is likely over peninsular India during Saturday and September 4 while increase in rainfall activity with heavy to very heavy rainfall is over Odisha, Coastal Andhra Pradesh, Telangana and Kerala during September 4 to 6. In Northeast India, the weather forecast indicates light to moderate scattered to fairly widespread rainfall and thunderstorms, with isolated heavy rainfall expected over Assam, Meghalaya and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura from Saturday to Sunday.Moving to East India, there's a prediction of light to moderate fairly widespread to widespread

rainfall, thunderstorms, and lightning. Isolated heavy rainfall is likely over Gangetic West Bengal on Sunday and over Odisha till September 6.“Additionally, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands will experience these conditions from Saturday to September 5, with isolated very heavy rainfall expected from Saturday to September 4 over the islands and from September 4 to 5 over Odisha,” said the IMD in its bulletin.The IMD further predicted that Central India will see light to moderate fairly widespread rainfall, thunderstorms, and lightning. “Isolated heavy rainfall is expected over Vidarbha from September 5 to 6 and over Chhattisgarh on Saturday and from September 4 to 6.” it said.

foreign powers’ focus turns to the asia-Pacific

Global diplomacy in September will be dominated by the G20 leadership event in India on Sept. 9-10. Yet, below that international radar screen are key East Asia and Association of Southeast Asian Nations summits a few days earlier. While the ASEAN and East Asia events in Indonesia are lower profile than the G20, the nations of the former — Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam — are fast becoming a key target of diplomacy for foreign nations outside the AsiaPacific, including those in North America, Europe and the Middle East. Little wonder, perhaps, in today’s frenzied geopolitics when the group has a population of over 600 million covering an area of 1.7 million square miles.

ASEAN also has a purchasing power parity and gross domestic product of over $10 trillion that is growing significantly. International interest in the area is shown by the fact that the UN Conference on Trade and Development tabled ASEAN’s foreign direct investment inflow for 2022 as having grown by 5 percent year on year in 2022, to a total of $224 billion, a record high and bucking the trend in various parts of the world amid the 12 percent overall decline of global FDI in the same year.

Of course, ASEAN has frequently engaged other countries in the AsiaPacific and beyond. It is a major partner of international bodies such as the UN, Gulf Cooperation Council, and the Southern Common Market, or Mercosur, and maintains a global network of alliances and dialogue partners.

However, the attention of foreign suitors outside

the Asia-Pacific is growing fast and includes the US, which has attended the East Asia summits since 2011. US Vice President Kamala Harris will attend the upcoming events in Indonesia, building from last year’s USASEAN summit in Cambodia, in which President Joe Biden participated. It was at the latter event that ASEAN leaders elevated

relations with the US to a comprehensive strategic partnership. This underlines how the Biden team has overseen a huge expansion in US-ASEAN relations, including the launch of five new highlevel dialogue processes on health, transportation, women’s empowerment, environment and climate, and energy, as well as greater engagement in existing dialogue tracks on foreign affairs, economics and defense. The EU is ASEAN’s third-largest trading partner, accounting for over 10 percent of trade

The US is also stepping up its diplomatic profile is by providing significant monetary assistance to ASEAN, with $860 million in 2022 alone, through the State Department and US Agency for International Development. This aid is supporting joint forums in areas such as climate ambition and clean energy transition, access to education, strengthened health systems, security modernization efforts, rule of law and human rights.Outside of North America, the EU also last year held its first summit with ASEAN. The EU and ASEAN have been dialogue partners since 1977 and, following a EU-ASEAN ministerial meeting in

2020, opened a new chapter by becoming strategic partners. This has seen the bilateral relationship flourish across three main platforms: political and security cooperation; economic collaboration; and sociocultural cooperation, which includes higher education, health, disaster management and preparedness, biodiversity protection and the effective management of protected areas, sustainable urbanization and sustainable agriculture.

Trade and investment relations, for example, have grown considerably during the last decade. The EU is ASEAN’s thirdlargest trading partner, accounting for over 10 percent of trade. Meanwhile, ASEAN is the EU’s thirdlargest trading partner outside Europe. The bloc is also the biggest investor in ASEAN countries.

Moving to the dynamic Middle East regions, nations such as Saudi Arabia and the UAE are also engaging ASEAN nations. The UAE last year signed ASEAN’s Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia, and obtained sectoral dialogue partner status, paving the way for enhanced trade and investment cooperation, and laying the groundwork for strategic partnerships in pursuit of mutual and regional prosperity.The UAE has said the country is constructing a “corridor of opportunity” between GCC states and Southeast Asia. A key part of this is fasttracking negotiations on comprehensive economic partnership agreements with Southeast Asian states to maintain the UAE’s status as a leading trading partner in the Middle East. Inevitably, in this hugely competitive context, other Asian powers are doubling down on their own engagement with ASEAN.

the Eu is ASEAn’s third-largest trading partner, accounting for over 10 percent of trade"

60% indians believe growing e-gaming sector can stem brain drain: study

Thiscomes as during the academic year 2021-22, over 200,000 Indian students pursued higher education in the US, while the Indian IT sector faced a persistent 25.2 per cent attrition rate in 2021. The continuing trend of talent exodus forecasts the potential departure of 2 to 2.2 million IT-BPM professionals by 2025. Amidst this scenario of talent drain, the online gaming sector emerges as a promising career avenue, fostering skill growth and innovation within India's tech landscape, revealed the study by the EGaming Federation (EGF) and Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata (ISIK).

“The research highlights the symbiotic relationship between technology and gaming. As the industry rapidly evolves, we have a unique opportunity to harness the creative potential of our youth and build a robust ecosystem that nurtures both technological innovation and economic growth,” said Dr. Diganta Mukherjee, Professor at the ISIK, in a statement.“This analysis unearths a strong belief among the respondents that India's homegrown gaming industry can reduce the brain drainage of talents in the technology domain, offering them opportunities towards innovation and growth right here on home soil,” added Dr. Subhamoy Maitra, Professor from the Institute. Conducted through an extensive survey of 4,644 individuals across Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu, the study demonstrates a very strong interest among both students

this comes as during the academic year 2021-22, over 200,000 indian students pursued higher education in the uS, while the indian it sector faced a persistent 25.2 per cent attrition rate in 2021. the continuing trend of talent exodus forecasts the potential departure of 2 to 2.2 million it-BPM professionals by 2025. Amidst this scenario of talent drain, the online gaming sector emerges as a promising career avenue, fostering skill growth and innovation within india's tech landscape, revealed the study by the E-Gaming Federation (EGF) and indian Statistical institute,

and professionals in the online skill gaming sector.The findings showed that 73 per cent of Indians have a strong inclination towards pursuing a career in the online skill gaming sector, highlighting the sector's vast growth potential. Further, 68 per cent people acknowledged the role of gaming in enhanc-

ing skill sets.

The study also showcased the online skill gaming sector's appeal to highly skilled engineers, with 55 per cent of respondents identifying it as a preferred domain due to its emphasis on technology adaptation and innovation. This sentiment aligns with the industry's

rapid integration of advanced technologies like AI/ML and VR, positioning India as a leading force in technological advancements.Around 67 per cent participants showed a willingness to pursue professional education in the gaming sector, indicating a desire to up-skill and contribute to the industry's growth.The participants also recognised the potential of 'gamification' in expanding the scope of the gaming industry, with 56 per cent agreeing that it offers tremendous opportunities for innovation. Over 62 per cent individuals perceived that the opportunities in the online skill gaming sector can enhance the overall skill sets of students and employees alike. “The online skill gaming industry is the new rapidly rising industry in the era.

