Indian Abroad - April 1-15, 2022 by IndianAbroad

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

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Australia’s east coast suffers devastating flash floods

In UP, it is now the Yogi way IANS

Ukraine puts indirect losses from conflict with Russia at over $1 trillion IANS

Semiconductor and nanotechnology expert exemplifying scientific genius Page 5

First Meet Greet Eat 2022 event held by MCCGC - Page 8

After meeting G-23 leaders, Sonia seeks reports on situation in various states -Page 15

Five stays which feature out of the world beds... - Page 22

Byron Bay, March 30: Australia’s eastern coast went through yet another round of devastating flash flooding on Wednesday. The famous coastal retreat of Byron Bay in New South Wales state is underwater after two days of torrential rain, forcing shop owners to close their businesses Wednesday. In the northeastern part of the state, flood waters are once again pouring through the streets of the town of Lismore after receiving some 400 millimeters of rain over a 24-hour period, causing a breach of the town’s levees. Lismore was among the dozens of communities in New South Wales and the neighboring state of Queensland that sustained massive damage after heavy rains and

Sara Ali Khan the new face of Indian Fast fashion ethnic brand - Page 26

Lucknow, March 29 (IANS) The distribution of portfolios and some other steps taken by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath during the last two days have given enough indication that the second term of the BJP government is going to be Yogi way on the highway. The chief minister’s distribution of portfolios has a clear picture of his priorities, without succumbing to political compulsions. “The portfolio distribution also has a message that Yogi Adityanath will run the government in his own way and will not work under

any pressure,” said a senior BJP functionary. Deputy chief minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, for instance, has been deprived of his favourite PWD portfolio and given rural development and food processing along with national integration. Maurya’s loss has been Jitin Prasada’s gain. Jitin has kept a low profile ever since he joined the BJP last year and it is this that has won him Yogi’s approval. Another deputy chief minister Brajesh Pathak, who was reportedly eyeing PWD, has been given medical Continued on page 3

Petrol prices up again; rise Australian Budget 2022-23: by Rs 4.80 per litre in 8 days PM Morrison offers $8.6 billion of budget giveaways

Bhumi Pednekar launches beauty platform Boddess’s first flagship store - Page 27

‘Pathaan’ director: Have the intent to make it biggest event film of India Page 23

subsequent flooding that began in late February and lasted for several days, killing 22 people. The floods left city streets and homes submerged under several centimeters of water, forcing emergency crews to rescue residents trapped in their homes, with many having desperately climbed onto rooftops waiting for help. Australia’s east coast summer has been dominated by the La Nina climate pattern, which is typically associated with greater rainfall. During a trip to Lismore to inspect the damage from last month’s floods, Prime Minister Scott Morrison acknowledged that the climate-related disasters are making Australia a more difficult place to live.

New Delhi, March 29: The domestic retail selling prices of petrol and diesel were increased for the seventh time in eight days on Tuesday. Consequently, in the past eight days, petrol and diesel prices have increased by Rs 4.80 per litre in the national capital. These prices were revised for the very first time on Tuesday, March 22, after a gap of more than four months. On Tuesday, the price of petrol and diesel in New Delhi were increased again by 80 paise and 70 per litre. As per pump prices, petrol now costs Rs 100.21 per litre and diesel Rs 91.47 per litre in the national capital. On Monday, petrol prices were

increased to Rs 99.41 per litre and diesel Rs 90.77 per litre in Delhi.In the financial capital Mumbai, prices were hiked to Rs 115.04 per litre for petrol and diesel to Rs 99.25 per litre. Besides, the prices of both the transport fuels were raised in Kolkata. The petrol prices rose to Rs 109.68 and diesel to Rs 94.62 per litre. In Chennai too, they were increased. Petrol there now costs Rs 105.94 and diesel Rs 96 per litre. Till last Tuesday, fuel prices were steady since November 2021 when the Centre reduced excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 5 and Rs 10 per litre, respectively. The OMCs revise the transportation fuel cost based on various factors such as rupee to US dollar exchange rate, cost of crude oil and demand of fuel amongst others. Resultantly, the final price includes excise duty, value added tax and dealer’s commission. It was widely expected that the OMCs will revise the current prices due to high crude oil cost. Lately, crude oil prices have been volatile on fears of tight supplies due to sanctions against Russia. The crude oil price range is a cause of concern for India as it may ultimately add Rs 10-15 in petrol and diesel selling prices. At present, India imports nearly 85 per cent of its crude oil requirements.

Kiev, March 30 (IANS) Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal has said that the Ukraine’s indirect losses from the conflict with Russia are estimated at more than $1 trillion, the Interfax-Ukraine news agency reported. “The losses, calculated indirectly, taking into account the losses in the coming years, amount to more than a trillion dollars,” Shmyhal was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency. The cost of direct damage to Ukraine’s public buildings, bridges, roads, civilian and military infrastructure caused by the attacks is estimated at about 270 billion dollars, he said. He projected that Ukraine’s gross domestic product (GDP) will shrink by 35 per cent this year due to the conflict. Ukraine’s GDP was up 3.4 per cent in 2021 after a 3.8-per cent decline in 2020.

Indian-American Raj Subramaniam takes over as FedX President, CEO

with one interviewer asking: “with this Budget, are you addressing the cost of living or is it just the cost of winning?” Opinion polls show the opposition Labor Party ahead by anywhere from 4 to 16 points, while bookmakers on Wednesday announced odds had just widened sharply against Morrison returning to power.

Canberra, March 29: As the Treasurer delivered the Federal Budget today, Liberal National government sought to sell A$8.6 billion of budget giveaways as necessary to meet a cost of living emergency.

The government’s careful messaging campaign was also blindsided by claims from one of Morrison’s own Liberal senators that he was a “bully” with “no moral compass”. The economy has recovered faster than anyone expected last year, with unemployment hitting 13-year lows of 4% and projected to soon reach levels last seen in the 1970s at 3.75%.

Prime Minster Scott Morrison, facing a tough election in May, led the marketing blitz with a barrage of media interviews saying relief was needed to meet rising fuel prices.

Wage growth was also forecast to accelerate but not by enough to outpace inflation, meaning real incomes were set the shrink this year.

“It’s responsible because it’s targeted and it’s for a temporary period as these cost of living impacts are real and they’re there right now,” Morrison told one radio interviewer.

The strong labour market combined with sky-high prices from many of Australia’s resource exports has been a huge boon for tax receipts and allowed the government to project much smaller deficits than predicted just a few months ago.

Other countries including New Zealand, Japan and South Korea have announced measures to counter soaring energy prices in the wake of the war in Ukraine. Some were sceptical, however,

Yet the budget is still seen in the red to the tune of $79.8 billion for the year to end June, with another $78.0 billion pencilled in for 2022/23.

San Francisco, March 29: Subramanian would replace Frederick W. Smith, chairman and CEO, who will step down on June 1. “As we continue to transform as a company and reimagine what’s next, we will keep our people-service-profit philosophy at our core,” said Subramaniam. Smith will become Executive Chairman, the company announced late on Monday. “As we look toward what’s next, I have a great sense of satisfaction that a leader of the caliber of Raj Subramaniam will take FedEx into a very successful future. “In my role as Executive Chairman, I look forward to focusing on Board governance as well as issues of global importance, including Continued on page 3

‘Pathaan’ director: Have the intent to make it biggest event film of India Page 29

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Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

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LEAD STORIES

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

WAR IN UKRAINE 12 killed in Russia’s airstrike on Ukraine’s regional administration building IANS

Kiev, March 30 (IANS) At least 12 people were killed and 33 others injured in an airstrike carried out by Russia’s forces on a regional administration building in Ukraine’s southeastern city of Mykolayiv, the press service of the Ukrainian Interior Ministry said. The airstrike, which occurred at about 8.45 a.m. local time (0545 GMT), destroyed the central section of the nine-story building, the ministry said on Tuesday, Xinhua news agency reported. According to the ministry, 18 people were rescued from the debris following the attack. The search and rescue operation is under way, the ministry said.

Forest fires in Chernobyl Exclusion zone cover over 10,000 acres

Kiev, March 28: A top Ukrainian official said the raging forest fires, which broke out in the Exclusion Zone of the now-defunct Chernobyl nuclear power plant due to active fighting in the area, cover more than 10,000 hectares now. In a statement on Sunday, Lyudmyla Denisova, the commissioner for human rights to the Ukranian Parliament, said authorities have recorded a total of 31 fires which were” causing increased levels

of radioactive particle pollution” reports Ukrayinska Pravda. “Managing and putting out the fires is currently not possible due to the zone currently being occupied by Russian forces,” she added. Denisova added that as a result of the fires, radionuclide, or unstable radioactive particles, are being released in the atmosphere, which can then be carried over great distance by the wind, which could greatly affect Ukraine, Belarus and bordering European nations. “Due to the wind and dry weather, the intensity and area of the fires has increased,” she said and warned that the blaze could swell up to such a scale which will be very difficult to contain. She further said the the fires were also posing a risk to the depleted nuclear fuel and nuclear waste within

the Exclusion Zone, Ukrayinska Pravda reported. Denisova also appealed to International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to send experts and equipment to Ukraine to control the blaze quickly as possible in order “to avoid irreparable harm not just for Ukraine, but for the whole world”. “This will be possible only after Russian forces halt the hostilities in the area. This is why I am also calling on the international human rights organisation to put pressure on the Russia to stop its aggression against Ukraine and de-occupy areas of increased environmental hazard.” Chernobyl, the site of the world’s largest nuclear disaster, was captured by the Russian on the first day of Moscow’s invasion on February 24.

In UP, it is now the Yogi way education, health and family welfare. These departments are known as ‘hot spots’ in state politics and leave the minister in-charge vulnerable to public anger. State BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh has been given charge of the all-important Jal Shakti ministry and has been rewarded for being a noncontroversial leader who struck up a good rapport with the chief minister in the previous regime. Former PMO official, Arvind Sharma, who was hoping for a home or finance portfolio, has been given urban development which does not match with his ‘status’. Aseem Arun, the IPS officer turned politician, was reportedly eyeing home portfolio and jails but has been made to remain content with social and SC/ST welfare. Baby Rani Maurya, another high-profile candidate, who was asked to give up her gubernatorial assignment in Uttarakhand and join active politics in Uttar Pradesh, has been given women and child

IANS

policy,” he said in a statement. Subramaniam was elected to the FedEx Board of Directors in 2020 and will maintain his seat on the Board. Prior to this, he was President and CEO of FedEx Express, the world’s largest express transportation company. In addition, he served as the President of FedEx Express in Canada and in several other management and marketing roles throughout Asia and the US since he joined FedEx in 1991. “I am immensely proud of our 600,000 team members around the world. Together we’ve set into motion ideas that have changed the world for the better, and together we will unlock new value for our people, customers, and shareholders,” Subramaniam said.

IANS

It’s in-depth, but I’m interested in making sure it’s not just another piece of paper. “So we’re interested in having that paper turned into a serious treaty to be signed,” the President said. Zelenksy further reiterated that “the issues of Donbas and Crimea must be discussed and solved” during the negotiations. The President’s statement came after a member of Ukraine’s delegation at the negotiations confirmed that the next round of talks will take place in Turkey from Monday to Wednesday. Without mentioning the exact location of the talks, David Arakhamiya the decision was taken during a round of video talks between the two sides on Sunday, Ukrayinska Pravda reported. Meanwhile, Vladimir Medinskiy, a member of the Russian delegation, said the meeting will take place Tuesday and Wednesday. Ukrainian and Russian delegations have held three rounds of negotiations in-person in Belarus since

February 28, and the fourth one started on March 14 in a format of video conference, Xinhua news agency reported. The announcements were made a week after Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had renewed his offer to bring the leaders of Russia and Ukraine together in his country for final decisions for a peace agreement. On March 25, Erdogan had said

that Moscow and Kiev were close to an agreement on four issues -- Ukraine’s accession to NATO; recognition of the Russian language as the second official language in Ukraine; demilitarisation; and collective security. But the Russian demands on the future status of Crimea and the eastern Donbas region continue to be the most important disagreement in negotiations, he said.

Russia blocks access to Google News service

Moscow, March 24: Russia’s Federal Service for Supervision of Communications, Information Technology and Mass Media (Roskomnadzor) has blocked the

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Google News service in the country for access to numerous materials containing unreliable information about Moscow’s ongoing war in Ukraine, media reports say.

The access to the online resource news.google.com has been blocked, the telecoms regulator told Interfax on Wednesday. “Based on a request from the Russian Prosecutor General’s Office, Roskomnadzor has restricted access to the Internet service News.Google in the country,” the statement said. “The mentioned US Internet news resource provided access to numerous publications and materials containing unreliable, publicly significant information about the course of the special military operation in Ukraine,” it added. Recently, Russia blocked Instagram for nearly 80 million users in the

call the shots in his second regime, is the one related to ministers selecting their staff. Under the new system approved by the chief minister, the selection of the staff has been digitised and ministers will have to choose from a list of candidates randomly sorted through a computer lottery undertaken by the secretariat administration department. Also, no support staff which has worked with any minister in the past five years has been retained in the new list. In a major step to increase the participation of women in governance and general administrative work, 20 per cent would be deputed as private secretaries (PS), assistant PS, review officers (RO), and assistant RO with the newly appointed ministers. This decision has already made several ministers uncomfortable since they are not used to working with women staff because of ‘practical reasons’ like ‘late night working and travelling’.

Indian-American Russia’s pull back pledge designed Raj Subramaniam to mislead: Ukraine’s military takes over as FedX Kyiv/London, March 30 (IANS) The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed President, CEO Forces says the Russian withdrawal

Ukraine willing to discuss adoption of neutral status: Zelensky Kiev, March 28 (IANS) Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has said that his country is willing to discuss the adoption of a neutral stance as part of a peace deal with Russia aimed at ending the war. While speaking to a group of independent Russian journalists on Sunday for the very first time since the war began on February 24, the President said: “Security guarantees and the neutral, non-nuclear status of our state. We are ready to accept this. This is the most important point,” CNN reported. Zelensky told the journalists that, “this was the first point of principle for the Russian Federation, as I recall. And as far as I remember, they started the war because of this”. Any agreement would have to be put to the Ukrainian people in a referendum, he said, while stressing his desire to reach a concrete peace agreement. “So this clause is a security guarantee clause for Ukraine. And since they say it’s for them (security guarantees) as well, it’s understandable to me, and it’s being discussed.

welfare. This is certainly not the assignment she would have expected in return. Rajeshwar Singh, a former ED official who was touted as the Centre’s blue-eyed boy, has been left out of the council of ministers. Singh had given interviews during the campaigning where he had spoken at length about the contribution he would make in policing and law. Sanjay Nishad of Nishad Party, who has bargained his way into the ministry, has been left in a corner with the fisheries ministry. “The fisheries ministry deals with fishermen-a community on which Sanjay Nishad has risen in power -and now he can do whatever welfare he can for his community,” said a BJP leader. Those in the government say that there is not much that Sanjay Nishad can do, given the bureaucratic constraints in his portfolio. With another decision, that makes it clear that Yogi Adityanath alone will

country, after its parent company Meta allowed posts with calls for violence against Russian soldiers and President Vladimir Putin on Facebook and Instagram in some countries. The social media platform was inaccessible for the vast majority of the country’s population, according to internet monitoring service GlobalCheck. Russian influencers on Instagram posted farewell messages to their followers, asking them to follow them on other social media platforms, or download VPN (virtual private network) software to bypass the ban.

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pledge is designed to mislead, BBC reported. In a daily operational update posted to Facebook, the general staff said the Russian units were continuing to move away from both Kyiv and Chernihiv. Russia has already said it will now focus on operations in the eastern Donbas region. Ukraine’s military believes the withdrawals “are probably a rotation of individual units” aimed at misleading Ukraine’s military leadership and creating a “misconception” about the meaning of their deployment, BBC reported. The update echoes statements made by Pentagon spokesman John Kirby, who said the threat to Kyiv remained despite Russian troop movements away from the city. Additionally, the update noted that the enemy continued to “fire and storm” near Donetsk, in the east. “Ukrainians aren’t naive”, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said, reacting to Russia’s promise that it would scale down military operations around Kyiv and Chernihiv. The pledge came after peace talks

began on Tuesday between Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul. But a sceptical Zelensky said that while initial signs from the talks were “positive”, they do not “drown out” the explosions of Russian shells. Other countries also reacted with caution. US President Joe Biden said, “I don’t read anything into it until I see what their actions are.” US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said there was a difference between what Russia says and does. Leaders from the UK, France, Germany and Italy too have urged the West not to drop its guard against Russia. “They agreed there could be no relaxation of Western resolve until the horror inflicted on Ukraine is over,” they said, according to UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s office, BBC reported.

Peace Dividend: RussiaUkraine talks calm commodity price rise New Delhi, March 30: Advanced talks between Russia and Ukraine to reach a peaceful settlement have relatively calmed down global commodities’ prices. Nonetheless, prices still remain at elevated levels but the latest trend shows a slower rate of appreciation. Lately, the conflict which started over a month ago, seems to reach a partial resolution, after the two sides entered another round of talks. The conflict has strained global commodity supplies, consequently, pushing up prices. Accordingly, crisis has led to a global spike in international prices of crude oil, natural gas, coal, nickel, copper, aluminium, potash, titanium and palladium. Moreover, higher commodity cost will be reflected in retail prices of petrol, diesel, fertiliser, steel as well as cement prices. The trend is expected to impact India’s key economic macros, as the country is a major importer of these precious and industrial commodities. But, the main concern for India is the impact high crude cost will have on domestic prices of petrol and diesel. Till now, the high crude oil cost has led state-owned oil marketing companies to slightly increase the retail selling prices of petrol and diesel. “Global commodities prices witnessed some selling as Russia and Ukraine talks made progress. The risk premium has declined in gold and crude oil leading to sharp

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selling in Tuesday trading session,” said Tapan Patel, Senior Analyst (Commodities), HDFC Securities. “However, lack of concrete settlement and absence of ceasefire commitment from Russia has kept investors on edge. Gold, crude oil and metals prices rebounded on Wednesday with weaker dollar and fall in US bond yields.” According to IIFL Securities VP, Research, Anuj Gupta: “We have witnessed a correction in commodities like crude oil and in gold after peace talks started between Ukraine and Russia.” “We have also observed that traders are now shifting their focus from commodities to equities.” In addition, Kshitij Purohit, Lead of Commodities and Currencies CapitalVia Global Research, said: “Prices of metals and energy were at elevated levels due to supply side concerns.” “Gold and silver prices are coming down due to the lowering of uncertainty in the world economy.”

LEAD STORIES

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

FUEL PRICE RISE IN INDIA Rising costs of material, fuel RS adjourned for 45 minutes amid Oppn’s demand to discuss hiked fuel, LPG prices

New Delhi, March 28: The proceedings of the Rajya Sabha on Monday were adjourned for 45 minutes till 12 p.m. amid the opposition’s uproar to discuss the increased petrol and diesel prices, LPG rates, overall inflation and other issues. CPI MP Binoy Viswam and CPI-M MP Bikashranjan Bhattacharyya on Monday gave the Suspension of Business notices in the Rajya Sabha under rule 267 to discuss the two-day nationwide strike called by workers across the country to protest against the corporatisation and privatisation policies of the

Central Government. DMK Member T. Siva and Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brian gave notice to discuss the increased Fuel prices. Soon after the House assembled at 11 a.m. and after laying of the papers, the Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu informed the House that some Members from the Opposition bench have given notices to discuss the fuel, LPG and other issues during ‘Zero Hour’. He, however, rejected the notices. “The DMK Member T. Siva,

AITC Derek O’Brian, CPI MP Binoy Viswam and CPI(M) MP Bikashranjan Bhattacharyya and others gave notice to discuss the increased price hike in fuel, LPG and other issues during the Zero Hour, I have gone through the notices and reject it,” Naidu said. On the rejection of the notices by the chair, the Opposition MPs protested and raised slogans to press their demands that the Chairman Naidu adjourned the House till 12 p.m. The Upper House is to discuss and pass the Appropriation Bill, 2022. Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday is also likely to move the Finance Bill, 2022 in the Upper House. This Bill to give effect to the financial proposals of the Central Government for the financial year 2022-23, as passed by the Lok Sabha, be taken into consideration. She will also move that the Bill be returned.

‘Monitoring judge recommended cancellation of bail to Ashish Mishra’, SC seeks UP govt’s response

IANS

New Delhi, March 30 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Wednesday told the Uttar Pradesh government that the judge monitoring the Lakhimpur violence case probe had recommended cancellation of bail granted to Ashish Mishra and sought its response in the matter. A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana and comprising Justices Surya Kant and Hima Kohli queried the Uttar Pradesh government counsel, “It appears from the report of the monitoring judge that he recommended cancellation of bail. What’s your stand?” The bench pointed out that the SIT had two written letters to the additional chief secretary, home, Uttar Pradesh. Senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani, representing the Uttar Pradesh government, submitted he had no idea about the letters and sought some time to take instructions in the matter. The Chief Justice said the monitoring judge

has recommended that bail granted to Mishra must be challenged. Jethmalani sought five minutes to come up with a response in the matter. Senior advocate Dushyant Dave, representing the victims’ families, submitted that the top court should either stay the high court order or cancel the bail granted to Mishra. Dave said, “the high court order suffers from complete non-application of mind”. Jethmalani said he has spoken with the additional home secretary and he has not received the letters from the judge monitoring the probe. The bench said the copy of the judge’s letters should be supplied to the state government. Jethmalani requested the bench to keep the next hearing on the matter on Monday. The bench replied it’s been for more than a month and the matter couldn’t be taken up. The next date of hearing is April 4. In November last year, the Supreme Court appointed Justice Rakesh Kumar Jain, a former judge of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, to monitor the Lakhimpur Kheri violence probe. The top court also reconstituted the SIT investigating the incident and appointed IPS officer S.B. Shiradkar, as its head. Ashish Mishra was arrested on October 9 last year in the case. On October 3, 2021, eight people,

including four farmers, were killed in Lakhimpur Kheri in clashes during a farmers’ protest. The Uttar Pradesh government has told the Supreme Court that a decision on filing an appeal challenging the bail granted to Ashish Mishra in the Lakhimpur Kheri violence case “is pending consideration before the relevant authorities”. Refuting the allegations that it did not oppose bail granted to Mishra by the Allahabad High Court in February this year, the Uttar Pradesh government, in a counter affidavit, said that Mishra’s bail application was vehemently opposed by it and any averments to the contrary in the special leave petition (SLP), filed by the family members of victims, are completely false and merit to be rejected. “Furthermore, the Impugned Order being of 10.02.2022, the limitation period against the same is still running, and the decision to file SLP against the same, is pending consideration before the relevant authorities”, said the affidavit. The family members of the farmers, mowed down by a car belonging to Mishra, in Lakhimpur Kheri had moved the top court challenging bail granted to him. He is the son of Union Minister and BJP MP Ajay Kumar Mishra. The victims’ families have claimed that the state has not filed an appeal opposing bail granted to Mishra.

‘The Kashmir files’ row: 70 detained for creating ruckus outside Delhi CM’s house

IANS

New Delhi, March 30 (IANS) Delhi Police on Wednesday detained around 70 people for creating ruckus outside the residence of Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal here. The protest was spearheaded by the Bharatiya Janata Party Yuva Morcha over the Chief Minister’s recent remarks in the Assembly on ‘The Kashmir Files’ movie that were deemed as “against the Kashmiri Pandit” community among the saffron clans. The protest, which was led by BJP Yuva Morcha’s national secretary Tajinder Pal Singh Bagga and its national president Tejasvi Surya, started around 10.30 a.m. from the IP College to the Chief Minister’s residence. When the protesters reached the CM’s residence around 11.30 a.m., they started raising slogans against Kejriwal and his party. Around 1 p.m., some of the protesters breached the two barricades that were placed near the CM house and created ruckus there.

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Confirming about the incident, Deputy Commissioner of Police Sagar Singh Kalsi told IANS that the protesters who breached the barricades, “were carrying a small box of paint from which they threw paint outside the door”. “In the imbroglio, a boom barrier arm was also found vandalised as also a CCTV camera,” Kalsi said. The senior police officer further informed that the police team immediately removed them from the spot and detained around 70 persons. “Legal action is being initiated,” he added. Meanwhile, the AAP leaders are accusing the personnel of Delhi Police for their alleged inaction during the incident and alleged that the BJP was “trying to kill Arvind Kejriwal”. “CM Arvind Kejriwal’s HOUSE ATTACKED BY BJP! SECURITY BARRIERS BROKEN, CCTVs CAMERAS BROKEN, GATE VANDALISED, WITH FULL SUPPORT FROM BJP’S DELHI POLICE. Stunned by AAP’s victory in Punjab, is BJP trying to kill Arvind Kejriwal ji?,” the party tweeted from its official handle. AAP leader Raghav Chaddha alleged that the BJP was furious over their defeat in Punjab and have now come down to poor politics. “The attack on Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal ji’s residence by BJP goons is highly

condemnable. In the presence of police, these goons broke barricades and CCTV cameras,” Chaddha said. BJPYM’s leaders -- Bagga and Surya -- alleged that Kejriwal should tender an apology for his comments against the Kashmiri Hindus. “If asking for an apology on Kejriwal’s remarks on the genocide of Kashmiri Hindus is an anti-social activity, then yes we are an anti-social,” Bagga wrote on Twitter. The BJP was continuously demanding from the AAP government to make ‘The Kashmir Files’ movie tax free in Delhi, however, Kejriwal, recently in the Assembly turned down all such requests and further asked the BJP to upload the movie on YouTube and spent the earned money on the welfare of Kashmiri Pandits. Furthermore, the Delhi chief minister also insinuated that ‘The Kashmir Files’ is a “jhoothi” (not based on facts) film. The Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKDP) took strong exception to the Chief Minister’s remarks and said that the ‘docudrama’ (‘The Kashmir Files’) is based on personal testimonies and meticulous documentation of the community records. Pertinent to mention here that, in the past, the Arvind Kejriwal-led Delhi government had given the tax free status to several movies like ‘83’ and ‘Saand Ki Aankh’.

next big challenge, says Maruti New Delhi, March 29 (IANS) Rising costs of material as well as fuel are the next big challenge facing the automobile major Maruti Suzuki, its India Senior Executive Director, Sales and Marketing, Shashank Srivastava said in a conversation with IANS. In the past two years, prices of commodity along with crude have increased manifold. This has been accelerated by the start of Russian-Ukrainian war which has lifted commodity prices further. Even the price hikes undertaken by the company are not sufficient enough to cover the rate of rise in production cost. Shashank Srivastava said, material prices which make up about 75 per cent of overall production cost have been high for the past two years. “We are closely monitoring the situation and will take an appropriate decision (on price hike) when the situation demands.” “Any hike in material cost will

have an impact on cost structures. Material costs have been pushed higher due to Covid restrictions and mines being closed in Russia and South Africa besides others.” Since, January 2021, the company has hiked prices on five different occasions. Besides, high production cost, the other alarming factor for the company, said Srivastava, was the rising fuel prices. “High cost of operations impacts consumer sentiment negatively. Any abnormal increases in oil prices reflect in the retail selling prices of petrol.” “However, the silver-lining of this situation is that it makes alternative options like CNGs more desirable.” Industry estimates show that at current prices, running cost of a petrol car on an average is around Rs 5.25 for a km. On the other hand, running a CNG fuelled car costs only one third of a petrol vehicle.

ROHIT VAID

Moreover, rising material along with fuel prices are expected to trigger an inflationary trend in the economy which is expected to nudge the Reserve Bank to tighten monetary policy. A rise in key lending rates by the RBI will push up financing cost for automobile purchases.

Yogi govt withdraws decision to post women as PS to ministers Lucknow, March 29: The Yogi Adityanath government in Uttar Pradesh has withdrawn its decision to post women employees as private secretaries (PS), assistant PS, review officers (RO), and assistant ROs with the newly-appointed ministers. The decision to recall women employees from these posts comes after protests from women employees who said they were “uncomfortable” working at odd hours as personal secretaries to ministers and also travelling with them. The Chief Minister had earlier approved a new system where the selection of the staff had been

digitised and ministers were asked to choose from a list of candidates randomly sorted through a computer lottery undertaken by the Secretariat Administration Department. Also, no support staff which had worked with any minister in the past five years was retained in the new list. This step was taken to increase participation of women in governance and general administrative work, with 20 per cent planned to be deputed as PS, assistant PS, ROs, and assistant ROs with the new ministers.

This decision had already made several ministers uncomfortable since they are not used to working with women staff because of “practical reasons” like “late night working and travelling”.

Cong flays Centre over ‘unabated’ fuel price hikes, dubs it ‘extortion’ New Delhi, March 30: The Congress on Wednesday slammed the Centre over “unabated” hike in fuel prices and termed it “extortion” by the Modi government. Taking to twitter, party General Secretary Randeep Surjewala said: “Daily attack.. Daily extortion..Daily exploitation.. by Modi Govt on common man’s budget continues unabated!” “The 8th increase has taken the #PetrolDieselPriceHike today to 5.60/litre. Is there an end date to this “loot”? Is PM unaccountable to people? Is there an answer?” he added. This morning, the domestic retail selling prices of petrol and diesel were increased for the eighth time in nine days. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor said:

“Who told the BJP that drip torture is more saleable to the public than the guillotine?” Till last Tuesday, fuel prices were steady since November 2021 when the Centre reduced excise duty on petrol and diesel by Rs 5 and Rs 10 per litre, respectively. Oil Marketing Companies(OMCs) revise the transportation fuel cost based on various factors such as rupee to US dollar exchange rate, cost of crude oil and demand of fuel amongst others. Resultantly, the final price includes excise duty, value added tax and dealer’s commission. It was widely expected that the OMCs will revise the current prices due to high crude oil cost. Lately, crude oil prices have been volatile on fears of tight supplies due

to sanctions against Russia. The crude oil price range is a cause of concern for India as it may ultimately add Rs 10-15 in petrol and diesel selling prices. Currently, India imports nearly 85 per cent of its crude oil requirements.

Nun rape case: Prosecution, victim to file separate appeals against Bishop Franco’s acquittal Thiruvananthapuram, March 30 (IANS) The prosecution and victim in the nun rape case will file separate appeal petitions in the Kerala High Court against the acquittal of Catholic Bishop Franco Mulakkal by a lower court in January. On Wednesday, the state home department asked the advocate general to do the needful for filing the appeal. According to a source, the victim nun will also be filing an appeal petition shortly. On January 14, the Kottayam Additional district court judge G.Gopakumar gave a clean chit to Franco. Later, the special prosecutor in the case Jithesh Babu said that the acquittal would be challenged. The deadline for filing the appeal is

90 days from the date of the lower court verdict. Incidentally, soon after the lower court’s verdict, the former Kottayam SP of Police Harisankar who oversaw the probe said he was confident that the verdict would be against the accused and never thought they will lose the case. The trial in the case extended over 105 days with 39 witnesses being examined and 122 documents produced before the court. While serving as Bishop of the Jalandhar Diocese of the Roman Catholic Church, Franco was accused of raping a nun, who belonged to the Missionaries of Jesus congregation. During his visits between 2014 and 2016 to Kerala, he was accused of

raping the 43-year old nun on 13 occasions. Later, he was removed from the charge of the Jalandhar diocese. A complaint was filed against him in June 2018 in Kerala and Mulakkal was arrested on September 21, 2018 on rape charges. He secured bail on October 16, 2018. The charge sheet named 83 witnesses, including the Cardinal of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, Mar George Alencherry, three bishops, 11 priests and 22 nuns. Of the 83 witnesses, 39 were called and they were heard. Franco had approached the Kerala High Court and also the Supreme Court to quash the FIR against him, but both the courts failed to do so and the trial began.

