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Jan 1-15, 2022 - Vol 2, Issue 12
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PM Morrison rules out lockdowns 12 dead, 14 injured in stampede at Mata Vaishno IANS
on December 21 declared that the country will not return to lockdowns despite record Covid-19 infections.
Morrison said the time for "heavyhanded" government intervention to keep case numbers down was over, reports Xinhua news agency. PM Scott Morrison
Canberra, December 22 (IANS): Prime Minister Scott Morrison
"We're not going back to lockdowns," he said. "We're not going back to shutting down peoples' lives." Continued on Page 3
Indian President greets people on Christmas
said: "Christmas is celebrated on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Lord Jesus Christ. This festival instills peace, harmony and compassion in the lives of people and also promotes unity and fraternity amongst members of the society. Jesus Christ's message of love and compassion continues to inspire the entire humanity even today." New Delhi, December 24 (IANS): Indian President Ram Nath Kovind on December 24 extended his warm greetings and wishes to all fellow citizens, especially Christians, for Christmas. The President, in his message,
"On this occasion, let us resolve to build such a society that is based on the values of justice and liberty by adopting the ideals and teachings of Jesus Christ in our lives," he said, as per a communique from the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
Devi shrine
Jammu, Jan 1: Twelve people were killed and 14 injured on Saturday in a stampede at the Mata Vaishno Devi shrine in Jammu and Kashmir’s Reasi district. Officials of the shrine said the stampede occurred when a large number of devotees entered the Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan without permission slips. “Large number of devotees had come to pay obeisance at the shrine to mark the new year. The stampede occurred around 2.45 a.m. today. “It took place outside the sanctum sanctorum of the shrine. Senior officials of the government and the shrine board are on the spot.
“Prime Minister Narendra Modi is personally monitoring the relief and rescue operation,” officials said. “Extremely saddened by the loss of lives due to a stampede at Mata Vaishno Devi Bhawan. Condolences to the bereaved families. May the injured recover soon. Spoke to JK LG Shri @manojsinha_ Ji, Ministers Shri @DrJitendraSingh Ji, @ nityanandraibjp Ji and took stock of the situation”, Modi said on his official Twitter handle. The Prime Minister’s Office also announced an amount of Rs 2 lakh each for the dead from the Prime Minister’s National Relief Fund. The PMO said that the amount
Indian PM calls for effective contact tracing, strengthening health infra amid Omicron scare New Delhi, December 23 (IANS): Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, chairing a high-level meeting on December 23 to review the public health response measures for containing and managing Covid-19 and strengthening health infrastructure including availability of drugs and oxygen cylinders amid the growing Omicron scare, called for prompt and effective contact tracing,
ramping up of testing, and accelerating vaccination. He was briefed about the emerging scenario globally driven by the new variant, with an overview of surge in cases in countries having high vaccination coverage and presence of Omicron variant. He was also apprised of the technical brief and priority actions recommended by the WHO in the context. Continued on Page 3
4 children dead in Australia bouncy castle accident Canberra, December 16 (IANS): Four children died in the Australian state of Tasmania on December 16 in a tragic incident when a bouncy castle was blown
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into the air by strong gusts of wind. Tasmanian police said the children fell from a height of 10 metres on the last day of the
school year in Devonport in the island's north, reports Xinhua news agency.
five children who suffered critical or serious injuries have been hospitalised.
Among the victims were two girls and two boys, and an additional
"On a day where these children
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would be given to the families of those who lost their lives due to the stampede. The injured would be given Rs 50,000, the PM’s Office added.
Continued on Page 3
Russian President Putin dials up PM Modi in follow-up to Dec 6 summit New Delhi, December 20: Making an all-our effort to revive a special partnership with India, Russian President Vladimir Putin, a fortnight after his visit to New Delhi, held a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 20. Highly placed sources told India Narrative that the call built on the substantial discussions between the two leaders that were held in the ornate Hyderabad House in the Indian capital on December 6. Separately, Putin also dispatched Russia's Deputy Prime Minister, Yury Borisov, to India. Continued on Page 3
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Indian PM calls for effective contact tracing, strengthening health infra amid Omicron scare
Continued from Page 1
The Economics Times
COVER STORIES
4 children dead in Australia bouncy castle accident
Continued from Page 1
resources, timely availability of ambulances, readiness of states to operationalise Covid facilities for institutional quarantining, and effective and supervised monitoring of those in home isolation.
A snapshot of the status of Covid-19 and its Omicron variant in the country, including states reporting a higher number of cases, districts reporting higher positivity, and higher number of clusters was presented to him. He was also briefed about the actions taken when the first advisory of the Health Ministry was shared with the states. The PM directed the officials to maintain a high level of vigil and alertness at all levels. He directed the Centre to work in close coordination with the states to support their efforts of public health measures of containment and management under the 'Whole of Government' approach. "The strategy of the Centre for proactive, focussed, collaborative and cooperative fight against the pandemic should guide all our future actions," he said.
"In view of the new variant, we should be 'satark' (alert) and 'saavdhan' (cautious). The fight against the pandemic is not over and the need for continued adherence to Covid safe behaviour is of paramount importance even today," he stressed. The PM directed the officials to ensure that the health systems in the states, beginning from the district level, are strengthened to meet any challenge posed by the new variant. It is important for states to ensure that the oxygen supply equipment is installed and fully functional, he said. He also told the officials to work with the states on a regular basis and review the status of preparedness of various components of health infrastructure including training and capacity building of human
Heightened and close monitoring of emerging clusters and hotspots through active, prompt and effective surveillance should continue, he stated. He directed for sending a good number of positive samples for genome sequencing to INSACOG labs in a prompt manner, while accelerating the testing to ensure quick identification of cases for timely containment and treatment. The PM said that teams should be sent to the states with low vaccination, rising cases, and insufficient health infrastructure to assist them in improving the situation. Having been apprised that more than 88 per cent of the eligible population is administered the first dose of Covid-19 vaccine and more than 60 per cent the second dose, he said that states need to ensure that the eligible population is fully vaccinated and to proceed to meet the target in a saturation mode.
Russian President Putin dials up PM Modi in follow-up to Dec 6 summit
Continued from Page 1
military equipment in India, for India and for the world.
were meant to be celebrating their last day at primary school, instead we are all mourning their loss," Tasmania's police commissioner Darren Hine said on December 16. "Our hearts are breaking for the families and loved ones, school mates and teachers of those children taken too soon." Paramedics arrived at the scene at 10 a.m., and children were given immediate medical attention before being flown in helicopters to hospital. Prime Minister Scott Morrison
said the event was "unthinkably heartbreaking". "Young children on a fun day out together with their families and it turns into such a horrific tragedy at this time of year. It just breaks your heart," said Morrison. The incident left attending emergency personnel and local community members highly distressed. "Our focus right now is on supporting our community, and all those affected," said Hine. Tasmanian police said investigations are underway.
PM Morrison rules out lockdowns
Continued from Page 1
Meanwhile, Russia's Tass news agency is reporting that Moscow is pushing for a summit between Russia, India and China. In fact, Putin raised this topic during his conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier, the news agency said quoting Russian Presidential Aide, Yury Ushakov. "The topic of cooperation in the Russia-India-China format was addressed," during the Putin-Xi videoconference, the Kremlin's spokesperson said. The leaders "agreed to continue exchanging opinions in this regard and to endeavour to hold the next summit within the RIC framework in the near future," Ushakov observed.
Russian President Vladimir Putin (left) with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
The sources said that Borisov mainly followed-up, and began working out the details on the two-major military agreements that New Delhi and Moscow have signed - one on the production of AK-203 rifles at a plant in Amethi in Uttar Pradesh, and a framework ten-year plan on military-technical cooperation. Besides, the delivery of assemblies of the exceptionally potent S-400 air defence missile systems have already begun, and
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the two regiments are expected to become fully operational from early 2022. The supplies of the S-400 are critical for restoring the balance of power with China. China has deployed its S-400 missiles in Ngari Gar Gunsa opposite Ladakh and Nyingchi air base facing Arunachal Pradesh. The Russians have decided to majorly contribute to India's Atmanirbhar Bharat and Make-in-India projects by codeveloping and manufacturing
"Putin informed Xi Jinping about the visit to New Delhi on December 6 in this context," the Kremlin's spokesperson observed. The RIC leaders held their last meeting in June 2019 on the sidelines of the G20 summit in Osaka. In New Delhi, sources pointed out that it would be impossible to hold such a RIC summit unless the border tensions between India and China are resolved with the restoration of status quo ante that existed before May 2020, ahead of Chinese incursions in eastern Ladakh.
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"There will be other variants beyond Omicron, and we have to ensure, as a country, and as leaders around the country, we have put in place measures that Australians can live with," he said. His remarks came ahead of an emergency meeting with state and territory leaders on December 22 to discuss the surge in cases across Australia. Morrison said the meeting would focus on how Australians can continue to live with the virus "with common sense and responsibility" but that he would present "strong recommendations" for indoor mask use to continue. Australia on December 21 reported more than 4,500 new locally-acquired coronavirus infections -- the most since the start of the pandemic.
New South Wales alone reported 3,057 cases, the highest daily infection number among all states during the pandemic, while Victoria recorded 1,245. South Australia, Queensland, the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory and Tasmania reported 154, 86, 16, 14 and four new cases. Leaders also discussed on December 22 whether Australians would require a third booster shot to be considered fully vaccinated against Covid-19. The leaders of Australia's two biggest states -- Victoria and New South Wales -- on December 21 confirmed they would push for shortening the interval between second and third vaccine doses to combat the spread of the Omicron variant.
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Kashi Vishwanath project symbolises India's spiritual soul IANS
is the city of eternity where awakening is life and even death is a celebration. He termed it as the religious and spiritual capital of the country. He said that new India was developing alongside and listed the achievements of his government in changing the lives of people for the better.
Varanasi, December 13 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on December 13 said that the Kashi Vishwanath Corridor Project was a symbol of India's spiritual soul. Dedicating the newly constructed Kashi Vishwanath Dham project to the nation, the Prime Minister said, "Today, a new chapter is being written in the history of Kashi Vishwanath. Kashi Vishwanath Dham is not just a grand building but a symbol of India's culture and traditions. Kashi shows how inspirations of the ancient are giving direction to the future." The Prime Minister said that Kashi is a beautiful amalgam of antiquity and novelty that come alive together. He said that the glory of the past is coming alive again, showcasing India's antiquity, traditions, energy and mobility. Quoting extensively from scriptures, the Prime minister also spoke in Bhojpuri and
established a connection with the local people. 'Kashi and Ganga belong to all. The invaders attacked this city, tried to destroy it. Aurangzeb's atrocities and his terror tried to change civilization by the sword. But the soil of this country is different from the rest of the world. If Aurangzeb comes here, Shivaji stands up. If any Salar Masood moves here, then brave warriors like King Suheldev make him realise the power of our unity," he said. He said that when the temple was attacked, Ahilyabai Holkar helped in its reconstruction. The Prime Minister said that earlier the temple area was only 3,000 square feet, it has now become about 5 lakh square feet. "Around 50 to 75 thousand devotees can now be accommodated in the temple premises," he said. Modi further said that Kashi
The Prime Minister also expressed his gratitude towards every labourer who has worked for the construction of this complex and did not stop work even during the pandemic. The Prime Minister asked people to make three promises to him. He said that people must promise cleanliness, innovation and selfreliance. "India is moving towards a new tomorrow but we need to work harder on cleanliness. We also need to stress on innovation. Startups are changing the face of the country and we need to carry it forward. We also have to emphasise on 'Atmanirbhar' which is essential to make the country strong," he said. Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, BJP president J.P. Nadda, Deputy Chief Ministers Dinesh Sharma and Keshav Maurya, Union Ministers Dharmendra Pradhan, Mahendra Pandey and state BJP president Swatantra Dev Singh were present on the occasion.
NEWS FROM INDIA
AIADMK, AMMK observe MGR's 34th death anniversary Chennai, December 24 (IANS): The opposition AIADMK and the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) of TTV Dhinakaran, paid floral tributes on December 24 to the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and matinee idol, M.G. Ramachandran (MGR) on his 34th death anniversary in separate functions. AIADMK leaders and former Chief Ministers O. Panneerselvam and Edappadi K. Palaniswami led the observance of the death anniversary of the late Chief Minister at his mausoleum at the Marina beach. Both the leaders also paid floral tributes to the late Chief Minister at their residences. The leaders called upon the party cadres to work unitedly for the party and to work against the anti-people policies carried out by the Stalin-led DMK government that was in power in the state. Former Chief Minister, O. Panneerselvam in a statement referred to the rising prices of vegetables and essential commodities including groceries as a major failure of the DMK government. He said that the rising prices of
IANS
AIADMK founder MGR
vegetables were not benefitting the farmers but instead, middlemen and intermediaries were taking the advantage of the rise in prices. Panneerselvam also called upon the AIADMK cadres to stand united for the ensuing Urban local body polls slated in a couple of months' time. He also said that the AIADMK as a party has all the resources to fight for the people of the state and to expose the major flaws being carried out by the DMK government. Meanwhile, AMMK leader and nephew of V.K. Sasikala, TTV Dhinakaran paid floral tributes to the late Chief Minister and founder of AIADMK, M.G. Ramachandran at the AMMK headquarters in Royapettah during the 34th death anniversary of the late leader.
Owaisi alleges part of his speech being quoted out of context
Anti-conversion Bill passed in Karnataka Assembly amid Opposition uproar Belagavi (Karnataka), December 23 (IANS): The Karnataka Assembly on December 23 passed the Anti-conversion Bill amid uproar by the Opposition during the ongoing Winter Session of the Assembly. The day was reserved for discussion on the Bill. "The Anti-conversion Bill is Constitutional and pro-people," Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai said while speaking to media persons at the Suvarna Soudha here. "Instead of presenting their views on the Bill, the Opposition leaders chose to make political speeches. In fact, the preparations for bringing the Bill were made during the earlier Congress regime itself. Former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah himself had agreed to present the Bill before the state cabinet after it was scrutinised by the law department. Doesn't it amount to his consent to the Bill," Bommai asked. "The Bill is especially pro-SC, ST and poor segments of the society. It would help in the protection of all the communities and uphold their dignity. The state government is very clear in implementing the Bill. The
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government is opposed to conversion by exploiting poverty and offering allurements like employment and education," Bommai said.
The Congress leaders are opposing the same Bill now in the Assembly, which shows the dual policy of the party, Bommai said. "The draft Bill was not prepared by former Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa. He had just referred a request in this regard to the Law Commission. It was the Congress government which prepared the draft Bill after getting a report from the Law Commission. Congress leaders who supported the draft Bill then are now opposing it only because of vote bank politics," Bommai said. However, the Congress party said that it would rollback the Bill when it comes to power. The Protection of Right to Freedom of Religion Bill, 2021, popularly known as Anti-conversion Bill proposes protection of right to freedom of religion and prohibition of unlawful conversion from one religion to another by misrepresentation, force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means and for
the matters connected therewith or incidental thereto. "No person shall convert or attempt to convert, either directly or otherwise, any other person from one religion to another by use or practice of force, undue influence, coercion, allurement or by any fraudulent means or by any other means or promise of marriage, nor shall any person abet or conspire such conversion," the Bill says. According to new law, any converted person, his parents, brother, sister or any other person who is related to him by blood, marriage or adoption or in any form associated or colleague may lodge a complaint of such conversion which contravenes the provisions, the offence is made to be non-bailable and cognizable. The bill proposes declaration before conversion of religion and also pre-report about conversion. The declaration of post conversion of religion is also proposed. If any institution violates the Act, imprisonment of up to three to five years with a fine of Rs 25,000 is proposed. If the victim is a minor, the imprisonment is extended up to 10 years.
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AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi
Lucknow, December 24 (IANS): All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) president, Asaduddin Owaisi, said on December 24 that a clipped video footage of his speech was being circulated on social media to trigger controversy.
Is this objectionable? Why is it offensive to remember how police have treated Muslims in UP? We cannot forget the oppression that was meted out to Anas, Suleiman, Asif, Faisal, Altaf, Akhlaq, Qasim, and hundreds of others," he asked in another series of tweets.
The speech he made was in reference to the alleged provocative and communal statements made against minority communities during a three-day 'Dharma Sansad' in Haridwar.
Owaisi clarified: "I did not incite violence or make threats. I talked about police atrocities."
"A clipped one-min video is being circulated from a 45 min speech I gave in Kanpur. I have shared my entire speech on Twitter now. The context of my speech is amply clear. I was talking about cops who torture 80-year-old men. I was talking about cops who watch silently as mobs thrash a rickshaw driver in front of his daughter. Also, cops who rained lathi blows on a man as he held his child in his arms," Owaisi said. He further said: "I said we will remember these police atrocities.
The event in Haridwar that Asaduddin Owaisi was referring to in his speech was attended by several Hindu religious leaders, who allegedly called upon the community to take up arms against Muslims as they gave a clarion call for a 'Hindu nation'. The three-day religious assembly was organised by Yati Narsinghanand, a controversial Hindutva figure known to make communal statements. Yati Narsinghanand reportedly said that "arming the Hindu brigade with bigger and better weapons" would be the "solution" against the "threat of Muslims."
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Indian govt's extradition efforts yield limited results in 2021 extradition verdict as well. Gherson points out the conclusion of the judge at the Westminster Court was based on the Indian government contending that loans from Indian banks "were premised on a conspiracy to commit fraud by way of fraudulent misrepresentation". London, December 24 (IANS): As 2021 draws to a close, the Narendra Modi government's efforts to extradite Indian businessmen from Britain for alleged fraud against Indian banks are yet to materialise. The failed deportation of Lieutenant (Retd) Ravi Shankaran, who was accused of stealing and selling classified information from the Indian Navy's war room, was not appealed against. Vijay Mallya, chairman of the now closed Kingfisher Airlines, who was ordered to be extradited by the British judiciary in 2019, is yet to be sent to India. Similarly, diamantaire Nirav Modi continues to fight a legal battle to avoid deportation. Unlike Mallya, though, he has been held in custody at south London's Wandsworth prison since his arrest in 2019. India and the UK had signed an extradition treaty in 1992. This was ratified the following year and has been in force since. Yet, only two individuals - one of them voluntarily - have been returned to India. British solicitor Gherson's comment is: "Chief among these bars to extradition has been the (UK) Court's obligation to ensure that extradition would be incompatible with the rights of an individual under the European Convention on Human Rights, codified in English law with the passing of the Human Rights Act, 1998." London's Westminster Magistrates' Court had ordered Mallya's extradition and this was upheld by the High Court of England. Gherson observes: "It
has been widely reported that Mallya has, however, lodged an asylum claim, which has resulted in the extradition request being put on hold for the time being." The High Court of England, which earlier in 2021 declared Mallya bankrupt at the instance of creditor Indian banks, will hear an appeal from him on the matter in the New Year. Legal circles in the British capital believe he is bound to bring to the notice of the court that assets seized from him by Indian investigators have been sold and money owed to the banks have been received by them. On July 26 last, Mallya had tweeted: "ED attached my assets worth (Rs) 14K crore at the behest of Govt Banks against debt of (Rs) 6.2K crore. They restore assets to banks which recover (Rs) 9K crore in cash and retain security over (Rs) 5K crore more. Banks ask the Court to make me bankrupt as they may have to return money to the ED. Incredible." Three days later, he posted on Twitter an Indian newspaper clipping which reported: "IDBI Bank said that it has recovered the entire dues pertaining to Kingfisher Airlines, which helped the lender report a 318 per cent jump in net profit for the quarter ended June 2021." In effect, the same court, which in a ruling prior to the bankruptcy order had expressed confidence that Mallya would be able to settle his debt, may now need to take into account the fact that the banks have actually recovered their lending. In other words, if it reverses its judgement, this could potentially have an impact on the
The fact is, Indian investigators have failed to establish a case in this respect against the then chairman and senior executives of IDBI Bank, who were named as being co-conspirators with Mallya. Nirav Modi, who too was ordered to be extradited, appealed against this on the grounds that his mental health is such that he is a suicide risk. This was heard on December 14 last. "He is at high risk of suicide already and his condition is likely to deteriorate further in Mumbai," Modi's barrister Edward Fitzgerald argued.
New Delhi, December 24 (IANS): India registered 6,650 new Covid cases and 374 deaths, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family welfare on December 24 morning. The tally of Omicron cases in the country rose to 358. With the addition of the new deaths, the toll has climbed to 4,79,133.
The Omicron infection tally has climbed to 358 across the nation. However, out of total Omicron positive, 114 have been discharged. So far 17 states have reported Omicron infection, said the Union health ministry. The recovery of 7,051 patients has
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Chandigarh, December 18 (IANS): A man was allegedly beaten to death on December 18 evening after he tried to desecrate the sacred Guru Granth Sahib at the Golden Temple in Amritsar. The youth, reportedly belonging to Uttar Pradesh, entered the restricted area and tried to pick up the sword kept in front of the Guru Granth Sahib. He was caught by security persons and was handed over to the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) office, where he was beaten to death.
IANS
Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot
The extradition request in this connection was rejected by the High Court of England in 2014. If there was no scope of an appeal, this does not appear to have been adequately explained. One newspaper claimed Shankaran earned a whopping sum from selling the stolen papers to armaments firms and dealers. The accused, said to be residing in London, could not be reached for a comment.
As per the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data, Rajasthan recorded the highest number of rape cases in the country in 2020 followed by Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh.
India's active caseload is presently at 77,516. Active cases constitute 0.22 per cent of the country's total positive cases, which is the lowest since March 2020.
With the administration of 57,44,652 vaccine doses, India's Covid inoculation coverage has reached 140.31 crore as of December 24 morning.
Also in the same period, a total of 11,65,887 tests were conducted across the country. India has so far conducted over 66.98 crore cumulative tests.
More than 17.97 crore balance and unutilised Covid vaccine doses are still available with the states and union territories to be administered, according to the health ministry as of December 24 morning.
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The police have admitted that the man was thrashed to death by the mob. However, the identity of the man is yet to be ascertained. "The man, about 20 to 25 years of age, jumped the fence. The people inside held him and escorted him out to the corridor where there was a violent altercation leading to his death," Parminder Singh Bhandal, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Amritsar, told the media.
Almost half the complaints of crime against women in Rajasthan are fake: Gehlot
In chasing high-profile, headlinemaking alleged fugitives for justice, the Government of India may have neglected the serious issue of pilferage of sensitive documents from the Indian Navy's war room by Shankaran.
