India News - June 1-15, 2023

PM Modi, Albanese hold bilateral talks discuss cooperation in various fields

investment; new and renewable energy, green hydrogen; critical minerals; education; migration and mobility; and people to people ties.

Australia

in Brisbane

to further broadening and deepening of the multifaceted India-Australia Comprehensive Strategic Partnership.

New Delhi, May 24 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese on Wednesday held bilateral talks and discussed cooperation in the fields of defence and security; trade and

In a statement, the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said that the bilateral meeting took place at the Admiralty House in Sydney and Modi was accorded a ceremonial welcome and Guard of Honour upon his arrival.

The PMO said that both leaders recalled their productive first Annual Leaders' Summit held in March 2023 in New Delhi and reaffirmed their commitment

"The discussions focused on cooperation in defense and security, trade and investment, new and renewable energy, green hydrogen, critical minerals, education, migration and mobility and people to people ties," the statement said.

Modi and Albanese also welcomed the signing of the India-Australia Migration

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FICQ celebrates 25 years of Community Service at the iconic Brisbane City Hall

The 25th-anniversary celebration of the Federation of Indian Communities of Queensland (FICQ) at the Brisbane City Hall was a grand success, filled with excitement and appreciation for their community service. The event brought together politicians, sponsors, FICQ patrons, advisers, past committee members, community leaders, and representatives from 44

member organizations. Politicians from different levels of government graced the occasion, highlighting the significance of FICQ's contributions. Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk, Hon Milton Dick MP, Hon Shayne Neumann MP, Senator Paul Scarr, David Crisafulli MP, James Martin MP, Cr Vicki Howard, and Cr

Sydney, May 23 (IANS) Visiting Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday announced that a

new consulate will be opened soon in Brisbane and thanked his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese for renaming Harris Park in Sydney as 'Little India'. "Friends, now that I am here with you, I want to make an announcement. The longstanding demand of the Indian community in Brisbane will now be fulfilled by opening up a new

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PM Modi in Japan & Papua New Guinea: An assessment

New Delhi, May 24 (IANS)

There is merit in viewing the world order today as being in a state of flux. Amidst the global uncertainty caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine, India remains a powerful voice of reason and sanity. This geopolitical backdrop offers an overview of the rationale for

Modi raises issue of attacks on temples, activities of separatist elements with Australian PM Modi

issue of attacks on temples and activities of separatist elements with his Australian counterpart. Modi said that Australian PM assured him of taking strict action.

The Prime Minister said that it is not acceptable to us that any element hurts the cordial relations between India and Australia by their thoughts or their actions.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's three-nation tour to Japan, Papua New Guinea and Australia. The central message of these visits is that India has arrived at the global stage. Modi has done well by connecting the dots in all three countries on issues of bilateral and international concern, ensuring that India's voice resonates globally. Additionally, the Prime Minister's meeting with the Indian diaspora everywhere is a sure sign that his message is carried forward by those who meet him in their country of residence. It is this

IndiaAustralia

in Sydney

a business roundtable in Sydney and encouraged them to forge partnerships with their Indian counterparts.

New Delhi, May 24 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that he raised the

Making a joint statement with Anthony Albanese, PM Modi said, "Regarding the attacks on temples in Australia and the activities of separatist elements, we had talked earlier as well and we have talked today also."

"I want to thank PM Albanese for the steps he has taken in this regard.

"PM Albanese assured me once again today that he will take strict action against such elements

New Delhi, May 24 (IANS) In a bid to expand India-Australia business ties, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday addressed top Australian CEOs at

In a series of tweets, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "Expanding India-Australia business ties! PM Modi addressed top Australian CEOs at a business roundtable in Sydney. Highlighted numerous

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PM Modi, Albanese hold bilateral talks, discuss cooperation in various fields

Continued from Page 1

and Mobility Partnership Arrangement (MMPA), which will facilitate mobility of students, professionals, researchers, academics and others, including through a new skilled pathway named MATES (Mobility Arrangement for Talented Early Professionals Scheme) specifically created for India. "They also welcomed the finalisation of Terms of Reference of the India-Australia Hydrogen Task Force, which will advise on opportunities to accelerate manufacture and deployment of clean hydrogen, focusing on hydrogen electrolysers,

fuel cells as well as supporting infrastructure and standards and regulations," it said.

Prime Minister Modi also thanked Australia for its support in establishing a Consulate General of India in Brisbane.

"The two leaders reiterated their determination to ensure a peaceful, prosperous and inclusive Indo-Pacific region, underpinned by a rules-based international order. They also discussed reform of UN Security Council," the PMO statement said. Meanwhile, Albanese expressed Australia's strong support to India's G20 Presidency and

Modi visit: A ‘Little India’ in Australia and a new consulate in Brisbane

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initiatives and Modi looked forward to welcoming his counterpart for the G20 Summit in New Delhi in September, it added.

As part of the final leg of his three-nation tour, Modi arrived in Sydney on Monday night as a guest of the Australian government.

In 2014, Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Australia after Rajiv Gandhi, where he addressed 20,000 people at the Sydney SuperDome at Olympic Park.

Modi raises issue of attacks on temples, activities of separatist elements with Australian PM

Continued from Page 1

in the future as well," PM Modi added.

Earlier this year, anti-social elements and alleged supporters of the separatist Khalistani movements were engaged in vandalisation of Hindu temples and other places of worship across Australia.As part of his final leg of the three-nation

tour, Modi arrived in Sydney on Monday night as a guest of the Australian government.

The Prime Minister addressed the Indian diaspora in Sydney on Tuesday at the Qudos Arena where he was accorded a rousing welcome by thousands of Indians across Australia.

At the grand event, Albanese

described PM Modi as 'the boss'. In 2014, Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Australia after Rajiv Gandhi, where he addressed 20,000 people at the Sydney SuperDome at Olympic Park and said that in coming years more Indian leaders will be visiting Down Under.

PM Modi in Japan & Papua New Guinea: An assessment

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connection which often gets missed out, but plays a very important part in the process of strategic communications.

The G7 Summit held in Hiroshima, was attended by Modi, his third such appearance as an invitee. The clarion call for dialogue and diplomacy on Ukraine, though not directly mentioned, indicated India's continuing concern over the conflict and its global fallout on energy, food and national economies.

The sanctity of respecting the territorial integrity of nations was emphasized in the context of recent incursions by China across the Line of Actual Control and Russia's invasion of Ukraine.

Significantly, this is also the consistent line that India has taken since February 2022, when Russia invaded Ukraine. Ukraine took center stage at the G7 Summit, with President Volodymyr Zelensky meeting most world leaders on the sidelines of the event, including Prime Minister Modi.

In fact, the Prime Minister went a step further to say: "Today we heard from President Zelenskk. I also met him yesterday. I do not consider the current situation as an issue of politics or economy. I believe it is an issue of humanity, an issue of human values." This remark needs to be

contextualized as Modi had told Russian President Vladimir Putin in Samarkand last year that this is "not the era for war".

Pertinently, while other nations look at Ukraine as a zero-sum game, India has taken the lead in propagating a truly global perspective.

That President Zelenskk "appeared" at Hiroshima, as he did earlier at the Arab League summit in Riyadh, displayed the G7s eagerness to drum up support for Ukraine.

The scene then shifted to Papua New Guinea where Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit. Notably, India's presence at the Forum for India-Pacific Islands Cooperation meeting at Port Moresby signaled New Delhi's renewed interest in the Pacific region, traditionally known for the presence of people of Indian origin.

Chinese political ingress and influence in the Pacific island countries in the last several years has created a challenge not only for neighbouring Australia, whose national security is most impacted, but also for other countries in South-East Asia and the Quad. Modi's oblique reference to China, while speaking at the Forum that even though those considered trustworthy were "not standing by our sides in times of need" will

Indian consulate soon," Modi said addressing the 20,000plus strong Indian community gathered at the Qudos Bank Arena Stadium.

He also thanked his Albanese for renaming Harris Park in Sydney as 'Little India'. "Thank you my friend Anthony," Modi told Albanese as the latter made the announcement to declare Harris Park as 'Little India' at the community event.

"I had the opportunity to welcome the Prime Minister @AlboMP ji on the Indian soil in Ahmedabad. Today he joined me in unveiling the foundation stone of 'Little India' here: PM @narendramodi," Prime Minister Modi tweeted earlier.

Home to many popular Indian eateries and retailers, Harris Park is informally referred to as 'Little India' with 45 per cent of its 5,043 residents tracing their roots to India.

The diaspora community in the western Sydney suburb had renewed calls to officially declare their area as 'Little India'. The Indian business owners had first proposed officially naming the area Little India in 2015, believing that the title would benefit them.

As per the Australian government's website, Harris Park has a significant population of Indians and is widely known as an exceptional spot for Indian gastronomy and Indian-run small and mid-sized enterprises.

Modi calls for enhanced IndiaAustralia business ties in Sydney

Continued from Page 1

now have to matched by India and ensure that it becomes a reliable development partner.

India has a lot to offer, both in terms of technology and manpower. Lest we forget India can also ensure affordability. The only thing required is connectivity with the Pacific Islands region. It is here that Australia and the Quad come in. The former is undoubtedly perturbed by Chinese influence in the Pacific Islands. However, the collective efforts of India, Australia and Quad partners could provide a very effective platform to intervene in the region. Diaspora in this region is one prime mover, of course this is restricted mainly to Fiji, but the broader canvas can be handled by considering the requirements of each of the island nations.

Issues pertaining to development, climate change, coastal security and many other aspects of small island living can be discussed and debated. The starting point for this endeavor comes from Modi's historic visit.

James Marape, the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea, speaking at the Third Forum for IndiaPacific Islands Cooperation (FIPIC) Summit, hailed Modi as the leader of the Global South and said all island nations will rally behind India at all international forums. He sought Modi's good

economic reforms undertaken by the government. Encouraged the CEOs to forge partnerships with their Indian counterparts." He said, "Invited them to take advantage of investment opportunities offered by India in domains of infrastructure including digital infrastructure, IT, fintech, telecom, semiconductors, space, renewable energy including green hydrogen, education, pharma, healthcare including medical devices manufacturing, mining including critical minerals, textile, agriculture & food processing."

Earlier in the day, Modi also met with Australian Leader of Opposition Peter Dutton. In a tweet Bagchi said, "A relationship enjoying support across political spectrum. PM

offices to bring their narrative to the attention of platforms like G7 and G20. There is thus an opening for India, both bilaterally and multilaterally to engage with the Pacific Islands.

Modi's latest diplomatic outreach has two interesting anecdotes which highlight his personal charisma and popularity. The first was US President Joe Biden hugging him at the G7 summit and reportedly asking the latter the reasons for his popularity. Modi is scheduled to visit the US in July and apparently requests for attending his public meetings are already overflowing.

The other anecdote is from Papua New Guinea, where the Marape touched Modi's feet when he arrived at Port Moresby. Marape is younger than Modi and may have been told that in India it is a tradition to touch an elder's feet to seek blessings. But the spontaneity of the act suggests something beyond

Modi had a productive meeting with Leader of Opposition Peter Dutton in Sydney. PM Modi conveyed his appreciation for the strong bipartisan support that our partnership enjoys. Also discussed various aspects of bilateral ties, including people to people linkages, as well as regional developments."

As part of his final leg of the three-nation tour, Modi arrived in Sydney on Monday night as a guest of the Australian government.

The Prime Minister addressed the Indian diaspora in Sydney on Tuesday at the Qudos Arena where he was accorded a rousing welcome by thousands of Indians across Australia.

At the grand event, Albanese described PM Modi as 'the boss'.

mere formality.

As the Modi juggernaut rolls on abroad, several things become clear. India has arrived on the world stage. It always was; today it is present with a bigger stake and seeks recognition. Signaling the new normal with assertive diplomacy and connection to the Indian diaspora have led to some degree of resistance within nations. Countries like the UK and Australia occasionally demonstrate anti-India sentiments by "permitting" activities which are inimical to New Delhi's interests.

At the end of the day, the Prime Minister's visits also strongly signal that engagement is not merely for the sake of it, but requires a genuine recognition of each other's security concerns. This is the key takeaway from the latest tour of Japan, and Papua New Guinea.

Adani Vidya Mandir, Ahmedabad & UNICEF join hands for a unique educational initiative

Aims to raise students’ awareness and amplify their voices

The ‘UNICEF on Campus Knowledge Initiative’ will create platforms and opportunities for the students to increase their awareness about child rights as articulated in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and priority areas such as climate action, life skills, body positivity and self-esteem, nutrition, anaemia, online safety, financial literacy, ending violence against children, among others.

cum-holistic education. The various programmes under this initiative are set to be organized with Elixir Foundation and other partner organizations.

Ahmedabad, 17 May: In a oneof-its-kind collaboration, Adani Vidya Mandir, Ahmedabad (AVMA) is joining hands with UNICEF to roll out the ‘UNICEF on Campus Knowledge Initiative’ for all the school students from June to December 2023. It is being implemented by the UNICEF office of Gujarat and the collaboration letters were signed this morning at the AVMA

campus.

Run by the Adani Foundation, AVMA provides free education to underprivileged students, through a system that is the perfect blend of modern technology and traditional values, as well as complementary support in the form of daily nutritious meals, books, transportation facilities and uniforms.

“Adani Vidya Mandir (Ahmedabad), managed by the Adani Foundation, is pleased to collaborate with UNICEF and curate this immersive learning experience for its students. Through the multitude of interactive sessions and speaking opportunities, our children will get great exposure to develop themselves as aware and responsible citizens,” says Dr Priti Adani, Chairperson, Adani Foundation.

Mrs. Shilin Adani, Trustee, Adani Foundation congratulated AVMA team for being the first private school in Gujarat to collaborate with UNICEF. This collaboration will contribute to creating a unique model in Gujarat, furthering the cause of quality-

“UNICEF is delighted to roll out the ‘UNICEF on Campus Knowledge Initiative’ in the Adani Vidya Mandir (AVM), Ahmedabad a 100% cost free school for children in most need. It is a unique model focused on the development & participation of children aligned to the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child & the RTE Act guaranteeing access to quality education for all children. This initiative aims to create platforms & opportunities for children to increase their awareness about child rights, engage them in strategic campaigns & amplify their voices. I congratulate Dr Priti Adani and Mrs Shilin Adani for their leadership, commitment and vision to ensure quality education for children in Adani

Vidya Mandir,” says Prasanta Dash, Chief – Gujarat Field Office, UNICEF.

The initiative aims to engage children through innovative and strategic digital and on-ground campaigns and initiatives, capacity building sessions as well as lecture series/talks with young

leaders and influencers. The goal is to identify young champions and amplify their voices through on-ground and online activations and channels. UNICEF and AVMA will analyze the impact of this collaboration at the end of the year and consequentially, may agree to extend and expand this collaboration for the coming years.

The Adani Foundation

The Adani Foundation, the community support and engagement arm of the Adani Group, is dedicated to making strategic social investments to achieve sustainable outcomes throughout India.

Since 1996, the Foundation has focused on core areas including education, health, sustainable livelihood, skill development and community infrastructure. With its strategies based on national priorities and global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the Foundation is known for its innovative approach and focus on sustainability, which contributes to the well-being and wealth of communities surrounding the Adani Group's businesses and beyond. At present, it operates in 5,753 villages across 19 states, impacting the lives of 7.3 million people.

Indian Supreme Court finds Hindenburg allegations against Adani to be false

data, prima facie it would not be possible for the Committee to conclude there was a regulatory failure around the allegation of price manipulation," the Committee said in its report.

Bravus’ parent company the Adani Group has welcomed the Indian Supreme Court’s findings of “no regulatory failure” and “no evident pattern of manipulation” following expert investigation of stock manipulation and financial fraud allegations levelled at the Group by USA-based short sellers Hindenburg Research.

Indian stock market regulator the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) likewise told the Court it had "drawn a blank" in

its probe into alleged violations in money flows from offshore entities into the Adani Group. Both independent investigations were triggered after Hindenburg Research published a report on 24 January 2023 that used selective misinformation and discredited allegations to purposefully undermine the reputation of the Adani Group and profit by shortselling shares in Adani Group companies.

The Group has vehemently denied

the allegations.

The findings of the expert sixmember Committee appointed by the Supreme Court were made public late on Friday 19 May (Indian Standard Time) and state the “allegations of stock price manipulations or violation of Minimum Public Shareholding norms by Adani group companies cannot be proved at this stage.”

“At this stage, taking into account explanations provided by SEBI (and) supported by empirical

The Committee’s report also categorically stated that short selling activity took place before the release of Hindenburg’s report, with evidence of a build-up in short positions and profiting from squaring off positions after prices crashed post-publication of Hindenburg’s disproved allegations.

Bravus is pleased the Committee’s findings confirm the Adani Group’s public position that the Hindenburg Research allegations were not only false and baseless, but were also motivated.

All of Bravus’ businesses are Australian companies that comply with Australian corporations and securities legislation.

None of our businesses have been contacted by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission or the Australian Tax Office about any of the allegations in the Hindenburg Report. It remains business as usual at our port, rail, and mine operations, which are exporting Australian coal, mined at the Carmichael mine and by our customers in the Bowen Basin, to the world.

Our Australian operations support a sustainable and affordable energy mix that helps lift global populations out of poverty, while prioritising local jobs and community benefits at home.

As a group of companies, Adani is the world’s largest solar company and is investing heavily in research and development of other alternative generation sources.

Moira Dawa, Prasanta Dash, Dr Priti Adani, Shilin Adani

On Friday, 5 May, The Springfield Anglican College (TSAC) proudly celebrated its 25th year of educating young people in the Greater Springfield area. Since the College’s establishment in 1998, TSAC has grown into one of the state’s leading Colleges, known for providing exceptional education to students from Kindergarten to Year 12.

The College started in 1998 with 12 students, two teachers and a Head of College. Since welcoming these first families, the College continued to grow and proudly lay the learning and faith foundations that have helped shape the future lives of thousands of students over the last 25 years. Since 1998, the College has

expanded its facilities, grown its faculty, and enriched its curriculum to ensure that students receive a well-rounded education that equips them for success in all areas of life. Today, TSAC educates more than 1,100 students from Kindergarten to Year 12, with a professional team of almost 170 teachers and support staff, on two expansive campuses.

Mr Steven Morris, Principal of The Springfield Anglican College, said, “I am incredibly proud of all that has been achieved over the past 25 years. The College’s founders had a vision for a new vibrant independent school even before there was a Greater Springfield community. Our students are the embodiment

of our forerunners’ greatest dreams.”

The 25th-year celebrations will be a time for reflection, appreciation, and gratitude for the College community. The College will host a series of events throughout the year to celebrate the milestone, including Foundation Day Assembly and Chapel services (5 May) and a 25th-year Gala Ball (29 July).

Olivia Harding, College Leader, says, “TSAC has taught generations of students and watched them grow into accomplished individuals, making a positive impact in their communities. Soon, our current Year 12’s will join the ranks of TSAC alum on their journey into

adulthood. Today, we remember the College’s past with fondness, embrace the present with enthusiasm, and look forward to the future with hope and optimism.”

Luke Jamieson, College Leader, adds, “Over the past 25 years, TSAC has developed a strong sense of community and pride. As a College leader, I am thankful for the teachers, staff, and administrators who work tirelessly to create a positive learning environment, my fellow students who inspire each other with their passion and enthusiasm for learning, and our parents and community members who support us every step of the way.”

This year, the College will be launching the TSAC Alumni Association, to encourage past students to remain connected with the College community, and will commence the building of a new Sports Centre. The multi-court Sports Centre will be built on the College’s Secondary Campus and will support the College’s mission to provide a holistic education that develops students’ physical health and wellbeing, as well as their academic abilities.

Mr Morris continues, “TSAC ensures that each student feels valued, supported, and encouraged to reach their full potential. We are committed

to providing students with opportunities for personal growth and development, as well as academic excellence, through a wide array of educational opportunities. Our students are encouraged to explore their interests and passions through our extensive curriculum, cocurricular, and service programs.

“I am proud that TSAC has consistently achieved impressive results in both academic and cocurricular arenas, with our students consistently ranking among the top in the state. Importantly, they go on to be the leaders of tomorrow, making a positive impact on the world.

“As a College, we are still growing, and our history continues to be written by our dedicated staff, students, parents, and the wider Springfield community. We look forward to celebrating this milestone and continuing to provide an exceptional education for generations to come.”

On its Foundation Day, 5 May, students on the Primary and Secondary Campuses participated in a dedicated Assembly and Chapel service before enjoying a birthday party styled lunch, complete with party games, balloons and cake. For more information on The Springfield Anglican College, visit www.tsac.qld.edu.au

The Springfield Anglican College celebrates 25 years of excellence in education Construction begins on Mater Hospital Springfield Central

of major construction works in the coming months.

The project is being delivered through a partnership between Mater – the state’s largest notfor-profit healthcare provider –and the Queensland Government.

Mater Private Hospital Springfield Executive Officer Suzanne Hawksley said the hospital’s existing services would remain operational throughout the expansion project.

“It’s exciting for Mater, our patients and the community to see the progress that’s being made on Stage 2,” Ms Hawksley said.

and our services, including extensive consultation with medical specialists and stakeholders.

“My team are so proud to be part of a project that we know will deliver outstanding, compassionate services to Greater Springfield.”

The early construction works phase will include the relocation of inground services and utilities, relocation of loading and ambulance docks and doctors’ parking areas.

The Western Corridor is one of Australia’s fastest growing regions, with an increasing demand for health services.

Construction works have begun on a project that will transform healthcare for Greater Springfield and the Western Corridor.

The Stage 2 expansion of Mater Private Hospital Springfield, on Health Care Drive, will deliver 174 public beds for the community

– meeting its health needs for decades to come.

The new Mater Hospital Springfield, which will deliver both private and public services, will also include an emergency department, intensive care unit and Mater’s renowned maternity

services – ensuring local women can give birth in their own community.

A new access road has been built to the expansion site and workers from contractor John Holland Group are now on the ground preparing for the commencement

“We’ve been serving the people of Springfield since 2015 and we know that this community wants, needs and deserves a full range of health and hospital services.

“A huge amount of work has already gone on behind the scenes to plan the new building

The Stage 2 project will create more than 700 jobs during construction and more than 1,000 new frontline health jobs once operational. A

PM Modi chairs meeting of 8th Governing Council of Niti Aayog

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday chaired a meeting of the 8th Governing Council of the Niti Aayog here in which Chief Ministers of several states participated.

New Delhi, May 27 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday chaired a meeting of the 8th Governing Council of the Niti Aayog here in which Chief Ministers of several states participated.

The meeting is currently underway at the newly

constructed Convention Centre in Pragati Maidan.

It is being held under the theme of "Viksit Bharat @2047: Role of Team India".

Several Union Ministers including Rajnath Singh, Nirmala Sitharaman, Amit Shah, Smriti

Irani, Dharmendra Pradhan, Piyush Goyal, Narendra Singh Tomar were in attendance.

The Chief Ministers present at the meeting are Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu (Himachal Pradesh), Bhupesh Baghel (Chattisgarh), Yogi Adityanath (Uttar Pradesh), Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Madhya

Bengal Raj Bhavan-State Secretariat row heading to court?

Pradesh), Pushkar Singh Dhami (Uttarakhand), Pema Khandu (Arunachal Pradesh), Manik Saha (Tripura), Manohar Lal Khattar (Haryana), Bhupendra Patel (Gujarat), Pramod Sawant (Goa), Conrad Sangma (Meghalaya), Eknath Shinde (Maharashtra), Hemant Soren (Jharkhand), and YS Jagan Mohan Reddy (Andhra

Pradesh).

A total of eight Chief Ministers -Arvind Kejriwal (Delhi), Mamata Banerjee (West Bengal), Bhagwant Mann (Punjab), Nitish Kumar (Bihar), K. Chandrashekar Rao (Telangana), M.K. Stalin (Tamil Nadu), Ashok Gehlot (Rajasthan) and Pinarayi Vijayan (Kerala) -chose not to participate.

The swearing-in ceremony of 24 cabinet ministers is underway at the Raj Bhavan in Bengaluru. The Governor House-State Secretariat tiff in West Bengal is now probably heading for a legal encounter as the state education department is consulting its legal brains on how to counter the recent show-cause notice issued by the Governor’s office to vice-chancellors of six state universities.

the show-cause notices to the vice-chancellors, we will have to see whether he has the authority to issue such notices. We are consulting the legal brains to know first whether such notices are legal or illegal," he said.

the Raj Bhavan in all financerelated matters.

Kolkata, May 27 (IANS) The Governor House-State Secretariat tiff in West Bengal is now probably heading for a legal encounter as the state education department is consulting its legal brains on how to counter the recent show-cause notice issued by the Governor's office to vice-chancellors of six state universities.

According to the state education minister Bratya Basu, although the government is keen to have a dialogue with the governor, the latter seems to be keen to take decisions on his own. "As regards

On May 24, the Governor House issued a notice to vice chancellors of six state universities, namely Kazi Nazrul University, SidhoKanho-Birsha University, Bidhan Chandra Agricultural University, West Bengal State University, Kalyani University, and The University of Burdwan, for 'ignoring' the Governor's instruction to submit weekly reports on university affairs to the Raj Bhavan.

Earlier on April 4, the Governor's House had instructed the V-Cs of all state universities to submit a weekly report to the Raj Bhavan, wherein the V-Cs were also asked to take prior concurrence from

However, taking note of the reluctance on the part of the state universities to submit the weekly report, a reminder was sent to the V-Cs on May 22 by the office of the special secretary to the Governor.

After failing to get any response, the Governor's House has now issued show-cause notice to the VCs of the six state universities.

The Governor, by virtue of his chair, is the chancellor of the state universities. The state government had been opposing the Governor's decision to seek weekly reports since the beginning. Now with the state government mulling legal options against show- cause notices it seems to have made the Raj Bhavan- State Secretariat relationship murkier.

PM Modi pays tribute to Pt Nehru on 59th death anniversary

Prime Minister Narednra Modi on Saturday paid tributes to India’s first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on his 59th death anniversary.

New Delhi, May 27 (IANS) Prime Minister Narednra Modi on Saturday paid tributes to India's first Prime Minister Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru on his 59th death anniversary.

"On his death anniversary, I pay tributes to our former PM Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru," the Prime

Minister said in a tweet. Nehru played a prominent role in India's freedom struggle and went on to become India's first Prime Minister after independence in 1947.

In order to free India from British rule, Nehru fought against the British and was among the key leaders of the Indian National

Congress (INC).

On May 27, 1964, he took his last breath. He was the Prime Minister for over 16 years from 1947 to 1964 till he died at the age of 74. He had a great fondness for children, and children use to call him Chacha Nehru and his birthday is celebrated as Children's Day every year.

Bengaluru, May 27 (IANS) The swearing-in ceremony of 24 cabinet ministers is underway at the Raj Bhavan in Bengaluru. Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot is administering the oath to the newly-inducted ministers. Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, his deputy D.K. Shivakumar and Speaker U.T. Khader congratulated the new ministers. Senior Congress leader from Gadag district H.K. Patil took the oath.

Besides, Krishna Byre Gowda representing Hebbal seat in Bengaluru and N. Cheluvarayaswamy were also inducted into the cabinet.

K. Venkatesh from Mysuru district and M.C. Sudhakar from Chikkaballapura district, senior leader Eshwar Khandre from Bidar, Sharanabasappa Darshanapur from Yadgir, Shivanand Patil from Vijayapura district, S.S. Mallikarjun from Davanagere, Laxmi Hebbalkar from Belagavi from Lingayat community and others are taking oath as cabinet ministers.

Sachin Pilot urges immediate aid for rain affected people

In the wake of the deaths of 12 people in Rajasthan’s Tonk district due to thunderstorms and heavy rain, former deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot has urged for immediate aid for the affected people.

Pilot, also the Congress MLA from Tonk, wrote a letter to the state Disaster Minister Govind Meghwal urging him to conduct a survey to evaluate the losses of those families who lost their kin, as well as those who were injured and disburse financial aid at the earliest.

Jaipur, May 27 (IANS) In the wake of the deaths of 12 people in Rajasthan's Tonk district due to thunderstorms and heavy rain, former deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot has urged for immediate aid for the affected people.

Earlier, Tonk District Collector Chinmay Gopal had announced that the victims' families will be given Rs 4 lakhs as compensation. Meanwhile, Ajmer range IG said that most of the deaths on Thursday night occurred as a result of wall collapse.

Swearing-in ceremony of new cabinet ministers underway in K’taka

Bengal fire-cracker blasts: State to set up ‘Green Cracker’ manufacturing hub

Consequent to successive explosions and fire incidents at illegal firecracker factories and warehouses claiming around 20 lives in the last couple of weeks, the West Bengal government has decided to set up its own green-cracker cluster in the state.

claimed 12 lives, including that of the owner.

Man held with over 1 kg gold at Jaipur International Airport

A passenger smuggling 1.44 kg gold worth around Rs 71 lakh was detained at Jaipur International Airport and sent to jail, officials said on Saturday.

