Indian Abroad - Dec 16-31, 2022

PLA troops approach LAC in Arunachal, clash with Indian soldiers

Pradesh on December 9 at Yangtse. Soon after the clash, troops of both India and China immediately were disengaged from the area.

Accordig to the sources, the face-off in the Tawang sector of Arunachal Pradesh was the first incident of clashes between Indian and Chinese troops since the confrontation at eastern Ladakh.

There has been face-offs in this area in the past too.

New Delhi, Dec 12 (IANS) Chinese

troops approached the LAC in Arunachal Pradesh last week, but Indian troops firmly contested their way, leading to a clash between the two, sources said on Monday.

Although no loss of life or major injuries were reported but both some Indian and Chinese troops received some minor injuries during this clash, a source said.

It is the first physical clash between

the two armies since August 2020 in eastern Ladakh. There was another incident in October 2021 at Yangtse, 35 km northeast of Tawang, where the Chinese attempt to get access to the top of 17,000 feet peak was thwarted and the area is now under snow and will remain so till March.

Top sources confirmed that a clash occurred between the two sides along the disputed section of the Line of Actual Control in Arunachal

Earlier this month China had also objected to the Indo-US joint military exercise at Auli in Uttarakhand. India had, however, dismissed China’s objection, saying it did not give a veto to third countries on these issues.

Hitting back at China, External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said the joint exercises with the US in Auli has nothing to do with the 1993 and 1996 agreements with China.

Poor health rises among Australians: Report

Canberra, Dec 13 (IANS) Illness is on the rise among the Australian population for the first time in two decades, a government report published on Tuesday revealed.

The Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) published the latest edition of its burden of disease study, finding Australians lost an estimated 5.5 million years of healthy life to ill health in 2022, reports Xinhua news agency.

It marks a 2 per cent increase

compared to the 2018 study and the first time since monitoring started in 2003 that the burden of sickness and disease has risen.

However, the study found Australians were overall healthier in 2022 than in 2003.

“Fewer Australians are dying prematurely than 19 years ago, but we are still living with similar amounts of ill health,” AIHW spokesperson Richard Juckes said in a statement.

DCW serves notice to Delhi Police over acid attack on schoolgirl

condition is stated to be critcal.

DCW Members Vandana Singh and Firdaus Khan visited the girl in the hospital and interacted with her family. The Commission has assured full support to the victim and her family.

A team of the Commission is also deployed at the hospital with the girl.

Taking cognisance of the matter, the DCW has sought an action taken report in the matter to Delhi Police. The Commission has sought a copy of FIR alongwith details of accused arrested in the matter. It has also demanded the details of any complaint made by the girl and/or her family regarding threats to her along

Biz operator fined $30k for not paying Indian worker

authority Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO).

The FWO notice required the company to calculate and back-pay entitlements to a visa-holder worker from India, who was employed as a full-time motor mechanic between February 2017 and February 2018.

about their pay or entitlements should contact us for free advice and assistance,” she said in an FWO statement.

The FWO investigated after receiving a request for assistance from the Indian worker and issued compliance notice to Bhangu Pty Ltd. in September 2021.

with action taken thereon.

Details of the shop from which the acid was procured alongwith details of action taken against the seller of acid has also been sought.

Further, in its notice to the Home Department, the DCW has stated that acid is freely available across the country, especially in the Capital. It has repeatedly recommended a complete ban on retail sale of acid; however, no action has been taken till date in the matter.

Further, the Commission had also recently released a report on the lack of implementation of the Delhi Government order for regulating sale of acid in Delhi. The order empowers area SDM to make surprise

inspections and impose a penalty of Rs 50,000 for violations.

The report revealed that regular inspections to regulate acid sale were also not being conducted in districts in Delhi.

DCW Chief Swati Maliwal said, “It is very unfortunate that despite repetitive recommendations of the Commission, the retail sale of acid is not banned. Acid is being sold openly in the market unchecked. In Fact it is as easy to obtain acid as it is to purchase vegetables! Government must ban retail sale of acid. Further Delhi Police must arrest the men

investigate the case properly so that the strongest punishment can be given to them.”

Christian Michel alleges abuse in Tihar Jail to UK PM

Melbourne, Dec 13 (IANS) A vehicle repair business operator in Australia has been fined AU$30,000 for not paying back-pay entitlements to a worker from India, the court said.

The Federal Circuit and Family Court imposed the penalty against Bhangu Pty Ltd., which operates a business trading as Rehaan Automotive Care, based in Archerfield, a suburb in the city of Brisbane.

The penalty was imposed last week in response to Bhangu Pty Ltd. failing to comply with a compliance notice by Australian regulatory

Fair Work Ombudsman Sandra Parker said in a statement that business operators that fail to act on compliance notices need to be aware they can face penalties in court on top of having to back-pay workers.

“When compliance notices are not followed, we are prepared to take legal action to ensure workers receive their lawful entitlements,” Parker added.

“Employers should also be aware that taking action to protect vulnerable employees, such as migrant workers, is a priority for the agency. Any employees with concerns

It found that the worker had been underpaid minimum wages and annual leave entitlements, owed under the Vehicle Manufacturing, Repair, Services and Retail Award and the Fair Work Act’s National Employment Standards.

Thereafter, it secured a $30,000 penalty in court against the operator of the vehicle repair and maintenance business in Brisbane.

The court has also ordered the company to take the steps required by the FWO compliance notice, which includes back-paying the worker in full, plus superannuation.

Australian IT firm faces court for underpaying Indian worker

and its director for underpaying four of its workers, including an Indian, in 2021.

Melbourne Digital Pty Ltd, a software development company, and its director Julian Smith will face court after the regulator received requests for assistance from workers the company had employed in various information technology roles.

compliance notices to the company in October and November 2021 after probing that it had underpaid four workers it employed for periods of between one month and just over four months in 2021.

By Ashis Ray London, Dec 7 (IANS) Christian Michel, an alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland chopper scam case, has claimed in a signed five-page hand-written letter from Tihar Jail to UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak that he is “being abused in a Delhi jail” and is being held “without trial, without charge, without bail” since four years.

A source close to the Briton corroborated that the letter dated November 5 is indeed in Michel’s hand-writing. The communication is copied to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, British Home Secretary, Suella Braverman, and Michel’s British lawyer Toby Cadman, among others. Sunak’s office did not respond to a request from IANS to confirm receipt of the letter or react to its contents.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have been investigating allegations of kickbacks in a 2010 deal to buy 12 AgustaWestland VVIP helicopters for Rs 3,600 crore. They were asked to do so by the then

Indian-origin science teacher wins PM’s prize in Australia

Melbourne, Dec 6 (IANS) Australian regulatory authority Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) has initiated a legal action against an IT company

The workers -- a software engineer, a software developer, a user experience designer and a user interface/ user experience designer -- included an Indian as well as a Pakistani national, who were on temporary graduate visas.

An FWO inspector issued

FWO alleged in a press statement that Melbourne Digital Pty Ltd, without reasonable excuse, failed to comply with the compliance notices, which required it to calculate and back-pay the workers’ entitlements. It is alleged Smith was involved in the contraventions.

The FWO is seeking penalties in court for an alleged failure to comply with two compliance notices.

Melbourne, Dec 5 (IANS) An Indian-origin teacher in Australia has received the 2022 Prime Minister’s Prize for Excellence in Science Teaching in secondary schools.

Melbourne-based Veena Nair, who is ViewBank College’s Head of Technology and STEAM project leader, has been awarded for demonstrating practical application of STEAM to students, and how they can use their skills to make a real impact in the world.

“To be recognised in the Prime Minister’s prizes for science, I am

New Delhi, Dec 14 (IANS) The Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) on Wednesday took suo motu cognisance of the acid attack on a 17-year-old schoolgirl and issued a notice to Delhi Police regarding it.

According to police, when the girl was going to her school in the Dwarka area of the national capital, two bike-borne miscreants threw acid on her. The girl is undergoing treatment at a hospital where her

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Chinese transgressions continue, Centre mute spectator: Kharge

up to Y junction in Depsang Plains continue till date.”

He said the Chinese transgressions into Gogra and Hot Springs area in Eastern Ladakh, Chinese build-up next to Pangong Tso Lake area, including building of PLA’s divisional headquarters, army garrison, weapon shelters for artillery, antiaircraft guns and armoured carriers, was being continuously ignored by the government.

dated 20th June 2020, saying that no one has entered into our territory.”

Indian soldiers successfully thwarted transgression by Chinese troops in Tawang sector: Rajnath

New Delhi, Dec 13 (IANS) Leader of opposition, Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday accused the Centre of being a mute spectator on the Chinese transgressions.

He was speaking in the Rajya Sabha and demanded a statement from the Prime Minister.

He said, “The valour of our Armed Forces in Galwan Valley, Ladakh is well-known. But China has brazenly transgressed into our territory since April 2020. The illegal and unprovoked Chinese transgressions

“The government also remains oblivious to the Chinese construction of a new radome, two high frequency microwave towers and other ongoing construction in the area. Construction of the Pangong Tso bridge along with decks on both sides facilitating easy movements of the Chinese troops has also been brushed aside.”

He said, “Despite the demand to ensure a status quo ante as of April 2020, China has refused to vacate our territory and has been deliberately taking shelter behind the statement of our Prime Minister

“Even the ongoing talks with the Chinese for a push back from our territory have come to a standstill and no new date is stated to have been fixed. In the midst of all this, the news of unprovoked attempts of incursions into our territory in the Tawang sector across the LAC by the Chinese raises more concerns,” Kharge said.

He said similar unconfirmed reports of Chinese transgressions were coming from the Doklam area. “It is also well-known that after the Doklam standoff in June 2017, China has constructed all-weather roads and bunkers, which can prove to be a threat to our security in the ‘Chicken’s Neck’ sector.”

However, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh while making a statement on the clash, said that “the Indian Army has thwarted the attempt to change the status quo by Chinese troops”.

images show China has built villages, road near border in Arunachal’

is stable but according to sources, the Chinese soldiers had come with barbed sticks near the LAC on December 9.

India has taken a tough stand on the clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers. A meeting with the chiefs of all three armed forces, the CDS, and the NSA was also called by the Defence Minister.

The clash between Indian and Chinese troops on December 9 took place at the 17,000 feet at Yangtse, some 35 km north-east of Tawang in western Arunachal Pradesh.

New Delhi, Dec 13 (IANS) Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Tuesday told Parliament that Indian troops successfully thwarted an attempt by Chinese soldiers to transgress the Line of Actual Control (LAC) on December 9 in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang sector.

In a statement which the Defence Minister read out in both Houses of Parliament, he said that Indian troops in a brave and resolute manner pushed back the Chinese troops back to their positions after a physical scuffle, in which minor injuries were suffered by both sides in Yangtse area of Tawang sector.

However no fatalities were reported on the Indian side during the incident, Rajnath Singh informed the House.

Owing to timely interventions by Indian commanders, the Chinese troops returned back to their positions, the Defence Minister informed further.

He said that subsequently a flag meeting between Indian and Chinese commanders was held on December 11, where the Chinese side was told to refrain from such US ‘closely

actions and maintain peace and tranquility along the border. The matter has also been taken up through diplomatic channels with China.

Indian soldiers are committed to protect the territorial integrity and thwart any attempt made on it, the Minister said in the statement.

Rajnath Singh expressed confidence that the House stands united in supporting Indian soldiers in their

monitoring’

Washington, Dec 14 (IANS) The US said that it “strongly opposes” any unilateral attempt to advance territorial claims, adding that it is “closely” monitoring the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the aftermath of clashes between militaries of India and China in the Arunachal Pradesh sector.

US State Department spokesperson Ned Price told reporters at the daily briefing that the US is in “close contact” with its Indian “partners”.

Price declined to detail conversations with India.

New Delhi, Dec 13 (IANS) Satellite images shows that China has built villages on their side of the IndiaChina border abutting Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang, and the PLA army has also constructed a road on that side, Indian Army sources said on Tuesday, a day after a clash between troops of both sides last week became public.

On the clash, sources said that as many as 300 Chinese troops had arrived near the LAC on December 9 to gain control over the peak of a 17,000-feet-high mountain under a well-planned conspiracy, but the Indian troops foiled their attempt, the source said.

Meanwhile, China’s first statement

on the clash has come, with its Foreign Ministry said that the situation on its border with India is “stable”.

When India raised the issue of clash between Indian and Chinese soldiers on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) near Tawang, China maintained that the situation on the border is stable.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Wang Wenbin said: “As far as we understand, the situation on the China-India border is overall stable.

Continuous talks are going on, on the border issue through diplomatic and military channels.”

Although, China has maintained that the situation on its border with India

A source informed that there have been injuries to both Indian and Chinese soldiers and six of the injured Indian soldiers had been admitted to the military hospital at Guwahati, but here is no reports of any serious injury or death.

China has been repeatedly trying to take control of the 17,000-feet-high peak but Indian Army sources said that India has a firm control of the peak, which provides a commanding view on both sides of the border.

After the tension erupted between India and the Chinese PLA Army in Arunachal Pradesh, now Indian Air Force aircraft are patrolling the skies of Arunachal to prevent the Chinese Army from violating the LAC again.

According to Air Force sources, this patrolling is being done to prevent any possible airspace violations by the Chinese Air Force.

Blame-game begins in Delhi; AAP accuses BJP of threatening and luring councillors

the Election Commissioner have no responsibility in this matter?” asked Singh.

Lashing out at BJP, Sanjay Singh further said, “BJP has become Bhartiya Khokha Party across the country because of its misdeeds. Despite getting 30 seats less than AAP in MCD elections and losing 80 seats as compared to previous elections, BJP has resorted to its dirty tactics.”

alleged.

AAP leader also demanded that the Election Commission should intervene in the matter. “People from different parties get elected, and does not the Election Commission have any responsibility to see that they are not threatened or lured to topple the government? The Government of India is currently being run by BJP and they will work as per their wishes,” he said.

“We are glad to hear that both sides appear to have quickly disengaged from the clashes,” Price said and went on to appeal to the two countries to discuss their boundary disputes utilising the existing bilateral channels.

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre also expressed similar sentiments. “We are glad to hear that both sides appear to have quickly disengaged from the clashes,” she said, adding, “We are closely monitoring the situation. We encourage India and China to utilise existing bilateral channels to discuss disputed boundaries.”

Price was responding to questions about clashes between contingents of the Indian Army and the People’s Liberation Army (PLA - as the Chinese military calls itself) in

New Delhi, Dec 10 (IANS) The Aam Aadmi Party on Saturday accused BJP of attempting to poach AAP Councillors. Senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh along with newly elected councillors claimed that the BJP is hatching a conspiracy to lure the AAP councillors.

“BJP has started threatening and luring AAP councillors in Delhi; these are elected councillors of AAP, it is impossible to buy them. BJP is shamelessly making claims of putting its Mayor in MCD despite falling short from majority by 30 seats. I demand the Police Commissioner of Delhi to arrest those who are involved in trading Councillors through money and threats. Does

“They used the tactics of trading MLAs in Maharashtra, Arunachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Madhya Pradesh, Karnataka and Goa. Now, they have adopted the same formula in Delhi. They are offering gratification to MCD councillors and even threatening them. I have been saying this from day one that the BJP is such a shameless party that despite having 30 seats less than majority, they are saying Mayor will be from their party,” he claimed.

“A person named Yogesh called Ward No. 88 Councillor Dr Runakshi Sharma and said that the BJP State President Adesh Gupta wants to talk to her. Adesh Gupta and BJP leaders mentioned about a budget of Rs 100 crore to trade councillors. This budget is only for 10 councillors which means that Bhartiya Khokha Party has allotted Rs 10 crore for every councillor,” Sanjay Singh

Meanwhile, Pintu Sharma, father of Ward No. 88 Councillor Dr Runakshi Sharma claimed, “We received a call the day before yesterday in the evening from Yogesh Chandriya. Ward No. 88 Patel Nagar was Adesh Gupta’s constituency and my daughter defeated him in the elections. He said that he wanted to get 10 councillors and asked me to do it anyhow. I asked how is this possible? He said they can give Rs 2 crore to each councillor. I said it is too less. They pushed their bid to Rs 10 crore and asked me to get as many councillors as possible”.

Another councillor from Ward No. 166 Pushp Vihar Arun Navariya also claimed that the incumbent councillor and his wife, who also was a councillor from BJP, are threatening his supporters of dire consequences.

efforts. There was pandemonium in Lok Sabha when he read out the statement.

Earlier in the day, Rajnath Singh had chaired a high-level emergency meeting to discuss the situation.

CDS Lieutenant General Anil Chauhan, Army chief General Manoj Pande and NSA Ajit Doval were in attendance.

LAC situation after Tawang clashes

the Tawang sector last week. The Chinese, numbering about 300, came armed with tasers, knuckle dusters and other weapons - but not guns. The Indian military personnel responded, with swiftly deployed reinforcements, to the transgression and “compelled” the intruders to return to their posts.

The largely unmarked LAC has seen several such clashes, triggered by Chinese intrusion. The most egregious of them took place in Galwan in Ladakh region in 2020. About 20 Indian soldiers were injured at the time and many Chinese soldiers, though Beijing never said how many.

Raja Krishnamoorthi, an Indian American member of the House of Representatives, expressed concern over the clashes. “I’m disturbed to learn of the latest show of aggression by the Chinese Communist Party through its violation of Indian territory with its armed forces,” he said in a statement.

“While I’m grateful that this clash led to no serious casualties to Indian forces, it serves as another reminder of the growing belligerence of the Chinese Communist Party and the need for the United States to continue to work with India and all our security partners in the region to counter Beijing’s aggression,” he added.

These border clashes are more than

mere clashes over intrusions. They are seen as “low-level”

to unsettle India

of its growing ties

the US. “China tracks India’s relations with the United States very carefully and is concerned at the synergy between them. Chinese scholarly writings and official statements make the point that the United States is pursuing an anti-China strategy and that India should keep a distance from it,” Vijay Gokhale, former Indian foreign secretary and ambassador to China, writes in a paper published on Tuesday.

“China uses coercion on the LAC to warn India while keeping the possibility of geopolitical backlash low,” he writes, citing a recent study by a Chinese scholar based on interviews with Chinese officials and scholars.

BJP eyes mayoral election, vows to keep exposing AAP’s ‘corruption’ in MCD

New Delhi, Dec 11 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party has been levelling accusations against the Aam Aadmi Party, be it any scam, corruption or failure when it was the governing party in the Municipal Corporation of Delhi and in the opposition in the Delhi government. Now, even after losing the MCD polls, the BJP plans to continue to expose the AAP and its alleged corruption as the opposition in the civic body.

The AAP on Wednesday dislodged the BJP from power in the MCD, giving it control over key civic sectors in the city such as waste management, primary education and collection of property tax.

Delhi BJP chief Adesh Gupta opened up about the defeat in the MCD polls and said the “BJP will serve the people of Delhi by becoming a strong opposition and will expose the corruption of the Aam Aadmi Party in the corporation just like the huge corruption done by the AAP in the Delhi government”.

Expressing gratitude to Delhiites he said, “BJP expresses gratitude to all the voters of Delhi including BJP workers for 40 per cent voter turnout received by the Bharatiya Janata Party in the municipal elections. At the same time, the BJP promises that in the corporation too, it will strongly raise the questions and problems related to the people of Delhi and will try its best to fulfil them.” Gupta also thanked the Delhi

Police and the Election Commission. Gupta said the “people of Delhi have given us an almost 40% vote share along with 104 wards and responsibility as a strong opposition. We will constructively keep raising the issues of the general public”.

Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal won and the BJP lost in the MCD polls. But the significant point is that Kejriwal’s top ministers lost most of the wards in their constituencies.

The BJP is still keeping its hopes high of having a mayor from their party as the mayor is elected by the councillors.

With the Anti-Defection Act not applicable in municipal polls, the chances of last minute changes in which party is able to stake claim to the seat of the mayor are high.

A mayor is usually nominated by the party which has the highest number of councillors. Only if the opposition puts up a candidate are elections mandated. Since the AAP’s victory has not been a sweep, the chances of elected councillors switching parties becomes high.

Apart from the elected councillors, 10 Delhi MPs (of both the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha) and 14 MLAs, to be selected by the Assembly Speaker, are eligible to vote in the mayoral election.

The BJP’s Amit Malviya referred to the Chandigarh municipal body.

Though the AAP had emerged as the single largest party by winning 14

seats in the Chandigarh municipal elections for 35 wards, but it had not won a majority.

“Over to electing a mayor for Delhi� It will all depend on who can hold the numbers in a close contest, which way the nominated councillors vote etc�” Malviya tweeted.

When asked who the BJP will field as its mayoral candidate, a party leader said, “It is too early to talk about this. Our party leadership will decide. Today is a victory day, let’s celebrate.”

Kejriwal in his victory speech said let’s improve the condition of Delhi.

He also sought the cooperation of the BJP and the Congress as well as the “blessings” of the Centre and Prime Minister Narendra Modi to improve civic amenities in the national capital.

‘Satellite

coercion

in view

with

Poor health rises among Australians: Report Delhi gets its own ‘double-engine sarkar’, but it won’t be a cakewalk for AAP

health burden in Australia, ranking it eighth among specific illnesses.

Steve Robson, president of the Australian Medical Association (AMA), said the data shows people are living longer with chronic conditions, increasing pressure on the health system.

Cancers were the most burdensome illness in 2022 followed by musculoskeletal conditions, cardiovascular diseases, mental and substance use disorders and neurological conditions.

Of specific diseases, dementia was the second leading cause of total burden, up from 12th in 2003.

The fatal burden of cardiovascular diseases fell by 50 per cent between 2003 and 2022 and by 26 per cent for cancers.

The analysis was the first burden report to include Covif-19.=

It found that the coronavirus accounted for 2.7 pe rcent of the total

“One of the startling figures to come out of this report is the fact that anxiety disorders are now in the top five diseases creating a burden on the health system,” he told the Australian Associated Press (AAP).

“We need investment in preventative care across the board, particularly in mental health if we are to prevent more and more patients unnecessarily ending up in hospitals.”

Indian-origin science teacher wins PM’s prize in Australia

resilient and to take risks,” she said.

As a leading educator in STEAM, Nair has more than 20 years of experience in teaching science-based subjects across India, the United Arab Emirates, and now Australia.

Through her work, she has increased the number of students who receive first round offers to study engineering and technology subjects at university, especially young women and students from diverse backgrounds.

also supports the Young Persons’ Plan for the Planet program, a STEM-based enterprise development program that gives students the opportunity to engage with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals as changemakers at a global level.

Via this program, she has led a team of Australian teachers to conduct STEAM workshops for teachers in low socio-economic schools in Mumbai.

New Delhi, Dec 11 (IANS) The capital city has given a clear mandate to the Aam Aadmi Party to run the largest urban civic body, the Municipal Corporation of Delhi. As the AAP has not been in power in the corporation ever since the party’s launch 10 years ago, it will not be a cakewalk for it to run the MCD.

The whole campaign strategy of the AAP was centered on ridding Delhi of its three garbage mountains and making the MCD corruption free. As the results show, Delhi gave the mandate, though not a landslide, to the AAP on sanitation and corruption issues. The MCD was ruled by the Bharatiya Janata Party for the last 15 years and the issue of corruption echoed prominently in the campaign.

The AAP got 134 wards, while the main opposition BJP got 104 wards. The Congress clinched 9 seats out of total 250 wards. With the clear majority, the AAP is all set to take over the reigns of the MCD from the BJP.

councillors near to the majority mark will not make the task easier for it.

deeply humbled. I am very grateful to my school, to my colleagues, to my students, and to my family,” Nair said in a video message.

“Many people know about STEM -- science, technology, engineering and maths, but STEAM is with an A, which is for Art. Art brings in out of the box thinking, and it brings in creativity because students need steam skills to innovate, to become

Nair began her teaching career in Mumbai, where she provided computers to low socio-economic schools and taught students how to code.

Nair’s students participate in the Swinburne Youth Space Innovation Challenge -- a 10-week program that sees secondary students competing to create the best experiment to launch into space.

The winning project is then sent to the International Space Station. She

Melbourne Digital Pty Ltd faces a penalty of up to $33,300 per contravention and Smith faces a penalty of up to $6,660 per contravention.

Fair Work Ombudsman Sandra Parker said the regulator would continue to enforce workplace laws and take businesses to court where lawful requests are not complied with.

“Where employers do not comply, we will take appropriate action to protect employees. A court can order a business to pay penalties in addition to back-paying workers,”

Nair is a BSc in Physics and a BEd in Science and Mathematics from the University of Mumbai and an MEd (maths education) from Deakin University.

She won the Educator of the Year Award by the Design and Technology Teachers’ Association of Australia in 2018.

The annual awards celebrate the contributions of 12 of the country’s leading scientists, innovators and science teachers.

worker

Parker said in an FWO press statement.

“Any employees with concerns about their pay or entitlements should contact the Fair Work Ombudsman for free assistance,” she added.

The regulator is also seeking an order for the software development company to take the steps set out in the compliance notices, which includes rectifying alleged underpayments in full, including interest and superannuation.

Michel alleges abuse in Tihar Jail to UK PM

a UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD) in November 2020 censured the Indian government and called for his immediate release and reparation to be paid to him in accordance with international law.

He complained that the British foreign office told him that “the Working Group is not a judicial body and its opinions are not legally binding”.

Michel conveyed to Sunak: “The issues raised by this despatch and the evidence adduced are of very considerable national and international interest, concerning credible allegations of international human rights abuses, kidnap, imprisonment and torture.”

He included the United Arab Emirates authorities in his charges.

After the reunification of the MCD, it has been divided into 12 zones for smooth functioning. Out of the total 12 zones, the AAP will have control over 7 zones, while the BJP will control 4 zones and the Congress councillors will play a key role in one zone. A zone is governed by the Ward Committee that later elects members for the standing committee which has a crucial role in the administrative and financial decisions of the corporation.

The AAP-ruled MCD will have to face challenges while fulfilling the promises made during the campaign. The BJP which also has

The other challenge for the AAP is the selection of a mayor for the MCD. As the mayor is elected at the first meeting of the financial year mostly in April, the AAP needs to think whether it will elect a mayor for the remaining three months of the financial year or will wait to start the next financial year.

The MCD election that was scheduled for March was delayed by eight months because of the unification of the three MCDs. If the AAP decides to elect a mayor now, the party will have to approach the Centre to change the schedule of the party’s first meeting and the appointment of the mayor from April to December now.

As the Delhi government and the MCD have always locked horns over the unavailability of funds, the issue of financial assistance may also rise between the BJP at the Centre and the AAP.

During the campaign, AAP national convener and Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal had accused the BJP of making a false promise in the last civic election that it would get money directly from the Centre. Not a single rupee had come in the past five years, Kejriwal had claimed.

“They claimed during the last election that Kejriwal doesn’t fund the Municipal Corporation of Delhi properly and they will now ask for funds from the Centre. It has been five years. The central government and MCD were run by the same party. Yet, the Centre did not give them a single �naya’ paisa to run the corporation,” Kejriwal had said.

On the question of fund management, he had said that arranging money would be his responsibility.

The Centre had been holding on to the funds meant for the Delhi government but the work never stopped. We do not stop our work just because the funds from the Centre have not come, he had said.

Defence Minister A.K. Antony in February 2013. Yet, even after nearly 10 years neither has reached a stage of proceeding to trial.

The ED filed a charge sheet against Michel in June 2016 accusing him of receiving a commission to the tune of 30 million euros in the transaction.

Michel denies the allegation.

In 2019, the highest court in Italy dismissed any wrongdoing on the part of Michel, describing the imputations against him as a “hypothesis”.

Michel pointed out to Sunak that

He went on to comment in the letter: “A pretty shameful thing to write when one considers that the UK is a UN founding member, a permanent member of the UN Security Council, a signatory to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and the Charter of the UN.”

The WGAD report recorded that Michel’s lawyers submitted to it that in January 2018 a deputy director of CBI “allegedly attempted to coerce Mr Michel into signing a 20-page pre-drafted statement admitting corruption activities (implicating the Congress’ Gandhi family) related to the AW case and threatened him with prosecution if he refused to sign”.

The Briton did not oblige. He was subsequently forcibly taken to India.

On Tuesday, livelaw.in reported that Chief Justice S.Y.. Chandrachud, hearing a bail petition on behalf of Michel, remarked: “He has already been put in jail for four and a half years (six months in Dubai before he was allegedly renditioned to Delhi) just because he’s a foreign national. Ordinarily if he was an Indian national, the court would be willing to grant bail.”

He proceeded to ask Additional Solicitor General, S.V. Raju, who was pleading on behalf the ED: “Only because he’s a foreign national, does that warrant a complete deprivation of his liberty or can we impose some conditions so we can ensure his appearance?”

The Supreme Court listed the matter for hearing in the second week of January 2023

Christian

Australian IT firm faces court for underpaying Indian

The FIFA World Cup has had all that it takes to make it one of the most thrilling entertainments throughout the world. The devotees among the fans have either been glued to their seats before their TV sets or made a beeline at the entrance of whichever stadium hosted the matches. That Qatar has etched out its name in international history is perhaps an understatement. There has never been so much anticipation for a mega event like this before as was this time. If any game comes anywhere close to creating divisions and cohesions simultaneously, it has got to be the World Cup Soccer. Come what may, people throng stadiums, sing their singsongs in unison, and urge their stars to perform. But it is also the occasion when barriers of national boundaries do not count as people across the world pick their popular teams and cheer for them irrespective of the nationality to which it belongs. Even within a nation people are divided along the teams participating in the World Cup. A visit to Kolkata in India, Kerala and Goa is a treat to watch. Kolkata in particular with its adda culture gaining momentum as multiple cups of tea are exchanged and discourses held on who is going to win the next match and perhaps even lift the coveted cup.

Ironically enough India has never come close to playing in a World Cup. The irony lies in the fact that India has so much talent and enthusiasm and the only thing that explains India’s poor soccer show is the lack of infrastructure and opportunities for players to showcase their talent internationally. The little that was done along the lines of IPL cricket could not be replicated for soccer in the absence of the kind of commitment by both the sponsors as has been in the case of Indian cricket.

But Indians have their stars and superstars and they do not necessarily have to be Indians. If a Ronaldo or a Neymar deserves applause, Indians would not shy away from doing that. Nationality hardly matters. Indians love the sport and they have been doing so for years. No national or international barriers can stop them from cheering their favourite team.

As for the World Cup, it has been what a World Cup Soccer ought to be. It all began with Argentina going down to Saudi Arabia. Would you have believed the scoreline? But World Cups can lead to even the best of teams losing their ground on a day they ought to be playing their best football. It happens to all. It happened to Maradona. It happened to Pele. It happened

to Ronaldo of Brazil a few years ago. And it happened to Ronaldo of Portugal now. Nobody perhaps expected Morocco to script such a scintillating upset. The coach of Portugal seemed to have very little confidence in Ronaldo’s prowess as he was not sent among the first 11 to two consecutive knockout matches.

Morocco and Croatia have shown, the World Cup is hardly about stars; rather it seldom is, except for the days of Pele for Brazil and Maradona in his heydays for Argentina who single-handedly stole the show from other teams. That Messi is no Maradona and Neymar is not Pele of yore is being understood. Geniuses are not born every day, be it Sachin Tendulkar for Indian cricket or Pele for Brazil.

All said and done, it is the Germans who have been quite a mystery. Germans are known to be conservative in their approach in every walk of life and soccer is no exception. The Germans are no longer the team they used to be, resilient as they would be called. The solidity in their game and the urge to decimate the opposition are all but gone from their game. The aspiration for winning the World Cup did not become apparent on the faces of German players. It seems the energy crunch that Germany is facing along with simmering discontent with the political dispensation in the nation may have had their impact on German football as well. But what is commendable at least visibly is the rise of football in other continents. Saudi Arabia’s win over Argentina may have been a fluke but Japan getting better of much fancied teams like Germany and Spain cannot be swept under the carpet. Morocco fought the German way with resilience and entered the semis with a statement of the rise of African football. Japan could not go that far to usher in an era of Asian football. But they have done themselves proud defeating giants of World football in Germany and Spain.

England has never quite done justice to all the good work they do initially. This time around again the promise was there and the talk that they might clinch the World Cup. However, it seems somewhere down the line they lacked enough conviction to make it to the semis.

France does what it does the best. It reached the semis without too much roar and laughter.

Belgium and Netherland never seemed the team to reach the zenith of World football. Belgium fans did not give a good account of themselves after their side’s defeat. Riots and hooliganism cannot be tolerated even in the name of a football match and brings bad reputation to this wonderful game of stamina, strength, mental focus and skill.

Now that the World Cup final is days away, it can be anybody’s cup on that day. But whosoever may win, the world will have won after two tumultuous years of Covid-19.

27: No room for rhetoric

The world is already witnessing the vagaries of global warming and climate change. Be it floods, wild fires of unprecedented proportions or drought-like situations, it is happening everywhere across the globe. Global pollution has reached unprecedented proportions and diseases like Covid-19 may have been its aftereffects. The Conference of Party (COP 27) on Climate Change has concluded in Egypt, and there is clarity of path as to what the world needs to do. The stakes are high and the leaders in government, the public sector, policy experts, and scientists must wake up to take more action and do less of the talk as the urgency looms to cut emission to the recommended 1.5 degree Celsius by the end of 2030. The Sterling One Foundation has also urged leaders to expedite in reaching the Paris Agreement, which will be a step closer to cutting rising temperature and its consequences.

When UN Climate Change Executive Secretary Simon Stiell underscored the point that the ambitious Paris Agreement goal on carbon cutting is yet unreached even after almost a decade, considering the fact that there were193 countries signatories to the agreement, not many world leaders commented on his assertion. Steps to counter climate change have, as of now, been more rhetoric than substantive.

But rhetoric helps only in winning elections and climate change is a threat to all living beings inhabiting the earth. And what has brought the human race close to the precipice of extinction is human greed for more

and more prosperity.

Prosperity is not necessarily related to wellbeing. Hankering after wealth and searching for a luxurious life at least has led the world perilously close to obliteration. Burning indiscriminately the fossil fuels of every denomination with little respect for Mother Nature is something future generations won’t forgive us for. Technology has only given us power to destroy more than create.

The Paris Agreement was signed in 2015 among 193 countries and the European Union and it laid down an ambitious global goal to reduce carbon emissions to 1.5 degrees Celsius. If the planet reaches 1.5 degree Celsius by the end of the century, it may become safe for humans and plants to inhabit the planet. But as of now the effort of the international community, especially the developed countries have been mighty little to reach anywhere that goal as would be expected of those who are at the helm. Stiell acknowledged that some effort in this regard has been made in cutting global temperature, though these efforts remain insufficient to limit the global temperature rise of 1.5 degree Celsius by the end of the century.

In this respect the Sterling One Foundation’s position on COP27 ought to be a clarion call for global leaders particularly African leaders to waste no more time and get down to business straight away. Now is the time to put aggressive action to work to reach the goals firmed up at the regional or global level, especially the attainment of the Paris Agreement.

By D. C. Pathak

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has struck a note of confidence about India playing an effective role during its G20 Presidency, in dealing with multiple challenges including geopolitical tensions and a global economic slowdown amid rising food and energy prices.

He has announced that India’s G20 Presidency will be ‘inclusive, ambitious, decisive and action oriented’ and in keeping with his belief in India as a world power, declared that “over the next one year, we will strive to ensure that the G20 acts as global prime mover to envision new ideas and accelerate collective action”.

The Prime Minister is well attuned to the need for preserving India’s national security and safeguarding the country’s economic interests. Challenges on the security front need an in-depth examination.

