Indian Abroad December 16-31, 2021 Vol 1 Issue 21 by IndianAbroad

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

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Prashant Singh: Fortifying community ties within Australian-Indian diaspora - Page 5

India’s Harnaaz Sandhu crowned Miss Universe 2021

After a wait of more than two decades, Chandigarh’s Harnaaz Sandhu finally brings home the Miss Universe crown

IANS

fter a wait of more than two decades, Chandigarh’s Harnaaz Sandhu finally brings home the Miss Universe crown. The 21-year- old won the title on December 12, 2021, at the pageant which was held at the Universe Dome in Eilat, Israel. “I am immensely grateful to the Almighty, my parents, and the Miss India Organization for guiding and supporting me throughout. Loads of love to everyone who prayed and wished the crown for me. Bringing the glorious crown back after 21 years to India is a moment of great pride,” says Harnaaz. Sandhu beat out 79 contestants to be crowned the 70th Miss Universe. Nadia Ferreira, Miss Paraguay was runner-up Miss Paraguay and the second runner-up is Miss South Africa Lalela Mswane. The Miss Universe Organisation posted the news on their official Instagram handle, with a clip showing last year’s winner, Andrea Meza of Mexico, crowning an overjoyed Harnaaz. The young model will bring home the crown after 21

CDS Gen Rawat, wife, 11 others killed in helicopter crash

International students continue to rise in other countries even as Australia faces decline

CDS Gen Bipin Rawat, wife laid to rest with full military honours- Page 9

Indian Cooking with Lata Modi -Page 7

IANS

Ravishing Fashionistas hosts Christmas Party -Page 8

Five of the Best Lord of the Rings Experiences -Page 22

New Delhi, Dec 8: India's first Chief of Defence Staff, Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife, and 11 others were killed when their IAF Mi-17 helicopter crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu's Nilgiris district on Wednesday, the IAF announced. "With deep regret, it has now been ascertained that Gen Bipin Rawat, Mrs Madhulika Rawat and 11 other persons on board have died in the unfortunate accident," the Indian Air Force said in a tweet. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, in a series of tweets, said: "Deeply anguished by the sudden demise of Chief of Defence Staff Gen Bipin

Rawat, his wife and 11 other Armed Forces personnel in an extremely unfortunate helicopter accident today in Tamil Nadu. "His untimely death is an irreparable loss to our Armed Forces and the country". "General Rawat had served the country with exceptional courage and diligence. As the first Chief of Defence Staff he had prepared plans for jointness of our Armed Forces," he said. The CDS was going to the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, to give a lecture. The chopper, with a total of 14

IANS

persons on board, took off from the Sulur air base near Coimbatore and was on its way to Coonoor. When the chopper was a few minutes away from landing, it, as per eyewitnesses, hit a tree, crashed, and caught fire, resulting in several casualties.

Australia fortifying tech partnership with India, says Marise Payne Physical and Mental Curfew -Page 23

ABFRL and Tarun Tahiliani launch Tasva -Page 27

The new Consulate-General, according to Payne, will focus on strengthening Australia's ties with India's burgeoning innovators.

ccording to Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne, Australia is strengthening its technology engagement with India by establishing a new consulate in Bengaluru and a centre of excellence for vital and emerging technology policy in India. Her remarks came just hours after Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison unveiled the consulate's plans in a virtual presentation at the Bengaluru Tech Summit.

The new Consulate-General, according to Payne, would focus on strengthening Australia's ties with India's lively innovators, technologists, and entrepreneurs. Through the development of a new Consulate-General in Bengaluru and a Centre of Excellence for Critical and Emerging Technology Policy, both of which will be situated in India, Australia is deepening our technology cooperation with India, she added.

years, she is preceded by Lara Dutta who was crowned in 2000. Before setting out to Israel, Sandhu Told us in an interview that she was going to make sure that she is the best version of our country and that she would make India proud at Israel this year. She also stated that she was looking forward to strengthening relations between Israel and India and was super excited staying, “I have to bring back the crown home” The Bollywood aspirant kept her word and did India proud. Sandhu said, “One must keep growing through life as we all learn something every day. To believe in yourself is the key to success. I represented myself as the best version of myself”. Sandhu believes that Pageants are a platform where women come forward to celebrate sisterhood and womanhood and people across the world celebrate their beauty queens and their successes with great pride. “According to me, it’s all about being true to the self and people around you will definitely look at that spark in you,” she stated.

The consulate, according to Payne, will assist Australian businesses in one of the world's most vital commercial hubs. India is expected to have half of the next billion internet users, and India's digital economy, centred on Bengaluru, is expected to rise to USD 1 trillion by 2025, she stated. Australia currently has consulates in Mumbai, Chennai, and Kolkata, in addition to its high commission in Delhi. Continued on page 18

Australia's international education competitors are already recovering from the pandemic. However, with positive trends returning in Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States, Australia may experience something similar as travel becomes more accessible. Despite the pandemic, international students are flocking to Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States in historic numbers, according to new study from Victoria University's Mitchell Institute. However, the number of new international students in Australia and New Zealand continues to plummet. Many students who have been stranded overseas have chosen to continue their studies in the

United Kingdom, the United States, or Canada, which have less border restrictions than Australia. The study indicates a complex situation in which the pandemic had diverse effects on international students from all over the world. The number of new Chinese students is still lower than it was before the pandemic. However, numbers in some source nations, such as India and Nigeria, are at all-time highs. International education is a significant component of how many countries handle education investment. The research emphasises how governments are refocusing their efforts on luring overseas students. Continued on page 18

Ridhi Dogra on her character in Bollywood debut ‘Lakadbaggha’ -Page 30

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Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

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LEAD STORIES

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

MISS UNIVERSE 2021 In conversation with Miss After Sushmita Sen and Lara Dutta, Harnaaz Sandhu brings home Miss Universe crown

Universe Harnaaz Sandhu IANS

IANS

New Delhi, Dec 13: Harnaaz Sandhu's Twitter bio reads, "Shine like the whole Universe is yours," and it certainly is, as she was crowned the 70th Miss Universe at the Universe Dome in Eilat, Israel. Sandhu is the third winner of the title from India, after Sushmita Sen and Lara Dutta who won the prestigious spot in 1994 and 2000 respectively. Sandhu has previously won the Femina Miss India Punjab 2019 and Miss Diva Universe 2021 titles. She has also acted in Punjabi films such as "Yaara Diyan Poo Baran" and "Bai Ji Kuttange."

Former Miss Universe Lara Dutta congratulated her on her victory, tweeting, "Congratulations @ HarnaazSandhu03 !!!! Welcome to the club!!! We've waited 21 long years for this!!! You make us So So proud!!! A billion dreams come true!! @MissDivaOrg @MissUniverse" Following Sushmita Sen, actress Lara Dutta Bhupathi became the second Indian to win the title. She was crowned the 49th Miss Universe in Nicosia, Cyprus. She later made her Bollywood debut in 2003 with the film "Andaaz." Lara was last seen in the new film "Bell Bottom," which stars Akshay Kumar, Vaani Kapoor,

and Huma Qureshi. Sushmita Sen, the first Indian woman to ever be crowned Miss Universe in 1994 in a glittering ceremony in the Philippines, has yet to make a statement and is currently promoting the second season of "Aarya", a hit series on an OTT platform. Sen has two adopted daughters, Renee and Alisah. Much like her predecessors, Sandhu revealed to IANS earlier this year that she too has Bollywood aspirations. We wish the 21-year-old a successful reign as Miss Universe.

Miss Universe jury member Urvashi Rautela celebrates Harnaaz's feat IANS

Mumbai, Dec 13: Bollywood actress Urvashi Rautela, who served as one of the Miss Universe judges at the Universe Dome in Eilat, Israel, is thrilled as India's Harnaaz Sandhu won the Miss Universe title. Urvashi shared a video on her

Instagram account with Harnaaz Sandhu. In the video, Urvashi was seen carrying a tricolour in one hand while hugging Harnaaz. She says: "I would say that I am super happy as I was the only Indian in the jury to witness that

historic moment in front of my eyes. I couldn't control my tears at the moment. From the moment I entered Israel to meet the former Prime Minister as he had invited me and my family till being the judge at the Miss Universe, back in the time when I was the part of Miss Universe we rarely used to have anyone as an Indian judge, like rarely about one per cent. "So, for me being the judge for the very first time at the Miss Universe pageant and then India winning, nothing could be more historic than it. I saw the iconic moment with my eyes. I feel as the luckiest person in the entire universe right now because achieving so much love, respect, and recognition in Israel from the people from the organization and the government is truly iconic as it's a proud moment for me," she adds.

web series 'Aarya', which is now in its second season, posted two pictures of Harnaaz from the pageant and wrote in the caption: "#yehbaat 'Har Hindustani Ki Naz'' Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu #MissUniverse2021 #INDIAAAAAA Soooooo proud of you!!!! Congratulations @ harnaazsandhu_03." She added: "Thank you for representing India so beautifully, for bringing back the Miss Universe Crown to India after 21 years (by a 21 year old, you were destined).

May you enjoy every moment of learning & sharing this incredible global platform @missuniverse will provide you ... MAY YOU REIGN SUPREME!!!" Lara, too, shared a picture of Harnaaz and wrote: "My dearest @ harnaazsandhu_03 , when I spoke to you yesterday, you promised me that 'it will be worth it'!! YOU are worth all your triumphant glory and much, much more!! You had an unshakeable belief in yourself and JUST KNEW, you were born for this!! You were born in the year I won Miss Universe!!!" She added: "That's how long we've waited for you to come along and lift that crown once more for India!! Perhaps, it was destined!! I know what lies in store for you, and I wish you a glorious reign!! May this only be the start of the heights you will scale! God bless you, my heartiest congratulations to your parents and family! The universe now is your oyster. OUR STAR!" With Harnaaz winning the 70th edition of Miss Universe, India now has 10 title wins at the Big Four international beauty pageants.

Sushmita, Lara hail Harnaaz Sandhu's Miss Universe win IANS

Mumbai, Dec 14: Former Miss Universe winners Sushmita Sen (1994) and Lara Dutta Bhupathi (2000) have run loving Instagram posts congratulating Harnaaz Sandhu for bringing the Miss Universe title back to India after 21 years. What makes the win special is that Harnaaz was born in the year when Lara wore the crown. Harnaaz is being hailed as destiny's child. Sushmita, who's seen a comeback to the limelight in Ram Madhvani's www.indianabroad.news

uccessful people often say that the first step toward achieving one's dreams is to have faith and walk confidently. Harnaaz Sandhu, who was crowned

the 70th Miss Universe, is one of them, purposefully and confidently achieving her goal. In an exclusive interview right after

she won, Sandhu spoke to IANSlife of her victory and plans ahead. How does it feel on winning the crown for India after 21 years? Sandhu: It's just overwhelming and unbelievable. Finally, India is able to wear the crown of Miss Universe after 21 years, and I think we have been waiting for this for so long; the feeling is just out of this world. You were very confident that you would win and you did... What was the key to your success? Sandhu: Representing your country is a huge thing. It's about the confidence, you need to have in yourself and the realisation from within that this is the purpose of your life. You have to want to make the most of the platform and the opportunity that is given to you. We have to actually evolve a lot when we realise what we want to do with our life. With that faith, love and all the prayers of the people from my country, it gave me the drive I needed to win. It's going to be a busy year. How do u plan to use the platform to make a change? Sandhu: I would love to focus on every possible issue that the organisation focuses on, along with my advocacy for women empowerment and menstrual hygiene. My mom, a gynaecologist has always made sure that I talked about this with the youth who are the future of tomorrow Women in my community and around the world still feel uncomfortable talking about their health. And I think if somebody wants to achieve the purpose of their life, it can only be done when one is healthy. So I would like to use this platform to talk about these issues. Lara Dutta has welcomed you to the miss universe club. Anything you'd like to say on that? Sandhu: I am actually out of words. One of the queens, who gave me confidence and courage to be one amongst them, is welcoming me to the group. Women empowering women, to change the world and I am fortunate to be among them, this is something I am grateful for. Lara has really helped me a-lot and made me realise that it's all about believing in myself.

Miss Universe 2021 to be treated with 'makki ki roti' and 'sarson da saag' in Chandigarh Chandigarh, Dec 13: Miss Universe 2021, Harnaaz Sandhu, who has bagged the crown for India after 21 years, will be treated to 'makki ki roti' and 'sarson da saag' by her parents when she comes back to her hometown, Chandigarh. "It's a proud moment for all of us. I can't express how happy I am. She has always been very active and determined," Harnaaz's mother, Ravinder Kaur, told the media at her residence in Mohali. "Makki ki roti and sarson da saag is her favourite and I would love to treat her with it when she comes home. It doesn't increase calories either," added Kaur, a gynaecologist. Before bagging the crown, a confident Harnaaz had tweeted: "India, tonight we will shine!" "Finally the great day has come! I feel very fortunate to represent my beloved country, have no doubt that I will do my best to get the crown for India, that is the great goal of all, and today one of us will finally be able to fulfil it. #MissUniverse #MissIndia." According to her mother, Harnaaz, who hails from a middle-class family, has proved her mettle. "She's very confident and focused on achieving her goals. We have supported her passion," she said. Excited over her win, Harnaaz's brother, Harnoor, said: "Harnaaz remains calm and focused most of the time. She was confident from her school days that one day she will clinch this title and she got it." Punjabi film actress Harnaaz is currently pursuing her Masters' degree in Public Administration. She has also worked in Punjabi films like the upcoming 'Yaara Diyan Poo Baran' and 'Bai Ji Kuttange'.

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After she won the pageant, the family went to a nearby Sikh shrine to pray. Harnaaz, who started modelling at a young age, had earlier won Miss Chandigarh and Miss Punjab title, among others. Sandhu's father has 17 brothers, and Harnaaz is the only female offspring in the extended family.

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"When she (Harnaaz) was born, we distributed sweets in the hospital," Harnaaz's father, P.S. Sandhu, said, adding that "we all will perform 'bhangra' on her arrival." Harnaaz's hobbies are singing, cooking, theatre and horse-riding. She has won the Miss Universe crown after Lara Dutta won it in 2000.

LEAD STORIES

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

CDS CHOPPER CRASH

CDS Gen Bipin Rawat, wife laid to rest with full military honours IANS

Heard a loud sound, helicopter was in flames, says eyewitness

IANS

Chennai, Dec 8: A man who lives near the site where an Indian Air Force (IAF) helicopter carrying CDS Gen Bipin Rawat among 14 others crashed on Wednesday, said he saw 12 bodies scattered near the site of the accident. India's first Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen Bipin Rawat, his wife, and 11 others were killed when their IAF Mi-17 helicopter crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu's Nilgiris district, the IAF said. "With deep regret, it has now been ascertained that Gen Bipin Rawat, Mrs Madhulika Rawat and 11 other

persons on board have died in the unfortunate accident," the IAF said in a tweet. Ravi, an eye witness, said two persons -- whose suffered serious burn injuries, were rescued from the ill-fated chopper but they were struggling for life. Ravi, who lives near the crash site at Coonoor in Tamil Nadu, told IANS: "I heard a loud sound and found the helicopter in flames and coming down. I rushed to the spot with a few local residents and found 12 charred bodies... we rescued two persons but they were struggling for

life. An ambulance took them to the Army hospital, Wellington." Gen Rawat was among the 14 persons on oard the ill-fated helicopter. The chopper, with a total of 14 persons, took off from the Sulur air base near Coimbatore and was on its way to Coonoor. When the chopper was a few minutes away from landing, it, as per eyewitnesses, hit a tree, crashed, and caught fire, resulting in several casualties. "We knew that they were Army officers but did not know that General Rawat was in the helicopter," he said. Krishna Moorthy, a farmhand who was also with Ravi, said: "The sound was so loud that I felt the earth was cracking and suddenly found the helicopter coming down... The two persons whom we rescued had little life in them." He said that immediately after the local people reached the spot and rescued the two persons, Tamil Nadu police, Fire, and Army officials reached the spot and shifted the 12 bodies to Wellington hospital. Sukumaran, a local journalist, told IANS: "The weather condition for the past one week was very bad and it was full of mist. Today, the condition of the weather was very bad... It was only 87 km from Sullur airforce base to the Defence station, Wellington." The CDS was to deliver a talk at the Wellington Staff college at 2.30 p.m. to the young cadet officers.

11 bravehearts who lost their lives along with Gen Rawat, wife Odisha TV

New Delhi, Dec 9: Along with General Bipin Rawat and his wife Madhulika Rawat, seven Indian Army officers and jawans and four Indian Air Force officers lost their lives in the military chopper crash near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday. Among the 13 deceased, the military doctors have able to identify the mortal remains General Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and Brig L.S. Lidder, while they are carrying out DNA tests to identify the others. IANS takes a look at the bravehearts whose lives were cut short by the tragic accident: Brig L.S. Lidder Commissioned to Jammu and Kashmir Rifles in December 1990. Was DA to CDS since Jan 2021. Approved for promotion as Major General, he was due to take over a Division. Commanded Brigade in the Northern Borders. Was

instructor at NDA and Director at Military Operations Directorate. Lt Col Harjinder Singh 2/11 Gorkha Rifles; Commissioned in September 2001 from OTA, Chennai. He was an instructor at IMA, Dehradun. Served in the Northeast and J&K. Also, in Sikkim Scouts. Was a Staff Officer in a Corps HQ. Lance Naik B Sai Teja 11 Para (SF). Enrolled in June 2013, he served in super high altitudes in Arunachal Pradesh along the border with China. Part of counter-terrorist operations in Manipur and Nagaland. Mixed martial arts, unarmed combat, and communications and electronic warfare expert. Lance Naik Vivek Kumar 1 Para (SF). Enrolled in December 2012, he served in South and North Kashmir, and also near the India-China border ahead of Spiti. Specialist in combat freefall,

communications expert and excellent in unarmed combat. Lance Naik Jitender Kumar 3 Para (SF). Enrolled in March 2011, he served in the Desert Sector along the Indo-Pak border, on the IndiaChina border near Pithoragarh, and in J&K. Expert sniper and specialist in communications. Naik Gursevak Singh 9 Para (SF). Enrolled in March 2004, he served in Ladakh, PoonchRajouri, South and North Kashmir. A demolition specialist, he was an expert in unarmed combat and close-quarter battle. Havildar Satpal Rai 5/11 Gorkha Rifles. Enrolled in March 2002, he served in Siachen, Naushera, Nagaland and Manipur. His son is serving in the same unit as his father since last one year. Indian Air Force Wg Cdr P.S. Chauhan Commissioned in the IAF in June 2002 as a helicopter pilot. Belonged to Agra. Sqn Ldr Kuldeep Commissioned in the IAF in June 2015 as a helicopter pilot. Belonged to Ghardana Khurd, Rajasthan. JWO R.P. Das Enrolled in the IAF in June 2006, he was a flight engineer who belonged to Angul, Odisha. JWO A. Pradeep Enrolled in Jan 2004, he was a flight gunner who belonged to Thrissur, Kerala.

New Delhi, Dec 10: With 17 gun salutes by tri-services personnel, the last rites of India's first Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat, and his wife, Madulika Rawat, were performed with full military honours at Brar Square in Delhi Cantonment on Friday. The tri-services buglers played 'Last Post' followed by 'Rouse' just before the funeral pyres were lit by their daughter. Before that, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh laid a wreath and paid homage to the departed souls at the crematorium. "Paid my last respects to General Bipin Rawat and his wife, Madhulika Rawat. General Rawat devoted his life to serving and protecting our nation. India will remember his courage, valour and patriotism. Farewell General," Singh said in a tweet. General Rawat, with his wife and 11 other armed forces personnel were killed after the IAF chopper they were travelling in crashed near Coonoor in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday. A funeral procession was taken out from the late General's residence on K. Kamraj Road to the Delhi Cantonment. Hundreds of people stood on both sides of the road during the procession to catch a glimpse of the final journey of India's first Chief of Defence Staff. A total of 99 officers of all ranks from the Army, Navy and Air force, and 33 members of the tri-services band were the front escort, while 99 officers of all ranks from the three services acted as the rear escort. Twelve officers from the Army, Navy and Air Force of the rank of Brigadier and equivalent were on vigil duty. The Indian Army also came up with an online link where one could pay tribute to the departed souls. After the mortal remains reached the Brar Square crematorium, a ceremonial battery of 2,233 Field Regiment provided gun carriage. Many senior military commanders from friendly foreign countries reached Delhi to attend the funeral of General Rawat and his wife. From Sri Lanka, General Shavendra

Silva, the Chief of Defence Staff and Commander of the Sri Lankan Army, and Admiral Ravindra Chandrasiri Wijegunaratne (Retd), former Chief of Defence Staff and General Rawat's course mate at the National Defence College, paid homage. Brigadier Dorji Rinchen, Deputy Chief Operations Officer of Royal Bhutan Army, Lt Gen Bal Krishna Karki, Chief of General Staff of Nepali Army, and Lt Gen Waker-UZ-Zaman, Principal Staff Officer, Armed Forces Division of Bangladesh, paid their respect. A total of 800 service personnel

attended the funeral. Earlier in the day, Home Minister Amit Shah, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami, Union Minister Mahendra Nath Pandey and many others paid their last respects to General Rawat and his wife at their residence in Delhi. The mortal remains of another victim of the tragic crash, Brigadier L.S. Lidder, also was also laid to rest with full military honours at Brar Square.

'People of Baramulla had special place in Gen Rawat's heart' IANS

Srinagar, Dec 9: India's first Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat had a special connection with the people of J&K's Baramulla district whom he loved, Chinar Corps commander Lt Gen D.P. Pandey said on Thursday. Talking to reporters at a function in Baramulla to pay tribute to General Rawat, who had been the commander of the Baramulla-headquartered Dagger Division, he said: "The people of Baramulla will take a long time to overcome the grief caused by General Rawat's death". Recalling the special love Gen Rawat had for the people of Baramulla, he said: "I do not think I have seen the amount of love and connect to match what he had with the people of Uri and Baramulla and with the people of whole Kashmir. "He used to attend phone calls from everyone from Baramulla. He would listen to their requirements and then he would call me and ask me to listen to their demands and help them. I am sure the people of Baramulla have lost more than anyone else."

Lt Gen Pandey also said: "I really wanted to come here to Baramulla where he was the GOC, though he was also the commander of 5 Sector (RR). These two tenures were close to his heart especially because of the people. I am sure you all must be feeling this loss like the Indian Army, the armed forces, and the whole country is feeling. "His wife and others were also killed and this is a huge tragedy and it will

take a lot of time for us to come out of this grief." The solemn ceremony was organised by the army in Baramulla town. Dagger Division commander, Major Gen Ajay Chandpuri, and prominent people from civil and district administration were present during the function where glowing tributes were paid to General Rawat and others who lost their lives in Wednesday's chopper crash.

CDS chopper crash: Group Captain Varun Singh passes away TN YouTuber held for controversial IANS

New Delhi, Dec 15: Group Captain Varun Singh, who was injured in a military chopper crash on December 8, succumbed to his injuries. He was the lone survivor of

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the chopper crash in which Chief of Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 other armed personnel were killed in Coonoor in Tamil Nadu. Indian Air Force issued a statement on Wednesday saying, "IAF is deeply saddened to inform the passing away of braveheart Group Captain Varun Singh, who succumbed this morning to the injuries sustained in the helicopter accident on 08 Dec 21. IAF offers sincere condolences and stands firmly with the bereaved family." A day after the crash, he was rushed to Bengaluru for treatment. He was

moved by a ambulance to Sulur then further moved to the Command Hospital in Bengaluru. His condition was stated to be very critical throughout. The Group Captain was recently conferred with the Shaurya Chakra by President Ram Nath Kovind for his act of exceptional gallantry. He was in the chopper along with General Rawat, who was on a visit to Defence Services Staff College at Wellington in Nilgiri Hills to address the faculty and student officers of the Staff Course, when the military chopper crashed.

tweet on Coonoor air crash IANS

Chennai, Dec 10: A YouTuber named Maridhas has been arrested by the Tamil Nadu police from his residence in Madurai for his controversial tweet on the IAF chopper crash near Coonoor on Wednesday, in which India's first Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife and 11 other armed forces personnel were killed. In the tweet, which he later deleted, Maridhas asked whether Tamil Nadu was turning into Kashmir under DMK rule. He also said in a separate

/IndianAbroadNews

tweet that cadres and sympathisers of DMK made fun of the passing away of General Rawat, adding that DMK was the first choice for separatist forces. BJP cadres had blocked the entry of police to his residence at Surya Nagar in Maduria and the police had to use force to take him into custody. Maridhas has been charged under the relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code by the Cyber Police .