About 60 per cent of indians believed that the homegrown online skill gaming sector can give people a chance to create for the world and could stem the brain drain to overseas tech jobs, according to a study on Monday.

Kolkata (iSiK).

Ahead of state-wide tour, OPS meets Rajinikanth

Chennai: In a sudden political development, ousted AIADMK leader and former chief minister O Panneerselvam (OPS) on Satuday called on actor Rajinikanth at his Poes residence here. “Panneerselvam meeting Rajinikanth assumes significance as the former will be launching his statewide tour shortly to seek the support of the people and every one knows that superstar Rajnikanth is a friend of BJP top brass including P M Modi, home minister Amit Shah and UP CM Yogi Adityanath. So whether they discussed politics or not is a big political question,” said Poonga Nagar Selvam, an AIADMK worker since the days of MGR. OPS camp sources said that the expelled AIADMK leader have discussed about the current political scenario in Tamil Nadu with Rajinikanth. It further added during the meeting, lasted for one hour, Panneerselvam

also sought Rajini’s support for his state-wide tour. With the parliament elections on the cards, Panneerselvam and his supports were in di-

lemma whether to start a new politicall outfit or to join TTV Dhinakaran’s Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK). However, few OPS supporters do not like to join AMMK for various reasons. Meanwhile there were also rumours that OPS is inching close towards the BJP.However, there is no official statement from Panneerselvam with regard to the meeting. But the meeting of ousted AIADMK leader with Rajnikanth created a political debate among the AIADMK followers. Those in the know maintained that the actor mostly spoke about general issues and is likely to refrain from active political works. Though the superstar is close to the saffron leaders.

differently abled sportspersons thanked the honble chief Minister for the Government order sanctioning high cash incentive to the national level winners in competitions in the presence of the honble Minister for youth Welfare and Sports development.

‘One Nation, One Election’ push by BJP is a conspiracy: Stalin

Speaking about the ‘INDIA alliance’, the DMK supremo said that the BJP is scared of the INDIA alliance.

CHENNAI: Launching a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modiled NDA government, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said on Sunday that the Union government’s idea to introduce ‘One Nation One Election’ is simply a conspiracy and this is not democracy but a dictatorship that our country is facing today. “PM Narendra Modi is trying to become by hatching a conspiracy of ‘One Nation, One Election’. When the AIADMK was the ruling party in Tamil Nadu, they opposed ‘One Nation, One Election’, but they are supporting it now. AIADMK is a scapegoat of ‘One Nation, One Election’, but they are supporting it without realising this,” Stalin said while addressing a marriage ceremony here.

“Everyone should realise the situation that our country is facing today. Just as you all gave a great victory to the DMK and its alliance to save Tamil Nadu in the last assembly elections, similarly, there is a need to save India now.

PM Narendra Modi is trying to become by hatching a conspiracy of ‘One Nation, One Election’. When the AIADMK was the ruling party in Tamil Nadu, they opposed ‘One Nation, One Election’, but they are supporting it now. AIADMK is a scapegoat of ‘One Nation, One Election’, but they are supporting it without realising this,”

Stalin said

I have said many times that it does not matter who should become the Prime Minister or who will come to power. What matters is who should not come to power, and that is our ambition. If the State government is overthrown in the Assembly, will you (BJP) wait until the next parliamentary elections without announcing the election

for the Assembly? I don’t need to fall at anyone’s feet to get power. As Tamil Nadu was saved in the assembly election, India should be saved in upcoming parliamentary elections,” he added. Speaking about the ‘INDIA alliance’, the DMK supremo said that the BJP is scared of the INDIA alliance. “The Centre has put the president as head of the team.

Even though he is a former president, he should stay away from politics. A team has been formed in a way that follows the BJP’s voice. It is a dictatorship. Three meetings are over for the INDIA alliance. In our last meeting in Mumbai, we formed various teams. The BJP is fearful of seeing such things. Now they are calling for a Parliament session. The

dMK’s allies back udhay on ‘Sanatana dharma’ eradication remark

CHENNAI: With the BJP going all guns blazing against DMK’s Youth Welfare Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s remark seeking to eradicate ‘Sanatana Dharma’, the alliance constituents of the INDIA bloc in the State-backed DMK scion, and clarified that his remark was not against Hindus.

Congress leader and Sivaganga MP

Karti P Chidambaram said that Sanathana Dharma is nothing but code for a Caste Hierarchical Society. “All those batting for it are hankering for the Good Ole Days! Caste is the Curse of India (sic),” he tweeted. “In the common parlance of Tamil Nadu “Sanatana Dharma” means Caste Hierarchical Society. Why is it that everyone who is bat-

ting for “SD” comes from the privileged segment who are beneficiaries of the “Hierarchy” There was no call for “Genocide” against anyone, this is a mischievous spin,” he wrote.

Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) president Thol Thirumavalavan recalled the words of Dr. BR Ambedkar to defend Udhayanidhi Stalin.

presidenT of india, sMT droupadi MurMu paying floral TriBuTes To The sTaTue of MahaTMa gandhi aT gandhi darshan, in neW delhi

principal secretary to prime Minister, shri pramod Kumar Mishra along with the lieutenant governor of delhi, shri Vinai Kumar saxena took stock of preparations and cleanliness prior to the upcoming g20 summit during his inspection to rajghat, in new delh

TriBuTes To The sTaTue of MahaTMa gandhi

g20 suMMiT during his inspeCTion

63rd

Union Minister for Education, Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, Shri Dharmendra

Pradhan visits Exhibition of new Information and Communication Technology (ICT) laboratory of the CIET during the 63rd Foundation Day Celebration Programme of NCERT, in New Delhi

haryana keen to foster ties with East, South African nations: Khattar

New Delhi: Haryana is keen to foster economic cooperation and promote cultural exchanges with East and South African nations. This indication was given by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar at a dinner hosted by him for ambassadors, high commissioners and embassy officials from East and South African Nations here, in which representatives from the Ministry of External Affairs and senior officers of the state government also participated. Ambassadors and High Commissioners from 18 East and South African countries, namely Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Congo, South Sudan, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Malawi,

Seychelles, Mauritius, Zambia, Botswana, Namibia, Madagascar and Zimbabwe turned up in the dinner. The women Ambassadors and High Commissioners present on the occasion tied Rakhis to the Chief Minister, who mentioned the significance of the Raksha Bandhan festival and added this is per-

haps the first time when any chief minister of an Indian State has connected with foreign ambassadors with this sacred thread of rakhi. A touching rakhi tying ceremony took place, symbolising the strong bonds of friendship and brotherhood between Haryana and African nations.Anisa KapufiMbega,

High Commissioner, Tanzania, Jacqueline Mukangira, High Commissioner, Rwanda, Rosette MossiNyamale, Ambassador, Congo, Victoria Samuel Aru, Ambassador Designate, South Sudan, Ambassador Bizunesh Meseret, Deputy Head of Mission, Ethiopia, and Harisoa Lalatiana Accouche, High Commissioner, Seychelles, tied rakhis on the hand of the Chief Minister, reinforcing the deep-rooted ties between the two regions. In his address, Khattar reiterated the state’s commitment to strengthening diplomatic ties, fostering economic cooperation, and promoting cultural exchanges between Haryana and the East and South African nations.

Foundation Day Celebration Programme of NCERT

Punjab CM deploys 741 trainee patwaris

to counter revenue officers on strike

Chandigarh: Unveiling the plan to ensure that the common man does not face any inconvenience due to the striking revenue officers, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday announced to deploy 741 trainee patwaris, besides ensuring biometric attendance of patwaris in offices.“This is the government of the people and the common man will not face any harassment due to whims and fancies of any agitation of the government officials,” said the Chief Minister. The Chief Minister said there are 3,660 posts of patwaris in the state out of which 1,623 are filled. However, he said keeping in view larger public interest the government has now decided to fill 2,037.