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INTERVIEW

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

Dr. Chennupati Jagadish

Semiconductor and nanotechnology expert exemplifying scientific genius

Dr. Chennupati Jagadish,AC, Distinguished Professor at the Australian National University, is an Indian-Australian physicist who has made outstanding contributions to semiconductor physics, materials science, and optoelectronics. He formed Acton Lasers to commercialise semiconductor laser technology developed by his research group, in addition to publishing over 550 academic papers. He also established The Chennupati and Vidya Jagadish Endowment, which will help students and researchers from developing nations, visit the Australian National University Research School of Physics and Engineering. His path to success, however, was littered with stumbling blocks that, rather than dampening his spirits, simply encouraged him to work even harder and strengthen his resolve. Having been awarded Australia’s highest civilian award, the Companion of the Order of Australia, Dr Jagadish keeps striving in his initiative to assist young scientists in proving their mettle so that in the long run they too can contribute

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constructively and win accolades. Last year in December he made history when he became the first ever Australian of Indian origin to be appointed as the president of the Australian Academy of Science. The academy claims to provide unbiased, authoritative, and influential scientific advice as a group of Australia’s finest research experts. It has been crucial in giving reports on coronavirus and climate change to the federal government. Let us read about him in his own words. Q1. What inspired you to come to Australia? Did you encounter any obstacles? Ans-I was working at Queen’s University in Canada. A Professor there told me that they were starting a new Department of Electronic Materials Engineering in the Research School of Physics at the Australian National University (ANU) and they are looking for good people. I applied for a position and I got it. So we arrived in Canberra in 1990 with my wife Vidya, our two month old daughter, Laya, and a 2 year contract at the ANU. Canberra

is a beautiful city to live and ANU is a great University to work. The Indian community in Canberra at that time was a very small one and there were no Indian grocery stores. We used to go to Sydney to do our grocery shopping every 3 months and filled the car boot with Indian groceries. Australia and Canberra have changed during the past 32 years and have become multicultural and now there is a big Indian community across the country and there are many Indian grocery stores and restaurants. Q2. Was Nanotechnology always your preference with regard to research? Why or why not? Ans- We used to work in microtechnology based on semiconductors to make lasers, LEDs, photodetectors used in internet and communication systems and CD/DVD players. It was a natural progression for us to move into nanotechnology in the mid 90s to fabricate nanoscale lasers, LEDs, detectors, sensors and solar cells. We are also using nanotechnology to study the brain and to split water to generate hydrogen as a clean energy source. Q3. What kind of potential does nanotechnology possess? Do you think it has made a lot of difference and will continue to do so? In which field has it made remarkable contributions? Ans-Nanotechnology is expected to have an impact on all industry sectors including electronics, photonics, mineral processing, catalysis, sensors, disease diagnosis and drug delivery, defense and national security, communications, internet and quantum computing. In electronics we are already using nanotechnology as the small-sized transistors used in computer chips are a gift of nanotechnology. The smallest features in these transistors are as small as 2 nm, that means only a few atoms. The smaller the devices, the faster to switch them on and off, less energy consumption and the possibility to pack more devices in the same area with computer chips having billions of transistors. Q4. You have been elected as

president of the Australian Academy of science and you are the first Australian of Indian region to reach this milestone. What does this mean to you? Ans-I am humbled and grateful for this honour. I never imagined when I arrived in 1990, that one day I would get elected as a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and lead the Academy. Only leading experts in the field are elected to the Academy fellowship. We elect only 20 fellows per year in all fields of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medicine indicating the competitive nature of the election process. This role allows me to lead the organization and advise the Australian Government and Parliament, create programs to enhance scientific literacy, public engagement in science, create more opportunities for young scientists and champion for the cause of science. Science plays an important role in society and we have seen first hand the impact of science in dealing with the recent pandemic. Strengthening international linkages is also important including, with India. Q5. You were honoured with Australia’s highest civilian award, the companion of the order of Australia, what does it make you feel? Ans-I am again humbled and grateful for this honour, being the first Indian origin Australian to receive this honour. My adopted country, Australia, has recognised my contribution to science, science education and leadership to science through the award of the Companion of Order of Australia. It is worth pointing out that I started my life in a small village in India and studied in front of a kerosene lamp till I completed my year 7 and lived with my Maths teacher in a neighboring village to complete my high school. Without the support of my parents and my two high school teachers, I will be ploughing the fields in India today. This also shows the greatness of Australia which is willing to recognize anybody who has made contributions to the nation irrespective of their origins. It doesn’t

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matter where we were born and how difficult our life has been, as long as we work hard and contribute to our chosen profession, everything is possible in life. Q6. Do you think young scientists today don’t face as many challenges in terms of funds and sponsorship as they did in the past? Ans- Young scientists have more challenges now than in the past; different kinds of challenges than we have faced. Now, many people are doing PhDs, but we have a limited number of positions in the university sector and funding is tight as Government investment has not kept up with respect to our peer countries leading to major problems for young scientists. Government needs to invest in science, research and the university sector to benefit from the skills and expertise of young scientists. Future will rely on a knowledge based economy rather

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than a resource based economy. So investing in universities and science is important for the future of our country and economy.

LEAD STORIES

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

AUSTRALIAN BUDGET 2022-23 Australian Federal Budget 2022–23 50%

$420

$1 bn

$250

50%

Access

reduction in fuel excise for 6 months

cost of living payment to welfare recipients

cost of living tax offset

minimum super drawdown extended

The Budget deficit is estimated to be $78 billion falling to $43.1 billion in 2025-26.

small business to go digital

Read more at caanz.com/FederalBudget

to employee share schemes expanded

TAX

STP* data

shared with states & territories

$550m

small business training bonus

$2.8 bn

for apprenticeships

* Single touch payroll

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FOOD & CUISINE

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

Hyderabad Flavours at Biggera Waters - modern ambience, traditional taste

tarted with an objective to bring the traditional Indian food to Biggera Waters, ‘Hyderabad Flavours’ is a modern Indian restaurant that serves a variety of Indian traditional dishes. Undoubtedly the finest place to enjoy delectable Indian cuisine. Their impressive variety of appetising Indian cuisine is prepared and served with great care in a charming atmosphere. Providing Indian food with an excellent quality, memorable dining experience as well as swift and

efficient takeaway service, folks at ‘Hyderabad Flavours’ guarantee the heavenly taste of Indian cuisine. “We are known for our variety of Indian traditional food. We serve both veg and non-veg dishes. Perfectly maintaining the delicate balance of complex and subtle flavours, each item is made by our team of highly experienced and skilled chefs who know exactly how to bring the impeccable real flavours of Indian cuisine,” says Director Uma Chilukoti of the restaurant.

Located at the Metro Market, Shop 33/44 Hollywell Road, Biggera Waters 4216 QLD Open for Lunch 11:30am – 2:30pm and Dinner: 5:00pm – 9:30pm, closed on Tuesdays. For bookings telephone 07 5500 6995 & 0425 206 286. Takeaway, party and event catering, online order services are also available. Order online: hyderabadflavours. com.au/biggera-waters

5 emerging food trends The Ayurvedic Breakfast Are set to change the way people dine IANSLIFE

March 26, 2022 (IANSlife) Since the pandemic, people all over the world have made it a point to eat healthily and make wise lifestyle choices. Gone are the days when there were only a few food items created to satisfy one’s appetite. People today are looking for food options that allow them to experiment with flavour and new ingredients, try vibrant cultural dishes, and provide better health for both the body and the planet. The pandemic has altered people’s eating habits, and some unconventional food innovations have given way to significant global trends. Isthara Parks, a forerunner in smart food courts, has identified the key food trends that will change the way we dine in the coming years. Plant-based meals: A global crisis and two consecutive lockdowns have necessitated a rethinking of food options. Health and well-being have become a priority, and there has been a significant rethinking of what people eat and how it affects the environment. Plant-based diets and veganism have progressed from a food trend to a globally recognised lifestyle. As more people choose plant-based meals, the food industry is gradually introducing new innovations and options in the segment for people who prefer clean, plantbased food items. Reducetarianism is causing people to consume less meat and opt for vegan substitutes

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IANSLIFE

in order to live a healthier lifestyle. With more affordable, ready-to-cook plant-based meal options on the market, this is poised to become a long-term sustainable trend. Ready to cook meals: With many workplaces resuming work from home, people are exhausted from returning home and preparing a full meal. With rapid urbanisation, shifting millennial behavioural patterns, and shifting taste preferences, there is a growing demand for ready-to-cook/eat meals. Ready-to-cook marinated meats, pre-measured ingredient meals, and even instant ramen are now fairly common in most kitchens due to the ease of cooking that they provide. Furthermore, these pre-packaged meals are relatively healthy, require little effort, and are inexpensive. The food industry is also jumping on board, introducing new items that are tailored to the Indian palate, such as burgers and pizzas, as well as idlis and vadas. Meals that are ready to cook have been prepared. Comfort meals: People are going to miss the comfort of their homes, as well as the comfort of home cooked meals, as corporations return to full-time work from the office and colleges begin to reopen. Many people will also be returning to their workplaces, resulting in an increased demand and craving for comfort, home-cooked food. While they are away from their families and homes, they will seek solace in the form of comfort food to rekindle a sense of home. Since the pandemic, there has been an increase in demand for home tiffin and home-cooked meals, as they tend to fill the need for comfort and warmth during these unprecedented times. People are also gravitating toward home-cooked comfort meals. ‘Snack’ed it: Today, a large portion of the population prefers to eat healthier snacks rather than sweet,

fatty, and high-carbohydrate snacks. Protein bars, oatmeal cookies, high protein muesli, gluten–free protein munchies, roasted protein sticks, and other similar items can be found in shopping carts almost every month. People have slowly but steadily realised that, as much as we enjoy eating snacks, it is also important to do so mindfully and sensibly. High-protein snacks are becoming increasingly popular among millennials as a healthy alternative that can also serve as a meal replacement for busy millennial workers. People want easy access to snack options, and smart food courts like Isthara provide a variety of snack options across the office and campus. Wake and ‘Bake’: Baked goods are popular, owing to their flavour and convenience. People experimented with a variety of recipes as a result of the pandemic, with baking being the most popular. Many people are also experimenting with and diversifying baked goods in order to make them a complete meal option. As food-blogging on Instagram and TikTok food trends have become a ‘thing,’ creators and even full-time corporate employees want to stand out by creating something unique. Baking has been a large-scale interest, hobby, and emerging long-term trend, ranging from baking cakes, pastries, cookies, and brownies to making frozen desserts, pies, tarts, puddings, and chocolate confections. Cafeteria food is expected to play a significant role in student and employee retention. Isthara, a smart food court, provides multi-vendor, multi-cuisine options for colleges and workplaces to meet growing needs and emerging food trends. Going forward, these food trends will change the way people eat, and some of them will become dining norms in the coming years.

By Radhika Iyer March 26, 2022 (IANSlife) We are all aware that breakfast is an important part of our daily routine. It is the meal that provides us with energy and allows our bodies and minds to focus on our tasks and surroundings. When it comes to eating, Ayurveda has one fundamental principle: listen to your body and eat accordingly. What is effective for you may not be effective for someone else. An Ayurvedic breakfast, on the other hand, is always warm. According to Ayurveda, our digestive fire, or Agni, is weak in the morning. We need warm meals in the morning to properly kickstart our digestion in order to fuel this Agni. A warm breakfast provides nutrients and energy that a dry or cold meal does not. Eating cold meals in the morning can make you feel sluggish and drained for the rest of the day. It can also lead to weight gain and a constant state of hunger. The concept of vata, pitta, and kapha, also known as the three doshas, is central to Ayurveda. They represent out-of-balance energy in the body. After consulting with an Ayurvedic doctor, it is highly recommended that you tailor your diet to your dominant dosha. Ayurveda does have general rules for a breakfast detox that you can follow every day: Drink warm water right after waking up. Move your body for at least 10 to 15 minutes. This allows for movement for the mind and body. Only use seasonal produce- don’t eat fruits or vegetables that are grown out of season. Use natural foods. Chew slowly and eat till you are 80 percent full. Always leave some space in your stomach, do not stuff your stomach with food.

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Eat a warm meal in the morning. It will help your body feel light through the day. Eat fruits everyday. Eat with gratitude and mindfulness. Our mindset when we eat greatly affects our digestion of the food. Here are two detox breakfast recipes you can make: Daliya (Ayurvedic Porridge) Daliya is made of cracked/broken wheat. This wheat is coarse and rich in fibre. Daliya is amazing for your gut health and cleans the body from the inside out. Add ghee or coconut oil to your coarse wheatand heat it. Pour double the amount of milk and let it soak for a few minutes.

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Season the Daliya with turmeric, cinnamon, ginger or cardamom. You can also add dry fruits or seeds to your Daliya. Eat it warm and mindfully. Golden Milk Golden milk has been made for generations in India. It is beneficial for you, because it contains anti-inflammatory properties that boost your immunity and health. This milk is helpful for digestion especially in the morning. Boil coconut oil, ghee, grated ginger, cinnamon, turmeric and coconut milk together. Drink it while it is warm. (Radhika Iyer, Entrepreneur and Founder of Anahata Organics and Raa Foundation)

COMMUNITY NEWS

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

First FICQ Multicultural Cricket Tournament held

FICQ holds session with GCQ and High Commissioner of India

he first annual FICQ Multicultural Cup was held at Matt Oval Heathwood on March 20th this year. The Cricket competition was organised by Brisbane Super Kings (BSK) and Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland (FICQ) collectively. The high voltage one day competition was so intense that every game was an absolute nail biting experience for the spectators. This Mega Grand Tournament was aimed to bring the community together. High spirits were witnessed from players and spectators alike in each game played. In addition, the first winner cup for the title went to Gujarati Community Queensland Team Playing against BSK, GCQ won the final by 94 runs. Krishna Solapurvala was declared Player of the match and Best Batter for the tournament for playing a devastating knock of 135 runs in 54 balls. The Awards ceremony was well supported by many community leaders and dignitaries including Cr Angela Owen who came to congratulate and celebrate the success of the FICQ Multicultural Cup.

First Meet Greet Eat 2022 event held by MCCGC T

he Multicultural Communities Council Gold Coast (MCCGC) held its first Meet Greet Eat Event of this year on 23rd March as part of Harmony Week which meant great networking, informative presentations, and fabulous food. A team from the Australian Electoral Commission came to chat about the voting process and the upcoming Federal election. Everyone also got a sneak peak at ‘Code Noir’ a movie that brought together people from all over the world.The Gold Coast Multicultural community informed everyone about current and future projects happening on a local level.

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Recently, the Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland (FICQ) Australia invited Gujarati Community Queensland (GCQ) along with its member associations to participate in a session with High Commissioner of India Shri Manpreet Vohra. GCQ Vice President

and Vice President PR attended the session. The main topics of discussion included the growth of the Indian economy in the current pandemic contest and OCI for all Indian-origin Australians as well as issues regarding OCI/Visa processing.

Historical seminar held in Brisbane

historical seminar on the Abolition of Queensland’s Legislative Council was held on March 19, 2022 at the Queensland Parliament House. The event, co-hosted with the Royal Historical Society of Queensland (RHSQ), commemorated the 100th anniversary of the Legislative Council’s abolition. Speeches from the event are available on the Queensland Parliament website and the papers were published by the RHSQ in a special edition of the Queensland History Journal.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

Sunshine Coast hosts District 9620 Conference

he inaugural District 9620 Conference was held in Caloundra on the Sunshine Coast from 18th to 20th March 2022. It was an event which celebrated the coming together of two great districts and an opportunity for everyone to know their fellow Rotarians and new found friends in a relaxed atmosphere.

Brisbane observes Commonwealth Day 2022

n Australia, Commonwealth Day 2022 was commemorated with a service at St John’s Cathedral in Brisbane, and was attended by Governor of Queensland Dr Jeannette Young PSM, dignitaries, community leaders, and artists. The service, which was followed by a reception, promoted the theme for 2022, ‘Delivering a Common Future.’

Holi celebrations by ICGC H oli arrived early for the Indian Community Of Gold Coast (ICGC) at Broadwater Parklands, GC, where members celebrated the colourful event on March 13th, five days ahead of the official Holi date this year. It was a colourful, musical, and dancing-filled day. The Holi celebration was launched by dignitaries AC Brian Wilkins, Sam O’Connor MP, and Cr. Ryan Bayldona, while the ICGC team organised the event.

Australian leaders send Holi greetings to Indian community

oli greetings were sent by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, Leader of the Opposition Anthony Albanese, and Immigration Minister Alex Hawke on March 18 to the Indian and other South Asian populations in Australia. Mr Morrison expressed gratitude to the Indian Australian community for their love and care for their families and all Australians. Mr Albanese stated that Holi has become a staple on Australia’s calendar and has been a wonderful welcoming gift. Alex Hawke, the Minister of Immigration, sent his wishes for a Holi full of pleasure and colour, as well as good health, happiness, and wealth in the coming year. This year’s festival of colours, according to Prime Minister Morrison,

Every year on the second Monday in March, individuals, communities, and organisations come together to promote the Commonwealth’s common ideals of peace, democracy, and equality, as well as to celebrate the Commonwealth’s vast variety.

has a greater meaning. “As we approach the close of another pandemic year, we can be grateful for the many things that have kept us going — our family, community, and faith,” he stated. On behalf of the Australian Labor Party, Mr. Albanese wished the community well. “It gives me a deep sense of happiness to see that this great eruption of colour that is the throwing of the gulal (colour) has been embraced by the wider community, just as I wish great joy to the thousands of Australians of Hindu, Subcontinental, and South Asian heritage who celebrate Holi,” he said. Holi, according to Mr Hawke, is also a festival of love and relationship mending. “It is a true reflection of our

harmonious multicultural communities’ unity and strength,” he remarked. Mr Hawke added, “I convey my gratitude for the critical role you all played in Australia’s united response to the pandemic and other calamities.” Mr Morrison stated that Australia is home to individuals of many different faiths who find strength and confidence in their convictions. “We are the world’s most successful multicultural and multifaith nation—a shining example of what it means to be a liberal, free, and democratic people,” Morrison added. “This is especially true for Holi, one of India’s most important and lively festivals. The ancient Festival of Colors brings people together for a joyful occasion.”

Clean Up Day organised in Perth

long with Clean up Australia, the youth wing of Samskruthi Perth organised a clean up day on 19th March 2022. Members of Team Samskruthi gathered at Civic park, Cannington and collected rubbish and trash from the park and surrounding area.

Grants totaling $5.2 million awarded to Australia-India research

a total of $5,217,705 in funding. Melissa Price, Australia’s Minister for Science and Technology, said the project demonstrated the rising strength of the Australia-India connection. The Australia-India Strategic Research Fund is improving ties between the two countries and establishing new global innovation networks. These ground-breaking projects will benefit both countries and demonstrate what can be

accomplished when the best academic institutions and companies collaborate closely. Out of the eight key areas agreed upon by the two governments, two are addressed by the projects, including quantum technologies, vital minerals, and infection prevention and control. It is worth looking forward to the future development of these projects, as well as future scientific and research collaboration between the two countries.

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COMMUNITY NEWS

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

Winners of WA Multicultural Awards 2022 declared

n March 14, 2022, the winners of the Western Australia(WA) Multicultural Awards were announced. Ten exceptional individuals and organisations were honoured for their dedication to make Western Australia more inclusive and equitable. Following is the list of the winners: Outstanding Individual Achievement Award — Dr Bernadette Wright Youth Award — Zahra Al Hilaly Community Organisation Award — CaLD — Umbrella Multicultural Community Care Services

Community Organisation Award — General — Royal Life Saving WA Local Government Award — City of Stirling Arts Award — Sukhjit Kaur Khalsa Sportsperson of the Year Award — Peter Bol Premier’s Community Response and Recovery Award — Sikh Gurdwara Perth Sir Ronald Wilson Leadership Award — Hayden Marchetto Laksiri Jayasuriya Lifetime Community Service Award — Nick Agocs OAM

Grants totaling $5.2 million awarded to AustraliaIndia research projects

nder a cooperative science and technology effort with India, the Australian government has announced $5.2 million in funding for six unique research projects. The initiatives include study into the structural dynamics of SARS-Cov-2, cost-cutting in water quality control, and research into avoidable blindness. The collaborative projects selected from more than 80 applicants in round 14 of the Australia-India Strategic Research Fund will receive a total of $5,217,705 in funding. Melissa Price, Australia&#39;s Minister for Science and Technology, said the project demonstrated the rising strength of the Australia-India connection. The Australia-India Strategic Research Fund is improving ties between the two countries and establishing new global innovation networks. These ground-breaking projects will benefit both countries and demonstrate what can be accomplished when the best academic institutions and companies collaborate closely. Out of the eight key areas agreed upon by the two governments, two are addressed by the projects, including quantum technologies, vital minerals, and infection prevention and control. It is worth looking forward to the future development of these projects, as well as future scientific and research collaboration between the two countries.a total of $5,217,705 in

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funding. Melissa Price, Australia&#39;s Minister for Science and Technology, said the project demonstrated the rising strength of the Australia-India connection. The Australia-India Strategic Research Fund is improving ties between the two countries and establishing new global innovation networks. These ground-breaking projects will benefit both countries and demonstrate what can be accomplished when the best academic institutions and companies collaborate closely. Out of the eight key areas agreed upon by the two governments, two are addressed by the projects, including quantum technologies, vital minerals, and infection prevention and control. It is worth looking forward to the future development of these projects, as well as future scientific and research collaboration between the two countries.

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INDIA

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

Yogi sworn in for 2nd term; UP govt gets a new complexion

Mumbaikars to lord over ‘Sunday Streets’ from March 27 IANS

IANS

Lucknow, March 25 (IANS) Yogi Adityanath was sworn in as the 33rd chief minister of Uttar Pradesh on Friday in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union ministers and a galaxy of chief ministers. Adityanath was administered the oath of office by Uttar Pradesh Governor Anandiben Patel at the Ekana stadium here, with over 75,000 people from different walks of life, cheering him on. Two deputy chief ministers were also sworn in along with the chief minister. They include Keshav Maurya -- who recently lost the election, and Brajesh Pathak.

Deputy chief minister Dinesh Sharma in the previous government, has been dropped this time. Sources said that he would now be given an organisational post. The new ministry sworn in on Friday includes 52 ministers, including 18 in cabinet rank, and the government now has a new complexion. Five women ministers have been included. They are -- Baby Rani Maurya, Gulab Devi, Pratibha Shukla, Rajni Tiwari and Vijay Laxmi Gautam. Uttar Pradesh Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president Swatantra Dev Singh has been inducted into

the ministry while some senior leaders including Shrikant Sharma, Siddhartha Nath Singh, Ashutosh Tandon, Mahendra Singh, Jai Pratap Singh, Satish Mahana and Mohsin Raza have been dropped. A much-awaited inclusion was that of former IAS officer Arvind Sharma who had quit his job in the PMO last year and was made MLC in Uttar Pradesh. Asheesh Patel of Apna Dal and Sanjay Nishad of Nishad Party have also found a berth in the council of ministers as cabinet ministers. Daya Shankar Singh, husband of former minister Swati Singh, has also been made minister of state. Former IPS officer Aseem Arun, who quit his job in January to join politics, has also been made minister. However, former ED official Rajeshwar Singh, who won the election after quitting his job, has not been made minister. Among the surprise omissions in the government formation are rebel Congress MLA Aditi Singh who had contested the elections on a BJP ticket from Rae Bareli. Aparna Yadav, younger daughterin-law of Mulayam Singh Yadav, who was also tipped to become a minister, was not on the list.

GKPD condemns Kejriwal for ‘The Kashmir Files’ remarks

IANS

not becoming of the highest office in Delhi administration,” said Surinder Kaul, co-founder of GKPD. Rakesh Kaul, another co-founder of GKPD, said that Delhi has been a refuge city for the Pandits, including his family, since 1947. Following their ethnic cleansing, it was Delhi that gave shops in the INA market to the Pandits to rebuild their lives.

New Delhi, March 25 (IANS) The Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKDP) has taken strong exception to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s recent remark on the film ‘The Kashmir Files’. “Where is the question of making it (the film) tax-free,” Kejriwal said on Thursday, while reacting to the demand for making ‘The Kashmir Files’ tax-free. Kejriwal also said that if filmmaker Vivek Agnihotri wants everyone to watch the movie, he should release it on YouTube so that it is available to everyone. Taking a jibe at BJP leaders demanding to make the film tax-free

in Delhi, Kejriwal said that “he (Agnihotri) has earned crores in the name of Kashmiri Pandits and you are putting up posters on the walls”. The GKPD said that the ‘docudrama’ (The Kashmir Files) is based on personal testimony and meticulous documentation of community records. “The entire world was shocked to see AAP legislators laughing and making a mockery of the story of Kashmiri Pandits’ genocide. A simple request by the public to make the movie tax-free was hooted by the CM, who has past track record of granting such requests. Such discriminatory and hostile behaviour on an extremely serious subject is

“It was the Delhi High Court that gave legal protection to the 200 or so IDP teachers who were hired by the Delhi administration. It was Kejriwal’s cabinet that had to implement this court directive. With his hostile signalling to his administration and the local populace, Kejriwal has vitiated the atmosphere for the Pandits and filled their minds with new anxieties,” he added.

Mumbai, March 26 (IANS) At the crack of dawn on Sunday, the Chairman of Tata Sons and Air India N. Chandrasekaran will kickstart a unique citizen-friendly initiative of Mumbai Police called ‘Sunday Streets’ inspired by Commissioner of Police Sanjay Pandey. Chandrasekaran, along with Joint Commissioner of Police Vishwan Nangre-Patil and others, will flag-off a t-shirt run by people at Nariman Point at 6.15 a.m., marking the arrival of ‘Sunday Streets’ concept for the country’s commercial capital. The initiative envisages ‘handing’ over around half-a-dozen prominent roads in the city and suburbs to the people to bring them out of their homes and let them ‘chill in the streets’ without the fear of speeding vehicles or tiresome traffic jams. These streets are Marine Drive, Bandra, Andheri, Goregaon, Vikhroli and Mulund - over which Mumbaikars shall ‘lord’ for 4 hours - starting this Sunday morning and maybe extended further. “It’s final. #SundayStreets from this Sunday (March 27). Look forward to Mumbaikars joining in large numbers,” said Pandey, who has been interacting directly with the citizens and social groups after he assumed charge of the coveted top police post this month.

Rajamouli’s ‘RRR’ smashes records to emerge as India’s biggest blockbuster! IANS

Chennai, March 26 (IANS) Director S.S. Rajamouli’s magnum opus ‘RRR’, featuring Ram Charan and Jr NTR in the lead, has shattered records at the box office to emerge as India’s biggest blockbuster, according to one trade analyst. Taran Adarsh on Saturday tweeted: “’RRR’ smashes all records on Day 1. Overtakes ‘Baahubali 2’. ‘RRR’ is now the number one opener of Indian cinema. The worldwide Day One business [Gross BOC]: Rs 223 crore. S.S. Rajamouli is competing with himself.”

GKPD’s international coordinator Utpal Kaul said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that ‘The Kashmir Files’ has rattled those who wanted to subvert the truth that it reveals.

The industry expert also put out a poster that confirmed the number. Adarsh went on to point out that the overwhelming success of ‘RRR’ had impacted the collections of ‘The Kashmir Files’.

“Sadly, Kejriwal, instead of taking the opportunity to learn more and walk away from his past support of those who sought plebiscite and independence of Kashmir, has only sided with those who carried out genocide of the Kashmiri Pandits,” he said.

Globally, too, ‘RRR’ has been received warmly. The film collected Rs 4.03 crore on its first day in Australia and Rs 37.07 lakh in New Zealand.

PM inspects 29 antiquities repatriated to India from Australia

IANS

New Delhi, March 21 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inspected 29 antiquities which have been repatriated to India from Australia.

These antiquities come from different time periods, with earliest dating to 9-10 century CE. These are primarily sculptures and paintings executed in a variety of materials - sandstone, marble, bronze, brass, paper. Representing a large geographical region in India, antiquities are from Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana and West Bengal. “In a historic move, 29 antiquities have been repatriated to India by Australia. Prime Minister Modi inspected these antiquities which returned from Australia today,” sources said.

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Adarsh added that the film had also had an “earth-shattering start” in the United States. It collected $3,198,766 from preview collections on Thursday across the US. In Canada, the film made $270,361. Across North America, the film raked in the US dollar equivalent of Rs 26.46 crore; in the UK, it made Rs 2.40 crore.

IANS

Chennai, March 26 (IANS) In a tragic incident in Tamil Nadu’s Vellore, a man and his daughter died after their e-bike went up in flames suffocating them to death in their asbestos sheet-laden house in the wee hours on Saturday. Police said that M. Duraivarma, (49), who was running a photo studio near Tollgate, Vellore bought a new e-bike a few days ago. He plugged the charger of his bike into an old socket in the entrance of his house and went to sleep on Friday night. An electrical short circuit led to the e-bike going up in flames and smoke engulfing the residence. His 13-year-old daughter Mohana Preethi, a student of Class 8, was also found dead along with Duraivarma at the house. Police said that the socket might be an old one with less voltage capacity to charge an e-bike. Local people said that they found the e-bike in flames and smoke engulfing the house around 1 a.m. They alerted the police and Duraivarma’s sister who stays a few houses away. However, local people could not put out the fire as it was thick and had spread to a nearby petrol bike. A unit of firefighters reached the spot from Vellore and put out the flames and local people entered the house breaking open the front door. The father-daughter duo was found dead with minor injuries. Police said that they assume the father and daughter died due to suffocation as there were no burn injuries on the bodies. Duraivarma had lost his wife in 2013 and he was living with his son and daughter. After dinner, his son went to stay with a close relative while father and daughter retired for the day at their residence when the tragedy struck. Local people said that his daughter had visited her father after several months as she was staying at a relative’s place at Thiruvannamalai for getting better education.

Rakesh Tikait alleges threat call, police probe on IANS

High-profile prostitution racket busted in Delhi, 3 held

IANS

Sources said that the antiquities range in six broad categories as per themes - Shiva and his disciples, Worshipping Shakti, Lord Vishnu and his forms, Jain tradition, Portraits and decorative objects.

During the four hours, the citizens can let their hair down on open roads, engage in activities like yoga, running, cycling, walking, skating, etc, without the fear of getting knocked down by zooming vehicles, or pesky hawkers and vendors creating hurdles. Around 8 years ago, a similar ‘Equal Streets’ movement had been launched by some social groups but it was limited to certain suburban areas and went on the ‘back-street’ during the two years of Covid-19 pandemic lockdown. Urging people to step out on the vehicles-free streets and do anything they desire on the free roads, Pandey said even the Mumbai Police band would be available to regale the citizens. Citizens and groups have welcomed the Mumbai Police chief’s initiative and are demanding that more roads be converted into ‘Sunday Streets’ to enable people, especially women, children and seniors, to step out safely and move around freely, and there’s a buzz on social media. People’s groups term it as a game changer for the city, pointing out how lakhs have fallen ill remaining cooped up in their homes, especially during the pandemic, and roads are out of bounds even on weekends when the traffic increased by nearly 50 per cent. Citizens in some other areas like Lokhandwala, Charkop, Kandivali, Borivali, Dahisar, Powai and Dadar have also demanded similar ‘Sunday Streets’ in their respective localities and to make it a permanent feature of Mumbai’s weekend ‘outing’.

Man, daughter die in TN as their e-bike bursts in flames

New Delhi, March 28 (IANS) The Delhi Police’s IGI Airport wing have busted a high-profile prostitution racket and arrested three persons, including a girl and the kingpin. Sanjay Tyagi, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) said that the accused were identified as Riyash Siddqui and Naveen. The name of the girl was withheld. He said that an FIR under section 4 and 5 of the Immoral Trafficking Act has been lodged in this connection. The officer said that on March 21, a man came to the IGI Police Station and informed them about the racket. “We developed the information and learnt that the racket was being operated in hotels in the vicinity of the Aerocity area. We formed a team to conduct a raid at the right time,” said the senior police officer.

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The DCP said that the raiding team reached the Aerocity area and Naveen, the broker, was contacted through a secret informer. “A room was booked at a hotel. The broker sent a girl to the hotel where our decoy customer was waiting. The girl was brought to the hotel by Naveen, the broker. He dropped the girl at the porch of the hotel and took a certain sum of money in advance. After that the girl reached the hotel room and took advance money from the decoy customer. On the direction of the decoy customer, the raiding team entered the hotel room and the girl was apprehended with the help of lady police,” said the police official. Naveen, who came to drop the girl, was apprehended from outside the hotel. A case was lodged and further investigations were taken up. After the interrogation, the police were able to arrest Riyash Siddqui. “From the investigation conducted it was found that the accused persons were operating the prostitution rackets and they had taken a hotel on lease at Sector 45, Gurugram and were running an organised racket of prostitution in Delhi and NCR along with their three other associates. Raids are being conducted to arrest the remaining accused,” the police said.