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INTERVIEW

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

PRASHANT SINGH

Fortifying community ties within Australian-Indian diaspora

he vast Indian diaspora in Australia keeps on burgeoning with each passing year and in such a scenario, it has become even more essential to keep the community members closely tied together.Mr Prashant Singh, an ICT professional based in Perth, Western Australia, is leaving no stone unturned in fostering ties among Indian community members. Having an extensive experience in the field of information technology, he comprehends the importance of artificial technology and other associated areas in rooting out the barriers of communication and in paving the way for streamlined and advanced digitization of the global economy. As the National Advisor at Council of Indian Federations Australia, he has been making waves in strengthening community bonds. Let us read what he has to say regarding his roles in various capacities and how this is aiding the Indian community in Australia. What is Council of Indian Federations of Australia (CIFA) and what role are you playing in it? Main aim for CIFA is to work for the betterment of over 700,000 Indian Diaspora in Australia; it’s a peak body of Indian Community in Australia. I still remember speaking to each state member over the phone in 2018 when I founded an informal group to collaborate on issues impacting Indian Diaspora. We have been working closely ever since and in 2020, during COVID-19 pandemic I was instrumental in galvanising support for Indian International students in Australia. I was one of the founders and inaugural secretary of CIFA. I am Advisor to CIFA and support the CIFA throughout its work and manage the

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strategy to engage community and stakeholder engagement channels. Could you briefly trace your journey to the dizzying heights of success? Ans-Well, Australia is a land of opportunity for people with a dream. I attribute all my success to my parents for imparting all values and culture growing up. My grandfather, Mr Ramdhir Singh was a freedom fighter, and we are from a big Rajput Zamindar family with strong roots in UP, India. Our family values education and hard work .We grew up in a culture embracing modern life with traditional values. Those things have always kept me grounded and keep pushing ahead. Many of my extended family members have been successful in life and share similar values. Having become settled in life, they have contributed back to community with their work. How do you balance your professional life and also help the community at large? Australia has a very strong presence of volunteer worker and almost every second person I know devotes their time to some social cause. From helping in organising school events and activities in cricket club to participating in local charities, there is strong support and encouragement for people who work to support the community. I have been heavily involved in some of the key initiatives to promote integration of Indian community. What is praiseworthy and fortunate is that people have always supported my community work. You have a keen interest in IoT, Big Data and and AI. How are these going to play a prominent role in the near future? Technology has been a key factor

At Cyber Security Summit as Panel Member

At Cyber Security Summit as Panel Member2

Blockchain Technology Event

Leadership and Governance Certificate by Minister Paul Papalia

in keeping people safe and our economy going strong despite COVID-19. Emerging technologies will have a more prominent role in how we live our life. It will touch all the dimensions of our life. AI, IoTs and Big Data will drive our digital economy and we have to ensure we do it in a safe way. They are here in your phone, in your app and in your life already. Netflix, YouTube, Google, Android, iPhone-all use AI. More and more usage will be in area of medical diagnostics, Public Policy, Governance, Smart Cities, Smart Home, other areas of our life. There will be more smart devices in use in future. Data is new oil. Do you believe that enough is being done to fortify cyber security? What more do you think needs to be done in this regard? Cyber security is one of the areas, which is now becoming a major threat for our global digital life. We have seen large scale cyber-attacks, which has disrupted our life. With more and more services moving

online, which got accelerated during COVID-19, we have seen a spike in cyber threat areas and increased cyber-attacks worldwide. India and Australia are working closely under QUAD relationship which has Cyber Security as one of the areas of focus. State sponsored cyber-attacks are a major threat to all. We need more cyber security awareness among people using technology and public policies to ensure these cyber threats are managed better. You volunteered as the Electoral Ambassador at the WA elections. What insights did you gain? Do you think more steps need to be taken to make such elections more democratic and fair? I was selected as Ambassador for WA Elections during 2021 state election by WA Election commission. Australian has a very fair and democratic process in place. Like India, Australia has three forms of Government Federal, State and Local. As an Ambassador my role was to promote and raise awareness

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amongst the Indian Community here on Australian elections. We still use paper ballot here, perhaps this can be made electronic in future. What role are you playing in representing the interests of the Indian diaspora in Australia? I am a proud Australian of Indian origin. I carry a little India within my heart. Cheering for Indian cricket team, supporting new arrivals to integrate better, supporting international students, collaborating with Federal, State and Local Government on issues related to Indian Diaspora, organising events to promote Indian culture, celebrate festivals and promoting Indian languages are some of the key areas of my focus. As a past Secretary of Federation of Indian Association of Western Australia, I led a team to present before Western Australian Parliament committee inquiry the ways to enhance trade relations between Western Australia and India. My recommendations were in the final

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reports. Over 700,000 Indian origin people in Australia are the living bridge between the two countries and we take this India and Australia relationship to the grass root level. From strategy and planning, to execution of programs on the ground, I have done everything to support the community and to ensure that we provide framework and social structure of which our next generation of Indian diaspora can feel proud. As my mother used to say, “A river which disconnects with its source dries up quickly” I will ensure we have the continued Indian connections which will keep nourishing our coming generations here in Australia so they can thrive socially, culturally and economically and keep the connection with Indian going. Jai Hind!

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

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FOOD & CUISINE

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

Indian Cooking with Lata Modi TRADITIONAL MUTTON CURRY TRADITIONAL MUTTON CURRY

MRS. LATA MODI

ello friends Today once again we are going to talk about the memories of my childhood days, where my dad owned couple of restaurants and we all grew up eating mutton from my dad’s restaurant. The flavours in the mutton curry and the mixture of spices was so special, that it still lingers in my mind sometimes. On Sunday my dad cooked mutton curry at home and we used to love watching him . He was a very passionate cook and would use all freshly made spices. So the aroma of the spices use to fill the whole house. I am going to try and remember his way of cooking mutton. The same recipe can be used to make lamb curry instead of mutton if you like, So let’s get started.

TANDOORI ROTI WITHOUT A TANDOOR

TRADITIONAL MUTTON CURRY INGREDIENTS • One kilo mutton pieces (with bones) • Three big onions (sliced thinly) • Three big tomatoes (make a purée) • 10 garlic cloves and one big piece ginger grated or (make a paste) • Fresh coriander leaves for garnishing • Oil three table spoons • One cup natural yoghurt (thin) • One tea spoon turmeric powder • Two tea spoon coriander powder • Two tea spoon cumin powder • Two tea spoon dry methi leaves • Salt to taste • Two tea spoon lemon juice • Two tea spoon garam masala powder (I prefer home-made garam masala, but you can use the one from shop) To make garam masala at home you need

• Two table spoon coriander seeds • Three four dry red chillies • Two table spoon cumin seeds • Two tea spoon white seasame seeds (optional) • And grind it together . • You can keep this mixture in a jar and use as required Whole garam masala ingredients • Two big black cardamoms • 5-6 small green cardamom • 10 black pepper corn • One big piece of cinnamon • Two bay leaf • 4-5 black cloves METHOD First of all wash and then marinade meat in a mixture of salt, turmeric powder, one table spoon oil, two tea spoon coriander powder, cumin powder and lemon juice. Keep it aside. In a big frying pan heat oil Put in all your whole garam masala

ingredients Stir it to release all the flavours Now add your onions and on a medium heat fry these until really brown Now add ginger-garlic paste Now add your marinated meat. We have to keep frying the meat on medium heat for at least 10 minutes or until it’s half cooked Now add tomato purée and stir another five minutes Now add yoghurt Keep stirring The more you stir now, the better it will taste Now add salt and your ground masala spices Add one cup hot water You can either cook the meat in the same pan or transfer it in the pressure cooker to cook faster and more tender Garnish with lots of fresh coriander leaves

TANDOORI ROTI WITHOUT A TANDOOR Now if you are cooking Punjabi style meat curry, then the rotis have to be traditional Punjabi too, which is hot roti from tandoor. I remember when we were little, my mum had a tandoor and she was a master of making tandoori rotis. I would love to own a tandoor, but it is such a special skill to stick the rotis to the wall of tandoor that I have not been able to master. So when I want to give tandoori roti to my family, I do it differently. Here is what you can also do to please your family with restaurant style tandoori roti without a tandoor.

METHOD Make the dough First of all take three cup aata (whole wheat flour) Add a pinch of salt Add water to make a smooth dough Once the dough is ready, cover with muslin cloth and leave it aside for 15-20 minutes Knead again for a few seconds until it’s really smooth This tandoori roti we will be doing under the grill First of all heat the grill on high Divide your dough in 12 equal parts Make round shapes (tennis ball size)

Roll each portion into a small pita bread size and thickness Wet it on both sides gently You can do two or three rotis at one time Put these on the grill tray Grill it for about one minute each side It puffs up nicely Now butter it and serve with your mutton curry You have to be careful not to touch the hot grill or the tray, therefore use a tong to turn it and use oven gloves to pull the grill tray out.

Qmin opens 11 new New and meaningful choices in Happy Meals outlets across Bengaluru Todays Traveller

IANS

s part of commitment to families, McDonald’s India – North and East has added new and meaningful choices in the beloved Happy Meal, with an aim to give a wholesome and nutritious refresh to its menu. Customers will now be able to order pineapple tidbits, and apple juice (that is 100 percent fruit-based), or chocolate milk shake in addition to burger of their choice with their Happy Meal. Apple juice offered with HM is 100 percent fruit-based juice drink with no added sugar. The chocolate milk shake is a low-fat dairy based drink rich in calcium and protein. With these additions to the Happy Meal, McDonald’s aims to offer nutrition based, balanced choices to customers and their families. The new

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Q menu items are free from artificial preservatives, artificial flavours and artificial colours. Commenting on the launch, Mr. Rajeev Ranjan, Chief Operating Officer, McDonald’s India – North and East said, “Every day, families visit McDonald’s restaurants and create lasting memories over meals of their choice. Through introduction of Fruit bowl, 100% fruit-based juice drink and Calcium & Protein enriched Milkshake in our Happy Meal menu, we are offering food and beverages choices that will enhance the feel good, delicious experience of our Happy Meal customers. We continue to make steady progress on our food journey and create positive and meaningful changes so parents can feel good about our Happy

Meals.” Over the years, McDonald’s India – N&E has added new menu items, ingredients and innovations that have helped change the industry and continues to evolve the menu as per customers’ evolving tastes and preferences. “We’re having conversations with our supply partners, customers and internal and external experts to introduce changes to ensure that we are able to serve our customers’ stated and unstated food needs,” added, Rajeev. With Food safety and quality always at the core, all products go through comprehensive quality checks, from farm to table, so that the customers can enjoy safe and delicious food.

min, culinary and food delivery platform, has announced the inauguration of 11 new locations around Bengaluru. Qmin's presence is growing in both virtual and real mediums. "We are pleased to offer the new Qmin stores to the garden city of Bengaluru," stated Mr. Puneet Chhatwal, Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer, IHCL. Qmin's expansion is in line with the company's plan to diversify its Food and Beverage portfolio across several market categories. The new locations will also expand the brand's reach and appeal to a broader demographic." It will offer a variety of bakery and confectionary products, as well as a large assortment of teas and coffees, and is strategically positioned in residential and commercial regions, including at Bengaluru's

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airport. These lively outlets with free Wi-Fi provide everything from cute outdoor settings to intimate nooks, making them ideal for a short meeting or catch-up. Guests can

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grab small eats on the go or grab a fast snack from a range of cookies, croissants, pretzels, samosas, and pizzas.

COMMUNITY NEWS

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

Ravishing Fashionistas hosts Christmas Party

avishing Fashionistas hosted its Christmas Party on December 10 in Brisbane. All the participants, fashion models, the empowered women in the fashion industry, the prize winners, along with the designers Leesa N Gary Gill from Black N Bling, and photographers Momento Road Photography and Bob Mcgahan made the night a memorable one. Singer Polonce gave an amazing performance. and photographers Chi Yeung and Bob Mcgahan did an equally good job of capturing all the highlights and the right moments of the event. MUA and hair stylist was Mai Huong Hoang. RF Team had Adrian Phoebe,

Manish Juneja, Candice Daniels, among others. Emcee Joie Serrano, with her graceful presence, was smoothly in control while hosting the party. Ravishing Fashionistas was formed to help women of all ages, races and sizes embrace themselves confidently by breaking through stereotypes and showcase their beauty on the fashion ramp. "We are setting a new standard where any woman can be a model in their own right and own their confidence irrespective of body types, background and beliefs," reads a statement by the fashion organisation.

Jewish and Hindu communities celebrate Chanukah and Deepavali together M

embers of the Jewish and Hindu communities recently came together after lockdown to celebrate Chanukah and Deepavali, a celebration of light. A partnership between the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies and the Hindu Council Australia, the night was also an occasion to mark both the communities' history of collaboration and goodwill.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

Australia fortifying tech partnership Indians can fly to Australia following air bubble agreement with India, says Marise Payne During the Covid-19 epidemic, a bilateral air bubble is a means for resuming flights between two countries with pre-conditions.

he Indian government has finalised an air bubble agreement with Australia, which will let all eligible passengers to travel between the two countries. This is wonderful news for international travellers. During the Covid-19 epidemic, a bilateral air bubble is a means for resuming flights between two countries with pre-conditions. Qantas, an Australian airline, just began flying between Sydney and New Delhi. Before Christmas, the airline plans to begin flights between New Delhi and Melbourne. Prior to the Indian government suspending

scheduled international flights, Air India operated direct commercial flights linking New Delhi with Melbourne and Sydney. Air India flights between India and Australia will restart in the coming days, according to a senior airline official. "Australia is a key market for the airline, and we anticipate strong demand," the official said on condition of anonymity. According to a recent announcement from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, scheduled international flight operations are currently

suspended at least until 31 January 2022. (DGCA). Dedicated freight flights and flights under bilateral air bubble pacts with specific countries, on the other hand, continue to operate. Afghanistan, Australia, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Canada, Ethiopia, Finland, France, Germany, Iraq, Japan, Kenya, Kuwait, Maldives, Mauritius, Nepal, Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Qatar, Russia, Rwanda, Singapore, Seychelles, Switzerland, Sri Lanka, Tanzania, UAE, UK, and USA, Ukraine, and Uzbekistan are among the 33 countries with bilateral air bubble agreements with India. India's foreign flight operations were halted on March 23, 2020. This was extended every month until November 30th, when the administration announced plans to resume scheduled international flight services on November 26th. Following the appearance of the Omicron coronavirus variety, the Indian government declared on December 1st that it would postpone its intentions to restart scheduled international aircraft operations on December 15th.

International students continue to rise in other countries even as Australia faces decline In order to determine the impact of the pandemic on prospective international students, the research looked at student visa data. Student visa data are a leading indicator because most students require a visa to enrol. As a result of the epidemic, the number of new students has decreased in all countries. However, some people have been hit harder than others. The United Kingdom has made the most progress. The number of incoming overseas students is at an all-time high, up 38% from

pre-COVID levels. The disruption caused by the pandemic can be obscured by annual data. This is due to the fact that countries imposed varying levels of limitations throughout 2020 and 2021, causing typical enrolment patterns to be disrupted. Australia, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States all saw falls of more than 80%. For the available data on student visas, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States had rebounded to record levels by the September 2021 quarter.

This might be excellent news for countries like Australia and New Zealand, who have seen their student populations decline due to migration. The fact that Canada, the United Kingdom, and the United States have quickly returned to an increasing trend implies that there is pent-up demand among students waiting for borders to open. If this is the case, more overseas students should enrol as travel to Australia and New Zealand becomes more accessible.

ndia and Australia are at the forefront of defining the design, development, and deployment of emerging technologies through our Comprehensive Strategic Partnership," Payne added. "Our existing Cyber and Critical Technology Partnership, as well as its bilateral awards programme," she noted, "were a vital first step towards expanding these connections." The Centre of Excellence for Critical and Emerging Technology Policy, according to the foreign minister, will bring together Australian and Indian technologists, policymakers, academics, researchers, and thought leaders. It will encourage increased investment and cutting-edge innovation in cyber, critical, and emerging technologies. It would boost Australia's and India's global policy influence, while visiting fellows from throughout the Indo-Pacific will widen the

Centre's reach, she stated. The centre, according to Payne, would provide a practical forum for Australia and India to collaborate

on shaping technology governance that is consistent with our principles and supports an open, inclusive, and resilient Indo-Pacific.

PM Morrison's End of Year message

021 has been an extraordinary year. Australians have been challenged in many ways, but we’ve also risen to those challenges. We are a strong and resilient people, and if you ask Australians to stand up, take action and play their part, they will – and they have. I thank all Australians for doing their bit – the nurses, doctors, mental health professionals, retail staff, cleaners, truck drivers, farmers, teachers and public servants. What we have achieved together – saving more than 30,000 lives, supporting over 3 million Australians through JobKeeper, and getting 1 million Australians back into work – it’s something every Australian can be proud to share. To date over 20 million Australians have had a vaccination, and over 18 million have had two. I want to thank our multicultural communities for rolling up their sleeves to get the jab because, under the National Plan, that means we

can open safely and we can remain safely open as we go into 2022. It means those jobs come back, the businesses come back and the livelihoods come back. Our multicultural communities have played a vital role in our national success. I know it’s been difficult for so many to be separated from family and friends, and not be able to celebrate traditions and religious ceremonies as you normally would. But you’ve stayed the course. You’ve done whatever it takes to keep each other safe. You’ve kept going, stayed strong and helped keep our nation together. That’s why Australia is the most successful multicultural nation in the world. A place where we all buy in and draw strength from our shared values – such as mutual respect and individual responsibility. Your efforts have helped the country that we all love and care about

respond so magnificently to this pandemic. I can’t thank you enough. This is why our country can open safely and stay safely open. As we reclaim our lives and reunite with each other again, we can put 2021 in the rear-vision mirror and move forward to 2022 with confidence. I wish everyone a Merry Christmas, a bright and happy summer, and a hopeful new year. The Hon Scott Morrison MP Prime Minister of Australia

Celestial wedding of Lord Balaji celebrated

ET Australia Foundation Perth Chapter, with the blessings of HH Sri Chinna Jeeyar Swamiji, organised Saamoohika Sri Sriniva:sa Kalya:na Maho:tsavam (celestial wedding of Lord Balaji), which was performed with 108 couples in the presence of Srimaan Surya Ambati Garu and ISWA Team, on December

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12 at the Indian Community Centre (ICC) Auditorium in Willetton, Perth. After the ceremony in the morning, mahaprasadam was served to the attending members of the public. All proceeds of the donations will got to Jet Sri Balaji Venkateswara Temple.

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INDIA

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

Explore mediation, courts should be India successfully tests multi barrel last resort: CJI to business community rocket launcher system Pinaka-ER

IANS

New Delhi, Dec 4: Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana on Saturday said the business community should explore the alternate dispute resolution mechanism like mediation, conciliation, and arbitration to resolve disputes, rather than going to courts, which should be the last resort. Justice Ramana was speaking at the 'Stakeholders' Conclave' at the International Arbitration and Mediation Centre, Hyderabad. He said in business, differences of opinions should be initially sorted through a dialogue and if this doesn't work then parties should look for people who can resolve the issue by negotiation. He said: "If this also doesn't work, then the only option people consider is to go to

courts. My advice, after participating in the legal profession for over 40 years in different capacities, is that you must keep the option of going to courts as a last resort". He added, "Use this last resort only after exploring the option of ADR (alternate dispute resolution) -- arbitration, mediation and conciliation. Arbitration and mediation are efforts at restoring a relationship". He said every day in our lives, "we face conflicts - be it between family members or in our business or professional life". Justice Ramana said nobody can imagine a world without conflicts. "Conflicts have a human face and it helps to be humane in our approach to resolve the same. One must have the foresight to look beyond the conflict", he said.

He said the most important factor behind the resolution of any dispute is having the right attitude. "By right attitude, I mean we should leave aside our ego, emotions, impatience and embrace practicality. But, once these conflicts enter a Court, much gets lost in the practice and procedure", he added. Justice Ramana cited various reasons for opting for mediation or arbitration over traditional litigation, saying its benefits are manifold: fewer delays, less expensive, greater party choice, more control, more comfortable and amicable environment for the parties etc. Justice Ramana said despite the presence of some arbitration centers in India, Indian parties that enter into an international arbitration agreement often opt for an arbitration centre outside India incurring huge expenses. "The setting up of this International Arbitration and Mediation Centre in Hyderabad will change this trend in India. This Centre is being established with the best infrastructure and the empanelling of internationally acclaimed arbitrators and mediators", he added. Justice Ramana said the great Indian epic, the Mahabharata, provides an example of an early attempt at mediation as a conflict resolution tool, where Lord Krishna attempted to mediate the dispute between the Pandavas and Kauravas. Justice Ramana said: "It may be worthwhile to recall that the failure of mediation led to disastrous consequences".

Women in law face bias, affects not just advocates, but those on bench too: CJI New Delhi, Dec 14: Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana on Tuesday rued the fact women in the legal profession face bias, both from their colleagues or litigants, and this affects not just advocates, but also those on the bench. In his address at the felicitation of Supreme Court judge Justice Hima Kohli by Women in Law and Litigation (WILL), he said: "There are various barriers that women face in the legal profession that merit consideration... the continued prevalence of certain attitudes about the role of women in society. This issue is a problem a woman faces regardless of the type of employment. Another issue is the bias that women face, whether from their colleagues or litigants. This bias affects not just women advocates, but also those on the bench." He added that this creates "a completely unwelcome atmosphere" within courtrooms for women and it is the duty of all lawyers and judges to ensure that a friendly environment is created in courtrooms. On the aspect of women representation in the judiciary, the CJI said: "The demand for higher representation beyond 50 per cent

on the Bench in view of the backlog of under representation of women is taken note of. I promise to take up your demand with my Brothers in the collegium." He added that women constitute only around 30 per cent of the judges in the lower judiciary on average and some states have a good number of women judges, whereas in other states, the representation is abysmal. "In High Courts, the percentage of women judges is a mere 11.5 per cent. In the Supreme Court, we have four sitting women judges, out of 33 in office. The situation of women lawyers in the country is not any better. Out of 1.7 million advocates registered, only 15 per cent are women," he added. Chief Justice Ramana said recently while hearing a very sensitive matter, Justice Kohli had observed that "you're dragging your feet" and this was the only observation she made. He added that next day all headlines were on that quote. He said that she was "a little scared and asked me if she had made a mistake but I told her there is nothing wrong and you're entitled to express your views".

He emphasised that there can be no denying that the inclusion of women as judges and lawyers in the country will substantially improve the justice delivery system. "Women can bring a different perspective to the law which will enrich the legal field. In this endeavour, associations like WILL are essential. Being an association that is formed by women in law, for women in law, you are specially placed to raise issues facing women and to suggest and push for changes to the status quo," he added. Chief Justice Ramana also said: "As a person who had his education in Telugu medium till, I joined law course, I have an appeal to make to you all mothers. Please encourage your children to speak in your mother tongue. This will help them think better and learn better." "Finally, I would like to request all of you here, eminent women lawyers and Judges at the top of this profession, to raise your voices about the changes that can be made to improve the working conditions and representation of women in the legal profession. I will support such initiatives with all my heart."

Porn film racket case: SC relief for Raj Kundra, grants him protection from arrest IANS

New Delhi, Dec 15: The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued notice to Maharashtra government on a petition filed by businessman Raj Kundra seeking anticipatory bail. The top court granted him four weeks protection from arrest in one of the cases related to porn film

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racket. In November, the Bombay High Court had declined to entertain the anticipatory bail application filed by Kundra in connection with an FIR registered against him by the Mumbai Police in the porn film racket case. Kundra approached the

top court after high court refused relief. Kundra, who is married to actor Shilpa Shetty, first sought anticipatory bail from the session court, which refused to grant him any relief. Thereafter, he moved the Bombay High Court claiming that he was allegedly framed. A bench comprising Justices Vineet Saran and Aniruddha Bose after hearing arguments in the matter granted protection of arrest to Kundra and scheduled the matter for further hearing after four weeks. In the top court, Kundra was represented by advocate-on-record Shakti Pandey and advocate Prashant Patil. The cyber cell of the Mumbai Police filed a case against Kundra under sections of the Indian Penal Code, Indecent Representation of Women (Prevention) Act, and Information Technology Act for allegedly distributing sexually explicit videos. Kundra claimed he was not connected to content creation, publication or transmission of alleged illegal videos. He was arrested by the Mumbai Police, in July this year, in another case where he was accused of distributing porn films through an app. In September, Kundra was granted bail.

New Delhi, Dec 11: India successfully tested multi barrel rocket launcher system with extended range at Pokharan range, on Saturday. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) in a statement said that successful tests of Pinaka Extended Range (Pinaka-ER), Area Denial Munitions (ADM) and indigenously developed fuzes have been carried out at various test ranges. The system is jointly designed by laboratories of DRDO - Armament Research & Development Establishment (ARDE), Pune and High Energy Materials Research Laboratory (HEMRL), Pune. The DRDO, after establishing the performance efficacy of the enhanced range Pinaka, transferred the technology of the system to the industry. The Industry Partner has manufactured enhanced Pinaka Mk-1 rockets with DRDO's hand holding during the production and Quality Assurance. In continuation of the Transfer of Technology absorption, rockets developed by the industry have undergone the performance evaluation and quality certification process. The hand holding during the production, quality assurance and launch coordination for bulk production is being provided by the DRDO design team and quality assurance agencies nominated for the system. The DRDO, along with the Army, conducted series of performance evaluation trials of these industry produced rockets at Field Firing Ranges in the last three days. In these trials, enhanced range Pinaka rockets were test fired at different ranges with various warhead capabilities. All the trial objectives were met satisfactorily. A total of 24 rockets

IANS

were fired for different ranges and warhead capabilities to meet the objectives of accuracy and consistency. With this, the initial phase of technology absorption of PinakaER by the Industry Partner has successfully been completed making the Industry Partner ready for series production of the rocket system. The Pinaka-ER is the upgraded version of earlier Pinaka version which has been in service with the Indian Army for the last decade. The system has been designed in the light of emerging requirements with advanced technologies enhancing the range. The Area Denial Munition (ADM) variants of munition designed by the ARDE, Pune for Pinaka and manufactured by the industry partners under technology transfer were successfully carried out at Pokhran Field Firing Ranges. These trials are part of performance evaluation under technology absorption. The indigenously-developed

proximity fuzes for Pinaka rockets have also been tested. The ARDE, Pune has developed different fuzes for Pinaka rocket for different types of applications. After design validation trials, dynamic performance evaluation of these fuzes have been evaluated with flight testing. Consistency in performance of fuzes has been established in consecutive flight trials. These have been developed through dedicated indigenous Research and Development efforts for the first time in the country. These indigenously developed fuzes will replace the imported fuzes and save foreign exchange. The ARDE has also designed miniaturised fuzes for ADMs. Performance of dual-purpose Direct-Action Self Destruction (DASD) and Anti-Tank Munition (ATM) fuzes were evaluated during the current flight trials and the results were satisfactory. All the mission objectives were successfully in all the above trials.

No big leader has emerged from student community in last few years: CJI New Delhi, Dec 9: Chief Justice of India N.V. Ramana on Thursday said that in the past few decades, no big leader has emerged from the student community as he emphasised students cannot remain self-centred, and more upright students should enter public life. In his address at the eighth convocation at the National Law University, Delhi, he said: "Any keen observer of Indian society would notice that in the past few decades, no big leader has emerged from the student community. This appears to be correlated with diminished participation of students in social causes after liberalisation. The importance of students' participation in modern democracy cannot be played down." He emphasised that students cannot remain self-centered and it is essential that more and more well-meaning, forward-looking, and upright students enter public life. "You must emerge as leaders. After all, political consciousness and well-informed debates can steer the nation into a glorious future as envisioned by our Constitution. A responsive youth is vital for strengthening democracy," the CJI told law students. He said students are an integral part of the society and cannot live in isolation, and they are also guardians of freedom, justice, equality, ethics, and social equilibrium. "The youth of today is driven by idealism and ambition. Idealism without ambition may not achieve any positive results. Ambition without idealism can be dangerous. Combine the two in the right proportion and enable our country to emerge as one of the most powerful and harmonious nations," he said. He added that unfortunately, the focus nowadays is on professional

courses to the total neglect of equally important subjects such as humanities and natural sciences. He said in an anxiety to secure highly remunerative and profitable job opportunities, children are sent to exile in privately-run residential schools and coaching centres. "The formative years of budding talents are spent in a suffocating atmosphere which unfortunately resembles prisons," the CJI said. He said holistic development of a child cannot be achieved in such a restrictive environment and the harsh reality is that even after the students enter professional universities, the focus is on classroom learning, and not on the world beyond the classroom. Chief Justice Ramana said the primary objective behind the establishment of national law universities in the country was to improve the quality of legal education in the country to produce better trained legal professionals. "However, no authoritative study

has been conducted to determine whether this has taken place. Additionally, due to various considerations most students from these universities end up in corporate law firms," he added. "Even though such law firms are an integral part of the legal landscape of the country, it is unfortunate that a comparable addition is not being made to the ranks of lawyers practicing in courts from the National Law Universities. This is perhaps one of the reasons why National Law Universities are perceived as elitist and detached from social realities." He added that an enrichment of courtroom advocacy is the need of the hour and is something that the profession must think about collectively and lawyers cannot be strangers to socio-economic and political realities. He emphasised that while it is not wrong to choose a life of convenience, "I hope that you choose a life of service as well, for the future of this nation".

