30 April 2023

Nagaland Post

N. Korea insults Biden; slams defense agreement with Seoul

Situation grim in violence-hit Churachandpur

Correspondent/PTI

IMPHAL, APR 29: The situation in violence-hit

Churachandpur in Manipur remained grim, with unidentified miscreants setting fire to forest department building, even as night curfew was imposed in the district from Saturday, officials said.

A group of people torched the office building of the Range Forest Officer and three vehicles in Tuibong area around midnight, and several fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the flames, they said.

Properties worth lakhs were reportedly destroyed and official documents burnt in the blaze, police said. Manipur police detained as many as 20 individuals after sporadic overnight violence.

Over 25 people including some police personnel were injured in the clashes.

Heavy vehicles banned on Dikhu Bridge

DIMAPUR, APR 29

(NPN): Deputy commissioner (DC) Mokokchung, Shashank Pratap Singh, has informed that movement of all heavy vehicles on Dikhu Bridge along MokokchungNoksen (Tuensang) road via Longmisa village would be restricted from April 29, 2023 to May 7, 2023.

DC Mokokchung informed that a portion of the deck slab of Dikhu Bridge has been damaged and was posing great danger to the lives and properties of the general public. Therefore, in order to facilitate in carrying out the necessary repairing works, the movement of heavy vehicles has been restricted. DC informed that only light vehicles carrying personal luggage would be allowed during the stipulated time. Further, EAC Ongpangkong has been asked to coordinate to check and ensure that the restriction of movement of all heavy vehicles is adhered to. Non-compliance would invite penal action as per the relevant section of the law.

PAC meet on May 5

DIMAPUR, 29 (NPN): Nagaland Legislative Assembly (NLA)’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) chairman and advisor agriculture Mhathung Yanthan has convened a meeting on May 5, 2023 at 11am in the committee room of assembly secretariat. All members of the committee have been requested to make it convenient to attend the meeting.

The conditions of three including a policeman were stated to be critical and admitted at the district hospital. Locals have been agitating for the last few months against a drive to evict villagers from reserve forest areas.

Night curfew has been imposed in the district from 5 pm to 5 am from Saturday until further orders, ac -

cording to an official notification. Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of CrPC and suspension of mobile internet services will also continue in the district, the officials said.

“The situation is still grim. Security has been bolstered at all major junctions and large localities of the town to prevent any untoward incident,” the

police officer said. State DGP P Doungel along with senior officers rushed to the district headquarters to supervise security measures and restore normalcy in the district.

Fresh clashes had erupted between demonstrators and police personnel in Churachandpur town on Friday night, with the security forces using batons,

tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the mob.

Locals claimed that some people were killed and many injured in the police action, hours after a bandh called by Indigenous Tribal Leaders Forum (ITLF) concluded at 4 pm. However, there was no official confirmation on casualties or injuries to people.

The eight-hour shutdown, called to protest against the eviction of Kuki villagers from protected forests, paralysed normal life in the tribal-dominated southern Manipur district.

Earlier on Friday, clashes broke out between protestors and police at Sadbhavna Mandap in New Lamka in Churachandpur district, the venue where chief minister N Biren Singh was scheduled to address a public meeting, police said. Singh, however, deferred the visit following protests and the call for bandh.

Art 371A should not curb development: Metsubo

DIMAPUR, APR 29 (NPN): Minister for Rural Development and SIRD, Metsubo Jamir said that Article 371A should not be misinterpreted and misused for selfish interests, which would in turn hamper development activities in the State.

According to DIPR report, Metsubo, while speaking as the chief guest at the Annual General Meeting of the Kohima Ao Union on Saturday at Molu Ki, Kohima, reminded that Article 371A was incorporated into the constitution solely to protect the rights of the people of Nagaland from being exploited by people from outside the State.

He, however, lamented that several developmental activities in the State have been hampered due to land issues and conflicts with land owners, who often put various agencies in tough spots due to unreasonable compensations by claiming their rights citing Article 371A. Highlighting

about unemployment issue, Metsubo further stressed on the need for fast-paced economic development to provide more avenues for the people to be employed.

He further encouraged the Ao community settled outside Mokokchung to make positive contributions towards the development of Mokokchung and ensure that it develops into a business hub which will cater to the needs of the nearby districts such as Longleng, Tuensang and Zunheboto as well.

The minister also congratulated and appreciated the efforts of the leaders of the union, both past and

Rs 180 crore kept for education and health under DUDA, says Rio

DIMAPUR, APR 29

(NPN): Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio said his government has kept ready Rs 180 crore for development of education and health sectors under Development of Under Developed Area (DUDA) department.

The chief minister announced this while speaking at the inauguration of Zinki Bailey Bridge at Zinki River on April 28, 2023. He also informed about the upcoming funding programmes, which would lift the economy and per capita income of the people. Rio said discussions

would be held with departmental HoDs on guidelines and priorities.

The Chief Minister said that completion of bridge will bring multi-faceted progress for the people. He however called for judicious use of funds.

Earlier, giving a technical report, DUDA executive engineer N Imti Chang, said the Bridge, measuring 14 feet width and 160 feet in length, was completed at a cost of Rs.15 crore.

At the programme, short speeches were delivered by advisor fire and emergency services, home

guard and civil defence S Kiusumew Yimchunger; advisor geology and mining DUDA Chingang Konyak; Tutheze village council; USLP and USSC.

Representative for Longmatra Area GBs association appealed for upgradation of EAC to SDO Civil at Longmatra. He also sought prompt implementation of inland waterway connectivity on LongmatraAvakhung stretch of TIzu - Zinki river.

Commissioner & Secretary (DUDA) KS Anden Konyak chaired the programme.

present, for keeping the union strong for more than four decades. He encouraged the present leaders to train the younger generation well so that they can carry on the legacy of the union for years to come.

Senior advocate Gauhati High Court, Kohima Bench C.T. Jamir while exhorting the gathering said that the name given to Mokokchung and its people as ‘the land of Pioneers’ was an honour as well as a responsibility which every individual Ao must take seriously and ensure that the tribe lives up to the honour bestowed upon them.

Nagaland logs 2 fresh Covid cases

DIMAPUR, APR 29 (NPN): Nagaland on Saturday reported two fresh Covid-19 case pushing the total caseload to 36,002.

According to health department’s bulletin, two fresh cases were reported from Dimapur. Currently the state has five active Covid cases.

The death toll remained unchanged at 782 (including 5 non-Covid deaths but with positivity).

Meanwhile, India reported 7,171 new Covid-19 cases while the death toll increased to 5,31,508 with 40 fresh fatalities, including 15 deaths reconciled by Kerala.

NSCN (I-M) clarifies on abduction allegation

DIMAPUR, APR 29 (NPN): NSCN (I-M) UT has issued a clarification for “falsely accusing” the group by Assam Rifles for abduction and kidnapping six civilians for ransom.

