New Delhi, Aug 15 (IANS) On the occasion of Independence Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the nation, highlighting India's progress and the importance of unity, compassion,
Aug
The
for
New Delhi, Aug 13 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Tuesday discharged the contempt notice
and inclusivity in the country's journey forward.
"India is moving in the right direction, but along with this, affection and equanimity are also important," PM Modi emphasised in his speech.
Reflecting on the challenges faced during the COVID-19 pandemic, he noted: "When I recall the COVID era -- if there is any
country that went on to become the fastest growing economy, it is our India -- then it feels that the nation is moving in the right direction."
The Prime Minister also remarked on the significance of the national flag: "Today the entire country is 'Tiranga' (tricolour), and every home is 'Tiranga.' When the
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Ukraine later this month.
India's involvment in the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine and its efforts to bring peace between the two countries, US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel has said here.
Patel made the remarks on Wednesday while addressing potential upcoming travel by
"I will let the (Indian) Prime Minister's office speak to any of his own travels. I don't have anything to offer there," he said during his daily news conference on Wednesday.
"We are in touch with our Indian partners on a number of issues and, of course, would welcome
Blinken, extended warm greetings to India on the occasion of the 78th Independence Day on Thursday and hailed the ties between the two nations. Blinken said that the US celebrates the 'rich and diverse history' of the Indian people on the country's Independence Day, which is celebrated on August 15 every year.
Wishing India, the US State
Aug
issued to Yoga Guru Baba Ramdev and Patanjali Ayurved's Managing Director Acharya Balkrishna over the continued publication of misleading advertisements by the company.
Earlier on May 14, dispensing Ramdev and Balkrishna’s personal appearance in further hearings, a bench of Justices
Hima Kohli and Ahsanuddin Amanullah reserved its verdict in the contempt proceedings.
Justice Kohli-led Bench decided to close the matter in view of the apology tendered before the apex court and the public apology published by Patanjali. However, it cautioned them not to violate
New Delhi/Dhaka, Aug 14 (IANS)
Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently in India after the fall of her government following a mass uprising, has demanded an investigation into the killings,
vandalism and arson carried out in the name of agitation in her country.
She also demanded on Tuesday that the culprits be identified and brought to justice, The Daily Star reported.
Sajeeb Wazed Joy, Hasina's son, posted her statement on his verified Facebook page on Tuesday.
Aug 12
on the campus, the principal of Kolkata-based R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital, Dr Sandip Ghosh, on Monday resigned, appealing to the protesting medical students and house-staff to withdraw their demonstrations.
The medical students and house staff had been demanding
Kolkata,
(IANS) Amid massive protests over the rape and murder of a trainee doctor
Washington,
15 (IANS) The US Secretary of State, Antony
Washington,
15 (IANS)
US has expressed support
EDITORIAL TEAM
Dr Ram Mohan, Chairman
Dr Ashutosh Misra, Editor-in-Chief
EDITORIAL BOARD
Amrita Deshpande, Community News Editor
Paras Sharma, Assistant Editor
Dr Uttam Kumar Sinha, Senior Fellow, Nehru Memorial Museum & Library, India
Mr Shaun Star, Director, Centre for Australia India Studies, Jindal Global University, India
INDIA NEWS TV
Mr Karthik Pratap Singh, News Director
Mr. Agastya Yeturi, Cinematographer
Mr Nishit Chandan, Special Correspondent
INDIA BUREAU CHIEF
Harpreet Bhagrath
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Ms Kriti Bharadwaj
WRITERS
Dr Devashish Chakraborty
Rabindra Mukherji
PHOTOGRAPHY & VIDEOGRAPHY
Agastya Yeturi
Pablo Lanata
WEBSITE DESIGN & MANAGEMENT
Cosmos Media (www.cosmosmedia.info)
GRAPHICS DESIGNER
Cosmos Media (www.cosmosmedia.info)
ADVERTISING & MARKETING
Dr Ram Mohan; Phone: 1300 859 066
PUBLISHING & DISTRIBUTION
Star Promotions
ADDRESS
India News
Unit 49, 391, WICKHAM TERRACE, Spring Hill, Brisbane, QLD – 4000
national flag flies high in every home, we see that people come forward and rise above religion, caste, and creed for the tricolour. Then it feels that the country is moving in the right direction."
He went on to highlight the government's efforts to uplift millions out of poverty: "When we lift 25 crore people above the poverty line, then we are reassured that we have maintained the right pace, and in no time we will fulfil our dreams."
The Prime Minister underscored the importance of empathy in governance, particularly
in reaching out to the most vulnerable communities.
"When our Adivasis benefit from PM Jan Man Yojana, then it feels that if we work with empathy, then we get satisfaction," he said.
He also spoke about the government's initiatives to support women, the speciallyabled, and the transgender community.
"We have increased the paid maternity leave for working women from 12 weeks to 26 weeks, just so the government does not interfere with her newborn becoming an ideal citizen," PM Modi said,
highlighting the importance of supporting women in the workforce.
"When we talk about sign language, the specially-abled Indians feel that they are also dignified and respected. This shows that our kindness and empathy have strengthened them," he added.
Addressing the needs of the transgender community, the Prime Minister stated: "For transgenders, new laws and reforms are being made so that they get respect, and it shows that India is changing."
US welcomes India’s peace efforts in Russia-Ukraine war
Blinken congratulates India on 78th Independence Day, hails ties between India-US
Continued from Page 1 Continued from Page 1 Continued from Page 1
India's engagement in the war between Russia and Ukraine, especially as it relates to ensuring that we get to a just and durable peace that is reflective of what our Ukrainian partners are attempting to do, which is to defend their territorial integrity and sovereignty," Patel added.
PM Modi is likely to visit Poland
and Ukraine from August 21 to 23. No official announcement in this regard has been made yet.
Earlier, PM Modi was on an official visit to Russia from July 8-9 and met Russian President Vladimir Putin. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy expressed disappointment over PM Modi's visit to Russia, which he termed a "devastating blow to peace efforts".
During his bilateral talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin, PM Modi raised the issue of killings of children during conflicts and said it is "heartwrenching" when innocent children die.
The Prime Minister said that everyone who believes in humanity is hurt when there is a loss of lives. As many as 37 children were killed in a recent missile strike at a children's hospital in Kyiv.
SC closes contempt proceedings against Ramdev & Balkrishna, accepts apology
Continued from Page 1
the undertaking furnished before the apex court in future.
In an earlier hearing, the top court had rejected the "unconditional and unqualified apology" tendered by Ramdev and Balkrishna and took strong exception over the violation of the undertaking given to the Supreme Court in November last year.
Patanjali had earlier assured the Supreme Court that it would not make any casual statements claiming the medicinal efficacy
of its products or advertise or brand them in violation of law and would not release any statement against any system of medicine to the media in any form.
The Indian Medical Association (IMA) has sought action against Patanjali for violation of the Drugs and Magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisements) Act, 1954 -- which prohibits the advertisement of certain products for the treatment of specified diseases and disorders, including diabetes, heart diseases, high or low blood pressure and obesity.
Last week, the top court told IMA President Dr R.V. Asokan to issue a public apology in prominent newspapers using his own funds for his contemptuous statement.
In an interview with a media outlet, Dr Asokan had termed the oral observations made by the apex court during Patanjali's misleading advertisements case against allopathy practitioners as "unfortunate" and a "very vague and general statement which has demoralised the doctors".
Centre okays projects worth Rs 3,600cr to boost power supply in Gurugram, Faridabad
New Delhi, Aug 14 (IANS) The Ministry of Power on Wednesday approved projects worth Rs 3,600 crore for the modernisation and upgradation of power distribution infrastructure in Gurugram and Faridabad districts of Haryana adjoining the national capital.
The decision was taken at an inter-ministerial monitoring committee meeting headed by Manohar Lal Khattar, the Union Minister for Power and Housing & Urban Affairs.
The Minister reviewed the performance of the Power Distribution Companies and Power Departments in the country.
During the review, the status of quality and reliability of power supply in the National Capital Region including the cities of Gurugram and Faridabad was also discussed in detail.
It was observed that the power demand in these towns has been growing at a rapid pace of 8-10 per cent annually.
It was decided to approve these projects to cater to the growing power demand and to ensure reliable and quality electricity supply to the consumers in these
two towns, the ministry said. The projects will be covered under the Centre’s flagship Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme. The projects would benefit consumers of Manesar and Badshahpur in Gurugram district and Old Faridabad, NIT, Ballabhgarh and Greater Faridabad in Faridabad district, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Power.
The project covers works for around 500 feeders with latest technology which includes setting up of 20 new Gas Insulated Substations, of which 12 will be set up in Faridabad and 8 in Gurugram.
Secretary also said that "USIndia cooperation is expanding at a rapid pace" as two countries continue to work together to advance their shared vision of a free, open, stable, and prosperous Indo-Pacific.
"On behalf of the United States of America, I congratulate the people of India as they celebrate the anniversary of their country's independence on August 15. On this momentous day, we celebrate the rich and diverse history of the Indian people and the bright future of US-Indian relations," he said in a press statement, according to the US Department of State.
"Our comprehensive global and
strategic partnership is grounded in the deep bonds between our peoples, our economies, and built on the foundation of our shared commitment to democracy, freedom, and human dignity," he added.
"From climate and clean energy to defence and space technologies, US-Indian bilateral cooperation is more wide-ranging and stronger than ever before," Blinken said. "I wish all those celebrating today, in India, in the United States, and globally through the Indian diaspora, a joyous Independence Day," he added.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hoist the national flag on the occasion at the Red Fort in Delhi.
Kolkata doctor’s rape & murder: Principal resigns amid massive protests
Continued from Page 1
Ghosh’s resignation on moral grounds over the alleged rape and murder of the woman house staff and second-year post-graduate student of the medical college & hospital last week.
While announcing his resignation, Ghosh appealed to the protesting medical students and house staff to withdraw their demonstrations and cease work and resume normal operations at the hospital premises.
“My resignation was the desire of the students. In fact, the entire state was demanding my resignation. I hope that the medical students and junior doctors will now resume their normal operations. For the last few days, my family and I have been subjected to various adverse comments. So I decided to resign,” said Ghosh on Monday morning.
He claimed that he had been a victim of a political conspiracy drafted by his rival group. “I had never been a part of any kind of political game. As a government servant, I will perform my duty till the end,” Ghosh said.
However, the protesters are adamant about continuing with their agitation until their demands are met. According to them, a mere verbal announcement of the resignation by the principal will not suffice and he will have to tender the same in writing.
“The resignation of the principal was just one of our demands, already the Resident Doctors’ Association has released their four-point demand in the matter and we will continue with our agitation and cease work till our demands are fulfilled,” said a protesting house staff of the hospital.
Ex-B’desh PM Hasina issues ‘first statement’ after ouster
Continued from Page 1
Hasina was compelled to step down on August 5 following the student protests, which saw more than 500 people killed.
In the statement, she said, "Since July, lots of lives have been lost in violence, arson in the name of protests. I express my condolences and prayers for the victims, including students, teachers, police, journalists, cultural activists and a pregnant police woman, members of Awami League and its associate bodies, pedestrians and various professionals."
She conveyed sympathy to the bereaved families, The Daily Star
reported.
In her statement, Hasina recalled the massacre of August 15, 1975, when Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members were assassinated.
Hasina, the eldest daughter of Bangabandhu, also expressed grief over the vandalism and arson at the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32 and sought justice from country's people.
She urged all to observe the National Mourning Day on August 15 in a befitting manner by placing floral wreaths at Bangabandhu Bhaban and offering prayers.
Springfield is on a quest to become a city of the future – one that is clever, connected and bursting with creative energy. Whether it's through technology, environmental initiatives, community projects or something entirely new, we want to hear how you would make Springfield a better place for everyone. Join Maha Sinnathamby’s Ideas & Imagination Award to showcase your innovative ideas and unleash your creativity!
If you have an idea, no matter how big or small, we want to hear it. Don’t miss out on this chance to develop your entrepreneurial skills, gain confidence and creative innovative solutions.
Submissions close: Monday 26 August
Independence Day 2024 HAPPY
Consul General Mrs Neetu Bhagotia’s message on India’s 78th Independence Day
As we commemorate the 78th Independence Day of our beloved nation, it is a moment of immense pride and reflection for every Indian. On this day, we honor the countless brave souls who laid down their lives during the freedom struggle, a journey that was marked by unparalleled
sacrifices and unwavering determination. The legacy of these heroes, who fought with resilience and courage, continues to inspire us to this day. Independence was not merely the end of colonial rule but the beginning of a responsibility—a responsibility to build a nation that stands as a beacon of democracy, unity, and prosperity.
Over the past 78 years, India has made remarkable strides in various fields, including science and technology, healthcare, education, and space exploration. However, as we celebrate these successes, we must also remind ourselves of the duties we owe to our country. Patriotism is not just about remembering the past, but about contributing to the present
and future of our nation. Whether through sustainable development, fostering innovation, or ensuring social justice, each one of us has a role to play in shaping the India of tomorrow.
On this auspicious day, let us pledge to uphold the values of our Constitution and work towards an India that is inclusive, resilient, and strong. Let the tricolor remind us of the unity in diversity that defines our nation and inspire us to serve our country with unwavering dedication.
Jai Hind! Jai Bharat!
Mrs Neetu Bhagotia Consul General of India, Brisbane
India the fourth highest country of origin for Brisbane residents outside of Australia.
Over 35,000 India-born residents call Brisbane home, making
I am delighted to wish our Indian brothers and sisters a wonderful Independence Day. On this historic milestone let us pause to remember the values and principles that form the core of India’s universal appeal and
From businesses, to music and events, to amazing food, we are so lucky to experience the many wonderful parts of Indian culture here in Brisbane.
Today we acknowledge the independence of the Indian people and their contribution to making Brisbane even better. May today be an opportunity to gather with friends and family and have a safe and happy celebration.
Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner
India’s Independence Day is an occasion to draw inspiration
conduct. It is time to reminisce about Mahatma Gandhi’s resolve and unwavering faith in non-violence and peace and his fortitude to take on the mighty British Empire and with no money and army and yet change the course of human history. India’s Independence Day is an occasion to draw inspiration from Gandhian values and philosophy and help shape a better world for all. Stay safe, dream big, and never give up. Jai Hind.
Mr. Maha Sinnathamby, Chairman Springfield City Group
Andhra CM discusses YouTube Academy with Google leadership
Amaravati, Aug 6 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday discussed setting up a YouTube Academy in the state with the company leadership.
The Chief Minister revealed on ‘X’ that he was delighted to connect with YouTube global CEO Neal Mohan and Google APAC Head Sanjay Gupta online.
“We discussed setting up a YouTube Academy in Andhra Pradesh, in collaboration with local partners, to foster AI, content development, skill development and certification programmes,” the Chief Minister posted.
“Furthermore, we explored avenues for providing technical
support for the Media City initiative in our capital, Amaravati,” he added.
Media City is one of the nine theme cities planned by Naidu as part of Amaravati state capital.
Naidu’s discussions with the YouTube CEO and Google APAC head are part of his efforts to restore investor confidence and Andhra Pradesh's brand image. Ever since he assumed office as the chief minister in June, Naidu has been holding meetings with the CEOs of various companies and key business leaders to attract investment.
Alleging that the previous government led by Jagan Mohan Reddy damaged Andhra Pradesh’s brand image, Naidu has vowed to reconstruct the same.
He has revived plans to build Amaravati as the greenfield capital city. He has declared that the development of the state capital will go ahead with the existing master plan but will incorporate modern advancements.
The previous government had stopped works in Amaravati in 2019 and announced its plans to build three state capitals with Visakhapatnam as the administrative capital.
Meanwhile, the Chief Minister on Tuesday held a review meeting on infrastructure and investments.
Chandrababu Naidu directed the officials to revive all the prestigious infrastructure projects launched during 201419 but stalled by the previous government of YSR Congress Party.
He asked officials to take steps for progress on setting up the Andhra Pradesh Maritime Board, AP Maritime Infrastructure Development Corporation, special purpose vehicles for various projects, AP Inland WaterWays Authority.
The Chief Minister directed officials to expeditiously complete the development of all ports and shipping harbours without giving any scope for controversies.
Make in India: Maruti Suzuki begins SUV Fronx export to Japan
New Delhi, Aug 13 (IANS) In a boost to the ‘Make in India’ initiative, leading automobile company Maruti Suzuki India on Tuesday started exporting its SUV Fronx model to Japan. The first consignment of over 1,600 vehicles left for Japan from Gujarat’s Pipavav port, according to the company.
It will be the first SUV from Maruti Suzuki to launch in Japan. After Baleno in 2016, this is the second car of India's largest automobile player (in terms of selling four-wheelers) to be exported to Japan. Fronx is manufactured at Maruti Suzuki’s Gujarat plant.
Fronx is likely to be launched in Japan by Suzuki Motor Corporation, Maruti Suzuki’s parent company, in the autumn of 2024.
Fronx was launched in India in the second quarter of 2023. In July 2023, the company commenced export of Fronx to destinations like Latin America, the Middle East and Africa.
Hisashi Takeuchi, MD & CEO of Maruti Suzuki India Limited said, "I am proud to share that our ‘Made-in-India’ Fronx will soon be seen on the roads in Japan. Japan is one of the most quality-conscious and advanced automobile markets in the world.
Our export to Japan is a testament to Maruti Suzuki’s capability to manufacture world-class vehicles that exemplify cuttingedge technology, exceptional performance and internationally recognised safety, and quality standards. It underscores our
strong commitment to excellence.
"The Fronx embodies the best of engineering and design finesse and is a beacon of Indian auto manufacturing excellence. I am confident that it will be received well by Japanese customers,” he added.
According to the SIAM (Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers) report, Maruti Suzuki exported over 2.8 lakh units to over 100 countries in FY 2023-24. The company has a 42 per cent share in the exports of passenger vehicles from the country.
The company shipped 70,560 units in Q1 FY 2024-25, the highest ever in any Q1 in the company's history.
Earlier this month, Maruti Suzuki reported sales figures for July 2024 at 1,37,463 units which was lower by 9.6 per cent compared to the same month last year.
Teenager held for killing father, stepmother, 2 others in Begusarai
Patna, Aug 13 (IANS) The police in Bihar's Begusarai on Tuesday arrested a 17-year-old boy in connection with the murder of four individuals, including his father, stepmother, and stepsister.
On the night of August 9, the accused, a Class 10 student, allegedly committed the heinous
crime at Chiranjivipur village in Begusarai district. The attacker used a baton and a knife to commit the murders, which the police later recovered along with the accused’s clothes from the Balan River.
The deceased have been identified as Sanjivan Mahto (40), his wife Sanjeeta Devi (36), and
PM Modi’s reforms are absolutely inspirational: Phil Baty
New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS)
Acknowledging the efforts of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government at the Centre for improving the quality of education in India along with establishing the country's stature as a rising superpower on the world stage, Phil Baty, the Chief Global Affairs Officer at the Times Higher Education, has said that "India needs an education system that matches its growth as a rising economy".