The daily positivity rate stands at 0.57 per cent, which has also remained below 2 per cent for the last few days.
mob trying to break the gate of the SGPG office and raising slogans. Weapons were also visible in the crowd.
Videos of the incident show the
Significantly, the cases against them were registered when Britain was still a member state of the European Union (EU) and came under EU laws.
increased the cumulative tally to 3,42,15,977. Consequently, India's recovery rate stands at 98.40 per cent, highest since March 2020.
Meanwhile, the weekly positivity rate at 0.59 per cent has remained less than 1 percent for the last few days now.
Man beaten to death for trying to desecrate Guru Granth Sahib at Golden Temple
If Nirav Modi loses his appeal, he could still seek reviews at either the UK's Supreme Court, or the European Court of Human Rights. Mallya did not exercise these options.
India reports 6,650 new Covid cases, Omicron tally rises to 358
NEWS FROM INDIA
Jaipur, December 24 (IANS): Almost half the complaints of crime against women in Rajasthan are fake, said Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot in an email interview to IANS.
The crime data for 2020 released by the NCRB showed Rajasthan reported the highest number of rape cases among the states. A total of 5,310 rape cases were registered in various police stations across the state. However, the CM in an exclusive interview with IANS, said, "It is a matter of concern that a lot of people are maligning this policy. 45.88 per cent of the FIRs lodged for crimes against women in 2019, 45.23 per cent in 2020 and 47.56 per cent in 2021, till June, were found to be fake. This means that almost half the complaints received for crimes against women are fake. The state is being maligned due to people misusing the law in this manner. And you already know how FIRs are lodged in other states." He further said, "It is written at the beginning of the NCRB report that crime is a result of various circumstances prevailing in the society. We should avoid comparing states solely on the
basis of these figures due to various state specific policies and procedures. Some people make a mistake by assuming that increase in crime and increase in registration of crime are the same thing. The media and the Opposition are also making the same mistake. "Our government implemented the policy of mandatory registration of FIRs in 2019. Earlier, the police used to write a report on a blank paper and lodged an FIR when they found any evidence. But the women and the marginalised communities used to face trouble a lot of times due to this and they weren't heard. Now everyone's FIR is registered due to which every case is taken to its logical end. This has provided much relief to the common man. "Earlier, 33 per cent FIRs in rape cases were lodged through courts under CrPC section 156(3). Due to a policy of free registration, this figure is now just 15 per cent. Not just this, in 2019, our government set up a special unit for investigation of crimes against women under an officer of Deputy SP rank in every district -- this was promoted to Additional SP. Due to this, the investigation in heinous cases such as rape has decreased from 274 days in 2017-18 to 73 days. We have also appointed legal officers in courts and have made such an arrangement that the culprit isn't let off by the courts either. This is the reason why you keep reading in newspapers now that the accused is getting punishment in ten days or that a decision is being made within a month," he added. According to the NCRB data, the year 2020 was the second consecutive year when the state registered the highest number of rape cases. In 2019, around 5,997 rape cases were registered in various police stations of the state.
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Jan 1-15, 2022 - Vol 2, Issue 12
Australia to ramp up booster rollout amid surging Omicron infections IANS
"They now need to be ramped up again." State and territory leaders have pushed for the interval between the second and third vaccine doses to be reduced from five months, but Morrison said the final decision would be made by the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI). The national cabinet also agreed to reconsider testing requirements for interstate travel, with testing sites across the country swamped in the lead-up to the Christmas period, and to agree on a common definition of a "casual contact" of a positive case.
Canberra, December 22 (IANS): Prime Minister Scott Morrison has urged people to "stay calm and get boosted" amid surging coronavirus infections. Morrison on December 22 met state and territory leaders to discuss the rapid spread of the Omicron variant in Australia, Xinhua news agency reported. Following the meeting, he announced that one-quarter of the state-run vaccination hubs that closed after Australia got 80 per cent of its population fully
vaccinated against Covid will reopen to encourage booster shot uptake. "Omicron, we all agree, presents another new challenge, but we have faced so many challenges already during the course of this pandemic," Morrison told reporters. "As the country moves past 80 per cent, then we did see the demand at state-based clinics decline. And as a result, some of those facilities were withdrawn."
Australia on December 22 reported a record of more than 5,700 new locally acquired COVID-19 infections and eight deaths. The daily number of new cases kept rising in New South Wales to 3,763 on December 22, which is the highest number of daily COVID-19 infections recorded in the whole country. The Australian Capital Territory also reported a record of 58 new infections.
Australia cuts Covid booster shot interval Canberra, December 24 (IANS): In response to nationwide Omicron outbreaks, the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunization (ATAGI) on December 24 announced that from January 4, citizens aged 18 and over will be eligible to receive their Covid-19 booster shots four months after the second dose, down from five months currently. From the end of January, the recommended interval will be reduced again to three months, reports Xinhua news agency. The announcement came after state and territory leaders called for the interval to be slashed to curb the rapid spread of the Omicron variant across the country. Health Minister Greg Hunt said the changes mean 16 million Australians will be eligible for booster vaccines by the end of
January. "These dates have been set out of an abundance of caution to give Australians early continued protection and the advice we have is that the protection, as it is, is very strong against severe illness, but what we'll see is a much stronger protection against transmission," he told reporters. Pfizer and Moderna's mRNA vaccines are the only Covid-19 vaccines currently approved for use as boosters in Australia. Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Paul Kelly said protection for people who have had two vaccine doses will not disappear suddenly but that boosters would offer an extra level of security. "We know that unfortunately, two doses does not change that ability to become infected a great deal. Again it wanes over time," he said.
"That protection against infection is diminished against Omicron, that's quite clear, but again with a booster it goes back towards the same levels as Delta." Australia on December 24 morning reported a new record 9,113 Covid-19 infections and nine deaths, which increased the respective tallies to 282,584 and 2,182. The Australian Capital Territory recorded 102 new Covid-19 cases on December 24, the first day of triple-digit case numbers in the territory since the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020. South Australia, which reported a pandemic-high 688 new cases, has lifted a ban on the sale of rapid antigen tests (RATs) in a bid to relieve extreme pressure on testing sites in the lead-up to Christmas Day.
Australian hospitals 'well-equipped' to deal with Covid-19 outbreak: Health Minister Canberra, December 23 (IANS): Australia's hospital system is "well-equipped" to deal with the growing outbreak of Covid-19 cases, Health Minister Greg Hunt said on December 23. Australia reported a record of more than 8,000 coronavirus cases on December 23 -- an increase of about 45 per cent from the previous record set on December 22 -- and 11 more deaths, Xinhua news agency reported. Despite surging infections, Hunt
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said the Omicron variant was not significantly increasing the burden on intensive care units.
He said the number of patients in intensive care has grown by three to 112 in a week, while those on ventilators are unchanged at 54. "The hospital system is wellequipped," he said. As of December 22, 94.1 per cent of Australians aged 16 and above had received one vaccine dose and 90.9 per cent were fully inoculated.
More than 1.8 million Australians have had their third booster shot, with about 1,60,000 doses being administered per day. Anthony Albanese, the leader of the opposition Labor Party, on December 23 called for the minimum interval between second and third vaccine doses to be cut further from five months. "The third shot, as a protection against Omicron, is particularly important," he told Nine Network television.
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NEWS FROM AUSTRALIA
PM Morrison tests for Covid-19 following casual contact Sydney, December 15 (IANS): Prime Minister Scott Morrison tested for Covid-19 late December 14 after coming into a casual contact.
The testing followed his attendance at a school graduation ceremony in Sydney on December 10. A Covid case was later found to be among the 1,000-person event, Xinhua news agency reported. Morrison's office confirmed he was deemed a casual contact by New South Wales (NSW) authorities, but he has returned two negative Covid polymerase chain reaction tests since the event, and NSW Health and the Chief Medical Officer have
advised he is not required to stay in isolation.
The incident happened when the virus, including the new Omicron variant, is wreaking havoc again in NSW. The latest new daily case number jumped to 1,360 on December 15, an increase of more than 50 per cent compared to 804 on the previous day. Despite being identified as a casual contact, Morrison will travel on December 15 to the state of Queensland, which had closed its borders to NSW and Victoria for months due to concern over the spread of the virus, and has just reopened.
Former Australian cricketer Michael Slater arrested Sydney, December 15 (IANS): Former Australia cricketerturned-commentator Michael Slater has been arrested after he allegedly sent several text messages and made phone calls to the person he was charged with stalking and harassing in October 2021. The 51-year-old, who played 74 Tests and scored 5,000plus runs, was arrested by the New South Wales (NSW) Police for allegedly breaching an apprehended violence order (AVO) on December 15 morning after he "allegedly sent at least 66 text messages and made 18 phone calls to the complainant". A report in abc.net.au said on December 15 that, "Slater appeared at Manly Local Court via video link and crossed his arms on the screen as details of the alleged breach were revealed. The court was told that, during a two-and-a-half hour window on December 14 evening, Mr Slater allegedly sent at least 66 text messages and made 18 phone calls to the complainant." As per the report, the prosecutor termed the nature of the messages as "harassing and highly offensive". In October , Slater had appeared in court after he was "charged with stalking/intimidating" his partner of three years in an alleged incident. It was then reported that he was arrested "at his home in Manly, north of Sydney and taken to Manly police station". Officers attached to the Eastern Suburbs Police Area Command, NSW had then been quoted as saying by stuff.co.nz that Slater was "arrested and taken to Manly police station, where he was charged with use (of a) carriage service to menace/harass/offend and stalk/intimidate intend fear physical harm." On December 15, Slater's lawyer, James McLoughlin, was quoted as saying that his client suffered from an alcohol disorder and had been receiving treatment in hospital since he was originally
granted bail. "But he had relapsed and slipped up once," McLoughlin was quoted as saying. McLoughlin said that at the time Slater sent the messages and made phone calls, "the disorder was heavily at play". The lawyer pleaded that Slater be released on bail "with conditions including that he travel directly to his sister's house until a Northern Beaches Hospital bed was available". Slater was recently dropped from the Channel 7 commentary panel ahead of the 2021/22 season. The reason behind the non-renewal of Slater's contract was "budgetary constraints". There were reports that Slater's infamous tweets against Prime Minister Scott Morrison in May this year made a partial contribution to his exit from Channel 7. In a series of fierce tweets, Slater controversially accused Morrison of having 'blood on his hands' for preventing 40 Australian citizens participating in first half of IPL 2021 to return from India, where the second wave of COVID-19 infections put a halt to the tournament. "If our Government cared for the safety of Aussies they would allow us to get home. It's a disgrace! Blood on your hands PM. How dare you treat us like this. How about you sort out the quarantine system? I had government permission to work on the IPL but I now have government neglect," Slater had tweeted. His second tweet read, "Amazing to smoke out the PM on a matter that is a human crisis. The panic, the fear of every Australian in India is real!! How about you take your private jet and come and witness dead bodies on the street!"
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Moon seeks Australia's unflinching support for Korean Peninsula peace partnership and expressed hope for strengthened cooperation in future high-tech industries, among other areas. He also asked that the Labor Party take an interest in and support the Korean community's settlement and growth in Australia. Welcoming Moon, Albanese pledged to actively cooperate to further develop the two countries' relations based on their shared values of democracy and a market economy.
Sydney/Seoul, December 14 (IANS): Visiting South Korean President Moon Jae-in on December 14 met Australian opposition Labor Party leader Anthony Albanese and asked for the country's continued support for Seoul's efforts to bring lasting peace to the Korean Peninsula.
Moon and Albanese met in Sydney during the President's ongoing four-day state visit to the country, reports Yonhap News Agency. Moon noted that he and Prime Minister Scott Morrison agreed the previous day to elevate the bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic
He conveyed Australia's respect for Seoul's efforts until now to foster peace on the Korean Peninsula and expressed his enthusiastic support for the campaign for denuclearization and peace. Moon also met with local business people later in the day to discuss ways to secure stable supply chains of raw materials and critical minerals.
Moon, Morrison agree to continue cooperation for stable supply chain IANS
South Korean President Moon Jae-in
Canberra, December 13 (IANS): Visiting South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison on December 13 agreed to continue to work together to secure a stable supply chain of critical minerals as they met in Canberra for a summit. Australia is rich in resources and energy, including iron ore, coal and liquefied natural gas, and the leaders' agreement is expected to boost South Korea's competitiveness in the electric vehicle and secondary battery industries, which are crucial in the carbon-neutral era, according to the presidential palace in Seoul.
"This is an area where Australia and Korea are already working very closely together to build those reliable, trusted supply chains in these critical minerals and rare earths that we know will power the new energy economy and the global economy into the future," Morrison said at a joint press conference with Moon following the talks, which came as the Covid-19 pandemic has caused major disruptions to global supply chains. The leaders also agreed to upgrade the bilateral relationship to a comprehensive strategic partnership on the occasion of the 60th anniversary of formal diplomatic ties this year, reports Yonhap News Agency. Moon arrived in Canberra on December 12, becoming the first South Korean president to pay a state visit to Australia in 12 years. He is also the first foreign leader that the country has invited since the start of the pandemic, officials said. During their talks, Moon and Morrison agreed to partner in future industry areas related to carbon neutral technology and
the hydrogen economy. They also agreed to expand their countries' cooperation in defence, defence material, digital transformation and their response to the pandemic to contribute to regional stability, peace and prosperity. The leaders agreed on the importance of dialogue and diplomacy for complete denuclearisation and lasting peace on the peninsula. They also noted Australia's decision to allow visits by fully vaccinated South Koreans from December 15 and expressed hope that the move will lead to increased exchanges and business between the two countries. On the summit's sidelines, the two sides signed a contract under which the Australian Army will buy 30 units of the K-9 Thunder self-propelled howitzer and 15 units of the K-10 armored ammunition resupply vehicles from South Korea's Hanwha Defense. Moon later paid his respects at the Australian National Korean War Memorial.
Australian researchers discover key driver of kidney disease Canberra, December 22 (IANS): Australian researchers have discovered a genetic mutation that is a key driver of kidney disease.
implications for Tiwi Islanders.
In a study published on December 22, researchers from several Australian institutions led by Australian National University (ANU) sequenced the genome of patients with autoimmune kidney disease and Indigenous Australians with high rates of kidney disease.
The islands' Aboriginal population of approximately 2,500 has the highest recorded rates of kidney disease in the world.
They found that a mutation in the gene VANGL1 is a major risk factor in developing kidney disease, Xinhua news agency reported. Approximately 15 percent of people have the mutation which, when coupled with an inflammatory disease, permits damage to the kidney. Simon Jiang, lead author of the study from ANU's College of Health and Medicine, said the finding could have major
Parents can now call and book a Covid-19 vaccination slot for their children, with appointments available from January 10 next 2022, reports Xinhua news
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agency. Rachel Stephen-Smith, the Australian Capital Territory's Health Minister, said though young children are "less likely to suffer the more severe effects of Covid-19", there had been transmission among children throughout the pandemic. "I know many Canberra parents are very keen to get their children
vaccinated so they are better protected from the effects of Covid-19," she said in a statement. "The Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine for five to 11 year-olds has been approved and recommended as a safe and effective vaccine, but if parents and carers have questions about Covid-19 vaccinations for their children, they should talk to their trusted health professional."
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The Tiwi Islands consist of two inhabited and nine uninhabited islands off Australia's north coast in the Timor Sea.
"This discovery has big implications for Tiwi Islanders," Jiang said in a media release. "Their rates are four times the rates of other mainland Indigenous Australians and about 11 times that of non-Indigenous Australians," Jiang said, adding that this mutation is highly prevalent in Tiwi Islanders who have high rates of kidney disease. Figures from the Australian health authorities suggested that about one in 10 Australian adults show some signs of chronic kidney disease. There were 16,800 CKDrelated deaths in Australia in 2018.
Further curbs to protect Indigenous communities from Covid Canberra, December 21 (IANS): The Australian government has imposed restrictions to protect remote Indigenous communities from Covid-19, Minister for Health Greg Hunt announced on December 21. In his announcement, Hunt said he has made a determination under the Biosecurity Act banning people from entering or exiting the community of Ali Curung in the Northern Territory (NT), reports Xinhua news agency. The announcement came after Australia reported more than 4,000 Covid cases on December 21 morning. The intervention was requested by the NT government after Ali Curung, 378 km north of Alice Springs in the Barkly Region of central Australia, was placed under lockdown after a resident tested positive for coronavirus on December 19. "These measures are based on the medical advice from the Chief Medical Officer, Professor Paul Kelly and will help to contain the current outbreak by restricting entry into and exit from these communities," Hunt said in a statement. "This will assist in preventing
Vax bookings open for kids aged 5-11 in Canberra Canberra, December 20 (IANS): Bookings for children aged between five-11 to get Covid-19 vaccinations in Australia's capital Canberra opened on December 20.
NEWS FROM AUSTRALIA
the spread of the disease, including to neighbouring remote communities in the Northern Territory." Both Ali Curung and the nearby town of Tennant Creek remained in lockdown until December 22 afternoon at the earliest. The face mask mandate in the wider Barkly Region was also extended until December 22. However, a leading Aboriginal health clinic has called for a hard lockdown across the vast region, citing the low vaccination rate among Indigenous Australians. Till date, only 34 percent of Ali Curung residents were fully vaccinated against the virus. Barb Shaw, CEO of the Anyinginyi Health Aboriginal Corporation, said a hard region-wide lockdown was the only guaranteed way to restrict movement. "Anyinginyi is right behind AMSANT (Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory) with its call to lock down the major communities throughout the Barkly, and absolutely agree this is the only way to move to contain people movement," she told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. The Conversations
Australia reported close to 4,000 Covid-19 infections across the country on December 20, amid a continued surge in the number of fresh cases and hospitalisations. Since the onset of the pandemic in early 2020, the country has reported a total of 254,633 coronavirus cases and 2,146 deaths.
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NEWS FROM VICTORIA
Victorians urged to celebrate Testing changes to New Year’s Eve safely focus on highestrisk Victorians
Melbourne, December 31: Victorians are being urged to celebrate the new year responsibly, with the Andrews Labor Government working closely with Victoria Police, emergency services and local councils to ensure everyone can ring in 2022 safely.
Minister for Police Lisa Neville today joined City of Melbourne Lord Mayor Sally Capp, Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Rick Nugent and emergency services agencies to outline the extra precautions that will be in place to ensure festivities across the state are safe. In Melbourne’s CBD, four ticketed Celebration Zones will be set up at Docklands, Flagstaff Gardens, Alexandra Gardens and Treasury Gardens to help manage crowds and adhere to health and safety requirements.
There will be no rooftop fireworks as part of the city celebrations – fireworks will only be visible from the ticketed celebration zones, and the full allocation of 42,000 free tickets has been exhausted. Police will be out in force across Victoria this New Year’s Eve, with uniform and plain clothes officers carrying out extra patrols throughout the night, targeting anti-social behaviour, violence and drink and drug driving. Police will be using specialist squads where needed, including the water police, mounted branch, operations response unit, public order response team and air wing. Mobile Protective Services Officers (PSOs) will be on trains and trams and at train stations around the Melbourne CBD and in key areas across the state including Geelong,
Ballarat, Frankston, Bendigo and Traralgon.
Police will also have a strong presence on Victoria’s roads, targeting motorists who are drug and alcohol affected, speeding, driving dangerously, on their phones or distracted. Businesses are required to provide a COVIDSafe environment for their workers and customers, with the Government’s Industry Engagement and Enforcement Operation continuing to check compliance across the state during this busy period. New Year’s Eve in the city is being delivered through the $100 million Melbourne City Recovery Fund – a joint partnership between the City of Melbourne and the Victorian Government.
Virtual power plants delivering solar benefits for all
Melbourne, December 24: The Andrews Labor Government continues to power towards a clean energy future, with a new virtual power plant pilot program designed to maximise Victoria’s booming household solar network. Virtual power plants enable households with solar batteries to share their unused, clean energy with fellow Victorians, while saving on their own power bills. Solar Victoria will oversee the two-year pilot, which is capped at 2000 rebates. Households that sign up to the pilot before 30 June next year and install a battery will receive a rebate of $4,174 subject to eligibility criteria. Four approved providers – Reposit, Sonnen, QCells and Mondo – have signed on to deliver the program. Participants will be paid for excess energy, which means increased bill savings for them and boosted grid reliability for everyone else. Each
Melbourne, December 31: Victoria will operationalise isolation and testing requirements for COVID-19 cases and contacts recommended by National Cabinet yesterday, with new pandemic orders taking effect from 11:59pm last night. The orders are an extension of Victoria’s current settings, which reduced the isolation burden for many when they were introduced in November and defined a household (or close) contact as someone who lives with a case or has spent four or more hours with them in a house, care facility or accommodation. Under the new orders Victorians who test positive to COVID-19 must isolate for seven days from the date of their test. This is reduced from 10 days. The orders also mean a change in the way Victorians access PCR tests. PCR tests in Victoria will now be available for anyone who has symptoms and anyone who has tested positive on a Rapid Antigen Test (RAT). Under the new orders, household contacts who do not have symptoms must use a Rapid Antigen Test on Day 1 and Day 6 of their isolation period and household contacts who are symptomatic must have a PCR test on Day 1 – if they’re negative, they then use a RAT on Day 6 of
approved program offers different incentives, such as discounts on hardware, reduced energy bills or regular compensation for taking part. Some are available statewide, while others are tailored to a specific region. Under the terms of the contracts, the amount of energy shared and the amount left in the battery
their isolation period. For these contacts, if a RAT is not available, a PCR can be used instead. If people who do not have symptoms cannot access a RAT test, they can seek a PCR for their day 1 or day 6 test. Contacts can release themselves from isolation on Day 7 with a negative result on these tests. Out of caution, household contacts are strongly recommended to use RATs on other days, too – and must get a PCR test if symptoms emerge or if they test positive on a RAT. All other contacts, like social, workplace and education contacts who have symptoms are required to get a PCR test and isolate until their result, just like any Victorian. If these contacts don’t have symptoms, they are strongly recommended to use a RAT every day for five days. If people cannot access a RAT test, they should monitor for symptoms and seek a PCR if symptoms emerge. international travellers will now have the option of completing a RAT on arrival and day 5-7 instead of a PCR test, and they will not be required to isolate. Anyone who is symptomatic or returns a positive RAT is required to get a PCR test and isolate until the results are known.
for household use, along with compensation, is agreed upon up front. The pilot follows a $47. 4 million investment in the Victorian Budget 2020/21 to meet increased demand for Solar Homes battery rebates, increasing the number of rebates available from 10,000 over seven years to 18,500 rebates over four years.