Terming it as a “fabricated” story, NSCN (I-M) said it would like to set the record straight for any misconception by the public and explain why the individuals were detained at the UT Correction Cell.

NSCN (I-M) alleged that two individuals detained on April 13 and 25 were loan fraudster. Further, two persons were detained on April 21 for possessing illegal SP capsules (15000 pc approx.)

and approx 100 kg of Ganja. On April 27, one person was detained for possessing two soap case of drugs (heroin) and another for documents forgery. NSCN (I-M) said that all these cases were taken up in public interest.

Considering the rampant growth of drugs users among Naga youths especially between the age group of 15 to 25, NSCN (I-M) said it was necessary to curb the menace at the earliest as it had spread even to the remotest villages.

It further said that the second group of people detained at the correction cell were frequent monetary fraudsters, who have duped

people on multiple occasions and still continuing to cheat people using fake land patta and buildings. NSCN (I-M) said that most of the victims were poor innocent widows and orphans, socially of low status and unable to fight for their own right. NSCN (I-M) said anyone was welcome to view the complaint letters addressed to the UT office.

NSCN (I-M) asserted that the UT would continue to hunt for any anti-social element such as drug suppliers and other harmful chemicals, trying to uproot young Naga generation of their career and life. “Any elements trying to sabotage the unblemished and noble

cause is questionable and unacceptable,” it stated.

Meanwhile, NSCN (IM) has appealed to law enforcing agencies including Assam Rifles “to nab the inter-state drug traffickers and bring them before the law if they really wanted to rescue people rather than focusing only on rescuing drug peddlers, fraudsters and criminals.”

“History has taught us enough of how illegal drugs like opium was used by colonial powers to colonize people for which we Naga people should be aware and be more prudent to fight against such insidious design,” NSCN (I-M) stated.

stir: Cong, AAP demand arrest of BJP MP, removal from all posts of WFI

Wrestlers

NEW DELHI, APR 29

(PTI/AGENCIES): The Congress and Aam Aadmi Party on Saturday demanded that BJP MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, against whom charges of sexual exploitation have been levelled by women grapplers, should be arrested immediately following an FIR against him and that he be removed from all posts to help ensure a fair investigation.

Addressing a press conference, Congress Rajya Sabha MP and spokesperson Deepender Hooda said they welcome the Supreme Court decision which ordered the FIR against Singh.

“This is the first step towards getting justice in the case,” he said, adding

DIMAPUR, APR 29 (NPN): Nagaland Foothills Road Coordination Committee (NFHRCC) has resolved to urge the state government to expedite assembly resolutions adopted on September 22, 2022 to construct the Foothills Road through North Eastern Council (NEC) funding. In a press release, NFHRCC convenor Supu Jamir, co-convenor Hokiye Yepthomi, secretary W Lemba Chang and assistant general secretary Chenithung Humtsoe informed that the resolution was ad-

that their demand is that he should be arrested immediately and removed from all posts of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI). Hooda, who was accompanied by former Olympian and Rajasthan MLA Krishna Punia, said the Delhi Police had registered two FIRs against Singh Friday night, but was yet to provide a copy of the case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Earlier, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra, accompanied by Deepender Hooda, met the protesting players at Jantar Mantar here and expressed solidarity with them. She accused the central government of “protecting” WFI chief Singh.

Priyanka also called for

opted at a meeting held on April 29,2023.

The committee also resolved to appeal to the PWD (R&B) to provide the ongoing division-wise technical progress and performance-based bill released status and display it in public domain at the earliest as the monsoon season was approaching.

Further, NFHRCC reiterated pledge and resolutions by Naga civil society organisations (CSOs) not to pay any land compensations and also not to give any taxes to any groups or

the WFI chief’s removal to ensure that he cannot “exert pressure” and “destroy” the careers of the wrestlers. “I want to ask why so much is being done to protect this man. What does it say about our country if we cannot save our girls,” she said.

“Very serious allegations have been levelled against a BJP MP, who claims himself as a ‘Bahubali’ and on whom more than 40 cases are going on. When such serious charges are made against an MP of the ruling party, in such a situation we demand that Delhi Police should arrest this person immediately so that fair investigation can take place,” Deepender Hooda said.

individuals since the mission was for the common welfare of the people of Nagaland. It was also resolved to give a written reply to all group or individual seeking “certain clarifications” from NFHRCC.

Meanwhile, the committee has resolved to convene a joint meeting of NFHRCC, PWD (R&B), office bearers of Dimapurbased tribal hohos and contractor firms to deliberate on the motorable road progression on May 13, 2023 at 10am at NFHRCC Base Office, Kher Mahal, Dimapur.

WSYF plea to reconsider or relocate street food vendors

DIMAPUR, APR 29 (NPN): Western Sumi Youth Front (WSYF) has appealed to the concerned authorities to reconsider its decision on banning street food vendors or relocate the vendors to earn their livelihood. In a press note, WSYF through its media cell said that many unemployed youths have been affected. However, it claimed that in busy market areas like Newmarket, Old market, Hongkong market, MP road etc., may non-Nagas have been allotted fast food stalls and have been running their business day and night through-

out the year. While pointing out that the area in question was the only place where the youths run business during night hours, WSYF urged the authorities to reconsider their decision and permit the boys and girls to earn their livelihood by fixing appropriate work timing and creating mechanism to check any wrongdoings.

If not, WSYF suggested relocating them at the earliest so as to allow them to run businesses and earn their livelihood. In the event the ban order is revoked, WSYF assured full cooperation to the authorities and if

assigned, depute its volunteers for better Dimapur.

ILP: Meanwhile, WSYF also welcomed the decision of the state government to extend Inner Line Permit (ILP) in Dimapur, Chümoukedima and Niuland districts.

WSYF appealed to all Kükami (GBs) and village/ towns councils under Western Sumi jurisdiction to be vigilant and cooperate with the authorities by ensuring all non-indigenous people of Nagaland residing under its territory to obtain ILP before the deadline set by the authority.

Clash between protestors and Manipur police personnel in Churachandpur. (Video grab)

Metsubo Jamir

Obedience essential in student’s life: Kruse

Correspondent

KOHIMA, APR 29 (NPN): Minister of Women Resource Development & Horticulture, Salhoutuonuo Kruse said obedience was essential in the life of students which would lead to greater things as they move forward.

She said this while speaking as the inaugural guest at the ongoing 30th Biennial General Conference of Angami Students’ Union at Tuopheme village on Saturday.

Quoting from the Bible, Kruse said it instructs the children to obey their parents at the same time believe in the wisdom of God almighty.

Kruse pointed out that students life was short and fleeting and therefore one must let studies take precedence over entertainment or other distractions.

She pointed out that students who were able to afford education should consider themselves blessed because there were

Congress ‘Jai Bharat Satyagraha’ concludes

organising committee coconvenor, Neidilhoutuo Sechü, while senior pastor, Botsa Baptist Church, Rüdilhou Rio invoked God’s blessings.