The Times Education is the most comprehensive and the most balanced evaluation system for Global Research University in the world.
In an exclusive interview with IANS, Baty said, "I think PM Modi's reforms are absolutely inspirational in their scale and boldness... We see a nation that is desperately in need of education, with a large youth population requiring access to it. The efforts to improve access to education, grow inclusion in higher education, and simultaneously enhance quality are commendable..."
Asked about the Indian universities finding a place in the Times Higher Education, he added: "We see India's rising participation ... Indian universities have the desire and hunger to enter the world stage."
He added: "Perhaps the heart of the next stage is internationalisation. I sense that Indian universities are more attractive globally... They can attract and retain more talent.
Rape
their daughter Sapna Kumari (10). His six-year-old stepbrother, who was critically injured, died at a hospital on Sunday.
Sanjivan married twice and the accused teenager is the son of his first wife. According to Superintendent of Police (SP) Manish, the accused acted like a seasoned criminal.
They are not losing as much talent. But now the rest of the world is looking towards India. The universities in the UK and Australia... all want to see what is happening here. They want to enter the Indian market and want to join and collaborate under the National Education Policy (NEP) reforms that have allowed them to... they want a piece of the action to be a part of the revolution in education."
"I think, for me, there is a real clarity of mission: India is a rising world superpower and needs an education system to match its economic growth. Its modernisation has been extraordinary, so aligning the education system with this remarkable development is crucial. Additionally, ensuring that the education system contributes to further development, modernisation, and economic growth has been the most exciting aspect for me..."
Asked about how has education and the entire education system evolved in the last 10 years under PM Modi's government at the helm in India, Baty said: "I think we see dramatic increases in the number of people who can access higher education go to university for the first time which is vital for the health of the nation's economy and democracy. But we are also seeing the quality improving with research capacity... India's quality of research is going up and the quantity as well. The amazing ability to marry great scale and great size but also protect quality also is quite remarkable."
Asked about India's stature rising as a global superpower, Baty said: "It's just because of consistent leadership we have seen across India."
convict Asaram Bapu gets 7-day parole for ayurvedic treatment
Jodhpur, August 13 (IANS) The Jodhpur High Court on Tuesday granted seven-day parole to self-styled godman Asaram Bapu, who is serving life sentence after being convicted in a rape case, for undergoing ayurveda treatment in Maharashtra.
Asaram has been serving life imprisonment in Jodhpur prison following his conviction under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and other offences by a trial court in 2018 for raping a minor girl.
The division bench of Justice Pushpendra Singh Bhati on Tuesday granted interim parole to Asaram, who was admitted to the AIIMS in Jodhpur four days back. He will be taken to the Madhavbaug Ayurvedic Hospital in Khopoli, Maharashtra, for treatment under police custody. Asaram was earlier allowed to undergo treatment at a private ayurvedic hospital in Jodhpur under police custody. However, as his health condition deteriorated again, he was admitted to Jodhpur AIIMS. In March this year, the Supreme Court had refused to entertain a plea filed by Asaram seeking suspension of sentence on medical grounds. A bench presided over by Justice Sanjiv Khanna had allowed the petitioner to file a fresh application before the Rajasthan High Court seeking to undergo treatment at the Madhavbaug Hospital under police custody.
Special CBI team in Kolkata to probe doctor rape-murder case
Kolkata, Aug 14 (IANS) A special team of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), accompanied by a forensic expert, reached here on Wednesday to investigate the ghastly rape and murder of a woman doctor at state-run R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital.
The investigating team, which arrived from Delhi, has seven members.
The team first went to the agency’s Nizam Palace office in central Kolkata and then to its other office at the central government office (CGO) complex at Salt Lake on the northern outskirts of Kolkata.
The central agency team will take custody of the sole arrested accused in the case, Sanjay Ray, a civic volunteer, from Kolkata Police on Wednesday only.
As per the latest information available, a team of city police personnel have already reached state-run S.S.K.M. Medical College & Hospital in south Kolkata for a medical check-up of the accused following which he will be handed over to the CBI officials.
The CBI has already started the investigation by registering a case under different sections of rape and murder. The city police have handed over the case diary to the CBI.
On Tuesday, a division bench of Calcutta High Court’s Chief Justice T.S. Sivagnanam and Justice Hiranmay Bhattacharya, while expressing anguish over the progress of investigation in the matter by the city police, ordered
an immediate court-monitored CBI probe in the case.
Meanwhile, Kolkata Police have issued a statement claiming to have transferred the case documents to the CBI following the Calcutta High Court order.
“We are committed to providing any assistance the agency needs to ensure that the victim’s family receives justice,” the statement read. In the statement, the city police claimed that they used their best resources and worked absolutely professionally on the investigation into the recent tragic incident.
The body of the junior doctor and a postgraduate student was found in the seminar room of the R.G. Kar Medical College & Hospital on August 9 morning.
A civic volunteer with Kolkata Police, Sanjay Roy, was later arrested. The murder has sparked widespread outrage, with doctors and nurses leading protests in Kolkata and other parts of India.
Tejas, Sarang dazzle in first-ever multinational air exercise hosted by India
Sulur (Tamil Nadu), Aug 14
(IANS) Several aircraft, including indigenously manufactured helicopters Sarang and LCA Tejas, on Tuesday showcased their prowess in the multinational air exercise 'Tarang Shakti' being hosted by the Indian Air Force (IAF) for the first time.
The first of the two-phased air exercise was held at the Sulur air base in Tamil Nadu.
A total of 51 countries were sent invitation for the air exercise. Of them, the air forces of 12 countries have confirmed their presence in 'Tarang Shakti' which would be conducted in two phases.
The air forces of Germany, France, Spain and Britain were in India for the first phase of 'Tarang Shakti' on Tuesday.
The second phase of the air exercise would be held from August 29 to September 14 in Jodhpur in which air forces of the US, Australia, Greece, Bangladesh, Singapore, and the UAE would take part.
Commenting on Tarang Shakti being organised for the first time in India, Air Chief Marshal V.R. Chaudhari said "It is a major achievement for us that we have been able to organise this air exercise in such a large scale."
He added, "We have been holding bilateral air exercises for many years and this is for the first time that we are conducting a multi-national air exercise. We have six different types of aircraft
which would be flying alongside Eurofighter Typhoon and Rafale."
"We have also prepared an electronic warfare simulation. We have different types of radar and air defence missile systems which would function against the opposition in any networked environment," the IAF chief said. Chaudhari also said that India's prime focus through the air exercise is on 'Aatmanirbharta' and to put on display its indigenous capabilities.
In the 'Aatmanirbharta Abhiyan', LCA Tejas is a symbol of success for India, the IAF chief said on the conclusion of the first phase of Tarang Shakti.
Air Force chiefs from Spain, France, and Germany were also present on the occasion.
India's Rafale, Sukhoi, and LCA Tejas participated in the first phase of the air exercise.
When PM Modi held the umbrella for farmers...
New Delhi, Aug 12 (IANS) In a heartwarming gesture, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held the umbrella over a group of farmers who were talking to him on a rainy day in the national capital.
The incident took place during a meeting of the Prime Minister with the farmers at the farms of ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) on Sunday. Visuals emanating from the event show the PM holding the umbrella as the farmers huddle under it.
When the PM went to interact with farmers, it started raining heavily. The officials urged the PM that the interaction be cancelled but the Prime Minister insisted that he would interact with farmers despite rain.
The PM told the security officials that he would hold his umbrella himself. Rather he also offered to hold the umbrella for farmers as well.
While holding the umbrella, the PM and the farmers interacted with each other.
PM Modi said, "I feel nice that you all came here early in the morning. Today farmers have got new varieties of seeds for the farmer. Do you wait for others to grow it first and if the crop did well, then plant it on your own farms? I would suggest first planting the new seeds in one part of the farm or small patches and if it does good, you can adopt it. You can yourself experiment with it."
As the farmers keenly listened to him, the PM said, "We have heard Lal Bahadur Shastriji's Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, then Atal Bihari Vajpayeeji added Jai Vigyaan to it. But now since the world is
changing so I say it should be Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan, Jai Vigyaan, Jai Anusandhan."
While holding the umbrella, the PM said, "I said that in my third term, I will work three times more, and this is what I am doing now... We bring implement research results on the ground."
On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released 109 highyielding and climate-resilient varieties of crops at the India Agricultural Research Institute. The 109 varieties of 61 crops included 34 field crops and 27 horticultural crops.
Many farmers, who interacted with the Prime Minister, shared their joy and excitement over the introduction of high-yielding and climate-resilient varieties.
A woman farmer told IANS, "Previously, farmers used to grow coarse grains, but they had stopped doing so for some time. Now, new varieties have been launched. These coarse grains will be beneficial for us as they promise good returns and also require less intensive irrigation."
She further said that many women farmers apprised the Prime Minister about their situation and also shared their dreams for the future.
Another woman farmer shared happiness over getting a chance to interact with the Prime Minister and also spoke on how the new varieties with a 70-day cycle will make their lives easier and simpler.
“For the first time, we are seeing a Prime Minister who engages directly with the common people and listens personally to their concerns,” she said.
She further said, “Today, the Prime Minister informed us about 109 varieties of crops. Coarse grains like bajra, jowar have a growth cycle of about 70 days. This will be helpful for us and also create fodder for our cattle.
The farming community looked elated and ecstatic over meeting the Prime Minister in person.
Solar rooftop systems to be installed on all govt buildings in Andhra
2025.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to this effect was signed between NTPC Vidyut Vyapar
Ltd (NVVN) and New
& Renewable Energy Development Corporation of Andhra Pradesh Ltd (NREDCAP) on Wednesday.
The officials of both NVVN and NREDCAP signed the MoU in the presence of Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and Energy
Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar.
The state government said that it is keen to promote solar rooftop systems in the domestic sector and government institutions under the PM Surya Ghar scheme launched by the Union government.
Under this scheme, it is proposed to solarise the government buildings in the state to meet the power requirement through solar energy in an environmentally sustainable manner.
It is proposed to implement 300 MW solar rooftop systems in the government buildings in the first phase. NVVN will install the solar rooftop systems and deliver the solar power at a levelised tariff which is uniform for 25 years. It is also the responsibility of the NVVN to operate and maintain the solar rooftop systems for 25 years free of cost.
The Chief Minister termed the MoU a step towards a greener future in line with the guidelines of the Union Ministry of New and Renewable Energy.
Chandrababu Naidu said this switch to solar energy will result in savings and significantly reduce carbon emissions.
A 25-year agreement will ensure that the cost of solar power remains low, leading to big savings in the long run. The estimated annual savings on implementing 300 MW Solar Rooftop Systems in Government Buildings is Rs 118.27 crore, assuming Plant Load Factor (PLF)
at 18 per cent, he said.
“The savings over 25 years would be Rs. 2957 crore. We can achieve a reduction of Carbon Emissions to an extent of 3.41 lakh metric tonnes per annum or 85.25 lakh metric tonnes over 25 years, Chandrababu Naidu added.
Gurdeep Singh, Chairman & Managing Director, NTPC, Renu Narang, CEO of NVVN, K Vijayanand, Special Chief Secretary to Government, Energy Department, K.V.N. Chakradhara Babu, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, NREDCAP were present.
Amaravati, Aug 14 (IANS) Solar rooftop system will be installed on all the buildings of the government of Andhra Pradesh by the end of
Nigam
Pakistani man charged in elaborate assassination plot against Trump
New York, Aug 7 (IANS) A Pakistani citizen has been charged in an elaborate plot that reads like a spy thriller to assassinate Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
US Attorney General Merrick Garland, who announced the charges against Asif Merchant on Tuesday, indicated that the target was Trump, but did not name him.
"For years, the Justice Department has been working aggressively to counter Iran's brazen and unrelenting efforts to retaliate against American public officials for the killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani," he said.
Trump was the US President who ordered the killing of Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad in 2020, which points the assassination plot towards Trump.
According to court documents, others may also have been intended victims because of the mention of targets in the plural.
Federal Bureau of Investigation(FBI) Chief Christopher Wray said, "This dangerous murder-for-hire plot exposed in today's charges allegedly was orchestrated by a Pakistani national with close ties to Iran and is straight out of the Iranian playbook."
The alleged plotter, who is also known as Asif Raza Merchant, told officials that he has two wives, one each in Pakistan and in Iran, as well as children in both countries.
In the complaint filed in the Federal court in Brooklyn, the plot reads like a spy thriller with an elaborate scheme to burglarise
the home of a target, creating diversions with protests and rallies, and killing the politician.
It also included a show of bonding between Merchant, 46, and the undercover officers he thought were professional killers.
The court papers said the plot involved multiple elements: stealing documents or USB drives from a target's home; planning protests, and killing a politician or government official.
Merchant made up code names for each element in the plot: "teeshirt" for protests, "flannel shirt" for stealing documents, "fleece jacket" for the assassination, and "yarn-dye" for their meetings.
To entice the person he contacted first and who informed officials, Merchant told him that he has an uncle in the "yarn-dyed" business in Pakistan and he could go into business with them.
He asked the government source he thought was an assassin for hire to explain how the target would die in different scenarios.
The revelation about this plot comes less than a month after the July 13 failed assassination attempt on Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania.
However, there does not seem to be a connection between the plot by Merchant and that attempt, which officials have said was carried out by a lone wolf, a person unconnected to any group or organisation.
The plot failed because Merchant tried to recruit FBI agents for the assassination attempt.
"Fortunately, the assassins Merchant tried to hire were undercover FBI agents," said Christie Curtis, the Acting Assistant Director of the New York FBI Field Office.
He was arrested on July 12 as he was getting ready to catch a flight out of the country.
Merchant arrived in the US in April from Pakistan after
spending time in Iran, according to the version of the plot in court papers.
He contacted a person he thought could help him and that person reported it to law enforcement and became a confidential source.
In mid-June, Merchant met with people he thought were hitmen, but were undercover US law enforcement officers (the UCs) in New York.
He told them he wanted them to steal documents, arrange protests at political rallies, and kill a "political person".
The plot would have to be carried out after he left the country and in either the last week of August or the first week of September they would be told who the target was, Merchant told the undercover officers.
He received $5,000 from overseas and made a down payment to the undercover agents.
According to the court papers, one of the agents said after getting the money, "Now we know we're going forward. We're doing this," to which Merchant responded: "Yes, absolutely."
Political violence is a constant worry in the US.
Last week, a man was arrested in Virginia for allegedly threatening to kill the Democratic Party presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
"Kamala Harris needs to be put on fire alive. I will do it personally if no one else does... I want her to suffer a slow agonising death," Frank Lucio Carillo posted on a right-wing social media site, according to the FBI complaint in a Federal court.
He also allegedly threatened President Joe Biden and FBI Chief Wray.
(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed at @ arulouis)
Trump calls Harris a ‘radical Left lunatic’, Biden ‘close to vegetable’
Washington, Aug 13 (IANS)
Former US President Donald Trump, on Monday, called his Democratic rival for the White house, Vice President Kamala Harris a “radical Left lunatic” and said that President Joe Biden was “close to vegetable stage.”
The former President attacked the two Democrats in a wide-ranging interview with Elon Musk on X, the latter's social media platform.
About Harris, Trump said: “Far Left, like far, far worse than Bernie Sanders,” referring to Senator Bernie Sanders, an Independent who caucuses with Democrats. “She is considered more liberal by far than Bernie Sanders. She's a radical Left lunatic. And if she's going to be our President very quickly, you're not going to have a country anymore. And she'll go back to all of the things that she believes in. She believes in defunding the police. She believes in no fracking, zero. You don't know, all of a sudden she's saying, No, I will. I really want to see fracking today, that is if they got
Hamas names Gaza chief Yahya Sinwar as new political bureau chief
Tehran, Aug 7 (IANS) Palestinian group Hamas on Tuesday announced that its Gaza leader Yahya Sinwar will be its new political leader, replacing the assassinated Ismail Haniyeh, reports said.
The announcement came a week after its politburo chief Haniyeh was assassinated in his Tehran accommodation, hours after he attended the inauguration of President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Iran has blamed the assassination
Khartoum, Aug 12 (IANS) At least 28 civilians were killed and 46 others injured in an attack by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on El Fasher, the capital city of North Darfur State in western Sudan, said AlHafiz Bakheet, the state's acting Governor.
"The RSF militia resorted to new massacres after the systematic shelling of markets and civilian facilities, and storming homes of citizens and liquidating them," he said on Sunday.
on Israel and vowed a harsh response.
Yahya Ibrahim Hassan Sinwar, 61, has been the group's leader in Gaza since early 2017, succeeding Haniyeh in the role. He is accused of orchestrating the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, triggering the Israeli attack on the beleaguered strip, which had devastated the area and left nearly 40,000 people dead.
Arrested and tried by Israel for abducting and killing two Israeli soldiers and four alleged Palestinian collaborators in 1989, Sinwar was sentenced to four life sentences and served 22 years until his release along with over 1,000 more in a 2011 prisoner exchange for abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit.
it.”Trump also said that Harris is “going to be worse than him (Biden), because she is a San Francisco liberal who destroyed San Francisco, and then as Attorney General, she destroyed California.” After leading the 2024 presidential race for months, Trump has fallen behind since Biden stepped out of the race and endorsed Harris to take over the Democratic ticket. Harris has since energised the Democratic party, drawn massive crowds to her election rallies and raised more money than the Trump campaign. Trump has been struggling to get control of the race and has been attacking her aggressively.
According to the Governor, the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the joint force of the armed movements in the Darfur region had managed to repulse the RSF attack and inflicted heavy losses on them on Saturday.
"El Fasher will remain resilient and steadfast and soon will be free of any rebels," the Governor said.
The RSF has not issued any comments regarding the attack. Since May 10, fierce clashes between the SAF and the RSF have been raging in El Fasher.
Sudan has been witnessing a deadly conflict between the SAF and the RSF since April 15, 2023, resulting in the loss of at least 16,650 lives. An estimated 10.7 million people are now internally displaced in Sudan, with approximately 2.2 million others seeking refuge in neighbouring countries, according to recent UN data.
US welcomes Bangladesh’s focus on protecting minorities
Washington, Aug 15 (IANS) The US State Department said on Wednesday that it welcomes the interim Bangladesh government's focus on the "protection of members of minority communities". Indian-American lawmaker Raja Krishnamoorthi wrote recently to US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, asking him to engage with the interim government in Bangladesh to end the targeting of Hindus in the South Asian country. Another Indian-American lawmaker, Shri Thanedar, also wrote to Blinken raising concerns over the targeting of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. "We welcome the new government's focus on restoring security and the protection
of members of minority communities as well," said Vedant Patel, a US State Department Spokesperson, at the daily press briefing here. Patel added that the US was "in touch with our Indian partners, as well as other countries in the region to discuss recent events" on Bangladesh. Asked about Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to Ukraine, Patel said the US welcomes "India's engagement in the war between Russia and Ukraine, especially as it relates to ensuring that we get to a just and durable peace that is reflective of what our Ukrainian partners are attempting to do, which is defend their territorial integrity and sovereignty".