Govt backing world-leading research into COVID-19 treatments Melbourne, December 23: The Andrews Labor Government is backing Victorian research into new coronavirus treatment, including a nasal spray medication that envelops the virus and reduces household transmission.
Monash University have received $4. 2 million to establish a sixmonth clinical trial, developed in collaboration with Oxford University, of a heparin-based nasal spray to be used in households where a person has coronavirus.
Acting Minister for Innovation, Medical Research and the Digital Economy Mary-Anne Thomas today announced $13. 3 million in grants for seven research projects examining a range of coronavirus treatment options. University of Melbourne and
The second most widely used drug in the world and primarily prescribed as a blood-thinner to treat or prevent blood clots, heparin forms the base of the nasal spray treatment which is already being hailed as a success for its easy administration,
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stability at room temperature and global availability. The IntraNasalHEpaRin Trial (INHERIT) will be led by the Northern Hospital, using the Covid (Oximetry) Monitoring and Early Treatment (COMET) platform that has enabled researchers to access and treat patients within 24 hours of their diagnosis, speeding up treatment and providing remote patient monitoring through portable oximeter devices that measure oxygen levels in blood. Other research projects receiving
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funding include $2 million for a Walter and Eliza Hall Institute trial of antiviral cocktails for immunocompromised patients unable to receive coronavirus vaccines, and $1. 8 million for a Burnet Institute study on a suite of biological medications that could neutralise and kill virusinfected cells. For the full list, go to djpr. vic. gov. au/medical-research/initiatives/ covid-19-research. In the past year, the Labor Government has invested more than $590 million in medical research – including
up to $400 million for a new Australian Institute of Infectious Disease to lead the fight against future pandemics. Clinical trials held in Victoria contribute more than $300 million annually to the state’s economy. Last week, Victorian scientists and manufacturers reached a major milestone, unveiling Australia’s first mRNA COVID-19 vaccine candidate after a research period of just five months. Clinical trials will commence in early 2022.
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NEWS FROM VICTORIA
New airline lands at Melbourne as international travel picks up students from Vietnam. Around 8,000 Vietnamese students are currently enrolled at Victorian institutions – one of the largest international student populations in Victoria.
Melbourne, December 17: The Andrews Labor Government is backing tourism and trade by supporting the first new international airline to commence flights to and from Melbourne since the pandemic. Minister for Industry Support and Recovery and Minister for Trade Martin Pakula welcomed the arrival of Vietnam’s Bamboo Airways to Melbourne Airport. Bamboo Airways will commence services in April 2022, and its Australian headquarters will be based in Melbourne.
City from 1 April 2022, which will soon increase to four times a week. It will also seek to commence non-stop air services between Melbourne and the Vietnamese capital Hanoi in 2022. The new flights will help strengthen Victoria’s trade links with Vietnam. Prior to the pandemic, an estimated 53,500 visitors to Victoria were from Vietnam, which was nearly half of all travellers from Vietnam to Australia in 2019.
The airline plans to commence twice-weekly services between Melbourne and Ho Chi Minh
Visitor numbers from Vietnam to Victoria grew by an average of 27 per cent each year between 2014 and 2019. Melbourne is also a popular study destination for
Melbourne, December 23: Victorian business and industry will be encouraged to help kickstart investment in Zero Emissions Vehicles and reduce the transport sector’s carbon footprint as part of a plan to reach net zero emissions by 2050.
The Andrews Labor Government today opened expressions of interest for a new $5 million Zero Emissions Vehicles Commercial Sector Innovation Fund as part of an $100 million package to accelerate the transition to cleaner vehicles. Business will
Vietnam is one of Victoria’s top ten export markets with goods exports valued at $695 million in 2020-21, which is a 31 per cent increase in value compared to the previous year. Further signalling our dedication to Vietnam as an important economic partner, the Victorian Government has a new trade and investment office in Ho Chi Minh City. The new services by Bamboo Airways follows another major announcement earlier in the month by Qantas, which announced a new passenger route from Melbourne to Delhi starting on 22 December. Victoria’s international aviation sector directly employs 6,700 people and supports thousands of other jobs throughout the supply chain.
Grants to drive zero emissions future drive the scheme, with the best, most innovative and costeffective proposals attracting funding to boost Zero Emissions Vehicle purchases in commercial settings. Commercial vehicles currently account for about 36 per cent
of transport sector emissions in Victoria and the Fund will provide targeted support to encourage businesses to invest in Zero Emission Vehicles technology by offering grants to eligible applicants. Fleet vehicles in particular offer a great opportunity for ZEV innovation. ZEVs can deliver operational savings for fleet owner/operators, and because fleets make up around 50% of new car sales, transitioning Victoria’s fleets to ZEVs will really help to reduce our transport emissions. The CSIF will further encourage the uptake of ZEV technology in commercial settings including the commercial passenger vehicle, freight, service-sector and infrastructure industries. Grants will be available through an Expression of Interest (EOI) process. A wide range of innovative proposals will be welcomed, including trials of ZEV technology with specific commercial uses, such as
wheelchair-accessible vehicles, vehicle-charging infrastructure and development and training that will accelerate the industry’s transition to Zero Emission Vehicles. Earlier this year, the Labor Government announced that Volgren will build zero and low emissions buses for the new Metropolitan Bus Franchise, Kinetic, which will create more than 60 new jobs in Melbourne’s south-east. The Government also recently announced the $20 million Zero Emission Bus Project to support the transition to zero emissions buses and has already funded a Zero Emissions Vehicle subsidy program and more charging infrastructure across Melbourne and regional Victoria. An Expert Advisory Panel has also been established to advise the Government on what additional new policies, programs and investments are required to successfully reduce Victoria’s transport emissions.
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WISH YOU A SUCCESSFUL, HEALTHY AND FULFILLING
Happy New Year 391, WICKHAM TERRACE, SPRINGHILL, QLD 4000 WWW.IAIE.ORG.AU www.indianews.com.au
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Nov 1-15, 2020 - Vol 1, Issue 9
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Jan 1-15, 2022 - Vol 2, Issue 12
COMMUNITY NEWS
Life changing opportunities for multicultural Australians in the care and support sector
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ulticultural Australians are being encouraged to consider a career in care and support, including disability, aged care and veterans’ support. Culturally and Linguistically Diverse people offer unique skills, experience and cultural understanding, enabling high quality care, particularly where there is shared language or cultural backgrounds. The national advertising campaign, entitled A Life Changing Life, highlights the rewarding, varied and long term job opportunities available across the sector. As part of the Morrison Government’s Care and Support Workforce Package announced in the 2020-21 Budget, the campaign aims to attract 140,000 workers to the sector by 2024 and includes activities such as community and stakeholder engagement, to help employers in the sector to find excellent candidates from diverse backgrounds. Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme Senator the Hon Linda Reynolds CSC said that with thousands of jobs available around the country, now was a perfect time to apply. “If you are a people person looking for a meaningful and fulfilling job, or career, this is the perfect opportunity – especially in regional and remote locations
where I have seen firsthand, the need for more care and support workers,” Minister Reynolds said. “Real people are at the heart of this campaign. Everyone featured is an actual worker making a difference to people’s lives, as well as their own, through working in the care and support sector.” The sector also offered flexible work options and on-the-job training. “Mentoring, peer support and career options to suit different lifestyles are just some of the benefits of working in the sector,” Minister Reynolds said. Minister for Immigration, Citizenship, Migrant Services and Multicultural Affairs, the Hon Alex Hawke said culturally and linguistically diverse Australians are a great asset to the care sector. “We know that people with language skills and from diverse cultural backgrounds are valued in the care sector, bringing an extra layer of comfort and care for those with similar experiences and backgrounds,” Minister Hawke said. Minister for Senior Australians and Aged Care Services Senator the Hon. Richard Colbeck said older Australians whose English was not perfected, would welcome the opportunity of
speaking in their first language. “We know that older members of the community can often feel isolated in aged care if they cannot converse readily with staff and other residents,” Minister Colbeck said. “The opportunity to have staff members with whom they could converse in their language of choice would be most welcome.” Mohammad Al-Khafaji, CEO of the Federation of Ethnic Communities’ Council of Australia, said the care and support sector offered great opportunities for multicultural Australians who want to pursue meaningful careers. “Multicultural experiences are a significant asset in care and support work. Many fulfilling relationships between workers and clients are built on their similar backgrounds and values,” Mr Al-Khafaji said.
ARE YOU READY FOR A LIFE CHANGING LIFE?
The care and support sector is one of the fastest growing sectors in Australia and is now hiring. There are jobs available right now in aged care, disability and veterans’ support. There is a wide range of roles and opportunities for people with diverse skills, experiences, and backgrounds. Speaking a language other than English is also a big advantage in the sector. A key reason people work in the sector is the warm and mutually beneficial relationships they develop with the people they support. Each day is different – you might be helping someone with chores around the house one day and attending a social event with them the next. By empowering older people, people with disabilities and veterans to live their lives fully and independently, you will build strong and meaningful connections that will change lives, including your own.
“Diverse language skills and cultural knowledge can help to secure a meaningful job in a rapidly growing and essential industry.” For more in-language information about the care and support sector, and to learn about meaningful work that makes a difference, visit careandsupportjobs.gov.au/ resources/translated-resources.
There are many pathways into care and support work – you can earn while you learn, and you may be able to get help to pay for your training. Other benefits include flexible work, mentoring, peer support, and supporting or caring for clients who are a good match for you. For in-language information on the care and support sector, visit
careandsupportjobs.gov.au/resources/translated-resources
Planting the seeds for growth – Indy’s disability support story
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oving from India and becoming a disability support worker wasn’t where Indy expected he’d end up. But after jobs in horticulture and then in the police force, he realised it was exactly where he was supposed to be. While it might seem an unexpected career path, Indy says his previous work experience has led him to where he is now. “In horticulture, I was working in disability residential accommodation and recovery places, which is when I realised how important it is for people to have greenery around them. I regularly met people with disability there,” he says. “Then, the police force. It was a big change but something I always wanted to try. I worked there for five years, and again had many interactions with people with disability. I wanted to try and understand and help them as much as I could, but it was hard to provide support in that role.” It was then that Indy decided
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disability support was what he wanted to do. He started studying community services through TAFE. “I was studying full time while working part time in the police force. I really enjoyed the course and started working in the care and support sector so I could get a feel for what it involved,” says Indy. While he was studying, Indy found work supporting a person with disability who lived nearby. He jumped at the opportunity to gain experience while studying. “This person had had a stroke and needed support to look after their health. It was a really eye-opening time for me – that you could be supporting anyone, from any walk of life,” says Indy. That work took Indy somewhere he didn’t imagine a role in support would – overseas. “My client told me he was going on a trip with his family and he wanted to bring me along. We went to the Pacific Islands in Tonga – I would never have gone there on my own, it was amazing,” he says.
“When I was getting into the care and support sector, I saw job ads talking about how you could travel but I didn’t really think it would happen. I couldn’t believe it!” Indy has now been working in the care and support sector for a couple of years. He’s just started in a coordinator role, which means he looks after the rostering of disability support workers to people with disability. “Some people with disability require two support staff, some from morning to night, while others need sleepover staff – so there are lots of things you need to consider,” says Indy. “Then if there aren’t support staff available, or if someone can’t get to a shift for whatever reason, I jump in and do the shifts so I’m still getting that face-to-face time with people with disability,” he says. It’s a varied, dynamic role. One that offers Indy a clear path forward. “I see myself moving up to become a client services manager, then a senior client services
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manager. At one point I thought it might be a good idea to start my own business in the care and support sector, but who knows?” he says. “I’m planning on going on to do a Diploma of Community Services after my certificate to keep on learning. The organisation I’m
working with really values growth and helps you with further study if you want it.” For a career like Indy’s, where you’ll continue to grow and be supported while making a genuine difference, consider working in the care and support sector.
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COMMUNITY NEWS
BSK hosts Mega Awards Night post Annual Multicultural Cup
B
risbane Super Kings, Brisbane’s South-based firstever Multicultural Cricket Club, celebrated Mega Awards Night at Calamvale State School on December 5. The Mega Ceremony was attended by more than 250 people all together with players, parents, match officials, coaches, Queensland Cricket representatives, sponsors, community leaders, and many more dignitaries, above all Special Guest of Honour Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner and Lady Mayoress, who witnessed and supported the 9th Annual BSK Awards Night. Speaking at the event, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner congratulated all the award winners and praised Brisbane Super Kings for yet another remarkable season full of cricket and entertainment. The objective of the tournament was to build new friendships, share cultures and increase the network while having fun.
Cricket Since 2012. This competition was a success, where 24 local teams from different backgrounds participated, and games were played at 17 different venues, providing public with non-stop entertainment for 12 weeks through live updates for every game played and live streaming on YouTube. The tournament was an interesting and nail-biting experience for the audience as well, as this season was the most followed and talked about local tournament with more than 42.3 K views on dedicated live scoring application, a sure proof of an astounding love from local cricket lovers.
Team UICC claimed the winner’s title for this year after defeating Brissy Bulls by 73 runs. Team Kalinga Tigers South was endowed with the 'Fair Play Award', given for representing the true spirit of the game. As a tradition, to showcase the pathway of quality cricket and sportsmanship spirit, an exhibition game was played between the Seniors BSK T20 squad under skipper JK and BSK Warehouse team under Karampal Singh. Every year, cricketers in Queensland look forward to the annual BSK cup and participate with passion and love for the game.
The event, which was supported by Brisbane City Council, acknowledged all the players from BSK club: 10 junior teams, including two girls teams and two senior teams. The grassroots participation from girls revealed that cricket as a sport is unbiased. With the support of multicultural community leaders, the event was officially managed by lead organiser Sathish Rajendran, who has been appointed as 'Sports for All Community Ambassador' by Cricket Australia and Queensland
Christmas lunch organised by IWIA
T
he Indian Women in Australia (IWIA) had a wonderful time celebrating Christmas 2021. The all-female group organised a Christmas lunch on this special occasion. IWIA is a platform for Indianorigin women. Every year, they host a Christmas lunch to meet, form networks, and exchange experiences aimed at strengthening women in all aspects of their lives. The South Asian Community Link Group (SACLG) collaborates with them closely, and the delegates expressed their delight at being a part of such a wonderful event. The aforementioned programme drew over 150 people from all areas of life and all ages, and the forum gave a terrific opportunity for interaction, networking, and sharing experiences. Certificates of appreciation were presented to women who had played key roles in the activities, as well as sponsors who supported them. Children aged five to seven demonstrated their abilities in the event’s quiz and dancing games.
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Windsor community welcomes opening of new park
W
indsor family now has a new public place from December 20, 2021, with a previously flood-prone location reborn as a 16,000 square metre park. This new park, the third in as many years for the inner north, is part of Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner’s aim to build more parks around the city. While the Federal Government and MP Trevor Evans offered cash to Brisbane City Council to help create this beautiful playground, Councillor Andrew Wines advocated on behalf of the community.
SACLG admires Reena A Rana’s leadership in combining the voices of all Victoria women against domestic violence and the issues they confront. SACLG also intends to collaborate with them on a women’s empowerment project in 2022.
The grand opening of Windsor’s new park on December 19, 2021, drew a large crowd. This project
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resulted in the construction of a new 7-hectare green field for the neighbourhood as well as a oneof-a-kind customised playground. This is another evidence of the Schrinner Council’s dedication to provide the best parks for the community. A dry stream bed for naturebased play is included, as well as a durable rubber under-surfacing that provides immense protection against fall. The equipment was designed specifically for the site to withstand flooding. A 1.2m high playground fence runs around the perimeter of the playground. Around the park, around 1500 ground cover plants, 70 shrubs, and 90 trees have been planted.
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COMMUNITY NEWS
Jim Varghese AM honored with India Champion Award Brisbane, 22 December: The Institute for Australia India Engagement hosted a dinner in conjunction with India News on 22 December to felicitate Mr Jim Varghese AM, National Chair, Australia India Business Council with the India Champion Award for his stellar leadership and outstanding community, government and business engagement accomplishments, and appointment as the Chancellor of Torrens University. On the occasion, along with Mr Jim Varghese, Dr Maha Sinnathamby, Chairman Springfield City Group was also felicitated for his unending support over the years for community and business initiatives. On behalf of India News Dr Ram Mohan Chairman and on behalf of IAIE, Dr Ashutosh Misra CEO, extended the collective gratitude of the distinguished attendees who included Mr Tony Denholder, partner Ashurst; Mr Samir Vora, COO Bravus, Prof Shaun Star Member of the IAIE Board, Mr Steve Illidge CEO, Fight4Balance; Dr Neeraj Khanna convenor, Indian Medical Association and Dr Yash Khanna.
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Dr Ram Mohan, Dr Maha Sinnathamby, Mr Jim Varghese and Dr Ashutosh Misra
Dr Ram Mohan felicitating Dr Maha Sinnathamby
Distinguished guests with the two leaders
Mr Jim Varghese addressing the guests
Perth celebrates Chariot Festival of India
Dr Ram Mohan, Mr Tony Denholder, Mr Samir Vora, Dr Ashutosh Misra, Dr Neeraj Khanna, Dr Neeraj Khanna, and seated-Mr Stephen Illidge and Prof. Shaun Star
Mr Stephen Illidge, Dr Ashutosh Misra and Prof Shaun Star presenting the India Champion Award to Mr Jim Varghese
Dance, marches through Forrest Place with the possibility to also pull the Chariot, Kirtan Meditation, live music performances, Spiritual Books & Gift Shop, Henna Art, Face Painting, and much more were among the various activities at the Perth Festival in 2021. The event, which offered free admission as well as complimentary food and refreshments to all attendees, drew throngs of individuals with their families and friends. Ratha-yatra, or the Festival of Chariots, has been held in India’s sacred city of Jagannatha Puri for thousands of years, and more recently in cities around the world, including the streets of London, Paris, Sydney, Tokyo, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and New York’s renowned Fifth Avenue.
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Jagannatha is another name for Krishna, and it refers to the Lord’s ecstatic form with huge eyes and rough features, which
is carried on a massive chariot during the festival and venerated in an old temple in Jagannath Puri’s centre.
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COMMUNITY NEWS
Indian External Affairs Councillor Owen Ministry organises 2nd applauds BSK on Vajpayee memorial lecture its success On December 24, 2021, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) hosted the second Atal Bihari Vajpayee Lecture. Dr Michael Fullilove, Executive Director of the Lowy Institute of Australia, gave the talk. The event was chaired by the Foreign Secretary, and the speech was titled “Australia, India, and the IndoPacific: The Need for Strategic Imagination.” This is the second edition of the lecture series, which was established in honour of the late Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee, former Indian Prime Minister and External Affairs Minister.
Shri Vajpayee was a key figure in creating India’s foreign policy, and this memorial speech is a high-profile event organised by the MEA to honour his efforts. Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee introduced policy corrections that reflected the end of the Cold War and the new global balance, said External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on December 24, and that the former Prime Minister sought a modus vivendi with China based as much on mutual respect as on mutual interest. He also remarked that the IndoPacific area is where the winds of
change are most obvious, and that Vajpayee’s diplomatic innovation should be employed most forcefully there.
Brisbane Lord Mayor’s carols add to the fun of Christmas celebrations
The Brisbane Lord Mayor’s Christmas carols were like icing on the cake as part of the 2021 Christmas celebrations. With Bluey, Sheppard, Kate MillerHeidke, Troy Cassar-Daley, and, of course, the man in red gracing Riverstage to help spread the festive cheer across our city, this year’s programme was one of the
greatest ever. Being a member of the small red company’s very first Lord Mayor’s Christmas Carols in Brissie, for Brisbane City Council, was pure fun and a tremendous delight. It was a joy to watch Naomi Price, Rachael Rigg, and their top-notch crew conjure up a massive and amazing item with thousands of
Alex Van den Broek deserves special recognition for organising such a beautiful and fun event. The event was also broadcast on Channel 9 on December 19th.
From the 13th to the 16th of December, the Forest Lake State High School in High St. Forest Lake hosted a school holiday camp. The head coach for the School Holidays Volleyball Camp 2021 was Steven Burton, a Level 3 coach. Steven has coached Queensland Junior Teams for over 20 years and has twice served as an assistant coach for Australian Junior teams.
Steven has visited all of Queensland’s current clinics at
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high schools and elementary schools.
have supported our cricketers - you do an amazing job.Thank you also to the businesses who sponsor the junior teams- we value your ongoing support.” Cricket is always intended to be a team sport, but the relationship it fosters among communities is always admirable. BSK has played an important role in this regard by hosting cricketing events and competitions on a regular basis. The Councillor demonstrated BSK’s unique position in Australian society by praising them for their contributions to society.
moving pieces. The Christmas spirit came alive in all those who attended the event, and it was more contagious than Omicron.
Holidays camp for school children organised in Queensland
He’s also the host of Queensland Volleyball’s Coaching and Refereeing courses.
Councillor Angela Owens recently expressed her congratulations and best wishes to the Brisbane Super Kings (BSK) cricket players on a fantastic year. She commented, “As part of a young and developing club you are great junior ambassadors for our local community. Supporting young people in our local community to develop their skills in their chosen sport also enhances lifelong values of teamwork, sportsmanship, respect and self discipline. A special thanks to all of the BSK committee, coaches, managers and volunteers who
Christmas fundraiser event by GOPIO Queensland GOPIO Queensland held a Christmas benefit luncheon on December 12th, 2021, from 12 - 3 p.m. at Saffron Indian Gourmet to raise funds for victims of domestic and family violence.
Devang Patel Photography and venue decorator Varsha Badhe. Anya Gupta, a Queensland Police Service spokeswoman, and JohnPaul Langbroek were among the invited visitors.
The luncheon was sponsored by Choice The Discount Store, while other contributors included
A total of $3207 was raised for domestic and family violence victims.
participants had a great time and gained a lot of valuable skills.
