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Nov 1-15, 2021 - Vol 2, Issue 9
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Vaccine manufacturers played big role in India's success story: PM Modi
IANS
for their role in the "success story of India". Holding a meeting with seven domestic manufacturers against the backdrop of 100 crore vaccine doses being administered, he praised their efforts that have resulted in the country crossing the milestone, and said that they "have played a big role in the success story of India", an official statement said. He appreciated their hard work and confidence given by them during the pandemic.
New Delhi, October 23 (IANS): Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 23 credited domestic vaccine manufacturers
The Prime Minister also stressed that the country needs to institutionalise the best practices learnt during the last one and a half years, and said that this is an opportunity to modify our practices, in tune with the global standards. Continued on Page 3
Australia Australia and India to sign launches trade deal by 2022 end 'spread Canberra/New Delhi, 1 October: joint media release by freedom' Covid APiyush Goyal, Indian Minister of Commerce and Industry, vax push Consumer Affairs and Food,
IANS
Canberra, October 24 (IANS): The Australian government on October 24 launched the next phase of its coronavirus vaccination campaign as the country continues to battle the third wave of the pandemic. Health Minister Greg Hunt on October 24 debuted the government's new vaccine advertising campaign, reports Xinhua news agency.
Dubbed "spread freedom", the campaign emphasizes the benefits of getting vaccinated against Covid-19 such as the freedom to travel interstate and overseas, reminding people that with increasing vaccinations they are able to return to a more normal and free life.
Continued on Page 3
Indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant sails out for second sea trials IANS
New Delhi, October 24 (IANS): Indian Navy's indigenously developed aircraft carrier Vikrant sailed out on October 24 for its second sea trials, officials said. Its maiden sea trials were conducted in August this year. The carrier would undergo a series of sea trials to prove all equipment and systems prior to its delivery in 2022.
Continued on Page 3
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and Public Distribution and Textiles and his Australian counterpart Mr Dan Tehan MP, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Government of Australia, formally launched the resumption of negotiations on the India-Australia Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA). Both Ministers discussed a range of issues during the 17th India-Australia Joint Ministerial Commission meeting on September 30. Key issues included the expeditious negotiation of a bilateral CECA, resolution of tax-related issues faced by Indian software firms
in Australia, ensuring increased two-way trade and the 12th Ministerial Conference of the WTO scheduled to be held at the end of this year. Both India and Australia reaffirmed their commitment to conclude a CECA, including to reach an interim agreement by December 2021 to liberalise and deepen bilateral trade in goods and services, and to conclude the negotiations on a full CECA by the end of 2022. Continued on Page 3
International students will be able to return to Canberra in 2022 Canberra, October 22 (IANS): Andrew Barr, Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), announced on October 22 that international students who have been fully vaccinated against Covid-19 will be able to return to Canberra for the start of the 2022 academic year. Under the plan, students who have been inoculated with a vaccine recognised by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) will not have to quarantine on arrival in the ACT but will be subject to federal testing requirements,
reports Xinhua news agency.
"Higher education institutions provide a considerable social and economic contribution to Canberra. The return of international students will be very welcome news for our city," Barr said in a statement. The international education industry, which was worth an estimated A$1 billion per year to the ACT economy prior to the pandemic, has been crippled by Australia's strict border restrictions.
Continued on Page 3
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INDIA NEWS
Nov 1-15, 2021 - Vol 2, Issue 9
EDITORIAL BOARD Professor Prasad Yarlagadda, Queensland University of Technology Ms Audrey Courty, Griffith University Dr Uttam Kumar Sinha, Senior Fellow, Nehru Memorial Museum & Library, India Mr Shaun Star, Director, Centre for Australia India Studies, Jindal Global University, India
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Nov 1-15, 2021 - Vol 2, Issue 9
Indigenous aircraft carrier Vikrant sails out for second sea trials Continued from Page 1
Designed by the Indian Navy's Directorate of Naval Design, it is being built at Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL), a public sector shipyard under Ministry of Shipping, Vikrant is a leading example of the nation's quest for 'Atma Nirbhar Bharat' and 'Make in India' initiative, with more than 76 per cent indigenous content. The indigenous aircraft carrier is 262 m long, 62 m at the widest part and height of 59 m, including the superstructure. There are 14 decks in all, including five in the superstructure. The ship has over 2,300 compartments, designed for a crew of around 1,700 people, and also has gender-sensitive
accommodation spaces for women officers.
The ship, with high degree of automation for machinery operation, ship navigation and survivability, has been designed to accommodate an assortment of fixed wing and rotary aircraft.
Continued from Page 1
"The domestic vaccine manufacturers appreciated the vision and dynamic leadership of the Prime Minister in providing continuous guidance and support towards the development of the vaccines. They also praised the never before seen collaboration between government and industry, and applauded the regulatory reforms, simplified procedures, timely approvals, and forthcoming and supportive nature of the government throughout this endeavour," the
Delivery of Vikrant is being targeted to coincide with 'Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav' celebrations to commemorate 75th anniversary of India's independence.
Trials progressed as planned and system parameters proved satisfactory during the maiden sea voyage.
With the delivery, India would join a select group of nations with the capability to indigenously design and build an aircraft carrier.
During the maiden sailing, the ship's performance, including hull, main propulsion, power generation and distribution (PGD), and auxiliary equipment
"Delivery of IAC would also strengthen India's position in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and its quest for a blue water Navy," the force added.
statement said.
Mahima Datla of Biological E Ltd said that the vision of the Prime Minister which helped the country attain the vaccination milestone. Dr. Sanjay Singh of Gennova Biopharmaceuticals talked about the importance of innovation and backward integration in the field of vaccine development.
Adar Poonawala of the Serum Institute of India praised the regulatory reforms brought out by the government, while Dr Krishna Ella of Bharat Biotech thanked the Prime Minister for having taken Covaxin, and for the continuous support and motivation during its development. Pankaj Patel, chairman of Cadila Healthcare, thanked the Prime Minister for talking about the DNA-based vaccine in the UN General Assembly.
Looking to build on the progress made by both countries on earlier bilateral negotiations, both Ministers agreed the need for a balanced trade agreement that encourages expanded trade and investment flows to the benefit of both of our economies, and that reflects a shared commitment to the rules-based international trading system. Reaffirming their commitment
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According to peak body Universities Australia, universities lost 1.8 billion Australian dollars in revenue and cut 17,300 jobs in 2020.
become nurses in Canberra hospitals and the allied health professionals that will be supporting Canberrans in their everyday lives," he said.
Paddy Nixon, vice-chancellor of the University of Canberra, said the return of international students would have major benefits for the city.
"As our economy starts to rebound, we will need the talents our international students bring, and we all benefit from the vibrancy they bring to our campus and our city."
"Our international students
Australia launches 'spread freedom' Covid vax push
IANS
Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya was also present during the interaction. Continued from Page 1 IANS
Continued from Page 1
Till date, 86.6 per cent of Australians have received at least one Covid-19 vaccine dose and 73.1 percent were fully inoculated. Lieutenant General John Frewen, the Covid-19 Task Force commander, said Australia was on track to become one of the most vaccinated countries in the world. "We've now got enough vaccines distributed around the country to double-dose all Australians who want to get vaccinated," he told reporters in Canberra.
to working together, both ministers agreed to strengthen the rules-based, transparent, non-discriminatory, open, and inclusive multilateral trading system embodied by the World Trade Organization. They also agreed to work towards an ambitious and balanced outcome at the 12th WTO Ministerial Conference (MC12) in Geneva, Switzerland. Australia and India are important trading partners. India-Australia bilateral trade exceeded AUD$24 billion last year. Major Indian exports to Australia are petroleum
IANS
Satish Reddy from Dr. Reddy's Lab appreciated the collaboration between government and industry throughout this endeavour, while Panacea Biotec's Dr Rajesh Jain praised the continuous communication by the government throughout the pandemic.
Australia and India to sign trade deal by 2022 end
The Joint Ministerial Commission detailed the areas that will be covered by the interim agreement consistent with Article XXIV of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade, including goods, services, investment, energy and resources, logistics and transport, standards, rules of origin, and sanitary and phytosanitary measures. Ministers also agreed to explore government procurement. It was agreed that there would be an exchange of offers by the end of October 2021.
Continued from Page 1
The August trials, which were reviewed by Southern Naval Command chief, Vice Admiral A.K. Chawla had progressed as planned and system parameters were proved satisfactory.
On August 8, the aircraft carrier successfully accomplished its maiden sea voyage, after setting sail from Kochi on August 8.
"They noted that had the country been following old norms, there would have been considerable delay and 'we would not have been able to reach the vaccination level that we have attained till now'," it added.
International students will be able to return to Canberra in 2022
were tested.
Vaccine manufacturers played big role in India's success story: PM Modi
He said that the entire world is looking up to India, against the backdrop of the success of the vaccination drive, and called on the vaccine manufacturers to continuously work together to be ready to face future challenges.
COVER STORIES
products, medicines, polished diamonds, gold jewellery, apparels etc, while key Australian exports to India include coal, LNG, alumina and non-monetary gold. In services, major Indian exports relate to travel, telecom and computer, government and financial services, while Australian services exports were principally in education and personal related travel. In 2020, India was Australia's seventhlargest trading partner and sixth largest export destination, driven by coal and international education.
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"If you want to be fully protected before Christmas, then you really
need to start coming forward now to that first dose to get the whole process done." Australia on October 24 reported 2,240 new locally-acquired Covid-19 infections and 15 deaths. The majority of new cases were in Victoria, the country's second-most populous state with Melbourne as the capital city, where 1,935 cases and 11 deaths were reported. The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) recorded nine new cases on October 24 - its lowest daily tally since late September.
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INDIA NEWS INDIA NEWS
Nov 9 9 Nov 1-15, 1-15, 2021 2021 --Vol Vol2,2,Issue Issue
DIWALI GREETINGS DIWALI GREETINGS
PRIME MINISTER
MESSAGE FROM THE PRIME MINISTER DIWALI 2021 My warmest greetings to the people of so many faiths who celebrate the festival of lights. On the darkest night of the month, we hold in our hearts the victory of light over darkness, good over evil, and knowledge over ignorance. It is the moment when we turn the corner, and begin to see the lights ahead of us, guiding us forward. We have been through dark times in these last two years. This year, we celebrate Diwali as we draw ever closer to the light at the end of our COVID-19 tunnel. That means all the things we’ve had to forsake – welcoming, gathering, celebration and ceremony – will again be possible. For some parts of Australia, we will be able to celebrate this year, and for the remainder of the country, next year. We look forward with joy and hope knowing that our Diwali celebrations will take place again. Over recent years, I have joined Diwali celebrations around Australia and I know the joy, colour, community and food that makes Diwali such a special celebration. We will get to that time with our National Plan to open safely, and to stay safely open. Our vaccination program underpins this plan and I urge all Australians to get vaccinated –– to take up the opportunity offered by our doses of hope. I thank you, as people of faith and cultural communities, for your efforts over many months to keep your communities safe, together, and part of our united response to the pandemic. May everyone celebrating Diwali this year be refreshed by its sense of hope and prosperity, and by the fellowship of your family and community. Happy Diwali!
message for AA message forthe the festival of festival ofDiwali Diwali As a a valued in in Asia, I join withwith you you in in As valued friend friendand andneighbour neighbour Asia, I join celebration of festival of colour, light,light, prosperity, celebration ofthe theIndian IndianDiwali Diwali festival of colour, prosperity, good health, health, and is no greater timetime to celebrate good andhappiness. happiness.There There is no greater to celebrate the defeat defeat of the of darkness. darkness. Diwali is symbol of togetherness andand confidence Diwali issuch suchananimportant important symbol of togetherness confidence about the the future. immense pleasure to send my best about future.ItItgives givesme me immense pleasure to send my best wishes to occasion of Diwali 2021. May the wishes to you youon onthis thisjoyous joyous occasion of Diwali 2021. May the festival of to to your lives, bothboth professionally festival oflights lightsadd addmore morecolour colour your lives, professionally and personally. and personally. II would mymy heartfelt gratitude andand sincere would also alsolike liketotoexpress express heartfelt gratitude sincere thanks for support throughout ourour business thanks foryour yourcontinuous continuous support throughout business journey. The years have been difficult and and journey. Thelast lastcouple coupleofof years have been difficult challenging for butbut together wewe have embraced this this challenging forall allofofus,us, together have embraced change, positively approach to support students change, positivelyand andreinvented reinventedour our approach to support students and the and the larger largercommunity. community. As a a global The University of Queensland (UQ)(UQ) As globaltop top50 50institution, institution, The University of Queensland has educated people around thethe world has educated and andworked workedwith withoutstanding outstanding people around world to deliver deliver knowledge a better world for for more thanthan a a to knowledge leadership leadershipfor for a better world more century. One I am enormously proud of isof UQisand century. One recent recentalliance alliance I am enormously proud UQ and the Indian Indian Institute Delhi’s Academy of Research the InstituteofofTechnology Technology Delhi’s Academy of Research brightest students workwork –– UQIDAR UQIDAR ––where whereIndia Indiaand andAustralia’s Australia’s brightest students together on areare of interest to Australia, IndiaIndia together on grand grandchallenges challengesthat that of interest to Australia, and the and the global global community. community. Wishing everyone a prosperous andand safesafe Wishing everyone aavery veryhappy happyDiwali Diwaliand and a prosperous New Year! Year! New Mr Peter Mr Peter NNVarghese VargheseAO AO Chancellor Chancellor The University The Universityof ofQueensland Queensland
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Nov 1-15, 2021 - Vol 2, Issue 9
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Bowen Rail on track for first coal delivery
I
n case you missed it - last week the locomotives arrived for our sister company Bowen Rail Company. Bravus Mining & Resources CEO David Boshoff was at the Port of Townsville when the locomotives were unveiled. These state-of-the-art locomotives will be hauling coal from the Carmichael Mine to North Queensland Export Terminal. They are the most technologically advanced freight locomotives Australia has ever seen, using first class safety and systems technology previously only available overseas. The arrival of the locomotives marks yet another major milestone for the Carmichael Project as BRC prepares to start hauling our Carmichael coal in the coming months. Bowen Rail Company is headquartered in Bowen, delivering long-
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term economic benefits for the Whitsundays community, while also enabling BRC to draw on the highly-skilled rail and resources sector expertise that resides in this region. Minister and Mayors tour the Carmichael Mine As we edge closer to first coal export, we were delighted to welcome Queensland Resources Minister the Hon. Scott Stewart MP and local Mayors including Mayor Hill, Mayor Willcox and Mayor Beveridge to the Carmichael mine and rail Project earlier this week. We are proud to have made good on our promises to Queensland and it’s great for the Minister and Mayors to see first hand what our 2,600+ strong regional Queensland workforce has been able to achieve in just over two years.
First wagons depart for Carmichael Following on from the arrival of the first three Bowen Rail Company locomotives through the Port of Townsville last week, the first of Bowen Rail Company's 360 wagons have also commenced their journey to the Carmichael Rail Network. The Class PHAH. Coal Hopper Tandem Pair – KDD Bottom Dump wagons will transport coal from the Carmichael Mine for export through North Queensland Export Terminal. Each train will contain two locomotives and 86 wagons and carry approximately 7,300 tonnes of coal. The train length will total 1,400 metres, which equates to approximately 283 Ford Falcons, or 14 Rugby League football fields end-to-end.
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INDIA NEWS INDIA NEWS
Nov 1-15, 2021 - Vol 2, Issue 9 Nov 1-15, 2021 - Vol 2, Issue 9
DIWALI GREETINGS DIWALI GREETINGS
Dr Jeannette Young's letter to Queensland Royal Flying Doctor Service and Lifeflight. These services were once performed by several different organisations across the state, but creating a dedicated Queensland Health division, which oversees the transport and treatment of over 24,000 patients a year, has streamlined our medivac service and made it safer. 31 October 2021
D
ear Queensland,
It has been an absolute honour to be your Chief Health Officer for the past 16 years. The journey has been challenging, rewarding, at times stressful, but always satisfying. When you’re the CHO of Queensland, you’re not just doing a job; you’re taking responsibility for the health and wellbeing of a state. You have more than 5.5 million patients and you care deeply for each and every one of them. COVID-19 has commanded my attention day and night for almost two years now and I am certainly proud of the way we have weathered this crisis. But many of my proudest achievements pre-date the pandemic. I was 43 when I was appointed to this role, fresh from a six-year stint in charge of medical services at Princess Alexandra Hospital.
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Back then, 20 per cent of Queensland adults smoked every day.
Another highlight is the development of a new medical school in Central Queensland.
We’ve since halved that.
One of my priorities has been planning the state’s future health workforce, not just for the public system, but also for the private sector.
That’s thousands of Queenslanders no longer inhaling poisonous chemicals and risking a premature death. Our child vaccination rate in 2005 was 77 per cent. We’ve lifted that to just under 95 per cent, and additional vaccines have been added to the schedule so there are tens of thousands more children out there protected against serious diseases like whooping cough, measles and meningococcal disease. These metrics are very important to me because I know our efforts to reduce smoking and increase childhood immunisation have helped improve lifestyles and prevent deaths. I’m also proud of my role in establishing a world-class aeromedical retrieval service for all Queenslanders, supported by long-term partnerships with the
This school will be integral in supporting our future generation of medical practitioners, especially rural clinicians. Incidentally, I was executive director of medical services at Rockhampton Hospital for more than four years, so this school holds a special place in my heart. I’m sure other accomplishments will come to mind when I get the chance to look back on my career one day. For now, COVID-19 remains the focus. As I write this, more than 61 per cent of Queenslanders aged 16 and over are fully vaccinated and more than 75 per cent have received their first dose.
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These two shots are as close as we’ll get to a silver bullet to this virus.
We have been successful in managing this pandemic because of you.
Most, if not all, of us will get infected at some point.
I believe our response as a health authority has been effective, but even the best prevention measures are futile if they’re ignored.
So I urge you – one last time as Chief Health Officer – to get vaccinated if you have not already done so. If you plan not to, please reconsider. At the very least, I encourage you to speak with a medical professional, someone qualified to provide advice. Recently, I aired my wish to see at least 95 per cent of Queenslanders fully vaccinated. Granted, it’s a lofty goal, but if we can achieve that rate for childhood diseases, surely we can strive to do the same for a deadly virus that’s fuelling a global pandemic. I’m a doctor first and foremost. My priority is to protect people’s health. Your health. Seven Queenslanders have died as a result of COVID-19. No matter how well this compares with other jurisdictions, I will always remember them and I’ll often pause to think of their families. But I’ll also be thankful this virus did not claim more lives. It very well could have, but for Queensland’s strong response.
However, when we locked down, you complied. When I asked you to wear face masks, you did, even though they can be uncomfortable. When cases were detected, you lined up in force to get tested. Your caring nature and resolute spirit have ensured we are one of the safest jurisdictions in the world. I’ve been privileged to be in a profession I love for the past 35 years but I am excited about the next chapter of my career. I ask that you show all health workers the same respect you have shown me. Whether they are on the frontline in hospitals, vaccination centres and fever clinics, or in the back rooms planning vaccination hubs, tracing contacts, testing samples or supporting clinicians, they deserve our thanks. This pandemic has highlighted just how valuable these people are. Thank you and please stay safe and healthy. Dr Jeannette Young
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Nov 1-15, 2021 - Vol 2, Issue 9
DIWALI GREETINGS
Diwali draws good wishes from the Indian community leaders Mrs Archana Singh, Honorary Consul Queensland, Government of India Diwali is synonymous with light and celebration; and as families and community joyfully get together in a festive spirit, we remind ourselves about the real meaning and significance of the festival of lights. Humanity all over the world is grappling with many existential issues, and the need for 'light' both literally and figuratively, is the mantra of the times. As we open our minds and hearts to the brilliance of illuminating thoughts and the evergrowing realisation that the world is one family, we demonstrate a full and true understanding of this wonderful festival. So let us embrace everyone in this true generosity of spirit and may the New Year bring true happiness, peace and prosperity for all. Happy Diwali!
Dr Maha Sinnathamby AM, Chairman and Founder · Springfield City Group
Mr Matthew Hayden, AM, Former Australian cricketer and IAIE’s Goodwill Ambassador to India
Diwali is being celebrated by about a billion people in the world. It is not only celebrated by the Indian community but also celebrated by their friends and other religious bodies who form and enjoy part of our Indian culture.
I have a very deep bond with the people of India and have learnt so much about its culture, traditions, spirituality and festivals over the years. India is a very vibrant country which has so much to share with the world and I pay my respects and gratitude to the 700,000 Indian Australians for cementing the ties between our two wonderful democracies. I extend my heartfelt greetings to our Indian community and wish you all a very prosperous, safe and happy Diwali.
Whilst we are celebrating and having a wonderful time, let us also think of the many people around the world who are less fortunate than us, suffering from famine, war, poor health and the elderly who are in our thoughts especially at this time. We live in a great country and are fortunate to enjoy our lives here, with our family and friends and our wonderful community. My family and I would like to wish you every success and a very enjoyable Diwali celebration and festival.
Dr Ashutosh Misra, Editor-in-Chief India News, CEO - IAIE and National Sports Chair-AIBC
Samir Vora, Executive Director, Adani Australia On behalf of the Adani family, wishing you Happy Diwali! I hope that your future is blessed with happiness, health, business prosperity and every possible success. Here is to a bright, peaceful and delightful new year.
Dr Ram Mohan, Chairman, India News Diwali is an occasion to celebrate victory of light over darkness and knowledge over ignorance. It is a time to celebrate life in its full glory. May this Diwali bring spread compassion, peace, love, and good health for all. Let us take a pledge to work together to make this world a better place. Be safe and have a very happy Diwali!
This year Diwali carries a greater meaning and significance for the world. It symbolises the metaphorical victory of light over darkness in the real world. So, we have a double reason to celebrate Diwali this year. After a long fight with the pandemic there is a rise in hope, optimism and all-around cheer. Please get vaccinated and keep your loved ones and the country safeguarded. Hope this Diwali dispels darkness in our lives and kickstarts the return to safe, free and open world like before. Have a shubh Diwali!
Prof. Prasad KDV Yarlagadda OAM President, Australia India House Charitable Foundation Ltd
Shyam Das, President - FICQ With great pleasure I extend our warmest greetings and best wishes on this joyous occasion of Diwali (festival of lights) on behalf of The Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland Inc. Hope the glow of diyas brings happiness and peace in everyone's life. Stay safe and get vaccinated . Dr Neeraj Khanna, Convenor Dr. Vagish Singh, President Indian Medical Association -Australian Chapter Inc. Queensland Branch
Mr Manu Kala, Director and Co-founder Covax Australia This is a special Diwali which symbolizes our collective fightback against the pandemic that has ravaged the world. As a proud member of the Indian community in Australia, my team and I remain steadfast in augmenting the vaccination rates and keeping our community, state and the country safe. Let us celebrate this Diwali with unbound fun and frolic and spread the message of hope, light and happiness all around. Be safe and healthy.
Wishing all readers, a healthy and happy Deepawali.
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On behalf of Australia India House Charitable Foundation Ltd. Directors, Management Committee and AIHCF family, I would like to wish all Indian and Australian community leaders and organisations, India News Australia readers, followers Happy Diwali during this festive season. AIHCF team is striving and working towards establishment of The India House for the benefit of all community organisations in Brisbane. I also would like to express my sincere gratitude and support for wellbeing of not only Australian communities, but global communities as well during this difficult COVID times on this occasion. I wish that our and your future will be blessed with happiness, prosperity, success and that we realise our dream of ‘The India House’ as reality in near future.
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Nov 1-15, 2021 - Vol 2, Issue 9
INDIA NEWS
Priyanka vows to give healthcare up to Rs 10L free in UP IANS
the health services have collapsed which everyone has witnessed and now if Congress comes to power, treatment up to Rs 10 lakh will be provided free for any disease." She said she had taken consent of the manifesto committee and this announcement would be a part of that.
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra
New Delhi, October 25 (IANS): Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra has promised free healthcare up to Rs 10 lakh if the party comes to power in the state. Priyanka in a tweet in Hindi on October 25 said, "During the corona period and the fever spread in the state, due to the negligence of the government,
On October 23 she had announced seven resolutions of the party which included -- power bills would be cut by half, sugarcane rates would be increased to Rs 400 and farm loans will be waived. Earlier, she also announced to give smartphones and electronic scooty to girls if the party comes to power in the state. She said, "I met some students, they said they need smartphones to study and for security. I am happy that with the consent of the manifesto committee, the UP Congress today took a decision to give smartphones to the girls who
pass Intermediate and electronic scooty to Bachelor students." Priyanka had also announced that her party would give 40 per cent tickets to women in the upcoming Assembly elections. She said that all women who want to bring about a change in the system, are welcome to come forward and contest elections. Priyanka flagged-off three 'Pratigya yatras' in Uttar Pradesh on October 23 aimed at garnering support for the party from every part of the state ahead of the crucial 2022 Assembly polls. The first route from Awadh in Barabanki joins the districts of Bundelkhand till Jhansi, while the second route has been prepared for different districts of western Uttar Pradesh and the Brij region. Similarly, the third route has been earmarked for the Purvanchal region.Apart from Barabanki, the yatra will cover the two other cities of Saharanpur and Varanasi.
Nobody will be allowed to scuttle peace and progress in J&K: Shah Jammu, October 24 (IANS): Union Home Minister Amit Shah on October 24 said that nobody will be allowed to scuttle peace, progress and prosperity in Jammu and Kashmir.
Panchs and Sarpanchs, the days of monopoly and exploitation are over," he said.
Not only the people of Jammu, but the people of the entire country cannot forget him.
Addressing a public rally in Bhagwati Nagar area of Jammu city, Shah said, "The monopoly of three families is over once and forever.