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New Delhi, March 28 (IANS) Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait on Monday lodged a complaint with the Muzaffarnagar Police Station against an unknown person who threatened him of dire consequences. Tikait has alleged in the complaint that the caller threatened to kill him. The complaint was lodged by Pravez Tyagi, the driver of Tikait. It was lodged with the Civil Lines Police Station of Muzaffarnagar. Senior Superintendent of Police, Muzaffarnagar, Abhishek Yadav confirmed that a complaint was received. He said that a team was formed to look into the allegations. A police team on Monday visited the house of Rakesh Tikait and recorded his statement. The police are going through the call details record of the number which was used to threaten the leader. The police said that they are also trying to get the location of the said number. They said that they were hopeful in identifying the person behind it. “We hope to make an early arrest. Our best officials are looking into the matter,” said a police official.

INDIA

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

India intends to add 100-120 aircraft every year: Scindia

48-hr nationwide strike evokes near-total response in Kerala IANS

IANS

Hyderabad, March 25 (IANS) India, the fastest growing civil aviation market in the world, intends to add 100-120 aircraft every year to meet the growing demand, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said on Friday. Addressing the Wings India 2022 at Begumpet Airport in Hyderabad, he said that India is looking at tremendous expansion in areas of airlines, airports and every facet of the civil aviation eco-system. He said that fleet augmentation is also important for the sector. The country, which had 400 aircraft in 2013-14, has grown its fleet to 710 aircraft in the last seven years. “We added 310 aircraft. We intend to add 100-120 aircraft every year as we go forward,” he said. Scindia also urged the airlines to increase the fleet of wide-bodied aircraft along with their thrust on narrow-bodied aircraft. “It is not enough to connect all points in India. We need to connect the world to India. Therefore, the Indian flag carriers should increase long-haul aircraft to touch every corner of the world.” He said that the aviation sector has emerged stronger, fitter and is ready to face challenges and opportunities.

As India celebrates 75 years of independence and aims to emerge as a new powerful nation in next 25 years, civil aviation has extremely important role to play, he added. According to Scindia, a multipronged approach has been adopted to take the sector to new heights. “We have a long way to go. Our penetration is close to only 8 per cent today. In a country of 135 crore people, we have only 14.5 crore travelling by civil aviation. I believe today’s civil aviation is going to be tomorrow’s railways in terms of transport,” he said and assured the stakeholders that his ministry would be a constructive collaborator and not restrictive regulator. Addressing special emphasis on improving infrastructure, he said that in 2013-14, India had 74 airports but in last seven years, 66 airports have been added, thus taking the total number to 140, including helipads and water aerodromes. “By the year 2024-25, we want to take this number to 220 airports,” he said. Scindia claimed that airports in India are second to none in the world. Delhi airport has a throughput of 70 million passengers while airports at Bengaluru, Mumbai,

Birbhum violence: CBI records Trinamool leader’s statement IANS

New Delhi, March 27 (IANS) The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has prepared a list in which 21 people, including Trinamool Congress’ block president Anarul Hossain, have been named as accused in connection with the violence in West Bengal’s Birbhum. Hossain’s statement was recorded by the CBI after he was questioned at the probe agency’s camp set up at a government guest house in Rampurhat, an official said on Sunday. West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday had ordered the arrest of Trinamool Congress leader Hossain for his involvement in the carnage.

Earlier, the police had also prepared a list of the accused, and the list prepared by the CBI is almost same. Following the orders of the Calcutta High Court, a team of forensic experts led by the CBI officials went to Rampurhat and collected samples on March 25. Before the court order, the police had lodged a case, and also claimed to have arrested 10 people. The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and others have accused the ruling Trinamool Congress of sheltering the accused. The BJP had Banerjee of trying to cover up the incident. The Trinamool Congress, however, has denied all the charges. After the Calcutta High Court order of handing over the probe to the CBI, the West Bengal government said that they would support the agency in conducting a fair probe. Bhadu Sheikh, a Trinamool Congress leader and local deputy president of Rampurhat village was killed on March 21 by bike-borne assailants, after which a mob allegedly set several houses afire. Next day, the police recovered the charred bodies of at least eight persons including children and women from a gutted house.

Chennai and Hyderabad cater to 25-50 million passengers. “We are building a second airport for Delhi at Jewar. This is a very ambitious programme with close to Rs 38,000 crore worth of investment which will house close to 70 million passengers once phase 2 is completed. Similarly, a new airport in Mumbai is coming up.” Underlining the need to concentrate on regional connectivity, he said the mission of the UDAN scheme is to enable every citizen to fly. “In telecom sector, we have seen the revolution where it moved from low volume, high margin game to high volume, low margin game. The airline sector is already there. Our initiative through UDAN is to make it accessible to common man at last-mile village in all 600,000 villages in India,” he said. He claimed that UDAN scheme connected close to 409 routes enabling about 1.75 lakh flights till date. This enabled 91 lakh people, who have never been on a plane, to fly. The minister also listed out steps taken to boost the entire civil aviation ecosystem. He said, the country has 34 flying training organisations. “We have already bid out and sanctioned nine new FTOs across states and in days to come we will sanction another 15 FTOs.” The minister further added that India can be a leader in the area of drones. The government has not only announced new policy but also released productivity linked incentive scheme for drones and provided airspace map. Eight to nine line ministries have been tasked with the responsibility of using drones for every possible requirement across the country. The minister also spoke about the impetus being given to helicopter segment by creating three dedicated corridors for helicopter traffic.

Pramod Sawant swornin as Goa Chief Minister IANS

Panaji, March 28 (IANS) Chief Minister Pramod Sawant was administered oath of office and secrecy by Goa Governor P.S. Sreedharan Pillai on Monday. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP national president J.P. Nadda and a host of central BJP leaders attended the event at Dr Shyama Prasad Mukherjee stadium. More than 2,000 police personnel were deployed at the venue for security. The BJP has won 20 seats in the February 14 polls, just one short of a majority in the 40- member state Assembly. It also has support of five other MLAs -- three independent and two from the Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party.

Tension prevails as body of Muslim youth killed for celebrating BJP win brought home Kushinagar (Uttar Pradesh), March 27 (IANS) Tension prevailed in Kushinagar on Sunday when the body of Babar, who had allegedly been killed by members of his own community for celebrating BJP’s win in elections, was brought to his home. His family refused to perform the last rites unless those responsible for the youth’s death were punished. According to the family, Babar was returning from his shop on March 20 when he chanted ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and was attacked by some local

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people. To save his life, Babar climbed on his roof, but the accused reached there and Babar fell off the roof. He was admitted to Ramkola CHC from where he was referred to the district hospital and then to Lucknow. Babar died during treatment in Lucknow. Family members said that the local people from their community, had warned Babar against campaigning for the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and celebrating its victory. Babar had sought protection from

Ramkola police but his request went unheard. Kasaya sub-divisional magistrate (SDM), Varun Kumar Pandey who reached the spot on Sunday, said that the matter is being investigated. He assured that the accused will be arrested and strict action will be taken against the guilty. The local MLA Panchanand Pathak also met the family and convinced them to perform the last rites. On the complaint of the family members, an FIR has been registered under relevant sections.

Thiruvananthapuram, March 28 (IANS) Normal life in Kerala came to a near halt on Monday owing to a 48-hour nationwide bandh called by various trade unions with hashtag “Save the People, Save the Nation”, against the Centre’s “anti-people” policies. While markets, shops and even way side vendors were warned against venturing out and opening their shops by the organisers, those arriving at the railway stations also found it extremely tough to reach their destinations. Commercial banks have also downed their shutters and most of the state government offices are practically closed. State-owned KSRTC public transport utility and the private buses are also not plying. Even a Kerala High Court order refraining the protesters from striking work at the Kochi based BPCL was ignored as the protesting trade union workers refused to let employees work. So was the situation at other industrial areas in the state. Meanwhile, strongly opposing the bandh, a former director of law at various Universities said: “I am a Ph.d degree in Constitution. While people have the right to protest and shirk work, those who do not wish to participate also have their rights, but unfortunately that’s not possible here. This practice of lockdown has to end.” The former director

Modi Sarkar wants no discussion or debate: Jairam Ramesh IANS

New Delhi, March 28 (IANS) As opposition was pressing for discussion on price rise and trade union strike on Monday, the House was adjourned by the Chairman, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh said the government wanted no discussion or debate. “Truly extraordinary that at a few minutes past 11 a.m., as soon as the Opposition MPs got up to raise issues concerning price rise and trade union strike, the Hon’ble Chairman adjourned the Rajya Sabha instantly. Clearly, the Modi Sarkar wants no discussion or debate!,” said Jairam who is Chief whip of the party in the Upper House. The Rajya Sabha was adjourned till 12 p.m. amid the Opposition’s uproar to discuss the increased fuel, LPG price, inflation and other issues. The CPI MP Binoy Viswam and CPI-M MP Bikashranjan Bhattacharyya on Monday gave Suspension of Business notices in the Rajya Sabha under rule 267 to discuss the two-day nationwide strike called by workers across the country, who are protesting against the corporatisation and privatisation policies of the Central Government. DMK Member T. Siva, Trinamool Congress MP Derek O’Brian gave notice to discuss the increased Fuel prices. Soon after the House assembled at 11 a.m. and after laying of the papers, the Chairman M. Venkaiah Naidu informed the House that some Members from the Opposition bench gave notice to discuss the fuel, LPG and other issues during ‘Zero Hour’. He said he rejected them going through the notices. “The DMK Member T. Siva, AITC Derek O’Brian, CPI MP Binoy Viswam and CPI(M) MP Bikashranjan Bhattacharyya and others gave notice to discuss the increased price hike in fuel, LPG and other issues during the Zero Hour, I have gone through the notices and reject them,” Naidu said. On the rejection of the notices by the chair, the Opposition members protested and raised slogans to press their demands that the Chairman Naidu adjourned the House till 12 p.m.

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had arrived at the Central Railway station here and was unable to reach his home in the capital city. Another group of people upset with the forced shutdown at Kottayam expressed said in no other state in the country does such a thing happen. “For two years, Covid-19 paralysed our lives and when things were gradually returning to normalcy, this strike has appeared. Sadly, a good section of the organisers of the protest get salaries even if they don’t work, but a huge majority of the victims do not earn anything. This has to end,” said the group. But the scenario is entirely different in Pallikkara, a small suburb in Ernakulam district, as for the past five years, the 240 shops in the village have with the support of the people ignored all such lock-downs. “When the organisers of this protest approached us to cooperate with the protest, we refused and got a High Court order also. As a result, things are normal at the village today,” said a shopkeeper. Meanwhile, even though the tourism industry was told that they will be exempted at the famed Alappuzha house boat centre, the members of the Left trade unions was seen asking the tourists on the houseboats to cooperate with the strike. A house boat owner said: “Even though we were assured that we will be exempted but in there is no exemption as tourists just cannot reach here as they are being stopped en route and hence this exemption is meaningless.” Most of the shops had bumper sales with people crowding to buy essentials in view of the bandh.

‘Bulldozers’ given as gifts in wedding in UP district IANS

Prayagraj (Uttar Pradesh), March 28 (IANS) Now that the bulldozer has become a mascot of sorts for the Yogi Adityanath government, miniature bulldozers are now being given as gifts. At a mass marriage function in Katra in Prayagraj, organised by the Chaurasia community, the nine couples, who got married on Sunday, were given a bulldozer toy along with other gifts that included household items. Prayagraj Mayor Abhilasha Gupta said that the bulldozer was a symbol of security for the women and also of the development of Uttar Pradesh. The brides collectively thanked Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, now known as “Bulldozer Baba’ for creating an atmosphere of peace and harmony in the state. The bulldozer, it may be recalled, was extensively used by Yogi Adityanath in his first term in demolishing the ill-gotten properties of mafia and criminals. The bulldozer was used to raze illegal properties worth crores of rupees in the state.

Implementation of 100 days leave plan for CAPFs personnel soon: Officials New Delhi, March 27 (IANS) The Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s announcement regarding at least 100 days leaves for all Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) jawans in a year will be implemented soon and a policy has been prepared in consultation with all stakeholders, the officials in the security set up said. The Home Minister in 2019 had announced that all CAPFs jawan will be given at least 100 days leave in a year so that they can spend more time with their families. According to the officials, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has been examining all the details about the proposal before making the policy and the CAPFs have also been asked to submit its recommendations to the ministry at earliest. The officials also said that MHA recently held several rounds of the meetings to frame the policy and discussed the ways to implement it. The last meeting was held in the second week of March to sort out the delays in implementation. It is expected that the 100 days annual leave policy is likely to be implemented by the next month across all paramilitary forces, they added. The new annual leave plan aims to reduce work-related stress of over 10 lakh troops across the CAPFs, who have to perform arduous duties in some of the most challenging and

hostile environmental conditions in remote locations. Recently, the Central Reserve Police Force DG Kuldeep Singh had said that on an average, a jawan in the CRPF gets around 60 to 65 days of leave in a year. “If the proposal to enhance the casual leave component from 15 days to 28-30 days can be brought in, then 100 days of leave for jawans can be done,” Singh said. The move to enhance leaves came following the increasing numbers of suicides and fratricides incidents in recent past. As per the data shared by the government in the Parliament, a total of 25 fratricide incidents have taken place in the CAPFs during 2019-2021. The highest number of these incidents took place in the CRPF with 11 cases followed by nine in the BSF. Further as per the data till August 2021, a total of 680 CAPF or central paramilitary forces personnel died by suicide in the last six years. The officials in the force said that these figures have now crossed 700 mark. “If this 100 days annual leave plan is fully implemented across the para-military forces, this can address the issues of suicidal tendencies among the jawans and also possibly address the concerns related to the high number of personnel opting for the Voluntary Retirement Schemes,” a senior official said.

Stalin’s Dubai visit a family picnic, says Palaniswami IANS

Chennai, March 27 (IANS) AIADMK joint coordinator and former Chief Minister, K. Palaniswami on Sunday said that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin’s Dubai visit is nothing but a ‘family picnic’. He charged that the Chief Minister inaugurating Tamil Nadu pavilion at the Dubai expo is amusing as the event began on October 1, 2021, and is now concluding on March 31, 2022. EPS said that during his stint as Chief Minister he had taken ministers along during his foreign trips and was mocked at by the then opposition leader, Stalin as ‘AIADMK cabinet picnic trips’. The former Chief Minister said that the trips he had undertaken during his period had resulted in Tamil Nadu turning into a major destination for Electric Vehicles. The former Chief Minister also said that instead of his family, if Stalin had taken his cabinet colleagues and department secretaries, it would have been better and people of the state would not have dubbed it as a

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‘family picnic trip’. Palaniswami said that the visit of Stalin to Dubai is not for attracting investments or projects to Tamil Nadu, but is the one to take his family for picnic. Stalin left for Dubai on March 24 and will be back in the state on March 29. The BJP state president K. Annamalai has also lashed out at the Chief Minister saying that the trip is to deposit his ill-gotten wealth in Dubai. The DMK state organising secretary, K. Bharathi has asked for an unconditional apology and a deposit of Rs 100 crore in the Chief Minister’s relief fund or face legal action for the remark.

AUSTRALIA

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

Australian economy continues Qantas adds new domes- Aus announces additional to rebound despite disruptions tic routes to boost tourism $44mn to boost tourism

Canberra, March 29: Despite ongoing disruptions due to the Covid-19 pandemic, widespread flood and global supply chain pressures, Australia’s economy continues its upward swing as seen in retail spending, official data revealed on Tuesday. The data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed that sales had increased by 9.1 per cent compared with the same time in February last year, reports Xinhua

news agency. Australian Retailers Association (ARA) CEO Paul Zahra flagged the increase as a sign of “robust performance” despite ongoing disruptions. “Retailers have navigated the worst of the pandemic, however, we’ve now entered a period of global economic uncertainty, which has strained global energy supplies and is impacting cost of living pressures with rising inflation also a significant concern,” said Zahra. The growth was predominated in spending on clothes, experiencing a 17.8-per cent increase, and hospitality venues, up 15.9 per cent, a sign that confidence was growing among consumers to get out and about. The ARA touted optimism for the upcoming Easter long weekend in the second week of April. ARA research predicted that Australians are tipped to spend A$7.1 billion on overseas trips. “With the economy opening, people have been able to book local holidays with confidence and that’s set to be a major boost to tourism operators and local retailers who are heavily reliant on the visitor dollar,” said Zahra.

Canberra, March 28 (IANS) Australian flag carrier Qantas on Monday announced that it would launch four new routes across its domestic network to boost tourism and connectivity between regional centres and capital cities. Three weekly return flights will operate on the airline’s newly added routes, Darwin-Townsville, Brisbane-Wagga, and AdelaideNewcastle, reports Xinhua news agency. Another will see four weekly return flights run between Darwin and Cairns. They will together add more than 2,300 seats into Qantas’s domestic network each week. QantasLink CEO John Gissing said the new services were among 52 new routes added to its domestic network since the beginning of the pandemic as Australians looked for local travel opportunities. “Not only have we seen a huge surge in demand for domestic tourism, but we have seen a real shift towards investment in our regional communities as economic and industrial hubs.” On Sunday, Qantas also launched flights to the heart of Australia to

IANS

bring tourists to the world-famous Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and part of the nation’s aboriginal culture. The airline will operate four flights a week between the nation’s biggest city of Sydney and Uluru to support the iconic tourist landscape. The national carrier said as Australians and international visitors are making up for two years of lost travel adventures, the airline has seen a huge surge in demand for domestic tourism. The launch of those new routes will meet pent-up demand for Australians in time for the upcoming peak tourist season.

Canberra, March 22: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Tuesday announced an additional A$60 million ($44 million) in funding aimed at luring international visitors back to the country following two years of Covid-related border closures. Of the funding, A$45 million will be spent on a Tourism Australia marketing campaign for regional destinations hit hardest by the loss of international tourism, with the remaining A$15 million to go towards promoting the iconic Great Barrier Reef, reports Xinhua news agency. Australia’s borders reopened to fully vaccinated international tourists on February 21 about 700 days after they were closed to prevent the spread of Covid-19. “The return of our international tourism market will support hundreds of thousands of tourism jobs, strengthen our economy,” Morrison said in a statement. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, in the 2020-21 financial year, tourism gross domestic product (GDP) fell 37.9 per cent in chain volume terms, the contribution of

which to the country’s total GDP fell from 2.6 per cent to 1.6 per cent. Meanwhile, persons employed in the sector decreased by 20.3 per cent to 507,000 people. Due to border closures, the number of international arrivals in Australia fell from about 8.7 million in 2019 to 245,770 in 2021. Dan Tehan, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, flagged further future support for the industry. Australia on Tuesday reported more than 40,000 new Covid-19 cases and 20 deaths.

Australia opens new lab to 4th Covid vax dose approved Top Australian scientists bolster bushfire resilience for vulnerable Australians to tackle plastic waste

IANS

Canberra, March 17 (IANS) Australia’s national science agency on Thursday announced that it has opened a new lab to bolster the country’s ability to respond to and recover from bushfires. The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) officially opened the National Bushfire Behaviour Research laboratory in Canberra, reports Xinhua news agency. Researchers at the A$2.1 million facility will be tasked with improving the understanding of how bushfires behave, what makes them worse and the best ways to respond. “Bushfires are one of Australia’s greatest challenges, and it will take the best science, facilities and partnerships across industry, government and research to help to protect our communities, front-line responders, and environment,” CSIRO Chief Executive Larry Marshall said in a statement. During the 2019-20 ‘Black Summer’ fires, CSIRO scientists worked side by side with teams on the ground,

as they have been for nearly every major fire event since 1950s to better prepare for and manage bushfire seasons that are getting hotter, drier, and longer, he said. “Challenges this complex cannot be solved by one organisation alone, and we look forward to bringing many partners together at this new National Lab - as we do at all our National Labs facilities across the country - to continue building the resilience and strength of our communities and economy.” More than 24 million hectares of land burned during the Black Summer fires and 34 people died, prompting a royal commission into Australia’s preparedness for natural disasters. The new laboratory features a Pyrotron and Vertical Wind Tunnel apparatus that can be used to replicate real-life bushfires in controlled conditions for detailed analysis. “The new laboratory will help us better understand fundamental bushfire behavior dynamics, and the factors and interactions that influence the behaviour of bushfires, to support their management by firefighters,” Andrew Sullivan, a CSIRO bushfire expert, said. “The apparatus in the new laboratory can also help researchers and fire management agencies to better understand and manage fires under future climate conditions.”

Canberra, March 25: The Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ATAGI) on Friday officially recommended a second booster vaccine for the over-65s, Indigenous Australians older than 50, those in disability care and all immunocompromised people over 16. Minister for Health Greg Hunt said approving fourth doses was an important step ahead of an expected spike in coronavirus cases during winter, reports Xinhua news agency. “That dosing regimen will start in our pharmacies, in our general practices, in our state and Commonwealth clinics, in our Indigenous medical clinics from the fourth of April,” he told reporters. “It’s for a window for four to six months after you have had your first booster, and that’s based on medical advice.”

The national influenza vaccine program will start on the same day, with health authorities warning Australia is set for a double blow of Covid-19 and flu outbreaks. Hunt said in a statement that government-funded influenza vaccines will become available through a range of providers including general practitioners (GPs), community health clinics and eligible pharmacies subject to local supply arrangement in states and territories. “The medical advice from the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization is that it is safe to have the influenza and Covid-19 vaccines at the same visit,” he said. The Australian government announced on Friday that it is scrapping a requirement for all overseas travellers to return a negative Covid-19 test prior to departing for the country. The requirement was introduced late in 2021 when Australia’s borders were opened to residents and citizens. “Given that the vaccination requirements remain and the masking requirements, the medical advice is that (the test) would no longer be required,” Hunt said. “Particularly as there are some challenges in some jurisdictions in having access to those tests or proving those tests.”

IANS

Canberra, March 20 (IANS) Australia’s national science agency on Sunday announced its commitment to help reduce the country’s plastic waste by 80 per cent over 10 years. The Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO) announced a further investment in its Ending Plastic Waste Mission, reports Xinhua news agency. The initiative will receive A$50 million in funding from the CSIRO, industry, governments and universities to develop cutting-edge innovations for how Australia makes, uses, recycles and disposes of plastics. Australians currently use 1 million tonnes of single use plastic every year, only 12 per cent of which is recycled. Larry Marshall, chief executive of the CSIRO, said that without

significant action the plastic waste problem would continue to grow. “The Ending Plastic Waste Mission will bring together the whole innovation system, from government, industry and academia to turn science into solutions that will benefit the environment and create economic opportunities for Australia,” he said in a statement. “By turning plastic waste into a renewable resource, the Mission will deliver collaborative scientific and manufacturing capabilities to drive new technologies across the entire plastics supply chain and grow Australia’s circular economy.” The CSIRO launched its “Team Australia” missions project in August 2020 with an aim of using major scientific and collaborative research initiatives to solve the country’s biggest challenges including plastic waste, climate change uncertainty, pandemics and natural disasters.

Australia concerned over Covid cases surge in most ‘1 in 6 Australian university students sexual- China military presence populous Australian states ly harassed on campus’ in Solomon Islands

Canberra, March 24 (IANS) Almost 5 per cent of Australian university students have been sexually harassed on campus, a report has found. Peak body Universities Australia (UA) published the results of the 2021 National Student Safety Survey, reports Xinhua news agency. It revealed that 4.5 per cent of about 44,000 participant students said they have experienced sexual assault. One in six students have been sexually harassed since starting at university and one in 12 has been sexually harassed in the past 12 months, said the report. Some victims said they did not know how to report the incidents to their institutions. “On behalf of Universities Australia and its 39 members, I am deeply sorry,” John Dewar, chair of UA www.indianabroad.news www.indianabroad.news

and vice-chancellor of La Trobe University, said in a statement on Thursday. “To every single university student who has experienced sexual harassment or sexual assault, or has a friend, family member or loved one who has, I am sorry.” Students who lived in on-campus accommodation were more likely to be harassed or assaulted than their peers who live with family. Australian National University (ANU), the second-best university in the country according to Times Higher Education’s rankings, said the survey results indicate, within a university context, that a higher percentage of ANU students experienced sexual harassment since starting university and in the last 12 months than the national average. Earlier in March the university announced a A$3.3 million ($2.4 million) student safety and wellbeing plan with a focus on safety in student residences. “No instance of sexual harassment or sexual assault should be tolerated, and our institutions must set the tone for what is expected from our future graduates,” Dewar said.

IANS

Canberra, March 25 (IANS) Australia has said that it would be concerned if China signed a pact that could let it establish a military presence in the Solomon Islands, the BBC reported on Friday. Leaked documents purport to show plans for a security deal between China and the Pacific nation, which lies about 2,000 km from Australia. Australia has long been concerned over Beijing’s growing influence in the Pacific, its nearest neighbours. Former Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd called the apparent plans “one of the most significant security developments we have seen in decades” and “adverse to Australia’s national security interests”. On Friday, Defence Minister Peter

Dutton denied a suggestion his country had “dropped the ball” in the region, the BBC reported. “We would be concerned, clearly, about any military base being established and we would express that to the Solomon Islands government,” he told the local Nine Network. The leaked papers set out a framework which could allow Beijing to deploy forces to “protect the safety of Chinese personnel and major projects in Solomon Islands”. The tiny Pacific nation could also “request China to send police, armed police, military personnel and other law enforcement and armed forces”, according to the document. There is also provision for China to “make ship visits, to carry out logistical replenishment in, and have stopover and transition in Solomon Islands”. The Solomon Islands government has drawn closer to China in recent times, establishing formal diplomatic ties in 2019 and ditching its links with Taiwan. But Australia has traditionally been its main security provider, regional power, and source of financial aid.

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Sydney, March 30: Daily Covid-19 cases in the Australian states of Victoria and New South Wales (NSW) surged on Wednesday as the highly transmissible Omicron BA.2 sub-variant continues to spread. NSW reported 25,235 new cases on Wednesday, its second highest daily increase in the month of March, the first highest being a result of a backlog of cases earlier in the month, Xinhua news agency reported. As the weather gets colder and the BA.2 variant, which is estimated to be 30 per cent to 40 per cent more transmissible than the original omicron strain, hospitalizations in the state have also grown steadily over the month. On Wednesday 1,301 people were hospitalised with Covid-19. Victoria also saw its highest single day increase with 11,749 new cases and seven deaths. There are

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currently 280 people hospitalised with the virus in the state. Professor Nancy Baxter, head of the Melbourne School of Population and Global Health at the University of Melbourne, told Xinhua that Australia is likely to see cases continue as the nation heads into the winter months and looks to live with Covid. “There’s a number of things converging to result in us probably having another significant wave [in the winter months].” In preparation for the winter, Australia will roll out a fourth vaccine shot to the population’s most vulnerable next month. Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said they would be offered to people over 65 years of age, Indigenous Australians and people with a disability or who are severely immunocompromised from April 4.

WORLD

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

Globalised world demands dispute reAlbright, 1st female US dressal mechanism acceptable to all: CJI Secy of State, dies of cancer IANS

Washington, March 24 (IANS) Madeleine Albright, the first female Secretary of State of the US, has died, her family announced. She was

84. Albright died of cancer, her family said in a statement on Wednesday, adding she was “surrounded by family and friends” during the final moment of her life, Xinhua news agency reported. A native of Prague, then Czechoslovakia, she migrated to the US in 1948 as an 11-year-old refugee, rising to the top of US Foreign Service as she held the post of Secretary of State from 1997 to 2001 during the Bill Clinton administration. During her tenure at the State Department, she championed the eastward expansion of the

North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), pushing in particular for the alliance’s military intervention -- led by the US in 1999 -- into the conflict in Kosovo between the Serbs and ethnic Albanians. NATO’s 78-day airstrike campaign against then Federal Republic of Yugoslavia extended to the bombardment of the capital city of Belgrade. Before becoming the Secretary of State, Albright was the US Ambassador to the United Nations between 1993 and 1997. She was a professor at Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service at the time of her death.

50 ministers go missing from political activity as Imran fights for survival IANS

More than 50 of the federal and provincial ministers have not been seen in public since the opposition began stacking up perils against Prime Minister Imran Khan. Sources shared that out of these ministers, 25 happen to be federal and provincial advisers and special assistants, while four of them are ministers of state, four advisers and 19 special assistants. Islamabad, March 26 (IANS) As the crucial no-confidence motion inches closer and uncertainty continues to shroud political alliances, at least 50 ministers belonging to the ruling Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have gone ‘missing from the political front, Express Tribune reported.

The odd development comes as the deafening silence of many PTI ministers is feeding the speculation that by holding their tongues - much like the allies – the ministers might be weighing other options as they await the right time, The Express Tribune reported.

However, at the federal level, the embattled Prime Minister continues to enjoy vigorous support. Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi, Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry, Energy Minister Hammad Azhar, Minister of Defence Pervez Khattak and Interior Minister Sheikh Rasheed are among the most vocal stalwarts who continue to propagate the government’s narrative, putting themselves at the forefront in Khan’s defence. However, a large number of federal and provincial ministers and cabinet members remain conspicuous for their absence in times of trouble.

Imran Khan left with no cards: Maryam Nawaz

IANS

Lahore, March 26 (IANS) Rejecting Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khans claim of having a ‘trump card’ to defeat the oppositions move to oust him from office, PML-N Vice

President Maryam Nawaz offered a word of advice asking him to show some “self-respect” and resign instead of seeking time to stay in the government, Dawn reported. Addressing party workers at the PML-N’s secretariat in Lahore’s Model Town, she said: “Today, Imran Khan is crying for help not from the public but someone else pleading to come forward and help save his government. But let me tell him, no one will come to his rescue now. He is seeking NRO from everyone, going to his party men and allies whom he never bothered to talk to.” Asking the Prime Minister to stop bluffing people on holding a ‘trump’ card, she said: “Imran is left with no

cards, rather his government’s days are numbered and this is writing on the wall.” She also castigated Khan for “threats” to his own party members, saying: “Imran is in power, yet over two dozen MNAs have left him. On the other hand, Nawaz Sharif is in opposition but not a single lawmaker parted ways with him despite worst political victimisation by the PTI regime during the past three-and-a-half years,” Dawn news reported. The PML-N leader said people would not come out in favour of the “selected” premier but would take to the streets against him under the banner of the opposition.

ICHRRF officially recognises the Kashmiri Hindu Genocide, 1989-1991 IANS

Washington, March 28 (IANS) The US based non-profit, International Commission for Human Rights and Religious freedom (ICHRRF) has called upon the Government of India and the Government of Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir to acknowledge and recognise the 1989-1991 atrocities on Kashmiri Hindus as an act of genocide. The Commission exhorts other human rights organisations, international bodies and governments to step up to the plate and officially acknowledge these atrocities as an act of genocide. The world must listen to these profoundly moving stories, seriously introspect on the impact of their past silence and inaction out of political expediency and make proper recognition, it said. International Commission for Human Rights and Religious freedom is a US based non-profit focused on upholding Human Rights and Religious Freedom through continuous monitoring, policy intervention and collaboration. ICHRRF held a special public hearing on the issue of Kashmiri Hindu Genocide (1989-1991) on March 27, 2022, during which a number of victims and survivors of ethnic and cultural cleansing testified under oath and submitted evidence. Profoundly heartbreaking, several

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Kashmiri Hindu victims of genocide, ethnic cleansing and exile from their homeland, courageously shared their traumatic stories of endurance, survival and recovery from atrocious human rights violations at the hands of radical Islamic terrorists that mirrored the Jewish Holocaust. Thousands of homes and temples were destroyed. Over 4,00,000 of Kashmiri Hindu men, women, and children were forced into exile by Islamic terrorists at gunpoint, ejected from their homes and everything they’ve known. Women were gang-raped, cut into two pieces with a saw and killed in the most brutal manner. Now, this culture is on the brink of extinction after self-advocacy over the course of 32 years, has been unsuccessful. Those who chose to remain in their homeland did so in faith believing in the goodness of their neighbours. The victims and survivors affirmed hope, peace, nonviolence, and safety, and found themselves raped, tortured, and executed by radical Islamic terrorists. Abused corpses were denied cultural funeral traditions and desecrated in psychological warfare to intimidate and control the remaining masses, the statement said. Having lived peacefully for thousands of years as an indigenous religious minority, the cry for help from these Kashmiri Hindus fell on deaf ears globally. While it was expected to a degree that each nation and media outlet chooses what and how much they report pertaining to global events, it was excruciatingly painful when

politicians, neighbours, friends, classmates, and local police turned blind-eyes and deaf ears. “These victims seek to rectify complicity and silence. They respectfully request recognition, acknowledgement, tribunals, justice and rehabilitation. Recognition is the first step in healing these traumas that impacted families socially, economically, medically and spiritually. This genocide should never be allowed to happen again,” the body said. Kashmiri Hindu victims’ request acknowledgement and recognition of the terrible crimes of ethnic cleansing, exile, and genocide. They also seek appointment of a commission of inquiry into the genocide and ethnic cleansing of Kashmiri Hindus to prevent future atrocities. Their demand includes holding the perpetrators and their backers legally accountable. All the perpetrators and those who abetted it, either by way of acts of omission or acts of commission must be identified, indicted, tried, and punished. Rehabilitation of the victims and survivors and safe zones to practice their faith and cultural traditions. Children should be able to grow and develop with their roots and learn their culture. They have also demanded government financial assistance programmes to alleviate the plight of economically weak Kashmiri Hindu families and permission to establish a Kashmiri Hindu Holocaust Museum.