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INDIA

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

Patna HC starts live streaming Mother-daughter kill 2 of their kin for property in Patna of proceedings on YouTube IANS

Patna, Dec 11: The Patna High Court has emerged as the fifth court in the country to live stream proceedings on YouTube, an official said. Earlier, the process was followed

by Karnataka, Odisha, Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh high courts. The idea is to bring transparency in the proceedings and promote the concept of open court in the

country. On Friday, the court of Justice Chakradhari Sharan Singh and Madhuresh Kumar telecast the proceedings live on YouTube, the official said. The practice first started in Madhya Pradesh High Court when some journalists filed a petition after they failed to receive actual information on cases. Following that, the court decided to telecast the court proceedings live on YouTube to bring transparency. Soon, Odisha high court followed the suit. Even Supreme Court judge Abhay Srinivas Aoka advocated the same. He pointed out that if the Parliament proceedings can be telecast live on television, then why not court proceedings?.

Patna, Dec 16: In a shocking incident, two women set afire a house killing two of their relatives in Patna's outskirts village Karnpura, police said on Thursday. Both were arrested after being caught by the neighbours, who thrashed them brutally. The police said the deceased were one Shanti Devi and her son Amrendra Kumar. The accused have been identified as Madhuri Devi and her daughter. The Naubatpur SHO Deepak Samrat said the incident took place in the wee hours when the victims were asleep. "Madhuri and her daughter locked the door of the house where Shanti Devi and Amrendra Kumar were sleeping and then set it on fire.

The victims did shout for help, and the neighbours tried to help but the mother-son duo lost their lives," he said. "Angry neighbours nabbed Madhuri and her daughter and brutally beat them. One of the neighbours informed us about the incident. We reached quickly and managed to arrest them after a brief struggle," the SHO said. "Shanti's husband Panna Lal had died a year ago after retiring from Bihar Fire Service. He had purchased some properties in the Kanhauli village and Bihta Sarmera state highway. Recently, Shanti Devi sold a piece of land for Rs 5 lakh. Madhuri Devi was eyeing that money and tried to apply pressure

IANS

on Shanti several times in the past. As Shanti refused to give the money, she set them on fire and tried to create a scene of fire mishap," the officer said. "The accused persons have been booked under the charge of murder and criminal conspiracy. They also tried to confuse the police," he said.

Youth Congress protests demanding K'taka youth arrested for raping dismissal of Ajay Mishra

woman who turned him down IANS

Dakshina Kannada, (Karnataka) Dec 10: A youth in Bajpe town of Karnataka's Dakshina Kannada

district was arrested for allegedly raping a woman for rejecting his love proposal, police said on Friday. According to police, Abubakar Siddique, 21, and the victim studied in the same college and were classmates. She had posed with him for a photograph during the farewell party in 2019. Taking advantage of this, he started pestering her to enter a relationship. When she rejected his offer, he threatened her to make the

photograph of them together viral on social media. The woman didn't pay heed to his threats and ignored him. But, the accused had followed her when she was returning from work to her residence. After confirming that no one was at home, he barged inside and raped her. The victim had lodged a complaint with Bajpe police station and the police have arrested the accused. Further investigation is on.

Farmers vacate Delhi borders, start leaving for home IANS

New Delhi, Dec 11: After farmers suspended their agitation against the three farm laws, they have started vacating Delhi borders where they have been stationed for more than a year. They have dismantled their settlements, removed tarpaulins, tied bales of clothes and now are in the process of returning home. The farmers will take out victory march to celebrate their success of repeal of the farm laws. At the spot, farmers can be seen removing bamboo sticks used for erecting and tying tarpaulins and loading them in tractors. They hugged each other and bade good bye. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) decided to suspend their agitation after the government repealed the contentious laws and assured them to fulfill their rest of the demands. Some elderly farmers were seen cleaning the place where they had set up tents. The roads are also being cleared of things to make it look like what it was before the agitation. Hundreds of tractors are queued up at Delhi borders to take the farmers back home. Before leaving, the farmers at Singhu border offered prayers and organised langar as well. The farmers have decided to leave in a phased manner to avoid traffic snarls. In a day or two, all roads will be cleared, and within a few days, they will be put through for traffic. On December 13, farmer leaders will visit the Golden temple at Amritsar to offer prayers. The Statesman

New Delhi, Dec 16: In an all out attack on Lakhimpur Kheri issue, the Youth Congress on Thursday held protest against the Central Government demanding the dismissal of Union Minister of State for Home Ajay Mishra Teni. Youth Congress President Srinivas B.V., addressing the workers said that the country has understood the chronology of the BJP, now BJP's policy of 'crush and destroy' will not work. The country is demanding the dismissal of the minister to bring justice to the farmers who died in the Lakhimpur Kheri massacre. He said, days before the Lakhimpur Kheri incident, the Prime Minister's beloved minister was threatening farmers to 'mend your ways or I will mend you' and a few days after that Lakhimpur Kheri massacre took place. He alleged that the Prime Minister's speeches are beyond the truth. The Prime Minister, who praised the farmers in the speeches, should tell - "why is the father of the accused of Lakhimpur Kheri massacre is not being sacked from the post of minister?" he added. The involvement of the minister's son in the Lakhimpur Kheri massacre has been proved. Even

after this, the government and the administration are engaged in doing injustice, so it is necessary to raise voice, he said. Youth Congress in a statement said, "The level at which the government has come down to save the culprits

of the Lakhimpur Kheri massacre is not hidden from anyone. By not sacking the Minister of State for Home, the BJP high command has exposed its anti-farmer face. He also said that we will not leave them until the Minister of State for Home Affairs Ajay Mishra Teni resigns.

Crimes against women rising in Goa, BJP ideology 'anti-women': Priyanka IANS

Panaji, Dec 10: Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday slammed the BJP-led coalition government in Goa over increasing crimes against women and said that the BJP ideology was "deeply anti-women". "See how many attacks are happening on women. When attacks happen on women, when rapes happen, what does the Goa CM say? He says what they were doing out so late? Why were they on the beach? His minister says 'why are you wearing these kind of clothes?' When such attacks happen on women, the allegation is not on the one who rapes, but the one who is raped," she said at a women's convention in South Goa. "It is the government's responsibility that the crimes against women be stopped. They need to be tried and

jailed. But this government hasn't done it. The Congress will increase the staffing of women in police stations. You have to be heard. Wherever there is a BJP government, there are more crimes against women," she added. Priyanka Gandhi, who is on a daylong visit to poll-bound Goa, also claimed that the BJP ideology was inherently against women. "The (Congress) ideology gave this country, this state its freedom. It is very important that we protect this ideology. When we talk about women's power, about women's freedom, when we want such an atmosphere in the country where the women are free to express, are free of shackles, are free, then we can never talk about the ideology of the BJP," she said. "Because the BJP's ideology right

from its roots is against women. BJP's ideology will never want women's empowerment. When they come and talk about women, when you see their schemes for women, it is only about providing gas cylinders and money for the household. And they think that their responsibility towards women ends there," she added.

parts of the world have followed different paths of democratic development and there is much we can learn from each other". "We all need to constantly improve our democratic practices and systems. And, we all need to continuously enhance inclusion, transparency, human dignity, responsive grievance redressal and decentralisation of power," he said. Modi also mentioned that "in this context, today's assembly provides a timely platform for furthering cooperation among democracies". "India would be happy to share its expertise in holding free and fair elections, and in enhancing transparency in all areas of governance through innovative digital solutions. We must also jointly shape global norms for emerging

technologies like social media and crypto-currencies, so that they are used to empower democracy, not to undermine it," he said. He emphasised that by working together, democracies can meet the aspirations of our citizens and celebrate the democratic spirit of humanity and India stands ready to join fellow democracies in this noble endeavour. "It is a story of unprecedented socio-economic inclusion in all spheres. It is a story of constant improvements in health, education, and human well-being at an un-imaginable scale. The India story has one clear message to the world. That democracy can deliver, that democracy has delivered, and that democracy will continue to deliver," he said.

Spirit and ethos among citizens basic strength of democracy: Modi New Delhi, Dec 10: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said that the basic strength of democracy is the spirit and ethos "that lie within our citizens and societies". The Prime Minister made the remarks while speaking at a programme, 'Summit for Democracy', hosted by US President Joe Biden. "The structural features like multi-party elections, independent judiciary, and free media - are important instruments of democracy. However, the basic strength of democracy is the spirit and ethos that lie within our citizens and our societies. Democracy is not only of the people, by the people, for the people but also with the people, within the people," the Prime Minister said. Modi also pointed out that "different

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AUSTRALIA

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

Implications of Australia’s Majority of Australians Religious Discrimination Bill want Covid booster vax: Poll IANS

The act prohibits discrimination in a variety of spheres of life, including employment, education, access to premises, and the provision of products, services, and lodging, on the basis of religious belief or activity.

Wikipedia

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison (1)

In Australia's lower house, Prime Minister Scott Morrison recently tabled the "Religious Discrimination Bill," a contentious piece of anti-discrimination legislation. The measure, which is currently in its third and final iteration, seeks to end discrimination based on religious beliefs or activities. The Religious Discrimination Bill, as well as related legislation such as the Religious Discrimination (Consequential Amendments) Bill 2021 and the Human Rights Legislation Amendment Bill 2021, will protect Australians against discrimination based on their religious beliefs or activities. The timing of the bill's introduction, barely months before the federal election, is being interpreted as an attempt by the Morrison administration to court religious votes. Essentially, the legislation prohibits

discrimination in a variety of sectors of life, including job, education, access to premises, and the provision of products, services, and lodging, on the basis of religious belief or activity. Discrimination is illegal if it arises because of a person's religious beliefs or activities; it is also illegal if it occurs as a result of the person's association with someone who holds or engages in a religious belief or activity, whether or not they themselves hold or engage in a religious belief or activity, according to the Bill. The bill does, however, allow faith-based organisations, such as religious institutions, to recruit and enroll people of different faiths. Religious entities can offer priority "in good faith" to people who "hold or engage in a particular religious belief or practise," according to the measure. "A religious body does not discriminate against a person under this Act by engaging in behaviour that a member of the same religion as the religious body could reasonably regard to be in conformity with the doctrines, 26 tenets, beliefs, or teachings of that religion," it continues. The bill has upset certain LGBTQI organisations and legal experts who claim that it will discriminate against gay teachers and pupils as a result of this section, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. Religious schools, on the other hand, have praised the bill's provisions for creating a clear national framework

that will allow them to "proactively hire staff of their own faith, and create consistency by overriding uneven state rules," according to the newspaper. Some critics of the bill view it as legalising hatred, while others are challenging the administration and demanding proof that people are discriminated against in the country because of their religion. "If this Bill was genuinely about Religious Freedoms, it would be called the Religious Freedoms Bill, but it isn't," one Twitter user said. “It's called the Religious Discrimination Bill because that's all it's about #ReligiousDiscriminationBill". There are also calls for gay students to be protected from prejudice. However, Morrison has stated that following the passing of this law, legislation linked to that will take at least a year. "Gay pupils should not be expelled from religious institutions, and gay teachers employed at those schools should not be fired because they are gay." Morrison made the announcement on November 25. Senator Mehreen Faruqi of Australia criticised the bill on Twitter, writing, "Here's Morrison proposing the religious discrimination law today. It's revolting coming from a man whose administration refuses to condemn far-right extremism directed against Muslims. Who supports the Modi government, which has made India a more hazardous environment for Sikhs and Muslims?"

Central bank flags Omicron uncertainty IANS

Canberra, Dec 7 (IANS): The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) said on Tuesday that it would maintain "accommodative monetary policy" into December, flagging the new threat of the Omicron Covid-19 variant to the economy. During its monthly monetary policy update on Tuesday, RBA Governor Philip Lowe acknowledged the Omicron variant, which has begun to spread in the state of New South Wales (NSW), as a "new source

of uncertainty" but downplayed its potential to derail the nation's economic recovery, reports Xinhua news agency. "The economy is expected to return to its pre-Delta path in the first half of 2022," said Lowe. He pointed to increased wage growth brought on by Australia's recovering labour market as one of many positive signs for the economic rebound.

"This pick-up (in wage growth) is expected to be only gradual, although there is uncertainty about the behaviour of wages as the unemployment rate declines to historically low levels." "Household consumption is rebounding strongly and the outlook for business investment has improved," said Lowe. He cast some doubt on the wavering of the Australian dollar which he said had "depreciated and is around its lows of the past year". According to the RBA, the current rate of inflation in Australia is 2.1 per cent and is expected to reach 2.5 per cent over 2023. In previous instances, the RBA had committed to not raising interest rates above 0.1 per cent until inflation is sustainably within the 2 to 3 per cent range. The announcement also confirmed that the bank would not taper its weekly purchases of A$4 billion of government bonds until at least mid February 2022.

Aus Covid vax rollout to be expanded to kids in Jan IANS

Canberra, Dec 10: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Friday announced that the nationwide rollout of Covid-19 vaccines to children aged between five and 11 will start on January 10, 2022. The move came after the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunizations (ATAGI) signed off on the Therapeutic Goods Administration's decision to approve Pfizer's vaccine for children, reports Xinhua news agency. However, ATAGI advised that children wait eight weeks between their first and second doses compared to three weeks for adults. More than 2 million children will become available for the vaccine, with doses to be one third the size administered to adults. Morrison said parents could have confidence the vaccine is safe. "This will bring great relief to so many mums and dads, who now www.indianabroad.news

have a choice on what's best for their kids. They can have peace of mind knowing this has the tick from the best medical regulators in the world," he told reporters. ATAGI noted that inoculation was particularly important for children with severe illness and those living in areas with high case numbers. Bookings for vaccine appointments will open in late December and Health Minister Greg Hunt said the government would strongly recommend all children were inoculated. "Australians can be reassured that by vaccinating their children against Covid-19 they have done everything possible to keep their child safe from this virus," he said. "Vaccinating children can also help reduce community transmission and help prevent children passing the virus on to younger siblings, grandparents and the wider community."

Australia on Friday reported more than 1,700 new locally-acquired coronavirus infections. Till date, 88.9 per cent of Australians aged 16 and over have been fully vaccinated against the virus.

Canberra, Dec 9: More than 70 per cent of Australians say they want a coronavirus booster vaccine, a new survey published on Thursday revealed Researchers from Australian National University (ANU) published the latest findings from their ongoing survey of more than 3,400 people during the pandemic, reports Xinhua news agency. It found that 71.9 per cent of the respondents said they will get a booster vaccine when available. However, it did reveal portions of the population that are hesitant about boosters. "In our analysis we found males, younger Australians, those who live outside of advantaged areas, those who have not completed Year 12, those who speak a language other than English, and those who have had their first dose vaccination relatively recently are all less willing to receive their 'third dose' of the Covid-19 vaccine," study co-author Nicholas Biddle said in a statement. Booster vaccines are currently available to Australians aged 18 and over six months after their second shot. Till date, 93.1 per cent of Australians aged 16 and over had received one vaccine dose and 88.7 per cent were fully inoculated, according to the Department of Health.

The most common reason for booster hesitancy given by respondents to the survey was thinking other people would need Covid-19 vaccines before them. "This reinforces the need to boost supply of Covid-19 vaccines to the region, not only because many countries in the Asia Pacific have very low vaccination rates, but also because it will reassure Australians that they can get a booster without putting others at risk," Biddle said. Australia on Thursday reported more than 1,600 new locally-acquired coronavirus cases and 10 deaths as the country continues to battle the third wave of the pandemic.

Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, who is fully vaccinated, has confirmed he has tested positive for Covid-19 after arriving in the US for work on the government's social media regulation laws. He told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) that he decided to get tested after developing mild symptoms. "Obviously I am very frustrated. I'm going to be locked up in a room by myself for 10 days, but that's part of the process," Joyce said. "It's probably developing, I'm probably very much in the early stages - but I'm more worried about being in a room by myself to be honest."

Qantas gears up for soaring Christmas deliveries demand IANS

Canberra, Dec 7: Australian flag carrier Qantas announced on Tuesday that is boosting its fleet of freight planes to handle the boom in parcel deliveries this Christmas as well as the nation's ever-rising increase in online shopping. Qantas CEO Alan Joyce announced that a new wide-bodied Airbus A321 has been added to the freight fleet that operates on behalf of the nation's postal service, Australia Post, reports Xinhua news agency. The addition has been timed to help with what Australia Post expects will be the largest Christmas operation in the company's 212-year history, even eclipsing last December's record of 52 million parcels and more than 7.4 million kg of air freight. Joyce also announced that two Airbus A330 passenger planes would be converted into freight carriers - one for the domestic market and one for international services - within the next two years to cope with the unprecedented demands of e-commerce. "The converted A330 will be able to carry about 50 tonnes of cargo each flight, more than double the capacity

of other freighters operating for the national postal service," Joyce said. "Our freight business has boomed during the pandemic and while some of that is temporary, Covid-19 has accelerated the permanent expansion of e-commerce and online shopping in this country. "It is predicted that much of this demand will continue beyond the recent surge as Australia catches up with other nations where online retail accounts for three times the volume we have here now," the CEO added. He said Qantas and Australia

Post were responding quickly to shoppers' changing buying habits to guarantee they could "increase the amount of parcels that we can carry by air to ensure they arrive at people's homes as quickly as possible". Australia Post CEO Paul Graham said that e-commerce has grown by more than 76 per cent within the past two years. "Australia Post plays a critical role connecting Australian businesses and communities to each other and the rest of the world," Graham said. "This has never been more evident than through the pandemic."

Australian homelessness up during pandemic: Report IANS

Canberra, Dec 7 (IANS): Australian homelessness has increased during the pandemic despite a drop during the first wave of infection. Homelessness Australia on Tuesday published an analysis of federal government data on the number of Australians requiring homelessness support, Xinhua news agency reported. It found that in May 2020, when the government doubled the JobSeeker welfare payment in response to widespread lockdowns, the number fell 5 per cent from 91,672 to 87,301. However, with JobSeeker payment now wound back to 620 Australian dollars ($437.1) a fortnight, a slight increase from 566 Australian dollars ($399) prior to the pandemic, the number of people claiming homelessness support in May 2021 increased to 93,726. Jenny Smith, chair of Homelessness Australia, called for a permanent JobSeeker increase to 966 Australian dollars ($681.1) a fortnight, equalling 69 Australian dollars ($48.6) a day. "The sector has been saying for years now that increasing income support would reduce homelessness, and now we have the evidence that proves it," she told Nine

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Entertainment newspapers. "The federal government knows what it needs to do. If it raises the rate of JobSeeker for good, then far fewer people would find themselves without a home. "There's still an opportunity for that to happen because we will probably need more economic stimulus coming out of the pandemic." The federal government has ruled out a more significant increase, arguing that a rate too high could

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incentivize unemployment. A spokesperson for federal Families and Social Services Minister Anne Ruston said a permanent increase to 1,115 Australian dollars would cost an additional 81 billion Australian dollars ($57.1 billion) over the next four years. "Our focus now is reopening the economy and supporting Australians into work because we know that for every person we get in a job, they are better off and the country is better off," they said.

AUSTRALIA

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

AUKUS tips scales against China Moon, Morrison hold summit to deepen ties, secure supply chain in its trade war with Australia IANS

New Delhi/Canberra, Dec 8 (IANS): The formation of AUKUS, a trilateral security pact between Australia, the US and the UK, in the IndoPacific region, has put China on the backfoot, undermining its objective of bringing Australia to its knees by unleashing a severe trade and tariff war against it. Peeved by Australia calling for an independent inquiry into the origins of the Coronavirus in 2019, China launched a trade and tariff war against that country. It imposed restrictions and tariffs on several Australian exports like barley, sugar, wine, coal, and copper ore. Ties between the two countries which were warm till 2014, have since frozen. In 2014, Chinese President Xi Jinping went to Australia declaring a permanent friendship between the two countries and even signed a bilateral free trade agreement a year later. They became so close that Victoria state in Australia even signed a memorandum of understanding for the Belt and Road Initiative with the Chinese government. However, things began to sour between them over Australia's concerns that China was consciously expanding its political influence in Canberra. As the US-China relations worsened, Australia found itself increasingly difficult to maintain a balance between its ties with the two countries. In 2018, Australia publicly banned Chinese telecom giants Huawei and ZTE from building its domestic 5G network. The following year came Australia's demand for a virus probe against China. That was the last straw. China used its economic heft to launch an open trade war against Australia. Anti-dumping and anti-subsidy duties were dumped on Australia. Australian exports were sanctioned for unbelievable reasons. Imports of fish products from that country were inordinately delayed in customs, leading to losses. Australia largely weathered the onslaught but sometimes it buckled. Like, for instance, in the case of Australian wine. China imposed tariffs of up to 212 per cent. That crushed domestic Australian distributors and Australia's share

in the world's wine import market nosedived from 40 per cent to six per cent in 2020. By the beginning of this year, Australia appeared to weather the worst, trading in new products and finding new export markets. For instance, it re-directed its coal exports to India instead. Saudi Arabia became the biggest importer of Australian barley instead of China. And now, the AUKUS security pact, announced in September, has led to further deterioration of the Australia-China relations with Beijing seeing the pact as a personal affront and a deliberate attempt by the troika countries to contain it. What infuriated China was the critical agreement in the pact that the US and the UK will share advanced nuclear submarine technology with Australia as also information about long-range strike capabilities, artificial intelligence, and underwater systems. Where Australia saw the pact as a "strategic victory", the Chinese voiced concern that it will lead to nuclear proliferation in non-nuclear states (like Australia) and destabilise security in the Indo-Pacific region. China has its biggest political stakes in this region. Experts are now assessing who between Australia and China is hurt more because of the trade war and the AUKUS pact. The fact remains that while the trade war badly affected Australia it did not force the country to adopt a pliant approach towards China. On top of it, the AUKUS pact opens a new front of confrontation, with the US and the UK formally backing Australia. China continues to spew venom at AUKUS, saying it will "induce a new round of arms race" and "undermine regional stability" by sabotaging the prospects of a "nuclear-free zone in South-East Asia". They are certainly talking points, but they do not take into account China's own provocations and belligerence towards its neighbours in the South China Sea and its role in escalating tensions in the region because of its military and naval build-up.

For China its threat perception over AUKUS is real. The distant worry of a US-led western coalition against China is now a reality. What is worse, China's bete noire Japan has endorsed the trilateral pact and Australia is actually a party to it. China is convinced AUKUS is an attempt to contain its rise in its area of influence and that the US has roped in Australia as a key anchor for its Indo-Pacific strategy. China tried to raise the bogey of nuclear proliferation, but the argument is falling flat in face of known facts. The use of nuclear material for non-explosive military purposes is not banned by the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT). Secondly, Australia is not even a signatory to the Treaty of Southeast Asia Nuclear-WeaponFree Zone (Bangkok Treaty). Thirdly, the South Pacific Nuclear-WeaponFree Zone Treaty (Rarotonga Treaty) "does not place any restrictions on nuclear-powered vessels". China, for instance, has its nuclear attack submarine fleet in the region. Realising this, Beijing has shifted its criticism from nuclear proliferation to blaming Australia for "exploiting loopholes by playing dirty", thus "tramples on the spirit of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons". That is mere rhetoric because the nuclear submarines are not expected to enter the Australian navy before 2040. However, China is still worried that the inclusion of the Tomahawk-type cruise missiles in AUKUS will give the west a decisive edge in the geo-strategic rivalry with China. Peeling away the rhetoric reveals China's real and absolute worry with the AUKUS pact. It has to do with the west involving Japan in its bid to contain China even without having to formally include Tokyo to join the pact. SupChina, a New York-based, China-focused news, information, and business services platform, put the finger on the pulse, reporting: "With Japan at one vertex and India at the other, Australia's nuclear submarines will allow the Allies to close a "strategic triangle at the second island chain's southernmost point, shortening the distance for reconnaissance, monitoring, and rapid response against China, as well as achieving long-range hypersonic precision strike capabilities." While the Chinese are concerned that Australia, thanks to AUKUS, will set a "dangerous precedent by becoming the first non-nuclear weapon state to possess nuclear propulsion technology", they seem to forget their own role "in tipping the regional nuclear balance, such as its ongoing rapid expansion of its nuclear arsenal in hundreds of new silos and mobile ICBMs, its recent test of nuclear-capable hypersonic missiles, or even President Xí's festive April commissioning of a nuclear submarine "to manage the South China Sea".

Oppn favoured by Australian voters to win next election: Poll IANS

Canberra, Dec 6: A new poll has revealed that Australia's main opposition Labor Party is the favourite among voters to win the next federal election. The latest Newspoll, which was published on Sunday night, found that 47 per cent of voters expect Labor to form a government following the election, which is due to be held by May 2022, compared to 37 per cent who expect the governing Coalition to remain in power, reports Xinhua news agency. However, the margin is closer than that in the lead-up to the 2019 election, when 55 per cent of voters tipped a Labor victory only for the Coalition to pull off a major upset and win a third term in the government. According to the poll Labor still leads the Coalition 53-47 on a two-party preferred basis. The poll indicated that preference deals with independents, who could have a major impact on the election result with 13 per cent of respondents saying they intend to cast their first preference votes for minor parties.

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Prime Minister Scott Morrison continues to lead Labor leader Anthony Albanese as the voters' preferred Prime Minister, with 45 per cent choosing the incumbent compared to 36 per cent for Albanese. The most significant change since the last poll in mid-November was in the leaders' satisfaction rating. For the first time since March 2020,

Albanese leads Morrison in net satisfaction, which is measured by subtracting the portion of voters dissatisfied with their performance from those who are satisfied. Albanese recorded a negative six rating while Morrison's was negative eight compared to a positive-36 rating at the same time in 2020.

Canberra, Dec 13: South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Australia's Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Monday held summit talks expected to focus on deepening bilateral ties and securing a stable supply chain of raw materials and core minerals. Moon, who arrived in Canberra on Sunday, is the first South Korean President to pay a state visit to Australia in 12 years, reports Yonhap News Agency. He is also the first foreign leader that the country has invited since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, officials said. A senior presidential official said that Moon's visit to Australia is expected to help South Korea secure key mining products, such as rare earth and lithium, amid the pandemic-hit disruption of global supply chains. Strengthening cooperation in the fields of carbon-neutral technology, the hydrogen economy, defence industry, space and cyberspace are also expected to top the agenda.