Kolkata, May 27 (IANS)

Consequent to successive explosions and fire incidents at illegal fire-cracker factories and warehouses claiming around 20 lives in the last couple of weeks, the West Bengal government has decided to set up its own greencracker cluster in the state. An announcement on this count was made by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday morning while addressing a programme at Egra in East Midnapore district of West Bengal where an explosion at an illegal fire-cracker factory recently

"The Egra explosion was an eye opener for us. However, we will have to keep in mind that lots of people are dependent on such fire-cracker outlets for their livelihoods. So I have asked the state chief secretary to prepare a detailed report on the issue. The state government will set up a green-cracker cluster at an open space, so that those involved in the business can be employed there," the chief minister said. Besides providing a compensation of Rs 2,00,000 each to the next of kin of the victims, one member from each family will be provided a job of home-guard in state police.

"Some people set up such illegal fire-cracker factories for quick money. I also appeal to the people

to immediately inform the police if they come to know of the existence of such illegal outlets. If the police officers concerned do not act on your complaints, I will take action against them and the police officer concerned will be removed," the chief minister said.

To recall, on May 16, a major explosion took place at an illegal fire-cracker factory at Egra claiming 12 lives. The sleuths of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) are currently probing the matter.

The wife, son and nephew of the deceased owner of the factory Krishnapada Bag, who succumbed after being severely injured in the blast, have already been arrested. The opposition parties have alleged that not fire-crackers but crude bombs were manufactured at the illegal factory.

42 young Indian robotic surgeons set to share path-breaking procedures

As robotic surgeries, slowly but steadily, become mainstream in India, US-based Vattikuti Foundation is organizing a key seminar here next month where young robotic surgeons from across the country will share their path-breaking procedures.

At the event, 42 fellows from 18 locations across the country will share their experiences of conducting path-breaking robotic surgery procedures from head and neck, gastroenterology, general surgery, urology, gynaecology and colorectal soft tissue surgeries as well as joint replacement surgeries.

Jaipur, May 27 (IANS) A passenger smuggling 1.44 kg gold paste worth around Rs 71 lakh was detained at Jaipur International Airport and sent to jail, officials said on Saturday.

Officials said that the gold was brought to Jaipur by an Air Arabia flight. The accused smuggler is originally from Rajasthan and has been a frequent traveler abroad. The man had hidden the gold

plates in his inner-wear and shoes.

According to customs officials, "The passenger landed at Jaipur airport on May 26 from Air Arabia flight number G9435 from Sharjah. The team got information and detained him at the airport premises. When the accused denied carrying any gold, the customs officers scanned the accused and his baggage. During scanning, gold paste was found hidden in shoe soles and inner wear of the accused weighing 1.44 kilograms."

Customs officials said, "The accused is basically a resident of Shekhawati. The accused had traveled abroad in the past as well. Since he failed to give any satisfactory reply, he was produced before the court which sent him to jail," they added.

Showing the Missing Link through a viewfinder

In the year 2000, when she visited a red-light district for a photography project, something changed within her. Something that shook her completely. That moment, photographer Leena Kejriwal knew that she wanted to do more with her art than just capture images... maybe set her subjects free.

New Delhi, May 26 (IANS)

Mumbai, May 27 (IANS) As robotic surgeries, slowly but steadily, become mainstream in India, US-based Vattikuti Foundation is organizing a key seminar here next month where young robotic surgeons from across the country will share their path-breaking procedures.

India has a need for a huge pool of orthopedic surgery superspecialists who can handle the special needs of over 10 million children with physical deformities.

Specialist orthopedic surgeons who can treat limb and spine problems can provide a better quality of life to afflicted children who form a startling 2.2 per cent of India's young from newborns to 18-year-olds.

"India has approximately 100 pediatric orthopedic surgeons which translates to a caseload of 5 million cases per surgeon,"

according to Dr Ashok K Johari, an eminent pediatric orthopedic surgeon.

It is well known that if congenital deformities are corrected early, "a child can be given the chance to live a better life. It is easier to conduct surgeries on a child by modifying the growth of the affected part," added Dr Johari, who is also the President of the International Federation of Paediatric Societies.

Dr Johari will be in conversation with urology surgeon Dr Mahendra Bhandari, CEO of Vattikuti Foundation, on June 11 at a session with specialist surgeons who earned a one-year Vattikuti Foundation Fellowship to become accomplished robotic surgeons.

The Vattikuti Foundation has provided 51 young Indian surgeons year-long fellowships to study robotic surgery under the guidance of mentor surgeons.

The fellows gained hands-on experience conducting surgeries at large corporate, government trust and private hospitals in India. Most fellows have also been sponsored for 2-to-4-week study programmes in the US.

"The Vattikuti Foundation is humbled by the success of its mission of training over 500 surgeons to become accomplished robotic surgeons and taking the benefits of minimally invasive surgery to patients globally," said Dr Bhandari. Vattikuti Foundation is currently accepting submissions for the KS International Innovation Awards 2023 in memory of Krishnaswami Subramaniam who is credited with growing the installed base of surgical robots in India.

In addition to the top 3 cash prizes adding up to $15,000, top 10-12 entrants will be invited to the 'Humans at the Cutting Edge of Robotic Surgery' symposium at Orsi Academy in Ghent, Belgium in October.

In the year 2000, when she visited a red-light district for a photography project, something changed within her. Something that shook her completely. That moment, photographer Leena Kejriwal knew that she wanted to do more with her art than just capture images... maybe set her subjects free. Over the years, as she collaborated with NGOs in red-light districts, Kejriwal, founder of Missing Link Trust became increasingly cognizant of the tragic reality that sexual abuse and exploitation are predominantly demand-driven. "Lack of public awareness and complicity inadvertently fueled the rising figures of trafficking, highlighting the need for broader public awareness," she tells IANS. Her understanding of this issue served as the catalyst for the Missing Project. As an artist, Kejriwal's early efforts involved multi-layered, complex installations exhibited in gallery spaces in India and abroad. However, she soon realized the primary audience was the Indian people, recognising the diverse nature of the Indian public, with its myriad languages, societal

norms, and perceptions. It was then that she engaged in a public art residency in New York to explore the power of public art. "The outcome of this residency was the conception of the missing girl silhouette, symbolizing the millions of girls who disappear into the vast black hole of exploitation. Our fiberglass installations, launched at the India Art Fair 2014 by JSW, received multiple accolades and global recognition. This spurred the start of a crowdfunding campaign, leading to the establishment of the Missing Link Trust, and this is how far we have come." Currently, curating an art show for the Missing Project that will consist of various installations, sounds as well as materials, along with murals, stencil art, and of course, photography, the artist says the elements are designed to weave seamlessly from one to other, providing a comprehensive visual narrative. "The collection will also provide an insight into my journey as the artist behind the project," she adds.

(Sukant Deepak can be reached at sukant.d@ians.in)

J&K

tribal students to get highest ever scholarship worth Rs 45cr

The Tribal Affairs Department, in its endeavors to promote the interests of tribal populace in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday began highest ever disbursement of scholarships among the students of the community under various scholarship schemes

of scholarships among the students of the community under various scholarship schemes.

Odisha to provide free wi-fi facility in universities, colleges soon

To facilitate e-learning, the Odisha government has decided to provide free wifi services in all state-run universities soon, state Higher Education Minister Rohit Pujari said here on Thursday

Srinagar, May 27 (IANS) The Tribal Affairs Department, in its endeavors to promote the interests of tribal populace in Jammu and Kashmir on Friday began highest ever disbursement

"A total amount of Rs 45 crore shall be credited through DBT mode to the bank account of the beneficiaries under pre-Matric and post-Matric scholarship schemes," said Secretary, Tribal Affairs, Shahid Iqbal Choudhary, while elaborating on the government's initiative of empowering these integral segments of the society through education.

Due to migration of the process

on the National Scholarship Portal and its integration with the PFMS the whole process has been made transparent and user friendly. The Secretary said that education of tribal students is top priority for the Jammu and Kashmir government. In this regard, Lt Governor, Manoj Sinha, has ensured the highest ever disbursement of scholarships amounting Rs 45 crore in order to support the educational needs of tribal students pursuing courses at postgraduate level, graduate levels, pre-matric, and postmatric levels.

FT Rankings: IIM Ahmedabad’s executive education programmes ranked No. 1 in India

As per the latest Financial Times Executive Education Rankings 2023, the executive education programmes of Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) have been ranked No. 1 in India, the management school said on Wednesday.

Bharat Bhasker, Director at IIMA, said, "IIMA has consistently received high praise for its executive education programmes from professionals and industry leaders alike. It's rewarding to see our commitment and effort get reflected in the FT rankings."

Bhubaneswar, May 25 (IANS) To facilitate e-learning, the Odisha government has decided to provide free wi-fi services in all state-run universities soon, state Higher Education Minister Rohit Pujari said here on Thursday.

coaching along with lodging and boarding will be provided to 200 meritorious civil service aspirants across all categories, the Minister informed.

Besides, training on soft skills such as spoken English, among others, are being conducted through virtual tutorials. Eleven Centres of Excellence (CoE) are in operation across the state, he stated.

Pujari said steps are being taken to set up science degree colleges in educationally disadvantaged blocks, he informed.

Ahmedabad, May 24 (IANS) As per the latest Financial Times Executive Education Rankings 2023, the executive education programmes of Indian Institute of Management Ahmedabad (IIMA) have been ranked No. 1 in India, the management school said on Wednesday.

The institute has also secured the second rank in Asia and the 35th position globally.

Bhasker also emphasized the institute's sustained improvement over the years, attributing its success to a deep understanding and connection with the industry, "which allows IIMA to serve as a valuable knowledge partner through its executive education programmes".

This year, IIMA has ascended in the rankings, moving up two spots in the Open Enrolment Programmes category, and

five places in the Custom Programmes rankings. The combined category rankings saw the institute advance four places, landing the 35th spot globally. On numerous parameters, including international participants, international location, faculty, programme design, teaching methods, aims achieved, and value for money, IIMA's executive education programmes have been lauded. With a diverse range of over 200 programmes in both open enrolment and customized formats, IIMA caters to a broad audience, from business leaders and policymakers to industry professionals. These programmes are offered through a variety of modes - in-person, online, and blended.

It’s ‘daughters’ era’ as girls shine in Class X: Punjab CM

Congratulating the girl students for topping the exam of class 10 declared by the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) on Friday, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said it’s “daughters’ era” as the girl students are making all of them proud with their “rare” achievement.

Chandigarh, May 26 (IANS)

Congratulating the girl students for topping the exam of class 10 declared by the Punjab School Education Board (PSEB) on Friday, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said it's "daughters' era" as the girl students are making all of them proud with their "rare" achievement.

As per the result, Gagandeep Kaur and Navjot, both of Sant Mohan Das Senior Secondary School in

Kot Sukhiyan Faridkot in district, secured the first and second position with 650 and 648 marks out of 650, respectively.

Harmandeep Kaur of Government

High School in Mandali in Mansa district clinched third position with 646 marks. A government spokesman said that this time

2,90,796 students appeared for the examinations, out of which

2,81,905 passed. Apart from this,

6,171 students have to reappear and the result of 103 students has been delayed.Meanwhile, the Chief Minister said the girls have

once again outshone the boys in the result, adding the state government will facilitate these bright students with a cash award of Rs 51,000 soon. He said this is the result of the concerted efforts being made by the government to spread the light of quality education in every nook and corner of Punjab. Mann said the massive efforts being made by the government has immensely benefited the girls, thereby paving way for their empowerment by excelling in the field of education.

Pujari said this while speaking to media persons after a review meeting by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on the achievements of the Higher Education department during the last four years and the fulfillment of the assurances given in the election manifesto-2019.

All the state public universities have been made wi-fi enabled. The Electronics and Information Technology department is on the job to provide free 1 GB data to the students at the campuses of all public universities and colleges before the next academic session, Pujari said.

He said career counseling cells have been established in various colleges and universities to provide a platform to students to orient themselves for choosing their career plans.

Similarly, free civil service

To encourage students to do research, Chief Minister Research Incentivisation Fellowship Plan (CMRIFP) has been launched with a budgetary outlay of Rs 326 crore for five years from 2023-24, he said.

Over a period of two decades, the number of students in the state has doubled from 3.2 lakh in 2000 to 6.5 lakh in 2023, out of which 3.8 lakh are girl students. Similarly, the gross enrolment ratio has also increased from 11 to 21 in the same time period, Pujari said.

This has been possible since the government is now spending more by enhancing the budget provision from Rs 473 crore in 2000 to Rs 3,173 crore in 2023, he pointed out.

Towards infrastructure development of higher education institutes, the government has made an expenditure of Rs 260 crore in 2022 against Rs 20 crore in 2000. The number of colleges have increased from 548 to 1,024 while state public universities from six to 16, he added.

Haryana working to establish special NRI cells: Chief Secy

Haryana Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kauhsal on Thursday said the state government is actively working to establish special NonResident Indian (NRI) cells to address the grievances of the diaspora and safeguard their interests.

Chandigarh, May 25 (IANS)

Haryana Chief Secretary Sanjeev Kauhsal on Thursday said the state government is actively working to establish special Non-Resident Indian (NRI) cells to address the grievances of the diaspora and safeguard their interests. The Chief Secretary made this statement during the 'Videsh Sampark Programme', an event organized by the state's Foreign Cooperation Department in collaboration with the Ministry of External Affairs in Panchkula, near here.The programme aims to enhance engagement with the

diaspora and foster partnerships with state governments to tackle their issues. The Chief Secretary emphasized that these NRI cells would operate independently from the Police Department. "Haryana prides itself on its diverse religious and cultural fabric, with a significant population of Sikhs, Muslims, and followers of other religions. Besides Hindi, which serves as the official language, Punjabi is recognised as the second language, and efforts have been made to recruit teachers to promote the Punjabi language as well," he added.

MAKE IN INDIA

As world economies restart their engines in a bid to regain lost ground due to the Covid-19 pandemic, India too shows signs of economic buoyancy and promise. India’s Make in India initiative holds a key to the global economic revival, something that should interest Australian government ministries, corporate sector, entrepreneurs, institutions seeking R&D collaborations and Australia Inc in general, among others. India assumes greater importance as several major world economies including American, Japanese, German, British and South Korean look to move out and diversify their businesses from China. India has jumped to 63rd rank in the World Bank’s Ease of Development 2020 report, and has also been ranked as the 9th largest recipient of Foreign Direct Investment destinations in 2019 by the World Investment Report 2020 of the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD).

Building India to build in India

Why it makes sense for Tatas to make high-end iPhones as Apple eyes India

By Nishant Arora

Group in the coming years as they gain expertise and experience in high-end iPhone manufacturing," he told IANS.

New Delhi, May 26 (IANS) It is sometimes said that if you want to be great, seek out others' problems. Another rendition you might have heard is 'someone else's problem is your opportunity.'

Before Covid-19 blew in to dominate our lives, a large part of the world, particularly the West, was (and to an extent still is) dependent on China for manufacturing. With extreme disruptions to global supply chains, heavy reliance on one country for basic medical equipment, pharmaceuticals, and raw material was aggressively questioned, subsequently leading to many countries and industries strategizing to relocate their manufacturing hubs away from China or at least diversify them to distance themselves from geopolitical risks.

Compared with most of the world, the Indian economy showed 'exemplary resilience' in recovering from the pandemic. However, the associated blowback brought along with it several revelations, such as the need to become self-sufficient for long-term economic growth. As a result, structural reforms were quickly introduced to turn the crisis into an opportunity and grease the wheels of the Indian manufacturing sector.

Today, with the introduction of structural reforms, India is being considered a strong alternative to China and an attractive destination for manufacturing by various industries and countries.

Over the past three years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has reiterated on his vision of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) with numerous initiatives launched to boost manufacturing; for instance, the visionary Make in India programme aims to transform India into a global hub

for manufacturing, research and innovation, and an integral part of the global supply chain. The initiative focuses on 25 sectors such as automobile, aviation, textiles and garments, pharma, and renewable energy. Industrial corridors are also being built across various regions. The most notable aspect is that sectors such as defence and railways have been opened to significantly higher levels of foreign direct investment. Regulatory policies have also been relaxed to facilitate investment and ease of doing business. While growth has primarily been driven by the services sector, the manufacturing sector has untapped potential, which if leveraged effectively, can propel growth even further. Productionlinked Incentive (PLI) Schemes have also been announced for 13 sectors (e.g., food products and technology products) to offer companies incentives on incremental sales from products manufactured in India, over the base year. Specifically designed to boost domestic manufacturing in sunrise and strategic sectors, the aim is to reduce cheaper imports and import bills, improve cost competitiveness of domestically manufactured goods, and increase domestic capacity and exports. For instance, the PLI for large-scale electronics manufacturing is expected to result in a robust manufacturing ecosystem for electronic components, further leading to enhanced product manufacturing of LED products and IT hardware among others.

With many sectors undergoing major reforms, defence indigenization has also been made a priority. To create a 'global supply chain free from vulnerabilities and uncertainties,' the defence minister has invited US defence manufacturers to set up units in India and collaborate with the Indian sector.

In a one-of-its- kind deal, Airbus Defence and Space and Tata Advanced Systems entered a joint venture to manufacture C-295 medium-lift military transport aircraft, further supporting the government's vision of an Atmanirbhar Bharat. Safran, the world's second-largest aircraft

equipment manufacturer, is also establishing its biggest MRO facility in India to service aeroengines.

While the country is yet to address persisting issues such as inadequate infrastructure development, complex regulatory frameworks, and a shortage of skilled workers, it cannot be said that steps are not being taken in this direction. For example, industrial corridors and smart cities are being developed to provide infrastructure based on state-of-the-art technology with modern high- speed communication and integrated logistics arrangements.

This year's budget also reported a 33 per cent increase in expenditure on infrastructure investment, with 100 critical transport infrastructure projects identified to improve logistics for the ports, coal, steel, fertilizer, and food grain sectors. To promote robust infrastructure development, the government announced the National Infrastructure Pipeline (2019), which will use private funds in addition to the public budget. The country is also receiving support from partners such as Japan, its largest partner in terms of financial cooperation for infrastructure development. To ease regulatory burden, thousands of compliances have been reduced and legal provisions decriminalized. The use of digital technology has proved to be a game changer, introduction of the Goods and Services Tax has enhanced the movement of products across India, and amendments to labour laws are attracting foreign players with ambitious plans to scale presence in India.

India's gradual adoption of Industry 4.0 practices through initiatives such the National Manufacturing Policy (which aims to increase the share of manufacturing in the GDP to 25 per cent by 2025), shift to more automated and technology-driven processes at par with global standards, a strong domestic market and demographic advantage will surely accelerate growth, allowing the country to revitalize its manufacturing sector.

New Delhi, May 22 (IANS)

With Tata Electronics now hogging the limelight for iPhone manufacturing in India, industry experts on Monday said that with their ambition on semiconductors and EVs, it only makes sense for the Tata Group to gain expertise in manufacturing high-end iPhones in the country.

Currently, iPhone 12 and iPhone SE (second generation) are being manufactured/ assembled at Taiwan-based iPhone manufacturer Wistron's Karnataka factory, which Tata Electronics is set to take over soon.

Once the final takeover is done, the facility is likely to manufacture new Apple products that may include the upcoming iPhone series.

"With the new make-in-India potentially entry to mid-level iPhone 15 series, the Tata Group will make a modest beginning in this new partnership," according to Prabhu Ram, Head, Industry Intelligence Group, CMR.

"We anticipate a remarkable growth trajectory for the Tata

In the years ahead, the Tata Group has the potential to solidify their position as a pivotal player in the iPhone manufacturing ecosystem.

Wistron's factory in Karnataka, that employs about 12,000 people, constitutes a major chunk of its business in the country.

According to reports, Wistron will be winding down its operations soon and is "likely to approach the National Company Law Tribunal and the Registrar of Companies to dissolve its India operations". Meanwhile, the manufacturing/ assembly of iPhone 13 and 14 in the country will continue at Foxconn's Sriperumbudur facility on the outskirts of Chennai, according to sources.

As the iPhone consumption increases in the country, Apple needs more suppliers to ramp up production here, as it reportedly aims to take away a significant chunk of manufacturing from China to countries like India and Vietnam.

Make in India' shipments from Apple grew 65 per cent (on-year) by volume and 162 per cent by value, taking the brand's value share to 25 per cent in 2022, up from 12 per cent in 2021, according to Counterpoint Research.

Sachin Tendulkar makes strategic investment in AZAD Engineering

contribute to Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat initiatives of the Government of India, said the company.

Hyderabad, May 15 (IANS)

AZAD Engineering, a leading provider of engineering and technology solutions, on Monday announced that cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar has made an undisclosed strategic investment in the company.

Hyderabad-based AZAD Engineering is an engineering and technology solutions provider for global OEMs in the Clean Energy, Aerospace, Defence, Oil & Gas and SPS Industries. This strategic investment from Sachin Tendulkar allows AZAD Engineering to further strengthen its commitment to

Rakesh Chopdar, Founder & Managing Director of AZAD Engineering, stated that they are honoured to have Sachin Tendulkar as an investor. "As a company committed to promoting highly complex manufacturing and self-reliance, AZAD will focus our vision and create more growth & innovation opportunities for India," he said Over the past decade, AZAD Engineering has experienced remarkable growth with stateof-the-art facilities, process engineering mastery, unparalleled supply chain efficiency, and infrastructure that surpasses industry standards to meet the demands of its OEM clients.

Palaszczuk Government to kick start swim program for Queensland kids

Brisbane, 28 May: Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has today launched a new lifesaving program, aimed at teaching Queensland kids how to swim.

SwimStart will provide greater access to swimming lessons for children aged 0 – 4 in a bid to improve water safety.

Eligible families will be able to apply for vouchers valued up to $150, amounting to a $4.8 million investment over two years from the Palaszczuk Government in the upcoming State Budget. The announcement follows the success of the FairPlay program.

More than 145,000 FairPlay Vouchers have been redeemed since the programs’ inception in 2019 – seeing more than $21 million contributed towards reducing the cost of sports memberships, registration or participation fees.

The FairPlay Program will continue to be available for eligible children aged 5 – 17 years. These important budget commitments continue to break down the financial barrier of participating in sports, allowing Queensland kids to enjoy more active lifestyles.

Students in primary schools will continue to receive swimming lessons as part of the Water Safety and Swimming Education program.

The State Government offers a range of concessions to the community to help ease cost-ofliving pressures.

Quotes by Premier Annastacia

Palaszczuk:

“We know children should be learning to swim long before they start school, which is why our government is proud to launch the SwimStart program.

“Queensland is bordered by blue waters so being confident in the water is essential.

“This initiative will give kids the best start at learning to swim, and build on the swimming program offered in schools statewide.

“I’ve made it clear that our upcoming state budget will have one focus - easing cost-of-living pressures – and this program is another great example of this commitment delivering for families.”

Quotes By Treasurer and Minister for Trade and Investment Cameron Dick:

“We are now supporting even more of our youngest Queenslanders to learn to swim.

“Learning to swim is an essential skill for all Queenslanders, and the younger we can get all our children in the pool, the sooner they can start building their confidence in the water.

“This is why we are allocating $4.8 million over 2 years in this year’s Budget, to add learn to swim activities for 0 to 4 year olds.

“SwimStart is based on our successful FairPlay program, which supports disadvantaged families to access sport and active recreation activities through a voucher system.”

Quotes by Education Minister Grace Grace:

“Learning to be safe in and around water is vital in Queensland, which is why our state schools provide swimming lessons and water safety education programs from Prep to Year 6.

“We have recently quadrupled the funding available in our Water Safety and Swimming Education Grant pot and committed to funding swimming instructor qualifications for PE teachers, to ensure no child misses out.

“However we know children need to start learning to swim long before they start school – I had my child in the pool before they could walk, and these vouchers will help families right across Queensland do the same.”

Quotes by Sport Minister Stirling Hinchliffe:

“With almost 7,000 kilometres of coastline, numerous inland waterways and perfect weather, being able to swim is an important skill for Queenslanders to have.

“Learning the basics of water safety is something young Queenslanders can build on and carry with them for life.

“SwimStart is based on the Palaszczuk Government’s signature FairPlay program which helps eligible low-income families with the cost of sport participation fees.

“While there’s no substitute for parental supervision, we don’t want family finances to be a barrier to preschool-aged Queenslanders learning about water safety.”

New social housing for Nerang

• Finishing touches being made at new housing complex, Nerang

• The 12 one-bedroom apartment complex is expected to welcome its first tenants within weeks

Brisbane, 26 May: A new Gold Coast social housing complex will open its doors to tenants within weeks, with a block of apartments at Nerang nearing construction, the Palaszczuk Government has announced.

The 12 one-bedroom units will house vulnerable Queenslanders from the state’s social housing register, joining the more than 5,000 social homes already on the Gold Coast.

Almost $3.4 million was invested in the new complex, which will be managed by the Department of Housing.

It’s part of a record $3.9 billion for

social and affordable housing, the largest concentrated investment in Queensland’s history, to help deliver 13,000 homes.

The announcement comes after the Palaszczuk Government earlier this week identified nearly 30 parcels of land to unlock more housing for Queenslanders, including on the Gold Coast.

Quotes by Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon:

“Every person deserves a roof over their head, which is why the Palaszczuk Government is committed to rolling out the largest investment in social and affordable housing in Queensland’s history.

“These new apartments will help Gold Coasters with a secure roof over their head at a time when they need it most.

• Final Brisbane 2032 Legacy Plan to be released this year.

Brisbane, 26 May: Nearly 14,000 ideas have been shared as part of planning for the legacy of the Brisbane 2032 OIympic and Paralympic Games.

The Hopes and Dreams submissions as well as feedback from the Brisbane 2032 Legacy Forum held in March form the basis of a consultation paperElevate 2042 - released today.

As the name suggests, Elevate 2042 focuses on the years leading up to the Games and the ten year after, in order to maximise the economic, social, environmental and other benefits of hosting this once-in-a-lifetime event.

Draft themes highlighted in Elevate 2042 include:

• Sport, health and social inclusion

• A better future for our environment

• Connecting regionally and globally

• Economy, jobs and innovation.

Key suggestions include:

• Building the most sustainable venues

• A First Nations Cultural Centre

• Construction of ‘Innovation Clusters’ focusing on augmented reality, bio-medical and environmental technology

• Planting a Legacy Forest

• Enhanced and inclusive mass transit solutions.

The consultation paper also lays out a draft vision for our Games legacy aspirations:

‘By 2042, a child born today has more opportunities in life, in an inclusive society and a connected region’.

The final Brisbane 2032 Legacy Plan will be released in late 2023, in partnership between the Queensland Government, Australian Government, Brisbane City Council, Sunshine Coast Council, City of Gold Coast, Council of Mayors (SEQ), Australian Olympic Committee, Paralympics Australia, and the Brisbane 2032 Organising Committee.

People are encouraged to have their say on Elevate 2042 by visiting qld.gov.au/about/ brisbane2032 to view the Legacy Consultation Paper and survey until 25 June 2023.

• Works are progressing well on Cross River Rail at the new 365 day-a-year Ekka Station

• Because the old Ekka station had to be demolished to build the new station, it is not available for Ekka 2023.

• People will still be able to take public transport to the Ekka, with multiple alternative travel options including nearby bus and train stations, bus shuttles and special services for passengers with accessibility needs.

and platforms demolished, and tracks recently installed over a new 150-metre-long rail bridge that will form part of the new station.

The old Ekka station had to be demolished to make way for the new station so it will not be in operation for this year’s Ekka. There will still be plenty of transport options available to Ekka goers, including trains and buses from nearby stops and stations, and additional shuttle services.

“Of course, with housing pressures being felt right across the country, all levels of government want to and need to do more. That’s why we’re investing more than ever in new social and affordable homes.

“We’ve built on average more than 10 homes a week since coming to government and I’m keen to see more projects like this delivered as soon as possible.

“It adds to new social homes recently completed at Southport and Varsity Lakes, as well as ongoing homelessness support services being provided by the government to tackle these pressures. “These apartments are another great example of the work that’s being done, and it won’t be long now before Queenslanders in need will make their home here.”

Next steps in planning for Games Legacy

• Thousands have their say on lasting legacy of Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games

• Key focus on inclusion, sport, health, environment, connectivity and economy

• Legacy consultation paper and survey is now open for comment until 25 June 2023

Brisbane, 27 May: Works are progressing well on the new year-round Ekka station being delivered through Cross River Rail, with the old station building

The Palaszczuk and Albanese Governments have partnered with consortium partners to deliver a $117million investment – the largest investment in greenhydrogen in the nation’s history.

• The historic investment will fund the Front EndEngineering Design (FEED) for Queensland’s largest renewable hydrogen project, in Gladstone.

• The part-publicly owned mega Central Queensland Hydrogen project is within the top 10 hydrogen projects in the world that are at a similar stage of development.

• Successful completion of the FEED will bring the project one step closer to a Final Investment Decision, planned for late 2024.

Brisbane, 26 May:A jointly funded venture between the Albanese and Palaszczuk Labor Governments will deliver a record

Specific information about travel options will be available closer to the event.

near-$117 million investment to fund further development of the Central Queensland Hydrogen (CQ-H2) project at Gladstone. Developing a green hydrogen export industry in Gladstone will create significant economic opportunities for Queensland, with the project expected to create almost 9,000 jobs and over $17.2 billion in hydrogen exports over its 30-year life.