ASU president, Bisevi Nakhro, delivered the president’s address while special numbers were presented by Southern Angami Students Union and Maleate.

DIMAPUR: The ongoing state-wide “Jai Bharat Satyagraha” programme under the aegis of the Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee culminated at Congress Bhavan, Kohima on April 28.

Justice of India, into the allegations of fraud and stock manipulation against the Adani Group.

many of their peers who did not get such opportuntiy.

She therefore urged the students to take full advantage of such an opportunity, study and do their best.

She further said that the theme, “Rational Integrity” were two important rules in life.

Earlier, greetings was conveyed by president, Angami Public Organisation (APO), Razouvotuo Chatsu while organising committee convenor, Kelhouneizo Yhome made the introductory remarks.

The inaugural programme was chaired by

NEWS IN BRIEF

‘Lead like Jesus’ programme: ABAM youth ministry (YM), organized “Lead like Jesus” programme for the ABAM Sisters Associations Youth leaders at Impur from April 24 -26. A press release by executive secretary, ABAM Rev. Dr. Mar Pongener informed that having cognizance of the need for sacrificial leadership, ABAM YM have been giving the leadership training to all sections of Christian organizations for half a decade. He stated the training was organised to achieve the Christian ministry’s strategic goals and to share their commons in ministry with the sisters’ Associations.

Longleng NCORD meeting: Deputy Commissioner Longleng, Dharam Raj has informed all the concerned members of the District Level Committee for Narco Coordination Centre (NCORD) Longleng that there will be a review meeting on May 3 at 12 noon at the Conference Hall of the Deputy Commissioner Longleng. Therefore all the concerned members have been requested to make it convenient to attend the meeting positively.

‘International Year of Millet’: Regional Ayurveda Research Centre (RARC) under CCRAS, Ministry of AYUSH, Dimapur, participated in the celebration of Poshan Pakhwada 2023 at Ekalavya Model Residential School (EMRS), Diphupar on April 29 as a part of International Year of Millet 2023 organised by EMRS. Dr Deepak Rahangdale (Research Officer) delivered a lecture. The information on “International Year of Millets-2023” was given in detail by the Research officer (AYU.), and IEC material depicting the general diet rules were distributed among participants.

UCD organizes job cum education fair: Unity College, Dimapur (UCD) placement and career counselling cell organised a Job-cum-Education fair for the UG (6th Semester) and P. G (4th Semester) students on April 28. A press release from the college informed that, the fair was held in order to let students enhanced their knowledge on the prospect of job opportunity in the market, and to ensure an understanding of the high-level competition as well as demand of skilledpassionate young people.

Acknowledgement

Day two event highlights included debate on the theme, “Is it time to lift NLTP Act?” with principal, Japfü Christian College, Dr Visakhonü Hibo as the critique and president, Kohima Press Club (KPC) Alice Yhoshü, former journalist Sebastian Zumvü and Neivikuolie Nicholas Khatsu as judges.

Later, the academic session was held in the afternoon and extravaganza time in the evening.

The conference will culminate on April 30 with advisor for Industries and Commerce, Hekani Jakhalu Kense as the valedictory guest.

A press release by chairman Communication department of NPCCm, Wezote Kreo said that “Jai Bharat Satyagraha” was organised to protest against the “anti-democracy” policies of the Modi government, the disqualification of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and to demand a probe either by a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC), headed by the Supreme Court or monitored by the Chief

Addressing the Jai Bharat Satyagraha programme, former NPCC President, K.Therie said, that freedom of expression has been curtailed. The entire government machinery was working to save Adani. He said democracy has collapsed and the “fascism, authoritative acts” of the BJP government should be condemned by all.

Therie said satyagraha was needed to save democracy because the government sitting at the center was bent on weakening democracy.

NU team inspects Yingli College

DIMAPUR: A three-member inspection team from Nagaland University - Prof. Das, Department of English, Prof. M.K. Sinha, Department of Economics, and Prof. Athongo, Department of Sociology inspected Yingli College Longleng on April 28 for granting Permanent Affiliation of Honours in English, Economics, Sociology, History, and Education. The team interacted with the students and teachers of the college and also verified the feasibility of granting permanent affiliation to the above-cited subjects.

DTF holds meetings on malaria elimination in Mon, Tuensang

DIMAPUR: In order to achieve WHO certification to eliminate malaria Measles Rubella (MR) by 2023, District Task Force (DTF) held meetings at Mon and Tunesang on April 28 According to a press release by media officer, NHM, Mon, Leeyan Chemshy Chief Medical Officer, Mon, Dr Vezokholu Theyo, briefed on the status of malaria cases in the state, and highlighted on the outbreak occurred in 2009. He said 489 people were detected with Malaria, out of which 35 people died.

Briefing on the status of the district, she said that 17 positive cases were

reported in 2018, one positive case in 2019 and four in 2020, while the district reported zero cases in 2021 and 2022.

After briefing on the target to eliminate MR by 2023, Dr Theyo delivered a short description on immunization programme and maternal and child death surveillance response.

Dy CMO and DVBO, Mon incharge, Dr Thomas Keppen pointed out that the Annual Blood Examination Report (ABER) was very low in the district and screening at grass root level was also low. Meanwhile, DPO (RCH&UIP), Dr Wungyong Konyak, highlighted on the action plan

1st Death Anniversary

towards MR elimination goal. He said the district has a target of 3360 of 0-5 year’s unvaccinated children for MR 1 and 2 doses. He also reported that the district had reviewed two infants’ deaths in the month of February.

The release added that Deputy Commissioner, Mon Ajit Kumar Verma welcomed all members of committees and announced the purpose of the meeting. In Tuensang, the DTF and committee held the meeting under the chair -

2nd death anniversary of Lt. temsuLong

manship of DC Nokchasashi.

At the meeting, DC expressed the hope that the district might soon become zero malaria cases even before the target set by the country through the effort of everyone.

He therefore called upon all the allied departments to join hands together with the health workers to educate about malaria case in order to bring zero malaria case in the district.

District Vector Borne Disease (VBD) consultant Yimliyangla presented the power point presentation on the status of malaria under Tuensang district. In the meeting, the house resolved to increase minimum 10% of the population to collect blood samples, to increase IEC activities and create awareness camp for screening and CMO to issue order to all the health units to collect blood samples.

Lt. Shumbeno Tsopoe

Died on 30/04/2022

Your life was a blessing, your memories a treasure, you are loved beyond words and missed beyond measure.

Loving family & loved ones

DP-1843/23

LATE QHUSHILI YEPTHOMI

Born : 13th October’ 1956

Died : 24th April’2023

We the family members of Lt. Qhushili Yepthomi extend our profound gratitude to each and every individual for the prayers, love and generous contributions extended during the brief illness and period of bereavement.

We deeply regret our inability to thank each one of you individually. May our Almighty God bless you all immensely.