Maldives at heart of India’s Neighbourhood First Policy: EAM Jaishankar
Male, Aug 11 (IANS) External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar said on Sunday the Maldives is a key partner to India in the Indian Ocean region and at the heart of its neighbourhood first policy.
"Maldives is a key partner to India in the Indian Ocean region and it is at the heart of our neighborhood-first policy. The cooperation between the two countries has moved beyond the traditional role, and today aspires to be a modern partnership", EAM Jaishankar said after he, along with his Maldivian counterpart Moosa Zameer, jointly inaugurated the Addu Reclamation Project and Addu Shore Protection Project.
"Our development cooperation is aimed at touching all facets of people's lives here and to find ways of bringing tangible benefits to their lives. I think it is a statement in itself that we are today among the largest trading partners of Maldives and witnessing greater investment
flows from India to the Maldives, particularly in the tourism sector", he added.
In the last few years, India has invested around $220 million in Addu intending to provide a fair idea of the importance which is attached to regional development in the Maldives.
EAM Jaishankar also mentioned inaugurating the National College of Policing and Law Enforcement Studies in March, 2022, which was a $30 million Indian grant-funded project.
He said, "I'm very glad to see that it has become a hub for imparting critical training to NPS personnel in the Maldives."
India has partnered with the Government of Maldives on the Addu Reclamation and Shore Protection Project to find a sustainable way to develop Addu as a regional hub. The reclamation of 184 hectares of land was concluded earlier this year. This ambitious programme of $80 million involves reclamation for tourism development purposes and the overall economic development of Addu.
"Another important project being carried out, with Indian assistance is the redevelopment of the Addu Roads and Drainage
Development, with an outlay of $70 million is nearing completion and once completed, will solve problems of waterlogging and roads in Addu" he said
"The Addu Detour Link road is being inaugurated today, which is an important component of this project," he said.
Moosa Zameer posted on X, "Pleased to join the External Affairs Minister @DrSJaishankar to jointly inaugurate the 4-lane Detour Link road and the ceremony to mark the completion of the shore protection and reclamation project in Addu City."
"India continues to be a vital partner in our socio-economic development. The two projects inaugurated today further cement the strong bonds between our two countries", he added.
On Saturday, the EAM jointly inaugurated drinking water and sanitation projects across 28 islands to the Government of Maldives at a ceremony held at the President's Office, graced by the Maldivian President Mohammed Muizzu.
The EAM also visited the site of the Greater Male Connectivity Project, which is India's flagship project in the Maldives.
Currently, India and the Maldives are collaborating on 65 development projects.
‘Had I surrendered Saint Martin Island...,’: US named in Sheikh Hasina’s undelivered speech
Delhi, Aug
Hasina has revealed that she could have remained in power if she had "surrendered" the sovereignty of Saint Martin Island and "allowed America to hold sway over the Bay of Bengal", media reports said.
Disclosing the contents of her undelivered speech in India, where Hasina flew on August 5 amid violent protests in her country, the 76-year-old leader said that she resigned so that she does not have to see a "procession of dead bodies".
These revelations are part of her undelivered speech, which she wanted to make but could not happen as protesters reached her residence and she was forced to flee the country.
The former prime minister said
London, Aug 14 (IANS) More than 1,000 people have been arrested by the UK Police in connection with the riots involving violence, arson and looting as well as racist attacks which took place over the
she is pained over her party Awami League being targeted but said she "will return to Bangladesh soon".
She said that she would pray for the future of Bangladesh.
"I resigned so that I did not have to see the procession of dead bodies. They wanted to come to power over the dead bodies of students, but I did not allow it. I resigned from premiership. I could have remained in power if I had surrendered the sovereignty of Saint Martin Island and allowed America to hold sway over the Bay of Bengal. I beseech to the people of my land, please do not be manipulated by radicals," her undelivered speech says.
The undelivered speech says, "If I had remained in the country, more lives would have been lost more resources would have been destroyed. I made the extremely difficult decision to exit. I became your leader because you chose me, you were my strength."
In May, Hasina had claimed that "conspiracies" were being hatched
last two weeks in Britain, officials said on Tuesday.
The riots, which followed the killings of three young girls in the northern English town of Southport, began after the July
Public order ‘stabilises’ in UK after days of riots
London, Aug 12 (IANS) Public order in the UK has stabilised after days of violent far-right protests, the authorities have said. But they warned that the impact of the unrest will be felt for months and even years.
"The situation in England, Scotland and Wales has somewhat stabilised over the last few days," said B.J. Harrington, head of the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) for Public Order, on Sunday.
However, he warned that Northern Ireland is still facing "significant challenges", where 10 police officers were injured by petrol bombs during a violent disorder on Saturday afternoon, Xinhua news agency reported.
Far-right protests have rocked the country since the end of July sparked by a knife attack in Southport, northwest England, which left three children dead.
The rioting has led to injuries among police officers, looting of stores and attacks on hotels housing asylum-seekers. Authorities believe that a turning
Ex-B’desh
to topple her government and alleged a "white man's" plot to carve a new "Christian country" out of Bangladesh.
Hasina had claimed that if she allowed a certain country to build an airbase in Bangladesh, then she would have had no problem.
Bangladesh saw protests against job quotas that snowballed into a wider movement against the Bangladeshi leadership, forcing Sheikh Hasina to resign from the Prime Minister's post. Over 400 people lost their lives in the protests since mid-July. After Hasina's departure to India, Nobel laureate and microfinance pioneer Muhammad Yunus took over as the head of the interim government on Thursday and assured that the new regime would not only restore peace in the country but also ensure the protection of Hindus and other minorities. Amid massive student protests demanding judiciary's revamp, Bangladesh Chief Justice Obaidul Hassan and five other top judges were forced to resign on Saturday.
29 attack was wrongly blamed on a Muslim migrant based on online misinformation, Reuters reported.
Violence broke out in cities across England and also in Northern
point appeared on Wednesday thanks to a heavy police presence in major cities and towns, and swift court actions against rioters.
The UK police had braced for a possible return of riots this weekend, given the start of a new football season and an uptick in temperature. But it turned out to be relatively peaceful except for a few isolated small-scale far-right protests.
In addition, thousands of people participated in anti-racism rallies during the weekend in such cities as London, Newcastle, Manchester, Birmingham, Cardiff, Belfast, Glasgow and Edinburgh. However, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, writing in The Observer, said the impact of days of disorder would be "felt for months and years to come," citing court backlogs and prisons "close to overflowing."
The NPCC said on Saturday that 779 people have been arrested in connection with the rioting, of whom 349 were charged.
Around 30 people have been jailed for their involvement in violent disorder or inciting racial hatred online so far, with the longest sentence being three years. The number of convictions is expected to rise as the government has vowed to make those who break the law feel the "full force of the law".
PM Hasina issues ‘first statement’ after ouster
New Delhi/Dhaka, Aug 14 (IANS)
Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, who is currently in India after the fall of her government following a mass uprising, has demanded an investigation into the killings, vandalism and arson carried out in the name of agitation in her country.
She also demanded on Tuesday that the culprits be identified and brought to justice, The Daily Star reported.
Sajeeb Wazed Joy, Hasina's son, posted her statement on his verified Facebook page on Tuesday.
Hasina was compelled to step down on August 5 following the student protests, which saw more than 500 people killed.
In the statement, she said, "Since July, lots of lives have been lost in violence, arson in the name of protests. I express my condolences and prayers for
Ireland, but there have been fewer instances of unrest since last week after efforts to identify those involved were ramped up.
Many have been swiftly jailed, with some receiving long
the victims, including students, teachers, police, journalists, cultural activists and a pregnant police woman, members of Awami League and its associate bodies, pedestrians and various professionals."
She conveyed sympathy to the bereaved families, The Daily Star reported.
In her statement, Hasina recalled the massacre of August 15, 1975, when Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and most of his family members were assassinated. Hasina, the eldest daughter of Bangabandhu, also expressed grief over the vandalism and arson at the Bangabandhu Memorial Museum at Dhanmondi 32 and sought justice from country's people. She urged all to observe the National Mourning Day on August 15 in a befitting manner by placing floral wreaths at Bangabandhu Bhaban and offering prayers.
sentences.
The National Police Chiefs' Council said in its latest update that 1,024 had been arrested and 575 charged across the UK.
New
11 (IANS) Former Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh
Whole of society approach needed to address rise in extremism: Australian spy chief
Canberra, Aug 11 (IANS) The Director-General of Australia's top intelligence agency has called for a society-wide approach to addressing violent extremism after the country's terror threat level was raised.
Mike Burgess, Director-General of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation
(ASIO), on Sunday that tackling the threat of violent extremism in Australia requires a wholeof-society approach, Xinhua news agency reported, quoting national broadcaster Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC).
"We all need to watch our language because there is a direct connection between inflamed language and inflamed tension and violence," he told ABC television.
"The media has to be careful about their headlines. It can inflame. Politicians have to be careful about their robust political debate."
His comments came days after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese lifted Australia's official terror alert level from "possible" to
"probable" on the advice of ASIO. It marked the first change to the threat level since 2022 when it was downgraded from "probable" to "possible" after eight years.
Burgess said on Sunday that the threat level was raised because more people are becoming radicalised more quickly by a range of ideologies, describing social media as the greatest accelerator of violent extremism.
He said that religiously motivated extremism remains the dominant force but not the only one.
Asked about the ongoing violent rioting in Britain, Burgess said the factors driving the activity are similar to those that resulted in raising the threat level but that any similar incidents in Australia would probably not reach the same scale.
Australian PM pledges comprehensive economic plan for indigenous population
Canberra, Aug 3 (IANS) Australian
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Saturday promised to deliver the country's first comprehensive economic policy for the Indigenous population.
In a speech to the Garma Festival of Traditional Cultures - Australia's largest Indigenous cultural gathering - on Saturday, Anthony Albanese said that decarbonisation is Australia's best opportunity to lift the living standards of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, reports Xinhua news agency.
He described the growing global demand for renewable energy, critical minerals and rare earths as an unprecedented opportunity to address the disadvantage faced by Indigenous Australians and said that his government is aiming to be the first in Australian history to create a comprehensive economic policy for Indigenous people.
"New clean energy projects, new defence and security projects, new processing and refining facilities can all unlock new jobs and prosperity for Indigenous communities," Albanese said at the festival in the Arnhem Land region of the Northern Territory (NT).
"Together, we can seize this moment to build a better future on a simple principle. The principle is that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people deserve a real say in the economic development of the land they call
home. And you deserve your fair share of the benefits that flow from it."
The event was the first Garma Festival since 60 per cent of Australians voted against an October 2023 referendum that would have altered the constitution to establish a body to advise the federal parliament on all matters relating to the Indigenous population.
Albanese said he understands that the pain of the referendum defeat is still raw for many Indigenous Australians but that he is still optimistic about a better future for the community.
Addressing the festival earlier on Saturday, NT Police Commissioner Michael Murphy formally apologised to Indigenous Australians for the injustice and harm police in the territory have been involved in during the 154 years since the establishment of the force in 1870.
Australian helicopter company confirms employee responsible for fatal crash into hotel
Sydney, Aug 13 (IANS) The Australian company that owns the helicopter that crashed into a hotel in Far North Queensland on Tuesday confirmed the pilot who was killed in the "unauthorised" flight was a current ground crew employee.
Nautilus Aviation chief executive officer (CEO) Aaron Finn said that a ground crew employee gained unauthorised access to its helicopter hangar at the Cairns International Airport early Monday morning and
misappropriated an aircraft, reports Xinhua news agency.
The pilot, the sole occupant of the helicopter, died when it crashed into the roof of the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel in the northeastern city of Cairns shortly after takeoff, sparking a fire and forcing the evacuation of hundreds of guests.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday afternoon, Finn said that the employee -- who started working with the company four months ago -- held a pilot's license in New Zealand but had never flown in Australia.
He said there was a gathering of company employees on Sunday night celebrating the man's promotion to a ground crew position at another Nautilus
Pilot dies after helicopter crashes into roof of hotel in Australia
Sydney, Aug 12 (IANS) The pilot of a helicopter that crashed into the roof of a hotel in Australia's Far North Queensland early Monday morning has died while two other people were injured in the incident, local media reported.
The pilot was a man in his 40s, the Sydney Morning Herald reported, adding that an 83-year-old man and a 76-year-old woman were taken to hospital in a stable condition.
Police have declared an emergency around the DoubleTree by Hilton on Cairns Esplanade and evacuated up to 400 people after the crash, according to the Australian ABC News broadcaster.
The Cairns Post reported earlier that there were grave concerns about the male pilot, who was assessed at the scene and was reported to have sustained lifethreatening injuries.
According to the report, a man in his 80s and a woman in her 70s who were staying in a hotel room near the crash site suffered from smoke inhalation. They were treated for their injuries and taken to Cairns Hospital for further medical attention.
4 held for obstructing cops in Australia’s Brisbane
Brisbane, Aug 11 (IANS) Four men were arrested for allegedly being disruptive and obstructing police officers during a demonstration on Sunday in Brisbane, the capital city of Australia's state of Queensland, said local media.
The Courier Mail reported on Sunday that videos posted to social media showed that a group of about 40 people, all dressed in black clothes, marched through Brisbane's Central Business District followed by a large police
escort, Xinhua news agency reported.
These people are members of the National Socialist Network, which is reported to be Australia's largest white supremacist group, said the daily.
In the video, the members were heard shouting "Hail Victory" and "Australia for the white man, the rest must go" during the march. The racist behavior was "nothing short of abhorrent," the newspaper quoted Queensland Premier Steven Miles as saying. "I condemn it," he said.
A Queensland Police Service spokesman said those taken into custody were assisting police with their inquiries.
Investigations are ongoing, and no charges have been laid.
Australian wealth inequality grows to record levels: Report
Aviation base.
"We offer our heartfelt condolences to the individual's family and all who have been affected by this tragedy and continue to offer our support to our employees during this very challenging period," Finn said.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) confirmed that evidence recovered from the wreck of the helicopter, including technical instruments, had been sent to its central office in Canberra for examination.
The ATSB has appealed for any eyewitnesses or people with video or photographs of the helicopter flying before the crash to contact the bureau.
Canberra, Aug 13 (IANS) Wealth inequality in Australia has grown to record levels, a new report published by independent think tank the Australia Institute has found.
According to the report, which was published on Tuesday, the wealth of Australia's richest 200 people as a share of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) has almost tripled over the last 20 years, reports Xinhua news agency.
It found that the combined wealth of the members of the Australian Financial Review's annual list of the 200 richest Australians rose from 8.4 per cent of the country's GDP in 2004 to 23.7 per cent of GDP in 2024.
Ranked according to wealth, the top fifth of Australian households are 146 times better off than the bottom fifth, the report said.
"Australia is getting more unequal. Wealth inequality is growing rapidly," David Richardson, senior research fellow at the Australia Institute and co-author of the report, said in a media release.
"Growing economic inequality is making life worse for millions of Australians and holding our country back."
The International Monetary Fund (IMF) warns that excessive inequality can erode social cohesion, lead to political polarisation and lower economic growth. The report calls for a more comprehensive capital gains tax (an annual wealth tax) and the introduction of a wealth transfer tax on inheritance to address the growing wealth inequality in Australia.
YouTube Shorts now has trillions of views in India: CEO Neal Mohan
New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS) Googleowned YouTube’s CEO Neal Mohan on Wednesday said that Shorts, which was first launched in India, now has trillions of views in the country and domestic creators are making videos inspired by local trends that go on to define global culture.
Mohan informed that Indian creators are doing more than just sharing stories; they’re exporting Indian culture to the world.
“More than 11,000 Indian channels have over a million subscribers. That’s a 50 per cent increase year over year,” he shared the figures as YouTube hosted its flagship event
‘Brandcast 2024’ in the national capital.
“Times have changed. Now, creators are the new A-listers.
Like Prajakta Koli, whose comedy journey on YouTube led to a starring role in a Netflix series and her Bollywood debut. And Diljit Dosanjh, the first Punjabi artist to perform at Coachella,” said Mohan who joined YouTube nine years ago.
The creators and artists have business strategies, writers’ rooms and production teams and are creating programmes that people love to watch.
“And they’re driving growth on YouTube. We’re number one in reach and watch-time in India,” the YouTube CEO said.
Millions of fans come to YouTube to watch their favourite comedians in Hindi, Tamil, Bengali, Marathi, and more.
Fans aren’t just tuning in, they’re showing up and buying tickets to watch comedians perform on
stages around the world.
“These channels started in India, and now they’re global… finding audiences everywhere from Australia to the US,” Mohan informed.
Cricket videos had more than 50 billion views over the last year. “This includes all the moments that build community around cricket, like livestream 'watchalongs' of the T20 World Cup win, creators reenacting big IPL matches, and videos that show players’ lives off the field, like a wedding proposal,” Mohan added.
He said that YouTube is the most watched streaming service on connected TVs and “our views on connected TVs in India have quadrupled in the last 3 years”. “We’ve launched AI tools that empower human creativity. Just last month, we started to roll out Dream Screen here. It lets you create AI-generated backgrounds for Shorts just by typing an idea. It’s pretty awesome,” Mohan said.
92,549 micro food processing firms get funds under Centre’s scheme
New Delhi, Aug 8 (IANS) The Ministry of Food Processing Industries has sanctioned financial support to as many as 92,549 micro food processing enterprises till June 30 this year under its Rs 10,000 crore Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) scheme, the Parliament was informed on Thursday. The scheme, which is operational for a period of five years from 2020-21 to 2024-25 offers technical, business and financial support to all the unorganised micro food processing units, Minister of State for Food Processing Industries Ravneet Singh told the Lok Sabha in a written reply.
The Ministry is also implementing other Central sector schemes of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY), and the Production Linked Incentive
Scheme for food processing industry (PLISFPI) for the overall development of the food processing sector, he said. The schemes are aimed at the creation of modern infrastructure with efficient supply chain management from farm gate to retail outlet, and to help in providing better returns to farmers, creation of employment opportunities, reducing wastage, increasing the processing level and enhancing the export of processed foods, the Minister said, adding that all these three schemes are demand-driven and implemented across the country.
Under sub-schemes of the PMKSY, the Ministry provides mostly credit-linked financial assistance in the form of capital subsidy to entrepreneurs with a total outlay of Rs 5,520 crore for the 15th Finance Commission cycle.
It has sanctioned 41 mega food parks, 399 cold chain projects, 76 agro-processing clusters, 588 food processing units, 61 backward & forward linkage projects & 52 Operation Greens projects till June 30, the Minister said.
PLISFPI is also intended to support the creation of global food manufacturing champions and support Indian brands of food products in the international market. The scheme is being implemented over a six-year period from 2021-22 to 2026-27 with an outlay of Rs 10,900 crore. A total of 172 food processing companies have been given sanctions for assistance under various categories of the scheme so far, he added.