The CQ-H2 project could produce 800 tonnes per day of clean, green hydrogen by early 2030s, equivalent to fuelling more than double Australia’s heavy vehicle fleet.

The Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) will provide $20M in funding, while $15M will be provided from the Palaszczuk Government and the remainder $81.8 million from consortium partners passionate about green hydrogen.

PM urges Australians to be on right side of history on Indigenous Voice

Australia’s Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday appealed to the people of the country to be on the right side of history in the referendum for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament.

Canberra, May 26 (IANS)

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Friday appealed to the people of the country to be on the right side of history in the referendum for an Indigenous Voice to Parliament. Friday marked the six years since the Uluru Statement from the Heart, a petition that called for the constitution to be changed to establish the Voice, was first unveiled by more than 250 Indigenous delegates, reports Xinhua news agency.

"A 'Yes' vote at the 2023 referendum is a chance for all of us to take the next step on the journey to reconciliation," Albanese said in a statement on Friday. "To be counted -- and heard -- on the right side of history." Addressing Parliament on Thursday, he defended the Voice proposal from criticism and ruled out change to the word of the referendum, which is expected to be held late in 2023. If successful, the referendum would establish the Voice as a body that would advise the federal parliament on issues relating to Indigenous Australians.

Albanese, a strong proponent of the Voice, called for nonIndigenous Australians to imagine they were on the other side of the disparity faced by Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.

Mother of Indian student killed in Australia tells court she is ‘tormented’

"Imagine your brothers and sisters are likely to die a decade younger than the general population. Imagine your daughter is more at risk during childbirth -- and your grandchild more at risk of infant mortality. Imagine your son statistically more likely to go to jail than university," he said. "Imagine all of this -- and then imagine that after generations of being sidelined and ignored, you are finally given an opportunity to change it. To be heard."

The prime minister on Friday said next week the Constitutional Alteration is expected to pass the House of Representatives, one step closer to a referendum to recognize Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples through a Voice to Parliament in Australia's founding document.

Aus city’s newly-elected Indian-origin Mayor to meet PM Modi: Report

Just hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s touch down in Australia, the City of Parramatta in western Sydney elected its first Indian-origin Lord Mayor on Monday.

2017, has been serving as Deputy Lord Mayor since January 2022.

The mother of a 21 year-old Indian nursing student, who was brutally murdered and dumped in a shallow grave in 2021, told a South Australian court that she remains "tormented by her daughter's death and will never forgive the killer"

Melbourne, May 22 (IANS) Just hours before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's touch down in Australia, the City of Parramatta in western Sydney elected its first Indian-origin Lord Mayor on Monday.

Councillor Sameer Pandey, who was first elected to City of Parramatta Council in September

"Parramatta is home to a vibrant and diverse community and I'm excited to lead the City as it cements itself as Sydney's second CBD and the focus of some of its most exciting opportunities," Pandey said in a statement. He will reportedly meet Modi in Sydney, where the Prime Minister will address more than 20,000 members of the Indian community at the Qudos Bank Arena Stadium.

According to a Daily Telegraph report, Pandey will "discuss the 'Little India' precinct" at Harris Park, a suburb in Sydney, which has 45 per cent of its residents tracing their roots to India, and is home to many popular small and medium Indian businesses.

The Sydney precinct is reportedly on its way to be officially known as 'Little India' after the Indian community ramped up its efforts for the name change ahead of Modi's visit.

The Parramatta Council voted last month to support a scaled-back proposal, which will see Marion Street, Wigram Street, and Station Street East in Harris Park named as 'Little India'.

The Council's earlier attempts hit a roadblock after Australia's Geographic Names Board (GNB) told Parramatta Council to stop using the term in marketing material because it "creates confusion".

Parramatta City councillor Paul Noack told SBS News that he expects the name to be official by the end of this year.

Melbourne, May 24 (IANS) The mother of a 21 year-old Indian nursing student, who was brutally murdered and dumped in a shallow grave in 2021, told a South Australian court that she remains "tormented by her daughter's death and will never forgive the killer".

Jasmeen Kaur was stalked and abducted by Tarikjot Singh, 23, from her aged care workplace in North Plympton in 2021 and driven to Flinders Ranges where she was murdered and buried in a shallow grave.

Tarikjot Singh, who pleaded guilty to murder in February this year, was obsessed with Jasmeen Kaur and wanted to marry her, according to the victim's mother Rashpal Kaur Gathwal.

Rashpal Kaur told the court in a victim impact statement that she was "tormented at the thought" of what her daughter, Jasmeen Kaur, endured in her final moments, ABC News reported.

"I go through a terrible sequence of events, I wonder when she realised she was in mortal danger," the statement, which was read out by the prosecutors in the court last week, said.

"There was no one to rescue her,

she spent her last hour on this earth with the worst of humanity," the heartbroken mother told the court.

Rashpal Kaur told the court that Tarikjot Singh was obsessed with Jasmeen Kaur, who refused him "one hundred times", and that she would never forgive him for what he had done.

"How can you value a human life so cheaply?" I can't comprehend it. You treated my daughter like she was nothing and disposed of her as (if) she was rubbish," she said, as per ABC News.

Jasmeen Kaur had been living with her relatives in Adelaide and was working as an aged care worker while studying to become a nurse. She was reported missing by them when her employer called her family to ask about her absence from the shift.

According to the police, Jasmeen Kaur was "taken by force" by a man after finishing her shift at Southern Cross Homes in North Plympton just before 10 p.m. on March 5, 2022.

The matter will return to court for sentencing submissions in July.

In South Australia, murder carries a mandatory minimum 20-year non-parole period.

Australian Sikh fined A$57,000 for underpaying Indian student

An Australian court has imposed a penalty of more than A$57,000 on a Melbourne-based painting company owned by a Sikh man for breaches affecting an Indian student working for it

Melbourne, May 26 (IANS) An Australian court has imposed a penalty of more than A$57,000 on a Melbourne-based painting company owned by a Sikh man for breaches affecting an Indian student working for it.

The Federal Circuit and Family Court on Thursday imposed a A$47,952 penalty against the

Mehtaab Group, which operates a business trading as Paint Splash, and A$9,590.04 against the company's sole director and shareholder, Vikramjeet Singh Khalsa.

The penalties were secured by Australian regulatory authority, Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO), which investigated the case after

receiving a request for assistance from the affected Indian.

In June 2021, the FWO found that Mehtaab Group unfairly dismissed the worker, following which it ordered the company to pay the worker $21,491 compensation, plus superannuation, within two weeks.

The company failed to make the payments to the Indian, who was employed by the company for almost a year.

During the investigation, a Fair Work Inspector formed a belief that Mehtaab Group failed to pay the worker's accrued but untaken annual leave entitlements when it dismissed her.

In September 2021, the inspector issued Mehtaab Group with a compliance notice, which required the company to calculate and back-pay any outstanding annual leave entitlements owed to the worker.

Bakery operator penalized $60,480 for exploiting Indian worker in Australia

An Australian court has imposed a penalty of $60,480 on a bakery operator in Melbourne for not giving back-pay entitlements to a worker from India, thus “taking advantage of the migrant worker’s vulnerability”.

response to Gothic Downs failing to comply with compliance notices issued by Australian regulatory authority Fair Work Ombudsman (FWO) in 2019.

Conforto's claim that they were confused about how much was owing to the workers.

Melbourne, May 23 (IANS) An Australian court has imposed a penalty of $60,480 on a bakery operator in Melbourne for not giving back-pay entitlements to a worker from India, thus "taking advantage of the migrant worker's vulnerability".

The Federal Circuit and Family Court imposed a $50,400 penalty against Gothic Downs Pty Ltd, which operates Bakers Boutique & Patisserie outlets, and a $10,080 penalty against the company's sole director Giuseppe Conforto.

Judge Heather Riley inferred that the Indian worker, who was sponsored by Gothic Downs on a Temporary Work Skilled visa, was "vulnerable" and that the company and Conforto "took advantage of her vulnerability".

The penalties were imposed in

The notices required the firm to calculate and back-pay entitlements to two workers, including an Indian, employed at Bakers Boutique & Patisserie outlets in Meadow Heights and Caroline Springs between 2016 and 2018.

The FWO investigated after receiving requests for assistance from the two affected workers -- one of whom was a pastry cook and the other was a sales assistant.

The probe found that Gothic Downs had underpaid the workers' minimum wages, early morning shift rates, weekend and public holiday penalty rates and overtime rates under the General Retail Industry Award 2010, and one of the worker's leave entitlements under the Fair Work Act's National Employment Standards.

Judge Riley found that the breaches were deliberate and rejected the company and

"To my mind, the respondents' protestations ring hollow, in circumstances where they did not pay even the minimum amounts that they conceded were owing until long after the compliance notices required rectification," Judge Riley said. He said there was a need to impose penalties at a level to provide "an adequate deterrent" for the company and "others who may be tempted to behave as they have".

Fair Work Ombudsman Sandra Parker said business operators that fail to act on Compliance Notices need to be aware they can face penalties in court on top of having to back-pay workers. "Employers need to be aware that taking action to protect vulnerable workers like visa holders continues to be a priority for the FWO. Any employees with concerns about their pay or entitlements should contact us for free advice and assistance," she said.

Diaspora wants India-Australia ties to grow stronger: Ex-Consul General

New Delhi, May 21 (IANS) The eight lakh-plus strong Indian diaspora in Australia wants the bilateral relationship to grow stronger and has no major expectations from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's upcoming visit to the country after eight years, says India's former consulateGeneral to Sydney.

After attending key multilateral summits as part of his threenation tour, Modi will land in Australia on May 23 to address more than 20,000 members of the Indian community at the Qudos Bank Arena Stadium in Sydney.

"There are no major expectations that the diaspora has from the visit, apart from seeing the bilateral relationship grow stronger. They feel a sense of pride at the honour bestowed on the prime minister by the Australian side," Amit Dasgupta, Consul-General of India to Sydney from 2009 to 2012, told IANS.

"A transformation in the relationship occurred during the Prime Minister's first visit and since then, all we have seen is a rapid growth in the bilateral relationship cutting across multiple verticals."

In 2014, Modi became the first Indian prime minister to visit Australia after Rajiv Gandhi, where he addressed 20,000 people at the Sydney SuperDome at Olympic Park and said that in coming years more Indian leaders would be visiting Down Under.

"The prime minister's visit is a significant event, especially because he ensures special time in his schedule for interaction with the diaspora, and demonstrates, thereby, the importance he attaches to them," Dasgupta, the Honorary Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia, said.

The visit comes at a crucial juncture when the Indian community faces the brunt of rising Khalistani extremism with their temples and establishments targeted and vandalized with anti-India graffiti.

While India has time and again registered a strong protest with the Australian government asking it to take swift action and bring perpetrators to the book, the attacks have continued, most recently with vandals attacking the BAPS Swaminarayan Temple with "declare Modi terrorist" graffiti.

"With the strengthening of India-Australia relations, it is time to firmly express concern that support to such persons is not in keeping with the spirit of a strategic partnership," Dasgupta said.

According to a research paper by Dasgupta and Pradeep S Mehta, Secretary General of CUTS International, the resident Indian community needs to find a common cause against the proKhalistan and anti-India groups. "Relationship building succeeds only if it is a two-way process that reflects conscious action in favor of the other party's concerns," the paper said.

According to an Australia Today report, Indian community members have written a three-page long letter with 1623 signatures about pain and suffering of Australian Hindus and want to present it to Modi.

The Prime Minister's primary reason for visiting Australia was the Quad Summit, which was canceled after US President Joe Biden pulled out at the last minute.

Australian

teenager fights off monster crocodile attack

A teenager has fought off an attack by a large saltwater crocodile in Australia’s Northern Territory (NT), local media reported on Saturday.

able to get with my thumb first and it didn't let go then I got it an eye with my finger and it opened its mouth."

Canberra, May 27 (IANS) A teenager has fought off an attack by a large saltwater crocodile in Australia's Northern Territory (NT), local media reported on Saturday.

Zefha Butcher was fishing with family on Groote Eylandt off the NT's northeast coast when he was attacked from behind by the 5.4 meter-long crocodile.

The predator held the 19-year-old between its jaws in the water until Butcher was able to poke it in the eye and escape to safety, reports Xinhua news agency.

"It was a really big one that attacked me from the back of the leg," he was quoted by News Corp Australia on Saturday.

"It was hard, like being hit by a car. Then it grabbed me at the top of my waist between my hip bone and thigh and tried to lift me out of the water then fling me into the water in a death roll.

"It took a couple of tries but I was

After escaping from the crocodile, Butcher was taken 200 km to the nearest hospital where he was treated for bites to his legs and hand.

Rangers captured and euthanised the crocodile, which was also responsible for several attacks on dogs in the area, days after the attack in mid-May.

Saltwater crocodiles can grow longer than six meters and are much more aggressive than their freshwater relatives.

They kill large prey by dragging them underwater and rapidly rolling in a maneuver known as the "death roll".

There are approximately 200,000 mature saltwater crocodiles in Australia, more than half of which are in the NT.

Butcher said he was lucky that he was too big for the crocodile to lift him.

"I was too big and he couldn't lift me. He had me in the salt water while he tried to do a roll but I was too big and he couldn't roll me," he said.

Australia sees spike in homelessness amid housing crisis

The number of homeless people in Australia living on the streets or in cars has spiked amid a housing crisis, a report has found.

Canberra, May 23 (IANS) The number of homeless people in Australia living on the streets or in cars has spiked amid a housing crisis, a report has found.

In its Homelessness and Stable Housing Impact Report, charity organization Mission Australia revealed that the demand for its homeless support services has increased by 26 per cent over the last three years, reports Xinhua news agency.

According to the report, the number of people experiencing homelessness has increased by 50 percent in the same period while there has been a 103 per cent increase in people in improvised homes, tents and rough sleeping. Of those who used Mission Australia's homelessness services, 57 per cent were female and 27 percent were Indigenous despite making up about 3 percent of the total population.

"Low-income support payments or low wages, combined with

the stark shortage of social and affordable housing, skyrocketing rental stress and the rising cost of living, have escalated Australia's housing and homelessness situation into a national emergency," said the report. On average, 300 requests for help are turned away every day as more people need help from homelessness services across the country, mainly because there was no accommodation available. Sharon Callister, chief executive of Mission Australia, used the report to call for governments at all levels to act on the housing crisis.

According to data published by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) in April, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rose by 7 per cent in the 12 months to March -down from 7.8 per cent in the year to December.

Experts call for urgent action to reduce NZ’s high aviation emissions

Experts have called for urgent action to reduce New Zealand's high aviation emissions which ranks sixth in the world in terms of per capita emissions.

This rapid growth path is incompatible with the Paris Agreement on climate change, according to research conducted by scholars from the Victoria University of Wellington and Massey University.

UN working on facilitation of Russian food and fertilizer exports

The world body continues to push for Russian food and fertilizer exports as a parallel agreement with the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which allows Ukrainian agricultural exports from Black Sea ports, said a UN spokesman.

Welliington, May 26 (IANS)

Experts have called for urgent action to reduce New Zealand's high aviation emissions which ranks sixth in the world in terms of per capita emissions.

New Zealand's total emissions rose 116 per cent from 1990 to 2019, reports Xinhua news agency.

Reducing air travel is challenging for New Zealand considering its remote location, high proportion of globally dispersed families, tourism industry, and poor public land transport system, said the research article published on Friday in the Journal of the Royal Society of New Zealand.

While technological innovations

have been proposed to reduce emissions, researchers said that none of these will lead to a significant reduction in the short to medium term, and that "the growth in air traffic seems likely to defeat even the most ambitious technological improvements". Researchers called for a national aviation action plan including avoiding air trips or shifting them to lower impact modes of transport, noting the need for urgent action to ensure that aviation emissions remain permanently below 2019 levels.

US congressional panel on China suggests NATO+ status for India

A US congressional committee has recommended that India should be added to an expanded group of close American allies currently called NATO+5 as part of a broader effort to deter any Chinese military aggression against Taiwan.

Washington, May 27 (IANS) A US congressional committee has recommended that India should be added to an expanded group of close American allies currently called NATO+5 as part of a broader effort to deter any Chinese military aggression against Taiwan.

The panel also suggested that to improve the effectiveness of economic sanctions the US must coordinate them with the Quad, an Indo-Pacific-centric group US forms with India, Australia and Japan, and other alliances and partnerships.

"The US should strengthen the NATO Plus arrangement to include India," said the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition between the US and the Chinese Communist Party in a report released on Wednesday titled "Ten for Taiwan policy recommendations to preserve peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait".

The NATO+5 group currently comprises all 31 member countries of NATO and Australia, New Zealand, Israel, Japan and South Korea, all countries that have bilateral defense and security treaties with the US. India doesn't have a defense treaty with the US, but the latter has granted it the unique status of a "Major Defence Partner" with Strategic Trade Authorization 1 (STA-1) category facilitating license exemption for importing sensitive technology.

NATO Plus countries enjoy better access to America's vaunted defense industry and technology. This is the first report from the select committee which was formed in January by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a

Republican, to guide congress on competing with and countering China.

The committee has bipartisan support from both parties and the attention of the White House, which has had a testy relationship with Beijing so far, starting with a verbal free-for-all between their top foreign policy and national security officials at a meeting in Alaska in 2021, to recent tensions over a spy balloon that floated over the American mainland for days before US fighter jets shot it down over the Atlantic Ocean.

"Winning the strategic competition with the Chinese Communist Party and ensuring the security of Taiwan demands the US strengthen ties to our allies and security partners, including India," said Raja Krishnamoorthi, the highest ranking Democrat on the committee.

"Including India in NATO Plus security arrangements would build upon the US and India's close partnership to strengthen global security and deter the aggression of the CCP across the Indo-Pacific region."

NATO Plus status for India has been bandied about for years now, but without fruition. It made it quite far in one instance and cleared the House of Representatives as part of the National Defense Authorization Act, which is the Defence Department's budget, but came up short.

Ro Khanna, a Democratic member of the House, had introduced legislation to add India to the group some years ago.

A move is underway this time to include it in the National Defense

Authorization Act for 2024, as part of the main legislation and not as an amendment, which are seemingly easier to jettison during passage. And, most importantly, efforts are afoot to win over Senator Bob Menendez, chairman of the powerful foreign relations committee, who is said to be the only man standing in the way of India becoming a NATO Plus country. He is a Russia hawk and wrote the legislation that is now known as the Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), which calls for sanctioning countries that make significant arms purchases from Russia. He is upset with India because of its purchase of Russian S-400 air defense systems. The China select committee's recommendations are in the nature of policy guidance for the US congress and reflects growing American desire to loop India into a larger plan to to prepare for a confrontation with China, which many US military experts have said is inevitable and most likely over Taiwan.

General Mike Minihan, a top US general, wrote in an internal memo earlier this year: "I hope I am wrong. My gut tells me we will fight in 2025." And President Joe Biden has now repeatedly said that he will send forces to defend Taiwan if it is attacked by China. "Economic sanctions will be most effective if key allies such as G7, NATO, NATO+5, and Quad members join, and negotiating a joint response and broadcasting this message publicly has the added benefit of enhancing deterrence," the report said, seeking to further draw India into US plans for a confrontation with China.

United Nations, May 27 (IANS)

The world body continues to push for Russian food and fertilizer exports as a parallel agreement with the Black Sea Grain Initiative, which allows Ukrainian agricultural exports from Black Sea ports, said a UN spokesman. UN Conference on Trade and Development chief Rebeca Grynspan and her team are continuing to "work full steam" ahead to ensure the full implementation of the memorandum of understanding on Russian food and fertilizer exports, said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres.

The UN side is working with the African Export-Import Bank to design a trade finance platform to enable efficient transactions between Russian exporters of food and fertilizers and African buyers, he was quoted as saying by Xinhua news agency.

The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement on Thursday that if Rosselkhozbank is not connected to SWIFT and there is no progress

on the implementation of other systemic problems that are blocking Russian agricultural exports, the Black Sea Grain Initiative will also have to look for alternatives.

"It is clear that the re-inclusion of the Russian banks involved in the trade in fertilizer and food, which are not under sanctions, would facilitate the implementation. But as you well know, that's not a decision that is within the UN's own wheelhouse," said the UN spokesman.

"We're trying to push things forward on different tracks, all with the same aim of getting as much food and fertilizer to those who desperately need it," he explained.

The Black Sea Grain Initiative was signed separately by Russia and Ukraine in Istanbul with Turkey and the United Nations on July 22, 2022. The deal, initially in effect for 120 days, was extended in mid-November 2022 for another 120 days till March 18, 2023. At that point, Russia only agreed to extend the deal for 60 days, till May 18, 2023. On May 17, Russia agreed to extend the deal for another 60 days.

As a parallel agreement, Russia and the United Nations signed a memorandum of understanding on the facilitation of Russian food and fertilizer exports.

Baltic PMs, German Chancellor meet in Tallinn

The Prime Ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania discussed with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in the Estonian capital Tallinn on security issues, according to a spokesman for the Latvian Prime Minister.

attended also by Latvian Prime Minister Krisjanis Karins and Lithuanian Prime Minister Ingrida Simonyte, Xinhua news agency reported.

Topics discussed included foreign and security policy, preparations for the upcoming NATO summit in Vilnius of Lithuania, and energy policy.

Riga, May 27 (IANS) The Prime Ministers of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania discussed with German Chancellor Olaf Scholz in the Estonian capital Tallinn on security issues, according to a spokesman for the Latvian Prime Minister.

A bilateral meeting between Estonian Prime Minister Kaja Kallas and Scholz on Friday was followed by a working dinner

Speaking at a news conference following the talks with the Baltic Prime Ministers, Scholz commended good cooperation between the three Baltic countries and Germany in the framework of NATO and the European Union.

Scholz said that Germany has expanded its support to Baltic countries, which includes the presence of soldiers in Lithuania and the construction of infrastructure.

Cocaine detected in Imran’s urine samples, claims Health Minister

Pakistan’s Minister for National Health Services, Abdul Qadir Patel, claimed on Friday that alcohol and cocaine were detected in the urine samples of former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, which were taken after his arrest on May 9 by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), media reports said.

and appears under stress with anxiety symptoms. There was extensive anger/anxiety about the events happening in the last few weeks. He had little insight into the seriousness and reality of the current situation. The mental stability is questionable. There were some inappropriate gestures."

PPP to back bid to ban PTI: Bilawal tells Shehbaz

Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said his Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) will not resist any move to impose a ban on the Imran Khan led-PTI “for promoting extremism and violence”.

(the PTI) have crossed the red line," he said.

"What can we do if a political party wants to be turned into a militant organisation," he asked rhetorically.

Islamabad, May 26 (IANS)

Pakistan's Minister for National Health Services, Abdul Qadir Patel, claimed on Friday that alcohol and cocaine were detected in the urine samples of former Prime Minister and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan, which were taken after his arrest on May 9 by the National Accountability Bureau (NAB), media reports said.

"On May 9, Imran Khan Niazi was presented before the medical board for examination. When he was taken into custody by the NAB, he was in an intoxicated state," Qadir claimed at a press

conference here, The Express Tribune reported.

The medical board, according to Patel, found Khan to be a "habitual user of illegal substances" as evidence of the presence of alcohol and cocaine in his urine samples was found, the report said.

Qadir also said the board has come to the conclusion that the PTI chief was under severe psychological pressure.

Qadir also distributed Khan's medical report to the journalists during the press conference which stated: "The gentleman [Imran Khan] was examined

"If the Supreme Court deems Imran Khan mentally unstable, we will accept the court's decision," Qadir added. He even suggested keeping the PTI chief in Giddu Bandar Mental Hospital in Hyderabad "as a guest".

The Health Minister said that after the attack in November 2022, Khan's leg was hit by bullet fragments, and he plastered it, saying it was a fracture. But there is no mention of a fracture in his leg in his medical reports, he claimed, The Express Tribune reported. He also asked which plaster in the world remains on the leg for six months. Qadir said that doctors who recommended Khan to wear plaster cast for a period of six months will also be summoned.

PM Modi conferred with Papua New Guinea’s highest civilian award

Governor General Sir Bob Dadae." Meanwhile, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said: "An honour emblematic of depth of IndiaPapua New Guinea relationship. Governor-General Sir Bob Dadae of Papua New Guinea conferred PM Modi with country's highest civilian award, Grand Companion of the Order of Logohu (GCL)." Very few non residents of Papua New Guinea have received this award.

This came immediately after Fiji also conferred their highest award to Modi.

In an earlier tweet, the PMO said: "PM Narendra Modi has been conferred the highest honour of Fiji, the Companion of the Order of Fiji. It was presented to him by PM Sitiveni Rabuka."

Islamabad, May 26 (IANS)

Pakistan Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari said his Pakistan People's Party (PPP) will not resist any move to impose a ban on the Imran Khan led-PTI "for promoting extremism and violence".

Earlier, Bilawal had voiced his disagreement when some PML-N leaders proposed a ban on PTI as a political party, reports Dawn news.

He made these remarks while speaking to the media in Islamabad, which echoed the sentiments he expressed during the meeting with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as well.

"I have opposed the move to ban PTI in the federal cabinet, but now we can do nothing as they

On setting up military courts to prosecute PTI supporters who were involved in riots and violence on May 9, the PPP chairman said his party will support anything done under the law and Constitution, Dawn reported.

Although he endorsed the trial under the Army Act, 1952, the PPP leader ruled out the possibility of a constitutional amendment to establish new military courts. The courts could be formed under the Army Act and thus, there was no need for a constitutional amendment, he added.

Bilawal has made his intentions clear, the opinion within the PPP was divided on both issues -- the establishment of military courts and a ban on PTI, Dawn reported.

Talking to Dawn, PPP leader Farhatullah Babar said Bilawal met Sharif for the first time since the PPP's Central Executive Committee meeting on May 19.

Travel to India proved productive for Pakistan: Bilawal

Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who became the first Pakistani Foreign Minister to travel to India since 2011 for a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting earlier this month, said the trip “proved productive and positive” for Islamabad.

two-day event was hosted by External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar as India is currently holding the SCO Presidency.

Islamabad, May 26 (IANS)

Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, who became the first Pakistani Foreign Minister to travel to India since 2011 for a Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) meeting earlier this month, said the trip "proved productive and positive" for Islamabad.

"We thought we should project Pakistan's case and point of view in front of not only Indian but the other participant countries," the Minister said at the briefing, adding that positive and productive meetings with all the Foreign Ministers of the member countries were held on the sideline of the event.

New Delhi, May 22 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Monday conferred with the Companion of the order of Logohu by Papua New Guinea, the nation's highest civilian award for championing the cause of unity of Pacific Island countries and

spearheading the cause of Global South.

In a tweet, the Prime Minister's Office said: "Papua New Guinea has conferred the Companion of the Order of Logohu on PM Narendra Nodi. It was presented to him by Papua New Guinea

The Prime Minister arrived on his second leg of visit to Papua New Guinea on Sunday after attending G7 Summit in Japan's Hiroshima.

After his visit to Papua New Guinea, Modi will travel to Sydney at the invitation of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

In a briefing to a Senate panel on Thursday, the Minister said: "As far as the Kashmir issue, bilateral issues between Pakistan and India and the responsibilities of multilateralism are concerned, my conclusion after the trip is that it is a productive and positive decision to participate in the event," reports Dawn news.

Bilawal had attended the SCO Council of Foreign Ministers meeting on May 5 in Goa. The

Bilawal also said that Pakistan would host the SCO conference in 2026-2027 and "there was hope" his Indian counterpart would attend the meeting.

During the Goa meeting, Bilawal and Jaishankar did not hold any bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the event.

The last time a Foreign Minister of Pakistan came to India was in July 2011 when the then-Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar visited for peace talks.

WORLD THIS WEEK

In collaboration with National Institute for Advanced Studies, Bengaluru Authored by Harini Madhusudan, Rashmi Ramesh, Akriti Sharma, Ankit Singh, Padmashree Anandhan, Anu Maria Joseph, Femy Francis, Rishika Yadav, Jerry Franklin, Sreeja J S, Immaculine, R B Nithyashree, Lakshmi Parimala, Taffy Tonia, Subkish S and Melvin George

Japan: Japan and China Initiate First Use of New Military Hotline

concern in Bangladesh regarding India’s support for PM Hasina. Speaking at the Indian Ocean Countries Conference (IOCC), Ms Hasina emphasized the need for ‘maritime diplomacy’ and promoting the ‘culture of peace’ in the IOR and sought international support in the repatriation of the Rohingyas.

The opening of the border will make it easier for goods and people to move between the two countries, boosting economic cooperation. Pakistan also highlighted the importance of opening new border markets and completing the long-delayed Pakistan-Iran gas pipeline for energy cooperation.

Reykjavik. European Union and 44 other countries have either joined or expressed their intention to join the Register until now.

to criticize him for his push for spending cuts in the face of so much need.