He said at no cost would anybody be allowed to scuttle peace, progress and prosperity in J&K. "I have come to assure you that the days of injustice with Jammu are over. Development will now take place for both Jammu and Kashmir", he said.
"He was the great personality who joined Syama Prasad Mukherjee and declared that one country cannot have two flags, two Prime Ministers and two constitutions.
"I don't want to name them, but everybody knows them. They are today asking us what we have done. We have done what they could not do in 70 years. "We have given employment, empowerment and space to those who remained neglected for 70 years. "Power will now be exercised by
Shah said he had apprehensions whether he could address the rally on October 24 or not due to bad weather. "With the blessings of Mata Vaishno Devi, it is sunshine now and I am speaking to you. "Today is a special day since it is the birthday of Prem Nath Dogra.
"The souls of Syama Prasad Mukherjee and Prem Nath Dogra will be sending their blessings to Prime Minister Narendra Modi", Shah said. Prem Nath Dogra was the founder of Praja Parishad party which was later merged into the Jan Sangh. Earlier, Shah inaugurated the new campus at the IIT-Jammu and also laid foundation stones of many developmental projects.
Agha Khan trust to help Gujarat vaccinate 400 villages under 'Project Pratiraksha' Gandhinagar, October 23 (IANS): The Gujarat government will be helped by the Agha Khan Rural Support Programme (AKRSP) in getting the state vaccinated against Covid-19 through 'Project Pratiraksha'.
Madhya Pradesh for vaccination.
The trust has targeted around 400 villages with the least vaccination in the state comprising around 1.23 lakh families.
As many as 388 villages from 10 tehsils (blocks) from six districts of Dangs, Devbhoomi Dwarka, Junagadh, Surat, Surendranagar and Narmada will be covered. Besides these, Project Pratiraksha will also cover 95 villages of two tehsils in Madhya Pradesh and 180 villages of four tehsils in Bihar.
Manoj Agrawal, Gujarat Additional Chief Secretary, Health, on October 23 launched 'Project Pratiraksha', an awareness drive for Covid-19 by the AKRSP with the help of the State Bank of India where it will reach out to people in 10 blocks each from Gujarat and Bihar as well as two blocks in
"The impact of vaccination is vast and maximum on our economy. The Pratiraksha project by the AKRSP is a wonderful initiative where people of remote areas will be reached out to finish the vaccination of the last person in the country. With such social responsibility, initiatives and
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other self-help groups, we will definitely be achieving our target of 100 crore vaccinations of the first vaccine dose as well as the second dose," Manoj Agrawal said. "The AKRSP will be working in collaboration with the health department and primary health centres, Center for Health Care Strategies and government health workers to get the eligible population vaccinated. Mass awareness through vehicles and wall paintings in the community will be done about Covid-19 vaccination," said Apoorva Oza, CEO, AKRSP. "Nearly 1.23 lakh families from 10 tehsils of Gujarat will be covered under the awareness
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NEWS FROM INDIA
Guard me from 'legal action', NCB's Wankede appeals to Mumbai top cop Mumbai, October 24 (IANS): Apparently rattled by the revelations of a witness in the raid on a cruise ship rave party, Narcotics Control Bureau (NCB) Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede on October 24 sought police help to protect him from possible "legal action".
IANS
In a letter to the Mumbai Commissioner of Police (Hemant Nagrale), Wankhede claimed that he has learnt of "some precipitate legal action" for framing him falsely, being planned by some unknown persons concerning the raid on the cruiser on October 2. Indirectly referring to a statement by Nationalist Congress Party national Spokesperson and Maharashtra Minister Nawab Malik recently, the NCB chief wrote: "It is also brought to your notice that threats of jail and dismissal have been issued against the undersigned on public media by highly respectable public functionaries." In what is viewed as a preemptive move, the IRS officer also asked the Mumbai Police chief to "ensure that no such precipitate legal action" is carried out to frame and falsely implicate him with ulterior motives. Wankhede - who had earlier complained to the city and state police alleging threats to life - reminded Nagrale that NCB Deputy Director-General,
NCB Zonal Director Sameer Wankhede
South West Region, Mutha Ashok Jain, has already referred the latest matter (the witness' sensational revelations) to the NCB headquarters for necessary action. NCB witness Prabhakar Sail's statements have triggered a major political war with the ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi allies Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress PartyCongress slamming the central agency and Wankhede. The MVA partners have demanded a suo moto investigation by the Mumbai Police, setting up of a Special Investigation Team to probe the NCB affairs, intervention of the Supreme Court, etc.
After Cong, BJP also 'red flags' Kerala's Silver Line project Thiruvananthapuram, October 23 (IANS): After the Congressled UDF team, which was given the task of studying the Rs 63,941 crore Silver Line (K-Rail) project, a state of the art joint venture of the Indian Railways and the Kerala government said that this is an unviable project and should not be allowed to go forward, the BJP's state unit on October 22 has also come out strongly against it.
State BJP president K. Surendran said it has now been proved beyond doubt that this project will do no good for the state. "The need of the hour is (Chief Minister Pinarayi) Vijayan should see that steps are taken to drop this project as this is not going to help the state in any manner. All are surprised on why Vijayan is determined on going forward with this very expensive project. He should see that a discussion be mooted with Metroman E.Sreedharan on what's best for Kerala. Vijayan is doing everything to pressurise the Centre to clear the project and the Kerala BJP will do everything to see that this project does not take drive regarding the vaccination. We selected these areas on the basis of government data which showed the least vaccination in the state. The project will largely focus on facilitating the
place," he said.
This is one of the Chief Minister's pet projects - setting up a 529.45 km corridor connecting Thiruvananthapuram to Kasaragod. A semi high speed train will be able to travel this stretch in a matter of 4 hours at an operational speed of 200 km per hour. These trains will cover the busy Thiruvananthapuram-Ernakulam stretch in 90 minutes, as against the present over four hours. The Silver Line will be running parallel to the existing railway line from Kasaragod to Tirur, while an alternative green-field alignment has been chosen for Tirur- Thiruvananthapuram stretch. Vijayan had mooted this project in his first term (2016-21) and it is presently lying before the Centre. Incidentally this fresh opposition comes at a time, when the ongoing Assembly session has already been told by Vijayan that the project will be taken up. rural population for the second dose and supporting the local government facilities to vaccinate the remaining population for the first dose," Oza added.
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INDIA NEWS
Mehbooba hits out at Centre on 'restrictions' in J&K IANS
with the situation in the union territory. "Even after turning Kashmir into an open air prison, Bipin Rawat's statement comes as no surprise because repression is the Government of India’s only method to deal with the situation in J&K. It also contradicts their official narrative that all is well here," Mehbooba tweeted. "After taking such stringent, harsh & repressive measures like mass arrests, suspension of internet at will, frisking people (not sparing even kids), seizing bikes plus two wheelers & setting up new security bunkers all over what is left to do?"
Former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti
Srinagar, October 24 (IANS): Hitting out at the Centre after the statement of Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) General Bipin Rawat,
former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti on October 24 said "repression" is the government's only method to deal
The CDS had reportedly said that the restrictions imposed after the revocation of Article 370 may return to Kashmir at the cost of freedom of movement because of terror strikes.
Chaos, anarchy in Punjab Congress persists: Manish Tewari IANS
Congress in-charge Harish Rawat alleging that the soap opera is still continuing in Punjab.
Congress MP from Anandpur Sahib Manish Tewari
New Delhi, October 24 (IANS): The woes in the Punjab Congress seem to be far from over. Congress MP from Anandpur Sahib Manish Tewari on October 24 slammed former Punjab
Tewari, who is also a prominent face of G-23, said in a statement which was tweeted, "I have never seen such chaos & anarchy as what is playing out in Punjab Congress today. Repeated open defiance of AICC by a PCC President, colleagues squabbling publicly with each other like children. Guttural language against each other that even fish wives would not use. For the past 5 months it has been Punjab Congress versus Congress in Punjab. Do we think that people of Punjab are not disgusted by this daily soap opera? Irony is that those who complained loudest of transgressions and aberrations were unfortunately and continue to be the worst offenders
themselves."
New Delhi, October 23 (IANS): Kashmir is not only a majority Muslim province of India, it is also home to a distinct community called the Kashmiri Pandits & Sikhs who have been exiled from their land by forces from across the border, said Global Kashmiri Pandit diaspora in a statement on October 23. It said that Kashmir is home to a community which has seen the horrors of genocide, brutal assaults, and targeted killings since Oct 22, 1947. The Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKPD) Thailand Chapter held an event at Bangkok on October 23 to discuss how
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Centre holds meet with states over soaring edible oil prices New Delhi, October 25 (IANS): Ahead of the Diwali festivities, the Centre called a meeting with state and Union Territories on October 25 to review the action taken on the stock limit order on edible prices.
relief of consumer, various steps have already been taken by the government, based on the interaction with all the states and edible oil industry associations and a stock disclosure notification has been issued.
Stating that it is monitoring the prices of edible oils and its availability to the consumers, the Department of Food and Public Distribution held the meeting with all states/UTs through video conferencing on the issue, which is especially important to the context of the upcoming festival season during which demand of edible oils will increase.
This letter comes two days after a letter on October 22 to the states and UTs had dwelt on the issue and said that it is the responsibility of the states to enforce relevant provisions of the Essential Commodities Act and take action on the ground against hoarders.
In a letter to all states, Secretary, Food and Public Distribution, Sudhanshu Pandey said that to ease prices of edible oils for
Ayodhya, October 24 (IANS): The management of the Ram Temple Trust funds that have crossed Rs 3,000 crore, has now been entrusted to corporate giant, Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), which is developing a digital accounting software. The move comes after the trust faced allegations of corruption over land deals.
Tewari, who is close to Amarinder Singh, has hit out at Harish Rawat for his recent comments in the media about former Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and himself. Tewari said that he has been in Congress for the past 40 years, but did not see such chaos in the Punjab unit.
TCS has set up its account's office at Ramghat near Ram Janmabhoomi and is scheduled to complete developing the software by December and begin digitisation and management of Trust accounts.
minority communities of Kashmir have been continuously targeted from across the border. The event was held under the leadership of D.K. Bakshi, GKPD Chapter Head, who held the day 22 Oct in 1947 as a black day in the history of Kashmir. Around 50 participants from Thailand, Thai Indians and Indian Community joined the event physically and others virtually.
"The turning point in the history of Kashmir came on Oct 22, 1947 with invasion on the Indian state of Jammu and Kashmir by 'Tribals from Pakistan with Pakistani soldiers' which opened up a chapter - the bloodiest, most brutal ethnic cleansing in South Asia's modern history, which unfortunately continues to this Day", was the view of the speakers at the GKPD.
Sharing his personal agony and pain associated with the mass exodus, Bakshi said that the minority communities of Kashmiri Pandits and Sikhs have been continuously targeted from across the border.
The prominent speakers who joined virtually includes Kiran Bedi who expressed solidarity with Black Day on 22nd Oct 1947 and said that Kashmiri Pandits and Sikh Community have been victims of genocide for decades.
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The Department has created a web portal to monitor the stock of edible oils/oilseeds on a weekly basis in the country, it said in a release.
TCS to manage Ram temple trust funds
The Congress MP has also slammed the Kharge committee and said, "History would record that the appointment of the Committee that ostensibly heard perceived and real grievances was a serious error of judgement. Where is progress on the issues that agitated these MLA's and other eminences - Bargari, Drugs, Power PPA's, illegal sand mining. Has there been any movement forward." he asked.
Kashmiri Pandits & Sikhs continuously targeted from across the border
NEWS FROM INDIA
Ram temple Trust General Secretary Champat Rai confirmed the takeover. Sources said that the decision was taken at the behest of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which had summoned three key Trust members to Mumbai four months ago for a closed-door meeting over the controversial land deals.
IT experts from the Tata Group recently gave a powerpoint presentation of the software to temple construction committee chairman, Nripendra Mishra.
Temple Trust secretary Champat Rai said in a press statement that TCS's digital performance is good. "We discussed our requirements with their software experts, who are now installing an accounting system. TCS will digitise and manage our accounts from December," he said. When Trust coffers began to swell at the peak of the VHP crowdfunding campaign for the Ram temple construction, conmen hacked into the Trust website and created a fake portal to siphon off funds. Fraudsters also cloned cheques of the Trust's bank account and withdrew big money after the PSU bank's clearing house. The Trust got embroiled in court cases over allegations of corruption in land deals, including purchase of nazul land and temples. Temple trust member Anil Mishra, said, "Digitization of accounts of Ram Temple Trust will be handled by TCS. Our team of chartered accountants will continue to maintain accounts of income and expenses."
Amit Shah pays obeisance at Mata Kheer Bhawani temple in Kashmir Srinagar, October 25 (IANS): Union Home Minister Amit Shah paid obeisance at the Mata Kheer Bhawani temple shrine in J&K's Ganderbal district on October 25 at the end of his three-day visit to the union territory.
Extraordinary security arrangements were made in and around the Mata Kheer Bhawani temple in Tullamulla town of Ganderbal district for Shah's visit. Heavy deployment of police and paramilitary forces was made in Ganderbal town where the home minister landed in a helicopter
and was then driven to the nearly 5 kilometre long distance to the temple shrine accompanied by Lt Governor Manoj Sinha. Mata Kheer Bhawani temple shrine is the holiest religious place of worship for the Kashmiri Pandit community. After their exodus from the Valley in early 1990s, migrant Pandits from different parts of the country have been arriving at Tullamulla to attend the annual festival at the deity's temple shrine.
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Rollout of Covid booster shots in Aus to begin soon Canberra, October 24 (IANS): Health Minister Greg Hunt said the rollout of Covid-19 booster shots could start within days, as Pfizer was submitting the required data to fast-track the vaccines. If approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA)'s vaccine advisory committee, some frontline healthcare workers and aged care residents could start receiving their third doses, reports Xinhua news agency. "We're in a position that if, by the middle of next week, there is an approval for a third dose of Pfizer, then we would be able to begin immediately," Hunt said. Experts have recommended that Australians have their third
vaccination dose six months after their second. Brendan Murphy, the secretary of the Department of Health, said there is no evidence that vaccine protection against severe disease wanes after six months but that booster shots could "give people the best additional belt-andbraces protection". "Antibody levels are only part of the protection of vaccines," he said. "When you get the infection, if you've got what we call immune memory, even if your antibody levels have fallen, the cells are still there to make antibodies again. If the virus infects you, you will mount an immediate antibody immune response and that is
what protects you." On October 23, Australia reported more than 2,100 new locallyacquired Covid-19 cases and 11 deaths as the country continues to battle the third wave of the pandemic.
Canberra, October 21 (IANS): Woolworths, the largest supermarket chain in Australia, announced on October 21 that all of its workers must be fully vaccinated against Covid-19 by the beginning of next year.
Woolworths Group CEO Brad Banducci said that the move was part of the company's obligation to give workers the "safest possible work environment" as they provide communities with essential goods, reports Xinhua news agency. "We have 170,000 team members across our stores, distribution centres and support offices, and
So far about 86.4 per cent of Australians aged 16 and over have received one Covid vaccine dose and 72.5 percent are fully inoculated, according to the latest data released by the Department of Health.
It paves the way for Prime Minister Scott Morrison to commit to a net zero target at the upcoming UN Climate Change Conference - also known as COP26 - in Glasgow.
supermarkets, Coles and Aldi, have also issued vaccine mandates.
The proposed mandate would come into effect for workers in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT), New South Wales (NSW), the Northern Territory (NT), and Victoria to be fully vaccinated by January 31, 2022.
The rulings would likely impact a total of some 250,000 workers across the country.
Following suit, other major
While their timelines are still in the pipeline, for most states it would be sometime towards the end of 2021 and the beginning of 2022.
"There is a clear and compelling case for a vaccination requirement. This is particularly important as restrictions ease and we see higher rates of transmission," said Banducci.
IANS
Canberra, October 25 (IANS): Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce has announced support for a 2050 net zero emissions target. Joyce had recently said his National Party has agreed to support a "process" to reach net zero emissions by 2050, reports Xinhua news agency.
more than 1,200 retail stores. With each store welcoming an average of 20,000 customers a week, a single team member can come into contact with quite literally thousands of people in the course of a normal working week," said Banducci.
For other states it would be March 31.
Deputy PM announces support to 2050 net zero
Since the onset of the pandemic in early 2020, Australia has reported a total of 158,604 confirmed Covid-19 cases, with 1,637 deaths.
Australia's largest supermarket chain mandates vaccination for workers
NEWS FROM AUSTRALIA
The Nationals, which form the governing Coalition with Morrison's Liberals, have previously ruled out support for net zero target, arguing it would jeopardize jobs in regional areas. Following the party room meeting Joyce said he expected a "firm commitment" to regional Australia in Morrison's climate plan, which he presented to Cabinet before departing for Glasgow. "We are in support of a process going forward that would go towards a 2050 emissions target,"
Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce
Joyce told reporters. "Obviously, that's dependent upon what we see in the Cabinet submission reflecting the conversations and the agreements between myself and the Prime Minister." Morrison welcomed the Nationals' decision. "I thank the deputy PM for his leadership and his colleagues for their considered support. I greatly respect the process they have undertaken in reaching this decision," he said.
Govt urged to halve emissions by 2030 The Indian Express
867,900 Australians have multiple jobs: Report IANS
as usual they are left worse off," McManus said. Workers aged under 35 also figured disproportionately high in the report, with 55 percent of them shouldering at least two jobs. McManus believes the surge in people working multiple jobs is driven by employers offering insecure work, often to deal with the pandemic.
Canberra, October 21 (IANS): A new report revealed on October 21 that 867,900 people in Australia had multiple jobs, the highest number since the country's Bureau of Statistics started keeping records in 1994. The Australian Council of Trade Unions (ACTU) report also found that 209,100 of them were holding down three or more jobs, a 10.8 percent increase from June 2020, reports Xinhua news agency. "The record number of Australians working three or more jobs is a deeply concerning trend," said Sally McManus, who heads the ACTU, which is the nation's largest union organisation. McManus blamed the government
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for having overseen the "erosion of the financial security that secure employment has provided for generations of Australian workers". "How do working people with multiple, insecure jobs plan for a life outside of work?" she asked. The report revealed that workers who do multiple jobs still ended up earning about 17.5 per cent less than the national average - who are usually people working just one job. Women working multiple jobs are notably worse off than men, earning almost A$10,000 ($7,543) less per year than their male counterparts. "More than half of those with two or more jobs are women and
Multiple job holding has risen markedly in administrative and support services where cleaners, security guards and call center workers have been hired. Healthcare and social assistance also saw some of the largest increases in multiple job holding. Workers in these sectors are already overworked and underpaid, McManus said, while being on the pandemic frontline. The ACTU said working across multiple locations was a huge Covid-19 health risk for healthcare workers and patients yet was a growing solution for employers who "exploit weak workplace laws". "The government urgently needs to address the insecure jobs crisis plaguing this country," McManus said. "Australian workers have been doing it extremely tough for almost two years."
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Canberra, October 16 (IANS): Australia's biggest industry group on October 16 urged the federal government to halve the country's carbon emissions by 2030. Innes Willox, the chief executive of the Australian Industry (Ai) Group, wrote in a comment piece for Guardian Australia, that the case for stronger climate action "has been strengthening rapidly" while the costs "are turning out to be lower than expected", reports Xinhua news agency It comes one day after Prime Minister Scott Morrison confirmed he will attend the UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow and outline the government's long-term emissions reduction target prior to his departure. Willox wrote that the new package should include three key commitments; a 2050 net zero commitment, a significantly larger 2030 pledge and policy directions to achieve the goals. Australia's existing climate target, which was set in 2015, is to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 2628 percent below the 2005 levels
by 2030. "There is no magic number, but roughly halving Australia's emissions from our own peak would put us in the mainstream on 2030 goals," Willox said. "Trade competitiveness needs to be front of mind in designing these policies. "But it is becoming ever clearer that our competitiveness hinges on successfully making the transition to net zero emissions, not on holding it back." The Ai Group represents more than 60,000 businesses that employ more than 1 million Australians in myriad industries including manufacturing, construction, mining and defence. Some members of Morrison's governing coalition have ruled out supporting the net zero target that would jeopardize jobs in regional areas. However, Willox said that Ai Group research has found that "both bad policy and no policy" on climate change would "see Australia lose jobs and investment overseas".
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Qantas to launch new Sydney-Delhi route in Dec IANS
Canberra, October 22 (IANS): Australia's flag carrier Qantas on October 22 announced its plans to launch a new route from Sydney to Delhi in December with three return flights per week, building to daily flights by end of the year. The plan is subject to discussions with the Indian authorities to finalise necessary approvals, according to the company's announcement on October 22. If approved, it would be the first commercial flight for Qantas between Australia and India in almost a decade, reports Xinhua news agency. The flights would initially operate until at least late March 2022, with a view to continuing if there is sufficient demand. Flights from Sydney to Delhi would operate via Darwin, while flights from Delhi to Sydney would operate non-stop. The new route is among an array of movements as Qantas and Jetstar gear up for accelerated border opening.
Qantas flights between Sydney to Singapore will resume on November 23 this year, four weeks earlier than scheduled, operating three days per week. Jetstar will fly from Melbourne and Darwin to Singapore from December 16 this year. Qantas flights between Sydney to Fiji will be brought forward to December 7 with four return flights a week. Jetstar flights to Fiji will resume on December 17. Flights from Sydney to Johannesburg will resume on January 5, 2022, three months earlier than scheduled with three return flights a week. Flights from Sydney to Bangkok will resume on January 14, 2022, more than two months earlier than scheduled with five return flights a week. Jetstar will also resume flights from Sydney to Phuket on January 12, 2022, more than two months earlier than scheduled with three return flights a week. Flights to Honolulu, Vancouver,
Tokyo and New Zealand are still scheduled to commence from mid-December this year, with other destinations to restart in the new year. Due to the current border policy, all these flights are limited to Australian citizens, permanent residents and their immediate families and parents, but Qantas Group CEO Alan Joyce said he expects tourists from Singapore, South Africa and India to take advantage of these flights once borders reopen to international visitors. He also hailed the scrapping of hotel quarantine for arriving international travellers by the state of New South Wales (NSW). "The decision by the NSW government to join many cities from around the world by removing quarantine for fully vaccinated travelers means we're able to add these flights from Sydney much earlier than we would have otherwise," said Joyce. For domestic routes, Qantas and Jetstar are also preparing to ramp up capacity between Melbourne and Sydney as quarantine-free travel is set to resume between Australia's two largest cities.
NEWS FROM AUSTRALIA
Australia hits 70% Covid vaccination target Canberra, October 21 (IANS): Australia's Covid-19 vaccine rollout has hit a major milestone, with 70 per cent of the adult population fully inoculated against the virus, Minister of Health Greg Hunt said.
Hunt said that more than 70 percent of Australians aged 16 and over have received two vaccine doses so far, reports Xinhua news agency. It means the national vaccination rate has now reached the target set by Prime Minister Scott Morrison to begin the roadmap out of the pandemic. Hunt said the milestone was a major testament to Australians. "I can officially confirm that Australia has now passed the 70 per cent double-dosed
vaccination rate for the 16-plus population," he told reporters in Canberra.
"It's a memorable number, but it's memorable above all else because it represents the movement at a national level to phase B of our national roadmap," which was revealed by Morrison in July, Hunt added. It also marks the beginning of preparations for booster shots, with aged care residents set to have priority access, according to Hunt. As the country is still grappling to contain the third wave of the pandemic, the total Covid-19 caseload and death toll stood at 152,024 and 1,590, as of October 21 morning.
Covid curbs eased in Aus capital as vax rate hits 80%
TOI
With all these decisions, the group's 22,000 employees, who were stood down in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, will be able to return to work in December. "This is the best news we've had in almost two years and it will make a massive difference to thousands of our people who finally get to fly again," Joyce said.
Aus secures access to 2 more Covid treatments amid 3rd wave IANS
of 2021, we've very heavily relied on those non-pharmaceutical interventions -- the public health and social measures including lockdowns," he told reporters on Sunday. "There are ways of preventing the illness, and absolutely the first way and the most important way for that is vaccination," he said.
Canberra, October 18 (IANS): The Australian government has secured access to two additional Covid-19 treatments as the country continues to battle against the third wave of the pandemic, Health Minister Greg Hunt announced. Hunt said the government has purchased 15,000 doses of the antibody-based therapy, Ronapreve, which can be administered intravenously for Covid-19 patients in a health care facility and is expected to be targeted for use in unvaccinated people who are at risk of developing severe disease, reports Xinhua news agency. If approved by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Ronapreve will be available to
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Australian patients soon. Clinical trials have shown it can reduce the likelihood of hospitalisation and death among Covid-19 patients by up to 70 per cent, according to the media release on October 17. The government has also secured access to 500,000 treatment courses of Pfizer's Covid-19 oral antiviral drug, to be used in combination with the protease inhibitor drug Ritonavir, subject to regulatory approval by the TGA. Paul Kelly, Australia's Chief Medical Officer, said adding treatments to the National Medical Stockpile was necessary as the country opens up and learns to live with the virus. "During 2020 and for a large part
"But there are now treatments that are being developed, antiviral treatments that will actually assist to prevent infection, or prevent even mild or asymptomatic infection and disease." Kelly also announced that quarantine-free travel from New Zealand's South Island to Australia will resume shortly. Recently, Australia reported more than 2,100 new locally-acquired Covid-19 cases and 17 deaths, which took the overall infection tally and fatality toll to 145,314 and 1,543, respectively. Till date, 84.6 per cent of Australians aged 16 and over have received one coronavirus vaccine dose and 67.8 percent were fully inoculated, according to the latest data released by the Department of Health.