The Volleyball Camp 2021
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COMMUNITY NEWS
IAIE signs MoU With Bennett University in India Brisbane/Noida, December 15: The Institute for Australia India Engagement (IAIE) signed an MoU with the Bennett University in India. The MoU was signed by Dr Prabhu Aggarwal - Vice Chancellor, Bennett University and Dr Ashutosh Misra - CEO,
IAIE to bolster institutional cooperation, research collaboration, joint programs and student internship opportunities. Other key persons who attended the virtual ceremony were Mr. Rohit Sharma, Chief Manager, Career Services Centre; Mr.
Sudhanshu Varma, Chief Operating Officer, Bennett University; Colonel Guljit Singh Chadha, Registrar; Dr. Nuzhat Parveen Khan, School of Law, Bennett University and Prof Shaun Star, IAIE Board member.
Free food distributed in Brisbane by Seva Dharma Mission On December 22, Seva Dharma Mission delivered free food at the Adra Community Centre car lot in Woodridge, Brisbane, providing relief to the underprivileged, disabled, and low-income community members.
Apples, bananas, zukini, semolina, sweet potato, avocado, and a variety of breads were among the fresh fruits, vegetables, and basic necessities supplied to them. Anyone interested in volunteering
or contributing should contact Dada at 0422 823 341. Every second Saturday of the month at 11.45 a.m., the mission serves lunch at Loganlea Community Centre.
Punjab-origin realtor, scientist honoured with Order of Canada
Toronto, Dec 30: Two IndoCanadians -- top realtor Bob Dhillon of Calgary and clean energy scientist V.I. Lucky Lakshmanan of Mississauga -- have been honoured with the Order of Canada.
relations”.
The two are among 39 persons who have been honoured with the Order of Canada by Governor General Mary Simon.
One of the richest IndoCanadians, Dhillon comes from a family from Tallewal village near Barnala in Punjab.
The award citation says Dhillon has been awarded for “his achievements in business, and for his unwavering commitment to philanthropy and higher education”, and Lakshmanan for “his philanthropy and for his expertise in hydrometallurgy and business, which have greatly benefited his profession, community and Canada-India
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Dhillon, who founded the real estate group Mainstream Equity, is the biggest landlord in Canada in the mid-segment rental market today. His group owns more than 15,000 units across the country.
Lakshmanan is an internationally renowned clean energy scientist and innovator in sustainable development. Born in Chennai, he went to the UK for higher studies and came to Canada in 1974. He founded Process Research ORTECH which is a global leader in sustainable process technologies.
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WORLD NEWS
AstraZeneca claims its antibody drug Pfizer's Covid pill to be Evusheld can fight Omicron variant launched in about 6-8 months IANS
IANS
London, December 24 (IANS): British-Swedish drugmaker AstraZeneca has announced that its antibody drug 'Evusheld' is effective against the new vaccine evading Omicron variant of Covid-19. The finding is based on alive virus neutralisation data from University College Oxford, UK, and Washington University School of Medicine, US, which showed that Evusheld (tixagevimab copackaged with cilgavimab) retains neutralisation activity against the Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variant (B.1.1.529), the company said in a statement. While the Omicron variant was not in circulation during the Evusheld clinical trials, the company added that it is
continuing to collect further data to better understand the implications of this data in clinical practice. The findings from both studies were posted online on preprint server bioRxiv, and not peer-reviewed yet.
antibody neutralisation studies.
In early December, the US Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorisation (EUA) to Evusheld -- an injectable monoclonal antibody cocktail of tixagevimab co-packaged with cilgavimab -- for Covid-19 among people with weakened immune systems. It is the first antibody treatment against Covid-19 that has won an EUA from the drug regulator.
"Consistent data across three independent studies now provide confidence that Evusheld -- a combination of two highly potent antibodies -- retains neutralising activity against the Omicron variant at a level that will continue to provide benefit to patients," said Mene Pangalos, Executive Vice-President, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, AstraZeneca.
According to the researchers, the levels of neutralising potency are within the range of titres found in individuals who have been previously infected with and recovered naturally from Covid-19. The data were generated from laboratory testing using actual live viruses isolated from individuals who contracted the Omicron variant of Covid-19 -considered a 'gold standard' for
Evusheld is one of only two antibody therapies authorised for use that showed neutralising activity against Omicron and against all other variants of concern in these two studies.
"Evusheld is now available to help protect vulnerable populations, such as the immunocompromised, who are unable to mount an adequate response to vaccination and remain at high-risk of Covid-19," Pangalos added. Besides the US, Evusheld has also won approval from drug authorities in other countries, including France and Italy.
Will 'double down' on boosting India's security, deterring aggression: US envoy nominee of our major defence partnership". Nominees for ambassadorships and other senior administration jobs have to be confirmed by the Senate. Garcetti's nomination was announced in July, but it has taken five months for the Senate to start the confirmation process by holding Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearings. If the panel approves the nomination, it will go to the full Senate for a final vote.
Eric Garcetti
New York, December 14 (IANS): Eric Garcetti said on December 13 that he intends "to doubledown on our efforts to strengthen India's capacity to secure its borders, defend its sovereignty, and deter aggression" if he is confirmed as the US Ambassador to New Delhi. "India is situated in a tough neighbourhood. Few nations are more vital to the future of American security and prosperity than India," Garcetti said at the Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing on his nomination. He said that he would work to achieve India's security "through information sharing, counterterrorism coordination, joint freedom of navigation patrols and military exercises, which I have participated in as a naval officer alongside my Indian counterparts, and sales of our best defence technologies in order to realise the full potential
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The committee also took up the nomination of Donald Blome to be the Ambassador to Pakistan. Garcetti is the Mayor of Los Angeles and was a co-chair of President Joe Biden's election committee. Committee Chair Senator Bob Menendez said he welcomed Garcetti's nomination "at a critical time in the US-India relationship" when "India is a vital strategic partner for the United States as a member of the Quad alongside the United States, Japan and Australia. India is playing a greater role in helping maintain a free and open Indo-Pacific". On other items on his agenda for India, Garcetti said, "I intend to champion an ambitious economic partnership with India that reduces market access barriers and bolsters fair trade and creates good jobs for the American middle class." He said that inspired by his India visit, he had studied Hindi and Urdu in college, along with religious studies.
Garcetti also emphasised the people-to-people ties between the two countries because of the diaspora in both the nations. He noted that the Indian American community "serves at the highest level, including our Vice President (Kamala Harris)". "The bedrock of our partnership are the human ties that connect our nations, embodied by the four million-strong Indian-American diaspora that strengthens our nation and the nearly two hundred thousand Indian students and tens of thousands of Indian professionals who contribute to our economy," Garcetti said. He said that about 950,000 US citizens live in India and his priority would be to ensure their security and that of the US missions. India's defence purchases from the US grew from zero to $20 billion, he noted. He said the two countries have started intelligence sharing, developed interoperability in defence, held joint military exercises and cooperated in the maritime area. As someone "who's served alongside my Indian counterparts to really deepen those peopleto-people relationships in the military, the industrial coordination", he said that he would "be very clear about what the threats are to our system, especially for new weapons systems in the future that would come from outside the United States or in this case, Russia".
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Washington, December 24 (IANS): While the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Pfizer antiviral pill to treat Covid-19, the White House has warned that the drug will not be available in the markets before six-eight months. The US FDA on December 22 issued an emergency use authorisation (EUA) for the Pfizer's Paxlovid pill to treat Covid-19 along with caution for people with certain pre-existing conditions -- heralding a new era for the future, over-thecounter treatment of the deadly respiratory disease that has killed millions. The White House said that the complex nature of the drug means it will take more than half a year to make the 10 million courses that are on order, the Financial Times reported. "According to Pfizer, the complex chemistry involved in creating the active ingredient in the pill means production takes about six to eight months" Jeff Zients, the co-ordinator of President Joe Biden's Covid-19 response team, was quoted as saying. "We will have 2,65,000 treatment courses of Pfizer available in January and all 10 million treatment courses delivered by late summer," he added. Pfizer has said that Paxlovid reduces the risk of hospitalisation or death in Covid-19 patients by 89 per cent. It is likely to be especially important in the
coming months because early lab tests show it continues to work against the fast-spreading Omicron variant, unlike some of the monoclonal antibody treatments already available, the report said. Biden called the decision by the FDA to authorise the pill a "significant step forward in our path out of the pandemic. "As Pfizer works to produce these treatments as quickly as possible, we will work closely with them and provide any resource needed, including using the Defense Production Act if warranted," he added, acknowledging how difficult the drug is to make. The Biden administration had in November, bought 10 million courses of the Paxlovid pill (consisting of nirmatrelvir and ritonavir tablets, co-packaged for oral use). Meanwhile, on December 23 the FDA also authorised Merck's Molnupiravir. In data presented to an FDA advisory panel in late November, the drug was shown to prevent 30 percent of infections from progressing -- far fewer than Pfizer's antiviral Paxlovid. The US government has also pre-ordered 3 million courses of Merck's antiviral pill. AstraZeneca has also developed an antibody drug. Laboratory tests have shown Evusheld is effective against the Omicron variant; and is 77 percent effective in blocking infections when used as a protective measure.
UN considering $8 bn economic package for Afghanistan New Delhi, December 24 (IANS): Officials of the United Nations have said that they are busy considering the resumption of the economy in Afghanistan for which the global body will allocate a package of $8 billion, Khaama Press reported.
the report said.
The amount of money that is supposed to be given to Afghanistan in 2022 will be spent to deliver various services in the war-torn country.
He said that it is important for the international community to support them so that the gains of the past two decades are preserved in Afghanistan, the report added.
The package is aimed at providing healthy food for children in schools, creating job opportunities, paying off electricity debts of Afghanistan to central Asian countries, and rebuilding governance beyond humanitarian aids in the country,
UN Secretary General's Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan, Ramiz Alakbarov, said that they do not want to turn to an alternative government in Afghanistan, adding that Afghan people need dignity and hope.
The move comes after the UN had estimated that over half of the population of Afghanistan is starving as foreign aid is stalled and people are suffering from vast unemployment.
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WORLD NEWS
Biden signs bill aiming to punish China for Pak Army Chief visits human rights abuses against Uyghurs forward areas along LoC IANS
Uyghurs, in the Xinjiang region, The Hill news outlet reported.
sector that officials said are involved in human rights abuses.
The bipartisan legislation, which passed the Senate by unanimous consent recently, bans imports of goods from the Xinjiang region unless individuals or companies demonstrate that the materials were made without forced labour, the report said.
Senator Marco Rubio in a statement on December 23 called the legislation "the most important and impactful action taken thus far by the US to hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable for their use of slave labour". "It will fundamentally change our relationship with Beijing," Rubio said.
US President Joe Biden
The bill, called the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, is the latest effort by the US to punish China for alleged abuse of millions of Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities in Xinjiang.
New Delhi, December 24 (IANS) US President Joe Biden has signed into law a bill that aims to punish China for human rights abuses against ethnic and religious minorities, including the
Recently, the Biden administration blacklisted elements of China's biotechnology
The US has accused China of committing genocide against Uyghurs, the report added.
"This law should also ensure that Americans no longer unknowingly buy goods made by slaves in China. I look forward to working with the Biden administration and my colleagues to ensure the new law is implemented correctly and enforced properly."
Uproar over Taliban barring Pakistan from fencing border
New Delhi, December 24 (IANS): Raza Rabbani, a former Chairman of Pakistan Senate and a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader, on December 24 questioned the government's haste to extend support to the Afghan Taliban, when the latter did "not even recognise the border", Dawn news reported. Addressing a Senate session, Rabbani asked Foreign Minister Shah Mahmoud Qureshi to take Parliament into confidence about a recent incident in which the new rulers in Afghanistan had reportedly barred Pakistan's security forces from fencing the border.
Pakistani officials have not commented on the incident so far. Pakistan has fenced most of the
2,600 km border despite protests from Kabul, which has contested the British-era boundary demarcation that splits families and tribes on either side.
Afghan Defence Ministry spokesman Enayatullah Khwarazmi had said the Taliban forces stopped the Pakistani military from erecting what he called an "illegal" border fence along with the eastern province of Nangarhar on December 19. The fencing was the main reason behind the souring of relations between previous US-backed Afghan governments and Islamabad. The current standoff indicates the issue remains a contentious matter for the Taliban, despite its close ties to Islamabad, the report
said.
"They are not ready to recognise the border, so why are we moving forward?" Rabbani questioned during the session on December 24. The PPP Senator also expressed alarm over reports that the banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was regrouping in Afghanistan, "which could possibly fuel terrorism in Pakistan". "On what terms is the state talking about a ceasefire with the banned group?" he questioned. He went on to say that the state of Pakistan meant the civil and military bureaucracy of Pakistan and not the people sitting in Parliament.
Chinese netizens term Intel apology as 'weak' New Delhi, December 23 (IANS): US chip giant Intel on December 23 apologised to its Chinese consumers, partners and the public for the trouble caused by its move to boycott products from Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, but some Chinese netizens and experts said that the apology was not sincere and more commercial ramifications could follow, the Global Times reported. In a statement issued in Chinese, Intel said that "we deeply apologise for the trouble caused to our respected Chinese customers, partners and the public". It noted that although its original intention was to ensure compliance with the US laws,
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its letter on the Xinjiang issue has caused "many questions and concerns among our cherished Chinese partners, and we deeply regret it". The statement came after the company's recent letter requiring its suppliers to not source goods or services or use labour from Xinjiang sparked widespread anger among the Chinese public and its Chinese partners. On December 22, Chinese pop singer Wang Junkai terminated all cooperation with Intel, saying that after multiple rounds of "serious communication", the US firm still failed to publicly express its stance and attitude. "National interest is above all else," the young popular singer
said in a statement, the report said. Intel's statement on December 23 became a trending topic on Chinese social media platform Weibo, where many netizens are not buying Intel's "weak" statement. Chinese industry experts also suggested that Intel's statement will not be sufficient to change its image in the Chinese market. Ma Jihua, a veteran industry expert, told the Global Times on December 23 that Intel did not have to make this high-profile move to please US politicians in the first place, and its apology under pressure could not be sincere, "because that would be slapping itself in the face".
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New Delhi, December 24 (IANS): Pakistan's Chief of Army Staff (COAS) General Qamar Javed Bajwa visited the forward areas along the Line of Control (LOC) and interacted with the troops deployed in the Kot Kotera Sector, the military's media wing InterServices Public Relations (ISPR) said in a statement. According to the statement, the COAS was on December 23 briefed on the ground situation along the LOC and operational preparedness of the formation, Samaa TV reported. He was welcomed by Corps Commander Lieutenant General Sahir Shamshad Mirza. "The Army chief emphasised that continuous vigil and readiness to counter all threats and contingencies is vital for ensuring security along the LOC," the ISPR said. A ceasefire on the LoC has been held since Pakistan and India
General Qamar Javed Bajwa
revived it in February after backchannel talks. The resumption of the ceasefire was widely welcomed as many hoped that it would eventually pave the way for normalisation of ties, Dawn news reported. The hopes were reinforced when weeks later Gen Bajwa, while speaking at a seminar in Islamabad, said that it was time for India and Pakistan to bury the past and move forward.
40% of Afghan media outlets shut since Taliban takeover Toronto Star
Kabul, December 24 (IANS): A total of 231 media outlets (40 per cent) in Afghanistan has closed since the country's takeover by the Taliban on August 15, leading to many journalists losing their jobs, according to a survey conducted by two non-profits. The survey by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Afghan Independent Journalists Association (AIJA) has also revealed that 80 percent of female journalists and media workers have become unemployed due to restrictions imposed by the Taliban-led government, reports TOLO news. "A total of 231 media outlets have had to close and more than 6,400 journalists have lost their jobs since August 15. Women journalists have been hit the hardest, with four out of five no longer working," the survey says. According to the RSF and AIJA, of the 543 media outlets operating since the beginning of 2021, only 312 were still functioning by the end of November. "More than four out of every 10 media outlets have disappeared and 60 percent of journalists and media employees are no longer able to work. Women have suffered much more than men: 84 percent of them have lost their jobs," the survey report reads. According to the non-profits, there were at least 10 private media organisations operating
in most of the provinces in Afghanistan before the fall of Kabul. "There used to be 10 media outlets in the mountainous northern province of Parwan but now just three are functioning. In the western city of Herat (the country's third largest) and the surrounding province, only 18 of the 51 media outlets are still operating – a 65 per cent fall. "The central Kabul region, which had more media than anywhere else, has not been spared the carnage. It has lost more than one of every two media outlets (51 per cent). Of the 148 tallied prior to August 15, only 72 are still operating," TOLO News quoted the survey as further saying. RSF and AIJA have said that new restrictions imposed on media outlets, especially female reporters, and the economic and financial challenges are the two main reasons behind the closing of media outlets and female reporters becoming unemployed. "The dangerous 'Journalism Rules' open the way to censorship and persecution, and deprive journalists of their independence, forcing them to tell information and culture ministry officials what they would like to cover, get their permission to go ahead and finally inform them about the results of their reporting in order to be able to publish."
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INDIA NEWS
Jan 1-15, 2022 - Vol 2, Issue 12
MAKE IN INDIA
MAKE IN INDIA
As world economies restart their engines in a bid to regain lost ground due to the Covid-19 pandemic, India too shows signs of economic buoyancy and promise. India’s Make in India initiative holds a key to the global economic revival, something that should interest Australian government ministries, corporate sector, entrepreneurs, institutions seeking R&D collaborations and Australia Inc in general, among others. India assumes greater importance as several major world economies including American, Japanese, German, British and South Korean look to move out and diversify their businesses from China. India has jumped to 63rd rank in the World Bank’s Ease of Development 2020 report, and has also been ranked as the 9th largest recipient of Foreign Direct Investment in 2019 by the World Investment Report 2020 of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).
IIT-Guwahati researchers develop costeffective, highly efficient perovskite solar cells IANS
New Delhi/Guwahati, December 22 (IANS): Indian Institute of Technology, Guwahati researchers have developed hybrid perovskite-based solar or photovoltaic devices, which are highly efficient, cost effective, easy to manufacture and easily recyclable when it comes to producing electricity from the sunlight. The emerging perovskite-based semiconducting devices are considered the most promising due to their low-cost, ease of manufacturing as roll-to-roll devices, high material availability and easy recyclability. These devices were developed for achieving power conversion efficiencies beyond 21 per cent by utilizing economical solutionbased photovoltaic device processing techniques at mild room temperature and realizing high ambient, thermal and optical stability. Among all the renewable energy sources, the energy from sun (solar energy) is considered to be the most sustainable due to its ample availability on the surface of the earth. Currently, inorganic solar cells (Silicon-based) are a major player in the market. However, this technology requires high-temperature processing, which results in the high price of solar panels. Further, the
recycling of solar panels is hazardous and complicated. "The perovskite solar cells (PSCs) research has experienced tremendous attention due to their exponential growth in terms of efficiencies achieved within a decade. However, the perovskite materials are extremely unstable in ambient (humidity and oxygen) conditions that restrict their commercialization," said a release from IIT-Guwahati. The research team at IITGuwahati comprising research scholars Rabindranath Garai (Department of Chemistry), Ritesh Kant Gupta (Centre for Nanotechnology), Arvin Sain Tanwar (Department of Chemistry) and Maimur Hossain (Department of Chemistry), all working under the supervision of Professor Parameswar K. Iyer, Department of Chemistry and Centre for Nanotechnology and School for Health Science and Technology, IIT Guwahati, have achieved the results in terms of efficiency and stability of the PSCs. In this recent study of IITGuwahati, published in the American Chemical Society journal 'Chemistry of Materials' mentioned how charged conjugated polymers have been incorporated in photovoltaic devices as a passivation molecule to achieve defect-free highquality perovskite solar cell devices. The passivated defect-free device reveals a high efficiency of 20.17 per cent with excellent reproducibility. Such polymer based passivation method effectively improved the long-
term device stability by improving the hydrophobicity of the perovskite layer. In another recent investigation by the team, published in The Royal Society of Chemistry journal 'Journal of Materials Chemistry A', the researchers demonstrated the development of solutionprocessed multi-dimensional (2D-3D) graded perovskites and the precise role of surface re-crystallization to achieve very high efficiencies, stability, economical device scalability by mitigating the perovskite defects. Speaking about these research output, Prof Iyer mentioned that organic-inorganic hybrid PSCs have experienced rapid growth in terms of efficiency and stability due to the development of highly efficient functional materials combined with careful device engineering. The materials design can be tailored at the molecular level whereas the fabrication process is printable and solutionbased, making the overall solar cell development process economical and scalable. These results obtained from perovskite solar cells have performed well beyond the commercial inorganic solar cells panels which are available in the market presently. Also, these small and large area devices performances are among the best results achieved using these classes of perovskite materials. "Therefore, the strategies being developed have the potential to address the renewable energy challenges regarding the largescale commercial fabrication of efficient and stable solar panels," the release added.
Daimler India shipped out 9,000 CVs in 2021
Chennai, December 24 (IANS): German truck and bus maker Daimler India Commercial Vehicles (DICV) on December 24 said it had exported 9,000 commercial vehicles in 2021.
With this, the company crossed some new milestones including 45,000 vehicles, 9,000 completely knocked down (CKD) kits and 200 million parts exported. India is a key hub for Daimler trucks, with DICV serving not only growing domestic demand, but also more than 60 export
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destinations across the globe including markets in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.
DICV is the only Daimler truck location worldwide that produces engines, transmissions, trucks and buses at the same site under four brands -- BharatBenz, FUSO, Mercedes-Benz, and Freightliner.
ongoing challenges presented by the pandemic and its effect on logistics, we continue to foster a global presence with exports of 'Made in India' products," DICV Managing Director and CEO, Satyakam Arya, said.
"It is a momentous occasion for us at DICV and a great testimony to the trust our customers worldwide have in our locallymade products. Despite the
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Vedanta Aluminium launches high-speed billets for extrusion industry
New Delhi, December 20 (IANS): Vedanta Aluminium Business, India's largest producer of aluminium and value-added products, launched highspeed billets for the global extrusion industry at a virtual event with participants from the downstream and extrusion industry. The company's global experts on billet extrusion also shared a slew of initiatives as part of its Customer Technical Service cell for unparalleled customer experience.