After the summit, Moon will attend a state luncheon hosted by Australian Governor-General David Hurley. Also on Monday, Moon will visit a monument for Australian veterans of the 1950-53 Korean War and

IANS

pay his respects at the Australian National Korean War Memorial. Australia fought alongside South Korea during the war to help defend the South from North Korea's invasion.

4 children dead in bouncy castle accident IANS

Canberra, Dec 16: Four children died in the Australian state of Tasmania on Thursday in a tragic incident when a bouncy castle was blown into the air by strong gusts of wind. Tasmanian police said the children fell from a height of 10 metres on the last day of the school year in Devonport in the island's north, reports Xinhua news agency. Among the victims were two girls and two boys, and an additional five children who suffered critical or serious injuries have been hospitalised. "On a day where these children were meant to be celebrating their last day at primary school, instead we are all mourning their loss," Tasmania's police commissioner Darren Hine said on Thursday. "Our hearts are breaking for the families and loved ones, school mates and teachers of those children taken too soon." Paramedics arrived at the scene at 10 a.m., and children were given immediate medical attention before being flown in helicopters to hospital. Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the event was "unthinkably heartbreaking". "Young children on a fun day out together with their families and it

turns to such horrific tragedy at this time of year. It just breaks your heart," said Morrison. The incident left attending emergency personnel and local community members highly distressed.

"Our focus right now is on supporting our community, and all those affected," said Hine. Tasmanian police said investigations are underway.

Central bank optimistic for economic recovery Canberra, Dec 16: The Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) on Thursday released a report detailing the country's economic rebound in the wake of national shutdowns triggered by the outbreak of the Delta Covid variant. RBA Governor Philip Lowe said Australia had avoided worst case scenarios from the pandemic, reports Xinhua news agency. "There were credible predictions that tens of thousands of Australians would lose their lives, the health system wouldn't cope, there would be mass unemployment, and that the economy would suffer deep scars...We have avoided these dire predictions," Lowe said. The report showed that GDP growth in Australia had experienced a sharp recovery over 2021, spiking to just over 8 per cent mid-year before

levelling out at 4 per cent at the end of 2021. It showed that household savings during the pandemic had skyrocketed to over A$200 billion ($143 billion), which were expected to continue to drive household spending. "We do expect the positive momentum in the economy to be maintained through the summer," said Lowe. While he did believe rising levels of consumption were a good indicator that individuals and businesses were learning to live with the virus, he flagged increased uncertainty delivered by the Omicron variant of concern. "The Omicron outbreak does, though, represent a downside risk and it is difficult to know how things will develop from here."

The bank said Australia's tightening labour market would likely see unemployment rates continue to fall, forecasting the current rate of 5.2 per cent would drop to 4.25 per cent by the end of 2022, and 4 per cent by the end of 2023. Lowe addressed another point of concern in recent months, inflation, which has grown to an alarming rate of 6.8 per cent in America. He dispelled fears that this trend was being replicated in Australia. "In underlying terms, inflation is 2.1 per cent and has only just returned to the 2-3 per cent target range for the first time in six years." Lowe also hinted that the bank would scale back its weekly purchasing of A$4 billion in government bonds in May, although an official decision has not yet been made.

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WORLD

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

World's biggest blue sapphire 'Queen of Asia' found in Sri Lanka

Taliban rebuild damaged bridges, roads in Kandahar IANS

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Colombo, Dec 12: The world's largest natural corundum blue sapphire, weighing around 310 kg and named the "Queen of Asia", was unveiled on Sunday. The rare gem stone had been found three months ago from a gem pit in Ratnapura, popularly known as gem city situated around 85 km away

from capital Colombo, but it was only shown for the first time at the residence of the gem pit owner on Sunday. The National Gem and Jewellery Authority, the state-run institute, certified the immensely valuable gem stone and plans are underway to sell it at an international market.

Thilak Weerasinghe, Chairman of the National Gem and Jewellery Authority, said that more tests are to be carried out on the gem stone. "There could be more clean stones inside this and there are already one or two clean stones which are could be seen from outside." International gem organisations are yet to certify the precious stone. Gem expert Chamila Suranga said that the specialty of this gem is that the gem stone is comprised of aluminum oxide, titanium, iron, and nickel. "With the present economic situation in the country it has been decided to present this gem to the world and plans are underway to sell it at the highest amount in the international market." In July, the world's largest star sapphire cluster too was found from Ratnapura. Weighing around 510 kg carats, the cluster named the "Serendipity Sapphire" was found accidentally while digging a water well.

Balkrishna Doshi to receive 2022 Royal Gold Medal for Architecture IANS

London, Dec 9: The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is pleased to announce that Balkrishna Doshi will receive the Royal Gold Medal 2022, considered to be one of the world's highest honours for architecture conferred by the Royal Institute of British Architects. Given in recognition of a lifetime's work, the Royal Gold Medal is approved personally by the British monarch Queen Elizabeth II and is given to a person or group of people who have had a significant influence on the advancement of architecture. It has been awarded since 1848 and will be presented to Balkrishna Doshi at a special ceremony next year. RIBA said: "With a 70 year career and over 100 built projects, Balkrishna Doshi has influenced the direction of architecture in India and its adjacent regions through both his practice and his teaching. His buildings combine pioneering modernism with vernacular, informed by a deep appreciation of the traditions of India's architecture, climate, local culture and craft. His projects include administrative and cultural facilities, housing developments and residential buildings. He has become internationally known for his visionary urban planning and social housing projects, as well as his work in education, both in India and as a visiting professor at universities around the world." Born in 1927 in Pune to an extended family of furniture makers, Balkrishna Doshi studied at the JJ School of Architecture, Bombay (now Mumbai), before working

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for four years with Le Corbusier as senior designer (1951-54) in Paris and four more years in India to supervise projects in Ahmedabad. He worked with Louis Kahn as an associate to build the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, and they continued to collaborate for over a decade. Doshi founded his own practice, Vastushilpa in 1956 with two architects. Today Vastushilpa is a multi-disciplinary practice with five partners spanning three generations and has sixty employees. The practice invites dialogue and its philosophy of pro-active participation even applies to their office space - which has an open door, inviting passers-by to drop in. RIBA added: "On hearing the news that he will receive the Royal Gold Medal in 2022, Balkrishna Doshi said: 'I am pleasantly surprised and deeply humbled to receive the Royal Gold Medal from the Queen of England. What a great honour!" RIBA President Simon Allford said: "It was an honour and a pleasure to chair the committee in selecting Balkrishna Doshi as the 2022 Royal Gold Medallist. At ninety-four years old, he has influenced generations of architects through his delightfully purposeful architecture. Balkrishna Doshi's outstanding contribution to the art of architecture, the craft of construction and the practice of urban design establish him as a most deserving recipient of this award and I greatly look forward to him being presented with the medal next year." In recognition of his distinguished contribution as a professional and as an academician, Balkrishna Doshi was made a Foreign Honorary Member of the American Academy of Arts and Letters in 2021. He is the recipient of the Padma Bhushan; Pritzker Architecture Prize (2018); French Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (2011); Global Award for Lifetime Achievement for Sustainable Architecture, Institut Francais d'Architecture, Paris (2007); Prime Minister's National Award for Excellence in Urban Planning and Design, India (2000); Aga Khan Award for Architecture (1993-1995); and the Gold Medal,

Academy of Architecture of France (1988). Citation on Doshi by the 2022 RIBA Honours Committee read: Balkrishna Vithaldas Doshi has been practising architecture and designing and delivering outstanding buildings and places for over seventy years. Trained in Mumbai he began practice in Europe working closely with Le Corbusier. He returned to India in his late twenties to help supervise Corbusier's projects in Ahmedabad before setting up his own?studio to work collaboratively with Louis Kahn on the Indian Institute of Management campus, also in Ahmedabad. His personal influence as a practitioner and educator has grown from there. Through his teaching and his practice he has helped define the direction of architecture in India and much of the adjacent regions. But even more importantly his development of and advocacy for an architectural language of material economy and elegance and delight - is ever more relevant to all architects working in today's challenging times. Doshi is a visionary constructor of ideas who works with form and light. He is also a constructor of an appropriate vernacular for and of the places in which he works. His many wonderful buildings celebrate the local technologies and crafts as well as the natural habitat to create environments that are legible, hard-working backdrops joyfully accommodating the theatre of everyday life. Once visited and studied it is soon apparent that they are also wonderful essays in the careful interplay of formal themes and technologies. Importantly building and nature are always intertwined to create a brave, confident and on occasion challenging architecture of purpose and delight. Architecture as background and foreground. Doshi, now in his nineties, works every day and remains as prolific as he is inspirational. A living testament to the potential of an architectural history of ideas, passed through practice and education from one generation to the next. An architecture that is always evolving to help define a better future.

UK court grants Julian Assange's extradition to US IANS

Kabul, Dec 13: Authorities of the Taliban-led government in Afghanistan have started reconstruction work of bridges and roads in Kandahar provinces which were damaged during the war over the past two decades, a local official said. A total of 53 bridges and culverts out of 103 have been reconstructed while the rest are still being rebuilt, Xinhua news agency quoted to the provincial head of public work Mullah Nematullah Saraji as saying. The official noted that reconstruction work of roads connecting the city of Kandahar with Spin Boldak and Shorabak districts is ongoing and will be completed in the near future. Health clinics and schools damaged during war in the past two decades will also be rebuilt in parts of the Kandahar province, the official added.

London, Dec 11 (IANS): WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange can be extradited to the US to face espionage charges, the Royal Courts of Justice ruled here on Friday as the body overturned a lower court ruling earlier this year. Assange, 50, is wanted in the US on allegations of disclosing national defense information following WikiLeaks's publication of hundreds of thousands of leaked military documents relating to the Afghanistan and Iraq wars a decade ago, Xinhua news agency reported. Assange has been held at south London's high-security Belmarsh Prison since 2019. In January, a lower court refused the US request to extradite Assange due to concerns over his mental health, citing the risk that highly-restrictive conditions of US prisons could make him suicidal. Giving his judgment on Friday, Lord Chief Justice Lord Burnett of Maldon said: "That risk is in our judgment excluded by the assurances which are offered (by the US authorities)." Lawyers for the US said Assange would be allowed to transfer to

Australia, his home country, to serve any prison sentence he may be given. Judges ordered that the case must return to the Westminster Magistrates' Court for a district judge to formally send it to British Home Secretary Priti Patel, who oversees law enforcement in the UK and will make the final decision on whether to extradite Assange. Calling the decision a "grave miscarriage of justice," Assange's partner Stella Moris said Assange's lawyers would seek to appeal to UK's Supreme Court.

UN mission asks Taliban to uphold rights of every Afghan IANS

New Delhi, Dec 10: The UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) has called upon the Taliban to demonstrate their support for the rights of every Afghan. The theme of this year's global Human Rights Day centres around 'Equality'. Article 1 of the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights states: "All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights." "The principles of equality and non-discrimination are paramount for the enjoyment of human rights by all. We call upon the Taliban to make this principle a day-to-day reality in Afghanistan," said Deborah Lyons, the Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan. Commitments made by the Taliban to protect the rights of all Afghans are yet to be met. Women and girls in particular have witnessed an erosion of their rights since August 15, when the Taliban took control of the war-torn nation. Significant efforts are required by the Taliban to actively promote and protect the equal rights of girls and

women, in access to education, work, free movement and other aspects of life, UNAMA said. The UN is also deeply concerned by credible reports in recent months of killings, the use of violence against and forced disappearances of former members of the Afghan security services, government and civil society, including protesters, media workers, human rights defenders and minorities. UNAMA urged the Taliban to investigate and make public their

findings on these matters, as well as to demonstrate a commitment to upholding the rights of all Afghans by taking all possible measures to prevent the commission of such crimes. The United Nations also encourages the fulfilment of Afghanistan's international human rights obligations as set out in the UN core international human rights treaties, laying the foundations for the universality of equality, justice and human dignity for all.

Leena Nair named CEO of French luxury group Chanel New Delhi, Dec 14: Leena Nair (52), who was named the new global CEO of French fashion house Chanel on Tuesday, said that she is humbled and honoured to be appointed the global Chief Executive Officer of Chanel, which is an iconic and admired company. In a rare move for the tightly-controlled fashion house, picking the consumer goods veteran to run one of the world's biggest luxury groups sends a positive and inclusive message, setting the pace in an industry reeling under pressure to show a more inclusive and accepting approach. "I am so inspired by what Chanel stands for. It is a company that believes in the freedom of creation, in cultivating human potential and in acting to have a positive impact in the world," Nair tweeted. The Indian born British national has been given the charge of ensuring Chanel's "long term success as a private company", it said in a statement, recognising Nair as a "visionary leader whose ability to champion a long-term, purpose-driven agenda is matched with a consistently strong record of business outcomes". Renowned for its women's pantsuits, tweeds and famous handbags, Chanel was founded in 1910 by the legendary Gabrielle Chanel,

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IANS

fondly called "Coco" Chanel. What started out as a hat boutique in Paris became synonymous with French chic and Parisienne style. From 2016 to date, Alain Wertheimer, who owns Chanel with his brother Gerard Wertheimer, temporarily took on the CEO's job till a suitable candidate was found. The 73-year-old French billionaire will take on the role of global Executive Chairman. Nair's 30-year-long career at Unilever comes to an end with her

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as the chief of human resources and a member of the company's executive committee. Unilever's CEO, Alan Jope, thanked her for her "outstanding contribution", adding that she "has been a pioneer through her career... a driving force on our (Uniliver's) equity, diversity and inclusion agenda... she has played a critical role in building our purpose-led, future-fit organisation." Nair will now be based out of London and will join the luxury house at the end of January.

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

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POLITICS

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

Jayalalithaa's legal heirs, Deepa and Deepak, take possession of Poes Garden residence IANS

Chennai, Dec 10: Late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa's legal heirs, J. Deepa and her brother J. Deepak, took possession of her Poes Garden residence 'Veda Nilayam' on Friday, as Chennai District Collector, Dr. Vijayarani handed them the keys. The residence of late Jayalalithaa was mired in a court case after the duo moved the Madras High Court on the decision against the AIADMK government under K. Palaniswami to convert 'Veda Nilayam' into a memorial for the late Chief Minister. Deepa and Deepak, the children of Jayalalithaa's elder brother Jayakumar, in separate petitions, prayed that they were the legal

heirs of Jayalalithaa and that the residence was rightfully theirs. A bench of Justice N. Seshasayee, on November 25, ruled in their favour and directed the Chennai District Collector hand over possession to the rightful heirs, within three weeks of the ruling. After Deepa and her husband Mahadevan, Deepak and other family members opened the gate of the residence and entered the house, an elated Deepa told media persons: "This is a great win for us. We have got a positive result after a long legal battle. AIADMK is a big political party and they have a lot more other things to do rather than

focus on this and not fight for this home, but if they are for a fight, I can continue with the legal measures." After the single bench had ruled in favour of Deepa and Deepak, the AIADMK, on December 1, had moved the high court challenging the ruling of the single bench. Former Law Minister and Villupuram district secretary of the AIADMK, CVe Shanmughan moved the appeal and stated that the single bench order was erroneous and contrary to the settled proposition of law. After the passing away of Jayalalithaa in 2016, the house was in the possession of her close aide and former interim general secretary of the AIADMK, V.K. Sasikala. However, she was jailed in a case related to the disproportionate assets and the house was taken over by the AIADMK led state government in 2020 which declared that the party was converting the 24,832 square feet residence into a memorial for Jayalalithaa. This was challenged by her legal heirs and the single bench ruled in their favour, stating that the late Chief Minister already had a memorial at the Marina beach.

Anti-conversion law: BJP in K'taka takes on Congress IANS

Bengaluru, Dec 11 (IANS): The ruling BJP in Karnataka has launched a scathing attack on opposition Congress over its stand opposing the proposed anti-conversion law which is to be tabled in the winter session starting Monday in Belagavi. The BJP has taken to social media platforms and in a series of posts chided the Congress for sacrificing

the larger interest of the community for political gains. "If anti-conversion law is enacted, one section of the society will be hurt. More than anything else, it may hurt your supreme leader (Sonia Gandhi). Political gains are important for you over the interests of Hindus," the party post read. "There is a competition within the Congress over opposing the anti-conversion law. Few days ago, it was opposition leader Siddaramaiah, and now it is the turn of Karnataka Congress President D.K. Shivakumar. You are the one who was ready to install monolithic Jesus statue illegally in Kanakapura to please high command. There is no surprise in your opposition," the

BJP's official twitter handle said. Further attacking Congress, the BJP said, it can't expect more from Congress leaders who celebrated Tipu Jayanti (Tipu Sultan is a warrior king from Mysuru who fought against Britishers. BJP opposes Tipu Sultan by alleging mass conversions of Hindus to Islam religion). The BJP is all set to introduce anti-conversion law in the state which is likely to create a furore in the winter session beginning from Monday (Dec 13). Minister for Rural Development and Panchayat Raj K.S. Eshwarappa has already announced that BJP is bringing the law to stop forceful religious conversions in the state, come what may.

Cong demands probe into BJP's alleged link with 'lottery king' IANS

Chennai, Dec 11: The Tamil Nadu BJP is in a spot after the Pradesh Congress Committee (TNCC) president, K.S. Alagiri alleged that the BJP has received an amount of Rs 100 crore during the 2021 assembly elections from lottery king, Santiago Martin. The Congress has demanded "transparent and impartial probe"

into it. The Congress leader wondered as to how the BJP was going to help Martin as a token of gratitude for receiving such huge money. He also said that the BJP is taking money from all shady characters in Tamil Nadu. The Congress leader said that people like Martin were providing huge money to the BJP to protect themselves from the long arm of the law. K.S. Alagiri said that there must be a transparent and impartial probe into the relationship between BJP and people like Martin. The Congress leader wondered whether the BJP would help Martin overcome the Income Tax cases registered against him and said that the BJP as a political party has been

thoroughly exposed over this. Santiago Martin is a lottery king based out of Coimbatore with lottery business in northeastern states. He is believed to be worth more than Rs 30,000 crore asset base, and the ED had conducted several raids at his premises in Coimbatore and other parts of the country. Martin was a labour contractor in Myanmar and landed back to TN in 1988 and commenced his lottery business. He was jailed during the Karunandihi government under several charges. He was also close to the CPI-M government of Kerala and had donated liberally to the coffers of the party and there were allegations of the party leaders accepting Rs 2 crore as advertisement for its mouth piece 'Deshabhimani'.

Not being allowed to speak on Lakhimpur Kheri incident: Rahul

IANS

New Delhi, Dec 15: Congress MP Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that he was not being allowed to speak in the Lok Sabha on the issue of Lakhimpur Kheri incident in the light of new revelation made by the SIT. Speaking after the adjournment of www.indianabroad.news

Lok Sabha till 2 p.m., Rahul said, "They are not allowing us to speak that is why the House is being disrupted." "The report has come and their minister is involved, so there should be discussion on it," he added

Congress MPs on Wednesday moved several adjournment notices in the Lok Sabha seeking a discussion on the Lakhimpur Kheri incident and removal of Minister of state Ajay Misra Teni after SIT report termed the violence "pre-planned". Rahul Gandhi, along with party chief whip K. Suresh and Manickam Tagore moved the notices to press for the removal of Teni, whose son had allegedly mowed down four farmers while they were protesting agaisnt the three contentious farm laws in Uttar Pradesh's Lakhimpur Kheri on October 3. On Tuesday, The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the Lakhimpur Kheri violence, filed an application before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) to include new sections against the 13 accused to make their offence punishable under attempt to murder charges.

Priyanka slams AAP for not curbing air pollution in Delhi IANS

Panaji, Dec 10: Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Friday lashed out at the Aam Aadmi Party for not being able to tackle the air pollution issue in the national capital, while accusing the BJP government in Goa of working only for the interests of a few rich businessmen and ignoring the people of the coastal state. "There are a lot of parties which have come here from elsewhere. There are new parties today. What have they done in their respective states. Have they ushered in progress? I am from Delhi. AAP is from Delhi. There is so much pollution in Delhi that you cannot breathe," she said during an interaction with members of the tribal community in Morpirla village in South Goa. Priyanka Gandhi is on a one-day visit to the state, which goes to polls in February next year. "You have to opt for development by preserving your environment, because you have to preserve the environment, the forests here, the farms, the water, the sea. You have to think which party will do this for you and who will listen to you. It is only the Congress party which will strike this balance. I hope you will think and cast your vote and ensure that the Congress wins. Elect a government which works for you," she said in her poll pitch. The Congress leader also lambasted the BJP-led coalition government in Goa, which she said, ignored the basic issues concerning the local population. "The government in Goa today is not the kind which works for the people. The government is working for itself. It wants to hold on to power in any condition, therefore they bestow favours on their industrialist

friends. They started coal mining here too," she said. "We are working hard to give a kind of government in Goa which works for the people of Goa and delivers

the state to its people," she said, accusing the BJP government of having "exploited local resources, and harmed environment to give benefit to a few of its friends while depriving the local people".

Lalu Prasad's brother-in-law angry over Tejashwi's marriage Patna Dec 10: RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav's maternal uncle Sadhu Yadav on Friday went all out at his nephew over his inter-community marriage to former schoolmate Rachel Godinho. Sadhu Yadav, the former Gopalganj MP, did not pull his punches in his attack on Tejashwi. "He has demeaned the image of Lalu Prasad's family after did the marriage with a girl belonging to another community. He doesn't deserve to be called Leader of Opposition in Bihar Assembly. "He is doing arbitrariness in the family and party. He wants to rule us. We cannot allow him to do so.

We will boycott him. We will teach him a lesson," said Sadhu Yadav, whose rage also owed to the fact that he was not invited to the ceremony. He said that Lalu Prasad's old aide Prem Gupta, who attended the marriage, was a "corrupt person". "In fact all the invited persons who were participated in the marriage are corrupt," he said. Tejashwi Yadav got married to Rachel Godinho in a south Delhi's Sainik farm locality on Thursday in presence of all family members. He has invited limited people for the marriage. Even RJD's Bihar President Jagadanand Singh and other top leaders were not invited for the event. Bihar Chief Minister

IANS

Nitish Kumar was not invited as well.

Sonia meets opposition leaders to chalk out common strategy National Herald

New Delhi, Dec 14: Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday met opposition leaders of DMK, NC, Shiv Sena, NCP to chalk out parliamentary strategy and how the like minded parties can work together. The meeting comes in response to Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee who categorically said that there is no UPA now. The leaders present in the meeting include Sharad Pawar, T.R. Baalu, Farooq Abdullah and Sanjay Raut. Rahul Gandhi was also present in the meeting. After the meeting, Baalu said, "we discussed the suspension of the MPs from Rajya Sabha," while Farooq Abdullah of the National Conference said that a consensus has been built to devise common strategy to move forward. "We talked about the current state of the nation and how we can work together and move forward in the interest of the nation," Abdullah added. The crucial meeting of Sonia Gandhi comes on the day when opposition took out a march on the issue of suspension of the MPs. In the meeting it has been decided that the MPs will not offer apology as the government has demanded from them. The like minded opposition leaders

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of both the houses of Parliament met in the office of Leader of opposition Mallikarjun Kharge. The opposition leaders took out a march in solidarity with the suspended MPs. The opposition and the government

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are on loggerheads on the issue and on Monday the upper house witnessed disruptions with opposition demanding revocation of the suspension.

TECHNOLOGY

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

Tesla Cybertruck with updated India's first uncrewed space mission in 2022, 3rd Moon mission in FY23 design spotted on test track IANS

IANS

San Francisco, Dec 11: A new Tesla Cybertruck prototype with an updated design has been spotted on the automaker's Fremont factory test track. According to the auto-tech website Electrek, a YouTuber does drone

flyovers of Tesla's Fremont factory and spotted the new Cybertruck prototype on the test track behind the plant. They managed to capture 10 minutes of footage of the automaker testing the new electric pickup

truck, the report said. The prototype appears to be brand new with some tape holding some of the trims and cables together. The new Cybertruck also features side mirrors, something the prototype did not have. Tesla planned on having side cameras feed into screens inside the electric pickup truck if regulations allowed it, but it's not yet the case in North America, as per the report. Tesla unveiled the Cybertruck back in 2019 and for the longest time, only a single prototype of the electric pickup truck has been spotted out in the wild and at Tesla events. The vehicle programme has been delayed with production now expected in late 2022. With that extra time, Tesla has been expected to update the electric pickup truck with new features and a slightly updated design.

Instagram rolls out Playback to show favourite Stories from 2021 San Francisco, Dec 10 (IANS): Meta-owned photo-sharing platform Instagram has rolled out year-inreview trend with Playback feature to show your favourite Stories from 2021. According to The Verge, the platform will share a "curated Playback of 10 Stories for each user, but anyone can edit, add, or remove Stories

from their Playback list via their Stories archive, which will pop up within Playback". The company has rolled out Playback to all Instagram users as a limited feature available for the next few weeks. Users will see a message in their Instagram feed inviting them to

create a Playback, and if they see a 2021 Story they want to add, they can click on the "2021" sticker to view and share in their Playback, the report said. The new fature is likely to be popular, especially with power Instagram users who want to re-promote their favourite Stories.

Meta opens 'Horizon Worlds' VR experience to 18+ in US, Canada IANS

San Francisco, Dec 10: Meta (formerly Facebook) has announced to make its social virtual reality (VR) experience 'Horizon Worlds' available for free to everyone 18 years of age or older in the US and Canada, as it prepares for Metaverse. Horizon Worlds is available to

download for free on Quest 2 and as of January 13, it will no longer be supported on Quest 1 VR headset. Facebook in October announced a $10 million Creator Fund to encourage people to build experiences on its Horizon VR platform, which it is now calling Horizon Worlds.

Although Horizon Worlds is still in beta, the company clearly wants to get more people making content for the platform to offer more experiences that could be interesting to users. "Horizon Worlds is a social VR experience where you can create and explore together. Since launching as an invite-only beta last year, we've been amazed by the community that's begun to form and inspired by the unique experiences they've built," Meta said in a blog post on Thursday. Meta has also debuted Arena Clash, a new team-based laser tag game inside Horizon Worlds. "We're launching new mechanics and templates for creators to use when building their own games. Creators can now modify working scripts to create their own games for the community to play," said Meta. The Horizon Worlds users have several safety options, including access to personal Safe Zone at any time through wrist menu, which lets them take a break and then block, mute or report people.