New Delhi, March 19 (IANS) The Chief Justice of India, N.V. Ramana, said on Saturday that the globalised world demands embracing a dispute redressal mechanism that is acceptable and fair to everyone.

an American jurist, Evelle Younger, said about traditional litigation, and I quote: ‘An incompetent lawyer can delay a trial for months or years. A competent lawyer can delay one even longer’.

Ramana, who is on a visit to the UAE, was speaking at the fourth edition of the international conference on ‘Arbitration in the era of globalisation’ in Dubai.

“This brings me to the aspect of uniformity and stability in the dispute resolution process. Parties should be confident that an award rendered by a tribunal in one nation will be executable in another, without any hassle. To meet this goal, nations around the world have attempted to create effective structural mechanisms.

“The globalised world demands embracing a dispute redressal mechanism that is acceptable and fair to everyone. Fairness demands a platform where both parties get an equal say in the resolution of their dispute. This is where international arbitration comes into play. Arbitration is the best-suited dispute resolution mechanism for the globalised world,” he said. The CJI added that the international arbitration is party-driven, has procedural flexibility, and involves domain experts. “Arbitration is a time-bound mechanism structured to deliver immediate relief. No one should be able to say about arbitration what

“Efforts were made to ensure that arbitration becomes a popular mode of dispute resolution. To increase the faith of parties on the arbitration framework of a nation, adequate statutory backing regarding enforcement of awards is necessary. Interim measures of protection are also important,” he said. “We live in a closely-knit world. Yet, we continue to be sovereign nations, having our own independent legal regime. Each nation has to legislate keeping in view its past

and socio-economic conditions. Different nations therefore regulate issues like intellectual property rights, taxation and tariffs, crypto currency etc. differently. “Any and every effort to evolve a universally acceptable mechanism for dispute resolution must be alert to this reality. Harmonising diverse interests while trying to achieve a common goal is a huge challenge. It is in this context that conferences such as today’s will help us navigate the path smoothly,” the CJI said.

India calls for action on Pakistan, N.Korea nuke bomb-missile nexus New York, March 26 (IANS) India has called for international action on the nuclear-missile nexus of Pakistan and North Korea, calling it a threat to the region’s security. New Delhi “believes that there is a pressing need to address the proliferation of nuclear and missile technologies related to the DPRK (Democratic People’s Republic of Korea) in our region”, India’s Permanent Representative T.S. Tirumurti told the Security Council on Friday. “These linkages have an adverse impact on the peace and security in the region, including on India.” While he referred to North Korea by its formal name, diplomatically he did not mention Pakistan, but it was clear he was speaking of the well-documented swap of Islamabad’s clandestine nuclear technology for North Korea’s missile technology. This cooperation helped Pyongyang develop nuclear weapons and Islamabad build missiles. Tirumurti spoke at the Council meeting convened at the request of the US to discuss North Korea’s launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) on Thursday, which ended Pyongyang’s self-imposed moratorium on long-range missile testing that had been in place since November 2017 While the world is consumed by the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, nuclear-armed North Korea sprang the ICBM test and its leader Kim Jong-un taunted the US. KCNA, the official North Korean news agency, quoted Kim as saying that his country should get ready for a”long-standing confrontation with the US” and that “the strategic forces of the DPRK are fully ready to thoroughly curb and contain any dangerous military attempts of the US imperialists”. Tirumurti said: “India deplores the

launch of an ICBM by the DPRK. This is a violation of the resolutions of the UN Security Council relating to the DPRK. It affects peace and security of the region and beyond.” The launch contravenes Pyongyang’s own self-declared moratorium against the launch of ICBMs, he added. Russia and China have proposed a Council resolution for loosening sanctions on North Korea citing their impact on its people. China’s Permanent Representative Zhang Jun said” “The China-Russia draft resolution on the DPRK serves one purpose and only one purpose and that is to ease the humanitarian and logistical plight”. US Permanent Representative Linda Thomas-Greenfield countered: “We have also heard recent calls for sanctions relief for the DPRK. But why should the Security Council reward bad behaviour?” The US will be introducing its own “resolution to update and strengthen the sanctions regime”, she said. The two resolutions will not survive

IANS

Arul Louis

the vetoes from the opposing sides. Tirumurti said that “India is sensitive to the humanitarian situation in the DPRK” and had sent it $1 million worth of anti-tuberculosis medicines through the World Health Organization. The nuclear-for-missile swap was carried out through what came to be known as the “Khan Network”, a nuclear arms bazaar run by A.Q. Khan, the prime mover behind Pakistan’s nuclear bomb. Pakistan’s former President Pervez Musharraf admitted that Khan had given North Korea centrifuges for enriching uranium for nuclear weapons. Khan said that his country had been buying missiles from North Korea. In deals going back to Pakistan’s slain Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, North Korea gave her country missile designs. Pakistan’s Ghauri missile is based on North Korea’s Rodong (sometimes written as No Dong).

WHO resumes support programme in Afghanistan Kabul, March 28 (IANS) The World Health Organization (WHO) said it has resumed its first capacity-building training programme since the fall of Kabul last August, to support and improve the provision of health services in the war-torn nation. “We are trying to continue the services that already existed, and secondly to improve the quality of those programs…we are currently in an emergency situation, because in an emergency we can continue the minimum services,” TOLO News quoted Ahmad Wali Rasekh, in charge of the programme, as saying. According to the WHO, the programme will continue for three days to create good governance, greater transparency and coordination

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between the various health institutions with the participation of health officials from 34 provinces.

IANS

Since the Taliban took over Afghanistan in August 2021, donors found it impossible to provide financing through the new regime, and major funding was withdrawn. Previously funded by the World Bank, the European Commission, and USAID, there are now serious challenges to continuing these vital primary health care services. Afghans were also suffering due to a recent drought that has affected crops and livestock. This, combined with rising food prices and the collapse of public services, have led to acute food

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insecurity for nearly 19 million people, according to the WHO.

POLITICS

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

After meeting G-23 leaders, Sonia seeks Yogi creates history, reports on situation in various states breaks jinx & belies myths as he enters 2nd term Amita Verma

Lucknow, March 25 (IANS) When Yogi Adityanath takes oath as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh for the second consecutive term on Friday, he will create history, break jinx and belie myths. As the first chief minister in 37 years to return to power with an overwhelming majority, Yogi Adityanath has already created history. By the time he completes his second term, he will become the longest serving chief minister of the country’s most populous state. Yogi Adityanath’s return to power has also broken the infamous Noida jinx that kept chief ministers away from the district. This ‘Noida jinx’ gained currency in the state politics after then Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Vir Bahadur Singh was forced to resign in 1988, only a few days after he visited Noida. Vir Bahadur Singh’s successor Narain Dutt Tiwari lost power in the 1989 Uttar Pradesh Assembly

election. He also visited Noida as chief minister. The two Noida-jinxed losses weighed heavily on the minds of the chief ministers subsequently and they all favoured skipping Noida visits. Mulayam Singh Yadav, Kalyan Singh and Rajnath Singh stayed away from Noida as chief ministers of Uttar Pradesh. Mulayam Singh Yadav was the first chief minister following the ouster of Vir Bahadur Singh and Narain Dutt Tiwari after Noida visits in 1980s, to bypass Noida. That was Mulayam Singh Yadav’s first term as Uttar Pradesh chief minister from 1989 to 1991. Rajnath Singh, too, inaugurated Delhi-Noida-Delhi (DND) flyover as Uttar Pradesh chief minister from Delhi, not Noida in 2001. Similarly, Akhilesh Yadav skipped the Asian Development Bank (ADB) summit that had then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh as the

chief guest in Noida in 2013. Earlier in 2012, Akhilesh Yadav inaugurated the Yamuna Expressway from Lucknow even though the 165-km highway runs from Greater Noida to Agra, about 350-km from Lucknow. Akhilesh Yadav had become chief minister after Mayawati lost power in 2012. She had incidentally visited Noida as Uttar Pradesh chief minister in 2011 to inaugurate the Dalit Smarak Sthal, ignoring the Noida jinx. Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, however, visited Noida to inaugurate Delhi Metro’s Magenta Line on December 25, 2017. Modi had then scoffed at the Noida jinx saying, “Yogi Adityanath deserves adulation for dismissing superstition that a chief minister should not visit Noida.” The BJP led by Modi won 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Yogi Adityanath too kept visiting Noida even during the election campaign. In November 2021, Yogi Adityanath told a public gathering during inauguration of the Jewar airport, “My predecessors used to shy away from visiting this district as their own life and position of power were more important to them.” Yogi Adityanath’s return to power has also belied the myth of Kalidas Marg where the official residence of the chief minister is situated. It was widely believed that chief ministers did not enjoy consecutive terms because of the Kalidas ‘curse’ -- the famous Sanskrit poet known to have cut the branch he was sitting on which made the residents of the Kalidas Marg bungalow work against their own interests.

Thackeray pounces on ‘pervert’ BJP, dares it to jail him and grab power IANS

Mumbai, March 25 (IANS) In one of the most virulent attacks till date, Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Friday accused the opposition BJP of indulging in ‘perverted’ politics, and dared it to arrest him and grab power in the state. Coming three days after his brother-in-law faced action by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), Thackeray also questioned the

corruption allegations levelled by the BJP and the actions of various central probe agencies to defame the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) government, its leaders and their families. “I am not scared by these tactics. If you want to jail me to come power, then do it. But don’t indulge in such vicious behaviour to grab power. Don’t harass us or our family members. We never bothered your family members,” Thackeray said. In his stinging reply to the Opposition’s charges of corruption in the BrihanMumbai Municipal Corporation during the Covid-19 pandemic, the episode of Minister Nawab Malik and others, Thackeray strongly rebuffed the BJP’s allegations point by point. He said that the ‘Mumbai Model’ of Covid management has been hailed globally, and while the Opposition is welcome to point out any lapses which can be rectified, he called

upon the BJP to stop hurling baseless accusations. Asking whether the ED has become the ‘maid-servant’ of the BJP, especially after the arrests of former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh and later Malik, the CM took strong umbrage at the Opposition for linking Malik and the MVA in general with mafia don Dawood Ibrahim, and using the absconder’s name in elections. He recalled how the former state BJP Home Minister, the late Gopinath Munde, had promised to bring back Dawood, but it has not yet happened. “Fromer US President Barack Obama displayed guts by sending his commandos to Pakistan to kill Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden. Why similar courage has not been shown to deal with Dawood,” Thackeray asked, without naming Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

office-bearers will be appointed soon. Along with this, the party has also started a digital membership campaign. This was announced on Sunday at the workers’ conference in Jaipur. The AAP announced fresh beginnings for the election preparations from this conference. Without discipline party even family can’t run In the conference, Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh advised party workers to follow discipline and said that there will be no place for undisciplined people. He said, “Discipline is necessary everywhere including party, institution, school, college, without discipline, even a family cannot run.” He further advised the party

workers to learn making use of their organisation from the BJP workers. Rajasthan election in-charge Vinay Mishra, MLA from Delhi’s Dwarka seat, said that workers shall start working with a notion that elections are going to be held soon. A three-month special membership drive is being started in the state. There will be in-charges at the district level for monitoring. In Rajasthan, the failures of Congress’s Ashok Gehlot government will be taken to the public. After the party’s victory in Punjab, there is enthusiasm among the workers in Rajasthan and new people are joining the party, he added.

Buoyant with Punjab win, AAP eyes Rajasthan IANS

Jaipur, March 28 (IANS) Buoyant after its recent victory in Punjab, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has started hectic preparations in Rajasthan for the upcoming Assembly elections. Vinay Mishra, the new in-charge of AAP Rajasthan, announced the dissolution of all the executive bodies from the state executive to the district level and said that new

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New Delhi, March 24 (IANS) Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi, who has taken a proactive role since the banner of revolt raised by the ‘G-23’ group against the party’s current system of working, has sought reports from the General Secretaries and state in charges about the political situation in the states they handle, sources said. A meeting of the party functionaries who have been given state-specific responsibilities has been called on Saturday. Gandhi, ahead of the ‘Chintan Shivir’ (brain-storming camp) proposed next month, wants these reports handy and to put forth a plan for the revival of the party as she has to come out and actively involve herself in the party functioning in wake of the dismal performance in the latest round of Assembly elections.

Though the G-23 has not opened up about the two rounds of the meeting with the Congress President, first with its senior leader Ghulam Nabi Azad and second with Manish Tewari, Anand Sharma, and Vivek Tankha, sources say that the group is pushing for revival of the parliamentary board and collective decision-making body, rather than giving sweeping powers to certain individuals who have been losing election after elections. Reaching out the dissidents by her meetings with G-23 leaders to discuss the proposals mooted by them, Gandhi is putting her best effort to put a united face in the party. She has also been successful in persuading the group not to press on the leadership issue. Azad, who had met the party chief on March 18, had said that there was no vacancy currently for the post of

IANS

President, nobody asked her to quit, and all want her to continue. The group has also distanced himself from the views of senior party leader and fellow G-23 leader Kapil Sibal on leadership change.

Kerala Minister in trouble as Congress to approach vigilance over his ‘wealth’ IANS

Thiruvananthapuram, March 26 (IANS) Kerala State Fisheries and Culture Minister Saji Cherian, known for his big mouthed statements, is in fresh trouble as the Youth Congress has decided to file a petition over his wealth before the Vigilance, Lokayukta and also the Election Commission. The 56-year-old Cherian who represents Chengannur assembly constituency in Alappuzha district, is a close aide of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and even though he is only a legislator for nearly four years, he was made a cabinet minister last year. He got a promotion this year into a powerful CPI-M state secretariat also and has become very vocal which has already landed him in trouble. After the public protests began over the K-Rail project, Cherian has been going hammer and tongs against the protesters and he has now antagonised his own electorate who have vowed that they will see that he

will not be elected next time. Cherian came under fire when former Home Minister and veteran Congress legislator Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said that he has with him records to prove that the alignment of the K-Rail was altered so as to save Cherian’s house. To this Cherian said that he will only be glad to give over his house which is worth over Rs 5 crore for the project and the money realised can be transferred to an account of Radhakrishnan with a request that money should be given as charity to a Pain and Palliative society at his home town. After his statement Youth Congress workers dug out his affidavit filed along with his nomination to the assembly election, wherein he says the total assets belonging to his wife and him is a mere Rs 35 lakh. Youth Congress activists have informed that they are going to file a petition against Cherian before the Vigilance, Lokayukta and the

Election Commission about this discrepancy. Cherian earlier made a goof up when he categorically said that there would be no buffer zone beside the K-Rail track but his own party secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan had to correct him and said there is a buffer zone.

DMK plans to catapult Stalin to national leadership Chennai, March 28 (IANS) The DMK, which is the third-largest party in the Lok Sabha after the BJP and Congress, is trying to catapult party president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin into the national scenario with the grand inauguration of its party office in the national capital on April 2. DMK parliamentary party leader and former Union minister T.R. Baalu has already extended invitations to BJP president J.P. Nadda, Congress president Sonia Gandhi Union Home Minister Amit Shah and other senior leaders. The invitation to Amit Shah who had earlier refused to meet the delegation of DMK parliamentarians regarding the NEET issue has raised several eyebrows. Party State Organising secretary R.S. Bharathi, however, said that the invitation extended to Amit Shah was a courtesy. He said that even AIADMK leaders have been invited for the function. It is not a secret that Stalin has

been nursing national ambitions and planning to head a regional coalition against the BJP-led NDA in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. While Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee have been conducting whirlwind tours across the country meeting regional leaders for a possible alternative to the BJP-led NDA at the Centre, Stalin has an advantage with the Congress supporting the DMK leader. The DMK top brass, including Baalu, is planning to Stalin is catapulted to the national stage. Stalin’s father and late Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Kalignar Karunanidhi had entered into political relationship with both the NDA and UPA earlier and T.R. Baalu has been one of the major architects in these shrewd political moves. It is to be seen how DMK’s will fructify to push Stalin as an alternate regional leader as there are several other players aspring for a national

IANS

role. Political commentator and Director of Madurai based think tank, SocioEconomic Development Front Dr. R. Padmanabhan while speaking to IANS said: “Stalin has all the right to be projected as an alternative to the BJP at the centre but it is to be seen as to how the nation as a whole accept a regional party leader from South of India. The DMK party inauguration is indeed a show of strength and networking at New Delhi and is worth a try.”

Raj gang-rape case: BJP leader sends train ticket to Priyanka IANS

Jaipur, March 28 (IANS) BJP state secretary and former parliamentary secretary Jitendra Gothwal has sent a train ticket to Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra and asked her to visit Rajasthan at the earliest while reminding her of her campaign “ladki soon lad sakti hoon” in the context of the alleged gang-rape of a minor by Congress MLA’s son and his four friends. “A minor has been raped by the son of a Congress MLA in Rajasthan. The minor girl is not able to fight against your MLA’s muscle power,” Gothwal said in his tweet and tagged Priyanka also. He further said, ‘Priyanka Gandhi

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ji, am sending train tickets for you, come to Jaipur immediately. Because there are girls in Rajasthan too, they are not able to fight.” He also shared the railway ticket from Delhi to Jaipur on his Twitter handle. He has booked this ticket in the name of Priyanka Gandhi which is confirmed for March 28. It needs to be mentioned here that five people, including the son of Congress MLA, have been booked in the case of gang-rape of a minor. The victim’s uncle has filed a report that his 15-and-a-half-year-old niece, a Class 10 student befriended Vivek Sharma on social media.

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On February 24 last year, Vivek took her to a hotel after intoxicating her drink. According to the report, the accused filmed rape and blackmailed the victim. A case has been registered against Deepak Meena, son of Rajgarh MLA Johri Lal Meena, Vivek Sharma and Netram Samleti along with two others under various sections of gang-rape and the POCSO Act.

TECHNOLOGY

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

Tesla aims to complete Cybertruck NASA to develop second Moon lander, alongside SpaceX’s Starship development this year: Musk IANS

San Francisco, March 24 (IANS) Tesla CEO Elon Musk has made a new comment about the Tesla Cybertruck, which recently took a backseat, and said that the automaker aims to complete Cybertruck development this year for production in 2023.

During an event for the start of Model Y deliveries at Gigafactory Berlin, Musk was asked by an employee about Tesla’s short-term goals, reports the auto-tech website Electrek. Musk reiterated that Tesla’s focus this year is to ramp up production of current vehicle programmes, especially Model Y and Model 3, but he also offered a rare comment on Cybertruck. He said that Tesla aims to complete the development of the Cybertruck this year for production in 2023. “We want to complete the development of Cybertruck this year and be ready for production next year,” Musk was quoted as saying. When Tesla unveiled the Cybertruck back in 2019, Tesla said that the electric pickup truck would make it to market by the end of 2021. As the deadline was approaching, the automaker confirmed that production slipped to 2022.

Musk later said that Tesla was targeting a start of production for the electric pickup truck in “late 2022” at Gigafactory Texas. With the focus clearly on bringing the Model Y to production at the factory, and that being delayed as well, it appeared likely that the Cybertruck production timeline could also slip, the report said. During Tesla’s last earnings report in January, Musk gave an update confirming that Tesla wouldn’t launch the Cybertruck or any new vehicle in 2022. The CEO remained vague when it comes to the electric pickup truck and only said that it would “hopefully come next year” - meaning in 2023. Since then, there have been rumours that Tesla is planning to start production of the Cybertruck in early 2023.

Truecaller launches slew of new messaging features on its app IANS

New Delhi, March 24 (IANS) Swedish caller identification app Truecaller on Thursday introduced brand new updates including urgent messages, sharing of smart cards, revamped smart SMS, the ability to edit sent chat messages, and setting default views. According to the company, new features in the app are an exciting addition for today’s generation as they are not only functional tools but are also a timesaver in our fastpaced world. “These features get us closer to our

mission: to make communication safer and more efficient for everyone. Truecaller has evolved into a powerful communication hub and for the people who wish to use the app to its fullest, these features will add immense value. The features are fun and easy-to-use and can solve many problems we face in our day-to-day messaging,” Rishit Jhunjhunwala, Chief Product Officer and Managing Director, Truecaller India, said in a statement. The urgent messages feature allows you to get the receiver’s attention for

critical or time-sensitive messages with a custom notification. The urgent message will pop up on the recipient’s screen with high visibility, even if another app is open, and will not disappear until the recipient reads it. With a set default launch screen Truecaller users will now be able to choose the default appearance of the app when it is first launched. With a simple long-press on the calls or messages tab, it can be set as the default view. The next time the app is opened, it will open to the default. With the new update, you can edit/ make changes to the chat message even after the receiver has viewed it. You can edit chat messages at any time after sending and it is important to note that editing is only available for Truecaller Chat, not SMS. Now, you can share smart cards in the form of an image so that the information is easily readable by anyone, whether they use Truecaller or not.

Adani Group picks Google Cloud to boost digital transformation IANS

New Delhi, March 28 (IANS) The Adani Group on Monday announced a multi-year partnership with Google Cloud, as the company aims to move more than 250 business-critical applications to Cloud. The strategic collaboration will tap each organisation’s expertise across best-in-class infrastructure, technology, and industry solutions to modernise the Adani Group’s IT

operations at scale. “The inevitability and pace of cloud adoption mandates that every business redefine its business model. This provides new challenges and new opportunities that will not only be transformational but will also require new forms of industry collaboration, said Gautam Adani, Chairman, Adani Group. The first phase of the partnership

is well underway, with the Adani Group making swift progress migrating its extensive IT footprint from its existing on-premises data centre and colocation facilities to Google Cloud. Moving over 250 business-critical applications, such as its SAP HANA core, and peripheral systems to Google Cloud’s infrastructure will centralise workflows, streamline operations, and enable business users to tap powerful new data capabilities for fast and accurate decision making. “Adani’s SAP migration is one of the fastest we’ve seen at scale and is already delivering significant value across its business. Our continued collaboration will spearhead new digital platforms that will have a transformative impact,” said Thomas Kurian, CEO, Google Cloud. The Adani Group is the largest and fastest-growing portfolio of diversified businesses in India.

Global smartphone display panel market reaches $46 bn in 2021 New Delhi, March 26 (IANS) The global smartphone display panel market recorded a revenue of $46 billion in 2021 and OLED display led the market. OLED display panels saw increased adoption in the supply chains of leading smartphone OEMs (original equipment manufacturers), according to Strategy Analytics. “We note more than 600 million OLED panels for smartphones were shipped to OEMs,” said senior analyst Jeffrey Mathews. The smartphone display panel www.indianabroad.news www.indianabroad.news

recorded more than 5 per cent annual revenue growth. Samsung Display dominated the market with 49 per cent revenue share, followed by BOE Technology with 16 per cent and LG Display with 8 per cent in 2021. The top-three display panel vendors captured nearly 72 per cent revenue share in the global smartphone display panel market. “The OLED segment continued to see strong momentum in terms of customer demand. However, the shortage of display driver ICs

and increasing BOM restricted the growth of the OLED segment and allowed LCD panels to capture volumes,” said Mathews. Smartphone Display Panel technology is set to be a strong point of differentiation this year. “We forecast intense competition for OLED displays as leading smartphone OEMs continue to seek more display suppliers to counter cost and supply challenges,” said Stephen Entwistle, Vice President of the Strategic Technologies Practice.

IANS

Washington, March 24 (IANS) As NASA makes strides to return humans to the lunar surface under Artemis, the space agency has announced plans to create a second Moon lander other than SpaceX’s Starship, creating additional opportunities for commercial companies. Under the plan, NASA is asking American companies to propose lander concepts capable of ferrying astronauts between lunar orbit and the lunar surface for missions beyond Artemis III, which will land the first astronauts on the Moon in more than 50 years. The new lander will be built and operated according to NASA’s longterm requirements at the Moon, and it will have the capability to dock to a lunar orbiting space station known as Gateway, increase crew capacity, and transport more science and technology to the surface. “Under Artemis, NASA will carry out a series of groundbreaking missions on and around the Moon to prepare for the next giant leap for humanity: a crewed mission to Mars,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, in a statement. “Competition is critical to our success on the lunar surface and beyond, ensuring we have the capability to carry out a cadence of missions over the next decade,” he added. To bring a second entrant to market for the development of a lunar lander in parallel with SpaceX, NASA will issue a draft solicitation in the coming weeks. The second contract award, known as the Sustaining Lunar Development contract, will

pave the way to future recurring lunar transportation services for astronauts at the Moon, NASA said. “This strategy expedites progress toward a long-term, sustaining lander capability as early as the 2026 or 2027 timeframe,” said Lisa Watson-Morgan, programme manager for the Human Landing System Program at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama. “We expect to have two companies safely carry astronauts in their landers to the surface of the Moon under NASA’s guidance before we ask for services, which could result in multiple experienced providers in the market,” she added. NASA is committed to using a commercial astronaut lunar lander to carry the astronauts to the surface of the Moon, expanding exploration

and preparing humanity for the next giant leap, human exploration of Mars. Astronaut Moon landers are a vital part of NASA’s deep space exploration plans, along with the Space Launch System rocket, Orion spacecraft, ground systems, and Gateway. In April 2021, NASA selected SpaceX as its partner to land the next American astronauts on the lunar surface, slated for launch no earlier than April 2025. NASA has also asked SpaceX to transform the company’s proposed human landing system into a spacecraft that meets the agency’s requirements for recurring services for a second demonstration mission.

WhatsApp multi-device support starts rolling out to all users New Delhi, March 24 (IANS) Metaowned encrypted messaging service WhatsApp has started rolling out the much-awaited multi-device support for all users. Till now, the feature has been available to users under WhatsApp’s opt-in beta testing programme. Now, according to WABetainfo, the update will roll out to iOS users this month, followed by an Android release next month. With the new update, your primary device will not have to remain online in order to access the platform. Viewing live location is not possible on paired devices. Creating and viewing broadcast lists or sending messages with link previews from WhatsApp Web cannot be performed on the secondary devices. WhatsApp has also started rolling out emoji reactions in beta on

IANS

Android. The emoji reactions have started appearing in beta version 2.22.8.3 of the service’s Android app, giving users a quick and easy way to respond to incoming messages.

With a long-press of a received message, the feature lets users react with one of six emoji -- thumbs up, heart, crying, laughter, shocked face, or folded hands (usually taken to mean “thank you”).

Death would come as a relief to me: Elon Musk

IANS

New Delhi, March 28 (IANS) SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk has said that he is not afraid of dying and death would actually bring relief to him. In an interview with Mathias Dopfner, the CEO of German publishing company Axel Springer, Musk said that he would like to maintain health for a longer period of time. “I think for political leadership, you want to be ideally within 10 or at least, 20 years of the average age of the population. And for me, I certainly would like to maintain health for a longer period of time. But I am

/IndianAbroadNews

not afraid of dying. I think it would come as a relief,” he explained. Musk, however, said that he would like to live long enough to see the vision of SpaceX come true. “My biggest hope is that humanity creates a self-sustaining city on Mars,” he added. Answering the question on if he is happy at the moment, Musk said: “I think there are degrees of love. But certainly, for one to be fully happy, I think you have to be happy at work and happy in love. So, I suppose I’m medium happy. “I tried to be as literal as possible.

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I would be happy if humanity has a self-sustaining city on Mars because then, the probable lifespan of humanity is much greater. I think we really just got this little candle of consciousness, like a small light in the void. And we do not want this small candle in the darkness to be put out.” Musk said that we should not try to have people live for a really long time. “That it would cause asphyxiation of society because the truth is, most people don’t change their mind. They just die. So if they don’t die, we will be stuck with old ideas and society won’t advance. I think we already have quite a serious issue with gerontocracy, where the leaders of so many countries are extremely old.” On the concept of launching global air taxis, he said that the landing of such air-borne vehicles will be loud. “So you would probably be connecting cities that are next to oceans or seas. So you can land far enough offshore that the landing noise is not disturbing to people. It is like an intercontinental rocket,” the Tesla CEO noted.

SPORTS

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

No regrets that my 175* was not IPL 2022: MS Dhoni quits as recorded, it’s still etched in my captain of Chennai Super Kings; Ravindra Jadeja to take over head: Kapil Dev IANS

Manesar, March 24 (IANS) Former India skipper Kapil Dev on Thursday said he has no regret that there is no video footage available of his unbeaten 175-run innings against Zimbabwe during the 1983 World Cup. The win in the ‘83 World Cup remains one of the greatest sporting achievements in Indian history. Scripting that victory would not

have been possible if the then Team India skipper Kapil didn’t come up with an epic knock at the Tunbridge Wells ground against Zimbabwe on June 18, 1983. But unfortunately for the Indian cricket fans, Kapil’s innings was never recorded on camera because of a nation-wide strike by sole broadcasters BBC back then.

After India were reduced to 9/4 by Zimbabwe, Kapil then played some remarkable cricket to guide his side to a respectable total of 266/8 in 60 overs. India won the game by 31 runs. “I don’t like to criticise people. People say don’t you feel bad it wasn’t recorded, and I always say ‘no’ because it is recorded in my head,” Dev said at an event organised by telecom operator Airtel to demonstrate some of its 5G-led immersive user experiences at its Network Experience Center in Manesar, Haryana. At the event, the telecom operator demonstrated an immersive and India’s first 5G-powered hologram of the former India cricketer and recreated the in-stadia experience of the cricketer’s unbeaten innings against Zimbabwe. Also, the Haryana Hurricane’s signature Natraj shot was shown in such a manner that a person can experience the moment at a 180-degree view. Asked if that particular innings was his finest performance, the legend refuted by saying that it was, however, an “important” innings.

Australia’s all-format tour of Sri Lanka confirmed for June and July 2022 IANS

competitions of immense value for us, as we aim to move through the ICC World Test Championship rankings and also gearing up for the ICC Men’s World Cup in 2023,” said Ashley De Silva, CEO of Sri Lanka Cricket. In the 2016 tour of the Island Nation, Australia lost the Test series 3-0. But the visitors bounced back to win the ODIs 4-1 followed by a 2-0 clean sweep of the T20Is. Australia’s Tour of Sri Lanka June 7: First T20, Colombo June 8: Second T20, Colombo June 11: Third T20, Kandy June 14: First ODI, Kandy

Colombo, March 25 (IANS) The all-format tour of Australia men’s team to Sri Lanka has been confirmed to happen in June and July this year. It will be for the first time since 2016 when Australia will be touring Sri Lanka. The tour will begin with three T20Is followed by five ODIs, for which the hosting rights will be shared between the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo and the Pallekele International Stadium in Kandy from June 7 to June 24.

The all-format trip will end with two Tests which will be part of the World Test Championship to be held at the Galle International Cricket Stadium in Galle from June 29 to July 3 and July 8 to 12. “We are in for some exciting cricket, especially considering that an Australian tour to Sri Lanka is taking place after 5 years, since last time they toured Sri Lanka. The T20 Series will help our preparations for the T20I World Cup, whilst the Test and ODI segments are also

June 16: Second ODI, Kandy June 19: Third ODI, Colombo June 21: Fourth ODI, Colombo June 24: Fifth ODI, Colombo June 29 - July 3: First Test, Galle July 8-12: Second Test, Galle

Chennai to host FIDE election in August Venkatachari Jagannathan

Chennai, March 25 (IANS) The election of the office bearers of International Chess Federation (FIDE) will be held in Chennai on August 7. FIDE has already chosen Chennai as the venue for the 44th Chess Olympiad, scheduled to be held from July 28 to August 9. According to FIDE, the All India Chess Federation (AICF) will hold the 94th FIDE Congress in Chennai within the period of July 31 to August 7 and the election of office bearers will be held on August 7. The FIDE is currently headed by former Russian Deputy Prime Minister Arkady Dvorkovich. “Prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Dvorkovich was in a comfortable position and was expected to get a second term without any opposition in sight,” a senior chess Grandmaster with a good international standing told IANS on condition of anonymity. In 2018, Dvorkovich had to fight it out against then deputy president of FIDE, Georgios Makropoulos. Given the geopolitical situation, Dvorkovich’s nationality and his past position in the Russian government, he and his team would prefer a neutral venue for holding the FIDE

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Mumbai, March 24 (IANS) Defending champions Chennai Super Kings (CSK) on Thursday have announced that iconic wicketkeeper-batter MS Dhoni has quit as the captain of the side ahead of the start of IPL 2022. In place of Dhoni, left-arm spin all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja will be the new captain of Chennai. “MS Dhoni has decided to hand over the leadership of Chennai Super Kings and picked Ravindra Jadeja to lead the team. Jadeja, who has been an integral part of Chennai Super Kings since 2012, will only be the third player to lead CSK. Dhoni will continue to represent Chennai Super Kings this season and beyond,” said a statement from the franchise. Dhoni, who had been the captain of CSK since the inception of the league in 2008, had already retired from international cricket in August 2020. Under his captaincy, Chennai won the IPL trophy in 2010, 2011, 2018 and 2021 apart from winning

two now-defunct Champions League T20 titles in 2010 and 2014. CSK will open their IPL 2022 campaign against two-time IPL

IANS

champions Kolkata Knight Riders in a re-match of the 2021 IPL final at the Wankhede Stadium on Saturday.