Vedanta is India's largest manufacturer and exporter of high-quality aluminium billets, which find end-usage in Building & amp. construction, Solar/ Renewable Energy, Automotive, Electrical and many other key industries through the extrusion process. Extrusion is a process used to create objects of a fixed cross-section profile by pushing material through a die. It also creates excellent surface finish and gives considerable freedom of form in the design process. The high-speed billets are a part of Vedanta Aluminium's portfolio of billet offerings, manufactured with the highest engineering precision. Best-in-class global technologies like Wagstaff HotTop Air Slip Casting System (USA) and Hertwich Continuous Homogenising Furnace (Austria) have been used to manufacture these billets. Vedanta's high-speed billets can improve extrusion speed by at least 25 per cent, or more, depending on the extrusion environment. With superior metallurgical properties brought about with stringent process control and optimised chemistry, these billets demonstrate exceptional extrusion speed without compromising on the strength of the extruded profile. These products show significant improvement in process recovery. Launching the product, Rahul Sharma, CEO – Aluminium Business, Vedanta Ltd, said, "We are committed to manufacturing the best aluminium products, as well as offering our customers a powerful competitive edge in their business aspirations. Our holistic solutions are marketresponsive and tailored to support customers at various stages of their evolving business
journey. With our deep R& D capabilities and global expertise, we are keen to co-create leadingedge innovations with our customers. high-speed billets are our latest offering in a long line of expertly customized product solutions for various industry segments." Vedanta's Customer Technical Services cell anchors customers' quality and technical requirements from existing and new products. Jonathan Pangborn, global billet- extrusion expert working with Vedanta's Customer Technical Services cell added, "Vedanta Aluminium has a robust and quality-focused manufacturing. The Customer Technical Service team is geared up to adapt our customized product portfolio to the evolving needs of the extrusion industry. I look forward to collaborating with customers and providing the best technical solutions to them, as part of Vedanta's value-added service offering." As aluminium is a dynamic and rapidly evolving industry with potential for greater applications in a sustainability-conscious world, Vedanta is also focusing its efforts on R&D, bringing together Technical, Operations and Marketing expertise in a Centre of Excellence to invent the next big thing in aluminium. Vedanta is constantly augmenting its value-added product portfolio by introducing customer-centric products and next-generation technologies. Vedanta Aluminium Business, a division of Vedanta Limited, is India's largest manufacturer of aluminium, producing half of India's aluminium at 1.97 million tonnes per annum (MTPA) in FY21. It is a leader in valueadded aluminium products that find critical applications in core industries. With its world-class Aluminium Smelters, Alumina Refinery and Power Plants in India, the company fulfills its mission of spurring emerging applications of aluminium as the 'Metal of the Future' for a greener tomorrow. SOURCE: Invest India, National Investment Promotion & Facilitation Agency, Government of India
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INDIA NEWS
Jan 1-15, 2022 - Vol 2, Issue 12
EDITORIAL
From the editor's desk CDS Bipin Rawat-a fearless no-nonsense Fast-tracking man who spoke his mind
Australia-India Free Trade Agreement
T
he watchers of AustraliaIndia relations and the Indo-Pacific affairs firmly believe that India’s withdrawal from the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership in November 2020, the disruption in international supply chains caused by the Covid, alongside growing tension between India and China and Australia and China, intensified political will in New Delhi and Canberra to pick up the threads of their stalled negotiations on the Free Trade Agreement (FTA) or the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA). The appointment of the former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott as the Trade Envoy of Australia and his visit to New Delhi in August 2021 year, followed by the 2+2 dialogue between Defence and Foreign ministers in mid-September in which CECA featured, followed by Australian Trade, Tourism and Investment Minister Dan Tehan’s visit soon after, symbolized the growing synergies across both, bilateral as well as strategic interests. After talks were suspended in 2015 after nine rounds, Minister Tehan and his Indian Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs and Food, and Public Distribution and Textiles counterpart Piyush Goyal resumed formal negotiations in September 2021 and appointed trade negotiators to continue indepth discussions on the entire gamut of CECA. To fast-track negotiations, both ministers again held virtual discussion on December 23 to materialize an early harvest announcementon an interim trade deal before the end of 2021. Both ministers expressed satisfaction at the progress in talks between the trade (chief) negotiators and indicated that several rounds of talks between trade negotiators was progressing well to ink a “balanced comprehensive agreement” by the end of 2022. Interim agreement is expected to be reached on goods, services, investments, energy resources, logistics and transport, standards, rules of origin and sanitary and phytosanitary measures. For years, despite a visible strong will in both capitals, bilateral trade has languished way below its potential, at A$30 bn, and not many are aware that the two-way trade with India had fallen by 13.6 per cent and exports by 18.4 per cent in 2020. But a flurry of summit level talks enabling the two prime ministers (six times in two years), including
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the Modi-Morrison virtual summit in June 2020, trade and ministerial level dialogues and the opening of a new Australian Consulate-General in Bengaluru demonstrate a new energy, purpose and high in bilateral relations. Although Australia and India have a shared bilateral and strategic interests, there is no denying that the path towards an FTA/ CECA is arduous and ironing out differences will be complex. India has only recently emerged out of an year-long violent farmers’ protest, and in that context, opening doors for Australian agricultural commodities, wine and dairy will be difficult for New Delhi to approve, which was the reason for leaving RCEP. Australia wants India to deregulate agricultural sector, and India wants Australia to liberalize the service sector and ease recognition of professional credentials, on which discussions are currently underway. In 2018, the editor had personally struggled to organize interactions between a delegation of progressive ginger farmers from India’s Northeast with their counterparts in Queensland, which shows sensitivities plaguing both sides in opening up to Agri-based trade and business exchanges. But the good news in conflict resolution terms is that both sides have a shared desire for moving forward andare well aware that the inability to do so will leave both worse off. Bilateral ties aside, the domineering China factor in the World Trade Organization and the urgent need to reform the Organization will also receive a shot in the arm with Australia and India showing flexibility and compromise in signing the FTA/CECA. The negotiations are being held in the spirit of Article XXIV of the General Agreement of Trade and Tarriff 1994 which specifies the “increasing freedom of trade by the development, through voluntary agreements, of closer integration between the economies of the countries parties to such agreements… [and]…recognize(s) the purpose of a customs union or of a free-trade area should be to facilitate trade between the consistent territories and not to raise barriers to the trade of other contracting parties with such territories”. This clause is the backbone of the not only the WTO reforms, but also the fight back from the concert of democracies for an open, free, transparent and rulebased order in the Indo-Pacific.
By Lt. Gen Syed Ata Hasnain
I
ndia's first-ever Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), and his wife are no more. They along with 11 other brave hearts of the Armed Forces of the Union of India met a fiery end when their Mi-17 helicopter crashed in some reported bad weather near Wellington in the Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu. Throughout the day after 12.20 PM on 8 Dec 2021, my family and I were at a prayer meet for the lives of our good friends Bipin and Madhulika, and all those accompanying them. We hoped God would be kind to them, to us, and to all of India to spare their lives. They had much more to contribute to their nation's destiny but it's God's will that they have been taken from us. As service children who went on to join the Indian Army, General Bipin Rawat and I enjoyed a commonality of what in the military system is called 'passing it on'. We therefore could relate to each other very well. We were both commissioned into our father's unit; he to 5/11 Gorkha Rifles and I to 4 Garhwal Rifles. He replaced me in the Military Secretary's (MS) branch of the Army Headquarters as a Colonel in the crucial appointment which oversees and drafts policy on the management of officers, their placement, and their careers. It was on my strong recommendation to our common superior that General Bipin got this job. He never looked back. A couple of years later I returned to Kashmir to command the famous Dagger Division at Baramulla. To my surprise I found my friend Bipin parked right next door as the Commander of the Rashtriya Rifles (RR) Sector at Sopore. The Sopore RR Sector was always perceived as a hell hole of a command. Terrorist presence was everywhere in those days. Bipin came to meet me on my arrival and through the next many months several operations were coordinated in the Sopore – Baramulla area. He seemed to be on the move always, hardly ever spending time at his headquarters. Post his Sopore stint he went for the National Defence College, a prestigious course at Delhi and then as Commander of the Indian Brigade in UN operations in Congo. I think he served there just a little before General Qamar Bajwa, the Pakistan Army Chief who commanded the Pakistani Brigade. On his return he was to be promoted to Major General. I was then GOC 15 Corps (Kashmir) and took upon myself to request the Army Chief to post Gen Bipin Rawat to Kashmir to command the division I had commanded at Baramulla. He would thus serve under me and our old rapport would work wonderfully for the
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organization. General VK Singh, the then Army Chief, accepted my request. His tenure as GOC Dagger Division was memorable and especially his handling of the local populace. At one time he took a lot of guidance from me on sensitivities regarding various festivities and occasions in Kashmir. He always seemed to remember them. General Bipin had many other feathers in his cap in subsequent years too. He survived a helicopter crash in Dimapur while commanding the prestigious 3 Corps where he had to travel extensively by helicopter throughout the area of responsibility. He planned and coordinated the response against the NSCN (K) terror group which had ambushed and killed many of our jawans in an ambush in Manipur on 4 Jun 2015. He then went on to command the Army's Southern Command before being moved as the Vice Chief of the Army. In that capacity, I met him a day after the surgical strikes and he gave me a full brief on these in his office. In a slightly controversial move, he was appointed the Army Chief to succeed General Dalbir Suhag on 01 Jan 2016. During his tenure as the Chief, Pakistan
He replaced me in the Military Secretary’s (MS) branch of the Army Headquarters as a Colonel in the crucial appointment which oversees and drafts policy on the management of officers, their placement, and their careers. attempted to revive the proxy war in Kashmir but he allowed it no quarter, responding strongly against all forms of violence. After having stood ground against the Chinese for 72 days at Doklam in 2017 he ensured that in 2019 he oversaw the security of J&K during the risky period involving
the amendment of Article 370. He was the natural choice for Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) when the government decided to create history through instituting that appointment. Having instituted the Department of Military Affairs (DMA) in the Ministry of Defence it was left to him to create the department and get it functioning. One of the main tasks before him was the setting up of the Theatre Commands of the Armed Forces. In the new appointment, General Rawat shed his orientation as a soldier and donned the role of a truly Joint Commander, winning the respect of all three Services. His greatest desire was to leave the appointment with the theatrisation process complete with the setting up of the Theatre Commands. It was a measure of his intellect that he instantly absorbed this unique challenge, something no military officer had ever been tasked to undertake. He was on the verge of launching big-ticket reforms to execute the concept of Theatre Commands and streamline the integration process, in the last year of his command. From a leadership angle, General Bipin Rawat was an absolute no-nonsense man, who spoke his mind to the point of even creating controversies. These were as per his conviction and his experience. Having served the longest any officer has ever served (till 64 years of age), I only wish General Bipin had lived to complete his tenure and spend a total of six years in the rank of a General (4 star), a unique record in its own right. Bipin and Madhulika indeed made a charming couple. They will be remembered long for the stellar work they did for the Armed Forces and their contribution towards nation-building. We shall remain proud of them. Jai Hind. (The author is a retired Lieutenant General of the Indian Army) This article was first published on https://www.news9live.com/india/ cds-rawat-a-no-nonsense-manwho-spoke-his-mind-neverfeared-controversies-writes-ltgen-syed-ata-hasnain-139287
CDS General Bipin Rawat
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INDIA NEWS
Jan 1-15, 2022 - Vol 2, Issue 12
SPECIAL FEATURE
Revisiting Ray’s Pather Panchali, Neo-realism and Contemporary Bengal By Priyam Sinha
O
ften, movies instantly grab our attention with the grandiosity of their settings, quirks and idiosyncrasies of its stars, catchy song-dance sequences and special effects to amplify the suspense and characterisation. The West is credited for introducing improvised cinematography and sound and visual elements that make films aesthetically pleasing. Post-independence, radical film societies movements shaped cinematic content, proposed the novelty of neo-realism in filmmaking, yet infused it with the film forms and techniques dominant in the West. Satyajit Ray, in a way, pioneered this movement being a stalwart through his Apu Trilogy. By distancing from the utopian cosmopolitanism and urban cultural milieu, he threw light on situating his films mostly in dilapidated houses, mired in chaos and poverty and chose offbeat suburban locations of Bengal. His vision of the Indian
Satyajit Ray
majority was successful in his critically acclaimed film Pather Panchali, produced by the Government of West Bengal, and released on 26th August 1955.
panoramic view of the lake, and close-up shots of distressed faces coping with meagre resources provided a cinematic world aligned with realism.
Ray did so by casting nonprofessional actors and curating their characterisations and stylistic elements, highlighting thorough research backed up with skilful cinematography. Assimilation of these factors made it a voyeuristic pleasure for audiences of all ages to look beyond a myopic view of a family film with a happy ending. I called it voyeurism as it created an experience of gazing at each subplot to provide an introspective journey about the unpredictability of lives. The realistic portrayal of every protagonist’s journey through deprivation could move one to tears- so powerful and relatable were the emotions captured in the film. He set himself apart by going beyond a narrow vision of urban masculinity and fetishism.
Ravi Shankar’s background score created a poetic style of filmmaking which complimented his films. Additionally, its loosely structured script and low key lighting made it easier to comprehend poverty and deprivation during Bengal famines. Moreover, it contrasted the formulaic family feudal romance and emphasised how song and melody must complement the film’s story. Situated in Nischindipur in the 1910s, the film captured the power of silence to display despair and hopelessness instead of dialogues that instantly tapped into audience insecurities.
Capturing on the reel the lives of its female protagonists and gendered hypocrisies, Ray captured the monstrosity of everyday lives in rural landscapes. The skilful use of cinematography included long shots of the sweet seller and other villagers immersed in daily chores, a
flung the necklace that Durga had stolen into the lake, fearing the label of his sister being remembered as a thief. Similarly, Durga’s father (Harihar Roy), the priest, broke down on hearing of his daughter’s death as he finally entered with a new sari for her. His disillusionment was complemented by sitar music and panoramic shots of the lake accompanied by heavy rains in the backdrop while the family left the village. The complexity of their emotions, simple joys in stealing guavas explicitly shown through Durga’s smile, Indir’s thrill in licking a few morsels of rice, Durga’s tattered and wornout clothes and heart-warming emotions of Apu and Durga sharing food introduced the audiences to an affective medium of cinema watching.
Quite contrary to male centrism in 1950s Indian cinema, Ray placed his female characters such as Durga (the daughter), Sarbojaya and Indir Thakrun (old aunt) at the forefront. The film revolved around their lives and how Durga’s death led to her family being disillusioned and migrating to Banaras. But it also threw light on how Apu (Durga’s younger brother) felt her void and was compelled to become independent. He also
Instead of melodramatic clichés, Ray presented rural India engulfed in an impoverished material world, surrounded by nature’s havoc and life cycle from birth, illness, ageing and death. Ray forayed into poetic storytelling to communicate the transience of things, the unpredictability of life and how an accident can leave an entire family distraught with their sense of being and belongingness.
Mon district in a botched up anti insurgency operation has now led to demand for the withdrawal of the AFSPA from Nagaland.
district.
What’s appalling is how he
captured authentic emotions in their most raw form and presented it through an exchange of silences, gestures of stealing and taunting, and desire for some simple joys like sweets, fruits and new clothes for Durga Puja. Ray’s vision still holds prominence in portraying rural Bengal; and how the pandemic has marred the quality of life, leading to economic crises. Health hazards like typhoid and dengue combined with natural disasters like the floods led to the annihilation of their sources of livelihood in rural Bengal. Although the film ended on a tragic note with Durga’s death, mired by the family’s disillusionment, it showed how it continues to draw contemporary relevance strongly backed by critical appreciation and global appeal till date. Therefore, Pather Panchali provides a lens to view marginalised India and goes beyond Indian cinema's formulaic melodrama. (The author is a doctoral candidate at the National University of Singapore)
Naga peace talks, AFSPA: Is the ball finally in the court of the PM? By Nirendra Dev
T
hings have perhaps started falling in their places. Have they? Close on the heels of Indian Foreign Secretary Harsh V Shringla taking up with Myanmar's military rulers on the now infamous Churachandpur ambush in Manipur, Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a crucial late night meeting with Chief Ministers of Assam and Nagaland Himanta Biswa Sarma and Neiphiu Rio, respectively. Home Minister Shah is likely to brief Prime Minister Narendra Modi on his talks with the northeastern leaders especially in the context of security implications in taking any decision on AFSPA. Assam Chief Minister Sarma has favoured continuing with the enforcement of AFSPA in his state. Recently, RSS leader Indresh Kumar told reporters that even in Kashmir the deployment of forces was automatically minimised once situation improved and the Article 370 was abrogated. Sources close to the NNPGs, an umbrella of 7 militant groups, have said only a final peace pact can bring a 'natural end' to all controversies pertaining to AFSPA and deployment of security forces in Nagaland and other Naga inhabited areas. Tangkhul Nagas of NSCN (IM) leader Thuingaleng Muivah have substantial presence in Manipur, which again goes to the polls by February-March along with Uttar
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Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand and Goa. BJP floor leader in Nagaland and Deputy Chief Minister Y Patton and a former Chief Minister T.R. Zeliang (of NPF), were also present in the meeting with Shah. Patton is also the state Home Minister and a section of BJP leaders in Delhi were not impressed with his performance especially in the context of Oting shooting down. The deliberations between Shah and northeastern leaders were vital as these took place days after the Nagaland assembly adopted a resolution for repeal of the Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA). The summoning of the leaders from Nagaland especially on the eve of Christmas and their arrival in the capital along with Assam Chief Minister and NEDA convener Himanta Biswa Sarma signified that talks were sensitive and essential. The meeting between Mr Shah and the northeastern leaders took place within hours. India's Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla on a two-day visit to Myanmar raised matters relating to India's security with Myanmar military rulers especially in the light of the "recent incident in Churachandpur" district in southern Manipur. The ambush on November 13 claimed the lives of Col Viplab Tripathi, his wife and nineyear-old boy and four jawans. Subsequently, the killing of Naga civilians by security forces in
"Entire Naga society has been calling for repeal of AFSPA and that voice is at its loudest today," said Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio on December 20 while piloting forcefully an official resolution in the Assembly seeking immediate repeal of the controversial law that gives some impunity to armed forces. Assam Chief Minister Sarma for his part, however, said AFSPA will continue in his state. The argument being the withdrawal of AFSPA cannot be a call of the government alone. It has to depend on the overall situation, law and order situation of the state. "Now suppose I withdraw, will that be reciprocated by the militant organisations?" he said in Guwahati a few days back. The Oting killing of Konyak Naga civilians and subsequent violence in Mon town on December 5 have led to the demand for withdrawal of the AFSPA, considered an essential piece of legislation for army operations in north east and in Jammu and Kashmir. In the Churachandpur ambush on November 13, one colonel Viplab Tripathi, his wife and nine-year boy were killed along with four jawans. Six others were injured when PLA and little known Manipur Naga People's Front militants attacked the forces at Behiang in Churachandpur
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Apprehensions were expressed in certain quarters that Oting killing and subsequent developments could even lead to derailment or stalling of the hard-owned Naga peace talks that had begun in August 1997. The Oting killing of Konyak Naga civilians and subsequent violence in Mon town on December 5 have led to the demand for withdrawal of the AFSPA, considered an essential piece of legislation for army operations in north east and in Jammu and Kashmir. In the Churachandpur ambush on Nov 13, one colonel Viplab Tripathi, his wife and nine-year boy were killed along with four jawans. Six others were injured when PLA and little known Manipur Naga People's Front militants attacked the forces at Behiang in Churachandpur district. Apprehensions were expressed in certain quarters that Oting killing and subsequent developments could even lead to derailment or stalling of the hard-owned Naga peace talks that had begun in August 1997. As it is the NSCN (IM) has stuck to its demand for Flag and a Separate Constitution that has only lingered the peace talks. In 2019, the then Nagaland Governor R N Ravi had said the peace talks were over and final pact was to be inked. However, the NSCN (IM)'s twin demands have posed hurdles although NNPGs, a conglomeration of
7 Naga groups operating in Nagaland, were keen for an early signing of the peace agreement. Meanwhile, a four-member panel of party leaders Gaurav Gogoi, Jitendra Singh, Ajoy Kumar and Anto Antony submitted a report on Nagaland situation to Congress president Sonia Gandhi. Notably, K. Therie, the president of the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee, has blamed Chief Minister Rio for the recent Oting incident. "It is a game plan to derail the peace process," Therie has alleged. "Nothing can happen in the state without the knowledge of the Chief Minister and state Home Minister as the law and order is a state subject," he said and maintained the movement of 21 paratroopers from Assam in Nagaland on the fateful day, December 4, was not possible without the knowledge of authorities in Nagaland. (Nirendra Dev is a New Delhibased journalist. He is also author of books, 'The Talking Guns: North East India' and 'Modi to Moditva: An Uncensored Truth')
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Jan 1-15, 2022 - Vol 2, Issue 12
Omicron evades vaccine, antibodies therapies: Study IANS
New York, December 24 (IANS): The highly transmissible Omicron variant of Covid-19 has the potential to evade the immune protection conferred by vaccines and natural infection, as well as render most monoclonal antibody therapy ineffective, according to a new study. The study led by researchers from Columbia University in the US, in collaboration with scientists at the University of Hong Kong, suggests the need for new vaccines and treatments that anticipate how the virus may soon evolve. A striking feature of the omicron variant is the alarming number of changes in the virus's spike protein that could pose a threat to the effectiveness of current vaccines and therapeutic antibodies. The new study, published in the journal Nature, tested the ability of antibodies generated by vaccination to neutralise the Omicron variant in laboratory assays that pitted antibodies against live viruses and against pseudoviruses constructed in the
he added.
lab to mimic Omicron. The findings showed that antibodies from people doublevaccinated with any of the four most widely used vaccines Moderna, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Johnson and Johnson - were significantly less effective at neutralising the Omicron variant compared to the ancestral virus. Antibodies from previously infected individuals were even less likely to neutralise Omicron. Individuals who received a booster shot of either of the two mRNA vaccines were found to be better protected, although even their antibodies exhibited diminished neutralising activity against Omicron. "The new results suggest that previously infected individuals and fully vaccinated individuals are at risk for infection with the omicron variant," said David Ho, Director at Columbia's Aaron Diamond AIDS Research Centre. "Even a third booster shot may not adequately protect against omicron infection, but of course it is advisable to get one, as you'll still benefit from some immunity,"
The results are consistent with other neutralisation studies, as well as early epidemiological data from South Africa and the UK, which show efficacy of two doses of the vaccines against symptomatic disease is significantly reduced against the omicron variant. Further, the study suggests that all of the monoclonal antibody therapies currently in use and most in development are much less effective against Omicron, if they work at all. When administered early in the course of infection, monoclonal antibodies have shown to prevent many individuals from developing severe Covid. In neutralisation studies with monoclonal antibodies, only one (Brii198 approved in China) maintained notable activity against Omicron. A minor form of Omicron is completely resistant to all antibodies in clinical use today, the researchers said. The researchers note that Omicron is now the most complete "escapee" from neutralisation that scientists have seen. In this study Ho's lab also identified four new spike mutations in omicron that help the virus evade antibodies, suggesting the need for new approaches to combat the variant.
