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Dedicated to democratic process PSBs to receive Rs 9k cr in J&K: PM Modi at all-party meet from assets of Mallya, Nirav Modi and Choksi New Delhi, June 24: In the first all-party meeting involving leaders from Jammu and Kashmir after the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on June 24 that the Centre is fully committed to the democratic process in J&K, and holding Assembly elections in the region just like the successful conduct of the District Development Council (DDC) polls is a priority.
Photo Courtesy: IANS
New Delhi, June 23: State-run banks will get a total of Rs 9,041.5 crore through the sale of assets belonging to economic offenders such as Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi and Mehul Choksi, attached or seized by the Enforcement Directorate under the provisions of PMLA.
Taking to Twitter, Indian Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on June 23 said that fugitives and economic offenders will be
Delimitation, roadmap for Assembly polls, Continued on Page 3
actively pursued and dues would be recovered by attaching their properties. "Fugitives & economic offenders will be actively pursued; their properties attached & dues recovered. #PSBs have already recovered Rs 1357 Cr by selling such shares. A total of Rs 9041.5 Cr shall be realised by banks through sale of such attached assets," she said. Continued on Page 3
Amid business concerns knowledge sharing No rush to re-open Australia's to boost investment interest: Aussie official borders: Trade Minister
New Delhi, June 15: Knowledge among investors of both Australia and India regarding the commercial interests and regulatory framework in both the countries would help improve the trade and investment relations between the two countries, said Catherine Gallagher, Minister Commercial, Australian High Commission New Delhi and Head of Austrade South Asia.
that the perception seems to be changing now with the reform agenda picking pace in India.
Observing that there has been a lingering perception over an adverse business environment in India, the Official told IANS
India Business Exchange (AIBX) would play a major role in making business communities in both the countries aware of the
She also said that Australian Trade and Investment Commission has been passing on communication to the Australian businesses on the changing scenario in India in a bid to drive them to invest in India.
opportunities available to them and the regulatory environment.
“I think there is a perception that doing business with India can be difficult and they can have issues. But now we have also seen what we are pushing in our communication to our Australian businesses, the length at which India has moved forward and moved up in the ease of doing business and also the regular reform and the pace at which India has been changing,” the official told IANS.
Canberra, June 20: Australia's Trade Minister Dan Tehan has declared that the government is in "no rush" to re-open the country's international borders.
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Tehan on June 19 confirmed that Student Visas I Skilled Visas I Tourist Visas Australia is negotiating a potential travel bubble with Singapore but Temporary Graduate Visas I Business Migration that a final decision would be made by medical experts based Family stream Visas I Partner Visa Specialist I Sponsored Visas on the spread of Covid-19 variants of concern, reports Xinhua news Gallagher was of the view that Job Ready I Skill Assessments I AAT representation agency. the recently launched Australia "That will largely depend on how these various variants play out and the monitoring of those circumstances," Tehan said.
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July 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 25 Parliamentary panel to seek explanation from Twitter for locking accounts: Tharoor
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July 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 25
COVER STORIES
Dedicated to democratic process PSBs to receive Rs 9k cr in J&K: PM Modi at all-party meet from assets of Mallya, Nirav Modi and Choksi
Continued from Page 1 restoration of statehood and bringing back Kashmiri Pandits were the key issues discussed in the crucial all-party meeting on Jammu and Kashmir that was chaired by Prime Minister Modi and involved leaders from different political parties in J&K.
The meeting lasted for more than three-and-a-half hours with nobody raising cross-border issues, sources said. In the first such meeting held nearly two years after the erstwhile state of J&K lost its special status and was bifurcated into two Union Territories -Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh -- the Prime Minister heard all the suggestions and inputs put forward by the participants and expressed happiness over everyone sharing their frank and honest views. It was an open discussion which revolved around building a better future for Kashmir with the main focus on strengthening the democratic process in J&K.
related to the delimitation process and elections in the erstwhile state.
It was proposed that the elections could take place soon after the delimitation process, to which most of the participants agreed. Delimitation is a prerequisite for conducting Assembly polls -something which the authorities and the political class are looking forward to as they seek to kick the political process into a higher gear, an objective which can speed up the development process in J&K. The Prime Minister emphasised the need to strengthen democracy at the grassroots level and work together with the people of Jammu and Kashmir to ensure their upliftment. He expressed happiness on the commitment to the Constitution and democracy espoused by all the participants and said that even one death in J&K is painful and "it is our collective duty to protect our younger generation".
Restoration of statehood in Jammu and Kashmir, Assembly elections, domicile rules, bringing back Kashmir Pandits and release of political prisoners were among the five key demands raised by the Congress, senior party leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said after the marathon meeting.
Modi further stressed that "we need to give opportunities to the youth in Jammu and Kashmir and they will give back lots to our country".
The President of Jammu and Kashmir Apni Party, Altaf Bukhari, said that each speaker was heard patiently by the Prime Minister and the major discussions were
The Prime Minister expressed satisfaction with the acceleration of development in J&K and said that it is creating new hope and aspirations among the people.
The developments achieved by J&K were discussed in detail during the meeting, including the many pro-people initiatives.
He further said that when people experience corruptionfree governance, it inspires trust among them to extend their cooperation to the administration, something which is visible in Jammu and Kashmir today.
Modi said that there would be political differences, but everyone should work for the national interest to benefit the people of Jammu and Kashmir. He stressed that an atmosphere of safety and security needs to be ensured for all sections of society in Jammu and Kashmir, adding that he wants to remove the 'Dilli ki Duri' as well as 'Dil Ki Duri'. "We are committed to ensure all round development of J&K. The future of Jammu and Kashmir was discussed and the delimitation exercise and peaceful elections are important milestones in restoring statehood as promised in Parliament," Union Home Minister Amit Shah tweeted after the meeting. Four former J&K Chief Ministers were among the 14 leaders who took part in the meeting. Three of them -- National Conference leader Farooq Abdullah, his son Omar Abdullah and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chief Mehbooba Mufti -- were put under detention for six months to one year from August 5, 2019, when the changes were enforced. Congress' Ghulam Nabi Azad was the other former J&K CM who took part in the all-party meeting chaired by the Prime Minister
Amid business concerns knowledge sharing to boost investment interest: Aussie official
Photo Courtesy: Bhaskerlive.in
in the upcoming Australian financial year starting July largely in the healthcare and medical sector. In the past couple of months, a lot of progress has been made in terms of the exchange. She said: "We are currently looking at a lot of work for the demand study report on critical minerals." Gallagher also said that Australian companies can play a significant role in terms of skill and technology sharing with India liberalising its mining sector.
Catherine Gallagher, Minister Commercial, Australian High Commission New Delhi and Head of Austrade South Asia.
Continued from Page 1 She noted that more work needs to be done to highlight the reform agenda undertaken in India. The AIBX would play a major role in sharing information to the business entities in both the countries. AIBX is a fouryear programme and significant progress is expected to be made
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Other areas where Australia can share its expertise with India include infrastructure, water and rail technology among others, she said. "We are doing a lot of work in water, also in rail technology, really exploring the opportunity to work more closely around critical minerals demand." With a view to providing prospective investors an in-depth knowledge on the opportunities available in both the countries and the existing environment, she said the AIBX website goes sector by sector in terms of its approach,
Photo Courtesy: India Tv News
as every sector has its own dynamics and regulatory issues. Talking of the sector-specific studies being undertaken, she said: "We have a health sector report being commissioned. We have just put up an e-commerce market report. We have an infrastructure report being commissioned and an alcohol and wine report that is being commissioned." All these reports would provide the required insight to prospective investors, she said. She also expressed hopes that offline, person-to-person meetings would soon start to boost the relations between the trading community and investors of both the communities. Inviting Indian investors to Australia, Gallagher noted that Australia has been doing "incredibly well" in the face of the pandemic and the business environment there is conducive for new businesses. With several Indian companies already present there, she said: "Any new player would be in good company."
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Clockwise from left_ Vijay Mallya, Mehul Choksi and Nirav Modi
Continued from Page 1
The Enforcement Directorate (ED) earlier on June 23 handed over assets worth Rs 9,371 crore belonging to fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya, Nirav Modi, Mehul Choksi to state-run banks to realise the losses on account of the fraud committed against them. The ED has booked the three on the basis of the FIR filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The ED statement said that it has attached or seized assets worth Rs 18,170.02 crore which included assets worth Rs 969 crore in foreign countries. "The quantum of the attached and seized assets represents 80.45 per cent of total bank loss of Rs 22,585.83 crore," it said, adding that the investigation by the ED has proved that a substantial part of these assets were held in the names of dummy entities, trusts, third persons, relatives of these
accused.
"Today, DRT on behalf of SBI led consortium, has sold shares of United Breweries Limited for Rs 5,824.50 crore," it said, adding that further realisation of Rs 800 crore by sale of shares is expected by June 25. It also said that due to the cooperation and help extended by the ED, Public Sector Banks have already recovered Rs 1,357 crore by selling the shares earlier. "Thus, the banks shall be realising a total amount of Rs 9,041.5 crore through sale of a part of assets attached/seized by ED under the provisions of PMLA," the ED said. "As on date, out of total attached or seized assets of Rs 18,170.02 crore under provisions of PMLA, assets worth Rs 329.67 crore have been confiscated and assets worth Rs 9,041.5 crore, representing 40 per cent of total loss to the bank have been handed over to the Public Sector Banks," it added.
No rush to re-open Australia's borders:Trade Minister
Continued from Page 1 "It has been made very clear that we will only create a bubble with Singapore when it is safe for us to do so, and in the meantime we're looking at what would be the processes that would enable that to be as safe as possible." The travel bubble between Australia and New Zealand opened in April, allowing quarantine-free travel to and from Australia for the first time since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. However, the government has refused to say when Australia's borders will be opened to travellers from all countries and regions. Tehan's comments on June 19 came after Prime Minister Scott Morrison said the government would spend the next six months monitoring the spread of Covid-19 internationally and
efficacy of vaccines before making a decision on the borders. "The jury is out on that and it will be a while, I think, before the epidemiologists can have greater clarity on that. We have to be patient for the evidence and the science," Morrison told News Corp Australia. Morrison, who is in quarantine after returning from an overseas trip, said a system that identifies people who are fully vaccinated would be key to further travel bubbles. "In Europe they have a system which works green light, red light. And the green light is if you've had it, so you have the antibodies, if you've had a PCR test within the relevant period or you're vaccinated. These things feed back into other databases to enable the border clearance," he said.
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July 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 25
ADEVRTORIAL
Neerja’s Painting Classes: Business thrives in Greater Springfield A
rt classes are proving a big hit in the Greater Springfield region thanks to a local mother and daughter duo. Springfield Lakes’ Jyotika Raniga ( Jyo) and daughter Neerja run a home-base art studio, Neerja’s Painting Classes, from their home. Their business which started two years ago with just five students has significantly increased to 90 students. Jyo, a passionate award-winning art teacher, said her 16-yearold daughter, also attended her classes. “I teach modern contemporary, folk art and traditional style painting however these are just a few of many other styles. I work with mainly acrylic paint and water paint,” Jyo said. “My youngest student is three years old and my oldest is 16. My daughter inspired me to start the art classes for kids. “Both myself and my students have participated in many competitions and have won awards… we work very close with the Vedanta Centre Springfield during the vacation care program and doing special art projects.” Neerja’s Painting Classes includes art education for gifted children and adults. A range of art classes are available for beginner, elementary, intermediate, and advanced students.
Masterclasses include private lessons as well as adult and children workshops. Jyo said it was important for students to explore their creative side. “When we nurture creative thought, we help a child to perceive underlying facts and ideas, to see old problems in new ways. And when we nurture creativity in students, we help them develop the very traits they will need in order to become the productive adults of tomorrow,” Jyo said. Jyo moved to the Greater Springfield region four years ago and said it was “one of the best decisions” she made. “Greater Springfield offers all the facilities, amenities and is one of the fastest growing areas I have ever known,” she said. “This suburb is surrounded by beautiful parks, lakes and overall it has a great mixture of community and culture which is what we were looking for as a family. “I’m so happy to be part of the Greater Springfield community.” Full day school holiday art courses are offered throughout the year. For more information visit www. facebook.com/Neerja’s painting classes or phone 0423764428 or email jyoraniga@yahoo.com.au
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July 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 25
INDIA NEWS
ADEVRTORIAL
Springfield welcomes Queensland government’s announcement of new public hospital Hospital and Health Service for their cooperation in servicing the current demand from this region.” Mr Sinnathamby recognised that Greater Springfield had been a large contributor to the population growth with 48,000 residents now calling it their home. He expects the Greater Springfield population will be 60,000 by the time the new hospital opens.
“The region has experienced a population explosion with new frontiers such as Ripley, and Greenbank and Flagstone adding significantly to the population of the region,” he said.
Springfield, May 31: Springfield City Group Chairman, Maha Sinnathamby today welcomed the State Government’s announcement of a new public Hospital to service the fast growing population between Brisbane and Ipswich.
Assistant Treasurer (the Member for Jordan Charis Mullen) have been on the ground, seeing firsthand the rapid growth of this corridor and we appreciate their support that will now guarantee the delivery of further health services for the region.
postcode.
Speaking at a media conference at the Mater Private Hospital Springfield, Mr Sinnathamby said: “We know the Premier, Treasurer, Minister for Health and the
“This expansion will not only service the 585,000 people who live within a 22-minute drive, but also the parents of the 1000 plus babies born every year in the 4300
“The new public hospital will help address the increasing demand for public hospital services in South East Queensland. We also extend our thanks to Metro South
“We also thank the West Moreton Hospital and Health Service for the work they have done across this rapidly growing corridor, which has enabled health providers to step up and service the population.
“Being the master planner for this corridor, we always knew that health had to be an integral part of the services offered. “Nearly 15 years ago, we engaged Harvard Medical International to work with us to plan “Health City” – a 50-hectare precinct that will provide for the health and wellness of this rapidly growing region. “This isn’t just about hospital care, but seniors living, respite, purpose built residential accommodation for people with
special needs, a medi hotel, research, a medical innovation precinct, specialist care providers and health education. This precinct will also provide 19,000 full time jobs on completion.”
Mr Sinnathamby welcomed the important role played by Mater, a not-for-profit health care provider, in the Greater Springfield community since 2015. Hospital Fast Facts: The Mater Public Hospital Springfield will deliver: ➡ 174 public overnight and sameday beds ➡ Intensive Care Unit and Maternity Services ➡ A much-needed Emergency Department in the region ➡ Increased interventional spaces, such as operating theatres and endoscopy suite ➡ Increased clinical capability of the service, meaning more complex care can be treated locally ➡ Increased private bed capacity and services in the region Work on the new Hospital will begin immediately and is expected to officially open in 2024.
Luxury, lifestyle, location — welcome to Dress Circle Located in the heart of one of Australia’s fastest growing regions, Brookwater is Brisbane’s best kept secret for luxury living. Crafted around the Greg Norman designed golf course, Brookwater provides a rare combination of prestige golf-side living and natural bushland beauty. With over 800 families already calling Brookwater home, we are pleased to introduce the next stage of this exclusive community — your own architecturally designed piece of paradise — Dress Circle.
We welcome you to experience Brisbane’s best kept secret when it comes to luxury living, and choose from our leading architectural collaborators to design your dream home — with all architectural fees complimentary with your Dress Circle land purchase.
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Life on Brookwater’s Dress Circle is within 10 minutes of everything you need — commuter rail to the city, private and public schools, childcare centres, a university, a private hospital, shopping centres and a thriving commercial precinct.
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July 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 25
INDIA NEWS
Farmers urge President to 'Save Agriculture & Democracy' Mumbai, June 24: The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) has sought President Ram Nath Kovind's intervention to 'Save Agriculture and Save Democracy' on the occasion of the 47th anniversary of the Emergency and the completion of seven months of the ongoing farmers' agitation, a top farmer leader said here on Thursday.
"We are sending a memorandum from all over India to the President, expressing our deep anguish and indignation, and appeal to him to protect both our agriculture and democracy," said All India Kisan Sabha President and SKM leader Dr Ashok Dhawale. Indian society calls farmers 'annadaatas' (food providers) and in the past 74 years since
Independence, they fulfilled that responsibility.
"When India became Independent, we used to feed 33 crore citizens, today in the same extent of land, we manage to feed around 140 crore Indians. During the coronavirus pandemic, while the other sectors in the economy decelerated and slumped, we achieved record production in agriculture, ensured that our granaries were overflowing and risked our lives," said the memorandum to the President. However, in return for this service to the entire country, "the Government of India has thrust the 3 anti-farmer black laws" which will destroy our farming as well as our future generations, snatch agriculture from our hands and hand it over to big
corporations, it said.
There are other swords hanging over the farmers' heads -penalties or jail for stubble burning in a new Ordinance related to Delhi's air pollution and subsidy withdrawal through the Electricity Amendments Bill, 2020, said Dr Dhawale. The memorandum -- which will be sent to the President through various state Governors and other channels -- terms the three Central farm laws as 'undemocratic', created without consultations with the farmers, thrust in the form of Ordinances, tabled in Parliament before sending to Committees for further study or debates, and while pushing the Bills voting by division was not allowed in the Rajya Sabha, etc.
Another Chinese nabbed in Bengal like the Rachen La pass on the Sikkim-Bhutan border near Doklam, where Chinese military intrusions were resisted by the Indian army in 2017.
Photo Courtesy: IANS
These areas are on the strategic Siliguri Corridor that connects the Indian mainland with its seven northeastern states.
Kolkata, June 25: Another Chinese national has been nabbed in West Bengal by Sahastra Seema Bal (SSB) personnel while she was attempting to enter Bhutan, police said. Ni Wai Lin, 52, was arrested on Thursday evening in Jaigaon, Alipurduar district, while she was trying to cross into Bhutan's Phuntsoling town. The police said she had a valid Chinese passport but her Indian tourist visa had expired. Lin has been handed over to Intelligence Bureau (IB) for questioning. The IB's Counter-intelligence cell is interrogating her. Lin's arrest comes within a fortnight of BSF intercepting
a Chinese national Han Junwe in Malda district while he was entering India from Bangladesh. He confessed to procuring 1300 Indian SIM Cards which were used to perpetrate financial frauds. But IB is exploring a 'national security' angle as Han's network linked to financial frauds could also be used for paying off Chinese agents in India. Lin's arrest is also significant because two Chinese tourists have been recently arrested -one from Bihar-Nepal border, another from Lava in Bengal's Kalimpong district. Both were found to have taken sharp high resolution photographs of strategic areas
Former IB official Benu Ghosh told IANS that Chinese field espionage activity around the Siliguri corridor have intensified since the 2017 Doklam crisis. "Since the Ladakh crisis in summer of 2020, the Chinese agencies have stepped up their field intelligence profile along the long Himalayan border. For that, they are sending Chinese operatives under cover of tourists or business-persons. The Siliguri Corridor is quite naturally their focus, because of India beefing up defence in the strategically vulnerable area," he told IANS. "These agents are using our neighboring countries to enter India. West Bengal sharing borders with Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh becomes a significant focus of Chinese espionage activity," Ghosh said.
Conversion racket has roots in several states Lucknow, June 25: After the Uttar Pradesh ATS arrested Umar Gautam and Jahangir for illegal religious conversion of at least 1,000 underprivileged youth, the state police have found the syndicate's penetration in around 24 states. Additional Director General of Police (ADG) Law and Order, Prashant Kumar, said, investigators are reaching out to families who were lured into converting to Islam and found that the gang had a well-oiled machinery with a countrywide reach. "The issue is sensitive and under investigation. We will launch an
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ATS helpline number for parents who wish to divulge information on forceful conversion of their children. We are interrogating Umar Gautam and Jahangir and gathering clues," he said.
ATS officials also raided two establishments linked to accused Umar Gautam in Malihabad and Hardoi and documents seized from the campus are being scrutinized to track source of funds. "Umar was Vice-President of the Malihabad unit and we are trying to find out if the two institutes were used as a base for forceful conversion," said an officer involved in the investigations.
A senior ATS official said that a school principal who made Urdu and Arabic compulsory for Hindu students in Fatehpur will also be questioned.
"Umar Gautam would often visit the school accompanied by 20 clerics," said a teacher who lodged a complaint against the principal. On Monday, the ATS arrested Umar Gautam and Jahangir from Delhi on charges of converting poor women and children with speech and hearing disabilities. The ATS is looking into various schools for children with speech impairment.
NEWS FROM INDIA
Ayesha Sulthana gets anticipatory bail in sedition case Kochi, June 25: Lakshadweep film personality Ayesha Sulthana, who earlier this month got interim bail from the Kerala High Court, on Friday got anticipatory bail in the sedition case she has been charged with by the Kavaratti police.
Photo Courtesy: IANS
A complaint was registered by Lakshadweep BJP unit president Abdul Khader against her as she had in a TV channel debate, here on June 7 said that the "Centre used biological weapons for the spread of Covid in Lakshadweep", which according to the complainant was anti-national. The Kavaratti police registered a case against her under non bailable sections and had asked her to appear before the police on June 20.
I had said, I had immediately apologised for my mistake," said Sulthana after hearing the news that she had been given anticipatory bail.
She then applied for the anticipatory bail. The court granted her interim bail and directed the police, in case she needs to be arrested she should be given bail immediately.
The notice that was served on Sulthana by Sub Inspector Ameer Bin Mohammed contains charges under 124 A and 153 B of the CrPC, both of which are non-bailable offences.
She reached the island and presented herself before the police. She has been questioned by the police for three days.
Incidentally, following the move by Khader, several BJP leaders and workers in the island had resigned from the party.
"I have appeared before the police and they have behaved with me very well and I have no issues with them. I had full faith in the judiciary. When I realised what
Sulthana hails from Chelath Island in Lakshadweep, and is based here. Besides being a model, she has worked in numerous films in Malayalam.
Indore, Surat win the Smart City Award, UP wins state award New Delhi, June 26: The Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs on Friday announced the results of India Smart Cities Competition (ISAC) 2020 in an online program on the sixth anniversary of Smart Cities Mission (SCM), AMRUT and Pradhan Mantri Awas YojanaUrban. Indore and Surat got the award jointly in the urban category, while Uttar Pradesh won the state award. The three urban missions were announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on June 25, 2015. According to the results, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu stood
second and third respectively in the state category, while Chandigarh bagged the UT award. Ahmedabad got first, Varanasi second and Ranchi third in Smart Cities Leadership Award. Nine cities including Surat, Indore, Ahmedabad, Pune, Vijayawada, Rajkot, Vadodara, Visakhapatnam, Pimri-Chinchwad got 4 star rating in Climate Smart Cities Assessment Framework. The awards were announced by Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and ministry Secretary Durga Shankar Mishra.
Congress hits back at PM after 'Dark Days of Emergency' remark New Delhi, June 25: Reacting to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remarks on the occasion of the 46th anniversary of Emergency, the Congress said on Friday that a "PM who has trampled democracy shouldn't preach others". Taking to Twitter, the Prime Minister said, "The #DarkDaysOfEmergency can never be forgotten. The period from 1975 to 1977 witnessed a systematic destruction of institutions. "Let us pledge to do everything possible to strengthen India's democratic spirit, and live up to the values enshrined in our Constitution."
"This is how Congress trampled over our democratic ethos. We remember all those greats who resisted the Emergency and protected Indian democracy..." Reacting to the Prime Minister's comments, Congress General Secretary Randeep Singh Surjewala Tweeted: "Says a PM, who is synonymous with three 'S' - Suppress, Stifle & Subjugate." The tweet further said: "A PMwho has undermined Parliament, A PM-who has disdain for Constitution, A PM-who has eroded Institutions, A PMwho has trampled Democracy, shouldn't preach, for India is under 'Modi-gency' for 7 yrs."
In another tweet, Modi said,
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July 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 25
Parliamentary panel to seek explanation from Twitter for locking accounts: Tharoor Photo Courtesy: IANS
New Delhi, June 26: After Union Information Technology Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad and Congress MP Shashi Tharoor were temporarily locked out of their Twitter accounts on Friday, the latter said that he would seek an explanation from the microblogging platform for its actions. "As Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Information Technology, I can state that we will be seeking an explanation
from @TwitterIndia for the locking of @rsprasad's & my accounts & the rules & procedures they follow while operating in India," Tharoor said in a tweet.