Keeping in view the requirement for innovative product and process development in the food processing sector, the Ministry also extends financial support to educational and research institutions including the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research (CSIR) recognised research and development (R&D) units in the private sector for related demand driven R&D projects through its R&D scheme under PMKSY. Under the scheme, 72 research projects have been approved from 2017-18 till June 30, 2024, with an approved subsidy of Rs 26.12 crore, the Minister said.
Residential sales in top 7 Indian cities to witness double-digit growth in FY25
New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS) Driven by strong end-user demand and healthy affordability, the residential sales in the top seven cities are expected to witness double-digit growth in FY2025 and the outlook on the residential real estate sector is stable, a report showed on Wednesday
The residential sales witnessed a healthy growth of 19 per cent in FY24 (year-on-year).
Credit rating agency ICRA said it expects the area sold in the top seven cities to increase by 10-12 per cent to 785-800 million square feet in FY2025, on a high base of FY2024.
Despite the moderation in the sales growth rate, the overall sales velocity, collections, and inventory position are estimated to remain healthy.
The launches are expected to rise by 12 per cent in year-on-year (YoY) terms to 767 million square feet in FY2025, on an aggregate basis across the top seven cities, supported by decadal low inventory, comfortable years-to-
sell and healthy demand.
“With epic sales and low leverage, the dream run continues for residential real estate players. The sales consistently reached new peaks in each successive quarter over the past eight quarters (except Q1 FY2024 and Q1 FY2025) despite elevated home loan interest rates and rising property prices,” said Anupama Reddy, Co-Group Head and Vice President - Corporate Ratings, ICRA.
The area sold in the top seven cities in Q1 FY2025 witnessed moderate growth of 7 per cent YoY due to lower launches, which are deferred to subsequent quarters.
The average sale price (ASP) rose by 11 per cent in FY2024 on a YoY basis and is expected to further increase by 5-6 per cent in FY2025.
“Given the pandemic-induced desire for larger spaces and changing consumer demand, the developers have accordingly realigned their launches.
Leverage is estimated to remain comfortable as of March 2025 despite the expected increase in gross debt levels, supported by healthy cash flows. The outlook on the residential real estate sector is stable,” explained Reddy.
Home affordability remains stable in India as interest rates stay steady
Mumbai, Aug 7 (IANS) Home affordability has remained stable in the first half this year as interest rates have stayed steady since the end of 2023, a report showed on Wednesday.
According to Knight Frank India’s Affordability Index, Ahmedabad is the most affordable housing market among the top eight cities, with a ratio of 21 per cent.
It is followed by Pune and Kolkata at 24 per cent each. Mumbai was the only city that remained marginally higher than the threshold at 51 per cent.
Stable affordability is essential to sustaining homebuyer demand and sales momentum, which, in turn, acts as a key economic driver for the country.
“As income levels rise and
economic growth strengthens, end-users financial confidence is significantly bolstered, encouraging them to make longer-term financial commitments toward asset creation,” said Shishir Baijal, Chairman and Managing Director, Knight Frank India.
Given the RBI’s healthy 7.2 per cent GDP growth estimate for FY 2025 and a stable interest rate scenario, income and affordability levels are expected to continue to support homebuyer demand in 2024, he noted.
The report witnessed steady improvement from 2010 to 2021 across the eight leading cities of India, especially during the pandemic when the RBI cut policy repo rate (REPO) to decadal lows.
The central bank subsequently raised the REPO rate by 250 bps in a space of nine months starting May 2022 to address growing inflation.
Public EV charging stations increase 9-fold in India amid robust adoption
The
number of public battery electric vehicle (BEV) charging stations in India expanded significantly from 1,800 in February 2022 to 16,347 in March this year, marking nearly a nine-fold increase, a report showed on Thursday.
The EV infrastructure market in the country is witnessing
unprecedented growth, according to the report by global advisory firm Forvis Mazars in India.
The report mentioned that this robust infrastructure expansion is crucial as it aligns with the increasing demand for EVs driven by heightened environmental awareness, rising fuel prices,
and supportive government incentives, setting the stage for a more sustainable transportation future.
“By 2030, electric vehicles are projected to make up almost one-third of India's passenger vehicle market, highlighting the significant infrastructure requirements,” said Rohit Chaturvedi, Partner, Transport and Logistics sector, Forvis Mazars in India.
EV sales in India tripled in the last fiscal year, particularly in the two-wheeler (2W) and threewheeler (3W) segments.
New Delhi, Aug 8 (IANS)
From the editor’s desk
How India can learn from Australia’s Olympic success
It has been a great outcome for Australia at the 2024 Paris Olympics, culminating with the enviable total of 53 medals—18 gold, 19 silver, and 16 bronze. Naturally, all of this goes far beyond flaunting some individual athletic talent and has to do with structured and purposive investing years ago by the country in the sound development of a sports ecosystem. For a country like India, full of potential but relatively frugal with Olympic successes, there is much to learn from Australian success in enhancing its sports performance at the international level.
Among the more basic reasons behind the Australian Olympic success is the heavy investment made in sports infrastructure. State-of-the-art sports facilities and training centres have been created to provide the best possible environment for training and development to athletes. They are truly worldclass facilities, not confined only to metropolitan cities, but span the length and breadth of the country, providing access to quality training facilities for people from all regions within a country. While India has been rapidly developing its sports infrastructure in the recent past, there is still some distance to be covered before quality training facilities become ubiquitous in the country. This will help bridge the gap with India's commitment to enhanced investment in sports infrastructure, with a special focus on regions left behind, to tap into talent that is sitting all around.
The success of Australia can also be traced back to its highly efficient programs in talent identification and development.
The Australians identify athletes from a tender age, nurture them, and place them under specialized coaching. This acts as early intervention to provide the right kind of guidance and support needed to make champions out of mere potential. In contrast, most of India's talent identification processes are fragmented and non-systematic to capture the vast potential pool of athletes in the country. What India needs is nationwide talent identification programs that, with robust support systems at the grassroots level, can identify and nurture the next generation of Olympic athletes.
The other fundamental in the sports ecosystem in Australia relates to making sure that there are holistic support systems for the athletes. There exist numerous support services surrounding the Australian sports programs, such as sports psychologists, nutritionists,
and medical professionals. Indeed, it is the availability of such resources which makes it possible for athletes to keep good physical and mental shape hence enabling their performance during competitions. These facilities are not available to the Indian athletes on consistent terms, thereby creating drawbacks causing poor performance at international platforms. What India needs to do is to initiate and develop broad-based support systems for the athlete so that athletes get due care and guidance necessary to excel at the highest level.
High-performance programs, including that at Australian Institute of Sport (AIS), have been instrumental in what success Australia has achieved at the Olympic Games. This focused attention on state-ofthe-art training techniques and the best sports science is backed by ongoing research aimed at maximizing the performance of its athletes. In India, there has been some progress toward this through schemes such as Target Olympic Podium Scheme; however, there remains great scope for further improvement. Setting up more highperformance training centers all over India on the lines of the successful AIS and providing Indian athletes with specialized training and resources can help them excel in the international arena.
Another strong contributory factor for Australia's Olympic success is its high sporting culture. Sports is imbued within Australian life— there is wide participation, accompanied by support from both the public and private sectors. This has built the culture of sportsmanship and competitiveness that instils a feeling of pride and a will to excel among the athletes. While the sporting history has been rich for India, more cultural development is needed to focus on the importance of sporting activities from grassroots to professional levels. This can be done through public campaigns that must create more awareness, gain more media coverage for other sports, and encourage sporting activities from an early age.
What will help India repeat the success of Australia the most is the establishment of a partnership between the government and the private sector. Public-private partnerships concerning sports development have benefited Australia greatly in areas such as financing, managing, and implementing programs related to sports.
Political upheaval in Bangladesh: A test of India’s strategic diplomacy
India's political diplomacy has always been precariously balanced within the intricate weave of South Asian politics, more so at a time when many nations are negotiating internal challenges, external pressures, and historical links that bind or divide them. Now, one of India's closest neighbours, Bangladesh, has just plunged into political turmoil, throwing this very balance off kilter. The violent agitation that finally ended with the resignation of the Sheikh Hasina Government appears to have sounded the wake-up call for Bangladesh and India. This blow to the political stability of Bangladesh sends ripples throughout the region, which directly impinges on India's interest in its diplomatic, security, and economic domains. But to anyone, PM Sheikh Hasina's resignation did not come as a shock. It was the high point of years of growing discontent among the people of Bangladesh, particularly its youth. The immediate provocation was a controversial quota system in government jobs viewed by many as unfair and discriminatory. Anger over this spilled into the streets and, in a manner characteristic of these protests, what started off essentially as a protest against an unfair quota system soon blossomed into a wider movement now incorporating other issues such as pension reforms and economic inequalities. The strong-arm tactics of the government in response only added fuel to the flames, further fuelling countrywide protests that finally spiralled out of control into violence. In its wake, the military, led by General Waker-Uz-Zaman, took over with promises to reinstate order and justice. But there are implications here that go far beyond the borders of Bangladesh.
For India, the resignation of Sheikh Hasina is a severe blow. She was an important partner for New Delhi, especially in terms of regional security and counterterrorism issues. Under her rule, Bangladesh had adopted a stiff stance against Islamist extremism, very much blending in with India's own concerns about security. Besides this, her government had formed decent economic ties with India and facilitated trade and cross-border cooperation. The political vacuum produced by her going, however, opens a window for new forces, less India-friendly and potentially
game-changing in terms of the dynamics of India-Bangladesh relations to acquire an influence in Dhaka.
The single biggest concern for India is probably a deepening Chinese influence over Bangladesh. China has been making steady forays into South Asia in the last few years through strategic investments and deft diplomatic moves. In a strategic region, part of the increasingly strengthened economy, Bangladesh has become one of the initial targets for the One Belt, One Road initiative launched by China. If the Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, heading an interim government, inclines to Beijing, the blow that India's influence in the region would suffer is going to be very great. Such a tilt not only ups the complications of India's case strategically but also brings Chinese influence uncomfortably close to its borders.
Security is another such area where the effects of Bangladesh's political instability are already being felt. Among the most sensitive and porous borders in this region is the IndiaBangladesh border. Illegal immigration, smuggling, and cross-border insurgency have been the norm across this border for quite some time. The present turmoil in Bangladesh only enhances these problems. But that has not stopped India from going for further enhancement of its security cover along the border, now that the turmoil seems to be spilling over into its borders. There are already apprehensions that militant groups might try to infiltrate into India, cashing in on the situation in Bangladesh. Developments like this can have a very destabilizing effect on the already insurgencyand communal problems-mired northeastern states of India. Ramifications of the political crisis in Bangladesh involve not only the security but major economic concerns. The IndoBangladesh trade revolution in recent years happened to be one of the success stories in South Asian economic cooperation. Both countries, over the years, have cooperated in reducing trade barriers, increasing connectivity, and boosting bilateral trade. However, the present instability in Bangladesh is fast turning into a threat that is likely to undo much of this hard-won progress. The pinch has already been felt hard by Indian exporters in general, particularly those from
the border regions. Interruption of flow of goods, payments getting delayed, and general uncertainty are causing anxiety to businesses on either side of the border. If the situation in Bangladesh does not improve very soon then serious setbacks could occur; economically speaking, by lowering trade and investment. The way India handles this crisis will determine its future relations with Bangladesh and, in the larger picture, its role within the region. The test New Delhi is facing is that of a balancing act: ability to keep alive democratic processes within Bangladesh and, at the same time, striving to keep the crisis off the boil. On the other hand, India should not abdicate its own strategic interest, which will require interaction with the new interim government and other major actors in Bangladesh, however uncongenial they may be to India's larger interests since Sheikh Hasina.
One possible approach for India would be to develop close coordination with international partners in order to put pressure on the military leadership in Bangladesh to return to the normal order of civilian rule at the earliest. India has historically also been a strong supporter of democracy in the region, so continuing that support would be good not only for Bangladesh but also for the image that India would like to project as a responsible regional power. Secondly, India could use its influence in regional bodies like SAARC to do its best in forcing a peaceful resolution to the crisis by thumbing the importance of stability in Bangladesh to the wider region.
On the other hand, it must be prepared for the eventuality that the situation in Bangladesh may further spiral down: border security strengthening, intelligence cooperation with Bangladesh in monitoring and counteracting possible security threats which may come from the country, and working together with international partners to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches intended persons affected by the crisis in Bangladesh.This could also help India buy some goodwill among the Bangladeshi people amidst such complex politicking.
The current developments in Bangladesh are a grim reminder that India needs to have multiple regional partners. Stronger ties with other South Asian countries, especially with important partners outside the region, might also give India greater strategic flexibility. This approach would also help India mitigate the risks of political instability in the neighbouring countries, ensuring it would be able to continue playing a leading role in South Asian affairs.
Acclaiming Indian civilisation’s contribution to the world
New York: On November 5, Kamala Harris may be elected as the first South Asian President of the US. If the Donald Trump-JD Vance ticket wins, Usha Vance will become the first Hindu Second Lady.
Indian diaspora has dazzled the world by reaching the top echelons -- and not just in politics. India has become a global power player, earning the sobriquet, ‘Vishwabandhu’ (friend of the world), particularly after supplying vaccines during the Covid-19 pandemic to many nations.
Indians themselves would not be surprised by this welcome shift, however. Independent India may be only 77 years old, but it has, at its back, many millennia of civilisational wisdom rooted in the ancient texts of the Vedas and Upanishads, and the philosophical traditions of Buddhism and Jainism. This was elaborated by the eminent people in India and America invited to comment on the eve of India’s 78th Independence Day.
Another running strain in their comments is that India has antidotes to many of the world's ills. Its perennial moral principles of ahimsa and vasudhaiva kutumbakam (the world is one family), underscoring the importance of compassion,
Sheikh
tolerance and unity in diversity, are a beacon for addressing global challenges, promoting interfaith harmony and world peace, and fostering a sustainable and inclusive future.
It will not be an exaggeration to say that India is embracing its destined role and emerging as ‘Vishwaguru’, not just ‘Vishwabandhu’.
Rajiv Mehrotra, Secretary and Trustee of the Foundation for Universal Responsibility of H.H. The Dalai Lama in New Delhi, told New York-based ALotusInTheMud.com, “India's rich civilisational heritage is a diverse blend of cultural, philosophical, religious, and scientific contributions. This heritage continues to evolve and adapt while inspiring and responding to present-day challenges.”
Swati Arun, Director of Social Media for the Hindu American Foundation in Washington, DC, pointed out that India's contributions are not just historical footnotes but living elements of today’s modern life.
“The zero, an Indian invention, is the cornerstone of the digital age. Yoga and Ayurveda, India’s holistic health systems, have revolutionised wellness.”
Calling India a model for
pluralism in the world, Srinivas Reddy, a scholar on a FulbrightNehru Fellowship at IIT Gandhinagar, said, “The world faces unprecedented challenges related to war, famine, linguistic diversity, and cultural plurality. Much of the Western approach to diversity has been through assimilation. The Indian approach has always been -- live and let live.”
Citing the stellar example of Bharat in Ramayana, Anil Bhatnagar, an IITian, author, and corporate trainer, said, “Instead of coveting what belongs to others or converting others to our faith, India’s story is that of the relentless and ongoing message of love, kindness, peace, compassion, tolerance, acceptance, ahimsa, and harmonious living propagated through an unbroken chain of avatars and gurus such as Krishna, the Buddha, Mahavir, Nanak, and Swami Vivekananda.”
Preity Upala, who is on the Advisory Board of the Europe India Chamber of Commerce and Industry and has appeared on CNN and Forbes as a political and cultural expert, said, “In the current state of affairs globally, with polywars, unending conflicts, and a very divided world, Bharat has demonstrated much-needed pragmatism,
diplomacy, holistic leadership, and global empathy.”
Suma Varughese, the former editor of ‘Society’ and ‘Life Positive’ magazines, agreed that Indian civilisation could show the way out of the multiple crises afflicting the world. “From our systems like Ayurveda and Siddhi, architectural models like Vaastu Shastra, the gurukul education model, our art and dance traditions, our approach to astrology, our four-fold goals of human life – dharma (ethical conduct), artha (wealth), kama (fulfillment of desires) and moksha (liberation), and the four stages of human life from bachelorhood to renunciate, the world will learn how to live, heal, relate, eat, create, love and look after others.”
Aditi Banerjee, a young attorney at a Fortune 500 financial services company who writes and speaks about Hinduism, said that India has an antidote for the younger generation suffering from an overload of information. “Counterbalance this by going within through silence and meditation, reflection and study of the self, through worship and reverence for nature, through yoga and chanting.”
Narayani Ganesh, former editor of The Speaking Tree and Sacred Space columns in The
Times of India, and daughter of Gemini Ganesan, the Tamil cinema stalwart, pointed to the formidable but often ignored contribution of Dravidian India. “Dravidian India’s contributions to spirituality and wisdom have certain distinctive features evident in Sangam literature, the Bhakti movement, and the richness of the world’s oldest language, Tamil, and its scriptures, some of which date back to pre-Vedic times.”
Saket Bhatia, who has a PhD in Electrical Engineering and astrology-numerology and has founded two companies in the Bay Area, explained that Indians excel globally due to their strong emphasis on education, family values, and adaptability.” It is not just Sundar Pichai and Satya Nadella, he argued. "Thousands of other Indian technologists and entrepreneurs are pioneering trends in artificial intelligence, IT, education, and healthcare. Indians have also made significant contributions globally in medicine, academia, arts, and humanities.”
In concrete terms, India has emerged as a force for good, enhancing cultural enrichment and global advancement.
(Parveen Chopra is the founder and editor of ALotusInTheMud. com. He can be reached at lotus4usa@gmail.com)
Hasina’s exit marks end of decisive political era in B’desh history
The fall was swift. It had not been expected that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, having played a pivotal role in the restoration of democracy in Bangladesh, would someday be forced not only to leave office in disgrace, but make her way out of the country.
The story of Sheikh Hasina’s rise and fall merits detailed analysis. But, it is the incidents of the past one month which are today regarded as instrumental in her fall from power.
It all began with a rather innocuous movement by students against a quota system for government services which, earlier abolished in 2018, was recently restored by the High Court. Briefly, the quota system reserved as much as 30 per cent of government jobs for the children and grandchildren of Bangladesh’s 1971 freedom fighters.
Overall, 56 per cent of jobs under the quota system went to the descendants of freedom fighters as also to other groups such as women and indigenous communities.
Once the quota system was restored by the judiciary, protests began to be voiced by students on the ground that reservations of government jobs for particular groups in such high numbers precluded the possibility of merit being taken into consideration in examinations for recruitment to the civil service.
The protests were peaceful, but the mistake committed by the government was to go for a kneejerk reaction.