ED to court: Naresh Goyal diverted bank monies to clear personal loans

Mumbai: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has contended that Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal -- who was arrested late on Friday -- had allegedly diverted around Rs 9.50 crore from a public sector bank loan to clear off his private loans. Producing Goyal before a special PMLA court here on Saturday, the ED said that his daughter Namrata Goyal’s production house also got money from Jet Airways accounts to pay salaries and other commitments.

On Friday, the ED swooped on Goyal’s home, picked him up

for questioning and late in the night placed him under arrest for alleged money-laundering linked with a Canara Bank loan fraud case of Rs 538 crore between 2011 and 2019. The money-laundering case arose from a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) FIR filed against Goyal, his wife Anita, and others in connection with the al-

leged fraud perpetrated with Canara Bank.

The Canara Bank had complained that it had given loans and credit limit to Goyal’s Jet Airways worth Rs 849 crore, of which over Rs 538 crore was outstanding, and then declared a fraud in July 2021. The investigation also revealed that private and personal expenses of the Goyal family and staff salaries were paid through the airline accounts, and funds were siphoned off through Jet Lite by Jet Airways Ltd through loans, advances and investments.

Kejriwal, Priyanka Gandhi congratulate ISRO for successful launch of India's first solar mission Adi

New Delhi: Delhi

Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party

(AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal, Congress leaders Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and KC Venugopal on Saturday congratulated the team of Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) after the successful launch of India's solar mission Aditya-L1. Kejriwal in a tweet said: "Congratulations to ISRO and all our Indians for the successful launch of Aditya-L1, India’s maiden solar mission. This historic achievement marks another giant leap in space exploration. This Mission carries the hopes of billions and I pray for its triumph. Jai Hind."Priyanka Gandhi on a tweet in Hindi said, "Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has once

again created history. After the historic success of Chandrayaan-3, now ISRO has established India's strength in space by successfully launching Solar Mission Aditya L-1. Best wishes to the entire team of ISRO and all the coun-

trymen. Jai Hind."Even Venugopal, who is party general secretary (organisation) took to X (formerly Twitter) and said, "Heartiest congratulations to ISRO on the launch of Aditya-L1 Solar Mission. Every passing day, ISRO

shines brighter. The achievements of our scientists and engineers make us all proud. With the back-to-back success of the Chandrayaan-3 mission and the AdityaL1 launch, Indians are filled with an indescribable sense of pride, patriotism, and euphoria.

"The remarks from the AAP and Congress leaders came after India launched its first mission to the Sun this morning, just days after becoming the first country in history to achieve a soft landing of a spacecraft on the Moon’s uncharted south pole. The Aditya-L1 spacecraft is an unmanned observation satellite that India’s space agency (ISRO) wants to use to monitor the Sun’s activities, and learn more about how these impact space weather phenomena such as solar storms.

Study finds gene that protect against Alzheimer’s & Parkinson’s

People with a particular version of a gene involved in immune response had a lower risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, according to a massive study of medical and genetic data.

People with a particular version of a gene involved in immune response had a lower risk of Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, according to a massive study of medical and genetic data. The protective gene version, or allele identified in the study, published online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, is called DR4, and is carried by about one in every five people. Researchers from the Stanford University in the US found that people with DR4 had reduced chances of contracting either Parkinson’s or Alzheimer’s by more than 10 per cent on average.These lucky people may someday benefit all the more from a vaccine that could slow or stall the progression of these two most common neurodegenerative conditions. “In an earlier study we’d found that carrying the DR4 allele seemed to protect against Parkinson’s disease,” said Emmanuel Mignot, Professor in Sleep Medicine, psychiatry and behavioural sciences from Stanford Medicine.

“Now, we’ve found a similar impact of DR4 on Alzheimer’s disease,” he added.

In the study, the team included more than 100,000 people with Alzheimer’s disease and more than 40,000 with Parkinson’s disease from Europe, East Asia, the Middle East, and South and North America. The investigators also analysed data from the autopsied brains of more than 7,000 Alzheimer’s pa-

tients and found that DR4 carriers had fewer neurofibrillary tangles -- long, filamentous aggregates, composed largely of tau, that characterise Alzheimer’s disease -- as well as a later onset of symptoms, than their non-DR4 counterparts. The presence of neurofibrillary tangles has been shown to correlate strongly with the condition’s severity. Carrying DR4 also correlated with a later onset of symptoms in Parkinson’s patients, even though neurofibrillary tangles aren’t typically seen in that disease. This study hints that tau,

an essential player in Alzheimer’s, may turn out to also play some kind of role in Parkinson’s, Mignot said, although what that role may be is not clear. Noting DR4’s beneficial effects on tau levels and pathologies in both Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, the researchers zeroed in on tau. They chopped molecules of the protein into 482 peptides collectively spanning tau’s entire sequence, then placed them into separate dishes along with DR4’s protein product (also called DR4) to see if it binds strongly to any of those peptides. In addition, the research-

ers tested all the biologically likely chemical modifications each of those peptides can accrue once it’s been produced inside a cell. In people who carry any of the protective variants of DR4 (not all of them are protective) and whose brains have begun to accumulate tau aggregates, a vaccine could delay onset or slow progression of Alzheimer’s and possibly Parkinson’s, Mignot suggested. People who don’t carry DR4 wouldn’t benefit from this vaccine, Mignot noted. A blood test ought to be given to see who should or shouldn’t get vaccinated, Mignot said.

The Science of Muscle Recovery: Nutrition’s Crucial Role

Healthy morning habits to eliminate stress from life

New Delhi: Achieving fitness goals involves not only the workout itself but also what follows immediately after. The food and beverages you consume post your exercise session can significantly impact energy restoration, muscle building, fat burning, and overall progress maintenance. When you engage in physical activity, the proteins comprising your muscle fibers endure damage. These muscle fibers develop microtears, resulting in inflammation and muscle soreness. This is a natural response as your body adapts to the stress imposed during exercise. The recovery phase is essential as it allows muscles to repair and become stronger. Several factors contribute to effective recovery, including adequate nutrition, sleep, ice baths, foam rolling, and massages. A vital component of post-workout recovery nutrition is protein. Research indicates that consuming protein shortly after exercise can stimulate muscle recovery. When you ingest protein after a workout, it provides the essential amino acids required for muscle repair and growth, preparing you for subsequent exercise sessions.

High-quality protein sources include dairy, fish, meat, eggs, and soy. However, in today’s

fast-paced lives, it may not always be possible to obtain these natural protein sources in sufficient quantities at the right time. This is where nutrition bars can be a valuable solution. They are convenient, proteinpacked options that can be easily stored in your gym bag or office drawer. Nevertheless, selecting the right nutrition bar is crucial, and here’s a guide to help you make an informed choice.

But why should you consider consuming a nutrition bar? Indian diets predominantly center around grains and cereals, making it likely that you are not meeting your daily protein requirements. Research shows that 80% of Indian diets lack sufficient protein, and 90% of the population is unaware of their daily protein needs. Ideally, you should aim for approximately 1 gram of protein per kilogram of your body weight, with increased requirements for individuals engaged in intense workouts. Protein bars that specifically offer a substantial protein content can help you meet these goals in a sustainable manner. Other nutrition bars may emphasize energy provision or boast a range of healthful ingredients. Choose one that aligns with your specific needs.