It is important that India mobilises the democratic world against the new global terror rooted in ‘radicalisation’ and gets the Muslim countries and international institutions projecting Islam as a religion of peace, to come out with a proclamation that in today’s world, Jehad is not the route to solving political disputes.

India can build on the statement of R20 - the forum launched by Indonesia at Bali as a prelude to G20 - for promoting inter-faith dialogue, presenting Islam as a moderate belief system and calling for inter-religious harmony and respect for other faiths.

The Bali meet that witnessed an overwhelming presence of the orthodox Sunni leadership of the world steered by Mecca-based Rabita-e-Alam-e-Islami, gave an opening to India to internationally carry forward the message of equality of all religions and isolate countries like Pakistan that shelter radical Islamic extremists.

In an effective follow-up, India’s National Security Advisor, Ajit Doval, convened the bilateral India- Indonesia security dialogue in Delhi on November 29 to which Ulema and other spokespersons of religions were invited for deliberating on inter-religious goodwill and peace and recording a strong disapproval of terrorism, extremism and radicalisation.

Indonesia and India together account for the biggest chunk of Sunni Muslims in Asia who were keen to secure recognition of Islam as a religion of peace.

The Delhi initiative will help India in countering the anti-India narrative being built by lobbies, particularly in the West, on issues of democratic rights, treatment of minorities and the alleged rise of ‘majoritarianism’ in this country.

While terrorism and radicalisation, the twin threats to the democratic world, are acquiring geopolitical dimensions, their impact in South Asia in particular is of mounting concern for India, largely because Pakistan and China, the two hostile neighbours of this country now in strategic alliance, are out to damage India’s national security

- particularly its internal stability and cohesion.

A discussion on radicalisation is not about a religion or the merits of a faith, but an examination of the misuse of religion for political objectives on a scale that could be pushing the world towards a clash of civilisations and religion-based conflicts of global dimensions.

Also, in the Indian context, it is not a community question so much - members of all communities in India are preoccupied with livelihood matters and pursuit of welfare of their families - as the matter of communally-minded elite and many Ulema running the politics of the minority community by invoking the card of religion and exploiting the Islamic mandate that ‘faith’ embraces all aspects of the life of a Muslim - personal, socio political and even economic - leaving no space between religion and politics.

India is vulnerable to the historical memories of Partition - a religion-based division of the country coinciding with Independence - that saw unprecedented violence and loss of human lives. The legacy of communal conflicts inherited by free India was beginning to taper off when in the closing part of the eighties, a fresh wave of Islamic fundamentalism in Pakistan culminated in the call for Nizam-e-Mustafa by Gen Ziaul Haq.

The JeI Pakistan rose to become the main instrument of the regime for implementing the agenda of Gen Zia, who went on to declare at the fourth Islamic summit at Casablanca in 1984 that Muslims from Algeria to Philippines were part of the ‘Ummah’ and urged the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) to keep them united.

This set off a powerful Pan-Islamic movement on the Indian sub-continent and created an environ in which the Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) was launched by an AMU-based professor, who was also a Majlis-e-Shora member of the Jamaat-e-Islami Hind.

SIMI got linked up with OIC affiliated international organisations and injected a degree of militancy in its work of uniting Muslim youth for establishing an Islamic rule. Inevitably, this kind of campaigning led to the formation of Indian Mujahideen (IM) as an offspring of SIMI that got involved in acts of serious violence.

SIMI turned out to be an example of how communal militancy could graduate into terrorism in the name of ‘Islam’.

This trend has to be checked and reversed for safeguarding India’s internal security. Following a ban on SIMI, another organisation rose on its trail, this time in Kerala - the Popular Front of India (PFI) - which got linked up with Jeddah-based World Assembly of Muslim Youth (WAMY) as also with the Karachibased Dawat-e-Islami with its suspected Pak ISI connections.

PFI has also been banned after an investigation by NIA proving the point that India has to be extremely watchful against the surreptitious

attempts of our adversaries to foster faith-based militancy and terrorism by exploiting the Muslim minority here.

Down the years, a repeat of the hateful communal approach of Pakistan towards India is reflected in the first ever National Security Policy of Pakistan released by then Prime Minister Imran Khan at the beginning of this year.

Describing India as the principal adversary of Pakistan, it alleged that the present pro-Hindu dispensation in India has put the security of Muslim minority here in jeopardy and invoking the call of regarding Muslims of India as a part of Ummah, asserted that Pakistan has a right to take full interest in them.

This was evident in the move of Pakistan to get OIC to demand ‘national apology’ from India for the ‘insult’ allegedly caused to Prophet Mohammad by a ‘party functionary’ in the course of a TV debate. The beheading of two Hindus by Islamic fanatics in the wake of this event was not unequivocally condemned by the Ulema and the elite leading the minority community.

The decision of Pakistan to put Indo-Pak relations in Hindu-Muslim framework creates a potentially subversive environ on India’s domestic front and paves the way for the spread of faith-based militancy.

Terrorism by definition is resort to ‘covert’ violence for a perceived ‘political cause’ - cause needs ‘commitment’ which in turn is determined by ‘motivation’.

Motivation can be ideological as is the case with Naxalism or an assertion of ethnic identity as was the reason behind the insurgencies of Northeast, but the new global terror uses faith for motivation which can be very strong in Islam for the pull of ‘exclusivism’ and ‘superiority’ that it is able to exercise on people for turning their minds - radicalisation can convert a poorly placed Madrasa trained youth as easily as it can do in the case of an educated individual of means.

The background of Pak-sponsored cross-border terrorism in Kashmir, its enlargement into a ‘proxy war’ against India and the course of escalation of this threat in recent years indicate three flag marks that can be easily identified as the source of escalation of India-centric security threats.

They might have a wider geopolitical impact too but they leave India with the burden of preparing to deal with the situation through a strategy entirely of its own since the world at large might not share this country’s concerns beyond a point.

First was the success of anti-Soviet armed campaign in Afghanistan - that was run on the war cry of Jehad - in which Pak-sponsored Hizbul Mujahideen, Saudi funded Lashkar-e-Toiba (LeT) and the radical Taliban-Al Qaeda combine all took a leading part.

The victory of Jehad in Afghanistan that caused the dismemberment of USSR and ended the Cold War, was credited to Pakistan by the US and having emerged as a special favourite of Americans, the Pak ISI lost

no time in planning a replication of the Afghan Jehad in Kashmir where the Jamaat-e-Islami’s Hizbul Mujahideen had till then been carrying out a separatist movement on the slogan of Plebiscite.

This got replaced by the new call in the name of Islam that would derive strength from the projection of Kashmir valley as a Muslim majority territory.

In 1993 a powerful radical group called Harkat-ul-Ansar comprising Taliban Mujahideen, infiltrated into the Valley for the first time and kidnapped a number of Western tourists - it was giving vent to the hostility of Islamic radicals against the US-led West that was rooted in the historical memory of the failed anti-British Jehad launched by the Wahhabi Ulema on the Indian subcontinent in the middle of 19th century.

Interestingly, Pak ISI had advised the HuM in the Valley to logistically support the radical outfit which showed how Pakistan was using all groups of militants - from the Hanafi Jamaatis and the Lashkar of Ahle Hadis orientation to the Wahhabis of Al Qaeda - in its covert offensive against India.

It was Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto who sent Taliban - fundamentalist militant products of Deobandi Madrasas - to Afghanistan in 1993 to quell the turbulence created there by the conflict between Northern Alliance and the warring Islamic factions and helped the installation of the first Taliban Emirate at Kabul in 1996.

Al Qaeda acquired a free run of Afghanistan as Mullah Omar was a close relative of Osama bin Laden. When the Emirate bared its fangs against the US, the latter had to work for its ouster. This in turn laid the run up for 9/11 that was followed by the ‘war on terror’ led by the US-led world coalition.

The second flag mark of the rise of radicalisation as a phenomenon fostering terrorism is the role of Pakistan through the entire course of the ‘war on terror’ which was essentially a combat between US-led World Coalition and Islamic radicals in the wake of 9/11.

Pakistan came on board - India had already joined in- only after a certain degree of coercion from the Bush regime had come into play but its participation in the ‘war on terror’ was always duplicitous as it tried to have a foot in each camp and remained on the right side of the Taliban-Al Qaeda combine.

In the years of ‘war on terror’, Pakistan kept up its covert offensive against India in Kashmir using

Climate change warriors on an assertive streak

By Asad Mirza

After successfully getting a Loss and Damage Fund established, the climate change warriors have also launched legal actions against unresponsive governments.

It seems that Climate Change is now gaining real traction and importance for the common people more and more, but our politicians are not ready to take any notice of these changes, which are going to have immeasurable negative impact on the lives of billions of people across the globe.

Besides calls for wealthier nations to provide compensation to underdeveloped countries to cover the costs of severe damage and losses, citizens of some countries have also initiated legal proceedings against their governments for inadequately addressing the climate change fallouts.

The month of November saw two environment-related incidents taking place. First, at the latest COP summit at Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt, termed as ‘Africa’s COP’, the voice of the most-vulnerable and most-affected countries was heard with an agreement to establish a loss and damage facility.

However, progress is still snailpaced in terms of raising ambitions to curb greenhouse gas emissions.

Leaders attempted to keep that goal alive at the Egypt conference, but did not increase calls to reduce carbon emissions.

November also saw hundreds of activists, including Greta Thunberg, marching through the streets of Stockholm to a court to file a lawsuit against the Swedish government for what they claim is insufficient climate action.

Lawsuit by Swedish citizens

Over 600 young activists signed an 87-page document, which would serve as the foundation for the lawsuit, which was filed in the Stockholm District Court. They want the court to rule that the country’s climate policies violate the human rights of its citizens. According to Anton Foley, spokesman for the youth-led initiative Aurora, which prepared and filed the lawsuit, Sweden has never treated the climate crisis as a crisis. Sweden is failing to fulfil its responsibilities and is breaking the law.

Earlier, in one of the most high-profile cases, Germany’s highest court ruled last year that the government’s climate targets must be adjusted to avoid undue burden on the young. The German government responded by pushing back its target for net zero emissions by five years to 2045 and laying out more ambitious near and medium-term steps to achieve

that goal. What emerges from this is that people all across the world are increasingly becoming aware of the damages wrought by the Climate Change, and also understanding that who is the main culprit for unleashing this catastrophe, in pursuance of greed and lucre.

What is loss and damage?

The Alliance of Small Island States at international climate negotiations in Geneva in 1991, first introduced the concept of loss and damage, but it was not seriously considered again until 2013 at the COP-19 climate conference in Warsaw, Poland.

The Warsaw International Mechanism for Loss and Damage was created with the aim of enhancing knowledge of the issue and finding ways to approach it. There has been little progress since then.

The Glasgow COP, last year rejected a proposal made by members of the G-77 group of over a hundred developing countries and China for a formal loss and damage financial facility. Instead, in a bureaucratic manner, the Glasgow Dialogue was established for further discussion on the issue and it’s funding.

Critics have described the dialogue as “an excuse to delay further action.” It seems as if the rich countries are dragging their feet on financing any such endeavour.

While historically, between 1751 and 2017, the US, the European countries and the UK were responsible for 47 per cent of cumulative carbon dioxide emissions, as compared to just 6 per cent from the entire African and South American continents. Yet, the culprits have been slow to make financial contributions to ease the impact on the most affected countries.

In 2010, Global North nations agreed to pledge $100 billion annually by 2020 to help developing countries adapt to the impacts of climate change.

But according to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), which tracks funding, in 2020 wealthy countries pledged just over $83 billion. That was a 4 per cent increase on the previous year, but it still falls short of the agreed amount.

What’s the impediment?

Though in principle, developed

G20 steered by India can become powerful instrument for global security, world economy

FIFA World Cup and why it has no parallels

As

garbage mountains pile up, AAP confronts its first big challenge

The AAP has won the civic polls held on December 4 and the party had continuously targeted the BJP’s “mountain of failure” during its 15-year rule in the city’s civic body.

In the early 1980s, a site was finalsed in East Delhi’s Ghazipur to dispose off the heaps of rotting and stinking rubbish littering the city’s lanes and streets.

20 metres.

The wet waste dumped in a landfill produces methane when it rots. In hot weather methane catches fire spontaneously and the blaze spreads as it feeds on combustible material like textiles and plastics.

Spike in illegal building activities causes Naini Lake’s water level to plummet

By Supriya Ramesh

By Shekhar Singh

New Delhi, Dec 11 (IANS) Delhi is surrounded by garbage mountains in Okhla, Ghazipur and Bhalswa.

The national capital has accumulated over 27.6 million tonnes of garbage, which is a marginal decline from the 28 million tonnes being produced two and a half years ago. This has been a result of the Rs 250 crore programme to clear these landfills

However, a question still arises when and how quickly will these ga.rbage mountains be cleared as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in its manifesto had said that their priority will be to remove this garbage which is posing a threat to the city’s residents.

As per sources, the average amount of garbage being cleared daily is 5,315 tonnes. Accounting for the additions to the garbage dumps, clearing the landfills at this rate could take over 197 years.

Only 5.1 million tonnes of waste has been removed over the last 34 months.

A decade later, markets had opened and consumerism took root, changing lifestyles and consumption patterns. More cash in hand made the people disregard the old-world wisdom of waste segregation, recycling, reuse and composting. The use of more and more packaged material, including food and juices, became rampant. The use of single-use polybags became common.

To accommodate this new waste, another site was chosen in Northwest Delhi’s Bhalswa. Two years later, in 1996, when more homes, hotels, restaurants and offices came up, a third landfill site became operational in South Delhi’s Okhla.

Today these trash towers in Ghazipur, Bhalswa and Okhla have reached the height of hills emitting toxic fumes and leading to tragic incidents some times. The Ghazipur landfill garbage heap is almost the height of the 73-metre-tall Qutub Minar. The one at Bhalswa is only marginally smaller. The Okhla mound is 42 metres tall. This is when the permissible height is only

If we take an example of a city which has successfully dealt with garbage issues, it is Indore. The most important point for Indore was source segregation of garbage, so it got the top position as the most clean city in the country.

In Indore, a control-cum-command centre was set up to track the movement of the garbage collection vehicles from the neighbourhood to the processing centre. Once the garbage was segregated, it was transported to the Garbage Transfer Station (GTS) for sorting. It is here that it is segregated into six types.

The garbage is also compressed with machines and put in huge plastic capsules. The final destination of these capsules is the trenching ground where the Ahmedabadbased NEPRA Resource Ltd has set up one of India’s biggest solid waste management plant.

Strict monitoring by the municipal authorities coupled with tough action, which includes hefty penalties and suspension for dereliction of duty, has ensured that there are no gaps.

But what about Delhi’s waste dump sites?

Cyclone ‘Mandous’ effect: 5 dead, thousands find refuge in shelter homes

Tamil Nadu revenue department officials told IANS that around 300 houses were damaged in the rain after Cyclone ‘Mandous’ struck, and 169 shelters have been set up in Chennai and its suburbs.

Chennai, Dec 11 (IANS) With heavy rain pounding many parts of Tamil Nadu after Cyclone ‘Mandous’ touched the land, five people were left dead and 10,000 people were lodged in shelter homes.

The red alert announced in Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu and Villupuram districts of Tamil Nadu continued for Sunday also. The Tamil Nadu government is likely to declare a holiday for the schools and other educational institutions, including colleges on Monday also considering the heavy damages caused by the cyclone.

More than 500 trees were uprooted during the cyclone and the Greater Chennai Corporation officials removed them by Sunday morning.

The Hindustan Petroleum Outlet on Pantheon Road, Chennai was damaged after a huge banyan tree crashed on it. However, workers were unhurt as the banyan tree crashed on the outlet just after the workers had closed the pump and left.

The Greater Chennai Police were also involved in clearing the trees that were uprooted during the cyclone.

Meanwhile, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin told the media persons that proper preparation and planning for the Cyclone ‘Mandous’ has led to the concerned departments swinging into action and thus reducing the damage.

China’s renewed interest in Arunachal Pradesh

Lama’s visit to the state of Arunachal Pradesh as well as a way to protest against the arrival of the Tibetan spiritual leader in the region.

The Chinese representatives had lodged a similar protest with their Indian counterparts as well at the time. The recent renaming included the renaming of eight residential areas, four mountains, two rivers and one river pass.

Control (LAC).

Furthermore, agreements to diffuse tensions and avoid stand-offs had also been signed in 2013 after the Daulat Beg Oldi Standoff in 2013.

New Delhi, Dec 11 (IANS) When the world is being impacted heavily due to climate change, the least one can do is take care of the surroundings and not destroy nature.

But even the hills and lakes are not being spared now. Among overpopulation, pollution, ocean acidification, deforestation, ozone depletion, etc, illegal construction is also damaging the environment.

Talking about the popular hill station Nainital, due to illegal construction the water level of Naini lake has gone down and the recharge of groundwater is being affected.

Surrounded by panoramic hills, Nainital lake is a favourite spot for tourists. It is one of the most visited lakes in India.

There is now illegal construction in the catchment area of the lake, beyond carrying capacity. Commercial construction is taking place disregarding environmental concerns. Recently, even landslides have happened.

The National Green Tribunal (NGT) had sought a report from the Uttarakhand State Pollution Control Board, District Magistrate, Nainital, and Secretary, Urban Development after a plea was filed in 2019.

It was noted that similar issues are pending before the Uttarkhand High Court already.

The public interest litigation was filed keeping in mind the encroachments and illegal construction in the submerged area of Sukhatal Lake, as well as encroachments and illegal construction elsewhere in Nainital.

The court had said that construction around Sukhatal Lake is not permissible under the law and

that all unauthorised construction activities in progress shall stop with immediate effect.

The court had said: “Any unauthorised construction which is already there, the Lake Development Authority is given instructions to give notices to the occupants of these unauthorized premises so that such structures be removed in accordance with the law.”

According to an order dated July 28, the matter has been taken up by the Uttarakhand High Court.

In view of the recently filed petition by Friends, an environmental organisation and activist Sushil Raghav, the NGT said: “The authorities are bound to comply with the directions of the High Court on the subject and in case of violations, the aggrieved party can take remedies in accordance with the law.”

The NGT recently granted a month’s time to the Pollution Control Board (PCB), Uttarakhand along with other government officials to submit a response on unauthorised cutting of trees in the forest area adjacent to Nainital city.

Since the Naini lake gets recharged by forest areas around it, its catchment area is also in danger of loss.

According to the order, the applicant had submitted that some of the trees belonged to the endangered species.

On September 1, the NGT had constituted a Joint Committee and directed it to submit a factual and action-taken report within two months.

Pursuant to the direction, Uttarakhand PCB’s Assistant Section Officer Dr Rajendra Singh had sent a report of the Joint Committee on October 31.

“In view of the averments in the application and observations in the report of the Joint Committee, we consider it appropriate to have the response of the State of Uttarakhand through the Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary, Department of Environment and Forest, Principal Secretary, Urban Development, Divisional Commissioner, Kumaon, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (HoFF), Commissioner, Nainital Municipality and Uttarakhand PCB who stand impleaded as respondents No. 1 to 7,” the order stated.

Looking at the significant nature and impact of the environmental violations involved, the NGT also appointed Senior Advocate Akash Vashishtha as amicus curiae to assist this Tribunal in a just and fair adjudication of the questions involved.

The matter will now be considered on February 3, 2023.

(Supriya Ramesh can be reached at supriya.r@ians.in)

Bride collapses, dies on stage in Lucknow

Lucknow, Dec 4 (IANS) In a shocking incident, a young bride in her early 20s, collapsed during the garland exchange ceremony on the stage and died, apparently due to a cardiac arrest.

The incident took place in Bhadwana village of Malihabad on the outskirts of Lucknow on Saturday, police said.

Malihabad Station House Officer (SHO), Subhas Chandra Saroj, said they came to know about the incident through social media and

later a team was sent to the village for enquiry.

“According to information, wedding of Shivangi, daughter of Rajpal of Bhadwana village with Vivek was taking place. The bride reached the stage and garlanded the groom. Seconds later, she collapsed on stage leading to panic among guests,” the SHO added.

Shivangi was rushed to the community health centre from where she was referred to the Trauma Centre but she died on the way.

New Delhi, Dec 6 (IANS) China’s renewed interest in Arunachal Pradesh has evoked some sharp criticism from New Delhi in the recent past. China has time and again asserted its claim on around 90,000 sq.km of the Indian state as its own territory, while repeatedly referring to the region as South Tibet.

Historically, the Chinese Republic has long disputed the validity of the McMahon Line that differentiated British India from Tibet, as per the Simla Convention that was agreed upon by Britain, China and Tibet in 1914.

The McMahon Line is named after the chief negotiator during the Simla Convention, Henry McMahon and the line is drawn from eastern Bhutan to the Isu Razi pass on the China-Myanmar border.

The Chinese have contested and claimed territory towards the south of the McMahon Line in Arunachal Pradesh.

China as part of its strategy has issued statements registering its protest over important dignitary visits to Arunachal Pradesh.

As part of its malicious attempt, the Beijing government has also begun renaming parts of Arunachal Pradesh in accordance with regulations on names issued by the Chinese State Council.

China’s Ministry of Civil Affairs declared in December 2021 that it was “standardising” ames of 15 places in Arunachal Pradesh.

However, the tactics is not a recent affair. Back in 2017, China had renamed other important locations as per their “standardization” process which were done in lieu of the Dalai

The renewed interest of China in the region comes at a time when Beijing-New Delhi ties have been at an all-time low due to border skirmishes in the past couple of years.

The erstwhile renaming was also completed at the time of tense border relations between the neighbouring countries in 2017.

China’s propaganda establishments have also racked up a similar narrative by referring to Arunachal Pradesh as part of Southern Tibet. This too, comes at a time when China is in search of strong leverages against India, with whom it shares tense relations due to its unprovoked actions at the adjoining borders.

China now for years has attempted to delegitimise the 1914 agreement and had acted with malicious attempts when it forcefully captured the Tibetan region. Therefore, at par with similar strategies, the Chinese official position has always been to never recognize the Tibetan exile government in India.

Moreover, in an attempt of gaining legitimacy the succession of the Dalai Lama has also played an important role in China’s assertion over the disputed region. However, in any case, there can be no denying that the border agreement of March 1914 was signed by officials between British India and the Prime Minister of Tibet thereby fortifying the agreement.

Both countries, throughout the years, have also inked multiple high-level border agreements including the Border Peace and Tranquillity Agreement (BPTA) signed in 1993 which stated that both countries would strictly respect and observe the Line of Actual

However, even after such agreements, the tensions between both countries have remained high due to multiple skirmishes and border clashes including the Chumar Standoff in 2014, Burtse in 2015, Doklam in 2017 and the Galwan skirmish in 2020. China’s strategy has since remained to delegitimise India’s authority over Arunachal Pradesh by illegally renaming sites that it sees as important.

Experts believe that China seeks to use the Arunachal issue for an eventual trade-off for other adjoining border areas with India.

This also explains China’s attempt to assert its control over important border positions through which it can eventually claim to negotiate with India with a favourable hand. However, the prospects of the same seem dim as the Indian government on various occasions has rejected any and every claim by China made upon Arunachal Pradesh.

On the contrary, the Indian government has rather strengthened its assertion by developing major infrastructural projects in the state and has called for the establishment of international businesses for investment purposes in the region as a whole.

Therefore, in a similar context, it is perhaps of utmost importance that hostile Chinese tactics such as renaming territorial regions as well as capturing territories from neighbouring nations, be quelled at the earliest.

Chinese attempts at ‘Sinicization’ of not only the Tibetan region but also of Arunachal Pradesh are also part of their long-term strategy, an aspect that can be used to destabilize the region as a whole.

Thus, China’s renewed interest in the sensitive region requires a far more serious approach and needs to be addressed soon through a mitigated response.

AIIMS hacking: Chinese involvement suspected; four more servers were on target

New Delhi, Dec 2 (IANS) Chinese involvement is suspected in the hacking of the server of All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here, a top source said on Friday, adding that four more servers were on the hackers’ target. The source said that a total of five main servers of AIIMS were targeted by the suspected Chinese hackers. The data hacked from the AIIMS server has reportedly reached the main domain of Dark Web from where it may be sold.

Meanwhile, AIIMS is currently working on devising a cyber security policy with the guidance from investigating agencies, as its server remains down following the cyber attack on November 23.

Delhi Police said on Friday that the forensic images of the impacted

After

server have been sent for analysis. AIIMS administration and other agencies are in the process of restoring normal service.

On Tuesday, AIIMS had said that the eHospital data has been restored on its server and the network is being sanitised before services can be restored.

“Network being sanitised before services can be restored. The process is taking some time due to the volume of data and large number of servers/computers for the hospital services. Measures are being taken for cyber security,” AIIMS had said in a statement.

However, all hospital services, including out-patient, in-patient, laboratories etc., continue to run on manual mode presently.

Meanwhile, the number of incoming

AIIMS, Delhi’s

New Delhi, Dec 4 (IANS) After All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Delhi became the victim of hacking attack where Chinese involvement was suspected, another top hospital in the national capital, the Safdarjung Hospital has also been hit.

However, the hacking attack on the Safdarjung Hospital was not as severe as the AIIMS-Delhi faced and the chances of data leak were less as major part of hospital work runs on manual mode.

Talking to IANS, Safdarjung Hospital Director Dr B.L. Sherwal said that the attack was not of higher degree and some sections of the hospital server were impacted. “The hackers hit the hospital system some days ago and the server was down for one

patients visiting the hospital has significantly increased leading to a rush-like situation as people are visiting the hospital directly since online appointment is not working.

Safdarjung Hospital faces hacking attack

day”, Dr Sherwal said.

He said that the NIC team along with the hospital administration has rectified the problem and the hospital was running properly now, adding that the data was secured.

The hospital official said that the cyber attack on Safdarjung Hospital was not like the AIIMS Delhi ransomware attack. The hospital server was down for one day and later was rectified, he added.

Despite its Rs 15K cr budget, MCD has failed to clean up Delhi

issues. In the national capital, however, the issue of sanitation that comes under the MCD, has surfaced at regular intervals even before the civic elections in Delhi as despite a sizable amount sanctioned for this sector in the financial year 2022-23, the situation on the ground has remained grim for years.

In October, several sanitation workers under the MCD, who were on an indefinite strike over the demand of regularising their services, called off the protest after reaching an agreement with the civic body officials.

By Shekhar Singh

New Delhi, Dec 11 (IANS) The Municipal Corporation of Delhi has an annual budget of over Rs 15,000 crore for 250 wards but still trails behind cities like Indore which has a lower budget but ranks the top in cleanliness across the city.

The Indore Municipal Corporation (IMC) has a fleet of 1,500 vehicles and a team of 11,000 safai workers (some employed by a private contractor). Of the Rs 5,000 crore annual budget of the IMC, around Rs 1,200 crore is allocated for sanitation. This includes salaries and other miscellaneous expenditure.

The IMC levies nominal user charges on the residents for doorto-door garbage collection. The charges range from Rs 60 per house per month in the slums to Rs 90 per house per month in middle-class localities to Rs 150 per house per month in posh areas.

The IMC earned approximately Rs 240 crore in the last financial year from user charges.

Meanwhile, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) or the Mumbai civic body, the country’s richest civic body, has a budget of Rs 45,949.21 crore for 2022-23, 17 per cent more than its budget for 202122. It has used various techniques to deal with the garbage and sanitation

The allocation for sanitation stands at Rs 4,153.28 crore, which is 27.19 per cent of the total budget, while Rs 2,632.78 crore has been sanctioned for education in the financial year 2022-2023. However, the civic body has failed to ensure basic amenities including sanitation and primary education in the national capital.

The main source of income for the MCD is the property tax besides advertising revenue, toll tax and fees from car parking and from mobile phone towers.

Property tax remains one of the main sources of revenue for the MCD and most of it is collected from South Delhi. The total property tax collection for 2021-22 was Rs 2,032 crore from around 11.50 lakh properties.

Despite the allocation of 27.19 per cent for sanitation measures from its budget, there have been several instances when the sanitation workers have gone on strike due to either a delay in their salaries or the non-payment of their dues.

In June this year, hundreds of sanitation workers had gathered outside the MCD headquarters with demands such as retention of temporary workers, end of delay in salary payment, housing for workers, hiring of new workers, distribution of bonus, among others.

Over 10,000 sanitation workers -- who are working on a contractual and permanent basis -- were part of the indefinite strike. The salary of a temporary worker is Rs 12,000 per month.

Among the 60,000 sanitation workers in the MCD, more than 30,000 workers have been working on a temporary basis since 1998, as per sources.

The workers on strike had refused to collect waste and sweep the streets in various parts of the city saying that the MCD had given them “empty promises for over 20 years”.

The erstwhile three civic bodies -- North, East and South Delhi Municipal Corporations -- were reunified as the Municipal Corporation of Delhi on May 22 with IAS officers Ashwani Kumar and Gyanesh Bharti assuming charge as the new municipality’s special officer and commissioner, respectively.

After the unification and conclusion of the delimitation exercise mandated by Parliament, the number of wards in the MCD has come down by 22. The unification process has also led to an increase in taxes for the residents of East and North Delhi, where the rates have now been brought at par with South Delhi.

The process has led to a steep hike in taxes and levies such as for trade licenses, health licenses, storage fee and property tax.

‘Ensure people’s faith in AAP gets stronger’: Kejriwal tells newly elected councillors

New Delhi, Dec 11 (IANS) Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Saturday interacted with the newly elected party councillors. This was the first formal interaction between all the councillors and the AAP senior leadership.

Accompanied by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia and Delhi state convenor Gopal Rai, Kejriwal told the councillors that “the public and the party have expressed faith in you, and now your work should reflect those values across the country”.

“All councillors should do such a wonderful job in the next 5 years that the public’s faith in us becomes stronger. They will try to buy you for Rs 10-50 lakhs, but don’t fall for their traps, if they call or come to meet, record it... it is necessary to expose them. We have won the heart of the people by working diligently

in Delhi because of which, even after all the propaganda, the BJP could not break people’s faith,” he said.

Kejriwal asked the councillors to ensure that no allegations of corruption against anyone.

“It should not happen that this time we have fought against the corruption of the BJP and by the time of the next elections, the BJP will be fighting us alleging corruption created by councillors of our party.

People have a lot of faith in AAP and you must all ensure that with your work, this faith only becomes stronger,” Kejriwal told AAP councillors.

The Delhi CM also sought better coordination between AAP MLAs and Councillor and asked to work together both.

Meanwhile, Sisodia said: “This is going to be a golden era for MCD, now we have to clear the mountains of garbage, clean all streets, fix all

Telangana woman dies by suicide hours before wedding

Hyderabad, Dec 11 (IANS) A woman died by suicide a few hours before her wedding in Telangana’s Nizamabad district.

Ryagala Ravali (26) hanged herself at her residence in Navipet late on Saturday night. The wedding was scheduled at 12.15 p.m. on Sunday at a function hall in Nizamabad.

The tragedy plunged the family into gloom when it was busy making last-minute preparations for the wedding. The woman’s family members were shocked over the turn of events as she was seen dancing at the mehndi function held a couple of days ago.

According to police, Ravali hanged herself in the storeroom at her house. As she did not respond to the knocks on the door, the family members alerted police. When the police arrived and broke open the door, she was found hanging.

Police shifted the body to a government-run hospital for autopsy. On a complaint by the woman’s family, police registered a case against the bridegroom. The woman’s father Prabhakar told police that the bridegroom spoke to her phone on Saturday night. The complainant alleged that her daughter took the extreme step due to the mental

torture.

Alex and Zoom’s comrades pay tribute to them during Austra Hind

Kolkata, Dec 11 (IANS) In a befitting tribute to Axel and Zoom, their compatriots in the Indian Army taught soldiers from Australia a lesson or two in ‘room intervention’ techniques during Austra Hind - 22. This exercise, the first of its kind between the Indian and Australian Armies, is being held at the Mahajan Field Firing Ranges, Rajasthan. While the Australian Army sent in a contingent from its 13th Brigade of the 2nd Division, the troops from the Dogra Regiment of the Indian Army participated in the Exercise that ended on Sunday.

According to the Indian Army’s South Western Command, Mine & Explosive Detection and Assault Canines of the Indian Army practiced Room Intervention Operations with the Australian Army during the Exercise. A video released by the Army shows assault dogs jumping into moving vehicles and houses to drag out armed ‘terrorists’. A Belgian Malinois is also seen picking up the assault rifle of the ‘terrorist’ he overpowers in his mouth and carrying it back to his handler.

“Our sniffer and assault canines are among the best in the world. We

Choking terror funding need of the hour

By Ashok Bhan

Terrorist attacks are highly responsive to funding availability, and financial counter-terrorism can therefore be effective in reducing terrorism casualties, according to research conducted by Nicola Limodio, Assistant Professor of Finance at Bocconi University Visiting Fellow at the Economics Department and the Julis-Rabinowitz Center for Public Policy and Finance at Princeton University.

Everyone knows that terrorists need money and other assets, for weapons, training, travel and accommodation to plan and execute their attacks and develop an organization. Disrupting and preventing terrorist-related financial flows and transactions is one of the effective ways to fight terrorism. Not only can it prevent future attacks by disrupting their material support, but the footprint of their purchases, withdrawals and other financial transactions can also provide valuable information for ongoing investigations.

Without destroying the war economy in Kashmir, bringing peace to the troubled Indian state will remain a pipedream. Former Commandant of the BSF and researcher N S Jamwal estimates that Pakistan spends around $5 million annually (Rs 24 crore) to sustain militancy in Kashmir while India’s expenditure on counter-insurgency operations (CI-OPS) is around $1.46 billion annually (Rs. 730 crore). These figures are an indication of how every dollar spent on terrorist activities necessitates a financial commitment several orders of magnitude on counter-intelligence and physical expenditures in the target country. He is of the view that financing terrorism in J&K costs no more than $70-80 million annually,

i.e., Rs 400-500 crore.

The need and importance for blocking finances to terrorist organizations were outlined and emphasized by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Home Minster recently while addressing a conference ‘No Money for Terror’ (NMFT) Ministerial Conference on Counter-Terrorism Financing in New Delhi recently. The two-day conference which was organised on 18th-19th November was a unique platform for participating nations and organisations to deliberate on the effectiveness of the current international regime on Counter Terrorism Financing and the steps required to address emerging challenges.

It was concluded in the conference that countering terrorism financing is an essential part of the global fight against the terror threat. As terrorists and terror groups continue to raise money with the use of various means, countries must make it a priority to understand the risks they face from terrorist financing and develop a policy response to all aspects of it.

State support is one of the major sources of political, ideological and financial support for terrorism. Certain countries support terrorists as part of their foreign policy. There must be a cost imposed upon countries that support terrorism. Organisations and individuals that try to create sympathy for terrorists must also be isolated. There can be no ifs and buts entertained in such matters. The world needs to unite against all kinds of overt and covert backing of terror.

The infrastructure used for cyber terrorism and online radicalisation is distributed while some entities also train the terrorists with weapons from remote locations as well as online resources. Communications,

travel,logistics - there are many links in the chain in different countries. Terrorists should not be allowed to misuse differences in legal principles, procedures and processes in different countries. This can be prevented through deeper coordination and understanding between governments. Joint operations, intelligence coordination and extradition help the fight against terror.

As scholar and author Sushant Sareen have said in the context of Jammu and Kashmir that on one hand thousands of people have died, families and properties destroyed, and an entire society traumatised, the one set of people who have prospered beyond their wildest imagination is the separatist mafia. The huge fortunes built by separatists and terrorists in Kashmir are one of the worst-kept secrets in Kashmir. Over the years, Kashmir has been transformed into a war economy, which needs to be dismantled.