DP-1864/23

Loving husband, children, grand children, in-laws, and relatives.

Days will pass and turn into years…. But we will always Remember you with silent tears

“Forever in our hearts”

DP-1847/23

Loved ones

1st Death anniversary

sr. Jerry ann (Zachano yanthan)

Missionaries of Charity

Died on 30-04-2022

It's been one year since you left. It's the body that dies not the soul or memories. No matter how many decades or centuries to go by, you will be here in our hearts forever.

Your love and guidance will always remain rooted in our lives, until we meet again.

May good Lord bless your soul with peace. Loving

Salhoutuonuo Kruse. (NP)

Naga Council Dimapur (NCD) called on advisor of Urban Development and Municipal Affairs, Zhaleo Rio and apprised him on the need-based development in Dimapur on April 27.

Deputy Commissioner Niuland, Sara S. Jamir distributed emergency relief fund to the families affected by a storm on April 26. (IA Niuland)

District Task Force meeting on malaria elimination in progress in Mon.

Reservation to uplift backward areas: Rio

DIMAPUR: State chief minister, Neipiu Rio said that the reservation in government job has been allotted to strengthen and uplift the people of the backward areas. He called upon the people of those areas to take the advantage. Rio said this at the meeting with the leaders of Pungro areas, government officers and GBs at GA Guest House, Pungro on April 28.

He also requested the people to have a mindset of working together as the government was sincerely working to bring development to the people.

Rio also stressed the need to build a town hall and multi-purpose hall for a healthy lifestyle.

Also speaking at the meeting, minister of Power and Parliamentary Affairs, K.G. Kenye said that education was the most important part of lives in order to compete with the rest of the world and strict focus was needed to be on this field.

Kenye also maintained that cooperation among the community was a must and called upon everyone to come together.

“Development is very important in one’s life and

CoVS&AH observes World Veterinary Day

DIMAPUR: College of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry (CoVS&AH) observed World Veterinary Day at the college premises on April 29 under the theme “Promoting diversity, equity and inclusiveness in the veterinary profession”.

we should not compromise in this matter, together we can do it, and all sections of the people should come forward,” he added.

Advisor for Fire & Emergency Services, Home Guard & Civil Defence, S. Kiusumew Yimchunger also spoke at the meeting.

Earlier, welcome address was delivered by GBs Union Pungro sub-division. Short speeches were delivered by YTC president, Throngso and chairman, Milongmika Range (Mimi), M. Thsesong Yimchunger. The meeting was chaired by ADC Pungro Theodore Yanthan.

A press release by the college stated that Dean, college of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, Dr. I. Shakuntala, spoke on the importance of veterinarian in society and also emphasized on role of veterinarians to community as well as for the country.

Professor and Head, department of Veterinary Medicine, Dr. Gunjan Das anchored the programme and also highlighted on the theme. Events such as debate and collage making competition by the students were held commemorating the day.

The programme was attended by the faculty members, staff and students of the college.

Tovihoto inaugurates Netnyu Community Hall

keep faith in the government and also their local MLA for development. He also urged everyone to maintain brotherhood and rise above narrow tribal lines and be a proud Nagas.

that Tovihoto, in his speech, reminded the gathering to

A short speech was also delivered by B. Bangtick Phom MLA, and EAC Tamlu, Puhan Khiamniungan. The programme was chaired by former youth pastor, KBA, N. Angla and dedicatory prayer was offered by associate pastor, KBA, Longyau.

Tribal artisan mela in Wokha from May 9

DIMAPUR: Tribal Co-operative Marketing Development Federation of India Limited, Ministry of Tribal Affairs, Government of India, will be hosting two-day Tribal Artisan Mela in Wokha from May 9 to 10.

In this conneciton a meeting was held with NGO, Civil societies, Entrepreneurs Association, Chamber of Commerce and Industries Wokha, Eloe Hoho and Village council Chairman, at the Deputy Commissioner Conference Hall, Wokha on April 29 to chalk out modalities for the smooth conduct of the mela.

Q.: Is opposition to oil exploration along Assam-Nagaland border justified? A Yes. 73%

NEXT POLL

Q: Should the WFI chief accused of sexual harassment be made to resign his post?

A report by DIPR stated that at the meeting, Skill Development Officer, Wokha Anuranjan Singh highlighted to the participants about the aims and objectives of the mela. He said the objective of the mela was to identify new artisans and new products at the sourcing level in States/Districts/Villages for expanding the tribal producers’ base, to highlight the art creatures and products of tribal origins of different communities of Northeastern states and to empower individuals to become self-employed.

At the mela, artisans can exhibit the following items: textiles and Handloom, metal crafts, jewelry, organic food, and paintings. Maintaining that the collaboration will go a long way in promoting tribal products and strengthening livelihood opportunities for tribal artisans of the district and the entire North Eastern Region, Anuranjan informed the artisans to produce the following documents- ST Certificate, Aaadhar card, PAN card, bank passbook, and passport photo for registration.

CSS discussed at DISHA meetings

presentations on activities of the flagship programmes by respective departments.

Meanwhile, Tuensang, Shamator and Noklak District Development Co-ordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) meeting was held at DC’s Conference Hall, Tuensang on April 27.

DIMAPUR: Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) Tokheho Yepthomi on Saturday visited Phek district and conducted discussion meeting programme on District Development Co-ordination and Monitoring Committee (DISHA) at DPDB Phek on April 29.

Addressing the DISHA meeting, Tokheho mentioned about the new system of rules for taking up Centrally Sponsored Schemes (CSS) and project in the country and highlighted on the State and Centre share on development schemes/projects. He said from this current year, State government have to first release its share against those projects, after which the Centre government will release its share within next thirty days and will be followed by sanction of the projects.

He therefore encouraged the officers of the respective departments that fund/money should be properly utilise on time, and informed that if de-

velopment money, either State or Centre share was found keeping in Civil deposit by the State Government, then Government of India will directly transfer that money to account of Union Government.

He also directed the concerned DISHA officers to be sincere in taking up all kinds of Centrally sponsor project and to be properly implemented on time. He also called for timely implementation of the schemes and project.

Chairing the meeting, Deputy Commissioner, Phek, Kumar Ramnikhant highlighted the role of DISHA committee in the district in implementations of all flagship programmes. He also apprised the MP and said that all the National programmes schemes and projects in respective departments were implemented in accordance with their guidelines in the district.

All the department officers under DISHA Committee, Phek attended the discussion meeting and gave brief

According to a DIPR report, Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha and chairperson DISHA, Tokheho Yepthomi informed that the DISHA Committee was set up to monitor and implement the development projects and also to review the progress of development activities and welfare schemes in the State.

He said that many states, Centrally Sponsored Schemes could not be completed as per the stipulated time frame. Yepthomi encouraged the HoDs from the district to co-ordinate with one another for efficient and effective implementation of developmental schemes which will benefit the people at the grassroots level.