The US: Biden Administration

On 16 May, following lengthy negotiations to establish a communication channel, Japan and China employed a recently established military hotline for the first time, as confirmed by their respective defence ministries. Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada engaged in a 20-minute conversation with his Chinese counterpart, Mr Li Shangfu, as reported by Tokyo's ministry. Discussions encompassed security concerns between the two nations, including the situation in the East China Sea, with Minister Hamada stressing the importance of open dialogue, particularly during strained Japan-China relations. Japan, cautious of China's increasing military capabilities, has publicly objected to Chinese vessel presence near disputed territories and regions like Okinawa.

India: The vision of the IndoPacific is a reality in the 21st century, says the external affairs minister

India: Operation Karuna continues to be the first responder in the region

Israel: Palestine's President Abbas requests the cancellation of Israel’s UN membership

According to Icelandic Prime Minister Katrín Jakobsdóttir, this register is crucial to make Russia accountable for its war crimes in Ukrainian territory and a strong message of support to Ukraine. The Register is initially for three years to record damage, loss, and injury caused by the Russian aggression to serve as a record of evidence and claims for any future international compensatory mechanism for the victims of the war. Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the Council of Europe. He welcomed the Register of Damage and urged other countries to join.

USD 11 billion in funding to promote renewable energy in rural communities

On 12 May, attending the 6th Indian Ocean Conference in Dhaka, External Affairs Minister Dr S. Jaishankar highlighted the growing reality of the Indo-Pacific. He stated that the materialization of the Indo-Pacific marks a transition from the framework of 1945. On his two-day visit to Dhaka, Mr Jaishankar held bilateral discussions with PM Hasina and his counterpart Dr AK Abdul Momen. Owing to the upcoming elections in Bangladesh, Mr Jaishankar’s visit stands significant, as there is a

On 18 May, three Indian Navy ships arrived in Myanmar, being the first naval ships to arrive at Yangon with relief material. This was carried out as a part of ‘Operation Karuna’ launched by the Indian government to assist the cyclone-hit Myanmar. The three ships, INS Shivalik, INS Kanorta and INS Savitri have been deployed, carrying more than 40 tonnes of Humanitarian and Disaster Relief (HADR) material, including emergency food items, tents, portable generators, clothes, water pumps, medicines, tarpaulins, hygiene and sanitary items, wheelchair, face masks etc. Another ship, INS Gharial was deployed on 19 May which included emergency medicines and medical kits. Cyclone Mocha hit Bangladesh and Myanmar, causing widespread destruction and killing hundreds.

Pakistan: Opening new Border marketplace, Pakistan-Iran cooperation

On 15 May, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas prompted the UN to revoke Israel's membership until it ceases its attack and complies with UN resolutions at the UN celebration of the flight of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians after Nakba (Catastrophe of 1948 for Palestinians). Abbas added that Nakba did not start in 1948 and it did not stop after that date. Further, Rosemary DiCarlo, the UN’s undersecretarygeneral for political affairs and peacebuilding, reiterated the UN’s “clear position” in wanting the end of Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories. Despite that, Israel’s Foreign Minister iterated that they will fight the ‘Nakba’ lie with full strength and won’t allow the Palestinians to continue to spread lies and distort history.

Europe: African countries plan Russia-Ukraine peace process

On 16 May, South African President Cyril Ramphosa said that African heads of State will visit Moscow and Kyiv to propose their peace plan in a briefing. The meeting took place in Cape Town where Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong was also present. Zambia, Senegal, the Republic of Congo, Uganda, Egypt along with South Africa will be part of the mediation process. He added that he met with Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 12 May and they both agreed to host the African leaders.

The US: Anti-abortion groups file lawsuit against abortion pill On 17 May, the panel of three judges at the US 5th Circuit Court of Appeals hammered the Food and Drug Administration and a pharmaceutical company during arguments over the abortion pill mifepristone. The case was filed by the Alliance for Hippocratic Medicine, a group of anti-abortion doctors seeking to remove mifepristone from the US market. The outcome of the hearing might determine whether women continue to have access to what has become the most prevalent type of abortion in the United States. The decision was expected to be made as the arguments concluded. Once a decision is made, it is likely to be appealed to the US Supreme Court.

The US: Republican states to suffer the most in the US debt ceiling battle

On 18 May, US Department of Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack announced a USD 11 billion investment to bring affordable clean energy to rural communities through two programs, announced by Tom Vilsack. He said: “Rural electric cooperatives, renewable energy companies, and electric utilities will be able to apply for funding”.The Empowering Rural America program and the Powering Affordable Clean Energy program will provide affordable clean energy to vulnerable, disadvantaged, and Indigenous communities, but there is tension between building a clean energy infrastructure and mining the materials needed for it. The ERA Program and Rural Energy for America Program could have a significant impact on rural America, with funding from the Inflation Reduction Act.

The US: Department of Justice targeting cryptocurrency exchanges

On 18 May, Prime Minister

Shehbaz Sharif and Iranian President Seyed Ebrahim Raisi inaugurated a new marketplace called the Mand-Pishin border sustenance marketplace. They have also established the PolanGabd electricity transmission line. A statement by the Foreign Office said: “The Polan-Gabd electricity transmission line plays a pivotal role in meeting the energy needs of the region, including households and businesses, by bringing in additional 100 MW electricity from Iran.” The trade volume between the two countries is around USD 2 billion.

Europe: Council of Europe creates a register of damage for Ukraine

reported that The US Department of Justice (DOJ) is targeting crypto companies that engage in crimes themselves or allow crimes like money laundering to happen, according to Eun Young Choi, director of the National Cryptocurrency Enforcement Team (NCET). The DOJ is targeting crypto companies that engage in crimes themselves or allow crimes like money laundering to happen.

About the Authors

On 17 May, Council of Europe leaders announced the creation of the Register of Damage for Ukraine through an Enlarged Partial Agreement in its summit between 16 and 17 May in

On 18 May, Reuters reported that Republican-leaning states like Louisiana stand to lose more than Democratic-leaning states under the spending cuts backed by House Republicans. A Republican US Representative, Clay Higgins has been a vocal advocate for spending cuts in Washington, while his constituents in Louisiana rely heavily on federal dollars. He said: "While devoting myself to restoring fiscal sanity in Congress, I am a practical man and I follow the rules of Congress as I serve my constituents,". He has been instrumental in securing disaster aid and funding for various projects in his district. He has voted against the 2021 infrastructure package but has secured USD 50 million for two local hospitals and USD 9 million to build a holding pen for the muck dredged up from the channel that connects the port to the Gulf of Mexico. However, some local leaders are reluctant

Harini Madhusudan, Rashmi Ramesh, Akriti Sharma and Ankit Singh are PhD scholars in the School of Conflict and Security Studies at the National Institute of Advanced Studies. Padmashree Anandhan, Anu Maria Joseph, and Femy Francis are Research Associates at NIAS. Rishika Yadav, Jerry Franklin, Sreeja J S, Immaculine, R B Nithyashree, Lakshmi Parimala, Taffy Tonia, Subkish S and Melvin George are Research Interns at NIAS.

The report has been modified by India News for space considerations.

Comparative advertising allowed, disparagement prohibited: Delhi HC

New Delhi, May 18 (IANS) The Delhi High Court has shed light on the boundaries of comparative advertising, stating that while it is permissible to showcase a competing product, denigrating or disparaging the rival's product is impermissible.

Justice C. Hari Shankar emphasized the importance of maintaining a subtle distinction between highlighting the superiority of one's own goods and claiming the inferiority of the competitor's product.

The court observed that an advertisement cannot assert that a competitor's goods are bad, undesirable, or inferior.

These observations came in a case where Reckitt Benckiser Private Ltd sought an ad interim injunction against Wipro Enterprises Private Ltd's advertisement for its Santoor handwash, alleging that it disparaged their product, Dettol handwash.

However, the court dismissed

Reckitt Benckiser's plea, stating that the impugned advertisement did not belittle Dettol or any other hand wash.

"Within the limits of permissible assertions, comparative advertising is protected under Article 19(1)(a) as commercial speech. In comparative advertising, a certain amount of disparagement is implicit," the court said.

Highlighting the need to consider the advertisement as a whole rather than frame by frame, the court contended that while an advertiser may make an unfavorable comparison while promoting a product, it does not necessarily affect the overall storyline, or message, or result in a negative comparison.

"The advertisement should be viewed from the perspective of an ordinary viewer, without the specific intention of identifying disparagement. The words used in the advertisement should be understood in their natural,

Mukesh Ambani joins COP28 Advisory Committee

general, and usual sense, as per common understanding," Justice Shankar clarified.

The court further stated that urging the public to choose the advertised product over others is not objectionable in law, as long as no message disparaging or denigrating the rival product.

"The reasonable and right thinking viewer, if he desires to try Santoor after seeing the impugned advertisement in place of Dettol, or any other hand wash that he was earlier using, would do so not because the impugned advertisement denigrates other hand washes as being bereft of moisturizing or softening capabilities, but because Santoor contains sandal, and sandal moisturizes," the court said. "There is an ocean of difference between these two impressions. The first disparages; the second does not. In my opinion, the impugned advertisement is on this side of the lakshman rekha, not that," the court said.

Scindia voices concern over Go First crisis, says committed to support airlines

responsibility of each company to address its individual issues.

He assured that the Ministry remains committed to supporting airlines in overcoming any underlying problems they may face.

Meanwhile, Go Airlines has extended the suspension of flight operations till May 26.

Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries, has been appointed as the member of Advisory Committee to the President of the 28th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Indian, other than Sunita Narain, Director General, Centre for Science and Environment, on the Advisory Committee to the President of COP28.

New Delhi, May 26 (IANS)

Mukesh Ambani, Chairman and Managing Director, Reliance Industries, has been appointed as the member of Advisory Committee to the President of the 28th Session of the Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

The COP28 UAE Advisory Committee brings together the climate expertise of thought leaders from countries across six continents. Representing policy, industry, energy, finance, civil society, youth, and humanitarian action, the 31 members of the Committee, of which 65 per cent are from the Global South, will provide guidance and counsel to the COP Presidency in the run up to COP28 and beyond.

New Delhi, May 18 (IANS) in the wake of budget airline Go First going for insolvency resolution proceedings due to financial difficulties, Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia on Thursday expressed concern over the situation, acknowledging that it is not favorable for the industry. Talking to reporters here, he emphasized that while Go First's financial challenges impact the civil aviation sector, it is the

Earlier, on May 10, the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) admitted the voluntary insolvency petition filed by the airline and appointed Abhilash Lal as the Interim Resolution Professional (IRP).

The Principal Bench of NCLT, New Delhi also declared a moratorium for the company and directed the suspended Board of Directors to cooperate with the IRP.

The NCLT has also ordered the suspended management to

deposit Rs 5 crore for the IRP to meet the immediate expenses to be adjusted by the Committee of Creditors (COC) to be formed soon.

It had also ordered the company from retrenching any of its employees.

Blaming global aircraft engine maker Pratt & Whitney of not providing spare engines for defective ones resulting in the grounding of nearly half of its fleet, Go First Airlines had approached the NCLT with a petition for resolution on May 2.

In reaction, Pratt & Whitney's spokesperson in a statement said: "Go First's (Go Airlines brand) allegations that Pratt & Whitney is responsible for its financial condition are without merit. Pratt & Whitney will vigorously defend itself against Go's claims, and is pursuing its own legal recourse."

Adani Group’s Thiruvananthapuram airport goes hi-tech with six e-gates

The Thiruvananthapuram international airport, ever since it was taken over by Adani Group, has been undergoing rampant changes - the latest being six e-gates with QR code scanners installed in the pre-Security Hold Area (SHA) of the airport’s domestic and international terminals.

Thiruvananthapuram, May 26

(IANS) The Thiruvananthapuram international airport, ever since it was taken over by Adani Group, has been undergoing rampant changes - the latest being six e-gates with QR code scanners installed in the pre-Security Hold Area (SHA) of the airport's

domestic and international terminals.

After checking in, passengers can enter the SHA by scanning their boarding pass at the e-gates. Previously, the officials directly checked the boarding pass and admitted the passengers, but from now on, it will be a smooth

Mukesh Ambani joined other important global leaders on the COP28 Advisory Council such as Larry Fink, Chairman and CEO of BlackRock, Olafur Grimsson, Chairman of Arctic Circle (Former President of Iceland), Laurent Fabius, President of COP21 / Paris Agreement, Former Prime Minister of France, Francesco La Camera, Director General, International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), Bob Dudley, Chair of the Oil & Gas Climate Initiative (OGCI), former CEO of BP.

Mukesh Ambani is the only

The UNFCCC Secretariat announced in January 2023 appointed Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology and UAE Special Envoy for Climate Change, as COP 28 President-Designate.

UAE has been chosen to host the 28th session of the Conference of Parties (COP 28) to the UNFCCC (United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change) from November 30, 2023 to December 12, 2023. It will be held at Dubai Expo City.

India leads with 27% share of global smartwatch shipments

Global smartwatch shipments contracted 1.5 per cent (year-on-year) in the first quarter this year and the 121 per cent growth in India’s shipments managed to restrict the decline, a report showed on Friday

New Delhi, May 26 (IANS)

Global smartwatch shipments contracted 1.5 per cent (yearon-year) in the first quarter this year and the 121 per cent growth in India's shipments managed to restrict the decline, a report showed on Friday.

In terms of the regional markets, India surpassed North America, reclaiming its position as the top region with a 27 per cent share of global smartwatch shipments, according to Counterpoint Research.

customer needs at a reasonable price point.

This was the second consecutive quarter of a YoY decrease in global shipments (Q4 2022 saw 8 cent decline), which were hit by the seasonal decline in demand for products from major players like Apple and Samsung, along with consumer sentiment dampened by global financial pressures.

entry for the passengers and much faster, avoiding long queues during peak hours.

Another feature is that these e-gates will help airlines easily locate passengers within the terminal and improve airport security.

"India's smartwatch market grew 121 per cent YoY driven by affordability, rising customer demand and availability of a wide variety of options in the budget segment. Around 40 per cent of the total shipments were driven by the less than Rs 2,000 price band, its highest proportion ever," said senior analyst Anshika Jain.

The share of India-based players crossed 90 per cent for the first time as they were quick in terms of upgrading their portfolios and adapting their products to

Fire-Boltt surpassed Samsung for the first time in the global smartwatch market, capturing the second spot, according to Counterpoint Research.

"Amid a global slowdown in demand for tech devices, the smartwatch consumption trend has also undergone a transformation. The market share of high-price and high-performance HLOS smartwatches, primarily released by Apple and Samsung, decreased from 60 per cent in Q1 2022 to 53 per cent in Q1 2023," said Research Analyst Woojin Son.

From the editor’s desk

Shedding the power-tag, G7 must re-invent itself

The global political environment is in an incessant flux, and people of countries, developed and developing alike, are for observance of democratic norms in the dealings of international politics. The sharp line dividing the developed and the developing or the underdeveloped must not become a hurdle while conducting international matters anymore. There was a time when G7 enjoyed an unparalleled clout in the world. But as people started educating themselves about human rights, and understood the business of politics and nuances of leadership, they no longer worshipped their leaders as a matter of blind faith. Leaders may forget the lessons of history, being guided by political ambitions alone, people do not. Valuebased politics that adheres to the norms of humanity and universal brotherhood must form the bedrock of diplomacy and international politics. It now looks irrelevant and out-of-place for countries that espouse imperialism and colonialism. In a world that is seeing more and more people becoming increasingly aware of blunders committed in history by their own governments and by others, the conditions are no longer rife where people’s aspirations for a peaceful world order can be easily trampled underfoot.

Therefore when G7 leaders' annual summit was organized recently amid waves of protests, in a place like Hiroshima that has history of its own, a history mankind cannot be proud of, people’s rage and impatience was understandable. It was not very far from Hiroshima's Funairi Daiichi Park, the summit's venue, where hundreds of protesters from all over Japan, even abroad, gathered to show their disapproval against a bloc that advertises and propagates its own version of world order. People no longer trust all of their leaders everywhere. And G7 countries have hitherto done mighty little towards ending the Ukraine war. War ought to be the last resort to resolve any conflict. G7 countries ought to have taken collective diplomatic initiatives to bring both Russia and Ukraine to the negotiating table. On the contrary supplying weapons alone to Ukraine and not making any sustained effort to end the war and bring peace in the region does not augur well for a world that is already facing several challenges.

Then, there are issues of civil wars and violence in many African countries. It is

not beyond the powers of G7 countries to act collectively to end wars because most of these countries are dependent on the developed countries to run their respective economies. The pandemic ought to have taught the world to unite in acting against every force that is inimical to the interests of humanity. But poverty and economic recessions are still a reality, which have engulfed even the developed world now. Housing crisis is fast emerging across the world and will assume pandemic proportions if not acted upon in time.

State-sponsored terrorism, augmented by non-state actors in support of it, continues to be a threat that has not been adequately addressed. There are other threats too. Climate change is one. But talk of solutions to this crisis is still more or less in the realms of rhetoric, with a lack of strong will to act in a manner that is urgently needed.

Then there are issues of rising problems of cyber security, and unbridled development of artificial intelligence. The field of artificial intelligence is still a grey area, which is why the risks are unknown and of potentially unpalatable consequences.

So when placards and banners of protestors read "No Warthemed Conference," "Hands off on Ukraine," and "No to Japan-US military alliance" in Fukuromachi Park, where the protesters were gathering recently, the message is loud and clear; people expect real solutions to real problems. People expect to see their governments and leaders act together in the larger interest of peace and humanity, and progress for all. The people throughout the world, especially the ones from the developed world, understand that the colossal resources at the disposal of their respective governments can be used for constructive, progressive and creative purposes. The world has reached an era where nature’s message to humankind through natural calamities and pandemics is to unite and work towards larger goals. The James Webb telescope has shown that the universe is larger than we expected. Thus there are larger goals for humanity to achieve, even cosmic ones. The earthlings must, therefore, desist from the pursuance of their narrow interests and look beyond their respective shores to the vast expanse of progressive activities ahead. G7 therefore has to reinvent itself, and redefine and reframe its goals and objectives along the lines of betterment of humanity alone. Only then will protests against it stop, when G7 is able to get back the faith and support of the people at large, by fulfilling the aspirations of people.

Of Modi and his bonhomie with Indian Diaspora

Indian Diaspora has been contributing to the economies and societies they inhabit across the world since ages. They carry the cultural ethos of a great nation to other countries, and have proved, time and again, their mettle and prowess giving India a sense of pride beyond its own shores. And what ignites the passion of this Diaspora is to have the backing of a leader from its land of origin, a leader who has always made it a point during his visits to different countries to address them, and make them feel they are the pride of the nation of their origin. It is in this context that all Modi’s international visits to countries assume great significance. And Modi does not do it alone; rather he brings the Presidents and the Prime Ministers of the countries he visits to the assembly of Indian Diaspora congregated to listen to him. Be it ‘Howdy Modi’ in US in 2019, along with President Trump, or Prime Minister Antony Albanese this time in Sydney, Modi epitomizes the Indian culture which is for observing the sanctity of being the host and the guest. Both as the host and the guest, a person has to conform to norms of propriety and sanctify the occasion. Modi does that with incredible ease and humility, though he represents world’s largest democracy and a country aspiring to become powerful, economically, militarily and culturally. There is no dearth of love, reverence and sanctity in the air when Modi is around and none can avoid listening to him or miss the opportunity of meeting him or even watching him from a distance, if an opportunity presents itself. His quality of becoming a host from being a guest in every milieu is a tribute to India’s ancient spiritual tradition that teaches the lesson of deepening ties of friendship and connecting to all.

Modi’s persona has impressed leaders across the countries of the world, and barring those who harbour political parochialism, no one has found him to be a leader only of and for the Hindus in India and elsewhere. During the sudden outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in the world, Modi showed his leadership not only in helping his own people in India

but also took measures to fulfil the need for help of people in many countries across the world. This is precisely why President Marape of New Papua Guinea showed his gratitude when Modi visited the island nation recently. Modi’s bonhomie with Indian Diaspora has been instrumental in kindling a spirit of enthusiasm and pride among the members of the Indian community throughout the world. The Indian Prime Minister is aware of the potential of the members of Indian Diaspora who have proved themselves in a different land and have contributed to the successes of their adopted nation. In this context, connecting with Indian community in Australia is of great significance for the Indian Prime Minister, who by his gesture of love and respect for the community has reinvigorated them, instilling in them a faith in their own ability and wisdom. That Australia now names a place as ‘Little India’ is no surprise. Indians make every place their own as the culture of India is to render service to others and feel a sense of brotherhood wherever its people go. And Australia being a great nation that it already is, with its vibrant multicultural ethos and a strong democracy, and a compassionate government that works relentlessly for the welfare of all, people of India migrating to Australia have found a country they can identify with and relate to, and therefore feel at home. In Prime Minister Albanese the people of Indianorigin find a leader who considers compassionately the needs of every community and the one who works relentlessly to fulfil their demands, striving to make them feel the joy and satisfaction of being in a country that respects the highest ideals of humanity. In that respect Modi connects well with the Australian leaders as they all believe in the strengths of democracy and cultural diversity.

Modi as a charismatic leader inspires confidence among Indians. When he arrived in Sydney recently, the Indian community welcomed amid chants of 'Hail Modi', 'Vanakkam Modi', 'Namaste Modi' and 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai'. In fact a member of the Indian community was heard saying, "Modi ji we have great

hopes from you," as the Indian Prime Minister shook hands with the community members. Since his last visit to Australia in 2014, Modi’s stature as a leader has grown both in India and internationally. The epithet of Modi being only a Hindu leader is now slowly giving way to a leader of the masses and for the masses. No doubt the Indian Prime Minister likes to call himself ‘pradhan sewak’ rather than ‘pradhan mantri’, which is a reflection of his personal philosophy to serve the masses.

At the Qudos Bank Arena, on May 23, when Modi along with his Australian counterpart Albanese addressed a gathering of some 20,000 Indian community members, the rapt attention with which people listened to him, and their expression of love for him through the “Modi, Modi” chants that only grew louder as the special community event progressed, shows how passionate the Indian community is to experience the connection with a leader who represents millions of people from the nation of their origin. Indians are by nature emotional and passionate about their culture, values and their work. And it is because of the power and influence of Indian Diaspora that India’s stature has risen internationally. Investments flow into India, and even powerful countries have begun to acknowledge India as a ‘Vishwa guru’. Wherever there is a calamity or war, Indians reach out to people in distress to render help. In Australia, Indian religious organizations have fed and rendered help to needy people during the pandemic crisis. India’s fame internationally has been owing to the great work done by its Diaspora. What has been heartening is the kind of recognition the Australian government and leaders across political parties have given to the contribution of people of Indian-origin to Australia. Be it the renaming of a street to ‘Sailani Avenue’ to honour an Indian soldier’s sacrifice for the Australian nation during the First World War, or naming a place as ‘Little India’, all these gestures show the great culture of the Australian nation that acknowledges and recognizes the contributions of all sections of its population and is committed to build a cohesive Australian society that respects multicultural ethos.

Indian Diaspora is the Real Boss

Dr Ashutosh Misra CEO, Institute for Australia India Engagement, Project Leader Multicultural-Queensland Cricket and Editor-in-Chief Australia India News

When the world’s largest democracy’s prime minister, riding a 76% global approval ratings as the ‘most popular world leader’ descended upon Sydney— the city, social media and the mainstream media were awestruck by ‘Modi mania’. It was a much-awaited visit for both, Australia as well as the 800,000 strong Indian diaspora. In front of the 20,000 plus mesmerised Indian diaspora at the Sydney Olympic Park, Prime Minister Narendra Modi began his speech by reminding, “I had promised you during the 2014 visit that you won’t have to wait for 28 years for the next prime ministerial visit”.

The visit transpired despite the Quad summit cancellation due to US President Joe Biden’s last minute pull out. It symbolised the deep value and respect that India under PM Modi attaches to the Australia India Comprehensive Strategic Partnership, which is now promisingly progressing from ECTA to CECA. But above all, it was a powerful message of gratitude to the 800,000 Indian diaspora for their unending support for India and him.

It would not be wrong to surmise that the speeches of the two prime ministers were odes tempered with soft power references and the diaspora at the core, and in recent years such references have only gotten richer with new achievements

of the diaspora, cultural events and increase in people-to-people engagements.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese flagged his Indian connection as a backpacker 30 years ago and knowledge of India, Indians and their culture based upon travels in trains and video buses. Much to the delight of the crowd, he admired Sameer Pandey, the newly elected Lord Mayor of the City of Parramatta, where he announced the upcoming Centre for Australia India Relations will be based.

Not many knew that he had already met PM Modi six times, and that he was completely blown away by the warmth, generosity and energy of the Indian people during his visit to India in March to attend the 4th BorderGavaskar test in Ahmedabad. The Queensland Cricket delegation attending the event was overwhelmed by the reception accorded to them and the prime minister Albanese, especially the deafening cheer that greeted his lap of honour with prime minister Modi in a specially designed vehicle.

At Sydney Olympic Park prime minister Albanese returned the favour.

He lauded the role of students living in both countries and augmenting country literacy on both sides and deepening people-to-people ties. He won the hearts of the Indian diaspora when he said, “You have made our democracy stronger and more inclusive…strengthened the Australian society and enriched it with such a beautiful and diverse culture”. He added, “Glad you

have made Australia your home… and you make our nation and our shared communities better and Australia stronger”. These are powerful words and sentiments on which bilateral relations now rest. Prime minister Modi captured these sentiments well in noting the rise of the Indian diaspora in the Australian political milieu, especially Daniel Moohkey, MP and New South Wales Treasurer, who took his oath on the Bhagavad Gita. From an ontological perspective, scholars including myself are delighted to see prime minister Modi move beyond the narrow confines of 3Cs (curry, commonwealth, cricket), 3Ds (democracy, diaspora and dosti), 3Es (energy, economy, education) to a much deeper and fundamental level of understanding of bilateral ties based upon mutual trust and respect. And in this new paradigm, the Indian diaspora again is at the core, just as prime minister Albanese had articulated. If prime minister Albanese applauded the Indian diaspora, prime minister Modi acknowledged the Australian people for their large-hearted embrace of India’s soft power characterised by Indian food, cultural festivals, and street names such as Delhi Street, Bombay Street, Kashmir Avenue and Malabar Avenue, and also a suburb called Lucknow in NSW. Queensland too has embraced names such as Ganges street, Jumna street and Hoogley Street and become one of the most preferred destinations of the Indian diaspora.

As expected, no summit can be complete without mentioning cricket. Prime minister Albanese shared his 4th test experience in Ahmedabad, and prime minister Modi made drew attention to Australian women having played in the inaugural women Indian Premier League. He also shared that Indians were heartbroken at the demise of Australian cricket legend Shane Warne. Cricket has become more than

just a game. In February 2020, when Australia was engulfed in one of the most devastating bushfires in its history, Indian cricket legends Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh flew in to play in the Bushfire Cricket Bash alongside other Australians legends such as Matthew Hayden, Brett Lee, Adam Gilchrist and others.

Cricket is a compelling icebreaker and not only builds inter-community bonds, but also creates a conducive atmosphere for diplomats and leaders to negotiate complex issues. Again, the diaspora plays a key role in this context, and every time India tours Australia and vice versa, stadiums are packed to the rafters, generating more revenue and entertainment.

Although prime minister Modi enthralled the audience by listing India’s global leadership in leading covid vaccination, smart phone data consumption, fintech adoption rate, milk production, internet usage, grain production, automobile market, startup ecosystem and forming 40% of the world’s real time digital data transaction — his reference to India’s VasudhaivaKutumbakam philosophy underpinning its G-20 Presidency based upon One World, One Family, One Future; environment conversation based upon One Sun, One World, One Grid; and International Day of Yoga initiative based upon One Earth, One Health received an even louder cheer from the audience.

He referred to the Indian diaspora as cultural and brand ambassadors of India and urged them to bring Australian friends to India during their next trip, a gratifying thought for some of us who have been taking Australian friends and delegations to India over the past 15 years. The rationale is well founded: the more we engage, deeper we understand and better we connect.

Many scholars over the years examined what impeded stronger bilateral ties? Now it becomes

clearer that diaspora which was barely engaged by the previous political dispensations on both sides.

The role of Indian diaspora in Australia, like in the other parts of the world has come of age.

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) 2021 census 783,958 persons declared their ancestry as Indian constituting 3.1% of the Australian population. According to the 2021 Orbis database of company information collated by Bureau van Dijk, a Moody's Analytics Company - people of Indian heritage are employed in at least 996 Australian organizations of which an estimated 2,840 (13%) as directors and managers (12.5% women), constituting 3% of the Australian population. The report says that 964 of these 2,840 could potentially drive bilateral business and trade engagements in health, tourism, ICT, and resources, across companies with a gross $250 billion annual turnover.