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Canberra, October 22 (IANS): Coronavirus restrictions in the Australian capital will be further eased after it reached the 80 per cent vaccine milestone, authorities said on October 19. The Australian Capital Territory (ACT) became the country's first jurisdiction to hit 80 percent double-dose vaccination coverage among those aged above 12, reports Xinhua news agency. As a result, non-essential retail in Canberra was allowed to open on October 21 for the first time since August 12 in a major boost for the ACT's economy. "Reaching the 80 per cent milestone is a significant achievement," the ACT government said in a statement on October 19. "Canberrans should be really proud of how our community has worked together and given us the best opportunity to manage the expected increase in cases as the nation starts to reopen. "We are now well on our way to having close to 99 per cent of the eligible population
fully vaccinated by the end of November," the statement added. Under further changes to the ACT's reopening roadmap, hospitality venues will be allowed to have up to 300 patrons within the next few days and face masks will no longer be mandatory outdoors. Quarantine-free travel between the ACT and New South Wales (NSW) will resume from November 1. "This means that ACT residents will not have quarantine when they return to the territory from any part of NSW, including Greater Sydney," ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr said. On October 19 morning, 2,046 new cases and 15 deaths were reported in Australia as the country continues to battle the third wave of infections. So far, about 84.8 per cent of Australians aged 16 and over had received one coronavirus vaccine dose and 68.3 percent were fully inoculated, according to the latest data released by the Department of Health.
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Remembering Bert Newton Melbourne, October 31: Bert Newton was an icon, a larrikin and a born entertainer. We have never known TV without Bert – he was there from the beginning. From black and white to colour – as TV changed, Bert endured. He lived his life on the silver screen — and we welcomed his wit and humour into our homes. As we reflect on his legacy in the coming days, we’ll all be reminded of his legendary partnerships with Graham
Kennedy and Don Lane. For so many, those partnerships are as inseparable as they are memorable. He brought the Logies to life during TV’s golden era. And while TV was always his anchor, Bert was also a star on radio and the stage — performing in some of our most iconic musicals including Phantom of the Opera and the Rocky Horror Picture Show among others. But above all his achievements, he was a family man and his
greatest partnership was with his wife of almost 50 years, Patti. Our thoughts and prayers are with her, their children and their grandchildren. We will all have an opportunity to honour his memory, his talent and his achievements at a state funeral - details will be shared in the coming days. Bert will live on in the memories of an entire generation. Gone, but never forgotten. Vale Bert Newton.
Victoria continuing to cut greenhouse gas emissions Melbourne, October 29: Victoria’s emissions are continuing to fall with an emissions report clearly demonstrating the state’s transition to a net zero emissions economy by 2050 is on track. Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio released the Victorian Greenhouse Gas Emissions report for 2019 showing the state’s emissions continued to fall to 24.8 per cent below 2005 levels. The result means the Andrews Labor Government’s ambitious 2020 target − to reduce emissions by 15 to 20 per cent below 2005
levels − was exceeded ahead of schedule. The report also shows that in 2019, Victoria contributed 17. 3 per cent of Australia’s total net emissions − less than Queensland (31. 1 per cent); NSW (25. 8 per cent) and WA (17.4 percent). Victoria is decarbonising at the most rapid rate of any major jurisdiction in Australia and is doing so while its population and economy continues to grow. The report shows that while cutting emissions the economy has continued to grow. The Government has set targets to halve emissions by 2030 as part
of its Climate Change Strategy released in May this year. It has also legislated a target for 50 per cent of Victoria’s electricity to be provided from renewables by 2030 – and the Government’s own operations will be powered by 100 per cent renewable electricity by 2025. The Labor Government is ensuring the state plays its part in meeting the Paris Accord and keeping the increase in global average temperatures to as close to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels as possible.
Outdoor economy cash vouchers open for business Melbourne, October 27: Victorian businesses from 11am today can apply for vouchers to help them take advantage of open-air trading opportunities as the state prepares for the next major stage of reopening on Friday. More than 7,000 vouchers valued at $2,000 are available to help pay for the hire and purchase of furniture and equipment and other costs as part of the Victorian Government’s new $54.5 million Outdoor Economy Package. Public health settings for regional and metropolitan Victoria come together at 6pm on Friday as we enter Phase C of the Roadmap to Deliver the National Plan and significant new freedoms are shared across the state – some 20 per cent of
the vouchers will be reserved for regional businesses.
The COVIDSafe Outdoor Activation Voucher Program is open to businesses, community organisations, not-for-profits, charities and trader associations to set up street trading and invigorate local areas. Successful businesses will be able to use their voucher for expenses including purchasing and hiring marquees, screens and umbrellas, obtaining insurance and promoting outdoor operations, to a limit of $2,000. Restaurants, cafes, hotels and bars are eligible to apply for vouchers, as are hairdressers, beauty services, dance studios, gyms and retail shops – including
Brunswick fashion label Kindling which has created a welcoming space for customers to browse and try on clothes in its courtyard. The courtyard had previously been used for staff breaks.
Applicants to the program must provide a plan detailing how they will move their business activities outdoors, and provide proof that the voucher payment has been spent on eligible items within three months. The Outdoor Economy Package also includes the $40 million COVIDSafe Outdoor Activation Fund which is helping councils transform outdoor areas with new street furniture, landscaping and public art as well as entertainment.
New grants to help young people reach their potential Melbourne, October 18: The Victorian Government is using the power of sport, art, music and creativity to keep vulnerable young people away from the justice system. Opening today, the Youth Engagement Grants provide up to $50,000 for projects designed by small multicultural and Aboriginal clubs to engage young people and help keep them on the right path. The grants can be used to boost an existing program or to fund new projects. Through co-designing a project with the support of Government,
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the grants also give smaller organisations the opportunity to build expertise in developing proposals. This partnership approach will build the capacities of grassroots groups, allowing them to deliver projects that acknowledge the diverse needs of their communities. The new grants are part of the Building Safer Communities Program, which supports Victorian communities to address the root causes of crime and improve community safety. = Working together to provide positive opportunities for at-risk
young people forms part of the Government’s Crime Prevention Strategy, which is backed by more than $30 million in investment. The Crime Prevention Strategy sets out a clear plan and a long-term, evidence-based approach to addressing the causes of offending to keep our communities safe. A Youth Engagement Grants information session will be held online on 3 November 2021, with expressions of interest open from 18 October until 13 December 2021.
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NEWS FROM VICTORIA
Stronger protections against discrimination introduced Human Right Watch
Melbourne, October 27: The Andrews Labor Government is continuing to protect LGBTIQ+ Victorians against discrimination, with landmark reforms now in effect and further new laws introduced to Parliament today. The Government today introduced the Equal Opportunity (Religious Exceptions) Amendment Bill 2021 which will better protect LGBTIQ+ Victorians working within religious organisations and schools. The Bill will narrow current exceptions so that discrimination on the basis of sexuality, marital status, gender identity or other protected attributes will not be permitted. Religious organisations and schools will only be able to make employment decisions based on an employee’s religious beliefs where these are inherent to the job. Religious bodies and schools will still be able to practice their faith, teach their beliefs and set the religious ethos within their
organisation. The reforms will also mean religious bodies that receive government funding to provide services will also not be able to refuse to provide those services to people based on their sexual orientation or gender identity. The Government has undertaken extensive consultations with LGBTIQ+ groups, education peak bodies and faith-based groups to ensure that the new laws give fair recognition to those involved. For the very first time, intersex Victorians are now also explicitly protected against discrimination under the Equal Opportunity Act 2010, with sex characteristics now included as a protected attribute under the Act. Previously, intersex Victorians were only given limited protection under the Act under the definition of gender identity. These new measures follow Intersex Awareness Day – a day observed across the globe to highlight human rights issues faced by people with an intersex variation. Adding sex characteristics – defined as a person’s physical features relating to sex such as chromosomes, hormones and anatomy – alongside race, disability, religious belief or activity and other protected attributes makes it clearer than ever that discrimination on this basis is unlawful and will not be tolerated.
Victorians thanked for making vaccination a success Melbourne, October 22: Thanks to the incredible efforts of millions of Victorians who turned out to get vaccinated at lightning speed, Victoria’s lockdown has lifted and the state can now move to relax quarantine rules further. As Victoria powers towards its 80 per cent double-dose vaccination rate, the Chief Health Officer has removed quarantine requirements for fully vaccinated international arrivals from 1 November.
Fully vaccinated international travellers will be able to enter Victoria without spending 14 days in hotel quarantine as part of the Victorian Government’s Roadmap to Deliver the National Plan. There will no longer be a cap on fully vaccinated returning Australians wishing to enter Victoria, and the opening of our borders to Victorians coming home will reunite families and friends and boost our vaccinated economy. International arrivals will need to demonstrate their vaccination status to the Commonwealth with a vaccine approved or recognised by the Therapeutic Goods Administration. TGA recognised vaccines are: Pfizer (Comirnaty) Astra Zeneca (Vaxzevria) Moderna (Spikevax) COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen ( Johnson and Johnson)
Coronavac (Sinovac) Covishield (AstraZeneca/Serum Institute of India). Arrivals will also be required to test negative to COVID-19 within 72 hours of their departure and will be required to undertake testing within 24 hours of arrival into Victoria. In line with Commonwealth protocols, children under 12 arriving with fully vaccinated parents and people with a valid medical exemption will be considered fully vaccinated. Any person who tests positive for COVID-19 once in Victoria, or their primary close contact, will be required to isolate at home just as any other case in the community, while unvaccinated international travellers will be subject to mandatory 14-day hotel quarantine unless they can prove their vaccination status during their quarantine period. International travellers in hotel quarantine as of 1 November who have had their vaccination status verified on the Australian Immunisation Register and who have returned a negative test will be released regardless of whether they have completed 14 days’ quarantine. From 1 November, Victoria will cap the number of unvaccinated or unverified international travellers at 250 a week.
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NEWS FROM QUEENSLAND
Trash to treasure: copper mine waste Runway cleared for return could hold key to renewable revolution of international students Brisbane, 26 Oct: Queensland copper mine waste could deliver a key ingredient for the renewable energy revolution thanks to a three-year international study.
resources.
society.
Resources Minister Scott Stewart announced a threeway agreement between the Palaszczuk Government, Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corporation ( JOGMEC) and the University of Queensland which will examine whether cobalt – a globally-sought-after critical mineral and a key battery ingredient – can be retrieved economically from old copper mine tailings.
"It could also revolutionise how Queensland copper mines operate by turning their waste into a revenue stream.”
“Should this project yield notable results, there is potential for the technology to be shared and used in other countries and regions.”
The collaborative study will involve researchers’ samples from the tailings of Copper Resources Australia’s Rocklands copper mine near Cloncurry in north west Queensland.
Director of the University of Queensland’s Sustainable Minerals Institute Professor Neville Plint said reducing mine waste was a key challenge for the mining industry.
Samples will be studied at the University of Queensland’s Sustainable Minerals Institute and at JOGMEC’s laboratories in Japan with results shared between all three parties.
“As the industry seeks to reduce its environmental footprint there is growing interest in reusing mine waste as a secondary resource,” Professor Plint said.
“This research could help unlock the state’s potential as a major global supplier of ethically sourced cobalt and battery manufacturing right here in Queensland,” Mr Stewart said. “The Palaszczuk Government is focussed on creating more jobs for Queenslanders as part of our COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan, and this research in the new-economy minerals space is a key part of that. “Australia and Japan have a strong trade partnership and the Palaszczuk Government is proud to be working with JOGMEC and the University of Queensland. “Cobalt is a highly sought-after new economy mineral that is a key component in lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles and battery storage systems. “Queensland is renowned for having a large endowment of cobalt, however extracting and processing this mineral is often difficult due to costs and
The project is the first joint venture between the Palaszczuk Government and JOGMEC. In 2019 Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk re-signed a Memorandum of Understanding with JOGMEC whilst on a trade mission in Tokyo which included continued co-operation in the fields of coal, minerals and hydrogen. JOGMEC Chairman & CEO Tetsuhiro Hosono said the latest joint research project formed part of JOGMEC’s Carbon Neutral Initiative. “It is a great honour to be collaborating with the Queensland Government and University of Queensland on this exciting project,” he said. “Through this joint research, we aim to promote the effective use of unrecovered cobalt resources in Queensland and other parts of the world. “This could contribute to the stable supply of minerals that are needed for a carbon-neutral
“Through this research agreement, we have the opportunity to explore the potential to extract important critical metals from mine waste.” “We are proud to be working with the Geological Survey of Queensland and an internationally-respected group like JOGMEC to take this opportunity forward.” The study is expected to be completed by 2024 with a public report and data set. The project is part of the Government’s five-year $23 million New Economy Minerals Initiative that aims to develop, promote and understand the state’s new economy mineral wealth and potential through a broad corridor from Mt Isa to Townsville. The initiative encourages new exploration, re-investigation of old mines and probing the geological information government holds already to foster new discoveries, projects and jobs.
Queensland’s largest vaccination blitz planned Brisbane, 21 Oct: The state’s largest vaccination blitz to date will take place this weekend and anyone yet to be vaccinated is encouraged to come forward and get their first dose. The Super Saturday vaccination blitz will include pop-up vaccination clinics at up to 100 high schools across the state in addition to existing community vaccination locations. Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said the school popup clinics would be available across multiple regions this Saturday, with a focus on areas with low vaccination uptake. “We need Queenslanders to vaccinate before it’s too late,” the Premier said. “Vaccinations are the key to saving lives and reuniting Queenslanders with their friends and family. “We’re working hard to make it as quick and easy as possible for all Queenslanders to get vaccinated. “That’s why we’re establishing vaccination clinics at dozens of schools right throughout the state. “Super Saturday is our largest vaccine push to date. If you’ve been saying you’ll just wait
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a bit before getting the vaccine – it’s time for you to come forward and get vaccinated now.” Health Minister Yvette D’Ath said earlier this month, the state established pop-up clinics at 18 schools, administering 4500 doses over two days. “We’ve given you the vaccination targets and dates we’re working towards to open Queensland’s borders so you can see your family and friends – and Queenslanders have the power to bring those dates forward if more people get vaccinated sooner. “We want anyone aged 12 and over who is yet to be vaccinated to come to any of our vaccination clinics, walk in and get the jab this Saturday you don’t need an appointment. “Remember it takes at least five weeks to be fully protected from the vaccine. “We cannot be complacent. Just because COVID-19 may not have reached your community yet does not mean it won’t. “We need more of our regional Queenslanders to get vaccinated now to protect themselves, their loved ones and their communities.
“The vaccine is the best way to protect yourself against serious illness from COVID-19 and it is key to charting a course through the next stages of the pandemic. “However, you don’t have to wait until this weekend to get vaccinated. You can access our current community vaccination centres leading up to the weekend, with many locations open seven days a week.” Ms D’Ath said the vaccination blitz was part of the effort to offer vaccinations where people lived, worked, learned, shopped and played, and make vaccination as easy and convenient as possible. Education Minister Grace Grace said she was excited to partner with her health colleagues again this weekend to increase vaccine uptake. “We hope that many of Queensland’s students aged 12 and over, their families, their neighbours, and friends, will come forward and get vaccinated this Saturday to protect themselves and their community,” the Minister said. “Thank you to all those schools who are supporting Queensland’s vaccination efforts this Saturday.”
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Brisbane, 26 Oct: Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has announced the return of international students to study in Queensland in 2022. They’ll be the first to use the Regional Quarantine Facility at Wellcamp. The Premier said Wellcamp provides the perfect solution so that the students do not displace returning Australian citizens and residents. There are two other conditions: • A proportion of students must study at universities outside of Brisbane
• Priority will be given to medical and health students who will work for Queensland health The Premier said the decision is a win-win. “This is why we went it alone to make Wellcamp a reality,” the Premier said. “It gives Queensland an opportunity other states don’t have.” The decision is a lifeline for the state’s universities. Before the pandemic, Queensland’s international education sector was worth an estimated $5.8 billion. The Wellcamp facility is under construction at Wellcamp Airport. Tourism, Innovation and Sport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said 20,000 students enrolled with a Queensland university had been studying offshore. “While remote learning has made it possible for students to continue Queensland university studies from their home countries, we recognise it isn’t a sustainable, long-term substitute for to face-to-face tutorials and practical experience. “We also know international students make an important contribution to the culture of Queensland cities and our regions. “International students are an important source of workers for many businesses in Queensland’s regional and metropolitan areas.
“The absence of international students has been particularly felt in the rural, hospitality and tourism industries.”
Mr Hinchliffe said the Palaszczuk Government had sent Queensland’s Student Arrivals Plan to the Federal Government in response to the Commonwealth’s Protocols and Preconditions for International Student Arrivals. “Queenslanders have worked hard on managing the health impacts of this pandemic and our number one priority remains their safety,” Mr Hinchliffe said. “One of big lessons from the pandemic is Covid-19’s unpredictable ability to mutate. “So far there are four dominant variants, and we don’t know if and when there could a fifth, which is what makes Wellcamp and its proximity to an international airport critical to our International Student Arrivals plan. “This plan is the first phase of scaling up from semester one and seeing more students return to Queensland over time.” Professor Sandra Harding, Vice Chancellor and President of James Cook University, and Chair of the Queensland Vice Chancellor Committee, said the sector had worked collaboratively with the State Government. “We are delighted the State Government has progressed plans to bring back international students,” Professor Harding said. “These students have been studying online for almost two years waiting to return to Queensland and many of them need to undertake important practical assessments to complete their studies. “International students are such a vibrant part of all of our campuses and communities, and we look forward to welcoming them back to our state.”
Crikey! – it’s time to get vaxxed now Brisbane, 20 Oct: Queenslanders are being encouraged to visit the state’s zoos, wildlife parks and aquariums as the Palaszczuk Government continues to roll out the COVID-vaccine plan to unite families. Speaking at Australia Zoo on the Sunshine Coast, Minister for Agricultural Industry Development and Fisheries Mark Furner said animal exhibitors played an important part in wildlife education and conservation in Queensland. “As we approach the summer school holidays, we want to see more visitors to locations like Australia Zoo as well as the countless wildlife parks and aquariums across the state,” he said.
“That’s why Queensland’s COVIDvaccine plan is so importantthe more Queenslanders are vaccinated, the safer we’ll all be. “The plan includes greater freedoms for people who are fully vaccinated and that means more visitors to wildlife parks, zoos and aquariums in Queensland.” Minister Furner said the Palaszczuk Government has been a strong supporter of Queensland’s animal exhibitors since the COVID-19 global pandemic. “The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries oversees the licensing of exhibited animals from zoos to aquariums and even mobile exhibits and circuses,” he said.
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Bengali Society of Queensland organises Durga Puja in Brisbane T
he Bengali Society of Queensland (BSQ), a nonprofit organisation, organised their annual Durga Puja on October 15, and the puja will again take place on October 17. The Bengali Society of Queensland is one of the major Indian communities, committed to promoting Bengali tradition and culture among the Bengalis in Brisbane and the community at large. Throughout the year, the society organises several cultural, sporting events and social get together where members from other communities, government dignitaries also participate.
COMMUNITY NEWS
GOPIO organises India Day Fair
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n celebration of the 75 years of Indian independence, GOPIO held their annual event India Day Fair 2021, on October 23 at Southbank Plaza, Southbank. The event drew the local dignitaries and special guests, along with Indian audiences as
well as those from other cultures. The performers, artists, MC kept the tempo high with their songs and performances. Besides the cultural shows, Bollywood songs, and live DJ entertainment, the event also featured Indian food stalls.
A non-profit, membership-based organisation based in Brisbane, the association's main objective is to promote Indian and Bengali culture and tradition. "We aim to provide opportunities to all members regardless of age, gender and area of origin, to promote both traditional and modern aspects of Indian and Bengali culture. Our activities are open to both members and nonmembers," says a statement by the association.
HOTA hosts Gold Coast Diwali
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iwali event Gold Coast Diwali took place at Home of the Arts (HOTA) at Surfers Paradise in Gold Coast on Saturday, 16 October..
Various local communities came together in a fun-filled environment full of festivities, entertainment, and exciting cultural experiences at this Gold Coast Diwali event. The event went through the whole day, and audiences and participants were treated to live performances, music, food and beverages, dance workshops and trade stalls. As per the organisers, who hosted the event on the theme of “Mor and Mermaid”, mor or peacock is the national bird of India, while the symbolism of mermaid perfectly represents the venue of the event, Gold Coast. Plus, both of these creatures are known for their striking beauty and grace. Nach Baliye Events and Ecutas Productions organised the event jointly.
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COMMUNITY NEWS
Indian Community Centre inaugurated in Western Australia
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n October 17 this year, Western Australia celebrated the opening of its very own Indian Community Centre in Perth. The project had been bestowed with a grant of $ 2.5 million by the federal government and has been opened with a view to fulfilling the social and cultural needs of the ever expanding Indian diaspora in Australia. Previously, in March this year Melbourne had inaugurated an Indian Community Centre. The opening of such social hubs is a testament to the fact that the Indian Community has succeeded
in creating a strong foothold in Australia. Earlier on June 15, the efforts of the Little India Harris Park Business Association (LIHPBA) to promote certain areas of Harris Park in Sydney as Little India bore fruit when the City of Parramatta Council in Sydney agreed to the proposal. Such initiatives not only help in bringing the members of the Indian diaspora in Australia closer together but also provide them an avenue to showcase the rich essence of the Indian culture despite being away from their native land.
MCCGC hosts 'International Cafe'
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o celebrate diversity during National Unity Week and Queensland Seniors Month, Multicultural Communities Council Gold Coast (MCCGC) organised a get together for the multicultural communities -- International Café-- on 27 October in Gold Coast. The event had an array of activities, performances and food from around the globe,
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with a little bit of something for everyone to enjoy including cultural stalls, dancing, craft making, henna, sound healing, glass painting, drumming, exercise and heaps of information from local service providers. Everyone in the participants was in high spirits and excited to come together and share with community.
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MOSAIC Multicultural Festival held in Brisbane
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ulticultural Australia organised at MOSAIC Multicultural Festival on Sunday, 10 October at Roma Street Parkland in Brisbane. The MOSAIC Multicultural Festival celebrates the rich cultural contributions the various cultures from all over the world bring to multicultural Queensland through dance, music, poetry and storytelling, visual arts and crafts, children’s and family activities and delectable foods and cooking demonstrations. The MOSAIC 2021 featured world music and dance by some of South East Queensland's best performers; opening ceremony
featuring a 'Welcome to Country Performance' at 12.00pm on the stage; International Drumming Workshop and Performance Program; Rock Around the Wok cooking demonstration by refugee and migrant community cooks who shared their settlement stories while creating a traditional dish; youth space with interactive games and performances; kids and family activities; and cultural marketplace featuring food, craft and activity stalls. MOSAIC 2021 was sponsored and supported by Suncorp, the Queensland Government and Brisbane City Council.
Hindu Council of Australia celebrates Diwali at High Commission, Canberra
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indu Council of Australia in association with High Commission of India, Canberra celebrated the festival of Diwali in Canberra on October 29.
High Commissioner Shri Manpreet Vohra spoke to the Indian community members present there and took part in the festivities.
Diwali Dhamaka organised in Sunshine Coast S
unshine Coast Indian Association organised an inclusive, not for profit diwali event 'Diwali Dhamaka' on 23 October at Kings Beach, Caloundra.
With music, dance, food stalls, rangoli competition, kids activities and fireworks, it was a total entertainer for the Indian community as well as other communities.
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Lord Mayor's Multicultural Awards for Business announced
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inners of the 2021 Lord Mayor's Multicultural Awards for Business were announced at the Lord Mayor’s Multicultural Business Dinner and Awards on Thursday, 28 October.
He founded his business based on progressive transformational leadership skills and a strong sense of determination to grow organically and sustainably. Ashawani is passionate about giving back to the community.
The annual awards celebrate the contribution multicultural businesses make to the Brisbane economy and community through their creativity, innovation and resilience.
Multicultural Business Person of the Year - Mr Harish Arora, OZ Labouforce
2021 award winners Nick Xynias Multicultural Young Business Person of the Year - Mr Ashawani Soni, Holistic Home Care This award recognises the success, creativity and energy of a multicultural young business leader under the age of 35, celebrating both their contribution to their community and that of Brisbane’s continued economic prosperity. Ashawani Soni dreamt of a life in Australia, so he made the difficult decision to leave his family in India to migrate to Queensland in 2006. Ashawani has over a decade of experience in the aged care sector and, at the age of 30, he branched out on his own and established Holistic Home Care in 2018. Holistic Home Care, now operating with 75 employees, is a certified and registered provider.
This award recognises a multicultural Brisbane business leader who successfully exports their products and services from Brisbane, throughout Australia, and/or across Asia Pacific or internationally. The award celebrates the recipient’s contribution to the Brisbane economy and recognises them as a local champion of enterprise with a global outlook for their business. Harish Arora was born in Kapurthala, India, and migrated to Australia in 2007. Harish initially came to study, but then made Australia his home. From a poor beginning with $200 in his pocket, working three jobs to support his study, he has built a national specialised logistics services company employing over 200 staff. OZ Labourforce services supply chains by unpacking shipping containers. Harish took his family lounge room business to a corporate model by expanding services to other
countries including New Zealand, North America and Canada. Multicultural Entrepreneur of the Year - Mrs Rejoice Thomson, Dovetail Social This award recognises a multicultural Brisbane business leader that demonstrates through their business success, entrepreneurial flair, embedding a culture of innovation as a central pillar to their growth strategy. The recipient will personify the best in entrepreneurialism, possessing qualities from clear leadership and sound management to determination and ambition. Rejoice Thomson was born in the Philippines, relocating to Brisbane in 2009. A qualified pastry chef, Rejoice is the proud owner of Dovetail Social, a much loved Brisbane cafe in Highgate Hill. Rejoice has embraced her cultural heritage and showcases Filipino influences in her food, desserts, and her now famous ‘Ambassador’s High Tea’, was recently served to the Philippines Ambassador to Australia, Hon. Hellen De La Vega. She was the recipient of the Queensland Filipino Australian Women Achievement Award in 2018 and is active in her local Filipino community as a radio broadcaster on 4EB Community Radio.