In an earlier tweet, the Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram had said: "And @Twitter locked me out again because to explain the problem, the first tweet in this thread included the offending copyrighted video. Locking is a foolish response to a DCMA notice; disabling the video (which they've now done) should be enough. @Twitter has a lot to learn." Earlier in the day, Prasad was denied access to his Twitter account for almost an hour over alleged violation of the US' Digital Millennium Copyright Act. After being temporarily blocked, Prasad said in a series posts on Koo, the India-made micro-
blogging platform: "Twitter's actions were in gross violation of Rule 4(8) of the Information Technology (Intermediary Guidelines and Digital Media Ethics Code) Rules 2021 where they failed to provide me any prior notice before denying me access to my own account." Prasad, who has been at the forefront of the government's drive to bring in more compliance and stricter norms for social media platforms, added: "It is apparent that my statements calling out the high handedness and arbitrary actions of Twitter, particularly sharing the clips of my interviews to TV channels and its powerful impact, have clearly ruffled its feathers." "No matter what any platform does, they will have to abide by the new IT Rules fully and there shall be no compromise on that," he added.
NIA files charge sheet against 7 terrorists
Photo Courtesy: IANS
New Delhi, June 25: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a charge sheet against seven terrorists of the Tehreek-UlMujahideen (TuM) who were party to a conspiracy by its Pakistanbased handlers and their terror associates based in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch and Kuwait to execute terrorist activities and wage war against the country. An NIA spokesperson said that the anti-terror probe agency filed the charge sheet on Thursday before a special NIA court in Jammu against the seven accused persons -- Mohammad Mustafa Khan, Mohammad Yaseen, Mohammad Farooq, Mohammad Ibrar, Mohammad Javid Khan,
criminal conspiracy by Pakistanbased handlers of TuM and their terror associates based in Poonch and Kuwait to execute terrorist activities and wage war against the Indian State.
Sher Ali and Mohammad Rafiq Nai aka Sultan under several sections of IPC, UAPA, Arms Act, Explosive Substance Act and NDPS Act. The case relates to the arrest of Mohammad Mustafa Khan by J&K Police on December 27 last year and also the recovery of six hand grenades along with other documents from his residence. A case was registered at the Mendhar police station of Poonch District. The NIA took over the probe on March 16 this year. The official said that during the probe it was revealed that all seven charge-sheeted accused were part of a deep-rooted
The official said that absconding accused Rafiq Nai and other handlers based in Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK) with assistance of Sher Ali based in Kuwait, Mohammad Mustafa, Mohammad Yaseen, Mohammad Farooq, Mohammad Ibrar, Mohammad Javid and others on the Indian side of LoC in Poonch district smuggled arms, ammunition, explosives, narcotics, etc. into the Indian territory. "They were taking advantage of geography, affinities of religion, culture and other ties cutting across both sides of the LoC," the official said. The official said that during the course of investigation, a large cache of arms, ammunition, explosives, narcotics along with flag, posters and other incriminating material belonging to the terror outfit TuM, which was hidden at different places in Poonch was recovered.
Ex-CBI Director RK Raghavan appointed Prof at Jindal Global Law School
Photo Courtesy: IANS
New Delhi, June 24: Demonstrating its commitment to institutional excellence, O.P. Jindal University ( JGU) brings one of India's most eminent personalities to its academic community. R.K. Raghavan, former Director of Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), former Head of the Interpol in India and Former High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Cyprus will be joining Jindal Global Law School as a Professor in Criminal Justice and
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Policing. Raghavan also brings with him decades of rich academic experience. He completed Bachelors in Physics and Masters in Politics and Public Administration from the Madras University.
He went onto obtain an M.A. in criminal justice from the Temple University, Philadelphia, USA. Later he was a Visiting Library Fellow at the Rutgers University and the Harvard Law School. He was also a member of the International Advisory Board
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NEWS FROM INDIA
Notify assessment scheme for class 12 in 10 days: SC to state boards Photo Courtesy: IANS
New Delhi, June 24: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the state boards to notify their respective assessment schemes for Class 12 students within 10 days, after the cancellation of physical examination, and also declare results before July 31. A bench comprising Justices A.M. Khanwilkar and Dinesh Maheshwari said: "We direct all the State Boards to ensure that the Schemes are formulated and notified at the earliest and not later than 10 days from today and also declare the results of internal assessment by July 31, which is the time-line specified for CBSE and ICSE." In its order, the top court said: "In addition, the Scheme must provide for a proper mechanism for redressal of dispute or grievances of the students after declaration of results, as has been done in the case of CBSE and ICSE Boards." The bench also emphasized that as per its previous observation there is no possibility of having a uniform assessment scheme for all boards across the country. The bench said: "We are not going to direct uniform scheme, as each board is autonomous and different." The top court added, "However, we further make it clear that we are not endorsing the correctness and validity of the proposed Schemes, to be so formulated by the concerned Boards. That will be considered on its own merits, of the Institute of Criminology, Cambridge University, UK. He has multiple publications to his credit which include Police, Personnel and Perspectives (Manohar 1989) and Policing a Democracy (Manohar 1994). He also co-authored Indian Mujahideen Computational Analysis and Public Policy (Springer 2013). His most recent publication is his memoir 'The Road Well Travelled' (Westland 2020). He is also a frequent contributor to news publications on a wide range of critical public issues such as policing standards, police misconduct, violence and crime in society and the rationale of capital punishment. Raghavan has served as the Head of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) New Delhi. His tenure at the CBI saw a large number of high profile cases including the Bofors scandal, the
if and when occasion arises." On June 22, the Centre told the Supreme Court that there cannot be any uniform assessment policy for all board examinations, which include those of the CBSE, the ICSE and the state boards. Attorney General K.K. Venugopal, representing the Centre, told a bench headed by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar that all boards are autonomous bodies, and are empowered to formulate their schemes in connection with the assessment of Class 12 students. He told the top court that the life of each student is protected by Article 21 of the Constitution, and it is not safe or prudent to have a written exam amid the ongoing pandemic. "Students cannot be compelled to take examination during the pandemic. For example, if something happens to a student, then his/her parents will sue the board," Venugopal said. The top court was hearing a PIL filed by advocate Anubha Sahai Shrivastava seeking cancellation of state board examinations in the backdrop of Covid situation. Only, Andhra Pradesh government is emphasizing on conducting physical exams for Class 12 students. The top court has favoured internal assessment scheme over holding physical exams. During the pendency of the petition, several state boards had announced the cancellation of exams. Priyadarshini murder case and the cricket match-fixing scam. As the Head of Interpol in India, Raghavan was closely associated with the workings of the organization, attending several proceedings and conferences globally. Founding Vice Chancellor, O.P. Jindal Global University C. Raj Kumar, said, "We are very excited to have Dr Raghavan at JGU as his vast experience will enrich the quality and diversity of teaching and learning at the University. His diverse career as the Head of CBI, High Commissioner of India to the Republic of Cyprus and work across the private sector will enable him to make his contribution to institution building and academic excellence. This is going to be an extraordinary opportunity for JGU students to learn from his rich experience and knowledge."
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July 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 25
INDIA NEWS
Sydney enters week-long lockdown Photo Courtesy: IANS
virus, Berejiklian said the state is "likely to see more cases in coming days, mainly from household contacts".
Morrison govt accused of 'narrow' approach to Covid vax Photo Courtesy: IANS
Sydney, June 25: Australia's biggest city of Sydney entered a week-long lockdown from June 25 as local health authorities are struggling to contain a fresh Covid-19 outbreak fueled by the highly infectious Delta variant. The restrictions, which were imposed from June 25 midnight and will remain in place till 11.59 p.m. on July 2, affects more than 1 million Australian who live or work in four densely-populated areas in Sydney -- Woollahra, Waverley, Randwick and City of Sydney Councils, reports Xinhua news agency. Under the new restrictions, people can only leave their homes for essential shopping, providing medical care, outdoor exercise and essential work or education. "We understand this is a difficult time for everyone, however we need to take these steps now to get on top of this outbreak. People should only enter the four local
government areas for essential purposes," said a statement from Premier of New South Wales (NSW) Gladys Berejiklian and Health Minister Brad Hazzard. The decision came after a continued surge of local transmission. The state recorded 11 locally acquired cases of Covid-19 in the last 24 hours. There are now 65 total cases linked to the initial cluster in Sydney's eastern suburb which was caused by a driver, who was infected with the Delta variant and tested positive earlier in June. The health authorities have listed 55 close contact venues, over 80 casual contact venues and 15 public transport routes, among which many are densely populated venues such as shopping centres, cafes and fitness clubs. Due to the high virility of the
"What we really need are clear rules for all Sydneysiders that say stay home so that we can get ahead of the virus and stop further transmission," AMA President Omar Khorshid said. "The Delta strain is different. It is being transmitted far more easily and everyone has acknowledged this. Sydney has not faced this before and this means a different approach is required." In response to the latest announcement, the neighbouring states of Queensland and Victoria both warned their residents not to go to NSW and non-residents from hotspots in Sydney were not allowed to enter. Queensland also required all people returning from the designated areas in Sydney to follow the same lockdown rules.
Covid vaccinations to be ramped up by July end Canberra, June 22: Australia will ramp up the availability of Pfizer's Covid-19 vaccine after further limiting access to the AstraZeneca jab, a top official said here. Addressing a press briefing here on June 21, Vaccine rollout coordinator and Royal Australian Navy Commodore Eric Young said that 136 vaccination centres will be administering the Pfizer vaccines by the end of July, up from 22 currently, as more supply becomes available, reports Xinhua news agency. Coordinator General of Operation Covid Shield, Lt. Gen. John Frewen, said in the same press conference that at the moment they were still in a resourceconstrained environment. "But on current forecasts, we are
looking forward to a ramp-up of availability of Pfizer through August into September and into October," he said. A meeting of the National Cabinet was held by Prime Minister Scott Morrison on June 21 to discuss the ramifications of the decision to restrict access to the AstraZeneca vaccine. The Australian government announced earlier in June that the vaccine would be made available to people aged 60 and over on the recommendation of the technical advisory group on immunisation, rather than those aged 50 and over as was previously recommended. Health Minister Greg Hunt said the updated advice was based on new evidence demonstrating a
higher risk for the very rare TTS (thrombocytopenia syndrome) condition in the 50-59 age group. According to Hunt, AstraZeneca remains recommended for those aged 60 and over based on the much higher risk of illness and death from Covid in this age group, and the lower risk of this condition. "All states and territories agreed to prioritize Pfizer appointments for people aged 40-59 and Phase 1a and 1b eligible people under the age of 40 years of age," Morrison said in a statement after the meeting on Monday. As of June 22 morning, there have been 30,356 confirmed cases of Covid-19 in Australia, with 910 deaths.
Deputy PM loses in leadership challenge Canberra, June 21: Deputy Prime Minister Michael McCormack has been defeated by National Party member Barnaby Joyce in a leadership contest. According to the Australian Broadcasting Corporation's report, a spill motion was moved to bring on the leadership vote at a party room meeting on June 21 morning, when Joyce won in a very close contest, reports Xinhua news agency. The Nationals form the governing
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Coalition with Prime Minister Scott Morrison's Liberal Party. The leader of the Nationals has served as the Deputy Prime Minister since the Coalition won power in the 2013 election. It was reported by local media over the weekend that McCormack, the leader of the National Party, is facing a leadership challenge, with a vote on whether to move a noconfidence motion expected to take place in a party room
meeting on June 21. Earlier on June 21, Morrison showed his support behind his second-in-command amid leadership speculation. "I've got a wonderful partnership with Michael. We've worked very closely together," Morrison told Nine Entertainment radio. "The Nationals will have their discussions, I'm sure, as they always do, and we'll just get on with the job."
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over-60s on the advice of the Australian Technical Advisory Group on Immunisation (ATAGI). Duckett said many people over 60 had lost confidence in the AstraZeneca vaccine after the decision to limit its use.
At the same time, the partial lockdown, which may see people who work in the designated areas but live outside under different restrictions than their neighbours, has prompted many to question its effectiveness and called for a broader lockdown. The Australian Medical Association (AMA) called on the NSW government to immediately lockdown all of Metropolitan Sydney to give it a better chance of tackling the outbreak of the new dangerous Delta strain.
NEWS FROM AUSTRALIA
"We really have to get vaccination rates up amongst people over 60 up to the 95 percent level," he said. "That is critical, but realistically that might not happen until more Pfizer is available."
Canberra, June 25: Australian experts have accused the federal government of a narrow-minded approach to the country's coronavirus vaccine strategy. Former secretary of the Department of Health Stephen Duckett said on June 25 that Australia's troubled vaccine rollout was doomed from the start after the government limited itself to a narrow range of candidate vaccines, reports Xinhua news agency. "It was the wrong choice back then and it's even more clearly the wrong choice now, and we are reaping the consequences of that," said Duckett, according to the Nine Entertainment newspapers on June 25. "We were much, much more narrow in our investment decisions than practically every other advanced economy in the world. Other countries hedged their bets across six, seven or eight vaccines, but we only chose four." The government has signed agreements to acquire vaccines from AstraZeneca, Pfizer, Novavax and Moderna, the first two of which have been approved for use by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA). However, access to the AstraZeneca vaccine, of which Australia bought 53.8 million doses, has been limited to
The move to restrict access to the AstraZeneca vaccine was a significant blow to a rollout that was plagued by supply issues in its early stages. The government earlier aimed to have 4 million Australians vaccinated by the end of March and the entire adult population by October. The 4 million doses milestone was not reached until May 28 and the government is now aiming for all willing recipients to have at least one vaccine dose by the end of 2021. "At our current pace of roughly 780,000 doses a week, we can expect to reach the 40 million doses needed to fully vaccinate Australia's adult population in mid April 2022," said the Australian Broadcasting Corporation on June 25. Prime Minister Scott Morrison in May declared that the vaccine rollout was "not a race" but Covid-19 outbreaks in Melbourne and Sydney have increased political pressure to vaccinate the country with an election due in 2022. Bill Bowtell, a strategic health policy consultant from the University of New South Wales, said Australia was "behind every comparable country" on vaccines. "We're here because a year ago the Australian government, with eyes wide open, rejected the logical thing to do, which was to back every horse in the race," he said.
NZ extends pause on quarantine free travel with NSW Wellington, June 25: New Zealand on June 25 extended the pause on quarantine free travel to the country from New South Wales state for a further 12 days, Covid-19 Response Minister Chris Hipkins said. There are now 36 recent community cases of Covid-19 in New South Wales, including four not yet linked to the existing outbreak that are urgently being investigated by Australian health officials, reports Xinhua news agency. This decision follows a further public health assessment in which officials consider a range of factors, whether any new cases are identified, the results from COVID-19 testing of any contacts identified and from the wider
Sydney community, Hipkins said in a statement. The government strongly believes a cautious approach is the best course of action while these investigations continue, he said. New Zealand public health staff remain in close contact with New South Wales authorities about the actions being taken in Sydney, and will later review the decision to continue the pause, he added. Anyone who was at a location of interest at the specified times cannot travel to New Zealand within 14 days of the exposure event. This applies to all travellers, no matter which Australian state or territory they are departing from, the Minister said.
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July 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 25
INDIA NEWS
NEWS FROM THE ACT
ACTPS Graduate Program Cycling to build connection among 2022 open for applications migrant and refugee women Photo Courtesy: Massey University
Canberra, June 22: On a Sunday afternoon, whether the skies are cloudy or clear, a group of women come together to ride bikes. It might not seem out of the ordinary for Canberra – the footpaths are often filled with cyclists on any given weekend – but this group has a deeper purpose. The women are participants of Girls on Bikes, a free learn-to-ride program which aims to mobilise and connect migrant and refugee women in the Canberra community in a safe and supportive space. The program is modelled on Pedal Power’s Cycle Well Learn to Ride program, which teaches basic bike skills to adults who have never ridden a bike or want to refresh their beginner skills. In the Girls on Bikes program,
participants are provided with a free bicycle and helmet to help them continue their cycling journey at the end of the course. Held under the auspices of Pedal Power ACT, the program is run by a team of passionate volunteers, including previous Girls on Bikes participants who have now been trained as cycle instructors. The idea was formed in 2016 by Canberran Sophie Fisher, who was teaching English to migrant and refugee women when she discovered many of the women had never ridden a bike. As a keen rider, she knew the benefits of cycling and decided to share her passion while connecting women. Since its launch in 2017, 120 women have successfully completed the program, meeting
in groups of about 10 once a week. One of the program’s longest serving volunteers, Jess Abramovic, said getting involved with Girls on Wheels was “really important” to her. “There’s a lot of obvious benefits and changes in the women, but one that we didn’t realise was that some of the participants would become good friends,” Jess said. “Two women in one of the groups actually realised they were from the same country and lived just two doors away from each other. They now catch up together with their kids regularly.” Jess said some of the volunteers had been participants in the program who are keen to pass on their knowledge to others. “It’s amazing what riding can do, and in a lot of cases it can transform lives or make lives easier,” she said. “Some of the women can now go for rides with their children which they couldn’t earlier. That’s a skill they want to pass on.” Jess said most participants have not only been grateful for the skill of cycling, but for the lifelong friendships. “One piece of feedback I received was from a woman who said she was so thankful that we have been by her side,” Jess said. “She told me, ‘we feel so at home and so free with one another.’ It was incredible to hear something like that.”
Gungahlin College wins CIT Bridge Challenge Photo Courtesy: cit.edu.au
Canberra, June 2: Made of only small pieces of wood, nails and glue, the bridge could hold a weight of 250 kilograms – about the same as a petite grand piano. Painstakingly constructed by students from Gungahlin College, it was the recordbreaking strength winner of the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) Bridge Challenge, which encourages students to design and build the strongest bridge possible to support a load in time-trialled heats against rival schools. Eleven schools and 86 students from years 9 and 10 entered this year’s challenge, which has been running since 2015. Students were given materials in March and had until May to complete their bridges, either in their own time or as part of their school curriculum. Teams were asked to prepare bridge designs that showcased construction, efficiency, and strength solely with the materials supplied, with the end result being the total amount the bridge
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can hold before destruction. The challenge is open to teams of students currently enrolled in years 9 and 10 or in building and construction Certificate I or II at schools, with winning teams receiving engraved trophies. Event organiser Tony Cowlishaw said the challenge gives students a taste of possible career opportunities available in the construction and engineering fields. “At the last bridge challenge we had some carpenters walk past, and they said to the teachers ‘the reason I’m doing carpentry today is because of the bridge challenge,’' he said. “They hadn’t thought of it as a career path before that. So it’s about broadening the range of learning and recognising that students may not always be aware of all the different career and study options after they complete high school.” Challenge participants Daniel and Theo, from Canberra High School, helped their team build a bridge that held a total of 205 kg before breaking. Daniel said it was an excellent engineering experience. “We had to make three other bridges before the final one to test the weight, so I enjoyed working out the structure and seeing how it affected each bridge's performance,” he said. Theo said the challenge may have changed his career path. “Originally I was thinking of going into construction - now I am looking into a career in
engineering because I enjoyed this so much,” he said. This year’s challenge was supported by Project Coordination, National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) and Geocon.
Preschoolers request to get traffic lights fixed
Canberra, June 22: A group of Belconnen preschool students are proving you’re never too young to make a difference. When students at the Southern Cross Early Childhood School in Scullin noticed a set of traffic lights on the school’s bike track weren’t working properly, they decided to put their problem-solving skills to the test. With the help of their teacher, Kathleen Johansen, the children worked together to submit a Fix My Street request to Transport Canberra and City Services’ (TCCS) Traffic Signals Unit. “We discovered [the lights] were kindly given to us, but were no longer working,” Kathleen said. “We did lots of learning around what we could do to get these fixed/replaced. We worked really hard to write a letter to Transport Canberra explaining our problem and asking if anyone was able to help us.” The TCCS team said they were “touched” by the request facebook.com/indianewsaustralia
Canberra, June 21: Applications are now open for the 2022 ACT Public Service Graduate (ACTPS) Program. With three rotations across two directorates, and comprehensive learning and development opportunities, the 10-month graduate program will provide individuals with the foundations and networks to kickstart a meaningful career with the ACTPS. As an ACTPS Graduate one will receive competitive remuneration and entitlements, including a starting salary of over $74,000 and a promotion and permanent job as an Administrative Services Officer 5 (or equivalent) when one successfully completes the program. Current graduate Tina said she was attracted to the program as she wanted to join a unique and rewarding work environment. “The chance to experience different rotations across directorates appealed to me as you get to gain experience and develop your skills across government,” Tina Procter said. Former graduate Cameron Dawson now works as an HR Advisor in the ACTPS and said when he was applying for numerous graduate programs, the ACTPS stood out to him. “In my time as a graduate, I really enjoyed gaining exposure to various areas of the ACTPS in each of the different rotations of the program,” Cameron said. “It is a great way to get your foot in the door of the public service, gain experience across various areas of the ACT Public Service,
and you get to meet so many great people who are all working in so many different ways to make the ACT a great place to live.” The ACT Public Service is diverse and innovative. The work is interesting, meaningful, challenging and fulfilling – and ACTPS employees can make a difference to Canberrans’ lives every day. “The grad program so far has been such a rewarding experience where your work makes a positive impact. We are shaping the future of the ACT,” Tina said. The ACTPS Graduate Program was expanded in 2020, to ensure that all candidates who were found highly suitable in recent Graduate Assessment Centres were offered a role in the 2021 ACTPS Graduate Program. A talent bank of graduates to work within the Strategy and Transformation Office (STO) has also been established, as well as a neurodiversity pilot program through Specialisterne for two further graduate positions for individuals with autism. “When you join the ACTPS Graduate Program you are joining a workforce that values diversity. The ACTPS values the different backgrounds, talents and abilities every person has and ensures that we’re treated equally,” Tina said. Graduates receive competitive remuneration and entitlements and a permanent job when they successfully complete the program. Applications for the 2022 Graduate Program opened on Monday 21 June 2021 and will close on Sunday 1 August 11.59pm.
Canberra, June 25: For 2021 ACT Young Australian of the Year Tara McClelland, nominating someone for the Australian of the Year Awards is essential to “raise awareness of people in the community who are doing important things”. Since its inception in 1960, the Australian of the Year Awards have recognised the outstanding achievements of incredible Australians. Tara is passionate about supporting and advocating for the rights and wellbeing of young people in the ACT. She said the opportunities that have come her way since receiving the award would not have been possible if she hadn’t been nominated. “If you embrace it like I’ve tried to and take every opportunity that comes your way, the amount of people you get to meet, the impact you can make and the platform it gives you, I would never have been able to do some of the things I’ve done
without the Australian of the Year Awards,” she said. Across four award categories – the Australian of the Year, Senior Australian of the Year, Young Australian of the Year, and Australia’s Local Hero – Australians from all backgrounds are recognised and celebrated. “The awards recognise so many different areas, people doing things you may not have heard of or considered, but are so important to the local community,” Tara said. “Nominating someone can be such a huge thing to raise awareness about whatever issue that person is passionately working to improve. One of the things Tara has enjoyed is collaborating with her cohort of other Young Australian of the Year award nominees from across Australia. “It’s inspiring to see what each person is doing,” she said. Nominations close 31 July 2021.
and arranged for the maintenance contractor to restore the signals to service. “My preschool class
was so excited, and we have been using them this week,” Kathleen said.
Nominations open for Australian of the Year 2022
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INDIA NEWS
July 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 25
Bridge works commence on $662.5 million Bruce Highway upgrade Brisbane, June 25: The Bruce Highway upgrade between Caboolture-Bribie Island Road and Steve Irwin Way has reached another milestone with bridge works now underway. Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey said the works at King John Creek were for the first of 10 bridges being upgraded as part of the $662.5 million project. Mr Bailey said the footprint of the new Bruce Highway southbound carriageway was now clearly visible in the southern half of the project, between Caboolture-Bribie Island Road and Pumicestone Road. "More favourable weather over the past month helped the project make good progress, with ongoing earthworks, drainage installation, retaining wall construction and bridge work preparations occurring across the site," Mr Bailey said. "This has allowed the team to build a piling foundation pad at King John Creek to kick off bridge works. “This project is an important part of the Palaszczuk Government’s $27.5 billion, four-year roads and transport investment plan to support 24,000 jobs.” “Major infrastructure projects like this are helping drive Queensland’s economic recovery
from Covid-19.”