India's talent will help us create better Metaverse: Zuckerberg IANS

New Delhi, Dec 15 (IANS): Placing a strong bet on India's creator and developer community, Meta Founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg said on Wednesday that as the social network begins initial steps to create augmented reality (AR)- driven Metaverse experiences for billions, the country and its vast pool of talent is going to be a huge part of that journey. Speaking at the company's 'Fuel for India' event, Zuckerberg said that he is really excited about the role that India will play in building the future

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of Metaverse, which is going to be the successor to the mobile internet. "That is because India's talent pool -- the engineers, developers and creators and the whole vibrant startup ecosystem -- is playing a huge role in shaping the future. India is on track to have the largest app developer base in the world by 2024. It already has one of the largest 'Spark AR' developer communities," Zuckerberg told Vishal Shah, VP, Metaverse during a conversation. He said that the online gaming sector in India has seen a lot of

growth over the past few years and "our investment in gaming in the country keeps growing as we look to how it's going to take shape in the Metaverse". "We're investing in other growing areas like education and social commerce like in Unacademy and Meesho, which are important use cases as we think about the future that we're building," Zuckerberg said. Saluting the entrepreneurial spirit of India, the Meta CEO said that this is already fuelling a lot of the internet economy in India. "When we're thinking about what the next generation is going to look like in terms of, you know, where all these creators and developers are going to come from, who are going to really build the foundation of the Metaverse, I think it's just obvious that India is going to be a huge part of that," he stressed. Zuckerberg said that India is the biggest country in the world that uses Facebook and WhatsApp today. "Instagram is also growing incredibly quickly in the country," he added. India has more than 400 million WhatsApp users.

Chennai, Dec 10 (IANS) The first uncrewed space mission part of India's Rs 9,023 crore human space mission called 'Gaganyaan' is slated for the second half of 2022, the government said. Answering a question raised in the Rajya Sabha, Union Minister of Science and Technology Dr. Jitendra Singh on Thursday said the test vehicle flight for validation of Crew Escape System performance and the first uncrewed mission of Gaganyaan are scheduled during the beginning of second half of 2022. This will be followed by a second uncrewed mission and first crewed mission, Singh added. According to him, the design of all systems of Gaganyaan has been completed. Realisation of various systems are in different stages of progress. Ground qualification tests of human rated launch vehicle (rocket) propulsion stages have already commenced and are progressing successfully. "The configuration and design of ground infrastructure has been completed and modifications needed are being implemented. The MoU, contracts and Implementation

arrangement (IA) related activities with both national and international agencies are progressing well," Singh said. "Receipt of deliverables has commenced against contracts with M/s Glavkosmos (Russian Space Agency) for space suit, crew seat and View port. Also receipt of deliverables under various work packages of CNES (French Space Agency) IA has commenced," Singh added. The activities related to development of microgravity experiments have commenced, the conceptual design for experiments is under review. The astronaut training facility is getting established at Bengaluru and in an advanced stage of completion. Basic Aeromedical training and flying practice completed as part of the Indian leg of training. The objective of Gaganyaan programme is to demonstrate the capability to send humans to low earth orbit (LEO) onboard an Indian rocket and bring them back to earth safely. On the question raised about the status of India's third moon mission -- Chandrayaan-3 -- he said it is in

the advanced stage of realisation. All the systems in both Propulsion Module and Rover Module have been realised, integrated and tested. In the Lander Module, most of the systems have been realised and tests are under progress. Integrated Sensors and Navigation performance tests on the Lander have been completed and other tests are in progress. All the identified tests will be completed before the launch of Chandrayaan-3, he said. Chandrayaan-3 is targeted to be launched in the second quarter of financial year 2022 -2023.

Netflix launches new website for its movies, TV news updates IANS

San Francisco, Dec 10: Videostreaming giant Netflix has launched a new website called 'Tudum' with aim to provide news, interviews, behind-the-scenes videos, bonus features and more. The firm described the website as "a place to learn more about your Netflix interests". "Say hello to Tudum, a backstage pass that lets you dig deeper into the Netflix films, series, and stars you love! It's still early days but you can expect exclusive interviews, behindthe-scenes videos, bonus features, and more," the company said in a tweet. The new website is now accessible around the globe but is currently only available in English. According to Netflix, users will be able to delve further into its content and use the website to find out if 'Maid' is based on a true story or whether the cast of 'The Witcher' has appeared on other shows. Last month, Netflix announced that to be more transparent about the viewership of its top series and

movies it will begin publishing a weekly report detailing its most popular TV shows and movies. Netflix said it will also update overall lists, which it first published last month, as new titles become mega hits. These lists are based on the total hours viewed in a title's first 28 days

on Netflix. "This is an important step forward for Netflix, the creators we work with and our members. People want to understand what success means in a streaming world, and these lists offer the clearest answer to that question in our industry," the company said.

WhatsApp adopts 500 Indian villages to promote digital payments IANS

New Delhi, Dec 15: Meta-owned WhatsApp on Wednesday announced its pilot programme of adopting 500 villages across Karnataka and Maharashtra aiming to empower people with access to digital payments through 'payments on WhatsApp'. The announcement was made at Fuel For India 2021 -- Meta's annual event in India, that showcases positive impact and socio-economic transformation delivered by its family of apps. The programme aims to cause a behavioural transformation to digital payments at the grassroots, the company said. "At WhatsApp we are committed to help accelerate financial inclusion in the country. We have started this pilot programme in 500 villages across Karnataka and Maharashtra as part of our mission to onboard the next 500 million to the digital payments ecosystem," said Abhijit Bose, Head of India, WhatsApp, in a statement. "We believe that WhatsApp's ease of use and reliability can promote the adoption of UPI with users across, including those at the bottom of the pyramid. We will continue to contribute meaningfully in this journey of educating users at the grassroots, so they can trust digital payments, as they gradually make the transition from a 'cash-only' way of financial life," Bose added. The pilot called 'Digital Payments Utsav', began on October 15 in Kyathanahalli village in Mandya district of Karnataka, where

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villagers were familiarised with various aspects of digital payments including signing up for UPI, setting up a UPI account and safety best practices of using digital payments. The initial results from the pilot programme showed villagers adopting 'payments on WhatsApp' as new mode of payments. From village-grocery store to the beauty-parlour and scores of other people and small and medium businesses are now accepting and receiving payments digitally using 'payments on WhatsApp', the company said. "People sometimes don't want to come all the way to the shop, instead, they just give me their list and

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location on WhatsApp and I deliver orders to them. I can also receive payments from them on WhatsApp," said Anil K.R, a poultry shop owner at Kyathanahalli. Further, to push digital access, WhatsApp recently also placed the rupee symbol in its chat-composer. In addition, WhatsApp has equipped its main camera to scan QR codes, adding another layer of convenience for users of payments on WhatsApp, to enable access to 20 million QRaccepting stores in the country. The company said it will continue to make significant investments in 'payments on WhatsApp' over the next six months, in order to accelerate its growth across India.

SPORTS

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

ICC announces schedule for 2022 Women's Ashes: Strike back like India did in Australia, England's Anderson tells team-mates World Cup, NZ face WI in opener

IANS

Dubai, Dec 14: The 2022 Women's Cricket World Cup will get underway on March 4, next year at the Bay Oval in Tauranga with the hosts New Zealand facing West Indies in the opener, the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed on Tuesday while announcing the updated schedule of the tournament. The first set of games will also see two massive rivalries take the centre

stage, with Australia taking on England at Seddon Park in Hamilton on March 5 and India facing Pakistan in Tauranga the following day. "A total of 31 games will be played across 31 days, with the eight teams clashing to get their hands on the coveted World Cup trophy. Auckland, Christchurch, Dunedin, Hamilton, Tauranga, and Wellington

will be the six cities that will host the tournament," the ICC said in a release. Australia, England, South Africa and India qualified for the event on the basis of their position in ICC Women's Championship 2017-20 while New Zealand automatically qualified as hosts. On the basis of the ODI Team Rankings, Bangladesh, Pakistan and West Indies were the final three teams to book their berths for the World Cup after 2021 Women's Cricket World Cup Qualifier was called off due to a Covid-related uncertainty. The tournament will be played in the league format, where all eight teams will face each other once, at the end of which the top four teams will qualify for the semi-finals. The first semi-final will be played at The Basin Reserve in Wellington on March 30 while The Hagley Oval in Christchurch will host the second semi-final (March 31 ) and the final (April 3). Both the semi-finals and the finals will have a reserve day in place. The tournament will also mark the return of the women's global event since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic. The last global women's event played was the ICC Women's T20 World Cup in Australia in March 2020, which the hosts won by beating India in the final.

Azhar questions timing of KohliRohit's break, causes massive uproar IANS

New Delhi, Dec 14 (IANS): Former India skipper Mohammad Azharuddin's claim of alleged rift between Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli has caused a massive uproar in the country's cricketing circle ahead of the crucial South Africa tour. If reports are to be believed, all is not well between the two senior pros, right from the day the Indian cricket board decided to separate the leadership roles in white-ball and red-ball cricket. Now, the latest development of Rohit missing the three Tests in South Africa due to a hamstring injury

and Kohli's reported plan to skip the three ODIs due to personal reasons, has put Indian cricket in a turmoil kind of situation. And now Azharuddin's tweets, in which he said the timing of breaks of the two stalwarts of Indian cricket could have been better, adding fuel to fire. "Virat Kohli has informed that he's not available for the ODI series and Rohit Sharma is unavailable for the upcoming Tests. There is no harm in taking a break, but the timing has to be better. This just substantiates speculation about the rift. Neither will be giving up other forms of cricket," Azhar tweeted on Tuesday. The reports of rift between Kohli and Sharma, two giants of the game in the country, isn't new but there hasn't been a massive public uproar, especially on social media. Things started becoming ugly between the fans of the two star cricketers on social media after the BCCI separated the leadership roles in white-ball and red-ball cricket. With Kohli stepping down as T20I captain, the board was unwilling to have two different captains in the

limited-over formats. And when BCCI tweeted to say Rohit Sharma has been named captain of India's ODI and T20I sides going forward, it came as a shocker for Kohli fans. Notably, just a few weeks back, Kohli had asserted his wish to stay on as skipper in the longer formats and here, it was being taken away from him in a terse, one-line tweet. Later, BCCI President Sourav Ganguly said the board had requested Kohli to stay on as T20I captain, and that the selectors were not in favour of splitting the captaincy in the shortest format. It was understood thereafter that losing the ODI captaincy then was a foregone conclusion for Kohli. Meanwhile, former India cricketer Kirti Azad feels that as a responsible administrator of a cricket association, Azhar shouldn't have made such comments publicly. "Being a state cricket board president, he should not have spoken about it. If he has no substantial evidence, why is he making such statements? Either he knows everything, or he has no idea about what is going on," Kirti Azad told IANS.

Available for ODI selection; no problem with Rohit Sharma: Virat Kohli

IANS

Mumbai, Dec 15: India Test skipper Virat Kohli categorically denied a rift between him and the new white-ball

www.indianabroad.news

captain Rohit Sharma during the pre-departure virtual press conference ahead of the three-Test series

against South Africa beginning on December 26. With Rohit Sharma missing the three-Test series in South Africa due to a hamstring injury and Virat Kohli 'reportedly planning' to skip the three One-day Internationals due to personal reasons, it had given rise to speculation that all is not well in the team. In fact, former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin had fuelled speculation of a rift in the leadership group by tweeting yesterday, "Virat Kohli has informed that he's not available for the ODI series & Rohit Sharma is unavailable fr d upcoming test. There is no harm in taking a break but d timing has to be better. This just substantiates speculation abt d rift. Neither will be giving up d another form of cricket." However, Kohli said on Wednesday afternoon that he "never wanted to rest and was available for ODI selection," quashing rumours that he didn't want to play under Rohit Sharma in the three ODIs in South Africa. On his relationship with Rohit, Kohli said, "I have no problems with Rohit. I've been clarifying this for the last two years. I'm tired of it. Any action or communication from me will never be to demean the team. I'm committed to Indian cricket."

Adelaide, Dec 15: England pace bowler James Anderson has cited India winning the Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2-1 earlier this year as an example to raise the morale of the tourists ahead of the second Ashes Test beginning at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday. England are 0-1 down in the fiveTest series, having lost the Brisbane Test by nine wickets. "India were bowled out for 36 and came back and won the series so we know it is doable. Hard work starts now trying to turn things around and correct the mistakes we made with the bat," wrote Anderson in his column for The Telegraph on Wednesday. "We know we did not perform well in Brisbane but for those at home thinking 'here we go again', I can only say it will be different this time. We have a potentially better team than the sides that have travelled to Australia in recent times. We have a more solid group, we know what we are trying to achieve. Everyone knows their role in the side and we know Australia are beatable," added

Anderson. The 39-year-old expressed his disappointment at not playing the first Test. "It was very disappointing not to play the first Test. My fingers were twitching when I saw the pitch. It was underprepared. The initial thought as a seamer is you would love to play on that. Stuart Broad was the same, desperate to play but it didn't happen. "I had never seen a pitch like that in Brisbane. Normally, you never see a blade of grass there but last week it was green, it looked like a traditional county pitch to be honest. One of the commentators came up and said it looks like a Shield wicket rather than a Test pitch at the Gabba." Anderson added that there was no point talking about the uncontrollables as he and Broad worked hard in the nets to prepare for the Adelaide Test. "But I have learned to see the bigger picture now. The same for Stuart Broad. We know from experience that there is no point in moping

Adelaide, Dec 15: England might not have beaten Australia in a pink-ball Test, but the Joe Root-led side will have to overcome its disappointment of losing the first Test by nine wickets and make a fresh start when the second Ashes Test begins at the Adelaide Oval on Thursday (December 16). Australia have a perfect record in day-night Tests, winning all eight they have played so far, while the tourists, by contrast, have won one and lost three of the four day-nighters they have played so far. To add to the uphill task for Root is the fact that England have not won a Test in Australia since 2010/11, losing 10 of their past 11 games in the format Down Under. Still, the side will go into the match with plenty of optimism as senior pros James Anderson and Stuart Broad, who have taken over 1100 Test wickets among themselves, are fit and expected to return for the clash. Not to forget that both Root and Dawid Malan were in good nick in The Gabba Gabba Test, notching fine half-centuries, while Haseeb Hameed and Ollie Pope each produced encouraging innings. Of course, Australia will go into the match on a high but injury to key pace bowler Josh Hazlewood, would have dampened their spirits. With the ball, every member of their attack performed in Brisbane, and with the bat there was plenty to be happy about right from batting stalwart David Warner's 94 to Travis Head's fine ton. If the hosts maintain similar standards at the Adelaide Oval, they will be hard to beat. England's Ashes campaign got off to the roughest of starts at The Gabba, slumping to a nine-wicket loss inside four days. Root's decision to bat

first on a green wicket under cloudy skies was a bold one that came back to bite the tourists immediately as Mitchell Starc bowled Rory Burns around his legs first ball. Before lunch on day one they were four down and coming back from there was always going to be difficult. With Pat Cummins taking five wickets on his captaincy debut, England were bowled out before the end of the day for 147. Australia piled on 425 runs in reply, with Warner cashing in on some early fortune to make 94, before Head (152) belted a century in a session to all but take England out of the match. Root's team actually looked set to make it a contest from there, sitting in the healthy position of 223/2 at one point in their second innings with eyes on setting Australia a significant target. Unfortunately for the tourists, after Malan (82) and Root's (89) 162-run stand was ended, there was little resistance. Nathan Lyon's long wait for Test wicket No.400 came to an end and for good measure he took another three before the end of the innings, leaving Australia needing just 20 runs to win. Things didn't go so well for England in their last day-night Test against Australia either. In 2017 when they met at Adelaide Oval in a pink ball affair, England went down by 120 runs. Australia captain Pat Cummins has confirmed that Jhye Richardson will come in place of the injured Hazlewood, who has been ruled out with a side strain. Richardson has been a force in Australia's domestic cricket picking up 23 wickets at 13.43 this summer. Cummins also backed Warner to play through the pain barrier after

IANS

around and not pulling our weight. "There was a bit of chat between us about the pitch and how much we would have enjoyed bowling on it but it was all irrelevant. It was stuff we could not control and pointless talking about it after a while. Instead, we bowled long periods in the nets at the Gabba with the pink ball and I am definitely ready this week and fully prepared for Test match bowling," added Anderson.

The Ashes: England keen to ruin Australia's perfect pink-ball record IANS

he suffered bruised ribs in the first Test during his innings of 94. Despite it being the batting that misfired in the first Test, England's main dilemma is the make-up of their attack. Chris Woakes, Mark Wood and Ollie Robinson were impressive at The Gabba but with Anderson and Broad both tipped to return for the second Test, one of them will have to make way. Besides Jack Leach bleeding runs (1/102) in the first Test has added to England's headache and it remains to be seen if the tourists keep the faith in their main spinner. Australia XI: David Warner, Marcus Harris, Marnus Labuschagne, Steve Smith, Travis Head, Cameron Green, Alex Carey (wk), Pat Cummins, Mitchell Starc, Jhye Richardson, Nathan Lyon. Possible England XI: Haseeb Hameed, Rory Burns, Dawid Malan, Joe Root (c), Ben Stokes, Ollie Pope, Jos Buttler, Chris Woakes/Ollie Robinson, Mark Wood, Stuart Broad, James Anderson.

Virat Kohli, other cricketers condole demise of CDS Gen Bipin Rawat IANS

New Delhi, Dec 8: Former and current Indian cricketers including Test team captain Virat Kohli on Wednesday expressed shock and grief over the demise of Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 others in a chopper crash in Tamil Nadu. "Deeply saddened by the untimely demise of CDS Bipin Rawat ji and other officials in a tragic helicopter crash. My deepest condolences to the friends & family members," wrote Kohli on twitter. The Indian Air Force confirmed on Wednesday evening that General Rawat and his wife were among the thirteen persons who died in a fatal chopper crash. Former cricketer VVS Laxman wrote: "Deeply saddened to hear about the demise of Sh. #BipinRawat and his wife in a tragic helicopter crash. The nation will always be grateful to Gen. Rawat for his service to the nation. Om Shanti, Jai Hind."

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The former India opener Sehwag tweeted, "Extremely pained to hear about the passing away of Shri #BipinRawat, his wife Madhulika Rawat and 11 army personnel in the tragic helicopter crash. Gratitude for his wonderful service to the nation. Om Shanti." Former cricketers, RP Singh, Gautam Gambhir, Venkatesh

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Pradesh and Parthiv Patel have also expressed their condolences to the bereaved families. "Deeply saddened by the tragic and untimely demise of Chief of Defence Staff Gen. Bipin Rawat, his wife Mrs Madhulika Rawat and 11 other personnel of our armed forces. My deepest condolences to their families and well-wishers," Yuvraj wrote.

BUSINESS & INVESTMENT

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

Bitcoin slumps up to 20% after Wall Street selloff IANS

New Delhi, Dec 5: Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies fell sharply Saturday, another sign that investors were pulling back from riskier bets after this week's stock-market selloff, MarketWatch reported. Bitcoin, the largest cryptocurrency by market value, was down 18 per cent at $46,571.84 according to data from CoinDesk. It temporarily dipped to $42,000 before bouncing back. Ether, the second-largest cryptocurrency, was down close to 16 per cent, the report said.

The declines were widespread across the crypto universe. Other widely traded cryptocurrencies including Solana, Dogecoin and Shiba Inu coin lost more than a fifth of their value. Disquiet in the stock market over the new Omicron variant of Covid-19 and the Federal Reserve's response to inflation might have played a role, the report said. Another possible factor accelerating the bitcoin selloff was the unwinding of heavily leveraged crypto derivatives, said Noelle Acheson, head of market insights at cryptolender Genesis Global Trading. She pointed to a large sell order that might have triggered margin calls and liquidations for investors, the report added. Higher rates make holding

speculative assets such as bitcoin less attractive. When the Federal Reserve raised rates in 2017 and 2018, bitcoin prices fell dramatically, referred to among crypto aficionados as a bitcoin winter. The coin took off again during the pandemic. Bitcoin hit an all-time high on November 9 of $67,802. The price of bitcoin seesawed later Saturday after El Salvador President Nayib Bukele, whose country adopted bitcoin as a national currency in September, said in a Twitter post that the country had bought 150 coins for an average of $48,670 each. "El Salvador just bought the dip!" he said. He later wrote that the country had "Missed the f***ing bottom by 7 minutes," followed by a laughing emoji, the report added.

Jack Doresy's firm Square changes its name to Block

San Francisco, Dec 2 (IANS): Jack Dorsey''s financial services company Square has announced to change its name to Block, effective from December 10, as the former Twitter

CEO renews his focus on Blockchain and cryptocurrencies. This announcement came after Square Founder Dorsey, who is a staunch supporter of Bitcoin, stepped down as Twitter CEO. "We built the Square brand for our Seller business, which is where it belongs," said Dorsey. "Block is a new name, but our purpose of economic empowerment remains the same. No matter how we grow or change, we will continue to build tools to help increase access to the economy," he said in a statement late on Wednesday. Since its start in 2009, the company has added Cash App, TIDAL, and TBD54566975 as businesses, and the name change creates room for further growth. As a result of the name change, Square Crypto, a separate initiative of the company dedicated to

advancing Bitcoin, will change its name to Spiral, the company announced. Square helps sellers run and grow their businesses with its integrated ecosystem of commerce solutions, business software, and banking services. With Cash App, anyone can easily send, spend, or invest their money in stocks or Bitcoin. "Block references the neighborhood blocks where we find our sellers, a blockchain, block parties full of music, obstacles to overcome, a section of code, building blocks, and of course, tungsten cubes," the company tweeted. Square isn't the first major tech company to rebrand this year.A Facebook changed its corporate branding to Meta just over a month ago.

India extends ban on international commercial flights till Jan 31 New Delhi, Dec 9: India's civil aviation regulator, the DGCA, on Thursday extended the ban on scheduled international commercial flights till January 31. Earlier, India had announced plans to allow resumption of scheduled commercial international passenger services from December 15 with certain conditions. However, on December 1, the Directorate General of Central Aviation (DGCA) said it is "closely monitoring" the situation emerging out of the Covid-19's Omicron variant and the final decision on the resumption of near normal international flight operations will be taken after consultation with stakeholders. In the notification on Thursday, the DGCA extended the ban on scheduled international commercial flights till January 31, 2022. "This restriction shall not apply to international all-cargo operations and flights specifically approved by the DGCA." It also said that scheduled international flights might be allowed on selected routes on a case to case

basis. India had banned the operation of international flights on March 23 last year to contain and control the spread of Covid-19. Flight restrictions, however, were later eased under air bubble arrangement with certain countries. At present, India has formed air bubble pacts with over 30 countries. The country had been operating Vande Bharat flights to many countries over the last one year to evacuate stranded Indians abroad. Currently, several nations have either closed their air spaces or placed strict restrictions on incoming passengers. On Tuesday, the Centre mandated a contactless self-declaration by international air travellers arriving in India on the 'Air Suvidha' portal. As per a Ministry of Civil Aviation statement, all international passengers arriving in India are mandated to declare their current health status prior to boarding on the Air Suvidha portal along with the required documents. "For immigration, the copy received

in e-mail is essential on arrival in India and has to be verified at the 'APHO' counter," the statement said. According to the ministry, all applications from 'at risk' countries are marked with 'H' and 'red band', while others are marked 'green'. "This helps in smooth on-arrival segregation and processing. The application also takes into account countries visited in the last 14 days to highlight 'at risk' applications. This field has also been made into multi-select drop-down option for standardisation." There are more than 10 countries in the "at risk" list, including countries in Europe, South Africa, Brazil, Bangladesh, Botswana and China, among others.

Follow WHO advice, rescind travel bans: IATA to govts New Delhi, Dec 9: The International Air Transport Association (IATA) called for governments to follow World Health Organisation's (WHO) advice and immediately rescind travel bans that were introduced in response to the Omicron variant of coronavirus. Public health organisations, including the WHO, have advised against travel curbs to contain the spread of Omicron. "After nearly two years with Covid-19 we know a lot about the virus and the inability of travel restrictions to control its spread,"

IATA Director General Willie Walsh said. "But the discovery of the Omicron variant induced instant amnesia on governments which implemented knee-jerk restrictions in complete contravention of advice from the WHO - the global expert." According to Walsh, the goal is to move away from the uncoordinated, evidence-absent, risk-unassessed mess that travellers face. "As governments agreed at ICAO and in line with the WHO advice, all measures should be time-bound

and regularly reviewed. It is unacceptable that rushed decisions have created fear and uncertainty among travellers just as many are about to embark on year-end visits to family or hard-earned vacations."

India's foreign exchange NCB to work with other agencies reserves down over $1.7 bn to curb drug trade in NE: Official

Guwahati, Dec 10: Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Director General Satya Narayan Pradhan on Friday said that the NCB would work closely with the agencies of the northeastern states and Central Para-military forces to curb the menace of drug trade and drug trafficking in the region. The NCB chief said this while addressing a two-day workshop-cum-training for the central and state agencies in Guwahati. Pradhan said that with better coordination between the state and central law enforcing agencies, the drug smuggling and its misuse would be curbed to a large extent. Director General of Assam police Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta said that the state police, since May, have seized various drugs worth Rs 325 crore and registered 1,700 cases under Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. The police officer said that around

2,900 accused have been arrested which resulted in the seizure of psychotropic substances including 50 kg of Heroin, 37 kg of Opium and 133 vehicles of drug peddlers. Mahanta said the drug trafficking from Myanmar and Golden triangle through the northeast corridor is still a potential threat, and the Assam Police are working on a strategy for reducing the supply and demand of drugs and its harmful effects. During the inaugural session of the training, an app titled 'Drugs Free Assam' was launched by the DGP. The app, developed by the CID along with the National Informatics Centre, would help the citizens of Assam to inform the Police about the selling, storage, shipment, usage of psychotropic substances instantly on a real time basis. "Police can then act on such information immediately without any

loss of time," the DGP said. 'Handbook for investigating officers of NDPS Act Cases', compiled by CID, Assam, was released by Pradhan. Additional Director General of Assam Police, CID, A.Y.V. Krishna, said with the advent of Dark Net and use of Crypto Currencies, there is an emerging threat due to online drug trade which is now posing a challenge to the drug law enforcement agencies. "The proceeds of drug trade are being laundered in the form of Crypto currencies. Hence, this particular training programme on 'Digital Forensics, Dark Net and Crypto Currencies' for the drug law enforcement agencies would provide a good opportunity to understand the latest trends in the narco trade and would act as a platform for knowledge sharing," Krishna said. The CID Assam in collaboration with NCB has organised the twoday workshop-cum-training for drug law enforcement agencies of the northeastern states, central para-military forces posted in the region and Central agencies like Directorate of Revenue Intelligence and Customs. In the two-day event, subjects like Dark web, TOR browser, Cryptocurrencies, use of block chain technologies by law enforcement agencies, OSINT gathering tools, intelligence gathering and profiling of suspects on social media, digital forensics, CDR and IPDR analysis are being discussed.