Sheikh Hasina's abrasive comments on the students' protest left the young angry. Worse, it was the comment by Obaidul Quader, General Secretary of the ruling Awami League and a senior minister in the Cabinet, to the effect that the Chhatra League, the student's wing of the ruling party, was enough to tackle the protests which further inflamed passions.
Of course, the government went for damage control with the Supreme Court rescinding the High Court move and reordering the quota system in favour of an assessment of merit at civil service examinations and other government jobs.
The move came rather late in the day.
The protesting students refused to back down and instead began to make other demands, the last one of which was the resignation of the Prime Minister and her government.
The authorities, unwilling to acknowledge the rising tide of public dissatisfaction against the government, opted for increasingly harsh measures to quell the protests. The security forces, including the police, the Rapid Action Battalion, and Border Guard Bangladesh were deployed against the protesters.
The consequences were grave. No fewer than 200-plus people died when the security forces went into action. Students were picked up at random and placed on harsh police remand. Disorder intensified on the streets. From there on, it was clear that the protests were no more in the hands of the students but had proliferated into a wider campaign against all the accumulated grievances of the general public against the massive web of corruption which had only widened in the past many years.
Besides, rising prices and the pernicious role of syndicates in the manipulation of the market were good reasons for very large sections of the population to identify themselves with the students' movement.
Neither a later imposition of curfew and a calling in of the army to restore order helped. Add to that the long-held public grievance over the three 'flawed' elections the Awami League government had presided over since 2014.
It was clearly a storm gaining in intensity and waiting to sweep across the country. The government's refusal to see it coming, together with its arrogant response to the students, clearly was indicative of its growing inability to stem the situation. The final straw for the government came on Sunday when its student and youth wings
went into violent action against the protests, which led to more than a hundred fresh deaths. As many as 13 policemen were lynched by infuriated mobs. The protests apart, it also needs to be borne in mind that when Sheikh Hasina spoke in those final days of a concerted campaign by Islamist forces and other opposition groups to overthrow her, it was food for thought.
Add to that her public references to what she believed was the aim of the United States to have her government fall. She was never apologetic about those remarks, which again are a subject for analysts to study now that she has fallen.
The sadness in Bangladesh today is the ignominious manner in which Sheikh Hasina had to flee the country. Once a leading voice in the struggle to restore secular democracy in the country, being the daughter of Bangladesh’s founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, her style of governance progressively dwindled into a system where she relied more and more on sycophants.
That was the ultimate in the tragedy, given that her government in these past 15 years had led Bangladesh to enviable economic prosperity to a point where the country is now poised to graduate from LDC status to that of a middle-income country in 2026.
Her foreign policy was a fine
balance, the focus being on maintaining close ties with India and correct relations with China, Russia, and the European powers. At home, she initiated constitutional moves that paved the way for the trial of her father's assassins and the ageing collaborators of the 1971 Pakistan occupation army.
Sheikh Hasina's exit is the end of a decisive political era in Bangladesh's history. The future is now uncertain, despite the country’s army having engineered her safe exit from Dhaka and initiating moves to have an interim government take charge. For Bangladesh, which is today an embarrassing reminder of Sri Lanka as it was a few years ago when its leadership was forced from office by public protests, the imperative will be to ensure that the principles of secular democracy which underpinned the War of Liberation - principles which were undermined by successive military and quasimilitary regimes after August 1975 - are maintained and that the country is not pushed back into the communal darkness from which it was retrieved by the Awami League under Sheikh Hasina.
(Syed Badrul Ahsan is a Bangladeshi political analyst and political biographer who divides his time between Dhaka and London. The views expressed are personal)
Empowering Migrants Expo: A triumph of diversity & unity in Queensland
Bhartiya Samaj organised the Empowering Migrants Expo, on August 4 at Brisbane City Hall. It was a big event that united over 200 multicultural community leaders and attracted more than 3,500 attendees. Held within the historic venue, the Expo celebrated the rich cultural diversity of migrants, featuring representatives from over 20 countries and 10 government agencies, showcasing a broad spectrum of cultural heritage through vibrant displays and performances. Attendees enjoyed a series of engaging cultural dance performances and informational stalls representing diverse communities including Pakistan, Taiwan, Zimbabwe, Indonesia, Vietnam, and Morocco, among others. The event saw inspiring speeches from distinguished guests, vibrant cultural displays, and meaningful community engagement. The event emphasized the importance of multiculturalism, inclusivity, and the significant contributions of migrants to Australian society, enhancing a sense of unity and understanding.
In his inaugural speech, president of Bhartiya Samaj Abhishek Sharma highlighted the saying, 'The world is one family.' He said, “This Expo exemplifies this truth, with representatives from over 20 countries and more than 10 government agencies. Together, we celebrate a vibrant cultural mosaic of art, handicrafts and traditions, fostering greater awareness and understanding within Australian society.” This
sentiment resonated throughout the event, setting the tone for the day’s proceedings.
Lord Mayor of Brisbane, Adrian Schrinner, remarked on the unique nature of the Expo. “Brisbane City Hall is typically reserved for citizenship ceremonies, but it's wonderful to see such a multicultural expo happening here, showcasing the diversity and unity of our city,” he said, emphasizing the significance of holding the event at such a prominent location.
Member for Blair, Shayne Neumann, added his perspective, “Sharing is caring! Migrants bring a wealth of experiences, cultures and perspectives that enrich our society in countless ways.” His words underscored the value that multicultural communities bring to the broader Australian society.
Furthermore, Senator for Queensland, Paul Scarr, noted the pioneering nature of the event. “Bhartiya Samaj leads by example with this multicultural event, a groundbreaking initiative in Queensland that celebrates the rich heritage of migrants and their contributions to our community,” he said, highlighting the leadership role Bhartiya Samaj plays in promoting multiculturalism.
This theme of understanding and support was further emphasized by Leader of the Opposition and Shadow Minister for Tourism, David Crisafulli, who, sharing a personal connection to the migrant experience through his Italian heritage, said, “As a migrant himself with Italian
heritage, he understands the needs of the migrant community deeply.” His remarks brought a personal touch to the discussion on migrant integration.
Continuing the thread of community and unity, Councillor for Central Ward, Vicki Howard, congratulated Bhartiya Samaj, stating, “Congratulations to Bhartiya Samaj for hosting an event that fosters community building, unity, and solidarity among Queensland's diverse communities.” Her words reinforced the event's role in strengthening communal bonds.
Adding to the accolades, Founder and Chairperson of Bhartiya Samaj, Jeet Suchdev, emphasized the supportive aspect of the Expo. “As migrants, we know the challenges of settling in a new environment. We aim to share our experiences with new migrants, helping them thrive in Australia,” he said, providing a perspective grounded in personal experience.
In agreement, Consul General of India for Queensland Neetu Bhaagotia commented on the resilience and hope inherent in migration. “Migration is a testament to human resilience and hope. It's essential to recognise, honour and appreciate the efforts and achievements of the migrant community,” she stated, adding depth to the narrative of migrant contributions.
Similarly, CEO of Multicultural Australia, Christine Castley, highlighted the intrinsic value of cultural diversity. “This Expo is rooted in the belief that every
culture brings unique value. By sharing our stories, traditions, and talents, we weave a stronger, more inclusive fabric for our society,” she said, encapsulating the event’s core mission.
The event also featured statements from various organizations, which provided additional context and support.
The Sudanese Community Association in QLD (SCAQ) praised the event, saying, “Thank you for hosting an extraordinary event that encourages multiculturalism, diversity, and inclusion. It was an absolute pleasure to participate.” This sentiment was echoed by the Queensland Ambulance Service, who commented, “A fabulous event with enriching engagement and important conversations around health services. We look forward to future collaborations with Bhartiya Samaj.”
Moreover, the Gold Coast Community – Malaysians & Singaporeans (GCCMAS) noted the professionalism and seamless communication throughout the event. “We are impressed by the professionalism and communication throughout the event. Special thanks to the backstage team,” they stated, highlighting the behind-thescenes efforts that made the event successful.
The Expo also recognized outstanding contributions through various awards. Edward Lin, CEO of Australia Taiwan Culture Foundation and winner of the 'Harmony Ambassador Award,' stated, “I am a true believer in
Australian multiculturalism, which deepens our commitment to universal values, freedom, human rights, and democracy. Thank you to all who support our multicultural Australia.” This award highlighted the ongoing commitment to multicultural values.
In addition, Aunty Peggy Tidyman, Gunggari Elder and winner of the 'Indigenous Partnership & Harmony Award,' expressed her gratitude, “I am honoured to be recognised for my work with the migrant community and will continue to support them.” Her acknowledgment of the award underlined the intersection of Indigenous and migrant communities.
Yusuf Khatree, President of the Muslim Charitable Foundation and winner of the 'Community Leadership Award,' shared his appreciation. “I am grateful and humbled to receive this award. Migrants are integral to Brisbane and Queensland. With support and determination, we can succeed,” he said, emphasizing the critical role of migrants in the region.
The Empowering Migrants Expo was a resounding success that not only celebrated the rich cultural diversity of Queensland but also set a benchmark for future multicultural events. Through inspiring speeches, vibrant cultural displays, and meaningful community engagement, the Expo underscored the importance of unity and inclusivity in building a stronger, more cohesive society.
WAKS brings Kannada culture to Thejo India Day Parade
Perth, August 11 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The Western Australia Kannada Sangha (WAKS) represented the Kannada community at Thejo India Day Parade,recently marking Indian Independence Day with vibrant cultural displays. Organized in collaboration with ISWA, the Consulate General of India in Perth, and other member associations, the event featured lively performances and a festive atmosphere, showcasing the rich traditions of the Kannada community and enhancing the celebration.
Victoria premier’s keynotes, AIBC Gala celebrate Australia-India ties
Melbourne, August 8 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The Australia India Business Council (AIBC) Victoria Chapter held its Annual Oration and Gala Dinner on August 5, 2024, with
premier of Victoria, Hon. Jacinta Allan, as the keynote speaker. The event, featuring ceremonial lamp lighting, was a celebration of the growing Australia-India relationship, highlighted by speeches from India's High
Commissioner to Australia, Gopal Baglay, and Melbourne's Lord Mayor, Nick Reece.
The evening included a Q&A session with Cricket Australia CEO Nick Hockley, classical dance
performances, and a display of two World Cup trophies. Premier Allan announced her upcoming visit to India in September, underscoring the deepening bilateral ties. The event was a success, drawing attendees from
government, media, business, and academia, and emphasized the importance of cultural and business connections between the two nations.
AIBC & Consul General boost trade ties at Newcastle Outreach Event
Sydney, August 7 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The Australia India Business Council (AIBC) and Consul General of India, Dr. Janakiraman Sarvesvaran, recently co-hosted a key outreach event in Newcastle.
Partnering with local industry leaders like HunterNet Co-
operative, Business Hunter, and KPMG Australia, the initiative aimed to enhance bilateral trade and investment between India and the Newcastle-Hunter region.
AIBC's leadership, including Irfan Malik, engaged with regional industry figures across various sectors, discussing opportunities
from recent trade agreements and exploring new initiatives like business landing programs. The event highlighted strong interest in Indian market collaborations, with plans to further develop trade and investment relations in the region.
PM, High Commissioner thrilled as GWS Giants win at Manuka Oval
Canberra, August 6 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The GWS Giants delivered a dramatic win over the Hawks at
Manuka Oval, thrilling fans and drawing a notable crowd recently.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr,
and Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay, invited by the Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and
Trade, joined in the celebrations. The presence of these dignitaries added to the vibrant atmosphere, underscoring the strong support
Victoria Premier Jacinta Allan to deliver 2024 Annual Oration in New Delhi
Melbourne, August 8 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The Australia India Institute has announced that Premier of Victoria, Jacinta Allan, will present the 2024 Annual Oration on September 16 in New Delhi. This tradition of featuring notable speakers will continue with Allan’s address, expected to offer valuable insights on enhancing Australia-India collaboration and strengthening bilateral ties.
for local teams and Australia’s dynamic sports culture
Australia India Institute’s special visitor program enhances Indo-Pacific ties
Melbourne, July 29 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The Australia India Institute (AII) has launched a special visitor initiative to bolster bilateral relations and regional stability in the Indo-Pacific. The program, supported by various
key organizations including the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade and the High Commission of India in Canberra, facilitated significant discussions across Canberra, Sydney, and Perth.
Indian and Australian experts
engaged with prominent think tanks, academic institutions, and policy professionals in two major roundtables: "Building Resilient and Secure Economies in the Indo-Pacific" and the "Indian Ocean Maritime Defence Roundtable." The discussions focused on regional security, economic resilience, and bilateral cooperation.
The program also featured the "Indian Ocean Defence and Security Conference" in Perth, with AII’s Darshana M Baruah addressing Indo-Pacific insecurity and future opportunities. Additionally, experts in Canberra discussed Australia-India maritime security cooperation and the role of institutions in enhancing regional stability.
IABCA Queensland welcome reception focuses on Australia-India relations
Brisbane, August 13 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The IABCA Queensland welcome reception and panel session marked the commencement of the 2024 IABCA Immersion Week in Australia, running from August 12-17. The event, held at the historic Queensland
Parliament House, was made possible through a successful collaboration with Trade and Investment Queensland. The venue, steeped in heritage, symbolized the vibrant spirit of Queensland and its deep connection to the land.
Key stakeholders from the
Centre for Australia-India Relations, Commonwealth Bank, and HCLTechOfficial were brought together, along with IABCA alumni, finalists, and delegates from the IndoAustralian Chamber of Commerce and AustCham India. The event highlighted the robust economic and institutional ties
between Queensland and India, underscoring a shared vision for a prosperous Indo-Pacific.
The reception also celebrated Queensland’s vibrant Indian community, which numbers over 90,000 and represents Australia’s third-largest Indian community and the second-largest non-
European diaspora in the state. The initiative aligns with the Queensland-India Trade and Investment Strategy 2023-2027 and the broader Queensland Trade and Investment Strategy 2022-2032, aiming to further strengthen engagement and foster deeper partnerships between Queensland and India.
FICQ joins multicultural celebration at LUMINOUS festival
Brisbane, August 14 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland (FICQ) and its member organizations participated
in Queensland’s largest multicultural event, the LUMINOUS Festival, held recently. This year, the festival combined the LUMINOUS Lantern Parade and the MOSAIC Multicultural Festival, creating a
vibrant celebration of diversity and inclusion.
The event highlighted the rich cultural tapestry of Queensland, showcasing the art, traditions, and heritage of numerous
communities that call the state home. With the theme of “Everyone Belongs,” the festival brought together people from all walks of life, united by a shared commitment to multiculturalism and cultural understanding.
The FICQ members, along with other participants, displayed their cultural pride through art and performances, underscoring the importance of embracing diversity in Queensland.
Indian diaspora celebrates India’s 78th Independence Day
Melbourne, August 15 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The vibrant Indian diaspora in Melbourne gathered in large numbers to celebrate the 78th
Independence Day of India on August 15. The event was marked by enthusiastic participation from the community, highlighting India's rich heritage and the unity in its diversity.
The celebrations featured a series of cultural performances that included the rhythmic beats of the ‘Dhol,’ stirring patriotic songs, and traditional dances. These performances not only
showcased India’s cultural richness but also reinforced the sense of pride and unity among the Indian community in Melbourne. The event was a vibrant display of India's diverse traditions and an affirmation of the strong connection that the Indian diaspora maintains with their homeland.
Indian I-Day celebrated at High Commission in Canberra
Canberra, August 15 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The 78th Indian Independence Day was marked by a grand
flag hoisting ceremony at the High Commission of India in Canberra on August 15. Indian High Commissioner Gopal Baglay presided over
the event, addressing an enthusiastic gathering of Indian community members, officials, and dignitaries. The celebration featured the traditional hoisting
of the Indian tricolor, followed by the singing of the national anthem and a speech by High Commissioner Baglay, who highlighted the enduring ties
between Australia and India, and the significant contributions of the Indian diaspora.
Cultural program mark India’s I-Day celebration
Perth, August 15 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
India’s 78th Independence Day was celebrated with great patriotic fervor at the Consulate General of India in Perth. The ceremony saw enthusiastic participation from members of the Indian diaspora and friends
of India. Consul General Amarjeet Singh Takhi led the celebrations by hoisting the Indian flag, followed by a reading of India’s President Droupadi Murmu’s address.
The event was attended by Indian-origin members of the Western Australian Parliament,
Dr. Jags MLA and Yaz Mubarakai MLA, who shared their reflections on freedom and the vital role of the Indian diaspora in strengthening Australia-India relations.
A cultural program was also presented to celebrate the occasion that featured a flute
rendition of "Vande Mataram," patriotic songs, and dances by the Tamil Association of Western Australia Inc., Sanskriti seniors of WA, and Indian students from Sanskriti - Association for Indian Culture and Student Support at UWA.
Diverse Brisbane communities unite in solidarity with persecuted Hindus in Bangladesh
Brisbane, August 16: In an extraordinary display of unity, members of the Hindu, Sikh, and Jewish communities in Brisbane gathered today to protest against the ongoing brutal atrocities faced by Hindus in Bangladesh. The protest, organised by the Bangladeshi Puja and Cultural Society (BPCS) in Brisbane, drew large numbers of participants, all united in a common cause: to show solidarity with their brothers and sisters in Bangladesh.
The event, held at King George Square in Brisbane CDB, witnessed impassioned speeches and peaceful demonstrations as protesters called for global attention to the suffering of
Hindus in Bangladesh, urging immediate action to protect minority communities. The gathering was a powerful reminder of the shared values of humanity, tolerance, and justice that transcend religious boundaries.
The protest was supported by several prominent organisations, including Sewa Australia, Hindu Council of Australia(HCA), Hindu Swayamsevak Sangh (HSS), Samskruthi Queensland, Indian Council of Australia, Queensland (ICAQ), Brisbane Maharashtra Mandal, Overseas Friends of BJP, Aryav Pratinidhi Sabha, Queensland, Divya Jyoti Jagrati Sansthan, Institute for Australia India Engagement, Vaishnav
Sangh Queensland, Australian Jewish Association, and Gujarati Brahma Samaj.
Representatives from these organizations spoke to the gathering, emphasising the critical need to stand united against injustice and to advocate for the rights of persecuted minorities in Bangladesh.
"We cannot remain silent while innocent lives are being destroyed," stated Mr. Umang Rajani, head of the Brisbane chapter of Sewa Australia.
Mr. Bipin Sumanth, General Secretary of HSS Australia, expressed deep concern about the plight of minorities, saying, “It is time for us to unite globally
and send a clear message that bigotry and hatred have no place in modern society. Dharma shall prevail.”
Mr. Jogindra Modi, president of HCA in Brisbane, reflected on the drastic decline in the Hindu population since Bangladesh's formation in 1971, reminding everyone of this alarming reality.