Member for Morayfield Mark Ryan said the 10 bridges, over five creek crossings, were being upgraded as part of works to create six lanes on this 11-kilometre section of the Bruce Highway. "Wider and higher bridges will be built at King John, Lagoon, Six Mile and Beerburrum creeks, as well as one unnamed creek, to provide a more reliable and floodproof trip for motorists,” Mr Ryan said. "Piling works will be initially carried out at King John Creek for the new southbound highway carriageway, then moved to Lagoon Creek in a couple of months. "Fifteen piles will be installed at King John Creek, each about 1.2 metres in diameter and 15 to 20m long.”
"Motorists will need to continue north on the Bruce Highway, past the current Exit 152, and take the new northbound Exit 152B,” he said. "I encourage motorists to pay special attention to construction signage when travelling through this area while they become familiar with the new arrangements. "Thank you to motorists and the surrounding community for your patience and cooperation as we implement these important traffic changes.”
Member for Pumicestone Ali King said another project milestone was reached earlier in June, when a new northbound exit (Exit 152B) opened for traffic travelling from the Bruce Highway to the D'Aguilar Highway. "The new exit ramp (Exit 152B) is located about 550 metres north of the old Exit 152, which motorists use to connect onto the D'Aguilar Highway towards Woodford and Kilcoy," Ms King said.
The project is expected to be completed in early 2023, weather and construction conditions permitting. It will support an average of 664 direct jobs during construction.
Brisbane, June 25: Nearly $5 million in investment will strengthen a booming exploration sector in Queensland. Resources Minister Scott Stewart said the Palaszczuk Government was continuing to back exploration in Queensland by providing nearly $5 million in funding for various programs through the State Budget. “The resources sector plays a vital role in supporting jobs across the state and it will be a key part of Queensland’s plan for economic recovery from COVID-19,” Mr Stewart said. “We know that supporting the exploration industry is important for finding new deposits and developing new projects. “In turn, more projects mean more royalties, exports and more jobs for Queenslanders. “That is why we are backing the sector with a range of grants and opportunities for explorers. “We will do this with $2.5
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The Palaszczuk Government has invested more than $6.8 million in exploration grants and programs since 2017. Mr Stewart said the latest ABS data showed exploration expenditure continued to grow significantly. “According to the latest ABS statistics, investment in Queensland exploration has increased by an impressive 22.5% per cent to $705 million in 12 months,” he said. “Queensland’s boost in exploration expenditure has come from strong growth in exploration for minerals (up 14.5 per cent) and oil and gas (up 53.1 per cent) compared to the previous 12 months. “Building on this, last year alone the Palaszczuk Government released a total of 8,205 square kilometres for gas exploration to maintain a pipeline of future resources projects.” “Backing the resources sector is a key part of Queensland’s economic recovery from the
Photo Courtesy: architectureau.com
Mr Bailey said the Bruce Highway service road northbound connection to the D'Aguilar Highway would be permanently closed to traffic and removed.
The Bruce Highway Upgrade – Caboolture-Bribie Island Road to Steve Irwin Way (Exit 163) project is jointly funded with the Australian Government committing $530 million and the Queensland Government committing $132.5 million.
million towards Collaborative Exploration Initiative grants and a further $2.2 million to help with the development and expansion of the New Economy Minerals industry in Queensland.”
Awards highlight Queensland’s commitment to build back better
"Motorists can no longer use the old Exit 152 to access the D'Aguilar Highway.”
Exploration remains a key focus in 2021-22 Queensland Budget
Photo Courtesy: Twitter
NEWS FROM QUEENSLAND
COVID-19 global pandemic.”
AMEC Chief Executive Officer Warren Pearce said attracting investment into mineral exploration is the catalyst for finding new resources and developing new mines. “Queensland continues to offer a highly supportive environment for exploration and mining investment and these grants will drive greater investment into the State,” he said. “Much of this private investment is expected to be directed towards finding new economic minerals, vital for producing renewable and clean energy technologies.” Terra Search managing director Simon Beams said exploration was a key part of growing the resources industry and finding the next deposit. “Grants like this are important to businesses that are focused on exploration,” Mr Beams said. “There has been a real boom in demand lately for exploration services as companies look to find the next potential deposit. “Terra Search is based in Townsville and we work closely with a range of junior miners as well as bigger operators to help with their exploration programs.”
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Brisbane, June 23: Queensland’s determination to ‘build back better’ from the global pandemic has been showcased through the exceptional quality of entries in this year’s Urban Design Awards. Minister for Public Works Mick de Brenni said Queenslanders had a growing appetite for high-quality urban design that enhanced the key features of liveability and lifestyle. “There were 24 nominations for the Urban Design Awards this year, ranging from city-shaping projects to smaller projects at the neighbourhood level,” Mr de Brenni said. “All of them reflect a state-wide commitment to good design outcomes within the built environment. “They also encourage communities to be active and connected - something important in a post-COVID world,” he said. The four major Urban Design Awards winners this year were: Built Award – Large Scale: Cox Architecture in collaboration with Counterpoint Architecture and Stadiums Queensland for Queensland Country Bank Stadium Built Award – Small Scale: Logan City Council with AECOM for the Slacks Creek Green Link + Dennis Road Shared Pathway and
Murrajong Streetscape Works Master Plan Award: Tropical Design Studio for Strategic concept masterplans in Northern Queensland country towns Policy Award: City of Gold Coast in collaboration with Arup and Dr Lyndal Plant for Urban Canopy Mapping Mr de Brenni also announced a new award for next year, the Middleton Award for Outstanding Liveable Design. “This award will honour Queensland Government Architect, Malcolm Middleton, who retires next month after 10 years helping to shape our state’s built environment,” Mr de Brenni said. “Under his guidance, we’ve seen a momentous shift in how the Government views urban design. Commendations for 2021 were received by Lat27 with University of Queensland for the UQ Gatton Campus Entry and Heart, Wolter Consulting Group with Moreton Bay Regional Council for the Caboolture to Wamuran Rail Trail as well as Sunshine Coast Regional Council for the Sunshine Coast Design Strategy and Book A number of entrants were encouraged to consider resubmitting unbuilt projects in forward years when they are substantially complete.
Community Stimulus Program to generate around 1,455 jobs in South East Queensland “The councils tell us that they Brisbane, June 24: South East Queensland will see $100 million invested in 113 local projects that will create almost 1,455 jobs.
A new cycling clubhouse at Murarrie Recreation Reserve, construction of Moreton Bay Housing and Homelessness Services Hub, a new Disaster and Emergency Management Centre on the Gold Coast, and a new Logan Central Youth Centre are just some of the projects to be funded through the Queensland Government’s South East Queensland Community Stimulus Program (SEQCSP). Deputy Premier and Minister for Local Government Steven Miles said as part of Queensland’s COVID-19 Economic Recovery Plan, the projects would make a positive impact on communities. “There’s no doubt these projects will produce enormous benefits by creating employment opportunities and improving liveability,” Mr Miles said.
expect around 1,455 jobs will be created or supported through delivering these projects, which is a great result for local economies and local families. “Investing in infrastructure that will improve communities and create local jobs is part of the government’s Economic Recovery Plan.” Assistant Minister for Local Government Nikki Boyd said local councils were best placed to understand the specific needs of their communities. “Last year, South East Queensland councils received $100 million in similar funding to help deliver 151 projects that would help with COVID recovery,” Ms Boy said. “These projects have created or supported more than 2,500 jobs. “The Palaszczuk Government has worked with local councils to ensure the best local projects are funded though this round, supporting another 1,455 jobs.
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INDIA NEWS
July 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 25
NEWS FROM QUEENSLAND
Kannada Sangha Queensland 2020-21 journey By Naveen Krishnamurthy
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he last eighteen months have been unprecedented in our lifetime. A pandemic as severe and brutal as the COVID-19 was last witnessed exactly a 100 years ago, in the form of the ‘Spanish Flu’ in 1918-20. With all the advancement in technology, science and medicine, our expectations of better preparation for the COVID-19 came to nought as Mother Nature unleashed her fury. This pandemic has affected millions across the world, fatally, mentally, financially, and often ignored but important, socially. There are various studies being done on the impact of this pandemic in different areas. However, one area that has not been given enough importance in these studies is the social impact on the general public and communities. Kannada Sangha Queensland (KSQ) Executive Committee realized this and strove hard to ensure the Kannada Community in Queensland were interacting socially through various events and platforms. During the early part of the last year, KSQ was forced to cancel planned events in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic entering Australian shores and wreaking havoc. Keeping in with the norm, KSQ made a small effort to help students, community members in ways it could and reached out to the community to volunteer. In July 2020 the incumbent Executive Committee handed over the responsibility to a new team. Given the situation, the new Executive Committee had their task cut out and big shoes to fill in. The prevalent pandemic conditions only made the challenge harder. The author is a member of this Executive Committee and is proud to be associated with the team that set out to make a difference. The first and foremost challenge was to get to know each other with no option to have regular, face to face meetings. This was the same time offices, schools, colleges, government organizations were beginning to adjust to “lockdowns” and restricted movements. Although online video and audio meeting platforms were existing before 2020, the pandemic forced everyone to look at these platforms in a different light. KSQ EC was no different and we had our first meeting online. This gave rise to an idea to host online programs and events to engage the community, like Taranga – a knowledge sharing event, “Thatt Antha Heli” – a unique quiz program to name a few. The KSQ EC adapted to the new way of things quickly and effectively. The Executive Committee planned to host Ganesh Chaturthi, a traditional yearly event for KSQ. However, the rise in COVID-19 cases at the time
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forced the cancellation of the event. Various options like remote events being telecast via video, social media attendance for the event held in a private house among others were considered but not proceeded with, due to non-feasibility. Thankfully the number of COVID-19 cases dropped significantly in the following months that allowed the restrictions to be eased; people could gather at events and there was hope.
The Executive Committee started discussions around the possibility of Rajyotsava and Deepavali Festival of Lights, being the first public event in a long time. The fact that KSQ was celebrating its 25th year of existence only added to the fervour and expectations. However, it was still early days of eased restrictions and there was an uneasy calm all around. Although the event was a possibility, a lot of care and planning was needed to ensure it was held following all government regulations and recommendations. This was no easy task, and unprecedented in the history of KSQ. Lots of lengthy online discussions and phone calls led to a plan being created. The event was split into tasks and responsibilities were assigned to all EC members. Everything from announcing the event, registration, contact tracing capabilities, appropriate labels and posters, seating, sanitization and social distance, distribution of food, invitation and welcoming guests, entertainment programs were carefully planned keeping within the COVID-19 directions. Despite a few scares, the event went ahead and was a grand success. Members attended and supported the event in big numbers, followed all regulations and enjoyed an evening of togetherness and joy. At the conclusion, there was a warm sense of elation and quiet confidence amongst all members of the EC. KSQ Rajatha Mahotsava, Rajyotsava and Deepavali was a reality and the plans were executed almost to the proverbial T.
alike. Conditions permitting, there could be more events planned, the community could be engaged better and given a reason to put aside worry and uncertainty albeit for a short while. This gave rise to the idea to have an evening of relaxed entertainment including singing, dancing and acting. The EC named this event Samskruthika Sanje, an evening of Cultural extravaganza. The planning and execution of the prior event had prepared the EC well to follow similar planning within the rules and regulations boundaries to deliver another outstanding event which was well attended and received by the wider community. All this while, the online programs continued with talks on Mental Health, Cooking, Personality Development, Resume Writing to name a few. Geographically, the northern hemisphere welcomes the spring season during the month of April, which is usually when Ugaadi, the Kannada New Year is celebrated. Traditionally Ugaadi is celebrated in Queensland in the form of an event hosted by KSQ. The EC did not want to miss an opportunity to keep the tradition
alive. Despite the usual venue not being available, EC members found out a few alternate venues and decided on an auditorium in a local school as the venue to host Ugaadi Utsava. The new norm of registration, seating, food, programs were planned according to the government regulations. This seems to be the new normal for a few years to come. As with the previous two events, Ugaadi Utsava was greatly supported by KSQ members and patrons. With all the traditional and cultural events done, a casual meet and greet picnic was organized by the EC recently. The thought process behind this picnic was to allow our newest members to introduce themselves to the community in a cool, casual
setting and hope to provide a platform for friends, old and new, to mingle amongst one another, play a relaxing game or two, enjoy lunch and have some “fun in the sun”. The picnic was a fitting way to end the events for the year. One of the highlights of the events held during the last year has been members’ resolve, support and willingness to follow the rules and regulations. KSQ Executive Committee thanks its members wholeheartedly for the unending support and guidance. In a few weeks, this Executive Committee will hand over the reins to a new one. The author hopes that the efforts and work put in by this Executive Committee has made a positive impact on KSQ members in a challenging year.
One of the notable effects of the ongoing pandemic is the lesser availability of blood donors due to a variety of reasons. The need for blood donation is constant since donated blood can be stored only for 42 days after which it is disposed of. Generally, one person in Australia needs blood every 3-4 seconds. Additionally, one in three Australians will need blood at least once in their lives. KSQ organised a Blood Donation Drive with support from Australian Red Cross lifeblood to raise awareness about an important and effective way to help our loved ones, friends and community. The successful planning and execution of the first event led to a raise in expectations of the wider community and the EC
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July 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 25
INDIA NEWS
EDUCATION
India News-JGU-IAIE SMART program JGU has signed Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs) with Australia-based INDIA NEWS and Institute for Australia India Engagement (IAIE) to create opportunities for students to undertake internships in Australia. With INDIA NEWS and IAIE students will participate in the Student Mentoring and Research Training (SMART) program over a period of 1-2 months. As a part of the internship students design, edit and publish this page which contains commentaries by them on issues which they deem relevant for Australia-India relations. Page Editor: Ms. Anushka Saxena, Lady Sri Ram College (graduate), New Delhi Associate Page Editor: Ms. Vaibhavi Nagar, JGU Commentators: Mr Dhruv Kumar Jha, Ms. Harshita Calla, Ms. Sumedha Maheshwari, Ms. Sri C. Khyati Reddy, Mr. Shivam Shukla and Ms. Tanya Goel ( JGU students and graduates) Page Editor's Note
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s the interning Page Editor for India News under the SMART Program it is my profound pleasure to bring to you select ideas and perspectives by our young team of interns on a range of themes that characterize the Australia India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership. These focused pieces of ideas mirror what future leaders think about the India-Australia cultural, defence, trade, economic and energy ties. In this issue, first, Vaibhavi Nagar talks about the revival of the India-Australia Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement, the bilateral discussions over which have now begun after a 6 years hiatus. Second, India
and Australia have a long way to go in their energy partnership, especially through their uranium and LNG exchange programs, argues Shivam Shukla. Third, C. Shri Khyati Reddy discusses “cricket diplomacy” between India and Australia noting the significance of the upcoming Pink-Ball Day-Night Test between the women’s teams. Fourth, how Australia manifests its soft power appeal primarily through its international education and student exchange program, is covered by Harshita Calla in her piece. And finally, I discuss the scope of Australia-India technological and cyberspace cooperation following the June 2021 meeting of the Cyber Security Joint Working Group.
India-Australia energy ties
By Shivam Shukla, O.P. Jindal Global University
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ndia and Australia have shared cordial relations with each other for a very long time, as both countries are bound by the shared ethos of democracy and pluralism. A number of engagements in fields such as Energy, sports, defense, bilateral trade, strategy, student exchange programs, and sustainable development have made this relationship all the more dynamic. Energy cooperation in recent years has been one of the most pivotal factors in strengthening ties between these two countries. Energy ties between India and Australia trace their roots to colonial rule under the British East India Company. From the first commercial export in the form of a shipment of coal to
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India from Australia in 1797, energy cooperation has come a long way. India has made several attempts to ensure a greater supply of coal and natural gas from Australia. In September 2014, in order to strengthen the energy ties, a Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement was signed between two states, however it came into force in November 2015, and in the year 2017 Australia shipped its first supply of uranium to India, paving the way for a substantial, new trade and energy partnership between Australia and India. This deal ensures unhindered uranium supply to India for civil use by Uranium mining companies of Australia, with a belief that supply would not be used by India in contravention to international non-proliferation obligations. This is officially the first instance in which Australia is supplying uranium to a country that has not signed the Non-proliferation Treaty (NPT) - a big step towards better India-Australia relations. The two states are also trying to figure out ways to work jointly on boosting the production of geothermal and solar energy, so as to enhance clean-energy technology cooperation, among other things. Australia, in 2021, overtook Qatar as the largest exporter of Liquefied Natural Gas in the world, and in this light, Australia’s long-term and secure LNG supply can help diversify India’s currently highly concentrated import of supplies from the Middle East.
India-Australia JWG on cyber security
By Anushka Saxena, Lady Shri Ram College for Women (graduate)
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ndoubtedly, the COVID-19 Pandemic has demonstrated to us the importance of a strong technological and cybersecurity infrastructure. At the same time, it has opened portals of suspicious activity in how our digital data is used, interpreted and manipulated. It has also made nation-states question each other on the validity of their claim over certain data, and on the roots of the technological infrastructure they promise to each other for cyber enhancement - the most recent case being that of Chinese Company Huawei’s 5G Network. In this context, bilateral and multilateral cooperation, like the AustraliaIndia Framework Arrangement on Cyber and Cyber-Enabled Critical Technology Cooperation, have become significant for the establishment of a trustworthy digital global system, and to provide a positive momentum to the effective utilization of cyber and critical technologies. A result of the June 2020 Virtual Summit between Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne, the abovementioned Framework Agreement sits “at the core of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.” This is so because both partners have much to offer to each other, and together to the world, in cyberspace. A vivid example is that of rare-earth elements (REEs), which also ropes in the shared concerns of both nations over their dependence on China. Australia possesses one of the largest reserves of REEs, and this group of 17 elements found in nature is well-suited for use in batteries, CDs, mobile chips,
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fibre-optic telecommunications, and much more. At the same time, India possesses a skilled labour force and an advanced industrial setup that can help streamline both, the production process involving the use of REEs, and the application of the final products across Information Technology (IT) Services. Clearly, this bilateral setup can also help provide an alternative supply chain to reduce dependency of the two nations, and the region, on Chinese electronics, to a great extent. Within the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue as well, the establishment of a “Critical and Emerging Technology” Working Group demonstrates the two nations’ commitment to development of a “free, open and inclusive Indo-Pacific;” one that can be based on openness of critical technology as well. In the recent past, developments on cybersecurity cooperation have made progress, especially as the first meeting of the IndiaAustralia Joint Working Group
A result of the June 2020 Virtual Summit between Indian External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Australian Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne, the abovementioned Framework Agreement sits “at the core of the India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.” ( JWG) on cybersecurity took place on June 10, 2021, as part of the five-year plan (2020-25) under the Framework Arrangement of June 2020. The meeting featured a discussion on strengthening of critical technology infrastructure in the 5G field, seeing as both parties have their fair share of woes against the current dominant player in the field - China. Australia became one of the first nations to ban
Huawei’s 5G network in the country in 2018. Also, while India did make plans to include Huawei in its 5G trials last year, in May 2021, the Department of Telecommunications allotted 5G spectrum licenses to various companies, but Huawei, or any other Chinese company for that matter, was excluded from the list. In this context, the various technological partnership initiatives between the two countries can help secure an infrastructural setup and a supply chain for 5G, in the Indo-Pacific. This setup must ensure sharing of best practices in the management and ethical use of such critical technologies as 5G, and a host of confidence and capacitybuilding measures to help with the evolution of infrastructure, so as to better meet the demands of the people. What is also important is addressing, rather deflating concerns over cancerous and immunocompromising risks of 5G cell phone/ tower radiation, as the issue has blown out of proportion in the past few weeks. Next on the priority list is Artificial Intelligence (AI). Amidst the absence of AI regulations and guidelines in India, there exists a “legal implications” lacunae in approaching AI and its privacy concerns. Over the past three years, a number of task forces and recommendatory bodies have been initiated in India to expand the understanding of AI systems, but they are yet to translate into action. Both India and Australia have developed norms for private stakeholders to venture into AI development, and have equally also framed legalities on the use of Autonomous weapons systems. However, there exists immense scope for further regulation. In being upholders of democratic values, both nations must work towards upholding openness and trustworthiness in AI, and one way to do this could be by domestically integrating G20’s “Human-centred” AI Principles, developed during the G20 Ministerial on Trade and Digital Economy in June 2019. Collaborative research is an important aspect in this regard, and the U.S $12.7 million Australian-India Cyber and Critical Technology Partnership Grants are a welcome step in this regard.
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INDIA NEWS
July 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 25
EDUCATION
Pink ball day night Australia’s soft power appeal test: A first for India
Shri Khyati Reddy, O.P. Jindal Global University
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ustralia and India enjoy a bilateral relationship in sports, and cricket remains central to it. Given the love for the sport of cricket in both the countries, and the competitive history that the Indian and Australian teams share, there is no doubt that the players of both countries and the viewers eagerly wait for matches between the two. While the Indian women’s cricket
team is currently putting up a tough fight against England in the ongoing red-ball cricket, another equally tough test awaits them. The team shall face the Australian team in its first ever maiden pinkball test at the Western Australian Cricket Association Grounds during their Australia tour in September. This match will be marked as the second pink-ball day-night test in the history of women’s cricket, which follows the first match between Australia and England in 2017. This test, as stated by the BCCI secretary, Jay Shah, truly represents India’s commitment towards women’s cricket. While the team sets off to create history and pave the future for women’s cricket in India, the Australian team, as highlighted by Ellyse Perry (of the players from the Australian team who shall be playing in the match), seem to be preparing to deliver their best at the match. Given that the Indian team last played a test against Australia in 2006, this match shall be an exciting one to witness.
Australia-India defence cooperation By Dhruv Kr. Jha, O.P Jindal Global University
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ndia majorly perceives Australia as a friend and has a very favorable outlook towards it. Both these countries share common values and goals, such as upholding the rule of law, economic growth and freedom of speech and expression. Also, both nations share substantial people to people ties in science, education, trade, and sports, which is easy due to the shared English language. The common threats, which have acted as a catalyst resulting in close cooperation between these two countries, include an aggressive expansionist China and Islamic Terrorism, both of which serve as a major threat. Previously India had resisted inviting Australia to the Malabar Naval Exercise for several years even though Australia was very keen on being invited, but after the recent
Ladakh clashes along the Line of Actual Control with China, and Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne openly supporting India in the parliament, criticizing the Chinese actions, India did invite Australia to Participate in the 2020 Malabar exercise. Today, both nations share a very healthy relationship, and the future has a lot more to give. The priority now is to majorly focus on defense technology and prepare a Joint Economic Development Program.
By Harshita Calla, O.P. Jindal Global University
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oft power was developed as a concept by Harvard professor Joseph Nye, who described it as “the influence and attractiveness a state can acquire and leverage, when others are drawn to its culture, political values, institutions and ideas”. Such power uses public perception and the voluntary efforts of people to
By Vaibhavi Nagar, O.P. Jindal Global University
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ndia and Australia are both secular democracies that share several cultural commonalities. Their overall relationship has grown in strength particularly due to trade. Australia is India’s
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Students from all over the world come to study in Australia, with India contributing the secondhighest number of students (i.e, 109,736). This inflow of students in Australia is beneficial
not only to its soft power but also to its economic strength, as international education contributed a total of $37.6 billion to its GDP in 2018/2019 (as per ministers.dese.gov.au). The reason for such an inflow can be attributed to the presence of world-renowned universities such as University of Sydney, University of Melbourne, and Queensland University, among others. The Universities in Australia offer a wide range of majors and programs for students to choose from, which opens doors of opportunity for pursuing a career of choice. Another benefit is that most of the population of the country is situated near the coast, which means one can be close to nature. The most likely incentive can be the Temporary Graduate Visa (subclass 485), which allows for the students to work in Australia after graduation.
India-Australia maritime cooperation By Anushka Saxena, Lady Shri Ram College for Women (graduate)
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iven the current dynamics of Indo-Pacific, the IndiaAustralia axis can emerge as a game-changer. Both nations play an important role in maintaining peace and stability in the region. Former Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s 2014 visit to India came with a vision to rapidly expand the bilateral partnership. In recent years, we see increasing endeavour for cooperation in the fields of defense and maritime security, primarily due to the converging interests of both nations in the region, the shared friendship with the United States, and the shared tensions with China. Now that the India-Australia relationship
has been upgraded to the status of being a “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership”, the time has come for bilateral action. Undoubtedly, the 2020 MDA and MLSA between India and Australia, and the AUSINDEX and AUSTRAHIND exercises have a great role to play, and so do the personnel exchanges for defense training. It would also be wise for India, Japan, and the U.S to include Australia in the Malabar Naval Exercise. The judicious use of the proximity of both nations to chokepoints like the Malacca Strait, and the creation of Special Economic Zones (SEZs) for each other’s businesses, can help the two nations cross-trade expectations. Moreover, the partnership of the two nations in the fields of nuclear and cyber-
security have immense potential for the future, given Australia’s Uranium and mineral-resource richness, as well as India’s advanced IT and cyber-security skill-set.