In the meeting, Food & Civil Supplies, PWD (R&B), Social Welfare, Agriculture, Health & Family Welfare, Land Resources, PHE, Rural Development and Horticulture departments gave presentations on the departmental activities that are being implementing in the district.

DIMAPUR: Advisor of Tribal Affairs and Election, H. Tovihoto Ayemi

on Saturday inaugurated the Netnyu Community Hall at Longleng as special guest.

A DPR report stated

Chief minister Neiphiu Rio with the dignitaries at Pungro.

Tovihoto Ayemi and others at the inauguration of community hall on April 29.

Meeting of DISHA members in Phek on April 29.

SNIPPETS

Man held for killing live-in partner

NEW DELHI, APR 29 (IANS): The Crime Branch of Delhi Police has arrested a 26-year-old man for allegedly killing his live-in partner, an official said on Saturday.

The accused has been identified as Vineet Panwar, a resident of Baghpat in Uttar Pradesh.

The official said that the deceased has been identified as Rohina Naz, alias Mahi (25), a resident of Mirajpur in Uttarakhand. She was pressuring Panwar for marriage.

According to police, Naaz’s body was found lying near Krishna Public School in Karawal Nagar on April 12, according to information received by police. Police identified her boyfriend Vineet Panwar, along with his brother Mohit and sister Parul, as prime suspects in Naaz’s murder.

2 army soldiers killed in J&K road accident

JAMMU, APR 29 (IANS): Two army soldiers were killed on Saturday in a road accident in J&K’s Rajouri district.

Officials said that two army soldiers were killed when the vehicle they were travelling in went out of the driver’s control at Dunganon Nallah in Rajouri district and fell into a deep gorge.

“Two soldiers identified as Havaldar Sudhir Kumar and Paramvir Singh were injured in this accident. “They were shifted to army hospital in Rajouri town where they succumbed,” officials said.

2 held with drugs worth Rs 10 Lakhs

NEW DELHI, APRIL 29 (IANS): Two people, including a Nigerian national, were held by the Mumbai Customs officers with cocaine worth Rs 10 lakh concealed in footwear. A senior Customs official said that the accused were involved in previous cases too.

“On specific intelligence, the officers of SIIB/Courier Cell, APSC, Mumbai intercepted and seized 99 gms cocaine valued at Rs 10 lakh ingeniously concealed in three pairs of Slippers. A controlled delivery operation spanning over three days led to arrest of an Indian and Nigerian national,” said the official.

Congress has abused me 91 times: PM in poll-bound K’taka

HUMNABAD/VIJAYAPURA/ KUDACHI

(K’TAKA), APR 29 (PTI): Training guns on the Congress over its president M Mallikarjun Kharge’s ‘venomous snake’ barb at him, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the party and its leaders have hurled at him different types of abuses 91 times till now.

Accusing the Congress of also abusing the dominant Lingayat community in poll-bound Karnataka, the Prime Minister further said the grand old party had even abused Babasaheb Ambedkar and were engaged in abusing Veer Savarkar, and people will respond to their abuses with votes. Modi -- on his first visit to the State for campaigning after elections were declared on March 29 -- gave a new slogan ‘Ee baariya nirdhara, Bahumatada BJP Sarkara’

(This time’s decision; majority BJP government) for the party, as he stressed on the party coming back to power with a full majority. Modi’s stress on BJP getting a clear mandate in May 10 As -

Mafias who demanded ‘goonda tax’ earlier now begging for their lives: Yogi Adityanath

MAHARAJGANJ/GORAKHPUR/DEORIA

ing festivals till six years ago is no longer there.

sembly polls is significant, as the party had not got majority both in 2008 and 2018, when it emerged as the single largest party, and had to form government with the backing of MLAs from opposition ranks who switched loyalty to it and Independents.

The Congress hates everyone who speaks about the common man, who brings out their corruption, who attacks their politics of selfishness. “Contress’s hate against such people will become permanent. In this election too, the Congress

Will be happy to organise oppn leaders’ meet in Patna: Nitish

PATNA, APR 29 (PTI):

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Saturday hinted that a meeting of opposition leaders may take place in Patna after the crucial Karnataka assembly polls were over as many would be busy electioneering there.

The JD (U) supremo said issues related to forging opposition unity could be expected to be discussed at length at this meeting.

“We will definitely sit together and discuss the issue pertaining to the formation of an alliance of opposition parties to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

“Currently, some leaders are busy in the assembly poll (Karnataka). Once it is over, we will finalize the venue of our meeting. If Patna is unanimously decided as the next venue of the meeting of opposition leaders, it will be held here,” Kumar said.

“We will be happy to organize this meeting in Patna,” he added.

It may be recalled that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, after

meeting Nitish Kumar and his deputy Tejashwi Yadav, in Kolkata on April 24, had requested her counterpart to organise a meeting of all non-BJP parties in Patna to discuss opposition unity before the coming Lok Sabha elections.

“I have made just one request to Nitish Kumar. Jayaprakash ji’s movement started from Bihar. If we have an all-party meeting in Bihar, we can then decide where we have to go next, Banerjee had said after the meeting with Kumar in Kolkata.

Kumar, acknowledging this friendly demand byhis TMC counterpart said “Unhone--Mamta Banerjee--to Bola Hin Tha Patna mein meeting ke liye ( Mamata Banerjee had sought the meeting in Patna).”

“We are making efforts to unite more and more parties in the country against the BJP-led central government. I recently met several opposition leaders. Now I will talk to other non BJP parties ... My aim is to unite opposition parties before the general elections,” he said.

once again has started abusing me.” Addressing a public rally at Humnabad in Bidar district, he said, “Someone has made a list of such abuses against me and it has been sent to me. Till now, Congress people have abused me 91 times with different types. Had Congress people put efforts in good governance and boosting the morale of its workers, instead of wasting time on this dictionary of abuses, Congress would not have been in such a pathetic plight.” Making a speech in a campaign rally in Karnataka on Thursday, Kharge likened Modi to a venomous snake. As a row erupted, he later backtracked stating that his intention was not to hurt anyone’s feelings and the “statement was not for PM Modi, but for the ideology he represents.” Modi said: “Insulting those who work for the poor and the country is Congress’ history”. “I’m not the only one who has been attacked like this. Last election, they ran a campaign ‘Chowkidar chor hai’ (Watchman is a thief), then they said ‘Modi

Chor’, then they said ‘OBC community are chor’, and now as the election season has started in Karnataka they showed the guts of calling my Lingayat brothers and sisters ‘chor’.”

“Congress people listen with open ears, whenever you have abused someone they have punished you in such a way that you have not been able to withstand it. This time, Karnataka has decided to respond to the abuses, the pain inflicted to their pride, through votes,” he said. Noting that abuses are hurled at him by top Congress leaders, Modi said the Congress is a party that had abused Babasaheb Ambedkar too.