Speaking to our correspondent at the protest site, Mr. Bikash Sikder, president of BPCS, voiced his concern for Hindus and other minority communities in Bangladesh. “We are extremely worried about the safety and well-being of Hindus and other minorities in Bangladesh. The government must take action,
bring the culprits to justice, and ensure the safety of these communities.”
The protest was peaceful yet impactful, with participants holding placards and chanting slogans to express solidarity the victims. Many attendees voiced their hope that the international community would respond to their plea and take decisive action to ensure the safety and security of Hindus in Bangladesh.
As the crowd dispersed, the message was clear: Brisbane's Hindus, supported by other communities will continue to stand in solidarity with those suffering from persecution, advocating for justice.
Consul General hosts I-Day celebrations at MCG
Consul General Dr. Sushil Kumar hosted a reception to celebrate the 77th anniversary of India's Independence at the iconic
Melbourne Cricket Ground. Many Victorian dignitaries including Deputy Premier Ben Carroll MP, Leader of Opposition
John Pesutto, Parliament speaker, parliamentarians, mayors, consular corps, business CEOs, guests from various walks of life
and vibrant members of Indian diaspora joined the reception at Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) as it was lit up in tricolour.
Maharashtra dhol and performances showcased India’s rich cultural heritage.
Independence Day celebrations
FICQ & GOPIO Queensland
presidents among High Commission’s invitees
Canberra, August 15 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The High Commission of India in Canberra hosted a grand celebration of India's Independence Day on August 15, attended by a distinguished gathering of diplomats, federal ministers, and community leaders. Among the notable
attendees were president of the Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland (FICQ) Dr. Preethi Suraj, and president of GOPIO Queensland Arpit Singh.
The event was marked by the presence of ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr, adding significance to the occasion. The participation of Dr. Preethi Suraj and Arpit Singh highlights the strong representation of Queensland’s
Indian community at the national level. Both leaders engaged with key stakeholders, reflecting their commitment to strengthening ties between the Indian diaspora and broader Australian society.
The ceremony featured the traditional flag hoisting, speeches by dignitaries, and cultural performances that celebrated India's rich heritage and unity in diversity.
GOPIO Gold Coast hosts charity gala dinner
Brisbane, August 17 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) Gold Coast organized a charity gala dinner at the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort in Gold
India’s I-Day celebrated with cultural festivities
Sydney, August 15 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The Consulate General of India in Sydney, along with members of the Indian community and friends of India, celebrated the 78th Indian Independence Day at the iconic Sydney Cricket Ground on August 15. The event featured a vibrant display of
cultural performances, including presentations by eminent dance groups from India and winners of local talent shows. The celebrations highlighted the rich cultural diversity and heritage of India, bringing together the community in a joyous expression of unity and pride.
Coast recently. The dinner was aimed to raise funds for building a school for underprivileged children in Gujarat. The event was attended by the Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland team, alongside
the Consul General of India, the Consul, and various dignitaries and community leaders. The evening featured an array of food, entertainment, an auction, and a raffle, all contributing to the noble cause of supporting education for children in need.
India Day Fair 2024 brings vibrant celebration to Brisbane
Brisbane, August 17 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The India Day Fair 2024, organized by GOPIO Queensland on August 17 at Roma Street Parkland, Brisbane, turned out to be a vibrant celebration of India's rich cultural heritage. The annual event showcased the diversity of Indian culture through a day filled
with colourful performances, delicious cuisine, and familyfriendly activities.
The fair featured a mix of traditional and contemporary dance, music, and drama performances that captivated attendees, highlighting the cultural richness of India. Food stalls offered a wide array of
authentic Indian delicacies, catering to both vegetarian and non-vegetarian preferences, allowing visitors to savour flavours from various regions of India.
In addition to the cultural performances and food, community stalls provided a platform for local Indian
community groups to connect with attendees, sharing information about their contributions and activities. The event also attracted prominent community leaders and special guests, adding to the significance of the celebration.
India Day Fair 2024 was not only a celebration of India's cultural
diversity but also an opportunity for the broader community to engage with the Indian diaspora and other cultural groups in Brisbane. The event, with free entry, offered a perfect outing for families, with entertainment and activities for all age groups, making it a memorable day for everyone involved.
Indian Consulate celebrates 78th Indian Independence Day
Brisbane, August 15 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The Consulate General of India in Brisbane celebrated
the 78th Indian Independence Day on August 15. Many guests were present on the occasion. The Federation of Indian
Communities of Queensland (FICQ) committee members and representatives from member organisations also attended the
celebration. Consul General Neetu Bhagotia, Consul Sushil Goel, and their team joined the community in marking
this significant occasion. The celebration underscored the unity and pride of the Indian diaspora in Queensland.
Newcastle leaders & Consul General explore investment opportunities
Sydney, August 7 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
Consul General of India in Sydney, Dr. Janakiraman Sarvesvaran, and Irfan Malik from the Australia India Business Council (AIBC) recently met with Newcastle's Lord Mayor Nuatali Nelmes and Deputy Lord Mayor Declan Clausen. The discussions centered on enhancing collaboration between Newcastle and India, focusing on investment, talent mobility, and market opportunities.
With the new Newcastle International Airport boosting connectivity, there are significant prospects for Indian aviation and regional exports. The meeting highlighted potential business partnerships, regional
development, and the possibility of establishing sister city relations with Indian cities. Both parties are enthusiastic about leveraging these opportunities to attract investment and talent from India, aiming to strengthen bilateral trade and regional growth.
The talks covered various sectors including advanced manufacturing, clean energy, and education, with support from key stakeholders like Austrade, the Centre for Australia-India Relations, and the University of Newcastle. The City of Newcastle and AIBC plan to develop actionable strategies to foster this expanded partnership and enhance Newcastle's role as a business hub linked to India's growing market.
Consul General and community Celebrate Plant4Mother
Melbourne, August 1(Australia India News Newsdesk)
In a touching tribute to mothers and environmental sustainability, Consul General Dr. Sushil Kumar joined Bwe Thay of the Victorian Multicultural Commission and local residents for a tree-planting event at the Centre for Oneness recently. Organized by Sant Nirankari Mission, Australia, and part of the #Plant4Mother campaign, the initiative encouraged planting trees as a gesture of gratitude and connection. The event saw enthusiastic participation from the Melbourne community, emphasizing the role of collective efforts in fostering a greener future.
Gujarati community hosts movie night with ‘Divaswapna’
Brisbane, July 29 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The Gujarati Community Queensland recently hosted an engaging movie night at the Logan West Community Centre, featuring the acclaimed film "Divaswapna."
The event united local residents and community members, celebrating diverse cinematic achievements and fostering a shared appreciation for the arts within the Gujarati community and beyond. The film’s compelling storytelling and excellence captivated the audience, highlighting the cultural richness of the community.
AIBC hosts gala for Queensland’s first Indian Consul General
Brisbane, July 30 (Australia India News Newsdesk)
The Australia India Business Council (AIBC) recently held a vibrant welcome reception for Neetu Bhaagotia, Queensland’s first Indian Consul General. The
event, attended by over 80 guests including Brisbane's Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner, celebrated the deepening Australia-India ties.
Mayor Schrinner highlighted the "unstoppable momentum" in bilateral relations, emphasizing
the growing economic, cultural, and social connections with Brisbane’s Indian community.
The evening also featured AIBC members, special invitees, and key government representatives from Trade and Investment
Queensland and the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
Corporate leaders from AustralianSuper, Boeing, and EY were present, showcasing the strong interest in strengthening Queensland-India partnerships.
Consul General Bhaagotia spoke on the significant collaboration opportunities and the bright future of Queensland-India relations.
$58,000 back-paid to Melbourne food staff
The Fair Work Ombudsman has recovered more than $58,000 for121 underpaid food outlet employees in south-east Melbourne, following surprise inspections.
The underpayments were discovered followingthe regulator’s investigations of 32 food businesses, mostly “cheap eats” venues in Bentleigh, Bentleigh East, Carnegie, Glen Huntly, Caulfield, Caulfield East, Elsternwick and Clayton.
The businesses were targeted based on FWO intelligence from a range of sources, including anonymous reports.
The FWO found 26 businesses (81 per cent)had breached workplace laws.
The most common breaches wereunderpaying minimum wages for ordinary hours (19 businesses),underpaying various penalty rates (16businesses), and not keeping accurate time records (eight businesses).
“The high rate of breaches of workplace laws in south-east Melbourne’s fast food, restaurants and cafés sector is disappointing, andconsistent with our findings in the sector nationwide,” Fair Work Ombudsman Anna Booth said.
“Employers must follow all wage laws, including paying minimum wages, which have recently increased. Those doing the wrong thing are being found out and held to account.
“Employers should access our wide range of free online tools and resources to ensure they’re meeting their obligations, or contact the FWO directly for free advice. We want to help businesses in the food sector get it right in the first place.
“We also urge workers with
concerns about wages and entitlements to reach out to us - including anonymously if preferred.”
Ms Booth confirmed that improving compliance in the fast food, restaurants and cafés sector isa continuingpriority for the Fair Work Ombudsman, with the other priority sectors being aged care services, agriculture, building and construction, disability support services, large corporates and universities.
“We are targeting these sectors as they are at significant risk of non-compliance with workplace laws, or have a history of systemic underpayments, or both,” Ms Booth said.
“We are committed to working with these sectors to promote and ensure compliance.”
The highest amount recovered from one of the Melbourne businesses was $13,071 for four casual fast food workers who were paid flat rates below the award minimum for all hours worked.
Following investigations, the FWO issued 22 Compliance Notices, recovering almost all ofthe $58,391 for 121 employees (about $200 was recovered without the use of an enforcement tool).
Employers who had not met their payslip and record-keeping obligations were fined $31,461 after receiving 15 Infringement Notices.
More than $1.2million has been recovered for workers in Melbourne’s fast food, restaurants and cafés sectoras a result ofinvestigations in the Food Precincts Program alone.
As part of its national Food Precincts Program, the FWO has undertaken surprise inspections in Melbourne’s Degraves Street
and Hardware Lane; inner south and inner west; Victoria Street, Richmond; and Swanston Street and inner north.
In other parts of the country, the FWO has inspected food precincts in Brisbane, Sydney, the Gold Coast, Adelaide, Darwin, Hobart, Launceston, Perth, Newcastle, Canberra and Queanbeyan, and Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. In 2022-23, the FWO secured more than $800,000 in courtordered penalties against food sector employers.
The FWO has interactive tools to help employers and employees in the fast food, restaurants and cafés sector, and for any franchisees. Employers can also use the FWO’s pay calculator and Small Business Showcase.
The FWO also has resources for visa holder workers – who have the same workplace rights as any other workers.
In addition to the sectorbased priority areas, the Fair Work Ombudsman has enduring priorities of providing educationand assistance to small business employers and employees, and to vulnerable workers such as migrants and young workers.
Employers and employees can visit www.fairwork.gov.auor call the Fair Work Infoline on 13 13 94 for free advice and assistance about their rights and obligations in the workplace. A free interpreter service is available on 13 14 50.
Issues can be reported online anonymously, including in languages other than English.
Employees can also seek information from their union, if they are a member, or from their employer.
FICQ committee meets Lord Mayor to discuss future Collaborations
Brisbane, August 1(Australia India News Newsdesk)
The newly elected committee of the Federation of Indian
Communities of Queensland (FICQ) recently held a productive meeting with Brisbane's Lord Mayor, Adrian Schrinner. The
discussion focused on FICQ's vision and community needs, exploring potential collaborative programs with the city's
leadership.
Vinesh Phogat announces retirement after Olympics disqualification
New Delhi, Aug 8 (IANS) India's ace wrestler Vinesh Phogat has announced her retirement from wrestling hours after her disqualification from the Paris Olympics 2024.
She made the announcement in an early morning post on social platform X on Thursday.
"Wrestling won the match against me, I lost... my courage is all broken, I don't have any more strength now. Goodbye
Tom
Cruise
sets
Wrestling 2001-2024. I will always be indebted to you all...," Vinesh posted on X.
The wrestler lost the chance to fight for the gold medal after she was disqualified for being overweight in the morning weigh-in on Wednesday following her stupendous performance on Tuesday when she stunned the hitherto unbeaten Yui Susaki of Japan in her first bout.
Vinesh made history on Tuesday by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the final at the Olympics. But her redemption story following a disappointing performance in the Tokyo Olympics ended in heartbreak as she was disqualified from the competition after she
the stage
for
Los
was found overweight in the second weigh-in on the morning of the final.
Vinesh was found 100 grams over the limit for 50 kg and thus ruled out the competition and placed last as per United World Wrestling rules.
She had kept awake and worked hard along with her coach, support staff and Indian contingent's chief medical officer all night to shed weight that she had gained to replenish the vital fluids lost in the three bouts and get to 50 kg but to no avail and she turned out overweight by just 100 gm.
She was so dehydrated by her efforts that she had to be admitted to the polyclinic in the Games Village for IV drips.
Angeles Olympics at Paris Olympics closing ceremony
Los Angeles, Aug 12 (IANS)
Hollywood star Tom Cruise lent the Paris Olympics closing ceremony a Hollywood texture as he dove off the top of the Stade de France to mark the handover from the Paris Olympics to the Los Angeles Games in 2028.
After H.E.R. played the US national anthem, the actor jumped off the roof of the Stade de France, the country’s biggest stadium, and landed on stage, reports Variety.
He was welcomed with deafening cheers and greeted by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who was handed the Olympic flag by Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo during the bash.
As per Variety, Tom then hopped onto a motorcycle with the flag in tow and rode out of the stadium to make the symbolic delivery to Los Angeles. As the Red Hot Chili Peppers’ ‘By the Way’ played in the background, the actor rode down the Paris streets and drove into a plane.
In a pre-recorded segment, he then parachuted out of the aircraft, landing by the Hollywood sign. Once he touched down at the famous landmark, Cruise attached the five Olympic rings to it.
Tom has been a regular at these summer Olympics. He was on the ground for the opening ceremony on July 27 and attended a few competitions along with other stars like Steven Spielberg, Ariana Grande, Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick.
A day prior, on July 26, he was named a Knight of the Legion of Honor by France’s Culture Minister Rachida Dati.
The Paris Olympics hosted almost all competitions at iconic landmarks, from Place de la Concorde, Eiffel Tower, Chateau de Versailles to the Grand Palais.
The opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics also took place outdoors for the first time in modern history. It ran along the Seine River and featured Lady Gaga and Celine Dion.
CAS verdict on Vinesh Phogat’s overweight disqualification from Paris Olympics postponed till Aug 16
Paris, Aug 13 (IANS) The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ad hoc committee has postponed the verdict on Vinesh Phogat's appeal till 6 pm August 16 (local time) after the Indian wrestler challenged her disqualification from the Paris Olympics women’s freestyle 50kg final for being 100 gm overweight in the second-day weigh-in.
Hon. Dr Annabelle Bennett AC SC of Australia is the Sole Arbitrator. The verdict was scheduled to be announced at 9:30 pm IST on Tuesday.
"The CAS ad hoc division president has allowed Dr Annabelle Bennett, Sole Arbitrator in the Vinesh Phogat vs. United World Wrestling (UWW) and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) matter, an extension until 6-00 pm (Paris time) on Friday, August 16, 2024," the IOA said in a statement.
The contesting parties were given the time till August 11 to make any additional submissions.
"The ad hoc division of CAS has extended the time for the Sole Arbitrator Hon. Dr Annabelle Bennett in the Vinesh Phogat vs. United World Wrestling & the International Olympic Committee matter to give a decision till 6:00 p.m. on August 13," an IOA official had said on Saturday.
Earlier, the Ad-Hoc Division of CAS said it would announce its decision on wrestler Phogat's case at 6:00 pm (9:30 pm IST) on Saturday, August 10.
Paris passes Olympic baton to LA as 2024 Games declared closed
Paris, Aug 12 (IANS) 'Au revoir' Paris 2024! After 16 days of worldclass competition across 32 sports and 329 events, the 33rd Summer Olympics came to a close on Sunday.
Paris passed the baton to Los Angeles after delivering its share of memorable moments.
More than 70,000 spectators were present inside the stadium to watch 270 artists and performers in the closing ceremony.
To celebrate the Games, Thomas Jolly, artistic director of the Paris 2024 Games ceremonies, put together "Records", an exceptional show staged at the Stade de France to ensure that everyone can enjoy the party right up to the last second.
It was a wonderful way to collectively celebrate the athletes who excelled through their sporting performances.
The Stade de France transformed into a gigantic concert hall, featuring over a hundred performers, acrobats, dancers and circus artists.
IOC President Thomas Bach and President of the French Republic Emmanuel Macron received a loud cheer as the duo shook hands and hugged each other, waving at the crowd.
A flag party then carried the French flag into the stadium, where the Orchestre Divertimento and Maitrise de Fontainebleau performed Victor le Masne’s rearrangement of the French national anthem, La Marseillaise.
Vinesh has challenged the decision to disqualify her from the 50kg gold medal bout and has knocked on the CAS doors to be awarded a shared silver medal along with Yusneylis Guzman Lopez at the Paris Olympics.
The Sole Arbitrator Dr Annabelle Bennett AC SC (Australia) heard all parties -- applicant Vinesh Phogat, the respondents United World Wrestling and the International Olympic Committee as well as the Indian Olympic Association as an interested party over three hours.
The panel had already heard parties, who were accorded an opportunity to file their detailed legal submissions before the hearing and then presented oral arguments. It was indicated by the Sole Arbitrator that the operative part of the order may be expected soon, with a detailed order with reasons to follow thereafter.
All the athletes then entered the arena and were seen dancing and taking selfies to capture the moment.
Funny scenes
Following the excitement, the athletes jumped onto the stadium and the announcer was forced to ask them to get down.
The sportspersons were not ready to leave but after being requested several times, the volunteers managed to clear the stage amid laughter. And the show then went ahead.
'Seine-sational Olympic Games' Addressing the huge gathering, Thomas Bach, 1976 fencing Olympic champion, said: "Despite all the tensions in our world, you came here from all 206 national Olympic committees and the IOC Refugee Olympic Team, to make the City of Light shine brighter than ever before."
"Your performances were amazing. You competed fiercely against each other. Every contest was on the edge of perfection. Every performance sparked excitement around the world. You showed us what greatness we humans are capable of. The Olympic Games Paris 2024 were a celebration of the athletes and of sport at its best," he said.
“The first Olympic Games delivered completely under our Olympic Agenda reforms: younger, more urban, more inclusive, more sustainable. The first Olympic Games with full gender parity," Bach said, adding "these were sensational Olympic Games from start to finish –or dare I say: 'Seine-sational' Olympic Games".
Breathtaking Tom Cruise entry! Hollywood actor Tom Cruise rappelled from the Stade de France roof! He greeted athletes, who hugged and kissed him on the way to the stage.
He will help transport the Olympic Flag from here in Paris to Los Angeles, via the streets of Paris and the hills of Hollywood, as he took the flag from Simone Biles.
And finally, the Snoop Dog song to make evening more happening. The IOC chief then declared the 2024 Games closed. "See you LA..."