Future of India-Australia economic cooperation
Revival of the India-Australia CECA
8th largest trading partner and India is Australia’s 5th largest. On 12 May 2011, with the conclusion of the India-Australia Joint Ministerial Commission, the two countries officially agreed to commence negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA). Unfortunately, till date, the CECA negotiations have been painfully slow and unsatisfactory. Since its commencement, there have only been 9 rounds of negotiations for the CECA, and by 2015, the talks stalled over disputes regarding issues such as market access in agriculture and daily-life products. Both countries unofficially began reprioritizing the CECA after India exited the RCEP in 2019 over
engage with what a country has to offer, and Australia has done that well with its development of international education in this regard. International education is an example of soft power as it boosts public image, while also allowing a healthy exchange and confluence of ideas across cultures, along with more awareness about the people and culture of the home country. Over the years, the number of international students in Australia has been on the increasing side of a hundred thousand, with there being 738,107 international students in Australia as of October 2019 (as per Study-inAustralia.org).
By Sumedha Maheshwari, O.P Jindal Global University
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he expansion of bilateral relations between India and
disputes regarding high market access sought by several states. Australian High Commissioner to India, Barry O’Farrell, indicated that both the countries have reengaged in official discussions regarding the CECA. In 2020, the two countries also
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Australia should begin with improving trade. Previously, this sector has been lackluster. In 2021, India's imports from Australia were U.S $8.24 billion, and exports were U.S $4.04 billion, and ith Australia's relations with China becoming sour, it is an opening for India and Australia to achieve the potential of their trade partnership. Under the “Comprehensive Strategic Partnership” declared by India and Australia in 2020, the 'Indian Economic Strategy 2035' is a way to increase dialogue to raise trade. It seems to have worked as the Australian High Commissioner to India, Barry O'Farrell, recently revealed that official talks have begun for a Free
Trade Agreement. With these developments, the numbers might change soon. Australia exports coal, gold, and vegetables to India, while India exports petroleum, medication, and services to the other. Australia is currently looking to reduce its dependence on China after the latter imposed heavy tariffs on Australian exports. It wants to fill the market vacuum left behind by China, and the agricultural sector is the main focus. India has a massive market for Australia's premium food products. Hopefully, this year the differences between the two countries are resolved, seeing as Covid 19 has made it especially important that friendly countries help each other."
elevated their bilateral Strategic Partnership to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, under which Prime Ministers of both countries committed to restarting negotiations on the agreement in order to boost their economies post-COVID-19. The need for both countries to reduce their
dependence on Chinese supply chains could act as a catalyst to conclude this agreement at the earliest. It can be anticipated that the first issue to be addressed would be whether to resume talks at the point they were left off in 2015, or to start afresh.
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July 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 25
IAIE, Fight4Balance and India News organize International Day of Yoga 2021 in Brisbane
INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY 2021
Consulate General of India in Melbourne conducts virtual event to commemorate IDY 2021
Professor Muthupandian Ashok Kumar
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Dr Ashutosh Misra
By Dr Ashutosh Misra
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he 2021 International Day of Yoga was organized by the Institute for Australia India Engagement (IAIE), Fight4Balance and India News in conjunction with the Art of Living group, near the Mahatma Gandhi Statue at Roma Street Parkland, Spring Hill, Brisbane on Saturday, 19 June 2021. The event was supported by the Indian High Commission in Canberra. At the event IAIE CEO Dr Ashutosh Misra welcomed the participants and guests and highlighted that India’s stellar leadership in yoga is now recognised globally, since the United Nations announced 21 June as the International Yoga day, following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 27 September 2014 speech in the UN General
Mr Stephen Illidge
Assembly. He said that India’s proposal had received the support and co-sponsorship of 177 nations which is a record itself. Dr Misra also said that as Covid-19 continues to upend lives and livelihoods around the world, the relevance of yoga has become more profound to maintain a healthy body and mind. He also delivered a special note of acknowledgement for the Indian High Commission for supporting the event for the second year in a row. India News chairman and publisher Dr Ram Mohan also in his welcome remarks thanked the Indian High Commission, Fight4Balance and Art of Living for their support and emphasized on the relevance of yoga in the current scenario. Mr Stephen Illidge, CEO of
Dr Ram Mohan
Fight4Balance that helps children with mental disabilities said that kids need to build mental and psychological resilience and yoga is a great way to do it. He said that Australians love India’s soft power appeal including yoga very much and IAIE and Fight4Balance can play an important role in creating greater awareness about yoga and bilateral friendship, and his charity was proud to connect with the Indian community for the event and beyond. The session was conducted by Ms Seema Lathker of the Art of Living. IAIE Sports and Wellness program coordinator Dr Amol Wagholikar and Board Member Mr Muthuraj Guruswamy, local community champions and family and friends of the participating institutions were there amongst the participants.
Brisbane City Council, High Commission of India, Canberra and DJJS celebrate International Day of Yoga
City Council at Calamvale District Park, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia on June 13, 2021.
Sadhvi Deepika Bharti Ji
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special Yoga event was organised by Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan (DJJS) on the cordial invitation of the High Commission of India, Canberra and Cr. Angela Owen of Brisbane
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Local Councillor Angela Owen greeted the participants with a “Namaste” and said that it was a privilege for her to welcome everyone to the special event celebrating International Day of Yoga and thanked all the participants for making the event a special one. She also extended her gratitude to the DJJS representatives for organizing and coordinating the event.
Archana Singh, Honorary Consulate India, Brisbane welcomed everyone on behalf of the Government of India and the Indian High Commission in Canberra to the special event organised to showcase the wonderful virtues of the ancient art of Yoga and share it with the rest of the world. She also praised DJJS and Cr. Angela Owen for their successful organization of the event every year. She urged everyone to make Yoga a part of their daily lives in order to
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virtual yoga and meditation session was organised by the Consulate General of India, Melbourne in association with the University of Melbourne, The Art of Living and Heartfulness Institute on Saturday 19th June, 2021 to mark the seventh International Day of Yoga (IDY). This year’s theme was ‘Yoga for unity and well-being”. The event started with the lighting of the lamps and was followed by an opening speech delivered by Consul General Raj Kumar who delineated how 21st June was declared as the International Day of Yoga by the United Nations in 2014 after the current Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi had made recommendations for the same. The proposal which had found support from 177 nations culminated in the birth of the International Day of Yoga. Professor Muthupandian Ashok Kumar, Assistant Deputy Vice Chancellor International India, Acting Director of Australia India Institute and a professor of Chemistry at the University of Melbourne expressed that it was a honour to be an event partner and that the University has had the pleasure of conducting the IDY event in collaboration with the Consulate General of India, Melbourne for the past three years. He also stated that the University of Melbourne has been at the forefront providing aid to those most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. Professor Moira O’Bryan, Dean, Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne also emphasized the crucial role Yoga has been playing in helping individuals practising it gain mind and body relaxation especially in the past
Yoga session by volunteers of The Art of Living in progress
Dr Santosh Kumar Yadav
one year when stress levels have been peaking. She welcomed all the participants and urged all working professionals in particular to take out some time from their hectic schedule to practice Yoga in order to relieve themselves of stress. The Yoga session was conducted by the volunteers of The Art of Living while the Heartfulness Institute presented a meditation session. Dr Santosh Kumar Yadav of AYUSH Information Cell Melbourne-Australia gave an insight into the essence of yoga. Highlighting yoga as an activity facilitating the unity of individual consciousness with universal consciousness, he stated that yoga is instrumental in balancing and harmonizing body, mind and emotions. Prabhat Sangwan of the Consulate General of India, Melbourne closed the event by thanking all the participants whose involvement ensured the success of the virtual event.
become productive individuals with a resilient mind, body and spirit. An important highlight of the event was a virtual talk by Sadhvi Deepika Bharti Ji, a disciple of Shri Ashutosh Maharaj Ji from DJJS India; reiterating the expansive meaning of Yoga as mentioned in Vedic texts and busting popular myths and misconceptions about Yoga through an inquisitive Q&A session.
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July 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 25
FICQ, High Commission of India in Canberra and The Art of Living mark IDY 2021
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he Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland (FICQ) observed the seventh edition of the International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2021 on Sunday, 20th June 2021 at the Indooroopilly state high school, 111 Ward Street, Indooroopilly in Brisbane. The event was supported by the High Commission of India, Canberra and India News while the event was conducted by The Art of Living. The event was sponsored by George Hartnett Metropolitan Funerals. FICQ also thanked Senator Paul Scarr and Brisbane
INTERNATIONAL YOGA DAY 2021
Vasudeva Kriya Yoga conducts yoga session at Australian Federal Parliament as part of IDY celebration
City Council for their support. One of the special highlights of the event was the Yoga dance performed by young participants.
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Yoga session by volunteers of The Art of Living in progress
Deakin school and Aeon academy commemorate IDY 2021 Y
oung minds at Aeon Academy (Yarralumla Primary School) commemorated the seventh International Day of Yoga (IDY) in association with the High Commission of India, Canberra. The event was supported by Ms. Robyn Lewis who is a Yoga teacher and Yoga therapist.
Deakin school for early learning also celebrated the IDY 2021 in association with the High Commission of India, Canberra where young students took part in a Yoga session conducted under the guidance of Ms. Suzanna Thell who is a Yoga instructor for young minds.
asudeva Kriya Yoga, a nonprofit organization aiming to bring authentic Yoga to the modern world, conducted a yoga session at the Australian Federal Parliament in association with the High Commission of India, Canberra. The event was also attended by MP Jason Wood and MP-Member for Deakin Michael Sukkar. A representative from Vasudeva Kriya Yoga explained how regular Yoga classes across Australia have helped people to overcome various physiological
and psychological issues. The organization has been instrumental in promoting Yoga through various international events and also regular Yoga events at the Victorian Parliament. P.S. Karthigeyan, Deputy High Commissioner of India, Canberra delivered the welcome speech for the event which apart from various Australian and Indian government dignitaries was attended by various Yoga professionals from major cities of Australia.
ACT Legislative Assembly observes IDY 2021
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he Art of Living in association with the High Commission of India, Canberra organised a yoga session on 22nd June, 2021 at the ACT Legislative Assembly to commemorate the seventh International Day of Yoga (IDY) 2021. The participants performed
various yoga exercises and were enlightened about the holistic characteristics of yoga in strengthening the body and the mind thereby keeping many ailments at bay which is why it should become an integral part of everyone’s daily routine.
Aeon Academy students during a Yoga session
Students at Deakin school participate in a Yoga session
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July 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 25
INDIA NEWS
Pakistan media, foreign office unable to comprehend rapid Jammu and Kashmir moves Photo Courtesy: Twitter
Mahmood Qureshi said that India must refrain from taking any "further illegal steps" in Kashmir after its actions of August 5, 2019. The Pakistani Urdu paper the Daily Jung came out with the headline, "Modi's drama flops, puppet leadership of Occupied Kashmir also demands restoration of status quo."
New Delhi, June 25: Pakistani media is behind-the-curve, unable to grasp the real meaning of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's deft move to announce his intent to restore statehood to Jammu and Kashmir—a major strategic move after August 5, 2019, when J&K was turned into a Union Territory. Analysts say that PM Modi's masterstroke, which was made public following a meeting with top Kashmir mainstream parties on June 24 , docks with a budding peace process on J&K, which had commenced through backchannel talk between the two countries. The foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed , had confirmed that the behind-the -scenes dialogue took place in his country. The under-the- radar moves between the two countries broke into the open after the two militaries decided to revive their 2003 ceasefire agreement across
the Line of Control (LoC) and the International Border (IB) in February this year. People aware of the rapidly shifting sands of New Delhi -Islamabad ties said that PM's move could well help to breathe new life into the essential but preliminary steps to normalise India-Pakistan side. Insiders told India Narrative that the military led by the Army Chief, Qamar Javed Bajwa was the sole custodian of the new initiative from the Pakistani side. It is now likely that after the PM's initiative, follow up steps could commence especially on the diplomatic and trade front involving commercial engagement first across the LoC, and then on a larger scale across the Wagah international border. Obviously, the Pakistani foreign office did not appear to be in sync with the groundbreaking initiative taken by the military headquarters in Rawalpindi. In an official statement issued by Pakistan's foreign office, the country's foreign minister Shah
Another Pakistani newspaper, Dawn said that "the meeting is, therefore, being viewed in Islamabad as an attempt by Delhi to legitimise its Aug 5 action, which had been heavily criticised in Occupied Jammu and Kashmir, by making minor concessions and that too to take forward its own agenda without giving any meaningful relief to the Kashmiris. The only beneficiaries, as per the thinking in Pakistan, would be the occupied valley's pro-India political class that may get a sort of rehabilitation — an old Indian ploy." Pakistani daily, The News said that only the puppet pro-India Kashmiri leaders were invited to the meeting, while the profreedom and genuine leaders were ignored. "The meeting was meant to ward off mounting criticism at home and abroad after Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Hindu nationalist government in August 2019 downgraded the region's status, split it into two federal territories — Ladakh and Jammu-Kashmir — and removed inherited protections on land and jobs for the local population."
India, US conduct joint exercises to forge 'high-calibre integration' Photo Courtesy: India New England
New York, June 25: The Indian Navy and Air Force deployed their arsenal of both Russian and Western-made aircraft during the joint exercises centred around the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan in the Indian Ocean to 'build on the high-calibre integration' between the two nations, according to the US Indo-Pacific Command (PACOM). "Our nations share a common interest in a secure Indo-Pacific," Rear Admiral Will Pennington said. The joint drill was held on June 23 and 24, when the USS Ronald Reagan, which is based in Japan, was on its way to the North Arabian Sea in preparation for the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. After that, the US Navy held a separate exercise in the region with Sri Lanka and Japan, PACOM
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said.
The India-US exercises that "reinforced the converging maritime interests" of the US and India followed the meeting held in May between US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin and Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar at the Pentagon during India's first cabinet-level visit to Washington after President Joe Biden took office, the PACOM said. The Indian Defence Ministry said on June 25, "The exercise has been a key enabler in building interoperability and strengthening the defence coordination between the two nations and witnessed high tempo-naval operations at sea." Echoing the sentiment, PACOM said, "Integration of Indian forces sharpens the regional maritime security construct to uphold a rules-based maritime order in the Indian Ocean Region." The Defence Ministry said that guided-missile stealth destroyer INS Kochi, guided missile frigate INS Teg, maritime air dominance fighter MiG 29K, long-range maritime patrol aircraft P8I, and
Seaking 42B and Kamov AEW helicopters from the Navy, and Jaguars and Su 30 MKI fighters, airborne early warning and control aircraft, and air-toair refueller aircraft from the Air Force were deployed in the exercise.
The Ronald Reagan Carrier Strike Group known as CSG 5 that participated in the exercise deployed the US guided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh and guidedmissile destroyer USS Halsey, as well as aircraft from its Carrier Air Wing, according to PACOM. The Defence Ministry, detailing the US aircraft in the exercise, said they included F18 fighters, E2D Advanced Hawkeye Airborne early warning and control aircraft, and Sikorsky MH60R Seahawk helicopters. The US Naval Institute News reported on June 25 that the USS Ronald Reagan was in the North Arabian Sea to support the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. This was the second US-India naval exercise this year as strategic cooperation flourishes between the two countries.
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WORLD NEWS
Ex-US cop sentenced to 22.5 years for George Floyd's murder Washington, June 26: Former US police officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced on June 25 to 270 months, or 22.5 years in prison, for the murder of African American George Floyd last year in Minneapolis, Minnesota state.
Chauvin, who was found guilty of murdering Floyd by a jury in April, said he declined to give a formal statement in court due to "additional legal matters," but expressed his condolences to the Floyd family.
Chauvin "is the first white officer in Minnesota to face prison time for the killing of a Black man," according to Minnesota Public Radio.
In his earlier ruling, Cahill concluded that Chauvin abused his "position of trust and authority" as a police officer and displayed "particular cruelty" when he knelt on Floyd's neck for over nine minutes during his arrest. Floyd was later pronounced dead at hospital.
"We need to recognise the pain of the Floyd family," Hennepin County Judge Peter Cahill said in court. The sentence was not based on emotion or sympathy, the judge noted. Members of Floyd's family were present in the courtroom for the hearing, the Xinhua news agency reported.
Chauvin was convicted of seconddegree murder and manslaughter as well as third-degree murder in April. Floyd's death sparked weeks of nationwide protests against police brutality and systemic racism last summer.
NZ launches program to foster social cohesion Wellington, June 25: The New Zealand government announced on June 25 that it is launching a program of work to strengthen social cohesion in the country and create a safer, more inclusive society.
The work is part of the wider response to the recommendations from the Royal Commission of Inquiry into the March 15 terrorist attack on two Christchurch mosques in 2019, and builds on existing initiatives by the
government to strengthen social cohesion, the government said in a statement. The government aims to build New Zealand as a place where everyone feels safe, valued, heard, has a strong sense of belonging, and is able to participate fully in society, Xinhua news agency quoted Associate Minister for Social Development and Employment Priyanca Radhakrishnan as saying in the statement.
Israel-Hamas ceasefire remains delicate: UN envoy United Nations, June 25: The UN special coordinator for the Middle East peace process, Tor Wennesland, has warned that the Egypt-brokered ceasefire reached in May between Israel and Hamas remains very fragile. In this regard, the UN is working closely with all concerned parties and partners, including Egypt, to solidify the ceasefire, allow the entry of urgent humanitarian assistance and stabilize the situation in Gaza, he told the Security Council in a briefing on June 24. "I urge all sides to refrain from unilateral steps and provocations, take steps to reduce tensions, and allow these efforts to succeed. Everyone must do their part to facilitate ongoing discussions to stabilise the situation on the ground and avoid another devastating escalation in Gaza," he said. Despite the ceasefire, violent incidents have continued on a daily basis throughout the occupied Palestinian territory, said Wennesland. Clashes have repeatedly broken out in Beita village near Nablus in the West Bank, in the context of protests against the construction
of a new Israeli settlement outpost. On June 11, Israeli security forces shot dead a 16-year-old Palestinian. On June 17, another 16-year-old Palestinian succumbed to his wounds from shots sustained by Israeli security forces the previous night. Since May 3, five Palestinians have been killed and some 100 Palestinians have been injured by live ammunition in and around this area, he said. On June 15, several thousand right-wing Israeli activists, including members of Knesset, marched through Jerusalem's Old City, with many participants chanting racist slogans against Arabs and Muslims. In protests and clashes that occurred in the context of the march, in East Jerusalem as well as other parts of the West Bank, 66 Palestinians, including 12 children, were injured by rubber bullets, sound grenades and physical assaults. On the same day, rallies were organised throughout the Gaza Strip by national and Islamic forces.
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INDIA NEWS
July 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 25
WORLD THIS WEEK Contributed by the National Institute for Advanced Studies, Bengaluru
Compiled by Joeana Cera Matthews, Keerthana Nambiar, Dhanushaa P, Dincy Adlakha and Jeshil Samuel, Sukanya Bali and Avishka Ashok
The US and Russia: The Geneva Summit of Biden and Putin, and an integrated bilateral Strategic Stability Dialogue Photo Courtesy: Voice of America
NATO Summit: New chapter in the transAtlantic partnership, with a focus on China, climate change and cyber
What happened?
What happened? On 16 June, Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin met in Geneva, Switzerland. In the post-summit press conference, Putin said: "The meeting was actually very efficient. It was aimed at achieving results and one of them was pushing back the frontiers of trust." Biden's remarks followed. He said: "The bottom line is I told President Putin that we need to have some basic rules of the road that we can all abide by." On the same day, the US-Russia Presidential Joint Statement on Strategic Stability was issued. It said: "The recent extension of the New START Treaty exemplifies our commitment to nuclear arms control. Today, we reaffirm the principle that a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought." It also said: "Consistent with these goals, the United States and Russia will embark together on an integrated bilateral Strategic Stability Dialogue in the near future that will be deliberate and robust. Through this Dialogue, we seek to lay the groundwork for future arms control and risk reduction measures."
On 14 June, the 31st formal meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was held in Brussels, Belgium. The summit indicates the opening of a new chapter in transAtlantic relations. NATO issued a communique that highlights the aggressive actions by Russia which constitute a 'threat' and the growing challenges by China. The other agendas in focus were climate change, cybersecurity, and the importance of partnership with the European Union. What does it mean? NATO recognizes a need to deter the aggression, disruption, and influence from Russia and China. The alliance is more engaged in growing and preserving stability in the neighbouring European region in which countries are threatened by poor governance, cybersecurity, ethnic and religious conflict, competition for scarce resources, climate change, and various other disruptive factors. The fallout may threaten Western political and economic stability.
G7 Summit: Biden brings the US back to Europe Photo Courtesy: The White House
What does it mean? For Biden, Russia is a distraction that needs to be addressed, but China is a larger challenge. He is forging an alliance against China, a trend seen throughout his European trip. Biden's emphasis on stable relations provides a renewed opportunity for USRussia bilateralism. Second, Biden's statement – 'proof of the pudding is in the eating' implies that it would take months before considering the summit a success. The ambassadors' return is a welcome outcome and will help further negotiations on the table.
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What happened? On 13 June, during his visit to Europe to take part in the G7 and NATO summits, the US President declared, "America is back at the table." On 16 June, in Geneva, Biden remarked: "They're glad America is back, and they acted that way. And then, when we went to NATO, I think it was the same thing. We had really good meetings there and a real response, as well as the EU. I didn't get one single person — not one of the world
leaders said to us anything other than thanking me for arranging a meeting with Putin. And I thought, quite frankly, I was in a much better position to represent the West, after the previous three meetings with Putin, that — knowing that the rest of the West was behind us." What does it mean? Through the G7 and NATO summits, Biden has built a consensus of the West on Russia and China. With Russia, his meeting with Putin should be seen as a breakthrough to prevent the downward spiralling of the US-Russia bilateral relations. While Biden's Europe tour has consolidated the trans-Atlantic partnership, it has also addressed the recent negativity in the bilateral relations with Russia.
China: Beijing’s stern response to G7 and NATO summits
What happened?
On 15 June, in a statement on the NATO summit, a spokesperson from the Chinese Mission to the EU said: "By claiming that China presents so called "systemic challenges", NATO is slandering China's peaceful development and misjudging the international situation and its own role. It represents a continuation of the Cold War mentality and bloc politics." The statement also read: "China urges NATO to view China's development in a rational manner, stop hyping up in any form the so-called "China threat", and stop taking China's legitimate interests and rights as an excuse to manipulate bloc politics, create confrontation and fuel geopolitical cooperation". On 14 June, a spokesperson from the Chinese embassy in the UK responded to the G7 summit by saying: "This wanton smearing of China and blatant interference in its internal affairs flagrantly violates the basic norms of international relations and further exposes the ulterior motive of a handful of countries, including the United States. We are gravely concerned and firmly opposed to this." The spokesperson continued: "We urge the United States and other G7 members to respect facts, see the actual situation in perspective, stop slandering China, cease interfering in our internal affairs, stop infringing upon our interests and do more to promote international cooperation instead of creating confrontation and friction." What does it mean? First, although China does not pose a direct military threat to the
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NATO signatories, it has remained a major military force in East Asia. Hence, it becomes difficult to position the alliance against China. However, now that China is extensively discussed in NATO, it will have to reassess its own military standing in the western hemisphere.
WORLD THIS WEEK Australia has concluded." He also added: "Overall, this is going to be a great win for Australian agriculture." India: Defense Minister calls for freedom of navigation in the South China Sea
Photo Courtesy: IANS
Second, China has greatly invested in European countries, and G7 does not possess enough resources to replace Chinese investments. Therefore, any country has to be careful of the long-term implications of terming China as a "threat".