Best wishes for
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner
Cr Krista ADAMS
Cr Kim MARX
Cr Vicki HOWARD
Cr Ryan MURPHY
Cr Adam ALLAN
Cr Fiona CUNNINGHAM
Cr David MCLACHLAN
Cr Sandy LANDERS
Cr Sarah HUTTON
Deputy Mayor Ph: 3403 7791
Runcorn Ward Ph: 3407 0566
Central Ward Ph: 3403 0254
Chandler Ward Ph: 3407 1400
Northgate Ward Ph: 3403 2210
Cr Fiona HAMMOND
Cr Steven HUANG
Cr Tracy DAVIS
Cr Angela OWEN
Cr Greg ADERMANN
Marchant Ward Ph: 3407 0707
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MacGregor Ward Ph: 3407 8500
McDowall Ward Ph: 3403 7690
Calamvale Ward Ph: 3131 7022
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Pullenvale Ward Ph: 3407 0220
Coorparoo Ward Ph: 3403 2101
Bracken Ridge Ward Ph: 3667 6000
Hamilton Ward Ph: 3403 1095
Jamboree Ward Ph: 3407 7000
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Indian community youth leader Srihan Misra shines in the Parliament Brisbane, 27th Oct: A young and energetic Indian community youth leader Srihan Misra was elected as the Youth Member for Queensland Parliament from Inala (constituency of Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk) out of several hundred applicants. As a member of the Science, Technology and Digital Economies, Srihan delivered two speeches in the parliament amidst a thumping support from his parliamentary colleagues. Unnerved by the occasion and highest state democratic platform — Srihan, a graduate of the Indooroopilly State High School and a current student of Bachelor of Science (BSc) with a Major in Earth Science at the Queensland University of Technology, spoke with flair, conviction and passion calling upon the Government to invest in STEM studies and space research. Srihan’s statement as a Private Member “Thank you, Deputy Speaker. Today, I come forward with an issue that is pivotal to the growth of not only Queensland, but the human race as a whole. An issue which will inspire our generation to be bold and dream bigger. To look beyond the stars. There is a new era of space exploration which dawns upon us and we, as Queenslanders and Australians, need to be educated on its global rise. Space exploration, by nature, is a long-term, inter-generational pursuit. Overtime, the enormous benefits this pursuit yields can be realised by one initiative: space education. Space education is the way of the future, an area that can equip our young generation with the knowledge to contribute or partake in an area with endless possibilities. There are many ways to foster our youth’s engagement with space, starting at a fundamental level with a focus on
primary and secondary education. Students studying STEM subjects in primary and high school should engage with a curriculum that incorporates space science and exploration, whilst being given the opportunity to engage in extracurriculars that apply their STEM knowledge in space-related fields, such as state and national STEM competitions. For the nonSTEM oriented subjects such as business, legal studies, health, economics and English can guide students in careers such as space law, space medicine, space commerce, space economics and science communication with an emphasis on space science and exploration. Space is for Queensland and Australia to take part in and cherish. We have earned our seat at this table in the 1960s when a radio dish out in Parkes, New South Wales transmitted the first images of Neil Armstrong walking on the Moon world-wide. So, let us be proud and make space great again. Thank you.” Srihan’s policy proposal “Good morning, Deputy Speaker. Once again, I revisit the topic of space with our policy proposal. Here, we will focus on the interesting topic that is Asteroid mining. As a potential future enterprise for this country, Asteroid mining in recent years has been a topic of much controversy. The inspiration for this enterprise began in the United States, around the height of the Space Race which introduced the Outer Space Treaty of 1967, which outlined than no country could claim sovereignty of any celestial bodies in space. However, less than 50 years down the line, in 2015 the United States challenged this treaty by proposing and passing the U.S Commercial Space Launch Competitiveness
Act, an Act which allows for the US companies to mine and sell resources gathered from space. Thus, the race for the expansion of space capabilities begins yet again, and Queensland is situated in the right spot for it.
An important component of the policy proposal’s methodology was examining how various international space agencies, besides our own, have conducted similar missions pertaining to asteroids. A notable case was a mission conducted by NASA, titled the Osiris Rex mission, which sent a spacecraft towards a near Earth asteroid to collect various 1-ounce samples to be returned to Earth for research purposes. These missions provide important information on not only the engineering and scientific data collected, but also on the risks associated with conducting such missions. Through this, the policy decisions and steps taken by various international government and private agencies are valid and clear steppingstones for how SE Queensland and Australia should map its asteroid mining enterprise. The goal of asteroid mining is a long-term realization that combines the best talents across a wide variety of STEM disciplines. In Australia, universities such as UNSW hold bi-annual forums to discuss various ideas and issues around Space Resource Utilization. Specifically, the UNSW institutes involved in these forums are the Australian Centre for Space Engineering Research and the School of Minerals and Energy Resources. Additionally, UNSW have, in the past, collaborated with NASA and made various contributions to space mining research and economics. Queensland natural resources industry is rich and thriving, but it is also finite. In
the future, it is certain that state will have to seriously consider and incorporate asteroid mining operations to maintain sustainability within its resources. Australia’s major export commodity earner is in mineral resources, with many of the target minerals including precious metals and rare earth materials such as iron and gold, two of Australia’s top ten goods. With asteroid mining, the rapid advancement in technology cannot provide economic benefits for our natura resources industry, but also benefit other industries pivotal to the Queensland economy, particularly agriculture. The development of this technology can also pose environmental benefits, by encouraging global innovation while slowly phasing out all mining operations on Earth.
However, with all these positives comes negatives. In the current world of space exploration, private space companies have higher funding for these missions than government bodies, meaning that private companies will realistically conduct asteroid mining missions first, furthering their own economic and global power. Additionally, blurry space law guidelines around the ownership of space can lead to overexploitation of space resources. To counter this issue, is it wise to suggest bodies such as the United Nations regulate space resource usage with respect to asteroid mining operations. This is to prevent large and powerful nations or corporations from massively benefiting through asteroid mining. Thank you”.
Wishing you a very happy Healthy and auspicious Diwali!
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ow can we make it even more enjoyable and safe – Start by taking care of you and your loved one’s overall health and wellbeing particularly under the current circumstances. How? Here are some easy tips to have a happy, safe, and healthy Diwali. Wear your mask and maintain social distancing. By now we all have been fortunate to have had a lot of understanding and knowledge on why this is important to our lives and others. Use your intuition and put into practice where you know we should be maintaining these
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standards Do not use sanitiser before lighting candle or diyas and keep the sanitiser away from fire. Diwali is the festival of light, and like me, you would be lighting Diya’s, candles and have open flames around your home, please keep your sanitisers at a distance from the flame to avoid any mishaps Have a vitamin C rich diet. It is essential to include a variety of natural foods like fresh fruits, raw salads, sprouts, yogurt, fresh fruit juices, leafy green vegetables, 'dalia', oats, lemon water and herbal tea in your diet during
busy times of the year such as Diwali. These fruits will keep your health well balanced, energise you. During the festive times, we tend to eat a lot of rich foods, which I love too, consequently it’s important to have some ‘live’ foods to balance your overall food intake. Also drink plenty of water to maintain healthy bodies and lifestyle If you develop any of the three key COVID-19 symptoms while at a festival, you should put on a face mask, and should avoid any unnecessary contact with other people Finally, consciously breath.
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The amount of oxygen that we inhale through our breathing, influences the amount of energy that is released in our body cells. Breathing is the easiest and most instrumental part of the autonomic nervous system to
control as it affects the chemical and physiological activities in your body. May your Diwali bring peace and love to your life and brings health, wealth, and happiness. Pushpa Vaghela
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COMMUNITY NEWS
Smart Infrastructure Hub Summit By Anand Singh
Chair, Infrastructure Chapter, AIBC With inputs from Ashutosh Misra, Editor-in-Chief, India News
A
ustralia India Business Council (AIBC) supported by sponsors Springfield Group, Jacobs, and Tata Communications & Transformation Services (TCTS) held a Smart Infrastructure Summit on 26th October 2021, at Quest in Springfield, QLD. The event, a hybrid session, was cast live online and joined by several members across Australia and India. The key focus of the event was Smart Infrastructure resulting from the integration of smart technologies within the larger infrastructure leading to social and economic benefits for the community. There was clear reflection of the need for these smart solutions to be based on outcomes that are aimed at enhancing human experience and complement the natural environment within which they exist. The event was moderated by AIBC National Chair Jim Varghese. Abhishek Singh from Jacobs and I facilitated sections of the summit. Nik Senapati, President AIBC QLD Chapter provided the vote of thanks. As summarised by Ashok Mysore AIBC Chair ICT Chapter, “Great participation from the Govt, Academia, Australia-India Trade bodies and most importantly private commercial sector businesses from across Australia & India discussing multiple dimensions around Smart Infrastructure in today’s summit.” He added: “His Excellency Manpreet Vohra spoke about National Smart Cities Mission, launched in 2015, as an urban renewal and retrofitting program by the Government of India with the mission to develop smart cities across the country, making them citizen friendly and sustainable across the 4,400 cities and towns in India. Hon Minister Dan Tehan, Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment talked about progress on CECA negotiations and the Digital Business Plan to drive Australia’s economic recovery, as the start of Australia’s journey to becoming
a leading digital economy by 2030. Neil scales, Director General TMR QLD, highlighted the importance of integrated partnerships working together with players within the ecosystem around the Globe as he spoke about smart mobility solutions initiatives in QLD. Paul Francis from Jacobs touched on various solutions in his presentation on emerging trends and among other things highlighted the opportunity to improve productivity in Infrastructure. Raynuha Sinnathamby from Springfield City Group touched on living a 10-minute lifestyle in Greater Springfield, a dream that has been made possible through the Knowledge Precinct that comprises of health, technology & education. Jamie Smith from TCTS highlighted how rapid urbanization was putting pressure on infrastructure and went to share specific case studies reflecting the work TCTS has done in applying technology, like IoT for Smart Manhole Monitoring System, Water Monitoring System, and others. Dean Zabrieszach from Ohmio/HMI Technologies shared some core advanced technology applications and flagged Infrastructure to the vehicle communications, AV Shuttle operations, 3D Printed AV among others. Semra Barutchu from Infosys highlighted the guiding principles considered while designing Smart City Infra like Mobility, Security, Data Governance, Open Architecture that helped Infosys understand designing Smart precinct through its Campus in Mysore. Meredith Hodgman from KPMG highlighted the need to start thinking about how the challenges around retrofitting hard infrastructure with Digital Infrastructure can become opportunities.” Reflecting on the 4th Industrial Revolution, Ashok pointed out technological developmentslike high-speed mobile Internet, AI and automation, the use of big data analytics, and cloud technology.More specifically for Smart Infrastructure be it the natural OR built environment, he highlighted technologies such as autonomous vehicles and drones, the Internet of things, advanced materials, 3D printing and biotechnology.
Representing government stakeholders, Devinka Wanigesekera from Trade and Investment QLD provided an insight into the different streams such as Data and visualisation, transport and mobility, circular economy, and others while introducing companies engaged in bringing these streams to fruition in QLD. Prerna Soni from Invest India provided an impressive list of opportunities and reasons for Australian organisations and financial institution to engage with the opportunities in India. These include 30 people migrating every minute to the city in India leading to a population of 863M people in cities by 2031, the 100 smart cities program, $32 billion budgetary outlay, investment of $40 billion per annum out to 2031, $1.4 trillion national infrastructure pipeline to 2025 and others.
position both Australia and India are in, to work collaboratively and realise some of the many social and economic outcomes planned on both sides.
Mr Ashok Mysore
In conclusion, the summit highlighted the role technology has in realising smart infrastructure within the context of urbanisation and the envious
HE Manpreet Vohra
Ms Raynuha Sinnathamby
Mr Dean Zabrieszach Mr Paul Francis
Mr Jamie Smith
Mr Neil Scales Mr Jim Varghese Ms Prerna Soni
Ms Semra Barutchu Ms Meredith Hodgman HE Dan Tehan
Proceedings
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Mr Anand Singh
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Mr Abhishek Singh
Ms Devinka Wanigesekera
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Nov 1-15, 2021 - Vol 2, Issue 9
COMMUNITY NEWS
NATIONAL WALK FOR MENTAL HEALTH 2021 Half a million Australians!
N
ational Mental Health Month is an initiative of the Mental Health Foundation Australia (MHFA) to advocate for and raise awareness of Australian mental health. It is an important time where the Australian community comes together to raise awareness and promote better mental health for all. The National Mental Health Month 2021 Awareness Campaign theme is: ‘Mental Health: Post Pandemic Recovery Challenges and Resilience' With this theme in mind, we aim to extend our campaign even wider than previous years, with events planned to embrace many different community groups and people
of all ages walking on the road to recovery and fostering resilience #ResilienceAndRecovery.
Our biggest and most successful event has always been our Walk for Mental Health. In 2020, amidst the pandemic we organised a 'Virtual Walk' allowing people to walk from anywhere and everywhere across the nation. This continued in 2021 with our MHFA app, as well as some physical walks across the country on the 17th of October. We are extremely proud of this monumental achievement, having reached out to more than 500,000 individuals through our walk for mental health this year. Despite the challenges of COVID-19 this year, the MHFA was determined to deliver our
annual walk, especially due to the increase and exacerbation of mental health issues in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. We can proudly say this initiative was delivered even bigger and better this year. We understand how much the pandemic has affected our Australian community this year. Therefore, the Mental Health Foundation Australia is proud to present our National Walk for Mental Health 2021 in-person on the 19th of December 2021, 10:30 am at Albert Park Lake in Melbourne. This walk will be the perfect opportunity for the community to come together and support one another after consecutive lockdowns. Thank you again to all
our supporters, sponsors, ambassadors, community members and all walk participants for their participation and support. MHFA would like to thank our wonderful staff for their hard work and dedication towards making this campaign a success!
THANK YOU, AUSTRALIA!
MHFA Gala Dinner wraps up National Mental Health Month W
ith just one day to go in the National Mental Health Month, Mental Health Foundation Australia's Gala Dinner wrapped up the month with a celebration and coming together of major dignitaries and government officials on October 30 at Islamic College of Brisbane in Karawathas. It turned out to be an evening of fun, entertainment and delicious food, along with fundraising activities. After the doors opened at 6:30 in the evening, dinner was served soon, which became a backdrop for the networking
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for the participants. During the dinner, Master Rudrodipto played music for two numbers. MC Habib Jamal then started the show with introduction to MHFA, and soon after Aunty Peggy gave her 'Welcome to the Country' speech. Various performances during the show included Russian dance, Indonesian dance, Japanese dance, youth speech by Amber Powsen. Later during the show, Chinese dance and Indian dance followed. There was also an auction organised, where Mr Lewis Lee was nicely supported
by Mr Preetham and Ms Nasrin in conducting the auction. Also, two rounds of raffle prize were held, the first one being anchored by Mr Habib Jamal, and the second one by Vera and Ree Ali. Trophy presentation was conducted by Ms Susan Warby. The event concluded with Dr Ram Mohan offering vote of thanks to the distinguished guests and the participants. The proceeds from this event, through MHFA's small grant program, will be disbursed to mental health services in Queensland.
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Nov 1-15, 2021 - Vol 2, Issue 9
WORLD NEWS
To counter China, India has to Putin asserts AUKUS engage more with neighbours: CDS harms regional stability IANS
Bangladesh were the main recipients of Chinese military aid in the recent past, while significant investments were made in Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives to expand its strategic foothold. "Such an attempt and adventure in the neighbouring countries would go against India's national interest and these are potential threats to India's territorial integrity and strategic importance."
Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat
Guwahati, October 23 (IANS): Indian Chief of Defence Staff General Bipin Rawat on October 23 said that to counter China's influence, India has to further increase its engagement in neighbouring countries.
Noting that China is making "huge" inroads in South Asia, he said that in the Indian Ocean Region also, the country reinforced its position as a rising global power. He said that Myanmar and
Gen Rawat also said that Pakistan's state-sponsored terrorism, coupled with nonstate actors' role, against India is a stumbling block to the peace process between the two neighbours. Partnership between China and Pakistan on a wide range of issues, including providing military hardware to Islamabad and supporting the country in international forums, is an antiIndia nexus, he said. Talking to the media after the seminar, the CDS said that India-
China border issues have to be seen in its totality, and not as issues about the Ladakh sector or northeastern states. He said that last year like earlier years, there was "some problem" and talks are going on occasionally at different levels, including the political, to resolve these issues. With China's habit of utilising money power to gain popularity in a country, he said that "our Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) has already clarified that India believes in security and growth for all". Regarding the recent violent incident against the security forces and the civilians in Jammu and Kashmir, he, without naming Pakistan, said that India's western adversary is indulging in a proxy war. He said that Home Minister Amit Shah visited Kashmir to give confidence to the people that the security forces and the local administration would bring the situation under control.
Australia's Telstra purchases Pacific telecom company to block China's influence New Delhi, October 25 (IANS): The Australian government and telecom giant Telstra are buying a Pacific telecoms company in a joint venture, BBC reported.
approached it "to provide technical advice in relation to Digicel Pacific" which is "critical to telecommunications in the region", the report added.
The move is being viewed as a political block to China's influence in the region.
The government then agreed to finance the bulk of the bid, Telstra said.
Telstra called the $1.6 bn deal a "unique and very attractive commercial opportunity to boost our presence in the region".
Analysts say the company would otherwise be attractive to China as it seeks to assert greater authority in the region.
Digicel Pacific employs 1,700 people across Papua New Guinea, Fiji, Samoa, Vanuatu and Tahiti.
"Digicel is the primary player in the Pacific and Australia sees it as a strategic asset that they can't allow to fall into the hands of China," said Jonathan Pryke of the Lowy Institute, a Sydneybased think tank, according to the report.
The company's future has been the focus of speculation for months, the report said. Last year Digicel denied a report that it was in talks to sell its Pacific arm to state-owned China Mobile. According to Telstra, the Australian government
"They are keen to get Australian business back into the Pacific and they've come to the realisation that they are going to have to underwrite."
As the first conference after the five-year review cycle under the Paris Agreement inked in 2015, delegates are expected to review overall progress and plan future actions on climate change in the coming two weeks. The conference comes at a time
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when the world has gone through a series of climate-changerelated weather disasters, from severe flooding to wild fires.
Issues high on the agenda include finalizing the rules for the Paris Agreement's market mechanism and wealthy countries' unmet finance pledge to the developing countries to help them tackle climate-related challenges. COP26 President Alok Sharma said in his speech at the opening ceremony: "We postponed COP26
"In my opinion, it is good to be friends with each other, but bad to be friends against someone. This impairs the stability that we all talk about and we all care about," Putin said during an interview with US TV channel CNBC on Wednesday, the Xinhua news agency reported. He said that he hopes the situation will not develop according to some unpredictable scenario and will not cause any additional tensions in the region. Australia, Britain and the United States announced the establishment of the AUKUS partnership on September 15 and under the arrangement, Washington and London will
IANS
Russian President Vladimir Putin
support Canberra in building nuclear-powered submarines. Russia has repeatedly voiced its concerns over the new bloc. Russian officials told US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland during her recent visit to Russia that the AUKUS not only hurts the existing security architecture in Asia-Pacific, but also carries the risk of undermining the global nonproliferation regime, Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova said on October 14.
Indian forces to join B'desh Victory Day celebrations on Dec 16
Social News XYZ
Amid escalating tensions with China, Australia has ramped up its presence in the Pacific, the report said.
This includes allocating $1.5 bn to investment in infrastructure projects in the region as well as joining the Quad group, with the US, India and Japan, and the Aukus security pact, with the US and UK. It also largely funded a 4,700km (2,900-mile) Coral Sea cable in 2018 to prevent Chinese telecom company Huawei Technologies from laying it. Chinese control of telecommunications networks has long been a concern for Washington and its allies. This has led many countries to ban Huawei and other Chinese companies from supplying phone lines and 5G networks, including the US, UK and Australia.
COP26 begins as countries plan future actions on climate change Glasgow, Oct 31 (IANS): The 26th UN Conference of Parties on Climate Change (COP26), delayed by a year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, kicked off on Sunday in Glasgow, Scotland.
Moscow, October 14 (IANS): The AUKUS, a security partnership between Australia, Britain and the United States, "undoubtedly" undermines regional stability, Russian President Vladimir Putin has said.
by a year. But during that year, climate change did not take time off...And we know that the window to keep 1.5 degrees within reach is closing," Xinhua news agency reported. "We know that our shared planet is changing for the worse. And we can only address that together, through this international system... And if we act now, and we act together, we can protect our precious planet," he added.
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Dhaka, October 25 (IANS): An Indian armed forces contingent and bands of both army and navy will participate in "Bangladesh Victory Day Celebrations" in Dhaka on December 16, it was announced on October 25. The decision was taken as visiting Bangladesh Chief of Naval Staff Admiral M. Shaheen met his Indian counterpart, Admiral Karambir Singh, in New Delhi. The participation is seen as a reciprocal move as 122-member strong contingent of the Bangladesh armed forces had participated in the Republic Day parade of India this year on January 26. The contingent comprised the personnel of the Bangladesh Army, Navy, and Air Force. A majority of the contingent hailed from the most distinguished units of the Bangladesh Army which have the distinct honour of fighting and winning the 1971 liberation war with Pakistan. A statement issued by the Indian Defence Ministry said: "India and Bangladesh share bonds of history, language, culture and multitudes of other commonalities. The excellent bilateral ties reflect an allencompassing partnership based on sovereignty, equality, trust and understanding that goes beyond strategic ties."
Iqbal is on an official visit to India from October 23 to 29. He has already met the Chief of Defence Staff, General Bipin Rawat and other high-ranking officials. During the interactions of the two navy chiefs, issues relating to joint cooperative efforts like coordinated patrol along international maritime boundary line, bilateral exercise BONGOSAGAR, conduct of naval training and reciprocal visits of delegations was discussed. The aim was to promote interoperability and joint operation skills by conducting a wide range of maritime exercises and operations. The second edition of Exercise BONGOSAGAR took place in northern Bay of Bengal on October 3, 2020. The first edition took place in 2019. This year's edition will be of greater significance as it is the Mujib Borsho and 50th year of the Liberation War. On completion of engagements in Delhi, Admiral Iqbal will be visiting Mumbai where he will meet Western Naval Command chief, Vice Admiral R. Hari Kumar, and visit the flagship of the command. On completion of his Mumbai visit, the Admiral would proceed to Defence Services Staff College, Wellington, to witness training activities and interact with the Commandant.
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Nov 1-15, 2021 - Vol 2, Issue 9
WORLD THIS WEEK Contributed by the National Institute for Advanced Studies, Bengaluru
Compiled by Keerthana Nambiar, Harini Madhusudan and Joeana Cera Mathews, Avishka Ashok and Sukanya Bali
China: The hypersonics missile tests
Russia: The Afghan summit
ALSO IN NEWS
The gaurdian
China: FM spokesperson urges the US to avoid sending wrong signals What happened? What happened? On 17 October, the Financial Times published a report stating, “China tested a nuclear capable hypersonic missile in August that circled the globe before speeding towards its target.” The report quoted five unnamed individuals familiar with the test stating, “the Chinese military launched a rocket that carried a hypersonic glide vehicle which flew through low-orbit space before cruising down towards its target.” According to the intelligence brief, three sources confirmed, “the missile missed its target by about two-dozen miles” the other two said, “the test showed that China had made astounding progress on hypersonic weapons and was far more advanced than US officials realized.” On 18 October, the Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Zhao Lijian denied the report claiming it was a “routine test of space vehicle technology of spacecraft’s reusability.” On 19 October, Global Times reported, the Chinese launch as a missile launch is a “wild guess,” and the US is exaggerating it to “accommodate its own domestic political and national strategic needs.” “As long as Washington does not incite or create strategic confrontation between major powers, the world will be peaceful,” concludes Global Times. What does this mean? First, China’s hypersonic program. The fast development of catastrophic weapons gives Beijing a greater incentive to strike first. This presents potential risks to regional stability and understanding the Chinese strategic thinking on hypersonic technologies. Second, the use of hypersonics as a counter system between the US and China. Hypersonic seems to be the latest inventory in which the big powers are trying to compete. The hypersonic technology’s maneuverability and capacity to cover greater distances shrinking the shooterto-target timeline, is the crown jewel.
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On 20 October, Russia hosted the "Moscow format" talks with delegates from ten countries and the Taliban. The joint statement formalized the position and demands of the member countries to the Taliban. In order to obtain recognition, the Taliban is expected to create a state management system and form "a truly inclusive government that adequately reflects the interests of all major ethnopolitical forces in the country," as a prerequisite to completing the national reconciliation process in Afghanistan, said the joint statement. To address the deteriorating humanitarian situation in Afghanistan, the statement proposed that the Taliban adopt a moderate and wise internal and foreign policy that would help "achieve the shared goals of durable peace, security, safety and long-term prosperity and respect the rights of ethnic groups, women and children. Last week, Vladimir Putin noted that there has been no rush to officially recognize the Taliban but there was a need to engage in talks with them. What does this mean? The Moscow format is one of the many attempts at balancing power with the new realities in Afghanistan. It is significant because of the presence of Russia, China, and Pakistan along with the Taliban, in the absence of the US. There has been a softer approach in the rhetoric from the Russian side; for example, the state news agency, which is mandated to use certain terms, was seen replacing the word 'terrorist' with 'radical' in their reports of the Taliban. Though a joint statement was released, there is no sign of officially recognizing the Taliban government until they observe promising actions from their side. The timely role taken by Russia, by organizing the Moscow format summit, and also making a statement by skipping participation in the G20 attempt of the same, indicates a difference in approach to the issue at hand.