Booster protection fades within 10 weeks against Omicron: UK study London, December 24 (IANS): While countries are racing to administer booster shots to protect against the Omicron variant of Covid-19, a new study released by the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has shown that protection wanes even after taking the third dose of a vaccine within 10 weeks. Scientists at the UKHSA noted that protection against Omicron appears to wane more rapidly than Delta among people who are boosted. They found 15 to 25 per cent reduction after 10 weeks. "Repeated vaccine effectiveness analysis continues to show lower for symptomatic Omicron disease compared to Delta. There is evidence of waning of protection against symptomatic disease with increasing time after second dose, and by 10 weeks after the booster dose, with a 15 to 25 per cent reduction in vaccine effectiveness after 10 weeks," the UKHSA wrote in its latest technical brief. "This waning is faster for Omicron than for Delta infections. "However, vaccine effectiveness against severe disease is more likely to be sustained, especially
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after a booster dose, '' the brief said. The team also said that neutralisation data, real world vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic disease, and reinfection rate all confirm substantial immune evasion properties in the case of Omicron. Further, the study showed that the risk of hospital admission for a person detected as a case of Omicron appears reduced compared to a case of Delta. However, health officials believe it's unlikely that these individuals are at a greater risk of severe illness. As a whole, people who catch Omicron are 50 to 70 per cent less likely to need hospital care compared to previous variants, the analysis showed. The UK has reported a record 1,19,789 daily Covid-19 cases as on December 23, the second time daily cases have risen above 1,00,000, according to the UKHSA. The country has also seen 14 deaths so far due to Omicron. Britain is also considering the rollout of a fourth round of vaccination against Covid-19 after both Israel and Germany
gave the green light to a second set of boosters. Experts on the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation will examine evidence on levels of immunity given by three jabs as well as data on hospitalisations for the new Omicron variant before making any decision on a fourth vaccine dose.
HEALTH
Global Covid caseload tops 278 mn
Washington, December 24 (IANS): The global coronavirus caseload has topped 278 million, while the deaths have surged to more than 5.38 million and vaccinations to over 8.86 billion, according to Johns Hopkins University.
In its latest update on December 24 morning, the University's Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) revealed that the current global caseload and the death toll stood at 278,101,403 and 5,385,862, respectively, while the total number of vaccine doses administered has increased to 8,861,081,345. The US continues to be the worsthit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 51,814,125 and 815,343, according to the CSSE.
The second worst hit country in terms of cases is India (34,765,976 infections and 478,759 deaths), followed by Brazil (22,230,943 infections and 618,492 deaths).
The other countries with over 5 million cases are the UK (11,836,768), Russia (10,140,429), Turkey (9,249,576), France (8,994,106), Germany (6,954,634), Iran (6,179,817), Spain (5,718,007), Italy (5,517,054), Argentina (5,428,957) and Colombia (5,115,194), the CSSE figures showed. The nations with a death toll of over 100,000 are, Mexico (298,359), Russia (295,296), Peru (202,375), the UK (148,185), Indonesia (144,042), Italy (136,245), Iran (131,262), Colombia (129,640), France (123,280), Argentina (116,979) and Germany (109,877).
Australian state reports record high Covid infections amid Omicron concern Sydney, December 22 (IANS): The state of New South Wales (NSW), as the epicenter of Australia's Covid-19 infections, reported a record high daily increase of cases on December 22. The state health department recorded 3,763 new Covid cases and two deaths in the 24 hours to 8 p.m. December 21, the highest daily increase since the pandemic outbreak started early in 2020. The hospitalisations for Covid also exceeded 300, with 40 people in intensive care, Xinhua news agency reported. According to the latest figure from NSW Health on December 19, 313 Covid cases with the Omicron variant have been confirmed in the state since the first infection was detected in late November. Despite the continued sharp increase of Covid transmission, NSW is no longer practicing mask mandates, density and visitor limits in some indoor venues. Unvaccinated people were also allowed to enter non-essential venues. "Based on rising cases and Omicron (which we still need more data on), it would be preferable to keep indoor mask-
wearing, and good contact tracing," epidemiologist Professor Alexandra Martiniuk from the University of Sydney told Xinhua. "When health is put as a priority, a strong economy follows. Masks and QR code check-ins should not reduce economic gains rather should improve them." Martiniuk said the current Covid figures are rising fastest among the 20-year-olds, and this age group is not as likely as older age groups to be hospitalised with the virus, which means hospitalisations typically lag case growth. Responding to the growing calls of reinstating Covid restrictions, NSW Premier Dominic Perrottet acknowledged on December 21 that the increase in cases would lead to more hospital admissions but said he is not committed to reintroducing compulsory masks in indoor settings. "We are treating the people of our state like adults. If we need to tailor our responses from time to time, we will." "When it comes to face masks, we recommend face masks in areas where you can't socially distance yourself."
Indian govt launches study to determine need for booster dose
New Delhi, December 24 (IANS): The Centre has initiated a study of 3,000 individuals who received their both doses of Covid vaccines to determine the need for booster dose amid the looming scare of Omicron. The study will be conducted by the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI) under the Department of Biotechnology. The participants who have already received their both doses of Covid vaccines will be given booster doses to determine the impact
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on their immunity level. The study is expected to cover all three vaccines used in India -Covishield, Covaxin and Sputnik V.
According to a source, the study will include people above 40 years of age, below 40 years of age, people infected with Covid-19 prior to vaccination, and people with co-morbid conditions. The hospitals involved in the study will be submitting the report on blood samples along with the analysis on the requirement of booster doses in India, said the
source.
Amid the everyday rise of Omicron cases in India, the need for booster dose has been voiced by many institutions. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya had earlier said that the decision on booster dose in India will be taken based on scientific data and analysis. The National Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (NTAGI) is expected to meet in the first week of January to take a call on the same.
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Aussie energy giant unveils plans to fuel Asian markets Sydney, December 23 (IANS): Western Australian (WA) oil and gas company Woodside has unveiled long-term plans to potentially supply liquid hydrogen to two major Asian destinations.
In a statement released on December 22, Woodside said it had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Singaporean conglomerate Keppel Corporation and Japan's Osaka Gas to conduct a feasibility study into ultimately establishing a "stable supply chain of sustainable liquid hydrogen (LH2)" from WA to those companies' home markets. The MoU followed the October announcement of Woodside's proposed gas facility, H2Perth, which will be created to supply international consumers, Xinhua news agency reported. Woodside Chief Executive Officer Meg O'Neill said the 1-billionAustralian-dollar ($720 million)
plant in the WA capital of Perth would be "ideally located" for shipping to Singapore and Japan, and noted that the site was "close to gas, power, water and port infrastructure, as well as a skilled local workforce."
The H2Perth hub, which is due to be built in 2024, would have a target of 300 tonnes per day of hydrogen production, which could be converted into 600,000 tonnes per annum of ammonia or 110,000 tonnes per annum of LH2.
power generation, town gas and as an industrial feedstock.
O'Neill said the MoU with Keppel and Osaka Gas complied with Woodside's aim to "develop a diversified and scalable portfolio of new energy products to help reduce customers' emissions."
The gas can also be liquefied by cooling it to minus 253 degrees Celsius, meaning LH2 takes up far less volume than in its original state, making it easier to be stored and transported.
Woodside is keen to promote hydrogen because it does not emit carbon dioxide during combustion and is considered a promising next generation, lowcarbon fuel that can be used in a range of applications including
Woodside's feasibility study with its Asian partners is expected to take about six months "at which juncture the parties will decide on the next phase of their collaboration", the statement noted.
Among sectors, Realty, Power, Oil & Gas, Capital Goods, Banks and Auto indices have lost the most whereas IT and FMCG index have gained the most.
Deepak Jasani, Head of Retail Research, HDFC Securities.
Omicron concerns subdue equity markets; power stocks fall Mumbai, December 24 (IANS): Rising domestic Omicron cases subdued India's key equity indices -- S&P BSE Sensex and NSE Nifty50 -- during the late-after trade session on December 24. Besides, the continuous selling by FIIs also dampened investors' sentiment. Initially, both the indices opened with an upgap, but fell thereby. Globally, Asian stocks were mixed after failing to harness a tailwind from the US. On the domestic front, volumes in the traditional holiday period remained low.
Consequently, at 2.40 p.m., the S&P BSE Sensex traded at 57,268.18 points, inched down by 0.082 per cent from its previous close. Similarly, the broader 50-scrip Nifty at the National Stock Exchange (NSE) rose to 17,051.20 points, down 0.13 per cent from its previous close. "Nifty is still flat vis a vis last week after seeing losses initially and then a rise during the week," said
According to Gaurav Garg, Head of Research, CapitalVia Global Research: "Despite positive sentiments from other Asian markets, the Indian equity shares trading low as Omicron cases in India recorded more than double from last week." "Our research suggests that the levels of 56,800 may act as important levels in the market. If the market sustains the levels of 56,800, we can expect the market to trade in the range of 56,80057,200."
Adani announces annual prize for social enterprise New Delhi, December 23 (IANS): The Adani Group, India's fastestgrowing portfolio of companies, will institute the Adani Prize for Social Enterprise --India's biggest annual prize in the social sphere. This was announced by Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group, at the first-ever Green Talks, an Adani talkseries initiative to provide social entrepreneurs a platform to present their ideas and secure support for their work.
Beginning in 2022, the Adani Prize for Social Enterprise will be awarded to five outstanding social entrepreneurs for their impact in India and other parts of the developing world. The Adani Prize will provide a total of Rs 5 crore in funding for the five chosen social enterprises. The winners will be chosen by an international panel of eminent personalities drawn from different fields of expertise, including science, business and
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governance.
"I am humbled by how social entrepreneurs devote themselves to the difficult, often underappreciated but essential work of helping those who are less privileged," said Adani. "While we must invest heavily in enabling the transition to a greener, low carbon world, that transition must also include plans to enable the social upliftment of people. The green shoots of recovery for the planet can be truly green only if we create a climate of faith and optimism for even the world's most socially deprived people. I am optimistic that the Adani Prize and the Green Talks series will lay the foundation for this process of discovering social entrepreneurs who are making major impacts and help to fund their best ideas." The Adani Group will invite other partners, including corporates, to join an initiative to create a collaborative fund for social
China cites harsh business environment after tax searches on Chinese firms in India New Delhi, December 24 (IANS): The Indian government should protect the legitimate rights and interests of Chinese firms in India, Chinese analysts urged, as New Delhi launched probe into multiple Chinese companies on tax and income issues, Global Times reported.
Woodside Chief Executive Officer Meg O'Neill
enterprises that will help expand the number of social upliftment projects that could be funded. As the first step, the Group will drive an open-source innovation platform as a unifying force for the best of ideas from social enterprises across the developing world. Five social enterprises, selected from over 25,000 social enterprises that participated in the 2021 TiE Sustainability Summit in October, were felicitated and honoured today at the Adani Green Talks in Ahmedabad. They included Arunachalam Muruganantham, better known as Pad-Man, healthcare innovator iKure, prosthetics technologist RoboBionics, automation developer GenRobotics and DharaviMarket founder Megha Gupta.
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BUSINESS & TRADE
The operations of Chinese firms remain normal at the moment, but relevant companies are looking to reassure their Indian employees as the investigation has caused some concerns, the report said. The investigation has not been concluded yet, but some Chinese experts reiterated on December 23 that the business environment in India is harsh, not only for Chinese firms, but all foreign companies, the report said. They pointed out that "nonmarket factors" in India will have large and unpredictable effects on them and cause many problems, and many Western companies have already pulled out from the country for this reason, the report added. They urged Chinese firms to be cautious in investing and doing business in India, and strictly follow the local laws and leave no excuse for the authorities to take actions against them if those companies choose to stay there. More than 20 premises in the National Capital Region (NCR), Mumbai, Rajkot and Karnataka linked to Oppo and Xiaomi were searched by the tax department on December 23. Searches were also conducted at the offices of OnePlus, the Chinese company that has merged into Oppo but operates as a separate brand. "India's tax laws are very
complicated, and in recent years, many Indian companies and some joint venture enterprises have also been investigated over tax issues," said Qian Feng, director of the research department at the National Strategy Institute at Tsinghua University in Beijing. Although the latest investigation seems likely to have been mainly driven by economic reasons, the possibility of a political impact still exists, because there are extreme anti-China forces in the government, and they will look at matters related to Chinese firms in India with a discriminatory attitude, Qian said, as per the report. Lin Minwang, a professor at the Institute of International Studies at Fudan University in Shanghai, told the Global Times that "the investigation is not a surprise at all, because the Indian authorities, especially those in some local governments, don't care about how Chinese firms feel because they are pushing for 'decoupling with China' and they see Chinese firms as perfect targets, and they don't care how Chinese investors will look at the business environment in the country". In a statement sent to the Global Times on December 23, a Xiaomi spokesperson said: "As a responsible company, we give paramount importance to ensuring that we are compliant with all Indian laws. As an invested partner in India, we are fully cooperating with the authorities to ensure they have all the required information." Along with Chinese vendors, their contract manufacturers were also subject to searches. Foxconn said that it is looking into the matter.
Air France-KLM and IndiGo to start codeshare agreement
IANS
New Delhi, December 23 (IANS): Air France-KLM and IndiGo on December 23 announced the launch of an extensive codeshare agreement. A codeshare agreement allows airlines to sell seats on each others' flights in order to provide passengers with a wider choice of destinations. With this new partnership, Air France and KLM will offer their customers access to 25 new Indian destinations. "From their hubs in Paris and Amsterdam, Air France and KLM already serve 4 destinations in India -- Delhi, Mumbai, Chennai
and Bengaluru," a joint statement said. "On departure from the Indian provinces, Air France and KLM will open up their global network of over 250 destinations to IndiGo customers, with more than 120 destinations in Europe and about 50 in the Americas." The statement added that the agreement is subject to government approval after which it will start from February. IndiGo has a fleet of over 275 aircraft and operates more than 1,500 daily flights, connecting 71 domestic and 24 international destinations.
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Centre of Excellence for water reuse launched New Delhi, December 24 (IANS): Highlighting that cutting-edge research should aim to help the larger community, Vibha Dhawan, Director General, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), on December 24 said that treating wastewater at source is crucial not only from an economic perspective but also as a sustainability measure.
gaps for research and need for new ideas, supporting targeted research, and spurring and nurturing needed innovation such as low-cost, effective and integrated treatment technologies, which could bridge the current treatment gaps, augment capacities and provide safe treated water for reuse, a release said.
"Research which remains in the laboratory is of little use. TERI has always worked closely with industries and other stakeholders to effectively address the issues of use and reuse of water," Dhawan added at the launch of the 'Centre of Excellence on Water Reuse'.
Speaking at the launch, NMCG Director General, Rajiv Ranjan Mishra said, "Wastewater after treatment should be used to the maximum possible extent. The idea behind cleaning the Ganga, a river or a city is to make them sustainable in the long run; sustainability from the point of view of looking at it not as wastewater, but as a resource that can be reused."
The first of its kind in the country, the Centre of Excellence on Water Reuse is a collaboration between the National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG), Union Jal Shakti Ministry, and TERI which was launched at the TERI headquarters in New Delhi. The Centre of Excellence (CoE) will be meeting the objectives of the Ganga Knowledge Centre to design and foster research and innovation, including identification of knowledge
Mishra emphasised the need for partnerships with stakeholders, including research institutions and industries, to effectively address water reuse.
Vibha Dhawan, Director General, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI)
to provide treated water for safe reuse," he added. S. K. Sarkar, Distinguished fellow and senior Director, Water Resources Division, TERI, said, "TERI under the Department of Science and Technology -Water Mission 'Water Technology Initiative Programme' has developed the TERI Advanced Oxidation Technology (TADOX) for wastewater treatment, achieving zero liquid discharge and enhancing water reuse. Setting up of this CoE will help in advancing such technology initiatives."
"We need to have dialogue with industries that are working in the area of wastewater treatment, establishing treatment plants, enhancing water reuse and going
The CoE will be headed by Nupur Bahadur, Fellow and Area Convenor, TADOX, Technology Centre for Water Reuse, Water Resources Division, TERI.
intelligent bi-directional converter (PCU) that interfaces with SRTPV and battery systems (with DC coupling) to manage the energy flow with EV chargers and the grid. "An intelligent computing unit in the PCU commands the energy flow across these components to maximise the generated solar energy for self-consumption," the study said.
for prioritisation of solar energy for local consumption before feeding it to the grid and said: "The deployment of a novel charging algorithm where the EV charging load is made to follow the solar energy generation profile. Such a method reduces the need for a costly battery energy storage system (BESS)."
ENERGY & RESOURCES
Aussie astronomers capture black hole eruption Sydney, December 23 (IANS): Astronomers from Curtin University, as part of an international team, have produced the most comprehensive images of the nearest active black hole to earth. The discovery, published in the Nature Astronomy journal and released to the public on December 23, took a deep dive into the black hole at the center of the galaxy Centaurus A, about 12 million light-years away, reported Xinhua news agency. Despite being galaxies away, the erupting black hole extended across a length equal to 16 moons placed side by side in the night sky. However, it is not visible to the naked eye. The images were created using the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA) telescope in outback Western Australia, which is able to detect and image emitted radio waves. "These radio waves come from material being sucked into the supermassive black hole in the middle of the galaxy," said lead author on the study Benjamin McKinley from the Curtin University node of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR).
As the black hole that possesses 55 million times the mass of the sun erupts, it feeds on gas and ejects material at near light speed, which causes "radio bubbles" to expand outwards. "It forms a disc around the black hole, and as the matter gets ripped apart going close to the black hole, powerful jets form on either side of the disc, ejecting most of the material back out into space, to distances of probably more than a million light-years," said McKinley. McKinley said this is why the images appear brighter in the center, as energy is dissipated as particles are shot out and settle. He said the shape it forms, two connected ovals, is likely the result of particles being reaccelerated by a strong magnetic field. The research and imaging were made possible by the MWA which Curtin University operates on behalf of ICRAR. "The MWA is a precursor for the Square Kilometre Array, a global initiative to build the world's largest radio telescopes in Western Australia and South Africa," said MWA director Steven Tingay.
EV charging stations with rooftop J&K to buy 200 MW solar more economical: Report solar power for next 25 Energy Darpan
New Delhi/Bengaluru, December 23 (IANS): Aiming to demonstrate the concept of using a clean source of energy (solar) for charging Electric Vehicles (EVs), a new report has shown that electric vehicle charging stations (EVCSs) with solar rooftop photovoltaic (SRTPV) facility are economically more viable than those with grid. "The mismatch between solar energy generation and consumption (from charging) can be solved by deploying net-metering at charging stations. Among the scenarios considered, an EVCS connected to RTPV under net-metering policy represents the best-case scenario with the least LCOC," the report by the Centre for Study of Science, Technology and Policy (CSTEP) said. The report is based on the CSTEP system design for the pilot project at the Bangalore Electricity Supply Company (BESCOM) Corporate Office premises consisting of a power conversion unit (PCU), solar rooftop photovoltaic (SRTPV) panels, a lithium-ion battery bank, and an EV charger as the main components. The project showcases an
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This is necessary in view of the fact that Indian cities top the charts every year for worst air quality in the world. Studies have established that the transport sector is a major contributor (40-80 per cent) to air pollution in the cities. Hence, decarbonising the transport sector with the deployment of electric vehicles (EVs) is a crucial step in mitigating air pollution. Government too has been pushing EVs and, of course, as part of its proposed action plan to combat climate change promised to have 450 GW of solar power among other renewables. "Running an electric vehicle in the USA leads to a greater reduction in CO2 emissions than running it in India since the grid energy (used by the EV) in India is predominantly generated using coal. Therefore, the renewable energy mix of grid electricity becomes essential in enabling green mobility in the truest sense," CSTEP said. The report highlighted the need
A battery storage capacity equal to 40 kWh was considered in the analysis, which stored approximately 16 percent of the total daily solar energy (on average) generated. The costs of upstream electricity for grid only, PV only, and PV plus BESS are Rs 5, Rs 4.6, and Rs 8.9 per unit, respectively. "Including a BESS increased the cost of PV+storage system electricity by Rs 5.3/kWh." A novel framework to estimate the levelised cost of charging (LCOC) at a certain EVCS with grid connected RTPV and RTPV plus energy storage is also provided in the report. The framework can be extended to assess the feasibility of using a grid tied RTPV plus energy storage system serving any electrical load in general. "Currently, only EV charging guidelines are in place, sourcing the power from renewable energy sources is not emphasised. Learnings from the study can, therefore, guide policies for the widespread adoption of SRTPV-based EVCSs," the report mentioned.
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Jammu, December 17 (IANS): The J&K Administrative Council, which met under the chairmanship of Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on December 17, approved the purchase of 200 MW solar power through the Solar Energy Corporation of India (SECI) to meet the growing power demand and promote the use of green and clean energy in Jammu and Kashmir. The decision will allow the purchase of renewable energy at an estimated cost of Rs 2.52 per kWh for the next 25 years, which is by far the lowest rate ever offered to J&K. Accordingly, the Power Department has been given financial approval for Rs 110.37 crore per annum for purchasing the electricity from the Solar Energy Corporation of India. The envisaged purchase of additional power will help Jammu Kashmir Power Corporation ltd ( JKPCL) partially meet the Renewable Purchase Obligation (RPO) as fixed by the Ministry of Power, Government of India, besides ensuring enhanced power reliability due to diversity in
Energy Darpan
the power bucket of Jammu and Kashmir. The decision will also prioritise the generation and usage of renewable solar energy in consonance with the national endeavour of promoting green energy for a reduction in carbon footprints and mitigating global warming. It is expected that with the addition of this power, the JKPCL will be better placed to meet the increasing power demand which went up from 18091.386 MU during 2020-21 to 19500-2000 MU in the current financial year. The power development department has been working towards ensuring 24x7 reliable electricity in major cities and towns in Jammu and Kashmir by augmenting assets both at transmission and distribution levels under various centrally sponsored schemes. It is anticipated that with the completion of the major ongoing flagship programmes, the energy requirement will further grow and touch the 22000 MU-mark, thus creating a demand for an additional, stable, and reliable supply of 300-500 MW power.