For decades, the focus of the Indian security establishment in hotspots around the country has been more on seizing weapons than on cracking down on the funding networks.

While in the West, security agencies followed the money to bust criminal syndicates and terror networks, in India the thinking was that the problem wasn’t the money but the munitions. Unfortunately, elements in the Indian security establishment have also contributed to the separatist entrepreneurship in Kashmir by plying the separatists with huge amounts of money in the fond hope of weaning them away from Pakistan and eventually winning them over - the former Intelligence Bureau chief in Kashmir and later Research & Analysis Wing chief, A S Dulat, has admitted as much in his book on Kashmir. Essentially what

this meant was that the separatists raked in the moolah from all sides - India, Pakistan, within Kashmir, foreign donors, and so forth.

Fortunately, there has been a policy change in New Delhi over past few years. The trigger for the policy change appears to have been the remarkable sting operation carried out by intrepid reporters of India Today TV who exposed the shenanigans of the merchants of death in the Valley. The outcry after the expose probably gave the government the justification it needed for strangulating the funding of the separatists and terrorists.

In fact, among the most interesting aspects of the India Today sting operation was that the separatists who were exposed didn’t seem at all surprised or suspicious that they were being offered money by middlemen from outside the state to provide protection for their operations and even create disturbances to further their interests. If anything, the terror financiers saw they are dealing with these reporters who were impersonating middlemen from mainland India as nothing out of the ordinary, almost as if it was business as usual.

Kashmiri militants obtain financial support from dozens of Islamic charities and radical Islamic organisations that channel funds to terrorist groups. The Pakistanbased Markaz-ul-Dawa-Ishad, the parent outfit of LeT and a religious organisation puts out regular advertisements in its in-house monthly magazine, Al Dawa. It urges Muslims to donate money to Kashmir ‘Jehad Fund’ and deposit it in bank accounts. 12 At its annual congregation in November 1998 at Muridke, near Lahore, the Markaz decided to raise Rs 5 crore including 3 crores to supply weapons to the Kashmiri ‘Jehad’, 1 crore for training

are proud of these faithful soldiers. The Australian Army personnel also appreciated the level of training that these animals have received and their role in helping neutralise ‘terror elements’ holed up in houses in densely populated areas. In many cases, troops can’t approach the houses occupied by the ‘terrorists’ without risking their lives or those of innocent civilians. This is when the assault canines come in handy. They have proved their worth in gold in Kashmir,” an Indian Army officer said.

Axel and Zoom were both Belgian

Malinois. Alex held on to a terrorist in Baramulla, Kashmir, even after receiving 10 bullets in July this year. The terrorist was neutralised but Alex lost his life. Zoom also gave up his life in Anantnag, Kashmir in October after dragging out a terrorist from his hideout. He too hung on to the terrorist even after being shot through the jaw. He was shifted to a hospital in Srinagar where all efforts were made to save his life. He passed away at the hospital a few days later.

Several

co-Terrorism. It is recognised as one of the oldest and most dependable sources of terrorist financing, primarily because of the magnitudes of finance involved in both activities.

Extortion has emerged as a major source of terrorist funding. Police and Intelligence agencies believe that most businessmen, shopkeepers, government employees, contractors, especially those dealing in timber and persons with the sound financial background are easy targets. Hawala funding through a network of dealers which extends from the OIC countries to Delhi, Mumbai and other places in India also feeds militancy. Many of these Hawala dealers have begun wholesale/retail businesses as fronts to divert money to the J&K militant groups. Pakistani Finance Minister Shaukat Aziz, a former executive vice president of Citibank in New York said that US $2-5 billion moves through the Hawala system annually in Pakistan. This is higher than the amount of regular foreign transfers through the country’s banking system.

A US Treasury Department study identified Hawala as the preferred

Kashmiri militants on January 15, 2002, from the capital and seized Rs. 35 lakh from them. This money was received by militants from Pakistan through a Hawala operator in Chandni Chowk.

It can be safely concluded that terrorism in J&K is financed by a variety of sources, both national and transnational. While it costs the terrorists only a modest sum of money to destabilise the region and spread terror, the Indian government has to set aside huge outlays to tackle the problem. A more effective method of fighting terrorism would be to launch a multidimensional offensive against all the sources-narcotic trade, extortion, counterfeiting, fake charities-as well as methods of financing, namely, hawala and front companies.

(The author is senior advocate in the Supreme Court and a geo-strategic expert. The views expressed are personal)

and 1 crore to rehabilitate Kashmir refugees in POK. 13

First Information Reports (FIRs) filed by the Jammu & Kashmir Police in 1997 indicate that the senior leaders of the APHC receive donations from abroad. The nexus between narcotics and terrorism had led to a new term-Nar-

means of laundering monies from drug trafficking and other crimes in Pakistan. The report said Pakistan, India and Dubai on the Persian Gulf from the Hawala Triangle to move money secretly worldwide. One Abdul Rehman was arrested on December 6, 2001, with Rs 15.5 lakh in Delhi. This money was coming from Dubai for HM. Further, on the same day, Rs 40 lakh coming Hawala channels were recovered from a Kashmiri militant which was received by him through the Hawala channel. The Delhi Police arrested four

roads and improve the primary health system.”

The party also announced the appointment of Atishi, Saurabh Bhardwaj, Durgesh Pathak, and Adil Khan as coordinators and mentors for the councillors and designated them the responsibility of looking after three zones each.

Police took up the investigation. A police officer said they were probing the case from all angles.

Canberra, Dec 12 (IANS) The Australian government has announced new laws that will force big companies to disclose their emissions reduction efforts.

In a speech on Monday, Treasurer Jim Chalmers said that the proposed

Australian climate risk disclosure system would provide clarity and certainty for investors and businesses looking to manage climate risks and invest in new opportunities, Xinhua news agency reported.

Under the plan, big businesses including banks would be compelled to reveal publicly what they are doing to reduce their carbon emissions and fight climate change.

Chalmers told the Australian Sustainable Finance Institute that credible disclosures would guarantee Australia remains competitive in global capital markets, with more investors seeing “a new harmony between profit and planet.”

“There’s now broad acceptance that proper disclosure of these financial risks and impact isn’t a nice-to-have extra,” he said.

“This information is need-to-know -- essential to mobilising the weight of our financial system behind the

net zero transition.”

The treasurer also flagged a crackdown on “greenwashing” -- the practice of companies exaggerating their green policies in a bid to attract climate-conscious customers.

He said the measures would make Australia a world-leader in sustainable finance.

Companies and the public can make submissions to the Treasury on the proposed laws until Feb. 17 before legislation is introduced to the parliament.

The proposed move has been welcomed by the finance industry.

Erwin Jackson, director of policy at the Investor Group on Climate Change, told the Guardian Australia that the country needed to catch up to the rest of the world on climate disclosures, saying it’s currently impossible for investors to get clear information.

of those delivering domestic and family violence services.

“It is clear that community services are experiencing something unprecedented. Intensifying financial pressures on top of disasters are really affecting people and overly straining providers this Christmas,” said ACOSS Co-Deputy CEO Edwina MacDonald.

Aus govt to overhaul environmental laws

Canberra, Dec 8 (IANS) The Australian government on Thursday announced its plan to fix the country’s broken environmental protection laws.

Earlier in the day, Tanya Plibersek, Minister for Environment and Water, released a 50-page plan to halt Australia’s nature crisis, reports Xinhua news agency.

It comes two years after the former government was handed a review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, which found the laws are outdated, ineffective and incapable of producing good outcomes for flora and fauna.

Under the sitting Labor government’s plan, an independent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will be established with the power to decide whether developments that will affect natural assets should go ahead.

New environmental standards for conservation, protection and major

development applications will also be introduced to underpin all decisions by the EPA.

“Our reforms are seeking to turn the tide in this country, from nature destruction to nature repair,” Plibersek told reporters.

“We will build our legislation on three basic principles: clear national standards of environmental protection, improving and speeding up decisions, and building trust and integrity.”

A new traffic light system will identify areas that should be protected from development, developed with caution, or fast-tracked for development.

Legislation for the plan will be completed by the middle of 2023 and introduced to Parliament by the end of the year.

Plibersek said shifting responsibility from politicians to a legislated independent body would restore Australians’ confidence in the system.

A national legally binding standard on First Nations engagement will also be developed to guarantee Indigenous Australians are involved in decisions relating to their country.

The overhaul will also boost protection for native forests, which are currently exempt from national environmental laws, and close a loophole in which they can be logged without assessment.

500,000 Australians infected with Covid, predicts expert

Canberra, Dec 7 (IANS) A leading infectious diseases expert on Wednesday predicted that up to 500,000 Australians are currently infected with Covid-19.

Canberra, Dec 14 (IANS) Community services in Australia are facing soaring demand this Christmas amid the current high cost of living, said a report released on Wednesday.

The report, titled “Helping people in need during a cost-of-living crisis” and released by the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), was based on a survey conducted by the Social Policy Research Centre at the University of New South Wales in September, reports Xinhua news agency.

It found that only 3 per cent of the

1,470 organisations surveyed said their main service can always meet demand.

Housing and homelessness services are particularly stretched. Not a single one of the 180 services in the survey said they could “always” meet demand and as many as one in 10 said they could never meet demand, according to the report.

About 66 per cent of organisations reported increased demand in 2022, including 85 per cent of those delivering financial, legal and emergency support, and 80 per cent

“As people increasingly search for help, services face higher operational costs and staff shortages, further limiting their ability to assist their communities.”

Australia has experienced eight consecutive interest rate hikes this year, and the latest data from the Australian Bureau of Statistics showed the country’s annual inflation hit a 32-year high of 7.3 per cent.

The report also found natural disasters such as the flooding events and the ongoing impacts of Covid-19 contributed to the demand and the stress in community services, as the need for emergency housing and mental health support escalated.

Aus PM shuts down nuke power debate despite rising electricity prices

has shut down calls for the country to consider nuclear power options despite rising electricity prices.

He had recently declared that proponents of nuclear as a carbon-neutral energy source in Australia were wrong, reports Xinhua news agency.

His comments came after Peter Malinauskas, the premier of South Australia, urged both sides of politics to be more mature on the nuclear question, saying the debate has become “consumed by culture wars” rather than based on evidence.

In response, Albanese told the local media that the case for nuclear power in Australia does not stack

up, citing waste storage as a key problem.

“I haven’t changed my view that it’s a huge distraction from what we need to do,” he said.

The federal budget for 2022-23 forecasts electricity prices will rise by 56 per cent over the next 18 months and gas prices by 44 per cent.

Under Albanese’s plan, caps could be introduced on the prices of coal and gas.

However, some state governments have pushed back against the proposal over compensation for producers.

Peter Collignon, an infectious diseases physician and microbiologist from Australian National University (ANU) and Canberra Hospital, warned that up to 2 per cent of the country’s population were likely to have the virus, reports Xinhua news agency.

The latest data from the Department of Health revealed that there were more than 14,000 infections reported per day in the week to November 29, but Collignon said the actual number of cases was likely much higher.

“I would think one or two percent of people have probably got Covid at this point in time, which is a lot, but the vast majority are reinfections now. Intensive Care Unit (ICU) admissions and ICU ventilations are

nowhere near what it was earlier this year,” he told the media.

In mid-October, there was a weekly average of 170.3 new cases in Australia per 1 million people.

By late November the figure had increased to 554.1 cases per million people.

According to the Department of Health, Australia’s fourth wave of infections is spreading at a more gradual rate than previously expected.

Despite low ICU numbers, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) said hospitals were being overwhelmed.

“We get into a spiral where all the hospital staff started to come down with Covid. That reduces the workforce that’s available to look after patients. The signs we’re seeing that we’re picking up from our members and what we’re hearing is we’re heading into very troubled waters over the next few weeks,” AMA President Steve Robson said.

Australian GDP up 0.6% in Q3

Canberra, Dec 7 (IANS) Australia has reported slower than expected economic growth for the third quarter of 2022.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) on Wednesday revealed that the gross domestic product (GDP) increased by 0.6 per cent in the three months to the end of September, reports Xinhua news agency.

In the 12 months to September the Australian economy grew by 5.9 per cent.

Economists had widely tipped a 0.7 percent increase in the third quarter of the year.

According to the ABS, growth was driven by a 13.9 per cent increase in transport services and a 5.5 per cent

jump in spending at hotels, cafes and restaurants.

Household spending increased by 1.1 per cent from the June quarter.

“The September quarter was the fourth consecutive quarter of economic growth, following a contraction in the September quarter 2021, which was impacted by the Covid-19 Delta outbreak,” Sean Crick, ABS head of National Accounts, said in a media release.

The portion of Australians’ earnings being put away into savings fell from 8.3 per cent in the June quarter to 6.9 per cent.

Employee compensation rose by 3.2 per cent, the biggest quarterly increase since 2006.

Responding to the data, Treasurer

“This paints a picture of an economy which is relatively robust, despite the substantial challenges being thrown at it from around the world,” he told reporters.

community services see soaring demand amid high cost of living: Report

Canberra, Dec 6 (IANS) Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

Jim Chalmers said it was a solid outcome amid substantial global uncertainty but warned of further challenges to come.

New York, Dec 12 (IANS) Two

Indian-Americans are among Money magazine’s 50 influential figures from entertainment, media, business, investing, politics, etc, who are shaping Americans’ finances.

Rohit Chopra, head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and Gaurav Sharma of New York-based fintech firm Capitalize, have been recognised for offering “unique perspective on the gaps within our financial systems - and how they’re working to improve the future for everyday consumers”.

As the director of the government’s CFPB, Chopra, 40, is tasked with protecting families from deceptive and abusive financial practices.

Appointed by US President Joe Biden in 2021, “Chopra has already made an outsized impact on the

wallets of Americans by helping overhaul how medical debt affects our credit, reduce ‘junk fees’ charged by banks, and more,” says Money.

As Director, Chopra is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and the Financial Stability Oversight Council.

“As far as financial regulators go, 40-year-old Chopra is young, though he’s certainly not inexperienced. In fact, he’s a bit of a financial Forrest Gump,” the Money said.

During his tenure at the Federal Trade Commission starting 2018, Chopra successfully worked to strengthen sanctions against repeat offenders, to reverse the agency’s reliance on no-money, no-fault settlements in fraud cases, and to halt abuses of small businesses. Prior

Evening Standard reported.

The couple lived in a property which cost them 5,000 pounds a month, splashed out on a 70,000-pound Audi, designer clothes, and homes in the upmarket Hadley Wood enclave of Barnet, north London.

During her misconduct hearing, Rasvinder, a constable for 15 years, told the disciplinary tribunal that her husband, who earned between 1,000-4,000 pounds a week, did not pay taxes because he earned in cash.

Unconvinced, the tribunal rejected Rasvinder’s claims and said that her “defence lacked credibility”.

to his government service, Chopra worked at McKinsey & Company, the global management consultancy, where he worked in the financial services, health care, and consumer technology sectors.

Chopra holds a BA from Harvard University and an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.An Australian by birth, Sharma is the CEO and Co-Founder of Capitalize -- a venture-backed fintech company in New York focused on the retirement savings market.

Before founding Capitalize, Sharma worked for JP Morgan, UBS, Morgan Stanley, and Greenlight Capital.

After seeing how hard it is for most people to understand their retirement accounts, he decided to build a company that makes it easier.

“Really honored to be recognized by @Money as one of 50 Changemakers for 2023 - and flattered to be alongside some amazing innovators,” Sharma tweeted.

Initially, Sharma wanted Capitalize just to solve the problem of finding an old account and getting the money easily into an individual retirement account. Looking forward, though, “our bigger mission is helping the issue of saving for retirement,” Sharma told Money.

at her home were also rejected by the tribunal, which concluded she was guilty of gross misconduct.

During raids at the couple’s North London home twice in 2020, police found messages referring to 100 kg packages, cocaine parcels, evidence of drug exchanges, and a conversation about a possible gun deal, the Evening Standard reported.

Cops also found drugs in a Louis Vuitton box under the couple’s bed, as well as 27,000 pounds in cash at his home, apart from cannabis cultivation at the property.

Indian lecturer wins discrimination case against UK university

London, Dec 14 (IANS) An Indian lecturer has won a discrimination case against a UK university whose selection process, according to an employment tribunal, was “tainted by race discrimination”.

The University of Portsmouth failed to reappoint Dr Kajal Sharma for a job she had been doing for five years, replacing her with a white candidate with no experience of the role, The Guardian reported.

While 11 out of her 12 white colleagues were reappointed after their contracts ended, Sharma, hired as a senior lecturer in 2016, was not given her job back.

The tribunal in its judgement reprimanded the university for ignoring the fact that “a senior member of the academic staff who was a BAME (Black, Asian, and minority ethnic) woman was not reappointed to a post”.

At the case hearing in Southampton, Sharma informed the tribunal that she had a “difficult” relationship with her manager, Dr Gary Rees.

Citing an instance, she said Rees had asked her to do university work in the immediate aftermath of her father’s death.

She added that there was no adequate workplace support for her while she was caring for her critically-ill child.

Rees encouraged a white colleague to pursue an additional qualification but did not support Sharma when she wanted to do the same, the tribunal was told.

While reapplying for the job as her contract neared end, Sharma appeared before an interview panel, which had Rees, and lost out to a rival candidate supported by him.

The tribunal said that the fact that she was not reappointed to her job was “extraordinary” and should have raised questions.

“Instead, the fact that a senior member of the academic staff who was a BAME woman was not reappointed to a post was ignored by the university.”

The tribunal ruled that Sharma was the victim of subconscious discrimination and described the selection process as being “tainted by race discrimination”, The Guardian reported.

It concluded that Rees had treated Sharma “in a way that we considered was different to the way he

would have treated others, in areas such as support over her father’s death, and her child’s illness.

“We conclude that his involvement in the recruitment process and his subconscious bias means that the failure to recruit the claimant was an act of race discrimination.”

According to a 2022 TUC (The Trades Union Congress) survey, more than 120,000 workers from minority ethnic backgrounds quit their jobs because of racism.

The landmark survey found that more than one in four workers from black and other minority ethnic backgrounds faced racist jokes at work in the last five years and 35 per cent said it left them feeling less confident at work.

Indo-Canadian part of team to hire nurses from Karnataka

By AMeenakshi Iyer

New Delhi, Dec 4 (IANS) An Indian-origin health official is part of a visiting team that is setting up a recruitment desk in Bengaluru to hire Indian nurses for a Canadian province that faces acute labour shortages in its healthcare sector.

London, Dec 13 (IANS) An Indianorigin Met police officer, who was sacked from the force last month, claimed that she was unaware that her husband was a drug dealer.

Constable Rasvinder Agalliu, a former model who enjoyed a lavish lifestyle with her drug dealer husband Julian Agalliu, thought the money came from working as a chef to professional footballers, the

“Agalliu in our view was not hiding his drug use within the home.

There were drugs and the means to supply them clearly evident in her home and we are satisfied she knew they were there,” as she was “more likely than not to have had a good idea” about Julian’s earnings given the couple’s “lavish lifestyle”, the tribunal concluded.

Her claims that drugs were planted

She hailed from Indore, Madhya Pradesh.

“It is with heavy hearts we announce the light of our life, our kind, caring, and beautiful daughter, Megha Thakur, suddenly and unexpectedly passed away on November 24, 2022 in the early morning hours,” Megha’s parents wrote, sharing the tragic news on Instagram.

A mother-of-three, Rasvinder was sacked, but did not face any criminal charges following the raid on her home.

Julian sold drugs packaged with the luxury Hublot brand via EncroChat communication system, according to the paper.

He was convicted at Woolwich crown court last week, and his sentencing will take place on February 9, 2023.

how many women looked up to her, I told her all the time. We lost an angel too soon,” an Instagram fan wrote in reply to the post.

“Her posts brought so much confidence and light when I was struggling. She was always an angel, and beautiful inside and out. I am sorry for your loss and may she rest in peace,” another Instagrammer wrote.

Rahul Parayil Girijappan, Director of Critical Care Services with Central Health in Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) province, met graduate nurses who have the academic credentials to qualify for licenses in Canada.

“I am coming to India after three years. I am very much excited to be part of this initiative,” Girijappan, a graduate from Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Science in Bengaluru, told IANS.

Before moving to NL in 2010, he worked as a permanent full-time staff nurse at Grace Medical Centre in India for two years.

“As a leader in the organisation, I know the operational challenges in the system very clearly. We need resources to support the system and robust our workforce, and I hope we can get enough to fill the gaps and meet our demands,” Girijappan told IANS in an email interview.

the friendly, warm and welcoming nature of the people made him stay back.

He currently lives in Grand FallsWindsor with his wife and two children. His wife is also a registered nurse with Central Health.

After spending 13 years in Canada, Girijappan said he misses his student life in India the most.

“It’s been almost 13 years in Newfoundland, and it is very hard to express what I miss most about India. I miss my childhood and student life period, the life I lived in Bangalore as a student nurse,” Girijappan told IANS.

“Anyone who leaves home to go there (Canada) as a student always cherishes the dream of advancing their life. I know I am experiencing it now due to the hard work I put forward as a student. I am thankful to my teachers, classmates, parents and family (in India) for all the support they provided at that time,” he added.

Girijappan and his team held a series of meetings last month with officials at St Martha’s College of Nursing, a training institution established in 1933.

nurses in the NL are struggling with burnout due to overtime, and more than 600 jobs lie vacant.

The nurses’ union in the province says 40 per cent of its members are facing 24-hour shifts and high rates of workplace injury and violence.

NL Premier Andrew Furey said addressing a news conference last month that they chose Karnataka as it has more than 100 nursing schools with training similar to Newfoundland and Labrador’s.

Toronto, Dec 3 (IANS) IndoCanadian TikToker Megha Thakur, known for spreading messages of body positivity and self-confidence, passed away “suddenly” and “unexpectedly” last week, an Instagram post by her parents said.

The Brampton-based influencer with 93,000 followers on TikTok died last week at the age of 21.

“Megha was a confident and independent young woman. She will be dearly missed. She loved her fans and would have wanted you to know of her passing. At this time, we request your blessings for Megha. Your thoughts and prayers will be with her in her onward journey.”

The cause of her death was not revealed.

A funeral service was held in her memory on Tuesday.

“Megha knew how much of a force she was in the influencer space and

British-Indian honoured with

Megha was also active on Instagram with close to 101,000 followers.

Her last TikTok video, posted on November 18, was captioned: “YOU’RE in charge of your destiny. Remember that.”

In the video, Megha wore a grey and beige mini dress, white sandals and dark sunglasses, and was walking through the streets of New York.

She finished her graduation from Mayfield Secondary School and started making TikTok videos in 2019.

OBE for healthcare services

HRH the Princess Royal,” Mansigani wrote in a LinkedIn post on Saturday.

When St John Ambulance’s main sources of income were halted by the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, Mansigani played a key role in securing funding to main St John’s financial viability and enable the charity’s teams -- including almost 30,000 new vaccination volunteers -- to support the NHS and local communities by delivering more than 1.6 million hours of activity.

country,” he added.

Mansigani’s father came to London in 1951 with the aim of supporting his family back in India. He decided to stay back and start a business.

“I was the first in my family to go to university and went on to qualify as a chartered accountant. From there I had a career as finance director of a number of restaurant chains including Costa Coffee and Cafe Rouge,” Mansigani said.

As part of his job, Girijappan will convince nurses in India that NL is the right place for them to advance as a health-care provider and individual.

He said that he had moved to the province with “mixed emotions”. With most of his friends settled in Canada’s prairie provinces, Girijappan wanted to join them, but

Kolkata, Dec 4 (IANS) While all eyes are on the ongoing football World Cup in Qatar, little is known of the fate of eight ex-Indian Navy personnel imprisoned in that country for over 90 days now.

The Indian Ex Servicemen Movement (IESM) has now written to India’s External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar, seeking his intervention. Copies of the letter have been forwarded to the Prime Minister, Defence Minister and three services chiefs.

They also visited the East West Group of Institutions campus in Bengaluru, where a presentation on health employment opportunities was delivered to more than 100 final-year nursing students.

The NL government will also be launching an email portal to engage with nurses from India who are interested in moving to the province.

According to local media reports,

Indian government data shows a sharp rise in the demand for Indian nurses post-Covid from several countries like Ireland, Malta, Germany, the Netherlands, Finland, the UK and Belgium.

After the Philippines, India ranks second in the number of nurses working abroad for brighter job opportunities, better salaries and other benefits.

(Meenakshi Iyer can be reached at meenakshi.i@ians.in)

London, Dec 3 (IANS)

Mohan

Mansigani is a trustee at St John Ambulance -- England’s leading first aid and health response charity.

“I was truly honoured on Wednesday to receive an OBE for charitable services to healthcare at an investiture at Buckingham Palace. I received the award from

“I have been lucky enough to give something back to the country that has given me so much through my work at St John and the Migration Museum,” said Mansigani, who joined St John Ambulance’s board six years ago.

“Looking back it seems surreal to think what happened and how we got through it both personally and as an organisation. True credit must go to the St John volunteers who at a time when many were scared to leave their homes went out and provided vaccinations across the

“As the son of an immigrant, it is beyond my wildest dreams to be honoured in this way,” he wrote in the LinkedIn post.

As a finance director with extensive private equity experience, he established Casual Dining Group (previously Tragus), which operated brands such as Cafe Rouge and Strada, as a major UK restaurant business.

He also led the business through two private equity transactions including the 267 million-pound sale to Blackstone in 2007.

Prior to this he was CFO at Costa Coffee and TGI Friday’s.

According to Major Gen. Satbir Singh (retd), chairman, IESM and advisor, United Front of Ex Servicemen, the Ex-Indian Navy personnel were working for Dahra Global Technologies and Consultancy Services in Doha, as per a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between India and Qatar. Their job was to train Qatar Navy personnel.

“The families of the Ex-Indian Navy personnel lost contact with them on August 30. From their office in Doha, the families came to know that they were picked up around midnight from their homes by the State Security Bureau, Ministry of Interior, Qatar. One wonders how this could have happened when the eight were working under a policy to train personnel of friendly navies. This has been endorsed by Indian Ambassadors to Qatar,” Maj Gen

Singh (retd) tweeted.

Consular access was granted to the eight only once on October 3, when it came to be known that they are in solitary confinement. According to a source, they have been wrongly charged with espionage, apparently on the behest of one of India’s neighbours.

“This is mischief of the worst kind.

The Ex-Indian Navy personnel are Cdr Purnendu Tiwari, Capt Navtej

Singh Gill, Cdr Birendra Kumar Verma, Capt Saurabh Vashisht, Cdr Sugnakar Pakala, Cdr Amit Nagpal,

Cdr Sanjeev Gupta and Sailor Ragesh,” the source added.

In his letter to the External Affairs Minister, Maj Gen Singh has noted how the families of the eight are anxious about their health conditions.

“Their release and repatriation at the earliest are desired,” he has stated in the letter. The retired general, in one of his tweets, has also expressed apprehension that unless the Indian government takes immediate action, the eight may face torture to extract false confessions.

Fate of eight ex-Indian Navy personnel in Qatar hangs in the balance

Popular Indo-Canadian TikToker dies ‘unexpectedly’ at 21

Sacked British-Indian cop says didn’t know of husband’s drug-dealing

Indian-origin

Mansigani has received Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in recognition of his charitable services to healthcare at an investiture in Buckingham Palace.

New Delhi, Dec 4 (IANS)

By Arul Louis

New York, Dec 3 (IANS) US

Secretary of State Antony Blinken has designated Pakistan, China, Russia and Saudi Arabia as religious freedom violators labelling them as “Countries of Particular Concern” (CPC).

On Friday, Blinken announced that he was giving them and seven others the designation “for having engaged in or tolerated particularly severe violations of religious freedom”.

He called out those countries under the International Religious Freedom Act (IRFA) which requires

the government to hand out the designations periodically.

Designating them as CPCs opens them to several penalties like cancellation of official visits and cultural and scientific exchanges, suspension of aid and ban on import and export agreements, but which are not mandatory.

Blinken issued a general alert to all countries that they will be monitored and will raise concerns with even those not on the list.

“We will continue to carefully monitor the status of freedom of religion or belief in every country around the world and advocate for

seat and offered full support to India’s presidency of the G20.

“Today, India takes over the G20 presidency for a year & UNSC chair for December. As we strive to keep the world united in the face of unprecedented challenges, we are glad to see India in the driver’s seat. India can count on France’s full support,” he said on December 1 in a tweet.

Earlier, United States President Joe Biden said that he was looking forward to supporting ‘his friend’ Prime Minister Narendra Modi during India’s G20 presidency.

those facing religious persecution or discrimination.

“We will also regularly engage countries about our concerns regarding limitations on freedom of religion or belief, regardless of whether those countries have been designated,” he added.

The sanctions under the IRFA are not automatic and as a practical matter are unlikely to be applied across the board to Pakistan or Saudi Arabia.

Some of these sanctions are already in force against China and Russia, as well as those put on the list on Friday -- Iran, Myanmar, Cuba,

freedom violators

North Korea and Nicaragua -- over other issues.

The other countries on the list are Eritrea, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

The Taliban and eight other groups, including the Russian mercenary outfit Wagner Group, were given a similar designation as “Entities of Particular Concern”.

Three other countries, the Central African Republic, Comoros, and Vietnam, were given less serious treatment by being put on the “Special Watch List for engaging in or tolerating severe violations of religious freedom”.

Blinken did not expand on the specific reasons for designating each of those countries.

Explaining the designations, he said: “Around the world, governments and non-state actors harass, threaten, jail, and even kill individuals on account of their beliefs. In some instances, they stifle individuals’ freedom of religion or belief to exploit opportunities for political gain.”

(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed at @ arulouis)

Germany eases residency rules for skilled workers

Berlin, Dec 3 (IANS) The German Bundestag, or lower house of Parliament, has adopted a new law that will enable foreigners with a short-term “tolerated stay” permit to obtain a permanent residence permit.

A “tolerated stay” permit is issued to individuals who are, in principle, obliged to leave the country, but their departure is temporarily not feasible, reports Xinhua news agency.

statement on Friday.

Young people up to the age of 27 are to be granted an 18-month permit with the chance to obtain permanent residence after just three years.

Criminals as well as persons who prevent their deportation by false statements or active identity deception are to be excluded.

Also on Friday, the Bundestag decided to speed up asylum procedures.

of #G20India! I trust my friend @ NarendraModi to bring us together in order to build peace and a more sustainable world,” Macron wrote in a tweet.

India formally assumed the G20 Presidency on Thursday.

Biden said that the US and India will join hands while tackling challenges like climate, energy and food crises.

“One Earth. One Family. One Future.

Earlier, French Ambassador Emmanuel Lenain said that France was glad to see India in the driver’s

“India is a strong partner of the United States, and I look forward to supporting my friend Prime Minister Modi during India’s G20 presidency. Together we will advance sustainable and inclusive growth while tackling shared challenges like the climate, energy, and food crises,” US President Joe Biden had said.

People who have been living in Germany for at least five years and hold a “tolerated stay” or temporary residence permit will now be granted an 18-month “opportunity right of residence”.

During this period, they can submit evidence for the permanent right of residence.

“We want people who are already well integrated to have a fair chance of staying,” Federal Minister of the Interior Nancy Faeser said in a

Both parliamentary decisions are part of a comprehensive reform that will create the “most modern immigration law in Europe”, according to the government.

Europe’s largest economy has an aging population and a severe shortage of skilled workers.

To attract more workers from abroad, income thresholds for the Blue Card for work migration are to be lowered.

In addition, a so-called opportunity card for people with high potential is

India has to counter ‘radicalisation’ at home

By D. C. Pathak

The G20 Presidency offers India a rare opportunity of rising as a leading contributor to the global recovery from the Covid pandemic, as an advocate of collective action in tackling environmental challenges and climate change, and as an active participant in the efforts to pull the world out of economic stagnation in general and the food and energy crisis caused by the Ukraine-Russia military conflict in particular.

India’s sane voice on various global issues has been heard and appreciated by the world community and there is little doubt that while steering the G20 Presidency through the year ahead, India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi would further strengthen its position as a major world power and as a trustworthy global counsel. The country’s handling of economic development has served our national interests well, however, a major challenge is to safeguard our internal security against the threats of terrorism and radicalisation.

Although the democratic world is united against the new faith-based terror, India is left on its own to strategise against the threats posed by the Sino-Pak alliance working specifically against the country. Even the US is not excessively bothered with the added threat of terrorism from the Pak-Afghan belt after the return of Taliban Emirate at Kabul - following the withdrawal of American troops from the war-torn Afghanistan - or with the adverse impact of the consolidation of strategic links between China and Pakistan in a situation where geopolitical hostility between US and China was coming to the fore. The two adversaries of India are our neighbours as well, and apart from the mischief they can cause on the borders, they have every intention of using an opportunity of disturbing India’s internal peace and cohesion.

India has to take preventive measures on multiple fronts to deal with this situation. India is now militarily prepared to respond to any Chinese aggressiveness on LAC particularly in eastern Ladakh and is an active partner in the US-led Quad to work for ‘rules-based order’

in the Indo-Pacific and strategically counter Chinese designs against India on the marine front.

In regard to Pakistan, India wields the deterrent of a ‘surgical strike’ against any Pak mischief on LoC or International Border. Pak ISI is now more determined to encourage ‘radicalisation’ for instigating communal militancy in India and fomenting faith-based terrorism as its upshot. China is extending full support to Pakistan in the latter’s covert operations in Kashmir and Punjab. To deal with the likely accentuation of the threat from Islamic radical outfits of Pak-Afghan belt, India has among other foreign policy initiatives, struck close bonds with Central Asian Republics (CARs) through meetings held by our NSA with his counterparts from these countries, at Delhi. These neighbours of Afghanistan, with predominantly Muslim population are firmly opposed to radicalisation and extremism and want to strengthen India’s hands in countering the spread of terror in the name of Islam.

Apart from the global initiatives, however, India needs to take comprehensive steps to strengthen our internal security. Many of these suggest themselves.

First, mobilisation of leaders and institutions of the Muslim minority is required to get them to expressly declare that in democratic Indiarun on the triple guarantee of ‘one man one vote’, equal opportunity to everybody for economic development and the same protection of law for all citizens - there was no room for advocacy of Jehad for solving any problem facing the community or looking for support from outside of the nation for that purpose.

India can follow up on the statement of R20- the forum launched by Indonesia at Bali in the run up to G20- that favoured inter-faith dialogue, presented Islam as a religion of peace and sought to promote inter-religious harmony and respect for all faiths. This meet firmly rejected radicalisation.

The timely initiative of India’s NSA to convene the bilateral security dialogue with his Indonesian counterpart at Delhi, to which Ulema and

spokespersons of other religions from both sides were also invited, has laid the turf for a concerted effort in India - to get institutions like Darul Uloom Deoband and Nadwatul Ulema Lucknow to call for inter-faith harmony, highlight the commitment of Islam to peace and disapprove of radicalisation and terrorism.

Darul Uloom is a product of the unsuccessful Jehad that the Wahabi Ulema had launched against the British in the mid-Nineteenth century but after Independence this institution recognised India as a land of peace where Hindus and Muslims could live in harmony in a democratic dispensation. It carries an anti-West legacy however, and places emphasis on teaching of pure Islam in its Madrasas without favouring any call for Jehad.

The Hanafi Darul Uloom and the pro-Saudi Nadwatul subscribing to Ahle Hadis should be willing to record their opposition to ‘radicalisation’ in India in the interest of the minority community as also for the sake of Indian nation and say that any problem facing the community could be solved within the democratic framework of India.