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Mumbai, Dec 10: India's foreign exchange reserves fell by $1.783 billion during the week ended December 3. The Reserve Bank of India's forex reserves decreased to $635.905 billion from $637.687 billion reported for the week. India's forex reserves comprise foreign currency assets (FCAs), gold reserves, SDRs, and the country's reserve position with the IMF. On a weekly basis, FCAs, the largest component of the forex reserves, edged lower by $1.483 billion to $573.181 billion. Similarly, the value of the country's gold reserves fell by $407 million to $38.418 billion.

However, the SDR value rose by $90 million to $19.126 billion, and the country's reserve position with the

IMF was up $17 million to $5.180 billion.

TickerPlant launches CryptoWire: The global crypto super app Mumbai, Dec 9: Keeping with the tradition of foresight in envisioning creation of world-class financial markets and ecosystem by 63 moons technologies limited (63 moons), its subsidiary TickerPlant on Thursday announced the launch of CryptoWire - a global crypto super app. The CryptoWire seeks to empower participants in the crypto universe with a super app that will provide real-time market prices and insight, news, knowledge, research, training, information and data platform through Crypto University, Crypto TV and CryptoWire for crypto assets and blockchain. The Company is guided by the new board with strong governance principles. Its eminent members are: Justice Deepak Verma, former judge, Supreme Court and Chairman of the Board; Prof R. Vaidyanathan (Member - National Security Advisory Board), Non-Executive Director; Mukesh Joshi (Former Chairman-CBDT ), Non-Executive Director; Capt A. Nagarajan (Retd. IAS), Non-Executive Director; Dr

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R.B. Barman (Former Executive Director- RBI), Non-Executive Director; M.L. Sharma (Former CIC), Non-Executive Director; Ghanshyam Dass (Former MD - NASDAQ ), NonExecutive Director; Advocate P.R. Ramesh , Non-Executive Director; Jigish Sonagara, MD & CEO; Rushabh Shah, Executive Director & COO; and Nimish Shukla, Executive Director& CCO. The Company which has always been a strong proponent and advocate of tech-centric, transparent and efficient solutions emphasizes that CryptoWire is Neither A Crypto Exchange nor Crypto currency but offers to empower its participants with comprehensive, unbiased information, going beyond exchanges. The CryptoWire users can access: *World's 1st Crypto University - a digital university that caters to all -- from ABC to PhD and super specialized courses. *World's 1st Crypto TV - a dedicated 24/7 crypto and blockchain YouTube channel and mobile IPTV. It provides in-depth analysis and awareness of global developments, trend reports, discussions, debates

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and guidance from international experts. *World's 1stCryptoWire - a wire service with tools like arbitrage opportunities identification, watchlist creation, lending & borrowing rates. In short, it covers complete global market universe in crypto, blockchain, asset digitization and development. "Following our Hon'ble PM's vision, we are creating the most credible Crypto & Blockchain universe based on knowledge, research, training, awareness, information and data from the world's best. CryptoWire will be the most credible port of call for entry into the Crypto Universe providing Credibility - backed by strong governance principles guided by the board, Stability - powered by robust technology and by giving information of most curated data," said Jigish Sonagara, Managing Director and CEO of TickerPlant. "At CryptoWire, we are converging the system to engage with all stakeholders and expand the sphere of knowledge to a wider community," Sonagara added.

HEALTH

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

Omicron: Booster shots may be necessary in India, says top virologist

IANS

New Delhi, Dec 10 (IANS): Stepping up vaccination as well as booster doses against Covid is necessary to counter the Omicron variant, top virologist Dr. Shahid Jameel said on Friday. According to Jameel, Director, Trivedi School of Biosciences, Ashoka University, with the advent of Omicron the possibility of return to a life similar to pre-pandemic "now seems distant". The Omicron variant, identified last month, is concerning due to its highest number of mutations among any variant so far, 50 in all, with 32 in the spike protein, making it significantly more transmissible than even the Delta variant. More than 63 countries around the

world have so far reported cases associated with Omicron. "The nature of Omicron mutations suggests increased efficiency of infection, transmission and evasion of antibodies and interferon, an early innate antiviral response," the professor said at a webinar organised by the University. Early lab results from South Africa and Us drug maker Pfizer showed about a 40- and 25-fold drop in virus neutralisation ability of the vaccine. But various studies have shown that "booster shots increase the amount of antibodies and cut reinfection rates. Given these results, it is now time that India devises policies on booster shots and vaccination for children," Dr Jameel said. More details about the virus -- its virulence and severity as well as vaccine escape -- will be clear in the coming weeks as studies are underway. But what is clear so far is that this variant spreads more efficiently and can evade immunity even from an earlier infection of Covid-19 and vaccination. At the same time, there are also some positive indications such as the severity of the illness being possibly less than that caused by

Delta variant but this requires confirmation. "In India, it is essential for us to now step up the vaccination programme to vaccinate around 15 per cent of India's totally unvaccinated adults and also administer the second dose to the remaining population," Gautam Menon, Professor of Physics and Biology at the varsity, said. "Booster shots may be necessary, at least initially for frontline health care workers, those about 60 years of age and those who are immunocompromised, but others can wait for them." Further, experts said more information is required about the use of the currently available Indian vaccines as boosters and also about how the two vaccines most used in India -- Covaxin and Covishield -- might perform against the Omicron variant. They also noted that "cases in India will rise by early next year as this has been the experience of other countries with high levels of vaccination, such as Israel and the UK". The best strategies to reduce the spread of Covid-19 still are mask-wearing, care for ventilation, physical distancing, and stepping up vaccination, the experts advised.

HEALTH BLOG

Using the ‘Nudge’ Approach for Encouraging our Students Pexels

By Vahini Panda s an organisation who runs self paced courses the ethos always has been to treat and respect our students like adults who are capable of making their own choices. We use the Nudge approach to encourage students and prospective students to study and make more constructive choices towards their studies and careers. What is the Nudge Approach? It is a way to influence the behaviour of individuals without any pressure or coercion. This approach believes in sending out positive message and creating a positive environment without force by gently guiding people to make a particular choice. This approach takes into consideration people’s situations, circumstances and mindset before sending out these messages so the message is customised to have a positive influence on the person’s mind rather than add stress to them. It gives choice and space for people to make their own decisions. For example, during the pandemic we realise that people are going

through extraordinary pressures financially and mentally, so our blog posts, student newsletters etc provided support for this situation. We understand that our students chose the online mode of study so they can balance their studies with their lifestyle, work and family situations. We respect this and tailored our programs with no submission deadlines, the course durations are set right from the beginning of the course enrolment and gently reminded of from time to time so students know when to aim their completion for, right from the start. We reach out to students either via regular emails or newsletters with useful content or just a simple message saying we are here ready to help, which also act as a gentle reminder for students to continue their study without adding any undue pressure. Student success stories, course outcomes information, career choice information all form part of our Nudge approach giving students a no pressure but well informed environment to complete their course.

As we end 2021 we hope to continue our efforts to provide online courses which are flexible but comprehensive to prepare you for working in the real world with confidence and making your learning experience as pressure free and positive as possible. About the Author: Vahini Panda is the CEO and Founder of Health Academy Australia and Health Courses Australia. She is multi faceted in her skills and expertise which is backed by 20 years experience in the areas of education, health, ecommerce and Information Technology. She is a CEO, Passionate business owner, Author, Blogger, Nutritionist, Digital marketing expert and a Mum.

UK study shows booster key UK raises Covid-19 alert level for protection against Omicron amid rising Omicron cases IANS

London, Dec 11: Two-shots of a Covid vaccine may not be enough against the Omicron variant, and a third dose or a booster shot is necessary to prevent the super mutant variant, according to a UK study. The study, released by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), showed that a full two-dose vaccination course was less effective against symptomatic disease with Omicron than with the original strain of Covid-19 or the Delta variant. On the other hand, a moderate to high vaccine effectiveness of 75 per cent is seen in the early period after a booster dose. "Early estimates of vaccine effectiveness (VE) against symptomatic infection find a significantly lower VE for Omicron infection compared to Delta infection. Nevertheless, a moderate to high vaccine effectiveness of 70 to 75 per cent is seen in the early period after a booster

dose," the agency said in a statement. The study comes as another 448 cases of Omicron were confirmed in the UK, taking the number reported so far to 1,265. The total number of Covid cases recorded on Friday was 58,194 -- the highest figure since January 9, the BBC reported. The report analysed data from 581 Omicron cases and thousands of Delta cases to calculate how effective the vaccines were against the new variant. The analysis is based on limited data, but showed a dramatic drop in effectiveness for the OxfordAstraZeneca vaccine and a significant drop off for two doses of Pfizer, the report said. The 75 per cent protection against Covid symptoms after a booster is not as high as against previous variants. There was not enough data to analyse the Moderna or Janssen vaccines, but there is no reason to think they would have different results. But, "it will be a few weeks before effectiveness against severe disease with Omicron can be estimated, however based on this experience, this is likely to be substantially higher than the estimates against symptomatic disease", the agency said.

At the same time, the duration of restored protection after mRNA boosting is also not known at this juncture, it said. "These early estimates should be treated with caution but they indicate that a few months after the second jab, there is a greater risk of catching the Omicron variant compared to Delta strain," Dr Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at the UKHSA, was quoted as saying. "We expect the vaccines to show higher protection against the serious complications of Covid-19, so if you haven't yet had your first two doses please book an appointment straight away," she added. The real-world data backs up laboratory studies that showed a 40-fold reduction in the ability of antibodies from double-vaccinated people to take out the virus. There is optimism that vaccines will still keep many people out of hospital even if more do get Covid. Data on severity could be published next week. But, the UKHSA estimates that more than half of all cases in the country will be Omicron by mid-December and that if growth continues unabated there will be more than 100,000 cases a day by the end of the month.

New Zealand reports 101 new community cases of Covid-19 Delta variant IANS

Wellington, Dec 13: New Zealand reported 101 new Delta variant cases of Covid-19 in the community on Monday, bringing the total number of confirmed cases in the country's current community outbreak to 9,814. Among the new infections, 97 were recorded in the largest city www.indianabroad.news

of Auckland, one in Bay of Plenty, one in Taranaki, one in Nelson and one in Canterbury, according to the Ministry of Health. Two more imported Covid-19 cases were reported during the day, Xinhua news agency reported. A total of 61 cases are being treated

in hospitals, including four in intensive care units or high dependency units, the Ministry said in a statement. The total number of confirmed Covid-19 cases in New Zealand stands at 12,617 currently, according to the Health Ministry.

London, Dec 13: Britain's Covid-19 alert level has been raised from Level 3 to Level 4 "in light of the rapid increase in Omicron cases," British chief medical officers have said in a joint statement. In the statement, the four chief medical officers and the National Health Service (NHS) England National Medical Director on Sunday said the emergence of Omicron "adds additional and rapidly increasing risk to the public and healthcare services." "Early evidence shows that Omicron is spreading much faster than Delta and that vaccine protection against symptomatic disease from Omicron is reduced," said the statement. The statement suggested people should continue to "take sensible precautions, including ventilating rooms, using face coverings, testing regularly and isolating when symptomatic." Level 4 means the virus is "in general circulation" and "transmission is high and direct Covid-19 pressure on healthcare services is widespread and substantial or rising." Another 1,239 Omicron cases have been found in Britain, the biggest

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daily increase since the Covid-19 variant was detected in the country, taking the total cases found in the country to 3,137, the UK health security agency confirmed on Sunday. Britain reported 48,854 new Covid-19 cases, bringing the total in the country to 10,819,515, according to official figures released on Sunday. The country also reported

a further 52 Covid-related deaths, taking the national death toll to 1,46,439, Xinhua news agency reported. More than 89 per cent of people aged 12 and above in Britain have had their first vaccine dose, and more than 81 per cent have received both, according to the latest figures. Some 40 per cent have received their booster jab, or the third dose.

22 US states identify Omicron cases IANS

Washington, Dec 11: At least 22 US states have identified cases of the Omicron Covid-19 variant, including some that indicate community transmission, according to the latest update by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). In the update issued on Friday, the CDC said that of the 43 cases attributed to the variant, 34 people were fully vaccinated against the virus, reports Xinhua news agency. It added that 14 of them were also administered booster shots. Of the identified cases, there was one hospitalisation, while no deaths were reported, according to the CDC. The most commonly reported symptoms were cough, fatigue, and congestion or runny nose. Case investigations have identified exposures associated with international and domestic travel, large public events, and household transmission. Implementation of concurrent prevention strategies, including vaccination, masking, increasing ventilation, testing, quarantine, and isolation, are recommended to slow transmission of SARS-CoV-2, including variants such as Omicron, and to protect against severe illness and death from Covid-19, said the CDC. The first case of Omicron variant was identified in the US on December 1. Meanwhile, the US has been

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witnessing a gradual resurgence of the infection with an average of about 120,000 daily new cases this week, which marked an increase of nearly 40 per cent compared to a week before, according to the CDC update. Currently, Omicron and Delta are the "Variants of Concern" in the US, with the latter remaining the predominant strain, causing over 99 per cent of all the confirmed cases in the country. The Omicron variant currently accounts for less than 0.1 per cent of variants circulating in the US, according to the CDC. Meanwhile, Covid-19

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hospitalisations have also increased about 40 per cent compared to last month. The country currently averages about 7,500 daily hospital admissions, a 15.9 per cent increase from the prior week, the CDC added. About 201.2 million people, or 60.6 per cent of the total US population, have been fully vaccinated as of Friday, while 51.7 million booster doses have also been administered, according to CDC data. The country's overall caseload and death toll as of Saturday morning stood at 49,833,432 and 796,749. The two tallies are currently the highest in the world.

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

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TRAVEL

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

Five of the Best Lord of the Rings Experiences

an you believe it’s been 20 years since The Lord of the Rings movie adventure began? The first film in the epic trilogy, The Fellowship of the Ring, was released on December 10th 2011 at a world premiere in London, and if you’re a fan of Peter Jackson’s cinematic magic then a visit to New Zealand is an absolute must. Step foot into the perfect backdrop for the cinematic trilogy, and learn behind the scenes information as you discover Middleearth for yourself with these five experiences. Hobbiton, Hamilton Waikato It’s impossible not to compare New Zealand to Middle-earth, and nowhere is this more true than the enchanting village of the Hobbiton Movie Set. The rolling green hills and lush Matamata farmland show clearly why Sir Peter Jackson chose this area to create the village of Hobbiton in 1998. Experience it for yourself as you witness the real life set up close, walk the same path as your favourite characters, grab a pint at The Green Dragon Inn, get a photo in front of a hobbit hole and dance under the Party Tree. Hear behind the scenes tales from the filming and feast like a hobbit on the Evening Banquet tour. Weta Workshop, Wellington Wellington’s Miramar suburb is home to the Academy Award Winning company that produced the special effects, costumes and creatures from The Lord of the Rings, brought to life at the hands of creative geniuses such as Sir Richard Taylor and his team. Witness up close the artistry behind

filmmaking creativity and discover the people, processes and props that bring the imaginary worlds to life. Jens Hansen, Nelson The makers of the world’s most famous ring. The movie’s Academy Award Winning Art Direction team first approached Jens Hansen about making the infamous One Ring in March 1999. Jens submitted 15 prototypes in a variety of weights and finishes, and from this extensive collection, the final movie ring design was selected. More than 40 variations were used in the filming of The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit trilogies. One original ring is on display and for true fans, you can take home your very own ‘precious’ replica. Elvish engraving optional! Glacier Southern Lakes Helicopters, Queenstown The aerial film company for the Lord of the Rings trilogy, with senior pilot Alfie Speight the principal pilot for the filming. All of the pilots are familiar with the unique landscapes that appear in the films and as part of the production crew can share insider secrets from behind the scenes. Soar into the air and above the famously majestic Queenstown and Fiordland landscapes that featured in the films, over the Shotover River gorge recognisable as the Ford of Bruinen as well as Isengard, Lothlorien and Dimrill Dale. Land high on a glacier alongside the Misty Mountains and get a sense of what it might be like to cross The Redhorn Pass. Nomad Safaris, Queenstown Off-road adventure meets

Tibentan Culture in Dharamshala

Middle-earth magic as the films come to life on location around the dramatic scenery of Queenstown. Travel into the out of this world scenery that inspired the film location scouts and had this area

Three new destinations, three stunning intimate properties

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featuring prominently in the films. Witness the real life locations of the battle of the Wargs, Argonath (Pillars of the Kings), the Forrest of Lothlorien, and the loss of The One Ring at Gladden Fields.

Tibentan Culture in Dharamshala

Five Must-Visit Pilgrimages in India

teadfast, strong, and evidently attaining their vision of opening a multitude of luxury experiential hotels, The Postcard Hotel is set to open two new hotels this December, The Postcard Hideaway, Netravali and The Postcard Mandalay Hall, Kochi. Refurbished and renewed, The Postcard Galle, Sri Lanka also opens again, as Sri Lanka has reopened its borders for tourists. The Postcard Hideaway, Netravali opens on 10th December in a pristine, hidden ecosystem of South Goa. This first hideaway resort comes with 20 rooms spread across 20 acres, enveloped by the western ghats and overlooking the verdant hills. Propelling a wellness journey, the hotel is designed and curated to let one absorb the nature around and detox from the outside world, www.indianabroad.news

while offering restorative seclusion and an all new way to holiday in Goa. “This expansive resort is perfect for ones looking to truly unwind and get away from the noise and pace of busy city lives. All our hotels in Goa have a uniquely distinct identity that offer an immersion of the surrounding spaces and culture. Our hotel in Netravali goes a step further towards exploring a completely unseen dimension of Goa. We truly believe that the experience at this property has the potential to change the way many people see Goa.” says Kapil Chopra, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, The Postcard Hotel. The Postcard Mandalay Hall is an art hotel nestled in the cobbled by lanes of Mattancherry, Kochi, in a 200year

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old landmark building that was once a residential Jewish quarter. What makes this hotel completely charming is the way it has been crafted to offer an unforgettable experience that bridges Kochi’s past and present. Each of the five luxury rooms is an immersive living gallery, exhibiting artwork and installations by different artists. “Our hotel in Kochi is all soul. Each section is carefully designed to tell its own unique story, be it the rooms, the heritage jewellery store or even the untouched exterior walls.” says Kapil. The Postcard Galle, Sri Lanka is another Postcard experience that shouldn’t be missed as the year ends. With a spectacular view of the enchanting Indian ocean, this 10 suite resort is also a stone’s throw from Galle Fort and just an hour away from the biggest mammal in the world, the blue whale. “We opened the hotel a few months before the pandemic. With Sri Lanka now open again for tourists, it gives us the chance to bring this enchanting experience back to our guests. Located above the waters of a beautiful blue lagoon in a neighbourhood filled with well-preserved architecture, local cafes and boutiques, The Postcard Galle offers the perfect balance of some cultural exploration as well as some solitude by the sea.” says Kapil.

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ndertaking a spiritual journey goes beyond the traditional construct of travel. A person necessitates a spiritual journey or a pilgrimage to connect with a higher being that (s)he has faith in. More often than not, it can also be a journey of self-discovery, relaxation, serenity, and even motivation. Most importantly, these trips gain so much more magnitude when it is being taken as a family. For many Indian families, taking a spiritual trip is the idea of a productive vacation. More than travelling to an expensive resort, or a relaxing summer beach, it is undertaking spiritual journeys where they find the most surreal moments of relaxation. Sripad Vaidya, Co-Founder, COO, Confirmtkt shares a list of places that provide your family with the most rewarding spiritual journey. Rameshwaram, Tamil Nadu: Located in the southernmost state of India, this town has no shortage of praise. From being home to the most spectacular temples, or being the hometown of perhaps one of the greatest presidents and citizens of India, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, the prominence of this place can never be understated. When you go as a family, you can start visiting the Ramanathaswamy temple, which has been standing against all tests of time since its construction in the 12th Century. After you gawk at the murals and the statues, you can take a dip in the twenty-three theerthams. Post this; you can take a thrilling train ride over Pamban Bridge, the second-longest sea bridge (2.35 KM long) in India. For the adrenaline aficionados, you have kite-surfing, for the history buff, you have the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Museum, and for the nature lovers, you can watch the pink flamingos in Arichamunai Bird Sanctuary. Ajmer, Rajasthan: This beautiful city was founded in the 7th century. Gaining great prominence during the Mughal Empire, this city, home to the Nareli Jain Temple, is perhaps one of the ideal places to take your family. There is no shortage of sightseeing activities in this place. You could have the chance to see the Khwaja Garib Nawaz Dargah, Ana Sagar Lake, and Durga Bagh, to name a few. Besides, the streets are filled with exquisite handcrafts, unique delicacies, and meenakari jewellery.

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Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh: It is the home of the uber-famous Tirumala Temple, situated at the peak of the Tirumala hills. Due to the popularity of this temple, there is always the possibility of battling the crowd. If you and your family are travelling for peace of mind and attaining serenity is your goal, then travelling to Sri Venkateswara Swami Vaari Temple is your best bet. Later, you can enjoy your visit to Kapila Theertham waterfalls, an ancient lord Shiva temple and a unique rock cave. In short, travelling to this place with your family and loved ones is a must. Amritsar, Punjab: While this city is known for its mind-bending and dazzling golden temple, there is a lot more to this magnificent city has to offer. You and your family can learn more about the story behind the most significant immigration to ever occur from the Partition Museum. You can also view the lowering of the flag ceremony at Wagah Border Crossing. This ceremony fosters a sense of brotherhood and mutual respect between the two countries. Your family should also inspect the wonders housed in Maharaja Ranjit Singh Museum, the Central Sikh Museum, and the Jallianwala Bagh memorial. Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh: While this place is mainly used as a passageway to repent, one can wash away their sins in the holy river of the Ganges. Your family can undergo a transformative experience in the Evening Aarti Ceremony and take a morning boat ride as a family in the Ganges. Together, you can explore all the temples that Varanasi has

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to offer. If your family wishes for a leisure stroll in the perfect climate, then stroll alongside the ghats or even go for a sightseeing tour of Sarnath. There is also the historic Ramnagar Fort, which tends to astound the minds of everyone in the family. A journey to the above places acts as true eye-openers to the world around you. Also, these places offer a place of worship for the elderly in the family. It's an ideal place to begin a journey for young adults and instruct them on values as they have fun gaping at heritage-significant sculptures & temples. There is something for everyone, and when you undertake this holistic pilgrimage with your family, the profoundness of the experience exponentially increases.

SPIRITUALITY & DEVOTION

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

Physical and Mental Curfew Google

By Paddy Krishnan his article is motivated by the excellent stories and conclusion drawn in the booklet titled "Three stories for lockdown." The author, A. Dooney, and presenter, Shaunaka Rishi Das, show how stories in the Ramayana and Mahabharata can be used to understand and cope with the corona pandemic. I take two other stories, one from the Mahabharata and one from the Bhagavata Purana that fit with the general way the three stories from the booklet were developed. The first story is from the Virata Parva, where the Pandavas had to live incognito for a year. They chose to serve King Virata. Obviously, they could not be royalty in Virata's court. The Pandavas were, therefore, forced to take on duties that they had never done. To avoid being recognised, they had to choose tasks that were in keeping with their nature. Yudhishtra assumed the role of a Brahmin who could play dice for entertainment. Yudhishtra's nature was more inclined to ahimsa and thus was not a natural Kshatriya. Since he was was well versed with Dharma, he could assume the role of a Brahmin. Yudhishtra also loved to play dice but he was not necessarily good at it. Thus Yudhishtra's nature matched the job he took. Bhima decided to become a labourer who could carry heavy loads and also cook for the king. This also matched Bhima's nature of someone who was strong and also loved food and understood what made food tasty.