Moved by ‘83’, Sir Richard Hadlee pens a warm email to Kapil Dev Mumbai, March 24 (IANS) Sir Richard John Hadlee, who is regarded as one of the greatest cricket all-rounders, was so inspired after seeing the Kabir Khan film ‘83’ on an OTT platform that he got in touch, after years, on email with Kapil Dev, who captained the Indian team that returned home with the World Cup in 1983. “Hi Kaps!” wrote Sir Richard to Kapil Dev, who, incidentally, bested the New Zealander’s then record wicket haul of 431 to take the World No. 1 spot briefly. “It has been many years since we have seen or heard from each other. I have just finished watching ‘83’ on Netflix and I was inspired to contact you,” Sir Richard continued. “I really enjoyed the movie and [am] reliving the 1983 World Cup. It was a very inspirational movie and a story that warmed my heart,” said the New Zealander, who played his last World Cup in 1983 after being India’s nemesis in 1975 and 1979. Sir Richard, incidentally, did not represent his country in the 1987 World Cup because he said he did not relish playing in India. In his email, Sir Richard mentioned that the film gave him a deeper insight into Kapil Dev as a person and “how you motivated your team through your words and deeds on the field.” He added: “Without even checking the record books I remember your marvellous innings against Zimbabwe (and your score) and the low team scores in the final, and how the team [India] lifted themselves to defeat the Windies.” Sir Richard said it was “great to see you and Jimmy [Mohinder Amarnath] play an active part in the movie”. He complimented Ranveer Singh for portraying Kapil Dev well

and added: “The production was excellent and the story was absorbing with interesting asides, especially about the support the team had from fans in India and on the border.” Both Kapil Dev and Amarnath have featured in cameos in the film, apart from lending their perspective during the making of ‘83’. Kapil Dev appears in a shot where he can be seen lauding his on-screen avatar portrayed by Ranveer Singh; Amarnath plays his own father, the legendary Lala Amarnath, whom the ‘83’ team members kept invoking in their conversations. Sir Richard also praised the film on the techniques used to recreate the historic World Cup. “Seeing the games acted out with some real film footage and still camera shots embellished the movie and brought life to the story,” Sir Richard said. “Some of the actors were very distinguishable both in the Indian and West Indian teams -- I thought Malcom Marshall’s bowling action was very good.”

IANS

The year 1983 was special for New Zealand, too, for the Kiwis registered their first-ever Test series win on English soil with a comfortable 3-1 series win. Hadlee topped both batting and bowling averages for New Zealand, and bagged his 200th Test wicket in the final Test, which was held at Nottingham. In his heartfelt email, Sir Richard wrote: “I have many fond memories of playing against you and doing TV interviews during the World Cup staged in the West Indies. I also recall the time when we accidently hit a pedestrian who ran in front of the car and we took him to the hospital.” Concluding on a personal note, Sir Richard updated Kapil Dev about his health condition and his life after hanging up his boots, “I will be 71 in July -- I have had several health issues but I am OK at the moment -I am retired and live on a golf course and play 3x a week with a handicap of 13.”

Chess Olympiad set to start on July 28 at Mahabalipuram

Congress. At its meeting held on February 27, the FIDE Council had decided, “Regardless of the organisation of the Chess Olympiad 2022, FIDE organises the annual FIDE Congress during the previously planned dates -- from July 27to August 2 with the election date on August 1. The preference is to combine the FIDE Congress with the Chess Olympiad 2022.”

The FIDE Council also suggested consultations with the potential organisers of the Chess Olympiad 2022 and allows adjustment of the FIDE Congress dates if it does not imply a notable delay of elections. The FIDE Council had confirmed that the continental elections shall be organised within their constitutional terms. Venkatachari Jagannathan can be reached at v.jagannathan@ians.in)

Chennai, March 25 (IANS) The 44th Chess Olympiad will kick start at Mahabalipuram near here on July 28 while the first round will be played on July 29, said secretary, All India Chess Federation (AICF) and Olympiad tournament director Bharat Singh Chauhan. “The opening ceremony and technical meeting will be held on July 28, 2022. The first round will be played on July 29, 2022,” Chauhan told IANS. The venue will be the convention centre at the Four Points by Sheraton, located in the Mahabalipuram area, one of the main tourist destinations in southern India. According to Chauhan, the tournament will have a total of 11 rounds. The last round will be played on August 9, 2022 after which the closing ceremony would be held, he said. The players will their free day on August 4, 2022, as per schedule. The

/IndianAbroadNews

Venkatachari Jagannathan

departures will be on August 10, 2022.

/indianabroadnews

(Venkatachari Jagannathan can be reached at v.jagannathan@ians.in)

BITCOIN UPDATES

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

Australian watchdog sues Meta over Ukraine legalises cryptocurscam celebrity crypto ads on FB rency to fight Russian invasion IANS

Sydney, March 19 (IANS) The Australian consumer watchdog has filed a lawsuit against Meta, the owner of Facebook, saying that the social network allegedly engaged in false, misleading or deceptive conduct by publishing scam advertisements featuring prominent Australian public figures. The ACCC alleged that Meta aided and abetted or was knowingly concerned in false or misleading conduct and representations by the advertisers. “The essence of our case is that Meta is responsible for these ads that it publishes on its platform,” the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) Chair Rod Sims said in a statement late on Friday. The ads, which promoted investment in cryptocurrency or

money-making schemes, were likely to mislead Facebook users into believing the advertised schemes were associated with well-known people featured in the ads, such as businessman Dick Smith, TV presenter David Koch and former NSW Premier Mike Baird. The schemes were in fact scams and the people featured in the ads had never approved or endorsed them. The ads contained links which took Facebook users to a fake media article that included quotes attributed to the public figure featured in the ad endorsing a cryptocurrency or money-making scheme, said the ACCC. Users were then invited to sign up and were subsequently contacted by scammers who used high pressure tactics, such as repeated phone calls, to convince users to deposit funds into the fake schemes. “It is a key part of Meta’s business to enable advertisers to target users who are most likely to click on the link in an ad to visit the ad’s landing page, using Facebook algorithms. Those visits to landing pages from ads generate substantial revenue for Facebook, Sims added. It is alleged that Meta was aware that the celebrity endorsement cryptocurrency scam ads were being displayed on Facebook but did

not take sufficient steps to address the issue. The celebrity endorsement cryptocurrency scam ads were still being displayed on Facebook even after public figures around the world had complained that their names and images had been used in similar ads without their consent. “Meta should have been doing more to detect and then remove false or misleading ads on Facebook, to prevent consumers from falling victim to ruthless scammers,” said Sims. Meta was yet to react to the lawsuit. Sims said that Meta failed to take sufficient steps to stop fake ads featuring public figures, even after those public figures reported to Meta that their name and image were being featured in celebrity endorsement cryptocurrency scam ads. “In one shocking instance, we are aware of a consumer who lost more than $650,000 due to one of these scams being falsely advertised as an investment opportunity on Facebook. This is disgraceful,” Sims informed. Scamwatch figures show that in 2021, consumers reported losses of $99 million to cryptocurrency investment scams.

No plan to introduce cryptocurrency, says Govt IANS

New Delhi, March 15 (IANS) There is no plan by the government to introduce cryptocurrency, the Parliament was told on Tuesday. There is no plan to introduce a cryptocurrency and currently it is unregulated in India, Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary told the Rajya Sabha in a written

reply. “Reserve Bank of India (RBI) does not issue cryptocurrency. Traditional paper currency is legal tender and is issued by RBI in terms of provisions of RBI Act, 1994. A digital version of traditional paper currency is called Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC),” the

minister said. In reply to another question, the minister informed the upper house that the RBI is currently working towards a phased implementation strategy for introduction of CBDC and examining use cases which could be implemented with little or no disruption. He stated that introduction of CBDC has the potential to provide significant benefits such as reduced dependency on cash, higher seigniorage due to lower transaction costs, etc The minister further informed the house that printing of notes have declined over a period of time. “During 2019-20 notes worth Rs 4,378 crore were printed, while in 2020-21, notes worth Rs 4,012 crore were printed. In 2016-17, notes worth Rs 7,965 crore were printed,” he said.

Bitcoin swindlers targeting iPhone, Android users via romance apps IANS

New Delhi, March 28 (IANS) Bitcoin swindlers are now targeting iPhone and Android users through popular dating apps, such as Bumble and Tinder, charging hundreds of thousands of dollars in fake “profit tax” to unlock their crypto accounts, cyber-security researchers warned on Monday. The international cryptocurrency trading scam called CryptoRom, unearthed by cyber-security firm Sophos, has become well-organised and targets victims all over the world. In one case, a victim was charged $625,000 to regain access to the $1 million he had invested in a fake crypto-trading scheme, recommended by someone he had met on an online dating platform. The dating “friend” then claimed to have invested some of their own money to bring their joint stake up to $4 million. According to the scammers, their investment made a profit of $3.13 million, and they were liable for a 20 per cent profit tax, or $625,000, if they wanted to access their account to withdraw funds. In fact, neither the co-investment nor the profits were real, and the online “friend” was part of the scam, according to Sophos report. When victims tried to withdraw their investments from one of the fake trading schemes, their accounts were frozen and were charged up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in fake “profit tax” to regain access.

www.indianabroad.news

Kiev, March 17 (IANS) Ukraine has legalised cryptocurrency as the country received donations worth tens of millions of dollars from individuals and groups to help it fight the Russian invasion. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky has signed the law that creates conditions for further formation of the legal field in the market of virtual assets. The new market will be regulated by the National Commission on Securities and Stock Market. The signed law determines the legal status, classification and virtual assets ownership rights and determines the list of providers of virtual assets and conditions of their registration. Until now, the Ministry of Digital Transformation has been developing the legal framework in this area. “The Ministry of Digital Transformation is also actively working to amend the tax and civil codes of Ukraine to fully launch the virtual assets market,” the government said in a statement. The signing of the crypto law is an important step towards bringing the cryptocurrency sector out of

IANS

the shadows and launching a legal market for virtual assets in Ukraine. “Ukraine has legalised the crypto sector. From now on, foreign and Ukrainian cryptocurrency exchanges will operate legally and banks will open accounts for crypto companies,” the government tweeted. Crypto exchanges and companies that handle other virtual assets will have to register with the government. “With the beginning of the war, cryptocurrencies have become a powerful tool for attracting additional funding to support the armed

forces of Ukraine,” said the country’s Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Digital Transformation, Mykhailo Fedorov. “In more than three weeks of war, the Crypto Fund of Ukraine has raised more than $54 million in cryptocurrencies,” he informed. Media reports claimed that the government has received close to $100 million in crypto donations. El Salvador was the first country to permit consumers to use cryptocurrency in all transactions, alongside the US dollar, in September 2021.

Nothing with cryptocurrency legality, is ponzi scheme, ED to SC New Delhi, March 28 (IANS) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Monday urged the Supreme Court to issue direction to one of the accused in the Gain Bitcoin scam to provide access, username and password, to his crypto wallet, contending that the issue of “legality of crypto currency” does not arise in the matter, as it is a ponzi scheme. Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati, representing the ED, submitted before a bench headed by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud that the “username and password are crucial in this matter. This has nothing to do with the legality of cryptocurrency” as she objected to the interim protection from arrest granted to the petitioner. The bench, also comprising Justice Surya Kant, asked the petitioner Ajay Bhardwaj, one of the accused in the scam, to make full disclosure to the ED -- the username and password of the crypto currency wallet -- for interim protection to continue. The bench also asked Bhati to file an updated status report in the matter on the next date of hearing. The ED told the apex court that the brother of the petitioner has died, and he is in possession of the username and password of crypto wallets, which must be disclosed to the investigating officer. The petitioner’s counsel submitted that some material is in custody of Pune police. The bench asked the petitioner to file a reply for application of cancellation of bail within 2 weeks, and

also directed him to fully cooperate in the investigation. The petitioner’s counsel submitted that pursuant to the directions of the top court, his client had joined the investigation on several dates. Seeking access to crypto wallets, Bhati submitted that the focal point here is that it is investment through bitcoin and not through normal banking channels, to which the petitioner replied that Pune police had done full seizure and that all the material was lying with them. On February 25, the bench orally asked the Centre to make its stand clear on Bitcoins. The ED, in its affidavit, said: “It is evident that the statements of Ajay Bhardwaj are self-contradictory and he is not cooperating with the

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respondent in investigation. It is submitted he is either answering evasively or in negative. By giving such statements, he is only trying to mislead the investigation and withholding the important facts known to him...”. It has urged the top court to allow custodial interrogation of the petitioner, as he is in possession of crucial information required for the proceedings in the matter. “The investigation conducted so far has revealed that Amit Bhardwaj (who died in January this year) with connivance of petitioner, Vivek Bhardwaj, Mahender Bhardwaj and others i.e, multi-level marketing agents and associates have collected 80,000 bitcoins as proceeds of crime,” added the affidavit.

Noida-based edtech startup Classplus raises $70 mn “The CryptoRom scam is romance-centred financial fraud that relies heavily on social engineering at almost every stage,” said Jagadeesh Chandraiah, senior threat researcher at Sophos. The scammers attract targets through fake profiles on legitimate dating sites and then then try to persuade the target to install and invest in a fake cryptocurrency trading app. The apps are usually installed as web clips and are designed to closely resemble legitimate, trusted apps. “According to victims of this scam who contacted us after our earlier articles, the 20 per cent aprofit tax’ is only mentioned when they try to withdraw their funds or close the account,” said Chandraiah. Victims who struggle to pay the tax

are offered a loan. There are even fake websites that promise to help people recover their funds if they’ve been scammed. “In short, whichever path the increasingly desperate victims go down to try to get their money back, the scammers are there waiting for them. People tell us they have lost a lifetime’s savings or their retirement funds to the scam,” the report mentioned. The research also found a few cases where the CryptoRom operators had approached targets directly via WhatsApp and SMS messages, probably using stolen information. According to Sophos, the fraudsters are misusing Apple’s TestFlight feature that allows for a limited group of people to install and trial a new iOS app and go through a less stringent Apple review process.

Noida, March 29 (IANS) B2B edtech startup Classplus on Tuesday said it has raised $70 million in a Series D round co-led by Alpha Wave Global and Tiger Global. Founded in 2018 by Mukul Rustagi and Bhaswat Agarwal, Classplus is a mobile-first SaaS (software-as-a-service) platform that allows educators and content creators to build their online presence, digitise their offline tuition centres and sell their courses online. The startup said that funds will be used to enhance the product and expand its global presence. Classplus recently announced expansion in Southeast Asian markets, including Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia. The new funding round came eight months after Classplus raised a $65 million series C funding in June last year. “Going forward, we’ll also be investing in new acquisitions and partnerships that will enable us to continue delivering best-in-class experience to the educators and helping them create an impact in the

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education system,” said Rustagi. Abu Dhabi-based Chimera Ventures has come in as a new investor while existing investor, RTP Global, has doubled down on their investment in the NCR-headquartered company. The new round values Classplus close to $600 million, a more than 2 times jump in the valuation from the previous round.

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Classplus has digitised over 1 lakh educators across 3,000 towns and cities serving more than 25 million students. A majority of its educators have witnessed a 2-3 times increase in profitability within six months of adopting the platform, claimed the startup.

BUSINESS

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

Commodity crisis: Toyota to raise prices by up to 4% from April

New Delhi, March 26 (IANS) Automobile manufacturer Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) on Saturday said it will realign the prices of its models, by up to 4 per cent effective from April 1, 2022. According to the company, this

hike has resulted due to the rising input cost, including that of raw materials. “As a committed and customer-centric company, TKM has made all conscious efforts to minimise the impact of rising

costs on consumers,” said TKM Spokesperson in a statement. On Friday, luxury automobile manufacturer BMW India said it will increase prices by up to 3.5 per cent across its model range effective from April 1. The price increase will be brought into effect to adjust the material and logistics costs, impact of current geo-political situation and exchange rates, the company had said. Earlier, another luxury carmaker, Mercedes-Benz India had announced an upward revision in price of its entire model range effective from April 1. As per Mercedes-Benz India, the imminent price correction would be in the range of 3 per cent across the entire model range. It said that the constant increase in input prices in addition to an increase in logistics rates have been exerting significant pressure on the overall costs of the company.

Post Pandemic: International ops to give wings to India’s aviation industry

New Delhi, March 27 (IANS) The reinstatement of regular international flight operations is expected to boost the pandemic battered civil aviation industry in India. On Sunday, scheduled commercial international passenger services to and from India were restarted. The Centre has allowed over 3,200 flights per week from India during this year's summer schedule which commenced on Sunday. Besides, the restart of regular international services brings more options and lower prices for passengers. Industry experts say that the present juncture might be the opportune moment for India's airline industry to gain international market share. At present, foreign carriers ferry more Indians to overseas destinations than the homegrown airlines. "The resumption of regular international flights after a hiatus of 2 years is set to give a booster shot to the domestic airline companies who have seen a prolonged disruption to their operations," said Suman Chowdhury, Chief Analytical Officer, Acuite Ratings & Research. "While risks of additional Covid waves will remain, the likelihood of the same impacting economic

New Delhi, March 25: The Government on Friday said in Parliament that it has planned to conduct the auction of 5G spectrum in 2022.

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activities including passenger transportation in a severe manner is gradually on a decline, given the high vaccination coverage and the increased immunity." Chowdhury pointed out that advance bookings for the upcoming summer season have also seen an encouraging trend driven by an expected revival in the hospitality and tourism industry. Lately, the domestic air passenger traffic has seen a sequential pickup. In February 2022, the traffic grew by 19 per cent over January 2022 due to a rapid drop in Omicron cases, although the volumes were still significantly lower than the pre-Covid levels. "Domestic travel has been increasing rapidly in the past few months," said Ashish Chhawchharia, Partner & National Head -- Restructuring Services at Grant Thornton Bharat. "As international travel resumes, a huge boost to the travel and tourism industry will be felt across the hospitality, F&B and retail sector. In the near future, fleet size, airports and routes, maintenance, cargo, FTOs and drones are going to expand exponentially, to meet the demand." Furthermore, pent-up demand for

Minister of State for Communications Devusinh Chauhan said a Committee of Secretaries of various ministries discussed the spectrum allocation

international wanderlust is expected to keep seats full for airlines. Moreover, even the fuel used on the international routes is far cheaper than the one consumed for domestic operations. "'Go Big' is the theme for international travel this year. The industry is seeing a strong desire for grand getaways fuelled by pent-up demand and limited international travel options in the last two years," said Rajnish Kumar, Co-founder & Group CPTO, ixigo. "We are also seeing a trend of travellers now eager to book longhaul destinations with international borders reopening and relaxation of rules across the globe." As per ixigo, significant uptick has been seen in travel search queries for popular international destinations like Australia, Sri Lanka, US & UK. "Travel search queries from India for Australian cities like Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney have jumped 15-20 per cent this month," Kumar said. In addition to airlines, other segments like airports and the hospitality are expected to reap the benefits out of the reinstatement. "After missing international summer travel for two consecutive years and the country recording the lowest cases of all time, passengers have shown keen interest in leisure travel over the last couple of months," a CSMIA (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport, Mumbai) spokesperson said. "With international travel soon resuming, we anticipate passenger footfall crossing pre-pandemic numbers with nearly 700 flight movements daily in the summer of 2022." India had banned the operation of international flights on March 23, 2020 to contain and control the spread of Covid-19. Flight restrictions, however, were later eased under the air bubble arrangement with certain countries.

among various users in the context of spectrum needs of emerging technologies/users (5G/IMT) and recommended the spectrum allocation in relevant key bands. Accordingly, the Department of Telecommunications sent a reference to the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on March 2021, seeking recommendations on the auction of spectrum in frequency bands identified for International Mobile Telecommunications. Telecom Service Providers (TSPs) are conducting 5G trials in Delhi, Mumbai, Jamnagar, Ahmedabad, Kolkata, Chennai, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Lucknow, Gurugram, Gandhinagar, Chandigarh, Pune and Varanasi including urban, semi-urban and rural areas. It is the prerogative of the TSPs to launch 5G service in different cities as per

Indian online higher education market to reach $5 bn New Delhi, March 27 (IANS) Driven by the pandemic, the online higher education and life-long learning market in India is poised to reach $5 billion by 2025, a new report has said. Online higher education is emerging as the fastest growing sub-segment of the edtech sector. The user base for online higher education grew by 75 per cent in 2021, despite a three times growth in the average ticket size compared to the K12 segment. In fact, the market size for online higher education in India is now comparable to the largest edtech segments (K6-12 including test preparation), the report showed. According to Bengaluru-based market research firm RedSeer, the macro-economic factors that will drive this growth include relaxation in regulations governing degrees, supply-side capacity gaps, realisation of the need for higher education among students and professionals, and transition to the credit system. "India's booming edtech market, which saw multiple startups and increased funding during the pandemic, is expecting further boost on the back of growth in higher education and lifelong learning segments. It's safe to say that online higher education has impressed us all by emerging as the fastest growing sub-segment," said Abhishek Gupta, engagement manager, Redseer.

The unbundling of courses and democratisation of access unquestionably boosts the demand for online higher education and also increases the completion rate. Another growth driver is the supply-side capacity gaps. India has supply-side constraints in education infrastructure (especially for specialised courses). Transition to the credit system as well as the realisation of the need for higher education by students and working professionals is further contributing to the boom in this sector. The market for online lifelong learning also will expand further

with "further push after Covid as the economic uncertainty further establishes the need for continuous learning," the report said. Apart from Covid, existing skills getting increasingly redundant, job creation lagging behind new additions to the workforce annually, and a mismatch between industry requirements versus education curriculum in colleges are the other reasons for growth. The findings also saw that there was a steep uptake in M&A (mergers and acquisitions) activity as well in the online higher education segment.

Stalin in UAE: Lulu Group to invest Rs 3,500 Cr in TN

Chennai, March 27 (IANS) The multibillion-dollar Lulu group of Keralite NRI businessman M.A. Yusuf Ali will be investing Rs 3,500 crore in Tamil Nadu. This was announced by the group chairman and Managing Director M.A. Yusuf Ali while attending the investors’ meet of Tamil Nadu in Dubai. The meet was organised by the Tamil Nadu state government on Saturday. Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M.K. Stalin, who is on a four-day tour of the Middle East to scout investments, was present at the meet.

The Lulu group will build two shopping malls and an export-oriented food processing unit. The group, according to a statement from the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s office will ink the Memorandum of Understanding on Monday in Abu Dhabi. The Lulu group Chairman M.A. Yusuf Ali in a statement said that the group would commence construction of the malls soon and will provide employment to 5,000 people in the two malls. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K.

Stalin in his speech said that ever since he assumed office as the Chief Minister, the state has signed 124 MoU’s attracting an investment of 8 billion dollars creating employment opportunities for 20,000 people. He said that the target of a trillion economy by 2030 is achievable and that the state has chalked out several programmes and activities, including developing infrastructure, upskilling the workforce to improve productivity, and taking up measures to attract investments in new sectors like electric vehicles, technical textiles, and other sectors. The Chief Minister also invited industrialists from the UAE to invest in food processing, hospitality, food parks, and real estate sectors in Tamil Nadu. He also appealed to the investors from Dubai to invest in a massive furniture park that was coming up at Thoothukudi in Tamil Nadu. M.K. Stalin told investors that the state is well-posed for good growth and that the state has a positive GDP growth rate of 5.8 per cent when compared to negative growth in many other economies. He also said the mission of the Tamil Nadu government was to attract massive investments in manufacturing and service sectors and develop the state into a massive investment hub.

BMW India to increase prices from April 2022 New Delhi, March 25 (IANS) Luxury automobile manufacturer BMW India said it will increase prices by up to 3.5 per cent across its model range effective from April 1. The price increase will be brought into effect to adjust the material and logistics costs, impact of current geo-political situation and exchange rates. Earlier, another luxury carmaker, Mercedes-Benz India had announced an upward revision in price of its entire model range effective from April 1. According to Mercedes-Benz India, the imminent price correction would be in the range of 3 per cent across the entire model range. It said that the constant increase in input prices in addition to an increase in logistics rates have been exerting significant pressure on the overall costs of the company.

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HEALTH

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

44 cholera deaths reported in Cameroon

IANS

Yaounde, March 25 (IANS) Hospitals in Cameroon’s Southwest region have been swamped with hundreds

of patients as cholera deaths have increased to 44, a health official said. “It is a very serious situation,” Filbert

Eko Eko, public health chief of the region, told Xinhua news agency. Over 1,700 cases have been reported in the region from March 11 to 23, according to figures released by the Southwest Regional Delegation of Public Health. At least 14 people died of the disease between Wednesday and Thursday, raising the death toll to 44 in the last two weeks, Eko said. “We have cases practically all over our region. Our three major treatment centres are completely overpowered,” Eko told Xinhua. He said hospitals do not have enough beds for patients, some of whom are staying in tents or along corridors in the facility premises. The situation is dire in the seaside resort town of Limbe, where at least 400 infections were detected on Wednesday, according to officials. Eko blamed the outbreak mainly on the lack of clean water and public latrines in the region. On Wednesday, the region’s governor, Bernard Okalia Bilai, urged local officials to build toilets in the affected areas within 30 days.

Quarantine period removed in Fiji to attract more foreign visitors IANS

Suva, March 25 (IANS) Fiji has announced that the three-night-stay requirement upon entry into the country is being removed and fully vaccinated visitors can come to the island nation from April. According to Fiji Broadcasting Corporation (FBC), Fiji’s Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum announced in parliament on Thursday that following the establishment of private testing facilities

nationwide, the three-night-stay requirement upon entry into Fiji is being removed. He said that from April 7 this year, fully vaccinated visitors, residents, or citizens of Fiji will only need to conduct Rapid Antigen Test within 24-hours of arrival in Fiji at an approved testing facility, Xinhua news agency reported. “All visitors to Fiji will play by the same rules because from April 7, we

will also do away with the Travel Partner system. In other words, anybody from anywhere in the world can come to Fiji as long as they are vaccinated,” he added. He said the most important thing is that visitors need to be vaccinated. “If they test upon arrival, then the country of origin is far less important.” The Minister also said that from Friday, wearing masks in Fiji will become optional and all venues in the island nation, including stadiums may operate at full capacity. And social distancing requirements will no longer be enforced either. Fiji, which has a population of around 900,000, now has a total of more than 64,000 Covid-19 cases with 834 deaths since March 2020. Fiji has also recorded 912 Covid-19 positive patients who died from other serious medical conditions unrelated to Covid-19. At present, 87 per cent of Fiji’s eligible population (all persons 12-years-old and beyond) have been fully vaccinated. And as of Wednesday, 114,924 people in Fiji have received booster doses.

Delhi tops with highest pulmonary TB prevalence per lakh population: Survey

Scientists find microplastics in human blood for first time IANS

London, March 25 (IANS) A team of scientists have for the first time demonstrated that plastic particles from our day-to-day lives such as water bottles, grocery bags, toys and disposable cutlery, among others, can end up in our bloodstream in detectable levels. The research, published in the scientific journal Environment International, shows that miniscule pieces of plastic from our living environment are absorbed into the human bloodstream. Polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyethylene, and polymers of styrene were the most common types of plastic found in the blood samples, followed by poly(methyl methacrylate). Polypropylene was also analysed but the concentrations were too low for an accurate measurement. PET is commonly found in soda and water bottles; containers; polyethylene in bottles for milk and household cleaners; blow-extruded grocery bags, caps, and toys; while polymers of styrene are found in disposable cutlery, plastic models, CD’s and DVD cases. “We have now proven that our bloodstream, our river of life as it were, has plastic in it,” said ecotoxicologist Heather Leslie from Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam.

The team developed an analytic method for establishing the trace level of micro and nanoplastic particles in human blood. The study included 22 participants, whose blood was examined for the presence of five different polymers, the building blocks of plastic. Three-quarters of the test subjects appeared to have plastics in their blood, the team said. While earlier indicators for this came from laboratory experiments, the new research shows that people absorb microplastics from their environment in their everyday lives and that the amounts are measurable in their blood. The overall concentration of plastic particles in the blood of the 22 donors amounted to an average of

1.6 microgram/millilitre (ug/ml), which is comparable to a teaspoon of plastic in 1,000 lts of water (10 large bathtubs). A quarter of the tested donors had no detectable quantities of plastic particles of any type in their blood. “This dataset is the first of its kind and must be expanded to gain insight into how widespread plastic pollution is in the bodies of humans, and how harmful that may be. With this insight we can determine whether exposure to plastic particles pose threat to public health,” said analytical chemist Marja Lamoree from the varsity. The team now wants to address how easy it is for these particles to move from the bloodstream into tissues such as in organs like the brain.

Tulsi, neem, turmeric defend lungs against air pollution With so many Indian cities reported to have high levels of air pollution, the importance of lung hygiene cannot be understated. Lung hygiene is the best defence that the body can put up against air pollution, especially during winters, and ayurveda has a bunch of remedies to enable it. The New Delhi-based Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences, reports IANS, lists tulsi, neem and turmeric as key enablers of healthy lungs. Ayurveda details about various plants and measures in combating environmental impurities and sanitizing the environment. The ubiquitous and sacred Tulsi (Ocimum tenuiflorum L.) plays a vital role in absorbing pollutants, according to CCRAS. Neem (Azadirachta indica A.Juss.) leaves boiled in water have detoxification properties beneficial for skin and hair. Turmeric has an anti-inflammatory property that protects lungs from the toxic effects of pollutants. Haritaki (Terminalia chebula Retz.) and ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) too are beneficial for respiratory ailments.

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Triphala taken with honey reinforces immunity, restoring balance to the system. The herb Pippali (Piper longum L.), with honey, purifies lungs and facilitates easy breathing, according to a paper by CCRAS. Likewise, the smoke emitted from burning drugs like Laksha (Laccifer lacca), Haridra (Curcma longa L.), Ativisha (Aconitum heterophyllum Wall) and Haritaki is known to purify toxic air. Shobhanjan mooladi agad may be used for treating those affected by such pollution, recommends CCRAS. Incidentally, in the past, many of these Ayurvedic drugs were part of grandmother’s vast repertoire of home remedies that fortified households against various ailments, the publication pointed out. Your lungs are constantly working to provide your body with all the oxygen it needs to function well. The respiratory system is vital for you to live. However, just like all other systems of our body, even the respiratory system is prone to wear and tear, more so due to high levels of toxins and pollutants in the air, says Dr Anil Shukla, Professor of Ayurveda at Mansarovar Ayurved Medical college, Bhopal.

Lung health also varies from season to season. In Ayurvedic context, when too much Vata (space +air) accumulates in the lungs we experience breathlessness, dry coughs, asthma, hoarseness of the voice, weak voice, pain when breathing and even lung allergies. If you are experiencing any of these, your lung health might be out of balance. Ayurveda has effective remedies to bring an agitated dosha back into balance through diet, lifestyle and herb concoctions. To ensure the health of our lungs, let’s dive into ancient wisdom that’s highly effective even today, adds Dr Shukla.