On 22 October, China's Foreign Minister spokesperson urged the US to avoid sending wrong signals in support of Taiwan. This came soon after the US President said they will stand in Taiwan's defense if the island faces mainland "incursion". Global Times reported, a Chinese spokesperson said: "We urge the US side to earnestly abide by the one-China principle and the three China-US joint communiqués, be cautious in words and deeds on the Taiwan question, and refrain from sending any wrong signals to secessionist, so as not to seriously damage China-US relations and peace and stability across the Taiwan Straits." China: Countries raise concern over human rights abuse in Xinjiang On 21 October, 43 countries at the UN accused China of human rights abuse in the Xinjiang region. They voiced their concerns over the one million people detained in internment camps. In response, China's UN ambassador, Zhang Jun said: "To the US and a few other countries: Your desperate attempts to cover up your own terrible human rights record will not work." He further added, "No matter how many times repeated, lies are still lies … You are using human rights as a pretext for political maneuvering to provoke confrontation."
North Korea: Tests ballistic missile; IAEA push for denuclearization On 19 October, North Korea test-fired a new submarinelaunched ballistic missile. Korea Central News Agency reported: the missile had "lots of advanced control guidance technologies including flank mobility and gliding skip mobility." KCNA further added the test will "greatly
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contribute to putting the defense technology of the country on a high level and to enhancing the underwater operational capability of our navy." The launch marks the country's eighth weapons test this year and its fifth launch since September. On 22 October, Director-general of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), Rafael Grossi, in a webinar stressed the need for a diplomatic process to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula. He said: "My biggest concern is that there is no diplomatic process ongoing. There must be something that is there, so that there is peace in the Korean Peninsula, there is less tension there and we can move to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula." He further added: "What is relevant is to see that compared with 2009, this program has spawned activity wise, geographically into the country." India: Begins joint naval exercise Konkan Shakti 2021 with the UK On 21 October, India and UK began their first-ever triservices joint exercise, "Konkan Shakti 2021." The exercise will be conducted in two phases; the Harbour phase from 21 to 23 October and the sea phase will be concluded on 27 October. The exercise, "aims to derive mutual benefits from each other's experiences and also showcase the continuing cooperation between the two countries." The Indian Navy said, the exercise also features "advanced warfare tactics, anti-submarine warfare exercises, over-the-horizon targeting drills, air defense exercises, cross deck landings and other complex manoeuvers." Pakistan: FATF decides to keep Pakistan on 'grey list' On 21 October, the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) decided to keep Pakistan on the grey list but ruled out the possibility of blacklisting the country. FATF President Marcus Pleyer said: "Pakistan had to complete two concurrent action plans with a total of 34 items and it has now addressed or largely addressed 30 of the items." He further said Pakistan is making "good progress." Additionally, the FATF stated that "Pakistan should continue to work to address its other strategically important AML/CFT [anti-money laundering and terrorist financing] deficiencies, namely by providing evidence that it actively seeks to enhance the impact of sanctions beyond its jurisdiction by nominating additional individuals and entities for designation at the UN." Afghanistan: Women urge the UN to block Taliban from gaining a seat
WORLD THIS WEEK On 22 October, a group of former Afghan women politicians and officials urged the UN to deny the Taliban a seat in the organization. An event in support of Afghan women and girls was organized by Britain, Qatar, Canada, UN Women, and the Georgetown Institute for Women, Peace, and Security, Tolo News reported. Before the event former Afghan politician and peace negotiator Fawzia Koofi said: "The UN needs to give that seat to somebody who respects the rights of everyone in Afghanistan." She added, "Aid, money, recognition - they are all leverages that the world should use for inclusion, for respect to the rights of women, for respect to the rights of everybody." The group also urged countries "to pressure the Taliban to put their words in action when it comes to women's rights." Israel: Ministry of Defence declares six humanitarian groups as terror outfits On 22 October, the Israeli Ministry of Defence declared six Palestinian human rights groups as "terrorist organizations" as they were connected to the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP). The Ministry spokesperson said: "the humanitarian groups constitute a network of organizations active undercover on the international front on behalf of the Popular Front. They are controlled by senior leaders of the PFLP and employ its members, including some who had participated in terror activity." The Ministry also accused the rights group of funding the PFLP and its terrorinducing activities. European Union: Leaders call for stricter migration control On 22 October, the European Union discussed the issue of refugees and migrants as the 27 EU leaders met for the second day of the summit. The issue was considered to be of high importance as thousands of migrants attempted to cross into the European Union from the Belarusian border. The refugees came from countries like Afghanistan, Syria, Iraq and Iran. In the previous week, over 4300 people entered Germany from Poland after having travelled from Belarus. The congregation of leaders called for tougher controls on the migrants' issue as Europe faces a fast-approaching energy crisis and a cold winter. About the Authors Harini Madhusudan is PhD scholar in the School of Conflict and Security Studies at the National Institute of Advanced Studies. Joeana Cera Matthews and Keerthana Nambiar are postgraduate scholars in the Department of International Relations in the University of Mysore and Sukanya Bali and Avishka Ashok are Research Associates at NIAS. (The report has been modified by India News due to space considerations)
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Nov 1-15, 2021 - Vol 2, Issue 9
EDITORIAL
From The Editor’s desk China’s assertiveness
Stronger business and trade ties will shape Aus-India strategic partnership
The Economics Times
brings India and Australia closer By Prof. Srikanth Kondapalli The recent upsurge in IndiaAustralia relations has been a subject of debate for the strategic implications of such bilateral ties in the maritime domain, economic cooperation, technological transformation and security cooperation.
I
ndia’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs and Food, and Public Distribution and Textiles Piyush Goyal, and Australia’s Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment, Government of Australia Dan Tehan MP met in New Delhi to discuss ways to speedup negotiations towards formalizing India-Australia Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA). Some of the sticky points include resolving tax-related issues concerning the Indian software firms in Australia, and boosting the two-way trade between the two countries. The immediate outcome of the meeting was a shared commitment to conclude the full CECA agreement by end2022 and an interim agreement by December 2021 to boost and liberalise trade in goods and services. In the meeting both Ministers recognized that having a balanced trade was key to expanding trade and investment flows for both economies, and strengthening a rules-based international trading system. At the strategic level, India and Australia remain committed to building and strengthening a rules-based, transparent, non-discriminatory, open, and inclusive multilateral trading system furthered by the World Trade Organization. Currently, Australia and India bilateral trade rests at AUD$30 billion which is way below their potential, and in order to make India one of the top three trading partners (currently 7th) of Australia by 2035, CECA is vital. Australia imports petroleum products, medicines, polished diamonds, gold jewellery, apparels among other items from India, and India imports coal, LNG, alumina and nonmonetary gold from Australia. In the services sector, India exports travel, telecom and computer, government and financial services, and relies on education and personal related travel from Australia. It is important to highlight that much of the intensity in their bilateral engagements in recent months has been driven by Australia’s growing tensions
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with China over the treatment of Uighur Muslims in Xinjiang, Hong Kong crackdown, alleged foreign interference in Australia’s internal political functioning, tariff wars and impact of Covid-19 pandemic on the one hand, and India’s military tensions with China in Doklam and Ladakh, on the other hand. India’s External Affairs Minister Dr Subrahmanyam Jaishankar in an interview with a policy think-tank in Australia said that he takes great satisfaction in how the Australia-India bilateral relationship has deepened in the last year and a half. As two cricket playing Commonwealth members, both share interests and values and their ties should be independent of their respective relationship with China, he said. It will not be an exaggeration to submit that the AustraliaIndia ties that elevated to Comprehensive Strategic Partnership in June 2020 have reached a historical high and are poised to transform into a significant relationship in the Indo-Pacific. Be it Australia choosing to divert agricultural exports to India from China or the deepening maritime cooperation and the evolution of Quad, both sides have demonstrated a firm resolve to shape the postCovid order. Australian Senator Simon Birmingham, who led a trade delegation to New Delhi in February, had said, “Australia must look into alternative markets in the European Union and India.” The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade itself has observed that India’s youthful population and diversified growth trajectory present significant opportunities in education, agriculture, energy, resource, tourism, healthcare, financial services and infrastructure among other areas. Both sides have formalised over 20 MoU last June covering some of these areas during the Modi-Morrison virtual summit. Their two-way trade has risen from $13.6 billion to $30.4 billion in 2018, but it is still below their full potential. By 2035, both sides aim to double their bilateral trade and Australia seeks to bring India in its top five trading partners (currently 7th).
Barring a few incidents, IndiaAustralia relations remained cordial although dormant in nature for long. Ironically, China’s assertiveness and the challenges thereof have brought New Delhi and Canberra together. Both Canberra and New Delhi faced China’s wrath in recent times. Australian calls for investigation into the origins of globally disastrous Covid-19 at the World Health Assembly last year rattled Beijing which retaliated by restricting import of Australian products. Beijing also expressed its displeasure at the decision of Australia to exclude Huawei from the 5G network rollout, although. Beijing has not clarified its back-channel collection of data through such networks. Australia also expressed concerns over Chinese influence in Australian business, economics and politics, including continuing allegations of espionage. On September 15, leaders of Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States announced a nuclear-powered submarine (SSN) deal to build such vessels for the Australian Navy. This is part of a series of arrangements that they intend to announce to strengthen trilateral security partnership. Writing in the communist party’s outlet People’s Daily on October 19 criticised the AUKUS for creating “global instability” and “multiplying the risk of nuclear proliferation”. However, China had already deployed six Shang-class nuclear-powered submarines, besides proliferating nuclear and ballistic missiles or technologies to Pakistan, Iran and other countries. India as well is reeling under heavy pressure from Beijing, despite Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s two “informal summit meetings” with President Xi Jinping at Wuhan and Chennai. On the other hand, China stealthily mobilised troops in the western sector of the disputed border in violation of all the previous border protocols of 1993, 1996, 2005 and 2013 and killed scores of Indian troops in June 2020. Today India and China have mobilised heavily in their border areas. Several other issues also brought India and Australia together. Both are dependent on trade and commerce but Beijing recently
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has been obstructing economic activity. China’s militarisation of the crucial sea passages of the South China Sea affected both India and Australia who are dependent on these seas for their trade and commerce. On August 29, China announced new maritime restrictions on vessels passing through the South China Sea, despite its assurances previously to the international community on no such restrictions in the region. This has further rattled several countries including India and Australia. Australia had exhibited its sympathies to India whenever the latter was under siege by Beijing. To recall, during China’s border clashes with India in 1962, the then foreign minister Richard Casey criticised Beijing as an “invader” against India. During the Chinese encroachment on Bhutanese land at Dokhlam in 2017 and the ensuing standoff with India, visiting foreign minister Julie Bishop urged New Delhi and Beijing to resolve the issue peacefully because Australia did not want to see any escalation that could result in “miscalculation” and “misjudgement”. More recently, Australian High Commissioner to India Barry O'Farrell seconded India's suggestion for deescalation in the western sector of the border and paid tributes to the 20 Indian martyrs who were killed by China on June 15, 2020. These challenges nudged the two countries to coordinate and cooperate at the bilateral and multilateral arena. China’s intended punishment of Australia and India has only boomeranged with the latter coming together and exploring mutually beneficial opportunities but most importantly opening up a new strategic space for the previously hesitant leaderships in Canberra and New Delhi. Both today interact extensively in the Commonwealth, Indian Ocean Region Association, ASEAN Regional Forum, East Asian Summit and recently in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad - along with the United States and Japan) and in Supply Chain Resilience Initiative (with Japan in April 2021) and other avenues on various issues of concern.
This indicates not only shedding off of their previous hesitancy but also positively reshaping bilateral cooperation. For instance, after the Quad was formed to provide relief to the disastrous Tsunami in 2004-05 in Southeast and South Asian regions, Australia backed off from the Quad activities after the September 2007 Malabar naval exercises between the US, Japanese, Australian and Indian navies in Bay of Bengal. In the presence of China’s foreign minister, the then Australian foreign minister Smith stated in February 2008 that Canberra “wouldn’t be proposing to have a dialogue of that nature” again. Subsequently, the Kevin Rudd government, under pressure from China, backed off from participating in multinational naval exercises till November 2020. In the background of common challenges, the coming together of India and Australia was sustained by the frequent visits of the two leaderships. The November 2014 visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his speech to the Australian Parliament is significant. He stated: “Australia will not be at the periphery of our vision, but at the centre of our thought”. A Comprehensive Strategic Partnership agreement was signed by Modi and Morrison in a virtual summit meeting in June 2020, graduating from strategic partnership of 2009. As a follow up in September 2021 both held a 2+2 dialogue between foreign and defence ministries at New Delhi. India has such a format only with the US and Japan. Tony Abbot’s early August 2021 visit to India as a Special Envoy on trade issues and pushing the much-awaited Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement between the two countries. Bilateral trade was $6 billion in early 2000s, increased to over $21 billion by 2011 but declined to $ 17 billion in 2020 due to the pandemic disruptions. With the supply chain resilience initiative, they intend to enhance digital technology and diversify trade and investments. Also, taking a cue from Beijing’s trade restrictions, Indian firms quickly purchased 2 million tonnes of coal for domestic electricity generation at a discount from Australia in October 2021. These trends, of course, need to be sustained and strengthened over a long period of time by both countries. Professor in Chinese Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
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INDIA NEWS
Nov 1-15, 2021 - Vol 2, Issue 9
SPECIAL FEATURE
Chasing CECA: Australia and India now mean business By Dr Ashutosh Misra
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ejuvenated by the former Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s visit to India as Australia’s special envoy, bilateral negotiations to ink the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) have gained considerable momentum. Thanks to in-depth discussions that transpired between India’s Minister of Commerce and Industry, Consumer Affairs and Food, and Public Distribution and Textiles Piyush Goyal and Australia’s Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment Dan Tehan MP in New Delhi in early October. The debate over whether or not the Peter Varghese report required a new policy-approach in the context of rapidly altered bilateral, strategic and international circumstances has been answered by discussions between the two ministers. While much of the recommendations of the Peter Varghese report still hold ground, there certainly is a need to recalibrate our bilateral business and trade strategies and diplomatic engagements. The much-awaited India’s Australia Strategy led by former Indian Secretary (East) Anil Wadhwa has come at the right time and covers much of the period since the covid outbreak. In that sense it addresses opportunities and challenges, not covered in the Varghese report. Commissioned by the Confederation of Indian Industries, in conjunction with KPMG and the Ministry of External Affairs, Anil Wadhwa’s Australia strategy was launched on 18 December 2020 in New Delhi. Speaking at the launch of the strategy report entitled, “Enhancing India Australia Bilateral Economic and Trade Relationship”, Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce & Industry and Railways, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution said, “India’s opening up of engagement and activities with Australia is a great morale booster for the entire world, especially during the current crisis,” The report complements the Peter Varghese led report, “An India Economic Strategy to 2035: Navigating from potential to Delivery” launched in November 2018. The Wadhwa report comes at a critical time when both sides have been grappling with tensions with China and desperately looking for alternative ways for not only bolstering business and trade ties but also ensuring a safer Indo-Pacific. Divided into seven broad chapters the report is expected to boost India’s business and trade engagements in gems and jewellery, pharmaceuticals, auto and spare parts, healthcare, agribusiness, apart from the mining and resources sector. It is also expected that the Wadhwa report will deepen collaborations in space, defence and education and emphasise on the diversification of supply
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chains for managing the current transitions in global value chains. What is interesting is that the report recommends integrating Micro Small and Medium Enterprises of other countries into the global value chain to insulate global trade from disruptions as witnessed in the wake of Covid-19 outbreak. Earlier, Minister Goyal noted that “India can provide a core pathway for linking supply chains and provide trusted and reliable suppliers to the world”. It is important to underline here that both reports have been authored by two remarkable diplomats who have shaped diplomatic, trade and business engagements during their illustrious careers and are also masters of global politics. They understand the pulse of global trade and diplomacy and have an acute sense of timing and delivery. Their rich experiences have informed the two incisive strategies which augur well for companies, traders, agriculturists, entrepreneurs, educationists among others in opening up new vistas of trade, supplies, research and development and investments opportunities. At the launch of the Anil Wadhwa report, a buoyant Simon Birmingham, former Australian Minister for Trade, Tourism and Investment had observed that the new strategy will bolster exchanges in technology and cybersecurity, Artificial Intelligence, quantum computing and robotics and waste management and thereby catapult the “comprehensive strategic partnership into an upward bilateral and trade trajectory with India”. He had led a trade delegation to New Delhi in February 2021 and said, “Australia must look into alternative markets in the European Union and India. Why India matters So why so much interest in India? It is deeply encouraging for Australia and other major economies that India has been elevated to 63rd in ‘doing business with ease’ rankings in the World Bank’s Doing Business 2020 Report, making it the sixth fastest growing economy, surpassing France. It is now the 9th largest recipient of Foreign Direct Investment destination in 2019 by the World Investment Report 2020 of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The total FDI into India showed a 18% jump from US$ 62 billion in 2018-19 to US$ 73.45 billion in 2019- 20, in the steel, digital and energy sectors. The report lists professional services and digital economy as some of the most sought-after industries in India for venture capital firms and technological companies. Since 2000, the highest cumulative investments have been recorded in the services sector, computer software and hardware, telecommunications, trading
and construction development. As per the Global Innovation Index (GII) published by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO), India ranks 52nd in innovation, improving from 57th in 2018, and topping the list amongst the Central and South Asian nations. India also ranks 77th in the input pillar “Institutions” that measures political, regulatory and business environments; and 53rd in the input pillar “Human Capital and Research” which is based on education level, tertiary education and research and development. India ranks 7th in the “Number of Graduates in Science and Engineering” and 35th in “Research and Development”. When it comes to infrastructure measures which includes the performance of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT), general infrastructure and ecological sustainability India ranks 17th. With regard to market sophistication India ranks 20th both, in terms of “Ease of Getting Credit” and “Market Capitalization”; 3rd in “Domestic Market Sale” and 6th in “Ease of Protecting Minority Investors”. In business sophistication, India has jumped from 51st in 2018 to 27th rank, and 23rd in “University/ Industry Research Collaboration”, something that should interest the academic stakeholders in Australia. India is a major success in Knowledge and Technology and ranks 1st in ICT services exports (as a percentage of total exports) and also ranks 22nd in the list of “Exporter of Creative Goods”. Next Steps in Business and Trade Engagements It is imperative that Australia and India put together the following time-bound action plan at the bilateral front: 1. In the first year dialogues must be undertaken at the ministerial level in different sectors. 2. In a maximum of six months, existing Working Groups need to be galvanised and new ones formed to take action upon the recommendations of the two reports. Sub-working group must be formed and tasked to dish-out
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the details of the consultations and recommendations. 3. All ministerial departments must act in unison and diligently until business relationship gains a momentum of its own. 4. Yearly review of these dialogues and consultations must be undertaken to identify progress, bottlenecks and future action-plan and ideally be shared with the apex leadership on both sides to enable an informed and productive discussion in summit meetings. 5. Sector specific dialogues and consultation must be held under the Free Trade Agreement talks to address the issues of Rules of Origin and trade barriers urgently. 6. Trade talks will be complex and challenging, and businesses on both sides need to become thick-skinned while structural impediments and bureaucratic delays are ironed out. There is also a need to spread risk and diversification in Australia’s business and trade ties by engaging with India. 7. Focusing on impact sectors — sports and education will help create a conducive and positive atmosphere on both sides and shape positive public opinion. Herein, bringing back 18,000 stranded Indian students to Australia, addressing the gaps and recommendations in India’s New Education Policy 2020, and promoting sporting exchanges and collaboration to strengthen India’s $400 million sports ecosystem must be considered seriously. 8. More efforts are required to bolster India literacy amongst business and trade organisations in Australia, and vice versa. 9. Humanities and social sciences-based cooperation must not be overlooked. Homework for Australia There are a range of strategies which Australia must incorporate in its policy-making on the domestic front: 1. There is a need to open up, if not change, the mindset of the stakeholders in Australia for doing business with India. 2. Sharing success stories and India’s changed economic scenario with business is
necessary to convince them why it is no more business as usual in India. Also, India’s business credentials have become stronger which needs to be shared with Australian stakeholders. 3. Collaboration and consultations must move beyond the track-I level with non-government stakeholders inter alia, academic institutions, small businesses, community associations and policy institutes to gather wider and diverse inputs and suggestions and incorporate them in profiling India’s improved credentials on the one hand, and enriching Australia’s India strategy. 4. As FTA negotiations gather steam, there is a strong case for organising a high-level business conclave, something like the Raisina Dialogue, involving business leaders, entrepreneurs, policymakers, legislators and diplomats to augment Australia’s awareness about India. IAIE is deeply interested in implementing this proposal in conjunction with DFAT, Australia India Business Council, Austrade, Australia India Council, and networks in India in the government, academia, business and strategic circles. The momentum must not be allowed to fizzle away as the constellation of bilateral, regional and global opportunities has never been so encouraging before. This needs both sides building upon them innovatively, diversely and sustainably. Author is the CEO of the Institute for Australia India Engagement, National Sports Chair of the Australia India Business Council and Editor-in-Chief of India News
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INDIA NEWS
Nov 1-15, 2021 - Vol 2, Issue 9
SPECIAL FEATURE
Liberal democracies Australia and India: A comparative constitutional glance at rights
By Prof Shaun Star and Mr Arindam Bharadwaj
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he Australian and the Indian legal systems share much in common given their shared colonial history. In both jurisdictions, the principles of federalism, rule of law and the separation of powers are central to their constitutional jurisprudence. The Constitution is the fundamental legal document in both India and Australia, establishing the structure and the operation of government, as well as defining the scope of the rights of the governed. All laws in both jurisdictions derive their validity from the respective constitutions. Both India and Australia have promoted the rule of law and judicial independence as strong features of constitutionalism. It is the protection of fundamental rights where the Constitutions of India and Australia differ significantly. In India, fundamental rights are enshrined under Part III of the Constitution. Part III of the Indian Constitution classifies the Fundamental Rights under six groups; namely: (a) Right to equality; (b) Right to particular freedoms; (c) Right against exploitation; (d) Right to freedom of religion; (e) Cultural and Educational Rights; (f) Right to property; (g) Right to constitutional remedies. In contrast, Australia has very few express provisions protecting the rights of individuals. The Australian Constitution explicitly guarantees four constitutional rights namely a
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right to trial by jury in certain Commonwealth trials, a right to freedom of religion, freedom of movement across state lines and certain protections against the acquisition of property by the Commonwealth. Though, the High Court of Australia has interpreted the structure and content of the Constitution to include some implied protections for individuals as well.
Despite several similarities between the Indian and the Australian Constitution, it is clear that the drafters of the respective Constitutions, as well as the judiciaries from the constitutional benches of both countries have adopted contrasting approaches to constitutional protections of human rights. There are several reasons that can be attributed to this divergent approach, and we briefly outline four key reasons here. The first and most obvious point of distinction is the population and demography of each country. Michael Kirby in his book review of Shaun Star (ed), Australia and India: A Comparative Overview of Law and Legal Practice notes that, ‘… [a]lthough in recent decades Australia has embraced the principle of multiculturalism, in India it is an imperative feature of the law, if it is to serve the hugely different communities that make up the Indian nation.’ The fact that India’s Constitution is secular in nature but India’s population is so diverse, necessitates constitutional guarantees to protect human rights.
Second, the framers of the Indian Constitution had the benefit of being able to consider 50 years of Australia’s (and other jurisdictions’) constitutional jurisprudence before finalising their own Constitution. Third, it is much easier to amend India’s Constitution as only a Parliamentary majority is required and not a referendum, as is the case in Australia. As of now a total of 105 constitutional amendments have passed in India since 1950 and only 8 have passed in Australia since 1901. As a consequence, Australia’s Constitution has remained largely static, whereas the Indian Legislature has enshrined additional rights into the Constitution in recent decades. Lastly, it is the approach taken by the apex courts of Australia and India when interpreting fundamental rights under the respective Constitutions which can be further contrasted. The Supreme Court of India evolved from its early positivist outlook into an activist outlook over the last few decades and expanded the rights of the people through liberal interpretation of the constitutional provisions. In contrast, the High Court of Australia has recognised very few implied rights, all of which are closely connected to the idea of a responsible and representative government, such as the freedom of political communication, rights of association, and universal access to the franchise. Professor Shaun Star is the
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Mr Arindam Bharadwaj
Professor Shaun Star
Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his Indian counterpart Narendra Modi
Director of the Centre for India Australia Studies at O.P. Jindal University, and Associate Dean and Associate Professor at Jindal Global Law School. Arindam Bharadwaj is an alumnus of
Jindal Global Law School, an MSc Candidate at the London School of Economics and Political Science, and a Research Assistant at the Centre for India Australia Studies.
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INDIA NEWS
Nov 1-15, 2021 - Vol 2, Issue 9
MAKE IN INDIA
MAKE IN INDIA
Bonded Manufacturing
India allows manufacturing and other operations in a bonded manufacturing facility
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ith the Government’s continuous efforts to promote India as the manufacturing hub globally and the commitment towards ease of doing business, another initiative in this direction by the Central Board of Indirect Taxes (CBIC) is allowing import of raw materials and capital goods without payment of duty for manufacturing and other operations in a bonded manufacturing facility.
When the raw materials or capital goods are imported, the import duty on them is deferred. If these imported inputs are utilised for exports, the deferred duty is exempted. Only when the finished goods are cleared to the domestic market, import duty is to be paid on the imported raw materials used in the production. Import duty on capital goods is to be paid
if and when the capital goods are cleared to the domestic market.