Theearly hours of the day are a special time and the practice of mindful morning habits during this time can do wonders to keep your body and mind free of stress and enhance your wellness. While exercise, meditation, and proper nourishment are well-acknowledged in stress management, there are some wonderful yogic techniques also. Dr. Hansaji Yogendra, the director of The Yoga Institute shared with IANSlife some morning activities you could bring into your personal routine to nurture your wellbeing and to set a positive trajectory for the day ahead.

Early Rising

In India, the auspicious time approximately an hour and a half before sunrise is known as the Brahma Muhurta or the Creator’s Time. It is observed that at this time, our potential to be creative is at its peak. If you want to acquire new knowledge, to sharpen your skills, or even to enhance your health, you must do so in this creative time. In this magical time when the day begins, the universe is like a womb filled with cosmic energy. This energy can be easily absorbed if you are awake at this time. Early rising allows you to start your day with a sense of calmness, setting the stage for a stress-free morning.

Solitude

A tranquil morning

provides the space for the cultivation of solitude, a realm where introspection and selfdiscovery converge. Communing with oneself through practices meditation or reading scriptures nurtures emotional resilience and self-awareness. The sanctuary of solitude nurtures the spirit, fortifying it against the cacophony of the external world’s stresses. A meditative start to the day sets the tone for a serene mindset that can mitigate stress. Maintaining silence, even if only for a few moments, allows the mind to attune itself to the present moment.

Chanting Chanting mantras or sacred sounds is a powerful yogic technique that resonates with the body’s energy centers, or chakras. By uttering specific sounds, you can release tension and promote a sense of harmony. The ‘Om’ mantra, for instance, is known for its vibrational qualities that calm the mind and reduce stress. Chanting this mantra during your morning routine can create a serene and peaceful atmosphere.

Jal Neti

Jal neti is cleansing of the nasal passages with water. It stimulates the nerve endings and cools down your brain. Jal neti should be followed by Kapalabhati. Do 30 rounds of kapalabhati to open your energy channels. This practice not only helps clear the sinuses and

variants: Experts

Chennai: Newly detected BA.2.86 Covid sub-variant may be less transmissible than XBB and EG strains, which had earlier sparked significant infections across the globe, experts contended on Sunday. A.2.86, which descended from a Omicron variant, has so far been linked with 29 cases of Covid across four continents. The variant has been detected from both human and wastewater specimens.

New experimental data by Chinese scientists, not yet published or peerreviewed, showed that BA.2.86 is so different from previous versions of the virus that it easily escapes antibodies produced in response to earlier infections -- even more than EG.5 does. “BA.2.86 is antigenically distinct compared to XBB.1.5. It can significant-

ly escape XBB-infection/ vaccination induced antibodies, however, the infectivity of BA.2.86 may be much lower than XBB.1.5 and EG.5,” Yunlong Richard Cao, Assistant Professor at Peking University wrote on X (formerly Twitter).

“One possible scenario is BA.2.86 is less transmissible than current variants, and so never spreads widely,” evolutionary biologist Dr. Jesse Blooman, from the Fred Hutch Cancer Centre in the US was quoted as saying to The New York Times. “However, there is also a chance that the variant will spread widely — and we will just have to wait for more data to know.” The data suggest that the updated vaccine will also be less effective against it.

However, the US Cent-

ers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in its August 23 risk assessment, stated that based on currently available data, updated Covid-19 vaccines targeting the XBB.1.5 variant are expected to be effective against BA.2.86, for reducing severe disease and hospitalisation.

The BA.2.86 variant has more than 35 genetic differences from XBB.1.5, the dominant variant through most of this year. This genetic leap “is roughly of the same magnitude” as seen between the initial Omicron variant and the Delta variant, the CDC said.

“Such a high number of mutations is notable,” said infectious disease specialist Dr Scott Roberts in a recent bulletin in Yale Medicine. “When we went from [Omicron variant] XBB.1.5 to [Eris] EG.5, that

was maybe one or two mutations. But these massive shifts, which we also saw from Delta to Omicron, are worrisome,” he added. Meanwhile, the CDC also noted that compared with other recent circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants, BA.2.86 may be more capable of causing breakthrough infections in people who were previously infected or vaccinated. So far, it has not been found to cause more severe illness. But the limited number of cases means it’s too soon to know whether it causes more severe Covid-19 or is more transmissible than other variants, the CDC said. But, “Overall, it doesn’t appear to be nearly as extreme a situation as the original emergence of Omicron,” Ben Murrell, a researcher at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden.

Covid BA.2.86 appears less transmissible than XBB & EG

Increased intake of multivitamins may raise risk of cancer

Love to mindlessly pop multivitamin pills, without any proven deficiency? Beware, you may be at an increased risk of cancer, warns a study. The study led by a team from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden showed that Vitamin C and other antioxidants stimulate the formation of new blood vessels in lung cancer tumours.

The discovery, published in The Journal of Clinical Investigation, corroborates the idea that dietary supplements containing antioxidants can accelerate tumour growth and metastasis. However, the risk is only when taken in excess amounts.

“We’ve found that antioxidants activate a mechanism that causes cancer tumours to form new blood vessels, which is surprising, since it was previously thought that antioxidants have a protective effect,” said study leader Martin Bergo, Professor at the Department of Biosciences and Nutrition at Karolinska Institutet in Sweden.“The new blood vessels

cancer,

a study. The study led by a team from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden showed that Vitamin C and other antioxidants stimulate the formation of new blood vessels in lung cancer tumours.

nourish the tumours and can help them grow and spread,” Bergo added.

Antioxidants neutralise free oxygen radicals, which can damage the body, and are therefore commonly found in dietary supplements. But overly high doses can be harmful.

“There’s no need to fear antioxidants in normal food but most people don’t need additional amounts of them,” Bergo said.

“In fact, it can be harmful for cancer patients and people with an elevated cancer risk.”

Prof. Bergo’s research group has previously shown that antioxidants like vitamin C and E accelerate the growth and spread of lung cancer by stabilising a protein called BACH1.

BACH1 is activated when the level of free oxygen radicals drops, which happens, for example, when extra antioxidants are introduced via the diet or when spontaneous mutations in the tumour cells activate endogenous antioxidants.Now the researchers have been able to show that the

activation of BACH1 induces the formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis).While low oxygen levels (hypoxia) are known to be required for angiogenesis to occur in cancer tumours, the new mechanism identified by the researchers demonstrates that tumours can form new blood vessels in the presence of normal oxygen levels as well.

The study also shows that BACH1 is regulated in a similar way as the HIF1alpha protein -- a mechanism that was awarded the 2019 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine and that allows cells to adapt to changes in oxygen levels. HIF-1 alpha and BACH1 work together in the tumours, the new research showed.

“Many clinical trials have evaluated the efficacy of angiogenesis inhibitors, but the results have not been as successful as anticipated,” said Ting Wang, doctoral student in Professor Bergo’s roup at Karolinska Institutet.

“Our study opens the door to more effective ways of preventing angio-

Love to mindlessly pop multivitamin pills, without any proven deficiency? Beware, you may be at an increased risk of

warns

Neeraj Chopra surges ahead to become the GOAT of Indian athletics

Mumbai: "Mirror, Mirror on the wall, who is the greatest Indian track and field athlete ever?" Till a few years back, as an answer to this question, some would have said Milkha Singh. Some others might have taken the name of Sriram Singh, some would have said P.T. Usha and some may have said Anju Bobby George. All of them are legends of Indian track and field who have scripted golden chapters in the history of Indian sports.But in the last few years, there is one athlete who has surged ahead in the race. Ever since he won the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra has taken the lead in the poll.And, after winning the gold medal at the World Championships in Budapest on August 27, Chopra has clearly established himself as the Greatest

of All Time (G.O.A.T), because the 25-year-old army man from Haryana has achieved feats that his peers had come close to, but failed to do. Chopra is the first Indian to win a gold medal in athletics and the second Indian ever to win an Olympic gold medal. Chopra achieved that by hurling the spear to 87.58 metres to win the men's javelin throw gold, sealing victory with his first two throws in Tokyo. He is the first Indian javelin thrower to top the field in a Diamond League meet and is also the first Indian to win the Diamond League finals.