IANS

New Delhi, March 24 (IANS) The prevalence of microbiologically confirmed pulmonary TB in the 15 and above population was 316 per lakh in the country from 2019 to 2021, with the highest prevalence of 534 per lakh population recorded in Delhi. Kerala reported the least cases at 115 per lakh population. The National TB Prevalence Survey results released on Thursday on the occasion of World Tuberculosis Day have revealed that the burden of TB in India is much higher than previously estimated. The survey was conducted from 2019 to 2021 to know the actual disease burden of TB at the national level. The survey estimated the prevalence of microbiologically confirmed pulmonary TB among persons aged 15 years and above in

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India at the national level, and for 20 individual states. The survey was conducted after a gap of 60 years. The last survey at the national level was conducted in 1955-58. “Prevalence of microbiologically confirmed pulmonary tuberculosis in 15+ population in India is 316 per 100,000 population, while the prevalence of all forms of tuberculosis among all age groups in India is 312 per 100,000 population,” revealed the survey. The highest prevalence for all forms of TB was 747 per lakh (510-984) in Delhi, and the lowest was 137 (76198) in Gujarat. According to the survey, the prevalence to notification ratio of adult pulmonary tuberculosis in India is 2.84, while prevalence of TB

infection among population aged 15 and above is 31.7 per cent. The higher prevalence of pulmonary TB was observed in older age groups, males, malnourished, smokers, alcoholics and known diabetics. The survey revealed that the majority (64 per cent) of symptomatic population did not seek healthcare services. The reasons were ignoring the symptoms (68 per cent), not recognising the symptoms as TB (18 per cent), self-treatment (12 per cent) and couldn’t afford to seek care (2 per cent). Among the 36 per cent of survey participants who sought care for their symptoms, there was equal preference for government and private facilities. The survey showed that among the diagnosed TB cases, 12 pe cent were already on treatment, while 23.3 per cent had a history of TB treatment. Hence, the close follow-up of patients completing treatment for early detection of recurrent TB and planning of intervention for preventing recurrence of TB is needed, the survey suggested. “We should prioritise the interventions in high-prevalence states with focus on screening of elderly, malnourished and diabetic, and implement strategies to reduce the prevalence to notification gap,” the survey said.

Yoga can help fix neurological disorders: Expert IANS

Bengaluru, Nov 24 (IANS) As the contribution of neurological disorders to the total disease burden doubled from about 4 per cent in 1990 to 8.2 per cent in 2019, research in the field has also evolved progressively. And close to 700 PubMed journals over the last 54 years have reported that yoga can be the solution to this growing problem. Deliberating on the science behind the effectiveness of yoga in preventing and treating neurological disorders, Dr Pooja Pandey, a yoga expert with the Arogya Physiotherapy & Rehab Centre, Bengaluru, said: “Yoga is instrumental in fixing neurological problems. Also, yoga and meditation are known to activate the pituitary gland, the master gland, which is responsible for regulating brain activity, metabolism as well as blood pressure.” Dr Pandey added: “Another key factor to note is that yoga also reduces the level of cortisol, the stress hormone in the body, which is the root cause of a large number of diseases. Pranayama, moreover, reduces neural excitability, which is one of the major causes of epilepsy.” She recommended practising

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pranayama and yoga nidra regularly, or for at least three to four times a week, especially for those recovering from stroke and epilepsy. Dr Pandey said all asanas that involve bending backwards are good for neurological disorders as they improve blood supply to the brain. Second, asanas that activate your spinal cord are also beneficial as they calm down the central nervous system and parasympathetic nervous system. Finally, asanas that

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provide relaxation are also of special significance as they calm down the brain and the nervous system. The ways of performing these activities may vary from person to person, depending on his or her condition and fitness level. It is therefore important to practise yoga under the supervision of a trained professional and personalise the experience to gain the maximum benefits out of it.

DIASPORA

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

Indian-American Miss World 2021 first runner-up lives with pacemaker, survived facial

New York, March 17: The story of Shree Saini, the 26-year-old Indian American who was named the first runner-up in the Miss World 2021 pageant in Puerto Rico on Wednesday, is one of resilience over adversities that would daunt even the sturdiest individuals. Ludhiana-born Saini, who grew up in Moses Lake, Washington, has been living with a pacemaker since the age of 12. With a heartbeat rate

of 20 per minute, doctors ruled her out for her first love -- ballet. But, literally dancing against all odds, Saini became a trained ballerina and has been accepted as a trainee by the prestigious Joffrey Ballet, based out of Chicago. In October 2019, Saini collapsed right before the final night of the Miss World America competition, where she eventually got to wear the crown, which she accepted from Miss World 1997 Diana Hayden. Taking to Instagram that evening, Saini’s mother, Ekta Saini, said that doctors had kept her daughter on “cardiac arrest watch” because just 1 per cent of individuals around the world get a pacemaker implant. Undeterred by the episode, Saini went on to be crowned Miss World America 2020. Saini, incidentally, is a former Miss India USA (2017-18) and Miss India Worldwide (2018-19). Before she left for Miss World earlier this month, Saini shared

a “global message of hope and resilience” in which spoke about how she survived a “major rollover car accident that left my face with bleeding wounds” while she was still in university. Recalling that horrific episode, Saini wrote: “I no longer had my face. I couldn’t even recognise myself. I couldn’t even cry because my tears would burn as they would pass down my wounds. It was the most excruciating pain I had ever endured.” The Instagram post, which went viral after Saini became the first runner-up at Miss World 2021, concluded with her urging her social media followers “to keep being solution-oriented ... to never lose sight of hope ... to have a possibility mindset ... and to apply solutions to everyday difficulties”. The post is accompanied by pictures of Saini’s blood-stained lacerated face to drive home the point that even a car crash as disfiguring as that one did not stop

Andhra man accused of triple murder hangs self in Kuwait prison

Amaravati, March 17 (IANS) A man from Andhra Pradesh, who was accused of killing three members of a Kuwaiti family, has committed suicide in a prison in Kuwait. According to information reached Pillola Venkatesh’s family in Kadapa district on Thursday, he hanged himself in Kuwait central prison. Venkatesh (35) was accused of killing a man, his wife and daughter in Ardiya area of Kuwait. Family members of Venkatesh in Dinnepadu village of Lakkireddypalle mandal were shocked on receiving the information. They, however, alleged that Venkatesh was murdered in jail. They claimed that Venkatesh was

innocent and was implicated in a false case. Venkatesh’s wife Swathi and two children were inconsolable. She said that her husband was unlawfully jailed and murdered. Swathi was last week deported to India after Venkatesh was arrested for the triple murder. She, along with Venkatesh, had gone to Kuwait in search of livelihood two years ago. The man was initially hired as a driver by a Kuwaiti family while Swathi worked as domestic help. Venkatesh later found another job. Swathi said her husband was accused of killing his former employer, his wife and daughter. She said though he had visited the

former employer’s house a couple of time to resolve visa-related issue, he had nothing to do with the murders. Venkatesh was arrested for the murder of 80-year-old Kuwaiti national, his 50-year-old wife and 18-year-old daughter. The victims were found murdered at their house. They were all stabbed to death. Though the crime was committed on March 4, it came to light four days later when the family’s neighbours alerted local police about the foul smell emanating from their house. According to media reports, Kuwait police claimed to have solved the triple murder case with the help of CCTV footage. They arrested Venkatesh, who reportedly confessed to the crime. He allegedly killed the family due to some financial dispute. Venkatesh’s parents, Sri Ramulu and Ramanamma, said he had called them earlier this month to check on his two children. He assured that he would soon resume sending them money. Last week, they received a call from Kuwait police that their son has been arrested for triple murder. They were also informed that Venkatesh’s wife was being deported. On her return to India, Swathi approached police officials in Kadapa district seeking their help for his release from Kuwait jail and safe return to India. She had also

22,500 Indians returned from Ukraine: Govt New Delhi, March 21 (IANS) Around 22,500 Indian nationals have returned from Ukraine to India from February 1 to March 11, the Parliament was informed on Monday. “(A total of) 90 evacuation flights were operated under ‘Operation Ganga’ including 14 Indian Air Force flights,” Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Gen V.K. Singh (retd) told the Rajya Sabha in a written reply. He said that the government had coordinated with the Indian

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carriers for the operation of evacuation flights. “The government has coordinated with six private airlines... for evacuation of Indian nationals from countries adjoining Ukraine viz. Romania, Hungary, Poland and Slovakia under Operation Ganga. “Air India and Air India Express together have operated 23 evacuation flights under Operation Ganga,” he said, adding that the air fare for all the flights operated under ‘Operation Ganga’ has been borne by the Centre.

Indian-American doctor jailed for 96 months in healthcare fraud

New York, March 26: An IndianAmerican ophthalmologist in New York has been sentenced to 96 months in prison for a healthcare fraud scheme, along with fraudulently obtaining government loans meant for Covid-hit small businesses. Ameet Goyal, MD, was sentenced this month by Damian Williams, the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York, for falsely billing for millions of dollars of upcoded procedures, and also for fraudulently obtaining two government-guaranteed loans intended to

help small businesses during the pandemic. "Fraud doesn't fully capture how blatant this was and how unjustified this was. This was not about need, it was about greed," US District Judge Cathy Seibel said in a statement by the Department of Justice (DoJ). Goyal previously pled guilty to all charges in a six-count superseding Indictment before Judge Seibel in September last year. In addition to the prison term, he was sentenced to five years of supervised release, and ordered to

pay forfeiture of $3.6 million and restitution of $3.6 million. Goyal has already paid approximately $1.79 million toward these obligations. "A prominent ophthalmologist and oculoplastic surgeon who has now surrendered his medical license, Goyal was blinded by greed. Over a seven-year period, he preyed on the trust placed in him and cheated patients and insurance companies of $3.6 million in false charges," said Williams. To cover his tracks, Goyal created fictitious operative reports, seeded across hundreds of patient files, violating the integrity of patients' medical records and making it more difficult for subsequent doctors to evaluate their care. He sent patients who could not pay the upcoded bills to a collection agency, decimating their credit. According to the DoJ, Goyal also pressured other doctors to join the scheme and threatened to retaliate against their livelihood and careers. "Even after being arrested for this scheme, he committed a breathtaking new fraud and stole $637,200 from the Paycheck Protection Programme in the early days of a devastating pandemic," Williams said. "For his crimes, Goyal will serve a substantial sentence in prison," he added.

CM condoles death of Goan shot dead in Texas store Panaji, March 22: Goad Chief

Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday expressed sorrow at the killing of a 27-year-old man from the state in US’ Texas. He said that the state’s Commissioner for NRI affairs was in touch with the Indian consulate in Texas to co-ordinate the return of the mortal returns of John Dias to his home in Chandor village in South Goa. “Saddened by the tragic incident in USA leading to the death of young Goan John Dias from Cuncolim. I express my heartfelt condolences to the family. May God give them strength to bear this irreparable loss,” Sawant said in a tweet. “The office of the Commissioner for NRI Affairs Goa is already in touch with the Consulate General of India, Houston, USA for seeking their assistance for bringing the mortal remains of late John Dias to Goa, so that his family can have the funeral in Goa,” he added. Dias, who worked in a departmental store in Texas, was shot dead at close range in the store on Sunday.

5 Indian students dead in Canada highway accident

Toronto, March 14: Five Indian students in Canada have been killed in a highway collision in Canada’s Ontario province. The five were killed when their van collided with a tractor-trailer on Canada’s Highway 401 between Belleville and Trenton early Saturday morning. Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) have identified them as Jaspinder Singh, 21, Karanpal Singh, 22, Mohit Chouhan, 23, Pawan Kumar, 23, and Harpreet Singh, 24. They were pronounced dead on the scene. Two injured students were rushed to hospital with serious injuries. The victims were students in colleges in Montreal and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). OPP Constable Maggie Pickettsaid: “It’s a tragedy. Nobody wants to

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TRAVEL

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

How technology has streamlined

Indian Railways has implemented the use of QR codes for station entry. By Dinesh Kumar Kotha March 29, 2022 (IANSlife) Since its inception in 1853, Indian Railways, the world’s third-largest train network, has seen tremendous growth and change. From using environmentally friendly provisions for passengers to operating an engine-less train, the industry’s brains have demonstrated positive results in the areas of faster services and passenger safety. Much of the credit goes to the use of technology, which has improved the systems, infrastructure, and signalling, giving the train journey new meaning. Now, let’s look at how technology has aided in the modernization of the train travel industry in recent years. 3D technology For many years, dated seating and cabin layouts have taken the ‘fun’ out of train travel. Trains are now designed using 3D technology to meet international safety and comfort standards (Make In India Printer). It enables manufacturers to incorporate the necessary information (such as components, sub-systems, and more) in the virtual world, correct errors as they occur, and design coaches that meet modern passenger needs such as spacious

standing areas, comfortable seats, and enticing cabin styling. QR codes As long as the majority of the world is subject to COVID-19, social distance is more important than ever. With this in mind, Indian Railways has implemented the use of QR codes for station entry. This enables contactless verification and assists security personnel in keeping track of authorised entries. Data Science Several stops were made by trains a decade ago, adding to the overall time of the journey. To streamline the routes, data science is being used to identify stops where a low volume of passengers must board or deboard and remove them to maintain the train’s speed, thereby reducing the overall journey time. The application of data science in the train travel industry also aids in the prediction of confirmations and the discovery of alternative routes. This has increased the likelihood of obtaining a confirmed train ticket to travel by 50%. Currently, alternative travel options are used to book 1820% of the tickets on ConfirmTKT, a new-age travel ticket search engine that provides a seamless ticket discovery and booking experience.

SMART Coaches Passengers are the lifeblood of trains. To provide a better experience, the railway industry will deploy SMART coaches, which will be outfitted with an emergency talkback system, automatic plug-door and step control, CCTVs with facial recognition, and other features. This is done to improve passengers’ travel experiences and safety. Tracking train status Trains in India have a history of arriving late at their destinations due to weather or technical issues. Remote monitoring and management of locomotive system (REMMLOT) The Indian Railways’ new diesel locomotives are now outfitted with GPS devices to monitor their health. The entire system is equipped with a GPS receiver, processor panel, on-board sensor, and other components to capture and process data via GPRS service, which is then sent to a central server for further processing. The Indian Railways also employs REMMLOT technology to track train arrival and departure times. (Dinesh Kumar Kotha, Co-Founder & CEO, Confirmtkt)

Five stays which feature out of the world beds...

... offering travellers the dreamiest sleeping experience By IANSlife March 22, 2022 (IANSlife) Nearly half (44 percent) of Indian travellers say sleeping in allows them to disconnect from their daily routines and feel rejuvenated, a Booking.com survey reveled. The platform has curated a list of five properties with

unique beds that offer travellers the dreamiest sleeping experience. From a star bed in India that allows you to sleep directly under the stars to a bed made of salt blocks in Bolivia, there is a bed for every type of traveller (and sleeper!).spacious

Adventure Suites, New Hampshire, United States

Hotel de Sal Luna Salada,Uyuni, Bolivia

The Adventure Suites, located in by Roman Ruins, guests will find North Conway, New Hampshire, is a themselves dozing off to enjoy a themed hotel with exclusive bedgood night’s sleep in a fun and rooms for every type of adventure. unique setting that will inspire some From an oyster-shaped bed that adventurous dreaming. This one-ofwill make you feel like a mermaid a-kind property is ideal for families, under the sea to a round king-size couples, or large groups of friends. bed with overhead candles inspired Jamtara Wilderness Camp, Madhya Pradesh, India

Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia is the world’s largest salt flat and one of the most incredible travel experiences in South America. What better way to get the most out of this salt experience than to wake up every morning to breathtaking views of the salt flats and sleep in a

house made entirely of salt blocks? Hotel de Sal Luna Salada is an ideal place to stay to experience this, with rooms overlooking the Uyuni salt mine and, if that isn’t unusual enough, guests can sleep in a bed made of salt blocks.

Conrad Maldives Rangali Island, Maldives

V 8 Hotel Köln at Motorworld, Cologne, Germany

Who said sleeping in a car-shaped bed was only for kids? Whether you’re a car enthusiast or not, waking up in the comfort of a restored car is sure to be a memorable travel experience. Set on the grounds of the historic Cologne

Butzweilerhof Airport, V8 Hotel Köln at Motorworld offers unique rooms with various car models transformed into beds, making this automobile themed hotel a perfect stay for travellers of all ages looking for something different.

Jamtara Wilderness Camp, located in Pench National Park, provides visitors with a one-of-a-kind experience. Each luxury tent at this resort is designed to make visitors feel at one with nature, but the Star Bed is a must-try. These “machans,” which are built on stilts to accommodate a double four-poster bed for two, are set up on the land of a local farmer. They can be booked for

a night under the stars, with the majority of the revenue going back to the farmer. The accommodation, in collaboration with local communities, provides authentic wildlife, natural, and starry experiences. For an unforgettable stay, one can gaze out at the fields and wildlife during the day and up at the constellations at night.

Travellers can beat the heat and head to the luxurious Conrad Maldives Rangali Island that offers spacious private villas with beds submerged beneath the crystal blue waters of the Indian Ocean. The bed is a part of the accommodation’s undersea residence - first in the

world, called The Muraka. It is a luxurious 2-level residence with a master bedroom submerged over 16 feet below sea level. Guests can tuck into a comfortable bed encased in acrylic and watch the passing sea life swim by.

Top destinations for the best mood-boosting activities

Shillong, known as the “Scotland of the East,” is home to several scenic waterfalls and has been named one of the best waterfall destinations By IANSlife March 21, 2022 (IANSlife) Taking a vacation is the ultimate way to feel good, with 85 percent of Indian travellers stating that their motivation for travelling is to improve their mood. Travel can lift spirits and boost happiness levels for weeks after returning home. Booking.com has chosen five of the top destinations with the best mood-boosting activities based on traveller reviews. From scuba diving in the Andamans to yoga on the beach in Varkala, adventure sports to wellness therapies and delectable food, include a mood-boosting activity in your next vacation to make it the most joyful yet. Outdoor activities in Neil Island Neil Island is a perfect gem of the Andaman Islands, blessed with magnificent biodiversity,

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unexplored coral reefs, white sandy beaches, and tropical woodlands. Officially known as ‘Shaheed Dweep,’ it is one of the platforms travellers’ top-recommended outdoor activity destinations. It’s the ideal place to find happiness, with activities ranging from surfing to scuba diving and paddleboarding. Explore the easy cycling trails immersed in nature inland, or head to the beach to sunbathe, read, or simply lie down. Wellness in Auroville, Tamil Nadu Auroville is a quiet town in Tamil Nadu that is an experimental township. It’s well-known for hosting weekly workshops, therapies, and community yoga, making it the ideal vacation for rest and relaxation – and one of the top destinations for wellness according to Booking. com travellers, which is a key factor in feeling content. Visitors

can de-stress and relax in its wet and dry tropical climate, as well as take walks on its open roads to instill inner peace. The township’s community is very close-knit, and the atmosphere is very welcoming. Matrimandir is a secular gathering place in town where people can meditate and experience tranquillity in peaceful silence. This lovely town has become synonymous with community healing and is a haven for those seeking inner peace. Yoga in Varkala, Kerala Varkala, a coastal town in southern Kerala, is a hipster’s paradise, with palm-covered red cliffs, pristine golden beaches, and pilgrimage sites. Varkala is more of a state of mind than a location, but it is one of the top recommended yoga destinations on the travel site, according to travellers. Head to Papanasam Beach, ten kilometres from Varkala,

where visitors can enjoy sunset sun salutations by a natural spring, or sunrise for early risers. Whether you practise Vinyasa or Bikram, a yogi novice or a yogi master will find a relaxing retreat. Waterfalls in Shillong, Meghalaya Shillong, known as the “Scotland of the East,” is home to several scenic waterfalls and has been named one of the best waterfall destinations by the platforms travellers. Meghalaya has 16 major waterfalls, one of which, Nohkalikai Falls, at 1,115 feet, is said to be India’s tallest plunge waterfall. This waterfall is fed by rainwater that collects on the top, making the once-in-a-lifetime sound of water plunging to the earth difficult to forget. The city is also notable for its towering pine conifers, pineapple shrubs, and undulating terrain. Along with the

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breathtaking waterfalls, visitors can stroll through Mawlynnong, Asia’s cleanest village known for its wood carvings and traditional craftsmanship. Nature in Munnar, Kerala Munnar, located 1,600 metres above sea level and a few hours from Alleppey, is one of Kerala’s most

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scenic areas. With its vast tea plantations, beautiful cottages, and vibrant hiking trails, it’s no surprise that the city is one of the top destinations for nature walks. Few people visit the lush green mountains, eat authentic food, or indulge in an ayurvedic spa while still embracing the sheer magnificence and raw natural beauty of this town.

SPIRITUALITY & DEVOTION

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

Summary of the Shiv Purana Scoophike

By Paddy Krishnan recently completed a course that covered the Shiva Purana. In this article, I will summarise the key stories and statements that justify Shiva is the Supreme being and Vishnu and Brahma are subservient to him. Because the Upanishads predate the Shiva Purana the idea of Brahman as the supreme has been established. Therefore the Shiva Purana equates Shiva with Brahman. The justification is derived from the Shvetashvatara Upanishad which states that Rudra (another name for Shiva) is Supreme and the knowers of Shiva as Brahman do not need to rely on any other God. The only variation is that Rudra is said to be manifestation of Shiva. Technically, Shiva as Brahman should be called Sadashiva as Brahman is eternal. Because the nature of Brahman is too abstract, Sadashiva manifests as Rudra. The Shiva Purana also states that Sadashiva created Brahma and Vishnu. Shakti, the consort of Shiva is also a manifestation of Sadashiva. The well known story of how Shiva emerged as Linga is used to show Shiva’s supremacy. Brahma thinks he is the Ultimate as he is in charge of creation. But Vishnu claims to be the Ultimate because Brahma emerged from Vishnu’s navel. While they were having this debate, a large fiery pillar (Linga) appears. Brahma goes to investigate the top end while Vishnu goes to investigate the bottom end. Brahma gives up after some time but claims he has seen the top end. Vishnu is truthful and admits that he was not able to identity the bottom end. They realise that this infinite Linga is superior to them. It is then said that Shiva emerges from the Linga and both Vishnu and Brahma realise that they owe their existence to Shiva. Sadashiva has to appear as Linga so that not only the Gods like Brahma and Vishnu, but also humans can worship a concrete representation. The Shiva Purana states that, technically, Linga and Shiva/Sadashiva are identical. The Linga that is worshipped is a finite representation of the infinite. Although Shiva is represented in various forms including Nataraja, as a yogi in meditation, the Shiva Purana states that installing an idol (murti) is secondary to the Linga. Hence having a Linga in a Shiva temple is very important. From a purely representation perspective, one can think of Nirguna Brahman (Sadashiva) as being represented by the Linga while Saguna Brahman (Ishvara) is represented in

Can power naps help you wake up with new insights? Edison may have been right

other forms such as Nataraja. Like Brahman, Shiva is actually Nirguna and thus cannot be known or described. Shiva is the only entity that can have both the manifest and the un-manifest forms. All other beings including Brahma and Vishnu cannot have an un-manifest form and thus cannot be Brahman. While the Shiva Purana aims to demonstrate the supremacy of Shiva, it does not want to reject Vishnu or his powers. So it develops both parallel theories related to Vishnu’s God-like powers as well as explaining how Vishnu derives his power from Shiva. There are many examples, some of which are given below. • The Shiva Purana states that Vishnu can grant Moksha. However, this is not because Vishnu is the supreme being. It is Shiva who gave Vishnu the ability to grant Moksha. • It is only Shiva who can save one from death. This is illustrated via the story of his great devotee Markandeya. When the lord of death, Yama, came to take away his life, Markandeya hugged the Linga and would not let go. At that time, Lord Siva came to his rescue and directed Yama to spare the life of Markandeya. • The story of Vishnu as the creator of the universe is not denied. The Shiva Purana suggests that Vishnu was created by Shiva to both create and manage this universe. Shiva, as Brahman, has no direct role in this but without Shiva, Vishnu would not have existed. • Similarly, the story of Brahma emerging from the lotus in Vishnu’s navel is also not denied. Like Vishnu, Brahma is also created by Shiva. Initially, Brahma did not have the ability to create living beings. He meditated upon Shiva who appeared in front of Brahma in his Ardhanarishvara (half man half woman) form. Brahma prayed to Ardhanarishvara and was given the ability to create the living beings in the universe. • The Shiva Purana also states that Vishnu and Brahma offer prayers to Shiva and Shiva in turn teaches them about what is eternally true, namely Brahman.

This emphasises the fact that Vishnu and Brahma did not have knowledge of Brahman before they got it from Shiva. • Shiva cannot manage this world in his un-manifest form. He delegated his powers of creation to Brahma and the powers to protect others to Vishnu. The destroyer is technically Ishvara or Rudra but colloquially referred to as Shiva. As destroyer, Rudra also destroys the sins of people and bestows bliss. Rudra, like Vishnu, has derived this power from Sadashiva. These examples illustrate the repeated narrative in the Shiva Purana where Brahma’s and Vishnu’s abilities are always attributed to Shiva. In the Bhagavad Gita, chapter 13 verse 23 states upadrashtanumanta cha bharta bhokta maheshvarah paramatmeti chapy ukto dehe asmin purushah parah It states that the Supreme that is in one’s body is the witness, enjoyer, controller etc. While the aim to show that everyone’s true Self (Atman) is the Supreme, the use of the word Maheshvarah has led to different interpretations. The followers of Shiva claim that there is clear evidence that Shiva is the Supreme as Maheshvarah is often another name for Shiva. They use to claim Shiva’s supremacy because this Shaivite interpretation can be found in a predominantly Vaishnava oriented Bhagavad Gita. Of course, the Vaishanvites claim that Maheshvarah refers to Vishnu (or Krishna) as Maheshvarah just means great Ishvara (or the great Lord) and does not refer to Shiva at all. Another story that shows Vishnu and Brahma accepting their lower status is at Shiva’s and Parvati’s wedding. By convention, the priest officiating at the wedding has to read out the lineage of the bride and groom. But the priest did not know Shiva’s lineage and was wondering what to do. At this stage Narada says Shiva is source of all creation and therefore has no lineage. The priest is not convinced with Narada’s statement. Therefore, both Vishnu

and Brahma confirm Narada’s statement implicitly admitting that Shiva is the Supreme being. Because Shiva is Supreme, he is the source of everything and thus cannot have a lineage. The Shiva Purana makes it clear that any one can worship Shiva in any way they feel comfortable. Shiva does not reject anyone as long as their devotion is pure. There is no need for Sanskrit based rituals, thus rejecting the control of the priests. The Shiva Purana has a subtle dig at the elaborate rituals in Pancharatra tradition. That is why Shiva can be pleased more easily that Vishnu resulting in Shiva giving boons to many people. Because Shiva is easy to please he is also called Bhola Shankar. Shiva is also said to be an ideal householder unlike Krishna. That is why, Shiva is often shown with Parvati and their children, Ganesha and Kartikeya. While Krishna is married and has children (e.g., Pradyumna and Samba), he is never shown with his family. In summary, the Shiva Purana equates Sadashiva with Brahman. Worshipping Sadashiva in the abstract is not possible. Hence the Shiva Purana suggests that one can use the Linga as a concrete representation. All other representations are actually of Ishvara (or God). Other Gods like Brahman and Vishnu were created by Sadashiva and thus derive their powers from Sadashiva. The Shiva Purana does not condemn the Vaishnava beliefs except for the fact that it is because of Shiva’s will that Vishnu appears to be the ultimate. References: • D. S. R. Anjaneyulu: Siva Puranam, 2013 • L. Krishna: HS105–Readings from the Puranas, 2010

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

hicago (IANS) Waking up in the state of transition between sleep and wakefulness, just before deep sleep, can boost creativity, says a study by Northwestern University at Evanston, Illinois (USA). This was first proposed by Thomas Edison more than 100 years ago when he said that whenever he hit a wall, all that he had to do was to take a nap in an armchair holding a steel ball. As he started to fall asleep and his muscles relaxed, the ball would strike the floor, waking him with insights into his problems. People following his recipe tripled their chances of solving a maths problem. Researchers, however, say Edison was probably only partly right. The eureka moment did not come immediately after waking up in this study. People took on average 94 trials of the maths test after the nap to gain an insight. “It is not like you can take a power nap and wake up with a solution right away,” Delphine Oudiette, a sleep researcher at the Paris Brain Institute. Scientists repeated the Edison trick in a lab, revealing that the famous inventor was on to something. People following his recipe tripled their chances of solving a maths problem. The trick was to wake up in the transition between sleep and wakefulness, just before deep sleep. In this transitional period, we are not quite awake, but also not deeply asleep. It can be as short as a minute and occurs right when we start to doze off. Our muscles relax, and we have dreamlike visions or thoughts called hypnagogia, generally related to recent experiences. This phase slips by unnoticed most of the time unless it is interrupted by waking. Like Edison, surrealist painter Salvador Dalí believed interrupting sleep’s onset could boost creativity. (He used a heavy key instead of a metal ball), said researchers. “It is a wonderful study,” said Ken Paller, a cognitive neuroscientist

Indian scents to de-stress

The Sufi saint who promoted cultural blend of Shaivism and Islam

Srinagar, March 28 (IANS) Lalleshwari, fondly called ‘Lal Ded’ (Mother Lalla), is among the most prominent Sufi saints of Kashmir who promoted a cultural blend of Shaivism and Islam, which teaches tolerance, coexistence and brotherhood among communities. She was born in early 1300s. Through her verses, those relate to daily life and the life hereafter, Lal Ded became so popular among the people of Kashmir that at one point, local Pandits considered her to be an incarnation. www.indianabroad.news

She practised Shaivism, but her message of brotherhood made her one of the most revered Sufis of her land. Local Muslims called her ‘Lal Arifa’. Her mystic poetry is called ‘Vakhs’, which literally means ‘speech’. Her verses are the earliest poetic compositions in Kashmiri language and as such, these are an important part of the history of Kashmiri literature. The mystic musings of Lalleshwari continue to deeply impact the psyche of the Kashmiri people.

Lal Ded was married at the age of 12. She left home at the age of 24 to take ‘Sanyas’ (renunciation). Her encounter with another great Sufi saint of Kashmir, Sheikh Nooruddin Wali, called ‘Nund Rishi’ by the local Pandits, is famous all over Kashmir. It is said that after being born, Nund Rishi refused to be breast fed by his mother. Lal Ded came and told the child, “If you are not ashamed of being born, why are you ashamed of being breast fed.” The Rishi is then believed to have been breast fed by Lalleshwari as his foster mother. One of her famous ‘Vakhs’ reads in translation as: “The soul like the moon, is now, and always new again And I have seen the ocean, continuously creating Day will be erased in night The ground’s surface will extend outward

The new moon will be swallowed In eclipse, and the mind in meditation” The influence of Lal Ded on the life and teachings of Nund Rishi was so profound that many Kashmiris believe that the Rishi imbibed Sufism and renunciation through Lal Ded’s milk. Local Muslims and Pandits have never, in their history, distinguished between the Sufi saints of Kashmir on the basis of religion. For Kashmiris, the real message of the Sufi saints has been their love for God’s creation and the preservation of peace, tolerance and brotherhood among communities. The enemies of this traditional brotherhood have shaken its edifice momentarily. It is hoped that these enemies of Kashmir’s eclectic culture called ‘Kashmiriyat’ do not succeed in demolishing the centuries old mutual faith the two communities have in coextensive.

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at Northwestern University who was not part of the research. Prior work has shown that passing through deep sleep stages helps with creativity, he notes, but this is the first to explore in detail the sleep-onset period and its role in problem-solving. To see whether Dalí and Edison were right, researchers recruited more than 100 easy sleepers. The team gave them a maths test that required them to convert strings of eight digits into new strings of seven by using specific rules in a stepwise manner, such as “repeat the number if the previous and next digit are identical.” Most of those who napped reported various visions: dancing numbers and geometrical shapes, the Roman Colosseum, a hospital room with a horse. After the break, the participants went back to complete the maths problems. The researchers didn’t see any connection between the content of people’s visions and their performance on the task. But looking at brain activity, they found that those who napped and were interrupted during the first phase of sleep were three times better at finding the hidden key to the problem than those who remained awake. Twenty out of 24 of these nappers (83%) found the key, versus only 15 out of the 59 (30%) that stayed awake, the researchers reported in the recent issue of Science Advances. The creative effect happened even for people who spent just 15 seconds in the first sleep stage. But the trick didn’t work for those who reached later stages of sleep. “Our findings suggest there is a creative sweet spot during sleep onset,” said Oudiette. The study team also identified a brain activity pattern linked to the creativity-boosting phase: moderate levels of brain waves at a slow frequency known as alpha, associated with relaxation, and low levels of delta waves, a hallmark of deep sleep.