Secondly, the state must reach out to families falling victim to adversary’s planned attempt to indoctrinate vulnerable youth for recruiting them to the fold of terrorism and to formulate effective de-radicalisation programmes with the help of official and non-governmental resources. This is particularly important in Kashmir where encouragement to entrepreneurship and start ups will help to insulate the youth from subversive influences beamed at them from outside.

Any new business started with the state’s help should employ both Muslims and non-Muslims to make the point against separatism and demonstrate an assimilative approach - matching the scenario in the rest of the country. Businesses that have a pan-India potential should be supported even more.

At the same time there should be stringent action against elements including local leaders who connived with the enemy and furthered the anti-India narrative. For far

too long the corrupt politicians of Kashmir had been allowed to promote separatist and pro-Pak trends in the valley.

Policemen of Kashmir should live among the people - in clusters if necessary - so that they look different from the heavily armed contingent of para-military forces deployed in the state specifically for pursuing Intelligence-based counter-terror operations. The Thana Police in J&K must appear to be more on the side of the law abiding Kashmiris. This is necessary for enhancing the outreach of the state to the families. There is no reason why the Deputy Commissioners of districts should not be holding town hall meetings once in a while to assess the development and other needs of the people at the local level. These should provide the inputs for many of the state- level schemes in keeping with the idea that a democratic state connected with the people in service of the citizens.

If this is not already being done a beginning should be made in this direction immediately, so that the focus was shifted from security to security-development interface.

Thirdly, the biggest new challenge to internal security is the rise of social media and cyber space as a powerful instrument of combat and as a weapon for ‘information warfare’. India’s Intelligence set up has stepped up social media scan and initiated a slew of measures for cyber security with the National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO) playing a prime role in studying new threats and researching for cyber security solutions.

Social media is a public platform available also to the enemy not only for running ‘covert’ operations for creating sleeper cells for terrorism but for instigating radicalisation with the aim of recruiting ‘lone wolves’ as well. The medium is also available for terror funding through recourse to Dark Net and use of circutious online fund transfers.

Funding a ‘low cost war’ against India is not difficult for Pakistan. Terrorism has pushed the work of Intelligence gathering and prompt response to information, much closer to the ground. Time has come

for the Central Intelligence agencies to have functional oversight on District Intelligence Units(DIUs) for the purposes of both ‘information’ and ‘action’ on threats to internal security. State is the lead player in the management of law & order while the Centre has the overarching role in the maintenance of internal security.

Moreover, organised crime is often an instrument of support for those behind terror offensives and police is directly responsible for unearthing it. The Centre has strengthened inter-state coordination through Police Modernisation schemes including computerisation of police stations.

The role of Dawood gang was clearly in evidence in the serial train blasts that occurred in Mumbai in 1993. Centre’s role in the matters relating to police is all carried out within the Constitutional framework of CentreState relations. The nation should in fact move towards making police a concurrent subject without diluting the state’s responsibility for law & order.

The fourth task area is the inter-agency coordination that is constantly being improved upon, under the watchful eye of the National Security Advisor.

The NSCS is the organisation at the national apex that not only prepares national security estimates - the function of Chairman, Joint Intelligence Committee has now become a part of it - but also ensures coordinated response to an external or internal threat. The NSA in the fitness of things now chairs the Strategic Policy Group(SPG) that worked under the Cabinet Secretary earlier. While coordination among the Intelligence agencies is a must, the added requirement now is to ensure that information of national security concern emanating from the probes into the Economic offences was promptly shared with the former.

Since national security is now inseparable from economic security, the enemy is focused also on damaging the target country economically - as part of the ‘proxy war’ that had replaced ‘open warfare’ in the post-Cold War era. It is known that

to be introduced.

“In the competition for talent and helping hands, we are offering new, and above all easier, ways to work in Germany,” Minister of Labour Hubertus Heil said on Wednesday when he presented the plans.

The shortage of skilled workers should not become a “permanent brake on growth”, he stressed.

Mumbai was the target of 26/11 as it is the financial capital of India. The entire gamut of security of establishments of strategic importance, information systems on which key sectors of the nation are run and cyber security protocols for data protection, has acquired a new found importance and there has to be a centralised oversight on these functions.

And finally, since security of the nation encompasses security of its people, it follows that every citizen ought to be prepared to contribute to it- national security should not be deemed to be the responsibility of the government alone. In a situation where the enemy agents had got into the very fabric of society, it would greatly serve the cause of national security if enlightened citizens were provided with the facility of confidentially passing on information about a suspect activity or individual directly observed by them, to designated authorities.

The concept of Fusion Centre evolved by Homeland Security in US is said to have provided for flow of information from the general public. This will happen if there is an effort to spread awareness of the country’s security situation far and wide and project this as a part of the duty of patriotic citizens indicated by our Constitution itself.

For India, internal security has assumed far greater importance because of the fact that the two adversaries of India on the borders are working in collusion to cause problems on our domestic front by exploiting communal, socio-economic and regional issues and encouraging anti-India narratives built by civil society forces often in conjunction with hostile lobbies outside.

(The writer is a former Director of Intelligence Bureau. The views expressed are personal)

Trust my friend Narendra Modi to bring us together: French Prez Macron

After India took over G20 Presidency, French President Emmanuel Macron on Sunday tweeted a photo of himself with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and expressed confidence that the Indian PM will bring the two countries to build peace and a sustainable world.

India has taken over the presidency

Home made treats in just 5 minutes!

Getting up to indulge in some quick bites and nibbles can feel like a mountain of a task, which often leads to impulsive online orders. Hence, when the temptation is at its peak, we are always stuck in a dilemma to decide which snacks to indulge in. Wouldn’t we all agree? Most of us have had the temptation for chatpata snacks that have attacked us like a storm every evening. After we’ve faced an exhausting day and thanks to sluggish weather, we barely have

any energy left to go to great lengths and prepare our favourite snack. We have curated a list of hassle-free yummy snacks you can indulge in, during those long winter evenings which can be made in just 5 minutes. We have got you covered with guilt-free alternatives that are quick to prepare and can be enjoyed at your leisure. So, when temptation runs high, here are some exemplary choices one can make; evening snacks prepared in 5mins:

Frozen snacks are everyone’s go-to during the winter, but what if you had an equally tasty and guilt-free option every time your hunger struck? Try baked garlic potatoes, a wholesome alternative, and the next time you go looking to your fridge

One of the most convenient and ready-to-cook snacks is Masala Oats. A masaaledar concoction, which can be prepared in no time, will instantly brighten up your mood and leave your taste buds wanting for more. Saffola’s Masala Oats variants come with a plethora of authentic chatpata flavours and crunchy veggies that will soon become your go-to snack to satisfy your winter hunger pangs in three simple steps. Open the pack, add water, microwave or cook on the stove for 3 minutes and voila,

this lip-smacking snack is ready to eat! Available in 5 delectable flavours; Classic Masala and Masala Coriander if you enjoy an aromatic concoction of classic Indian spices, a Veggie Twist if you want the goodness of real veggies, Peppy Tomato for those who love tangy flavours and herbs and lastly, Curry and Pepper if you absolutely love the flavours of South India. So go and stock up on your favourite masala oats flavours this winter!

This Mediterranean dish is the go-to snack for many and all for the right reasons. This dish will provide you with the warmth and comfort the season calls for. It can be quickly prepared with boiled chickpeas, mashed to a pasty consistency and a dash of lemon juice, a drizzle of

warm olive oil and some salt to taste. It’s

Long winter nights, snuggled under your blanket is the perfect opportunity to catch up on some new movies or old classics. But what is a movie night without your bowl

for a quick snack. Slice potatoes into halves, brush them with a small amount of butter and top it up with garlic paste, cheese and salt to taste. Microwave the potatoes on high for 5 mins and the perfect winter snack is ready to relish.

of popcorn? Get creative and give the regular ready-to-eat popcorn a spicy twist, top it up with Peri Peri masala, and a squeeze of lemon and it’s ready in less than 5mins.

What is Kadha? How does it help in boost immunity

all Kadha recipes will include cloves, cinnamon, dry ginger, licorice, and tulsi.

By Bala Sarda

We’ve all learned over the last two years how important it is to strengthen the body’s natural defence system. If there’s one thing we’ve learned from the pandemic, it’s not to take our health for granted and that the best way to fight sickness is to strengthen our defense, i.e., our immune system.

The age-old Vedic Kadha, the mystical combination that has been a well-known part of history, is a fantastic place to start when adding immunity-boosting foods and beverages to our normal diet even if our immune system is skilled at fighting off infectious diseases.

• What is Kadha?

Created by ancient sages with profound knowledge of herbs and spices, this decoction is used all over India as a general precaution to prevent colds and boost immunity. It is made using simple ingredients available in every kitchen.

Kadha is being re-discovered by the world as yet another powerfully

potent superfood from the timeless tradition of ancient Indian wellness as it improves the body’s natural ability to fight common ailments. Before discussing the preparations and proportions of Kadha, let’s take a quick look at a few important benefits.

• Benefits of Kadha

Highly effective against common cold and cough

Anti-viral and anti-inflammation

Natural adaptogen that helps in all eviating stress

Reduces mucus

Throat decongestant and soother Boosts immunity

Strong detoxification

Fights internal infection

Reduces blood pressure

Regulates blood sugar

Aids digestion and acidity

Recipe of Kadha

In terms of preparation, it is generally made by boiling herbs and spices like cardamom, dry ginger, turmeric, black pepper, cloves,

cinnamon, ajwain (carom seeds), fennel, amla (Indian gooseberry), tulsi (holy basil), licorice, etc. This liquid is then strained and consumed.

It tastes mildly a stringent with highly soothing flavors, a perfect homemade beverage to cozy upto. It has pungent notes from cardamom and hints of earthy sweetness from cinnamon and fennel. The unmistakable hit of black pepper and dry ginger immediately clears the throat. There is no single recipe for Kadha. Everyone has their own combination of spices and herbs. That are used, depending on availability. However, generally, all Kadha recipes will include cloves, cinnamon, dry ginger, licorice, and tulsi. While making your own Kadha at home, it is important to understand why you should use certain ingredients and how they will benefit your health.

• Turmeric

Turmeric is a well-known spice that contains curcumin. Full of antioxidants, curcumin has high anti-inflammatory properties. Turmeric also helps in fighting the

free radicals in the body.

Black Pepper

Black pepper is a powerful spice with strong anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. The piperine in black pepper increases the bio-availability (absorption of nutrients by the body) of curcumin and other compounds, making it the magical ingredient in Kadha.

Tulsi (HolyBasil)

Also called Indian Basil, Tulsi is loaded with Vitamins A and C. As a natural adaptogen, tulsi helps the body adapt to stress and anxiety. It has anti-viral, anti-bacterial, and anti-fungal properties that help fight infections internally. Tulsi helps lower blood sugar and cholesterol.

Ginger

Ginger is packed with anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. It helps in relieving nausea and aids digestion. Ginger is also said to help in lowering blood sugar.

Cinnamon Made from the inner bark of cinnamon trees, this sweet spice is a powerhouse of antioxidants that

boost immunity by negating the effect of free radicals in the body. It is also thought to be effective in fighting bacterial and fungal infections.

Cloves

These tiny flower buds have a strong, minty taste. Cloves are loaded with vitamins, and candles have anti-inflammatory and anti-diabetic properties, and they help to improve respiration, stress relief, dental health, and blood circulation. You can make your own version of Kadha at home using these

KA MURG TIKKA

ingredients in appropriate quantities. While it is recommended to have it daily, you can start building the habit by having 2-3 cups a week. We all have hectic schedules and little time to spare, making it difficult to take care of our health. On such days, we all look for something more convenient, so if you prefer easy-tobrew teas that are made from 100% high-quality natural ingredients.

(Bala Sarda, Founder & CEO, VAHDAM India)

Add chicken pieces followed by some oil and mix.

After that, mix in some cream with the marinated chicken. Keep for 1 hour.

Serve with coriander chutney or a chutney of your choice.

Peri Peri Popcorn

Masala Oats

Acclaimed designer meets CGI

Outreach program on export opportunities with India held

CGI Sydney visits Wollongong City Council

On

Business opportunities for New South Wales discussed

PUMA celebrates 10th anniversary

Southern Aboriginal Corporation CEO meets CGI

Indian Abroad Newsdesk

Consul General of India, Sydney (CGI) Manish Gupta visited Wollongong City Council recently and met the Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery AM and Business Community in the region. Both discussed several priority areas for

Indian Abroad Newsdesk

The India-Australia Economic and Trade Agreement (IndAusECTA)outreach programme was organized recently

Indian Abroad Newsdesk

Perth United Malayalee Association Inc (PUMA) organized its 10th anniversary celebrations as well as year-end festivities recently.

the City Council and opportunities for collaboration. The Consul General had a warm interaction with the Indian students at University of Wollongong. He commended their achievements and contribution in strengthening India-Australia relationship. for the business community in collaboration with Australia India Business Council Ltd. and Business NSW. Many opportunities and benefits

CG Amarjeet Singh Takhi and Yaz Mubarakai MLA congratulated the PUMA Committee, families and volunteers for their outstanding services for developing a socially cohesive and culturally strong community which has been

his Facebook account the CG wrote, “Glad to visit University of Wollongong, Australia and meet Vice Chancellor Patricia M Davidson and faculty. Discussed opportunities, for both India and Australia, to collaborate further in education and upskilling sectors for mutual benefit.”

arising out of the agreement across the trade and services spectrum were discussed during the session.

instrumental in contributing to the multicultural fabric of WA. Cr Shanavas Peter JP felicitated the CG on behalf of the Committee. Cultural performances by kids, juniors and seniors were held on the occasion.

Indian Abroad Newsdesk

Award-winning designer from Perth Azulant Akora, and CEO, Young Investor Circle Toto Boutdara met with the Consul

General of India, Perth Amarjeet Singh Takhi recently and discussed various initiatives to raise people to people connectivity, including in education, textile/fabric designing,

fashion and cultural activities involving various multicultural communities in WA.

Indian Abroad Newsdesk

Asha Bhat, CEO of Southern Aboriginal Corporation and a recipient of the Order of Australia Medal met Consul General of India,

Perth (CGI) Amarjeet Singh Takhi recently. She is going to deliver a TEDx talk soon narrating her journey from India to Australia since 2004 and providing family and domestic

violence legal services, housing and homelessness support, employment opportunities, suicide prevention and health promotion for the marginalized communities.

Indian Abroad Newsdesk

CGI, Perth Amarjeet Singh Takhi participated recently in the

was organized recently by the Australia India Business Council Ltd. and BusinessSA for the business community in South Australia.

Sankashti Chaturthi Puja at Shree

Maha Ganapathy temple, together with Hugh Jones MLA for Darling

Stakeholders were briefed on various benefits of the agreement.

Range in the East Metropolitan Range. Many Sidhivinayak devotees also participated on the occasion.

Sankashti Chaturthi Puja organized

CGI meets Indian students

social and community activities, while

World Hindi Conference in Fiji from 15-17 February 2023

The 12th World Hindi Conference is being organized in Fiji from 15-17 February 2023. The main theme of the Conference is: ‘HindiTraditional Knowledge to Artificial Intelligence’.

The Conference is being organized by the Ministry of External Affairs,

Government of India in collaboration with the Government of Fiji. Online registration for participation in the Conference has commenced from 6 December 2022. For more information, visit the website http:// vishwahindisammelan.gov.in.

Indian Abroad Newsdesk

Avery productive interaction was held between CGI, Perth Amarjeet Singh Takhi and the Indian students from Sanskriti - Association for Indian Culture and

Student Support at UWA recently. The discussion was on various ideas and joint events for deepening engagement with the Indian students in WA.

Indian Abroad Newsdesk

Shree Swaminarayan Temple (Mandir) Committee members Perth called on the Consul General of India, Perth (CGI). Amarjeet Singh Takhi recently, and apprised him of their spiritual,

inviting him and the wider Indian community to the week-long Asmita Parva on 9-15 January 2023 commemorating a decade of joyous service at their Temple at Bennett Springs Western Australia.

SKAO’s telescopes offer opportunity for global cooperation

Indian Abroad Newsdesk

The global construction of SKAO’s telescopes in Australia and South Africa has started, Among other dignitaries Consul General, Perth Amarjeet Singh Takhi visited the site recently with the Director General of SKAO Prof. Phil Diamond, Federal MP from Fremantle Josh Wilson MP, Parliamentary Secretary to the Premier and the Deputy Premier Sabine Elisabeth Winton MLA, consular colleagues, and the Director of Translation and Impact at UWA as well as the Chief Operating Officer of International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) Dr. Renu Sharma.

SKA Observatory (SKAO) is a global collaboration of 16 countries, including India, to build and operate the SKA telescopes, the world’s largest and most capable radio telescopes. India has signed an interim agreement to work on the mega science project, the Square Kilometer Array Observatory (SKAO) which will be the largest science facility, combining telescope sites in Australia and South Africa. SKA Observatory has awarded contracts valued at over $400 million to businesses in Australia, South African and other member countries. It is another opportunity for cooperation between India and Australia as well as many other countries.

Session held on importance of Pravasi Bharatiya Diwas

Tributes paid to Guru Tegh Bahadur

IICMA

delegates meet Consul General

display with the backdrop of the city with Christmas decorations. CGI, Perth Amarjeet Takhi

on Facebook, “I loved sharing some Indian culture with my kids, including the gorgeous flower necklaces.”

Zaneta Mascarenhas MP, Dr Jags MLA, H H Ramai Swami, Honorary Consul of Kenya, Amu Shah and a large number of Krishna devotees in central Perth.also participated in the Rath Yatra.

Director of Perth Mahindra meets CGI

Indian Abroad Newsdesk

ISKCON Perth - Sri Sri Gaura Nitai Temple held the Hare Krishna Chariot Festival of India – Rath Yatra recently. The whole atmosphere reverberated with the drumming, singing and dancing. Breaking of coconuts on the ground before the chariot was pulled through the streets was witnessed by many people. The multicultural Australia was on

Indian Abroad Newsdesk

The U.S. Navy’s USS Mississippi and Consul General Siriana Nair were delighted to host Western Australian government, business and community representatives and foreign diplomats for a tour recently as part of the submarine’s visit to Perth. Among guests were WA Governor Chris Dawson, WA Defense Industries Minister Paul Papalia

Indian Abroad Newsdesk

Richard Bennett, Director of Perth Mahindra met Consul General of India, Perth Amarjeet Singh Takhi and apprised him of Mahindra’s engagement

Indian Abroad Newsdesk

The Indian Ice-Cream Manufacturers’ Association (IICMA) delegation called on the Consul General, Perth Amarjeet Singh Takhi. A B2B interaction was facilitated by the Consulate with local stakeholders and businesses

Indian Abroad Newsdesk

An interactive session with the past and present Heads of Indian community Associations in Western Australia was held recently to reiterate and elaborate on the purpose, importance and the programme of the forthcoming Pravasi Bharatiya

Indian Abroad Newsdesk

Representatives of Hindu Council of Australia Perth and all its member associations in Western Australia, together with the Consul General, paid their humble tributes in gratitude to Sri Guru Tegh Bahadur ji on Gurpurab marking the Shaheedi Divas at the

wrote

CSC MLA and Basil Zempilas - Lord Mayor of Perth plus Consular friends including Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade WA State Office Director Sally Dawkins, Indonesian Consul General Listiana Operananta, Indian Consul General Amarjeet Singh Takhi, and Japanese Consul General Yashushi Naito. It was a chance to go below deck and see the life and work of U.S. submariners firsthand.

with the automotive market in WA with Light Commercial vehicles and future plans for passenger vehicles. Richard Bennett is the owner of 9 businesses, including Perth Mahindra.

in the Ice-cream industry based in Western Australia, including with representatives of AustraliaIndia Business Council (AIBC) and Australia-India Business Association (AIBA). The participants relished Indian traditional kulfi from Kuka Kulfi.

The CG detailed various initiatives of the Government of India to engage with persons of Indian origin and non-resident Indians abroad and on consular services provided by the Consulate, including issuance of OCI cards.

Canning Vale Gurudwara Sahib, and sought the blessings of the Guru Granth Sahib. They participated in the langar seva at the Gurudwara sahib. It was a great initiative of the Sikh Association of WA, Perth for promoting universal brotherhood and amity.\

Tour of US Navy submarine visiting Perth

By Sumit Saxena

New Delhi, Dec 4 (IANS) Former Supreme Court judge Justice Madan B. Lokur, in an interview with IANS, said “the manner in which the executive has been dealing with the recommendations of the Collegium is an indication that it intends to throw out the baby with the bath water and take complete control over the appointment process”, and if it succeeds, India will cease to have an independent judiciary to the detriment of all of us.

He said nobody knows why senior advocate Saurabh Kirpal, who is openly gay, has not been appointed as a judge to the Delhi High Court? Also, it is improper to accuse several Supreme Court judges of

giving an alien interpretation to the Constitution. Lokur said, the executive is an equal player in the collegium system, however, “It is now emerging that the biggest hurdle to the success of the collegium system is the executive and its complete opacity and its arbitrariness”.

And, on the row over the National Judicial Appointments Commission (NJAC) Act, he said the central government stubbornly decided that it should be its way or the highway.

Excerpts from the interview:

Q: Recently, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju, attacking the mechanism to appoint Supreme Court and high court judges, said the collegium system is “alien” to the Constitution. Is the collegium system really alien to the Constitution?

A: The collegium system is the result of decisions rendered by the Supreme Court over a period of several years. It is not an overnight development. Judgments delivered by a Bench of 9 judges of the Supreme Court interpreted the Constitution resulting in the collegium in its present form. It is improper to accuse several Supreme Court judges of giving an alien interpretation to the Constitution.

Q: Prior to the introduction of the collegium system in the 1990s, judges in the higher judiciary were appointed by the government. Can it be said that they were not

independent? If not then why this apprehension that without collegium, judiciary will not be independent?

A: There are governments and governments and ministers and ministers. Judges have always been independent even before the collegium system. Governments and ministers did not like it, on occasions, but accepted and tolerated it.

Primacy was accorded to the Chief Justice of India.

Not so today. It appears that the executive does not want independent judges but wants a committed judiciary. If it succeeds in its misadventure, India will cease to have an independent judiciary to the detriment of all of us.

Q: Does the collegium want absolute power in the appointment process? If judges were to make a mistake recommending a name for elevation, since no institution in a constitutional democracy is perfect, who would correct it?

A: The collegium does not and never wanted absolute power. You’ve got it completely wrong. It’s the executive that wants absolute power and control over the appointment process. Why? It is not prepared to accept the primacy of the Supreme Court for reasons that are quite obvious.

Q: Friction points between the Centre and judiciary have increased in connection with

the appointment of judges. Do you think the collegium system is successful or there are certain areas which lack transparency in selecting judges?

A: Some functional areas in the collegium system deserve greater transparency. Improvements in these areas is possible and I hope the Supreme Court and the High Court collegiums will look into this. However, this is no ground to scrap the collegium system. The executive is an equal player in the collegium system. Unfortunately, there is total lack of transparency as far as the executive is concerned and its decision making is opaque.

For example, on what grounds does it disagree with recommendations made by the Supreme Court collegium? Nobody knows. For what reason does it delay forwarding recommendations to the President? Nobody knows. Why has Chief Justice Dipankar Dutta not been appointed to the Supreme Court for over two months? Nobody knows. Why has Saurabh Kirpal not been appointed to the Delhi High Court? Nobody knows.

There are several such instances of opaque decision making by the executive. It is now emerging that the biggest hurdle to the success of the collegium system is the executive and its complete opacity and its arbitrariness. The executive must

open up and be transparent. Taking potshots at the collegium system is not a substitute for transparency. The executive must appreciate that and be transparent, not opaque. Sunlight is said to be the best of disinfectants.

Q: Was the National Judicial Appointments Commission Act a good model? Did it require a fair chance to work or is the collegium system far better than it? Was NJAC really a battle between the judiciary and the executive?

A: The NJAC Act was the result of an amendment to the Constitution. There should have been a healthy debate before making the NJAC a law. Only then could the flaws have been minimised and creases ironed out. Unfortunately, the Central Government stubbornly decided that it should be its way or the highway. It was never a battle between the judiciary and the executive, but now the executive is making it out to be so, unfortunately.

Q: Some questions have been raised about the collegium picking up some names and dropping others. Are recommendations for appointment of judges to the apex court and high courts more subjective and less objective?

A: I don’t accept it as a general proposition. As mentioned earlier, the executive is an equal player in the collegium system. And yes,

the collegium has made some recommendations and not made some recommendations on criteria other than objective. This is where improvement is necessary.

The failure of the executive to accept some recommendations of the Supreme Court has, unfortunately, been based only on subjective reasoning, or so it appears. Where an objective decision has been taken by the executive, the collegium has accepted it.

Q: Recently, Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud emphasised on having good judges instead of doubling the number of judges to combat pendency. Is the collegium system perfect in selecting good judges and the executive’s larger say in the process would dilute the independence of the judiciary?

A: No system is perfect, including the collegium system. An effort should always be made to minimise errors of judgment. The manner in which the executive has been dealing with the recommendations of the collegium is an indication that it intends to throw out the baby with the bathwater and take complete control over the appointment process. If that happens, it will be the end of the independence of the judiciary.

(Sumit Saxena can be contacted at sumit.s@ians.in)

‘Forgotten Kings’ revives saga of Afghanistan’s Hindu Sahi dynasty

with suggestions and guided me on how to find an editor. I was fortunate to find her and then also Simon and Schuster in India who were willing to take a chance on the book (and on me). I must admit I have had a great amount of good fortune when it came to the publishing of this book,” Jan elaborated.

“hopeless struggle is a standard trope of a love story-the pursuit of a cause that cannot be...while researching for the book, I realised I had started on a journey of discovery not just about the Sahis, but also about my homeland, my people - the Pashtuns - and our history. It has been a fulfilling journey.”

his thoughts on this?

By Vishnu Makhijani

New Delhi, Nov 28 (IANS) Yet another almost forgotten aspect of Indian history has been brought to life in “Forgotten Kings” (Simon & Schuster) by banker-historian Changez Jan, the great-great-grandson of the Frontier Gandhi, who notes that history is often written “by the victors and seldom told from the point of view of those that have lost” as he retells the saga of the Hindu Sahi kingdom that was established in the late 9th century in what is now part of northwest Pakistan and Afghanistan and was extinguished by Mahmud of Ghazni in the early part of the 11th century.

“The Hindu Sahi king Anandapal (1002-13) came to my attention when I was a boy in boarding school in Pakistan. I was in boarding school in Mardan and was reading a book on Mahmud of Ghazni and in it was a letter from Anandapal to Mahmud who had just been attacked by a rival in Central Asia. Anandapal offers to help Mahmud and the reason he gives is: “In acting thus, I do not speculate on the impression which this will make on you. I have been conquered by you, and therefore I do not wish that another man should conquer you”, Jan, the elder brother of Muhammad Yunus, who

laid the foundations of New Delhi’s Pragati Maidan exhibition centre, told IANS in an interview.

Having grown up in Pashtun/ Pathan culture where he was taught to appreciate acts of courage and bravery that were based on honour (ghairat), that line by Anandapal stirred something within him.

“I wanted to learn more about them but I could not come across any book. Finally, by chance, I found a book by Yogendra Mishra, I must have been 17 or 18. It was in a used book store. But not so easy to read. Then I guess life went on education and career.”

“My first attempt to write the book was in 2018 when I was between jobs. Someone gave me valuable advice saying, it is on everyone’s bucket list to write something but what you write may not be interesting to others. So I decided to write about the Sahis. I wanted to write historical fiction but I was not happy with it. So I decided to write a history book like a story.”

“I started again in the Covid lockdown in Singapore. I had a lot of time in the evenings and weekends.

I also met an editor from Delhi called Simar via a mutual friend. She was a great help and source of support. She helped me improve

Historically, he said, all dynasties start with a strong king and then they see a decline in the quality of the rulers. This was also the case with the predecessors of the Sahis, the Turki Shahis. The Turki Shahis were Buddhist Kings that ruled the area now under Afghanistan and northwestern India. The last king, Lagaturman, was overthrown by his minister, Kallar, who founded the Sahis. There are not much sources to be found on the first two kings, but the story became clearer by the time of king Bhimadeva (921-60).

“This is greatly thanks to sources like Alberuni and Pandit Kalhana of Kashmir. There was a great Hindu revival in this area which had been dominated by Buddhism since the time of Asoka and had included great Buddhist Kings like the Kushan Kanishka.

“The revival also included a lot of construction or reconstruction of Hindu temples. While Hinduism was on the rise, there were two major factors that started to impede the rise. One was the arrival of the Muslims, but even these had been kept at bay since the eights century.

The second factor was fragmentation of India into many petty states and kingdoms after the weakening of the Gurjara-Pratihara dynasty.

“These had been allies of the Hindu Sahis. The fragmentation and division of India allowed the foreign power to take advantage. This is a familiar theme and describes the situation when India fragmented after the Mughals,” Jan explained.

He has also written that the

Asked to elaborate on this, Jan said: “There are two themes here. The first is related to the sense of honour and courage. A story in which the main character or characters fight against the odds without much hope for success, is an appealing narrative - whether it is a violent struggle like the three hundred Spartans or a doomed love story like Romeo and Juliet. The Hindu Sahi Kings and their people, especially in the time of the latter kings, must have known they were fighting a losing battle. Many of their fellow countrymen had joined the army of Mahmud already. But these kings continued their struggle.”

“The second theme is the arrival of Pashtuns which happened more or else around the same time. I came across this while doing my research, it is around the same time we start hearing of the Afghans. In fact there was a danger that what I was discovering in my research that the Pashtuns would hijack the theme of the book. But then I realised it was good material for another book. There was such a lot of learning for me with regard to the area that I belong to and how one era is connected to the next. I had found answers to questions like how and when the Pashtuns arrived and who was there before,” Jan maintained. The survivors of the dynasty moved to Kashmir and Benaras and in the process, lost their identity. But then, assimilating into society doesn’t necessarily mean losing your identity (as for instance has happened with the Parsis). What are

“It would depend how distinctively different the culture of the community doing the move is to the community they are moving to. The culture of the Hindu Sahi people was similar to that of Kashmir. The architecture of the buildings and they also shared in the texts that they read. Pandit Kalhana writes very highly of the Sahis. The Sahis that moved to Kashmir probably assimilated very well. They would have blended in with the population they moved to.

“After partition in 1947, many Muslims migrated from what is now India to Pakistan and similarly in the other direction. I noticed those that moved to Pashtun areas and Punjab, continued to speak Urdu but blended in most other aspects. To the south in Karachi, they kept a distinctive culture, perhaps as the number of them migrating to Karachi was a more significant number.

“I also note that many of the north Indians I meet in my work, will have ancestors that migrated from towns that are in Pakistan now. I cannot distinguish them from other north Indians. Perhaps it maybe that their cultures were not so different in the first place. But these are my thoughts only, I am not an expert on this topic,” Jan elaborated.

How does he juggle his time between being a banker and writing?

“It takes a lot of self-discipline. Its not just banking and writing, I also have to find time for my family. I normally keep my writing to weekends, evenings I try to keep for my family as well as other activities like running and exercise. Writing is a passion for me and I have to make sure that I find the right time and environment for it.”

“People also seem to find time to binge watch TV shows, I do so sometimes and I find nothing wrong in it,

it is a good way to relax. But I feel it is good to divert your personal time to do something productive. In the past I would read a lot, now I use the time to research and to write. Once I have collated enough information, I will binge-write,” Jan said.

What next? What’s his next book/ project on?

He has submitted a manuscript on a poet and warrior named Khushal Khan Khattak, a contemporary and mortal foe of the Emperor Aurangzeb. Khushal Khan is probably one of the two most renowned poets of the Pashto language and is recognised as the National Poet of Afghanistan.

“I wanted to learn about him but I could not find a book that would satisfy me. So similar to what I did with the Sahis, I wrote the book I wanted to read. Again I am not by training a historian, I just want to tell a story that I feel has not been done justice to. For Khushal Khan, he may be a Pashto poet, but he was an Indian. He was an officer in Mughal service before turning against Aurangzeb. There was no Afghanistan or Pakistan at the time, Kabul was an Indian province,” Jan said.

“I am currently researching for a book on a notable family member of mine called Abdur Rahman Peshwari. He went to Turkey in the 1910s and became a national hero there fighting for their independence. By telling his story, I will also try to tell the story of India, especially Peshawar in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries.”

“But I am hoping to focus more time on writing, there is so much to write about, especially on my part of the world. Two topics I am thinking of is Alexander and the Greeks in Gandhara and Buddhism and Gandhara,” Jan concluded.

(Vishnu Makhijani can be reached at vishnu.makhijani@ians.in)

In fact, in 2023, assembly elections are also to be held in Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh,

CPI(M) overtures to IUML sends jitters across Cong-led UDF in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 11 (IANS) Even as the United Democratic Front (UDF) led by the Indian National Congress is struggling to stay afloat after the crushing defeat it received at the hands of the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the 2021 Assembly polls, the front is bracing for another shocker as CPI(M) is trying to woo its major constituent, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML).

After the exit of the Kerala Congress (Mani), a predominant political party of Roman Catholic Christians, the UDF lost ground in Central Travancore which was once its major political bastion.

The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) with 15 Assembly seats is the second largest constituent in the UDF after the Indian National Congress with 21 seats. The UDF has a total of 41 seats in the Kerala Assembly presently while the LDF has 99 seats of the total 140 seats.

While the CPI(M) has been taking a political stand that the Muslim League is a communal party and that it wont have any truck with any communal elements, the party has of late sensed blood and has been trying to woo the Muslim League.

The CPI(M) state secretary, M.V. Govindan fired a salvo while stating that the Muslim League was not a communal party and that the League was a secular political party functioning among the downtrodden, including the Muslims.

The Congress retorted to the statement with the state opposition leader and senior leader of the Congress party, V.D. Satheeshan stating that Govindan clearing the earlier statement of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan that Muslim League was a communal outfit was ‘Welcome’.

Senior leader of the Indian Union Muslim League, P.V. Abdul Wahab while speaking in the Rajya Sabha the other day during the private member bill on the Uniform Civil Code said that none of his Congress colleagues were present in the House during an important discussion.

This statement of Wahab in the Rajya Sabha was also not accidental and political analysts are of the opinion that the statement was intended specifically at the Congress party.

Mohammed Abdullah, a former journalist and political commentator from Kozhikode while speaking

to IANS said, “The Muslim League is a major political partner for the Congress in the UDF and League is giving proper signals to the Congress to either correct itself or that it would mind its own business.

The CPI(M) on the other hand is trying to woo the Muslim League considering the fact that the League is the largest political party among the Muslim community and if League aligns with the left then it’s curtains for the Congress party in Kerala.”

Senior leader, Member of Parliament, and former KPCC president, K. Muraleedharan, told the media persons that without the Muslim League, the survival of Congress and UDF would totally weaken.

Senior leaders of the Muslim League, however, have denied any political truck with the CPI(M) or the Left Front. Party state president, Sadik Ali Shihab Thangal while speaking to the media persons at Kozhikode said, “ There is no political truck with the CPI(M) and we are strongly rooted in the UDF.”

Senior leader of the party, P.K. Kunhalikutty, who is the Deputy Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly also told the media persons that the League is with the UDF and other discussions do not have any face value.