The 25-year-old Subedar posted with 4 Rajputana Rifles brought more laurels to the country in the World Athletics Championships in Budapest, Hungary, last week when he made history by becoming the first Indian to win a gold medal

in the prestigious event.

Neeraj threw the javelin to 88.17 metres in the final on his second attempt and thus established himself as the front-runner for the medal. Three days later, Chopra won a silver medal at the Zurich Diamond League despite struggling with a minor injury.

This was Chopra's second medal in the World Championships, after having won a silver in Eugene, USA, last year. What made his achievement greater was the fact that Chopra topped the field in Budapest on return from a muscle strain he suffered in May because of which he missed a few meets.Earlier, he had suffered from a groin strain, which he picked during his historic silver medal-winning performance a the World Championship in Eugene.

Praggnanandhaa keeps India's World chess title hopes alive

Chennai: Eighteenyear-old Indian chess Grandmaster (GM)

R. Praggnanandhaa

(ELO rating 2,727) last month became the second Indian after former world champion GM Viswanathan Anand to enter the Candidates Tournament to be held in Canada next year. And he did that in style at the recently-concluded FIDE World Cup held at Baku, Azerbaijan, knocking out world No. 2 and 3 -- GM Hikaru Nakamura (2,787) and Fabiano Caruana (2,782) of the US, respectively -- before going down to world No. 1 Magnus Carlsen (2,835) of Norway in the final, losing in tiebreaker. As of now, Praggnanandhaa is

keeping Indian hopes for the chess world title alive as the winner of the Candidates Tournament will challenge the reigning global chess king China’s Liren Ding (2,780).“Praggnanandhaa can become the world champion in three to five years' time, if not now,” GM R.B. Ramesh, the young prodigy’s chess

coach, told IANS. Praggnanandhaa, according to Ramesh, is a balanced person, taking everything -- win or defeat -- in his strides. “He is not overawed by his opponent’s stature or rating. When he came to me as a seven-year-old, he used to believe that an opponent is just an opponent, higher or lower rated.

captain

Marsh Praises fantastic Player tanveer Sangha after 1st t20 against Sa

Durban: The first T20I played between Australia and South Africa on Wednesday and the Mitchell Marshled side won it by a massive 111 runs. Batting first Australia put up a huge target of 226 runs on the board and bundled out South Africa on 115 runs in 15.3 overs. Given the chance to captain the Australian side for the first time in International cricket, skipper Marsh led from the front and played a prompting inning of 92 runs also winning the Player of the Match award for the knock.

Marsh appreciated debutant Tanveer Sangha and said, “Tanveer Sangha is a fantastic talent, he wasn't in the squad, flew in yesterday, and played so well today." "Tim David was fantastic, he took a couple of balls to get settled but he took the pressure off me. I think I've played too much Test cricket lately, couldn't hit sixes at the death,” he added. The allarounder praised the young players Tim David and Tanveer Sangha for their outstanding performances. Sangha's debut performance saw him record numbers of 4-0-31-4 while David, who batted at No. 6, scored 64 runs off 28 balls.Captain of the side for the first time, Marsh elaborated on team effort and expressed his joy towards the collectiveness of a team and also talked about his performance."Always nice to start a 3-match series with a win.

shami reflects on asia cup 2023: Missing Key Players

New Delhi: Team India is well back with its best bowling squad ahead of the Asia Cup 2023. The Men-In-Blue will play its first match against Pakistan on Saturday. Indian seamer Mohammad Shami on Thursday expressed the stakes that big tournaments hold. "For big games, there is always preparation as we have practiced in the training camp. I don't think we have to analyse too much into the situation, we have the skill and the bowling lineup, so we don't have to think too much. "But I have to say one thing, whenever

one-day matches come, there has to be focus. So to be focused and to have proper planning," he told Star Sports.

Shami emphasised the significance of retaining focus and adhering to well-structured planning throughout one-day matches with a constant belief in the team's ability and bowling selection. Shami also considers how important individuals like Jasprit Bumrah affect the team's effectiveness, especially in the whiteball style.

Shami stated, "Depends on whether I have the new ball or whether the team requires me at any stage during the match, I'm always on. I don't have any hesitancy to

bowl with the new ball or the old ball. I don't have an ego like that. All three of us (Bumrah, Shami & Siraj) are bowling very well, so it depends on the management on who will play.”He further added, “There is only one goal, to go and give our 100%, the result will come running to us if we give our 100%. So it is very important to focus and execute, it’s a very simple plan. There is too much talk about the white ball or red ball, if you bowl in the right areas I don't think that there is any difficulty in any ball.”

Union Sports Ministry approves preparatory camp for Neeraj Chopra in Switzerland

participation in a 12-day training camp in Magglingen, Switzerland, ahead of his participation in the Diamond League 2023 final scheduled in Eugene, USA this September.

Harmanpreet

Soon after his return from Europe after winning the World Championship gold in Budapest and silver in the Zurich Diamond League, the government approved a 12-day training stint for Olympic gold medallist Neeraj Chopra in Switzerland. The Mission Olympic Cell (MOC) has approved Chopra’s

Melbourne: India captain Harmanpreet Kaur was the only player from the country selected in the inaugural Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) overseas draft, held on Sunday. She was placed in the platinum category of the draft and was picked by Melbourne Renegades, who also drafted in West Indies captain Hayley Matthews.

A total of Rs 5.89 lakh have been sanctioned for the preparatory camp, set between September 1 and 12. Neeraj, on Thursday, finished second in the Diamond League event in Zurich after recording the best throw of 85.71m. Meanwhile, long-distance runner, Parul Chaudhary, who sealed a Paris Olympics quota by clocking a National Record time of 9:15.31s in the women’s 3000m steeplechase at Budapest, also has been included in the TOPS Core group, the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports informed in a release on Friday. The Mission Olympic Cell also approved a financial sanction for Table tennis star Sharath Kamal for participating in various events, procuring equipment and hiring personal coach Chris Pfeiffer till the Paris 2024 Olympics. Star badminton doubles players Satwik Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty have also been provided assistance towards masseur Nishant Nagpuri accompanying them to the China Open 2023 scheduled from September 5 to 10.

Harmanpreet returns to the Renegades and the WBBL after missing last season due to injury. She was the Player of the Tournament in WBBL season seven, after being the Renegades’ leading run-scorer (406) and wicket-taker (15). She recently represented the Trent Rockets in The Hundred, and led the Mumbai Indians to the inaugural

Women’s IPL title earlier this year.“I’m so pleased we got both of them and I’m looking forward to them working with us again this year. It was a tough decision – do we go Harmanpreet at pick three, or do we go Hayley. Fortunately, it worked out for us that Harmanpreet was still available in the second round, so we could still get her as a Platinum pick.”