Note the raw materials or capital goods are imported, the import duty on them is deferred. If these imported inputs are utilised for exports, the deferred duty is exempted. Only when the finished goods are cleared to the domestic market, import duty is to be paid on the imported raw materials used in the production. Import duty on capital goods is to be paid if and when the capital goods are cleared to the domestic market *When finished goods are exported, in addition to the waiver of BCD + IGST on the imported goods used, the GST on the finished goods can be zerorated. Financial Investor Initiative India received $209 bn in private capital investments between
Waste to Wealth
As the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan movement swept the nation, India uncovered its path to a cleaner, more sustainable future. In line with India's declaration in the Paris Accord, the next stride in this direction aims to overstep waste & pollution management, transforming these menaces into productive avenues of energy and growth. The Swachh Bharat Unnat Bharat Abhiyan, set up under the Prime Minister’s Science, Technology & Innovation Advisory Council, is an initiative by the Office of the Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India (the O/o PSA) that will leverage global technological capabilities to create socio-economic benefits for 1.3 billion Indians by addressing the issues of waste disposal, deteriorating air quality and increasing pollution of water bodies. To help achieve India’s commitments to United Nations - Sustainable Development Goals, the Office of the PSA has established a 'Project Management Unit' (PMU) in partnership with Invest India,
India’s National Investment Promotion & Facilitation Agency. The PMU has identified 14 'Sentinel Sites' for its pilot projects across the country through the nodal regional Project Management Units. Each pilot project will be managed by an identified professional implementing agency with a demonstrated track record of expertise and operational success, drawing on the technical and professional expertise of various academic and R&D institutions collocated near the sentinel sites. The pilot projects will seek to discover, demonstrate, test and learn from different waste to wealth techniques & approaches in collaboration with various departments & ministries. The deployment data, as well as the management lessons generated from each project, will be replicated at various sites across India.
2014-2020; with inflows of $62.2 bn in 2020 in comparison to $592 bn institutional investment globally. India focused funds have been able to generate higher returns at 14.4% when compared to other markets in Asia. Over the last five years, key sectors such as infrastructure, eCommerce and financial services have attracted the highest investment from institutional investors. Industry Scenario PE deal value has continued to increase, while deal count has plateaued since 2015. The deal value has doubled from $17.6 Bn spread over a number of deals depicting growing maturity in the deal ecosystem. Over the last few years, some of the top deals were anchored by government funds because of the patient capital opportunities in the market with a favourable return. With sovereign and pension funds like GIC, Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) allocating billions of dollars towards Indian investments, funds are certainly expected to rise in 2020; with Brookfield becoming the largest private investor in India in 2019. Industry Highlights 12 lots of highway bundles of over 6,000 km to be monetized by 2024 Sovereign Wealth Funds to get 100% tax exemption on their interest, dividend, and capital gain incomes for investments made before 2024 in infrastructure and other notified sectors Part of LIC to be privatized through an IPO Established funds in Asia and India averaged an IRR of 11.9% and 14.4% respectively. This provides a good benchmark for investors Disinvestment of BPCL and Concor – setting the ground for strategic sale programme Modes of Investment- FDI, FVCI, FPI, REITs, INvits, AIFs
Atmanirbhar Abhiyan (Self-Reliant India)
Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan or Self-reliant India campaign is the vision of new India envisaged by the Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi. On 12 May 2020, our PM raised a clarion call to the nation giving a kick start to the Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan (Self-reliant India campaign) and announced the Special economic and comprehensive package of INR 20 lakh crores - equivalent to 10% of India’s GDP – to fight COVID-19 pandemic in India.
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The aim is to make the country and its citizens independent and self-reliant in all senses. He further outlined five pillars of Aatma Nirbhar Bharat – Economy, Infrastructure, System, Vibrant Demography and Demand. The Finance Minister further announces Government Reforms and Enablers across Seven Sectors under Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan. The government took several bold
reforms such as Supply Chain Reforms for Agriculture, Rational Tax Systems, Simple & Clear Laws, Capable Human Resource and Strong Financial System. Schemes for MSMEs in IndiaPromoting Manufacturing in India Under the Chairmanship of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) implements
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SAHYOG-Invest India’s Social Impact Initiative
Overview
SAHYOG, the Social Impact Initiative of Invest India, endeavours to ensure that the Invest India team is an active, positive contributor to society. By undertaking philanthropic projects that aim at creating awareness about social issues and impact at the grassroot level, we ensure that Invest India remains a socially conscious organisation. The CSR Network "Connecting your business to a cause" The CSR Network connects interested individuals and companies looking to boost their CSR portfolio through investment to viable projects in rural India. Acknowledging that most CSR activities are conducted at the grassroot level in India, which are often unorganized and difficult to maneuver, we have created this portal to assist in the identification and implementation of such initiatives. Through the assistance of state governments and other governmental organizations this portal has identified and listed projects across multiple sectors to help facilitate this process. India Investment Grid India Investment Grid (IIG), an initiative of the Government of India showcases the best of opportunities across states and sectors in India on a single dynamic platform. A tool to enhance the Ease of Doing Business (EoDB), IIG helps in directly connecting potential investors and promoters. IIG also exclusively hosts the National Infrastructure Pipeline (NIP), is a first-of-its-kind, whole-ofgovernment exercise to provide world-class infrastructure to citizens and improve their quality of life. It aims to improve project preparation and attract
investments into infrastructure, with real-time tracking on the ground. The portal also hosts 3,000+ Stressed Assets projects and 750+ CSR opportunities, curated directly from states. India Investment Grid (IIG) is an initiative of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Government of India, and Invest India. Start Up India Hub It empowers Startup ventures to boost entrepreneurship, economic growth, and employment across India! The Startup India initiative was launched on 16th January 2016, by the Hon’ble Prime Minister. The Prime Minister unveiled an Action Plan, which consists of 19 Action Points that act as a guiding document for the initiative. Since the inception of the initiative: Over 50,000 startups have been recognised with the Government These startups are spread over 623 districts from 30 States and 7 Union Territories of India A ₹10,000 Cr ‘fund of funds’ is being managed for growing the domestic venture capital industry A ₹1,000 Cr Startup India seed fund has been launched in 2021 to aid setting up and growth of new startups Creation of 5.2 lakh jobs across the country, with 45% of them having a base in Tier 2 - Tier 3 cities India is the largest in number of startups being added every hour (4 startups/per hour), 3rd largest in number of startups and the 3rd largest unicorn community 32 Regulations simplified for startups – including Angel Tax Over 220 Income Tax Exemptions Over 250 SIDBI Fund of Funds
various programmes/ MSME schemes for the development and promotion of MSMEs across the country.
INR 3 lakh crore collateral-free automatic loans for MSMEs to buy raw material, meet operational liabilities and restart businesses
Moreover, the Government of India has been really proactive to ensure that all the benefits of these MSME schemes reach the MSMEs in time. To provide immediate relief to the MSME sector, various announcements (in addition to the various MSME schemes) have been made under the Atmanirbahar Bharat Package. The most important ones also included:
Revision of MSME definition to extend maximum benefits to the sector Disallowing global tenders in procurements upto INR 200 cr to create attractive opportunities for domestic players Clearing of MSME dues by the Government and Public Sector Units (PSUs) within 45 days Source: Invest India, Government of India
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Nov 1-15, 2021 - Vol 2, Issue 9
INDIA NEWS
Premium SUVs power rising popularity of Fiat's 2.0 TD engine IANS
Consequently, this segment has cleared the path for Fiat's 2.0 litre TD engine type to become a preferred choice. At present, the engine powers the likes of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' (now known as Stellantis) Jeep Compass, Tata Harrier and MG Hector.
New Delhi, October 25 (IANS): The benchmark technology of Fiat's diesel engine has again emerged as the preferred choice for vehicles on India's roads but this time powering premium SUVs. Accordingly, the latest — 2.0 litre TD — engine derived from the legendary tech which powered most of the known diesel passenger vehicles in India now propels a select but premium range of SUVs. Known to be a technological benchmark of its time, the engine type — 1.3 turbo diesel — was a record breaking diesel powertrain in India. The 1.3 turbo diesel engine featured across various car brands such as Fiat, Maruti Suzuki, GM and Tata Motors in the past. It was marketed as ‘Multijet Turbo Diesel Engine' by Fiat, ‘Quadrajet' by Tata Motors and ‘DDiS' by
Maruti Suzuki. Notably, it featured on models such as Linea, Punto, Indica, Swift, Ertiga, SX4 and Sail amongst others. However, the engine type had to be discontinued due to regulatory change from BS4 to BS6. Fiat had produced a total of 800,050 of these turbo-diesel engines in India. Moreover, the attractiveness of diesel was also on a downward trajectory with environmental cess on many high powered SUVs coming into effect. Nevertheless, the boom in the SUV segment which was first triggered via the compact category shifted the tide in favour of diesel engines. This trend, especially, the rising demand for premium and larger SUVs is more evident due to the high power requirement and fuel efficiency.
The current 2.0 TD is a BS6 and upgradable for future regulations. "The share of diesel power trains has been on a declining trend in India due to price gap between petrol and diesel and increasing cost of BS-VI compliant vehicles," said Shamsher Dewan, Vice President & Sector Head Corporate Ratings. "However, diesel engines are still preferred in larger SUVs due to better performance." Currently, these engines are manufactured by FIAT India Automobiles (FIAPL) at its Ranjangaon, Maharashtra based manufacturing facility.
It has also underlined the biggest positive to emerge out of the pandemic – the food delivery business has been moving northward, and how! The restaurant industry has also recovered a significant percentage of its pre-Covid business, but its combined revenues are still significantly below the record pre-Covid levels. A comprehensive NRAI report released here on October 25 evening states that 32 per cent of the staff employed by the organised sector of the industry – that is, 23 lakh restaurant workers out of the total workforce of 75 lakh – have lost their jobs. The report does not of course cover the job losses suffered by street food vendors and dhaba workers. This loss of employment was mainly because of restaurants closing down permanently – one out of four restaurants in the country shut shop between the two pandemics. What the
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report does not record, however, is the number of people who were temporarily unemployed for months or were paid only a fraction of their wages and salaries.
The organised sector contracted severely during FY2021 (April 1, 2020, to March 31, 2021), its estimated total turnover shrinking from the projected Rs 4.95 lakh crore to a little above Rs 2 lakh crore. It has recovered considerable ground during FY2022 (April 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022), but its earnings are still less than the projections made for the financial year in 2019 (when the industry was rocking). The sector is expected to notch up a combined revenue of Rs 4.72 lakh crore in FY2022, but it will be still less than the projected Rs 5.46 lakh crore. Restaurant revenues, on average, according to Nitin Saluja, founder of Chaayos and a member of the NRAI managing committee, are still at 72 percent of their preCovid levels. As a result of the severe drop in business during the pandemic, the sector's GST contribution also slipped from Rs 17,916 crore in FY2020 to Rs 8,482 crore in FY2021. The share of restaurants in the emerging food service market may have consequently dropped
Aus central bank deems climate change 'first order risk' to economy Canberra, October 14 (IANS): Reserve Bank of Australia's (RBA) Deputy Governor Guy Debelle on October 14 outlined the risks climate change and the green energy transition poses for the country's fossil-fuel reliant economy. Debelle separated the risks into "physical risks", the direct impacts on the economy from climate events such as bushfires or floods, and "transition risks", the risks posed as Australia restructures its economy away from fossil fuels and towards cleaner energy sources, reports Xinhua news agency. The address came ahead of the 2021 UN Climate Change Conference (COP26) to be held in Glasgow between October 31 and November 12. The event is expected to further
increase international pressure on the Australian government to commit to net zero emissions by 2050, a target which Prime Minister Scott Morrison has previously tip-toed around. According to the most recent governmental figures, over 98 per cent of Australia's energy generation comes from nonrenewable energy sources, dominated by coal, oil and gas. Debelle noted that as jurisdictions across the country implement policies towards net zero and investors adjust to climate risks, the cost to Australia's fossil fuel industries will rise. He said that Australia's path forward would soon need to be paved "in a much cleaner and more sustainable way", but warned that a transitional period would be necessary.
Tata Group enters into SPA for Air India stake purchase
IANS
FIAPL is a joint venture between Tata Motors and FCA (now known as Stellantis). The company is the sole manufacturer of Tata Motors' compact UV Nexon and FCA's Jeep Compass model. Presently, the powertrain production capacity in Ranjangaon is more than 350,000.
Pandemic claimed 23 lakh restaurant jobs, but tripled delivery business: NRAI New Delhi, October 25 (IANS): It is common knowledge that the restaurant sector was severely impacted by the first and second lockdowns triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic, but now the National Restaurant Association of India (NRAI), the trade body that represents the industry, has put numbers to the story.
BUSINESS & TRADE
to 67 per cent, but owners are not complaining, for they are reaching out to new customers via the delivery route. Although the severest lockdown restrictions have been lifted, with Maharashtra being the last state to do so, post the second lockdown, restaurants still operate for an average of 10 hours a day, compared with 13 hours before the pandemic struck. Pubs, bars and lounges have also been badly hit because of social distancing rules. These multiple factors have impacted the sector's overall revenues. The return of diners may be the reason why the report is bullish about the years ahead, predicting that the organised sector will achieve a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8 per cent to crank up a total turnover of Rs 6.21 lakh crore in FY2025. The other good news for the organised sector is that for the first time in the history of the industry, the share of the unorganised market has dropped below 50 per cent – it is pegged at 46.3 per cent, compared with the organised sector's 53.7 percent, of which the standalone restaurants account for 35.3 per cent, chain restaurants, 16 per cent, and restaurants in hotels, a minuscule 2.4 per cent.
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New Delhi, October 25 (IANS): Conglomerate Tata Group on October 25 entered into a share purchase agreement with the Central government for buying out the latter's stake in national carrier Air India, Air India Express, and AISATS.
consortium led by industrialist Ajay Singh. The consortium had quoted an EV of Rs 15,100 crore.
"In a historic move, the 'Share Purchase Agreement' was signed on 25th Oct by MoCA with Tata Group for strategic disinvestment of @airindiain. @SecyDIPA M, SecyMoCA along with senior officials from DIPAM, MoCA & associated stakeholders were present during the event," the Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a tweet.
The decision to enter into the sale purchase agreement with the Tatas was taken by the empowered Air India Specific Alternative Mechanism, Divestment Secretary Tuhin Kanta Pandey had announced.
Earlier, a Letter of Intent (LoI) was issued to the Tata Group. After the SPA, Tata Group would need to fulfil the conditions precedent in the agreement before taking over the airline. The rest of the transaction is expected to be completed by December. The development comes weeks after Tata Sons' subsidiary Talace emerged as the highest bidder for national carrier under the divestment process. Talace had quoted an enterprise value of Rs 18,000 crore for 100 per cent equity shareholding of the Centre in Air India along with that of Air India Express and AISATS. It was announced that out of Rs 18,000 crore, Talace will retain Rs 15,300 crore, while the rest will be paid to the Centre as the cash component.
On its part, the Centre had stipulated a reserve price of Rs 12,906 crore. There were only two bidders in the final stage of divestment.
Besides, under the SPA, jobs of Air India's employees will be safeguarded for one-year. All in all, Tata Sons' subsidiary Talace will, among other assets such as human resources, get more 140 aircraft as well as 8 logos. Notably, after the transaction, Tata Sons will have two full service carriers -- Vistara and Air India -- along with two-low cost airlines -- Air India Express and AirAsia India -- and ground and cargo handling company AISATS. In terms of fleet, Tatas will get Air India's 117 wide-body and narrowbody aircraft and Air India Express's 24. A significant number of these aircraft are owned by Air India. It will also get to operate these aircraft on over 4,000 domestic and 1,800 international routes. In addition, Air India's frequent flyer programme has more than three million members.
The bid was higher than the
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INDIA NEWS
Australia PM Scott Morrison press release shares climate action plan IANS
2030 target.
ENERGY & RESOURCES
India to play key role in making our planet a better place: Modi in 'Mann Ki Baat' IANS
We won’t be lectured by others who do not understand Australia. The Australian Way is all about how you do it, and not if you do it. It’s about getting it done.
Canberra, October 26: Australians want action on climate change. And so do I.
taxes, as Labor has, to achieve net zero. That would leave Australians footing the bill.
But they also don’t want their electricity bills to skyrocket, the lights to go off, for their jobs to be put at risk or for the way of life in rural and regional communities to be sacrificed.
Decisions overseas are bringing about major changes in the global economy that will impact on Australia’s future prospects, both positively and negatively.
Australians want a 2050 plan on net zero emissions that does the right thing on climate change and secures their future in a changing world. They also want a plan that is fair and practical. People in rural and regional areas know the impacts of climate change far better than those of us living in the cities. But the burden of taking action on climate change should not fall unfairly on rural and regional Australians, especially those dependent on traditional industries such as mining and agriculture. Only the Liberals and the Nationals working together can be trusted to get this balance right. We understand the threats faced but also the opportunities that can be realised. There have been few issues more challenging for the Liberals and Nationals during the past twenty years than addressing climate change and its impact on rural and regional communities. Our decision to now agree to a plan to achieve the target of net zero emissions by 2050 has not been taken lightly. We didn’t just agree to this without carefully thinking through all the consequences and impacts, especially in rural and regional areas. We have not and would never make a blank cheque commitment or impose new
As Prime Minister, I am determined to shield our nation from the negative impact of these changes while positioning us to take advantage of the many opportunities presented, especially for rural and regional Australia. At Glasgow I will confirm that Australia will continue to play our part. We will be making a commitment to achieve net zero by 2050, and have a clear plan for achieving it. I always said I would not commit to net zero by 2050 unless we had a plan to achieve it. We now have that plan. We will do this through technology, not taxes. By respecting people's choices and not enforcing mandates on what people can do and buy. By keeping our industries and regions running and household power bills down by ensuring energy is affordable and reliable. By being transparent about what we are achieving, and expecting the same of other countries.
We will also not be breaking the pledge we made at the last election by changing our 2030 emission reductions targets. I said we would meet and beat this target and we will. So at Glasgow I will update what we now believe we will achieve, demonstrating that performance is worth more than empty ambition. That’s the Australian way. The path to net zero is also not a straight line. In fact, as Bill Gates argues, forcing outcomes by 2030 with unrealistic targets can divert resources from technologies with longer lead times that will be essential to achieving 2050 objectives. So we will keep making sensible commitments and doing our best to exceed them. Key to this approach is investment in new energy technologies, like hydrogen and low cost Solar, to ensure our manufacturing, resources, agricultural and transport sectors can secure their future, especially in rural and regional areas. These technologies are set out in our Technology Investment Roadmap. We want our heavy industries, like mining, to stay open, remain competitive and adapt, so they remain viable for as long as global demand allows. Our plan is not about shutting anything down. We will not support any mandate - domestic or international - to force closure of our resources or agricultural industries.
And we will invest in rural and regional Australia to ensure they succeed and are protected under our plan.
We have taken the time to deal with the hard issues that need to be confronted to get it right. We have listened carefully and understand both the concerns and the strong aspirations that Australians have when it comes to dealing with climate change.
I will remind the world that emissions in Australia have actually fallen by more than 20 per cent on 2005 levels. That is more than New Zealand, Canada, Japan and the United States. We have beaten our 2020 emissions reduction target and are well on our way to meet and beat our
At the end of the day it all comes down to whether you have a credible plan to get the job done. It’s no longer about the ‘if’, but the ‘how’, and Australians can always trust the Coalition to have the right economic plan to enable Australia to deal with the challenge of climate change.
operations, power consumption, and in some provinces led to outright blackouts.
cent of the country's power generation.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi
New Delhi, October 24 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 24 in his monthly 'Mann Ki Baat' radio programme hailed the health workers on the fast-paced Covid vaccination drive which has covered over 100 crore people, and also on the occasion of UN Day on October 24 said 'India will play a key role in making our planet a better place'. He said, "India has always worked for world peace. This is seen in our contribution to the UN Peacekeeping forces. India is also working to make Yoga and traditional methods of wellness more popular." He said one of the things that is capturing people's imagination
is the usage of drones in India. Youngsters and the world of startups are very interested in this subject. The Prime Minister said that India is working on using drones for transportation, including delivery of goods to homes and assistance during emergencies monitoring law order. Soon drones will be deployed for all such needs, he said. The PM said the drone sector was filled with too many restrictions and regulations. This has changed in recent times. After the introduction of the new drone policy, many foreign and domestic startups have invested in drone startups. The Army, Navy and Air Force have placed orders of more than Rs 500 crore to Indian companies for drones. The PM also hailed the health workers and spoke to health worker Poonam Nautiyal from Bageshwar, Uttarakhand. He said, "The success of our vaccination programme shows the capability of India."
NMCG aims to clean Ganga tributaries in 5 years New Delhi, October 23 (IANS): The National Mission for Clean Ganga (NMCG)'s next target is to pace up the cleanliness process in the tributaries of the Ganga in the next five years, Jal Shakti Secretary Pankaj Kumar said on October 23.
"NMCG has cadres like 'Ganga Prehri' (Guardians of Ganga) and 'Ganga Doot'. They are trained volunteers who work among the local communities to create public awareness as to how crucial the cleanliness of the river is to keep it alive."
in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and West Bengal. In the process we are also targeting 'ghats' of major cities for modernising them. This all would need a mass movement as rivers and their surroundings cannot be kept clean without help from the masses. That is why spreading public awareness about all this is yet another focus of ours." The Jal Shakti Ministry is targeting gram panchayats and water and sanitation committees in villages to create a public awareness campaign.
Speaking on the success of the NMCG project, he said, "The upper portion of Ganga stem in Uttarakhand has already been cleaned. Now the work is going on
Speaking to IANS about the status of 'Swachh Bharat Mission 1.0', Kumar said, "If you see Swachh Bharat Mission 1.0, we did achieve our target in a substantial manner by constructing more than 10 crore toilets and bringing in a mass behavioural change which has also been noted by international agencies. So there has been a lot of progress and it has been possible only because of wide participation of people and that is going to be our approach for Swachh Bharat 2.0."
a standard safety procedure, was one of the main reasons for the accidents and highlighted the risk North Korea imposes on its fleet and those operating it in pursuit of illegal coal revenues.
(see China Rationing map below) of China's more than 30 regions, since September 2021, forcing several factories to suspend production, disrupting supply chains.
A leading media outlet reported (October 15, 2021) that shortages of coal, high fuel prices and the post-pandemic demand boom had sparked huge power shortages. Rationing has already been put in place in at least 17
Estimates are that China imported 32.9m tonnes of coal, 76 per cent more than it did during the same month last year. Imports of natural gas rose by 23 per cent to 10.6m tonnes compared to the previous year.
"The most polluted stretches of our rivers have already been identified by the Central Pollution Control Board and are being monitored," Kumar added during a cleanliness drive by the Jal Shakti Ministry and WAPCOS at Chhath Ghat at ITO on October 23 morning.
China's energy crisis could impact the global economy New Delhi, Oct 21: China's energy crisis has created ripe conditions for the smuggling of coal from North Korea. North Korean trading companies are defying international nuclear sanctions to sell coal to energy hungry China. The coal is being smuggled on small ships and offloaded at sea. The immediate provocation for this smuggling arises from the electricity crisis in China which has forced factories to reduce
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The immediate cause is the shortage in coal that is a result of a reduction in coal imports and decreased domestic production, as China balances its growing energy demand with a desire to curb pollution and reduce carbon emissions. China is still highly dependent on coal, which provides 70 per
However, China's energy crisis cannot be solved through the coal smuggling from North Korea, which is a microcosm of the larger malaise afflicting China's coal industry. Analysis of this data showed that several of these ships that suffered accidents were engaged in coal smuggling. The vessels' failure to use tracking systems,
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Nov 1-15, 2021 - Vol 2, Issue 9
INDIA NEWS
HEALTH
India logs 14,306 fresh Cultural property crimes on rise during Covid, says Interpol survey Covid cases, 443 deaths New Delhi, October 24 (IANS): Crimes involving Cultural properties have witnessed a rise during the Covid-19 pandemic and in some cases even surged to new heights, according to a latest survey by international police organisation Interpol.
Interestingly, the new survey, a follow-up to the four previous surveys on crimes against cultural property (2013 - 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019) was collected through a questionnaire sent to all 194 National Central Bureaus (NCBs). The data was received from 72 countries, however, India is not in the list. The list has countries including Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Australia, Germany, Israel among others. In total, 854,742 cultural property objects were seized globally in 2020, including numismatic items (coins, money or medals), paintings, sculptures, archaeological items and library materials. More than half of these items - 567,465 objects - were seized in Europe, underscoring the impact of police units specialized in cultural property
crimes, which are present in most of the region's countries.
Notably, marked increases in illicit excavations were observed in Africa (32 per cent), the Americas (187 per cent) and, especially, the Asia and South Pacific (3,812 per cent) compared to 2019. This could be because archaeological and paleontological sites are by nature less protected and more exposed to illicit excavation. According to the International Council of Museums (ICOM), 95 percent of the world's museums were forced to temporarily close their doors to protect their visitors in 2020. Some notable examples include the theft of three masterpieces from the Christ Church College in Oxford, UK; the theft of a painting by Van Gogh from the Singer Laren museum in Amsterdam; and the emergence of new scams of artists on social media, says the report. Amid Covid-19, more than 56,400 cultural goods were seized and 67 arrested Law enforcement and customs authorities from
31 countries participated in Operation Pandora V, the survey said.
"The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant impact on criminals involved in the illicit traffic of cultural property but did not in any way diminish the demand for these items or the occurrence of such crimes," said Corrado Catesi, Coordinator of INTERPOL's Works of Art unit. "As countries implemented travel restrictions and other restrictive measures, criminals were forced to find other ways to steal, illegally excavate and smuggle cultural property," the survey says. These include archaeological objects, furniture, coins, paintings, musical instruments and sculptures.