While the senior leaders are taking a brave position on the exterior, the undercurrents are definitely being pointed towards the League trying to have a bonhomie with the CPI(M) and the Left Front.

BJP state president K. Surendran in the meanwhile told the media persons that the CPI(M) was trying to create a communal divide in the society and the overtures of the party towards the Muslim League is a clear indicator to that.

He appealed to the CPI(M) leadership not to communally divide the Kerala society and warned that

things would become worse through such a move.

The CPI(M) state secretary, M.V. Govindan clarified to the media persons on his statement about the Muslim League and said, “My statement that the Muslim League is not a communal party does not in way mean that we are inviting that party to the LDF. It need not be read like that, it was a mention on that party.”

Even as both the CPI(M) and the Muslim League are openly denying any possibility of a political alliance between the two, the chances of such an alliance is not ruled out.

Mohammed Kutty, Director of Social Action, an activist group based out of Malappuram district while speaking to IANS, said, “The Muslim League is out of power since 2016 in Kerala and in the Centre the party does not have any thing to do since Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014. The party had ministers in both state and Central governments and being without power for the past so many years is leading to major difficulties for the party and the demand from the lower and middle level leaders for a truck with the CPI(M) is on a high. However it has to be seen whether the League would take such a political step in the near future.”

It may be recalled the late EMS Namboodiripad, who was the CPI(M) ideologue and the former General Secretary of the party had in the 1987 Assembly elections taken a political stand that the party won’t have any truck with the ‘Communal ‘Muslim League and the Kerala Congress and had cleverly played the Hindu card winning the polls majestically.

With the new era requiring new alignments and combinations and politics being an art of the possible, the Muslim League responding to CPI(M) overtures and joining the Left Front cannot be ruled out.

Lalu Prasad’s kidney transplant successful in Singapore: Tejashwi

Patna, Dec 5 (IANS) Doctors in Singapore successfully transplanted the kidney of former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav on Monday, his son and Bihar’s Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav said. Lalu Prasad was admitted in the Mount Elizabeth hospital in Singapore for the transplant. His daughter Rohini Acharya has donated the kidney.

Following the successful transplant, Tejashwi released a video from his official Twitter account and said that his father Lalu Prasad and sister Rohini were fine after the operation.

“My father and sister were shifted to ICU from the operation theatre after successful kidney transplant. Both of them are healthy and interacted with us. Thanks for the blessings by everyone,” Tejashwi added.

Tejashwi’s sister and second eldest daughter of Lalu Prasad, is currently living with her husband and children in Singapore. When Lalu Prasad was suffering from severe infection in both the kidneys, Rohini decided to donate her kidney.

The doctors in Singapore conducted the health check-up of both donor and recipient, and agreed to the transplant. The doctors observed no complication as the donor and the

recipient were from one family. Meanwhile, the supporters of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) organised a ‘havan’ at several places in Bihar.

Lalu Prasad’s elder son Tej Pratap Yadav also organised a ‘havan’ at his residence in Patna. RJD MLC

Qari Suhaib offered a ‘chadar’ in the ‘Mazaar’ located at the Patna high court.

Lalu Prasad, who was serving a jail term in Hotwar jail, Ranchi, in the fodder scam, was suffering from severe infection in both the kidneys.

He was admitted in the Ranchi Institute of Medical Sciences, Ranchi, where Dr. Vidyapati was the first who suggested him to undergo

the kidney transplant. Later, he was also admitted in AIIMS, Delhi, as well.

“In today’s world when children of big families do not care for their fathers and mothers, Rohini Acharya has given the message to them that no one is bigger than mother and father,” said Jagadanand Singh, state RJD President.

He added: “Lalu Prasad is a leader of Dalits and weaker section of society in the country. Everyone including the Opposition party leaders are praying for his good health.”

Nawal KIshore Yadav, a BJP MLC, said: “Lalu Prasad Yadav is a leader of Bihar and our country. I pray to God for his long life.”

By Santosh Kumar Pathak

New Delhi, Dec 11 (IANS) With the historic victory in Gujarat, the BJP has started staking claim to win the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Along with this, the party has also begun preparations for the Assembly elections to be held in 2023.

India announces home schedule with series against Sri Lanka, New Zealand & Australia

24. The second ODI on January 21 between India and New Zealand will be a marquee ODI for the city of Raipur as they will host their first international fixture.

India will also play a threematch T20I series against New Zealand, who visited the country in November-December 2021.

Matches between the two teams will be played on January 27, 29 and February 1 at Ranchi, Lucknow, and Ahmedabad respectively.

Barty awarded Australian sport’s highest honour

Canberra, Dec 9 (IANS) Retired tennis star Ashleigh Barty has been awarded Australian sport’s highest individual honour for a second time. At the annual Sport Australia Hall of Fame event on Thursday night Barty became the third person to win The Don Award -- named after cricket great Don Bradman -- multiple times.

Entering 2022 as the world No. 1, Barty in January became the first homegrown Australian Open singles champion since 1978.

consequence, I played like a little kid,” Barty said on Thursday night.

“In my eyes, there was no pressure. It was just about me trying to redeem myself, in a way, and playing how I’d always wanted to play - go out there and play like the kid that fell in love with sport.”

Barty described the decision to retire as her “perfect ending”, shutting down suggestions she could return to the court.

New Delhi, Dec 8 (IANS) India men’s team will be hosting Sri Lanka, New Zealand, and Australia in series featuring all formats, including the four-match Test series for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, in the 2022/23 home schedule announced by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

India men’s 2022/23 international home season comprising nine ODIs, six T20Is and four Tests will commence with a three-match T20I series against Sri Lanka in January. The matches will be played on

January 3, 5 and 7 in Mumbai, Pune and Rajkot respectively.

After that, three ODIs between the two teams will be played on January 10, 12 and 15 at Guwahati, Kolkata, and Thiruvananthapuram respectively. Sri Lanka last toured the country in February-March 2022, where they lost T20Is and Test series.

The action will then move to a three-match ODI series against New Zealand wherein Hyderabad, Raipur and Indore will play hosts to matches on January 18, 21 and

February will also mark the start of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Nagpur from February 9-13. The next three Test matches between India and Australia will be played in Delhi (February 17-21), Dharamsala (March 1-5) and Ahmedabad (March 9-13). Delhi will be hosting a Test match after five years.

The series will also be the last edition of the Border-Gavaskar Trophy being a four-match Test series feature, with the Future Tours Programme (FTP) saying that the series will become a five-match fixture. India men’s home season will then conclude with a three-match ODI series to be held in Mumbai (March 17), Visakhapatnam (March 19) and Chennai (March 22).

Australia’s Labuschagne overtakes Root to take top spot in ICC Test rankings for batters

Labuschagne’s scores of 204 and 104 not out in the first Test against the West Indies in Perth have earned him 50 rating points and he leads compatriot Smith by 42 rating points. Labuschagne has regained the No. 1 position after Root overtook him in mid-June with successive centuries against New Zealand.

Ollie Robinson, who finished with five wickets each in the match.

Less than two months later, the three-time Grand Slam champion announced her shock retirement from tennis at the age of 25, reports Xinhua. “This year was certainly my most enjoyable Australian Open, result aside, that had nothing to do with it. It felt free. I played without

The Don is awarded to the athlete or team that most inspired Australia through their performance and example.

Barty, who previously won in 2019, joins Olympic gold medalists Steve Hooker and Sally Pearson as multiple winners.

Middle and long distance runner

see India qualifying and playing in FIFA World Cup: Bhaichung Bhutia

By Niharika Raina

New Delhi, Dec 9 (IANS) Considered the torchbearer of Indian football in the international arena, Bhaichung Bhutia created a huge following for himself in a country where people are majorly cricket-crazy.

Known as ‘Sikkimese Sniper’ for his goal-scoring prowess as a striker, Bhutia is also one of the few international footballers to have played more than 100 matches for his country, earning 104 caps for India and scoring 40 goals apart from captaining the side.

On the sidelines of the launch of the first-ever KFC Street Football League, the 45-year-old Bhutia spoke to IANS about the initiative, the performance of Asian teams in the ongoing FIFA World Cup, the standard of the Indian men’s football team, and other related topics.

Excerpts:

in on-ground challenges including The Dribble Challenge, the KFC Bucket Challenge, and the Freestyle Challenge at the KFC Selection Zone. After a round of selections by a panel of coaches and freestylers, the talented finalists will get a chance to showcase their skills to a national audience.

Q. In the ongoing FIFA World Cup, there have been lots of upsets and Asian teams have been at the forefront of it. What are your thoughts on this FIFA World Cup seeing the emergence of the Asian teams, performance-wise?

Dubai, Dec 7 (IANS)

Charismatic

Australia batter Marnus

Labuschagne has overtaken England’s Joe Root to grab the top spot in the latest ICC Men’s Test Player Rankings after becoming just the eighth player to score a double-century and a century in the same Test.

Labuschagne, who was just two points behind Root before the two ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Tests completed over the past week, now enjoys a big lead at the top even as Root has slipped to fourth place -- behind Steve Smith and Babar Azam, according to ICC.

Smith himself has gained two slots after contributing to the win with unbeaten scores of 200 and 20, along with Labuschagne registering the fifth instance of two Australians scoring double-centuries in the same Test. Smith’s tally of 893 rating points is his highest since January 2021.

Off-spinner Nathan Lyon has moved up one place to 15th among bowlers after an eight-wicket haul that helped complete a 164-run victory and consolidate his team’s top position in the WTC points table.

For the West Indies, captain Kraigg Brathwaite is back in the top 20 after scores of 64 and 110 in the Perth Test while Kyle Mayers has progressed to 41st in the bowlers’ rankings.

England’s epic 74-run win in the first Test against Pakistan in Rawalpindi reflects in the rankings for their batters as well as the seam bowling pair of James Anderson and

Centurions Zak Crawley (up two places to 46th), Harry Brook (up 90 places to 70th), Ben Duckett (re-entered at 127th place) and Ollie Pope (up two rating points) have all gained in the weekly update as have Anderson (up two places to third) and Robinson (up seven places to a career-best eighth).

Pakistan openers Abdullah Shafique (up five places to 15th) and Imamul-Haque (up 12 places to 38th) have attained career-best rankings after slamming centuries in the first innings and figuring in a 225-run stand.

In the ICC Men’s ODI Player Rankings, India’s Shreyas Iyer has moved up seven places to joint-20th after scores of 24 in the first match of their ongoing series against Bangladesh and 49 in the preceding final match of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League series against New Zealand.

Charith Asalanka of Sri Lanka (up three places to 34th), KL Rahul of India (up four places to 35th) and Afghanistan’s Najibullah Zadran (up four places to 41st) are among the others to progress in the rankings for ODI batters.

Q. What are your thoughts on KFC Street Football, which is being organised in association with the Indian Super League (ISL)?

A. I think it’s a wonderful initiative that KFC India has taken. It will give a lot of street footballers a platform to showcase their talent and grow. Hopefully, through this medium, a lot of kids, who love to play football, get the exposure and an opportunity to watch the ISL matches, along with showcasing their talent to a national audience. It’s the first year of this initiative, so I’m sure it’ll keep getting bigger and better with every year.

Q. Can you tell us a little more about the KFC street football initiative? A. KFC Street Football is all about promoting football and young talent and allowing budding players to perform for a national audience. The platform will be scouting for players with some cool moves and great footwork across five cities -- Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata, and Kochi. Football fans across the country will be asked to send in videos showcasing their fancy footwork and freestyle moves using the hashtag #KFCStreetFootball.

Spectators present in all matches will also have a chance to take part

A. I am very proud of the Asian teams and their performance, especially Japan and Korea. This time because it’s held in Qatar, there is an advantage in terms of climate and environment, and therefore, Asian countries have done well. And I think it’s a boost for us as Indian footballers because we come from the same continent, and often play amongst each other.

In terms of surprise, it’s nothing new because when you play in a different continent with different climate conditions, a lot of teams struggle; like how the European teams are struggling in this World Cup. And we’ve seen some of the big names are already out like Belgium, Germany, and Spain.

Q. Do you believe that India will be qualifying for and playing the FIFA World Cup finals in the near future?

A. Of course; I believe we should never say no. I definitely think there’s a possibility that one day we will play the World Cup, and I am also eagerly waiting for that day. However, realistically, it’s also a very difficult challenge. We just get a few Asian countries to qualify for the World Cup. And these are a lot of good countries. But as I said, you should never say never, I am optimistic that one day you’ll see us qualifying and playing as well.

Q. How does one in India make football a more household game; something which is on par with Western countries?

A. I think overall the culture of sports and football is yet to fully take root in India. We, as Indians, need

to be more inclined toward sports in general. We must look at sports as one of the most important factors in life -- to stay healthy, and mentally and physically fit. We need to encourage kids to play sports from a young age. Encouraging the young generation to participate in sports and football, is definitely the way to make football a household game in India in the coming years.

Q. Do you feel that the standard of the Indian men’s football team is rising despite the results in their past international games though at the same time they have qualified for AFC Asian Cup 2023?

A. I definitely think the standard has improved from what it was, but there is still a lot of work to be done to ensure we’re among the top five or top ten teams in Asia. The prospect of professionally pursuing football and making a career out of it is bigger today than ever before. This is why, now, we need to think about how we can further scale it, beyond its current limitations.

Q. Sunil Chhetri has been at the forefront of the Indian football team for a long time. Who do you think are the current players in the setup who can take over from Chhetri and step into his shoes once he decides to hang his boots?

A. I think Sunil has served the country for a very long time. He has single-handedly carried Indian football to new heights. Someone needs to fill in, but as of now, we’ve not seen many outstanding players who have really done it yet. There are a few of them that have gone on to do well.

CLOSE-IN: Indian cricket in disarray, needs immediate intervention

cricket fans in droves and cricket and cricketers became the pin-up stars for one and all. The status of being hero worshipped, which was reserved for the tinsel world, shifted towards the cricketers, who were revered as ‘live’ heroes -- ones who performed in a real-life setting and not the make-believe one.

The amateur approach to the way cricket over the years in India was perceived and played in gave way to the professional outlook required to take the game to a much higher level. After all, Indian cricket was attracting millions of eyeballs and, to grow it extensively, one needed a serious and well-structured modern approach.

never in doubt. However, the time has come now to introspect as to why Indian cricket falters on the world stage.

The time for intervention has come for Indian cricket to sit and structure their approach towards the two important tournaments in the coming year -- the World Test series and the One-day Cricket World Cup 2023. In the former, India have a good chance to reach the final, as after their two-Test series against Bangladesh, they play Australia at home. Whereas, in the latter, India is hosting the World Cup and should be one of the strong contenders to win it.

solutions to get Indian cricket back on its feet.

India, after the T20 World Cup loss in the semifinal, seems to be a side in disarray. The loss against New Zealand and now against a young and relatively weak Bangladesh side in the ODIs is cause for worry. The Indian team seems to give one the impression that they are “Like this only” - that they are being overworked and forcefully made to play. How else can one truly reflect on players taking “time off” from the game for rest and recuperation after the humiliation of a World Cup defeat.

for the Indian cricket team to play their own brand of cricket and not to imitate others.

The England side under Ben Stokes and coach Brendon McCullum has done so. They have taken an aggressive and result-oriented approach. They seem to be revelling in it, with wins in seven of their last eight matches. Their victory against Pakistan in the first Test match recently was one that truly emphasised the leadership of Stokes to be of the highest order. He believed in his thought process and through it brought success.

By Yajurvindra Singh

The Indian cricket team, one felt, a few years back was heading towards becoming the dominant side in world cricket. The heady success of the West Indies team in the 1970s and, thereafter, of the Australian team was what one assumed India was set to emulate.

Indian cricketers were scaling the upward graph with performances of match-winning ascendancy. The cricket world was amazed with the supreme quality of cricketers being churned out from various

corners of India. Unknown and unheard-of players seemed to emerge to become superstars and India soon boasted of being able to challenge most sides with even their second-string players.

The IPL and the initiatives taken by the BCCI were the reasons for this blossoming pool of cricketers, each one with a tale that made one marvel at their dedication and hard work. Most of them were from humble and not privileged backgrounds.

The advent of the digital and multi-media world drew the Indian

India’s Cricket World Cup victory in 2011 was just the platform from which one felt that Indian cricket would soar for years to come. Unfortunately, since then, the World trophies in all the three formats of the game have eluded India. However, there have been many moments of good team-and-individual performances under Virat Kohli as captain and Ravi Shastri as coach. The Indian team always looked as one that would finally bring home the trophy but, unfortunately, they failed to do so. The potential and capabilities of the Indian side is

This is why India need to get their act quickly into play. The Cricket Advisory group should comprise more than three members. The likes of Ravi Shastri, Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev, Sachin Tendulkar, Anil Kumble, Anshuman Gaekwad and cricketers of such stature should be made a part of it.

They are cricketers who have the experience and knowledge and along with the BCCI President Roger Binny, coaches Rahul Dravid and V.V.S. Laxman and apex member Dilip Vengsarkar, this is just the team of people needed to understand the problems and the likely

The reason for one to do so is because a senior or a successful cricketer is confident of their place in the side on their return.

The Indian think-tank has an important task ahead. Their team needs a boost and a well-structured and thought-through vision and goal in order to move ahead.

Indian players, of late, often mention that they are following a process rather than an outcome and this statement should now be passe.

The millions of Indian fans want to see a trophy in their hand and to do so, they need to win. A process that fails to achieve a result is of no consequence. The time has come

The Indian team requires a change of mind-set as well. They need to go back to the drawing board to sort out all their issues. At present, the Indian players look mentally and physically drained. The joy of playing for the country as a team seems to be more skewed towards their individual success. After all, the IPL auction seems to be the prime goal for most.

The importance and the successful upholding of the India colours need to be seriously emphasised to each one of them.

{Yajurvindra Singh is a former India cricketer. The views expressed are personal)

Ron Clarke, who set 17 world records in a highly decorated career, and Shane Warne, widely regarded as one of the greatest bowlers in the history of cricket, who died in March aged 52, were posthumously elevated to legend status in the hall of fame.

I am optimistic that one day you’ll

Auction Featuring Sneakers, Streetwear, and Collectibles

During New York Luxury Week, Christie’s will present “The Greats,” an online sale of shoes, streetwear, and collectibles.

The Greats is a carefully curated collection of footwear and sports memorabilia worn and signed by some of the greatest figures in sports history, including Serena Williams, Kobe Bryant, Henrik Lundqvist, and Michael Jordan. Along with the work of well-known designers like Virgil Abloh and Tinker Hatfield, the auction also includes items from streetwear companies like Supreme and Louis Vuitton.

Viva Magenta

By Olivia Sarkar Pantone revealed its colour for 2023 Viva Magenta. The colour will dominate runways, wardrobes, and home decor in the following year , and is little different from the already-raging hot pink.

Isn’t it a colour that oozes elegance in spades? We took a deeper look at the prized closets of trend-setting celebrities and found several items that were worth stealing. Bollywood celebrities seem to be a fan of Viva Magenta.

The sale emphasises how art, design, and sports history come together to establish a new trend in collecting today. Consider the following two lots: Serena Williams Player Exclusive Game-Worn Dual Signed Off-White Nike Court Flare 2 Sneakers (estimate $17,00020,000); and Serena Williams Player Exclusive Game-Worn Off-White Nike Court Flare 2 Sneakers & Signed Serena Williams Tennis Ball (estimate $10,000-15,000). These lots feature Nike x Off-White shoes

created by the legendary designer Virgil Abloh exclusively for Serena Williams. The lots all include Virgil’s distinctive hallmarks, like the imprinted “SERENA” and “QUEEN” embellishments on the side and back of the footwear. Serena Williams’ recent retirement and Virgil’s great legacy as a creator, designer, and artist are all celebrated in these sneakers, which are an extraordinary symbol of the partnership between the two superstars.

Dhak

grace. Her elegant kurta’s yoke was embellished with delicate traditional embroidery that matched the detail on the hem of her slacks.

In a magenta-hued sharara outfit, Kiara Advani presented an eye-catching appearance. Her chic ensemble featured a seductive embellished shirt with a striped dupatta and polka-dotted leggings,

all in berry tones with a Viva Magenta colour scheme. Her ethnic appeal was enhanced with a layered kundan choker and gentle waves in her hair.

A pair of one-of-a-kind skates used by famous goalie Henrik Lundqvist, who won Olympic Gold and Silver Medals for his native Sweden and was a notable fan favourite for the New York Rangers, are also the highlight of the sale. These skates, which Lundqvist wore for his final game as a Ranger, offer a glimpse into his extraordinary career and unwavering commitment to the game. Don Blanton, an artist, transformed the skates into works of art by encasing them in chromed copper and nickel and embellishing them with Swarovski crystals. This amazing

beginning of the collectible sneaker market, the first Jordan and Nike partnership, and unquestionably the most famous and timeless sneaker silhouette in history. The design has influenced generations to this day.

Caitlin Donovan, Head of Department comments, “ With a pulse on contemporary collecting, we are proud to present our inaugural sale under the newly founded Sneakers, Streetwear and Collectibles department, The Greats showcases some of the great examples of sneaker, streetwear and sports collectibles on the market and in history. Celebrating athletes, artists and designers who have spearheaded a new wave of collecting, we are proud to introduce this

item is expected to fetch between $50,000 and $70,000 at auction.

The Henrik Lundqvist Foundation, which supports underprivileged kids’ education, will benefit from the sale of the skates.

Henrik Lundqvist says, “I’m thrilled to be working with Christie’s on this important sale. My skates have always played a critical role in how I felt on ice. Proceeds from the sale will be donated to the Henrik Lundqvist Foundation, founded in 2014 to aid different organizations around the United States, Sweden and Dominican Republic”.

Want to wear Viva Magenta in a monochromatic manner? To make a daring statement, choose a flowing coordinated set like Nushrratt Bharuccha’s, which includes a chic

top and layered bottoms. To glam up the appearance, you only need minimum makeup, a neat hairstyle, and delicate accessories because the stunning colour will speak for itself.

Why not add a chic jumpsuit in the colour to your wardrobe? Sara Ali Khan, who recently wore an eye-catching jumpsuit in a like

Comfort has taken precedence over glamour: Janhvi Kapoor

The 16th iteration of the Blenders Pride Glassware Fashion Tour, supported by the Fashion Design Council of India, has reinterpreted its famous past to present this year’s version that is more youthful, inclusive, and innovative.

The Fashion Tour enters the Metaverse in its innovative new avatar, making an industry-first move to create a groundbreaking fusion of fashion and technology that youthful audiences will never have seen before.

only visually but also in incorporating new textiles and fabrics that are sustainable.

Your one fashion go to for any occasion?

Janhvi: One fashion go to is I think in less is more.

Are your stylists dream or a nightmare?

Janhvi: I think, I am a dream. When it comes to airport looks millennials like yourself are changing the rules, swapping formals for ease, do you agree?

new genre of collecting at Christie’s”.

Jacob Foster, Junior Specialist says, “Modern collectibles have amassed a significant following over the past years. Not only are collectors able to acquire something they can appreciate and enjoy in their home, but also realize a greater value as an alternative asset. We’re proud to bring these incredible items to auction, which celebrate the people who are truly devoted to their craft, whether that be through tennis, design, basketball, art, or hockey”.

IANSlife peaks to youth icon and actor Janhvi Kapoor about her association with the fashion property What synergies are common between you and the event and why do you think you are perfect for fit for the fashion Tour?

Janhvi: I mean that’s a question that you should ask the people that have chosen me to walk the ramp but I think that I’ve always looked up to what Blenders Pride does with all of their shows and all of their tours, because they are such a symbol of fashion, the tour has travelled the country over the last fifteen years. I think that the shows on are synonymous with encouraging designers to push themselves not

Janhvi: I agree because I think comfort has taken precedence over glamour and I think comfort is glamorous because you feel your most confident when you’re most comfortable.

What do you like to travel in?

Janhvi: All comfortable clothes like a cotton salwar-suit. Which character played by you so fat do you connect with the most?

Janhvi: I don’t think any of the characters I have played are close to my personality.

What is a sustainability according to you?

Janhvi: Sustainability to me is beautiful, I think it’s the fashion statement for the tomorrow.

Dhak girl Madhuri Dixit is a big fan of wearing vibrant colours. She recently made an appearance wearing a magenta-hued kurta and matching palazzos, radiating ethnic

colour, as proof of this. She made a stylish decision by going with a one-shoulder dress with voluminous sleeves.

Christie’s Presents ‘The Greats’

Michael Jordan’s Game-Worn

Original 1985 Air Jordan 1 “Chicago”

Sneakers and a pair of Michael Jordan Dual Signed Original 1985 Air Jordan 1 “Chicago” Sneakers are two further highlights from the auction. These lots symbolise the

The actor features in the 16th iteration of the Blenders Pride Glassware Fashion Tour=

The It colour of Bollywood

Madhuri Dixit

Nushrratt Bharuccha

Kiara Advani

Sara Ali Khan

There is no scientific evidence for a mystical cure-all, elixir, but if there is anything that comes near to it, it’s most likely Aloe vera.

Let’s discuss Aloe vera, a wonder plant that has a number of health advantages. It is utilized as a natural cure in numerous cultures all over the world for anything from skin moisturization to hair volume.

Here are some straightforward DIY beauty tips from Shreedha Singh, Co-Founder of T.A.C. - The Ayurveda Co.

• Nourish your dry skin: With lots of fluid content inside aloe vera, you can rejuvenate your dry skin. It is a natural remedy to a host of skin problems besides having nourishment properties. Aloe vera gel can be applied straight onto your skin to hydrate it. Additionally, you can add a few drops of Neroli oil and combine one tablespoon of Aloe Vera Gel with vitamin E capsules. Use this mixture to massage your face for beautiful skin. The remaining mixture can be stored in the refrigerator for three days.

Get freedom from dark spots and blemishes: Aloe vera contains astringent, anti-inflammatory, and antibacterial properties. Due to these characteristics, it is excellent in lessening the visibility of scars and blemishes. Through a simple DIY remedy, you can keep your skin free from spots and blemishes. Create a smooth paste by combining one tablespoon of aloe vera gel and two tablespoons of honey. Spread it over your face, then wait for 10 to 15 minutes. After rinsing it with warm water, you will discover a renewed and lighter skin of yours.

• Flaunt shining skin using ice cube rub:

The ice cube rub can help you achieve the trendy “glass skin,” with a smooth texture, reduced pore size, and natural glow. Aloe vera gel can be added to an ice cube tray to create an aloe vera gel cube. For a revitalizing dose of freshness or to just soothe skin burns, use it at least

twice a week.

Keep infection and acne at bay: People with acne-prone skin can get relief with the constant use of aloe vera as it helps in gentle cleansing and removing bacteria with its antiseptic properties. The usage is simple and anyone can try it with ease at home. Take one tablespoon of aloe vera gel with one teaspoon of Moringa and Neem oil. Mix all the ingredients well to make a thick paste and apply it all over your face and massage gently in a circular motion. Leave it for 30 minutes, and then rinse it off. You may follow up with a clay-based mask for best results.

• Shine with glistering soft hair: Aloe vera has the ability to treat rough and dry hair as it contains proteolytic enzymes that help to rebuild the scalp’s dead skin and stimulate new hair growth by promoting blood circulation over there.

To make a smooth paste, combine two tablespoons of castor oil with one tablespoon of aloe vera. Apply it to your hair and scalp. Leave it on for an hour, and then rinse it off with water and mild herbal shampoo. This will add intense hydration, shine, and softness to your hair through the antioxidant-rich aloe vera gel and castor oil, which strengthens hair follicles while promoting growth.

Dodge dandruff:

Aloe vera is a natural and hassle-free solution to eliminating dandruff because it is rich in anti-fungal and anti-viral qualities. So putting it on your scalp can help nourish it and reduces dandruff. You can try this homemade aloe-methi mask to treat dandruff and hair loss since it is a high source of protein and iron that promotes blood circulation.

To make a smooth paste, combine one tablespoon of aloe vera gel with the methi seeds that have been soaked overnight. The combination should be applied to the scalp for 30 minutes, and then you should rinse it out.

Some Impressive Benefits of Vitamin C

By Shikha Dwivedi

Vitamin C is a very important vitamin that plays a number of roles in the human body. Packed with a wide range of impressive health benefits, the water-soluble vitamin is present in numerous fruits and vegetables such as oranges, strawberries, kiwi fruit, bell peppers, broccoli, kale, and spinach. Nutritionists recommend a daily Vitamin C intake of 75 mg for women and around 100 mg for men. Although it’s generally suggested that one should meet their vitamin C requirement from the food one eats, a number of people switch to supplements to address their nutritional needs.

Before you consume any type of Vitamin C supplements, it is essential to consult a medical practitioner to avoid any discrepancies.

Here are some highly significant medically-tested advantages of consuming vitamin C:

Vitamin C is necessary for collagen synthesis. As we know, Collagen is an integral structural component of connective tissue, blood vessels, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, gums, skin, teeth, and bones. It helps in maintaining the skin natural elasticity to render a younger-looking skin and reduce skin-sagging.

Vitamin C is also assays a

cardinal role in the synthesis of the neurotransmitter, ‘norepinephrine’ which is crucial for optimal brain functioning and impacts mood sensations.

• Vitamin C also has a critical role in enhancing the body’s immune function, which can get hindered on account of nutritional scarcity.

Vitamin C is also an extremely efficient antioxidant. Even in small traces, vitamin C aids in safeguarding various essential molecules in the body like proteins, lipids, carbohydrates, and nucleic acids (DNA and RNA) from damage by free radicals. The free radicals damage can be produced during routine metabolism as well as through contact with various toxins and air pollutants i.e. smoking.

It has also been ascertained that vitamin C can also restore other antioxidants like vitamin E. The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which extends scientific recommendations to facilitate medical policymakers, has corroborated the following health benefits that come with the regular dietary intake of vitamin C in one’s diet:

It assists in safeguarding essential cell constituents from the damage caused by free radicals

• It improves the rate of collagen

formation and assists in the normal functioning of blood vessels, skin, bones, cartilage, gums, and teeth

• It further helps in increasing the rate of non-heme iron (found in plant-based foods) absorption

• It also regulates the standard operation of the nervous system

• Vitamin C also proves instrumental in bolstering the body’s natural immunity

• It also assists in preserving the routine functions of the immune system both before and after an intense physical workout.

• It also supports the redevelopment process of the abridged form of vitamin E Furthermore, it also aids in

curtailing tiredness and fatigue levels in the body.

Having understood the importance of Vitamin C in our lives, we must strive to include Vitamin C in our everyday diet to ensure the proper functioning of the body and enjoy healthy disease-free living. If you are unable to receive the prescribed amount of Vitamin C from your conventional diet, you can also resort to using over-the-counter and safe-to-use Vitamin C supplements. However, it is prudent to consult a doctor or a nutritionist before consuming any form of supplements.

(Shikha Dwivedi is an Msc. clinical nutrition and dietetics and in-house nutritionist of OZiva)

5 ways to use honey for soft skin

Honey is a wonderful substance that does wonders on your skin. Honey is usually an excellent suggestion for skin care. Effective beauty treatments can be created by combining natural

Take 2-3 tablespoons of raw milk and an equal quantity of raw honey. We should be combined in a dish. Apply this mixture in your face and neck and Use your fingers to gently

components that can be found in your home. Here are some tips from Harish Singla, CSM Forever Living Products India / FLP India, for soft skin.

massage. keep for 15 - 20 minutes. Use water to remove it, and then repeat this alternative day for best result.

Take half tablespoon of raw honey to one tablespoon of fresh yogurt mixed everything, then massage your face and neck for a few

minutes. Do this 10-15 minutes, then wash it off with water. Apply this face pack 2- 3 days. This is specially for dry skin.

Most people will agree that wearing makeup entails making a trade-off between having high-performance products that may or may not be skin-friendly and natural formulations that lack the efficacy of high-performance products. Juicy Chemistry is no stranger to challenging the conventional wisdom around organic beauty. Color Chemistry, a line of ecocert-certified organic colour cosmetics launched on November 30, mixes skin-friendly, performance-enhancing chemicals with pigment.

People experience dealing with skin care issues over the years may use of abrasive pigments, petrolatums, and heavy metals in colour cosmetics which affect long-term skin health. All of these elements were the underlying cause of the makeup-related vicious cycle that resulted in clogged pores, acne, hyper pigmentation, and dry skin in the end.

In order to deliver 120+ SKUs, one high-performance product line that is high on quality, is organic, sustainably packaged, ethically sourced, free from synthetic fragrances and talc, the brand was developed over the course of 24 months by

a 10-member core team working across 4 manufacturing locations, 3 consulting firms, and 2 award-winning makeup artists.

The inaugural release includes 20-shade foundations, eight baked compacts, eight concealers, six lip & cheek tints, twelve lipsticks, three lip glosses, five kajals, and three eyeshadow quads. In the second phase, we will add 16 lip crayons, primer, eye mascara, setting powders, blush, highlighter, and hair mascara to the categories. The inclusive line from Color Chemistry is made with purpose and integrity, is gender-neutral, and does not contain any animal products. Wearable neutrals, pinks, berries, and red tones are all featured in the rich and varied palette of our lip products. Our eye makeup uses a similar vivid colour scheme. It has taken 5 important steps by joining the Campaign for safe cosmetics:

Drop Harmful ingredients

Adopt a do not use list

Avoid toxic substitutes

• Commit to ingredient transparency

• Follow the most stringent European standards for safety of our customers

Take a bowl mix tablespoon of raw honey and 1 teaspoon of squeezed lemon juice. Apply this on your

face and neck. Keep this for 15 – 20 mints. Wash it off with luke water and moisturize your face and neck.

Take a bowl mix 2 tablespoons of raw honey, 1 tablespoon of aloe vera, and 1/4th tablespoon of ground cinnamon. Mix it well. Apply this natural mask on your

face and neck. Let it rest for 5-10 minutes. Wash your face with lukewarm water. Moisturize your face gently.

Italian makeup brand forays into the Indian market

Founded in Italy, Diego dalla Palma announces its foray into the Indian market with its quirky, colourful and premium make-up range. Known for its expertise in makeup, the brand offers a wide range of beauty products designed and tested in the laboratory for high-level performance. It is suited to the skin types of Indian women.

The makeup products completely reflect the company’s philosophy: to enhance the beauty of every woman and give each of them the opportunity to express themselves through different makeup looks characterised by a universally affordable professional performance.

The values of the brand have always been elegance, creativity and the search for beauty in every woman. Unique, one-of-a-kind beauty free from the dominant beauty standards. This is exactly what Diego dalla Palma Milano has always been committed to doing: helping every woman find her beauty, enhancing it with products that are democratic, affordable, and that keep up with innovations in the cosmetic field to offer every woman the best professional performance.

Commenting on the launch, Biju Antony, CEO and Executive Director of Baccarose Perfumes & Beauty Products Pvt. Ltd., said, “We are very excited to bring to the Indian market, leading Italian Make-Up Brand, Diego dalla Palma, Milano. Baccarose and Diego dalla Palma have one goal, which is to make women feel unique and let what is inside each of them shine. Diego dalla Palma is known for their innovative formulas & product designs which not only make you look good on the outside but also nourish the skin from within. As constant trendsetters in makeup & beauty, we want this brand to be a hero make up brand among India’s leading makeup professionals as well as among all our consumers.”

Diego dalla Palma believes that beauty is a combination of style and intelligence, that it is all about the light in the eyes of those who love to be themselves truly. The brand wants to accompany all those women who love to surprise and be surprised. Paradox is in its DNA; consumers can experience this through the brand’s essential nature of black and white and the explosion of colour. Every product

is ultra-advanced and high-performance yet extremely easy to use - natural and sophisticated, rigorous and eccentric way of being. Always one of a kind.