Kaur the only Indian player to be picked in inaugural WBBl overseas draft

Zhang Zhizhen Makes history at uS

Open day

3; djokovic, Swiatek, and tiafoe Advance

New York: Novak Djokovic once again proved his unwavering dominance by advancing to the third round of the US Open 2023. The Spanish tennis player Bernabe Zapata Miralles was defeated by the Serbian tennis player by a score of 6-4, 6-1, 6-1. Novak will now face his fellow countryman, Laslo Djere in the Round 3. Novak expressed his joy playing in the US Open tournament after a long time and said, “I’m happy to be back in front of you guys. That’s what gives me strength & motivation at 36. I still have the hunger & desire to play my best on this court.” Since the introduction of the ATP rankings in 1973, Zhang Zhizhen of China became the first male Chinese player to defeat a top-five opponent, making history in the process. With a score of 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 0-6, 6-2, the world number 67 defeated Casper Ruud, who finished runner-up at the US Open the previous year, in an astounding shock. His victory over Ruud was a key turning point for Chinese men's tennis, as Zhang's outstanding performance demonstrated his tenacity and fortitude. Over time, the accomplishments of the 26-year-old Zhang have progressively increased. In the past, he made history by becoming the first man from China to win a main-draw match at the French Open in 86 years.

Asia cup: Former Pakistan, india cricketers criticise Babar Azam’s ‘defensive’ captaincy

New Delhi: Pakistan

skipper Babar Azam's defensive captaincy against India in the Asia Cup encounter faced criticism from ex-players from both nations as former star pacer Shoaib Akhtar suggested that the Pakistan fast bowler could have bowled a few more overs from one end with spin. After Shaheen Afridi, who finished with 4-35, and fellow pacer Haris Rauf had India down to 66-4, sensible knocks from Ishan Kishan (82) and Hardik Pandya (87) rallied India

to 266 all out. However, the match ended without a result as Pakistan did not get an opportunity to bat due to rain in Pallekele on Saturday. "Paki-

stan fast bowling has done wonders. Pakistan should have continued with pacers with short two-over spells from one end and operated spin from only one end. Pakistan should have bowled India out inside 40 overs itself. Pakistan should have capitalized after reducing India to 66-4. Babar Azam needs to be more aggressive as a captain," Akhtar said on his YouTube channel.

Aakash Chopra, a former Indian cricketer turned commentator, also added his thoughts

on Azam's captaincy decisions and argued that Pakistan should have been more proactive in their strategy to bowl out India much earlier and believed the Pakistan skipper missed a significant opportunity by not using his seamers properly. "Babar Azam got his spinners to bowl 21 overs when the opposing team was 66/4. You had 30 overs of fast bowling. I think he missed a huge trick and because of that, he allowed India to prosper.

India’s moon lander and rover put to sleep, ‘Suprabhatam’/wake-up call

After making it hop once, India’s moon lander Vikram was put to sleep, the Indian space agency said. “Vikram Lander is set into sleep mode around 08:00 Hrs. IST today. Prior to that, in-situ experiments by ChaSTE, RAMBHALP and ILSA payloads are performed at the new location. The data collected is received at the Earth. Payloads are now switched off. Lander receivers are kept ON,” Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) said on X platform.

“Vikram will fall asleep next to Pragyan (moon rover) once the solar power is depleted and the battery is drained. Hoping for their awakening, around September 22, 2023,” ISRO added.Earlier, ISRO had said Vikram soft landed

on the lunar soil for a second time. In a post on X, ISRO said: “Vikram Lander exceeded its mission objectives. It successfully underwent a hop experiment.” “On command, it fired the engines, elevated itself by about 40 cm as expected and landed safely at a distance of 30 - 40 cm away.” According to the space agency, the kick-start gives enthusiasm for lunar sample return in the future and also for manned missions to the moon.

“All systems performed nominally and are healthy. Deployed Ramp, ChaSTE and ILSA were folded back and redeployed successfully after the experiment,” ISRO said.

Sometime back, the Indian space agency uploaded the video Pragyan moving on

the social media platform X and said: “It feels as though a child is playfully frolicking in the yards of Chandamama, while the mother watches affectionately. Isn’t it?” Now perhaps with the playful kid going to sleep the mother is hopping around! On September 2, ISRO had put to sleep the 26 kg moon rover Pragyan.“The Rover completed its assignments. It is now safely parked and set into Sleep mode. APXS and LIBS payloads are turned off. Data from these payloads is transmitted to the Earth via the Lander,” ISRO said.

“Currently, the battery is fully charged. The solar panel is oriented to receive the light at the next sunrise expected on September 22, 2023. The re-

ceiver is kept on. Hoping for a successful awakening for another set of assignments! Else, it will forever stay there as India’s lunar ambassador.”

The ‘Suprabhatam’ (Sanskrit prayer to awaken Lord Venkateswara in Tirupati early in the morning) or the wake up call will be made by ISRO to the two on September 22. India on August 23 reached the Moon with its lander safely landing on the lunar soil in a text book style.

Later, the rover rolled down and started doing experiments. ISRO said, the rover has found the presence of oxygen, aluminium, sulphur and other materials near the lunar south pole, while investigation regarding the presence of hydrogen is underway.

Many newborns dying due to loss of efficacy of antibiotics against sepsis

Many newborns are dying because the antibiotics used to treat sepsis are losing their effectiveness, according to a global observational study which involved over 3,200 newborn babies suffering from the infection in 11 countries, including India.

Many newborns are dying because the antibiotics used to treat sepsis are losing their effectiveness, according to a global observational study which involved over 3,200 newborn babies suffering from the infection in 11 countries, including India. The study, conducted from 2018 to 2020 and co-authored by a team of over 80 researchers, found there was high mortality among infants with culturepositive sepsis (almost 1 in 5 across the hospital sites), and a significant burden of antibiotic resistance. The research, published on Friday in the journal PLOS Medicine, provides a wealth of highquality data aimed at improving the treatment of newborn babies with sepsis. The findings of the observational study have been published in a paper in PLOS Medicine co-authored by a global team of over 80 researchers spanning four continents. The study was conducted by the Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP) in collaboration with St George’s, University of London (SGUL); Penta – Child Health Research; the Medical Research Council Clinical Trials Unit at University College London (MRC CTU at UCL), whose research team led in analyzing the data; and the University of Antwerp.

“It was very important to undertake this study to get a better understanding of the kind of infections we’re seeing in newborns in hospitals, the bugs causing them, the treatments that are being used and why we are seeing more deaths. The study has given us vital information which will help us to better design clinical trials and ultimately improve the care and outcome of babies with neonatal sepsis,” Manica Balasegaram, Executive Director of GARDP said in a statement. Sepsis is a life-threatening bloodstream infection that affects up to 3 million babies a year globally. Every year, 214,000 newborn babies, mostly in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), die of sepsis that has become resistant to antibiotics. Newborn babies are particularly at risk of severe infection because of their

underdeveloped immune systems. “One of the study’s most striking findings is the wide disparity in deaths from neonatal sepsis, depending on where people live. It’s not unusual in my unit for one nurse to take care of five or six very ill babies at one time. This makes it easier for infections to spread,” said Nishad Plakkal, Additional Professor of Neonatology and Associate Dean (Research) at JIPMER, Puducherry, India. According to the researchers, there was extensive variation in mortality between the 19 hospitals in the study, ranging from 1.6% to 27.3%, with markedly higher rates in LMICs. Leading clinicians in hospitals in Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Greece, India, Italy, Kenya, South Africa, Thailand, Vietnam and Uganda took part in the study. “The study exposed the glaring reality of antibiotic-resistant infections, especially in hospitals in LMICs, where we are often faced with a shortage of nurses, beds and space. The risk of infections is very high and most infections are resistant to antibiotics. If an antibiotic doesn’t work, the baby often dies. This urgently needs to change. We need

antibiotics that will cover all bacterial infections,” said Sithembiso Velaphi, head of paediatrics at Chris Hani Baragwanath Academic Hospital in Johannesburg, South Africa. The study also highlighted a worryingly wide variation in treatment. More than 200 different antibiotic combinations were used by hospitals in the study, with frequent switching of antibiotics due to high resistance to treatments, the study revealed. Many physicians were forced to use antibiotics such as carbapenems due to the high degree of antibiotic resistance to the recommended treatments in their units. These are classified by the World Health Organization (WHO) as “Watch” antibiotics. They are recommended only for specific, limited indications as they need to be preserved. However, these were often the only antibiotics available to treat the infection.According to the study, the last-line antibiotics were prescribed to 15 percent of babies with neonatal sepsis enrolled in the study. Klebsiella pneumoniae was the most common pathogen isolated. It is usually associated with hospital-acquired infections.