Iran: A predetermined election results in Ebrahim Raisi becoming the new President Photo Courtesy: The Times of Israel
What happened? On 16 June, three Presidential candidates decided to withdraw their participation from the elections. Mohsen Mehralizadeh, one of the three candidates, was, unfortunately, the only reformist candidate in the race. On 18 June, Iran conducted its 13th Presidential elections with an all-time low voter turnout of 48.8 per cent. The election results were announced on 19 June, with ultraconservative cleric Ebrahim Raisi winning the polls with a landslide victory as expected. What does it mean? The electoral processes in Iran would have to change. The Guardian Council, which is not elected by the people, has the power to choose or reject candidates without giving any reason. This unfair screening would reduce the standards and legitimacy of upcoming elections if continued. The Iranian public has already started boycotting regional elections in a quest for a more democratic selection process for future Presidential and Parliamentary candidates.
ALSO IN NEWS
Australia: Signs a new free trade deal with Britain On 14 June, the UK and Australia announced a free trade agreement in a meeting in Downing Street. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "Today marks a new dawn in the UK's relationship with Australia, underpinned by our shared history and common values." The deal is the first bilateral trade accord signed by Britain since leaving the EU. Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said: "This is the most comprehensive and ambitious agreement that
On 16 June, India's Defense Minister at the eighth Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Defense Ministers' Plus Meeting said: "India calls for a free, open and inclusive order in the Indo-Pacific, based upon respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity of nations, peaceful resolution of disputes through dialogue and adherence to international rules and laws." He also urged for the outcomes of the negotiations for the code of conduct in the South China Sea, to be in line with international law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. On 15 June, Defense Ministers from ASEAN called for an early conclusion of the code of conduct for the South China Sea. According to the maritime code of conduct, the Ministers emphasized "the need to maintain and promote an environment conducive to the early conclusion of an effective and substantive COC in accordance with international law." Recently, the tension in the south China sea has intensified with the rise in presence of China. Israel: First ceasefire violation in Gaza Strip On 16 June, an Israeli aircraft engaged in a series of airstrikes targeted at facilities used by Hamas's militants in the Gaza Strip. The airstrikes marked the first violation of the ceasefire signed between Israel and Hamas in May. On 15 June, hundreds of Israelis held public marches while chanting "Death to Arabs" in East Jerusalem. The march was viewed as potentially inciting another round of violence. The Palestinians responded to the protests by releasing incendiary balloons causing fires in Southern Israeli farmlands. About the authors Joeana Cera Matthews, Keerthana Nambiar, Dhanushaa P and Dincy Adlakha are research interns with the School of Conflict and Security Studies at the National Institute of Advanced Studies. Jeshil J Samuel is a Masters Student at Christ University and is part of the Peace Course at NIAS. 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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July 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 25
INDIA NEWS
EDITORIAL
Queensland’s budget China’s wolf aimed at saving lives warrior diplomacy and creating jobs A Srikanth Kondapalli
s China’s communist party celebrates its 100th anniversary on July 1st, one of the key changes that happened under its stewardship is the rise of aggressive diplomatic posturing against other countries. While this is not a new phenomenon, it has nevertheless acquired domineering proportions in China’s interactions with the outside world.
T
he Queensland Government recently presented its budget which according to Treasurer Cameron Dick will create more jobs in the state leading to faster economic recovery, as the state goes under another three-day snap lockdown. The budget has allocated $3.34bn under Queensland Jobs Fund focused on investment attraction and industry development to attract the investment needed to drive on-going growth, and provide wider economic and employment benefits; $52.2bn under the infrastructure program over the next four years creating over 46,500 direct jobs in 202122; $22.2bn on health during 2021-22 for creating a worldclass health system, which is critical for effectively managing the pandemic; $18.3bn under education and training during 2021-22, including $460mn toward targeted investments in flagship skills and training and employment programs Skilling Queenslanders for Work and a revitalised Back to Work program; $14.2bn on economic support initiatives, $6.1bn in concessions and lowering cost of living and $1.9bn on social housing and homelessness investment over the next four years. Under the 2021-2022 budget targeted measures have been announced to support small businesses and regional economies The Queensland Government says that the Economic Recovery Plan will continue to support businesses, workers, families and communities across the state, and the government has successfully handled the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in the state, putting the $360bn economy on the path to a robust recovery. Over the 10 years, by 2024-25 the government will have supported over $110bn in infrastructure works, as per the Plan. The government appears to be very buoyant about the economic rebound, lowering debt and increasing jobs for
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Queenslanders. As per the budget figures the net debt in 2021-22 is expected to be touching $9.69bn, which is below the 2020-21 forecast, which has resulted from higher revenue, lower expenses [including the savings identified in the Savings and Debt Plan, and a material increase in the value of investments held in the newly established Queensland Future Fund (Debt Retirement Fund estimated to be valued around $7.7bn by the end of 2020-21)]. The budget figures show employment recovery of all the jobs lost during the pandemic, and the same is now forecast to grow by 2¼ per cent in 2020–21 and 3 per cent in 2021–22. The unemployment rate is also low at an estimated 5¾% by June quarter 2022 and reaching 5% by June quarter 2025. The budget also demonstrates that employment in Queensland has rebounded to be 54,900 persons higher in April 2021 than its pre-pandemic level in March 2020, and 253,200 persons higher since the depths of the pandemic in May 2020. The treasurer has said that Queensland has recorded the strongest employment growth of any jurisdiction since March 2020. According to the government figures the economic forecast and recovery are promising and impressive, but there remains the large unknown in terms of what scale of impact would the pandemic have vertically and horizontally, on the economy under the second wave, as Queensland goes into a three-day lockdown again. The government’s fundamental strategy comprising a hard response to the pandemic based on shutting borders and enforcing lockdowns although intensely debated seems to have been paying the dividends. The cyclical process of safeguarding lives leading to economic and business activities, which in turn creates more jobs and revenue, helps the government address its primary concern — safeguarding lives.
The triggers for such a belligerent posture are located in its history, contemporary interactions and practice but also a sense of belonging to the Middle Kingdom of the yore. In the words of the Qing emperor Qianlong, meeting the British Earl George Macartney’s 1793 delegation: “Our dynasty’s majestic virtue has penetrated unto every country under heaven, and kings of all nations have offered their costly tribute by land and sea. … we possess all things. I set no value on objects strange or ingenious, and have no use for your country’s manufactures”. This streak runs through the subsequent generations of Chinese leaders in what was termed as “great wall syndrome” of keeping away the “barbarians” from the outside world. Even though China is a major beneficiary of the globalisation process, specifically after entering the World Trade Organisation in 2001, the rise of China in the past four decades vetted its global ambitionsto assert itself. A shift from Deng Xiaoping’s “keeping a low profile” (taoguangyanghui) to Xi Jinping’s “accomplishing something” (fenfayouwei) has a huge bearing on the country’s attitudes. China’s rise is also reflected in such movies as the Wolf Warrior series which assured the Chinese that the party-state would back them to the hilt in their pursuits abroad. This is clearly flowing from the decisions taken at the 4th and 5th Central Conferences on Work Relating to Foreign Affairs in November 2014 and June 2018 at Beijing respectively to protect China’s interests abroad. There is also the influence of rising nationalism in China, which since the Japanese defeat of China in 1895, was targeted Photo Courtesy: Global Watch Analysis
against Japan. Apart from the number of demonstrations against Japanese businesses on historical issues, recently, those 200 Chinese scholars who availed Japan Foundation fellowships were termed as “traitors”. China’s rabid nationalism is also directed against the United States. As relations between China and the US deteriorated since the tariff issues came into prominence, China’s diplomats began using sharp invectives in their responses. In the backdrop of the border tensions at Dokhlam in 2017 and the bloody conflict at Galwan in June 2020 between India and China, China’s nationalism is also getting diversified. Several recent instances can be cited on how China has been implementing its “wolf warrior” diplomacy. The US and its allies faced the brunt of the attacks of China. Zhao Lijian, the foreign ministry spokesman tweeted the US military personnel introduced bioweapons at Wuhan in October 2019 during the World Military Sports events, although he did not provide evidence nor retain the tweet for long. Zhao and other spokespersons comments have increasingly become hoarse on the State Department officials and coincided with the US sanctions on issues related to Xinjiang, Tibet, Taiwan, South China Sea, Huawei, ZTE and others. Australia bore the brunt of Chinese attacks too as it took lead in the World Health Assembly in May last year for a probe into the origins of epidemic at Wuhan. China imposed restrictions on Australian products. In December last year, in a bizarre incident, Zhao tweeted a morphed photo of an Australian soldier holding a knife to the throat of an Afghan child. Prime Minister Morrison retaliated by stating that the “Chinese government should be totally ashamed of this post. It diminishes them in the world's eyes.” China’s ambassador to France Lu Shaye’s April 2020 disparaged the western countries criticism of China’s handling of the pandemic and lack of transparency. When this March the United States, the European Union, Britain and Canada imposed sanctions
on Chinese officials for human rights abuses in Xinjiang, China sanctioned several European nationals, including French Member of the European Parliament Raphaël Glucksmann, Adrian Zenz, MERICS Reinhard Butikofer, Michael Gahler, Ilhan Kyuchyuk, Miriam Lexmann of the European Parliament and others. Chinese embassy’s caustic remarks in March this year on the French lawmakers proposed visit to Taiwan only led to warnings by the French authorities. The Chinese embassy in France reached its nadir in public relations with its bizarre of Antoine Bondaz of Foundation for Strategic Research as a “smalltime thug” and “mad hyena”. China’s ambassador to the U.K, Liu Xiaoming as well faced condemnation for his criticism of the parliament members who imposed restrictions on the Huawei 5G telecommunications as well as on the incarceration of scores of people in Hong Kong under the new security law. What surprised many was the sudden spurt of this “wolf warrior” diplomacy even on seasoned Chinese diplomats. Also, public opinion polls across the world have depicted to high levels of disapproval of China’s aggressive policies and on the pandemic that killed over four million people across the globe. Taking a cue from the widespread global disapproval to this “wolf warrior” diplomacy, China’s President Xi Jinping on May 31 this year in a study session suggested that diplomats should present the image of a “credible, lovable and respectable China” to the world. It of course needs to be seen whether China’s diplomats mend their fences or follow the structural influences of rabid nationalism and revival of the Middle Kingdom. Pursuing China’s “wolf warrior” diplomacy has its own pitfalls. The carefully cultivated veneer of Chinese civilisational-state ethos, benevolence (wangdao), its doctrine of the Mean on how to use power and influence, winning respect through virtues, harmony without suppressing differences – all appear to be tossed out in pursuit of this aggressive diplomacy. The costs for China are clearly high in front of the international community. Srikanth Kondapalli is Professor in Chinese Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi
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INDIA NEWS
July 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 25
MAKE IN INDIA
Future with Artificial Intelligence: Competition or Collaboration
By Anagh Singh
C
ompetition and Collaboration are parallel themes in international relations. However, the dominant paradigm of the 21st century is going to be competition. One of the major areas of this paradigm is going to be technology. National security structures in the west reflect the rise of emerging military technologies. The intensifying technology competition is also making inroads and avenues for purposeful collaboration among like-minded partners whether bilaterally or at multilateral institutions. Cheap computing power, easy availability of data and enabling accessible algorithms have made the rise of artificial intelligence possible. It’s a good bellwether for possibilities and challenges of international cooperation on emerging tech. The positive spin offs are numerous – fostering innovation, propelling development, increasing efficiency, decreasing human drudgery and enhancing user experience etc. The fundamental line of economic thought in India on inclusive growth can be made possible by the rise of AI. Although a host of cons come along – whether its criminal activities, fake information/news, privacy and safety concerns, the cost of missing the bus on this technology would be immense. AI development and deployment is inherently international in character. The nature of AI is such that it learns as it grows. This entails collaboration and learning from each other, not only for successfully deploying relevant AI systems but also creating necessary frameworks and marshalling resources in a manner suitable for all. India could be a role model for the global south in this regard. India and its partners confront some similar challenges when it comes to the development and deployment of AI. One imperative involves nurturing, attracting, and retaining the requisite talent. According to Macro Polo’s Global AI Talent Tracker, 12% of elite AI researchers in the world received their undergraduate degrees from India, the most after the United States (35%) and more than China (10%). Yet, very little top-tier AI research is being conducted in India. Securing supply chains, requisite physical infrastructure, alignment of standards and procuring raw materials
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especially semiconductors remain issues in a flux under the umbrella of artificial intelligence and its deployment.
Textile Products: MMF segment and technical textiles: Ministry of Textiles
Nation states are still in a flux while enunciating their AI strategies and cooperation amongst them is the need of the hour. It is already discernible as emerging technologies have become the talking point at multilateral forums including the QUAD. It will be a challenging task to come on the same page given the varied levels of deployment of AI in various countries. For example the touchy topic of Data is one such aspect. One other aspect is the dialogue on ethics of AI – this social transformation will have deep ethical impact, with these powerful new technologies both improving and disrupting human lives.
Opportunities Across States
The way ahead for cooperation in the realm of AI looks organic as market forces are constantly evolving. The decisions in this realm on any aspect enlisted above will shape the contours of the fourth industrial revolution. About Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Schemes Finance Minister, Smt Nirmala Sitharaman has announced an outlay of INR 1.97 Lakh Crores for the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) Schemes across 13 key sectors, to create national manufacturing champions and generate employment opportunities for the country’s youth. In addition to the three schemes announced earlier in March 2020, GoI has further introduced the following 10 new PLI schemes in November 2020: March 2020 Key Starting Materials (KSMs)/ Drug Intermediates (DIs) and Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs): Department of Pharmaceuticals Large Scale Electronics Manufacturing: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology Manufacturing of Medical Devices: Department of Pharmaceuticals November 2020: Electronic/Technology Products: Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
Specialty Steel: Ministry of Steel NAGALAND Naga chilli, one of the world's spiciest chillis, is grown in the state
Nagaland is predominantly an agrarian economy with 71% of its population dependent on agriculture. Major horticulture crops grown in the state include banana, citrus, pineapple and potato. Other cash crops grown in the state include rattan and bamboo. The state is classified into four agro-climatic zones and receives an average rainfall of 2,500 mm annually. Among all the natural resources, forest resources such as medicinal plants and timber contribute maximum to the state’s economy. Nagaland shares its international border with Myanmar in the east and is landlocked by Indian states on the other sides. The state is well connected with the rest of the nation through a road network of around 1,150 km and an airport in Dimapur and National Highway 19 which passes through the State from Dimapur via Kohima to Manipur. This NH 39 is soon to be an international route under the Look East Policy of the Government of India. Hornbill festival of Nagaland, celebrated each year to promote the cultural heritage of the state, attracts a flock of domestic and foreign tourists. The event takes place in the first week of December, showcasing traditional Naga Morungs exhibition, state cuisines, herbal medicines, flower shows, songs and dances. ODISHA Largest producer of aluminum, steel and stainless steel in the country
Pharmaceuticals drugs: Department of Pharmaceuticals Telecom & Networking Products: Department of Telecommunications Food Products: Ministry of Food Processing Industries White Goods (ACs & LED): Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade High-Efficiency Solar PV Modules: Ministry of New and Renewable Energy Automobiles & Auto Components: Department of Heavy Industry Advance Chemistry Cell (ACC) Battery: Department of Heavy Industry
Odisha is considered as a hub for mineral-based industries due to its large mineral deposits. It has a 480 km coastline with deep ports at Dhamra, Paradip and Gopalpur along with an upcoming port at Subarnarekha. It has 10,000 km of highway road network and there is an industry ready land bank of 505 sq km across the state. It is a power surplus state with over 17,600 MW of power production.
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A first-of-its-kind Single Window Portal called Government of Odisha – Single Window for Investor Facilitation and Tracking (GO SWIFT) has been introduced covering the complete life-cycle of industrial projects for time bound and hassle free investment in the State. PUDUCHERRY Tourist arrival of over 1.8 mn in 2018 Agriculture and tourism sectors are major contributors to the economy of Puducherry and about 35% of the UT's population depends on agriculture and allied activities. The degree of irrigation is as high as 90% of the total land. Major food crops grown in the territory include rice, ragi, bajra and pulses, while various cash crops grown include sugarcane, cotton and groundnuts. Puducherry has mineral deposits of limestone, clay, lignite, phosphate rocks, canker and laterite, among others. Some of the key industries in Puducherry include chemicals, textiles, leather, electronics, light engineering, metals, tourism and food processing. Puducherry is situated on the Coromandel Coast of the Bay of Bengal. Being a former French colony, the territory witnesses a prominent presence of French culture. The territory is conveniently located about 135 km away from Chennai, with a minor port located between two major ports at Chennai and Tuticorin. Gingee and Pennaiyar are the major rivers in the region. The Ministry of Shipping has identified a lighthouse in the territory to be developed in phase-I of its Lighthouse Tourism initiative. PUNJAB Largest agricultural area under irrigation in India Punjab has an excellent network
of irrigation facilities with 99.9% of net area sown covered under irrigation. Punjab, called the "Granary of India", is bounded on the west by Pakistan, on the north by Jammu and Kashmir, on the northeast by Himachal Pradesh and on the south by Haryana and Rajasthan. The state has one of the highest road densities amongst Indian states at 133 km per 100 sq. km. It is well connected to all major markets with 72,212 km of the total road network, 2,830 km of rail track network and 5 airports. It has a total installed capacity of over 13,400 MW. Punjab ranks second in logistics ease in the country. It also offers a strong logistics backbone with five container freight stations (CFSs) and four inland container depots (ICDs); thereby easing exports and imports for the state. The state has a total cultivable area of 4.2 mn ha, which constitutes 3% of the net area sown in India. With this area, Punjab produces 18% of wheat, 12% of rice, 10% of milk, 20% of honey, 48% of mushroom and 5% of cotton in the country. In terms of wheat production, it generates the third largest marketable surplus after Canada and Australia; while in the case of rice, its market surplus is second only to Thailand. Major industries in Punjab include food processing, tractors and auto components, agro-based parts, bicycle and bicycle parts, sports goods, light engineering goods, metal and alloys, chemical products and textiles. The state has also emerged as a key hub for textile-based industries, including yarn, readymade garments and hosiery. The clusters around food and dairy products are the other major sectors of the state. SOURCE: Invest India, National Investment Promotion & Facilitation Agency, Government of India
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INDIA NEWS
Delta Covid cases in UK up by 46% Photo Courtesy: IANS
About 117 cases of deaths in England so far have been confirmed as having the Delta variant. Of these, eight were under the age of 50.
Six of these eight people were unvaccinated, while two died after more than 21 days of receiving the first dose of a coronavirus vaccine, the report said. "On Friday, 15,810 new cases and 18 deaths within 28 days of a positive test were reported across the UK," the PHE said in a tweet. London, June 26: With 35,204 new cases of the Delta Covid-19 variant getting reported recently, the UK has seen a 46 per cent increase in the variant of concern, the Public Health England (PHE) said on June 25. The total number of confirmed Delta cases now stands at 111,157 -- with 102,019 of these recorded in England, 7,738 in Scotland, 788 in Wales and 612 in Northern Ireland, the Sky news reported. The Delta variant, first identified in India, now comprises 95 per cent of all sequenced cases in the UK, PHE added. Recently, it made up 99 per cent of Covid cases across the UK, with about 42 of the latest cases belonging to the Delta plus variant (AY.1 sub lineage) --
thought to be more transmissible than the original Delta variant. The PHE also reported of a new strain, Lambda. It has been categorised as a variant under investigation with six cases detected between February 23 and June 7. Of these, five had been linked to overseas travel. The PHE has asserted that two doses of vaccine are still effective at providing protection against the risk of hospitalisation. It added that there is currently no evidence that the new variant causes more severe disease or renders vaccines less effective, the report said. Further, the PHE noted that of the 514 people hospitalised in England due to Covid in the week up to June 21, 304 were unvaccinated.
While 43,877,861 people have now received the first dose of a Covid vaccine in the UK, 32,085,916 have received their second dose, it added. She also warned against complacency and urged people to get vaccinated. The panel stressed that there should be a buffer of at least six cylinders in the rural settings, to accommodate for delays and surge. As a way forward, it said: "At Central level, such as procurement of cylinders, enhancing production and supply of oxygen, mapping oxygen for states as per formula that includes case load, infrastructure of beds, projected requirements, etc, and the need for a supply plan which is also dynamic and flexible."
Mustard oil, a favourite among health-conscious Indians New Delhi, June 24: As health consciousness grows among Indians, a large number of people are now reinventing the timetested goodness of mustard oil in helping people stay fit.
A landmark study conducted by the Harvard School of Medicine with All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, and St John Hospital, Bengaluru, revealed that consuming mustard oil as one's primary cooking and deep-frying oil could reduce the risks associated with coronary heart disease by more than 70 per cent. Today, many eminent cardiologists like Dr S.C. Manchanda unequivocally recommend cold-pressed (also known as Kachchi Ghani) mustard oil for a healthy heart and vascular system - and nutritionists and dieticians too are unanimous in their belief that mustard oil is among the healthiest cooking oils you can find in the market. Kavita Devgan, a leading nutritionist, dietician and weight management consultant feels that among the plethora of cooking oils available today, it is better to choose natural cold-pressed oils like mustard oil that are rich in Monounsaturated Fatty Acids (MUFA) and Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids (PUFA) but low in Saturated Fatty Acids (SFA). Umesh Verma, General Manager
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(Marcom) at Puri Oil Mills Limited (the makers of P Mark Mustard Oil) says: "Speaking at a webinar organized by our company, Ms Devgan had pointed out that cold-pressed mustard oil is, in many ways, a perfect cooking medium in its composition. It has all the right fatty acids in the ideal ratio and is packed with natural vitamins and antioxidants. In our manufacturing processes, we try to keep this natural composition of mustard oil totally intact so that our consumers can enjoy all the nutrients and health benefits that cold-pressed mustard oil promises." Mustard oil, especially, has zero trans fatty acids (TFA) and that is a vital parameter for health and fitness-conscious consumers. The major advantage of coldpressed mustard oil, according to Kavita, is the fact that it has an ideal ratio of Omega-6 to Omega-3. Contemporary diets and food habits have created a major imbalance in the Omega 6-Omega 3 ratio and mustard oil could play a key role in rectifying this. According to Kavita, this benefit alone is reason enough for making mustard oil your primary cooking oil. Neha Patodia, nutritionist and diet consultant, agrees wholeheartedly with Kavita Devgan and points out that the
WHO has recommended a ratio of 5:4 (Omega-6 to Omega-3). Cold-pressed mustard oil comes closest to this benchmark with a ratio of 1:1.
Delhi exaggerated O2 demand by 4X at Covid2.0 peak, says SC panel New Delhi, June 25: A Supreme Court panel constituted for the oxygen audit of Delhi has found numerous gaps in the Aam Aadmi Party government's claims for 700MT medical oxygen during the peak of the second Covid wave. The panel said the Arvind Kejriwal government exaggerated its demand of medical oxygen four times more than required, and if it were to continue then it could have created a crisis for other states. A report submitted by the oxygen audit sub-group said: "There is a gross discrepancy (about 4 times) in that the actual oxygen consumption (1,140MT) was about 4 times higher than the versus calculated consumption formula for bed capacity." The report added that four hospitals in Delhi -- Singhal Hospital, Aruna Asaf Ali Hospital, Model Hospital, and Liferay Hospital -- have claimed extremely high oxygen consumption with very few beds and the claims appeared to be clearly erroneous, leading to extremely skewed information and significantly higher oxygen requirement for entire Delhi. Following "recalculation", the panel contended the actual consumption of 183 hospitals according to Delhi government data was 1,140MT, however, after correcting erroneous reporting
Photo Courtesy: Neuroscience News
In southern states, the dominant oil has traditionally been coconut oil.
Plant-based oils like mustard oil contain phytosterols which block bad cholesterol (LDL) from being absorbed in the body. One such phytosterol is Alpha Linolenic Acid (ALA) which significantly reduces the risk of heart disease, hypertension and atherosclerosis. Dr Manjari Chandra who specialises in Therapeutic Nutrition and Clinical Dietetics views cold-pressed mustard oil as a powerful detoxifying agent, more so when it is combined with the right foods -- especially vegetables loaded with healthy phytochemicals like beta carotene, lycopene, flavonoids, isothiocyanates, etc.
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by four hospitals, the figure was found at 209 MT.
The interim report by the panel pointed out that the Delhi government claimed its formula for oxygen demand was based on Indian Council of Medical Research guidelines but no such guidelines were placed before it. The Petroleum and Oxygen Safety Organization (PESO) told the sub-group that sufficient quantity of liquid medical oxygen (LMO) is available with major hospitals and re-fillers in Delhi, and since Delhi has surplus oxygen, which is affecting the LMO supplies to other states, and termed it, "disaster in waiting, if it continues likes this". The PESO added that LMO tanks in Delhi were filled to the capacity of 71 per cent in the morning on May 10, and it may not be possible to accommodate additional 700MTs, if supplied. "Average daily consumption of LMO in Delhi is 284 to 372 MTs. Delhi government has a reserve of 122.50 MTs as of May 10, at 12 noon," added the PESO. The panel emphasized that the Delhi government used the wrong formula and made exaggerated claims for medical oxygen, and it was not clear on what basis Delhi sought 700 MT in the top court when data collated by it for audit had gross errors.