The historic Italian brand will be available online on the Parcos website, and offline across select Parcos beauty outlets and Shoppers Stop.

Hero Products of include:

MY TOY BOY - Mind-blowing performance extra volume mascara.

The first mascara that boosts the lashes volume and length in just one coat, for the sexiest & most intense look ever. Its intense black and long-lasting formula will keep your lashes looking intense for up to 24 hours.

GEISHA LIFT CONCEALER - Lifting effect cream concealer.

The concealers are designed to hide the eye contour imperfections and build beautiful highlights, with its new special flocked applicator. It smoothens out the skin making it flawless, luminous and absolutely perfect.

NUDISSIMO GLOW - Soft glow foundation

A foundation that evens out the skin giving it a natural, luminous look. Its liquid, lightweight, refined texture, gently envelops the skin in a thin layer of radiance. It will keep your skin feeling hydrated and will give you a soft luminous glow. It is the perfect foundation for someone with combination skin.

Milano Nuda2 Palette 12 Colours

A Professional Eye Shadow Palette With 12 Brand New Shades Inspired by The Colors of Earth. Warm And Naked Tones, Nuanced and Undefined Amber, Bronzes and Greens. Contains Everything You Need to Create Natural, Sensual or Literally Glowing Looks

Makeup just got a Juicy makeover

Effective

Milk and honey

Yogurt and Honey

Honey and Lemon face pack

Honey, Aloe vera and Cinnamon face mask

Vitamin C is necessary for collagen synthesis

AstaGuru’s First Exclusive International Auction

By Siddanth Shetty

The second half of the nineteenth century was a remarkable period in the history of modern art. Beginning in the 1860s, the western world saw the emergence of several important movements that sought to challenge the hitherto accepted academic realism style of art that was primarily based on mythology and religion. Marked by non-decipherable figures, abstractionism, and unique application of colour, these movements would continue to evolve and transform into different unique idioms that gave a new voice to modern painting. In its upcoming ‘International Iconic’ Auction, auction house AstaGuru will showcase a medley of works

by revered and iconic global artists. The stunning lineup of the auction was scheduled on November 28-29, 2022, represents some of the most important moments in modern art history.

• Baigneuse Assise by Pierre Auguste Renoir

Leading the auction line is lot no.8, a beautiful work by French Impressionist master Pierre Auguste–Renoir, who created an extraordinary artistic legacy with his fascinating canvases bearing sublime female nudes. Titled ‘Baigneuse Assise’ or the Seated Bather, the circa 1915, oil on canvas creation depicts the sitter in profile with a softly defined figure against a warm abstract dominated by a brown and green background that

almost blends with the contours of her figure. Her curled hair, pink naked flesh, and the nonchalance of her unassuming posture in this idyllic masterpiece are exemplary of the intimate study of his models undertaken by Renoir. With variations of a rich mould of colours and sporadic thick impasto, the surface of the canvas evokes a dreamlike, almost ethereal harmony. This work was formerly in the collection of revered English playwright and novelist W Somerset Maugham who was also a passionate collector of Impressionist and Modern art.The painting also featured on the cover of his book ‘Purely For My Pleasure,’ published in 1962. It will be offered with an estimate of INR 4,34, 50,000 – 5,53,00,000.

Tapestries embodying a

Viraj Khanna’s artistic work is influenced by his keen awareness of his surroundings and the lasting imprint made by meaningful social contacts. He derives inspiration for this collection of figurative works from a variety of life situations that have deeply ingrained themselves in his mind and have been immensely stimulating to his brain. His interactions with a colourful cast of unforgettable personalities led to vivid parodies of carnivalesque, unrealistic characters that appear to violate society’s standard of acceptable behaviour.

Khanna says, “This series is a reflection of my personal experiences and the way I relate to the world. When I create, I think about the human condition, about people and their behaviours. Societal influences changing our personalities and the way we perceive reality interest me greatly. This time, I have used different elements such as thread, beads, pearls, and other hand-created materials in order to give structure to my figurative work. A multitude of things within serves to express the various experiences that have made an impact on me. Also, it is often wise to take everything with a pinch of salt.”

Khanna realises that an individual’s outward identity is affected by the societal forces around them, often leading to a masking of their true nature. This acute awareness is reflected in his current body of works, which finds form prevalently through textiles, and portrays the colourful complexity of human nature. Essentially, it emphasises their tendency to exaggerate and embellish their everyday reality, fueled by an inherent need to appear larger than life. He encourages us not only to be a spectator to this masquerade, admire its obvious

A collection of unique works, lot no. 2,3,4 by Salvador Dali will be showcased in AstaGuru’s upcoming international iconic auction. These works belong to a limited series of 78 custom decks of tarot cards known as Dali’s Universal Tarot which the artist started to work on during the early 1970s. First commissioned to him by Hollywood producer Albert Broccoli, the tarot deck was meant to be used as a prop in the James Bond film Live and Let Die. However, the deal fell through, supposedly due to Dali’s exorbitant monetary demands, the artist remained intrigued with the idea and continued to work on the cards. Each of the cards is estimated to be acquired at INR 19,75,000 – 27,65,000.

• BusteD’homme Et Femme Nus by Picasso

The reinterpretation of the female nude is one of the greatest legacy in the oeuvre of Pablo Picasso. Picasso’s groundbreaking works on this subject not only questioned the long-standing conventions, but also introduced a disconcerting new way of looking that rejects the majority of the constraints that had hitherto characterised the feminine body. A work by him, lot.no.5 executed with coloured wax crayon on paper in 1969 is also a part of the auction. It was exhibited at R.S. Johnson International Gallery in 1971. This work is offered at an estimate of INR 2,37,00,000 – 3,95,00,000. With 2023 being the year of Picasso’s 50th death anniversary, galleries and galleries and museums around the world are gearing up to celebrate him. Added to his monumental fame, this has heightened interest in his work.

Lot no. 14, a work by Damien Hirst titled ‘Beautiful Hours Spin Painting IX,’ was originally unveiled as the cover for the album ‘See the Light’ by British rock band ‘The Hours’. The impactful imagery rendered in a psychedelic colour composition with high-gloss paint embodies the central theme of life and death, which has been a preoccupation and inspirational subject for the artist. The elements in the work, such as the skull, and a clock in the eye socket, become a metaphor for the fleetingness of life. Referencing from ‘Vanitas,’ a common genre in paintings of the 16th and 17th centuries signifying the transience of life, these symbols appropriate the impermanence of bodily existence. And yet, weaved through the technique of Damien Hirst’s iconic spin painting, the work exudes a

sense of joie de vivre. This work will be offered with an estimate of INR 2,37,00,000 – 3,95,00,000.

Lot no. 33 is a unique work titled ‘Poinsettia’ by iconic artist Andy Warhol and marks a departure from his popular body of work focusing on the culture of consumerism.

At the same time, it also gives an insight into his personal side and his approach to aestheticizing the surrounding elements and subjects that intrigued him. Bearing Poinsettia flowers, often referred to as the unofficial flower of Christmas, this work is an ode to Warhol’s endearment to the theme of Christmas. Resembling the Star of Bethlehem, the ubiquitous flower traces its attachment to the Christmas holiday through a 16th-century Mexican fable about a poor girl who decorated the church altar with weeds that miraculously sprouted into flowers. Sharing this festive merriment with a large legion of his friends during the early 1980s, Warhol executed over 20 paintings in different sizes featuring Poinsettia. One of these, the presented work, was created in 1983 by Warhol and gifted to his friend Christopher Mako. A photographer, author and artist, Mako met Warhol during his early twenties in the decade of the 1970s. He soon became one of the people in Andy’s

inner circle who frequented The Factory and also produced several photographs capturing the pulsating world of the studio. It will be offered with an estimate of INR 1,10,60,000 – 1,89, 60,000.

Love Sculpture by Robert Indiana

Lot no. 30 is a rendition of famous ‘Love Sculptures,’ by Robert Indiana. First executed as a painting in 1965 and being displayed at a solo exhibition at the Stable Gallery, it became a career-defining piece for the artist.

Inspired by his Christian Science church upbringing, Indiana created hard-edged paintings stacking each letter on top of the other in an angular, slightly tilted manner. He would then go on to use the image for various other mediums including the iconic sculptures and stamps known around the world. The image was also selected to be the Museum of Modern Art’s Christmas card, becoming wildly popular. In 1970, he created a 12-foot tall steel sculpture with the same word for the Indianapolis Museum of Art, followed by ‘Ahava’ in Jerusalem and ‘Amor’ in Spain. This work will be offered with an estimate of INR 3,16,00,000 – 4,74,00,000.

(Siddanth Shetty, Vice President, Business Strategy and Operations, AstaGuru Auction House)

phantasmagoric

riot of figures

extravagance (and the concerted effort behind putting on such a show), but also to try to see beyond its overtly flamboyant facade and parse its underlying, more imperceptible motivations. His fanciful creations are threaded into tapestries embodying a phantasmagoric riot of outlandish figures, with a shapeshifting quality reminiscent of a particularly frenetic fever dream.

“Viraj Khanna first embarked on his artistic journey during the pandemic in 2020. Seeing him cultivate his talent and evolve as an artist is a delightful experience by itself. This time, Viraj leverages his proficient

skills in

The exhibition opened on 2nd December and continues until 11th December 2022.

Preview: Thursday 1st December 2022, 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm

On view: 2nd December - 11th December 2022, 11:00 am - 6:00 pm

Venue: LTC, Bikaner House Delhi The exhibition can now also be viewed online at artexposure.in

Women, Unemployed, Rural Poor Lagging due to Digital Divide

According to Oxfam India’s most recent “India Inequality Report 2022: Digital Divide,” India’s worryingly expanding inequalities based on caste, religion, gender, class, and location are being duplicated in the digital sphere. According to the survey, in 2021, 61 percent of men owned phones, compared to only 31 percent of women.

According to the survey, the usage of digital technologies is still mostly restricted to urban, male, upper-caste, and upper-class homes and people. Less than 1 percent of the Scheduled Tribes (ST) and 2% of the Scheduled Castes (SC) own a computer or laptop, compared to 8 percent of the General caste.

According to the GSMA’s Mobile Gender Gap research, women will be 33 percent less likely than males to use mobile internet in 2021.

“The Digital technologies were supposed to make public services and schemes more accessible. But the ‘India Inequality Report 2022: Digital Divide’ shows this isn’t happening. The report highlights how digital technologies are accessible to the rich and privileged. The report shows that a person with a post-graduate or a Ph.D. is 60 percent more likely to have a phone than a person with no education. This is worrying because this digital divide can further deepen the existing socio-economic inequalities in the country. We urge the state and Union governments to immediately take necessary steps to universalise internet connectivity and treat digital technologies as a public utility, not a privilege”, said Amitabh Behar, CEO of Oxfam India.

The research examines primary data from the household survey conducted by the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE) between January 2018 and December 2021.

In order to evaluate the inclusiveness of digital initiatives to deliver public services and entitlements, the research looks at CMIE statistics on internet access, mobile ownership, computer and broadband availability. The National Sample Survey’s secondary analysis is also utilised in this study (NSS).

According to the analysis, there would be a digital divide depending on employment status in 2021, with 95 percent of salaried permanent workers having phones compared to 50 percent of unemployed people who are eager and looking for work. The research also emphasises that, contrary to common belief, fewer

people were using computers in rural areas. Prior to the pandemic, only 3 percent of rural residents were computer owners. Since the epidemic, this has decreased to just 1 percent . In contrast, only 8 percent of residents in metropolitan regions own computers.

The country’s digital divide and its effects are also reflected in the usage of digital technologies to supply important services like education and healthcare. Signal and internet speed were the major problems in private schools, according to Oxfam India’s five states fast assessment study conducted during the shutdown in September 2020, which revealed 82 percent of parents had difficulties assisting their children in accessing digital education. 80% of parents in government schools said that no instruction took place during the lockout. Due to a shortage of equipment and access to the internet, 84 percent of instructors in public schools reported having difficulty delivering lessons using digital tools.

Amitabh Behar, CEO of Oxfam India said, “India’s growing inequality is accentuated due to the digital divide. The growing inequality based on caste, religion, gender, class, and geographic location also gets replicated in the digital space. People without devices and the internet get further marginalised due to difficulties in accessing education, health, and public services. This vicious cycle of inequality needs to stop.”

The report welcomes several initiatives by state and union governments in India to promote digital literacy, availability, accessibility, and affordability of the digital technologies. Following are some recommendations provided by the authors to bridge digital divide in India:

The report highlights economic inequality as a key driver of the digital divide. To this end, the government’s efforts to bridge India’s current income inequality by improving the income of the poor becomes pertinent and can go a long way. This can be done by setting a decent minimum living wage, easing the indirect tax burden on citizens and provision of universal health and education services.

• The most basic step toward bridging the digital divide is availability. In rural and hard-toreach areas, internet availability is either intermittent, poor or

non-existent. Service providers need to ensure its availability through community networks and public WiFi/ internet access points. Community networks are a subset of crowdsourced networks, designed to be open, free, and neutral, and often reliant on shared infrastructure as a common resource. They are usually built, used, and managed with a bottom-up approach by communities. Such networks should also have good-quality upload and download speeds, sufficient for the local needs of internet users.

1. To ensure universal access to internet connectivity, it has to be affordable for the masses.

2. To drive down prices, the government can invest in digital infrastructure to not only make the internet affordable, but also push for greater accessibility to smartphones.

3. The government has to be a strong regulatory figure in this regard, ensuring that data and broadband services are not monopolized by private players.

4. Additionally, the government can lower taxes on computers and phones that are often prohibitively high

5. Conduct digital literacy camps, especially in rural India, to teach the use of technology in schools, and digitize panchayats and schools.

6. Establish a responsive and accountable grievance redressal mechanism to handle EdTech and Healthtech-related complaints by parents, children, and other consumers.

7. Acknowledge that tech-based solutions are not always the right answers. Even in times of crises like pandemics, governments also need to consider low- or no-tech solutions.

working with textiles and transmutes them into fabulous figurative creations that deserve applause,” says Somak Mitra, Director of Gallery Art Exposure.

Dali Tarots

Beautiful Hours Spin Painting IX by Damien Hirst

Only 3 percent of rural residents are computer owners

Gallery Art Exposure presents In My Fever Dream, a solo show by Viraj Khanna

To showcase works by Renoir, Picasso, Matisse and other visionaries of Global Art

Poinsettia by Andy Warhol

Vikram Sampath’s ‘Brave Hearts of Bharat, Vignettes from Indian History’ launched

Speaking on the occasion, the chief guest said our learning of our history was bereft of heroes other than Gandhi and Nehru. Adding that a nation is judged by various narratives, and also marked by a pantheon of heroes, he said, “This book is about reclaiming our history, one hero at a time.”

Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, said, “It is truly an unputdownable book and provokes one to think about the past. The author has written a scholarly and popular work, which makes it a book of commendable balance.”

Addressing the audience, Dr. Sachidanand Joshi, stressed that he was privileged to see youngsters at the event and that history has its importance and there is a need to revisit and re-invent it.

2022 is almost nearing an end. We’re all catching up with our reading lists for the year. But with December around the corner, everyone is planning their lists for

the coming year of 2023. Here is a list of 5 books everyone should have on their 2023 reading list!

By Sukant Deepak

Dr. Vikram Sampath states that his dilemma was choosing the heroes --- who to choose for the book.

‘

Brave Hearts of Bharat, Vignettes from Indian History’ by Vikram Sampath (Penguin) an anthology of 15 stories of men and women and their indomitable spirit of freedom and courage was launched in the Capital today.

Rajeev Chandrashekhar, Minister for State for Skill Development and Entrepreneurship and Electronics and Information Technology was the chief guest on the occasion, and Dr. Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, President ICCR, Government India and MP, Rajya Sabha was the guest of honour.

Stressing the narrative of a defeatist nation needed to be challenged, something he had attempted through his work, he said, “ This book has been written to occupy the mind space and bring the subaltern heroes to the mainstream.”

A panel discussion between Prof. Meenakshi Jain (historian), Sanjeev Sanyal (Member, Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister), Dr. Anand Ranganathan (scientist, author and columnist), Dr. Sachidanand Joshi ( Member Secretary, IGNCA ) also took place during the launch.

The Chipko Movement: A People’s Movement’ bags The Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay NIF Book Prize

writings on modern/ contemporary India by writers from all nationalities. The winner receives a cash award of INR 15 lakhs, a trophy, and a citation.

The winner was selected by a six-member jury panel including political scientist and author Niraja Gopal Jayal (Chair); entrepreneur Manish Sabharwal; historian and author Srinath Raghavan; historian and author Nayanjot Lahiri; former diplomat and author Navtej Sarna; and attorney and author Rahul Matthan.

Tom Hanks, an Academy Award winning actor and author is coming up with a novel. This novel takes you through the making of a famous movie. Beginning in America post World War II, Hanks takes you all the way through to the present day. Broken down in parts and along with comic books, this entertaining novel is worth adding to your 2023 Books To Read List.

Release date: 9th May, 2023

By Rakesh Maria

The D.B. Marg police station was taking no chances. Their squad at the Vinowli Chowpatty, led by Assistant Police Inspectors Hemant Bavdhankar and Sanjay Govilkar, was subjecting each and every vehicle passing the checkpoint to thorough scrutiny.

Any book by Margaret Atwood is a much awaited book. Fourteen Days is one such book that is not only written by Atwood, but over 20 other contributors as well. While the pandemic has left a lasting impression on every single person around the world, these authors take you through their take on the pandemic and how it changed all our relationships with people. Set in New York, this novel with a twist has each character written by a different author from John Grisham, Nora Roberts to others.

Release date: 30th May, 2023

Known for writing witty romances, Emily Henry is coming out with another one of her feel good novels. This story is about two exes faking a relationship in front of their friends on a holiday. If you fell in love with her characters in Beach Read or People you Meet on Vacation, you’re surely in for a ride with this one.

Release Date: 25th April, 2023

You Are Not Alone is written by Cariad Lloyd, famously known for the award winning podcast, Griefcast. As mentioned in the synopsis, “You Are Not Alone is a road map for all of us: for anybody who has ever felt lost in grief, who wants to help someone in theirs, or who just wants to understand life a little better,”

This book is a way to understand what we’re feeling and how to navigate those feelings.

Release Date: 19th January, 2023

in the history of Mumbai Police’

By

‘

NIF Book Prize 2022.

This book prize recognizes and celebrates excellence in non-fiction

The Jury citation for the Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay NIF Book Prize 2022 reads - “This is the definitive history of the Chipko movement by a scholar who has practically lived it. It is fitting that a book that tells the story of a movement through the eyes of the local communities, especially women, should be as readable as this. Translated from Hindi by Manisha Chaudhry, Shekhar Pathak’s book is a salutary reminder of the transformative, and not just an important work of history but one that speaks to the contemporary moment and its twin crises of ecology and democracy.”

The others deployed at the junction were Sub Inspector Bhaskar Kadam, Assistant Sub Inspectors Tukaram Ombale, Sarjerao Pawar and Chandrakant Kothale, Hawaldars Shivaji Kolhe, Vikram Nikam, Ashok Shelke and Chandrakant Chavan, Police Naiks Vijay Avhad and Mangesh Naik, Constables Ramesh Mane, Sunil Sohni, Santosh Chendwankar, wireless operator Sanjay Patil and driver, Chandrakant Kamble.

Since Vinowli Chowpatty junction is a major entry and exit point in the area which was under attack, a four-tier checking was in progress. The first group of men asked the motorists to slow down, switch off the front lights, put on the inside lights and lower all the windows.

The next set of officers checked the occupants inside and the car. The third set jotted down the description and details of the car. And the last set of officers were ready outside the van, armed with their AKs.

washer fluid onto the windshield. The inside of the car was not visible to the police and sensing danger, the other officers and men began advancing cautiously. Ismail swerved the car to his right, intending to cross the divider, but the car could not make it. The police advanced with their weapons and Ismail opened fire from his pistol. By then, the third tier of officers was also closing in.

Assistant Police Inspector Bavdhankar and Sub Inspector Bhaskar Kadam retaliated and Ismail was killed instantly, though it was not apparent as yet. Bhaskar Kadam’s shot had entered his skull. Kasab saw his buddy go limp. The police firing continued. Then, Kasab opened the left door and deliberately fell out of the car.

On noticing this, Tukaram Ombale moved nimbly to the door and saw Kasab lying on the ground holding his AK-47 close to his chest. Without an instant’s delay, Ombale threw himself on Kasab and tried hard to snatch his gun away even as Kasab strived to throw Ombale off him.

Although he did not succeed in throwing Ombale off him, he managed to press the trigger. Five bullets pierced Ombale’s body killing him instantly.

the weapon and it fell to the ground, to be immediately seized by the officers. Sanjay Govilkar, a fine officer who had worked with me in the Crime Branch earlier, realised that he had to stop the attack on Kasab.

The dramatic finale of Kasab and Ismail’s car ride lasted just seven minutes and wrote a glorious page in the history of the Mumbai Police.

On the dark streets of Mumbai, the paths of a missing dancer, a serial killer, and an inspector with a haunted past converge in Damyanti Biswas’s “The Blue Bar” (Thomas & Mercer), an evocative thriller about lost love and murderous obsession.

After years of dancing in Mumbai’s bars, Tara Mondal was desperate for a new start. So when a client offered her a life-changing payout to indulge in a harmless, if odd, fantasy, she accepted. The setup was simple: Wear a blue-sequined sari, enter a crowded railway station, and escape from view in less than three minutes. It was the last time anyone

saw Tara.

Thirteen years later, Tara’s lover, inspector Arnav Singh Rajput, is still grappling with her disappearance as he faces a horrifying new crisis: On the city’s outskirts, women’s dismembered bodies are being unearthed from shallow graves. Very little links the murders, except a scattering of blue sequins and a decade’s worth of missing persons reports that correspond with major festivals.

Past and present blur as Rajput realises he’s on the trail of a serial killer and that someone wants his investigation buried at any cost. Could the key to finding Tara and solving these murders be hidden in one of his cold cases? Or will the next body they recover be her’s?

Damyanti Biswas is the author of “You Beneath Your Skin” and numerous short stories that have been published in magazines and anthologies in the US, the UK, and Asia. She’s been shortlisted for Best Small Fictions and Bath Novel Awards and is co-editor of the Forge Literary Magazine.

Biswas is also a supporter of Project WHY, a programme that provides quality education to underprivileged children in New Delhi. Apart from being a novelist, she is an avid reader of true crime, a blogger, and an animal lover. Her ambition has always been to live in a home with more books than any other item, and she continues to work toward that.

When the alert message about the Skoda was received, the squad became vigilant. Theirs was the most likely road for the terrorists to take! And that’s what happened.

The Skoda approached the nakabandi at Vinowli and abided by the first command. But at the next command, it did something totally unacceptable. Instead of switching off the front lights, Ismail switched on the headlights to blind the police party. He also began spraying the

Journey back in time and experience the refugee spirit as Priya Hajela’s “Ladies Tailor” (HarperCollins) captures you with all its romance, adventure and one mans iron will to not just survive, but thrive with new beginnings. This is a story that captures a setting and a group of characters that represent the immigrant spirit, the refugee spirit, the spirit of never giving up on what you want and a spirit of adventure and entrepreneurship that to this day is the driving force in Delhi and Punjab.

“Ladies’ Tailor” is a book about Gurdev and his cohort, a group of refugees who travelled east from Pakistan after Partition. It is a story of falling apart and coming together. It is also a story of that which was torn asunder and will never be one again - a marriage, a country, a friendship.

The story will take you back in time and catch you by the scruff till your uncertain feet hang off the floor.

Kasab told us that Ombale’s dead weight had made it all the more difficult for him to get up and attack the policemen which he had desperately wanted to do. The rest of the squad rushed to the left side of the Skoda and saw Kasab pinned down by Ombale who was lifeless. Just then Kasab opened fire again and a bullet pierced the left hip of Assistant Police Inspector Govilkar. The policemen pulled Kasab out and began beating him mercilessly with their batons. Kasab lost his grip on

It will also bring you back to the normalcy of fit and fashion, and of fabric and style. It will let you settle in and get comfortable with Gurdev and Noor’s romance and then take you on a speedy adventure in fast American cars behind enemy lines. “It’s not what sets us apart but what brings us together that’s important. How we resist the forces that are intent on separating us is what defines us. How we recover from past transgressions is what carries us forward. Ladies’ Tailor takes a resolute look at stumbling and making amends, at holding close and letting go and at turning back in order to move on,” says Hajela. This is a gripping and deeply moving story about reviving humanity in inhuman times and it keeps you floating in the emotions.

Priya Hajela is a fiction writer who lives in Pune and Goa with her husband and two dogs. Her son is a journalist and her daughter is in college in the US. She graduated

Despite his injury, he thrust himself between his infuriated comrades and Kasab and shouted in despair, “Arrey yala maru nakaa! Toh aplyala jiwanth awaaa ahe! Tyachyakadoon mahattwachi mahiti milwaychi aahe. Toh sakshidaar aahe. (Don’t hit him! We need him alive! We need to get important information out of him. He is an eyewitness!)”

The timely action by Govilkar had averted a major mishap, or else, we would have been left holding a dead Kasab and lamenting the loss of a god-sent opportunity to get evidence out of him.

The men controlled themselves and came to their senses when they saw a bleeding Govilkar hugging Kasab as if he were saving his dearest

It was written in blood, shed by the brave and unassuming Tukaram Ombale. Armed with just a baton, he had lunged forward to grab Kasab’s Kalashnikov without wasting a single thought.

The page was inked with the bullets of Kadam and Bavdhankar who had fired the shots that had eliminated Ismail and paved the way for Kasab’s arrest.

It was written thanks to the grit displayed by the entire team of D.B. Marg police station who had braced themselves mentally to stop the Skoda, come what may and neutralise its deadly crew.

(Excerpted with permission from the publishers, Westland Publications, from Rakesh Maria’s

with an MFA in creative writing from Goddard College in Vermont in 2017 after a 22-year career in the corporate world.

She has written and published

several short stories - “An Affair”, “The Tattoo Artist” and “Daughters’ Revenge”. She also writes regular lifestyle features for The Daily Guardian, Delhi.

‘Kasab’s capture a glorious chapter

‘Kasab’s capture a glorious chapter in the history of Mumbai Police’

friend!

Delving deep into a realistic Mumbai world of corrupt police, Bollywood and sultry dance bars

Sukant Deepak

The Chipko Movement: A People’s Movement’ by historian, activist, and writer Shekhar Pathak, translated from Hindi by Manisha Chaudhry (Permanent Black & Ashoka University) has won The New India Foundation announces the winner of the Kamaladevi Chattopadhyay

The Making of Another Major Motion Picture Masterpiece by Tom Hanks

Fourteen Days by Margaret Atwood and others

Happy Place by Emily Henry You Are Not Alone by Cariad Lloyd

Budget-friendly international destinations to visit

By N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe Travelling is not just leisure, for many people it

is a way of

life, a necessity to suffice innate cravings. International travel is full of excitement, delight, and, most

importantly, adventure. The most important consideration while deciding on a vacation is the budget. Planning a budget trip can be challenging, and if you are looking

of must-visit countries for Indian globetrotters.

One of the most well-known places in the world for travellers and is also one of the pocket-friendly countries to visit from India. With its abundant natural beauty, cultural legacy, and history, you will surely leave with a satisfied soul.

Tourists are drawn to adventure activities such as sightseeing, yacht or boat cruises, local market tours,

caving, cultural tours, island tours, and wildlife tours. Some must-visit places in Vietnam are Hanoi, HoChi Minh City, Sapa, NhaTrang, Mekong Delta, and the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay.

Furthermore, a quality trip to Vietnam for three to four nights will cost you somewhere around Rs. 25,000.

Thailand is the most popular tourist destination for travellers on a tight budget since it allows you to mingle with gregarious and friendly locals and offers a variety of activities to do. The night skyline, authentic spas to soothe your senses, clubbing, swimming in turquoise waters, affordable street food, and high street markets of Bangkok and Pattaya are those fun activities in Thailand where you can discover anything you’re interested in. And last but not

least, the friendly and laid-back Thai people are the best hosts to make your journey memorable.

Bangkok for its city parties, Pattaya for its nightlife, Chiang Rai for mountain hiking, KohSamui, and Krabi for their gorgeous, undeveloped beaches are just a few of the destinations that one must visit.

Additionally, accommodation for a four-day trip to Thailand will run you about Rs. 12,000 in total.

Malaysia is a Southeast Asian country that includes the Malay Peninsula as well as the island of Borneo. It is famous for its beaches, rainforests, and a cultural blend of Malay, Chinese, Indian, and European influences. Lodging for three to four days trip to Malaysia will cost you around Rs. 12,000.

Trekking in Taman Negara National Park, seeing the culture of Kota Bharu, and observing orangutans at

Sepilok are all options to explore the beauty of Malaysia. Also, make sure a refreshing sunbathe in Langkawi, Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur, Tunku Abdul Rahman National Park, and escape to Genting Highlands. It has everything – gorgeous scenery, the best facilities and accessibility. The beaches here come with luxurious facilities for couples and their loved one.

Bali, an island in Indonesia, is a popular destination on many people’s bucket lists for a good reason. Bali sings of a harmonious fusion of people and food, green and blue water bodies, primitive culture and environment, etc. The paradise island is full of varieties; within a few hours, you can travel from a beach to a rainforest to a mountain.

Along with taking advantage of Bali’s nightlife, you can explore

Uluwatu, Ubud, Jimbaran, and many islands. You can also check out some of Bali’s top eateries because there aren’t many places to get a bad meal on the island. Additionally, the neighbourhood “warungs” frequently have very low prices and serve Balinese specialities like NasiGoreng (fried rice) and Mie Goreng (fried noodles).

And, four days of accommodation in Bali will cost you around Rs. 20,000.

One of the most exciting new tourist attractions is Baku, an exciting fusion of oil-driven modernity and Asian traditions. Modern skyscrapers contrast with the historic mosques and other local features in the city, which gives a beautiful blend of old and contemporary architecture. It is the perfect unexplored tourist destination, and there are many things to do there, such as trying the local cuisine, touring mediaeval palaces, or taking a stroll through the city to take in the more

You can visit the Palace of the

and the

stone Maiden Tower, both of which are located in the mediaeval-walled old city. Also, you can explore and witness the contemporary landmarks, which include the Zaha Hadid’s designed Heydar Aliyev Center and the Flame Towers, three-pointed skyscrapers covered with LED screens.

Overall, the four-day stay in Baku will somewhere cost you Rs.18,000.

Four reasons to visit Incredible India at the onset of 2023

The mysterious country with unique elephants, mouthwatering cuisines, and a vibrantly

Liz Gilbert may have chosen to pray but you can go a step ahead without a second thought and explore all three. Head to Punjab for the best of curries and Hyderabad for lip-smacking biryani, in fact each region has their own local specialty that will tickle your taste buds. To indulge your senses, pick

colourful environment has always drawn and enthralled tourists. India is a cultural wonder and the ideal location to unwind while making lifelong memories.

a retreat either nestled in the scenic Hrishikesh or choose an Ayurveda detox in Kerala to relax, rejuvenate and feel refreshed. The warm hospitality and bright smiles that welcome you will leave you feeling loved and cherished irrespective of where you go.

India has become the top travel destination over the years, allowing for exceptional shared experiences. Given that 30 nations have united to become one, it is safe to argue

For high-octane razzmatazz, you can head over to Mumbai, India’s entertainment and financial capital. If you are a music enthusiast or love live entertainment, this one is for you! The country’s gearing up for the biggest, iconic, mammoth music global festival for its inaugural edition in India and Asia both.

Featuring the first-ever performances of artists like Imagine Dragons,

that if you have seen India, you have seen the entire planet. If you need more motivation to visit the most sought-after place on earth, we’re here to provide it.

The Strokes, Greta Van Fleet and Jackson Wang on the Indian stage along with the massively popular Diplo and AP Dhillon who make a comeback to the country on popular demand, Lollapalooza India is a cultural must-do and not be missed. The iconic festival will bring to you sounds from across genres. Trust us when we say your Spotify playlist will never be the same again!

cultural

Goa’s hidden beaches, the divine Andaman and Nicobar Island, the majestic Thar desert in Rajasthan to the breath-taking Pangong lake, nature’s filter will surpass your cell phone’s. If you want to experience a

year,

Literature and history are found in every nook and corner of India.

Mumbai is home to cinema where iconic hits like Salaam Bombay and Slum Dog Millionaire were shot.

Agra is home to the monument of love, the ever-glorious Taj Mahal. If

this isn’t enough then don’t forget in the mountains of Mussoorie, is the most loved children’s author Ruskin Bond and a few miles away from the Bay of Bengal, glimpses of Rabindranath Tagore will be found in the heart of Santi Niketan.

for an international destination, Alapati Krishna Mohan, MD –Southern Travels shares a handy list

extravaganza at the start of the new

then head to Punjab for Lohri, a popular winter Punjabi folk festival or Gujarat for Makar Sankranti, the famous kite-flying festival of India.

Home to Asia’s biggest Music Festival

A New Direction Means a New Picturesque Destination

The Literary Grandeur

Bali

modern architecture.

Shirvanshahs

renowned

Baku

Malaysia

Vietnam

Thailand

nearby car accident, prompting him to rush to the scene and provide aid before paramedics arrived.

According to a Reddit post, user ‘u/ unclescorpion’ was notified of an accident right away, while he was on a phone call with her when he heard her scream -- and the line went dead.

“While I was talking to my wife on the phone as she drove home from the store, I heard her scream, and the line went dead. Within several seconds, I received a notification from her iPhone telling me that she

had been in a crash and giving me her exact location,” wrote the user.

“I rushed over there and was there before the ambulance arrived, which her phone had called,” it added.

The Crash Detection feature triggers Emergency SOS, which contacts first responders and anyone on the user’s emergency contact list.

Within the Health app, users can add emergency contacts.

The iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, Apple Watch Series 8, and Apple Watch Ultra are all built with advanced sensors for car crash detection.

MeitY, Google to help 100 Indian startups scale their app biz

train early to mid-stage startups to build high-quality apps for the world.

New Delhi, Dec 14 (IANS) The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) Startup Hub and Google on Wednesday announced to help 100 more Indian startups scale their app businesses with the second edition of Appscale Academy.

Currently, nearly 50 per cent of startups India come from tier 2 and tier 3 cities.

MeitY Startup Hub and Google will also launch a multi-city roadshow aiming to engage over 1,000 startups across emerging hubs like Surat, Indore, Coimbatore, Gangtok and Jaipur.

The aAppscale Academy’ is a growth and development programme to

“It’s heartening to see the meaningful impact app developers are driving in India and across the world, and it’s critical that we consistently support these startups to turn their creative ideas into scalable businesses,” said Alkesh Kumar Sharma, Secretary, MeitY.

Appscale Academy’s Class of 2022 saw apps across sectors adapt learnings from the programme to improve their user interface (UI), user experience (UX), security, user base, engagement rates and ratings.

One in three apps from the cohort doubled their visitor and install base during the programme, according to Google.

“This year, we look forward to partnering with Google again to ramp up our efforts towards this community and extend the benefits of the programme to more creative app-preneurs from tier 2 and 3 cities through our multi-city roadshow,”

said Jeet Vijay, CEO, MeitY Startup Hub.

The second edition of ‘Appscale Academy’ will mark a six-month programme, through which startups will be trained on several aspects of building successful apps, including UX design, business model and monetization strategies, international expansion best practices, and data safety and security practices.