“Babasaheb Ambedkar himself had once said in detail that Congress abused him repeatedly. Congress had called Babasaheb Ambedkar ‘Rakshas’, ‘Rashtra Drohi’, ‘Dagabaaz Dost’...you will be shocked to hear. Even today, we see how Congress abuses Veer Savarkar. Congress has abused stalwarts of this country,” he said.

(UP), APR 29 (PTI): Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday claimed that mafias and other criminals used to forcibly occupy the land of the poor and demand “goonda tax” under previous governments, but the state is free of anarchy under the BJP and there is rule of law.

Adityanath, who was addressing public meetings in eastern Uttar Pradeshone of poorest regions and a hotbed of mafias and gangsters, sought to woo voters for the upcoming urban body elections by harping on the planks of law and order and development.

The chief minister asserted that security was now guaranteed in the state.

“Earlier, the mafia used to demand goonda tax, but today, they are begging for their lives,” he said. The BJP leader alleged that earlier, the SP, BSP and the Congress used to hand out pistols to the youths of the state, but the incumbent government gives youngsters tablet computers. “SP and BSP used to

First batch of 5 women Army officers commissioned into Regiment of Artillery

NEW DELHI, APR 29 (PTI): In a historic first, the Indian Army has inducted five women officers into its Regiment of Artillery and three of them have been posted to frontline formations along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) with China, military sources said on Saturday.

Lt Mehak Saini, Lt Sakshi Dubey, Lt Aditi Yadav, Lt Pious Mudgil and Lt Akanksha have joined the Army’s premier artillery units after successfully completing their training at the Officers Training Academy (OTA) in Chennai. Out of the five women officers, three are posted to units deployed along the borders with China and the other two in “challenging locations” near the frontier with Pakistan, the sources said. The Regiment of Artil-

Yogi Adityanath

spread corruption and encouraged criminalisation of politics, diversion of funds and embezzlement in welfare schemes, but today the benefits of development schemes reach every poor,” the chief minister said at an election meeting in Deoria. He charged the previous governments with turning Deoria from a sugar bowl to a bowl of bitterness.

“These people sold the sugar mills at a throwaway price... Because of their disgusting politics, they also created an identity crisis for the youth of the state and forced the farmers to commit suicide. ‘But we will restore Deoria to its existence again. A distillery will also be set up here along with ethanol plants,” he said.

The chief minister said that the atmosphere of fear that used to be created dur-

Addressing a conference of traders in Gorakhpur earlier, Adityanath said, “Earlier, the ruling party’s goons or the mafia used to forcibly occupy the property and the lands of the poor, but now, Uttar Pradesh has become free of anarchy and there is rule of law in the state.”

The BJP government in Uttar Pradesh has maintained that it follows a zerotolerance policy against the mafia and over 18O criminals have been killed so far in encounters with the police in the state. However, it has been accused by the Opposition and others of high-handedness and bias. The criminals killed in encounters in the six years of Yogi Adityanath government included gangster-turned-politician Atiq Ahmad’s son Asad and his accomplice. The UP Police data shows that more than 10,900 police encounters have taken place in the state since March 2017, when Adityanath took over as the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh for the first time.

Arrested Trinamool MLA drawing double salary as MLA and teacher

KOLKATA, APR 29 (IANS): Trinamool Congress legislator Jiban Krishna Saha, who was recently arrested by the CBI in connection with the alleged multi-crore recruitment scam in West Bengal, has now been reported to be drawing double salary — both as an MLA and as a teacher in a state-run school.

rockets, field and surveillance and target acquisition (SATA) systems as well as key equipment in challenging conditions.

Lt Saini has been commissioned into a SATA regiment, Lt Dubey and Lt Yadav into field regiments, Lt Mudgil into a medium regiment and Lt Akanksha has been inducted into a rocket regiment, they said.

Women cadets who secured commission in the Regiment of Artillery. (PTI) lery is a major combat support arm and it has around 280 units that handle various gun systems including Bofors howitzers, Dhanush, M-777 howitzers and K-9 Vajra self-propelled guns. The sources said the young women officers are being posted to all types of key artillery units, where they will get adequate training and exposure to handle

The authorities of Debagram High School in Birbhum district, where Saha was a teacher, has reported to the state school education department that despite not attending his teaching duty for a single day since he became an MLA in 2021, Saha had

been drawing his salary on a regular basis. The school authorities have also recommended that the credit of his salary to his bank account should be stopped immediately. Sources in the school education department said that the school authorities have sent the recommendations to the office of the district inspector of schools of Birbhum and the papers will be sent to the state education directorate by next week, which again will forward its recommendations to the education department. The CBI had arrested Saha from his residence on April 17, and he is currently under its custody.

Abhorrent political narrative

It is not only unfortunate but a dangerous trend that today, hate speech reflects the national political narrative especially from 2014 onwards and threatens to destroy the democratic foundation of India. There have been far too many hate speeches made by politicians during the past decades and unfortunately, no one from the ruling BJP have been brought to book. Hate speech is about divisive politics and has become a tool to threaten, create fear and divide society for electoral gain. The communal incendiaries of hate speeches have widened divisions within India’s multi-cultural society and pose serious challenges to the nation’s pluralism. If leaders in power who have sworn oath to safeguard and protect the constitution while discharging their duties for the citizens of the country, then which power on earth can ensure peace, communal harmony and safety for its own citizens? Even in extreme cases, a hate speech against a political opponent or party may seem to be going too far but when it is directed against any community, it is nothing but an incitement to cause harm. It seems that even parliament or any other institution is unable to stop the vitiation of public discourse which seek to inject a continuous and visceral dose of madness. Ideally, one would have expected that the democratic institutions- both created by the constitution and State – would contain, if not stop, the onslaught of this rabid majoritarianism. It would be fair if the Supreme Court also take note of the manner in which the captive media in India has become a vehicle or a medium for hate speeches. However, these institutions have utterly failed either by their omission or commission. Therefore, when the Supreme Court through a directive issued on April 28 on all states and union territories to register cases of hate speech without waiting for complaint to be filed has come not too soon. The Supreme Court also warned that delay in registering hate speech would be treated as contempt of court. The apex court’s order in October 2022 to register cases against hate speech was for Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Delhi governments. Now this has been extended to the whole country. While passing the order last year, the Supreme Court asked: “Where have we reached in the name of religion? What have we reduced religion to is really tragic.” Section 153A of the Indian penal code prohibits citizens from creating disharmony or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will between different groups of people. Those charged shall be punished with imprisonment which may extend to three years, or with fine, or with both. Article 19 gives all citizens the right to freedom of speech and expression but subject to “reasonable restrictions” for preserving inter alia “public order, decency or morality”. Section 153A of the Indian penal code prohibits citizens from creating disharmony or feelings of enmity, hatred or ill-will between different groups of people. The Supreme Court has taken a bold and right step to make it clear that hate speech is a crime and that this should be curbed to protect the victims and safeguard the rule of the constitution.