Artificial sweeteners harm your gut leading to grave ailments, says study
Rujuta Diwekar, a prominent nutritionist and fitness expert strongly recommends coldpressed traditional oils like mustard oil.
According to nutritionist and dietician Vijaya Agrawal, oils extracted from vegetable sources are vital for proper nutrition because they contain certain essential fatty acids like Omega-3 which cannot be synthesised by the human body.
HEALTH
London, June 25: Commonly used artificial sweeteners can cause previously healthy gut bacteria to become diseased and invade the gut wall, potentially leading to serious health issues, according to a new research. The study, published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences, is the first to show the pathogenic effects of some of the most widely-used artificial sweeteners -- saccharin, sucralose, and aspartame -- on two types of gut bacteria, E. coli (Escherichia coli) and E. faecalis (Enterococcus faecalis). Previous studies have shown that artificial sweeteners can change the number and type of bacteria in the gut, but the new molecular research, led by academics from Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), has demonstrated that sweeteners can also make the
bacteria pathogenic. It found that these pathogenic bacteria can attach themselves to, invade, and kill Caco-2 cells, which are epithelial cells that line the wall of the intestine. It is known that bacteria such as E. faecalis which cross the intestinal wall can enter the bloodstream and congregate in the lymph nodes, liver, and spleen, causing a number of infections including septicaemia. This new study discovered that at a concentration equivalent to two cans of diet soft drink, all three artificial sweeteners significantly increased the adhesion of both E. coli and E. faecalis to intestinal Caco-2 cells, and differentially increased the formation of biofilms. Bacteria growing in biofilms are less sensitive to antimicrobial resistance treatment and are more likely to secrete toxins and express virulence factors, which are molecules that can cause disease. Additionally, all three sweeteners caused the pathogenic gut bacteria to invade Caco-2 cells found in the wall of the intestine, with the exception of saccharin which had no significant effect on E. coli invasion, the researchers said.
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INDIA NEWS
ENERGY & RESOURCES
We have struck coal at our Carmichael Mine!
B
ravus has now struck coal and exposed the first of the coal seams at our Carmichael Project. This is an exciting day for the 2,600+ people on the Project; a day that has been in the making for over a decade.
Throughout the last two years of construction and during the many years when we fought to secure our approvals, our people have put their hearts and souls into this Project – it is wonderful that we have now struck coal. Nearly two years ago we received our final approvals to develop the Carmichael mine and rail Project. We have faced many hurdles along the way, but thanks to the hard work and perseverance of our team, we have now reached the coal seams. Bravus remains on track to export first coal as promised, in 2021, and despite reaching this significant milestone, we will not take our eyes off our larger goal of getting coal to market. India will be a foundation customer for the Carmichael mine and is the fourth largest global user of electricity as well as the source of the biggest growth in global energy demand. We have already secured the market for the 10 million tonnes per annum of coal which will be produced at the Carmichael Mine. The coal will be sold at index
Photo Courtesy: IANS
pricing and we will not be engaging in transfer pricing practices, which means that all of our taxes and royalties will be paid here in Australia. India gets the energy they need and Australia gets the jobs and economic benefits in the process.
Carmichael coal will contribute to Adani Group’s burgeoning energy portfolio that is designed to create a sustainable energy mix, incorporating thermal power, solar power, wind power and gas. The Adani Group secured its position as the world’s largest solar company, following the announcement in May that Adani Green Energy Ltd (AGEL) has acquired SB Energy Holdings Ltd, which will see AGEL achieve a total renewable energy capacity of 24.3GW. For context, the 24.3 GW would be enough energy to power more than 8.5 million homes, or nearly all the households in Australia (*9.2 million) each year. Adani’s solar farm at Rugby Run in central Queensland is part of this portfolio, with a total capacity of 65 MW going into the regional Queensland grid, equivalent to powering about 27,500 homes each year. As a global company we are walking the talk when it comes to delivering a sustainable energy mix.
Banks, insurers undermining jobs and communities in Queensland: Adani to parliamentary enquiry CEO and Country Head of Adani Australia, Lucas Dow, has recently given evidence to the Joint Standing Committee on Trade and Investment Growth that Australian banks and insurance companies are destroying Australian jobs and communities to satisfy demands from green activists.
T
he Joint Standing Committee is holding a public hearing for the Inquiry into the prudential regulation of investment in Australia’s export industries. Mr Dow said Australian banks and insurance companies are withdrawing support from the Australian coal industry by refusing to provide finance, increasing insurance premiums dramatically, or even refusing to insure at all while continuing to profit from the strong economy that the industry creates. The banks and insurance companies’ current actions threaten the viability of the Australian export coal industry and the jobs, small businesses and communities it supports. The banks and insurance companies current actions will have no effect on the global environment given that if Australian coal is not exported, other countries will simply fill the void with lower quality higher emissions coal. “It is hypocritical for Australian banks to benefit financially from
the hard work of Australian coal miners but refuse to support the very industry that employs them,” Mr Dow said. “It appears banks and insurers are kowtowing to the demands of green activists for no benefit to the global environment. “They are happy to profit from the coal industry when employees pay interest on loans for their houses, four-wheel drives and jet skis, but they refuse to provide the relevant financial facilities to the coal export industry as they do to other Australian industries,” he said. “Hard working Australians are the ones who will suffer from coal mining jobs disappearing if the industry becomes noncompetitive because of rising insurance and finance costs as banks and insurers withdraw support for the industry. “This is a matter of national interest, Australia must require its banks and insurance companies to support the economy and communities that they build their profits from.” The Committee will have heard
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Photo Courtesy: IANS
from a variety of organisations across the resources industry, outlining their concerns about the behaviour of Australian banks and insurance agencies, including: Whitehaven Coal, Resource Industry Network, Queensland Resources Council, Minerals Council of Australia, New Hope Group, BMD, Australian Petroleum Production & Exploration Association and Adani Australia.
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ENERGY & RESOURCES
Amid robust demand, IKEA, Rockefeller foundations announce $1bn fund for renewables Iranian oil unlikely to Photo Courtesy: IANS
the UN General Assembly this September.
New Delhi, June 22: Efforts to accelerate global actions to ensure that all people have access to clean energy and electricity received a lift as The IKEA Foundation and The Rockefeller Foundation have announced plans to launch a $1 billion fund to boost access to renewable energy in developing countries, and a consortium of organizations led by Kenya, Malawi and the Netherlands advanced a call to action for clean cooking. At the same session, Google reaffirmed its commitment to source carbon-free energy for all of its operations in all places, at all times, by 2030, setting a high bar for other tech companies. These announcements came on June 21 as the UN opened a week of Ministerial Thematic Forums on energy. The Forums, which ran from June 21 to 25, were part of an effort to engage governments, businesses and financial institutions to develop "energy compacts" that spell out plans to ensure universal access to clean energy and a pathway to net-zero emissions. The Forums are focused on actions that would achieve the targets of Sustainable Development Goal 7 on energy by 2030. The ministerial meetings laid the groundwork for the High-level Dialogue on Energy, a summitlevel event to be held during
In addition to the announcements, several other countries, businesses and organizations presented their "energy compact" plans, with many others expected in September. UN Secretary-General AntAnio Guterres told the opening of the Forum, "We are running far behind in the race against time to achieve Sustainable Development Goal 7 by 2030, and net-zero emissions by mid-century. Achieving universal energy access is crucial for delivering on the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development." He added, "The milestones are clear: by 2030, we must cut global emissions by 45 per cent compared to 2010; and then continue to net zero by 2050. We need to speed up -- dramatically. Announcing that September 20 would be the date he convenes the High-level Dialogue on Energy at the summit level, he called on "every country, city, financial institution and company to raise ambition and submit aEnergy Compacts' to achieve SDG7 and net zero emissions." The Secretary-General called on countries to triple clean energy investment, provide electricity to the 760 million people who now live without it, and ensure clean cooking solutions for the 2.6 billion people still relying on harmful fuels. He also called for a rapid scale-up of renewables, and to accelerate improvements in energy efficiency. He repeated his call to phase out
coal by 2030 in OECD countries, and by 2040 globally, and to phase out fossil fuel subsidies and redirect those funds towards a just, inclusive energy transition that leaves no one behind and creates green jobs.
push crude prices down
Photo Courtesy: IANS
His specific calls are among the key recommendations made by five Technical Working Groups, which issued their reports to inform the Forums, setting out a proposed global roadmap for steps needed to achieve clean, affordable energy for all by 2030 and net-zero emissions by 2050. The IKEA Foundation and The Rockefeller Foundation announced they would join forces to set up a $1 billion catalytic fund, committing $500 million each to scale up distributed renewable energy around the world. This would generate power from sources such as mini-grids and off-grid sources that are located near the point of use, rather than centralized sources like power plants. The combined funds will be overseen by a new global platform -- launching this year -- that will aim to rapidly channel development funds to projects on the ground. The initiative will be formalized as an Energy Compact in the near future. "We have the responsibility and the opportunity to keep global warming below the 1.5 degrees C ceiling," said Per Heggenes, CEO of the IKEA Foundation. "COVID-19 has divided the world in two, with one part of the world falling farther behind," said Rajiv J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation.
Mumbai, June 28 (IANS): In a signal that economic recovery globally would be sustained post the fresh wave of Covid-19 infections, oil guzzling is expected to increase rapidly in the second half of the fiscal despite a rise in prices. According to a report by ICICI Securities, Brent crude, which is up 4.3 times from the April, 2020 lows is expected to remain above $70 a barrel is most parts of FY22. This will largely be driven by demand recovery from the April 20 lows, announcement of highefficacy vaccines, their rollout, and OPEC+ capping supply to ensure supply deficit. Though resumption of Iranian oil supply in the global market is expected to disturb the equilibrium and may act as disruption for rising oil prices on the back of improved supplies, demand projections outweigh concerns on oil prices. "2015 nuclear deal may be revived in Q3CY21, but Iran's exports may resume only in Q4. This means
the rise in Iranian supply can be absorbed by further global demand recovery (Q4 demand 5m b/d higher than in Q2) as vaccines are rolled out," ICICI Securities said in its report. Estimates for FY22 and FY23 for Brent based on futures is $71.868.2/bbl (US$68.3/bbl in FY22-till date). This clearly indicated that oil demand would remain robust holding up the prices for most part of this year and even next year. The development brings good news for public sector oil explorers ONGC and Oil India as they could get better returns on the oil that they sell this year. Brent plunged to $17.3/bbl in April,2020 as lockdowns hit demand. Demand recovery from April, 2020 lows, announcement of high-efficacy vaccines, their rollout, and OPEC+ capping supply to ensure supply deficit as demand recovery fumbled due to second wave in Europe helped drive 4.3-times surge in Brent from April lows to $75/bbl.
RIL announces 60k cr green energy plan, to set up 4 Giga factories Photo Courtesy: IANS
Mumbai, Jun. June 24: As part of its vision for the company's rapid transition to a new era of green, clean and renewable energy, the Chairman and Managing Director of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL), Mukesh Ambani, on June 24 unveiled the strategy and roadmap for its New Energy and New Materials business with an investment of Rs 60,000 crore over a period of three years. During the 44th annual general meeting of RIL, Ambani said the investment would go into the
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setting up of four Giga factories that will manufacture and fully integrate all the critical components of the new energy ecosystem involving production of solar energy, storage of intermittent energy, production of green hydrogen and converting hydrogen into motive and stationary power. Ambani said the company has started work on developing the Dhirubhai Ambani Green Energy Giga Complex over an area covering 5,000 acres in Jamnagar, Gujarat, which will be among the largest integrated renewable energy manufacturing facilities in the world. "Jamnagar was the ‘cradle of our old energy business'. It will also be the ‘cradle of our new energy business'," Ambani said at the Annual General Meeting.
Reliance will establish and enable at least 100 GW of solar energy by 2030 with a significant part of this coming from rooftop solar and
decentralised solar installations in villages, he said. It will also set up an Advanced Energy Storage Giga Factory that will be used to produce largescale grid batteries to store the energy that is created. The third initiative of the company would be the setting up of an Electrolyser Giga Factory to manufacture modular electrolysers of highest efficiency and lowest capital cost. These can be used for captive production of green hydrogen for domestic use as well as for global sale. The fourth initiative will be a Fuel Cell Giga Factory. A Fuel Cell uses oxygen from the air and hydrogen to generate electricity. "In 2016, we launched Jio with the aim of bridging the Digital Divide in India. Now in 2021, we are launching our New Energy business with the aim of bridging the green energy divide in India and globally," Ambani said.
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INDIA NEWS
Indian govt declares tax relief on expenditure towards Covid treatment, extends deadlines the amount received from any other person, a Finance Ministry statement said. Necessary legislative amendments for the above decisions shall be proposed in due course of time, the statement added. New Delhi, June 25: The Indian Government on June 25 announced income-tax exemption on the amount received by a taxpayer from his/ her employer or from any other person for the treatment of Covid-19 during FY 2019-20 and subsequent years. The government also provided relief to the family members of a taxpayer falling prey to Covid by providing income-tax exemption on the ex-gratia payment received by them from the employer or from any other person. This exemption shall be allowed without any limit for the amount received from the employer, while the exemption shall be limited to Rs 10 lakh in aggregate for
Further, the ministry has extended the timelines for various tax compliances to address the issue of the inconvenience being faced by the taxpayers due to the pandemic. It had earlier extended timelines for filing income tax and corporate tax returns. Accordingly, objections to the Dispute Resolution Panel (DRP) and the Assessing Officer under Section 144C of the Income-tax Act, 1961, for which the last date of filing under that section was June 1, 2021 or thereafter, can now be filed within the time provided in that Section or by August 31, 2021, whichever is later. Also, the statement of deduction of tax for the last quarter of FY 2020-21, required to be furnished
Similarly, the certificate of tax deducted at source in Form No. 16, required to be furnished to the employee by June 14, 2021 under Rule 31, as extended to July 15, 2021 vide Circular No. 9 of 2021, may be furnished on or before July 31, 2021, the Finance Ministry said in the statement. The government has also extended the last date of linkage of Aadhaar with PAN under Section 139AA of the Act to September 30, 2021. Similarly, the last date of payment of the amount under 'Vivad se Vishwas' (with additional amount) has been notified as October 31, 2021. The time limit for passing assessment order, which was earlier extended to June 30, 2021, has been further extended to September 30, 2021.
assembly of the components that are imported.
"Electronics manufacturing is critical to Atmanirbhar India" said Goel. Goel gave the example of displays that make up the major value ranging from 10-50%, of popular electronic products such as mobile phones, televisions sets, laptops, tablets and their use is growing rapidly with touch and interactive technology becoming common in all domains. Unfortunately India does not have a display fabrication unit which requires a very large investment of several billion US Dollars and is based on semiconductor technology. The manufacture of such key electronic components
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is vital to establish a sustainable and self-reliant eco-system for the Electronic Systems Design & Manufacturing sector. It is the only way to enhance value addition and establish the both, the upstream and downstream value chain. "As demonstrated by economies like Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and China, electronics can bring about transformational change and catapult any country into the orbit of developed nations. This is a lesson for India and the way forward for us towards Atmanirbhar Bharat" . Goel said. As per government estimates, the global electronics market is valued at around $2 trillion. Given the increasing importance of technology, this number is expected to grow significantly and in a very short amount of time. While China is the largest electronics manufacturer, India's share in global electronics manufacturing has grown from 1.3% in 2012 to 3.6% in 2019. However, the bulk of this is in the
S Korean company keen to set up R&D facility in Indian state
Photo Courtesy: IANS
on or before May 31, 2021, and was extended to June 30, 2021 earlier, can now be furnished on or before July 15, 2021.
Atmanirbhar Bharat not possible without electronics manufacturing: ELCINA
New Delhi, June 25: India's ambitious aim to become a manufacturing hub for the world will be impossible to achieve if the country does not immediately start investing in manufacturing of key components like displays and ICs (integrated chips) needed by crucial electronic devices, Rajoo Goel, Director General, ELCINA said.
BUSINESS & TRADE
The Government of India has been working on promoting electronics manufacturing in India for some time now. While a lot has happened when it comes to assembly of major electronics like mobile phones, much is yet to be done about the manufacturing of key components. Earlier this year, in May, the government had come out with an Expression of Interest (EoI) inviting proposals from companies to build display fabrication units in the country. The ministry of electronics and Information Technology is understood to be looking into the proposals and is expected to come out with the next steps later this year. India's display market is estimated to be valued at approximately $7 billion and this is expected to more than double to around $15 billion in the next four years, say government estimates. Private enterprises expect this to go up to as much as around $25 billion in the same time frame. Displays are completely imported and more than 90% come from China. A recent report by the Indian Cellular & Electronics Association estimates that given the rising domestic demand, the overall demand for Displays for 2020 was about 253 million Units valued at $5.4 billion. Given the manufacturing plans for Mobile Phones, TV and IT hardware products, it is expected to grow at a healthy CAGR of 29.5% to 922 million units or $18.9 billion by 2025. Currently, electronics make up the second highest import bill for the country after oil.
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Chandigarh, June 25: The officials of South Korea-based multinational company Seoul Semiconductor on June 25 called on Indian state of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar here to explore the possibility of setting up a research and development (R&D) facility in the state to cater to the needs of the Indian market. The company, which is into the business of manufacturing compound semiconductors and innovative LED lighting, already has its office in Gurugram. The South Korean Ambassador to India, the President of the Federation of Korean Associations and the representatives of Korea Chamber of Commerce and Industry in India joined the meeting virtually. Seoul Semiconductor handed
over medical supplies, including masks, gloves and mobile air purifiers, to the Haryana Chief Minister to support the state's fight against the Covid-19 pandemic. Arshi Krishnachar, India Head and Vice President, Seoul Semiconductor, told the media on the sidelines of the meeting that the company is exploring the possibility of setting up an R&D facility in Gurugram. At present, the company has its manufacturing facilities in Korea, China, Vietnam and the US. Korean Ambassador Shin Bongkil said, "Haryana is one of the favourite destinations for the global investors. Taking advantage of the state's businessfriendly environment and policies, Korean companies have a strong foothold in the state."
India's FY22 GDP growth rate now slated to be 9.6%: Ind-Ra New Delhi, June 25: India's FY22 GDP growth rate is now expected at 9.6 per cent, lower than an earlier estimate of 10.1 per cent, India Ratings and Research (IndRa) said on June 25.
According to the ratings agency, given the speed and scale of Covid 2.0, the earlier GDP growth estimated at 10.1 percent for FY22 is unlikely to hold. Now, Ind-Ra expects GDP growth to come in at 9.6 per cent (base case) in FY22. This rate is, however, contingent upon India vaccinating its entire adult population by December 31, 2021. "Average daily vaccination during June 1-20 was 3.2 million, which rose to 8.73 million on June 21. If the pace of vaccination is maintained close to the June 21 level, India will be able to achieve the aforesaid target. "In case the vaccination target gets delayed by three months, either due to slow pace of vaccination or non-availability of vaccines, the FY22 GDP growth
will slip further down to 9.1 per cent (alternate scenario)," Ind-Ra said. As per Ind-Ra, the Indian economy was witnessing a consumption slowdown even before the Covid-19 pandemic. "The push back to consumption demand is expected to be more pronounced in the rural areas as Covid 2.0, unlike Covid 1.0, has spread to the rural areas as well," Ind-Ra said. Consequently, Ind-Ra expects PFCE growth to come in at 10.8 per cent in FY22. Besides, it said that a nearnormal monsoon in 2021 means a third consecutive year of healthy agricultural production or income. In addition, Ind-Ra said that services, especially segments such as aviation, tourism, hotels, sports, entertainment and hospitality, which are still weathering the storm, are expected to grow at 10.4 per cent in FY22, "again chiefly due to the low base of last year".
India's forex reserves drop by over $4 bn
Mumbai, June 25: India's foreign exchange reserves declined by $4.148 billion during the week ended June 18.
According to the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) weekly statistical supplement, the reserves decreased to $603.933 billion from $608.081 billion reported for the week ended June 11. India's forex reserves comprise foreign currency assets (FCAs),
gold reserves, special drawing rights (SDRs), and the country's reserve position with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). On a weekly basis, FCAs, the largest component of the forex reserves, edged lower by $1.918 billion to $561.540 billion. Similarly, the value of the country's gold reserves plunged by $2.170 billion to $35.931 billion.
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ART & CULTURE
Covid awareness campaign Lalu Prasad Shaw's through puppetry in NE India NFT-certified works go on display Photo Courtesy: IANS
wife and daughter to consult a doctor.
The doctor in his set of advisories explains to the worried family about the disease. The video, containing three puppet dolls, ends with a slogan, "Stay clean and hygienic" and highlights the messages of the World Health Organisation and other international bodies besides the advice of doctors.
Agartala, June 20 (IANS): The Tripura Puppet Theatre (TPT) group, which has performed in many countries and in states in India, is educating people about Covid-19 through the traditional "Putul Nach" (puppet dance), garnering peoples attention and appreciation. The TPT, a 47-year-old folk cultural body, since March 21 last year, the World Puppet Day, has started a unique endeavour to make people aware about the danger of novel coronavirus and how to be protected from this disease. Many videos of the puppet dance on novel coronavirus, prepared by the artists of TPT group, and uploaded on the YouTube platform and other social media are attracting people's attention and admiration. The Covid awareness puppet videos in Bengali, Hindi and other local languages are also being telecast on various channels in Tripura and other northeastern states. One of the founders of TPT, Prabhitangsu Das said that since the beginning of the Covid pandemic last year they are continuously undertaking a variety of performances and
shows and these are being shown on various platforms to make the people aware. "The themes of our puppetry programmes are focused on social distancing, preventive measures, Covid appropriate behaviour, useful food and immunity boosting diet and various other measures and actions announced by the government," Das told IANS. "Our puppetry programmes also highlighted how the coronavirus spread among the people, the necessity of registration of names in the Aarogya Setu and the benefit of Covid inoculation. "Since we are unable to perform our regular puppet dance events due to the Covid-19 pandemic and related restrictions, we have chosen to go online through diverse social and electronic media to make people aware about the danger of the disease and protective measures," said Das, who is the programme director of the TPT. In Bengali, Hindi and other languages, TPT's 17 seconds to 90 seconds awareness videos with English subtitles show a story where a government official coughs and shows flu-like symptoms and is advised by his
Das, son of TPT's founder Haripada Das, said that all the characters (puppets) of the video are made by their members and some of the performances are verbal and some others are nonverbal. The TPT members bear the entire expenses of these campaigns through puppetry. "Puppetry is one of the powerful traditional folk cultural medium and it has numerous examples of efficacy in public health issues," said Das, who was awarded the Sangeet Natak Akademi Award in 2016 besides many other awards in recognition of his contribution to contemporary puppetry. He said: "My father late Haripada Das started the puppet dance culture in the mountainous northeastern state of Tripura in 1956 to propagate social awareness messages through puppetry. "As an employee of the Social Welfare and Social Education Department of the Tripura government, my father through the puppet dance had started informing, educating, and entertaining people on diverse issues and making them aware about their social responsibilities and cultural heritage." The TPT has participated in various international and national puppet festivals and workshops in India and abroad including Germany.