"Rich countries have received 16 times more Covid-19 vaccines per person than poorer nations that rely on the Covax programme backed by the World Health Organization," according to an analysis by the Financial Times. Data compiled by Unicef, a key implementation partner in the global vaccine scheme, show that 9.3 vaccines have been delivered to low-income countries for every 100 people, the report said. Of this, 7.1 have been delivered through Covax. On the other hand, 115 of 155 high-income countries have received Covid vaccines through known bilateral and multilateral
agreements.
According to Our World in Data, less than 3 percent of people in low-income countries have received at least one dose, compared with three quarters in wealthier countries. Launched in 2020, Covax was aimed at giving people in poor countries equitable access to vaccines. But "the scheme has, so far, only delivered about 400 million doses out of an already-cut yearly projection of 1.4 billion," the report said. It now "faces the challenge of delivering about 1 billion doses in 68 days -- almost 14 million doses a day -- to meet its 2021 goals," the report added. Further, Covax was originally supposed to ease procurement of vaccines for poorer nations, by means of collective bargaining by counties. But first it faced delays in shipments, then
instead of making a combined deal with manufacturers, richer nations struck their own vaccine contracts.
This weakened the facility's overall negotiating power because Covax was left to negotiate on behalf of fewer nations, the report said. "Covax is definitely being left behind, (the) industry is prioritising other bilateral contracts," a high-ranking official with direct knowledge of the issue was quoted as saying to FT. To boost the availability of vaccines, the WHO earlier in October issued a renewed call for dose-swapping and called for a global moratorium on booster shots until the end of the year. It has stated that the Covid-19 pandemic will drag on until 2022, much longer than it needs to, because several poor countries have not received vaccines against the deadly infectious disease.
Coronavirus cases on the rise in West Bengal Kolkata, October 24 (IANS): With the Covid cases hovering around 1,000 for the last three days and the positivity rate touching nearly 3 per cent, West Bengal seems to be moving in the opposite direction from the rest of India. Thanks to unchecked gathering during the pujas, when the infection rate in other parts of the country is showing signs of slowing down, cases are on the rise in the state. A small example will help us
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understand the situation better. Covid beds in most of the premiere private hospitals in the city are either occupied or are nearly full. Belle View Nursing Home - one of the premiere nursing homes in the city has 47 beds of which 23 are already occupied. Before the pujas the number of occupancy was just 10. Similarly, Calcutta Medical Research Institute has all its 38 beds full and Peerless hospital has 40 occupied out of 40 beds. In
ILS multi-speciality hospital, 27 Covid beds out of the total 38 are occupied and the administration expects that the rest of the beds will be full soon. Experts have already warned that West Bengal will see a spike in the coming weeks as Covid-19 norms have been largely flouted during the recent Durga Puja celebrations and the result is on the table. When the daily infection rate in Kolkata before the pujas was hovering around 600, on
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days.
Active cases presently constitute 0.49 per cent of the country's total positive cases, the lowest since March 2020.
A minority of cultural property crimes occurred in museums across all world regions, the INTERPOL survey shows, and all world regions except the Americas showed a lower proportion of such crimes occurring in museums compared to the previous year.
How international vax scheme Covax has failed poor countries London, October 25 (IANS): The international Covid vaccine scheme Covax has failed to evenly distribute vaccines against the infectious disease to poor countries, while rich countries have brought the jabs in surplus, many of which have also gone to waste.
IANS
Also in the same period, a total of 9,98,397 tests were conducted across the country. India has so far conducted over 60.07 crore cumulative tests. New Delhi, October 25 (IANS): RecentlyIndia registered 14,306 new Covid-19 cases and 443 deaths, the Union Health Ministry said on October 25.. The new fatalities have increased the death toll to 4,54,712. The recovery of 18,762 patients has increased the cumulative tally to 3,35,67,367. Consequently, India's recovery rate stands at 98.18 per cent, currently at its highest peak since March 2020. The active caseload stands at 1,67,695, which is the lowest in 239
Meanwhile, the weekly positivity rate at 1.24 per cent has remained less than 2 percent for the last 31 days now. The daily positivity rate stands at 1.43 per cent, which has also remained below 2 per cent for 21 days and less than 3 per cent for 56 consecutive days now. With the administration of 12,30,720 vaccine doses recently, India's Covid inoculation coverage has reached 102.27 crore as of October 25 morning, This has been achieved through 1,01,52,393 sessions.
UP to adopt cluster 2.0 model for push to vaccination Lucknow, October 25 (IANS): To further accelerate vaccination, the Yogi Adityanath government has announced adoption of the 'Cluster Model 2.0' from November 1 to improve the second dose coverage.
Additional chief secretary (ACS), health, Amit Mohan Prasad said, "In addition to the current strategy, efforts are required to achieve the desired target. Giving priority to full vaccination, the work of applying the second dose using the cluster model 2.0 should be done in those villages/ localities where the first dose was successfully administered
through the cluster model."
Through the cluster model, villages will be divided into categories based on their vaccination status and those villages which have completed both doses will be called 'Covid Safe Villages.' Based on vaccination assessment by lekhpals, all villages will be divided into three categories -those with 95 per cent or more first dose vaccination, 80-95 per cent first dose vaccination, and less than 80 per cent first dose vaccination. On the basis of this list, vaccination will be prioritised.
NCDC report on Covid variant AY.4 in India raises concern New Delhi, October 25 (IANS): The National Centre for Disease Control genome sequencing report which has found Delta variant sub-lineage cases in India has raised concern.
As per the NCDC report, seven cases of new Covid variant AY.4, a sub-lineage of the Delta variant, have been detected in Madhya Pradesh's Indore, while it has been detected in 1 percent samples in Maharashtra, collected in September. The NCDC report says that this sub-lineage AY.4 had caused the surge in Covid cases in Indore in September. October 23 it hit 974 - the highest daily infection after July 21 when the statistic was 869. Not only in Kolkata but the infection rate in the districts is also showing an upward curve. According to an official of the state health department, the
New variant AY.4.2 has led to pressing of the alarm button in Europe as health experts say that this variant is more transmissible than the Delta variant. However, this variant has been found in very low numbers, they say. A total of 17 samples of AY.4.2 variant of the Covid-19 virus have also been identified in India. An NCDC official said that the preliminary investigation has revealed that the AY 4.2 hasn't increased the case ratio in India, but it is present here. Apart from AY.4.2, AY.33 and AY. 4.1 is also present in India and currently circulating in the country.
positivity rate in Cooch Behar is 8.7 per cent, in East Medinipur it is around 5 per cent, in Nadia it is 4.2 percent and in Howrah and Hooghly, it is hovering around 2 to 2.5 per cent when before the pujas it was just above one per cent.
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Nov 1-15, 2021 - Vol 2, Issue 9
TRAVEL
India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Keeping a balanced Dubai: What You Need to Know diet while you travel IANS
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xpo 2020 Dubai with the theme ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future, is a celebration of human creativity, mastery and artistry bringing together 192 nations. The Dubai Expo is the first World Expo in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia (MEASA) region, this years Expo is also the first time in World Expo history that each participating country has its own individual pavilion, with more than 200 in total to explore. In light of the recent pandemic, the six-month event has adopted the most stringent guidelines from the authorities to prioritize the health and safety of all of its visitors and staff. Expo 2020 Dubai is significant for both the UAE and India to further integrate the India-UAE bilateral ties, it explores new opportunities for entrepreneurs and start-ups. The theme for the India Pavilion is ‘Future is in India’, reflecting upon the country’s culture, heritage and technologies. Here are some of the highlights from the India Pavilion… India Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai offers a digital recreation of
26 January 2022, enabling organisations to leverage the presence of its heads of state, leaders and industry experts, to shed light on the business and growth opportunities, and cultivate valuable dialogue and connections with the wide range of business stakeholders visiting Expo 2020 Dubai.
India’s past, present and future. Located in the Al Forsan area, the pavilion takes visitors on a journey, presenting the country as a global power through its ‘Five Ts’ – talent, trade, tradition, tourism and technology. The Pavilion showcases the country’s cultural diversity, achievements, and leading opportunities with cutting-edge technologies, as well as tourism and hospitality, space exploration, pharma, IT, renewable energy and telecoms. India Pavilion will also be hosting a series of contests, festival celebrations and key calendar dates, such as its special National Day on 26 January 2022 to coincide with the country’s Republic Day, creating a moment to highlight the culture and achievements of India with a flag-raising ceremony, followed by speeches and cultural performances. Expo 2020 Dubai will also witness Diwali celebrations on 4 November 2021. India will be hosting a Country Business Briefing at the Business Connect Centre on
India also is presenting a bounty of homegrown talent, including celebrity chef Rohit Ghai, who launched a branch of his acclaimed restaurant, Kutir, based in London’s Chelsea, in the Opportunity District at Expo 2020 Dubai, showcasing an authentic yet experiential menu. A. R. Rahman, the renowned Indian film composer, record producer, singer and songwriter, mentored the all-female Firdaus Orchestra, which premieres at Expo 2020 Dubai. Celebrated Indian film director, actor and producer Shekhar Kapur is an advisor to Expo 2020 Dubai. For its People and Planet programme, India will host a World Majlis event on 19 October 2021, ‘Lessons from Space: Applying Approaches from Space to Fight Climate Change’, which explores how adopting the recycling principles of astronauts can help us live more sustainably. With the ongoing IPL season, Rajasthan Royals display Expo 2020 Dubai as principal sponsors on the front of their jerseys to spread the message of the event among cricket fans. Adding to this, the team will host a cricketcoaching clinic at Expo 2020. It runs from 1 October 2021 to 31 March 2022
The ultimate cricket stay IANS
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stadium to enjoy the epic match on a life-sized screen while seated on comfortable sofas -- just like the luxury box seats at the stadium. They can also head to the locker room (dining room) next to the field (living room) to have some energy drinks, just like a cricketer would do or head to the bedroom, transformed into a net practice area. It's got the field, the pitch, the locker room, pitching nets and cricket memorabilia infused in every element of the room.
ricket fans can now book the ultimate experience with the official accommodation booking partner for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup, Booking. com. The T20 Pavillion, a bespoke cricket-themed luxury stay that transforms the Presidential Suite at Grand Hyatt Mumbai Hotel and Residences into a classic cricket stadium.
experience during the India vs Pakistan ICC Men's T20 World Cup match on October 24, 2021, packed with quirks and luxuries that is sure to satisfy even the biggest cricket enthusiast. Additionally, as a part of the experience, guests will also have the exclusive opportunity to meet Bollywood actor Shraddha Kapoor at The T20 Pavilion.
The suite offers guests an allinclusive once-in-a-lifetime
For one night only, guests can soak in the energy of a roaring
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The Blonde Abroad
The booking window opens at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday and will be booked on a 'first come, first serve' basis with a check-in date on October 24, 2021, and check-out on October 25, 2021. The T20 Pavilion is priced at Rs 6666 only in honour of all the great sixes smashed at the T20 World Cup. The T20 Pavilion can accommodate up to four guests. Cricket fans can visit the website or mobile app to book this cricket inspired stay.
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ravelling calories don't count but it’s important to keep yourself in shape. Working out has become more of a lifestyle than any leisure activity. It indeed gets difficult to maintain timely eating habits. But there are always some ways out if you are willing to choose healthily. Dietitian and Nutritionist Sakina Mustansir shares few ways to keep a balanced diet: Try to eat Homemade food/ cook your own meal: There is an old saying, “ your mood changes when you eat according to the person’s mood who made it.” Even when you cook unhealthy food it becomes healthy when it's made at home. It's always convenient to carry food from home rather than eating at roadside vendors or unhygienic food. So, try to cook your own meal wherever possible. Also carry munching snacks like nuts, dried fruits, peanut butter sandwiches or whole wheat/ multigrain bread sandwiches, protein bars etc. Stay hydrated: No amount of soft drinks or hard drinks will subside the need for water in our body. It’s always recommended to be hydrated. Research shows when you are dehydrated it results in forced hunger cravings. You confuse hunger with thirst and get sugary food cravings or indulge in binge eating. Do you know? Drinking water before every meal cuts the portion size and you end up intaking fewer calories. Don't skip or avoid breakfast: Most of the people skip breakfasts on the trip which makes them more lethargic which enables them to follow healthy eating patterns. If you eat a healthy breakfast your body fills up the nutrients and proteins it requires for the day and starves the
carvings off. Buffet breakfast is a trap, don't indulge in overeating either. Cater to the energy your body needs at the moment. While travelling, never skip breakfast. Always aim for a good healthy breakfast so as to avoid hunger pangs and binging on unhealthy snacks later during the day. Also carry some uncut fruits or boiled eggs or chickpeas from the breakfast table for later, to keep you energetic for the exploration. Avoid alcohol or sugary beverages: The calories in beverages are more reactive as compared to the calories in solid food. Being on a vacation doesn’t mean your liver is on a vacation as well. Cutting on calories or alcohol fat is more difficult than cutting down the vacation fat. Avoid sodas if that’s convenient. Local cuisine: Usually the most authentic local cuisine also happens to be the healthiest. So while traveling, always try the country's authentic cuisine rather than fast food joints and processed foods. This will not only keep you healthy and give you more energy to explore but you will have an opportunity to taste different cuisines and experience their culture. Don't stress about treats: Give yourself a break, don’t keep a count on everything you eat. You always end up eating more if you stress about what you eat all the time. Having a healthy relationship with what you eat is important. Plenty of vegetables are healthier than you are aware of. Any weight you gain while you travel is most likely to be water retention or constipation. You are most likely to reduce this in a span of one week when you’re back to your lifestyle. Be diligent with your exercise or walks while travelling.
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Nov 1-15, 2021 - Vol 2, Issue 9
BOOKS & LITERATURE
J&K's first literary festival begins at Gulmarg resort IANS
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he first-ever literary festival in J&K was inaugurated on Wednesday by Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi at ski resort Gulmarg. The literary festival, organised by the Union Territory administration, has brought many literary personalities from across the country to mark the 75 years of independence, and is part of the 'Iconic Week Celebrations' under the Azaadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav (AKAM). In this festival, known writers, emerging poets and intellectuals will discuss and analyse several aspects of literary traditions.
Inaugurating the literary festival, Lekhi praised the efforts of the J&K administration for organising a festival of this kind and said that such festivals inspire youth to explore their inherent creativity and also attract literati from across the country. She emphasised that literary festivals provide a platform to the budding writers and young enthusiasts to express their ideas and feelings. Kashmir has been a seat of learning and culture since ancient times and maintained that these literary festivals can play a part in maintaining that harmony and co-existence, she said, adding that such festivals definitely protect our culture, heritage and also play a role in celebrating 'Unity in Diversity'. In the morning session moderated by writer Arjun Gaind, famous writers Kanchana Banerjee, Anuja Chandramouli, Koral Dasgupta, and Neil D'Silva participated. In another session moderated by Siddhartha Gigoo, meant for the
budding writers from Jammu and Kashmir, four young poets and writers, Anushka Dhar, Manpreet Kour, Mahpara Khan and famous Urdu poet and DC Srinagar, Mohammad Aijaz Asad (IAS) participated. In this session, Asad who is a recipient of Rashtriya Gaurav Award, 2019 for his book "Barf Zaar", presented some of the famous couplets from his book. In another session, in conversation with Geetika Kohli, celebrated poet and famous Bollywood lyricist Irshad Kamil threw light on his literary journey. Kohli's songs have appeared in famous Bollywood movies like "Sultan", "Jab We Met", "Highway" and "Love Aaj Kal". Other sessions with themes "Writing and Reporting in a Fractured World", and on mythology, romance, memoir, history, fantasy, and folklore were also held. In the afternoon session, Indra Basu had conversation with Dolly Thakur on the theme, "Many Languages of Belonging".
'Independent tribunal on privacy alone can deliver'
New Delhi, Oct 28 (IANS): An independent and permanent tribunal, manned by retired or serving judges, alone can deliver on the disputes pertaining to the privacy of citizens and organizations, especially since the Supreme Court elevated the right to privacy to the status of a fundamental right in 2017, says a Senior Advocate of three decades standing whose seminal book on an issue that is increasingly taking centre-stage has just hit the stands.
"There is a need for an independent and permanent tribunal as disputes with respect to violation of the right to privacy will continue to arise," Vivek Sood told IANS in an interview on his book, "Right to Privacy Arguing for the People" (Thomson Reuters). Noting the "potential chilling effect" on the right to privacy and freedom of speech, the Supreme Court on Wednesday set up a three-member expert committee headed by one of its former judges to probe the alleged use of Israeli Pegasus spyware against a spectrum of Indian citizens, including politicians and journalists. In doing so, the court rejected a government offer to establish its own committee to examine the issue. The court also made it crystal clear that the Centre's argument of national security, in the context of whether it used the Pegasus spyware, cannot be used as a "free pass" whenever a matter is taken
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up for judicial review.
"In doing so, the Supreme Court has asserted the need for an independent probe (devoid of government influence) into the matter," Sood said. "I have also stressed in my book on the need for an independent tribunal in dealing with disputes such as the 'Toolkit case' (Congress versus BJP) and those arising under the Intermediaries Rules 2021 which direct social media intermediaries to disclose information as to the first originator of messages to law enforcement agencies investigating certain crimes," he added. Setting the tone for the book, Sood writes in Chapter 1 that privacy "in its simplest form, allows each human being to be let alone in a core which is inviolable. The expression 'let me alone' explains privacy in its essence. 'Informational privacy' implies protection of information about a person from usage in the virtual world beyond what is necessary for providing a service to such person". "With the invasion of the Internet in our lives, the question of whether the right to privacy is a fundamental right or not assumes significance for every Indian. A large section of the Indian population uses the Internet to interact, communicate, and transact to avail services and for making online purchases. There are layers of innumerable service providers and other virtual
players that include Internet Service Providers (ISPs), search engines, email service providers, Internet telephony providers, communication and interaction platforms (WhatsApp, Facebook etc), payment gateway providers, online stores, and so on. The list is endless. We now live in a global in-information based society. Information technology governs virtually every aspect of our lives. In this information age, privacy has assumed critical significance as never before," Sood writes.
Chapter 2 highlights the minority opinion of Justice Dhananjay Y. Chandrachud in the Aaadhar case "that has gone unnoticed by citizens and privacy activists. Justice Chandrachud has found the Aadhar project to be in violation of the right to privacy of the citizens and is vulnerable to citizens being kept under surveillance by State and nonState entities", Sood writes. Chapter 3 critiques the Privacy Policies of Social Media Platforms 'de hors' (outside the scope of) the Personal Data Protection Bill 2019 that is still to be made a law. Chapter 4 deals with three major controversies that erupted during 2021: Toolkit, Intermediary Rules and Pegasus. Chapter 5 discusses the Personal Data Protection Bill 2019. Chapter 6 is titled 'Offsprings from the Womb of Privacy' and deals with issues like LGBT autonomy, Adultery, Adult Entertainment, Right to drink, Sexually Explicit Material, and
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IANS
Sexual Privacy. Sood, during the interview, vociferously defended a full chapter of 44 pages in the 165-page book to Justice Chandrachud's dissenting opinion in the Aadhar case. "It might be a dissenting judgment but it is important to note for posterity because it points to the risk of the 'big brother is watching syndrome' in future, that was first enunciated by Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul (in 2017)," Sood said. He also noted that the Personal Data Protection Bill 2019 "is a seemingly robust measure but it is still in a (parliamentary) committee and it is to be seen when and what form it is passed by parliament. Even here, there are bound to be issues of interpretation, as happens with all laws, and hence the need for an independent and permanent tribunal on privacy". "This book is for the people to read and form their opinions on the issues raised therein. The right to privacy is significant for every citizen of the country. Every citizen must take cognizance of the threats to privacy from State and non-State entities. Issues with respect to privacy will affect every citizen and hence must be addressed by one and all. "I have batted for the privacy of the people of my country. I have argued for the privacy of my people all through the book," Sood maintained. This makes it an essential read
and deserves to be translated for wider dissemination. This is Sood’s second book written during the pandemic after “Emergence of Commercial Justice: Insolvency and Arbitration” that was released earlier this year. A third book, “Progress of the Indian Economy: Legislative Pro-Activism Since 2015”, is slated for release in January 2022 and a fourth, “Chaff and Grain, Criminal Injustice and Reforms” in April 2022. "No more for at least two years," Sood said wryly.
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Nov 1-15, 2021 - Vol 2, Issue 9
SPORTS
India News, IAIE and AIBC organize sports networking event at the Metricon Stadium By Dr Ashutosh Misra National Sports Chair, AIBC 9th October 2021: It was a very fulfilling and memorable day when cricket brought two countries and generations together at the Metricon Stadium in Gold coast. The Australia India Business Council (AIBC) Sports Chair organised a very successful and impactful networking event in conjunction with the Queensland Cricket, Cricket Australia, Institute for Australia Engagement, India News and the Indian Community of Gold Coast (ICGC). The event was attended by over 75 people (due to Covid restrictions) and featured a traditional welcome of the guests, showcasing India’s soft power. Amongst the chief guests were Mrs Archana Singh, Honorary Consul Queensland, Ms Kirsten Pike, former Australian cricketer and deputy chair of Queensland Cricket Board, Mr Ryan Harris, former Australian cricketer, Mr John Buchanan, former Australian cricket team coach, Ms Angie Bell, Federal MP for Moncrieff, Mr Nik Senapati, President AIBC Queensland, Dr Ashutosh Misra, National Sports Chair, Mr Muthuraj Guruswamy and Dr Ram Mohan, members of executive committee, AIBC Queensland, Mr Ankit Taneja,Country Head, Mahindras, Mr Matt Smith,Home Solutions Metricon, and Mr Pushpinder Oberoi, Mr Manish Saini and Ms Ree Ali representing the ICGC.
The event was instrumental in creating a buzz around the ongoing series and also connecting our younger generation with the cricketing legends, for gathering some tips and lessons in cricket and leadership. The three cricketer panellists - Ms Kirsten Pike, Mr Ryan Harris and Mr John Buchanan shared their reflections on cricket, their professional experiences in general and against India, and the significance of the ongoing series. Mrs Archana Singh took note of the importance of sport and cricket in strengthening bilateral ties and Ms Angie Bell thanked the Indian community for their continued role in strengthening bilateral relations and multicultural ethos. The panellists were very impressed with the quality of the questions from the audience, especially the young ones and thanked the AIBC for inviting them to the event. Mr Nik Senapati also shared his remarks on behalf of the AIBC and underlined the significance of sport in building stronger relations. Mr Ankit Taneja and Mr Matt Smith profiled their businesses before the audience and dignitaries, and expressed their happiness in providing sponsorship to the event. Dr Ashutosh Misra ended the proceedings with a vote of thanks on behalf of AIBC. After the event, the guests proceeded to the stadium to watch the match.
Mr Ryan Harris addressing the guests
Mr Ankit Taneja delivering his comments
Ms Kirsten Pike addressing the guests
Mr John Buchanan sharing his observations
Mrs Archana Singh addressing the gathering
Ms Angie Bell sharing her observations
Interaction of two generations
Interaction of two generations
Mr Ryan Harris being welcomed
Mr Ankit Taneja being welcomed
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Interaction of two generations
Ms Angie Bell MP being welcomed
Mr John Buchanan being welcomed
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Sharing a lighter moment
The panellists
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Nov 1-15, 2021 - Vol 2, Issue 9
INDIA NEWS
Google marks the birthday of judo's founder with doodle
WBBL experience will give India the edge in 2022 World Cup: Mandhana IANS
and founded judo.
The doodle, with multiple slides, shows how Jigoro, who was born on October 28, 1860, studied various martial arts techniques
Jigoro, a Japanese educator and athlete, who died in 1938 a the age of 77, founded the modern form of judo, modifying the traditional
The animated doodle depicts Jigoro developing the various throws and techniques of judo and setting up schools to teach it to other disciples.
It was Jigoro who invented the use of black and white belts, and the introduction of 'dan' ranking to show the relative ranking among members of a martial art style. Well-known mottoes attributed to Kano include "maximum efficiency with minimum effort" and "mutual welfare and benefit" Apart from being an educator, Jigoro was also a sports administrator and was the first Asian to become part of the International Olympic Committee, which organises the Olympic Games.
WBBL: Shafali stars in Sydney's five-wicket win over Hobart
In another match, the Perth Scorchers started their Weber WBBL campaign with a thrilling super over victory over the Brisbane Heat, as they pulled off one of the greatest fightback wins.
IANS
Hobart, Oct 17 (IANS): Indian opener Shafali Verma's first WBBL half-century and a fine all-round display from Ellyse Perry led Sydney Sixers to five-wicket win over Hobart Hurricanes in the Women's Big Bash League match, here on Sunday. Courtesy a strong bowling display from Perry (2/9) and Maitlan Brown (2/23), Sixers restricted
the Hurricanes to 125/9, but when Alyssa Healy (3) and Ashleigh Gardner (3) departed cheaply, the Sydney club looked wobbly at 14/2. A 63-run partnership between Perry (27) and Verma (57) then steadied the case and while both departed with runs still required, Nicole Bolton (17 n.o.) and Maitlan Brown (4 n.o.) sealed the win for Sydney with three balls to spare.
Heat captain Jess Jonassen's 3/16 had helped restrict the Scorchers to 137/7, and her team looked well on track in reply before a stunning collapse saw them finishing their 20 overs on 137/9. An entertaining Super Over battle of the South Africans saw Anneke Bosch smack 11 runs from four Marizanne Kapp deliveries, setting the Scorchers 13 runs to win from Jonassen's over. Two huge sixes from Scorchers skipper Sophie Devine got the job done, sealing an entertaining victory.