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ART & CULTURE
Jaipur Literature Festival - A Curtain Raiser
T
he Jaipur Literature Festival 2022 programme has been revealed today at the Delhi Curtain Raiser. The programme, is a vast and kaleidoscopic, with themes ranging from the arts, biographies, business & economics, climate change, current affairs, food, poetry, science & technology, Artificial Intelligence, and the writing process, etc. Set to take place between 28th January to 1st February, 2022 on-ground in Jaipur and until February 6th online, the 10-day-long annual literature extravaganza, will return with in a hybrid avatar. The Delhi Curtain Raiser, hosted by the producer Teamwork Arts at The Leela Palace saw a breathtaking performance by the Anirudh Varma Collective along with Rajasthani bagpiper Shyopat Julia welcoming the audience with his melodious music. This year's veritable power-house roster of speakers, like every edition, reflects the diversity of the Festival's programming in books, themes, subjects, and ideas representing literature and thoughts intrinsic to both India and the world. This year, the Festival will host over 250 speakers, writers, thinkers, politicians, journalists and popular cultural icons from across a vast array of nationalities, representing 21 Indian and international languages as well as major awards such as the Nobel, the Booker Prize, the Pulitzer Prize, the Sahitya Akademi, the Padma Bhushan, the Padma Shri, the DSC Prize for Literature, the JCB Prize for Literature and many more. Some highlights from the programme include Nobel Laureate Abdulrazak Gurnah's session. Gurnah won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 2021 and is celebrated as one of Africa's greatest living writers. His novel Afterlives examines the brutality of German colonial forces in East Africa and the lives of Tanganyikans impacted by devastating war. Featuring another Nobel Laureate, Daniel Kahneman joins professor Olivier Sibony and legal scholar Cass R. Sunstein in explaining how and why humans are so susceptible to noise in judgment and what we can do about it. They will be in conversation at the session titled 'Noise: A Flaw in Human Judgment'. At another session, yet another Nobel Laureate Abhijit V Banerjee will be in conversation artist and illustrator Cheyenne Olivier. This session will explore a totally different dimension of the economist donning the cap of a gourmet chef. Discussing his delicious cookbook Cooking To Save Your Life, Banerjee will take the audience through the recipes he has delighted his friends,
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colleagues, and students with. He will speak movingly of the bonds of food and memory, friendship and community, across cultures and continents. The 2021 Booker Prize winning author Damon Galgut will discuss his writing style, process, inspirations, and the essence of his latest work The Promise. Galgut is a master of the knot, the stubborn rope which chafes and binds people to places, politics, prophets and the past. His latest book, sharp, meditative and winner of the Booker Prize, conveys the play of power in relationships with self, society and the state against the backdrop of post-Apartheid South Africa. Booker Prize-winning author DBC Pierre's recent and riotous novel, Meanwhile in Dopamine City, defies form and the limits of literary possibility. In Dopamine City, a father grapples with a world changing every day, his daughter's request for her first smartphone and the choice between joining this new world, wither, or escape altogether? Pierre will discuss experimental fiction and the plea for heart and soul in robotic times at the session. British writer and translator Deborah Smith, in conversation with translator Arunava Sinha, will discuss the many, often intangible, tasks of the translator comprising integrity, interpretation, expression and the singular objective of storytelling. Her translation of Korean author Han Kang's The Vegetarian won the Man Booker International Prize in 2016 and is widely celebrated for its feminist treatment of Kang's vivid and radical novel. Indian-American businesswoman and former CEO of PepsiCo Indra Nooyi's memoir, My Life in Full: Work, Family, and Our Future, follows her journey of grit and determination as she broke through several glass ceilings and the barriers of gender and race to become a global business leader. In conversation with author Aparna Piramal Raje, Nooyi will discuss her life, her trailblazing philosophy of 'Performance with Purpose' and the importance of a care infrastructure that benefits both women and men. In conversation with Seema Goswami, celebrated Indian actress Neena Gupta will discuss the backstories behind the glamorous facade, the ups and downs, the triumphs and heartbreaks that she has manoeuvred in her extraordinary life. In Gupta's candid autobiography, Sach Kahun Toh, she chronicles her extraordinary journey, both personal and professional, deconstructing Bollywood to tell her version of the realities behind the starstudded screen. At another session considered
as one of the greatest sciencefiction authors, Kim Stanley Robinson will be in conversation with journalist and author Raghu Karnad. Robinson will share his vision of the not-too-distant future. Beginning with a deadly human-induced heatwave in India, his recent cli-fi novel, The Ministry for the Future, is a roadmap on which life on Earth can survive. The Dawn of Everything provides an extraordinary perspective of human history and social evolution, challenging our most fundamental assumptions to reveal a broader scope for human emancipation. Author David Wengrow studies the origins of predominant theories of our primitive ancestors, barbarianism, human instinct, the origin of states and civilisations and their ties to the conflict between European society and indigenous discourse. In conversation with Rebecca Wragg Sykes, Wengrow will discuss the conceptual shackles and the possibilities that emerge from their removal. Bringing a historical flavour to the programme, acclaimed writer and historian Manu S. Pillai and writer and politician Dr. Shashi Tharoor will get into a conversation with author Ira Mukhoty. The idea of India's maharajahs as trifling, decadent despots who chased opulence over the public good, or as incompetent leaders who submitted to British design and dominance, has long been circulated, past verifiability. Pillai disputes this view in his seamless new book, False Allies: India's Maharajahs in the Age of Ravi Varma. Tharoor is also no stranger to upending misinformed notions, and has chronicled disruptive histories in works such as An Era of Darkness: The British Empire in India and Inglorious Empire: What the British Did to India and his most recent book, The Struggle for India's Soul: Nationalism and the Fate of Democracy. It will be a conversation that is sure to galvanise historical perspectives. Pillai will also be in conversation with researcher and writer, Anirudh Kanisetti at another session where both writers come together for an invigorating conversation on the lords and legacies of the Deccan. Kanisetti's upcoming book Lords of the Deccan: Southern India from the Chalukyas to the Cholas is a testament to his thoughtful and immense study of medieval South India and its influence on contemporary politics and culture. The Festival will feature another interesting conversation between leading Indian art historian and recipient of the Padma Shri and the Padma Bhushan, BN Goswamy and historian, author and with Festival Co-Director William Dalrymple. Comprehensive and
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Indian Education Dairy
deeply engaging, this session will be an accessible and authoritative primer to art in India and South Asia. In his latest book Conversations, Goswamy opens a window to the artworks that define our sensibilities. British biographer and literary agent Andrew Lownie's The Mountbattens: The Lives and Loves of Dickie and Edwina Mountbatten is an intimate story of an unusual marriage in a family of great intrigue. Lownie illustrates the powerful partnership between the last Viceroy of India, Dickie, and the magnetic, wealthy and universally-loved Edwina. Lownie has most recently petitioned the British government to release the 'Mountbatten documents', and explores in his book, the questions they might definitively answer revealing the truth behind Dieppe Raid, the Partition of India, the alleged affair between Edwina and Nehru and the assassination of Mountbatten in 1979. In conversation with historian and author Narayani Basu, Lownie will reveal the veracity behind the legends of the Mountbattens. Writer, columnist and curator Sujata Prasad's co-authored biography, The Dream of Revolution: A Biography of Jayaprakash Narayan, is a riveting account of a man whose ideas and beliefs epitomised Marxian and Gandhian styles of political engagement. Along with historian and author Narayani Basu and Indian sociologist and public intellectual Dipankar Gupta, Prasad will discuss the crucial role played by one man in shaping India's history. Viruses exist in the marginal space between the realm of the living and non-living. Acclaimed writer and biochemist Pranay Lal brings this marginal life form to the forefront and gives us fascinating insights into the world of viruses in his book Invisible Empire. In conversation with the academic, surgeon, and author Ambarish Satwik, Lal will explore the history of viruses that have turned from simple life forms to catastrophic illness-causing agents and discuss the vast ramifications that one tiny life
form can have on humanity. The audience will also witness a session which looks at the relations between India and Bangladesh and examines the socio-political, cultural and economic way forward to fuel and support the rich diversity of the two neighbouring countries, and commemorating 50 years of Bangladesh's Liberation War. Eminent Bangladeshi journalist Mahfuz Anam is the editor of The Daily Star, Bangladesh's foremost English language daily newspaper. He will be in conversation with the author of The Bengalis: A Portrait of a Community and The Eastern Gate, Sudeep Chakravarti. They will discuss the shifting axis of Bangladesh's socio-economic, political and religious ethos and the emerging roadblocks around migration, refugees, water-sharing and development that await the road ahead. Former diplomat and columnist Pinak Ranjan Chakravarty will also be a part of the session. Writer, screenwriter and activist Farrukh Dhondy boasts as many scintillating life experiences as he does professional accolades. From bearing witness to pre-independent India, the Partition and a great many social movements to meeting a roster of eclectic and even murderous celebrities, Dhondy's life is a cinematic rollercoaster that reignites excitement in memoir-writing. In conversation with film and theatre director Arghya Lahiri, co-author of Dolly Thakore's unapologetic memoir, Dhondy will discuss life as a writer. The Festival will also explore the artistic side of literature with some sessions concentrated on art, culture, music, poetry etc. at a dedicated venue for sessions on the arts. Arundhathi Subramaniam is an awardwinning poet, author and critic who has contributed greatly to contemporary spiritual writing and exploration. Subramaniam will discuss the confluence of literature, culture and yoga, the ultimate practice and meetingplace for individual consciousness and the universe.
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SPORTS
SA v IND, 1st Test: India breach Fortress ‘Fabulous’: Former Centurion with 113-run win over South Africa cricketers laud Team India’s historic win at Centurion Centurion, Dec 30: India signed off 2021 with a 113-run win over South Africa in the first Test at SuperSport Park here on Thursday. The win is also Indias first-ever Test victory at the venue, which is largely considered to be a fortress for South Africa. With this win, India have also taken a 1-0 lead in the threematch series. It took only two overs after lunch for India to wrap a memorable win. Marco Jansen began the second session by taking two boundaries off Mohammed Shami. But on the fifth ball, Shami had the last laugh as he drew Jansen to defend on the front foot but nicked behind to keeper Rishabh Pant. Ravichandran Ashwin took the first wicket by a spinner in the match, offering Kagiso Rabada flight outside the off-stump. Rabada reached out for a drive but the outer edge flew to Shami at backward point. On the very next ball, Ashwin sealed India’s win in just 10 minutes of the second session as Lungi Ngidi inner-edged to Cheteshwar Pujara at backward short leg. Earlier, resuming from 94/4 under a clear bright sky, Bavuma
and Dean Elgar struck crisplytimed boundaries to keep India frustrated. Shami dropped Elgar on 63 in a straightforward chance off his own bowling, further extending the wait of a breakthrough for the to’rists’. Shami’s dropped chance cost India only 14 runs as the 36-run partnership was brought to an end by Jasprit Bumrah trapping Elgar plumb lbw. The left-handed batter shuffled in an attempt to flick but missed the in-ducker from Bumrah which crashed to his pads. He went for the review, but replays showed the ball hitting the stumps. Quinton de Kock smashed some boundaries while sharing a stand of 31 with Bavuma before chopping on to his stumps while trying to cut off Siraj. Shami
struck in his second spell of the session, getting a length ball to straighten after pitching and take a faint outer edge of Wiaan Mulder’s bat to Pant. Bavuma lost partners but continued to hit boundaries. Along with Jansen, Bavuma ensured that South Africa didn’t lose any more wickets before lunch. But on resumption after the break, it took just 12 deliveries for India to breach another fortress after Gabba in the beginning of the year despite a day washed out due to rain. Brief scores: India 327 and 174 beat South Africa 197 and 191 all out in 68 overs (Dean Elgar 77, Temba Bavuma 35 not out, Jasprit Bumrah 3/50, Mohammed Shami 3/63) by 113 runs
In busy 2022, Neeraj Chopra to participate in CWG, Asian Games, World Championship Mumbai, Dec 30: India’s Olympic gold medallist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra wants to participate in the full season in 2022 including the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games, World Championships, and the Diamond League. The World Athletics Championships, postponed from 2021, is scheduled to be held at Oregon (USA) from July 15-24, 2022 while the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham will start on July 28 and will continue till August 8. The Asian Games will be held at Hangzhou, China from September 10-25 while the Diamond League will comprise 14 events to be held from May 13-September 8, making it quite a busy schedule ahead for Chopra. If he goes ahead with this plan, Chopra will participate in three major events in three months, which will leave him with very little time for preparations in between because of the travel restrictions because of the Covid-19 protocols. Having just started training in the United States following a lengthy break after he became only the second Indian after Abhinav Bindra to win Olympic gold, Chopra said things are going well at the camp. He is currently at Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Centre in California for a threemonth camp with his German coach Klaus Bartonietz. “My training is going well and
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New Delhi, Dec 30: Former Indian cricketers including legendary batter Sachin Tendulkar on Thursday showered praise on the Virat Kohli-led side for their historic win at the Centurion, saying the team has capability to pick 20 wickets in a Test match anywhere in the world. Team India defeated South Africa by 113 runs in the opening Test at Centurion to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. The win is also India’s first-ever Test victory at the venue, which is largely considered to be a fortress for South Africa. “Superb bowling by an attack that can pick 20 wickets in a Test match anywhere in the world. Congratulations to #TeamIndia on a convincing victory!,” Tendulkar wrote on Twitter. The former India coach Ravi Shastri also congratulated Team India, saying, “Wohoo Brisbane, Oval, Lord’s and now Centurion…
I am getting back my fitness. Initially, it was very difficult and I experienced some pain and stiffness as I started my physical training, but now things are better,” Chopra told the media in a virtual interaction on Thursday, Chopra had decided to end his season in August considering that everyone wanted to have a slice of the Tokyo Games gold winner. He had spent the last few months soaking up the adulation, participating in events, and meeting people. He had generally been enjoying his time with family and friends, ignoring diet restrictions and fitness regimen, gaining weight. Now after a couple of weeks’ training, which had initially been hard according to him, the 24-year-old reigning Commonwealth and Asian Games gold medallist from Haryana feels he is getting back to peak fitness and will will soon sit down with his coach and support staff to
plan his schedule in the season. “I have shed some weight and will be losing some more in the next couple of weeks. I will soon sit down with my coach and support staff and decide my schedule for the season. As all these events are very important, I am planning to participate in all of them,” Chopra said on Thursday. Chopra said he will try to accommodate as many of these important events as possible in his schedule. He said he will participate in all big events unless there is a very short gap between them. For Chopra, crossing the 90-metre mark remains his aim for the upcoming season and Chopra said he wants to achieve the feat this season. It is a psychological barrier that Chopra wants to cross at the earliest but the bigger task will be to hurl the spear continuously beyond 90 in the next few years.
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Congratulations @imVkohli, Rahul Dravid and the entire contingent on becoming the first Asian nation to win at Centurion #BoxingDayTest #TeamIndia.” The former India batter VVS Laxman lauded Team India’s efforts. “Began the year with great resilience at Sydney , followed by an incredible win at the Gabba, the Lord’s win was special and India end the year with a brilliant win at the Centurion. Has been a brilliant Test Match year for Team India. Congratulations on a wonderful win #INDvsSA,” he wrote on Twitter. The Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) secretary Jay Shah, too, hailed the team and wrote, “Congratulations to #TeamIndia on a fabulous victory at Centurion despite a day being washed out due to rain. 2021 has been a phenomenal year with many famous away Test wins in Brisbane, Lord’s, and The Oval.”
Australian PM lavishes praise on MCG hero Scott Boland Melbourne, Dec 28: Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison led the tributes for 32-year-old pace bowler Scott Boland, who singlehandedly demolished England in the Boxing Day Test on Day 3, grabbing six second-innings wickets and conceding only seven runs in the four overs he bowled. Boland’s efforts on Test debut saw Australia crush England by an innings and 14 runs to take an unassailable 3-0 lead and retain the Ashes at the MCG on Tuesday. “How good!!! They don’t come much bigger than that. An Ashes triumph to rival the best at the G (MCG). Congratulations to @patcummins30 (captain), @ stevesmith49, Justin Langer (coach) and the whole team -and especially @sboland24 -- an inspirational performance. A great day,” tweeted Morrison. Boland’s figures of 6/7 are the best by a debutant on the MCG in 144 years, and the only player to
have taken more wickets is Tom Kendall, who recorded 7/55 in 1877 -- five years before Australia’s victory at The Oval gave life to the Ashes. Former England cricketerturned-commentator Michael Vaughan said, “England nowhere near good enough... they will know that... but seeing a 32 yr old (Boland) on debut on his home turf with the Crowd going berserk is what makes Sport so special... Well done Australia... Far too good for England... #Ashes.” Australian cricketing great Shane Warne tweeted, “Amazing stuff and how good was @ scottboland24 on debut rocking the mighty MCG -- just awesome, well done mate.” Boland has become only the second Indigenous male player to wear the baggy green after pace bowler Jason Gillespie, who played 71 Tests between 1996 and 2006.
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Ashes: England head coach Silverwood in isolation, to miss fourth Test
SPORTS
BCCI president Sourav Ganguly tests COVID-positive, admitted to hospital
Melbourne, Dec 30: The England cricket team will have to play the fourth Test in Sydney without head coach Chris Silverwood after he was forced to isolate for 10 days as a close contact of a person testing positive for Covid-19. Silverwood must isolate after a family member as part of England’s touring party in Australia tested Covid positive, the BBC reported on Thursday. The fourth Ashes Test starts in Sydney next Wednesday ( January 5). England have already lost the Ashes after their defeat in the third Test here and Silverwood’s absence is a big setback for the team ahead of the next match. England have recorded seven positive cases -- three support staff and four family members since a PCR testing regime began on Monday (December 27), the report said adding that the three coaches who have tested positive are fast bowling coach Jon Lewis,
spin bowling coach Jeetan Patel and strength and conditioning expert Darren Vendess. “Following the latest round of PCR tests administered to the Eng’and Men’s touring party on Wednesday, one family member has tested positive,” the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) said in a statement on Thursday. “As a result of the positive test, England Men’s Head Coach Chris
Silverwood will have to isolate for 10 days, along with his family, in Melbourne and will miss the fourth Ashes Test due to start in Sydney on Wednesday, January 5, 2022,” the ECB said. England will have the fourth round of PCR tests on Thursday.
Kolkata, Dec 28: Former India skipper and the current Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly has tested positive for COVID-19 and admitted to a Kolkata hospital.
was a precautionary measure and there was no cause for alarm. The 49-year-old cricketer-turnedadministrator was advised not to isolate at home by medical experts because of his preexisting heart condition.
Both teams -- England and Australia -- are due to fly to Sydney via a chartered flight on Friday morning.
According to reports, Ganguly had mild fever on Sunday (December 26), and got the positive report on Monday evening (December 27).
Ganguly is fully vaccinated against Covid-19. His brother Snehasish Ganguly had also tested COVIDpositive earlier this year.
Ganguly, who had undergone treatment for a heart condition earlier this year, was admitted to Woodlands Hospital soon after his COVID-positive report came in.
The stylish left-handed batter had twice been admitted to hospital in January this year after complaining of chest discomfort. He later underwent two angioplasty procedures.
Ashes: Match referee David Boon tests Covid positive, to miss fourth Test Melbourne, Dec 30: Former Australia opener and match referee David Boon has tested positive to Covid-19 and will miss the fourth Test of the Ashes series between Australia and England in Sydney next week. He has gone into isolation here as per the local government protocol.
Test debutant Boland guides Australia to crushing win over England; hosts retain the Ashes
“The ICC match referee for the men’s Ashes Series, David Boon, has tested positive to Covid-19 following a PCR test,” Cricket Australia announced on Thursday. “Steve Bernard, a member of the International Panel of ICC Referees and based in NSW (New South Wales), will take over as match referee for the fourth Ashes Test match, starting on January 5 at the SCG (Sydney Cricket Ground),” the Cricket Australia statement said. Boon, who is asymptomatic and fully vaccinated, including having a booster, will remain in Melbourne and in line with Victorian State Government Health guidelines will continue
quarantining for 10 days. “It is anticipated that David Boon will return to the role for the fifth Test in Hobart, starting on January 14,” CA said in the statement. As per current Covid-19 protocols, local umpires and match officials from the various ICC panels are appointed for bilateral series since late 2020. Cricket Australia said that
all players from both teams, their families, the England and Australian support staff, and the match officials have been having daily PCR tests since December 27. England head coach Chris Silverwood too will miss the fourth Test because a member of his family, who is a part of the tour party, has tested positive.
‘Not surprised at all’: BCCI president Ganguly lauds India’s Centurion Test New Delhi, Dec 30: BCCI president Sourav Ganguly lauded India cricket team on their victory over South Africa in the first Test at the SuperSport Park in Centurion on Thursday, saying that he is not surprised by the result at all. India registered a comprehensive 113-run win over South Africa in the first Test to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series. It was also India’s first-ever Test victory at the Centurion, which is largely considered to be a fortress for
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Family sources were quoted as saying that the hospitalisation
South Africa. Former India captain said that South Africa will have to play out of their skins to beat this Virat Kohli-led Test team in the ongoing series. “Great victory for Team India ..not surprised by the result at all...will be a hard team to beat this series.. South Africa will have to play out of their skins to do that ..enjoy the new year (sic),” Ganguly wrote on Twitter. Meanwhile, 49-year-old Ganguly
continues to remain “stable” after being tested COVID-19 positive three days ago, the hospital where he is undergoing treatment said on Thursday. The BCCI president was rushed to a city hospital on Monday night as a precautionary measure after his RT-PCR test returned positive for COVID-19. He was also admitted to hospital twice earlier this year and underwent emergency angioplasty after having some cardiac issues.