Photo Courtesy: IANS
New Delhi, June 22: An exhibition featuring artworks of Bengal-born artist, Lalu Prasad Shaw, certified using Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs) is on view at Terrain.art till July 31. Conceptualised as the first edition of 'Masters', the show features a comprehensive selection of Shaw's works that hold a significant provenance. Like many of his contemporaries such as Jamini Roy, Shaw's artistic language throughout his career has predominantly been figurative. His stylized representations encompass diverse subjects and objects staged meticulously in a pictorial frame. Musing on the multiple facets of the Bengali middle class, Shaw's paintings dramatize the everyday life of people he observed in his immediate surroundings. His unique approach to composition resonates both with Kalighat pats and early studio photography. While primarily a painter, Shaw is also an accomplished printmaker, having studied the techniques of intaglio and lithography. This exhibition is an important step towards propelling the dialogue around South Asian
Art in line with the platforms vision to foster a virtual and global ecosystem for art, artists and collectors from the region beginning with India, using future technologies like blockchain. Terrain.art is a blockchainpowered online platform that focuses on art from South Asia. Aparajita Jain, Founder, notes, "Terrain.art is delighted to be one of the first blockchain powered platforms in India to register artworks using NFTs, presenting new works and those with prior histories through curated exhibitions." Showcasing a careful selection of 27 recent paintings by Lalu Prasad Shaw, this exhibition makes him the first Indian modern artist to showcase paintings with registered non-fungible tokens, says the platform. NFTs, short for non-fungible tokens, are unique digital assets that can be used as individual identifiers for physical assets on a blockchain, allowing for authenticated ownership and facilitating a transparent and tamper-proof transfer of digital ownership each time the works are resold in an effort to protect the artist's future legacy.
One of world's largest open modern art galleries coming up in Raj Jaipur, June 20 (IANS): Rajasthan will soon house one of the worlds largest open modern art galleries, the Mandawa Art Village, which will bespeak the stories of desert, beautiful 'havelis', colourful dresses, camels, sands and much more. "The idea is to offer an alternative choice to the people who live in the village through creative economy," said Amita D'Alessandro, the French cofounder of Mandawa Art Village, along with Virendra Singh Shekhawat, the director and founder of DPC, a Delhi-based photography club. "Through art, art workshops, art experience, creation of openair gallery, we are developing a new form of artistic tourism which will generate jobs in the village, offering a better life to the villagers," D'Alessandro added.
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The Mandawa Art Village project aims to promote local art and culture and stop migration from the village. "We want to transform it into an international art village to offer another attraction to the tourists who visit Mandawa. Restoring, preserving and promoting local old art forms is also one of our aims," Shekhawat said, adding that foreign tourists coming to the art village will be taught pottery making, photography and many more forms of art and craft. One of the major attractions of the art village is the walls painted by international street artists, which will immediately strike a chord with the tourists. New street art in the art village and heritage frescos of Mandawa are perfect combinations for Indian and foreign tourists,
Shekhawat said. Rocio Del Perez Solar, an artist from Peru, visited the village in the end of 2019 and painted four walls. Eva Potacka is another artist from Morocco who painted the walls here and her style of painting is using colourful pastels and extensive use of stencils to give a Moroccan feel to the art works. One of her artworks is inspired by the cows in India, said Shekhawat. Artists from across the globe will be invited for collaboration and they can even adopt the village and showcase their country in the village, he added. The village, situated 4 km from Mandawa, is well known for its painted havelis and the project will ensure that the rural economy gets a boost, Shekhawat told IANS, adding that "reverse
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migration is the need of the hour and we are working in that direction". The Mandawa Art Village will offer a lot to the tourists: Art in public spaces depicting India's rich culture and art forms created by renowned foreign artists, photography exhibitions, art installations and sculpture, photo and heritage walks, photography and art workshops, folk music concerts, folk dance etc. "As tourism opens up in India post th Covid pandemic, we shall invite global artists from countries like Morocco, Peru and Portugal who will add stroke of colours to the walls of Mandawa, Shekhawat said. The idea is to create sustainable art villages in the spokes of the tourism hubs so that the villages also get a fair share of the tourists and are able to earn livelihoods
by the additional opportunities created, said Shekhawat, adding that the villagers have already started donating their rooms to run photography classes, pottery classes, etc. "Covid-19 has slowed the pace of the project, but we are sure to get back to its speed soon. Our project started in 2019 and we had plans to wind it up in 2021. However, now it will be delayed by two years. "Rajasthan Tourism has partnered with us and it will publicise and market the project in the international platform. This is a first of its kind private project in India," Shekhawat told IANS. The Embassies of Peru, Ecuador and Mexico are partners of the ongoing project, and they will send their artists to India to make it a global art village, he added.
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INDIA NEWS
Fresh insights into rich aesthetic & cultural legacy of the Mughal era
E
nter the splendid world of Mughal India and explore its rich aesthetic and cultural legacy through fresh insights in "Reflections on Mughal Art & Culture" (Niyogi Books). Recent scholarship in this field has offered deeper analysis into established norms, explored pan-Indian connections and drawn comparisons with contemporaneous regions of the early modern world. Further studies along these lines were encouraged in a seminar at Mumbai's K.R. Cama Oriental Institute and the formidable scholarship presented by contributors forms the content of this volume, edited by Roda Ahluwalia, an independent scholar of South Asian Art, with an interest in painting and the book arts, religio-philosophical thought and the material culture of South Asia. The 13 essays by internationally famous experts in the book explore varied subjects under the Mughal umbrella, challenge longheld ideas and draw comparisons between the artistic expressions and material culture of the powerful Islamicate triumvirate of the early modern period-the Safavids in Iran, the Europeanbased Ottomans and the Mughals in the Indian subcontinent. Themes as diverse as portraits of royal women, sub-imperial patronage of temples, wordimage relationship, the lapidary arts and the Imperial Library of the Mughals (at London's British Library) are featured in the book. Murals painted on architectural surfaces, the textile culture of the city of Burhanpur, changes in visual language and content
Photo Courtesy: IANS
built by Raja Man Singh (Govinda Deva Temple in Vrindavan) and Jagat Shiroman in Amber.
of painting, and Imperial objects d'art have been discussed, challenged and analyzed. The final three articles are groundbreaking comparisons across the Ottoman, Safavid and Mughal spheres. This beautifully illustrated book is sure to appeal to connoisseurs, collectors and scholars alike. Here's a sampling from the book: An essay by Mika Natif focuses on Mahim Anaga, foster mother of Akbar and his advisor, and Hamida Banu, Akbar's mother and chief wife of Humayun. Many beautiful paintings, a chapter on the important documents of the Mughals showing their imperial seals (Ursula Sims-Williams), a chapter on the jewellery and stone carving of the Mughals (Susan Stronge), Decorative art objects at the National Museum, Delhi (Anamika Pathak) "Muslim Kings, Hindu Temples" by Catherine Asher. Many Hindu temples were built during the time of the Mughals - by Hindu courtiers. For example, there's the Adinath temple at Ranakpur, temples in Chittor, and temples
to read this crisp book and was inspired by the simple language used by Saksena.
"This book is an epitome of the bravery and endurance of a mother, in the best tradition of Indian motherhood. Like to the country, we must pay our respects to such a mother. Not just mothers, I expect fathers to read this book to learn about parenting a child and parenting a generation", Vardhan said. He further said that the way he worked very hard towards eradication of polio through vaccination. Similarly Covid-19 would also end soon through inoculation of all Indians. New Delhi, June 20 (IANS): Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Harsh Vardhan has unveiled Krishna Saksena's book "My Joys and Sorrows – as a Mother of a Special Child". Vardhan said that he felt lucky
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Writing my memoir was both cathartic and revelatory: Kabir Bedi Photo Courtesy: IANS
Gulru Necipoglu compares the Ottomans in Turkey, the Safavids in Iran and the Mughals in India - comparing large buildings such as mosques and palaces made to impress both the local people and foreign travellers. Roda Ahluwalia is currently a visiting scholar of Jnanapravaha, Mumbai, where she lectures on Mughal, Deccani and Pahari painting for the 'Indian Aesthetics' programme, and a member of the Governing Board of the K.R. Cama Oriental Institute. She previously lectured at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, and was responsible for curating and tutoring an adult-education course titled '1500 Years of Indian Painting' for the British Library/ Birkbeck University. She has been a guest lecturer on various occasions for the Indian Art Circle, London. She has worked with the Rajput painting and manuscript collections of the British Museum and the British Library. Among her publications are a book titled "Rajput Painting, Romantic, Divine and Courtly Art from India" (2008) and various articles on Indian Painting. She was responsible for the art historical metadata of a volume of a 17th century illustrated Ramayana manuscript from Mewar, part of a joint project between the CSMVS (Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Vastu Sangrahalaya - formerly Prince of Wales Museum), Mumbai, and the British Library. She currently divides her time between Mumbai and London.
Harsh Vardhan unveils 'My Joys and Sorrows as a Mother of a Special Child' book Photo Courtesy: IANS
BOOKS & LITERATURE
The book will be available in bookstores and online platforms. My Joys and Sorrows as a Mother of a Special Child (Ocean Books, Delhi, 2021) is a heart-warming and yet heart-rending book that is difficult to read because it inevitably makes you cry. And yet it must be read because it shows
the heroism and sacrifices of an Indian mother and makes us realise that so-called normal life is not to be taken for granted. It is a learning and a spiritual experience reading the book. It shows the power of pure love and faith. The book is written in a conversational and easygoing style, making us feel like participants in the author's life journey.
On the journey of writing the book, Krishna Saksena recalls "I had never imagined I could have written of my life with Shiv. It felt too much my own, my most intimate experiences. But with age, I realized that it is also my responsibility to give voice to a child who has no voice of his own. And his voice is so entangled with my own that this book could not have been but an autobiography of two selves as one." Saksena was the first woman to get a PhD degree from Lucknow University in 1955.
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New Delhi, June 20 (IANS): Looking back at his younger self, actor Kabir Bedi says he now sees himself with more compassion, more understanding. That the process of writing the book, "Stories I must Tell: The Emotional Life of an Actor" (Westland Books), allowed him to forgive himself of many mistakes. "There was also the perspective of time. Of course, it was painful to revisit certain parts of my past which were always submerged somewhere in my mind, spaces I had been avoiding for a long time. Through the written word, I decided to revisit and encounter them again. It was cathartic, revelatory, and also a reevaluation," the actor tells IANS. Laying bare his personal life -from his multiple marriages to affairs that changed the course of his life, the compelling memoir, which explores his success in the Indian, American and Italian film industry, is also an emotional read, especially when he lays bare his vulnerabilities. A section is devoted to the tragic suicide of his son, Siddharth who was suffering from schizophrenia. Adding that he intentionally wrote �Stories I must Tell' as a series of overlapping tales so as to make it "unputdownable", Bedi remembers his initial struggle with writing. "The problem was figuring out how to tell my story -- I knew I had a good one to share. I made a number of attempts, but threw out the pages feeling that it was not interesting enough to read. It was not something that would keep me engrossed as a reader." One morning, sipping his tea at the dining table, he remembered his conversation with the late author Khushwant Singh who had told him that for him writing meant keeping the phone off the hook and deciding on a time to sit on the table -- and following it religiously. "That was it, suddenly, the next day I started seeing the book as a series of short stories to be written in an overlapping time. That gave me the the freedom to go back and forth in time zones
-- touching different people and telling my tale in a non-linear way. I wrote in a frenzy. It took me nine months to get the script out. I worked like a man possessed." The author admits that he has been writing for a long time --for the past 10 years, but would always stop after 50-6- pages. "I would always tell myself -- only a die-hard fan may read this, but I wanted to reach out to everyone, especially young professionals. And those who wanted to know what it was like to live in the sixties and the seventies, and experience Hollywood and Europe." For Bedi, �Stories I must Tell' is a long catalogue of his accolades and achievements. "I wanted to connect in a human, emotional way. And I had put up a sticker above my computer that said, �Don't be afraid to be vulnerable'." Stressing that not just the book, but everything in life is a learning, the author emphasises that both achievements and mistakes play an instrumental role in that process -- something that never ceases. "There are different phases in your life. What comes across to me is that I had the courage to say that it was the turning point in my life. Whether it was my time based in Delhi, or my career in advertising, or Bollywood, Europe, America. There were always turning points in my life that always looked out to new horizons. Even now the process goes on." A voracious reader, who has always been writing articles, Bedi feels that there is another book inside him. "A writer is somebody who writes regularly. Considering I have enjoyed the entire process of being an author, I certainly intend to put time into it. Once I am finished with the launch of this book, I certainly will get down into another bit of frenzied writing." Still open to acting, the actor, who was also a part of the long running "The Bold and the Beautiful" is waiting for the right project to come his way. "Whether on an OTT platform in India, or a film in America -- everything is possible. I am willing, able and fit, and people know who I am."
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WHAT’S ON
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SPORTS
Tokyo Olympics: India slams discriminatory Archery World Cup: rules for contingents of Covid-hit countries Das, Deepika win mixed As the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic slows down, Tokyo Olympics organisers have announced certain additional mandatory rules for contingents arriving from 11 countries including India, which has irked the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) and the Indian Sports Ministry
recurve team gold
T
he event which was to be held in 2020 but was postponed due to the raging pandemic is to begin on July 23 and the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (TOCOG) is leaving no stone unturned in ensuring that the Games are held in a safe, Covidfree environment. In light of this, the TOCOG, on June 21, declared additional, stringent restrictions for the contingents including athletes, coaches and support staff arriving from countries which were among the worst affected by the devastating second wave of the pandemic, apart from the general precautionary protocol to be followed by all the contingents. As per the official protocol for the supplementary restrictions, they will have to undergo daily Covid-19 tests for a week before departing for Tokyo and not come into contact with members of any other delegations for three days after arrival. India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Maldives, Nepal and Afghanistan- countries in Group 1 will all have to follow this new protocol. However, this has not gone down well with the IOA which has called the rules “unfair and discriminatory”. Indian Sports Minister, Kiren Rijiju on June 22 said that such discrimination should not be allowed to take place because that would tantamount to breaching of the Olympic Charter. He also said that in order to address this issue the IOA, as per his directions, has lodged a formal complaint with
Paris, June 27 (IANS): India's husband-wife duo Atanu Das and Deepika Kumari won gold medal in the mixed recurve team event at the archery World Cup Stage 3 here on Sunday. Das and Deepika combined well to score a 5-3 win over the Netherlands to win India's second gold medal of the day. The Netherlands settled for silver. the Tokyo organisers. He also expressed his concern for the mental stress such unnecessary restrictions would cause to the players. The IOA said the rules would result in athletes losing three significant training days. "Athletes are allowed to arrive in the Games village only five days before their event," IOA president Narinder Batra and Secretary Rajeev Mehta said in a joint statement on June 19. "Now three days will be wasted, this is the time the athletes need to be moving towards their mode to peak; highly unfair for Indian athletes, who have worked hard for five years, to be discriminated against just five days before the Olympics."
The IOA on June 21 also enquired the TOCOG if the additional restrictions will be applicable on the Indian athletes who have been training outside India for more than a month and will depart for Tokyo directly from their respective training locations, since those countries are not among the 11 countries that must follow the additional rules. The IOA has also raised concerns with regard to the RT-PCR tests of the athletes done 48 hours prior to departing for Tokyo as it would not be possible to get the test reports in time. The TOCOG approved list of labs and testing facilities in India are few and also far away from the players’ training locations.
In the semis, Indian team beat Spain 5-3 and their victim in the quarterfinals was the USA team who they handed a 6-0 defeat. India also won a gold medal in the recurve women's team event. The team, comprising Deepika, Komalika Bari and Ankita Bhakat, defeated Mexico 5-1 to clinch gold. On Saturday, India's Abhishek Verma defeated Kris Schaff of the
USA to win the gold medal in the men's compound event. By virtue of winning the title on Saturday, Verma has also qualified for the year-end World Cup final. India's compound archery team missed the season opening World Cup in Guatemala City as one of the Indian team members tested positive for Covid-19 before departure and the entire team was grounded. In the 2019 Olympic qualification cycle, Deepika had qualified in an individual event for the Tokyo Olympic Games while men's recurve team of Atanu Das, Tarundeep Rai and Pravin Jadhav had won team quota place in the men's category during the 2019 World Championships in The Netherlands.
One good stand could have done the trick for India: Tendulkar
T20 World Cup in UAE as BCCI confirms it can't host it New Delhi, June 28 (IANS): The Indian cricket board has decided to inform the International Cricket Council (ICC) that it won't be able to host the T20 World Cup, leaving the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which was kept as standby for the tournament, as the host. The tournament will be held in October-November, reportedly between October 17 and November 14, with some of the initial games also to be played in Oman. "We had a meeting of officebearers today (on Monday). We decided that it will be impossible to host the T20 World Cup amidst the Covid-19 pandemic. There are talks of a third wave. So, it would be highly risky. We will soon inform the ICC about our decision," Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) vicepresident Rajiv Shukla told IANS
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on Monday. The tournament will be hosted by India even though it will be played in the UAE as ICC has already clarified. The ICC said it will make a statement once it hears from the BCCI. "We will make a statement soon, once we hear from the BCCI," said an ICC official. It has been learnt that the BCCI also failed to guarantee tax exemption to ICC.
A source aware of the developments told IANS, "The BCCI had filed application for tax exemption but there was no intimation from the [finance] ministry on it."
The BCCI would have had to pay a minimum of Rs 227 crore and a maximum of Rs 906 crore to the ICC on failure to get exemption. The Board had already missed a few deadlines over the past oneand-a-half years to guarantee exemption. The shifting of the T20 World Cup to UAE comes after the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 was suspended on May 4. In fact, an ICC team of officials that was to visit India for a recce for the T20 World Cup during IPL 2021, cancelled its visit due to the horrific COVID-19 situation in India.
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Mumbai, June 27 (IANS): Former India skipper Sachin Tendulkar has said that it was important for the Virat Kohliled team to not lose a wicket in the first few overs at the start of the reserve sixth day of the World Test Championship final in Southampton, but once New Zealand made early inroads, India lost the plot -- and the match. Tall New Zealand pacer Kyle Jamieson rattled India at the start of the sixth day, accounting for overnight batsmen Cheteshwar Pujara and Kohli, to leave them struggling. India finally lost the inaugural WTC final by eight wickets. "Not losing a wicket in the first 10-12 overs was very important but that's where New Zealand were successful in getting Kohli and Pujara out. They got out in
quick succession and [Ajinkya] Rahane too got out which kept the pressure on India. The batters had to hang in there," Tendulkar said on his YouTube channel. India resumed the final day on 64/2 and folded up for 170, leaving New Zealand with a victory target of 139. Tendulkar said India needed one good partnership on the last day to draw the game, and that even after losing three early wickets, the team could have put New Zealand under pressure by posting a decent total. "I'd mentioned that the first 10 overs on the last day would be critical. If we can last till drinks, then we had the firepower to accelerate. How Rishabh came and played some shots; and the rest too when they realised the game is a bit safer…"
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SPORTS
Jadeja, Pant slip in ICC Fighting spirit behind India hockey team's resurgence: Hardik rankings, Kohli retains fourth spot grandfather used to be a hockey coach in the Indian Navy. He was the one who helped me pick up the sport and understand the basics of the game. I started playing on the field almost immediately and enjoyed the practice sessions," said Hardik, who is a fifth-generation hockey player in the family.
A regular feature in the team since the 2018 World Cup in Bhubaneswar, Hardik added that his uncle, former India dragflicker Jugraj Singh, had played a key role in his career. Bengaluru, June 30 (IANS): Men's hockey team midfielder Hardik Singh said on Wednesday that the "fighting spirit" built over the last few months was one of the key reasons for India's resurgence in the sport, and that the country now has a "very strong" bench strength as it prepares for the Olympics. Hardik, who is a part of the Tokyo Olympic Games-bound 16-member squad, said," It now feels great to be a regular part of the team, well equipped in the midfield. There is a lot of
competition for places in the midfield, but that only shows that our bench strength is very strong. We have built that fighting spirit over the past few months, and that is one of the key reasons for our resurgence." The 22-year-old midfielder, who will be making his Olympics debut, added that he wanted to continue his family's hockey legacy by giving his "100 per cent" at the Games. "I will give my 100 per cent to carry on with my family's legacy and make the country proud. My
"When 19, I was on the verge of giving up on my dream of playing for India. But, it was Jugraj uncle who motivated me to stay focused on national team selection. I had almost decided to move to the Netherlands to play club hockey. Jugraj paaji has been a huge influence in my life. He has mentored me in every part of my life and continues to do so," said the midfielder. "I followed his suggestions, and finally, my hard work paid off as I was included in the core probable for the 2018 Asian Champions Trophy."
Euro 2020: Ukraine's extra-time winner knocks Sweden out
Dubai, June 30 (IANS): A week after he became the No. 1 ranked all-rounder in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Test rankings, Ravindra Jadeja slipped to joint second as West Indies' Jason Holder (384 rating points) moved back to the top. Jadeja (377) shares the second spot in the list of all-rounders with Ben Stokes.
Wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant (752) slipped a spot to seventh position in rankings for Test batsmen while Rohit Sharma (759) held on to his sixth position. Besides Pant and Sharma, skipper Virat Kohli (812) occupies the fourth position. Altogether, Indians occupy three of the top 10 positions in rankings for Test batsmen, one out of 10 in bowling rankings list and two in the ranking for all-rounders. R Ashwin retained his No. 2 position among bowlers with 865 rating points, behind Pat Cummins, who has 908.
Championship (WTC) final against India this month, has moved back to the top spot with 901 rating points and displaced Australia's Steve Smith (891), who is now No. 2.
New Zealand captain Kane Williamson, who played matchwinning knocks -- including a half-century -- in the World Test
Smith's Aussie team-mate and understudy Marnus Labuschagne (878) is third and 66 rating points ahead of Kohli.
London, June 29 (IANS): Riding on goals from Raheem Sterling and Harry Kane, England defeated Germany 2-0 in a Round of 16 match at the European Football Championship -- Euro 2020 -- to advance to the quarter-finals here on Tuesday.
the ball wide to Grealish, whose low cross was headed home by Kane from the edge of the sixyard box
Euro 2020: England beat Germany to enter quarter-finals
chances as Serhiy Sydorchuk and Forsberg rattled the right post in quick succession. Ukraine focused on counterattacks while Sweden remained a constant menace with Forsberg hitting the crossbar from 16 metres in the 69th minute. Sweden had a golden chance to seal the deal in regulation time but Dejan Kulusevski missed the target from inside the box with only Bushcan to beat.
London, June 30 (IANS): Ukraine made it to the Euro 2020 quarterfinals for a second time after overpowering 10-man Sweden 2-1, courtesy Artem Dovbyk's last-gasp extra time winner at Hampden Park in Glasgow. The Ukrainians started cautiously on Tuesday and let Sweden to pass the ball around. Despite dominating possession, Sweden didn't pose a threat to Ukraine's rock-solid defence with only Alexander Isak coming close to scoring with a long-range effort in the 20th minute, reports Xinhua. Andriy Shevchenko's side showed no mercy and clinically opened the scoring seven minutes later
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when Andrey Yarmolenko's shot with the outside of the boot allowed Oleksandr Zinchenko to break the deadlock against the run of play. The Swedes responded well with Ukraine goalkeeper Heorhiy Bushcan having to stretch to defuse Sabastian Larsson's dangerous set piece moments later. Sweden continued to attack and were rewarded with the equaliser just before the break as Emil Forsberg got enough time and space to drill the ball from 23 metres past Bushcan into the bottom right corner. After the restart, both sides came out motivated and created several
In extra time, Sweden suffered a huge setback when Marcus Danielson was sent off in the 99th minute. Outnumbered, the Swedes defended well and hoped to take the match into penalty shootout, but their resilience was broken in injury time as Zinchenko's pinpoint cross into the box found Dovbyk, who nodded home the decider from close range. "Both teams played very well. It was an interesting match. Neither side wanted to lose so we got this drama at the end. With this performance and commitment, our team has deserved the love of the whole country," said Ukraine head coach Andriy Shevchenko. Ukraine will clash with England in the quarterfinal at Rome on July 3.
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Sterling scored in the 75th minute, converting a a low cross from Luke Shaw. Kane and Jack Grealish played the ball out wide to Shaw, whose low cross went straight to Sterling who slotted the ball in. England were not yet as eleven minutes later -- in the 86th -- Kane converted a cross from Grealish. Shaw moved up from the midfield and charged forward. He played
"We knew we needed to put in a big performance against a very good German side and I thought we done that today," Sterling later told BBC. "Scoring for your country is always special and it is definitely a special moment for me... I celebrated and for half a second I thought 'Don't let it be offside'. I am really happy it went in and I am really happy we got the win," he added. This was England's first knockout win over Germany at Wembley since 1966.
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INDIA NEWS
TRAVEL
Airbnb seeks 12 people to live anywhere for a year Photo Courtesy: IANS
favourite city–participants can make the world their home. From young families to remote workers, creators, empty nesters, and more, participants will be asked to share their experiences with the organizer to help inform future product upgrades and innovations on the platform to better accommodate nomadic living. Airbnb will assist with listing suggestions, local experiences and cover the cost of accommodations and provide an allowance for transportation for the duration of the program.