Gilgit-Baltistan govt decides to call Pak Army to maintain peace

Islamabad: In order to maintain the law and order situation in the region, the GilgitBaltistan government has decided to call in the army, it emerged on Saturday, as per media reports. The decision was made during a meeting of the Parliamentary Peace Committee headed by GilgitBaltistan Chief Minister Gulbar Khan. In view of the worsening law and order situation in the region, the meeting decided deployment of Rangers, scouts and FC personnel in big cities, Geo News reported.

The huddle also decided to impose Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code, a law concerning the maintenance of public order, in the region. Meanwhile, the Gilgit-Baltistan administration imposed a ban on “illegal gatherings” and blockage of streets, Geo News reported. Heavy contingents of Rangers, scouts and law enforcers will be deployed in all major cities to ensure peace in the area. The Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister has warned of strict action against spreading hatred on social media platforms and via other sources, the reports said. The developments came after panic and unrest spread in the region following protests in Diamer’s Chilas, Dawn reported. The protesters blocked the Karakoram Highway and the Babusar Pass road for three days demanding the arrest of a religious leader from Skardu for allegedly passing controversial remarks, Dawn reported. Protest demonstrations were also held in Astore, Gilgit, however, they were called off after the registration of a first information report against religious leader Agha Baqir Al-Hussaini.

In reaction to it, a markets and transport strike was observed in Skardu with protesters also blocking main roads, including the JuglotSkardu road. Subsequently, the Gilgit-Baltistan government had decided to deploy the

Karakoram Task Force and police personnel on the KKH, Juglot-Skardu Road and Babusar Top to ensure the safety of passengers and the movement of vehicles. On Friday, a meeting of the Parliamentary Peace Committee was held in Gilgit to discuss the law and order situation in the region.

According to a handout issued by the Gilgit-Baltistan Information Department, it was decided in the meeting that legal action would be taken against those who insult the beliefs and holy personalities of any religion in public meetings.

“It was decided in the meeting that the army will be called in in light of the overall situation of the region and for maintaining peace. Besides this, Rangers, GB Scouts and FC personnel will be posted in the big cities.

“The government will take all measures to maintain law and order and continue tourism activities in any situation. In this regard, the Gilgit-Baltistan Home Department has immediately imposed Section 144 on illegal gatherings and blocking roads,” it stated, adding that strict action would be taken against violators, Dawn reported. The government has also urged the citizens to cooperate with the administration by displaying “unity and harmony”.

It added that the GB government was keeping a close watch on “those who propagate hatred through social media and other means”. Meanwhile, the Special Communications Organisation (SCOM) -- a public-sector organisation working under the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication -- said mobile internet services in Gilgit-Baltistan have been stopped and downgraded to 2G. It said that decision was taken on orders of the government and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, Dawn reported.

In order to maintain the law and order situation in the region, the Gilgit-Baltistan government has decided to call in the army, it emerged on Saturday, as per media reports.

The decision was made during a meeting of the Parliamentary Peace Committee headed by Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister Gulbar Khan. In view of the worsening law and order situation in the region, the meeting decided deployment of Rangers, scouts and FC personnel in big cities, Geo News reported.

Jacqueline Fernandez attends Italian Pavilion's panel discussion at Venice Film Fest

Actress Jacqueline Fernandez recently attended the Italian Pavilion’s panel discussion at the ongoing edition of the Venice International Film Festival. The discussion was centred on the subject of ‘New Image, new lifestyle and cinema in the new media time’. The Italian Pavilion working space hosts conferences, conventions and business meetings with the aim of identifying industry trends and efficiently supporting the ecosystem with a global perspective Sharing her experience, the ‘Housefull 3’ actress said: “I am overwhelmed to be a part of the Italian Pavilion’s panel discussion. It is a wonderful opportunity to delve into the fusion of cinema, lifestyle, and the digital age.”She further mentioned: “I believe that in today’s world, everyone has the ability to capture their own story, and I am honoured to share my thoughts on how technology has amplified this capability.”

Rakul's Kashmir Travel Diary

Actress Rakul Preet Singh, who was recently seen in the streaming movie 'I Love You', shared the diary of her recent Kashmir visit on social media on Friday. Rakul shared a video in which she can be seen interacting with the people of Kashmir and also sharing her experience about the place. She said in the video, "The beauty of Kashmir should be experienced. I have shot for my film in Kashmir for 8 days, and it was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. The beauty of Kashmir, its food, and the way nature talks with us is simply amazing." Sharing the post on social media, she captioned, "Kashmir, the joy of being in the lap of nature." actress was recently in Kashmir to attend 'Hindustan Shikhar Samagam 2023' event as the chief guest. She also explored the locales of the place and had a good time at the place. Meanwhile, Rakul Preet Singh had two releases with 'Chhatriwali' and 'I Love You' this year so far. She will be next seen in the pan-India film 'Indian 2' alongside Kamal Haasan, and also has some interesting unannounced films in the filmography.

Finally, sai Pallavi signs Her next!

Sai Pallavi is one of the most talented actresses. She is quite choosy when it comes to her films and her characters. She has finally signed a film after a long gap. She signed a Tamil movie opposite Siva Karthikeyan. The film has not been titled yet, but it is referred to as #SK21. Recently, the film’s shooting schedule in Kashmir has been wrapped up. A very long 75 days shooting was completed in Kashmir. The makers are keeping the details about the film under the wraps. Sai Pallavi’s character is not revealed as well. It is learnt that her character has a lot of significance. The film is produced by Kamal Haasan under Raaj Kamal Films International. #SK21 is directed by Rajkumar Periasamy, of Rangoon fame. The other cast and crew have been finalised as well. Stefan Richter is the action choreographer while Kalaivanan is the editor and Amritha Ram is the costume designer. More details related to the film are awaited. The film is also likely to get dubbed into Telugu.In 2022, Sai Pallavi tasted commercial failures. Both her films Virata Parvam and Gargi have not worked at the Box Office.

Raashi Khanna Slays In The Glam Game

Raashi Khanna slowly changed her appearance from the cute mode to the ravishing mode. The actress also has been picking up the performance roles rather than just being a glam girl in movies. This way she is winning the game from both sides. Meanwhile, she is making some really alluring photoshoots for popular magazine covers, and here is the latest. Raashi Khanna stunned all with her revealing attire for the Global Spa magazine photoshoot and here are the pictures. Raashi wore a red lehenga by Mrunalini Rao where she flaunted her beauty with the deep neck top. Not just that Raashi sure did up the glam game and is leaving the fans of her awestruck with her fashion makeover. Raashi Khanna has Yodha, Aranmanai 4, and Methavi in the making while she is in talks with many other Bollywood and Telugu projects.