New Delhi, March 28 (IANSlife) Take a deep breath and close your eyes. Allow the world to wash over you and imagine yourself walking into your grandmother’s house. What are you smelling? Can you detect the soothing scents of sandalwood and vetiver, or the aroma of a hot meal? Do you notice a relaxation of your mind and body? For us, scents encapsulate emotions and feelings. They have a significant impact on our mood and biologically alter our hormonal balance, thereby influencing our mental state. Scents have always played a role in our well-being in Indian culture, and holistic natural ingredients have always been used. Here are some Indian fragrances to

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help you relax and centre yourself: Lemon: Lemon makes you feel energised, keeps your mind calm, improves skin and keeps you fresh. This light citrus-y scent rejuvenates you and allows you to reset your mind. Jasmine: Jasmine has antidepressant properties that are soothing and calming to the brain. Jasmine has sleep inducing properties as well and is guaranteed to help you relax. Sandalwood: Sandalwood is a calming, earthy scent that grounds your body and mind. It helps inculcate feelings of gratitude and stillness in the mind. Sandalwood promotes lower stress levels, calmness and overall a more stable mind. Rose: One of the most well known scents in the world, rose relieves stress, fights anxiety, is anti-inflammatory and relaxes the mind and body. The scent is soft and extremely comforting to the mind. Aromatherapy can help you reduce your stress levels significantly. Sit down, relax, and inhale the calming scent. Take this time to reflect on yourself and to relax your body and mind. (Radhika Iyer, Entrepreneur and Founder of Anahata Organics and Raa Foundation)

ART & CULTURE

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

The silence of screams: Neelam Mansingh Chowdhry unfolds memory and contemporary with ‘Trunk Tales’

100 young artists reimagine India

Neelam Mansingh Chowdhry

The director's productions have been invited to major theatre festivals across the world including the UK, Japan and Germany

he straight sharp lines of the set. Mirrors. Water. The actor gets set to dive into himself for a revelation. Not one grand tragedy, but a series of tiny explosions... here contemporary stories buried everyday are taken out from the trunk, only to be forgotten again. There is no respite, but then, the director never promised any. Theatre director Neelam Mansingh’s latest production ‘Trunk Tales’ takes on multiple themes head-on with a solo performance by actor Vansh Bhardwaj. Without the comfort of a bound script, the derived production lays bare the starkness of politics of water, food, body and gender. What happens in a peculiar anti-poetry mode on stage oscillate violently, almost seductively, but then, the play has been conceived in the time of war crudely painted in the landscape of normalcy. Supported by the Goethe - Institut and Ranga Shankara, the one hour

production’s reach never exceeds its grasp -- cutting edge precise, delicate and heavy -- all at the same time. Chowdhry is clear that it is tough to define how an idea gets lodged, and what she does to pull it out and stitch it on the stage. “I think there was something about water and it started from that moment. I started collecting material. It was a very organic development. Some notes take the light while others stay quiet in the wings. I think it started off with a series of improvisations, but that is not a play, just a series of processes that define the creation of the performance language. It has a lot to do with aesthetics and storytelling and the actor’s body. I work a lot with memory, and the politics of food that I had in my house came alive. Now the key is how do you make everything cohesive when diverse memories start dancing in front of you. You stitch it up and

make it into something. It’s part of the whole journey that you take to create a performance. There is constant chiselling,” says Chowdhry, recipient of the Padma Shri and Sangeet Natak Akademi honours whose latest play will soon travel to different parts in the country. With the many tales in the play that inter-wine yet never overpower each other, the director feels that when one uses a word over and over again, it loses its meaning. “Thus, I wanted to touch different ideas, let the audience ‘see’ them... it was important that everything was kept simple and nothing grand. That is the way my imagination takes me. For those following the work of this director, the shift from grand productions --- ‘Kitchen Katha’, Yerma, ‘Nagmandla’, ‘Naked Voices’ to her last one ‘Black Box’ and now ‘Trunk Tales’ does not escape easily. She says it is combination of circumstances, funding, also one’s

own relationship with the times. “‘Ghum Hai’ had an elaborate cast, musicians... and it is not that I do not want to do such plays. Funding has not been made available for many years and my group has survived on the grant given by the Ministry of Culture. I have been talking it for a long time. Now we get small grants from private institutions and are trying to stay afloat with them,” says this Chandigarh-based director who has been running ‘The Company’ since 1983. While certain theatre groups, especially in Mumbai enjoy patronage from major industrial houses, Chowdhry feels she is completely irrelevant in that space. “What are you talking about? People say my work is very dark. Frankly, I do not know what they mean by comedy. I would rather work with the dimensions of life that actually concern me, which positions me in terms of the consciousness and the understanding of the world in which I live. I have done grand productions like ‘Nagamandala’ and ‘Naked Voices’ for institutions, after all only a major institution has the kind of money that allows it. But sadly, they are not interested anymore.” The director, whose productions have been invited to major theatre festivals across the world including the UK, Japan and Germany is seldom invited to show her work in her hometown of Chandigarh, a place where many mediocre theatre directors tend to bring all the elements of street theatre to the stage ensuring a shouting match. “Yes, I do not get any support from the city. You can get a Padma award, but still, people here do not respond. There is this conspiracy of silence. Even artists do not come to attend my shows when they are held in my private auditorium. In fact, ‘Trunk Tales’ was to be performed in Chandigarh. It was so insulting that three days before the show, I was being told on a WhatsApp text that it is not happening. Do I say more?”

s part of a programme to celebrate SH Raza’s centennial, ‘Yuva Sambhav’, an art exhibition where hundred young artists of India will exhibit their artwork in different galleries of Delhi will open simultaneously at Bikaner House, Triveni Kala Sangam, Visual Art Gallery IHC, Kings Plaza IIC, Romain Rolland Art Gallery Alliance Francaise in the capital from March 26 - April 9. This has been curated by Akhilesh and coordinated by Manish Pushkale. The exhibition is meant to be a cultural experiment that addresses identity politics and intersectional perspectives. According to the curator, Indian contemporary art and its associated areas remain largely niche and urban-centric, and it is crucial for the discourse on Indian contemporary art to de-centralise and foreground alternative and regional ecosystems. Also, there is a need to look at emerging voices from peripheral regions. The artists chosen for the exhibition are consistently moulding the context of art through sub-textual imprints of its history, culture, metaphysics, socio-politics, and

ecology. The selection is not restricted to or limited by the genre of pure and/or formal abstraction, figuration, or conception, but is inclusive by the reverberations of a collective genesis embedded within a universal synthesis. Through their enquiries, the artists present records of cognitive perceptions, and responses charged with intuitive insights—a combination that characterizes their expressions as eclectic, integrative, poignant, and sublime. The conceived image is dynamic in reference to the trait of archetypal imagery, integrating the past-formal along with the current hybrid trans-cultural relationships. Some of the artists showing at the exhibition include Aditi Raman Karn, Anirban Saha, Arjun Das , Avinash Karn, Jyotiprakash Pradhan, Kanchan Karjee, Keerti Pooja, Urvi Sethna, Vasudeo Gaitonde, Sandip More, Sweety Joshi and Nema Ram Jangid among others. “It was my dream to bring hundred young artists of India together just to celebrate the fellow artist,” says the curator Akhilesh.

Mohan Brothers performs at Saaz Samvad Concert Sitar & Sarod are in many ways the ideal instruments to be paired up for a duet

Lakshay Mohan

L-R Pt Ramkumar Mishra,Lakshay Mohan and Aayush Mohan

he legendary Mohan Brothers organised the Saaz Samvad Concert (The Eternal Musical Dialogue) at Kamani Auditorium, Copernicus Marg, New Delhi. The duo, Lakshay Mohan and Aayush Mohan were accompanied on the www.indianabroad.news

tabla by Pt Ramkumar Mishra. The event was a great success filling the atmosphere with melodious tunes of duets. Sitar & Sarod are in many ways the ideal instruments to be paired up for a duet. A long-standing Sitar & Sarod

duet is now a rarity in the world of Indian classical music. Sitar and Sarod Maestros, Lakshay Mohan & Aayush Mohan brought some of their finest repertoire and the true essence of a classical duet through their concert.

The occasion was graced by Andrea Baldi Director of the Italian Embassy Cultural Center, Delhi, Kamal Modi Chairman, Art Karat, Avinash Pasricha to name a few.

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Aayush Mohan at Saaz Samvad - The Eternal Musical Dialogue was a celebration of the true spirit of Jugalbandi

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LITERATURE

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

‘Business ethics were foremost for Rahul Bajaj’ (Book Review) Vishnu Makhijani

espite the innumerable hurdles that he faced in a career spanning over five decades as the head of the diversified Bajaj Group, veteran industrialist Rahul Bajaj, the original Make in India proponent, lived by the dictum that “integrity and character matter. Without them, no amount of ability can get you anywhere. In addition, you need courage -- courage to make difficult decisions and courage to oppose something if your conscience tells you that you are right.” Business ethics were, thus, foremost for Rahul Bajaj, the grandson of Jamanlal Bajaj, a close associate of Mahatma Gandhi and who founded the Bajaj Group in 1926. He took over as group head in 1965. “Ensuring that the consumer obtains the best possible product at the lowest possible price, and the employee gets a fair wage for a day’s work, is the criterion of ethics in business,” he would often declare, corporate historian Gita Piramal writes in ‘Rahul Bajaj - An Extraordinary Life’ (Penguin), the first authorised biography that chronicles the transformation of India through the life story of one of India’s most successful and visionary business legends who passed away on February 12 after a prolonged illness aged 83. Bajaj cut his teeth at a time when Indian industry was passing through one of its roughest phases - the licence-permit-raj era - during which the politicians and the bureaucracy dictated every step you took, from setting up a factory to deciding its output and in some cases, even the price. For instance, the waiting list for Bajaj scooters, of which the company eventually became not only one of the most valuable two-wheeler manufacturers in the world, but also the world’s largest two-wheeler maker and the largest three-wheeler maker.

The restrictions began somewhat easing in 1985 but were done away with only in the era of liberation that began in 1991 when Manmohan Singh (later the Prime Minister) presented his first budget as Finance Minister. “We faced competition head-on and I concentrated on three things: I must have volume, the lowest cost and the best quality. It is very simpleï¿½ There is nothing intelligent in that. You don’t need to go to Harvard to learn that. If you don’t have these three things, you are in trouble. Others failed to do so, and they could not compete with us on quality or price. Best quality would include the latest cutting-edge technology. And that is what I constantly did. I needed scale for both, so I kept going to Delhi to get approvals for expansions,” the book quotes Bajaj as saying. This saw the Bajaj Group move up from 40th in the hierarchy in 1964 to seventh in 1990 and third in 2020. Bajaj’s journey should be viewed through three key prisms, Piramal writes. “First, the lens of leadership.” Bajaj exemplified leadership “as it is taught in business school, yet is often so elusive in the corporate world itself”. He was a “visionary and clear on strategy”, was “decisive, action-oriented and execution-driven, and excellent with people and in building teams”. What made him distinctive were “his convictions, and his ability to speak out and to defend his beliefs” - ultimately, “the true hallmark of leadership”. “Second, his journey captures the intricate and inseparable relationship between business, government and societyï¿½He symbolises the evolution of this relationship in Indiaï¿½ Given that we live in a world where environmental, social and governance concerns are increasingly important to investors and other stakeholders, I hope these lessons will resonate with readers from a diverse range of backgrounds. “Finally, the prism of sustainability and the value of leaving a lasting legacy. Many young entrepreneurs today are motivated by billion-dollar valuations and relatively quick exits. This is certainly a tempting path. Yet Rahul’s journey is testimony to a life of perseverance and purpose, towards value creation with a horizon that spans multiple generations,” Piramal writes. Based on unrestricted interviews, remarkable anecdotes and business learnings, this book is a

comprehensive account of the life and times of the business icon. From his mother’s incarceration during India’s struggle for freedom to his own personal life, his journey in becoming one of the most well-regarded business personalities in the world, this book opens a window to Bajaj’s eventful life. It’s a book which is peppered with incomparable lessons about family, business and public life, and about ultimately leaving an indelible mark on the fabric of society. For instance, Bajaj was very clear about his “no bribe” rule - no matter what the consequences. “I learnt how difficult it can get to chase someone in Delhi for a licence, then some fool delays the whole project by procrastinating because he wants something for himself ï¿½ but thank goodness I was never actually penalised. Even if money could have bought a licence, I can categorically say we did not give any ministers or any bureaucrat a single rupee to get a licence,” Piramal quotes Bajaj as saying. Then, there is Manohar Joshi’s comment after Suzuki Motors’ Osamu Suzuki had outbid Bajaj for the government’s 50 per cent stake in Maruti Udyog Ltd. during the disinvestment process. “One incident is still fresh in my mind. As Minister of Heavy Industry (in 1992), we were instructed in disinvestment of Maruti Udyog Ltd. You approached me to buy the shares. You made it clear to me that you would like to purchase the shares, but the entire deal should be transparent, and you will not bribe anybody, anytime, In my long political career, you were the only industrialist, who was so honest and outspoken. Rahul ji, I am proud of you,” the book quotes Joshi as saying. Bajaj was also very clear about the probity issue on two aspects of banking being opened to the private sector in 1993. “The RBI must ensure new banking licences aren’t given to corporates or large houses whose track records don’t suggest probity in public life and ethical behaviour,” Piramal quotes him as saying. “The second call was to erect Chinese walls within a conglomerate in order to avoid lending funds between group companies and its bank,” Piramal writes. Bajaj was also candid about the Bombay Club, initially of 16 top industrialists, then down to six and finally him alone. “The whole idea got completely

ultafied (upended),” Piramal quotes Bajaj as telling Indian American economist Srikant Datar, now the Dean of the Harvard Business School, in an interview in 2008. “I was shouting away in the 1980s for liberalisation but then in 1993, I became infamous. When I asked for a level playing field, everybody thought this was a euphemism for protection. All that we were saying was that the government should enable us to face foreign competition. Nobody listened to me, not from the media or anybody else,” he maintained. Bajaj was also happy that the line of succession, effective 2008, he drew up after stepping down as Managing Director of the Bajaj Group in 2005 has kept the male descendants of the two branches of the family - his and that of his late uncle, Ramakrishna Bajaj - united. He decided that elder son Rajiv “should continue to run the auto manufacturing business as Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer. (Younger son) Sanjiv would hand over the international market to Rajivï¿½Sanjiv would oversee the finance business and the new strategic businesses”. “Both sons would sit on all boards, and Sanjiv would continue as executive director of Bajaj Auto. Rajiv would join Sanjiv’s boards as each was created. Bajaj Auto’s board structure should remain unchanged and (Rahul) Bajaj would serve as chairman of the two new boards. A couple of cousins from the Ramakrishna’s side of the family would be good,” Piramal writes. Simultaneously, Bajaj Auto was split into three units in 2008 - Bajaj Auto, Bajaj Finserv and a holding company. He resigned as Chairman and Non-Executive Director of Bajaj Finserv to become its Chairman Emeritus in 2019. He stepped down as Non-Executive Chairman of Bajaj Auto in April 2021, ceding the position to his cousin Niraj and remained with the company as Chairman Emeritus. After his schooling from Mumbai’s Cathedral and John Connon School, Bajaj graduated in Economics from Delhi’s St. Stephen’s College, obtained a Law degree from Mumbai’s Government Law College and rounded it off with an MBA from Harvard. Honoured with the Padma Bhushan, India’s third highest civilian award, he was also a member of the Rajya Sabha and twice President of the CII. (Vishnu Makhijani can be reached at vishnu.makhijani@ians.in)

4th Edition of Dehradun Literature Festival to be held from April 1-3

he 4th edition of the annual three-day-long Dehradun Literature Festival is scheduled to be held from April 1 to 3 at the Hyatt Regency and The Doon International School, Riverside Campus, in Dehradun. This year’s DLF will be featuring a line-up of panelists, including Tusshar Kapoor, Sonu Nigam, Malini Awasthy, Preeti Shenoy, Imtiaz Ali, Tahira Kashyap, Vivek Agnihotri, Pallavi Joshi, Praladh Kakkar, Piyush Pandey, Jonathan Gill Harris, Ian Cardozo, Jasbir Jassi, Milee Ashwarya, Madhavi Menon, Saeed Naqvi, Akshat Gupta, Richa Dwivedi, Vasu Eda, Mini Bhardwaj, Vishwas Parchure, Deepam Chatterjee, Kiran

IANS

Manral, Subhash Garg, Nayanika Mahtani, and other authors from across the country. Speaking on the occasion, the Founder of the literature festival, Samraant Virmani, said: “Ever since we started the festival, our fundamental objective has revolved around instilling the habit of reading among everyone, especially the young generation, and bringing under one roof a sundry of like-minded and passionate people.” In the last four years, the festival has brought some major speakers and writers including Sadhguru, Maa Anand Sheela and Ruskin Bond.

Recounting India’s upstream oil and gas journey IANS

Ishan Khosla’s jacket for ‘Kintsugi’ wins Oxford Bookstore Book Cover Prize IANS

‘

Kintsugi’ is the ancient Japanese art of mending broken objects with gold, and designer Ishan Khosla has delicately woven this concept into the jacket for a similarly titled novel authored by Anukrti Upadhyay to win the seventh edition of the Oxford Bookstore Book Cover Prize that was announced on Thursday evening, with a jury member declaring it to be “astonishing”. “Designing a cover is not an easy task. On one hand the cover must be bold enough and interesting enough to grab the attention of the passer by or the scroller. On the other it must convey the essence of the book literally or metaphorically,” Khosla, who has an MFA from New York’s School of Visual Arts and runs a hugely successful design studio in the national capital, told IANS after the award was announced. www.indianabroad.news

“For Kintsugi, it was as much a joy to design the cover as it was to read the book. I worked on various concepts as one always does trying to bring about the various qualities of the book, the fragmentary nature, the evocative and mesmerising quality of the writing and the fragility of the human experience,” he added. “Kintsugi is an astonishing book cover,” Kunal Basu, one of the five members of the jury, which was headed by parliamentarian and author Shashi Tharoor, said. “Intricately illustrated, it conveys the superior craft of the creator, and draws one’s eyes into the heart of the book. The design has served each of the three purposes of a successful cover: ability to garner attention; imply the theme of the book, and achieve a high aesthetic

standard. It has transformed the book into a precious artefact that is a pleasure to cherish and preserve,” Basu added. ‘Kintsugi’, published by Fourth Estate, is a novel about young women breaching boundaries, overcoming trauma, and challenging the social order. And about men surprised by women who are unconventional, unafraid and independent. It is the story of Meena, rebellious and unexamined, and Yuri, as complex as Meena is naive. There’s Hajime, an outsider to two cultures, and Prakash, unable to see beyond his limited horizons. It is also the story of Haruko who has dedicated herself to her art, and of Leela who is determined to break gender roles and learn the traditional gold-craft of her community. Set between Japan and Jaipur, “Kintsugi” follows the lives of these characters as they intersect and diverge, collide and break and join again in unexpected ways. The result is a brilliantly original novel as profound as it is playful, as emotionally moving as it is gripping. Portraying this complexity is no easy task and Khosla has executed with elan. In addition to the winning book cover, three more designers were honoured with Special Jury Awards in appreciation of their remarkable command of graphics and visual narrative. These designers are Maithili Doshi for “Turmeric Nation” published by Speaking Tiger; Shashi Bhushan Prasad for “The Maharaja of Jodhpur’s Guns” published by

Niyogi Books and Gavin Morris for “Estuary” published by Eka. “In these times of uncertainty and anxiety caused by pandemic and war, it has been very exciting, indeed, to encounter so much style and substance in the excellent entries, to see the collaboration between graphics, illustrations, images and text,” Priti Paul, Director Apeejay Surrendra Group and one of the jurors, said. “Book design and aesthetics are evolving every year, celebrating originality, creativity and reflecting reality. On the occasion of Oxford Bookstore’s Century in Books - and to reiterate our celebration of the best in publishing -- we are proud to announce an important new initiative - the First Oxford Bookstore Art Book Prize,” she added. With a prize money of Rs 1 lakh, this award will holistically assess the variety of genres flourishing under the umbrella of the art publications. It aims to identify the experiments with the narratives and material, critical approach to the subject, and innovative formats performed by the artists to give an explicit account of their practice. The new prize would move beyond its conventional definition and include accordion books, graphic novels, pop-up arts, photo books, and zines. Significantly, it would acknowledge the role played by the books in the process of dissemination of the knowledge of art and culture while recognising the balance between print production, graphic illustration, and overall design appeal.

/IndianAbroadNews

he immediate impact for India from Russia’s war on Ukraine will be inflation as the country imports nearly 80 per cent of its crude oil needs and the first indication of this came on Monday with fuel prices increased by 80 paise a litre, the first rise in 137 days, but it’s early days to gauge the full impact of the crisis. But, given the thin line dividing geo-politics and oil politics, the need of the hour is for the countries, particularly for big consumers like India, to evolve a separate energy policy. Financial journalist Richa Mishra’s “Unfilled Barrels: India’s Oil Story” (Bloomsbury) is the story of the growth of India’s oil and gas sector over the past half a century and how India is poised against the backdrop of global upheavals with its huge dependency on oil and gas imports. The book recounts India’s upstream journey in a systematic manner. It takes you back in history to the point where a herd of elephants were instrumental in the accidental discovery of oil in the remote northeastern part of the country and gradually picks its way through the geology of Indian terrain and the challenges it threw up. It looks at the early players in the arena (both government and private), the high stakes risk involved in the exploration, to the government’s focus on the development of the hydrocarbon industry and

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finally how the formulation of New Exploration Licensing Policy (NELP) became a game changer. The book highlights the key role played by Keshav Dev Malaviya, who was the petroleum minister in the 1970s with a degree in oil technology, and the emergence of other stakeholders from public sector enterprises, including ONGC, to the fiercely competitive private players like Cairn Energy, and Mukesh Ambani’s RIL. Despite the operational mix of domestic players, India still meets 80 per cent of its requirements through imports. This book attempts to answer the billion-dollar question: Why does it matter to produce your own oil and gas? And also, in the 21st century, what kind of energy matrix is at play for fulfilling India’s need of unfilled barrels? Hailing from Patna, finishing her education in Chennai and starting her professional career as a journalist with The Hindu Business Line in Chennai, Richa Mishra moved to Hyderabad to start her journey as a reporter and finally landed in Delhi to evolve as true reporter. It was in Delhi in the late 1990s that her journey as a reporter on the oil sector started and today, for her, nothing is more exciting than the movement of oil prices.

FASHION

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

As cool as Zayn Malik

The plus size store to present once again at FDCI x Lakmé Fashion Week

Instagram

inging sensation Zayn Malik explores his passion for old-school video games the second release of the successful Zayn X Arnette collaboration which takes the artist’s creative vision into

a new dimension. Paying out the second level of this game-withina-game through the colourful lens of four hyped eyewear styles, set somewhere between Utopia and the future, the frames are designed for

gamepad legends. “I think the Retro-Town looks are cool,” states Zayn. “I’ve always been into gaming, so I was very interested in putting those design elements and aesthetics into this collection drop with Arnette. I like the look of the Daken, it’s a mix of modern with an old-school vibe.” These statement shapes and gender-neutral profiles, named after legendary characters from epic graphic novels and cult films, take us on a trip through an alternate reality with synth-pop shades that see beyond the hype. Furthermore, with sustainable bio-acetates and bio-lenses in the mix, they provide a win-win style for environmentally conscious trend setters. The campaign is as fun, positive, and unexpected as the frames themselves, with a hint of 90’s nostalgia and plenty of contemporary attitude. Zayn transforms vaporwave visuals and graffiti art into brand new looks as he walks down a sunset boulevard towards the neon lights of his multi-screen game room. With glitch-pixel colour blocks and lumo layers enhancing the design of his custom frames, graphic Z lens or frame logos, this collection stands out.

India at Paris Fashion Week 2022

hrough an audition process, plus-size individuals will be chosen to walk the ramp for the brand show at FDCI X Lakmé Fashion Week. aLL is proud to be the only brand that creates an opportunity for regular plus-size men and women to rule the runway. Having curated ground-breaking fashion presentations over the years, aLL will present a brand-new showcase of uber-stylish collections for plus-size individuals with vibrant stories to tell. The Plus size show at FDCI x Lakmé Fashion Week will present the platform’s vision that beauty, style, and fashion is for everyone and not limited by body type. Rajeev Singh, Business Head, aLL – The Plus Size Store said, “aLL is the

first fashion brand that celebrates beauty beyond size and since 2005, we have been dedicated to providing apparel and accessories for Plus size Men/Women. With our previous

successful collaborations, we are thrilled to present an exclusive showcase at the FDCI x Lakmé Fashion Week. With the thought process of not compromising on fashion because of your size or fit, over the years, we have catered to a niche segment. This year we are presenting our vision of beauty, style and fashion through this platform.” The aLL plus size ready-to-wear ramp to rack range aims to bring in the aspiration and belief that the style on stage can be worn easily every day and for all occasions. The wide canvas of prints, hues, and contemporary trends of the new launch will get consumers looking forward to the warmer months, with a new fashion wardrobe and an attitude to accompany it!

Sara Ali Khan the new face of Indian Fast fashion ethnic brand

ollywood actress Sara Ali Khan the first celebrity brand ambassador for ethnic wear brand Libas. Their Spring Summer 2022 campaign, ‘#TheresAlwaysALibas’ features Sara in the brand’s latest designs in a series of campaign films and stills. Commenting on the association, Sara Ali Khan, said, “I am overjoyed to share this association with Libas; Libas has the most comfortable ethnic wear styles. The brand gives a refreshing outlook to Indian ethnic fashion and makes the category an effortless choice for all occasions.” Speaking of the association Sidhant Keshwani, CEO & MD, Libas, added, “We are very excited to have Sara on board! Simple, confident and comfortable in her own skin, she perfectly embodies the spirit of Libas; she is someone whose personal style resonates with Libas’ philosophy. She organically endorses wearing ethnic wear in her personal style which makes her a natural choice for the brand.” The campaign, celebrates a new

perspective on Indian ethnic fashion. The brand understands the changing sartorial needs of the modern Indian woman and focuses on providing stylish, versatile, and functional ethnic wear wardrobe solutions for all occasions - whether navigating a busy day at work, a

coffee date with friends, or celebrating a festive evening - whatever the occasion! The campaign was created in collaboration with The Script Room as the creative agency across digital platforms.

India at Paris Fashion Week 2022

ash and Dot debuted their Fall/Winter 2022 collection at Paris Fashion Week, which was inspired by the rich history of Indian textiles and craftsmanship. It’s a celebration of traditional Indian craftsmanship presented on a global scale in ready-to-wear silhouettes. The goal was to bring affordable luxury from India to the rest of the world. Each piece incorporated a component of sustainability. Starting with coats and jackets made from upcycled bohris and jute bags embellished with mirror work, the collection demonstrates how Indian artisanship can help upcycle even the most basic textile. The shirts were created using a one-of-a-kind embroidery technique that made use of waste sewing threads from

export factories. The collection embraced carpet making’s traditional history, with materials hand knitted using organic cotton and recycled polyester threads. Dash & Dot’s Fall/Winter Collection empowers Indian artisans and forges a link between the global fashion industry and India’s time-honored techniques. The goal was to blur the distinction between Indian craftsmanship and ready-towear clothing. Speaking of his experience at Paris Fashion Week 2022, Ashray Gujral, founder of Dash & Dot said “Being welcomed to showcase Indian history and being a part of the global community was truly an enriching experience. It was everything one could ever dream of. It was even more heartwarming to witness our

Indian workmanship being appreciated so much. To be surrounded in an environment of creative people who do what we do makes us realize how much we love the process of creating.” More specifically, Ashray believes that there is a lot of hard work and team effort that goes into making the luxurious brand accessible to global platforms such as Paris Fashion Week. Ashray advises young Indian fashion brands seeking a global audience, saying, “We shouldn’t be ashamed of the fact that we are from India.” We come from one of the world’s richest textile and artisanship histories, and it is critical for us as designers to take on the responsibility of bringing that rich history into the present day.”

Ali Fazal shares unseen image with co-star Gerard Butler from ‘Kandahar’ set group, ‘Kandahar’ which commenced shooting in Saudi Arabia’s Al-’Ula in December, is based on true incidents as it draws inspiration from the life of a former military intelligence officer’s experiences at the Defense Intelligence Agency in Afghanistan. ‘Kandahar’ the first collaboration between Ali and director Ric Roman Waugh, who has previously worked with Butler in ‘Greenland’ and ‘Angel Has Fallen’. On the work front, Ali is shooting for filmmaker Vishal Bharadwaj’s directorial ‘Khufiya’. --IANS

ollywood actor Ali Fazal, who will next be seen in another Hollywood project titled ‘Kandahar’, co-starring, Gerard Butler, has shared an exclusive picture from the sets. The picture obtained by IANS,

www.indianabroad.news

showcases Ali posing with Butler and other crew members from the film. The movie’s shoot schedule recently wrapped up in Al Ula in Saudi Arabia. Bankrolled by ‘John Wick’ fame Thunder Road Films and Capstone

e always cherish an expensive purchase. What is it that makes them so worth it? Maybe it’s the pure, extravagance of the thing. Maybe it’s the information that even the most transient of such delights will endure in one’s memory. The rise of pre-owned luxury items is increasing at a fast rate because the idea is based on sustainability, it acts as a means of alternative fashion consumption, leads to digitalization and has an advantage of affordability. Namisha Gupta, Founder Retag shares tip on how to sell pre-owned luxury items online: • Selling items at the right price: Everyone loves a good deal especially when it comes to luxury items. In a world where there are plenty of places to shop from, a good price is what makes the items stand out from the rest and convince the consumers to buy them. It is said that the higher the price, the slower the

/IndianAbroadNews

•

sale cycle will be. Hence, one has to be clever when it comes to pricing their luxury items. Shipping and personalization: When it comes to luxury items, packaging has to be intact which helps to support the validity of your product. It is also highly recommended to include a small thank you note for the customer. This really counts and ensures that the customer is touched enough to write a review for your product. Ensuring perfect pictures and videos of products: Pictures and videos are the first things an online shopper sees. For luxury products, perfect pictures ensure you have a competitive edge, boost your platform’s image, help the customers understand better about your products and drive a significant number of sales. Nicely designed videos of the product also play the same role in gaining traction.

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•

Promoting your luxury items: You cannot sell your luxury items unless you promote them. Learning and using social media marketing, SEO (search engine optimization) tools, ad sales and many more tools are essential. These tools speed up the process of acquiring customers for your motives. How to sell: You can sell your preowned luxury items by creating your own website which should gradually be your main platform to acquire sales from. Selling pre-owned luxury items is all about the experience. An online presence doesn’t have to detract from the conventional luxury experience. It should mean to supplement it by giving a selection of channels for buyer inclinations and convey an extraordinary encounter that the customers decide to connect with.

BEAUTY

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

#GlossUpGlamUp

hile it is no secret that a dab of gloss can add a whole lot of glam to your look, it’s high time that this instant plumper got an upgrade. Nykaa, fuses together the best of both worlds with its latest Matte Gloss lipsticks.

The range includes eight stunning shades that celebrate eight different personalities, you could be a self-confessed Drama Queen, an absolute Fun Lover, an insta Glam Diva, a Busy Bee, the one with a bold spirit or a Flirty Face, the Wild One or the Cool Cat. The Nykaa Matte Gloss has a shade for every

personality! The high-impact formula is enriched with Vitamin E to keep your lips hydrated while giving them an irresistibly juicy finish. Whether you want the ideal red, daily nude, pink, or nude pink, the Gloss has it all to achieve your desired look. With its bold colour payoff and non-sticky formula, it is truly the lip product of your dreams! one stroke is all you need for a rich glossy sheen that won’t budge for eight hours. Reena Chhabra, CEO-Nykaa Brands “Our aim is to continuously keep delivering game-changing and on-trend products to our consumers and the new Nykaa Matte Gloss range is testament to our efforts. A high-glam product that is designed to cater to unstoppable, all while nourishing their lips. The formula is a genius combination of gloss and 8 hr long-wear, offering a rich colour payoff. Created in eight neutral shades to suit Indian skin tones, the matte gloss will become a staple product for our consumers.” Priced at INR 499 across Nykaa stores and platforms.