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Arjuna used this opportunity to live out a curse. He became a person of the third gender to teach dance and music. Arjuna had learnt music and dance from Chitrasena. He used jewellery such as bangles to hide any sign that would betray him as an archer. Nakula and Sahadeva were very good at interacting with animals so they managed King Virata's horses and cows. Draupadi became a servant to the queen and her courtiers. While she was not used to being a servant, she was an expert at hair dressing. Thus she became the queen's hair dresser. The Pandava's cover was almost broken before the end of year, when Bhima killed Kichaka, who was harassing Draupadi. The above story shows how one has to adapt to changed situations. But one does not have change one's inherent nature. Clearly, the Pandavas were in physical lockdown. They could not leave King Virata's kingdom. They were also in mental lockdown. They also could not make any reference to their past regal life. They had to be careful what they said in public and focus only their duties in King Virata's palace. The current pandemic has resulted in people unable to travel and people losing their jobs. Those who have lost jobs have had to find another job that suits their skills. Some have been forced to totally reinvent their future career. The Pandava's lost their jobs and reinvented themselves. As the pandemic situation is improving, people are reverting to their original career. Just like the Pandava's exile was just for one year, adapting to a new career can also be temporary. The Pandavas relied on the kindness of King Virata to provide them with employment. Similarly, many governments have had to increase their social welfare schemes to help the affected people. Just like Kichaka, it takes only one person to destroy all the protections that have been put in place. The second story is that of Prahalad. The full story appears in the Bhagavata Purana where Vishnu takes on the the avatar of Narasimha to kill Hiranyakashapu, Prahalad's father. Hiranyakashapu wanted everyone to pray to him rather than

to Vishnu. But Prahalad was inclined to worship Vishnu. Hiranyakashapu employed teachers to convince Prahalad to give up on Vishnu and pray to his father. Because Prahalad was steadfast in his worship of Vishnu, Hiranyakashapu started to mistreat his son. Hiranyakshapu aimed to convince Prahalad to change his ways. Hiranyakashapu even devised different ways to try to kill Prahalad. During these attempts, Hiranyakashapu lost close friends and family, e.g., his sister. Prahald had great faith in Vishnu and was certain Vishnu will protect him. This faith helped him overcome the pressures imposed by Hiranyakashapu. In the end, Vishnu, as Narasimha, came to the rescue of his devotee, Prahalad, and killed Hiranyakashapu. The story has many incidents where Prahalad's mind was trying to be controlled by Hiranyakashapu. Hiranyakashapu wanted Prahalad to look only to Hiranyakashapu for solutions, rather than think for himself. This behaviour is exhibited by certain people in this pandemic. For example, there are some who are opposed to modern medicine. They think their solutions are better than solutions like vaccines. But most of their solutions are not really proven to control the pandemic. What is worse is that they influence others to ignore solutions like lockdowns and vaccinations. This happens even when their close family or friends get COVID. They seem not to care for the well-being of their family and friends. Such behaviour is similar to Hiranyakashapu mistreating his own son and causing the accidental death of his sister. The influence of such people is one of the reasons that in many countries the vaccination rate is quite low. The corona pandemic has shown that some people are like Hiranyakashapu. Such people want everyone else to believe only their

theories and solutions. They also wish to control everyone's minds. Prahalad was polite and kind to his father. Current society is, in general, similar. Society relies on leaders using reason to persuade those who are opposed to modern medicine. Just like Prahalad was taught by the sage Narada to pray to Vishnu, it is the trusted (learned) scientists who are proposing solutions. The question is who or what is the equivalent of Narasimha who will take the modern versions of Hiranyakashapu down. This is not to say that modern science is equivalent to Vishnu. The parallel is more about belief that science, if applied properly, can provide solutions. But one needs a strong leader to convert those who are non-believers into trusting modern medicine. To conclude, the Pandavas' case shows how one can adapt to both physical and mental lockdown. Of course, in their case the duration of the lockdown was known a-priori. Prahalad's case shows how mental lockdowns imposed by others can be overcome. In Prahalad's case the duration of the lockdown is not known. The cause of the lockdown, i.e., Hiranyakashapu, met a violent death. The current pandemic is closer to Prahalad's situation where it is not known when the lockdowns can stop. One also needs techniques to eliminate the virus. Both stories illustrate that one needs faith in one's own abilities as well as trust in others. References: A. Dooney: Three Stories for Lockdown: Isolation, Restriction and Vaccine, 2021 Shaunaka Rishi Das: https://www. youtube.com/watch?v=-6U4sIqYFMw Paddy Krishnan is a computer scientist, who got his BTech degree from IIT-Kanpur and PhD from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. Being very interested in Hindu philosophy, he maintains a blog at www. goldcoasthindu.wordpress com

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ART & CULTURE

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

Mahindra Kabira Festival concludes

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Varanasi, Nov 29 (IANS): After two days of celebrating Kabir and his teachings through a wide range of performances, the Mahindra Kabira Festival 2021 ended late Sunday evening. The concluding day explored the glorious simplicity of Kabir's philosophy through mystic melodies and music. The performances showcased the coexistence of art and spirituality. Opening the Morning Music, Varanasi-based classical vocalist and teacher, Prateek Narsimha presented devotional bhajans of Kabir about the latter's wisdom, including 'Nar Te Kya Puraan Padh Keenha' and 'Maaya Maha Thageenee Ham Jaanee'. His performance also included Raag Nut Bhairav and Drut Khayal. 'The Aahvaan Project' presented some vibrant performances. The artists created conversations around Kabir promoting the philosophy of love, humanity and kindness through stories of everyday lives based on the latter's words. Vedi Sinha of Aahvaan Project said, "The reason I sing is so that I can

share stories with others through my music. 'Kabir, Tum Kahan Ho' is a conversation that a little girl is having with elders around her." The afternoon session witnessed musician, storyteller and author Raman Iyer presenting his reflections on a few verses of Kabir to understand work-life balance. Iyer used stories and songs to discuss modern-day work pressure. He said, "Kabir's verses helped me in finding answers to many questions, including 'how to give a hundred per cent without over-working? How do we differentiate dedication from a workaholic lifestyle? What's the difference between ambition and greed?" In the next session, 'Tarannum Se Kabir', Askari Naqvi showcased a unique style of musical rendition. 'Kabir in Tarannum' was a mixed bag of the well-known poems of Kabir and some rarely performed musical pieces. "Kabir is free of everything and did not believe in any structure. My singing style of Kabir's words is also without any structure and absolutely free-flowing," Naqvi said.

Starting his performance with Kabir's doha, Pinjar Prem Prakasiya, Naqvi included 'Dhuns' and 'Ragas' belonging to Varanasi that explained what Kabir thought of Ram, life and death, love and knowledge. Evening sessions commenced with Niranjali by DPS Varanasi Choir. Post the choir, the evening witnessed 'Kabira Khada Bazaar Mein', a

classic by M.K. Raina and a modern reinterpretation of Kabir's poetry. Sharing his thoughts on the session, Raina said, "To present the music of the play -- Kabira Khada Bazar Mein -- in a new form is a matter of pride for all of us in the city of the great poet. These verses written in the the 14th century are still alive and meaningful, and give us solace."

This was followed by a performance by Hindustani classical vocalist Kalapini Komkali. Performing in the style of 'Zikr', she introduced the audience to how the people of Malwa view and love Kabir. She performed 'Kaun Thagwa Nagariya Lutal Ho', and 'Sunta Hai Guru Gyani', two of Kabir's famous

bhajans. Sanjoy K. Roy, Managing Director, Teamwork Arts, said, "Old paradigms have given way to new avenues of renewed energy in the face of all odds. What has remained constant is the ability of human beings to adapt and move forward as reflected by Kabir's philosophy."

Jumme Khan and the world in a story It’s girl power at Kerala Kalamandalam - the cradle of Kathakali IANS

e describes himself as a 'Shiv bhakt' and a 'Muslim Jogi'. In his world, stories are not mere tales that entertain, but a tool to reinforce contemporary realities among listeners. Rich in metaphors, vivid with minute details, Jumme Khan likes to transport his audiences not to a world far away but the universe that surrounds them. Part of a Jogi family from Pinan village in Alwar, Rajasthan and accompanied by his band of musicians, he uses a combination of harmonium, chimta, dholak, and the single-stringed bhapang - his instrument of choice - to retell stories that resound across generations. "The key here is connection. Unless people can relate, they will not enjoy it. To touch them, we have to decipher the common truth, find that elusive thread that binds us all. That is when the audience becomes one with the storyteller," he tells IANS.

Khan, who enthralled the audience with the oral tradition of the improvisatory, communicative story-telling style of the Jogis at the recently concluded 'Mahindra Kabira Festival' in Varanasi, started singing when he was 13-years-old, and there has been no looking back ever since. "But it never gets repetitive. Every day on the stage is a new one. One is forever in search of something new that will resound with the audience," says Khan, who has also penned a song on the ongoing Corona pandemic. For him, the magic of folk is unparalleled. He insists that nothing can replace the enigma of folk music in any culture. "Of course, this does not mean that steps are not taken to preserve it. We have seen a decline in the number of folk artists in the past few decades. But the immense power of folk seldom fails to move the audiences, including those who have always had access to modern

entertainment," says Khan. But he does feel that culture has taken a back seat in modern education. Remembering the time when schools would regularly organise cultural activities for students, he says, "It seems nowadays everything is about academics. How can we forget the fact that music and the arts play an indispensable role in all-around development? Culture opens an altogether new horizon, imparts a vision and understanding about the self. At least, give the children access and introduce them to different art forms including music. Let them decide if they want to pursue or not." Swearing by the power of live and the energy he derives from the audiences, Khan says that he is just not cut out for digital concerts. "They may have become a rage during the lockdowns, but I was clear that I would not be a part of them. In my art form, the live audience is an indispensable part of the whole act, without them, things will fall flat." Stressing that while there were many platforms (festivals etc) including those provided by the government, it was important that honest and qualified people be made part of the decision-making committees. "You just cannot expect artists to make rounds of programme officials trying to impress them. When as a country, we take so much pride in our culture, is it not important that this sector be streamlined and right people be recruited in the decision making bodies?"

erala Kalamandalam Deemed university is synonymous with the art form of Kathakali -- the Kerala art form, the glory of which is spread far and wide. In a revolutionary change, the Kerala Kalamandalam founded by Kerala's noted poet Vallathol Narayana Menon, 91 years ago, had decided to admit girl students in its "vesham" course in both northern and southern kalari forms. The girls students have outnumbered boys in the southern style with 3 girls joining the course while only one boy has opted for it. In the northern style also, 5 girls and a boy is admitted to the course and here also, girls have outnumbered boys. The head of the Vadakkan style or northern style of Kalari, Kalamandalam Suryanarayanan told IANS: "Five girl and a boy were admitted to the course and classes have started since Wednesday. Girls are participating with much enthusiasm and I find them performing exceedingly well." Generally, in Kathakali, even the characters of women were enacted by men and with girls being admitted to Vesham course, a sea change is expected in the performance and style in Kathakali. One of the doyens of Kathakali , who has unique style for himself and

has fans across the globe, Padmasri Kalamandalam Gopi who is also in the advisory board of Kerala Kalamandalam, told IANS: "I had given a suggestion to admit girls for Kathakali course in an experimental basis. This was accepted by the board and we have commenced classes for girl students. If other similar art forms of Kerala like Ottanthullal and Koodiyattam can have girl students, why not Kathakali?" The students are admitted for

vesham courses -- both, northern and southern styles, at class 8, and they can continue up to post-graduation for ten years at a stretch. Noted art critic and writer Rajani Varrier told IANS: "It is indeed a revolutionary decision by the Kalamandalam. If women can perform and excel in all fields, why not in this? Girls will prove in the days to come that they are masters in the art and the feminine characters if played by women will have more natural flair than men enacting it."

After Covid break, Taj Mahotsav on schedule in 2022

fter a break due to Covid-19 this year, the annual 10-day cultural extravaganza, Taj Mahotsav, will be held from February 18 to 28 next year. This information was given by the divisional commissioner Amit Gupta after a meeting of departmental heads who have been asked to go ahead with the preparations 'full-steam'. The Taj Mahotsav festival was started in 1992 to promote tourism, but over the years it has been reduced to a local 'Mela-Tamasha' with lots of 'filmy programmes' thrown in. This has alienated the tourism industry which sees no merit in promoting it for foreign visitors. "This event is now a formality,

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a 10-day 'masti' time for the government babus and their family members. The Uttar Pradesh tourism department has not been able to convince us how it has impacted tourism," say the captains of the industry. The organisers, however, claim that the Mahotsav is a big boost to local art and culture, as performing artistes get lots of opportunities to showcase their talent. Also, the handicrafts of the Braj Mandal, the local products find a huge market. The organising committee has decided to continue with Rs 50 entry ticket. However, the entry for foreigners would be free. Booking of stalls will commence soon. At the same time, apprehensions about

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the third wave of Covid-19 continue to impact the preparations. The organisers have indicated change in dates, if the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections are announced. The Taj Mahotsav is organised at Shilpgram complex, 500 metres from the Taj Mahal. Some programmes are also held at the Soor Sadan auditorium and in the Paliwal Park. This year, a new venue, Taj view point, near Mehtab Bagh, on the other bank of Yamuna, at the rear of the Taj Mahal, has been developed. It is likely that some musical programmes of popular appeal may be held here, on the sprawling lush green ground, close to Gyarah Seedhi monument.

LITERATURE

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

1857: The 1st War of Independence 'Not judging UPA on 26/11': Tewari in damage control mode at book launch from an Indian perspective IANS

rawn from the details provided by a Brahmin-turnedamateur-historian, this is a real story that follows two learned men as they traverse India during the 1857 uprising on foot, unearthing history from a new vantage point As the First War of Independence raged, a Brahmin from Maharashtra, Vishnubhat Godse, on a pilgrimage found himself caught right in the middle of the action. He, along with his uncle Rambhat, went through a series of adventures, including barely escaping hanging. Upon his return home, Godse wrote it all down in Marathi so that his forthcoming generations could

have an idea of how things were during that tumultuous period. "The Walking Brahmin" by Maneesh Madhukar Godbole retells that journey, which is a rare eyewitness account from a common Indian's point-of-view. Published by Garuda Prakashan decades after the original manuscript, it puts all pieces of the story together with maps and photographs and offers a unique insight into what really happened during the War of 1857. This tale starts in 1857, as the protagonist duo starts on a 'teertha yatra' from Varsai, a small Maharashtrian village, and walk smack in the

middle of the mutinous upheaval of 1857. Having the misfortune of being at the wrong place at the wrong time, they were caught in the crossfire between the loyalist Indian troops and the British. Narrativising historical incidents through an Indian lens, such as the fall of Jhansi, they survived the aftermath of British savagery, were robbed of all their belongings multiple times, and even managed to avoid getting hanged twice. Being on the road for over two years, they finally returned to Varsai, which was where Vishnubhat penned down his adventure for his descendants. "His original manuscript, which ran into 297 pages, comprised two notebooks and twenty-two individual pages. It was eventually published as a Marathi book in 1907, a few years after Vishnubhat's death. This is probably the only known instance of a document that talks about 1857 from an Indian perspective," the Pune-based Godbole said. "Not only does it give us the story from the perspective of the vanquished, but it is also more reliable as it is a first-hand account of experiences and not based merely on hearsay. Thus, the value of this book, in the annals of history, is quite priceless. "Vishnubhat's book offered me a unique and authentic insight on how our ancestors lived. What they believed in, the social structure of those times, the hardships, the never-give-up attitude, their fortitude, their beliefs and their ability to even put their lives at risk to fulfill their responsibility," added Godbole, who learnt about this lesser-known story when he was busy writing blogs related to his travel to northeast India and subsequent research. Sharing his insights on the book, Uday S. Kulkarni, historian and author of "The Extraordinary Epoch of Nanasaheb Peshwa", said that it "gives us a graphic account of the cruelty perpetrated by British forces in cities such as Jhansi, where troops looted and massacred the populace in retaliation for the stiff resistance the city offered the attacking force. It's a short book, which brings alive the times, the dangers, the smell of war and of death...a first-rate historical account of those turbulent times."

6th edition of Kerala Literature Festival to be held from Jan 20 to 23 IANS

New Delhi, Dec 2: The sixth edition of the Kerala Literature Festival (KLF 2022) will be held at the beaches of Calicut (Kozhikode) from January

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20 to January 23. Over 400 speakers including Jeffrey Archer, Ada Yonath, Abhijit Banerjee, Arundhati Roy, Remo Fernandes,

Sagarika Ghose, Wendy Doniger, Shashi Tharoor, Manu S. Pillai, Devdutt Pattanaik, Chris Kraus and Sudhir Kakar among others will be part of the festival. Organised by the DC Kizhakemuri Foundation, the event is supported by the Government of Kerala and Kerala Tourism Board. Well-known poet, critic, and writer Prof. K. Satchidanandan is the festive director of KLF 2022. Set along the shores of the Arabian Sea, the four-day festival brings artists, actors, celebrities, writers, thinkers, and activists closer to people of different backgrounds and interests. With an aggregate footfall of more than 3 lakhs, KLF is the second largest festival of its kind in Asia, combining the best of literary and popular cultures. The sessions at KLF aim to map literature through discussions on aspects of science & technology, art, cinema, politics, music, environment, literature, pandemic & its Impacts, business & entrepreneurship, health, art & leisure, travel & tourism, gender, economy, culture genomics, history & politics, and various facets that shape human consciousness. Speakers include major award-winning writers, film and theatre personalities, performers and artists, designers, media personalities, sports icons, diplomats and celebrities from diverse backgrounds. KLF 2022 will host 200 plus sessions boasting writers, experts, and performers from across India and more than 12 nations globally. This year the organisers will introduce curated gastronomical exuberance with food trucks and ethnic cuisines.

IANS

ongress MP Manish Tewari's book "10 Flashpoints: 20 years - National Security Situations That Impacted India", in which he stirred up a row by stating that the then UPA government should have acted in the wake of the 26/11 attacks, was released by former NSA Shiv Shankar Menon on Thursday. During a panel discussion after the release, Tewari, seeking to play down his stand, said: "It is my personal opinion that kinetic action should have been taken, but I am not judging the action taken by the UPA government then." He said the government in its wisdom would have taken steps that would have been appropriate, but should have taken into consideration the efficacy of steps taken on the non-state actors. He also asserted that the UPA lost the perception battle as lack of action is considered as a weakness by Pakistan. Tewari was also of the opinion that Operation Parakram at the time of the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-led NDA government was one such move where the government could not strike, despite all the logical efforts made and later, the Strike Corps commander was removed, which

was also perceived as a weakness by Pakistan. He said that though Balakot was first owned by the political leadership, it did not yield the desired result as Pakistan has gone back in its sinister plotting against India. Tewari had questioned the UPA-1 government's inaction after the Mumbai attacks. "For a state that has no compunctions in brutally slaughtering

hundreds of innocent people, restraint is not a sign of strength; it is perceived as a symbol of weakness. There comes a time when actions must speak louder than words. 26/11 was one such time when it just should have been done. It, therefore, is my considered opinion that India should have actioned a kinetic response in the days following India's 9/11," he said in the book.

When cancer sorted a midlife crisis

hen Shormistha Mukherjee, whose Linkedin profile describes her as a storyteller, creative strategist, problem solver, connection maker, team builder and entrepreneur, was diagnosed with cancer, she kept wondering why people were so awkward around her. Then she realised it was because they didn't know what to say because in India, "we don't talk about cancer, we just neatly sidestep it like dog poo on a pavement". But Mukherjee was made of sterner stuff. Aided by a husband beyond compare, Anirban, a host of friends, principally Oindrilla (Oinx) and Ziba, three doctors at Kokilaben Hospital (among many other caregivers) and her parents, she not only survived breast cancer -- and even sorted a midlife crisis -- but emerged from the experience roaring to write a book about what she had gone through. The outcome: "Cancer, You Picked The Wrong Girl" (HarperCollins). "Not just the mastectomy, reconstruction, chemo, hair loss, but also the mental see-saw, the loss of dignity, the constipation, the hot flashes. To write about it, was to face up to it. It was the most life altering thing to happen to me, but it also had its moments of humour and lightness. And I want anyone, who god forbid, has to go through this, or a caregiver, or a friend or even a reader who is too scared to say the word cancer, I want them to find hope in this book, and of course snort out their tea in laughter," she says. Like, for instance, when during chemotherapy she felt she looked like "a baby hedgehog with a swollen face". Or, when she's buying things at a fancy store "with my bald head and my mask, and a lady just keeps staring at me...So, finally, I walk up to her, lower my mask, and in a loud whisper announce 'I have cancer'. She left the shop faster than you can say bhindi," Mukherjee writes. Or the 6 a.m. "magic hour" in hospitals. "I don't know what is with their fascination for doing everything at that unearthly hour. So, my IV was put in at 6 a.m. My catheter was taken out at 6 a.m. My first medicine was given at 6 a.m. Oh my god. Just stop. Let the patient sleep. All that's needed is a roll call parade, so you feel like you're in jail," Mukherjee writes. "When I look back," she writes, "I realise the one person who saw me through everything was of course Anirban. But it wasn't just seeing me through, it was like we both lived it. In the hospital, I'd be all happy and chirpy all day, and then before I slept something would trigger a meltdown. Some days I would be feeling scared, some days I would be wanting to just go home. And every night, Anirban would hold me and we'd both cry."

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IANS

The nine months from diagnosis, through the surgery, the chemotherapy and the radiation therapy "also released me", Mukherjee writes. "It was like a blank slate, we were starting all over again...It's not easy being married. And we got married when we were kids. Twenty-two and twenty-three (Mukherjee was 45 at the time of surgery). But let me also tell you, that sometimes it takes cancer to tell you that this is the person you want to grow old with. This is the only person who truly gets you," Mukherjee writes. "It taught me how much I was loved. By my parents, who put their lives on hold so they could be there for me. They'd literally fly down (from Delhi to Mumbai) before every chemo, wait till I felt better and then go back, and then do this all over again. They lived out of suitcases for that entire period. Only so I could be looked after, and yet have my space. As my chemo progressed, they also learnt to deal with it. There were days when we'd laugh, they'd take me for long drives in the rain, they'd cook my favourite food. It was always going to be hard watching their daughter (their only child) go through this," Mukherjee writes. Then there were her friends, Oinx, "who cancelled her holiday abroad. Ziba, who can never wake up early, came for every early morning appointment. My friends and partners at work, Parag and Dixit, who for nine months did their share of work, and mine too. It was bloody hard for them, especially since one day I was at work and in their lives, and the next day I was gone. But they never said one thing to me except 'All you have to do is beat this'," Mukherjee writes. There was also the realisation that as her physical struggle with the chemo reduced, "my fight with my mind became more serious. And I think in the end that's what made me stronger. I was never in a fight with my body, it was always my mind that I had to control."

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"I was dealing with all this, when another bolt from the blue hit me. My periods stopped. Just after my second chemo, I kept waiting for my period to knock on my fallopian doors, and all I got was some stray spots of blood. Now, nobody tells you this stuff, Not your doctors, nurses, no one. Maybe they're pretty sure people will Google this." Not Mukherjee, who was made of sterner stuff. She called her chemo doctor, who coolly informed her: "Yes, in most people, the chemo does stop her periods." Will they come back after the chemo is over, she asked. "Sometimes they do and sometimes they don't. There is no fixed time period. You are forty-five. They might not come back and you might have forced menopause," the doctor said. "Menopause. Now I also have menopause to deal with. Just like that, with no warning," Mukherjee writes. What a time for a midlife crisis to strike! "Ooh boy. So much unbidden stuff rushed into my head. Menopause means I am now old. Off the shelf. In a dusty, dowdy little corner. How could that be? I was fit and slim and beautiful a couple of months back. And now you tell me I'm over the hill, and past my prime," Mukherjee writes. That too, passed. And today, "guess what, menopause is just fine. Sweaty suits me, adds a sheen to my face. For too long, this shit has been kept under wraps. I'm not past my prime or off the shelf or a 'poor thing'. I'm just getting older, and that's fine. I can still do everything I want, without some eggs getting in the way. "Wait a minute. It took cancer to sort out a midlife crisis! Damn, next time, universe, just deal me a sports car or something," Mukherjee concludes on a jocular high.

BEAUTY

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

Your Winter Skincare Routine

inter is just around the corner and as we begin the task of replacing our summer closets with cosy scarves and sweaters, replacing our fun summer colours with pastel autumn colours; it also means it is time to switch skincare routine to preserve and protect our skin's innate radiance. During winters, the harsh cold climate and dry indoor air often leave skin dry, flaky, itchy, and chapped & overall without lustre or glow, hence the need for intense hydration & ingredient specific solutions. To keep up with the seasonal shift here are some winter skincare tips that will help you keep your skin glowing, dewy, healthy, and moisturized during the cold! Add a serum to your skincare regime – Irrespective of the season, it is important to hydrate and nourish the skin. Considering that serum has better penetration into the skin than an average cream or moisturizer, it delivers an extremely high concentration of active ingredients that helps improve hydration levels from the inside out. It also re-adjusts the excess sebum on the face to make the skin look healthy and well-moisturized. Serums are the route to soft, supple and hydrated skin. An extra layer of Hydration – A good Serum is suitable for all skin types. It is advisable to look for a high performing serum that contains Hyaluronic Acid, Salicylic Acid and Vitamin C. It delivers hydration, covers important natural oils into the skin, and strengthens the barrier so that it can better guard itself against the cold environment. Regardless of what moisturizing creams you plan to apply, make sure you start your application

using serums. Serums are water or emulsion-based formulations hence they have a light gel-like or watery, non-sticky texture that absorbs quickly into the skin-quenching the skin’s thirst for moisturization and leaving it with a fresh, dewy smooth finish. Cost-Benefit – Serum is a multi-purpose product that eliminates the need for hydrators, moisturizers, lotions and cold creams. This single product helps with a host of skincare issues like fighting dullness and dryness, combating acne, acne spots and pigmentation, giving your skin a healthy and hydrated look. It is recommended to use a face serum at least twice a day to maximize its beauty potential. Charmis Deep Radiance Face Serum is Dermatologist & Clinically tested to offer specific skin benefits of Hydrated Clear Radiance. It goes 15 layers deep into the skin with potent ingredients of Vitamin C, Hyaluronic Acid and Salicylic Acid. Available for INR 210/Moisturize During Bedtime – Moisturizers and winter skincare go hand in hand. As much as moisturizing skin right after a shower is necessary, moisturizing with intense nourishing formula before going to bed can help rejuvenate your skin overnight when you are resting for about 7-8 hours. When looking for a deep nourishing cold cream, opt for one with ingredients that have a unique blend of vitamin A, C & E, it is scientifically proven to combat the impact of pollution, dust and sun, leaving skin glowing, nourished & moisturized. Indulge in deep moisturizing cold cream before you sleep so you can wake up with beautifully supple skin. Don’t skip Your Cold Cream!

– Constant environmental exposure makes your skin lose essential vitamins leaving it dry, lifeless and tired looking. Pick a cold cream that has SPF 30 that is designed to care for skin in the cold climate and is enriched with natural skin soothers like saffron extract and vitamin C, the light moisturizer that provides a two-fold benefit: relief from Sun damage and boosting the moisture reserve and comforting parched skin. Applying cold creams of a light texture regularly will keep your skin refreshed soft and even-toned. Though you can’t control the colder weather or the amount of time you may expose to it, these handy tips will help you get some extra hydration to get through these cold winter months, deep nourishing cold cream and serum can help your skin feel moisturized and luminous. Dr. Aparna Santhanam, Skin Expert on ITC Charmis says, “It is important to adapt your skincare routine to suit the season and opt for skincare and beauty solutions that are made with efficacious formulations to help hydrate and nourish the skin. Winter brings with it a host of skincare problems right from skin turning dry, dull and even itchy. I recommend opting for a lightweight face serum and a deep nourishing cold cream, a combination that can serve as multi-purpose products that hydrate, exfoliate and nourish the skin without making it itchy, sticky or super dry. These multi-purpose products apart from being lightweight in texture are convenient to apply and easily portable. I like multifunctional products that are efficacious and yet budget-friendly as they ensures the longevity of usage and hence are invaluable in any skincare routine.

vulnerable to outside elements. It’s affected by more factors than you may think. In addition to this, your health also affects your choice of skincare products and vice-versa. Nandeeta Manchandaa, Founder of ENN shares the whys and hows: Let’s talk Vitamins: Your body needs all essential vitamins for proper functioning and if any vitamin is a miss, then effects show on your skin too. Like- dark spots, pigmentation are often seen on people with melanin issues, or even in pregnant ladies. So Vitamin-C rich products are the go-to to combat this issue. Baby on the way: Another major health factor that influences your skin care product selection is – pregnancy! Pregnant women undergo 360-degree change internally and externally while their hormones are at their peak…it gives way to allergic reactions, limitations

of using certain products/ ingredient applications too. They are advised to stay away from Retinol (found in all anti-ageing creams), Benzoyl Peroxide and Salicylic acids (for face washes and cleansers) Essential oils (are the base for any serum, facial oils) So better to opt for clean and natural products as substitutes for the same. PCOD/ PCOS: Thanks to the sedentary lifestyle and long working hours, one health issue in women that has been on the rise is PCOD (Poly Cystic Ovary Disorder) and PCOS ( Poly Cystic Ovary Syndrome) Hormonal imbalances coupled with weight issues show their effect on skin too. A majority of women suffer from symptoms like cystic acne, excessively oily skin and scalp, open pores, blackheads/ whiteheads, dark spots, dark patches to name a few. In this case, choosing products that will not irritate your skin or aggravate inflammation is your best bet. Avoid products with cocoa butter, isopropyl myristate, oleic acid lanolin, and butyl stearate. Chlorophenols are used as preservatives in cosmetics and have been linked to acne so these too must be avoided. This is why we see the trend of clean beauty, Vegan beauty and herbal products flooding the markets because they claim to be free from all the nasties and let you get the maximum benefit of skin care products without any guilt.