DailyDevotion

Gracious Uncertainty

…it has not yet been revealed what we shall be… —1 John 3:2

Our natural inclination is to be so precise– trying always to forecast accurately what will happen next–that we look upon uncertainty as a bad thing. We think that we must reach some predetermined goal, but that is not the nature of the spiritual life. The nature of the spiritual life is that we are certain in our uncertainty. Consequently, we do not put down roots. Our common sense says, “Well, what if I were in that circumstance?”

We cannot presume to see ourselves in any circumstance in which we have never been.

Certainty is the mark of the commonsense life– gracious uncertainty is the mark of the spiritual life. To be certain of God means that we are uncertain in all our ways, not knowing what tomorrow may bring. This is generally expressed with a sigh of sadness, but it should be an expression of breathless expectation. We are uncertain of the next step, but we are certain of God. As soon as we abandon ourselves to God and do the task He has placed closest to us, He begins to fill our lives with surprises. When we become simply a promoter or a defender of a particular belief, something within us dies. That is not believing God– it is only believing our belief about Him. Jesus said, “…unless you…become as little children…” (Matthew 18:3). The spiritual life is the life of a child. We are not uncertain of God, just uncertain of what He is going to do next. If our certainty is only in our beliefs, we develop a sense of self-righteousness, become overly critical, and are limited by the view that our beliefs are complete and settled. But when we have the right relationship with God, life is full of spontaneous, joyful uncertainty and expectancy. Jesus said, “… believe also in Me” (John 14:1), not, “Believe certain things about Me”. Leave everything to Him and it will be gloriously and graciously uncertain how He will come in– but you can be certain that He will come. Remain faithful to Him.

By Oswald Chambers

Quotes

“Life would be tragic i f it weren’t funny.”

International Jazz Day: Young musicians boost India’s Jazz scene

In 2014, then 18-yearold metal drummer Aditya Dutta couldn’t stop himself from swaying to the sounds of Soul and Jazz icon Stevie Wonder, introduced to him by a friend.

This chance meeting with the legendary musician did ‘wonders’ for Dutta as nine years since, the hardcore metalhead has changed the course of his musical journey and now devotes the entirety of his time improving his understanding of Jazz.

“That was the first time I explored the charm of this music. We didn’t understand how the music operated, but we anyway put in a lot of effort and got it done. And ever since then I’ve been exploring this,” Dutta told PTI on the eve of the International Jazz Day on Sunday.

The drummer is among the young musicians who have taken up the African-American genre, improvising it on the go, and are turning many an evening soulful with their performances.

The genre that originated in the African-American communities has always been received well

by Indian audiences, even when they didn’t recognise it as Jazz, going as early as “Gore Gore O Banke Chhore” in “Samadhi” (1950), “Mera Naam Chin Chin Chu” in “Howrah Bridge” (1958) and “Ek Ladki Bheegi Bhaagi Si” from “Chalti Ka Naam Gaadi” (1958).

Some newer Hindi numbers such as “Kaisi Paheli Zindagani” in “Parineeta” (2005), “Darling” in “7 Khoon Maaf” and “Muskaanein Jhooti Hain” in “Talaash” (2012), have kept Jazz alive in cinema .

However, independent Jazz musicians believe it is in the last ten years that the genre has picked up pace around India with an increased number of young artistes, dedicated platforms, and intrigued audiences.

“Ever since the usage of the internet increased, people have started recognising it. Earlier, you had to have someone who is into this music to be introduced to it. Now you’re just scrolling the reels, there will be a viral meme, but you’ll have a jazz track in the background,” Dutta said.

Arjun Sagar Gupta,

Jazz musician and the founder of The Piano Man Jazz Club, adds the rise in number of venues has also had a “cyclical effect” on the popularity of the music.

The 38-year-old said that it was events like the famous ‘Jazz Yatra’, which first started in 1978 in Mumbai, that initially exposed people to the music, but now with more such events, the availability of internet and more venues, the wave has been catching up with the youth.

“Over the last 10 odd years the number of shows has increased exponentially. There are so many other venues that have come up not just in Delhi, but across the country.

“It’s a nice cyclical thing because there’s more exposure to Jazz and more people listening, more musicians playing and so more shows are happening and then it goes round and round,” the musician-cumrestaurateur said.

In Delhi, apart from The Piano Man Jazz Club, there are places like Depot48, Blues, and Home that organise Jazz gigs. Similar scenes unfold at Mumbai’s Jazz and Blues, Bonobo, and The Bombay

Jazz Club. India’s very own Silicon Valley, Bengaluru, has also welcomed some sweet sounding Jazz venues into its fold, including Windmills Craftworks and The Humming Tree, and a dedicated music space in The Blue Room.

International talents like Matteo Fraboni, Simon Thacker, and Alexander Beets performing at Jazz events, including ‘Jazz India Circuit’, ‘Jazz Utsav’, ‘Jazz Weekender’, and ‘World Jazz Festival’, have also played a role in making the music popular.

Naveen Kumar, a “self-proclaimed” music aficionado and software developer, forayed into Jazz as a listener a few years ago. In the days of the past, Jazz may have spelt dance to people, but to him, it is long evenings of tranquility.

“I love the flow of Jazz. There is no wrong form of Jazz. There are times when I cannot work without Miles Davis or Ella Fitzgerald or the good old John Coltrane in the background,” the 30-year-old confessed, adding that the stillness of virtuoso trumpeter Louis Armstrong

“drowns him in a trancelike state”.

Another Jazz lover, Pallavi Sharma, a 20-something postgraduate student from Delhi University, fell for the unpredictability of the genre.

“More the improvisation, the better it is... And Jazz serves this idea perfectly for me. It is one of the most entertaining and engaging music genres. I love the fact that it is more of an instrumentalists’ genre, which makes it unpredictable and fun,” Sharma said.

First introduced to Jazz through the sound of Coltrane’s saxophone, Sharma tilts more towards the instrumental side of it than vocal.

But, what is making young musicians take to a genre that was once considered “immoral”, a symbol of rebellion, and even “the devil’s music”? For Dutta, the immense possibilities of improvisation and expression attracted him the most.

“There’s more scope to express yourself and you’re not bound by approaching things in a particular way. You’re also able to articulate music the

way you want. You’re not losing on the fundamentals of timekeeping, but you are an equal part of the ensemble,” the 27-year-old musician explained.

Starting at the age of four, Aditi Malhotra practised Hindustani Classical music before venturing into the world of Jazz, Black American music and Brazilian music at 17.

The Berklee College of Music graduate believes the challenges of Jazz also happen to be what gives a musician “a lot of open creative space to explore and grow”. She also finds a connection in Hindustani Classical and Jazz.

“It is limitless as you can keep studying and keep growing… A lot of jazz musicians have been influenced by Indian classical music. Both of them insist on improvisation, which is really important,” the 25-year-old said.