Startups will have access to virtual instructor-led webinars, self-learning material, and mentorship sessions with leading local and global industry leaders. Several of them will also get an opportunity to pitch to leading venture capitalists.

The applications will be accepted till February 6.

“The lives of many in India are getting transformed by technology, and local app developers and startup founders are the driving force behind this tech-led transformation. India is on its way to becoming a global hub for technology,” said Aditya Swamy, Director, Play Partnerships, Google Play.

Technical error halts all trains in Sweden

Stockholm, Dec 8 (IANS) All train traffic in Sweden came to a standstill due to a technical error.

Just before 6 p.m. on Wednesday, trains were ordered to proceed slowly to the next station after phone contact between traffic control centres and trains was interrupted, Xinhua news agency quoted Swedish Daily Dagens Nyheter (DN) as saying in a report.

Bengt Olsson, press manager at the Swedish Transport Administration,

told DN that it was a precautionary measure, as train drivers are warned over the phone should a vehicle get stuck at a railroad crossing or a person end up on the track.

“We have no idea what caused the error, but it means we had to stop the traffic,” Olsson said.

He also said that it was too early to draw any conclusions about what had caused the error.

DN said it was not yet known when the problem would be resolved.

Bengaluru, Dec 8 (IANS) Artificial intelligence (AI) adoption is steadily on the rise globally and India is well poised to lead the AI revolution and establish itself as an AI innovation garage of the world, Sandip Patel, Managing Director, IBM India and South Asia, said here on Thursday.

Over the past two years, AI has helped businesses ease the strain of workforce dislocation, supply chain challenges, IT incidents and customer service interruptions, etc.

According to IBM’s ‘Global AI Adoption Index 2022’, 57 per cent of IT professionals in India report that their organisation has actively deployed AI in their business, and over a quarter (27 per cent) indicate that their firm is exploring the use of AI.

“As digitisation in India continues to deepen, companies are eager to deploy AI and automation capabilities at scale to drive innovation and competitiveness,” said Patel during the company’s ‘AI Day’ event.

“As one of the fastest-growing economies, the world’s largest community of developers and a large start-up ecosystem, India is well poised to lead the AI revolution and establish itself as an AI innovation garage of the world,” he emphasised. With the right AI-powered

New Delhi, Dec 9 (IANS) itel, a leading mobile brand for Bharat, on Friday announced the launch of Magic X Pro 4G Phone in India which is touted as a path-breaking initiative to provide superior connectivity experience to the consumers.

Available for just Rs 2,999 with a two-year service warranty, the Magic X Pro provides high-speed hotspot connectivity that can connect up to 8 devices.

The feature phone also supports 12 languages: English, Hindi, Gujarati, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, Punjabi, Bengali, Odia, Assamese, and Urdu, backed with dual 4G VoLTE, the company said in a statement.

automation processes and team in place, intelligent automation will optimise business and IT processes across all industries and combat the growing skills gap to create a deeper focus on higher value work.

According to IBM, AI will also improve its knowledge over time to better understand cybersecurity threats and cyber risk by consuming billions of data artifacts.

“AI has truly come into its own in the past few years, especially with self-driving cars, chatbots, and digital assistants. A robust ecosystem for AI is being built in India, and it is a matter of pride to be part of this revolution,” said Viswanath Ramaswamy, Vice President, Technology, IBM India and South Asia.

When deployed appropriately, AI and Automation can transform government services, education, healthcare, and business interactions with customers in the upcoming techade.

“AI will scale and move from an operational ‘benefit’ to an essential element in business growth and modernisation,” he noted.

In 2023, AI will continue its impact on the consumer care journey with more personalised and fully realised interactions.

Conversational AI with expressions and emotions along with the voice of choice will bring in the personalisation needed for making digital transformation possible, according to IBM.

For India to achieve its $5 trillion GDP target by FY27, businesses must draw a significant correlation between AI maturity and its growth trajectory.

“To harness the power of AI and data, we need to measure the E-IQ (Enterprise Intelligence Quotient) of a business. E-IQ assesses an enterprise’s current intelligence infusion level and provides capabilities for stepping up its intelligence quotient,” said Rahul Deshpande, Global Practice Delivery Head and Business Solutions Head for AI Solutions Practice, Wipro.

Pentagon awards $9 bn Cloud project to

Amazon, Microsoft, Google, Oracle

The Pentagon had to cancel the $10 billion JEDI contract that was given to Microsoft in 2019, leaving the favourite Amazon out of the race during the Donald Trump administration.

All Cloud giants like Amazon, Microsoft, Google and Oracle were invited to bid for the JWCC Cloud contract.

“In the era of smartphones, feature phones are still relevant to certain user segments, especially those at the hinterlands and below Tier 3 markets across the country. These users find usage of feature phones to be easy and many a times use it as their secondary device,” said Arijeet Talapatra, CEO, TRANSSION India.

Magic X Pro will be available in blue and black colour variants and will be available at both online and offline outlets.

still relies on FM radio and preloaded songs for music lovers, Magic X Pro allows users to listen to music online.

preloaded games, along with KingVoice assistance.

San Francisco, Dec 8 (IANS) Ending the bitter Cloud war, the Pentagon has awarded its multi-billion dollar Cloud-computing contract to all the major players -- Amazon, Google, Microsoft and Oracle - that can reach up to $9 billion in total till 2028.

The Joint Warfighting Cloud Capability (JWCC) will allow mission owners to acquire authorised commercial cloud offerings directly from the Cloud Service Providers contract awardees.

“No funds are being obligated at the time of award; funds will be

obligated on individual orders as they are issued. The purpose of this contract is to provide the Department of Defense with enterprise-wide, globally available cloud services across all security domains and classification levels, from the strategic level to the tactical edge,” Pentagon said in a statement on Wednesday.

After witnessing a bitter war over the $10 billion JEDI (Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure) Cloud computing contract, the Pentagon last year announced a new cloud initiative that replaced the ill-fated JEDI contract.

“The government anticipates awarding two contracts -- one to Amazon Web Services AWS) and one to Microsoft Corporation (Microsoft) -- but intends to award to all Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) that demonstrate the capability to meet DoD’s requirements,” the Pentagon had said in a statement in November last year.

The JEDI contract was meant to modernise the Pentagon’s IT operations for services rendered over 10 years. After Microsoft was awarded the decade-long contract in October 2019, AWS had filed a bid protest directly to DoD, challenging the decision.

Twitter deleting 1.5 bn inactive accounts, name spaces up for grabs: Musk

“Twitter will soon start freeing the name space of 1.5 billion accounts.

These are obvious account deletions with no tweets and no login for years,” said the billionaire.

Musk also said that the micro-blogging platform is working on a process to inform the users whether their tweets have been suppressed under a process known as “shadow banning” and they can appeal against the ban.

suppressing certain political speech on the platform.

The “Twitter Files 2” revealed that the micro-blogging platform, under a secret group, made controversial decisions, including “shadow banning” high-profile users without informing then CEO Jack Dorsey.

“Being the No. 1 feature phone mobile brand with over 28 per cent market share, itel continues with its vision of empowering the aspirational Bharat with its cutting-edge technology and futuristic innovations. itel keeps working towards bringing the best to this segment, and the launch of Magic X Pro is a testimony to that,” Talapatra added.

It is power-packed with a 2500mAh battery that ensures the effective functionality of every feature.

Another pathbreaking feature of the Magic X Pro is the music app Boom Play.

While the feature phone segment

The built-in BoomPlay allows users to stream 74 million songs from around the world in various genres such as movies, bhakti, and so on, said the company.

“Magic X Pro is a masterpiece feature phone that comes with hispeed internet browsing, a Hotspot hub, a 2-year service warranty, and many other innovative features which are exciting and relevant for this segment,” Talapatra added.

The Magic X Pro is power-packed with 4G VoLTE technology and boasts a beautifully curved and compact 2.4-inch (6.1 cm) QVGA display. The phone has eight

It also comes with a VGA rear camera and dual-SIM support. The phone also comes with a charger and hands-free in the box, ensuring customers are well-equipped.

itel is India’s pioneer brand in providing futuristic options like HDenabled VoLTE calls for consumers to have crystal clear conversations and create chat groups through its LetsChat application, at affordable price points.

With the launch of the Magic X Pro, itel has once again showcased its prowess in innovation by building feature phones that are equivalent to any smartphone and are pocket-friendly.

Apple expands self service repair to iPhone, MacBook users in Europe

San Francisco, Dec 6 (IANS) Apple on Tuesday announced that its self service repair programme is now available in eight European countries.

Customers in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Sweden, and the UK can purchase genuine Apple parts and tools for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 lineups, and Mac notebooks with Apple silicon.

want customers to have many options for safe, reliable, and secure repair. That’s why we’re excited to launch Self Service Repair in Europe, giving our customers direct access to genuine Apple parts, tools, and manuals,” he added.

Apple will offer tool rental kits for $49, so that customers who do not want to purchase tools for a single repair still have access to these professional repair tools.

New Delhi, Dec 9 (IANS) New Twitter owner Elon Musk on Friday said the company will delete and free names of 1.5 billion accounts that have been inactive for years on the platform.

He added that Twitter is also working on a software update that will show your true account status.

“So you know clearly if you’ve been shadowbanned, the reason why and how to appeal,” he mentioned.

Twitter has been accused of

“This secret group included the Head of Legal, Policy, and Trust (Vijaya Gadde), the Global Head of Trust & Safety (Yoel Roth), subsequent CEOs Jack Dorsey and Parag Agrawal, and others,” said Bari Weiss, Founder and Editor of The Free Press, in the new “Twitter Files.”

Twitter had earlier denied that it did such things.

The Self Service Repair Store provides access to more than 200 individual parts and tools, as well as repair manuals. The program enables customers who are experienced with the complexities of repairi, Apple said in a statement.

“We believe the best technology for our customers and for the planet is technology that lasts, which is why we design our products to be durable and rarely require maintenance or repair,” said Jeff Williams, Apple’s chief operating officer.

“But when a repair is needed, we

The weeklong rental kits will ship to customers for free, said the company.

“For the vast majority of customers who do not have experience repairing electronic devices, visiting a professional repair provider with certified technicians who use genuine Apple parts is the safest and most reliable way to get a repair,” it added.

In August, Apple had expanded its self service repair programme to MacBook Air and MacBook Pro notebooks with the M1 family of

chip.

Over the past three years, Apple has nearly doubled the number of service locations with access to genuine Apple parts, tools, and training, including more than 4,000 Independent Repair Providers. A global network of more than 5,000 Apple Authorized Service Providers supports more than 100,000 active technicians. As a result, eight out of 10 Apple customers are located within 30 minutes of an authorized service provider across Europe.

itel launches Magic X Pro with 4G high-speed hotspot that connects up to 8 devices

India poised to become AI innovation garage of the world: IBM’s Sandip Patel

San Francisco, Dec 14 (IANS) The iPhone 14 Crash Detection feature has notified a man about his wife’s

Google to combat insect-borne diseases with new tech, old books

San Francisco, Dec 13 (IANS) As hundreds of millions of people are affected by insect-borne diseases every year, Google is developing a new technology to combat such diseases using decades-old datasets mined by Google Books.

“A team at Google Brain is using decades-old datasets mined by Google Books -- along with a newly

developed sensory map for odour -- to combat this major global health issue,” Google said in a blogpost.

“This is possible because the team recently discovered that a mosquito’s sense of smell is not so different from ours,” it added.

The tech giant mentioned that climate change has led to an expansion of insects, including ticks

and mosquitoes, which can lead to dengue fever, lyme disease, and malaria outbreaks.

“My team is focused on giving computers a sense of smell. As we reviewed predictions of the neural networks we trained to predict what molecules smell like to people, we found that they were also useful to predict how the ‘smell parts’ of

Fat visible under skin emerges as protector of females’ brains: Study

As a result, males are considered to be at greater risk for inflammation-related problems, such as heart attacks and strokes before females reach menopause.

“When people think about protection in women, their first thought is estrogen,” said Alexis M. Stranahan, PhD, a neuroscientist at the Medical College of Georgia.

inflammation in females without moving the dial on levels of their estrogen and other sex hormones, the study revealed.

“When we took subcutaneous fat out of the equation, all of a sudden the females’ brains start to exhibit inflammation the way that male brains do, and the females gained more visceral fat,” said Stranahan.

the brains of insects respond to the same molecules,” explains Alex Wiltschko, Former Google Brain researcher, and now Entrepreneur in Residence at Google Ventures.

Researchers at Google Brain realised that if they could train computers to recognise the odours that repel mosquitoes, those computers could help predict safe, inexpensive,

and effective repellents to halt the spread of the insect-borne disease.

To develop this technology, the team identified relevant research completed by the US Department of Agriculture during World War II.

“We learned about a dataset where they tested thousands of repellents -- much more than the 20 we had,” said Alex.

Man dies painful death after hair transplant goes wrong

New Delhi, Dec 3 (IANS) In a shocking incident, a 30-year-old man died due to alleged medical negligence after undergoing hair transplant at a clinic in Delhi.

Reports said that the victim, identified as Athar Rasheed, died of multiple organ failure allegedly caused by a botched hair transplant treatment.

and two sisters. He was the sole breadwinner in the fmaily.

Rasheed’s mother Asiya Begum said that her son died a very painful death due to the hair transplant surgery.

Tbilisi, Dec 13 (IANS) The subcutaneous fat that appears under the skin in places such as the hips, buttocks and back of the arms emerges as protective against brain inflammation in females, a new study has shown.

According to the study by the Medical College of Georgia, this brain inflammation in females could result in problems like dementia and stroke, at least until menopause. However, males of any age are more likely to deposit fat around the major organs in their abdominal cavity, known as visceral adiposity.

“But we need to get beyond the kind of simplistic idea that every sex difference involves hormone differences and hormone exposure,” she added.

The researchers experimented on the male and female mice to look at the increase in the amount and location of fat tissue as well as levels of sex hormones and brain inflammation, to learn more about how the brain becomes inflamed.

Since, much like with people, obese female mice tend to have more subcutaneous fat and less visceral fat than male mice.

After further experiments, the researchers found that the subcutaneous fat loss increased brain

She also added that “the females who did not have subcutaneous fat removed but did eat a high-fat diet, showed brain inflammation levels similar to the males”.

When subcutaneous fat was removed from mice on a low-fat diet at an early age, they developed a little more visceral fat and a little more inflammation in the fat.

However, Stranahan and her colleagues found no evidence of inflammation in the brain.

Stranahan notes that some consider the reason that females have higher stores of subcutaneous fat to enable sufficient energy stores for reproduction.

Get your posture right when you use mobiles, or suffer back, neck pain

Head of Department, Rheumatology, AIIMS, told IANS.

“When we hold the mobile in hands, not only the fingers are used but our hands, elbow, muscle and neck are involved as we usually watch the mobile while bending the neck from netural position which is over the head and complete straight,” Dr Kumar said.

up to meet the eyes, she advised.

According to reports, the family members of Rasheed approached the police and lodged a complaint in this respect. The police have arrested four persons, including the duo who performed the surgery. Rasheed is survived by his mother

She said Rasheed had rashes all ober his body. When his family members noticed them, they decided to approach the police against the medical staff who performed the surgery.

Asiya Begum said that she lodged the police complaint to let people know that hair transplant can go wrong.

She said she didn’t want any other

Aging in eye can predict kidney failure risk, finds study

London, Dec 6 (IANS) Every oneyear increase in retinal age has now been linked with a 10 per cent higher risk of incident kidney failure over 11 years of follow-up, a UK study involving 35,864 residents has revealed.

The one-year increase in retinal age was assessed by retinal microvasculature changes, according to the study published in the Peer-reviewed American Journal of Kidney Diseases (AJKD).

reported.

The incidence of end stage kidney disease (ESKD) is known to increase with age.

By Avinash Prabhakar

New

4

With the growing addiction of mobile phones, people are also becoming victims of degenerative spinal changes, especially in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar regions.

Our posture at the time of receiving and making mobile calls can potentially give rise to musculoskeletal issues. A host of studies have linked the wrong posture while using phones with pain and dysfunction. The joints of the body suffer from wear and tear process while it is active and it gets repaired during the period of rest. If we use the joints in abnormal posture for long time or pressure the joints in a single posture for long times, it will suffer for more wear and tear and one point will come where the wear and tear will be more in comparison with the repairs and the degeneration will start in the joints, Dr Uma Kumar,

AIIMS doctor said that there is a constant weight of brain, skull and muscles over the neck which falls on cervical spine. So if we work or watch the mobile in wrong way, the weight proportionally increase the pressure on the spine and muscles creating pains.

“When you tilt your head or angle it forward, the cervical spine’s (neck) muscles, tendons, and ligaments support the head. During exertions on the neck, it’s the neck’s intervertebral discs that help the force to be absorbed and distributed evenly,” Dr Kumar said.

Talking about the increasing number of such patients, Dr Kumar said “We often in OPD meet such patients complaining of pain in waist, fingers or neck due to following the wrong posture.”

Long-term forward head posture may also increase the risk for accelerated degenerative spinal changes, warned AIIMS Dr Kumar. Rather tilting the head down, keep it up and bring the mobile and laptop

“Our head has around 5 to 8 kgs of weight, if we tilt it in any direction, it will exert more pressure on supporting muscles of neck, due to the gravitational force, but on long standing fixed position (prolong sitting on computer and use of mobile) it will result into the muscles fatigue, pain and degenerative disorders due to chronic long bad posture,” said Dr Kaushal Kant Mishra, Director, Bone and Joint Institute, Fortis Escort Hospital.

Dr Mishra said that “If our neck are in normal position, we exert 5.4 kgs of weight on neck, if head is tilted 15 degree forward, the weight will increase to 12.2 kgs, if it is tilted 30 degree, weight will be 18.1 kgs, if 45 degree, weight will be 22.2 kgs and if head is tilted 60 degree, the weight over the neck will become 27.2 kgs.”

“That is why paying attention to the posture while using the mobile and laptop is a must to avoid the pain and disorder. When the neck and shoulder move forward, the muscles in the front get tighter and the back side becomes weaker and thus muscle imbalance happens,” Dr Mishra said.

Proper posture, good ergonomics, and above all, strengthening of neck muscles will be the best prevention as well as treatment for neck, shoulders and upper back pain, Dr Mishra told IANS.

“China has to find a way out of this. So I think it’s quite helpful for them to be able to argue that the virus has evolved in some way that makes it easier to open up,” said Linda Bauld, professor of public health at Edinburgh University, The Guardian reported.

“With Omicron, certainly from the studies [so far], there may be some small reduction in disease severity but not a huge one.”

“There is a pressing need to identify early predictive biomarkers of kidney failure, given its associated substantial morbidity and mortality. Ageing biomarkers have been associated with kidney failure but their clinical application has been challenging,” the researchers

“We have previously developed and validated retinal age based on fundus images used as a biomarker of ageing. However, the association of retinal age with ESKD is not clear. We investigated the association of the difference between retinal age and chronological age, the retinal age gap, and the future risk of ESKD,” said researchers.

In the study, retinal age gap (retina-predicted age minus chronological age), a clinically validated and artificial intelligence powered ageing biomarker based on retinal imaging, was associated with the

future risk of kidney failure among UK residents.

This non-invasive and ageing biomarker may hold promise to assist in the identification of people at elevated risk for kidney failure, said the researchers.

Pandemic has hit kids’ ability to perform physical activities

Tokyo, Dec 6 (IANS) The activity restrictions during the pandemic have led to a decrease in children’s ability to perform physical activities and maintain body balance, new research has found.

A team of researchers from Nagoya University in central Japan investigated how restrictions on children’s activities during the pandemic affected their life habits and their abilities to perform physical activities.

By comparing medical examination data before and after the onset of the pandemic, they found that the physical functions among adolescents deteriorated, including their dynamic balance.

The study, published in International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, also found that the children had higher body fat levels and worse life habits. Rather than a lack of exercise time, this may have been because of a lack of quality exercise due to activity restrictions.

“Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, children have not been able to engage in sufficient physical education, sports activities, and outdoor play at school. It became clear that balance ability during

movement was easily affected, lifestyle habits were disrupted, and the percentage of body fat was likely to increase,” explained visiting researcher Tadashi Ito.

“This may have been because of shorter outdoor playtime and club activities, which impeded children’s ability to learn the motor skills necessary to balance during movement,” Ito added.

During the pandemic, children, like adults, increased the time they spent looking at television, smartphone, and computer screens, exercised less, and slept less.

Such changes in lifestyle can harm adolescent bodies, leading to weight gain and health problems.

Ito and his team conducted a study of Japanese children and students in elementary and junior high schools, aged 9-15, by analysing data from physical examinations before and during the pandemic.

They evaluated the children’s muscle strength, dynamic balance functions, walking speed, body fat percentage, screen time, sleep time, quality of life, and physical activity time.

The researchers found that after the onset of the pandemic, children were more likely to have decreased

balance ability when moving, larger body fat percentage, report spending more time looking at TV, computers or smartphones, and sleep less.

“Limitations on children’s opportunities for physical activity because of the outbreak of the novel coronavirus have had a significant impact on the development of physical function and lifestyle and may cause physical deterioration and health problems in the future,” warned Ito.

“Especially, the risk of injury to children may increase because of a reduced dynamic balance function,” the researcher noted.

Even after the novel coronavirus becomes endemic, it is important to consider the effects of social restrictions on the body composition of adolescents, they added.

Scientists document cardiac arrest in a 14-year-old at overnight camp

London, Dec 4 (IANS) In the face of the most widespread national protests since the bloody crackdown on Tiananmen Square demonstrators in 1989, the Chinese government has abruptly abandoned its flagship zero-Covid policy, according to a media report.

In Beijing, people prepared to go into shopping malls or on public transport without a recent negative test, The Guardian reported. Elsewhere, they were allowed to enter parks and supermarkets without checks, or told they could quarantine at home - rather than a government facility - if they had come into contact with a case.

Now Beijing has decided to move on.

Sun Chunlan, vice-premier and Covid chief, announced last week that the country’s health system had “withstood the test” of Covid-19 and China was in a “new situation”.

After years of telling its citizens that the only way to stay safe from Covid was to avoid it entirely, the policy pivot required a new message.

Beijing has opted for presenting the prevailing Omicron variant as a less lethal version of the original disease, The Guardian reported.

The problem, epidemiologists warn, is that Beijing’s stance does not reflect studies on the impact of Omicron, and the country is ill-prepared for a wave of deadly Covid infections that it may soon face.

Omicron has proved less deadly as it spread across countries such as Britain, but by the time it had become dominant, about 95 per cent of the UK population had some form of antibodies from vaccines or previous infections, Bauld said.

China has relatively low vaccination and booster rates, particularly among the vulnerable elderly - only 40 per cent of the over-80 population have had booster shots. Almost no one has natural antibodies from previous infections.

China’s healthcare system was weak and patchy even before the pandemic and has been undermined by years of fighting Covid, The Guardian reported.

Toronto, Dec 5 (IANS) Scientists have documented a case of a 14-year-old girl who had a cardiac arrest at an overnight camp, which provides a roadmap of how to plan for a rare but often fatal event.

A healthy 14-year-old girl became unresponsive in her cabin, and a fellow camper who noticed began chest compressions after not finding a pulse.

Emergency medical services (EMS) arrived and used an automated external defibrillator before transporting her to hospital.

The teenaged patient had myocarditis, a common cause of cardiac arrest in the community and of sudden cardiac deaths in children. It peaks in early infancy and middle teenage years.

Thanks to an observant,

conscientious camper who took immediate action and a quick EMS response, the girl survived and has a good prognosis, according to the study published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

“Preparation for low-frequency, high-acuity emergencies are needed and should account for remote geography and prolonged EMS response times,” said Herbert Brill from McMaster University, with co-authors.

“Pediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest is uncommon but may be under-reported owing to inadequate surveillance systems, publication bias or legal concerns,” Brill added.

Medical emergencies at summer camps are rare but should be anticipated as they can be life-threatening.

“This case highlights the importance

of early recognition and prompt initiation of effective compressions in the resuscitation of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, regardless of age,” the authors wrote.

The authors recommend widespread CPR training for camp employees and older youth and automated external defibrillators in accessible locations to improve outcomes of cardiac arrest in camps.

Delhi, Dec

(IANS)

mother to lose her son like she did. She also called hair transplant a fraudulent practice.

Ganesha, Durva and Links to Medicine

By Paddy Krishnan

Almost all Pujas (ritualistic worship) to Ganesha have the offering of the Durva grass (called Doob in Hindi, Arukum in Tamil, Karuka in Malayalam, and Bermuda grass in English although it is not native to Bermuda). There are two main legends associated with this ritual offering. I will also link this story to the use of this in traditional Ayurvedic medicine some of which are currently being researched.

The first legend is that an Asura (demon) called Analasura who was harassing the local people. He was called Analasura because he could emit fire from his eyes. In Samskritam Anala means belonging to Agni, the God of fire. Most of the Gods were powerless to stop Analasura and were terrified that

they might be burnt to death. The people, guided by the sages, prayed to Ganesha to help them. Ganesha was appeased and tried to fight Analasura. Ganesha had to keep his distance to avoid Analasura’s fireballs. Finally, when Ganesha was able to near Analasura, he swallowed him alive. But Analasura’s heat in Ganesha’s stomach made Ganesha very restless. Ganesha tried various things to cool his body. None of his techniques worked. He then asked Varuna (the God of the waters) to douse the flames inside his body. But Varuna was unsuccessful. Finally, a few sages kept 21 blades of Durva grass on Ganesha’s body. Miraculously, Analasura’s heat was neutralised and Ganesha was out of pain. Ganesha announced that whoever offers him Durva grass with devotion would receive his blessings.

The second legend is that an Apsara fell in love with Ganesha which Parvati (Ganesha’s mother) did not like. The Apsara prayed to all the Gods to try to get married to Ganesha. But Parvati cursed the Apsara to become a blade of Durva grass. The Apsara asked for forgiveness. Parvati forgave the Apsara and told her that she would be adored by Ganesha in her grass form and all Pujas to him will involve the Durva grass. This story is less known and is not referenced in texts like Ayurveda.

The Durva grass is said to have magical powers and can summon

the powers of Shiva, Parvati and Ganesha. But it must be used before it flowers. Once the grass has flowered, it power is reduced and cannot attract any of the Gods. Hence, once the grass has flowered it should not be used in Pujas. Durva is used in conjunction with other flowers in festivals such as Onam (which is celebrated extensively in Kerala).

In Ayurveda the entire plant of Durva grass is said to have medicinal properties. The grass can be used for both internal and external medicines. The juice of the grass, when taken internally, is said to give relief created by Kapha (or phlegm caused by the inflammation of mucus membranes), liver-related disorders, and dysentery. Durva is also said to control Rakta Pitta (issues related to excessive blood flows). Hence Durva is supposed to have the power to stop both internal and external bleeding related to a variety of blood disorders. Ayurveda suggests that Durva can increase the secretion of urine and reduce urinary tract infections, cure some of the skin diseases, diabetes, and prostate enlargements. The Durva grass also mitigates the problems of excessive thirst and burning sensation of the body. It also has antimicrobial and antiviral properties. The grass is associated with fertility and prosperity. Hence in some communities it is given as wedding gifts. All these properties of the Durva grass are associated with its divine nature.

The power of the Durva grass to cure burning sensation of the body is highlighted by the story about Analasura. Ganesha swallowing Analasura resulted in his whole body having a burning sensation which was cured by the sages by offering Durva to Ganesha. This is also related to the inflammation of the mucus membranes, caused symbolically by Analasura’s fire inside Ganesha’s belly.

Durva grass is easy to grow and requires almost no maintenance. It is typically dense because of its deep roots. Hence even when it dries out, it can regenerate quite easily. Durva can survive fire and flood. It is also a very good means to stop soil erosion. However Durva grass is an aggressive species, and many farmers view it as a weed and often called it the devil’s grass. One theory is that it was given divine status to prevent farmers from getting rid of it as it helps them in the long run.

In India the Durva grass is widely available and thus was used as cheap medicine. Many people could afford to drink the juice made out of the Durva grass to mainly solve digestive disorders. Durva grass is also mentioned by the ancient Romans. They squeezed the juice from the stems and used it as a diuretic was well as to stop bleeding. It was also used as folk remedy for headache, hypertension, and snake bites in many other cultures.

While Ayurveda states many medicinal properties, not all of

Rajnath inaugurates Gita Daan Yajna at B’luru ISKCON Beyond the universe

By D. C. Pathak

Science is always in search of an equation for confirming a proposition while Philosophy rises above the details and reaches an empirical deduction through imagination.

Theories of universe combine science and philosophy- the latter inevitably bringing in the idea of God to fill in the unexplained blanks in the man’s understanding of universe.

Philosophy sensed that time and space had no beginning or end - which was an attribute of God.

both ‘infinity’ and ;uncertainty’ and making the cosmos a constant. In a sense, the entirety of time and space was equated by philosophy with an omnipresent God. What Science could look at is a theory that would embrace space and time in a ‘constant’ by using ‘infinity’ and ;uncertainty’ as factors in the equation for proof.

them are confirmed by modern medicine. But there is growing body of evidence to support some of the claims, especially in laboratory rats. Recently research has shown that a herbal preparation of the Durva grass grass resulted in a significant decrease in the lipid profile (cholesterol, triglyceride, and HDL).

There is contradictory research on the effect of Durva on LDL. More research is necessary to identify the dose and frequency that is most effective. Some studies have shown that blood glucose level is reduced after 4 hours of taking Durva juice. Some studies have shown that Durva has some anti-tumour and diuretic effects. Other studies have shown that the effect of Durva grass is comparable with anti-inflammatory drug called indomethacin. Indomethacin is also said to have anti-viral properties some of which have been associated with Durva in

Ayurveda. But the effect of Durva grass is more effective when the inflammation is chronic.

The story of Analasura is used to provide divine status for Durva which is a common weed-like grass. Not only is it a natural medicine which could have widespread pharmacological functions, it is also important for preventing soil erosion. By associating with Ganesha, Durva grass becomes holy and not viewed as the devil’s grass.

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

“I would like to congratulate Shri Madhu Pandit Dasa and the devotees of ISKCON Bengaluru for conceiving this magnificent Sri Rajadhiraja Govinda Temple. This temple radiates a divine and sublime atmosphere and I feel blessed to participate in the Gita Jayanti event. India is the storehouse of spiritual knowledge, that has been followed and adapted by other nations.

Bhagavad Gita is the living Jnana Ganga which is blessing all of us through its transcendental knowledge,” he said.

“The Gita has influenced prominent people like philosophers and intellectuals all over the world. I encourage everyone, especially youth to read the Bhagavad Gita and adopt its principles in their lifestyle. Distribution of knowledge is the highest among charities.

I wholeheartedly appreciate ISKCON Bengaluru for spreading the immortal wisdom of Bhagavad Gita through the Gita Dana Yajna

initiative,” the Union Minister added.

Speaking on the occasion, Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said: “Bhagavad Gita is the ‘Song of God’ spoken by Lord Krishna Himself. It is a blend of science and spirituality to uplift humankind.

Srila Prabhupada’s Bhagavad Gita provides a complete understanding on life and solutions to all problems on every page.”

Senior BJP leader B.S. Yediyurappa who was also present on the occasion, said: “Bhagavad Gita is the mother of all religions, the need of the hour that provides insightful solutions to all the problems of life.

Today, lakhs of people are attracted to Lord Krishna due to the efforts of Srila Prabhupada. The Gita Dana Yajna Mahotsava by ISKCON Bengaluru is a great initiative to spread the message of Sanatana Dharma.”

ISKCON group of temples in Bengaluru aim to distribute one lakh Bhagavad Gitas during the monthlong Gita Daan Yajna. Many activities based on the Bhagavad Gita will also be organised during this period.

Various groups of children and adults chanted the 700 shlokas of the Gita in the temple complex.

Science is struggling with this interpretation but it has already moved to explore space and its lifespan which is a function of time.

It has not put a seal on any aspects of universe beyond the stipulation of scientists that space was still expanding. They have furnished ‘infinity’ as a part of equation on the advance of both space and time.

Infinity can also be envisaged as the answer to what separates ‘beginning’ from the ‘end’.

Seen from the presumed ‘end’, the point of ‘origin’ would also be away by infinity. Infinity is science’s way of conceptually measuring ‘infiniteness’.

Both space and time are on a course. The question is whether this course was irreversible. However, if something has no beginning nor an end then theoretically these two terminals have to merge to make the process reversible. Infinity is a step towards examining universe from this angle.

Infinity has received acceptance and recognition as an equation of science but has not yet offered an explanation of reversibility of an expanding universe or a retraction in the movement of time. The ‘uncertainty’ principle is another invention of science which acknowledges that in a non-static universe no positioning of any element thereof could be defined with certainty.

Now, if space has to be expanding in all possible directions and time also must free itself of a linear conceptualisation then science would have to explore how their beginning and end must merge. This merger would have the effect of accommodating

Meanwhile, theories like the ‘evolution’ of species, ‘relativity’ and ‘action evoking equal but opposite reaction’, are all dealing with parts of the ‘whole’ that universe was. A fundamental discovery is that matter was indestructible - it can only change into energy - and the fact that ‘stability’ was rooted in high velocity circulatory ‘movement’ as was the case with an atom on the inside.

‘Relativity’ does not demolish the theory of the absolute as it can exist within the cosmological constant. Equality of ‘action’ and ‘reaction’ is a part of the interplay of ‘stability’ and ‘motion’. Even the established interdependence of flora and fauna is a fact which is essentially a detail about how life as a product of ‘evolution’, was managed.

Science has found answers to many subsidiary queries that arise in a discussion on universe. Hindu Philosophy used the adjective ‘Anant’ or ‘without an end’, for the universe - which is also applied to God. Science has to establish that seamless transition was possible between a ‘beginning’ and the ‘end’ in relation to space and time to get the universe to measure up to this description.

The challenge for science is that if it worked on a ‘part’ of the undefined ‘whole’ then the experiment would find it intrinsically difficult to totally explain the latter and reach definitive terms for that purpose.

This limitation of science can be overcome through imagination - Einstein, perhaps the greatest scientist of all times, famously said that “imagination is more important than knowledge”.

In the case of universe, science has to prove that ‘end was equal to beginning’. What is that journey that ends where it began from? It perhaps means that motion was an

illusion and that what was seen or felt as a moment of the journey was a point that never in fact moves.

‘Relativity’ explained this at least partly. The thought that what you see is not the reality, is close to the Hindu spirituality’s Maya - an illusion or a dream - believed to be a manifestation of God.

Could a dream be examined by a person who had woken up to sense what part of the dream envisaged reality. The message was that examination of universe should help to focus on ‘how it got created’.

Time and space are not measurable as they are everlasting and free from a beginning or an end and human endeavour to examine the universe from within is inherently handicapped but Science has managed to get a part answer in ‘infinity’ and ‘uncertainty’ which it has to use to construct the new equation that would link the points of ‘origin’ and ‘termination’.

The remarkable Hindu thought of Pralaya or deluge not only defined an end of the universe but also saw in it its beginning. Again, the proven phenomenon of ‘black hole’ marks the interconversion of the ‘seen’ and the ‘unseen’. Scientifically speaking since an atom had no length or breadth, any amount of matter can theoretically be condensed into ‘nothingness’.

Scientists have thus reached quite a few answers to the puzzles of the universe and reduced the distance between the ‘thought’ and the ‘reality’. The key lies in arriving at the interpretation of space and time that establishes their continuum.