‘Men who made it possible’: Neeraj Chopra celebrates Olympic silver medal with coach, physio
New Delhi, Aug 13 (IANS) Paris Olympics silver medallist javelin thrower Neeraj Chopra captured a moment with his coach and physio and appreciated the duo for their effort in helping him win the second consecutive Olympic medal.
Neeraj posted a photo on Instagram acknowledging the efforts of his coach Klaus Bartonietz and physio Ishaan Marwaha.
"Glad to capture a moment with the men who made it possiblemy coach Klaus Bartonietz and Physio Ishaan Marwaha," Neeraj
captioned the post. Chopra, who came into the final as the favourite with a brilliant effort of 89.34m in the qualifying, threw the javelin to 89.45m, his second-best ever effort, a clear improvement on the 87.58m that bagged him the gold medal in Tokyo. But that did not prove enough for the reigning World Champion and Diamond League final winner as Pakistan's Arshad Nadeem, his good friend in the sport, upstaged him by setting the Olympic record to win the gold medal with a monster heave of 92.97m.
Indian
researchers find a new, cheaper route to manage cholesterol
Researchers from S. N. Bose
National Centre for Basic Sciences, Kolkata, have explored a new way to manage conditions like elevated low-density lipoprotein (LDL), or cholesterol, levels.
Proteins are vital for our health, performing a wide range of functions. However, incorrect protein interactions can cause diseases. Traditionally, scientists have tried to develop small molecule drugs that act as competitive inhibitors to proteinprotein interaction (PPI) sites. However, this has proven difficult due to the large and smooth nature of protein interaction areas.
An alternative approach uses large peptides or antibodies to
inhibit PPIs, though these can be costly and difficult to administer.
Pharmaceutical industries thus seek small molecules that are easier to take, typically in pill form.
A promising new method involves allosteric inhibitors - drugs that bind to different parts of the protein, changing its behaviour and preventing harmful interactions.
The challenge is identifying these special target spots on proteins.
The researchers propose a new computational protocol to predict and identify alternative binding pockets and hotspots on a protein surface that are allosterically coupled to the functional site using advanced computer simulation approaches.
As a test case, they examined PCSK9, a protein that controls cholesterol levels by interacting with low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR). Increased
PCSK9-LDLR interaction can elevate LDL levels, contributing to heart disease. Current treatments targeting PCSK9 are expensive and not suitable for everyone. Finding an orally administered small-molecule drug that blocks the PCSK9-LDLR interaction could be transformative.
Dr Suman Chakrabarty's team has made significant progress in identifying targetable parts of the PCSK9 protein. They used thermodynamics to argue that the bidirectional nature of allostery can identify allosteric pockets. By comparing the conformational ensembles of bound and unbound protein states, they propose targeting unique conformations in the unbound state for drug discovery. This collaborative approach between academia and industry aims not only to lower cholesterol but also to create a new paradigm in drug design, targeting proteins more effectively to prevent diseases.
Study links BPA exposure in pregnancy to increased autism risk in sons
New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS) Higher levels of the plastic chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in pregnant mothers are more likely to give birth to sons with autism, a new study has found.
The study led by Wah Chin Boon and Professor Anne-Louise Ponsonby, The Florey Institute of Neuroscience and Mental Health, supports the hypothesis of a possible link between autism and exposure to plastic chemicals in the womb.
Ponsonby said the researchers analysed two large birth cohorts – the Barwon Infant Study (BIS) in Australia and the Columbia Centre for Children’s Health and Environment in the USA.
"Exposure to plastic chemicals during pregnancy has already been shown in some studies to
be associated with subsequent autism in offspring," Ponsonby said.
"Our work is important because it demonstrates one of the biological mechanisms potentially involved. BPA can disrupt hormone-controlled male fetal brain development in several ways, including silencing a key enzyme, aromatase, that controls neurohormones and is especially important in fetal male brain development. This appears to be part of the autism puzzle," she said.
The study examined children with lower levels of the enzyme aromatase, which in the brain converts testosterone to neuroestrogen.
The link between BPA presence and autism was particularly evident in the top fifth of boys with vulnerability to the endocrine-disrupting properties of this chemical. Boys in that group, born to mothers with higher urinary BPA levels in late
pregnancy, were 3.5 times more likely to have autism symptoms by age 2 and 6 times more likely to have a verified autism diagnosis by age 11 compared to those whose mothers had lower levels of BPA during pregnancy.
In both birth cohorts, mechanistic evidence demonstrated higher BPA levels were associated with epigenetic suppression of the aromatase enzyme overall. In laboratory work, Dr. Boon found that prenatal BPA suppressed the aromatase enzyme and was associated with anatomical, neurological, and behavioral changes in male mice that may be consistent with autism spectrum disorder.
"This is the first time a biological pathway has been identified that might help explain the connection between autism and BPA," Boon said.
Ponsonby added that BPA and similar bisphenols are now widespread and almost impossible to avoid.
Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption rising in youth: Global analysis
has revealed a significant increase in sugar-sweetened beverage consumption.
The study, conducted by researchers from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University in the US, found that youth consumed nearly 23 per cent more sugary drinks in 2018 compared to 1990.
Drawing from the Global Dietary Database, the study provides the
Highly adapted microbes found in microwave ovens: Study
New Delhi, Aug 8 (IANS) Microwave ovens harbour specialised communities of highly adapted microbes, according to a new study.
This finding is significant for hygiene and potential biotechnological applications, as the hardy bacteria inside microwave ovens could be utilised in industrial processes.
“Our results reveal that domestic microwaves have a more ‘anthropised’ microbiome, similar to kitchen surfaces, while laboratory microwaves harbour bacteria that are more resistant to radiation,” said Daniel Torrent, a researcher at Darwin Bioprospecting Excellence SL in Paterna, Spain.
Torrent and colleagues sampled microbes from 30 microwave ovens: 10 from single-household kitchens, 10 from shared domestic spaces like corporate centers and cafeterias, and 10 from molecular biology and microbiology laboratories.
The aim was to assess how microbial communities are influenced by food interactions and user habits.
Using next-generation sequencing and cultivation of 101 strains on five different media, the researchers found 747 different genera within 25 bacterial phyla.
The most common phyla were Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Proteobacteria.
The diversity was lowest in single-household microwave ovens and highest in laboratory ones.
Bacteria such as Acinetobacter, Bhargavaea, Brevibacterium, and Rhizobium were found only in domestic microwaves, while Arthrobacter, Enterobacter, Janibacter, and Planococcus were exclusive to shared-domestic ones.
Nonomuraea bacteria were isolated only from laboratory microwaves, along with Delftia, Micrococcus, Deinococcus, and a genus of Cyanobacteria.
The microbial diversity in microwave ovens resembled that found on typical kitchen surfaces and solar panels, suggesting that the constant thermal shock, electromagnetic radiation, and desiccation select for highly resistant microbes in these environments.
“Some species of genera found in domestic microwaves, such as Klebsiella, Enterococcus, and Aeromonas, may pose a risk to human health. However, the microbial population in microwaves does not present a unique or increased risk compared to other common kitchen surfaces,” said Torrent. “For both the general public and laboratory personnel, we recommend regularly disinfecting microwaves with a diluted bleach solution or a commercially available disinfectant spray. It is also important to wipe down the interior surfaces with a damp cloth after each use to remove any residue and to clean up spills immediately to prevent the growth of bacteria,” Torrent added.
Homemade recipes for liver detoxification unscientific: IMA
New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS)
Homemade recipes claimed on social media to be liver detoxifiers have no scientific validity, said Dr Rajeev Jayadevan, Chairman of the Kerala State IMA Research Cell on Wednesday.
first global estimates and trends of sugar-sweetened beverage intake among youth. These beverages include soda, juice drinks, energy drinks, sports drinks, and home-sweetened fruit drinks like aguas frescas with added sugars. Excluded from the study were 100 per cent fruit juices, non-caloric artificially sweetened drinks, and sweetened milks.
In his address at the 32nd Annual Scientific Meeting of the Indian National Association for the Study of the Liver (INASL-2024), being held in Kochi, Dr Jayadevan said there is no need for such artificial means or shortcuts to protect the liver as it emphasised the organ's capability to rid the body of its own waste products as well as ingested substances.
"Many people use the term detox in modern times because it is associated with the ancient belief of cleansing the mind of toxic
thoughts, but it is not possible to cleanse the liver through such shortcuts,” the gastroenterologist said.
"The liver is perfectly capable of cleansing itself. It is more important to avoid intake of substances that damage the liver, such as alcohol," he emphasised. The health expert also warned against relying on self-proclaimed health experts on social media, who often lack proper knowledge or have commercial interests.
As the largest organ in the body, the liver functions like a chemistry lab, efficiently sorting beneficial and harmful substances that enter the stomach. However, early-stage liver disease often shows no symptoms.
Among the rise of lifestyle-related diseases, fatty liver diseases, including Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and Non-Alcoholic Steatohepatitis (NASH), are becoming alarmingly prevalent in India.
New Delhi, Aug 7 (IANS)
New York, Aug 8 (IANS) A comprehensive global analysis of dietary habits among children and adolescents from 185 countries
Bihar’s ‘Khajuraho’, an example of Nepali architecture,
is a picture of neglect
Bihar's 'Khajuraho', an example of Nepali architecture, is a picture of neglect today. With its glorious history, it is looking for people who can save and preserve its historical art.
While some play cards here on lazy afternoons, the homeless ones sleep on its campus in the night.
This Nepali temple located at Kaunhara Ghat in Bihar's Hajipur is called Mini Khajuraho. Today, it is in a dilapidated condition due to lack of maintenance.
Earlier, a large numbers of tourists used to come from far-off places to visit the temple. Some tourists still visit the temple but most of them usually return disappointed.
This temple of Lord Shiva is built on Kaunhara ghat at the confluence of Ganga-Gandak in Hajipur.
The temple displays beautiful workmanship of wooden art, which depicts different postures
of Kamkala, which is also why it is known as Bihar's 'Khajuraho'.
The entrance to this pagoda-style temple is also made of wood, which has square-patterned nets on it.
There is a Shivling inside and 16 rectangular wooden panels. The lower part of the panels depict men and women in different postures of Kamkala.
It is believed that the temple was built around 500 years ago. Today, its interior walls are seen collapsing.
Youngsters have scribbled their and their lovers' names on the walls of this historical monument, while some have written messages for their beloved to find.
The priceless panels have now become food for wood termites.
B.K. Pandey, a retired professor, apprised that the historical temple was built by the commander of the Nepalese army in the 18th century, Commander Matbar Singh Thapa.
Since the temple was built by a Nepalese commander, locals also refer to it as a 'Nepali cantonment'.
Pandey said that its preservation could not be done properly and that it is priceless.
He said the temple comes in the category of "protected monument".
Mahant Arjun Das of Kabir Math, located at Butan Das Ghat nearby, said that there are artistic wooden pillars on the four sides of the temple's centre. Iron pillars, bricks, rocks, and an abundance of wooden strips were used to construct the temple.
Das said that the Shivling is installed in the sanctum sanctorum of the temple. He added that some idols were stolen in 2008.
He stated that Kamashastra is depicted through different postures in the panels and the temple is of real importance and has doors in all four directions.
The temple's caretaker, Vijay Shah, said that he has been looking after the temple but has not received a salary for years, which is why he is forced to sell 'chana' (gram) on the streets.
Shah added that they explain the situation to the officials and leaders whenever they visit Hajipur but to no avail as they do not seem interested in saving the historical heritage site.
Locals say that if the Nitish Kumar-led government in the state, that makes claims of preserving history, saved this temple, it could increase tourism and prove to be very advantageous.
The locals still hope that the government will someday take action in the matter and preserve the monument.
They also fear that the whole monument will just be confined to pages in history books if not revived soon.
Breaking Free from Professional Habits
As seasoned professionals, we often pride ourselves on our expertise and accumulated knowledge. However, what if some of that knowledge is holding us back? What if the habits we've developed over decades are actually hindering our progress rather than propelling us forward? My own journey in unlearning, particularly through the lens of my experience with swimming, sheds light on the importance of breaking free from ingrained habits and embracing change in our professional lives.
Allow me to share a personal anecdote that resonates deeply with the concept of unlearning. Despite my passion for swimming, I found myself struggling to improve for over four decades. It wasn't because of a lack of effort or determination, but rather because I had learned the wrong techniques at an early age. Swimming alongside friends in a river, I absorbed habits that stuck with me throughout my life, hindering my progress despite my best intentions.
Finally acknowledging the need for change, I enrolled in a beginner's swimming course. The process of unlearning was arduous; it required me to confront not only physical challenges but also the mental
resistance to change. Watching others progress while I struggled to undo years of ingrained habits was a humbling experience. Yet, with perseverance and dedication, I began to see incremental improvements.
The parallels between my swimming journey and professional life are striking. Just as I had unknowingly absorbed detrimental habits in swimming, so too can we pick up negative behaviours in our careers. Our first job, our initial experiences with bosses and colleagues— they all shape our professional identity. Yet, over time, some of these habits can become obstacles to growth and success. Too often, we attribute our
professional challenges to external factors—the current workplace culture, our managers, or the industry itself. Yet, true growth requires introspection and a willingness to unlearn ingrained behaviours that no longer serve us. It's about challenging the status quo, breaking free from the comfort of familiarity, and embracing the discomfort of change.
Unlearning is not a one-time event but an ongoing process— one that demands resilience, humility, and self-awareness. It requires us to confront our own limitations and biases, to question long-held assumptions, and to embrace new perspectives and ways of working.
Experience 7 Instagram-able places in the city of joy Soak in Aotearoa’s Nature and Landscape
Social Media has been ruling our lives for over a decade now. Instagram has been doing it with style by providing an indulgent experience, from witnessing picturesque destinations to a melting pot of flavourful regional cuisines. While you are on a spree to travel and explore different
Instagram-worthy destinations across India, you must visit these places, for a feast to your camera, if your destination is Kolkata - the city of joy.
From colonial-era Bungalowturned-Café to India’s oldest functioning Paddle Steamer that presents quintessential river
cruising indulgence, Kolkata is a dreamy destination if your Instagram wall demands to be painted with beautiful pictures of the bygone time architecture, locales, and local art, music, food, among others.
The Bengal Paddle: India’s longest surviving Paddle Steamer from 1945 is restored to its lost glory to sail again in Hooghly River (Kolkata). With a capacity to house 500 people, the boat offers an immersive experience
of Hooghly’s grandeur. One of the key attractions of the boat is the first-of-its-kind Riverine Museum which has been curated in the vessel’s erstwhile boiler room presenting the history of the Hooghly and the Paddle
Steamers that sailed on it. With a dedicated F&B space - both indoor and outdoor – the boat is equipped with global cuisines to aid the patrons with flavourful creations as they enjoy the river’s expansive view.
Scarlet, AAURIS: This elegant patisserie housed in the AaURIS hotel on Robinson Street, is drool-worthy not only for its freshly baked creations but for its shimmery, luxe décor too. An #InstaWorthy location for
desserts, satiate your sweet cravings with an exhaustive menu of donuts and artisanal Ice cream Sundae to choose from. Amid the city yet away from the noise Scarlet lets you unwind peacefully as you scroll through their new
We all need a break to refuel after a busy year that was packed with both huge and modest victories and difficulties. We may require more than simply a soothing massage or a mindful yoga session to restore our mind, body, and spirit, as demonstrated by centuries-old traditions. A break could mean practising mindfulness and introspection for many travellers, while for others it might mean exploring the forest to engage in forest bathing to reenergize.
Fortunately, New Zealand has
attractions for all kinds of tourists who want to get in touch with their authentic selves.
New Zealand is a wonderful utopia for a great health and wellness retreat, with wide-open landscapes, still rivers crossing the country, off-grid areas to cuddle in, and more. Take some time out to unwind, relax, and enjoy nature, or treat yourself to a dip in one of New Zealand's many renowned spas and retreats.
Listed below are a few wellness experiences one may enjoy across New Zealand:
You can experience wellness amongst the elements at the newly opened
Take some time to relax, rejuvenate, and immerse yourself in a hot, healing soak while breathing in that
or under the
Polynesian Spa: The iconic Polynesian Spa in Rotorua is celebrating its 50th birthday this year. It is the perfect place to relax and unwind - they have 28
sumptuous menu to choose your favorites from. More than just desserts, you must tantalize your tastebuds with their American breakfast, crispy bagels, and more.
geothermal hot pools, and their award-winning spa has a variety of packages and treatments to choose from.
Ohakune Hot Tubs:
Ohakune Hot Tubs.
crisp alpine air. Tucked away at the foothills of Mt Ruapehu in Ohakune, these open-air, woodfired hot tubs are available for private bookings during the day
stars.
He Puna Taimoana Hot PoolsLocated just 15 minutes away from Christchurch, visitors can enjoy stunning ocean views while soaking in one of the five
luxurious hot pools. He Puna Taimoana also has aplunge pool, steam room, and a sauna with beachside views
Heal winter skin care with aloe vera What is hungover skin?
Aloe Vera has been used as a seasonal remedy because of its healing and moisturising qualities, which make it the ideal replacement for dry skin. The skin loses moisture in the winter because of the cold air, which causes the skin to become dull and dry. In order to maintain a glow on your face during the winter, one can maintain the following recommendations to keep their skin healthy and smooth.
Chemical moisturisers are only a temporary fix. They just moisten the skin's outermost layer temporarily. But this effect
is transient. Aloe Liquid Soap is a strong, kind, and adaptable cleanser for the entire family that may be used to clean and retain the moisture of skin. Your skin will feel clean and refreshed after using their creamy, iridescent product. Aloe Liquid Soap combines the power of aloe with other high-quality ingredients to offer a flexible full-body cleansing experience for the whole family, whether it's on your kitchen counter or in the shower. While argan oil supplies vitamin E and natural fatty acids to condition and support healthy skin, aloe calms and softens the skin. It is safe for the entire family and
gentle on skin that is sensitive. Aloe body wash is a mild, effective cleanser that also conditions the skin. Aloe Body Wash will nourish and cleanse your skin with the best of nature. With skinconditioning ingredients and vigorous yet gentle washing, this sulphate-free product will wash away grime and leave your skin feeling soft and renewed. PH-balanced aloe body wash aids in hydration and moisture retention of the skin. Aloe Vera, a key component, promotes moisture while vitamins A, C, and E nourish and encourage healthy-looking skin, helping anti-aging. Their composition has a deep, enticing perfume of woods, amber, and a warm combination of herbs that is pleasing to everyone. You could detect a slight difference in Aloe Body Wash's distinctive tint. Ingredients like Aloe Vera, argan oil, arnica flower extract, and hydrolyzed jojoba esters, which soften skin while boosting hydration and smoothness, enable the gentle washing.
Summer nail care secrets
Hydration is Key
Combat the drying effects of summer heat by regularly applying moisturising lotion or oil to your nails and cuticles. This simple step will help maintain their strength and flexibility, reducing the risk of breakage.