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Melbourne, Dec 28: Test debutant Scott Boland returned with figures of 6/7 in his four overs as Australia crushed England by an innings and 14 runs on Day 3 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) to retain the Ashes on Tuesday. The victory ensures Australia stay at the top of the World Test Championship standings with 100 per cent points, while England slip further. Already on the brink of humiliation after a sensational bowling performance from Mitchell Starc and Boland on Day 2, England needed a big performance from two of their best batters -- skipper Joe Root and all-rounder Ben Stokes. A couple of flourishes and delectable drives from the duo would have given them a semblance of hope. But once the Australian bowlers found their rhythm again, the procession began. Starc got through the gates of Stokes with an absolute beauty. The all-rounder had no answers as the ball nipped back in, shattering his stumps, as he departed for 11. The Boland show then began as he embarked on a devastating spell that completely shattered the opposition. In the span of his three overs, he picked up four wickets. First, he trapped Jonny
Bairstow in front of the stumps who then reviewed the call unsuccessfully. Then, the big wicket of Root followed with a fuller delivery, which nipped away from the England skipper. Root could only edge the delivery, departing for 28. Mark Wood was the next one to follow, with Boland taking a sensational caught and bowled. The crowd was up on its feet as Australia were now only two wickets away from a 3-0 victory in the five-Test series. Ollie Robinson was the next one to perish against Boland, as the pacer again got the delivery to move off the deck. It proved too good for Robinson, who was dismissed for a duck. By the end, Boland’s figures read 6/7 in four overs. The final scalp was taken by Cameron Green, bowling Anderson for two as the MCG erupted with a big roar. England were bowled out for 68, losing the match by an innings and 14 runs.
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BOOKS & LITERATURE
Kafeel Khan's book on Changing 'UP waala bhaiya' Gorakhpur tragedy, his journey slur to badge of honour: Yogi's K biographer on UP transformation IANS
three things in UP's politics -- goonda raj, widespread corruption and a high degree of nepotism.
Y
ogi Adityanath's biographer Shantanu Gupta, having made waves with his bestselling 'The Monk Who Became Chief Minister', returns with a new title 'The Monk Who Transformed Uttar Pradesh' published by Garuda Prakashan. The book meticulously details how Yogi Adityanath transformed Uttar Pradesh as Chief Minister, in various aspects like law and order, air and road connectivity, education, health infrastructure, electricity, industrial growth, agriculture and other important aspects. The book carries a foreword by T.V. Mohandas Pai, ex-director of Infosys and chairman of Aarin Capital. Pai writes: "When Yogi Adityanath took over as CM, Lutyens Delhi -- the name by which the power structure and supporters of the ancient regime are known -exploded in anger and derision. They questioned his capability to be CM, abused him roundly, and predicted the total failure of his regime. They forget that he was a 5-time MP, a person of great accomplishment as an MP going by his track record in Parliament, had toured most districts of UP and knew the living conditions of the people of UP more than any of his critics." The author, Shantanu Gupta, goes on to explain that governance under the SP and BSP governments institutionalized
"Corruption became part of the basic grammar of UP. All development indices of UP remained abysmally low during those years, apart from the crime numbers, which always soared. Only industry, which was getting benefited from Uttar Pradesh in those years, was Bollywood � which drew inspiration for many of its criminal thriller sequences from UP, where Mulayam Singh Yadav had in-famously defended heinous rapists, saying -- "Ladke Hain, Galti Ho Jati Hai" (Boys, do commit some small mistakes sometimes)," he writes. The arguments in the book are backed by hard facts -- the massive administrative changes that Yogi brought in UP's work culture, how he overhauled policing in UP, how he electrified a dark Uttar Pradesh with the motto 'Sabko Bijli, Paryapt Bijli aur Nirbadh Bijli', how UP became an expressway state under Yogi's regime and how industries, prosperity and jobs are returning to UP under Yogi. Having chronicled how Yogi changed the perception of Uttar Pradesh as an un-developed, uneducated, corrupt, lawless and 'Bimaru' state to a transformed and progressive Uttar Pradesh, the author also showcases Yogi's merit-based education system versus Akhilesh Yadav's cheatingbased system, the story of Yogi's One-District-One-MedicalCollege mission to his Covid management, how Yogi's massive pro-farmer steps rendered socalled farmer protests irrelevant, the cultural renaissance of UP under Yogi government and finally, how the duo of Modi-Yogi brought welfare for the poor in UP. "Uttar Pradesh was disparaged as 'bimaru' and known for governance based on identity politics rather than all-around development, Sabka Vikas. Shantanu Gupta's book is an
important contribution to how an effective leader, rooted in India's ancient ethos while looking for apt solutions for contemporary times, can bring real change," says Sankrant Sanu, founder and CEO of Garuda Prakashan. Many prominent scholars and journalists have applauded the book on social media platforms � Sr Advisor to I&B Ministry Kanchan Gupta, Author and CIC Uday Mahurkar, Author Harsh Madhusudan, USA Congressional candidate Ritesh Tondon, to name a few. In Book discussion organized by Overseas friends of BJP for the diaspora in 13 cities of Europe - Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi, BJP's Foreign cell head Vijay Chauthaiwale and Author Shantanu shared their thoughts. Sudhanshu Trivedi applauded his college junior Shantanu's work and added that Uttar Pradesh has seen a sea of positive change in Yogi Adityanath's tenure. "Today the same UP has become second in Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) ranking leaving many industrialized states behind. Under Yogi Adityanath, Uttar Pradesh has become the second largest state of India in Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), surging ahead of even the industrialized states like Gujarat and Tamil Nadu. Uttar Pradesh has doubled the per capita income of its citizens -from Rs 43,000 per year in 201516, when the SP was in power, to Rs 95,000 a year in 2021.
afeel Khan, the doctor embroiled in the August 2017 Gorakhpur hospital incident controversy, has written a book on the subject.
IANS
Titled, "The Gorakhpur Hospital Tragedy, A Doctor's Memoir of a Deadly Medical Crisis", the memoir presents Khan's version of the incident and subsequent developments that have kept him on the firing line ever since. "My book is an honest, heartfelt account of the terrible events of 10 Aug 2017 and after. I dedicate it to all the parents who lost their children in the tragedy. This book is dedicated to those 63 children and 18 adults," says Khan. "I thought of giving readers facts and evidence. This is not only the story about me. It is about kids and adults who died, and about families who are waiting for justice." The book, claims Khan, has stories that expose the system's failures and exposes "real culprits". The Gorakhpur hospital tragedy took place on August 7, 2017 when oxygen disruption eld to the death of 63 children. Khan relates the "gut-wrenching turmoil that followed - a suspension without end, an eight-month-long incarceration and a relentless fight for justice in the face of extreme apathy and persecution". When asked if the book is timed keeping in mind the Uttar Pradesh elections, Khan said that he has been writing the book for a
long time. "The most important point the book talks about is the broken health system. The system collapsed. It also talks about doctors' struggle. The poor and the marginalised community depend on public hospitals. I have talked about the public health system." Born in Gorakhpur, Khan had completed his MBBS and MD from Kasturba Medical College, Manipal, in Karnataka. He was suspended from Baba Raghav Das Medical College's Nehru Hospital after the August 2017 incident. With jail terms in between and after a long legal battle, Khan was terminated from service in November this year. There are still cases pending against him in various courts.
Institutions like the World Health Organization (WHO), IIT Kanpur, Niti Aayog and the Mumbai High Court praised Uttar Pradesh CM Yogi Adityanath over his Covid-19 management and the way the Yogi government handled the state in the first and second wave. In fact, Australian MP Craig Kelly was so impressed with Yogi Adityanath's handling of Covid that he publicly requested for Yogi Adityanath to be loaned to Australia for some time to manage Covid in his country," adds the author.
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TRAVEL
The celebrity choice for Maldives
D
ue to the one resort one island idea, Kandima Maldives, with its surreal surroundings in a tropical private island setting, is the safest heaven. The game-changing resort made its mark in 2021 as the first choice of many Bollywood celebrities, renowned artists from various fields, and prominent sports stars. When celebrities' social media feeds are full with fun beach photos and breathtaking scenery, it's practically impossible not to have a case of wanderlust! This 3-kilometer-long island paradise, which has everything for everyone, has been visited by a constellation of stars. Kandima's K'Krew has entertained these high-profile guests with a wide range of interests, customising each one's stay to fit their needs, whether it's a romantic honeymoon, a wellness retreat,
IANS
a family vacation, or even a staycation with friends! Take a peek at these celebs who recently spent unforgettable vacations in this so stylish and entertaining destination: Singer Rahul Vaidya and Disha Parmar enjoyed their honeymoon and celebrated Rahul’s birthday at Kandima, accompanied by their close friends. Bollywood actress Bipasha Basu and her husband Karan Singh Grover spent quality time with their parents during a relaxing family holiday. It planned their trip to include, among other things, a spectacular sunset sail and specifically crafted gastronomic experiences. Singer Aditya Narayan and his wife Shweta Agarwal took a couple’s staycation. They are total water babies, and the resort
went to great lengths to create breathtaking experiences for them to explore the Indian Ocean through Aquaholics, the resort’s in-house watersports centre. Actress Sonalee Kulkarni and her husband Kunal Benodekar had the time of their lives on their honeymoon, taking in everything it has to offer, from special culinary delights to a Dolphin cruise, relaxing spa treatments for the pair, and much more. These are only a few examples. Bollywood actors Sonu Sood and Elli Avrram, cricketer Mohammad Shami, and Indian television personalities Shefali Jariwala, Amna Sharif, Aarti Singh, Tina Datta, Erica Fernandes, and others have all visited Kandima Maldives in the recent past. Deanne Pandey, a celebrity fitness trainer, wellness advocate, and author, frequents the resort.
Three new destinations, three stunning intimate properties
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teadfast, strong, and evidently attaining their vision of opening a multitude of luxury experiential hotels, The Postcard Hotel is set to open two new hotels this December, The Postcard Hideaway, Netravali and The Postcard Mandalay Hall, Kochi. Refurbished and renewed, The Postcard Galle, Sri Lanka also opens again, as Sri Lanka has reopened its borders for tourists. The Postcard Hideaway, Netravali opens on 10th December in a pristine, hidden ecosystem of South Goa. This first hideaway resort comes with 20 rooms spread across 20 acres, enveloped by the western ghats and overlooking the verdant hills. Propelling a wellness journey, the hotel is designed and curated to let one absorb the nature around and detox from the outside
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world, while offering restorative seclusion and an all new way to holiday in Goa. “This expansive resort is perfect for ones looking to truly unwind and get away from the noise and pace of busy city lives. All our hotels in Goa have a uniquely distinct identity that offer an immersion of the surrounding spaces and culture. Our hotel in Netravali goes a step further towards exploring a completely unseen dimension of Goa. We truly believe that the experience at this property has the potential to change the way many people see Goa.” says Kapil Chopra, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, The Postcard Hotel. The Postcard Mandalay Hall is an art hotel nestled in the cobbled by lanes of Mattancherry, Kochi, in a 200year old landmark building
that was once a residential Jewish quarter. What makes this hotel completely charming is the way it has been crafted to offer an unforgettable experience that bridges Kochi’s past and present. Each of the five luxury rooms is an immersive living gallery, exhibiting artwork and installations by different artists. “Our hotel in Kochi is all soul. Each section is carefully designed to tell its own unique story, be it the rooms, the heritage jewellery store or even the untouched exterior walls.” says Kapil. The Postcard Galle, Sri Lanka is another Postcard experience that shouldn’t be missed as the year ends. With a spectacular view of the enchanting Indian ocean, this 10 suite resort is also a stone’s throw from Galle Fort and just an hour away from the biggest
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mammal in the world, the blue whale. “We opened the hotel a few months before the pandemic. With Sri Lanka now open again for tourists, it gives us the chance to bring this enchanting experience back to our guests.
Located above the waters of a beautiful blue lagoon in a neighbourhood filled with wellpreserved architecture, local cafes and boutiques, The Postcard Galle offers the perfect balance of some cultural exploration as well as some solitude by the sea.” says Kapil.
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Jan 1-15, 2022 - Vol 2, Issue 12
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Jan 1-15, 2022 - Vol 2, Issue 12
Deepika's glam 'this is 83' pictures makes hubby Ranveer go 'uff' Instagram
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eepika Padukone and Ranveer Singh never shy away from publicly professing their love for each other, especially if it gets them fan eyeballs for an upcoming film featuring one (or both) of them. The special screening in Mumbai of Kabir Khan's cricket drama '83', where Bollywood's showstoppers celebrated the film with the 1983 World Cup-winning team, gave the power couple an opportunity for yet another PDA moment in a latest post shared by the actress. Deepika posted a series of pictures on Instagram, where she looked every inch glamorous dressed in a floor-sweeping midnight-green ensemble. She completed her look with a statement jewelled necklace and bold eyes. For the caption, Deepika simply wrote: "#ThisIs83". Ranveer couldn't stop himself from
Samantha shuts down troll who accused her of 'robbing' Rs 50 cr from ex-husband
commenting on his wife's pictures. He exclaimed: "Ufffff." In '83', Ranveer plays the role of the captain of the 1983 team and cricketing legend, Kapil Dev, who led the underdogs to coveted World Cup glory, beating the mighty two-time previous winners West Indies in the final at Lord's. Deepika, the film's co-producer, plays Kapil's wife, Romi Dev, in the film. Others on the film's cast include Tahir Raj Bhasin, Jiiva, Saqib Saleem, Jatin Sarna, Chirag Patil (son of 1983 team member Sadeep Patil), Dinker Sharma, Nishant Dahiya, Harrdy Sandhu, Sahil Khattar, Ammy Virk, Addinath Kothare, Dhairya Karwa and R. Badree, apart from Pankaj Tripathi, Neena Gupta and Boman Irani. The film is releasing theatrically on Friday, December 24.
Cricketing Heights: ‘83’ releases on world’s highest screen in Ladakh Leh, Dec 24: For ‘83’ Director Kabir Khan, it’s literally the height of joy. Among the numerous places where ‘83’ is being screened, the one that’s got him talking is Ladakh, where Picturetime’s mobile inflatable theatre at 11,562ft enjoys the distinction of being the world’s highest screen to show the film.
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ctress Samantha Ruth Prabhu shut down a troll on social media who accused her of "robbing" Rs 50 crore from ex-husband and actor Naga Chaitanya as alimony after their divorce. Samantha has been trending on social media ever since her item song 'Oo Antava' from 'Pushpa' was released. While a huge section of the Internet was busy lauding the actress for the newest hat she has worn, one section has been degrading her for her 'boldness' in the song. On Tuesday, one troll commented on her marital status, as he also accused her of robbing Rs 50 crore from a "gentleman".
His comment implies that the actress had taken alimony from Naga Chaitanya, related to their separation. Samantha, who usually ignores her social media trolls by simply blocking them, replied, "God bless your soul." With this reply, the troll deleted his disrespectful comment soon. Samantha's subtle, yet hitting reply caught the attention of all. On the work front, Samantha Ruth Prabhu is to appear in Gunasekhar's directorial 'Shaakunthalam', while she has a couple of multilingual movies in her kitty. She also has a Hollywood movie titled 'The Arrangements Of Love' on her list.
Neena Gupta, Kapil Dev make surprise appearances in ‘83’
“My joy knows no bounds,” Khan said in a media statement. “This is spectacular. I’m looking forward to the audience’s reaction to the film. Ladakh is very dear to my heart because I have spent months trekking there during my college days. This is truly special.” Shibasish Sarkar, Chairman, IMAC, and former Group CEO, Reliance Entertainment, said: “’83’ is our labour of love. We would love for everyone to watch this film, and I’m so happy to know that through Picturetime’s inflatable theatre, our film is reaching the interiors of the country, where a good cinemawatching experience is still a far-fetched dream.” Reliance Entertainment is one of the producers of the 1983 World Cup drama. In a tweet on Friday, December 24, Sarkar said the film, which has been released in five languages, is running in 2,094 cinemas, adding up to 12,044 shows on 3,741 screens.
Mumbai, Dec 24: Actress Neena Gupta essays the part of Kapil Dev’s mother Rajkumari Lal Nikhanj in ‘83’. Ironically, the father of her daughter, Sir Viv Richards, was Kapil’s bete noir at the 1983 World Cup.
rate of 117.85 before he was caught dramatically by Kapil on a Madan Lal delivery. Earlier, when India was playing, he proved expensive with the ball -- conceding eight runs in the one and only over he bowled.
The film has another surprise in it: Kapil Dev makes a cameo appearance as a member of the audience who picks up the ball after a cracker of a shot by Ranveer Singh, who plays the cricket legend in the film. The character played by Kapil exclaims: “Good shot, Kapil!”
Neena Gupta and Sir Viv started dating in the late 1980s and their daughter, Masaba Gupta, is one of India’s leading couturiers and also an actor who made her debut with the Netflix original, ‘Masaba Masaba’.
The Indian cricket team, spearheaded by Kapil Dev, squared off against the mighty West Indies in the 1983 World Cup finals. Neena Gupta dated Sir Viv, the West Indies batting legend, who was a member of the 1983 Carribean squad led by Sir Clive Lloyd, which was then considered invincible, having won the first two World Cups.
Primetime’s inflatable theatre in Ladakh has digital movie screenings on a big screen equipped with a Dolby 5.1 sound system. It can house around 150 people for one show.
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ENTERTAINMENT
Neena completed her part of shooting for the film back in December 2019.
In the finals, Sir Viv scored 33 runs from 28 balls with a strike
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Jan 1-15, 2022 - Vol 2, Issue 12
Kareena shares her Covid quarantine essentials A
ctress Kareena Kapoor Khan, who is currently in isolation for Covid, has shared her quarantine essentials and it is something one cannot imagine.
ENTERTAINMENT
Working in multiple languages has enriched me, says actor Kashmira
Kareena on Thursday took to Instagram, where she also shared updates from the 12th day of her quarantine. She wrote: "I am still trying to figure out if we are in COVID times or not...anyway, day 12...two days to go...stay safe all" in her first Instagram story. Kareena then shared a picture of herself flaunting her signature pout and wrote: "Pyjama, lipstick and a pout... quite the combination... try it!!" According to reports, Kareena and a few of her friends, including Amrita Arora, Seema Khan and Maheep Kapoor, contracted Covid last week. Kareena will next be seen in the Aamir Khan-starrer 'Laal Singh Chaddha'. It will hit the big screen on April 14, 2022. Atul Kulkarni has done the Indian adaptation of the Academy Award-winning film 'Forrest Gump' that was originally written by Eric Roth. 'Laal Singh Chaddha' has been directed by Advait Chandan with music by Pritam and lyrics by Amitabh Bhattacharya. The film is presented by Viacom18 Studios.
Anupria Goenka calls 'Tiger Zinda Hai' a turning point in her career Y very close to my heart because it was a turning point in my career. Poorna was a very nuanced character, and I am thankful to Yash Raj, Aditya (Chopra) Sir, and Ali Abbas Zafar for giving me the opportunity to play her." Talking about the film's schedule, she says, "We had a lovely time shooting the film. We were in Abu Dhabi for two months, and I made some wonderful friends on sets. Working with Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, and Kumud Mishra was a wonderful learning opportunity. It also marked my first collaboration with YRF, and they are like family now." She also praises the director of the film, Ali Abbas Zafar as she adds, "I also found a lovely director in Ali Abbas Zafar. He is a one-man army and is always on his feet, ready to take on any challenge. For me, 'Tiger Zinda Hai' is a very important film. I still reminisce about the time I spent while shooting it."
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s Salman Khan's 'Tiger Zinda Hai' completes four years on Wednesday, actress Anupria Goenka who played the character of Poorna, reminisces about her
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experience of working in the film, calling it a turning point in her career. While sharing her excitement, Anupria says, "'Tiger Zinda Hai' is
The actress is currently gearing up for the second season of the much awaited show 'Asur' and another yet-to-be-titled series for Hotstar.
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es, some films may not be commercially viable but it takes a lot of courage to make such cinema. What the audience then witnesses is something mind-blowing because the story and treatment are not meant just to make the box office buzz. So many young directors are offering new narratives and are willing to explore the unexplored. These are truly interesting times," says actor Kashmira who made her debut with the Tamil movie 'Sivappu Manjal Pachai', and has been part of projects like Mission Mangal (Hindi) and Rampaat (Marathi). Now all set to make her Kannada debut with filmmaker Vijay Kumar Konda's upcoming movie, 'Rider', in which she plays the role of Soumya, who comes to India from the US for her love, the actor tells IANS, "She is strong and believes in the old school definition of love. The character is quite like me in real life It was such a pleasure working with actor Nikhil Kumarsway, who is very kind and encouraging." For someone who has worked in movies in multiple languages --- Hindi, Tamil, Marathi, and now Kannada, the experience has enriched her as an actor. "It has definitely made me understand different cultures and that really
adds up to my experience as an actor. Whenever I am doing a movie in a particular language, I make it a point to closely observe how the people of that culture carry themselves." Stressing that it is never just one factor that makes her sign the dotted line, Kashmira adds that for a good project multiple elements like the subject, director, story and cast play a decisive role. "A film is a collaborative effort and requires excellence in each department. It is like a well-cooked dish which cannot be made unless all ingredients are perfectly balanced." As her movie 'Anbarivu' gets set to stream on Hotstar in January, the actor feels that streaming has brought about a metamorphosis in the industry. "It is content that occupies the centre stage now. People are ready to accept new faces if the subject and story are exceptional. And we all know about the phenomenal reach of these platforms." Looking forward to working with directors like Anjali Menon, Gauri Shinde, Sudha Kongara, Kabir Khan, Shoojit Sircar and Om Raut among others, Kashmira has two upcoming Tamil releases.
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INDIA NEWS
Luxury, lifestyle, location — welcome to Dress Circle
Jan 1-15, 2022 - Vol 2, Issue 12
Located in the heart of one of Australia’s fastest growing regions, Brookwater is Brisbane’s best kept secret for luxury living. Crafted around the Greg Norman designed golf course, Brookwater provides a rare combination of prestige golf-side living and natural bushland beauty. With over 800 families already calling Brookwater home, we are pleased to introduce the next stage of this exclusive community — your own architecturally designed piece of paradise — Dress Circle.
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We welcome you to experience Brisbane’s best kept secret when it comes to luxury living, and choose from our leading architectural collaborators to design your dream home — with all architectural fees complimentary with your Dress Circle land purchase.
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Life on Brookwater’s Dress Circle is within 10 minutes of everything you need — commuter rail to the city, private and public schools, childcare centres, a university, a private hospital, shopping centres and a thriving commercial precinct.
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