Indians were the largest source of skilled migrants in 2019-20 and the second largest source of international students in 201920 Australia. The DFAT report estimates that the diaspora's role in senior academic positions roles at the lecturer level and above has increased from 1.75 per cent in 2016 to 1.92 per cent in 2020. Of the 721,000 Indians (2016 census) approximately 88% are of working age and 61% are in full-time and 27% in parttime employment making them the second highest tax-paying migrant community after the UK-born migrants, contributing over $12 billion to the Australian economy. Concentration of the Indian diaspora in Harris Park constitutes 45%, in Westmead 32%, and Parramatta overall 24%. Much publicity has been accorded to prime minister Albanese’s reference to prime minister Modi as the boss, but their speeches reveal clear that the diaspora is the real boss! This was the spark that Australia-India ties lacked for a long-time. Not anymore.

Pune study shows efficacy of ‘rescue therapy’ for newborns who turn blue

Doctors at a hospital in Pune have, in a study, shown the efficacy of a novel rescue therapy which may help babies born with low oxygen levels -- a rare and life-threatening condition that occurs in approximately one in 500 newborns, giving them a bluish appearance.

among 31 neonates. Vasopressin is also approved for hypotension or sudden drop in blood pressure.

for symptoms and providing immediate medical attention to manage the fatal condition.

Explained: What is ‘Disease X’, tagged as more lethal next pandemic?

Even as Covid-19 is seeing a decline, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned of the threat of an “inevitable” next pandemic of “Disease X”, raising concerns across the globe.

New

Doctors at a hospital in Pune have, in a study, shown the efficacy of a novel rescue therapy which may help babies born with low oxygen levels -- a rare and life-threatening condition that occurs in approximately one in 500 newborns, giving them a bluish appearance.

Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension (PPHN) is characterized by low oxygen levels and high pressure in the pulmonary arteries due to the blood vessels in the lungs failing to dilate after birth. The symptoms include breathing difficulties, low oxygen levels, bluish appearance, decreased blood pressure, and lethargy in newborns.

Doctors at Surya Mother and Child Super Speciality Hospital in Pune determined efficacy of Vasopressin -- a hormone that can increase blood pressure by constricting blood vessels --

The results of the observational study, published in the American Journal of Perinatology, showed vasopressin as an effective solution used to treat PPHN when unresponsive to other forms of treatment.

The standard treatment to PPHN cases is using a special type of ventilator known as high frequency ventilator, and usage of nitric oxide. It reduces the load on the heart, and there is increased blood flow to the lungs.

"PPHN is most common immediately after birth, because the baby's lungs and heart have difficulty adapting to the outside world," Dr Sachin Shah, DirectorNeonatal and Paediatric Intensive Care Services, Surya Hospitals Pune, told IANS.

"When the baby is inside the mother's womb, the lungs do not have any part to play, everything the gas exchange is taken care of by the placenta. So after birth, the lungs do not open up and they do not function as they should.

"PPHN can manifest within minutes to six hours after birth," Shah said, stressing on the need for observing newborns

In extremely rare cases, mild cases of PPHN also occur in infancy or childhood due to progressive blood vessel issues, the doctor said. Genetic causes for PPHN are also extremely rare, with the commonest factors being maternal health conditions or infections affecting blood flow to the baby during pregnancy.

The observational study used vasopressin as a rescue therapy in neonates with PPHN who have refractory hypoxia (lack of oxygen) and refractory systemic hypotension.The study showed promising results with 29 out of 31 enrolled neonates responding favorably to the treatment. No side effects were observed.

The findings of the study may help inform clinical practice and guide future research in the use of vasopressin as rescue therapy in term neonates with severe PPHN. However, a randomized controlled trial would be needed to establish a causal relationship between vasopressin and improved outcomes in this population, the expert noted in a statement.

China to launch world’s first oral insulin for Type-2 diabetes: Report

China is soon likely to become the world’s first country with oral insulin availability, according to a report on Friday.

Oramed Pharmaceuticals.

New Delhi, May 26 (IANS) China is soon likely to become the world's first country with oral insulin availability, according to a report on Friday.

After successfully completing Phase III trials of oral insulin, China's Hefei Tianhui Biotechnology (HTIT) submitted a marketing authorisation application (MAA) to the country's National Medical Products Administration.

Oramed's US-based ORA-D-013-1 Phase III trial for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes showed significant lowering of A1C levels, which reflects the average blood sugar level for the past two to three months. HTIT is a strategic partner of Israeli company

"Oral insulin is a paradigm shift from the traditional injectable insulin market. Therefore, there would be a lot of opportunities and challenges in the commercialisation of oral insulins," said Prashant Khadayate, Pharma Analyst at GlobalData, in a statement.

"Even though insulin delivery through injections has improved significantly for patients, compliance is always an issue for injectable forms of insulin. Hence, oral insulin will always be preferred, potentially reducing the discomfort associated with injections and thereby, improving overall compliance, provided it is equally effective in terms of efficacy and safety. Notably, it is difficult to comment on its efficacy and safety with injectable insulins as Phase III trials included only placebo," Khadayate added.

In November 2015, HTIT inlicensed exclusive rights to Oramed's oral insulin ORMD0801 in China, Hong Kong, and Macau.

On the contrary, its partner Oramed terminated its oral insulin clinical trial activities in the US in T2D following disappointing results of the Phase III ORA-D-013-1 trial in January 2023.

Back in July 2006, Pfizer launched the world's first inhaled insulin, Exubera, but barely a year later, it withdrew Exubera from the market as it was not commercially successful.

"A new mode of insulin delivery is always appreciated, but it should be commercially successful as well. Since, oral insulin is a new form of insulin delivery, HTIT and Oramed should develop an effective commercial strategy to make it successful in the market," Khadayate said.

New Delhi, May 26 (IANS) Even as Covid-19 is seeing a decline, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has warned of the threat of an "inevitable" next pandemic of "Disease X", raising concerns across the globe.

Disease X was first coined in 2018 by the WHO, a year before the Covid-19 pandemic struck the world. It is among the WHO's "Blue print list priority diseases" that could cause the next deadly pandemic and includes Ebola, SARS, and Zika.

"Disease X represents the knowledge that a serious international epidemic could be caused by a pathogen currently unknown to cause human disease," the WHO said. The Blueprint list highlights infectious diseases for which we lack medical countermeasures.

According to the Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness Innovations (CEPI), "the threat of Disease X infecting the human population, and spreading quickly around the world, is greater than ever before".

Some public health experts believe the next Disease X will be zoonotic, meaning it will originate

in wild or domestic animals, then spill over to infect humans, as Ebola, HIV/AIDS, and Covid-19. More than 1.6 million viruses are yet-to-be-discovered, and viral species from these viral families are estimated to exist in mammal and bird hosts -- the most important reservoirs for viral zoonoses.

"This isn't the stuff of science fiction. This is a scenario we have to prepare for. This is Disease X," Dr. Richard Hatchett, of the CEPI, was quoted as saying to the Telegraph.

Hatchett said that the world may not be able to "prevent new pathogens from emerging", but "focus, commitment, and investment" can help prevent the devastation they cause.

At the recently held 76th World Health Assembly meet, WHO chief, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, also issued a stark warning, urging the world to prepare for the next pandemic, which he believes could be even deadlier than Covid-19.

"We must strengthen systems and tools for epidemic and pandemic preparedness and response at all levels," he said, highlighting that the end of Covid-19 as a global health emergency does not signify the end of its threat.

In addition, he emphasized the risk of another pathogen emerging with greater chances of devastation.

Nearly 70% of private label avocado oil not fresh, mixed with other oils: Study

Avocado oil has become a popular choice for many people in recent years because of its heart-healthy benefits and versatility in cooking. However, nearly 70 percent of private label avocado oil is rancid and mixed with other oils, a study has revealed.

New York, May 25 (IANS) Avocado oil has become a popular choice for many people in recent years because of its heart-healthy benefits and versatility in cooking. However, nearly 70 percent of private label avocado oil is rancid and mixed with other oils, a study has revealed.

Researchers at the University of California, Davis, analyzed samples of 36 private label avocado oil products and graded them based on quality and purity.

Their findings, published in the journal Food Control, showed that 31 per cent of the samples tested were pure, and 36 per cent were of advertised quality. For purity, researchers measured fatty acids, sterols and other components that differentiate avocado oil from other oils. The study included oils purchased from 19 retailers in the US and Canada with various price points. They found that lowerpriced oils were more likely to be tainted with other oils. "We found that low-cost products indicate a higher probability for adulteration, but high cost didn't guarantee purity or quality," said Selina Wang, associate professor of Cooperative Extension in the Department of Food Science and Technology.

Delhi, May 26 (IANS)

Brisbane’s most sustainable community to be built in South Brisbane

From Office of Lord Mayor: South Brisbane’s Kurilpa precinct is set to become Brisbane’s most sustainable community, Lord Mayor Adrian Schrinner has announced.

Cr Schrinner said new residential buildings built above existing height limits will need to be greener, brighter, and more energy efficient and deliver community benefits.

“Brisbane is the fastest growing capital city in Australia so we have to deliver new homes while also protecting the character of our suburbs and the lifestyle our residents love,” he said.

“Brisbane’s Sustainable Growth Strategy, which we released in March, achieves that by allowing CBD-style heights in the Kurilpa precinct, an area that already has incredible access to public infrastructure and amenities. “We are now proposing to take

this a step further by requiring residential buildings that exceed existing height limits to meet higher requirements of sustainability and deliver benefits to the wider community.

“That means our strategy won’t just help create more than 10,000 homes in this area, it will create a community of Brisbane’s most sustainable buildings, liveable neighborhoods, and new public destinations.

“This is a win for housing, a win for our environment, and a win for the liveability of Brisbane.”

Under the Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct Plan, residential buildings above existing heights will be required to:

Meet the Green Building Council of Australia’s 5-star Green Star rating category.

Incorporate greater greenery through the introduction of a higher green plot ratio.

Ensure more expansive green spaces, public realms, open spaces, and pedestrian plazas so all residents will receive benefits. Invest in public art and creative lighting.

The plan will also require taller buildings to incorporate other community benefits elements such as public facilities, accessibility improvements, and housing diversity and affordability models, including build-to-rent and agreements with community housing providers.

Cr Schrinner said the requirements under the plan will ensure the Kurilpa precinct becomes an inviting destination for visitors and residents across Brisbane.

“More public realms, like those incorporated into West Village, as well as public facilities and art, will make the Kurilpa precinct not just a great place to live but a

fantastic destination for everyone to visit,” he said.

“The steps we’re taking today to require building standards on new residential towers set a new benchmark that will help Brisbane become cleaner, greener, and more sustainable in the future.”

The Kurilpa Sustainable Growth Precinct Plan will become part of the existing City Plan. A temporary local planning instrument (TLPI) will go to the full Council for support next Tuesday to make sure any new applications lodged for taller buildings in the Kurilpa precinct meets green design and community benefit standards.

Cr Schrinner said he wanted Brisbane to join the ranks of other major cities around the world like Singapore and Toronto that champion sustainable design requirements.

“Better-designed buildings deliver a better Brisbane for everyone,” he said.

“Cities like Singapore and Toronto have high standards for green sustainable buildings, and this is an opportunity for Brisbane to do the same in this area.

“A greener city is not only environmentally friendly, but it’s attractive.

“In the future, homes in the Kurilpa precinct will become some of Brisbane’s most soughtafter neighborhood properties as people will want to live in welldesigned green buildings within the heart of our city.

“By adding this new layer to our strategy to deliver new housing we are ensuring it’s delivered in a thought-out and environmentally sustainable way.”

Kairali Brisbane Inc. Unites Community Through Spectacular Multicultural Event

President of Kairali Brisbane. "We aimed to create an inclusive space where individuals from different cultural backgrounds could come together, learn from one another, and celebrate their unique heritage."

Kairali Brisbane, one of the prominent communities in Queensland dedicated to fostering cultural understanding and social cohesion, successfully hosted its highly anticipated a 12 hour multicultural event, Brisbane Fusion Festival 2023, bringing together the different cultural forms under one roof to enjoy with family, friends and community, and to highlight the values of compassion, selflessness, harmony, tolerance and respect - values that resonate with the Indian and the wider Australian community. The celebrations included a vibrant combination of the many forms of traditional and contemporary dance, music, fashion and culinary delights that comprise the rich and diverse cultural tapestry of the different countries. Queensland Government and Brisbane city council are the major sponsors for this event.

The event, held on 20th May 2023 at Spanish Community Centre, Acacia Ridge, captivated

attendees with a kaleidoscope of vibrant cultures, engaging activities, and unforgettable performances that showcased the city's rich diversity. Under the theme "One Community, Many Cultures," Kairali Brisbane left an indelible mark on the hearts of all who attended, emphasizing the importance of embracing differences while fostering a sense of belonging and shared humanity. Throughout the day, attendees were immersed in a tapestry of cultural experiences that celebrated the heritage and traditions of various ethnic groups residing in Queensland. From enchanting musical performances to captivating dance routines and mouthwatering culinary delights, the event provided a sensory journey through the world's diverse cultural tapestry.

"This event was a testament to the vibrant multicultural fabric of our state and the spirit of harmony that exists among its members," exclaimed Mr Tom Joseph, the

As the part of this multicultural event 2023, Kairali Brisbane got the privilege to host the Citizenship ceremony. The citizenship ceremony started at 10.30am with a list of dignitaries and community leaders. The citizenship ceremony included Senator Paul Scarr, Mr. Graham Perrett MP, Mr Michael Berkman MP, Mr Surendra Prasad, Mr Ali Kadri and the official ceremony included Mr Peter Russo, Mr Milton Dick MP, Mr James Martin MP, Mr JP Langbroek MP, Mrs Archana Singh, Mr Anoop Nannaru, Mr Umesh Chandra, Mr Shyam Das, Mr. Palani Thevar, Mr Surendra Prasad, Mr Ram Mohan, Mr Pradip Gorasia, founding leaders of Federation of Malayalee association of Queensland, and various other community leaders. Without the support of the sponsors an event of this magnitude is just not possible and Kairali Brisbane acknowledged each one of the sponsors. The crowd were thoroughly entertained throughout the day with a mix up of different cultural performances. The event

concluded with the live music band from India. A highlight of the event was the dazzling array of performances that graced the main stage. Talented artists representing various cultures showcased their artistry through music, dance, and theatrical presentations, leaving the audience aweinspired and enriched by the experience. The success of the multicultural event would not have been possible without the support and collaboration of local businesses, community organizations, and dedicated volunteers. Their commitment and enthusiasm helped create an atmosphere of warmth, acceptance, and celebration. Thanks to everyone who attended and would like to place on record special thanks to all Master of ceremonies and performers who put in lot of effort in staging their acts and a very special mention to all our sponsors and stall holders. A special thanks to the videographer and photographers for capturing the beautiful photos of the whole event.

Dr Preethi Suraj, Public relation Officer, Kairali Brisbane expressed her gratitude, stating, "We extend our heartfelt appreciation to all our dignitaries, community leaders, sponsors, volunteers, and performers

who contributed their time, talent, and resources to make this event a resounding success. Their support underscores the collective desire to build bridges of understanding and celebrate the diverse tapestry of our community.

Kairali Brisbane Inc. Executive committee members: President: Mr Tom Joseph, Secretary: Mr Rejy Joseph, Treasurer: Mr Thomas Jose Anithotathil, Public Relation Officer: Dr Preethi Suraj, Vice President: Mrs Liji Jijo, Joint Secretary: Dr Jaisy Arikkat, Executive Members: Mr Simon Mulangan, Mr Baji Itterah, Mr Mobin K Thomas, Mr Jerin Karol, Mrs Chinku Jobin, Mr Jaison Thekemury, Mr. Sherin Kuruvilla, Mr Tiby Thomas, Miss Ashna Roby, Mr Ajith Markose, Mr Adai Jacob and Mr Abin Sojan. As Kairali Brisbane looks ahead to future events and initiatives, they remain committed to fostering multicultural understanding, forging meaningful connections, and creating a more inclusive society that values and appreciates the diverse heritage of all its members.

Women Empowerment and Leadership celebrate Eid at Ipswich

Women Empowerment and Leadership (WEL) celebrated Eid al-Fitr 2023 at Ipswich with the Muslim Afghan community on May 28.

Eid al-Fitr is one of the most important celebrations for Muslims around the world, which comes after 30 days of the holy month of Ramadan. At the event,

there were traditional Afghan and Indian dance performances, face painting, hina applications, and colourful tables with Afghan cultural food. The Gold Caste Afghan community and North Lake Afghan community also joined WEL at Ipswich Community Centre to celebrate Eid with their rich Afghan culture.

Aunty Yvonne Orley did the acknowledgment of country, followed by a beautiful song "We are one we are Australian". This was followed by Rita Anwari the founder and director of WEL opening the ceremony with her powerful speech. There also was a presentation from a representative of Gold

Coast Multicultural Arts, Dr Shadi speaking on cultural art and its impact on multicultural community.

Khadija the Afghan women's representative at WEL spoke about Afghan women, and Geeta Chandra had a very powerful presentation by art dance, through which she presented the

plight of women coming from the villages being the victims of domestic violence.

The event finished with music and Pashtun cultural dance by Afghan boys.

Mayor Teresa Harding, Ipswich City Council, Jennifer Howard MP, Councillor Jacob Madsen, Ipswich City Council supported the event.

Mutual trust & respect bind India-Australia ties:

were used to define relations between India and Australia -- Commonwealth, Cricket and Curry. After that, it was '3Ds' -Democracy, Diaspora and Dosti (friendship). Now it has become '3Es' -- Energy, Economy and Education.

Modi meets Australian singer Guy Sebastian in Sydney

PM

Modi

highlighted that how India in the last nine years has made great strides.

New Delhi, May 23 (IANS) While addressing a massive crowd of the Indian diaspora in Sydney on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said that mutual trust and respect are the elements that bind India and Australia ties. He made the remarks at an event at the Qudos Bank Arena where he received a rousing welcome from the diaspora members. Upon his arrival at the arena accompanied by his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese, Modi was welcomed amid Vedic chanting and other traditional rituals.

Addressing the Indian diaspora, Modi said: "No matter what the geographical distances are between India and Australia, the Indian Ocean connects us. No matter how different lifestyles are in both countries, yoga connects us! Cricket is something which has kept us connected for ages... and now tennis and movies form other connecting bridges. "There was a time when '3Cs'

"But the truth is that the actual depth of the relations between India and Australia transcends these C, D, E... The strongest and biggest foundations of this relation actually are mutual trust and mutual respect, and the real reason behind this is Indian diaspora."

Modi said he has kept his promise that the Indians in Australia will not have to wait for another 28 years to see their Prime Minister.

"Last time when I came here, I gave you all a promise. And that promise was that you won't have to wait for India's Prime Minister for a long 28 years, again. And see, I am here! Prime Minister Albanese is also with me, here," he said.

Remembering the late Austrlian bowling great Shane Warne, said: "We are not only partners in happiness but also share our grief. The entire India grieved at the passing away of Shane Warne." The Prime Minister also

"We have opened around 500 million bank accounts for the poor people. Not only this, actually the whole eco-system of public delivery has been transformed in India. An amount worth over Rs 28 lakh crore have been directly transferred to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries, since 2014.

"The JAM Trinity and DBT have brought a revolution in the country. IMF considers India the 'Bright Spot' of global economy. According to World Bank, if there's any country which is withstanding global headwinds, it is India. India has made record exports even in the most challenging times," he added. As part of his final leg of the three-nation tour, Modi arrived in Sydney on Monday night as a guest of the Australian government.

In 2014, Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Australia after Rajiv Gandhi, where he addressed 20,000 people at the Sydney SuperDome at Olympic Park and said that in coming years, more Indian leaders will be visiting Down Under.

PM Modi meets prominent Australian figures

well. I was glad to have interacted with him today."

Commenting on the meeting of PM Modi with the leading Australian singer, the PMO said that they discussed music, culture and more.

Sydney, May 23 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is currently on a visit to Australia, on Tuesday met singer Guy Sebastian, who was the winner of the first Australian Idol in 2003, and called the latter "remarkable".

Taking to Twitter, the Prime Minister said: "Guy Sebastian is a remarkable singer and has unparalleled passion towards music. In addition, he is passionate about social service as well. I was glad to have interacted with him today."

He also attached a photo of the two, shaking hands.

The 41-year-old musician was also a judge on Australia's 'The X Factor' from 2010 to 2012 and again from 2015 to 2016, and coach on 'The Voice Australia' since 2019. He represented Australia at the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest, finishing in fifth place.

As part of his final leg of the three-nation tour, Modi arrived in Sydney on Monday night as a guest of the Australian government.

Modi is slated to hold talks with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese and also address the country's eight lakhplus strong, dynamic and diverse Indian diaspora.

In 2014, Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Australia after Rajiv Gandhi, where he addressed 20,000 people at the Sydney SuperDome at Olympic Park and said that in coming years, more Indian leaders will be visiting Down Under.

New Delhi, May 23 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday met several prominent Australian personalities, including Nobel Laureate Dr. Brian Paul Schmidt in separate meetings in Sydney.

Modi in a series of tweets, said, "Had an excellent conversation on science and innovation with Nobel Laureate Dr. Brian Paul Schmidt. His work on these subjects has been rich and shaped academic discourse greatly."

The Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in a tweet, said, "Professor Brian P Schmidt of Australian National University met PM Narendra Modi in Sydney. He praised India's strides in research and science. He says India's ability to do world-class science has become an order of magnitude higher."

The Prime Minister also met leading Australian singer Guy Sebastian and said, "Guy Sebastian is a remarkable singer and has unparalleled passion towards music. In addition, he is passionate about social service as

Modi also shared the details of his meeting with Professor Toby Walsh, chief scientist, Artificial Intelligence Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney. He said, "Had a fascinating discussion on different frontiers of AI and futuristic technology with Toby Walsh. One can clearly see his passion towards AI and the need to ensure it is harnessed for human progress," Modi said in a tweet, attaching the picture of the meeting.

PMO said that Modi and Walsh discussed AI, India's digital payments system UPI and the country's growing innovation ecosystem.

The Prime Minister also met Mark Balla, business specialist and accomplished public speaker on humanitarian issues and said, "Mark Balla has done commendable work on a topic I am very passionate aboutaccess to sanitation. People know him as a 'Toilet Warrior'. Was wonderful interacting with him earlier today." He also met Danielle Mate Sullivan, aboriginal artist; Sarah Todd, international

chef, restaurateur, TV host, speaker and entrepreneur; Associate Professor Salvatore Babones, sociologist, researcher and author. The Prime Minister congratulated them on their achievements and encouraged them to contribute to strengthen the India-Australia relationship. Meanwhile, the PMO said that there was immense enthusiasm in Sydney for the community programme. People were seen performing on Garba and Dandiya tunes at the community programme in Sydney. There was huge enthusiasm amongst the Indian diaspora ahead of PM Modi's arrival at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney for the community event. As part of his final leg of the three-nation tour, Modi arrived in Sydney on Monday night as a guest of the Australian government. Modi is slated to hold talks with his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese and also address the country's eight lakh-plus strong, dynamic and diverse Indian diaspora. In 2014, Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Australia after Rajiv Gandhi, where he addressed 20,000 people at the Sydney SuperDome at Olympic Park and said that in coming years, more Indian leaders will be visiting Down Under.

Sydney, May 22 (IANS) Amid chants of 'Hail Modi', 'Vanakkam Modi', 'Namaste Modi' and 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai', the Indian community welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi as he arrived in Sydney on Monday for two days of constructive engagements the with Australian leadership, business community and diaspora members.

"Modi ji we have great hopes from you," a member of the Indian community said, as the Prime Minister greeted and shook hands with the community members, who were eagerly awaiting for his arrival since he last visited the country in 2014.

"Landed in Sydney to a warm welcome by the Indian community. Looking forward to various programmes over the next two days," Modi tweeted upon landing in Sydney. Modi is visiting Australia from May 22-24 as a guest of the Australian government.

Ahead of the Indian PM's arrival, Albanese said in a statement,

"I am honoured to host Prime Minister Modi for an official visit to Australia, after receiving an extremely warm welcome in India earlier this year."

"Australia and India share a commitment to a stable, secure and prosperous Indo-Pacific. Together we have an important role to play in supporting this vision," he said, amid China's aggressive behaviour in the region as well as its efforts to expand its influence.

As part of his final leg of the three-nation tour, Modi will hold talks with his Australian counterpart Albanese and will address Australia's eight lakhplus strong, dynamic and diverse Indian diaspora.

In 2014, Modi became the first Indian Prime Minister to visit Australia after Rajiv Gandhi, where he addressed 20,000 people at the Sydney SuperDome at Olympic Park and said that in coming years, more Indian leaders will be visiting Down Under.

‘Modi ji we have great hopes from you’, Indians welcome PM Modi in Australia

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Speech

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’ Speech

Thank you friends.

I begin by acknowledging the Traditional Owners of the land on which we meet and I pay my respects to Elders past, present and emerging. And I am proud to lead a government that will give all of you, all Australians, the chance to vote in a referendum to recognise our First Peoples in our nation's Constitution later this year.

And I urge my Indian-Australian friends, vote yes.

It is a huge pleasure to welcome Prime Minister Modi to Australia.

In just my first year as Prime Minister, which I'm celebrating today, I have met the Prime Minister, my friend, six times.

But absolutely nothing beats standing with him on a stage like this, looking out at this magnificent sea of faces. What an honour!

And what a joy it is to get to welcome Prime Minister Modi here, with all of you.

I get to speak to some pretty big crowds as Prime Minister. But I have to say that the warmth and the energy here tonight is second to none.

I said to my friend, the Prime Minister before, the last time I saw someone on the stage here was Bruce Springsteen, and he didn't get the welcome that Prime Minister Modi has got. Prime Minister Modi is the boss!

Friends, I saw that myself in India in March, where he hosted me with such generosity and warmth.

It was a trip full of unforgettable moments: celebrating Holi in Gujarat, laying a wreath for the great Mahatma Gandhi in New Delhi, and doing a lap, something I will never quite forget, of the incredible stadium at Ahmedabad on Day 1 of the fourth test.

Everywhere I went, I felt that deep sense of connection between the people of Australia and the people of India.

It is a warmth I also felt when I backpacked around India for 5 weeks in 1991. And I say this, to my friends from the Australian Parliament who are here today, if you want to understand India, travel by train and video bus. You can even hitchhike, they're very friendly.

It is a connection that I feel here tonight. And once again, I feel so grateful to be a part of it. Your million-strong community has contributed so much to this country.

The people here tonight - your families, your communities - will always be the lifeblood of the relationship that India and Australia share.

And tonight, I announce that the new Centre for Australia-India Relations will be based in Parramatta.

A place that itself is a testament to the vitality of

the Indian-Australian experience. One that after last night has a proud Indian-Australian –Sameer Pandey – as its Lord Mayor, congratulations. Now we want to see more connections – more Australian and Indian students living and studying in each other's countries, and bringing those experiences home.

More business leaders and artists and families sharing your experiences, and your knowledge, and your ideas.

Prime Minister Modi and I have just unveiled a plaque for the foundation stone of the "Little India" gateway in Harris Park. And won't that be good to visit. But tonight, as Prime Minister, I want to say thank you.

You have brought the spirit of the world's biggest democracy to Australia. And you have helped make our democracy stronger and more inclusive.

You've strengthened Australian society, bringing our country the benefits and riches of such a beautiful and diverse culture.

And I'm so proud that you have made Australia your home - that you see your life and your future here.

You make our nation and our shared communities better. You make Australia stronger.

Friends, I want you to give a big Australian welcome to my dear friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

AIBC welcomes PM Modi’s announcement to establish an Indian Consulate in Brisbane

May 24th, from AIBC press:

The Australia India Business Council (AIBC) has welcomed the announcement by Indian Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, to establish an Indian consulate in Brisbane, the Queensland capital. The announcement was made by the Honourable Prime Minister Modi while addressing a diaspora event at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, which was also attended by his Australian counterpart, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese. “We are delighted with this announcement by the Indian Prime Minister. It underscores

the significance of the growing Indian diaspora in Brisbane and is also a recognition of the importance of Queensland in the emerging bilateral relationship, said Dr. Nik Senapati, President of AIBC’s Queensland Chapter.

AIBC acknowledges Ms. Archana Singh, India’s Honorary Consul General in Brisbane, who has provided exemplary service to the diaspora community and has been a tremendous support to AIBC.

AIBC also congratulates the Queensland government for its commitment to the bilateral

relationship. Queensland’s exports to India are currently greater than any other Australian state.

AIBC has consistently supported the need for setting up a dedicated Consulate in Brisbane, given the needs of the rapidly expanding Indian diaspora in the area. India currently has a High Commission in Canberra, with Consulates in Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth, and an Honorary Consulate in Brisbane. The new Indian Consulate in Brisbane will be the fourth consular office in Australia.

Vice-Chancellor welcomes Prime Minister Modi to Australia

Business leaders reaffirm the importance of closer ties with India

The University of Sydney ViceChancellor and President, Professor Mark Scott AO, joins Australian business leaders in welcoming the Prime Minister of the Republic of India, His Excellency Shri Narendra Modi. 24th May 2023, University press

Professor Scott joined other Australian business leaders in welcoming Prime Minister Modi to Australia at the Business Roundtable hosted by the Australia Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade) and the Indian High Commission earlier today.