Bhumi Pednekar launches beauty platform Boddess’s first flagship store

oddess, the omni channel tech beauty platform, held a grand celebration in honour of the opening of its first flagship store in the country and the launch of its integrated O2O beauty and digital platform. The event was attended by its brand ambassador, Bhumi Pednekar, on the evening of Tuesday, March 22nd at Ambience

Mall Gurgaon. Showcasing the brand new Digital and Beauty Tech store the public was invited to join in and celebrate the occasion. Pednekar stated, “I am extremely proud to be associated with a brand like Boddess which has such a futuristic vision. Being a part

of the journey and watching the brand grow at such a fast pace has been very gratifying. Boddess has reinvented the way we think and experience beauty. Power-packed with best in class brands and unique features, the flagship store is a beauty haven that provides consumers a seamless Omni channel experience.” Ritika Sharma, Founder & CEO, Boddess (House of Beauty) adds, “We’re excited to open doors to the city’s discerning beauty consumers for an enriching technology-enabled beauty retail experience. My vision has been to bring to Indian consumers’ global standards of Omni channel experience and to democratize beauty through the introduction of exclusive international brands. The response from our consumers has been extremely encouraging. We have bullish expansion plans and intend to extend our retail footprint across metros, tier II & tier III by end of the upcoming financial year.” The city’s beauty enthusiasts, opinion leaders, and experts gathered to celebrate and savour the future of beauty retail. The divas were spotted enjoying an exciting shopping experience and scouting the various differentiators such as exclusive brand offerings, stellar service bars, consultation from beauty advisors,

Travel skincare woes solved with a moisture enriched regime

here is nothing better than packing your bags, planning your itinerary, and pouring yourself into your wanderlust. Traveling to a new place full of endless adventures and possibilities is a feeling that is unmatched and one that should be felt whenever the opportunity presents itself. While travelling is packed with pros, there is one con that can put a strain on travel plans—the effect it has on the skin. If you’re someone who often returns from trips with irritated or flared skin, we’ve got you covered with the ideal travel skincare routine that you need to follow. To begin to address an issue, it is important to first understand it. When you travel, there are a number of environmental factors that can cause skin concerns. Changes in humidity levels, air quality, temperature, and even sun exposure levels can have an adverse effect on the skin. It can leave it feeling dry, irritated, itchy, red, flaky, or even with unexpected breakouts.

Additionally, factors such as travel stress and plane dehydration can also have a large role to play in this. The changes in our external environment throw the skin off its usual regime and game, causing it to stray away from its usual health. While these skin causes, concerns, and treatments can vary from case to case, there is a general skincare regime and hacks that you can follow in order to prevent the damage and stay one step ahead. Firstly, it is important to retain some sort of consistency and familiarity at a time when a lot is different. Pack one or two of your daily skincare products that your skin is used to and reacts well to. An easy way to do so is to get travel-sized versions of them or to use mini travel containers and transfer some products into those. While these skin causes, concerns, and treatments can vary from case to case, there is a general skincare regime and hacks that you can follow in order to prevent the damage

and stay one step ahead. Firstly, it is important to retain some sort of consistency and familiarity at a time when a lot is different. Pack one or two of your daily skincare products that your skin is used to and reacts well to. An easy way to do so is to get travel-sized versions of them or to use mini travel containers and transfer some products into those. It is important to downsize the regime and eliminate products that only serve one tiny purpose. The key here becomes efficiency. You need products that are packed with all the right ingredients and can help you tackle a number of skincare concerns all with the help of one formula. This will save you space and help you retain a minimalistic skincare routine that works wonders without breaking the bank. Some essential ingredients to look for are hyaluronic acid—to smooth and plump the skin, vitamin C—to reduce lines and boost radiance, activated C—to help increase skin clarity, salicylic acid—to visibly reduce discoloration and renew the skin’s texture, peony extract—to prevent oxidative damage, to name a few. The latter few ingredients work wonders when clubbed together with activated C. This ingredient list is also great for a list of skincare woes such as dark spots, sallowness, post-acne marks, uneven skin tone, and the loss of luminosity. Travel is meant to be a blessing to explore the world and all that it has to offer, and something so great should not come at the cost of skin health. Following a minimal yet effective skincare regime even

Moisturisers that Moisturise, Target & Protect

An ultimate guide to false eyelashes

yelashes are an important part of make-up. They surround your eyes, make you look youthful, and add a lot of drama to your face. It’s always fun to layer mascara on your lashes, but sometimes you want a little more. Even though you’ve heard about false eyelashes and false eyelash extensions, you still have doubts about these frilled cosmetological aids. Proarte, a beauty brand shares this handy guide with everything you need to know about false eyelashes. Types of False Eyelashes: The best thing about false eyelashes are that you can customize them to suit your style and eye shape. Individual lashes can be filled over the entire lash line, cluster, or strip (even magnetic ones for ease of application). You can choose eyelashes made from everything from real mink to human hair to synthetic fibres. When it comes to style, you can go supernatural or super extra. Trim Your False Lashes before Applying: One of the non-specialist mistakes to avoid when applying

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false eyelashes is to pull the entire strip straight out of the package. Each person has different eyes, so you need to arrange your eyelashes to suit you. Start trimming from the outer corners instead of the inner corners until you reach the desired length. Also, be sure to cut off small edges that can get in your eyes or irritate sensitive eyes. Be Sure to Curl Your Lashes: Another tip is to curl your eyelashes. That way, they will be curved, just like the false lashes you’ll be putting in. This will allow you to blend the two sets of lashes (your lashes and the lashes you bought at the store) more seamlessly and more easily. Add Mascara to Your Lashes First: Eyelashes are to add to what you already have. To add colour and size to your lashes and better blend your natural lashes with your lashes, apply mascara first. Before you start applying the eyelashes, apply one or two layers (not too much) on the actual eyelashes. Let Your Mascara Dry before Applying Falsies: After coating the natural lashes with mascara, dry them before applying false eyelashes. This reduces dirt and unwanted fake damage and wear. Know What Kind of Eyelash Glue You’re Using: If you have sensitive eyes or known allergens (and if not), check the ingredients of the eyelash glue. A component that can cause problems is the cyanoacrylate found in all eyelash adhesives. Burns, swelling, and itching can occur, but this is rare. Be careful

not to overuse the glue, leave a small space (1mm) between the glue and the skin/eyelids, and use NanoMister to set the glue faster. Also, if you are allergic or sensitive, please be careful about latex. You can use vegan, latex-free, hypoallergenic, and cyanoacrylate-free / low cyanoacrylate adhesives. Use Tweezers or a Lash Applicator to Handle Your Lashes: You can move your lashes with your fingers at any time, but it is safer to use tweezers or an eyelash applicator. When using your fingers, be careful not to pull the eyelashes sideways out of the container (the eyelashes may lose their shape). Instead, pull it down and gently slide it out of the container. Don’t Use Too Much Glue: Don’t make the mistake of an amateur applying a lot of glue to false eyelashes. All you need is an even line that coats the row. Let the Glue Dry to a Tacky Consistency: When the false eyelashes are glued, dry them a little until they become sticky and tacky. Some people, like Polaroid photos, shake their lashes to speed up the process. Another thing you have to do is rotate the tape back and forth to relax the band. Put Your Lashes Right above the Lash Line: Place false eyelashes just above the eyelash line. The skin closest to the eyelids should be 1 mm. This keeps the glue away from the fragile eyelash line area and keeps the same distance when doing eyelash extensions

aytime is when our skin requires the most attention – sun exposure, long hours of air conditioning at work, and a variety of other external factors all contribute to skin problems! Following the success of its highly effective serums, Nykaa SKINRX enters a new category by introducing a new line of Day Moisturizers for Normal to Dry Skin. The moisturiser’s formulation is meticulously designed to ensure high-performance efficacy, taking your daytime skincare regimen to the next level. This multitasking product with 3-in-1 benefits is available in two variants – Vitamin C and Niacinamide. It moisturises, targets skin concerns such as blemishes, acne marks, hyperpigmentation, and dullness, and protects from sun damage with SPF 15. Day moisturisers, a great ally to the face serum, go above and beyond to seal and protect the newly achieved glow. Designed to address common skin concerns among Indian consumers, the moisturisers feature an effective ingredient blend that cares for and nourish the skin on multiple fronts, filling each skin layer with long-lasting, plumping hydration for a dewy glow. The formula is light and luxuriously moisturises the skin without leaving an oily, glossy, or heavy residue. All you have to do to achieve healthy skin is to Dot, Massage, and Moisturize. The dermatologically tested product is clean and extremely safe for anyone

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over the age of 16 to use. Nykaa SKINRX 5 percent Niacinamide Day Moisturizer is a science-backed solution that provides the ultimate moisturization while also reducing dark spots, blemishes, and acne marks on normal to dry skin. It contains a potent blend of 5% Niacinamide, Zinc, and Alpha Arbutin. Niacinamide, also known as vitamin B3, is a water-soluble vitamin that benefits the skin by brightening it, reducing the appearance of enlarged pores, and regulating sebum production. It’s essentially a genie in a bottle!

Nykaa SKINRX Vitamin C Day Moisturizer for Normal to Dry Skin provides maximum moisturization while also removing dullness, hyperpigmentation, and revealing a radiant shine. It contains four types of Vitamin C - Ethyl Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Ascorbyl Phosphate, Kakadu Plum, and Amla - making it the ideal potion for achieving a bright, youthful glow.

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Nykaa Brands CEO Reena Chabbra “A moisturiser is essential to a skincare regimen and is one of the fastest growing categories.” With such a positive response to our Nykaa SKINRX serums, we’ve expanded the portfolio to include day moisturisers to boost the efficacy of a skincare routine. Our initial offering includes Vitamin C and Niacinamide, two potent active ingredients that provide consumers with targeted skin solutions. With Nykaa SKINRX, we aim to provide a skincare line that contains scientifically proven active ingredients that are internationally recognised and thoroughly researched, resulting in real, visible results.” Nykaa SKINRX is a travel-friendly, dermatologically tested product, and is free from fragrance, alcohol, SLS, paraben, and cruelty. The collection will be available on the Nykaa website/ app and in-stores across India and is priced INR 399 onwards.

WHAT’S ON

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

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ENTERTAINMENT

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

'Pathaan' director: Have the intent to make it biggest event film of India

irector Siddharth Anand has just wrapped up the Spain schedule of the actioner ‘Pathaan’ starring Shah Rukh Khan and Deepika Padukone. He says he wants to ‘make ‘Pathaan’ the biggest

event film of India’. The much-talked about film, which is part of Aditya Chopra’s spy universe, also stars John Abraham. “The Spain schedule of Pathaan has

turned out beyond what we had envisaged and we are absolutely thrilled about it! This is a film that commands massive scale and I’m very happy with what we achieved!” “This is going to be a visual treat for the audiences. The fact that we could finally pull off such a magnificent Spain schedule without any hassle whatsoever is a huge feat for the entire production!” says Siddharth. SRK and Deepika shot a song in Mallorca as the superstar was clicked flaunting an eight-pack and Deepika her perfect bikini body. They then headed to Cadiz and Jerez in Spain where they wrapped the schedule on March 27. The ‘War’ director says, “We have all the intent to make Pathaan the biggest event film of India, given that we have the colossal superstars of our country in the film.” “As a director, I strive to make every film of mine a bigger experience for the audience than my last film and I have a personal ambition to make ‘Pathaan’ a film that is at par with any film made anywhere in the world.” ‘Pathaan’ is set to release on January 25, 2023 in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.

Priyanka Chopra celebrates one year of her Indian-themed NYC restaurant

ollywood actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas's restaurant in New York City recently

clocked a year. She took to Instagram to share a video celebrating the one-year anniversary of

her restaurant which serves Indian cuisine. Through the video, which is a collection of photographs, she highlighted how a venture that she started to introduce modern India to the world has now become a cool hangout spot in the city. She wrote in the caption, "What started for me as another way to introduce modern India to the west, turned into an incredibly fun, cool, and awesome spot in the heart of NYC where you can let your hair down and explore culinary delights and cocktails that are so synonymous with us. As Sona turns a year old today, I couldn't be more proud." She further gave a shoutout to her partners and her restaurant's team, "My partners @maneeshkgoyal, @ harinayak @davidrabin8 and the dedicated incredible team at @ sonanewyork have turned their talent and passion into consistently delivering excellence and making your experience at Sona as timeless as India herself. My Heart (and stomach) is full. Here's to many, many more!" On the work front, Priyanka will be next seen in the forthcoming romance drama, 'Text For You', the web series 'Citadel', a Bollywood film 'Jee Le Zaraa' and a film adaptation of 'Secret Daughter'.

‘Lock Upp’: Kangana Ranaut lashes out at Mandana for body shaming Azma Fallah

ollywood actress and host Kangana Ranaut has criticised Mandana Karimi for body shaming beauty blogger Azma

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Fallah inside the show 'Lock Upp'. Mandana says: "I believe in leveraging information power at the proper

time." To this Kangana responds: "You cannot question my judgement, this is the last time I am warning you." Furthermore, there is a playout in which each inmate is handed a photo and are required to shred it and explain why they tore it, Kaidi with the maximum votes is tagged as 'kachra' (garbage) of the 'Lock Upp' house. The majority of them shared Ali Merchant's photograph. During the playout, Mandana tears Azma's picture. Lastly, Ali is labelled as the 'Kachra' - Garbage of the Lock Upp house. Later, Kangana also mentions that the blue team has experienced a different type of trauma after losing the task to which Azma also teases the blue team for losing the task. Munawar replies to her by saying: "Give your 30-second footage some other day". Kangana bashed Munawar by saying: "You also behave in a similar way and do the same thing to the orange team." 'Lock Upp' streams on ALTBalaji and MX Player.

Vidyut Jammwal comes onboard for biopic of Phoolan Devi killer ‘Sher Singh Raana’

ction star Vidyut Jammwal is all set to start working on his first biopic, which will be based on the life of Sher Singh Raana who was convicted of murdering 'Bandit Queen' and politician Phoolan Devi. Raana had escaped from jail and brought back the ashes of Rajput king Prithviraj Chauhan from Afghanistan. Excited to join the team of 'Sher Singh Raana', Vidyut Jammwal said, "'Sher Singh Raana' marks my first

biopic. I think destiny connected the dots when the role of Sher Singh Raana came to me. I look forward to working with Vinod Bhanushali and Shree Narrayan Singh." The film's director Shree Narrayan Singh opines that the film will see Vidyut venturing into new territories as it will set a precedent. "While Vidyut has conquered the action space, in this film we see him take on a character he has never attempted before," he added. Talking about his collaboration

with Vidyut Jammwal producer Vinod Bhanushali says, "'Sher Singh Raana' will shed light on a story that created a stir in India years ago. Audiences will witness Vidyut in a never seen before character and the vision Shree will bring on screen is definitely going to be gripping." The biopic on Sher Singh Raana is produced by Vinod Bhanushali, Kamlesh Bhanushali and Vishal Gurnani of Bhanushali Studios Ltd and Vishal Tyagi and Mohammed Imran Khan of Matargashti Films.

Kashish Rizwan: Surreal to share screen with powerhouses like Vidya Balan, Shefali Shah

ctress Kashish Rizwan opens up about her role and also shares her working experience with Vidya Balan and Shefali Shah in 'Jalsa'. The actress essays the role of Alia in this thriller flick. She is shown as the victim in the film. She briefs: "The portrayal of Alia as a victim was quite disturbing and hard-hitting. Such stories need to come out, and I am overwhelmed that I did justice to the role. Essaying the role of Alia was quite challenging. When I first heard the narration, it gave me goosebumps. The biggest challenge for me was to bring the character of Alia to life. The accidental scenes and the scenes shot at hospital are heart-wrenching."

Kashish adds: "Another hurdle that I faced was to understand if the audience would resonate with my character. But it got so much love and sympathy from the viewers. Besides this, I still cannot sink in the fact that 'Jalsa' has been getting critical acclaim from the audience." On sharing screen space with Vidya and Shefali, she shares: "It feels surreal to share screen space with powerhouse talents like Vidya Balan and Shefali Shah. My experience with them was a memorable moment which I can cherish for a lifetime. They are at this position because of the experience they have about the art and craft of acting. I hope I get to portray such eye-opener characters in the coming time." 'Jalsa' was released on March 18 on

‘Valimai’ makes impressive opening on OTT; Garners 100 million streaming minutes

irector H. Vinoth's 'Valimai', which was released on ZEE5 recently after having a good run in theatres, has managed to take an impressive opening on the OTT platform as well, garnering a 100 million streaming minutes. The film has been released in four languages -- Kannada, Tamil, Telugu and Hindi on the OTT platform, and the OTT version also has deleted scenes. One of the most anticipated movies of 2022, 'Valimai', has Ajith Kumar playing IPS officer Arjun in the film, that is being billed as a clean cop drama with robust action and emotion. Written and directed by H. Vinoth, the film has been produced by Boney Kapoor of Bayview Project LLP in association with Zee Studios. The film features Karthikeya in a negative character. Yuvan Shankar Raja has composed music and Nirav Shah has handled cinematography.

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ENTERTAINMENT

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

Rajamouli’s ‘RRR’ smashes records to Mahesh Babu congratulates ‘RRR’ team; Calls the film ‘Epic’ emerge as India’s biggest blockbuster! IANS

ongratulating the team of director S.S. Rajamouli’s magnum opus ‘RRR’ for

Will Smith apologises to Chris Rock for Oscars slap

making a film that was ‘epic’, Telugu superstar Mahesh Babu on Saturday said the “scale, grandeur, visuals,

music and emotions” of the film were “unimaginable, breathtaking and simply stunning.” Taking to Twitter to register his thoughts on the just released film, which has already gone on to emerge as India’s biggest blockbuster, Mahesh Babu, said, “There are films and then there are SS Rajamouli films! ‘RRR’ E.P.I.C!! The scale, grandeur visuals, music & emotions are unimaginable, breathtaking and simply stunning! “Junior NTR and Ram Charan grow beyond their stardom and come out with performances which are out of this world!! The law of gravity didn’t seem to exist in the ‘Natu-Natu’ song! They were literally flying!! “Hats off to the entire team of ‘RRR’ for executing this mammoth project!! So so proud! Congratulations.” ‘RRR’, which features Junior NTR and Ram Charan in the lead, released on Friday in theatres worldwide. The film, which has come in for rave reviews, has smashed all box office records on Day 1 and has now emerged as the number one opener of Indian cinema.

Jada Pinkett Smith calls for ‘healing’ in response to Will Smith’s Chris Rock slap IANS

Los Angeles, March 29 (IANS) Hollywood star Will Smith has issued an apology after slapping comedian Chris Rock on the Oscars stage. “Violence in all of its forms is poisonous and destructive. My behaviour at last night’s Academy Awards was unacceptable and inexcusable. Jokes at my expense are part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally,” Smith wrote. “I would like to publicly apologise to you, Chris. I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.” The post continued, “I would also like to apologise to the Academy, the producers of the show, all the attendees and everyone watching around the world. I would like to apologize to the Williams Family and my King Richard Family. I deeply regret that my behavior has stained what has been an otherwise gorgeous journey for all of us. I am a work in progress.” The altercation happened when Rock took the stage to present the best documentary award and made a joke about Jada Pinkett Smith being in a sequel to ‘G.I. Jane’. Pinkett Smith has been open about the fact that she has alopecia, which causes hair loss. Smith then ran on stage, slapping Rock and quickly returning to his seat. “Keep my wife’s name out of your f******* mouth!” Smith yelled twice he was seated, reports ‘Variety’. The moment stunned viewers, who took to social media as it wasn’t immediately clear whether the altercation was a skit or not. Just a few moments later, Smith won the Oscar for best actor for his performance in “King Richard.” In his speech, he apologised to the Academy and his fellow nominees, but did not address Rock. During commercial breaks, both Smith’s publicist and Denzel Washington were seen talking to the actor. In his speech, Smith shared the advice Washington gave him: “At your highest moment, be careful, that’s when the devil comes for you.” Smith’s speech continued, “I’m being called on in my life to love people and to protect people and to be a river to my people. I know to do what we do, you got to be able to take abuse. You got to be able to have people talk crazy about you. In this business you got to be able to have people disrespecting you. And you got to smile and you got to pretend like that’s okay.”

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ctress Jada Pinkett Smith responded somewhat cryptically to her actor husband Will Smith slapping comedian Chris Rock at the Oscars. According to ‘Variety’, Pinkett Smith posted a message to her Instagram page that reads: “This is the season for healing. And I’m here for it.” The actor was the subject of the joke that led Will Smith to take the Oscar stage and slap Rock. The comedian joked about Jada Pinkett Smith starring in ‘G.I. Jane 2’ because of her shaved bald head. Rock was referencing the 1997 movie ‘G.I. Jane’, in which Demi Moore appears with a shaved head, reports ‘Variety’. Several days before the Oscars,

Pinkett Smith posted a message on TikTok in which she embraced her bald head. The actor has alopecia, which causes hair loss, and she shaved her head last year. In the TikTok message, which is set to India Arie’s song ‘I Am Not My Hair’, Pinkett Smith discussed the pressure she used to feel to have her hair look ‘European’ and the freedom she feels now that her head is shaved. “I liked my hair out wild and curly, but nobody wanted that,” the actor said. “I had to learn to get the courage to go, ‘I’m not doing it’, which is why I feel the freedom today. I don’t give two craps what people feel about this bald head of mine. Cause guess what? I love it.” Will Smith issued an apology to Rock on the night after the Oscars, writing: “Jokes at my expense are part of the job, but a joke about Jada’s medical condition was too much for me to bear and I reacted emotionally. I would like to publicly apologise to you, Chris.” “I was out of line and I was wrong. I am embarrassed and my actions were not indicative of the man I want to be. There is no place for violence in a world of love and kindness.”

Academy promises ‘appropriate action’ over Will Smith incident

IANS

irector S.S. Rajamouli’s magnum opus ‘RRR’, featuring Ram Charan and Jr NTR in the lead, has shattered records at the box office to emerge as India’s biggest blockbuster, according to one trade analyst. Taran Adarsh on Saturday tweeted: “’RRR’ smashes all records on Day 1. Overtakes ‘Baahubali 2’. ‘RRR’ is now the number one opener of Indian cinema. The worldwide Day One business [Gross BOC]: Rs 223 crore. S.S. Rajamouli is competing with himself.” The industry expert also put out a poster that confirmed the number. Adarsh went on to point out that the overwhelming success of ‘RRR’ had impacted the collections of ‘The Kashmir Files’. Globally, too, ‘RRR’ has been received warmly. The film collected Rs 4.03 crore on its first day in Australia and Rs 37.07 lakh in New Zealand. Adarsh added that the film had also had an “earth-shattering start” in the United States. It collected $3,198,766 from preview collections on Thursday across the US. In Canada, the film made $270,361. Across North America, the film raked in the US dollar equivalent of Rs 26.46 crore; in the UK, it made Rs 2.40 crore.

7 weeks after Lata Didi’s passing, her kin feel ‘orphaned’

QUAID NAJMI

early seven weeks after the legendary singer, Lata Mangeshkar passed away into eternity, her brother and sisters and other relatives feel they have become ‘orphans’. Emerging in public on Tuesday for the first time after Lata Didi’s passing, Hridaynath Mangeshkar, Asha Bhosle, Usha Mangeshkar and others joined for a proud yet emotional moment at the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar Auditorium in Vile Parle - the unveiling of a large colourful portrait of their beloved sister. The portrait of a smiling Lata Mangeshkar was unveiled by a close family friend of nearly seven decades, well-known actor Vikram Gokhale, moving to tears the assembled Mangeshkar clan who yearned for their beloved and eldest Didi, who left them on February 6. Inaugurating the portrait, Gokhale recalled how his father and the Master Deenanath Mangeshkar families were related for centuries. “We used to address him as ‘Dinaa ba’... Our families had a very close relationship and he was also my father’s ‘Guru’. He had presented a musical instrument to my father on which he would do ‘riyaaz’ (practice) for hours,” said Gokhale with moist eyes and voice choking. Asha Bhosle confessed how Lata Didi’s sudden passing was a huge shock and pain to her and the entire family. “Whenever I used to go anywhere, I would always take Lata Didi’s blessings. She would ask me ‘not to touch her feet always, as her blessings and that of our parents’, are forever with me, wherever I am and whether I went to her or not,” said Bhosle in a moving tribute.

The sole brother, music director Hridaynath Mangeshkar said Lata Didi’s passing has proved to be sad and devastating for the entire family, and said “we still can’t believe she is no more” with us. “I had seen our father’s picture in this auditorium and in four theatres in Pune. I never imagined a day would come when I would have to witness the unveiling of our sister’s (Lata Didi) photograph besides our father. It causes a lot of anguish,” said Hridaynath. The family will put up large-sized pictures of Lata Didi at the four theatres in Pune and also plan to construct memorials for her at various places. Asha Bhosle wondered that after Lata Didi’s departure, “whose blessings should I seek, who should I turn to for my problems.” “When we were very young and our Baba (father, Deenanath) expired and then our Mai (mom Shevanti) also passed, it was Lata Didi who cared for us as parents. After her departure we have all been rendered as orphans. We never thought it

would happen like this and could have lived for many more years,” said Bhosle. The family members said that Lata Didi will “continue to inspire us all” and the future generations would feel blessed by her photos hanging on the auditorium walls in Mumbai and Pune. Others present included Usha Mangeshkar, who cared for her Lata Didi for several years, was weeping inconsolably and could not remain present for the photo sessions, Bharti Mangeshkar, Roopkumar Rathod and Sonali Rathod, Adinath Mangeshkar, Krishna Mangeskar, Jenai Bhosle, Anuja Bhosle, Mayuresh Pati and Ashish Shelar. This is the first time the entire clan came together for a public event after Lata Didi’s passing on February 6, followed by her public funeral at Shivaji Park that day and then the post-funeral rituals at Nashik after four days. (Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in)

Urvashi Rautela collaborates with ‘Talk Dirty To Me’ hitmaker Jason Derulo

he Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has sent a letter to its members addressing the incident that occurred at the Oscars ceremony, when Hollywood star Will Smith walked onto the stage and slapped comedian Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about the appearance of Smith’s wife, Jada Pinkett Smith. The letter, obtained by ‘Variety’, states that Academy leadership is “upset and outraged” over the altercation and how it “overshadowed” a celebration of the film industry community. “Sunday’s telecast of the 94th Oscars was meant to be a celebration of the many individuals in our community who did incredible work this past year. We are upset and outraged that those moments were overshadowed by the unacceptable and harmful

behaviour on stage by a nominee,” the message begins. The letter, signed by Academy president David Rubin and CEO Dawn Hudson, also promises that the “Academy’s Board of Governors will now make a determination on appropriate action for Smith.” The group intends to meet Wednesday night and is expected to discuss the incident. The Academy also released a statement regarding the incident shortly after the awards ceremony concluded on Sunday evening: “The Academy does not condone violence of any form. Tonight we are delighted to celebrate our 94th Academy Awards winners, who deserve this moment of recognition from their peers and movie lovers around the world.”

Mumbai, March 30 (IANS) Actress Urvashi Rautela has announced collaboration with popular singer Jason Derulo, known for belting out hits such as ‘Talk dirty to me’, ‘Wiggle wiggle’, ‘Swalla’ and ‘Trumpets’ among many others, for their upcoming music single. Urvashi had shared a glimpse of it on her social media and has made it official on her collaboration for the song. Jason Derulo, on working with Urvashi, said: “It was a pleasure working with Urvashi Rautela in ‘Jaanu’. She’s a shining example of raw Indian beauty, and more importantly, Urvashi Rautela is not just the first, but also the second most beautiful woman in the world. “She is an excellent and outstanding actor and performer. She is the ultimate global icon. The only Bollywood film person I know of after Shah Rukh Khan is Urvashi

/IndianAbroadNews

Rautela. She is very famous. I cannot comment on the industry, but I like the emotions and dance that Indian movies involve.” On the work front, Urvashi will also be seen in the Jio studios web series ‘Inspector Avinash’ opposite Randeep Hooda in a lead role.

/indianabroadnews

The actress is going to play the lead role in a bilingual thriller ‘Black Rose’ along with the Hindi remake of ‘Thiruttu Payale 2’. Apart from that, the actress will be making her Tamil debut with the Rs 200 crore big-budget film ‘The Legend’ opposite Saravana.

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ENTERTAINMENT

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

NEW RELEASES

JAYESHBHAI JORDAAR

RUNWAY 34

JERSEY

RELEASE DATE: 14 April 2022 LANGUAGE: Hindi (With English Subtitles) PRODUCER: Yash Raj Films DIRECTOR: Gowtam Tinnanuri CAST: Shahid Kapoor, Mrunal Thakur and Pankaj Kapoor n ex-cricketer struggling to make ends meet, wants to fulfil

his child’s wish of getting a Jersey but in the process comes face to face with his heroic past and is forced to decide if he will rise to the occasion and become a symbol of hope or continue to live a life as a loser? A heartwarming story starring Shahid Kapoor, Mrunal Thakur and Pankaj Kapoor that will make you embrace your dreams, hopes and family.

PRITHVIRAJ

RELEASE DATE: 3 June 2022 LANGUAGE: Hindi, Tamil, Telugu (With English Subtitles) PRODUCER: Yash Raj Films DIRECTOR: Chandraprakash Dwivedi CAST: Akshay Kumar, introducing debutant Manushi Chhillar, Sanjay Dutt, Sonu Sood

ash Raj Films is making its first historical with Prithviraj, which is based on the life and valour of the fearless and mighty Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan. Superstar Akshay Kumar is essaying the role of the legendary warrior who fought valiantly against the merciless invader Muhammad of Ghor. Akshay unveiled the teaser of the film via social media and saluted the daredevilry of the braveheart. Akshay says, “The teaser of Prithviraj captures the soul of the film, the essence of the life of the legendary warrior Samrat Prithviraj Chauhan who knew no fear. This is our tribute www.indianabroad.news

to his heroism and his life. The more I read about him, the more I was awed by how he lived and breathed every single second of his glorious life for his country and his values.” The superstar adds, “He is a legend, he is one of the bravest warriors and he is one of the most upright kings that our country has ever seen. We hope that Indians worldwide love our salute to this mighty braveheart. We have tried to present his life story in the most authentic way possible and the film is a homage to his unmatched bravery and courage.” The gorgeous Manushi plays the role of his beloved Sanyogita and her launch is definitely one of the most awaited debuts of 2022. Produced by Yash Raj Films, Prithviraj is being directed by Dr. Chandraprakash Dwivedi who directed the biggest television epic Chanakya - based on the life and times of the most influential political strategist of India and the multiple award-winning Pinjar.

RELEASE DATE: 13 May 2022 LANGUAGE: Hindi (with English subtitles) PRODUCER: Yash Raj Films

DIRECTOR: Divyang Thakkar CAST: Ranveer Singh, Shalini Pandey, Boman Irani, Ratna Pathak Shah

RELEASE DATE: 29 April 2022 LANGUAGE: Hindi (With English Subtitles) PRODUCER: Ajay Devgan FFilms DIRECTOR: Ajay Devgn CAST: Ajay Devgn, Amitabh Bachchan, Rakul Preet Singh, Aakanksha Singh, Boman Iran

he highly anticipated dramatic thriller inspired by true incidents, “Runway 34”, is a story about Captain Vikrant Khanna, a flying

prodigy of sorts, who was determined to save the lives of 150 people when things went awry 35,000 feet above sea level. Followed by an official investigation to determine, what and how things unravelled, this edge of the seat thriller takes a look at what happened on that fateful morning inside that cockpit and outside of it; what triggered the incident and what the incident triggered.

Ranbir, Alia-starrer ‘Brahmastra’ wrapped

he shooting for the upcoming fantasy adventure film ‘Brahmastra’ starring Bollywood couple Ranbir Kapoor and Alia Bhatt has wrapped up. The makers wrapped its final shooting schedule in Kashi, and is all set to hit the theatres on September 9. Alia took to Instagram where she shared a video clip. The clip seems

to be from a song. She also shared a picture featuring the director Ayan Mukerji and Ranbir after a temple visit. For the caption, Alia wrote: “We started shooting in 2018. And now a finally .. The filming of Brahmastra (Part One) comes to an end !! I’ve been wanting to say this for such a long time...IT’S A WRAP!”

/IndianAbroadNews

The film apparently is set in two timeframes. The main story is set in present times where Shiva, a young man with superpowers travels 3000 years back in time to learn about weapons like Brahmastra in order to fulfill a mission. Directed by Ayan Mukerji, produced by Fox Star Studios, Dharma Productions, Prime Focus and

/indianabroadnews

Starlight Pictures, the magnum opus will release theatrically on September 9 in five Indian languages - Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam and Kannada. It has a stellar ensemble cast of Amitabh Bachchan, Ranbir Kapoor, Alia Bhatt, Mouni Roy and Nagarjuna Akkineni.

Vol 2, Issue 4 April 1-15, 2022

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