Summer is all about fun in the sun, beach outings, and showing off those fabulous nails! With the sunny season upon us, it's essential to step up our nail care game to keep our nails looking fresh and vibrant. Experts in nail care from Tip and Toe Salon share with IANSlife
Protect from the Sun
Protect your nails from the sun's harmful UV rays, just as you would protect your skin. Consider using a nail polish with UV protection or applying a clear topcoat containing SPF. When engaging in outdoor activities, wearing gloves can also provide an additional layer of protection against sun damage.
the importance of maintaining healthy and beautiful nails, especially during the summer months. Don't let the sun and heat take a toll on your nail health; follow these expertrecommended tips to keep your nails looking fabulous.
Use the Right Tools
Using the right tools is crucial for maintaining nail health. Avoid metal cuticle pushers, as they can cause damage and increase infection risks. Instead, opt for wooden or rubber cuticle pushers. Additionally, always use sharp, clean nail clippers and files to prevent nail splitting and peeling.
Whenyou have had alcohol the previous night, you do develop a hangover and so does your skin. Hungover skin looks dry dehydrated pale and sallow.
Let’s see how alcohol consumption and lack of sleep affects our skin
Alcohol is a diuretic, so it dehydrates your skin making it dull and pale. Sugar in certain alcoholic drinks enables a process called glycation which leads to breakdown of collagen and elastin fibers. Sugar can also cause a spike in androgen hormones and sebum secretion resulting in pimples. Alcohol also results in inflammation of the skin and aggravates conditions like rosacea, psoriasis or even acne. As a pro-inflammatory, alcohol contributes to puffiness, redness and flushing. Alcohol also results in accumulation of free radicals in the skin which make the skin look dial and dehydrated. Lack of sleep results in stress which can increase the cortisol hormones which intern results in dark circles. It also causes breakdown of collagen fibers leading to fine lines and dilated pores. Melatonin, also known as the sleep hormone is released while you are sleep and it helps in skin repair. Lack of sleep will also deprive the skin of its normal repair mechanism.
Remedies: First of all hydrate by drinking 3
to 4 litres of water. Supplements of vitamin C or citrus fruits, pure lemon shots and antioxidant supplements such as glutathione help to neutralize the free radicals that accumulated due to consumption of alcohol. Use hyaluronic acid serums to hydrate the skin. Use Ceramide based moisturisers to repair the barrier layer of the skin. Medicated creams such as oxymetazoline, tacrolimus or pimecrolimus are prescribed when there is excessive redness. Use a salicylic acid or azelaic acid-based serum if you have breakouts. Take pro biotics to cleanse your gut.
Cosmetic procedures which are going to gain popularity in 2023 In terms of skin care people are going to be ingredient conscious and minimum makeup will be the trend. hence the need to have clear, even toned skin with smaller pores and no fines lines , no blemishes is what people will look out for.
Treatments in terms of micro needling radio frequency, platelet rich plasma, Laser toning , derma pen, oxygeneo facials will be sought after procedures to get the above minimum make up or no make up look.
In terms of beauty treatments, younger females upto the age of 30 are opting for fillers and the eye to treat hollow under eyes and look fresh. non-surgical nose jobs with fillers and fillers injected into the lips to volumize the lips will also be popular. Botox injection into the masseter muscle, to reduce jaw clenching, tmj pain and obtain a smooth Oval facial contour will also be sought after.
Should you colour your hair after a Keratin Treatment?
Canyou picture yourself with a hideous colour patch in your hair that resembles a thatched bundle? That is indeed what occurs when you colour your hair immediately following a Brazilian. Thus, the subject is raised.
Can you colour your hair after a keratin treatment?
Professional hairstylists advise waiting two weeks following a keratin treatment before colouring your hair. Before that, don't even try your luck! If you're fascinated with hair colour, personally wait three weeks to be cautious. Then you'll be certain that adding a little touch of hue to your silky, smooth waves might transform their entire appearance from stunning to mind-blowing! It immediately gives your hairstyles a completely new depth and makes your hair shine with an intensity that is unrivaled. You must follow the rules, though! What takes place when your hair Is Coloured after a Keratin Treatment?
After a recent keratin treatment, your hair will have a thin coating
of keratin that takes two weeks to bind and deeply permeate your hair. It envelops your hair and fortifies every fiber right down to the core. As a result, the first two weeks are crucial since they determine how well and how long your keratin hair treatment will endure. Anything that disrupts the setup process at this point may result in unanticipated outcomes like Areas of tangles Uneven hair or even keratin that has been prematurely washed out For the first two weeks, you need to do nothing with your hair and let the keratin do its job. Because of this, your hairstylist also advises using a mild sulphate free shampoo after receiving a keratin treatment.
What Is The Best Resolution, Then?
Because they don't include ammonia or peroxides, semipermanent hair colours are the ideal choice for keratin-treated hair. Consider them to be the equivalent of hair mascara.
Dhaka : People shout slogans as they take part in a protest against Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her government demanding justice for the victims killed in the recent countrywide deadly clashes, in Dhaka on Monday, August 05, 2024.
Wellington: President Droupadi Murmu meets Governor General Dame Cindy Kiro at Government House in Wellington on Thursday August 08, 2024
New Delhi: Union Minister J P Nadda meets Foreign Minister of St Kitts and Nevis Denzil Douglas in New Delhi on Tuesday August 06, 2024.
New Delhi: NDA MPs from Assam meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Tuesday August 06, 2024.
Paris: The Olympic rings are raised during the closing ceremony of the 2024 Paris Summer Olympics at the Stade de France, August 11, 2024, Paris, France
Bengaluru: Preparations are underway for the upcoming Independence Day flower show at Lalbagh in Bengaluru on Tuesday, August 6, 2024.
Ayodhya: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath offers prayers at Ram Temple in Ayodhya on Tuesday, August 06, 2024
New Delhi: Union Minister of Health and Family Welfare, Jagat Prakash Nadda, addresses the gathering at the signing of the MoU between the National Health Authority (NHA) and Maharashtra University of Health Sciences (MUHS) in New Delhi on Tuesday August 13, 2024.
Paris : India’s Neeraj Chopra reacts after a throw during the men’s javelin throw final at the Paris Olympics 2024, in Paris, France, Thursday, August 08, 2024.
New Delhi : BJP MP from Madhya Pradesh, Gyaneswar Patil along with his family, meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in New Delhi on Tuesday, August 06, 2024.
New Delhi : Humayun Tomb illuminated on the eve of 78th of independence Day in New Delhi on Wednesday August 14, 2024.
South Korea: Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy along with members of the LS Corp. officials in South Korea on Monday August 12 2024.
Paris : India’s players celebrate after winning the men’s bronze medal field hockey match against Spain at the Paris Olympics 2024, in Paris, France, Thursday, August 08, 2024.
Arun Gopalan CAST: John Abraham, Manushi Chhillar, Hadi Khanjanpour
When Naushad said his sitar can’t counter cacophony of guns in action films
Arecently resurfaced video of the late music composer Naushad shows him talking about music in the modern Hindi cinema.
Naushad, who has composed music for 'Mughal-e-Azam', 'Mother India', 'Ram Aur Shyam',
and other films, said in a video shared by 'Lehren' that he finds, particularly the action films, in modern Hindi cinema to be indigestible.
He said, "I can't relate to modern Hindi cinema. Every film today has violence and fights, the mother also has a gun in her hand, and so does the daughter. In the cacophony of guns, the sitar's mizrab stands no chance."
Naushad is widely considered to be one of the greatest music directors of the Hindi film industry.
He is known for popularising the use of classical music in films.
While he witnessed landslide success in his professional life, he did encounter some challenges in his personal life because of his profession.
Back in the 1940s, the Hindi film industry was considered a low
profession.
As per the book 'Chambers Book of Cinema Facts', penned by Swayam Ganguly, the music composer's parents, introduced him to his would-be-bride's family as a tailor, says a new book on interesting facts about cinema. Ironically, the music that played at Naushad's wedding was from the 1944 film 'Rattan'.
The music was composed by Naushad.
As the wedding rituals were underway, the song 'Akhiyan Milake Jiya Bharmake' from the film 'Rattan', started playing on loudspeakers.
However, Naushad's father-in-law didn't enjoy it. He got angry and said that such songs are ruining society.
Naushad died on May 5, 2006.
Anil Kapoor celebrates 38 years of ‘Karma’ with rare pics from sets
of the multi-starrer film 'Karma' directed by Subhash Ghai.
The actor took to Instagram Stories and shared a collage of some unseen pictures from the making of the film. Anil’s role in the film blended intensity with emotional depth, making it a memorable contribution to his illustrious career.
The film also starring Dilip Kumar, Nutan, Anupam Kher, Jackie Shroff, Naseeruddin Shah, Sridevi, and Poonam Dhillon in key roles has stood the test of time, as it effortlessly blended action, drama, and a powerful storyline into a compelling narrative.
The film is part of a long list of Anil's collaborations with Jackie Shroff, which include films like ‘Ram Lakhan’, ‘Kala Bazaar’, ‘Yudh’, ‘Parinda’ and others.
The film's portrayal of heroism and justice, combined with its iconic music and dramatic plot twists, made it an unforgettable watch for cinema lovers. It was the top-grossing Indian film of 1986 and the eleventh highestgrossing Bollywood film of the decade.
Preity
Zinta:
Nothing
compares
to our desi
food and vibe
Actress Preity Zinta is a true “desi” at heart, as she shared that “nothing compares” to Indian food and vibe.
Preity took to Instagram, where she shared a reel of herself attending a food festival in Toronto, which celebrated “desi food." In the clip, the actress shared a string of moments from the festival, including westerners trying Indian cuisine.
“What an amazing weekend in Toronto for another event for Taste of India, the largest food festival in North America. So humbled & so happy to see all those smiling faces. Nothing compares to our desi food & our desi vibe,” she wrote as the caption.
The actress went on to express
her gratitude for making her a part of the event.
“I loved every part of being in Toronto. A big shout out to everyone in Toronto for showering me with so much love,” she wrote.
For the background score, Preity chose the song “Lehra Do” by Arijit Singh from the Ranveer Singh-starrer "83.".
It was in 1998 when Preity made her acting debut with the Shah Rukh Khan-starrer “Dil Se…”. She was then seen in “Soldier” alongside Bobby Deol.
The 49-year-old star gained recognition for her role as a teenage single mother in the 2000 film “Kya Kehna”.
Kamal Haasan completes 64 years in cinema: A journey that pushed boundaries
Tamil cinema icon Kamal Haasan, who is basking in the success of his recent release ‘Kalki 2898 AD’, has completed 64 years in cinema.
The actor’s illustrious career boasts of three National Awards, a Padma Shri, a Padma Bhushan and the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres among many others.
The actor belongs to the rare breed of actors who have grown up on celluloid like Rishi Kapoor and Leonardo DiCaprio. Kamal
Haasan started his career as a child artiste in the Tamil film ‘Kalathur Kannamma’. The film was inspired by the 1960 Chinese film ‘Nobody's Child’, and won the Certificate of Merit by the Government of India. Kamal Haasan won the President's Gold Medal award at the age of six, laying the foundation of a celebrated career that would not just serve the audience with excellence in cinematic performances but also push the
envelope for the cinema. Over the years, the veteran actor has starred in numerous films and has directed several projects that have redefined the boundaries of Indian cinema. Who could forget the path-breaking film ‘Apoorva Sagodharargal’ in which he essayed dual roles? The film not only served a healthy dose of entertainment but also introduced new techniques in filmmaking that were unheard of in India at the time.
Actor Anil Kapoor, who recently hosted the third season of the streaming reality show ‘Bigg Boss OTT’, is celebrating 38 years
Rani Mukerji launches stamp in honour of Yash Chopra at Australian Parliament House
Actress Rani Mukerji launched a commemorative stamp in honour of the legendary filmmaker Late Yash Chopra at the Australian Parliament House ahead of Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM) 2024. Rani said she is honoured and humbled to be a part of this momentous occasion of the launch of legendary filmmaker Yash Chopra’s commemorative stamp at the Australian Parliament House.
“This is not only a celebration of Yash Chopra and YRF’s rich and impactful 50-year-old legacy of shaping pop culture the world over but also of the Indian film industry that has entertained countless people through the power of cinema,” said Rani. The actress said that the IFFM has been a catalyst for bringing India and Australia closer to each other by championing cultural and creative ties for 15 years now.
She said: “I’m proud to see the festival grow from strength to strength year on year and act as a bridge connecting the best creative minds of India and Australia.”
The event was in tandem with the keynote speeches delivered by Rani Mukerji and Karan Johar at the Parliament in Canberra.
Late Yash Chopra’s stamp was launched in memory honouring his iconic cinematic legacy, his monumental contributions to Indian cinema, and his impact in making Hindi cinema a global pop culture movement.
Yash Chopra was also the first patron of the Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM). The event took place on August 13 ahead of the 15th annual festival, which is slated to commence from August 15.
The event of the unveiling of the stamp was attended by dignitaries, Members of Parliament, and various ministers. Karan Johar, who delivered a powerful keynote speech at the Australian Parliament, was also in attendance at this event.
Rani Mukerji, KJo invited to address Australian Parliament House ahead of IFFM 2024
Actress Rani Mukerji and filmmaker Karan Johar have been invited to address a keynote speech about Indian cinema at the Australian Parliament House.
The event is to take place on August 13, ahead of the 15th annual Indian Film Festival of Melbourne (IFFM), which is slated to commence from August 15.
Rani is proud to represent the Indian film fraternity at the Australian Parliament House and speak about the rich history of cinema that we have offered to the world at large. Calling it a milestone moment
for the fraternity, Rani said: “It would be an honour for me to speak about the growing cultural ties between Australia and India through cinema."
"Indian cinema comprising Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Bengali, Assamese, Odia, Hindi, and others, is right now at the forefront of shaping pop culture worldwide with our talent, our films making a mark globally."
Rani said that Indian cinema brings a lot of joy to the world.
“Our films bring a lot of colour into people's lives. As an
Mallika Sherawat reveals her ‘favourite drink’ to stay fit
Actress and fitness enthusiast
Mallika Sherawat has revealed her favourite drink to stay fit and glowing.
entertainer, I have always loved to see people going on a journey with the emotions that our cinema has to offer. I’m humbled to represent my country which is so diverse and its cinema reflective of each different culture at the Australian Parliament House .”
The keynote address is set to be attended by distinguished dignitaries, Members of Parliament, and various ministers, underscoring the global impact and cultural significance of Indian cinema.
Director Karan Johar too is deeply honoured to be invited to speak at the Australian Parliament House.
“I am thrilled to be a part of this historic event and to celebrate the incredible journey of Indian cinema. It’s incredible to see how far the stories we as an industry create travels, and this moment is a testament to the growing influence of the cultural impact of Indian cinema,” Karan said. He added: “I’m grateful to the house, the members of the parliament for extending this invite and to have me represent the rich legacy of cinema and storytelling”.
Festival Director Mitu Bhowmik said: "Having Rani Mukherji and Karan Johar as keynote speakers at the Australian Parliament House is a testament to the festival’s growing influence and recognition" The festival will bring the curtains down on August 25.
Mallika took to her Instagram stories, where she shared a video of herself enjoying a healthy green juice, which is mostly made up of green leafy vegetables, cucumbers, green apples, and lime.
She captioned the clip: “Green juice is my favourite drink #ilovegreenjuice” and added the song “FE!N” by rapper Travis Scott.
Mallika recently returned to California after holidaying in Paris and shared how she feels “great to be back home” on social media.
Mallika posted a video of herself opening her backyard door and
playing with her pet dog.
“Feels great to be back home, Los Angeles I have missed you,” she wrote as the caption.
Mallika stepped into cinema in 2002 with the film “Jeena Sirf Merre Liye”, where she was credited as Reema Lamba. However, over her journey in the 2000s, she got the title of a sex symbol courtesy her performance in the Emraan Hashmi-starrer "Murder," a 2004 romantic thriller. She went on to work in films in the West with movies such as “Hisss” and “Politics of Love”. Her filmography also includes movies including “Khwahish”, “Bachke Rehna Re Baba”, “Pyaar Ke Side Effects”, “Aap Ka Suroor - The Real Love Story”, “Welcome" and “Kis Kis Ki Kismat” among many others.
Sidharth Malhotra can’t wait for audience to catch ‘Yodha’ on television
Bollywood actor Sidharth Malhotra, is riding high on anticipation as his film ‘Yodha’ is set to have its world television premiere.
The film follows the story of a hijacked airplane, and how a passenger single-handedly becomes a hero to save the people. The film stars Sidharth donning a uniform alongside Disha Patani and Raashii Khanna in pivotal roles.
Sidharth, who essays the role of Arun Katyal in the film, said, “‘Yodha’ has been a labour of love for everyone involved. The film is filled with intense action and emotional depth that has really connected with the viewers. It’s been a fantastic journey for me, bringing this actionpacked film to life, and I can’t wait for television audiences to experience the thrill and intensity we’ve poured into it”. The film, directed by Sagar Ambre and Pushkar Ojha, features a series of high-tension moments, the great passion of a one-man army, the right mix of suspense, drama and thrill, and the extent to which one man can go for his country.
Buyers L ike What They See at Brookwater.
Your minute neighb ourhood:
Just 35 minutes away from Brisbane CBD, the interest among buyers has been at a record level, according to Narendran Sinnathamby, the General Manager of Brookwater Residential. Brookwater ’ s current land release, The Dress Circle, is situated around the first nine holes of the championship golf course designed by Greg Norman. It is the only integrated golf community near Brisbane. “Discerning buyers are recognising that Brookwater is a premium lifestyle destination,’’Mr Sinnathamby said.
“ The Dress Circle, Brookwater is situated within Springfield City, one of Australia’s fastestgrowing regions. Springfield City sets the standard for world-class master-planned urban environments in the 21st centur y and has become a blueprint for nation-building,” he added.
“ The area boasts outstanding schools, and state-of-the-ar t health facilities, and is now home to the Brisbane Lions AFL Club Ever y thing you need is within reach ”
Within the Springfield City area, there are 12 schools, 22 childcare facilities, and the University of Southern Queensland providing a remarkable array of options for both private and public amenities, making it an ideal choice for growing families.
Springfield City is positioned as the gateway to the western corridor of Southeast Queensland. With an expansive area of 2,860 hectares, it is Australia’s largest master-planned city and the first of its kind since Canberra.
*
SOURCE: ECONISIS
- The wider Springfield Grow th Corridor including Springfield and Greater Springfield is currently home to 145,300 people.
- This is expected to grow rapidly to almost 200,000 people in 2026 and over 435,000 in 2041.
- Represents an annual grow th rate of 5.6% over the 20 years to 2041.
Prep to Year 12 Christian co-education.
Health City Springfield Central – home to Mater Private Hospital Springfield, Aveo Springfield and Quest Apar tment Hotel. major retail shops, restaurants, a movie theatre and food court.