Prime Minister Modi met with a small group of Australian business leaders to drive further Australia’s growing trade and investment relationship with India. The meeting follows

Professor Scott’s recent trips to India, including as part of a delegation of Australian higher education leaders in February this year, and comes as the University deepens its ties to India.

“There is no sector in India with greater promise for Australia than education. The Modi Government’s National Education Policy has a target to get 50 percent of young Indian students into higher education and vocational education by 2035 and Australia can play a key role in that ambition,” said Professor Scott.

“Every time I visit India I am struck by the incredible synergies between our two

countries and the opportunities to work together on our shared challenges.

“It is wonderful to have Prime Minister Modi here in Australia again to further strengthen the relationship between our two nations.

“As Australia’s first University, we recognize the nation’s vital importance to Australia’s higher education sector and we are on track to make a record number of offers in our Semester 2 intake to students from India.”

Professor Scott spoke to Prime Minister Modi about the University’s rising intake of students from India and its new Sydney Scholars India Equity Scholarship, created for exceptional students residing in the slum communities of Delhi and awarded in collaboration with Asha India, a not-for-profit organization.

“The Sydney Scholars India Equity Scholarship reflects the importance of our educational ties with India and was recently awarded to Sumit, who we are delighted to have with us now studying a Master of Public Policy,” Professor Scott said.

“Created for remarkable students, Sumit is the first in his family to go to university and plans to return to India and ‘pay it forward’. Sumit is one of many students from India who we welcome into our community –these are the students who will be our future leaders and help

address the world’s most complex challenges,” said Professor Scott.

Professor Scott spoke to Prime Minister Modi and Roundtable about the University’s multidisciplinary research engagement with India, in particular in our strong areas of collaboration in Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, Physical Sciences, Engineering, and Health Sciences.

He also discussed the University’s recent agreement with the Public Health Foundation of India, a notfor-profit public-private initiative working towards a healthier India which aims to advance public health education, training, research, and advocacy.

“We know that the best way to solve some of our global problems is to get the brightest minds together and, through our multidisciplinary research partnerships with leading Indian institutions, we are helping to address India’s greatest challenges,” Professor Scott said.

“In a year where we are celebrating the centenary of welcoming the first international student to our campus and at a time when international collaboration is more important than ever, we are delighted to see our relationship with India continue to evolve and develop.”

About AIBC

The Australia-India Business Council (AIBC) is the leading business chamber dedicated to promoting the bilateral trade and investment relationship between Australia and India.

AIBC was established in 1986 by the governments of Australia and India. It now has chapters in six Australian state capitals and a presence in India. AIBC helps to shape policy and advocacy for promoting the bilateral business corridor, raising awareness about

Australia-India trade and investment, and facilitating business-to-business outcomes.

AIBC works closely with the Federal and State governments in Australia and India, as well as with industry bodies, the diaspora, academia, and the community and media.

As a membership-driven, notfor-profit organization, AIBC’s members and partners include some of the most respected names in business, industry, and academia.

Australia’s health practitioner regulator approves IELTS One-Skill Retake

Giving health practitioners the opportunity to achieve their work goals

22 May 2023, from Aphra: IDP Education has welcomed the national health practitioner regulator’s National Boards’ approval of IELTS One Skill Retake as an accepted English language test for health practitioners looking to further their careers in Australia.

National health practitioner boards (the National Boards) set the standards, codes, and guidelines that all registered health practitioners, including medical practitioners, nurses, and paramedics, must meet.

IELTS One Skill Retake has been approved by National Boards and can be taken by applicants to meet their English language requirements as part of their practitioner registration, which is managed by the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (Ahpra).

The National Boards and Ahpra work together to implement the National Registration and Accreditation Scheme, regulating 16 health professions in Australia.

IELTS One Skill Retake enables test takers to retest one of the four IELTS skills (Listening, Reading, Writing, or Speaking) if they did not achieve the score they desired in one section of the test the first time around. Warwick Freeland, Managing Director – IELTS, IDP Education, said recognizing IELTS One Skill Retake as an accepted test for applicants would provide passionate healthcare professionals the opportunity to grow their careers in the Australian health sector.

“One Skill Retake is designed to give IELTS test takers a second opportunity to achieve the score they need for their study, migration, and work goals,” Mr Freeland said.

“Accepting IELTS One Skill Retake means non-native English speakers with overseas health qualifications have a greater opportunity to meet the National Boards’ English language skill requirements and begin caring for people in their new communities.”

IELTS One Skill Retake promotes fairness among candidates by providing an opportunity to retake a single skill if the test taker feels their original performance was not representative of their language proficiency.

“Health practitioners provide an essential service to the Australian public and this decision by National Boards ensures Australian health care providers have access to a larger pool of candidates without having to compromise on the quality of their English language skills,” Mr Freeland said.

“IDP Education is proud to be supporting the ambitions and career goals of IELTS test takers and pleased to see organizations like National Boards adopting One Skill Retake.”

IELTS One Skill Retake is now available in key locations across Australia. For more information, visit https://ielts.com.au/australia/ about/ielts-one-skill-retake.

Test takers are also encouraged to visit Ahpra’s website to understand the English language skills registration standard required for their profession.

L-R - Dr Lalit Bhasin, National President, IACC & Ms Veena Reddy, Mission Director, USAID

Scope of collaboration has expanded to encompass various areas, such as mental health, global health security, and gender issues faced by youth, climate change, agriculture, and education.

Experts at the MoU signing pointed out that more than 50% of the items listed in the MoU concern mental health while talking about the importance of tackling mental health in India that accounts for one-third of global female suicide, one-fourth of male suicide, and every three minutes an Indian committing suicide.

From Newsdesk, May 19, 2023, New Delhi: The U.S. Agency for International Development

(USAID) and the Indo-American Chamber of Commerce in India (IACC) renewed the ongoing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), marking a continuation of their partnership. The scope of collaboration has expanded to encompass various areas, such as mental health, global health security, and gender issues faced by youth, climate change, agriculture, and education. The signing of the MoU also served as an opportunity to launch a mental health program, specifically focusing on mental health in the post-COVID era. Through strengthened collaboration with the private sector, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will foster improved development outcomes in the areas including child health, HIV/AIDS, global health security, water and sanitation, issues concerning youth, gender and women's empowerment, climate change, air and ocean pollution, agriculture, education, primary health care, and health systems strengthening. By renewing the MoU, the foundation

has been laid for an additional five years of effective collaboration between the American and Indian business communities, aimed at achieving shared global development priorities.

USAID Mission Director Veena Reddy said, “At USAID, we believe that private enterprise is a powerful force for lifting lives, strengthening communities, and accelerating sustainable development. USAID values our ongoing partnership with the IACC and its members. This MOU leverages the combined capacities of the U.S. Government and the American and Indian private sector to support shared development goals.”

As a key initial step under the renewed MOU, USAID and IACC have announced the establishment of a working group. This working group will focus on engaging local organizations and institutions as partners in order to promote equitable change. By involving IACC members, the group aims to ideate and develop tools that are responsive to local priorities. They will draw upon

local capacities, diverse networks, and resources, with the ultimate goal of maximizing impact by empowering and engaging local organizations. This approach will ensure that tailored solutions are provided to address community needs effectively.

IACC National President Dr. Lalit Bhasin added, “IACC is delighted to partner with USAID for the next five years and beyond for scripting paradigm shifts in the synergy between business communities of both countries to take it to further heights and cover more areas, consolidate and build on the existing areas of cooperation. Together, we will work toward new dynamics, agenda, and pathways to add values at every step of our cooperation.”

Experts pointed out that the expenditure in India on healthcare is one percent of GDP, whereas Bangladesh spends more than us. A report by McKinsey said that one-fourth of the employees in the US didn't want to go back to the office and prefer to work from home,

but the same report said that the depression has quadrupled despite employees working from home. Basically, work from home created more stress and mental health issues.

Almost 13% of Indians have some mental health disorder according to the National Mental Health survey in 2015 and 2016. Talking at the session on mental health, Dr Sunil Mittal, senior psychiatrist, Cosmos Institute of Mental Health & Behavioral Sciences, & vice president, World Federation for Mental Health (WFMH), pointed out that more than 50% of the items listed in the MoU concern mental health. He added, "India accounts for onethird of global female suicide, one-fourth of male suicide, and in real terms every three minutes an Indian commits suicide. We have over 9000 psychiatrists, which is an abysmal ratio; clinical psychologists numbers are even lesser with around 2000; the barriers in India are stigma, lack of awareness, accessibility and affordability of care."

Brisbane Business Hub special talk on Share your Business to the World: Export Opportunities to India

By Amrita Deshpande India News Community News

Editor It was an ARVO session with small business leaders in Brisbane who came together to discuss the future of trade with India. What legal paperwork must be prepared by business leaders when they deal with India? How can they market their product and export it to India? These were the main questions on the mind of the business leaders attending this session at the Lord Mayor’s Business Hub on May 23rd.

The current ECTA agreement has increased the interest for local businesses in Brisbane to explore the Indian market. This

session gave insightful tips to those business leaders looking for tariff reduction on their products currently being exported to India and what will be the future products that will have reduced to zero tariffs.

Abhinav Bhatia of Trade Investment Queensland joined the speakers virtually giving an overview of the current IndiaAustralia trade scenario, and the Market trends for opportunities to export to India. He said that “ India will remain the youngest country until 2070. We are heading into a diamond-shaped demographic where the middle class is getting stronger day by day.” He also added that there is an emphasis on skincare and

sports products for exports and consumption. Avacado is also in demand.

Mr. Jitendra Khara, from Strategic Partnership at Redland City Council briefed everyone on the behavioral traits when dealing with the business community in India. He said, “Using WhatsApp for communication when in India is a must as everyone will expect you to communicate through WhatsApp. Most business deals are closed through WhatsApp communications.”

Francis Lisson, Chief Negotiator in her presentation said that “ Export to India is narrow because of the protectionist and high Tarrifs on goods. However, the

ECTA has eased that and made it possible for 86% of products exported to reduce tariff to zero. We are aiming for 90% now.” she also said that such deals were struck and one of the first by a major developed country.

Emma Logan, Assistant Director Free Trade Agreement Goods Branch said that The Certificate of origin is a major document that needed attention. With electronic certificates and QRCodes it is now much easier for the process to be smoother.

Alison Atia, Co-founder and CEO of Skin O2 said that “lower Tarrif made O2’s products go on top of the list, and that fostered the much-needed business deals”.

In conclusion, it was a very insightful session where all speakers put forth not only the difficulties in trade with India that occurred before and after the ECTA trade but also gave the success stories of how it has now changed making the processes smoother. Such sessions must be organized by the Indian Diaspora as well to spread the potential of the Indian Market to help facilitate that trade relationship with their fellow Indians. The Brisbane Business Hub and Australia India Business Council are good connections to seek and keep updated with Australia-India business and trade information.

Join Gold Coast Hindu Cultural Association for your spiritual well-being!

On the 1st of May, the Gold Coast Hindu Cultural Association (GCHCA) hosted a spiritual discourse by Dr Aru Thirumurugan at their newly developing precinct. Dr. Thirumurugan is well-known for his social, religious, and educational welfare work in Jaffna. As part of his endeavors, Mr. Thirumurugan founded Sivapoomi School for children with special needs in Jaffna. In recognition of his service, the University of Jaffna presented

him with an Honorary Doctorate in 2011. The spiritual discourse at GCHCA was delivered in Tamil by Mr Thirumurugan along with a summary in English. This was followed by cultural events such as classical dances and songs performed by various members of the community. Overall, the event was a success with 65 attendees.

On Saturday, 3rd June GCHCA plans to organize Vaikasi Visakam (Celebration of the Birth of Almighty Lord Murugan/ Kartik).

It is with great pleasure that we

invite you and your family to attend this event at your GCHCA Precinct. There will be a Special Pooja and Paal Kudam offering during the Vaikasi Visakam celebration. The Paal Kudam means carrying paal (milk) in a kudam (vessel in the form of a pot) which is usually kept and carried on the head, to be offered to Lord Murugan. The priest will then use this milk to perform Paal Abhishegam. Prasadam will be served at the end. You can register for this

event via the following Eventbrite link:https://www.eventbrite.com.

au/e/633932658647

The Gold Coast Hindu Cultural Association (GCHCA) is also organizing AADI Month Koozh offering at the GCHCA Precinct on Sunday 23rd July 2023 from 10 am-12 noon. GCHCA cordially invites you and your family to attend the AADI Month Koozh offering for Amman at our GCHCA Precinct. There will be a Special Pooja, Bhajan, and Talks. Koozh (porridge) will be

served at the end of the event. Please register for this AADI Month Koozh offering event by 8 am Sunday, 16th July 2023 via the following Eventbrite link: https://www.eventbrite.com. au/e/629903858397. Registration is Mandatory as part of the preparation and health and safety at the Precinct.

If you still need to become a member of the GCHCA, we invite you to join as a Life Member. More details about GCHCA can be found at http://culture. goldcoasthindu.org/

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk welcomes new Indian Consulate-General in Brisbane

strengthened by Prime Minister Narendra Modi announcing an Indian consulate will open in Brisbane.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk has welcomed the announcement which followed a business event in Sydney, attended by the Premier at the invitation of Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.

The new consulate will reinforce the trade partnership between Queensland and India.

• Premier represented Queensland at meeting with Indian Prime Minister

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi announces India will open a Consulate-General in Brisbane, building on the existing honourary consulate.

• India will play vital role in Queensland’s future

The relationship between Queensland and India has been

India is Queensland’s second largest trading partner with exports worth $19 billion in the 12 months to March, representing an increase of 29 per cent or $4.5 billion.

Last year, India bought more metallurgical coal from Queensland than Korea and Japan combined.

Queensland recognised the

importance of India and was committed to further strengthening the Queensland–India relationship, which is highlighted by the Queensland Government Trade and Investment Strategy 2018-2023. This strategy was successful in assisting Queensland businesses engage with India and is being refreshed to further grow the state’s presence and profile, fostering relationships, business development and investment.

In March, Queensland Treasurer Cameron Dick led a Trade Delegation to India to sign a Memorandum of Understanding which will develop aerospace and defence manufacturing in Queensland.

Ten of Queensland’s universities joined the Treasurer at an Education Fair in Mumbai to develop education relationships, with more than 10,400 people

from India studying in the Sunshine State.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk said: “It was my honour to represent Queensland at last night’s very important meeting with Prime Minister Modi where I was able to promote our state’s interests.

“We have a special relationship with India which will play a vital role in our future.

“India is the fastest-growing major economy on the planet and, by 2030, it will be the world’s third largest economy.

“Trade means jobs for Queenslanders which is why it was so important I attended the meeting.

“I’m extremely pleased with Mr Modi’s announcement India will open a Consulate-General in Brisbane.

“This is something I know our

Indian communities have long wanted, further cementing the closeness of our peoples.”

Quick bites

• India’s economy is expected to grow by the size of Singapore’s economy each year to 2032.

• India has more 18-year-olds than the entire population of people of all ages in Australia.

• Each month, a million more people in India turn 18.

• By 2025 it will have the largest population of people of working age in the world.

• According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics’ 2021 Census, more than 93,600 Queenslanders reported having Indian ancestry.

• People of Indian descent represent the fastest-growing multicultural group in Australia.

Day Picnic for the much-needed mental health well-being and respite

From Australia India News, News Desk: Preethi Suraj President and the team of The India Australia Society of Queensland Inc organized a fun-filled day picnic on a bus to Maleny and

Kondolilafalls. The day trip and the picnic were a very good way to meet wonderful people and have delicious food with lots of fun. This is the need for the day when the Indian community is working

hard the whole week and needs a day of relaxed travel and mingling with friends. It also replenishes the energy and mental health well-being of the soul. Such day picnics must be arranged often to

give the diaspora much-needed respite from the mundane.

The scenic beauty of the Kondalisa Falls was extremely mesmerizing. While being one with nature and experiencing the

beauty of nature the entire group of Indians who attended the picnic thanked the IAS organizers for giving them this opportunity to be out and about enjoying the picnic.

Malyalee Association of Queensland celebrates its 25 years of establishment in Brisbane

From the Indianews newsdesk: Malyalee Association of Queensland celebrated its 25 years of operation on May 28th. MAQ succeeded in bringing

together all the people involved in the 25yr journey of the MAQ-Malayalee Association of Queensland establishment and development. Congratulations

to the president, team, volunteers, and performers for organizing a very successful event. On this occasion, MAQ acknowledged the community achievers in

the Malyalee community and conferred them with awards. This was a way to show gratitude to the community members for their relentless efforts and

achievements in making a living in Brisbane as well as paving the path for others to tread.

FICQ celebrates 25 years of Community Service at the iconic Brisbane City Hall.

Jared Cassidy were among those present.

Premier Palaszczuk delivered a speech commending FICQ for its commitment to showcasing culture and promoting harmony among Queenslanders. She emphasized the invaluable role played by volunteers in making these efforts possible. Other dignitaries, Maha Sinnathamby AM, Mrs. Archana Singh, and Jim Varghese AM, expressed their gratitude towards FICQ for its significant contributions over the past 25 years, recognizing their dedication to making a positive impact on society. The speeches by the dignitaries served as a reminder of the importance of celebrating diversity, showcasing culture, and recognizing the

contributions of volunteers in building stronger communities.

FICQ has been led by exceptional leaders, Dr. Narendra Keewal, Dr. Ashim Majumdar OAM, Sarat Maharaj, Late Dr. Thakur Patel, Surendra Prasad OAM, Dr. Naidu Bodapati, Prof Prasad Yarlagadda

OAM, Palani Thevar, Dr. Ram Mohan, Shyam Das, and Anoop Nannuru, who have brought people together, inspired them and mobilized them to serve the community. Every past FICQ team was honored on stage, fostering a sense of reunion for them.

While the guests enjoyed a three-course meal, member organizations had an opportunity to introduce themselves and share information about their contributions to the community. They highlighted their integral

role in Queensland's diverse community and some member organizations showcased India's rich culture through performances, including dances, songs, and music, which added vibrancy to the atmosphere.

The 44 member organizations are Art of Living Queensland, Arya Pratinidhi Sabha of Queensland Inc, Arya Samaj Queensland Inc Ayalkoottam Brisbane Inc, Basava Samithi of Australasia Brisbane Branch Inc, Bengali Society of Queensland, Bhakti Seva Pariwar (Australia), Bhartiya Samaj Inc, Brisbane Bayside South Indian Association Inc, Brisbane Maharashtra Mandal Inc, Brisbane Super Kings Cricket Club Inc, Brisbane Tamil Association Inc, Club De Goa Inc, Damini Women's Association of QLD Inc, Fiji Senior Citizens Assn

of Qld Inc, Gandhi Salt March, Global Organisation of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) Gold Coast Inc, Gold Coast Sikh Association Inc, Gujarati Association of Queensland Inc, Gujarati Community of Queensland Inc, Hare Krishna Food for Life Group Inc, Hindu Society of QLD, Indian Association of Bundaberg Inc, Indian Senior Citizen Association Inc, Ipswich Malayali Association Inc, Kairali Brisbane Inc, Kannada Sangha Queensland Inc, Malayalee Association of Queensland Inc, North Queensland Hindu Community Inc, Organization of Hindu Malayalees Queensland Inc,ORIOZ Qld - The Odia Community of Australia, Power of Us SPN Inc, Punjabi Welfare Association of Australia Inc, Queensland Tamil Mandram,

Queensland Telugu Association Inc, Samskruthi Queensland Inc, Sargam Music Academy Inc, Shree Sanatan Dharam Hindu Association of Queensland Inc, Simply Human Inc, South Side Chautal Group Inc, Tamil Association (Queensland) Inc, Telugu Association of Gold Coast Inc, The India - Australia Society Inc, and Varnam Cultural Society (QLD) Inc.

The event was a testament to FICQ's success in bringing people of Indian origin together under one umbrella organization. It facilitated collaboration and encouraged mutual respect and understanding among the member organizations. The celebraon was a reflection of the collective efforts of everyone involved, making it memorable.

Indians are ready to explore the world

Nights booked on Airbnb for international travel by Indian guests more than doubled in Q1 2023 compared to Q1 2022

By IANSlife

May 20, 2023 (IANSlife) The latest data from Airbnb has revealed that nights booked for International travel by Indian guests more than doubled in Q1 2023 when compared to Q1 2022. The United Kingdom, United States, and various European countries have emerged as the top destinations among Indian travelers looking to travel abroad.

While international travel has gained momentum, Indians are also seeking domestic travel adventures, indulging in beach getaways, city escapades, and serene vacations in the hills. Goa takes the top spot among the most booked domestic destinations, followed by Bengaluru, Pune, Delhi, and Kullu. Overall nights booked in India have grown by 70 percent when comparing full-year 2022 with pre-pandemic 2019, while domestic nights in India grew by almost 110 percent.

Airbnb has also observed a continued enthusiasm among international guests to visit India and immerse themselves in the country's rich culture and heritage. The United States stands out as the leading origin for Airbnb guests visiting India, along with the United Kingdom, Germany, Australia, and Canada.

Amanpreet Singh Bajaj, Airbnb’s General Manager for India, Southeast Asia, Hong Kong and Taiwan, said, “The strong enthusiasm we are witnessing for travel presents a remarkable opportunity to foster meaningful connections. It reflects the growing confidence and eagerness among Indian travelers to explore new destinations and create lasting memories. Alongside our vibrant Host community, we want to help ensure India has a diverse range of accommodation options needed to harness the travel rebound, while also helping to promote responsible travel practices that allow people to genuinely connect with local communities and immerse themselves in the country’s rich cultural heritage. We’re committed to working closely with the government and industry stakeholders to support and accelerate the ongoing travel recovery.”

Airbnb’s Travel Outlook for 2023

In 2023, exploring off-the-beaten-path destinations has garnered significant interest, providing travelers with the opportunity to discover new places without preconceived notions.

Solo travel is on the rise, with individuals seeking nature-based experiences to find balance and reconnect with themselves. The flexibility and freedom offered by solo travel, along with the desire for peace and solitude in rustic locales, have contributed to its surge. Airbnb's data indicates that solo travel in India has nearly doubled compared to the same period last year.

Traveling with family on Airbnb remains popular amongst Indians and has witnessed a remarkable surge of over 110 percent year-on-year. Airbnb accommodations cater to families, with nearly 90 percent of stays equipped with kitchens, a quarter offering three bedrooms or more, and over a million accommodations providing cribs for small children.

India has also witnessed a significant rise in responsible tourism, as travelers increasingly prioritize travel that promote responsible practices, such as community-based tourism, eco-tourism, and cultural tourism. Responsible travel allows individuals to deeply connect with local cultures and lifestyles, providing authentic and unique experiences.

Moreover, there is a growing demand for unique accommodations that go beyond traditional offerings, with travelers seeking distinctive spaces such as treehouses, houseboats, and farm stays.

Summer Travel Trends

As the summer season unfolds, Indian travelers are eagerly embracing both domestic and international destinations. Puri, Chennai, Goa, Dehradun, Mumbai, Kochi, Kolkata, Bengaluru, Munnar, and Nainital have emerged as the top trending domestic summer destinations, capturing the essence of India's diverse landscape. Internationally, Bali, Lucerne, Vienna, Paris, Lisbon, Split, Rome, Prague, Singapore, and Bangkok have been attracting Indian travelers with their captivating charm.

By IANSlife

May 17, 2023 (IANSlife) 8 quirky, exceptional, or breathtaking homes that you can stay at for INR 8000 or less. Each of them is exceptional in its own right, popular with tourists, and receives a perfect 9+ out of 10 in ratings on Agoda, a digital travel agency, for "value for money." These accommodations, which range from luxurious getaways to creative hotspots to lodging above Belgian beer bars to housing even inside shipping containers, are unmatched when it comes to fusing flair and comfort with price.

So, whether you're planning a romantic getaway, a family vacation, or a solo adventure, read on to discover traveler’s favorites for mostly budget-friendly, yet unforgettable, stays that are sure to delight, surprise, and inspire:

GOA, INDIA: CASA SEVERINA

Value for Money rating: 9.1

Room rate: INR 3,846.39

Casa Severina got awarded ‘top choice’ in Goa last year in the 3-star hotel segment. The remarkable service level contributes greatly to Severina Hotel’s value for money rating, but so do the lush grounds, the swimming pool, and the fitness facilities. And don’t forget its prime location near the beach. All of that can be enjoyed from the comfort of a sizable 40m2 room with a king bed and a balcony, for as little as INR 3.8K per night. Value for money indeed!

HANOI, VIETNAM: SMARANA HANOI HERITAGE

Value for Money rating: 9.2

Room rate: INR 6,251.03

Even before setting foot in the Smarana Hanoi Heritage hotel, its distinct exterior will put a smile upon your face. It surely stands out, with vibrant colors, lively plants, and charming French balconies. Once inside, odds are you’ll by now have fallen completely in love with this hotel: It’s authentic, stylish, and welcoming. Everything just feels right. Truly a unique and reasonably priced 5-star in a prime Hanoi location. BANGKOK, THAILAND: FEEL GOOD BANGKOK HOSTEL

Value for Money rating: 9.8

Room rate: INR 2,079.49 (with private bathroom)

The Feel Good Hostel & Cafe, the only hostel on this list, more than deserves its spot. Guest reviews mention comfy beds, clean rooms, great service, and the location isn’t bad either with backpacker’s favorite Kao San Road or the splendor of the Grand Palace just on the other side of the Chao Phraya River. Oh, and for those wanting a bit more privacy: Rooms with private bathrooms are also available, often for less than INR 2.16K per night!

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA: KLOE HOTEL

Value for Money rating: 9.2

Room rate: INR 7,211.99

KLoe Hotel was recognized as the top choice by Agoda travelers in Kuala Lumpur last year. Scroll through the images on Agoda and you’ll get an idea why. This boutique hotel positions itself as a hub for creative nomads and has given a lot of care to its interior design, making sure the central courtyard and the open walkways unleash creativity within every guest. With special rooms for reading, listening, and drawing, there’s a place for any potential artist. And any writer’s block is sure to disappear with a plunge in the courtyard pool.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA: NIGHTCAP AT BELGIAN BEER CAFE

Value for Money rating: 9.0

Room rate: INR 8,174.93

Attention all beer lovers! In the heart of Perth there’s a hotel where you’ll never get thirsty: The Nightcap at Belgian Beer Café. It will be of no surprise that the vibrant, Flemish-style pub above which the hotel is located offers a wide selection of Belgian and international brews, and tasty pub food. And the rooms are pretty good too, with king beds and modern bathrooms, making this the ideal value for money stay in Perth.

8 ‘Value for Money’ accommodations under INR 8000

Travel doesn’t have to cost the earth

Jadeja’s last ball four helps CSK beat Gujarat Titans, clinch 5th IPL title

Star all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja hit a six and four in the last two balls as Chennai Super Kings beat Gujarat Titans by 5 wickets (via DLS method) in the rain-affected rescheduled final of the 2023 season to clinch a record-equalling fifth Indian Premier League title at the Narendra Modi Stadium, here on Monday night.

Gaikwad, but the young Afghan spinner also got rid of dangerouslooking Conway to put CSK on the back foot.

Two new batters Impact Substitute Shivam Dube and Ajinkya Rahane were at the crease and had a massive task ahead of them. As has been the case with Rahane this season, he once again showed his class and played some exquisite strokes to give the much-needed impetus to CSK innings.

Indian athletes excel in Europe as Jyothi Yarraji wins gold at T-Meeting 2023

With this thrilling win, the M.S. Dhoni-led CSK now have five trophies — same as Mumbai Indians.

A sensational quick-fire fifty from Sai Sudharsan (96 off 41) along with Wriddhiman Saha’s vital half-century (54 off 39) powered Gujarat Titans to 214/4 in 20 overs. Sudharsan looked flawless throughout his innings and played some breathtaking shots against an undisciplined bowling line-up. Apart from Sudharsan and Saha, the likes of Shubman Gill (39 off 20) and Hardik Pandya (21 off 12) also made vital contributions with the bat.

Chasing a mammoth target, CSK scored four runs in the first three balls of the innings with openers

Ruturaj Gaikwad and Devon Conway at the crease before rain intervened and stopped the play. When the play resumed at 12:10 IST (night) after a long delay due to a wet outfield, the revised target for CSK was to chase 171 runs in 15 overs.

Both Conway and Gaikwad came with an attacking mindset and gave CSK a flying start. They played some beautiful shots and hammered Md Shami, Hardik Pandya and even Rashid Khan and took CSK to 52/0 in the revised four-over Power-play.

Gujarat Titans badly needed a wicket and left-armer spinner Noor Ahmed gave them the crucial breakthrough by removing Gaikwad (26 off 16). Not only

Though Dube was struggling to get his timing right, Rahane was in fine touch and took CSK to 112 for 2 in 10 overs. From there on, the match saw many ups and downs and eventually CSK needed 13 to win off the last over. Mohit Sharma bowled excellent yorkers and gave just three runs in the first four balls. But Jadeja had other plans and he hit a six and four in the last two balls to give CSK a thrilling win and record fifth title.