Choosing right skincare products

oday, we are exposed to a gazillion beauty product launches every now and then. The cosmetic industry is ever-changing and always gives us something new to wish for. But how much thought do we actually put in before buying the skincare product for ourselves? You should always pay attention to the products and their ingredients. Choosing products from a company with a reputable line of products can be helpful, since each component may be designed to work in conjunction with the others. You can also be assured of the products’ quality and may better be able to predict how your skin will react to trying a different product in the same line. Skin is one of the largest organs of the body. Because of this, caring for your skin can directly affect your overall health. Your skin acts as a protective shield and is most www.indianabroad.news

If your in your 40s & 50s follow this skincare routine

nti-aging skincare products such as wrinkle creams, eye serums, can help reduce the signs of ageing. However, it is beneficial to have healthy skincare habits to create an anti-ageing skincare plan that is truly effective. The following are some of the advantages of good skincare habits: Blotchy skin can be avoided (or cleared up). Maintain the youthful firmness of your skin for a longer period. Reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. Maintain a brighter, younger-looking complexion. Leathery skin should be avoided. Reduce your chances of getting skin cancer Anti-ageing skincare tips: Protect your skin from the sun. Every anti-ageing skin-care regime starts with sun protection. Our skin ages more quickly as a result of the sun's rays. "Photoaging" is a term for the effect of the sun prematurely ageing our skin because there is so much evidence for it. Seek out some shade: Between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., and whenever your shadow appears shorter than you seek shade. Cover up with panache: Wear a wide-brimmed hat, pants, and long sleeves whenever possible. Gloves can help to reduce the appearance of age spots and other common signs

of ageing on our hands. Sunglasses aid in the reduction of fine lines around the eyes. Apply sunscreen before going outside: Apply sunscreen to any exposed skin that your clothing will not cover. Use a sunscreen that provides broad-spectrum protection, has an SPF of 30 or higher, and is water-resistant. Indoor tanning is a thing of the past: UV rays are harmful and are emitted by the sun, tanning beds, and sun lamps. These rays hasten the ageing of the skin. Use a moisturizer daily: Skin becomes drier as we age. Wrinkles and fine lines appear. Moisturizer holds water in our skin, making it appear more youthful. Use a facial moisturizer, body moisturizer, and lip balm for the best results.

Dirt and grime should be washed away twice a day: Your appearance is influenced by how you wash your face. Instead of soap, wash with warm water and a mild cleanser for the best results. Scrubbing your skin clean is also a bad idea. Quit smoking: Toxins in tobacco smoke can cause facial cancer in smokers. A dull and dry complexion, loss of skin firmness, premature lines and wrinkles, and leathery skin are all signs of a smoker's face. Consume nutritious foods: Skin health is aided by a balanced diet. Consume plenty of fruits and vegetables, as well as lean proteins and healthy fats. Make sure you get enough rest: There's a reason it's called beauty rest. Sleep allows your body to rejuvenate and refresh itself.

Charcoal and Bamboo Hair Care Range

oth men and women need to develop a hair regimen, because hair is subjected to the same stress. This hair range's gender-neutral components make it suitable for all hair types, including coloured hair. Charcoal helps eliminate product build-up, pollutants, and chemicals from the scalp and is known for its deep cleansing and rejuvenating effects. Bamboo, on the other hand, provides deep cleansing by eliminating pollutants, bacteria, sludge, dust, heat, sweat, and pollution from the scalp while also promoting hair development. A sensory grooming experience

is enhanced by the calming and detoxifying dual combination of Charcoal and Bamboo. The shampoo lathers up nicely and leaves the strands silky and nourished, thanks to its carefully crafted aroma. The conditioner hydrates and rehydrates tresses while also deeply nourishing the shaft. The hair mask helps to soften strands while also enhancing scalp health and hair condition. For Good Hair Day every day, Nykaa's latest Unisex Hair Care Range- Charcoal & Bamboo assists in combating environmental stressors and chemical damage while leaving it refreshed, purified, and

enlivened throughout the day. Reena Chhabra, CEO of Nykaa Brands, said, “Our consumers understand the importance of hair and scalp care and actively look for natural ingredients that are safe, gentle, yet effective when used regularly.” The new unisex Charcoal and Bamboo range is the perfect, frequent-use product to address concerns of environmental stress and chemical damage and has proven to improve hair texture over time. We aim to keep bringing natural, ingredient-led solutions to our consumers through the Nykaa Naturals range.

A firming oil to keep your skin youthful

inter weather is harsh on the skin and one needs more than just a moisturises to see you through the season. Skin ageing is natural, but you can can make it graceful! Kama Ayurveda’s newly launched Amarrupa Face Oil accelerates the production of skin collagen and increases the skin’s elasticity. It should be applied on the face and specific concerning areas like the neck, crow’s feet, and the under-eye. The Amarrupa Wrinkle Repair & Firming Face Oil is specially formulated for mature skin, enriched with antioxidants and natural actives that nourish and repair skin. The Face Oil is a true multi-tasker since it not only moisturises and firms skin but also reduces signs of ageing like wrinkles and the development of crow’s feet. The best part? This highly potent formulation is clinically tested to reduce under-eye dark circles by 31 percent. Clinical trials reveal consistent use results in 15 percent firmer skin, 36 percent smoother skin, 31 percent reduction in under eye dark circles.

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Ingredients include Centella Asiatica, an anti-inflammatory and anti-ageing herb that stimulates the skin's own collagen production and also repairs skin damage. Indian Gooseberry and Citron Fruit are a powerhouse of Vitamin C that not only improves the complexion but also enhances and nurtures the skin. Oleic Acid, an Omega-9 fatty acid that replenishes lost moisture without clogging pores. Natural actives such as Arjuna Extracts strengthen the skin barrier, reduce dryness, and protects the skin from external aggravators. Carrot Seed Oil plumps skin, reducing the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, giving an even skin tone. It firms lose, wrinkled skin improving skin texture, locking in hydration and defends skin against pollution and cold weather through its natural actives. Enriched with ingredients that promote collagen synthesis to reduce fine lines and wrinkles it intensely nourishes the skin. *Based on clinical trials conducted over 28 days

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*Based on a 4-week clinical study conducted on men and women between 36-55 years with loose skin, pigmentary spots, crow’s feet, wrinkles, uneven skin tone & visible under-eye puffiness.

FASHION

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

ABFRL and Tarun Tahiliani launch Tasva

Fashion industry to revamp in 2022

argeting the premium menswear segment, Tarun Tahiliani and Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Ltd (ABFRL) launch 'Tasva'. The move comes within a year of the announcement made by ABFRL, wherein as part of its investment deal into the designer's label, it had committed to forming a new entity for a contemporary men's ethnic wear brand in which ABFRL holds 80 per cent stake and Tahiliani controls the remaining 20 per cent. The holy city of Varanasi was the backdrop of the launch event which took place this Thursday. Models displayed the collection in the designers signature style made of premium fabrics at affordable prices. From Khadi to plush silks, the collection featured a range of

traditional menswear garments including kurtas, sherwanis, bandhis and bandhgalas with a contemporary twist. Taking a confident and aggressive step forward, ABFRL intends to set up 50 to 70 stores across the country within the year, positioning Tasva as the go to brand for menswear. “Tasva is here to fulfil the niche in Indian menswear. It’s a premium, quality and beautifully designed menswear label. Fit has always been of uttermost importance at the TT studio, combined with ABFRL’s expertise in fabrics, factories, distribution and manufacturing it’s time for us to clothe India with quality at an affordable price,” said Tahiliani.

On picking the city of Benaras for the launch, the designer stated, “Benaras is the pillar of Indian textiles, and we have used a lot of Benarasi textiles. We have used a lot of Khadi, prints and knits as well. The aim is to dress Indian men, to free Indian men and to engage Indian men to effortlessly integrate Indian clothes into everyday life.” Ashish Dikshit, ABFRL’s CEO stated, “It’s a very proud day for us, both Tarun and ABFRL have put 18 months of blood, sweat and hard work into creating Tasva. Over a period of time, occasion wear has moved from Western suits or ethnic staples to Indo-Western and fusion wear with young men experimenting with styles and silhouettes, which made us think about the future. We want to showcase the

very best of Tarun at a scale and at a price point that a large part of this country can afford, even while it’s premium. We believe this is a great opportunity to change the way men dress and offer them alternatives which are very high quality, with the designer touch combined with beautifully crafted garments. It also aims to support the larger ecosystem of artisans and all the people coming together to make it happen. We are very proud and confident and intend to scale the brand at a very fast pace, growing it to 50 to 75 stores across the country within a year.” The partnership is in line with ABFRL’s s strategy to craft a portfolio of brands that address the entire gamut of ethnic wear segments: value, premium and luxury.

Manish Malhotra creates The Abaya Saree for Etihad Airways

n the finale of its UAE 50th Anniversary celebrations, Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, has launched the third and final video in its ‘Hosting the World’ campaign, celebrating the UAE’s prospering fashion scene. The series brings together experts from the fields of Formula 1, Music and Fashion from around the world, with their Emirati counterpart, hosted in the UAE. In this unique collaboration, Etihad www.indianabroad.news

commissioned the sought-after Emirati designer Hessa Al Falasi to be the host of the project. Al Falasi, who specialises in modest wear inspired by her travels and life experiences, is the most followed Emirati designer on Instagram today. Etihad Airways and Al Falasi invited celebrated Indian fashion designer and luxury couturier Manish Malhotra to visit the designer’s studio in the UAE, to collaborate on

a unique piece of fashion. Together, their creative minds fashion an entirely new style of clothing, based on a fusion of the traditional Emirati abaya with the Indian style saree. In the video, Etihad’s Cabin Crew can be seen being fitted for the new item and transforming from her Etihad uniform into the Abaya Saree. Amina Taher, Vice President Brand, Marketing and Sponsorships, Etihad Airways said: “We

challenged ourselves to celebrate the UAE’s Golden Jubilee in ways that not only recognised the country’s past and legacy, but also acknowledge the incredible achievements that are the building blocks for the future. The UAE’s creative scene is booming and at Etihad we are proud to recognise and honour this through this unique series of collaborations. Flying in Manish Malhotra, one of India’s most renowned fashion designers, to work with the UAE’s talented Hessa Al Falasi has been a highlight of the campaign.” Manish Malhotra commented: “I have always enjoyed designing a saree. Over the years, I’ve constructed several styles of the six-yard staple, which is my absolute favourite. When Etihad Airways offered me to create an Abaya Saree, to mark UAE’s 50th Anniversary, I knew they would meet at a crossroad of elegance and modesty, making it an effortless, chic, versatile, and one of its kind sartorial creation. I also decided to give it the pop of colour to add to the look. It was fun creating this with Hessa al Falasi, and I thank Etihad Airways for inviting me and would like to congratulate UAE for its 50 years, a country I admire for its vision, its heritage culture and beautiful people.” Commenting on the experience, Emirati Hessa Al Falasi, said: “I really enjoyed working with Etihad Airways and collaborating with Manish Malhotra to design a distinctive Abaya Saree for the year of the 50th.”

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ndia has always been a key market for the global fashion industry. Even though it faces various challenges of inequality, infrastructure, and market fragmentation; it is anticipated that the sector will exhibit strong economic growth, scale, and rising digital disruption. Collectively, these elements will make the Indian market a global hub in the times to come. As per McKinsey & Co.’s FashionScope report, India’s apparel market is expected to be valued at $59.3 billion in 2022 and the Indian fashion industry will emerge to be the sixth-largest market in the world. The Indian fashion industry witnessed its fair share of struggles with the coronavirus outbreak last year. However, now as it is reviving with the situation turning better, the industry is all set to inch towards 2022 in vogue. Fashion Entrepreneur, Rubaina Adhikari shares few noteworthy trends that will revamp the fashion industry next year: Sustainability Sustainability is a major trend that will rule the fashion industry in the times to come. Consumers are increasingly becoming conscious about Mother Nature and this has been pushing the brands to adopt eco-friendly practices. While global designers and retailers have started adopting the sustainable route, others will soon follow suit. Using organic fabrics and natural dyes along with engaging in recycling and upcycling are some of the popular initiatives that the industry is undertaking to tread on the sustainability path. Adding to it,

the players are also focusing on ensuring that there is no wastage at the end of the lifecycle along with enabling offset shipping costs with carbon credits. Comfort is the new style Ever since the pandemic outbreak, consumers’ preferences have undergone a huge shift. They now prioritize comfort over fashion and it has emerged to be the new fad. COVID-19 paved the way for innovations and ever since then, the athleisure market has made its way in people’s lives and wardrobes. Solar hues and stripes: The upcoming trend Along with nudes and pastels, solar shades are about to gain prominence in the year 2022. Hues such as gold, bronze, amber, marigold, etc. will rule the fashion industry next year. Amongst prints and patterns, stripes and floral prints will be making their way back into the wardrobes. Fashion to become inclusive The rise in normalizing plus-size clothing has paved the way for fashion to become inclusive. Cashing in on the trend, various designers and brands are also normalizing double-digit size clothing. Hence, plus-size clothing will carve a dedicated market for itself. The Indian fashion industry has always been a prominent market recognized for its innovative approach and staying abreast with the trend. The pandemic did disrupt it at considerable levels but it was prompt enough to cope with the changes. It is now treading on the path of recovery and is all set to revamp in 2022

Amit Aggarwal launches first flagship store in Mumbai

ombay is a special city, the city where I was born and raised. This is where every sight and sound evokes nostalgia: memories from my childhood, layered upon the stories lived and re-lived by the millions who have called this city home over millennia. It is only in Bombay that Victorian, Modernist, and Survival architecture thrive in each other's company, where trees grow on cricket fields and flowers bloom beside industrial hubs. Bombay is my birthplace and muse. This is the city Aggarwal called home for the best part of his childhood, the city he said goodbye to twenty-two years ago to make someone of himself. But Mumbai is a generous mother. She filled his shoes with sand and his mind with memories. Amit Aggarwal Store It’s been a dream of Aggarwal to open a store in the fashion capital of India, and so he announced the opening of his flagship store in Mumbai at BEST Marg, Colaba. This experiential store is steeped in culture and history, set to a soundtrack

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of the ocean’s shifting moods. The store is inspired by Bombay’s sea, sand, and breeze. The open layout of the space and the iridescent textiles used for décor reflect the city’s lights over its vast ocean as they change colour between dusk and dawn. The dark grey matte floors, metallic grey walls and sandy concrete furniture accent the inspiration of sand, giving the space a modern language. It has no sharp edges, the walls have smooth curves and custom-built amorphous furniture brings in the lightness of a cool breeze. “This store is the story of my return to Mumbai, and the objectification of this moment is the central installation that showcases a school of amorphous creatures, all unique yet in perfect sync, floating with each other to form a whole. In designing this space, I have used signature textiles, including metallic polymers and remnant metallic piping, a homage to the old and evolved city I return to after 22 years.”

WHAT’S ON

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

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WHAT’S ON

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

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ENTERTAINMENT

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

It's official! Katrina and Vicky are now husband and wife

atrina Kaif and Vicky Kaushal have been pronounced man and wife after one of the most celebrated marriage ceremonies of the year. The celebrity couple tied the knot at a private ceremony in the Six Senses Fort Barwara Hotel, Sawai Madhopur, Rajasthan, with friends and family in attendance. The initial photographs show Vicky following Katrina and then the two waving at the paparazzi gathered at a distance from the venue. Katrina wore a bridal lehenga crafted by ace designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee for her special day, Vicky is said to have worn a beige sherwani after his 'sehrabandi'. The couple also made it official that they would soon host a reception in Mumbai for those who were not invited to the very private marriage ceremony at Sawai Madhopur. Vicky headed to the mandap in a vintage car with his baraatis, including brother Sunny Kaushal, good friend Angad Bedi and members of his family. The couple took the pheras in the traditional way, thus bringing to an end the celebrations that took off on December 7. The pre-wedding festivities started officially on December 7 when Bollywood celebrities and close friends of the couple, such as Kabir Khan, his wife Mini Mathur and their daughter Sairah left Mumbai for Jaipur. Angad Bedi, Neha Dhupia, Sharvari Wagh, Radhika Madan and Malavika Mohanan followed suit and pumped up the tempo of the celebrations. The guests were extended a grand welcome, served Rajasthani and Punjabi delicacies, even as the venue lit up the Sawai Madhopur skyline and fireworks added to the dreama. The 'mehendi' celebrations saw 20 kilos of GI-tagged henna sourced from Sojat by the river Sukri in Rajasthan. The 'haldi' ceremony followed, with the guests faithfully following the yellow dress code. This was when the media first got a glimpse of the guests in the corridors of the luxury hotel. After the pictures surfaced on the Internet, the organisers put up curtains on the arches of the fort-hotel to protect the privacy of the guests from prying cameras. The 'sangeet' night was held on December 8 with Gurdas Maan, Hardy Sandhu, Shankar Mahadevan, Ehsaan Noorani and Manj Musik belting out their music to entertain the select company.

Sushmita Sen: For 'Aarya', the camera was a fly on the wall

ushmita Sen found the perfect way to channelise her inner strength through her work

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in the Ram Madhvani directorial 'Aarya'. The title character of 'Aarya', much

like Sushmita, is a woman of substance. She calls the shots, is highly adaptive, plays to her strengths and is protective about her world. As the second season of the crime thriller approaches its release, Sushmita spoke with IANS about her experience of working in Ram Madhvani's 360 degree set up, constructing Aarya's character and her subsequent dissociation from the character for the downtime. For her, working in a novel 360 degree system of Ram Madhvani where filming happens in real time, is "the most enriching system" and "the one that spoils an actor". She says, "There's no way you can go back to the discontinued way of emotions with multiple takes of close up, over the shoulder, jimmy jib. The camera is a fly on the wall, you don't feel the camera, it doesn't interfere with the actors in real time." Explaining a normal shoot day on 'Aarya' sets, she adds, "Even if you drop a glass and it breaks during the take, you continue with the scene and find a way around to take the broken glass off the frame. So, you adapt. His school says, 'please make mistakes, let real life happen while filming'. It's like theatre. All the actors are aware. This is a system of awareness. He (Ram) has done an outstanding job with this system." Shooting in such an immersive atmosphere, where multiple stimuli are at work both on the surface and at the subconscious level, the gravity of the emotions can drag an actor

into depths. Laying down the framework of the character construction, the actress says, "We shoot 'Aarya' in a way where depending on the workshop, we get into a zone. We are not called by our real names but by the names of the characters that we are playing, during the schedule." She continues, "We don't keep big breaks between schedules, we do it from start to finish in order to maintain that psychology of characters and the universe." Alternatively, the deconstruction too was simple and effective, "After filming, we had three full nights of partying. This is where we switch from Aarya to Sushmita and Tej to Chandrachur Singh and it is done in the most organic way", she says as her tone of voice eases explaining the process. Theatre is considered to be an actor's medium, films and shows are directors' medium, ask her from whose point of view the story is being told when one marries theatre and films in a 360 degree approach, and she quips, "Real life cannot happen under a controlled atmosphere, we are allowed to make mistakes. The set is not just a set anymore, it's an actual house with functional appliances and accessories." "All departments work in perfect sync sharing the same energy. So, for this medium, you can no longer say that a medium belongs to an actor, director or one technician, this actually belongs to all departments and the story takes the control of the wheel," she signs off.

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Shivangi Joshi opens up on upcoming episode of 'Balika Vadhu'

alika Vadhu' actress Shivangi Joshi, who portrays 'Anandi' in the show, has opened up about the upcoming episode, which is all about Anandi's 18th birthday. Shivangi says: "Anandi's 18th birthday will bring disruptions in the show as her family and Jigar are eagerly waiting to make their marriage official. But destiny seems to have other plans for Anandi. I feel extremely grateful to be a part of Balika Vadhu and to play Anandi in her new avatar." Now, in the coming episode, the audience will see how on Anandi's

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18th birthday, Jigar (played by Samridh Bawa) and Maadi Baa (played by Ketki Dave) tell everyone that Anandi and Jigar have legally become husband and wife. This will bring a lot of changes in the circumstances, as Anandi is willing to study further. "It's always a delight to play such an ever-evolving character that is so powerful and an inspiration to many. Hope the viewers will continue being a part of my journey," she adds. 'Balika Vadhu' airs on Colors.

ENTERTAINMENT

Vol 1, Issue 21 Dec 16 -31, 2021

Pooja Hegde: 'Soch liya' introduces Parineeti on her 10 years in Bollywood: roller-coaster chemistry the lead Not going to play safe anymore characters share P

ctress Pooja Hegde, who is gearing up for the release of her upcoming pan-India film 'Radhe Shyam', says the song 'Soch liya' from the movie introduces the chemistry her character Prerana shares with Prabhas's. The film will be released in four languages -- Telugu, Tamil, Hindi and Malayalam. The latest song is sung by Arijit Singh and composed by Mithoon. Pooja's avatar in 'Soch Liya' has classic European get-up and vintage charm written all over it. Talking about the number, Pooja said: "'Soch Liya' presents many shades of Prerana in 'Radhe Shyam'. I'm thrilled that the song is out now. What's special about it is that it takes viewers through a mixed bag of emotions. "It introduces the roller-coaster of the chemistry the lead characters share. I'm happy to have a song I can hear on the loop." The song shows Pooja staging a plethora of emotions while she reacts to flirtation by her co-star Prabhas, evades him and seems immune to his charm. Her expressions hint at separation and spur curiosity about her role in the epic saga. 'Radhe Shyam' is slated for release on January 14, 2022. Being a Radha Krishna Kumar's directorial, 'Radhe Shyam' is billed as an epic love story made under UV Creations banner.

'Covid jitters': Kareena, Amrita Arora's apartment buildings sealed

he BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation has sealed four apartment buildings in Bandra-Khar after Bollywood

actresses Kareena Kapoor and Amrita Arora tested Covid-19 positive and organised testing camps there, officials said.

The development comes a week after Bollywood director Karan Johar threw a private bash for around a dozen people at his home following which the two actresses tested positive on Sunday. With both showing mild symptoms, the actresses have been shunted to home quarantine and treatment in their sealed flats while the BMC H-West Ward has taken up sanitisation of the four buildings. In a simultaneous exercise, the civic health authorities have managed to trace around three dozen contacts of the celebs who attended the party at Johar's home last Wednesday and they have been sent for tests, with their reports expected shortly. Among others who were present at the party was Seema Khan, wife of actor Sohail Khan whose infection status is not clear, though the host Johar has tested negative. The buildings which faced the BMC action under the Covid-19 protocols are Satguru Sharan where Kareena Kapoor lives, Sarkar Heritage where Amrita Arora has a flat, Karan Johar's Residency Building, and Seema Khan's Kiran Apartments, besides conducting Covid-19 testing camps as a precaution. Presently, 15 buildings in the city have been sealed after Covid-19 cases were detected but not a single slum or chawl anywhere is under the BMC's lock.

Rashmika Mandanna on 'Pushpa': Allu Arjun monitored each shot

ashmika Mandanna has spoken about her upcoming movie 'Pushpa' and her leading man Allu Arjun's dedication for each shot of the film. As 'Pushpa' is all set for its release in a couple of days, she www.indianabroad.news

Rashmika has been busy promoting Sukumar's directorial. In a conversation with IANS, Rashmika shared her experience. Starring beside Allu Arjun in 'Pushpa', Rashmika thinks Sukumar is one of the most talented directors she has worked with. "'Pushpa' is a raw, rustic movie, which requires detailing minute things, which Sukumar is famous for. I was amused when I got this offer," she said. Talking about how she was roped in for the movie, Rashmika said, "The makers of 'Pushpa' wanted an actress who would also be familiar with the Chittoor accent. So, I had given three look tests before we shook hands for the movie." As Rashmika spoke about her experience as an actress, Rashmika stated that she had to unlearn many things for this role, as director Sukumar wanted to bring an

organic appeal to it. "We actors never got to learn our dialogues beforehand, as we had to go unprepared. Under Sukku sir's direction, he keeps everything organic. We walked into the sets, where we are given our dialogues. We had to pick up the scenario on the spot," explained the 'Dear Comrade' actress. The actress mentioned that it was quite difficult for her to shoot for the 'Saami Saami' song. "We shot it in a remote area and we worked really hard on it. Allu Arjun would monitor each shot after it was done, and he gives the best suggestions," she said. The songs, trailer, and posters for 'Pushpa' have been received well as she said, "I love the way people have responded to them." Rashmika said that despite living out of a suitcase, she has been enjoying her life.

arineeti Chopra made her debut 10 years ago with the film 'Ladies vs Ricky Bahl'. She followed it up with brilliant acting performances in films like 'Ishaqzaade', 'Shuddh Desi Romance' and 'Hasee Toh Phasee', 'The Girl On The Train' and 'Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar. On her 10th year in cinema, the actress says that she will never play safe in her career anymore. Parineeti says: "I have been fortunate to work in some of the landmark films in the history of Indian cinema and collaborate with some of the best directors, actors, technicians of our illustrious film industry. When you love your work, time flies and it's happened to me." "As I complete 10 years in cinema, I feel I have just started my journey. I'm raring to go actually for my next decade in cinema. I'm loving the kind of offers that are coming my way because I'm getting the freedom to express myself freely." Parineeti added: "I'm not going to play safe anymore." The actress stressed that with 'The Girl on the Train' and 'Sandeep Aur Pinky Faraar', directors are seeing her "in a new light and offering me the kind of work I always wanted to do." Parineeti will be seen next in films like 'Uunchai' with megastar Amitabh Bachchan and 'Animal' opposite Ranbir Kapoor.

Nushrratt Bharuccha: I always try new approach to get into the skin of my character

hhorii' actress Nushrratt Bharuccha says that she always approaches her characters with a blank slate. Recently, the actress was seen in 'Chhorii' where she played a character while unravelling its layers. Talking about her process for each character, the actress said, "With each movie, I always try a new approach or method to get into the skin of the character. Because, I never went to any acting school, or took any other form of formal training - I have always learnt on the job and found my own way to do a character." Sharing an insight on her character, the actress said, "In the film 'Chhorii', my character of Sakshi was a very layered, vulnerable, soft, impressionable, forgiving and yet fierce and fearless - a true survivor in all senses. Getting Sakshi's emotional quotient right as a fiercely protective mother was very important."

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