Leading scientists of our times have struck a note of confidence and hope that the status of universe will be defined in scientific terms soon enough- once an understanding

of its origin in timelessness was reached.

Meanwhile, the power of meditative insight into the cosmos revealed by the ancient sages of India, deserves a fresh acknowledgement and appreciation by the realm of science. The observation that ‘Rome Rome mein Brahmmand hai’ - there is an entire solar world in every particle of the body - was startlingly proven by the structure of the atom.

Similarly, the claim that someone could become invisible or ‘antardhyan’, seemingly is on all-fours with the discovery of science that ‘matter’ cannot be destroyed - it could only disappear by changing into ‘energy’.

Also, the view that human body symbolising ‘life’ was a product of the five elements of nature - fire, water, earth, air and space - saw the assimilative link between cosmos and the manifestation of life.

In short, what the sage philosophers essentially realised was that universe was without a beginning or an end and that whatever was ‘visible’ was part of the invisible ‘whole’. Science is to get this meta-physical equation right notwithstanding the limitations of a human mind.

Philosophy could be helping science to draw closer to a solution by stipulating that cosmological constant symbolised the ‘singularity’ of God - the latter representing the ‘unseen’ whole behind the ‘visible’ universe.

Universe will remain, in human thought, inseparable from God even after science confirms that universe was a continuum. Science and philosophy would be describing the same wholeness of universe by different names.

(The writer is a former Director of Intelligence Bureau. The views expressed are personal)

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday inaugurated the Gita Daan Yajna Mahotsava on the occasion of Gita Jayanti at ISKCON Sri Rajadhiraja Govinda Temple located in Vasanthapura here.

Adani Group to have its nominees on NDTV Board

meeting of NDTV that was held on Friday and intimated to the bourses later in the day.

RRPR Holding hold 29.18 per cent stake in NDTV.

The appointment will be considered in the next meeting of Board of Directors, scheduled to be held on December 23, NDTV said.

cent stake, respectively, in NDTV.

On the other hand, Sudipta Bhattacharya, Sanjay Pugalia and Senthil Sinniah Chengalvarayan were appointed as Directors of RRPR Holdings.

The Adani Group has also made an open offer to acquire an additional 26 per cent stake in NDTV at a price Rs 294 per share.

Strengthening single-window system for investors: Punjab CM

New Delhi, Dec 9 (IANS) Reiterating commitment of his government to transform the state into a major industrial and export hub by facilitating businesses and creating an investor-friendly environment, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday said the state is strengthening the single-window system for facilitating the investors.

window smoothly and without any sort of corrupt practices.

Mann invited the captains of industry to invest in the state and become a part of industrial evolution and progress.

Chennai,

With the Adani Group acquiring 99.5 per cent stake in the RRPR Holding, the latter’s original promoters Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy resigned as Directors recently.

However, Prannoy Roy and Radhika Roy hold 15.94 per cent and 16.32 per

The

Meanwhile at the bourses, NDTV share prices are on the downward slide after touching a high of Rs 470.05 on December 1.

On Friday, the share closed at Rs 330.95 on the BSE.

Elon Musk could lose world’s richest person title

Shares in the electric car company traded at $340.79 on April 13, the day before Twitter revealed in a securities filing that the billionaire had made a hostile bid to buy the social media company for $43.4 billion, the Guardian reported. Since then the Tesla share price has plunged by 49 per cent to $173.44, also due to concerns around disruptions at one of its factories in Shanghai.

The Tesla boss has sold $20 billion of Tesla shares since April to fund the buyout.

share movements meant Arnault briefly took top spot, The Guardian reported.

Musk has said of his Twitter takeover: “Having a public platform that is massively trusted and broadly inclusive is extremely important to the future of civilisation.”

However, Tesla shareholders worry about how he is dividing his time between the social media site and his many other ventures such as the rocket company SpaceX, and that running Twitter is too much of a distraction.

Interacting with delegates during fifth meeting of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) Northern Region Council here, the Chief Minister said earlier, the single-window service was merely a sham, devoid of any meaningful purpose, which not only demoralised the potential investors but also hampered the industrial development of the state.

However, he said his government is making all-out efforts to ensure that investors get all facilities at this

The Chief Minister lauded the efforts undertaken by the CII in supporting industry and creating a business conducive environment. He said the Punjab government is undertaking efforts to foster an investment ecosystem in the state, create suitable employment opportunities for all, provide access to quality infrastructure, enable greater transparency and accountability in governance.

Mann said Punjab is ranked third in ease of logistics in the country as the state has a strong logistics backbone with five Inland Container Depots (ICDs).

Rolling out red carpet to the captains

of industry, the Chief Minister said the state offers one of the most competitive rates of power for all industries and is recognized as one of the top achievers in significantly improving its ease-of-doing business, in the latest Business Reforms Action Plan (BRAP) report of the Union government.

He further said Punjab has undertaken simplification and digitisation of processes for compliances, decriminalisation of minor offences and elimination of redundant laws and overlapping regulations.

Mann said the state currently houses more than 1,000 skill development centres, adding Punjab Skill Development Mission (PSDM) has more than 250 empanelled training partners thereby creating an accessible network of training facilities to create a pool of trained manpower.

London, Dec 10 (IANS) Tesla has lost nearly half its market value since its founder, Elon Musk, bid for Twitter in April, reducing his net worth by about $70 billion and putting his title as worlds richest person at risk.

This means his claim to be the planet’s wealthiest person is under threat, with France’s Bernard Arnault, chief executive of the luxury group LVMH, snapping at his heels. On Wednesday,

He is under pressure to turn around Twitter, which was already struggling before he bought it, making a $221m net loss last year, the Guardian reported.

Google restores Gmail that went down for millions globally

“The issue with gmail is now fully mitigated. All the backlog of undelivered messages have been cleared and mail services are back to normal,” Google Workspace said in an update.

“Thanks for your patience while we resolved this issue,” said the company.

company added.

Google, however, did not reveal the cause behind the mega global outage.

According to website outage monitor portal Downdetector.com, most problems were related to receiving emails, apart from failed connections.

New

Gmail

The company earlier said that mitigation was currently underway and “email delivery is no longer failing”.

“However, the Google Engineering team is now working through the backlog of undelivered messages and expect all messages to be delivered in the next few hours,” the

Both mobile app and desktop versions were affected across the world.

Several people took to Twitter to report problems with Gmail.

“Is Gmail down for everyone or is there anything wrong with my accounts? I am not receiving any mail,” tweeted one Gmail user.

Indian startups see huge 35% drop in funding, edtech among worst performers

The number of big ticket ($100 million and above) funding rounds dropped by 35 per cent to 55 as compared to 85 in the reported period.

The number of funding rounds saw a drop of 30 per cent, from 2,647 last year to 1,841 this year, the report said.

the situation is prompting startups to establish clearer and more sustainable paths to growth, as investors’ evaluation metrics begin to emphasise good profitability over growth at all costs.”

This year saw enterprise applications, fintech and retail emerge as the top performing sectors in terms of funding.

New Delhi, Dec 8 (IANS) As the funding winter deepens amid growing layoffs, India saw a massive 35 per cent drop in funding this year, from $37.2 billion in 2021 to $24.7 billion (till November in 2022) and edtech startups saw a significant 39 per cent drop compared to the same period last year, a report showed on Thursday.

The significant drop in funding is attributed to a decline in late-stage investments, which fell by 45 per cent from $29.3 billion in JanuaryNovember 2021 to $16.1 billion for the same period this year, according to data provided by Tracxn, a leading global market intelligence platform.

Seed stage rounds also experienced a contraction and dropped by 38 per cent as compared to the previous year.

The report said that 22 startups entered the unicorn club in the reported period, as compared to 46 in the previous year.

BYJU’s raised $1.2 billion in 2 such more than $100 million rounds, followed by VerSe and Swiggy, raising $805 million and $700 million, respectively.

Earlier this week, foodtech platform HealthKart raised $135 million in a funding round led by Temasek, with participation from A91 Partners and Kae Capital, somewhat breaking the worst funding cycle.

“The funding winter, which began in Q4 of 2021, will persist in 2023 as well. In order to survive the drought, startups are taking unit economics more seriously, which has been illustrated through the series of mass layoffs that have occurred this year,” said Neha Singh, Co-Founder, Tracxn.

Led by the edtech sector, Indian startups have laid off more than 16,000 employees to date, and the number is only growing.

Singh said: “Although we are currently experiencing a slump,

However, fintech and retail were not adverse to the effects of the funding slowdown and saw a drop in funding -- 57 per cent and 41 per cent, respectively -- compared to the same period last year.

The disruption to the fintech sector has been brought on by an RBI policy that prohibits non-bank financial institutions (NBFIs) from loading their prepaid instruments using credit lines and the ruling impacted the business model of companies like Slice and Uni Cards.

Furthermore, with crypto experiencing major volatility in asset prices this year, crypto exchanges across the globe as well as in India are facing operational difficulties.

Bengaluru led the maximum total funding raised, the most active investors of the year being LetsVenture, AngelList and Y Combinator.

RIL, 2 Adani group companies fastest wealth creators: Motilal Oswal

companies between 2017 and 2022.

Wealth created is calculated as change in the market cap of companies between 2017 and 2022 (ending March), duly adjusted for corporate events such as mergers, de-mergers, fresh issuance of capital, buyback etc.

Indian-origin investor livid after losing $2 million in FTX crash

New York, Dec 8 (IANS) An Indianorigin entrepreneur, who lost $2 million after FTX went kaput last month, is taking legal action against the cryptocurrency exchange’s founder, according to a report.

Delhi-born Evan Singh Luthra, 27, first invested in crypto with FTX in 2020. He told Fox Business that a legal team representing him is currently pursuing legal action against FTX CEO Sam Bankman-Fried (SBF) for his alleged wire fraud.

“This was a con. Sam BankmanFried is a fraud. He committed fraud,” Evan Singh Luthra said on Fox’s “Mornings with Maria”.

leading crypto exchange Binance did not materialise.

SBF, 30, stepped down as FTX chief executive on November 11, and his personal wealth plummeted nearly 94 per cent to $991.5 million in one day.

“He used users’ funds to buy property with hundreds of millions of dollars, was flying private jets with users’ money, so we can all see that now,” said Luthra, who once had more than $12 million in cryptocurrency with FTX.

Chennai, Dec 8 (IANS) Reliance Industries Ltd and two Adani group companies -- Adani Transmission and Adani Enterprises -- were the biggest, fastest and most consistent wealth creators between 2017 and 2022, said a study by Motilal Oswal Financial Services Ltd.

According to the study, Adani Enterprises and Adani Transmission

are also the top all-round wealth creators.

During 2017-22, the top 100 wealth creators of India Inc created wealth amounting to Rs 92.2 lakh crore, the highest ever so far, Motilal Oswal said.

The Motilal Oswal 27th Annual Wealth Creation Study 2022 analysed the top 100 wealth creating

The study identifies the fastest, biggest and most consistent wealth creators, the company said.

For the fourth time in a row, Reliance Industries has emerged the largest wealth creator over 2017-22, taking RIL’s overall No.1 tally to nine in the last 16 five-year study periods.

TCS, Infosys and HDFC Bank remain among the top five wealth creators, Motilal Oswal said.

“You would not have expected this to turn out the way it has happened. So this was not a risk I was taking when I was investing, this was somebody like Sam Bankman-Fried who committed a crime.”

According to a New York Post report, Luthra has built and invested in over 300 companies.

The 27-year-old splashes his cash on yacht parties, luxury properties and even plans to buy his own helicopter just for the thrill of it, the New York Post reported.

FTX filed for bankruptcy last month after its possible merger with

SBF is facing charges of swindling billions of dollars, and said he is not prepared to testify before a US Congress committee hearing on December 13.

The US House Financial Services Committee is probing the controversial collapse of the crypto exchange that wiped out billions of investors’ money.

According to reports, SBF “secretly transferred” $10 billion in FTX client funds to his trading house Alameda.

A recent court filing in the US concerning FTX revealed a crypto empire that was massively mismanaged and possibly fraudulent -- a “complete failure of corporate controls”, IANS reported earlier.

The company never had board meetings, and crypto deposited by customers wasn’t recorded on the balance sheet, according to the filing.

Corporate funds were used to purchase real estate for personal use, and employees and executives put their names on homes purchased with company funds, according to the filing.

SBF is presently hiding out in his $40 million penthouse at a Bahamas resort, and may face potential extradition over the company’s collapse, Fox Business reported.

Dec 10 (IANS) The Board of New Delhi Television Ltd (NDTV) has approved a proposal to invite the Adani Group’s RRPR Holding Private Ltd to nominate two Directors to the former’s Board.

decision was taken at the Board

Delhi, Dec 11 (IANS) Google finally restored Gmail service after it suffered a massive outage for millions of users globally, including in India, on Saturday.

users complained about mails not being received. Both mobile app and desktop versions were affected across the world.

VAALHAM JAAO NE

DUNKI

DIRECTOR: Raja Krishna Menon SYNOPSIS: About Brigadier Balram Singh Mehta of the 45th Cavalry tank squadron who fought on the eastern

front during the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971 along with his siblings.

Aditya Chopra

Siddharth Anand

CAST: Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone, Dimple Kapadia, John Abraham SYNOPSIS: Make. Some. Noise! PATHAAN is here! The high-octane spy thriller ‘PATHAAN’ starring Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika Padukone

and John Abraham, directed by Siddharth Anand is set to release on January 25, 2023. The action spectacle will be released in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu.Celebrate Pathaan with YRF50 only at a big screen near you

He took to his Instagram with the film’s poster: “Packed with action, thrills, and big screen entertainment; our #Yodha is landing in cinemas near you, so fasten your seat belts! JULY 7, 2023, YODHA IN CINEMAS.”

Sidharth said: “As an artist, you would want to work on scripts that bring out the best in you. This truly unveiled a newer version of me, which I am very thankful for. The amount of love I have received from audiences and fans is magical. I can’t wait to showcase what Yodha has for them.”

The actor is loaded with different characters and power-packed performances in his upcoming line-up with Rohit Shetty’s directorial venture into the web space, titled ‘The Indian Police Force’ and ‘Mission Majnu’ starring Rashmika Mandanna.

Manoj Bajpayee looks deep in thought in ‘Bandaa’ poster

Wednesday, features the versatile actor in an intense look with raised lines on his forehead. The high contrast imagery has sepia tone blanketing the highlighted parts.

The film has been shot in Jodhpur and Mumbai and is expected to release in 2023. During the last day of the shoot, Manoj Bajpayee received a standing ovation from the cast and crew while filming the closing scene which was an intense courtroom sequence. This was followed by a cake cutting to celebrate the film’s wrap as Bajpayee and the entire team expressed their gratitude for the work put into this highly anticipated film.

The film, which marks the directorial debut of Apoorv Singh Karki, is presented by Zee Studios and Bhanushali Studios Limited. The film has been produced by Vinod Bhanushali, Kamlesh Bhanushali, Asif Sheikh and Vishal Gurnani and co-produced by Juhi Parekh Mehta.

Priyanka received equal pay just once in her 20-year career

Actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas revealed in an interview that her upcoming Amazon Prime Video series ‘Citadel’ is the first time she’s ever received equal pay as her male co-stars. She has been acting for 20 years.

“I’ve never had pay parity in Bollywood,” Priyanka said in an interview for BBC’s 100 Women (via The Independent).

“I would get paid about 10 per cent of the salary of my male co-actor. (The pay gap) is large, substantially large. And so many women still deal with that. I’m sure I will too if I worked with a male co-actor now in Bollywood.

“My generation of female actors have definitely asked [for equal pay],” she added. “We’ve asked, but we’ve not got it.”

Priyanka detailed other ways in which she contended against sexism while working on Bollywood

productions. “I thought it was absolutely ok to sit for hours and hours on set, while my male co-actor just took his own time, and decided whenever he wanted to show up on set is when we would shoot,” she said.

“I was called ‘black cat’ and ‘dusky.’ I mean, what does ‘dusky’ even mean in a country where we are literally all brown?” Chopra Jonas continued.

“I thought I was not pretty enough, I believed that I would have to work a lot harder, even though I thought I was probably a little bit more talented than my fellow actors who were lighter skinned.”

Amazon Prime Video’s upcoming ‘Citadel’ hails from ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ directors Joe and Anthony Russo and features an ensemble cast that is headlined by Priyanka and Richard Madden.

The show is billed as an “action-packed spy series” that spans

Kangana to headline ‘Chandramukhi 2’, sequel to Rajanikanth’s ‘Chandramukhi’

After ‘Thalaivii’, actress Kangana Ranaut will be seen in another Tamil movie. This time, the actress will be essaying the titular role of Chandramukhi in ‘Chandramukhi 2’, directed by P. Vasu. The film’s prequel, which released in 2005, starred superstar Rajanikanth and Jyothika Saravanan.

‘Chandramukhi’ was a remake of the Malayalam film ‘Manichitrathazhu’ and was adapted in Hindi as the Akshay Kumar-starrer ‘Bhool Bhulaiyaa’.

In ‘Chandramukhi 2’, Kangana will be seen playing the role of a renowned dancer in the king’s court who’s known for her dancing skills and breathtaking beauty. Renowned Tamil Actor Raghava Lawrence will be seen opposite Kangana Ranaut. National award winning costume designer Neeta Lulla will be working on the film, she has amped up the curiosity for the film with a sketch of the character. When contacted Neeta Lulla

mentioned: “To create a character who is the epitome of grace in every adaa, her looks, her hair, her stance and walk exude and portray the spirit of dance. To me, that is Chandramukhi. The film is going to be a beautiful yet challenging experience. I’m very excited to be working again with Kangana in this project, her sheer strength as an actor lies in the ability to lose herself to the character she is playing. Can’t wait to see what amalgamates in ‘Chandramukhi 2’”.

As per source, Kangana will start shooting the first schedule of the film in the first week of December.

The actress will be taking a small break from her second directorial ‘Emergency’ and the second schedule of ‘Chandramukhi 2’ will commence in January after ‘Emergency’ wraps up.

If sources are to be believed Chandramukhi 2 is produced by one of the biggest production house Lyca films who’s recent release was PS 1.

‘Pushpa - The Rise’ dubbed in Russian; to be released in Russia on Dec 8

Mumbai, Nov 30 (IANS) Actress Kajol feels that Hindi film industry is one of the most “forward thinking” and progressive industries, and Bollywood films not performing well at the box-office is just a matter of time.

The actress, who is gearing up for her upcoming movie ‘Salaam Venky’, said that the struggle that Hindi films are facing is not just limited to Bollywood but films across the world.

The actress told IANS: “I truly believe that our Hindi film industry is one of the most forward-thinking industries and we don’t have a choice simply for the fact that a lot of money is riding on it and a lot of stakeholders are involved in Hindi films. It’s not just Hindi films that are facing the heat in theatres, films across the world are facing the issue of a low footfall in theatres because the pandemic has triggered a change in behavioural pattern of the audience.”

She further mentioned that people are very cautious of visiting crowded places and cinema halls.

“I feel it’s just a phase and our films will soon bounce back strongly. We, as an industry, are working on it, changing gears and figuring out the way forward at individual levels.

I’m sure the individual energies and efforts will combine and put our industry back on track”, she said.

‘Salaam Venky’, directed by Revathy, also stars Vishal Jethwa, Rahul Bose, Rajeev Khandelwal, Prakash Raj and Ahana Kumra in pivotal roles, is set to debut in theatres on December 9, 2022.

Being

Speaking about his role and how it played out, Ashutosh Rana shared “Mukteshwar is Amit’s friend/guide/ philosopher. Mukteshwar helps him

away from the problem and guides him to the solution. So whenever Mukteshwar comes on

screen, the character’s direction and state changes. To me, my character is one that has his own philosophy. He is very enterprising and lives life to the fullest. And even in tough situations, he never loses his cool. He maneuvers through tough situations with a sense of peace and calm.”

The actor mentioned how thrilling the experience was of being a part of this title and working with Neeraj Pandey. He mentioned how this story is extremely colourful in nature and there is no question of denying such a brilliant opportunity of being part of something so remarkable.

A

fter creating a buzz in Indian languages, the Allu Arjun-starrer ‘Pushpa - The Rise’ is to be released in Russian on December 8.

It will follow the film’s screening as part of a six-film package that will travel across major Russian cities, including Moscow and St Petersberg, from December 1 to 6.

The Russian-dubbed version is making a splash online with fans gushing over the actors mouthing their favourite dialogues in the language.

The film will have a star-studded premiere in Moscow on December 1 and in St. Petersburg on December 3 in the presence of its lead cast and crew. It will be premiered at the

Bhumi Pednekar: Have loved delivering the punches in ‘Govinda Naam Mera’

Mumbai, Dec 3 (IANS) Bollywood actress Bhumi Pednekar, who plays Vicky Kaushal’s bombshell wife in the upcoming streaming movie ‘Govinda Naam Mera’, shares that her character has the most hilarious dialogues in the film and that the makers have subverted the industry norm by giving the punchlines to the female character.

Elaborating on the same, the actress says, “I honestly have loved delivering the punches in the film and I have to admit that I have been given some of the most hilarious punchlines by Shashank (Khaitan, the director). What I love the most about my dialoguebaazi (punchy dialogues) in ‘Govinda Naam Mera’ is that they are from the heroine’s side and that’s refreshing for a romantic comedy in the Hindi film industry because traditionally only heroes used to get all the great dialogues in a genre like this and make people laugh.”

She lauds the film’s producer Karan Johar and the director as she adds, “I’m glad that my producer Karan Johar and my director Shashank Khaitan thought of subverting the norm and empowering a girl to deliver some of the most cracking dialogues that I have seen on screen in recent times. Gauri Waghmare is literally one of my most favourite characters that I have played on screen.”

Talking about her character, Bhumi

mentions that she is an equal to a man and constantly reminds a man that her gender doesn’t make her inferior and that she is the master of her own actions and decisions.

opening ceremony of the fifth Indian Film Festival which will be held in 24 Russian cities.

Directed by Sukumar and starring Allu Arjun and Rashmika

Mandanna, ‘Pushpa -The Rise’, which was released post the Covid lockdown as the year 2021 came to a close, was an unequalified success across all the language markets it was screened in.

Ashutosh Rana talks about his character in ‘Khakee: The Bihar Chapter’

Mumbai, Dec 1 (IANS) Veteran actor Ashutosh Rana says he’s playing a senior cop in ‘Khakee: The Bihar Chapter’ who lives his life to the fullest yet keeps order in Bihar.

helmed by ace filmmaker Neeraj Pandey, Netflix’s ‘Khakee: The Bihar Chapter’ stars a number of talented actors. Ashutosh Rana plays Mukteshwar, a cop who works closely with Amit Lodha.

step

Meanwhile, Kangana also has ‘Tejas’ in which she essays the role of an Indian Air Force pilot, and ‘Noti Binodini’ in the pipeline.

the globe, and it’s being designed to launch spinoff series set in India, Spain Mexico and more.

Sidharth Malhotra: ‘Yodha’ has unveiled a newer version of me

Manoj Bajpaye’s courtroom drama film now has a title and a poster. The film titled ‘Bandaa’

As ‘Yodha’ is all set to release on July 7, 2023, actor Sidharth Malhotra said that the upcoming film has unveiled a newer version of him.

The thriller ‘Yodha’, directed by

will see Manoj essaying the role of a lawyer. The film’s black and white poster, which was released on

Pushkar Ojha and Sagar Ambre, is based on a hijacking. The film features Sidharth in an action-packed role and an all-new avatar. Co-stars Disha Patani and Raashi Khanna will be seen alongside Sidharth Malhotra.

The film, which also stars Kiara Advani and Vicky Kaushal, is produced by Dharma Productions, and will stream on Disney+ Hotstar from December 16.

‘Hindi cinema is progressive, will bounce back stronger,’ says Kajol

Kartik Aaryan enjoyed the process of ‘achieving the intensity’ in ‘Freddy’

Kartik said: “I am extremely overjoyed by the kind of response I have been receiving for Freddy. It was indeed a very tough character that has come my way but I enjoyed the process of achieving the intensity.”

“This is something I always like to experiment with my characters and I am very glad that the audience is loving the performance and accepted Freddy the way we really wanted this character to come out. As an actor, it feels truly amazing to know that people are accepting me in this shade too as I tried my hand at this genre for the first time.”

‘Liger’ money laundering probe: Vijay Devarakonda appears before ED

Hyderabad, Nov 30 (IANS) Popular Tollywood actor Vijay Devarakonda on Wednesday appeared before the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with the investigation relating to sourcing of funds for his recent film ‘Liger’.

The actor appeared before ED officials at the agency’s regional office in Hyderabad. The central agency is investigating the alleged violation of Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA).

Mike Tyson also played an extended cameo in the movie, reported to have been produced with a budget of about Rs 125 crore.

Starring Vijaya Devarakonda and Ananya Panday in the lead, the film had mega shoots in Las Vegas. It, however, bombed at the box-office.

The ED took up the investigation after Congress leader Bakka Judson lodged a complaint about the investment into the movie through dubious routes.

character

Talking

The actor has closed a mega-successful year with his second release ‘Freddy’ after giving a box office blockbuster in the form of Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2. He has also left fans excited with the teaser of ‘Shehzada’, and will also be seen in ‘Aashiqui 3’, ‘Satya Prem Ki Katha’, and Kabir Khan’s yet untitled next.

He took a dig at the contestants and roasted them through his rap, saying: “Kyunki socha na tha aisa din aayega, Shekhar Suman Mc Stan ban jaayega.’

The senior actor pointed towards Shalin Bhanot and the way he created chemistry with both Tina Datta and Sumbul Touqeer. He also commented on Archana Gautam, saying she used a treatment for hair length but used it on her tongue and now it has grown.

He sarcastically made comments as she kept arguing with one or the other contestants and never followed the rules set by Bigg Boss. Shekhar also commented on Shalin, saying that he is making connections with Tina, Sumbul and Soundarya Sharma.

His unique rapping style left everyone in splits.

‘Bigg Boss 16’ airs on Colors.

“Daily soap is also an instant money maker for me. Being a single mom, and with no help from my abusive husband, I need money to raise my child. For me, daily soap is my saviour,” she said.

On competition in the industry is increasing every day, she said, “This doesn’t affect me at all because what is mine will come to me eventually... I don’t believe in competition. I strongly believe in God, and feel whatever lies in a person’s destiny will reach him/her. It’s just that you need to work hard for it and I will keep doing hard work,” she said.

Ginnie also relates with Sunaina on many things.

“Sunaina is very loving, positive and trusts everyone till the end. But when she realises that another person is cheating her, that’s when she makes that person’s life hell.

As per sources, Vijay Devarakonda is being questioned about sources of funding for the movie, his remuneration and payments made to other actors including American boxer Mike Tyson.

The ED officials had grilled film director Puri Jagannadh and actor-turned-producer Charmme Kaur on November 17.

They were questioned about the source of investment for HindiTelugu movie ‘Liger’ which was released in August this year.

Mumbai, Dec 2 (IANS) ‘Kundali Bhagya’ actor Dheeraj Dhoopar talks about his working experience with Aamna Sharif in the latest track ‘Aabaad’.

The song is a reflection of the mix of emotions from love to pain and agony. It shows how a lover recalls the time he spent with his beloved and how they had fun together but now the situation has changed and they are no longer with each other.

Dheeraj says: “It was a great experience working with such talented people. I’m glad that I’m a part of this music video, and I had a whale of a time. The song is heart-touching, and I believe that it is going to be the best love song of this year.” The music video was shot in Udaipur, Rajasthan.

Dheeraj is known for his shows such as ‘Sasural Simar Ka’, ‘Kuch Toh Log Kahenge’. He also hosted reality shows like ‘Sa Re Ga Ma Pa’, ‘DID: Battle of the Champions’ and was recently seen on ‘Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa 10’ and ‘Sherdil Shergill’. Aamna was seen in ‘Kahii To Hoga’, ‘Kumkum’ ‘Kasautii Zindagii Kay 2’, among others.

Producer Afsana Kherani says that the chemistry between the two well known faces of the TV industry

Bakka Judson had complained that even politicians had invested money in Liger. He claimed that the investors found it the easiest way of turning their black money into white.

The ED officials are reported to have questioned the director and producer about the allegations that crores of rupees were invested into the making of the movie from foreign countries allegedly in violation of FEMA.

The investigating agency suspects that several companies had transferred funds to the accounts of the filmmakers. They were asked to provide details of those who had remitted the money and how the payments were made to foreign actors including Mike Tyson and technical crew.

Mumbai,

and disciplined. But at the same time, some twists and turns make my character very interesting, which I can’t disclose right now. The show has just started, let’s wait and watch what lies ahead,” she said.

“My character is called Sunaina, who is very positive, calm, loving

Clearly loving being in a daily soap, the actress said there’s more to it than getting instant recognition.

Endowments Department, is helping the land mafia and misusing state resources.

In his complaint, Lucky Ali stated, “I am Maqsood Mahmood Ali. Son of the Late actor and comedian Mehmood Ali. And also known as Lucky Ali. I am currently in Dubai for work, hence the urgency.”

‘Kyun ki pyar ke badle baimani karne ka haq kisi ko nahi hai’. I am like that in real life as well,” she said.

Ginnie added: “The content of this show is completely new. This is a story about the past and the present with twists and turns, and a lot of drama.”

makes it a perfect romantic track.

“The music video features two notable faces from the television industry, Dheeraj Dhoopar, and Aamna Sharif. The chemistry between the two is sizzling, and their acting skills are jaw-dropping.”

The music video is directed by

Manoj Bajpayee looks hauntingly intense in ‘Joram’ first look

The collaboration between Bollywood actor Manoj Bajpayee and writer-director Devashish Makhija is always a treat to watch be it the short film ‘Taandav’ or the dark drama ‘Bhonsle’. The two have joined the forces again for Makhija’s upcoming directorial ‘Joram’. The first look of the film shows Manoj’s character with watery eyes as he holds a baby. The film was recently selected at India’s Film Bazaar Recommends (FBR) strand. Talking about the film, Manoj Bajpayee shared: “’Joram’ comes with a very unique concept. We have shot at very difficult locations and it wouldn’t have been possible without

the relentless efforts made by the team of studio and the production! It was a real privilege to work on this one, now that our film made it to the likes of Film Bazaar, I am quite stoked.”

Devashish Makhija further shared: “’Joram’ is my third collaboration with Manoj Bajpayee. Our previous national award winning film ‘Bhonsle’ - also started its journey at the Film Bazaar in its co-production Market. And then went on to travel to over 40 festivals, and won an APSA (Asia Pacific Screen Award), before becoming a sleeper hit on OTT in 2020.”

‘Joram’ has been produced by Zee

Bengaluru, Dec 5 (IANS) Singer

Lucky Ali has complained to DG and IGP of Karnataka Praveen Sood over alleged encroachment of his farm land by land mafia involving the husband of state IAS officer Rohini Sindhuri, police said on Monday. The police have taken up investigation following the complaint.

Lucky Ali has also alleged that Rohini Sindhuri, presently working as the Commissioner of Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable

“My farm which is a Trust Property located in Kenchenahalli Yelahanka is being encroached on illegally by Sudhir Reddy (and Madhu Reddy) from the Bangalore land mafia, with the help of his wife who is an IAS officer by the name of Rohini Sindhuri. They are misusing state resources for their personal gain. They are forcibly and illegally coming inside my farm and refusing to show the relevant documents,” Ali alleged.

“My legal counsel is informing me that this is totally illegal and they don’t have the court order to come inside the property as we are in possession, and living there since the past 50 years. I wanted to meet you before I left for Dubai, but since you were unavailable, we filed a complaint to the jurisdictional ACP,” he said.

“I have not had any positive response as yet. My family and small children are alone on the farm. I am getting no help from the local police, who are in fact supporting the encroachers and are indifferent to our situation and the legal status of our land. Dear Sir, I request your help to stop this illegal activity of them trying to prove a false possession before the final court hearing on December 7. Please help us as I have no choice other than to take this to the Public,” Al wrote.

On his social media, Lucky Ali has made the copy of the complaint public and claimed sorry for having to bring this to attention.

Rohini Sindhuri is known as an upright officer and made news earlier for confronting powerful politicians.

JD(S) MLA and former minister S.R. Mahesh had earlier made allegations on her and husband on carrying out illegal real estate business and encroachments of lands of farmers. She was transferred to the present post from the position of Mysuru district commissioner after high drama and confrontation with local politicians.

ADelhi-based advocate Vineet Jindal has lodged a complaint against Israeli Director Nadav Lapid for making remarks like “a propaganda” and “vulgar” for the movie “The Kashmir Files”, which is based on the story of Hindu genocide in Kashmir.

Lapid was the Jury Chairman of the International Competition section of the International Film Festival of India, which was held at Panaji, Goa on Monday.

“We were, all of us, disturbed and shocked by the 15th film, The Kashmir Files. That felt to us like a propaganda, vulgar movie, inappropriate for an artistic competitive section of such a prestigious film festival,” Lapid had said during his closing speech.

Practicing lawyer in the Supreme court of India and social activist Jindal said that Lapid’s statement is totally manipulated and with ill intentions toward the Hindu community.

“By calling a movie based on a true story of Hindu genocide by Islamic terrorists that happened in Kashmir as propaganda and vulgar, he is abusing the sacrifice of Hindus in

Kashmir and targeting the Hindu community and to incite hatred in our country,” Jindal said, adding that the contents of the statement made by Lapid clearly show his intent of instigating enmity between groups.

Jindal further in his complaint stated that the offence by Lapid have been committed under Sections 121 (attempting to wage war), 153 (wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause riot), 153 A & B (promoting disharmony, enmity or feelings of hatred between different groups on the grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc.), 295 (defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any

class), 298 (intention of wounding the religious feelings of any person) and 505 (intent to cause fear or alarm to the public, or to any section of the public) of the Indian Penal Code. These are cognizable offences and very serious in nature.

While Lapid is being criticised by many, the Israeli Ambassador to India Naor Gilon also took to Twitter to criticise filmmaker Lapid. He said that Lapid should be ashamed of himself and he has “abused” India’s invitation.

“The friendship between...India and Israel is very strong and will survive the damage you have inflicted,” Gilon added.

Being single mom, a daily soap is an ‘instant money maker’ for Ginnie Virdi

Dec 3 (IANS) Ginnie Virdi, who has been a part of shows like Udann and Papa By Chance and is presently as Sunaina in Janam Janam Ka Saath, has opened up about her character and how she relates to it.

Lucky Ali alleges encroachment of his farm by husband of K’taka IAS officer

Studios. The cast and crew recently celebrated the wrap of the film and the makers are yet to announce the release date of the film.

‘BB16’: Shekhar Suman’s MC Stan rapper avatar has everyone in splits

Mumbai, Dec 4 (IANS) Shekhar Suman has entertained the ‘Bigg Boss 16’ contestants with his MC

Stan avatar in the ‘Bigg Bulletin with Shekhar Suman’ segment of the reality show.

Actor Kartik Aaryan is currently basking in the success of his latest release ‘Freddy’, in which he pulled off a very layered and intense

with utmost fineness. He said that he enjoyed the process of achieving the “intensity”.

about the success of Freddy,

Delhi lawyer files complaint against Nadav Lapid for comments on ‘The Kashmir Files’

Dheeraj Dhoopar, Aamna Sharif share screen space in ‘Aabaad’

Pratap Shetty and Harish Bhatt. The song is in the soulful voice of Prateek Gandhi, and the heart touching lyrics are written by Abhendra Kumar Upadhyay. The cinematography of the video is done by Chetan Dholi, and it is produced by Yellow Strings Entertainment.