I
nspired by the growing flexibility to work and live from anywhere, Airbnb today announced the launch of its “Live Anywhere on Airbnb” program. Twelve individuals to live exclusively in listings on Airbnb
for approximately one year in this one of kind initiative.
Participants who choose to host their primary residence on Airbnb during the program will be able to test the experience and opportunity of hosting while living nomadically, by potentially earning extra money while they
travel. It’s possible for anyone who wants to host and take advantage of the coming travel surge. For new listings that were activated and booked in Q1 2021, 50 percent received a reservation request within four days of activation, and the average annual earnings per Host who has welcomed at least one guest is $9,600. “The experience of living on Airbnb has been truly transformational for us. Live Anywhere on Airbnb will give even more people the opportunity to see the world through a whole new lens just as we have. We’re excited to see more people living
and working from wherever they choose”, said Debbie Campbell, who along with Michael Campbell are long-term Airbnb guests and full-time travellers, also known as The Senior Nomads, who retired in 2013, sold their home and started traveling the world one Airbnb at a time. Starting today, those interested in embarking on their own nomadic adventure can check the guidelines and submit applications at www.airbnb.com/ liveanywhere. The 12 participants will be selected by the panel of interviewers in July and will begin traveling September 2021.
A Holiday Inn Express and Suites to come up Get inspired from Saqib Saleem's on Delhi-Punjab Road H Airbnb home experience Whether it's joining Zoom meetings by the beach, taking family on the ultimate road trip, or learning a new language in a
Photo Courtesy: IANS
ospitality companies IHG Hotels & Resorts and Samplast Resorts will collectively develop Holiday Inn Express & Suites Jalandhar GT Road, in a bid to further the brand's presence in the country and the state, in line with the market demand, IHG said in a statement. The Grand Trunk Road connects New Delhi and Punjab. The new-build hotel featuring 110 keys is expected to be operational by the first quarter of 2024.
I
f you missed spending father's day at home with your dad, well, better late then never. Get Inspired from actor Saqib Saleem who enjoys going on a roadtrip adventure with his dad, to sit back, relax, and live in the moment. The actor shares some tips from from his has road trips experience with his dad, which always brought something new: Saqib and his dad on their last road trip from Mumbai to Kerala Hit the road with your dad: There’s nothing like breathing in the fresh air away from the flurry of everyday life. Road trips can bring a sense of peace rarely offered by other experiences. An open road, a set of wheels, and some nice music is an idyllic setting for some father-offspring bonding. Saqib says his road journeys with his dad involve a lot of conversations, singing songs, sometimes stopping to take small walks or try out food at local outlets, as well as reminiscing family memories. Choose to stay at an Airbnb Home: Saqib recommends staying at an Airbnb Home while
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travelling. It gives you enough opportunities to spend time with your loved ones. During your stay, don’t forget to ask your Airbnb Hosts for some recommendations, as the best way to go local, explore the neighbourhood, and get exclusive knowledge about the destination is through the locals. Saqib and his dad recently stayed at Airbnb’s ForestValley TreeHouse while on a road trip through Karnataka. Saqib Saleem said “Since I was a little boy, I have always shared an extremely special bond with my father. It’s never a dull moment when I am with him and hence I love exploring new cities, towns and experiences with him by my side. We love to travel and particularly enjoy each destination to the fullest. The local stays and experiences that you wouldn’t find on every itinerary are intriguing and that’s why we love staying at Airbnb’s whenever we travel. From meeting new people, hearing the host’s life stories and indulging in local food, Airbnb always ensures a holistic experience. This Father’s Day, I really recommend
that you take some time off your busy schedule, plan a trip with your dad and relive your childhood memories. Trust me, it’ll be an amazing getaway that you will both always cherish” Cook a meal together: ‘A family that cooks together, stays together’. For Saqib, the best way to bond with his dad is by cooking along with him. Saqib’s dad is a hardcore foodie and loves everything that’s related to food. They often try out new recipes and enjoy the entire experience. On their recent trip to Coorg, the duo were seen making some delicious grills together at a barbeque eve at their Airbnb treehouse.
The forthcoming hotel's srategic location has benefits such as excellent visibility and convenient access. Holiday Inn Express & Suites Jalandhar GT Road will be a short drive from the city’s central business district as well as shopping destinations. Additionally, the hotel will have an adjoining strip mall that will offer multiple dining options for hotel guests, said the statement. It will feature well-equipped modern guest rooms and state-of-the-art facilities. For recreation, the hotel will offer ‘Great Room’, a bar and a lounge. Other facilities will include a fitness room, meeting rooms, 15,000 sq. ft. of banqueting space, as well as signature amenities. Commenting on the signing of the agreement, Sudeep Jain, Managing Director, South West
Asia, IHG said, “We are delighted to announce the signing of a new Holiday Inn & Suites hotel and solidifying our presence in the state of Punjab. Punjab is a popular destination with both domestic and international travelers, and Jalandhar, specifically is known to be a hub for the manufacturing industry and is also an important destination for medical tourism. Therefore, in the long-term, there is growing demand for quality branded accommodation in the city and Holiday Inn Express & Suites from our essentials collection fits perfectly well with market needs.” In a joint statement, Rajinder Kumar and Rajan Kumar, Directors at Samplast Resorts added, “It is our first venture in the hospitality sector and partnering with a global, wellrespected brand like IHG gives us trust and confidence in the hotel’s success. With IHG’s credibility, global and local experience, and powerful delivery systems, we are certain that the hotel will emerge as a popular choice amongst the travellers visiting Jalandhar.” IHG currently has 42 hotels operating across five brands in SWA, and a strong pipeline of 51 hotels due to open in the next 2-3 years.
Photo Courtesy: Pexel
Have a go at Online Airbnb Experiences: Whether you’ve managed to hit the road or are staying at home, an Airbnb Experience can be completely worth your time, says Saqib. From creating the perfect cocktail, learning new recipes, to trying out something new together, there are a ton of things that you can do with your dad from wherever you are.
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July 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 25
INDIA NEWS
TRAVEL
‘Revenge’ travel is the new buzzword
F
or some, camping in their backyard could have come closest to an adventure during our days in quarantine. With trains and flights suspended and hotels closed down, all we could do is dive into good ol' travel memories. But thanks to vaccine roll-out at the start of 2021, there's optimism among travel enthusiasts towards the prospect of travelling to their desired destinations again. Those struck by wanderlust have started planning their next trip. But since leisure travel is no longer how it used to be before the pandemic, compliance with safety measures is indispensable. Post-pandemic travel could revive the travel industry with a whopping surge in bookings in the latter part of the year. After being advised not to step out of the confines of our homes for over a year, stepping out into the world could be vengeance for those 'lost' days. This is where the concept of 'Revenge Travel'
sprouted from.
What is Revenge Travel? “The surge in flight/train and hotel bookings have been anticipated by the stakeholders in the travel industry after the vaccination drive starts gaining pace. After the dreadful hiatus of staying at home, travel enthusiasts are planning longer and more luxurious vacations. Thus, 'revenge travel' is all set to become a phenomenon,” says Dinesh Kumar Kotha, CoFounder & CEO, Confirmtkt. He adds: “The quarantine has not only been bluntly uneventful but also mentally taxing. Moreover, adjusting to the new normal of work from home has derailed us from enjoying the little pleasures of enjoying bustling city life. Since the city seems busting no longer, we might as well take a thrilling vacation to the destination of our desire.” For a break, we could shut down our laptops, stuff our backpacks with all things necessary and avenge the time
Photo Courtesy: Pexel
spent in quarantine by going out into nature. A Boom in Travel Industry Kotha feels: “Travellers, all across the world, laying out their plans for 'revenge travel' would stimulate a massive boom in the travel industry. However, postpandemic travel might be costly due to the rising air/train and hotel fares. The increasing cost is due to the additional safety gears and accessories while travelling such as the cost of PPE kits for air travel, sanitization of the hotel, etc.” The increasing cost of travel or accommodation is perhaps not a deterrent for those who wish to step out for 'revenge travel', which is why a boom in the travel industry is certainly around the corner, he adds. Travel Guidelines and Safety Standards With the beginning of these efforts to sustain the new normal, the certification of the vaccination status of the travellers is important. Besides, the passenger would also need to show an RT-PCR test negative report and undergo health screening at the airport/railway station. Another notable change would be the absence of meal services on flights/trains, which only means that you must plan your trip taking into account such aspects, Kotha says. Despite the apprehensions owing to the second wave of the virus, travel enthusiasts are hoping for some relaxations in restrictions in regards to travel by the end of this year, indicating long-haul travel plans post-vaccination.
Sri Lanka gets a new hotel destination Photo Courtesy: Hospitality Net
S
et in the heart of Colombo city adjacent to the Beira Lake, Marriott International Introduces The Courtyard By Marriott Brand to Colombo which is set to provide convenient business connectivity and excellent views of the city skyline. Slated to feature 164 modern-styled guest
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part of the Abans Group, one of Sri Lanka’s largest conglomerates with diversified interests in retail, real-estate development, environmental management and logistics to debut the Courtyard by Marriott brand in Sri Lanka. The hotel is anticipated to open in late 2021.
rooms and suites, the hotel will offer an inviting hospitality experience through its intuitive service and uplifting spaces, allowing business and leisure guests to shift gears smoothly from work to relaxation. Design plans call for thoughtfully designed rooms, featuring a
functional work area, smart amenities, and high-speed internet access, empowering guests to stay both connected and productive while on the road, no matter the purpose of their trip. Marriott International, Inc. signed an agreement with Colombo City Centre Partners (Private) Limited,
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“We are delighted to strengthen our Marriott Bonvoy portfolio of hotels in Sri Lanka with today’s signing,” said Mr. Rajeev Menon, President, Asia Pacific (excluding China), Marriott International. “This signing underscores our long-term commitment to Sri Lanka as a strategically important market, offering the potential to grow our brands and provide customers with more choices.” “We are very pleased to collaborate with Abans Group, who share our vision to offer smart, intuitive service and high-quality accommodation in Sri Lanka,” commented Kiran Andicot, Regional Vice President - Development, South Asia,
Marriott International.
The hotel is set to feature two dining venues – including an all-day dining restaurant offering a combination of Western dishes, Asian favorites and a host of local delicacies as well as an adjoining Lobby Lounge decked with a full-service bar and a quick-bites menu. Additional plans call for a well-equipped 24-hour fitness centre, an outdoor swimming pool and three meeting rooms to be fully equipped with state-ofthe-art audio-visual equipment and wireless internet. “We are happy to have forged this strategic business alliance with Marriott International and are keen to see our relationship grow from strength to strength. We eagerly look forward to the opening of the first Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in Sri Lanka. We are excited to have Marriott International with us at Colombo City Centre,” stated Aban Pestonjee, Chairperson of Abans Group.
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July 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 25
INDIA NEWS
COMMUNITY NEWS
GOPIO GC Annual Celebration Dinner held
G
OPIO Gold Coast held their annual celebratory Dinner on 19th of June 2021 at Sea World Resort, which was attended by over 160 people from the Gold Coast and wider community.
multicultural communities within Gold Coast and Brisbane.
His Worship the Mayor of Gold Coast Cr. Tom Tate, Mayoress Ruth Tate and Honorary Consul of India QLD, Mrs Archana Singh were the chief guests. The event was also graced by the presence of Senator for QLD Mr Murray Watt, FICQ President – Mr Shyam Das, GOPIO QLD founder – Mr Umesh Chandra, Gold Coast City councillors and a number of other dignitaries and representatives of the many Indian and
The crowd was thoroughly entertained throughout the night with a mix of cultural and Bollywood performances. These included a classical Bharatanatyam dance by Devika and Meera Nair, a high energy dance medley by Tanvi and Sanjeev and Bollywood interactive dance by the wonderful Shera.
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The evening began with guests having a chance to mingle and enjoy a few drinks before being seated for the formal proceedings.
Everyone was also treated to live music and melodies by Fusion
Dreams as they enjoyed the delicious Indian buffet dinner prepared by the exquisite chefs of Sea World. GOPIO GC recognised the support of their VIP sponsors and also awarded a plaque to Vishaak Gangasandra, for receiving the ‘outstanding academic achiever QLD, 2020’ title.
‘gift bag’, sponsored by Sonia Polra from Amcal Chempro, to take home as a memento.
The event was sponsored by: Gaura Travels, Study Gold Coast,
Netvision, Way to Wealth Advisors, Ovolo Group of Hotels ANZ, Amcal Chempro Pharmacy, ASMI Home Decor.
The GOPIO GC annual celebration dinner was a wonderful opportunity for the people of Indian origin and wider community to reconnect and build their networks and come together. Each guest also received a special
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July 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 25
INDIA NEWS
COMMUNITY NEWS
Dragon Boat Festival organised in Morton Bay
B
risbane North Chinese Association and Multicultural Queensland worked together with local and wider communities to hold the first ever Dragon Boat Festival in Pelican Park Clontarf in Morton Bay on 20 June. About 100 VIP guests among hundreds of participants and spectators attended the event. Represent the traditional owners of this land, the elders of the community, Aunty Peggy Tideman, Aunty Cathy Jackson and Aunty Brenda attended. Families, tourists, local residents enjoyed the free vegetarian food, fun games, dragon boat racing and multicultural performance.
"It is our honour that we can greet about 100 politicians, government representatives, wider community leaders attending today’s event," said Carl Wu, President, Brisbane North Chinese Association. "Today we meet together to celebrate one of the most important Chinese Traditional Festival – Duan Wu and we also call it the Dragon Boat Festival." "The fifth lunar month is considered an unlucky month. People believed that natural disasters and illnesses are common in the fifth month. In order to get rid of the misfortune, people would put calamus, artemisia, pomegranate flowers, Chinese ixora and garlic above the doors on the fifth day of the fifth month. Since the shape of calamus forms like a sword and with the strong smell of the garlic, it is believed that they can remove the evil spirits," Mr Wu said of the festival's origins and significance. "The Dragon Boat Festival which we are holding has big potential to grow up and attract tourists into Morton Bay Region. We hope that it will help us recover from the economic effects of the pandemic in this region. Meanwhile, as you can see that this is an event run by the local communities, the diversity communities and
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supported by the local residents and Chinese communities. So this event will offer an important opportunity to bring multicultural families together, to share culture between diversity communities and to work together as one team. That is our national spirit – we are many, but we are one, we are Australian," Mr Wu further said. Dragon Boat Festival's origin The story best known in modern China holds that the festival commemorates the death of the poet and minister Qu Yuan of the ancient state of Chu during the Warring States period of the Zhou Dynasty. When the king decided to ally with the increasingly powerful state of Qin, Qu Yuan was banished for opposing the alliance and even accused of treason. During his exile, Qu Yuan wrote a great deal of poetry. Twenty-eight years later, Qin captured Ying, the Chu capital. In despair, Qu Yuan died by suicide by drowning himself in the Miluo River. It is said that the local people, who admired him, raced out in their boats to save him, or at least retrieve his body. This is said to have been the origin of dragon boat races. When his body could not be found, they dropped balls of sticky rice into the river so that the fish would eat them instead of Qu Yuan's body. This is said to be the origin of zongzi. Dragon Boat Festival was long marked as a cultural festival in China and is a public holiday in the mainland, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. It is unofficially observed by the Chinese communities of Southeast Asia, including Singapore and Malaysia. Equivalent and related official festivals include the Korean Dano, Japanese Children’s Day and Vietnamese Tet Doan Ngo. People gather together to pray for peace and luck. Meanwhile, people have chance to know each other and enhance the friendship and help each other in life.
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INDIA NEWS
July 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 25
Badshah: Truly believe in magic of India, especially its music Photo Courtesy: Instagram
ENTERTAINMENT
Nikki Tamboli: Giving quality entertainment is what I believe in Mumbai, June 22 (IANS): Nikki Tamboli is flooded with work. From music videos to stuntbased reality shows, the former "Bigg Boss 14" housemate has a lot on her plate. She says being consistent and giving quality entertainment is what Ive always believed in.
Photo Courtesy: Instagram
Nikki said: "Being consistent and giving quality entertainment is what I have always believed in. This phase of my life, where I am getting back-to-back work, is truly a blessing." "I am here to entertain and give my best to my fans and the people who watch me onscreen. This is just the beginning and there is more to come in the coming days. Also, my new song is releasing next week and I am sure you all will love as we loved making this," Nikki said.
New Delhi, June 23 (IANS): With last year's "Genda phool" and his latest track "Paani paani", rapper Badshah has started infusing Indian music and instruments in his compositions. He says it is a conscious choice as he truly believes in the magic of India and its culture -- especially the music and instruments that often end up lost in the new digital age. Badshah's latest track "Paani paani" has been shot in Jaisalmer, Rajasthan. The Rajasthani musical instrument ravanhatta and the Kalbeliya folk dance have been fused in the rap number. Previously, he incorporated the two-string instrument dotara in the song "Genda Phool", which also showcased the richness of Bengali culture. Asked if it is a conscious choice
of spotlighting different cultures, music and instruments in his music, Badshah, whose real name is Aditya Prateek Singh Sisodia, could not agree more. He told IANS: "Yes. I truly believe in the power and magic of India, its culture, especially its music and instruments that so frequently end up being lost in this new digital age. It is our responsibility as representatives to keep this magic alive and represent this richness to the world and bring India on the world map." "Genda phool" released last year and currently has 824,903,822 views on Youtube, while "Paani paani" dropped 13 days ago on Jun 9 and has 109,678,689 views on the video streaming website. "It's a pressure I maintain upon
myself, to deliver something bigger and better than my previous body of work. I just want to continue delivering the best packages for my fans and my audience, to keep revealing little pieces of me every time," he said. His latest number features actress Jacqueline Fernandez once again after "Genda phool". The rapper tagged it as an organic choice.
Nikki is currently seen with Milind Gaba in the music video of the song titled "Shanti". She was also shooting in CapeTown for "Khatron Ke Khiladi 11". Nikki has also featured in a song by Tony Kakkar titled "Number Likh".
Rubina Dilaik shares 'Bigg Boss' victory gown for LGBTQIA+ charity Photo Courtesy: Instagram
"Obviously, we knew there needs to be a comeback for the 'Genda phool' magic. But I made 'Paani paani' and I played it to Jacqueline and she loved it," Badshah said He added: "It's an absolute pleasure and learning to work with Jacqueline, she is one of the most professional people I have ever met in the Industry, and then there was no second thoughts after she suggested."
Seerat Kapoor wants to work with AR Rahman Photo Courtesy: Instagram
Mumbai, June 23 (IANS): Actress Seerat Kapoor, who is known for her work in Telugu films, is also a trained classical singer. She hopes that some day she will get to work with music maestro AR Rehman. "While I was preparing Ranbir Kapoor and Nargis Fakhri for 'Rockstar' promotions as an assistant choreographer, I had the privilege to watch AR Rehman jam live. It was the most surreal experience, I didn't blink! I remember, by the end of his performance, I had teary eyes. AR Rehman, through his music can touch your soul. On the first line he sang, I was absorbed by his world. I hope I get to work with him someday," Seerat tells IANS. The actor, whose popularity increased after starring in Telugu film "Krishna And His Leela", says learning dance and singing helped her understand the field of performing arts better. "I am trained in Indian classical
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Mumbai, June 22 (IANS): The lime coloured ruffle gown with puffy golden sleeves in intricate shimmer that Rubina Dilaik wore while taking home the "Bigg Boss 14" trophy is up for sale for a cause, alomg with other gowns she wore on the reality show. The gown is up for charity to support the LGBTQIA+ community, in commemoration of Pride Month in June. The wardrobe includes a piece she wore in the music video "Marjaneya". and semi classical music since the age of 12. At the time, my focus was on dance and music both. Educating myself in the field of performing arts through dance
and music simultaneously helped me grow a deeper insight and understanding towards each of them individually, rather early," she says.
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Rubina stated her concern for the transgender community expressing that it's a long way to go towards making the transgender community feel more
a part of mainstream society. "Until we get to a point where we don't need a special month to commemorate the LGBTQIA+ community, our efforts will not stop," she said. The Big Boss winner has always been vocal about transgender rights, and earned acclaim for her role as a transgender woman in the popular TV show "Shakti Astitva Ke Ehsaas Ki". Her "Big Boss 14" gown will be on sale through pre-loved fashion platform Dolce Vee and proceeds through the sale will support Color Positive, an NGO that supports the LGBTQIA+ community.
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July 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 25
Amyra Dastur urges all to donate to Covid relief Mumbai, June 24 (IANS): Amyra Dastur is donating to Covid relief amid the ongoing second wave of the pandemic. The actress is deeply affected by how the pandemic has left people devastated and displaced families across the nation.
Photo Courtesy: Instagram
ENTERTAINMENT
Shilpa Shetty: We all need a little bit of fire to keep us going Photo Courtesy: Instagram
"Covid-19 has devastated so many in our country and displaced so many families. It's because of this that we all really need the children of today to be able help create a better world for tomorrow," Amyra said. The actress also feels we should educate our children about the reality of our country so that they learn to donate for those in need. "Children shouldn't be living in a bubble. Poverty is a huge humanitarian issue in India. Kids need to know this reality so that when they grow up they can help and make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate than them," she suggested, adding, "As a child my mother worked with The Red Cross as a volunteer on and off. I learnt so much and became so grateful for what I have," she said. Amyra prefers donating to smaller NGOs which are working to aid Covid affected families in India. Explaining why she chooses to donate to smaller NGOs, the actress shared: "The bigger NGOs already have big names attached and great consistent donations. The smaller NGOs need support and awareness spread on their behalf to be able to grow. I also believe the smaller NGOs give more attention and focus to a smaller group of people, thereby enhancing a better way of life for these people that they solely
concentrate on." "I have personally seen the progress that has taken place and I feel proud of what these small NGOs have managed to achieve, especially during this pandemic," she added. Urging all to donate whatever they can, Amyra said: "You can even donate food instead of money in the form of ration kits
containing basic commodities like rice, vegetables, cooking oil, etc. Money isn't the only way to help. Something simple to you can be worth so much to families who don't have it." On the work front, Amyra will feature alongside actorchoreographer-filmmaker Prabhu Deva in the upcoming Tamil film "Bagheera".
Karishma Tanna shares glimpse of 'just another day'
Mumbai, June 25 (IANS): Bollywood actress Shilpa Shetty Kundra has shared some Friday wisdom on social media along with a stunning video featuring her in a bright yellow ensemble. Shilpa posted a boomerang video on Instagram that shows her twirling in a layered yellow floorsweeping dress. She paired it with an emerald neck piece. "We all need a little bit of fire to
keep us going," she wrote as the caption. Meanwhile, the actress' family recovered from Covid 19 recently and she resumed her position as a judge on the reality show "Super Dancer: Chapter 4". She is also set to return to the big screen for the first time in 17 years with the films "Nikamma" and "Hungama 2".
Priyanka Chopra goes all-white to celebrate Pride Month
Photo Courtesy: Instagram
Photo Courtesy: Instagram
Mumbai, June 24 (IANS): Actress Karishma Tanna on Thursday shared a glimpse of what just another day looks like for her. Karishma posted a picture on Instagram, where she is seen dressed in a white T-shirt paired with ripped jeans, sneakers and sunglasses. "Just another day. Ssup?" she wrote as caption, tagging her post with #mood and #potd. The actress was last seen in "Lahore Confidential", Kunal Kohli's spy drama that dropped digitally earlier this year. Last year, her dance number "Basanti" in the comedy release "Suraj Pe Mangal Bhari" also became popular. Karishma made her debut with "Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi" in 2001. She made her film debut in Bollywood with "Dosti: Friends Forever". In 2013, she was seen in
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Indra Kumar's successful comedy "Grand Masti" and was also seen
in the 2018 hit "Sanju".
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INDIA NEWS
Luxury, lifestyle, location — welcome to Dress Circle
July 1-15, 2021 - Vol 1, Issue 25
Located in the heart of one of Australia’s fastest growing regions, Brookwater is Brisbane’s best kept secret for luxury living. Crafted around the Greg Norman designed golf course, Brookwater provides a rare combination of prestige golf-side living and natural bushland beauty. With over 800 families already calling Brookwater home, we are pleased to introduce the next stage of this exclusive community — your own architecturally designed piece of paradise — Dress Circle.
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Life on Brookwater’s Dress Circle is within 10 minutes of everything you need — commuter rail to the city, private and public schools, childcare centres, a university, a private hospital, shopping centres and a thriving commercial precinct.
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