Brief scores: Gujarat Titans 214/4 in 20 overs (Sai Sudharsan 96, Wriddhiman Saha 54; Matheesha Pathirana 2-44) Chennai Super Kings 171/5 in 15 overs (revised target) (Devon Conway 47, Ajinkya Rahane 27, Shivam Dube 32 not out, Ravindra Jadeja 15 not out; Mohit Sharma 3-36, Noor Ahmad 2-17) by five wickets.

Wrestlers mess: HC seeks Delhi govt’s reply on which court will deal with minors’ plea

A bench of Justice Dinesh Kumar Sharma directed the high court Registrar General and the Principal Secretary, Delhi government to file their responses and listed the case for consideration on July 6.

New Delhi, May 30 (IANS) Indian athletes stole the show in meets in Europe in the last few days with hurdler Jyothi Yarraji bagging gold in the T-Meeting 2023 athletics meet in Tilburg, the Netherlands while Selva Prabhu wins a gold medal in the triple jump at Venizelia-Chania 2023 athletics in Greece.

In Tilburg, Jyothi Yarraji clinched the gold medal in the women's 100m hurdles event while Mohammed Afsal Pulikkalakath finished third in the men's 400m race at the T-Meeting 2023 athletics meet, on Monday. The 23-year-old Jyothi clocked 13.20s in the final to win the event at the category E World Ranking competition. En route to the final, Jyothi topped the heats with a time of 13.08s.

In the 100m event, Amlan Borgohain ran the heat in 10.55s to finish fourth but didn't line up for the final.

On Sunday, India's Selva Prabhu Thirumaran bagged the gold medal in the men's triple jump event at the Venizelia-Chania International 2023 athletics meet in Greece and in the process, recorded his personal best and also overhauled the junior national record.

The 18-year-old Selva Prabhu topped the podium in the event with a leap of 16.78m. The Tamil Nadu athlete registered three legal jumps of 16.34m, 16.78m and 16.25m. However, his second jump was enough to win him a medal and break the junior national record.

New Delhi, May 30 (IANS) The Delhi High Court on Tuesday sought response of the AAPled government and Registrar General of high court on which court will deal with the pleas of minor wrestlers seeking courtmonitored investigation against Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief and BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh. The wrestlers' had approached the trial court seeking a courtmonitored probe.

However, the Rouse Avenue Court sent a communication for clarification whether it can deal with the case or should it be with the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court, which is Patiala House Court.

Since April 23, prominent wrestlers, who have achieved glory at the Olympics and World Championships, were staging a protest at Jantar Mantar against the WFI chief.

On May 28, after Delhi Police cleared all signs of the wrestlers' month-long protest, taking away items that the grapplers had brought to Jantar Mantar to protest against the WFI chief. Several groups of farmers have also extended their support to the wrestlers.

On May 27, the police filed a status report on the application moved by the protesting women wrestlers against the WFI chief. Appearing for Delhi Police, special public prosecutor

Atul Shrivastava had apprised Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Harjit Singh Jaspal of Rouse Avenue Court that the statements of the 'victim' women wrestlers have been recorded under Section 164 of the CrPC before a magistrate. CMM Jaspal directed the police to supply both the status reports filed on May 12 and May 27 to the complainants, who were also directed to supply a copy of the application to the police. The court then posted the matter for next hearing on June 27.

In the wake of the allegations of sexual harrasment levelled against Singh by the protesting wrestlers, a Delhi court had on May 25 sought an action taken report (ATR) from the police on a complaint filed by a social activist and chief of Atal Jan Shakti Party, seeking registration of an FIR against wrestlers Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, and Sakshi Malik for pressing "false allegations" of sexual harassment against Singh.

Angel Agwazie of Belgium clinched the silver with 13.64s while Dutch athlete Mira Groot clocked 13.78s to bag the bronze. This was Jyothi Yarraji's second gold medal in two days. The Andhra runner clinched the gold medal in the women's 100m hurdles event at the Kurpfalz Gala 2023 athletics meet, in Weinheim, Germany on Saturday.

In Germany, Jyothi Yarraji clocked a season-best time of 12.84s - just 0.02 seconds off her national record -- in the final to medal at the World Athletics Continental Tour Challenger meet.

In the same meet, India's Sapna Kumari finished fourth in the heats of the women's 100m hurdles event but didn't start in the final.

Meanwhile, Mohammed Afsal Pulikkalakath clocked a time of 48.43s to win a bronze medal in the men's 400m event at the Tilburg meet. The 27-year-old has a personal best of 48.22, which he clocked in Thenhipalam, Kerala in 2022.

Selva Prabhu had won a silver medal in the World Athletics U20 Championships with a jump of 16.15m in Colombia last year.

Julian Konle of Australia finished second with a jump of 16.60m while local athlete Dimtrios Tsiamis claimed third place with a 16.33m effort.

In the men's long jump event at the World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze meet, India's Jeswin Aldrin finished overall fifth with a best jump of 7.66m.

The 21-year-old Jeswin Aldrin holds the men's long jump national record courtesy of an 8.42m leap at the National Open Jumps competition in Bellary earlier this year.

The gold medal went to Jalen Rucker of Australia, who produced a jump of 7.86m. France's Jules Pommery (7.84m) and Nikolaos Stamatonikolos (7.81m) of Greece bagged the silver and bronze medals, respectively.

French Open: Djokovic off to winning start in bid for 23rd Grand Slam title, No.1 ranking

Chatrier at the Roland Garros here.

Kovacevic made a confident start to his Grand Slam main draw debut, but he was unable to hold his illustrious opponent back after Djokovic claimed the first break of the match in the sixth game.

WTC 2021-23: Gaffaney, Illingworth to be on-field umpires for India v Australia Final

Despite an uncharacteristic lapse from Djokovic in the third set, the World No. 3 maintained a high level of play throughout his victory. He struck his groundstrokes cleanly off both wings and won 82 per cent (37/45) of points behind his first serve in the match.

Paris, May 29 (IANS) Former Champion Novak Djokovic started his campaign to capture a record 23rd Grand Slam title and the World No.1 ranking with a comprehensive win in the men's singles first round at the French Open here on Monday.

Two-time French Open champion Djokovic, who also has a chance of becoming the first man in the history of Open Era tennis to achieve the triple career Grand Slam, dispatched Aleksandar Kovacevic 6-3, 6-2, 7-6(1) in the first round on Court Philippe

Despite a third-set turnaround in which the American rallied from 3-5 to force a tie-break, Djokovic held firm to complete a firstround win in which he converted five of his 12 break points and struck 41 winners to Kovacevic's 25.

The World No. 114 Kovacevic, who idolised Djokovic as a child and posed for a picture with the Serbian as a seven-year-old at the 2005 US Open, showed flashes of his best level throughout the two-hour, 26-minute encounter. Yet he was unable to match the consistency of Djokovic from the baseline and had no answer to the third seed's razor-sharp returns.

By winning the title here, Djokovic can move ahead of Rafael Nadal in the Grand Slam titles race with his second major triumph of the season in Paris (he also triumphed at January's Australian Open). His next challenge in the French capital is a second-round clash with World No. 83 Marton Fucsovics.

A third victory in Paris would also secure a return to No. 1 in the ATP Rankings for Djokovic, who was usurped from the top spot by Carlos Alcaraz three weeks ago. The 36-year-old now has 86 match wins at Roland Garros, second only to Nadal's 112.

Alex Carey reveals support from wicketkeeping greats ahead of WTC final

blossoming during the 2019 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup and then re-ignited shortly after when they joined forces in the Indian Premier League with the Delhi Capitals.

Ponting spoke glowingly of Carey on the most recent episode of The ICC Review, with the Australia legend declaring the current gloveman had improved immensely behind the stumps in recent times and was "currently second to none around world cricket" when compared to other Test wicket-keepers.

Dubai, May 29 (IANS) Chris Gaffaney of New Zealand and Richard Illingworth of England have been named as the on-field umpires for the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) Final to be played between Australia and India at The Oval in London from June 7-11.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday announced the match officials for the Ultimate Test, which has June 12 earmarked as a reserve day to make up for any lost time during the

scheduled five days of play. Gaffaney, 48, will be standing in his 49th Test match while it will be the 64th outing for 59-yearold Illingworth in the longest format of the game. Incidentally, Illingworth also stood in the first WTC Final two years ago which New Zealand won with an eightwicket victory against India in Southampton, the ICC informed in a release on Monday.

Another England umpire, Richard Kettleborough, will also be officiating in a second successive WTC Final, once again appointed as the TV umpire. Kumar Dharmasena of Sri Lanka will be the fourth umpire, the release said.

Richie Richardson of the West Indies will be the match referee.

Tendulkar named ‘Smile Ambassador’ for Maha oral hygiene campaign

New

Delhi,

May 29 (IANS)

Australia wicket-keeper Alex Carey has said he maintains a close relationship with a host of former keepers and revealed he has spoken to some of those predecessors about what he can expect through the World Test Championship (WTC) Final and the Ashes series.

Former Australian keeper Adam Gilchrist presented Carey with his Baggy Green when he made his Test debut against England in Brisbane during the Ashes series in 2021.

The left-hander said the Australia great is among a small, but select, group of former keepers he still remains in contact with.

"Adam Gilchrist presented my Baggy Green and is a guy I obviously looked up to when I was

a youngster," Carey told ICC. He further said adding that he enjoys hearing regularly from the tight-knit group of Australian wicket-keepers.

"Brad Haddin was part of the oneday World Cup, I have done some work with Ian Healy, Graham Manou is a South Australian boy and Tim Paine recently as welland Matty Wade is another.

"It is really nice to be able to bounce ideas off those guys, even just some thoughts and questions to get a second opinion. They are really open to offering advice and support and like I said it is a pretty small club so it is always nice to hear from those guys," he added.

Ricky Ponting is another former player to have worked alongside Carey, with the duo's relationship

"To hear those words from Ricky is great. As a player I have tried to improve with every game and with every opportunity I get. To work with Ricky over the last number of years, starting over here in England four years ago and part of the One-Day World Cup was great and it would be nice to have a great tour here," Carey said.

Australia will enter the one-off Test without playing a competitive warm-up match and the decision raised some eyebrows back home with former skipper Allan Border among a group to have queried the move ahead of an extremely crucial stretch of Test cricket.

"Coming together now we really feel the excitement heading into the Test Championship and I think it will be a hindsight thing about whether or not we should have played a warm-up match.

"As a player I feel like we will be ready come that first match so I think it will be one of the things talked about after the Test match," the wicket-keeper batter said.

Mumbai, May 30 (IANS) Cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar has been appointed as the 'Smile Ambassador' for the Maharashtra government's oral hygiene campaign titled 'Swachh Mukh Abhiyaan', here on Tuesday.

Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for five years with Tendulkar for the major state-wide initiative, officials said.

Speaking on the occasion, Fadnavis said that the Swachh Mukh Abhiyaan (SMA), an oral health mission, is run by the state Medical Education Department and Tendulkar shall be its 'Smile Ambassador' for five years.

"Many celebrities promote cancer-causing products, but Tendulkar never appears in such advertisements. He will promote oral hygiene among the people, especially the youth," said Fadnavis.

The 'Swachh Mukh Abhiyaan' is an all-India initiative by the Indian

Dental Association (IDA) to create awareness about oral hygiene and health among the masses.

It highlights a five-point oral hygiene agenda like brushing teeth twice daily, rinsing after every meal, eating healthy and nutritious food, avoiding smoking or chewing tobacco to prevent oral cancer, and going for dental check-up at least twice a year.

The IDA said in a statement that this campaign will lead the country to optimal healthcare and pave the way for a new model of oral hygiene, but it can be achieved only with the participation of all the stakeholders.

Earlier, Tendulkar was the 'Hand Ambassador' for a cleanliness campaign launched by the liquid antiseptic brand, Savlon, highlighting the need for clean hands for a healthy life.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan dazzles at Cannes 2023 red carpet

The global icon bedazzled

Alia Bhatt Gucci’s Global

Brand Ambassador

The Italian fashion houses chooses the star as an example of empowerment and self expression within the next generation

By IANSlife

May 19, 2023 (IANSlife) L’Oréal Paris’ spokesperson Aishwarya Rai Bachchan looked stellar in a Sophie Couture Ensemble as she walked the red carpet on the third day of the 76th Cannes Film Festival for L’Oréal Paris sporting a bold red lip. The actress walks for the brand which celebrates

26 years as the official makeup partner of the film festival.

L’Oréal Paris Spokespeople from across the globe along with Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, celebrated confidence in oneself to commemorate this year’s theme – ‘Walk Your Worth’.

With this initiative, the brand aims to further strengthen its

longstanding commitment to promoting self-worth and empowerment. The theme is a nod to the brand's ethos, which encourages individuals to embrace their confidence and celebrate themselves. The global icon bedazzled with sheer magnificence as she radiated in a spectacular black

By IANSlife

May 12, 2023 (IANSlife) First it was Deepika Padukone, who was appointed as the first Indian to represent luxury giant Louis Vuitton internationally, and now Italian high-end luxury fashion house Gucci has appointed Alia Bhatt as their first Indian global ambassador.

The fashion house from Florence used Instagram to make the formal announcement with a photo and a comment stating, “Alia Bhatt is the House’s newest Global Brand Ambassador. To mark the occasion, the actress, producer and entrepreneur was captured with the Gucci Bamboo 1947 bag,” read Gucci’s official social media post.

milestones we create together."

Gucci further commented on its social media handle that Alia Bhatt was chosen, "an an example of a creative talent fostering empowerment and self expression within the next generation" and is recognised by the House as the latest Global Brand Ambassador."

Alia will reportedly attend the fashion house Cruise 2024 show, which will take place in Seoul, South Korea, next week, after being named the brand's worldwide ambassador. The event will reportedly commemorate Gucci's 25 years in South Korea and will be held in the city's Gyeongbokgung Palace.

and silver hooded ensemble by Sophie Couture. She donned a makeup look created by beauty maestro Val Garland. Drawing inspiration from her celestial beauty, her look was brought to life using L’Oréal Paris Infallible 32H Freshwear Foundation in the shade 140 Golden Beige, infused with a long-lasting yet lightweight formula.

Her beautiful doe-shaped eyes were enhanced using the subtle smokey glitter eyeshadow. A dramatic winged eyeliner was created using the L’Oréal Paris Super Liner Gel Intenza that gives a smooth, smudge-proof wear lasting up to 36 hours, accentuating the innate grace of her eye shape.

The perfect finishing touch to the eye makeup was voluminous

lashes with L’Oréal Paris Voluminous Lash Paradise Mascara, which gives voluptuous volume and intense length. Her perfect bold red pout was achieved using the L’Oréal Paris Color Riche Intense Volume Matte Lipstick in shade 666 – I Win, which provided her lips a highly ultra-matte finish and an intensely pigmented red hue.

Alia Bhatt stated, "I'm honoured to represent the house of Gucci, not only in India but at a global stage.

Gucci's legacy has always inspired and intrigued me and I'm looking forward to the many sartorial

Alia will make her Hollywood debut alongside Gal Gadot and Jamie Dornan in the Netflix spy thriller "Heart of Stone" on the professional front. The film will make its debut in August of this year.

Celebrity hairstylist Adhuna Bhabani reveals summer hair trends ...

and tips for self-styling in collaboration with Dyson

Padukone’s 82°E joins ‘Beauty Without Bunnies’ campaign

The programme informs consumers which companies refuse to test on animals anywhere in the world

By IANSlife

May 21, 2023 (IANSlife) With the onset of the summer, give your beautiful locks a fun reset for the bright days ahead and your summer getaways. In case you are short on inspiration, here’s a round-up of the top hairstyles from renowned hairstylist Adhuna Bhabani in collaboration with Dyson that you can easily achieve.

Summer Hair Trends for 2023

Bangs and fringes all the way!

Bangs and fringes will be seen making a great resurgence in the summer of 2023. From Wednesday Addams inspired wispy bangs, to soft feathery bangs, baby bangs etc, bangs are versatile and one can choose basis their hair length and texture to compliment your face shape. To draw more attention to your strong facial features, suggest your stylist to keep the outer layer of the fringe longer and the middle part of the fringe shorter. Use the round volumising brush attachment of the Dyson Airwrap™ multi-styler to add the necessary oomph to your bangs.

Pro Tip: Bangs can look good on everyone, but if you want to make sure your fringe doesn't turn out to be a disaster, you should keep your face shape in mind when asking for the chop.

Wavy Bob

The wavy bob was recently spotted in the Dyson x Aprita Mehta’s showcase during the Lakme Fashion Week 2023, and this will become a big trend during the summer season. It's a shorter bob that is cut with shorter layers at the front and longer layers at the back, adding more life and volume to your hair. While a chin-length bob may seem like a big chop to some, this hairstyle can actually be an extremely flattering choice.

Beachy Waves

Loose beach waves are certainly among one of the most appealing and versatile hairstyles you can wear. This look is one of Adhuna’s favourites, these sophisticated waves can assist your transition from day to night. Beachy waves

dressed up are also a super ideal wedding hairstyle to complete your easy and relaxed look.

Voluminous Blow Dry

The 90s blowout was already very popular, and 2023 is no different. While some may think it's challenging to get this look at home, the Dyson AirwrapTM multi-styler allows you to create the ideal voluminous blow-dry. Your hair will look effortlessly gorgeous and full of shine.

Summer Hair Care Tips And Tricks

As our busy lifestyle often deprives us of a proper hair care regime, Adhuna also shared some insightful tips for helping us attain gorgeous tresses that turn heads this spring-summer.

Cold shower followed by drying for smoother and shinier hair: Blast your hair with a cold shower (after shampooing) as hot water not only damages our skin but also our hair and scalp. Cold shower will seal the cuticles and make hair shinier, stronger, and smoother. However, don’t keep your hair wet for long as hair is more fragile in this state.

Extreme heat is detrimental: Choosing the right temperature is of utmost importance while styling. The Dyson haircare range is equipped with intelligent heat control to maintain optimum temperatures and prevent extreme heat damage. Do not forget using a heat protectant before styling your hair.

Say yes to updos: Nobody likes their hair falling on their face during the summer. Hence it is ideal to opt for hairstyles like braids, messy updos and ponytails. These hairstyles are also great to camouflage an oily scalp.

Hair Massage + treatments = shiny hair: The action of the massage/ brushing stimulates the blood circulation which feeds the root of the hair and helps maintain healthier hair and scalp.

Hair massage needs to be done at least two or three times a week. A good hair massage also helps the nutrients to efficiently reach

the hair follicles. Hair treatments are also a great way to nourish your hair and improve its shine and condition. Apply a hair treatment at least once a week or as recommended by your stylist. Volume, volume and some more volume: Who doesn’t like to add some volume to their hair, especially in the crown area? If you are tackling flat hair, then use the round volumizing brush to add volume to your hair. It can also be used to seamlessly sweep bangs away from the face to provide volume and create the desired style. Another way of adding volume to your hair is by layering the crown area, Prepare, Style and Fix: After spending hours styling your hair, sometimes your hairstyle or curls may loosen up. If this describes you, then you may be missing one of the most important steps, i.e., setting your hairstyle with a lightweight setting spray or cold shot. Our hair often sets in the same position as it cools down. Hence the correct procedure for styling your hair should be –style your hair using the Dyson AirwrapTM multi-styler, set your curls/hairstyle using cold shot, pin up your curls for 5-10 mins and finish off with a setting spray. You can go with styling products that fit your hair type, length and thickness.

By IANSlife

May 19, 2023 (IANSlife) Following the successful launch of global icon Deepika Padukone’s self-care brand 82°E, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) India announces that 82°E’s skincare line has been certified by the “Beauty Without Bunnies” programme run by PETA US.

“At 82°E, we take pride in demonstrating our support and proudly displaying our compliance with PETA’s guidelines. We will continue to remain committed to the cause,” says Padukone.

“Thanks to Deepika Padukone’s commitment, everyone can shop her new skincare line knowing that no animal was hurt to make the products,” says PETA India Manager of Fashion, Media, and Celebrity Projects Monica Chopra.

“PETA India is celebrating 82°E

for making its skincare products cruelty-free from the get-go.” A single test for a cosmetics ingredient can use over 1000 animals. That’s why thousands of companies around the world have banned the use of animals in favour of modern, nonanimal methods for testing their products, thereby sparing animals suffering in painful tests in which substances would be dripped into their eyes, smeared onto their shaved skin, sprayed in their faces, or forced down their throats. Because of the vast physiological differences between humans and the animals used in these tests, the results are often misleading.

The “Beauty Without Bunnies” certification programme helps inform consumers which companies refuse to test on animals anywhere in the world.

the fragrance that we wear has a long-lasting impact on the minds of those who we engage with for a long time. It does the talking about our personality even before we talk

By N. Lothungbeni Humtsoe

May 2, 2023

(IANSlife)

The sense of smell is more than merely understanding complex fragrances. It is related to uplifting our mood and striking back some memories that we cherished ages ago. Be it the aftershave that our father wore or the perfume that our mother smothered us with on certain occasions, a distinctive fragrance goes a long way to be recognized even after ages.

Taking a cue from the same, the fragrance that we wear has a long-lasting impact on the minds of those who we engage with for a long time. It does the talking about our personality even before we talk.

"While choosing a fragrance, men

tend to stick to one fragrance and merely experiment with new ones. They often give in to the fragrance used by most men or the newest arrivals on the shelves without understanding whether the fragrance suits their personality or not. Though mostused fragrances can be smelling good, they will not give you a distinctive edge in the crowd," says Neeraj

Bhensdadia,

CoFounder of Upsilon- a perfume brand in India.

"It hence becomes imperative for a man to have a signature fragrance to have the feeling of being arrived irrespective of the occasion. From being noticed by everyone in the room to letting you be in your element throughout your presentation at the occasion, a signature perfume has an array of benefits."

Here are five reasons why men should find their signature fragrances right away outlined by Neeraj.

Five reasons why men should find their signature fragrances right now

Lyricist Manoj Muntashir to host docuseries on thriving Mauryan era town in Gujarat

Owing to its historical significance and enduring legacy, Vadnagar, located in Gujarat's Mehsana district, is set to enthrall audiences with a two-part docuseries, 'Ananth Anaadih Vadnagar'.

Tipu Sultan’s sword fetches over $17 million at London auction

Erstwhile Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan’s ‘Bedchamber Sword’ had sold for more than 14 million pounds ($17 million) at an auction in London.

Mumbai, May 26 (IANS) Owing to its historical significance and enduring legacy, Vadnagar, located in Gujarat's Mehsana district, is set to enthrall audiences with a two-part docuseries, 'Ananth Anaadih Vadnagar'.

The series explores the enduring history of India's fortified city

where each episode delves into a specific era, beginning with Vadnagar's evolution from a modest settlement to a prominent town during the Mauryan Era. The Indo-Greeks constructed imposing fortifications in the 1st Century BCE, while Buddhism thrived with the discovery of numerous monasteries. The series will be hosted by writerlyricist Manoj Muntashir Shukla. Vadnagar's significance as a trade hub grew through coin mints, various industries and buzzing marketplaces prove the continued significance of Vadnagar as center for commerce and trade in Gujarat during ancient and medieval periods.

Manoj Muntashir Shukla said:

"The opportunity of hosting this docuseries has been uniquely

reassuring and a learning experience for me, and for that, I am truly grateful to Warner Bros. Discovery. This project marks my first collaboration with them."

He further mentioned: "Despite Vadnagar's widespread recognition, there were numerous fascinating aspects about the city that remained unknown to me, and I am confident that there will also be revelations for many people in India. The discoveries made in the docuseries took me by surprise and I cannot wait for viewers to explore this untold narrative and be equally surprised."

'Ananth Anaadih Vadnagar' will premiere on June 7 at 9:00 p.m. on Discovery Channel and is available to stream on the discovery+ platform.

Meet the artist from Ganderbal who creates unique art using rock powder

Ganderbal district in central Kashmir is home to a remarkable artist whose creative talent has earned him global recognition.

rocks using a mortar, carefully extracting vibrant pigments that retain the essence of their natural origins. The resulting rock powder serves as his medium, which he skillfully mixes with binders to create his works.

London, May 26 (IANS) Erstwhile

Mysore ruler Tipu Sultan's 'Bedchamber Sword' had sold for more than 14 million pounds ($17 million) at an auction in London. Described as "one of the world's rare artefacts", the sword's sale was conducted by Bonhams -- a privately owned international auction house in London -- on Tuesday, achieving 14,080,900 pounds against an estimate of 1.5 million to 2 million pounds.

The auction house said the sword was found in Tipu Sultan's private quarters of his palace after he was killed by British forces on May 4, 1799.

Following his death, the sword was presented to British Major General David Baird as a token of his courage, according to Bonhams.

"The English inscription to the blade, presumably added by Baird or a descendant, explains how it was found in Tipu Sultan's bedchamber following the fall of Seringapatam (now Srirangapatna) and presented to the General as a trophy of his victory."

On the spine of the blade, a gold inlaid inscription reads 'Shamshir-e Malik' or 'The Sword of the King'.

"The sword has an extraordinary history, an astonishing provenance and unrivaled craftsmanship," CNN quoted Nima Sagharchi, group head of Islamic and Indian Art at Bonhams, as saying in the statement.

"It was no surprise it was so hotly contested between two phone bidders and a bidder in the room. We are delighted with the result," he added.

According to Bonhams CEO Bruno Vinciguerra, the "spectacular sword is the greatest of all the weapons linked to Tipu Sultan still in private hands".

Srinagar, May 22 (IANS)

Ganderbal district in central Kashmir is home to a remarkable artist whose creative talent has earned him global recognition.

Manzoor Ahmad Bhat transforms rock powder sourced from the mountains of Kashmir into breathtaking paintings that leave the viewers in awe. His unique artistic process showcases the harmonious fusion of nature's raw beauty and his own artistic brilliance.

The journey of Manzoor Ahmad Bhat began amid the towering peaks and serene valleys of Kashmir. Drawn to the mystique of the region's mountains, he began collecting rocks from various locations, fascinated by the diverse hues and textures they presented. As he immersed himself in this pursuit, an idea took root in his mind - to create art using the very essence of these mountains.

"When I hold a rock in my hand, I feel a deep connection with nature. I wanted to capture the essence of these mountains and showcase their beauty in a way that hasn't been done before," Bhat said.

Bhat's artistic process is a testament to his unwavering dedication and meticulous craftsmanship. At his home studio, he grinds the collected

"The process of grinding rocks is both physically demanding and mentally stimulating. Each rock is unique, and it takes patience and precision to extract the desired colours. It's like revealing the hidden secrets of the mountains through art," Bhat said. With a palette of colours derived from the mountains, Bhat's brushstrokes breathe life onto his board. His paintings depict breathtaking landscapes, traditional Kashmiri motifs, and poignant portraits, each stroke capturing the spirit of the region. The intricate details and vibrant tones evoke a sense of awe and wonder, transporting viewers to the very heart of Kashmir's natural beauty.

Bhat's talent has garnered him international recognition, with his artworks displayed in prestigious galleries and art exhibitions worldwide. Collectors and art enthusiasts are captivated by the unique texture and depth that the rock powder brings to his paintings, creating an unmatched visual experience.

"I believe that by using materials sourced directly from the mountains, my art becomes a bridge between people and nature. It's a way to remind ourselves of the importance of preserving our environment and appreciating the beauty that

surrounds us," Bhat said. As Bhat continues on his artistic journey, he hopes to inspire a new generation of artists to explore unconventional mediums and develop a deeper connection with their surroundings. He conducts workshops and mentorship programmes to share his techniques and ignite the spark of creativity in others.

"I want to encourage artists to think outside the box and challenge the boundaries of traditional art. There is so much beauty and inspiration in the world, waiting to be discovered and interpreted through our unique perspectives," Bhat said. Bhat's artistic prowess transcends conventional boundaries, unveiling a world where nature's essence converges with human creativity. Through his remarkable paintings, he invites us to pause, immerse ourselves in the splendour of the mountains, and appreciate the intricate wonders that lie within the rocks beneath our feet.

In the words of Bhat, "Art has the power to reveal the hidden stories of our world. By capturing the essence of the mountains, I hope to awaken a sense of wonder and appreciation for the beauty that surrounds us all."

Through his exceptional talent, Bhat serves as a true inspiration, reminding us that the ordinary can become extraordinary with a touch of artistic brilliance and a deep connection with nature.

The auction house said that the sword's "extremely rare calligraphic hilt is a masterpiece of late-18th century Indian manufacture, intricately inlaid in gold with fine calligraphic invocations to God".

"Its close personal association with the Sultan, its impeccable provenance traceable to the very day it was captured, and the outstanding craftsmanship that went into its manufacture make it unique and highly desirable," he added.

UP now holds second position in GI tagged products

Uttar Pradesh now holds second position in the country in terms of having the maximum number of Geographical Indication-tagged goods after receiving GI tags for three more ODOP crafts.

However, UP is first in terms of GI-tagged handicrafts with 36 crafts to its credit.

Varanasi (UP), May 16 (IANS)

Uttar Pradesh now holds second position in the country in terms of having the maximum number of Geographical Indication-tagged goods after receiving GI tags for three more ODOP crafts.