Janhvi’s Scenic Vintage Saree Beauty

In a series of captivating images, Janhvi emerges, wearing a stunning vintage orange cotton saree that drapes around her in a way that recalls the charm of past eras. Her outfit, which lacks a blouse, flows elegantly, resembling a tube top and framing her figure with timeless allure. Flowers delicately adorn her hair, resembling a crown from nature, and her hair cascades like whispers of forgotten stories. She’s chosen to forgo elaborate jewellery, opting for a simpler look that enhances the symphony of her beauty. Her lips are adorned with shades of pink, and she stands as a scene of beauty by herself, a living portrait within nature’s artistic canvas. Every gaze directed towards her captures a fleeting moment of enchanting charm as if the very essence of the surroundings has taken human form.

Sai Pallavi is one of the most talented actresses.

Raashi Khanna slowly changed her appearance from the cute mode to the ravishing mode.

Indian defeat Malaysia in semis, sets up final showdown against Pakistan

Oman: The Indian Men’s Hockey Team will take on traditional rivals Pakistan in the inaugural Men’s Hockey 5s Asia Cup 2023 on Saturday. The Indian Team confirmed their spot after a comprehensive 10-4 win over Malaysia in the semifinal on Saturday. Meanwhile, Pakistan reached the Final after defeating Oman 7-3 in the first Semi-Final. India’s previous meeting against the opposition in the tournament in the Elite pool stage match had ended with Pakistan winning 5-4. Mohammed Raheel (9’, 16’, 24’, 28’), Maninder Singh (2’), Pawan Rajbhar (13’), Sukhvinder (21’), Dipsan Tirkey (22’), Jugraj Singh (23’), and Gurjot Singh (29’) scored the goals for India, while Captain Ismail Abu (4’), Akhimullah Anuar (7’, 19’), Muhamad Din (19’) were on target for Malaysia. With the win, India also confirmed a spot in the 2024 FIH Hockey 5s World Cup.

The Indian Men’s Hockey Team will take on traditional rivals Pakistan in the inaugural Men’s Hockey 5s Asia Cup 2023 on Saturday.

US Open: Cirstea stuns former

Wimbledon champ Rybakina

New York: Romania’s Sorana Cirstea fended off a late surge from 2022 Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina to complete a 6-3, 6-7(6), 6-4 upset at the US Open, here. In doing so, the 30th seed, Cirstea avenged an 0-2 record against the fourth seed

and reached the fourth round in New York for the first time, reports 'usopen'.“I'm very, very happy with

novak djokovic ousts djere in five-set uS Open comeback

New York: Novak Djokovic survived a major scare as he ousted fellow Serbian and No. 32 seed Laslo Djere in fiveset US Open comeback, at the Arthur Ashe Stadium, here. The 23-time Grand Slam champion Djokovic needed to come back from a two-sets-to-love defi-

cit and grind out a 4-6, 4-6, 6-1, 6-1, 6-3 win over Djere to advance to fourth round, reports ‘usopen’. “It’s one of the toughest matches I’ve played here in many years,” Djokovic said. “Huge, huge credit to Laslo, who played some of the best tennis I’ve ever seen him play.”

Guerrero heads Peru squad for World cup qualifiers

the win today. I’ve lost twice against her before, and she’s a very good player, No. 4 in the world, and I knew it (was) going to be a tough battle,” Cirstea said in her on-court interview. “But I'm just so happy to win this one. It’s a great moment for me.”

Lima: Veteran striker Paolo Guerrero will lead Peru's squad for World Cup qualifiers against Paraguay and Brazil, the Peruvian football federation. The 39-year-old, who is Peru's all-time leading scorer with 38 goals in 109 international appearances, was named in the 27-man squad despite scoring just once in eight games for Ecuador's LDU Quito this season, reports Xinhua. As expected, head coach Juan Reynoso also included Orlando City goalkeeper Pedro Gallese, Feyenoord defender Marcos Lopez, Celta Viga midfielder Renato Tapia and Seattle Sounders forward Raul Ruidiaz.

Bhubaneswar to host India vs Qatar FIFA WC qualifier on Nov 21

Bhubaneswar: Following the successful hosting of the FIFA U-17 women's World Cup last year, Odisha's Kalinga Stadium along with Guwahati will host India's first two qualifying matches for the 2026 FIFA World Cup to be jointly hosted by the US, Mexico and Canada. The All India Football Federation (AIFF) has officially announced in a communication to the Football Association of Odisha that the state will host the much-anticipated India -Qatar match, a critical fixture in the WC qualifiers as

well as for the 2027 AFC Asian Cup, at the iconic Kalinga Stadium on November 21.This decision

by AIFF reaffirms Odisha's growing reputation as a hub for sports and a destination of choice for

international events, including football.

Bhubaneswar, the host city, also has five FIFA standard

Survey shows Indians are no more interested in test cricket

New Delhi: Not only India and its western neighbour, but the sports enthusiasts across the whole world are excited about the India-Pakistan face off in the Asia Cup tournament on Saturday (September 2).In a survey conducted by CVoter for sports enthusiasts across India, around 49.4% of the respondents in the age group of 45-54 years are of the opinion that Shubman Gill is the most suitable player to open along with Rohit Sharma. Gill was followed by Virat Kohli with 20.1% respondents believing that he should be the opening batter along with Rohit. Shreyas Iyer and Tilak Verma remained the least favoured. Around 32.6%

respondents are of the opinion that Virat Kohli is the most suitable player to bat at the 4th position. Kohli was followed by Suryakumar Yadav and Ishan Kishan. Around 28.8% of the sports enthusiasts feel that Yadav should play at number

4. Upon asking about their favourite cricket format, the T-20 cricket format remains the most popular among Indian sports enthusi-

asts as around 45.1% identify T-20 as their favourite format while the Five-Day Test match format least popular. In a survey conducted by CVoter targeted at sports enthusiasts across India, around 54.2% respondents in the age group of 18-24 years are of the opinion that Indian Premier League or the IPL is the major reason behind Indian cricketers’ injuries.

natural pitches that further adds to the state’s ability to host marquee football tournaments. Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik said, "We are immensely honoured and thrilled to host the India-Qatar match. This event not only showcases Odisha's passion for football, but also highlights our commitment to promoting the game in the state. We look forward to welcoming the players, fans, and football enthusiasts from across the nation to witness this historic moment in Odisha,” he said.

132nd Durand Cup: Mohun

Bagan take on East Bengal in a made-in-heaven Cup finale Kolkata: Two of the country's most iconic football clubs, Mohun Bagan Super Giant and East Bengal clash in what is considered a dream final of the 132nd Durand Cup at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan (VYBK) here on Sunday. For fans of Indian football, it does not get bigger than this as Mohun Bagan Super Giant (MBSG) and Emami East Bengal (EEB) go head to head to earn the right to lay their hands on the three iconic and glittering Durand trophies and be crowned champions. The first clash between the two local teams, in the group stages of this very edition, resulted in a favourable result for EEB as Nandhakumar Sekar’s strike made the difference. That they have managed to make their way into the final, shows how strong they have been in this tournament, that needle clash notwithstanding. EEB were drawn into what was considered the easier group into Sunday’s blockbuster, while Mohun Bagan had to overcome the likes of Mumbai City and FC Goa in the knockouts.

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PM in A GROuP PhOtOGRAPh With thE nAtiOnAL AWARdEE tEAchERS 2023, in nEW dELhi

thE PRESidEnt OF indiA, SMt dROuPAdi MuRMu in A GROuP PhOtOGRAPh With chiLdREn At GAndhi dARShAn, in dELhi

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