Warner predicts 4-0 win for Australia in Ashes predicted a 4-0 victory for the hosts. Warner, who is going through a wretched run of form with the bat and was dropped by Sunrisers Hyderabad for their last six matches of IPL 2021 in the UAE, said just like former pacer Glenn McGrath's famous prediction, he believes Australia should whitewash England in the upcoming series starting with the first Test on December 8.
Sydney, Oct 28 (IANS): Veteran opener David Warner feels Australia should win the Ashes series with England 5-0 but would like to give some concession to weather and other things and
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for Australia against Sri Lanka in the T20 World Cup on Thursday, was not worried about his form and said he is at his best when fighting with his back to the wall. "For my sake,'I think I'm best fighting when I'm up against the wall. From my perspective, I always respect where I am with my game. For the last 18 months, 'here hasn't been much continuity, due to the pandemic.
"Look, I'm almost a trademark for headlines, 'ren'" I?" Warner told the SEN radio station from Dubai.
"( Just) trying to get back-toback games, when we're so used to playing series after series," Warner said.
"It's going to be a challenge. Glenn (McGrath) loved a five-'il. I'll say four-nil. There has to be some give with weather around, s"rely," said Warner, who turned 35 on Wednesday.
After being dropped by Sunrisers Hyderabad, Warner scored 14 runs in the first match against South Africa. In the two warmup matches, he had scores of 1 and zero,
Warner, who will open the innings
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Herald on Tuesday. "We have a World Cup coming up and we don't have a BBL (Big Bash League) in our country, so it will be of benefit and a lot of experience for the eight girls in the comp (competition) and that experience will definitely count when we are back playing for India," said the Sydney Thunder opener.
form to form a sport. Judo was the first Japanese martial art to gain widespread international recognition and the first to become an official Olympic sport.
New Delhi, Oct 28 (IANS): Google on Thursday celebrated the 161st birthday of Kano Jigoro, the Japanese founder of judo, with a doodle on the 'Father of judo' and the sport.
SPORTS
Sydney, Oct 26 (IANS): Indian woman batter Smriti Mandhana has said that she and her teammates playing in the current edition of the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) will give them good preparation for the 2022 Women's World Cup to be held in New Zealand. A total of eight Indian women cricketers are playing in the WBBL this season for different teams following the completion of their multi-format series against Australia. "This year we had a window and we were already here and had done our 14-days quarantine. It's better to stay and play some more cricket rather than go back," Mandhana told Syndey Morning
Besides Mandhana, who is currently the sixth-ranked ODI batter in ICC rankings, Deepti Sharma (Sydney Thunder), Shafali Verma and Radha Yadav (Sydney Sixers), Jemimah Rodrigues and Harmanpreet Kaur (Melbourne Renegades), wicketkeeper Richa Ghosh (Hobart Hurricanes) and leg-spinner Poonam Yadav (Brisbane Heat), are the other Indians playing in the WBBL this season. Mandhana said that her teammates at Sydney Thunder, who were her rivals during the riveting multi-format series before the start of the WBBL, had been "extremely welcoming" of her. "It doesn't feel like a new team or anything. I can't wait play more matches and rest of the tournament. Back in England, coach Trevor (Griffin) has been asking me for three years to come over. I told him when the schedules were accommodating for me to come over I would come and play so we are so happy that this year we could actually manage and I could come over," added Mandhana.
BCCI president Ganguly quits position at ATK to avoid conflict of interest Dubai, Oct 27 (IANS): BCCI president Sourav Ganguly has quit his position as a director in Indian Super League (ISL) club ATK Mohun Bagan on Wednesday. The ATK Mohun Bagan FC is owned by RPSG Ventures Pvt Ltd, who won the rights for the new IPL team in Lucknow on Monday with a record bid of INR 7,090 crore. Ganguly's move is seen as a bid to avoid conflict of interest as the RPSG group is now a part of the IPL bandwagon. "I have resigned," Ganguly said to Cricbuzz on Wednesday. As per the ATK Mohun Bagan FC's website, Ganguly's name is mentioned as a Director with Sanjiv Goenka as Chairman of the Board of Directors. While the conflict-of-interest controversy settles down, another one is taking shape with regards to CVC Capital, who were awarded with Ahmedabad IPL franchise after bidding INR 5625 crores. Former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi was shocked at the BCCI not doing a thorough check on CVC Capitals' sporting assets, including investing in a betting company in the United Kingdom. "I am shocked that the BCCI did not do their homework and did not check that one of the bidders
also owns a betting company. CVC Capital apparently owns 80 per cent of Sky Betting. How does anybody control anti-corruption in such cases?" "If the owners of a team are also the owners of a betting company, it defeats the purpose of not allowing the promoters of betting in India where betting is illegal. I am shocked that the BCCI let it happen. They should disqualify the owners and award the franchise to the second-best bidder." Modi's explanation comes after he tweeted on Tuesday, "I guess betting companies can buy an IPL team, must be a new rule. Apparently one qualified bidder also owns a big betting company. What next? Does BCCI not do its homework? What can AntiCorruption do in such a case? #cricket." Asked on how CVC capitals has been working in acquiring other sporting properties despite investing in a betting company, Modi said, "It is ok that they are participating in other leagues because they allow betting companies. There is a problem here because in India betting is not allowed. Already you have had a betting scandal (in 2013), that is the problem."
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Nov 1-15, 2021 - Vol 2, Issue 9
INDIA NEWS
Mitchell, Williamson lead New Zealand to 8-wicket win over India The Siasat Daily
Ravindra Jadeja in the final over of Power-play with a six over long-on followed by back-to-back fours. Post Powerplay, Mitchell continued this good show, slamming Mohammed Shami for a six over deep square leg. He then took 14 runs off Thakur in the tenth over, smoking a six over cow corner followed by back-toback fours. Mitchell stitched a partnership of 72 off 54 balls with Kane Williamson to keep New Zealand steady in the chase.
Dubai, Oct 31 (IANS): Daryl Mitchell (49 off 35 balls) and Kane Williamson (33 not out off 31 balls) led New Zealand to an emphatic eight-wicket win over India in an important Group 2 match of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup at the Dubai International Stadium here on Sunday. After restricting India to paltry 110/7 in 20 overs, New Zealand
chased down the target easily with 33 balls to spare. Martin Guptill began by hitting Varun Chakravarthy for backto-back boundaries in the third over. Guptill took a boundary off Jasprit Bumrah in the next over. But on the next ball, Guptill miscued a loft to mid-on, Shardul Thakur grabbed it on the second attempt. Daryl Mitchell welcomed
Mitchell fell a run short of his maiden T20I half-century in the 13th over, holing out to long-on off Bumrah. Williamson hanged around to hit two fours off Hardik Pandya in the 14th over before scoring the winning single to complete their first win of the ongoing tournament. Brief scores: India 110/7 in 20 overs (Ravindra Jadeja 26 not out, Hardik Pandya 23, Trent Boult 3/20, Ish Sodhi 2/17) lost to New Zealand 111/2 in 14.3 overs (Daryl Mitchell 49, Kane Williamson 33 not out, Jasprit Bumrah 2/19) by eight wickets
Jittery Virat loses cool, says 'wear our cricket kit and walk into the field'
IANS
think that winning one game is the end of the world, and no other team should think that," said Kohli. "This is a very big game. Cricket is beyond and above anyone else, any individual, and we definitely respect the game. We never take any opposition lightly; neither do we differentiate between oppositions. That's how we play our cricket.
Dubai, Oct 25 (IANS): There were more fireworks and fiery comments in Virat Kohli's postmatch press conference than there were from the Indian side during their ICC T20 World Cup 'Super 12' match against Pakistan, which the 2007 champions lost by 10 wickets. Rattled by the crushing defeat -- caused mainly due to the lack of application on the part of the Indian bowlers who kept bowling lollipops to the likes of Babar Azam (68 not out) and Mohammad Rizwan (79 not out), and the top order which seemed to have forgotten to bat -- Kohli's comments after the game bordered on sarcasm, indicating he was truly stumped by the loss. Asked if it was "overconfidence against Pakistan" that led to the
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crushing defeat, Kohli said that he wished people asking such questions could be in the Indian cricketers' shoes and understand what pressure is. Before, Sunday's game, India had never lost an ICC T20 World Cup game to their arch-rivals, but Azam and Rizwan broke that jinx, with a 152-run stand achieved in 17.5 overs. "You know, it's amazing what the realities and what ideas people have on the outside. I just wish they could put on our cricket kit and actually walk into the field and understand what pressure is. You don't go out there to take anything lightly, especially a team like Pakistan who on their day can beat anyone in the world. This is a game that has to be respected, and we are a team that definitely respects the game, and we do not
"On the day if we haven't played good, we accept it and we give credit to the opposition, as well. We don't create any other scenarios other than knowing what went wrong and trying to correct that and move forward in a positive manner," the India skipper added. On whether young Ishan Kishan could have been given the opportunity to play in the game ahead of Rohit Sharma, given that the former had done "very well in the warmup matches", Kohli put the question back into the reporter's court, saying, "It's a very brave question. What do you think, sir? I played the team that I thought was the best. What is your opinion? Will you drop Rohit Sharma from T20 internationals? You'll drop Rohit Sharma? Do you know what he did in the last game that we played? Yeah? Unbelievable. If you want control, please tell me before so I can answer accordingly," retorted Kohli.
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T20 WORLD CUP
Babar Azam breaks Kohli’s record to become fastest captain to 1000 T20I runs IANS
New Delhi, Oct 30 (IANS): Pakistan captain Babar Azam is in the form of his life. Cricket fanatics are in awe with his stunning show in the ongoing ICC T20 World Cup, as he looks unstoppable! On Friday, he added another feather to his T20I cap in a match against Afghanistan in Dubai. While scoring 51 off 45 balls in Pakistan's 5-wicket win over Afghanistan in the Super 12 clash, Babar broke India captain Virat Kohli's record to become the fastest skipper to complete 1000 runs in the shortest format of international cricket. Babar achieved the feat in 26 innings as compared to 30 taken by the Indian captain. Meanwhile, South Africa's Faf du Plessis (31), Australian Aaron Finch (32) and
New Zealand's Kane Williamson (36) complete the top five spots. Babar's fighting fifty (51 off 47) and Asif Ali's cameo (25 off 7) powered Pakistan to a convincing fivewicket win over Afghanistan in a Super 12 match of the World Cup 2021 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium, on Friday. With this, Pakistan completed a hat-trick of wins in the ongoing T20 World Cup and they are at the top of the points table in Group 2.
Asif-Malik late blitz, Rauf's fourfer help Pakistan beat Kiwis Sharjah, Oct 26 (IANS): Haris Rauf=s superb bowling followed by Asif Ali and Shoaib Maliks late blitz helped Pakistan beat New Zealand by five wickets in a Super 12 match of the ICC Men=s T20 World Cup 2021 at the Sharjah Cricket Stadium, here on Tuesday. The victory sends Pakistan back above Afghanistan to the top of Group 2 with two wins from two matches in the tournament. A sensational bowling performance by Haris Rauf, (4/22) helped Pakistan restrict New Zealand to 134/8 in 20 overs. Apart from Rauf, fellow pacer Shaheen Shah Afridi, Imad Wasim, and Hafeez picked up a wicket each on the sluggish pitch at Sharjah. Chasing the target, Pakistan openers Babar Azam and Mohammad Rizwan picked up where they left off against India, controlling the powerplay and seemingly sealing the chase. But, Tim Southee gave New Zealand a sniff when he bowled the Pakistan captain for nine. Fakhar Zaman, who came to bat next, didn=t look in great touch. His scratchy innings came to a close with 11 off 17 when he was trapped in front by Ish Sodhi. Then, a dangerous Mohammad Hafeez looked intent on getting the chase over in a hurry as he raced to 11 off just five balls. But, the match swung when Hafeez lofted his sixth ball to the long-off boundary where he was sensationally caught by a diving Conway in the catch of the tournament so far' Pakistan=s chances of victory took another substantial blow when Rizwan fell to Sodhi with the target still 66 runs away and with the top four all back in the dugout. However, Pakistan batsmen didn=t give up, with Ali particularly being more aggressive, slamming three sixes in his 27 off just 12 balls. Malik
finished with a similarly crucial 27 (20), but it was his partner who hit the winning runs, banging his third six over wide long-on off Trent Boult before rolling a two to a similar area to seal the win in the penultimate over. Earlier, batting first, New Zealand were off to a slow start. They were 42-1 after the end of powerplay with opener Martin Guptill (17) back in the pavilion. Another Kiwi opener Daryl Mitchellc (27) also struggled to score freely and was dismissed by Imad Wasim in the 9th over of the innings. Jimmy Neesham=s visit to the middle lasted just two deliveries as Hafeez got rid of him to leave New Zealand 60/3 at the midway point of the innings. New Zealand captain Kane Williamson hit a few boundaries and he along with Devon Conway built a partnership and tried to revive the innings. The Black Caps were recovering well but a direct hit from Hasan Ali caught Williamson short of his crease, leaving the Kiwis in trouble at 90/4 after 13.1 overs. After Williamson=s departure, New Zealand=s innings never got the momentum and they kept on losing wickets at regular intervals. Devon Conway, who looked in good touch, was the next one to depart after scoring 27 of 24. The next batsmen -- Glenn Phillips (13), Tim Seifert (8), Mitchell Santner (6) didn=t contribute much as Pakistan bowlers kept New Zealand in check by taking wickets periodically. In the end, New Zealand were restricted to 134-8 in 20 overs. Brief scores: New Zealand 134-8 in 20 overs (Daryl Mitchell 27, Devon Conway 27; Haris Rauf 4/22) lost to Pakistan 135-5 in 18.4 overs (Mohammad Rizwan 33, Asif Ali 27*; Ish Sodhi 2/28)
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WHAT’S ON
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Nov 1-15, 2021 - Vol 2, Issue 9
INDIA NEWS
ENTERTAINMENT
Simaran Kaur on her love for Bollywood Diana Penty's 'Adbhut' romance and doing 'Aggar Tum Na Hote' sneak peek from her shoot Instagram
The actress shares more about the same and the reason behind saying 'yes' to this show. She says: "I have always been a Bollywood buff, in fact, my name has actually been given by my parents after being inspired by Kajol's character in 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge'. I was born two years after the film's release and even then, people were going gaga over Shahrukh and Kajol's chemistry in the movie. I think I've always felt the connection and I still do, which is why I still dwell on the concept of Bollywood romance." She continues on her love for Bollywood and how she is fond of using movie dialogues during conversation.
A
ctress Simaran Kaur, who was seen in a lead role in the TV serial 'Aghori', is all set for the new show 'Aggar Tum Na Hote'. She is playing one of the characters that she was wanting to portray for quite long. Her character's name in the show is 'Niyati' who is very positive and loves to recite 'shayari'. Simaran says that she is happy
to be part of a romantic show because she is fascinated by romantic roles and one of the reasons is her interest in Bollywood movies. Moreover, her parents chose Simaran's name taking inspiration from Kajol's character in 'Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge', as she was born after the release of this movie.
Simaran adds further: "It's evident when someone gets to know me closely, because I'm that person who always picks up dialogues from films and uses it whenever I can. At times even my friends are clueless about the lines I quote and would spend minutes figuring out from where I picked it. I believe, it's because of my inspiration and obsession for movies and theatricals that I've come this far and I'm thankful to God for giving me this beautiful opportunity to be a part of a romantic drama like 'Aggar Tum Na Hote' where the title itself speaks of eternal love and romance." 'Aggar Tum Na Hote' will be airing soon on Zee TV.
Richa Chadha: Was a blessing to be shooting opposite Ali for first time Instagram
A
ctress Richa Chadha will be seen sharing screen space with her beau Ali Fazal in the upcoming series 'Call My Agent: Bollywood'. She calls it a blessing as she shot opposite the actor for the first time. Directed by Shaad Ali, 'Call My Agent: Bollywood', the Indian adaptation of a French show, featuring Aahana Kumra, Ayush Mehra, Rajat Kapoor along with cameos of several Bollywood celebrities - Farah Khan, Ali, Richa, Lara Dutta, Jackie Shroff, Dia Mirza, releases on October 29 on Netflix. Richa said: "It was a really blessing to be shooting opposite Ali for the first time. I love the French show and I am happy someone thought it could work in the Indian setting." 'Call My Agent: Bollywood' is inspired by the French multiseason show, 'Dix Pour Cent' (Ten Per Cent). The show offers hilarious glimpses into the world of glitz, glamour and drama. Richa added: "The director was so open to ideas, he allowed us to improvise and come up with comedic lines. Shaad is cooking up a treat and I cannot wait for the release."
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D
iana Penty's performances have a certain charm. On camera, the actress appears a natural and her presence lights up the screen. The actress impressed with her work in 'Shiddat' and she is now set for 'Adbhut'.
wrote, "Love at frost sight! ????"
While her followers were intrigued to know about her next project, Diana recently broke the news about working on an intriguing project titled 'Adbhut'. And now she is providing them a sneak peek from her shoot diaries.
Talking about 'Adbhut', this time, the actress will take the route of a spooky thriller for her part. The film's shoot has already begun in Shimla and will also star Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Shreya Dhanwanthary. The film is being produced by Sony Pictures Films India in association with Sabbir Khan Films and will be distributed by Sony Pictures Films India in 2022.
The actress took to her Instagram and shared a reel set against the backdrop of snow-clad mountains. She did an interesting wordplay with her caption as she
Dressed in a stylish sweatshirt, a pair of denims and trendy sneakers, she gave a glimpse of the magical world to her followers as she topped her reel with the track, 'Kho Gaye Hum Kahan'.
TV actress Kamya Panjabi joins Congress in Mumbai
IANS
Mumbai, Oct 27 (IANS): The Congress got a fresh dose of glamour with well-known television actress Kamya Panjabi joining the party here on Wednesday.
Mumbai Congress President Bhai Jagtap and other leaders like Charan Singh Sapra welcomed Panjabi to the party fold. Shooting to popularity with her appearance in the reality show "Bigg Boss-7" (2013), Panjabi has been working in the entertainment industry for over two decades and had expressed a desire to join politics and serve the masses. Congress activist Niraj Bhatia and other leaders shared pictures of her joining the party on the social media. Kamya, 42, has worked in several teleserials including "Banoo Main Teri Dulhann", "Maryada: Lekin
Kab Tak", "Shakti - Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki", "Rethi", Astitva... Ek Prem Kahani", "Piya Ka Ghar", and "Kyun Hota Hai Pyaar". Besides, she has acted in Bollywood films like "Na Tum Jaano Na Hum", "Yaadein", "Phir Bhi Dil Hai Hindustani", "Koi.. Mil Gaya", and music videos like "Mehndi Mehndi" and a play "Pajama Party"
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Nov 1-15, 2021 - Vol 2, Issue 9
ENTERTAINMENT
'Tadap' trailer featuring Ahan Kriti Sanon, Rajkummar Rao get Shetty, Tara Sutaria out Wednesday candid about on-screen chemistry M Instagram
is something I really appreciate".
'Hum Do Hamare Do' is a wholesome family comedy about a man who goes to hilarious lengths for love, as he ends up adopting a "mum and dad".
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ctors Rajkummar Rao and Kriti Sanon, who are gearing up for the release of there upcoming family entertainer 'Hum Do Hamare Do', have talked about their on-screen chemistry in the movie. Kriti said: "Raj is a very giving
actor, and that is his best quality as a co-star. When your fellow actor gives a spellbinding performance, where they literally tear up even when the camera is placed at you and not them, it means they think of the whole film and not just their role, which
Rajkummar revealed: "Over the years Kriti has grown by leaps and bounds as a performer. She is very confident of her craft now, and that shows on screen. I remember Kriti flawlessly nailing even the most intense of scenes during shoot, which is a great sign of being an actor". Dinesh Vijan presents 'Hum Do Hamare Do', also stars Paresh Rawal, Ratna Pathak Shah and Aparshakti Khurana, directed by Abhishek Jain, produced by Dinesh Vijan, a Maddock Original film, starts streaming from October 29 on Disney+ Hotstar.
Ayushmann: I want to entertain people with positive message Instagram
B
ollywood actor Ayushmann Khurrana, who has a stellar line-up, including Abhishek Kapoor's 'Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui', Anubhav Sinha's 'Anek',
Anubhuti Kashyap's 'Doctor G' and 'Action Hero' helmed by debutant Anirudh Iyer, says as an artiste, he wants to be able to entertain people with a positive message. Ayushmann says: "It is hugely exciting for me to collaborate with some master storytellers who have some disruptive stories to tell and inspire audiences with. I want to tell audiences to expect the unexpected from my next four films. The actor, who has delivered eight back-to-back theatrical hits in a row, added: "I have been fortunate enough to get some remarkable scripts ever since my debut and
be part of incredible visions of powerful filmmakers wanting to make a difference to society. The storytellers of these films have some brilliant concepts that people haven't seen on screen before and that's what makes them really special for me."
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Talking about the film, director Milan Luthria says: "'Tadap' is a dark love story, and an extremely unusual debut film. Ahan Shetty and Tara Sutaria have authorbacked roles. Their chemistry shines through in a story that has intense romance, action and soulful music. 'Tadap' is an eye opener and reflects the changing tastes of our audiences. Get ready for a thrilling ride." The film is produced by Sajid Nadiadwala. While revealing more about the movie, Sajid adds: "It took a great deal of patience and determination to bring this gem of a film to audiences in the midst of a pandemic. Everything from
ctor Siddhant Chaturvedi, who rose to fame with his performance as MC Sher in the film 'Gully Boy', has revealed why the track 'Tattoo Waaliye' from 'Bunty Aur Babli 2' is a memorable song for him. Siddhant said: "Tattoo Waaliye is a memorable song for me because it is my first ever dance number in a film. It presents me as a commercial Hindi film hero! And boy, did I love it!"
She added: "Vaibhavi's choreography made it even more rocking and the steps are very
Produced by Sajid Nadiadwala, presented and co-produced by Fox Star Studios, Nadiadwala Grandson Entertainment production, 'Tadap' will hit cinemas on December 3.
Siddhant on first-ever dance number: 'Tattoo Waaliye' is memorable
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Talking about 'Tattoo waliye', Rani said: "It's a dance song straight after 'Ta Ra Rum Pum's Ab To Forever and while it's different this time as there is Siddhant and Sharvari too but Tattoo Waaliye is great so it was super fun shooting it."
the story, the performances, the chemistry between the lead pair and the music makes 'Tadap' a film that you don't want to miss."
IANS
IANS
ctor Saif Ali Khan, who will be seen shaking a leg with actress Rani Mukerji after over a decade in the upcoming film 'Bunty Aur Babli 2', says they needed a hit track such as 'Tattoo waaliye' to dance again after years.
"We are coming back to the screen again with the sole objective to entertain audiences thoroughly in 'Bunty Aur Babli 2' and it definitely needed a chartbuster like Tattoo Waaliye for Rani and I to dance again after years! It's a fun, party track that will pull people to the dance floor. We were a house on fire shooting it!"
'Tadap' is the Bollywood debut of Ahan Shetty.
"As an artiste, you only want to entertain and I want to be able to entertain people with a positive message that will hopefully affect some social change," he said.
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Rani said that she and Saif had a lot of fun doing a song together.
The 37-year-old actor considers himself an entertainer who is looking to deliver a positive message to society through his films.
Saif Ali Khan on shaking a leg with Rani Mukerji again
Saif said: "Every on-screen Jodi over the decades have had a unique calling card for audiences. For Rani and me, it has been romantic comedies and we have been lucky to have had chartbusting songs! 'Hum Tum' especially had blockbuster music. Rani and I had a blast filming such songs and dancing to them."
umbai, Oct 27 (IANS) The trailer of Ahan Shetty and Tara Sutaria-starrer 'Tadap' is out Wednesday. This movie is a Hindi remake of the Telugu film 'RX 100'. It is directed by Milan Luthria and it is a romantic action drama
cool and relaxed. It's a very groovy number and gets stuck in the head the more you hear it. Tattoo Waaliye is the kind of song one can hear on loop." 'Bunty Aur Babli 2' also stars Siddhant Chaturvedi and debutante Sharvari. Directed by Varun V. Sharma and produced by Yash Raj Films, 'Bunty Aur Babli 2' is all set to hit the screens on November 19.
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He added: "I remember I rehearsed incessantly and put in a lot of hours to get every step bang on before the camera rolled. I'm glad to have found a dancing partner like Sharvari for Tattoo Waaliye because she is also a perfectionist who likes to work hard to get everything spot on. We had an amazing time rehearsing and shooting the song with Saif sir and Rani maam. We were a house on fire." Debutante Sharvari is also over
the moon about the first dance track of her career. "'Bunty Aur Babli 2' is a special film for me because so many firsts of my career are going to be attached to this project. It is not only my big-screen debut but it has also given me my first big dance number as a heroine in Hindi cinema." She added: "I love dancing and I particularly love dancing to Hindi film songs. So, Tattoo Waaliye is a dream come true in every aspect. Sid and I were in awe of Rani maam and Saif sir's sizzling chemistry in the song and so we were inspired by them to bring out our version of a Bollywood power pair. We had a blast shooting it and I hope the audience love the track too." 'Tattoo Waaliye' has been sung by Neha Kakkar and Pardeep Singh Sran. Yash Raj Films' 'Bunty Aur Babli 2' is directed by Varun V. Sharma.
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Nov 1-15, 2021 - Vol 2, Issue 9
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GREATER SPRINGFIELD MEDICAL & OFFICE SUITES Mater applauds Springeld City Group for the establishment of the specialist suites adjacent to Mater Private Hospital Springeld. The hospital is looking forward to productive conversation and partnerships with doctors who move into this facility. Justin Greenwell Director, Mater Private Hospital Springeld
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