The ODOP crafts that have received GI tags include Mainpuri tarkashi, Mahoba Gaura stone craft, and Sambhal horn craft.

While Tamil Nadu leads with 55 GI-tagged goods, UP and Karnataka follow with 48 and 46 GI products, respectively.

"With this feat, UP, beating Karnataka, has become the second state with maximum GItagged goods in the country. UP also has the maximum number of GI tags in handicrafts in the country," said GI expert Rajni Kant, a Padma Shri awardee, and head of Human Welfare Association (HWA) that facilitated these handicrafts to get the GI certification.

According to him, of the 48 GI goods of UP, 36 products belong to the handicraft category.

In Varanasi region alone, 18 GItagged goods out of 23 belong to the handicraft category.

"Uttar Pradesh is not only the biggest exporter of GI-tagged products but it also involves the largest amount of manpower in this sector, making the highest annual turnover in the country," claimed Kant.

One of the country’s top-selling authors, Anand Neelakantan, with more than 13 books to his credit including the Bahubali trilogy -- ‘The Rise of Sivagami’, ‘Chaturanga’ and ‘Queen of Mahishmati’ -- the official prequel to SS Rajamouli’s ‘Bahubali’ films, stresses that he feels no apprehension in reinterpreting texts like Ramayana and Mahabharata, and telling the tales with a fresh perspective in his books

only the mind of the character that changes. Also, for me, it is important not to adopt a linear narrative. I explore multiple angles."

Kazuo Ishiguro and his ‘discomforting world’

New Delhi, May 14 (IANS) One of the country's top-selling authors, Anand Neelakantan, with more than 13 books to his credit including the Bahubali trilogy -- 'The Rise of Sivagami', 'Chaturanga' and 'Queen of Mahishmati' -- the official prequel to SS Rajamouli's 'Bahubali' films, stresses that he feels no apprehension in reinterpreting texts like Ramayana and Mahabharata, and telling the tales with a fresh perspective in his books.

"Why should I have a fear of being misread? This fear can come if we confuse Hinduism as a religion. Let us not forget it is a culture and a cluster of civilisations. This is not the first time someone is reinterpreting mythology. Every Ramayana is different. There are more than 1,000 to 2,000 Mahabhartas. There is nothing like 'the' book. We are an all-accepting culture. Every generation will write and rewrite it according to the needs of that generation and the viewpoint of the writer," he told IANS. He adds: "I never deviate from the plot, and do not put elements that were not there. I just change the perspective of writing, the story and the plot remain similar, it is

His latest book 'Nala Damyanti' tells the tale of love from Mahabharata, narrated by Hemanga, the golden swan of Mansarovar.

"It's an age-old tale, a determined woman fighting the fate that has kept her lover from her. So it is a modern book even though it's one of the oldest love stories," says this screenplay writer of many popular television serials who attended the recently concluded Sikkim Art and Literature Festival organised by the state government in collaboration with Teamwork Arts.

Lamenting that there seems to be a tendency to club together authors writing on that era as 'mythological writers', Neelakantan says each one's books are very different. He also stresses that it is important for him to talk about the contemporary through such ageold tales.

"People who can read deeply can immediately grasp the reflection of the present in the ancient tales I tell. As a writer, I should not be expected to spoon-feed."

Neelakantan feels that in the last few decades, there has been a tendency to oversimplify mythological texts and present a linear perspective.

"Look at the 'Ramayana'. It was not written with such a streamlined narrative. The intention was not to show that whatever Ram was perfect, but that there are multiple perspectives to everything and how they come forth through different times. Sadly, that has gotten sidelined, and there is such a great loss of all the layers and complexities."

Preferring to call himself a storyteller, and not limited to one genre, the author says he is not really bothered by language but wants to focus on tales.

"Stories came before languages. Stories are much older than languages and all the stories are oral, they were written down much later. So it shows that storytelling is language neutral. No matter what the format -- novels, short stories, or screenplays -- I just tell the story," says the author, admitting that short stories are his favorite medium.

The author who researched and wrote extensively during the Pandemic is also pitching another film.

"There is an audiobook too and two books for children books as well. Besides, a self-help book, I am compiling my research on Krishna. There is also a book about the Tamil Puranas on the cards," he concludes.

(Sukant Deepak can be contacted at sukant.d@ians.in)

NYC Mayor honors India-born woman for promoting cultural literacy

India-born entrepreneur and author Anu Sehgal has been honored by New York City Mayor Eric Adams for promoting South Asian cultural literacy in the US.

on Tuesday at the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Reception 2023 in New York, which was attended by 800 prominent members of the diaspora and Asian communities.

"We're applauding you for your effort to foster cross-cultural exchange while uniting our vibrant South Asian community together, we look forward to the many ways you have helped the AAPI New Yorkers and you will continue to make a positive difference," Mayor Adams said.

New York, May 25 (IANS) Indiaborn entrepreneur and author Anu Sehgal has been honored by New York City Mayor Eric Adams for promoting South Asian cultural literacy in the US. Sehgal, founder and president of The Culture Tree, was honored

The Mayor added that he is pleased to recognise the accomplishments of Sehgal, "a proud Indian-American who has strengthened New York for nearly two decades".

The Meerut-born author has lived

in America for over two decades, having moved to New York from Delhi in 1995, post her graduation. Sehgal says after moving to the US, she was starved for authentic Indian experiences and community, and once she became a parent, the lack of quality and authentic Indian programs and classes became even more evident to her.

As an active parent, Sehgal says that an awareness of one's heritage, culture and language is key for children to become selfaware and confident individuals.

"As a cultural educator, I am looking forward to providing children with authentic, immersive and inspiring experiences.

In one way, this author exemplifies how literary ability can transcend national or linguistic landscapes, and in the other, provides another example of the pervasive power of English, following the footsteps of other exophonic writers in the language like Joseph Conrad, Karen Blixen aka Isak Dinesen, and Vladimir Nabokov, among others. But unlike them, Japanese-born British writer Kazuo Ishiguro went on to become a Nobel Literature laureate (2017). There are others who won the Nobel for writing in English despite it not being their mother tongueRabindranath Tagore and Wole Soyinka being most prominent - but the British Empire had ensured that they were willy-nilly exposed to it.

Ishiguro's case is different as most of his evocative works deal with situations and settings from far beyond his new - as well as oldhomelands and times.

Memory - and its failings, deception (usually of self), and a sense of duty (as understood) are the main motifs of Ishiguro's small corpus - spanning reminiscences of the high life in the turbulent 1930s through the eyes of an English country house butler in 'The Remains of the Day' (1989), the question of personal guilt a painterturned-propagandist confronts in post-war Japan in 'Artist of the Floating World' (1986), a "personal" detective story set in colonial-era and communist-era Shanghai in 'When We Were Orphans' (2000), and other works set in Europe, Arthurian Britain or in a dystopian future.

"More fundamentally, I'm interested in memory because it's a filter through which we see our lives, and because it's foggy and obscure, the opportunities for self-deception are there. In the end, as a writer, I'm more interested in what people tell themselves happened rather than what actually happened," Ishiguro had said in a 2000 interview. This may explain why the narration in all but one of his seven books is in first person, and the earlier works usually deal with the past of the protagonists.

Multiple layers - including some discomforting ones that are subsequently revealed as the story advances, and the lack of definitive endings, as protagonists gradually exhibit their failings but without acknowledging that they're even aware of them, and thus, end up resigned to fully comprehend or change their lot in life - are some other features of his work.

It is possibly this sentiment of a gradual alienation that the Swedish Academy cited as it lauded Ishiguro for having "uncovered the abyss beneath our illusory sense of connection with the world" in his "novels of great emotional force."

However, some readers, though impressed, are overwhelmed. According to an ex-colleague, his works were a "mindf**k", while author Kiran Manral said that what marks him out is the focus on "the individual placed at the centre around which the universe and its chaos unfolds."

Born in Nagasaki in 1954, Ishiguro grew up in the UK where his family moved in 1959 when his father, a physical oceanographer, was invited for a project. While the family planned a return to Japan almost every or the next year, that never happened and they stayed on - in fact, he only went back to Japan in 1988. Ishiguro's first work, 'A Pale View of the Hills' (1982), came out a year before he became a British citizen.

The first of his two books with Japanese themes, it deals with a transplanted Japanese woman discussing the suicide of her eldest daughter with her younger child in England where she is living.

"Artist...", his second book, is set in an unnamed town in post-World War II Japan where the narrator is forced to come to terms with his part in the war as he gets blamed by the new generation for acquiescing in a jingoistic but ultimately ruinous nationalistic policy.

Ishiguro did state that the Japanese settings of his first two novels were imaginary, based on his mental idea of the land of his birth.

The Booker-winning 'Remains...', about the dignified butler pondering over his past and wondering about his future after a life completely devoted to the service of another person, remains Ishiguro's best known - perhaps after its 1993 film adaptation.

It is a tour de force, as it perfectly evokes the most essential element of interbellum England - the country house of the landed gentry and its staff. While in some respects, it verges on Wodehousian: "What do you think dignity's all about?" The directness of the inquiry did, I admit, take me rather by surprise. 'It's rather a hard thing to explain in a few words, sir,' I said. 'But I suspect it comes down to not removing one's clothing in public," there is a rather sombre reflection on life, duty, and relationships.

"But what is the sense in forever speculating what might have happened had such and such a moment turned out differently?"

We confuse Hinduism as religion, it’s culture & cluster of civilisations: Author Anand Neelakantan

Meta working on a new AI chip, nextgen GPUs for video workloads

and GPUs, we'll deliver better performance, decreased latency, and greater efficiency for each workload," said Santosh Janardhan, VP and Head of Infrastructure at Meta.

The company also plans a new AI-optimised data center design and the second phase of its 16,000 GPU supercomputer for AI research.

Japanese researchers likely to develop babies in lab by 2028:

such as our first in-housedeveloped ASIC solution, MSVP (Meta Scalable Video Processor), which is designed to power the constantly growing video workloads at Meta," Janardhan informed.

Study

A team of Japanese researchers are working on a method to develop babies in the laboratory as early as 2028, according to a study that can help treat infertility and other birth defects.

the paper.

New Delhi, May 19 (IANS) Meta (formerly Facebook) is building its first-generation custom silicon chip for running artificial intelligence (AI) models, saying its AI compute needs will grow dramatically over the next decade as we break new ground in AI research.

Called MTIA (Meta Training and Inference Accelerator), the inhouse, custom accelerator chip will provide greater compute power and efficiency than CPUs and is customized for internal workloads.

"By deploying both MTIA chips

"These efforts -- and additional projects still underway -- will enable us to develop larger, more sophisticated AI models and then deploy them efficiently at scale," Janardhan added.

The next-generation data center will be an AI-optimised design, supporting liquidcooled AI hardware and a high-performance AI network connecting thousands of AI chips together for data center-scale AI training clusters.

"It will also be faster and more cost-effective to build, and it will complement other new hardware

Meta's Research SuperCluster (RSC) AI supercomputer, which the company believes is one of the fastest AI supercomputers in the world, was built to train the next generation of large AI models to power new augmented reality tools, content understanding systems, real-time translation technology and more.

It features 16,000 GPUs, all accessible across the 3-level Clos network fabric that provides full bandwidth to each of the 2,000 training systems.

"Custom-designing much of our infrastructure enables us to optimize an end-to-end experience from the physical layer to the virtual layer to the software layer to the actual user experience," said Meta.

Google to kill 3rd-party cookies for 1% of Chrome users early next year

Chavez, VP, Privacy Sandbox.

The Privacy Sandbox is an ecosystem-wide initiative to ensure an open and thriving web, by improving user privacy and giving businesses the tools they need to succeed online.

Tokyo, May 26 (IANS) A team of Japanese researchers are working on a method to develop babies in the laboratory as early as 2028, according to a study that can help treat infertility and other birth defects.

The researchers at Kyushu University aim to mass-produce eggs and sperm in the lab from ordinary human cells.

Previously, his team used the synthetic surrogacy method to create baby mice from two male rodents.

In the new study, only seven out of 630 embryos grew into live mouse pups. Researchers believe the experiment can have potential implications in human reproduction.

"It's a very clever strategy," Diana Laird, a stem cell and reproductive expert at the University of California, San Francisco, who was not involved in the research, was quoted as saying to the New York Post. "It's an important step in both stem cell and reproductive biology."

New Delhi, May 19 (IANS) Google has announced it will migrate one per cent of Chrome users to Privacy Sandbox and deprecate third-party cookies for them in Q1 2024.

The move will support developers in conducting real world experiments that assess the readiness and effectiveness of their products without thirdparty cookies, said Anthony

Google has collaborated with the web ecosystem to develop new, privacy-preserving technologies that don't rely on cross-site tracking identifiers or covert techniques like fingerprinting.

"In addition, in Q4 of 2023, we will introduce the ability for developers to simulate Chrome third-party cookie deprecation for a configurable percentage of their users. This will enable

developer-controlled testing that can benefit from higher levels of third party cookie-less traffic," Chavez informed.

Last year, Google expanded testing so that developers can evaluate these new technologies as they incorporate them into their solutions.

Starting with the July Chrome release, and over the following weeks, the company will make the Privacy Sandbox relevance and measurement APIs available to all Chrome users. "With this, developers can utilise these APIs to conduct scaled, live-traffic testing, as they prepare to operate without third-party cookies," the company noted.

UK scientists create ‘life-saving’ AI to predict breast cancer spread

London, is able to detect spread by looking at changes in the lymph nodes -- the structures under the arm and one of the first places that breast cancer can spread to in women with triple negative breast cancer.

In the study, published in the journal Nature, the team described their method of turning male mice's skin cells into pluripotent stem cells, which can potentially develop into various types of cells or tissues. They then grew these cells with a drug that converted the male rodent stem cells into female cells, which produced viable egg cells. These eggs were then fertilized to produce newborn male mice.

"The study provides insights that could ameliorate infertility caused by sex chromosome or autosomal disorders, and opens the possibility of bipaternal reproduction," wrote Professor Katsuhiko Hayashi, a stem cell biology expert at the varsity, in

Indeed, the process could theoretically be replicated in humans by infusing embryos spawned via pluripotent stem cells into a female womb. Dr. Hayashi estimates that it would take around half a decade to replicate egg-like cell production in humans, and 10-20 years of testing to ensure this artificial reproductive method is safe for use in clinics.

"Purely in terms of technology, it will be possible [in humans] even in 10 years," he was quoted as saying to the Guardian earlier. "I don't know whether they'll be available for reproduction," he said. "That is not a question just for the scientific programme, but also for (society)."

Meta to allow for ads in ‘Instagram search results’ via its Marketing API

Meta-owned Instagram has announced that it now allows for advertisements in search results via its Marketing API

San Francisco, May 26 (IANS)

Meta-owned Instagram has announced that it now allows for advertisements in search results via its Marketing API (Application Programming Interface).

the addition of the INSTAGRAM_ SEARCH placement option," it added.

London, May 26 (IANS) UK researchers have developed an artificial intelligence (AI)-based model that can predict if breast cancer has spread to another part of the body including the liver, lungs, brain, or bones. The AI model, developed by a team from the King's College

Triple negative breast cancer accounts for about 10-15 percent of all breast cancers and can be more aggressive. It is also more likely to return or spread during the first years following treatment.

To detect the spread of triple

negative breast cancer, the AI model, detailed in the Journal of Pathology, checks the immune response in the lymph nodes. "By demonstrating that lymph node changes can predict if triple negative breast cancer will spread, we've built on our growing knowledge of the important role that immune response can play in understanding a patient's prognosis," said Dr Anita Grigoriadis, who led the research at the Breast Cancer Now Unit at King's College London.

With this new addition, users will be able to update their app to enable their clients to create and preview ads in Instagram search results via API.

"Starting today, we now allow for ads in Instagram search results via the Instagram Marketing API. This new ads placement will be available on all current Marketing API versions, and does not require an upgrade," Meta said in a blogpost on Wednesday.

"This will not require the use of a new endpoint; the 'Instagram search results' placement option will be available via the current Marketing API endpoint you may already be familiar with, through

Moreover, the company said that this feature update will enable the three capabilities via the Marketing API -- ads creation, ads insights, and ad preview. With 'ads creation', developers will be able to use "INSTAGRAM_ SEARCH" as one of the placement options when creating ads, while 'ads insights will let users see how ads perform via Instagram search results placement when breaking down insights by placement level. With 'ad preview', developers will be able to fetch the preview in the INSTAGRAM_SEARCH_CHAIN format. Meanwhile, Instagram is set to take on Elon Musk-run Twitter with a similar microblogging text platform that is likely to be launched by the end of June.

UK researchers have developed an artificial intelligence (AI)-based model that can predict if breast cancer has spread to another part of the body including the liver, lungs, brain, or bones.

TIGER 3

RELEASE DATE: Diwali 2023

LANGUAGE: Hindi, Tamil, Telugu (With English Subtitles)

PRODUCER: Yash Raj Films

DIRECTOR: Maneesh Sharma

CAST: Salman Khan, Katrina Kaif, Emraan Hashmi

DUNKI

RELEASE DATE: 22 December 2023

LANGUAGE: Hindi (With English Subtitles)

DIRECTOR: Rajkumar Hirani

CAST: Shah Rukh Khan, Taapsee Pannu

PIPPA

RELEASE DATE: TBA

LANGUAGE: Hindi (With English Subtitles)

PRODUCER: RSVP, Roy Kapur

Films

DIRECTOR: Raja Krishna Menon

SYNOPSIS: About Brigadier Balram Singh Mehta of the 45th Cavalry tank squadron who fought on the eastern front during the Indo-Pakistan war of 1971 along with his siblings.

JAWAN

RELEASE DATE: 2 June 2023

LANGUAGE: Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Kannada (With English Subtitles)

DIRECTOR: Atlee Kumar

CAST: Shah Rukh Khan, Nayanthara, Sanya Malhotra, Priyamani, Yogi Babu

‘Jogira Sara Ra Ra’: A comic caper worthy of family viewing

them to ask for dowry, and he creating accidents, but nothing works. Eventually Jogi and his employee kidnap Dimple to break the wedding. He uses the local Chaudhary Gang's style of kidnapping and makes everyone believe that an actual gang has kidnapped Dimple.

Dimple starts living with Jogi and his family, and finds she is happiest with them and Jogi. The wedding is called off, but Dimple's family discovers that Jogi is behind the kidnapping, so they force Jogi to get married to Dimple.

Kartik Aaryan-starrer

‘Satyaprem Ki Katha’ wraps up filming, set for June 29 release

Duration: 121 minutes

Film: Jogira Sara Ra Ra

Director: Kushan Nandy

Cast: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Neha Sharma, Sanjay Mishra, Mahaakshay ('Mimoh')

Chakraborty, Zarina Wahab, Suman Patel, Ananya Thakur, Aanshi Pal and Manisha Gupta

Rating: ****1/2

The film opens with Nawazuddin Siddiqui as Jogi Pratap, who runs a wedding company named Shaandaar Events, and loves his life as someone who has a jugaad for everything, whether cutting corners in wedding meals, or mixing alcohol with local brands, to save money for the client and for himself. During a wedding, Jogi meets Dimple Chaubey (Neha). She is a firecracker, she is wild, unpredictable, smokes, drinks and doesn't miss a beat when lying. She is crashing the wedding which Jogi has organised. When she gets caught,

Dimple cooks up a story and cons

Jogi further into giving her some money. Jogi lives with his four sisters, a mother and aunt. He is the only male member of the family, and he is constantly on the receiving end of never-ending demands. Jogi is sensitive, caring and loving, but has a tough life. Now, one of Jogi's new clients is the Chaubey family. While decorating their house Jogi discovers the girl who tricked him, Dimple. She is rich and getting married, although she doesn't want to, as her would-be groom Lallu (Mimoh) is boring and a simpleton, and she doesn't love him. There is an instant connection between Jogi and Dimple. Now, Dimple urges Jogi to crash her wedding. Jogi agrees instantly and starts conspiring to break the wedding in the most hilarious ways.

Jogi starts feeding wrong ideas to Lallu and his family, urging

Jogi, who doesn't want to get married to anyone, starts planning to crash his own wedding, but to make matters worse, Dimple is actually kidnapped by the Chaudhary Gang and the entire thing turns into a riot of errors. What happens next is not just hilarious but heartwarming as well.

The film is a comic-caper with incredible situations that are made hilarious with seasoned performances by Nawaz and Neha. Nawazuddin has done an incredible job. His character shifts from a cutthroat business owner to someone who is helpless in front of his family, to a person who is willing to do anything to save his neck -- it is multilayered and nuanced, Neha as Dimple, the desi girl gone wild, has owned the role and doesn't miss a beat. She is vulnerable, but creates one chaos after another. Zarina Wahab as Jogi's mother is a revelation. She sheds her entire agony aunt routine and creates this smalltown cool mom avatar, which is brilliant. Sanjay Mishra as Chacha Chaudhary, the leader of the Chaudhary gang, has a limited screen time, but he shines as always.

The upcoming film 'Satyaprem Ki Katha', which stars Kartik Aaryan and Kiara Advani in the lead, has wrapped up its shooting recently. The entire team of the film was present at the wrap-up. The film, which is a love story and will now enter the postproduction stage, will debut in the theatres on June 29.

Kartik, who reunites with Kiara with the film after their massive hit 'Bhool Bhulaiyaa 2', was present at the wrap-up along with the producer Sajid Nadiadwala and his wife Warda Khan, Co Producers Shareen Mantri Kedia, Kishor Arora,

Director Sameer Vidwans and writer Karan Sharma. Meanwhile, the 'Aaj Ke Baad' song from the teaser saw a positive response from the fans due to which the makers have decided to release the song before the trailer of the film. The film has been produced by NGE and Namah Pictures. Interestingly, Sajid Nadiadwala and Shareen Mantri Kedia with Kishor Arora & director Sameer Vidwans won a National Award for their respective films 'Chhichhore' and 'Anandi Gopal'.

Ashish Vidyarthi, actor and motivational speaker, ties the knot at 60

Ashish Vidyarthi, National Award-winning actor ('Drohkaal'), now better known as a motivational speaker, travel and food vlogger, and the man who played the elder brother of Rana Daggubati's character in the web series, 'Rana Naidu', has tied the knot for the second time. He's 60. He married Rupali Barua, who's from Assam but lives in Kolkata, where she's associated with a fashion store, in a low-key civil ceremony. Rupali, according to media reports, wore a beautiful white mekhela paired with gold temple jewellery and Ashish, in an ode to his roots in Kerala from his father's side, was attired in a white and gold 'mundu'.

Interestingly, Ashish's first wife,

Rajoshi, is also from Assam. She is the daughter of the Assamese actress of the yesteryears, Shakuntala Barua. Well-known for his villainous roles, the National School of Drama graduate who first played V.P. Menon in the biographical drama film 'Sardar' (1993), has appeared in more than 300 films in 11 languages, winning and being nominated for awards. More recently, he has been cast in a slew of television and web series.

Priyanka Chopra reveals

Bollywood filmmaker ‘needed to see her underwear’

"This may have been 2002 or '03. I'm undercover, I'm seducing the guy -- obviously, that's what girls do when they're undercover. But I'm seducing the guy and you have to take off one piece of clothing (at a time)," she recalled.

"I wanted to layer up. The filmmaker was like, 'No, I need to see her underwear'. Otherwise, why is anybody coming to watch this movie?"

The actress added: "He didn't say it to me. He said it to the stylist in front of me. It was such a dehumanising moment. It was a feeling of, I'm nothing else outside of how I can be used, my art is not important, what I contribute is not important."

After working for two days, she said that she exited the movie. Her father Ashok Chopra asked her to pay back the production, with her money, for what they had spent.

Talking about the director, Priyanka also said that she "just couldn't look at him every day".

Priyanka made her acting debut with the 2002 Tamil film 'Thamizhan'. She made her foray into Bollywood in 2003 with 'Andaaz'.

DivaMalaika Arora shared a picture of her boyfriend, actor Arjun Kapoor, wearing that many feel is his birthday suit. On Sunday, she took to her

Instagram Stories and posted a picture of Arjun, who seemed to be wearing nothing but just holding a pillow strategically placed to hide his modesty while sitting on a sofa.

Malaika tagged him as "lazy."

Malaika wrote in the caption: "My very own lazy boy."

Arjun re-posted it and added a heart emoji.

The two have been dating for four years now. It was in 2019, when they made their relationship Instagram official.

On the work front, Malaika made her OTT debut with 'Moving In With Malaika'. Arjun will be next seen in 'The Lady Killer'.

Zeishan Quadri on ‘Bloody

Daddy’: Sometimes some roles satisfy you as an actor

Indian actress Priyanka Chopra

Jonas did not shy away from talking about an unsavoury incident in Bollywood when a filmmaker had said that he "needed to see her underwear".

Priyanka in an interview with

After that she was seen in Hindi films such as 'Aitraaz', 'Mujhse Shaadi Karogi', 'Fashion', 'Don', 'Barfi!', 'Bajirao Mastani', 'Mary Kom', 'The White Tiger' and many more.

I think, as an actor, I have a responsibility to show this to as many people as possible across my country and the world."

She added: "Cinema can have a lasting impression on the minds of people. It is a very powerful tool to trigger a national conversation and I became conscious very early on in my career that I could make a real change in the way women are projected on-screen, that could be positive."

Rani wanted to show girls as fiercely independent and selfreliant in films.

to name a few, the girls I play are central to the plot, the sheroes that people have adored and accepted for being who they are."

Writer-actor Zeishan Quadri is all geared up for the release of his next 'Bloody Daddy' starring Shahid Kapoor, where he will be seen playing a negative character.

this role. Sometimes some roles satisfy you as an actor, this is one of those roles in my career."

Actress Rani Mukerji has shared her vision to represent women correctly in Hindi cinema. She said that women are the backbone of a family and the society and that she has a responsibility to show this to people across the world.

Rani says, "As an actor, your vision for cinema and roles will constantly evolve but one thing that's constantly stayed for me is the way I wanted to portray and represent women on screen. Women are the backbone of a family and the society, and

She says, "I made it a point to choose films where the girl is also pivotal to the plot, where the girl is projected with dignity and power." "For me, women have always been agents of change.

They have been independent, courageous, caring, pursuers of dreams and the best multitasker you can ever find. I wanted to highlight these facets of a woman by choosing characters that echo this belief system of mine." Rani adds, "So, if you see films like 'Black', 'Veer Zaara', 'Mardaani' series, 'Yuva', 'No One Killed Jessica', 'Hichki' or even my latest film 'Mrs. Chatterjee vs Norway',

In her last release, 'Mrs Chatterjee vs Norway (MCVN)', Rani again played a fiesty woman who took on a country to win back her children. The film was a resounding hit at the box-office and it brought back belief that content cinema could pull in people to theatres in this post pandemic world. Rani says, "The fact that MCVN is a hit today is because people want to see strong woman protagonists like this on the big screen. There is constant chatter whether women-centric films are box office draws? That concerns me, of course they are box office draws." "A film is a hit when producers make money from it and it is not just about how much it collects at the box-office because one should also factor in the cost of the film."

She adds, "There is a lot of misconception about what a hit means and I think people should pay attention to this before passing judgement if a film is profitable. A good film will always bring people to the theatres and their gender has no role to play."

Talking about the film and his role, Zeishan said: "I play Shahid Kapoor's friend in this film. It is a negative role that I am playing. My look in the film is also something that I enjoyed carrying off.. When Ali (Abbas Zafar) offered me this part I jumped at this opportunity, as this was an opportunity to work with Shahid and working with such an experienced team is always a great experience."

He added: "It is a really nice part and I thoroughly enjoyed playing

Zeishan is a writer, director, actor and producer who shot to fame with his role in the cult hit film Gangs of Wasseypur 2. Since then he has made films like Meerathiya Gangsters, Halahal and more. Zeishan has also written 'Gangs Of Wasseypur'. What's next?

"I am shooting for a series right now being produced by my friend Baljeet. I am in the process of writing 2 scripts that I want to direct soon. Too early to say anything about those, but I will surely direct one film this year," he said.

Ali Fazal calls his directors Vishal Bharadwaj, Anurag Basu, Ric Roman Waugh ‘cinematic heroes

Actor Ali Fazal, who has collaborated with Vishal Bharadwaj for 'Khufiya', with Anurag Basu for 'Metro In Dino', and with Ric Roman Waugh for 'Kandahar', is all thrilled with the list of directors he is working with. He said that the three directors are "cinematic heroes" and that the visuals created by these directors have enhanced the

storytelling on celluloid. Talking about the same, Ali said, "One wishes to work with good people to begin with; compassionate leaders with a world view. I must have absolutely done something right to have gotten this opportunity. Vishalji, Anurag Basu and Ric are cinematic heroes".

a

Rani Mukerji: Made it a point to choose films where the girl is also pivotal to the plot

Malaika Arora shares almost naked picture of Arjun Kapoor; calls him ‘lazy’

The Zoe Report opened up about shooting for a film in which the actress played the role of an undercover. About the incident, she said it was a "dehumanising moment" adding that she had walked out of the film.