There may still be some time before the young troop of Indian Jazz musicians takes over the world, but they sure have got their notes right. Or wrong, as Miles Davis said, “There are no wrong notes in jazz, only notes in the wrong places.” (PTI)

JP Nadda on 100th episode of PM’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’

Today is the landmark day for our country as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Mann Ki Baat”, which has struck a chord with the nation, completes its 100th episode. This highly inspirational radio programme, aired at 11 am on the last Sunday of every month since October 3, 2014, has now become the talk show of the nation. The Prime Minister’s thoughts, his views and words of wisdom signify people’s aspirations and hopes.

I have been a witness to the immense popularity of the programme where people from all walks of life gather in their homes, mohallas and nukkad shops glued to their radio sets listening to interesting facts and stories about India. They get inspired from the real-life stories, the stories of unsung heroes; and then rededicate themselves towards serving the nation and our society. For the past over 9 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has brought before the nation the immense contributions of common citizens in our nationbuilding -- be it related to conserving environment; preserving our rich art, culture and heritage; shaping of social movements and helping needy and destitute; promotion of sports, game, scientific temper, literature and education; revival of our dying cottage industries and unique art forms; and efforts towards promoting social harmony and national integration.

“Mann Ki Baat” is the unique example of how a modest medium of communica -

We lived in the age from “The Phantom” by Lee Falk during childhood.

It’s a costumed crime-fighter of American adventure, which operates from the fictional African country of Bangalla, and we had to wait for a fortnight to see a few comic strips from our favourite magazine “Prantik”. Later the character has been adapted for TV, film and video. Another American superhero “Batman” wages eternal war on the criminals of Gotham city and with amazing spider-like abilities, Spiderman did spinning around and climbing plenty of obstacles to help others. Incidentally they are all masked super hero of our time. We were often captivated by those fictional

tion, which has been losing its relevance in the era of digital revolution, has been made a potent tool to inspire and transform our nation. It has also become a remarkable platform of government-public partnership, without getting involved in any kind of political messaging. It is an apolitical platform which focuses on realising the inner strengths of our nation and the extraordinary capabilities of our citizens. “Mann Ki Baat” has shown to the world how by using a communication tool a nation can be brought together and motivated to work for nationbuilding.

Over my long political career, I have been inspired by reading and listening to our great leaders and social reformers including Raja Ram Mohan Roy, Mahatma Gandhi, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, Jyotiba Phule, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar and Jai Prakash Narayan. We have all seen and experienced how the words of these luminaries triggered social transformation in our country; how they lend their voice to the marginalised sections of our society; and how they fought for the empowerment and upliftment of oppressed and weaker communities.

I used to wonder, will modern India ever get a chance to see a person who will inspire citizens, unite them and show them the way to transform our nation. I have had a long association with Narendra Modi ji, I have worked very closely with him. I see him as a multidimensional personality -- who

characters because of its supernatural abilities.

However, it shall be unlawful for any person with the intent to conceal his identity, wear any mask or hood whereby a face is hidden or covered in any public place but after the Covid catastrophe, masks migrate into the realm of fashion then fugitives and masked thief have their heyday with face mask. We often see faces of an arrested person’s face covered in masks or half covered by handkerchiefs or any other piece of cloth. People began suspecting those headgear wearers and even helmets are used to hide their identity. Basically, a suspect’s face is hidden till the crime is proved. Nevertheless people seemed to be happy with

is a social reformer, a guardian, a teacher, a strict administrator, a person with strong willpower, an inspirational world leader, a motivational speaker, a compassionate statesman, a torch-bearer of our socio-cultural awakening, and a ‘Pradhan Sewak’ who is steering India on the path of speedy growth and development to re-establish India as “Vishwa Guru”.

That is precisely the reason that when Prime Minister Narendra Modi communicates with the nation through “Mann Ki Baat”, its magical impact can be seen on the ground, among the masses. We have seen how Modi ji has used “Mann Ki Baat” to accomplish toughest of our missions like the management of Corona pandemic and success of the Covid vaccination drive; water conservation and preservation of our environment; promotion of Yoga for good health; revival of India’s indigenous toy industry and our ancient art of story-telling; cleanliness and sanitation.

What is unique about “Mann Ki Baat” is the kind of topics Prime Minister Narendra Modi chooses to have a freewheeling and spirited conversation with the citizens. Natural farming, Sri Anna (millets), Fit India Movement, Khelo India, Beti Bachao-Beti Padao, Har Ghar Tiranga, innovations by young Indians, Start-up movement, growth of self-help groups and cooperative movement, India’s rapid strides in the field of health and defence – these are some of the key topics on which Prime Minister has delved

deep in his “Mann Ki Baat” programme. It is also not a oneway communication; it is in fact a dialogue between the Prime Minister and the masses as the stories being told and ideas being shared during “Mann Ki Baat” also come from people themselves who share several hidden stories, narrate their experiences and give their feedback. It is the views of citizens that strengthens our democracy and helps in the growth of our nation.

Narendra Modi is the first Prime Minister who has introduced to every Indian its rich cultural diversity and age-old traditions and cultures – from Jammu and Kashmir to Kanyakumari, and from Kutch to the North-East. He has also talked about different festivals that are celebrated in various parts of our country. Similarly, the inspiring stories of Indians as well as that of expats who have left an indelible mark on our society besides giving us recognition globally has made “Mann Ki Baat” a highly popular programme not only in India but also abroad. Today “Mann Ki Baat” is broadcast in 11 foreign languages and is loved worldwide.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s respect and popularity has grown tremendously not only in the country but also globally which has left the Opposition parties highly perturbed. “Mann Ki Baat” has only added to the Prime Minister’s connection with the masses. Despite the fact that it is an apolitical programme that touches upon India’s strengths and unite citizens to bring about positive changes in our society,

The masked identity

masked identity. Pictures of people in hoodies in solidarity have been flooding social networking sites. Famous people often find their privacy is invaded by the press. The list is endless from Bollywood’s tinted car window to sun shades; celebrities simply choose to stay private. The people of Gujrat, Rajasthan, and Punjab tie a Turban or Pagri to keep the head cool to escape from the blazing heat and they even use desert scarf to protect eyes during sandstorms. It’s also a traditional Middle Eastern outfit that covers everything from head to toe. Soon you might not have to remove mask to pass through airport security. Facial recognition technology at checkpoints is expected to recognize

with half face covered. There were bizarre, impressive and hilarious funerary asks of the ancient world. The Bhaona masked culture of Majuli is an artistic interpretation introduced by Srimanta Sankardeva in the Sattriya culture. The Special Forces soldiers cover their face to keep their identity private. Wearing surgicalstyle masks, primarily to prevent the spread of illness, has become a part of social etiquette in Japan.

The custom was spurred on by the H1N1 influenza epidemic of 2009.

On the other day when I came across about the masked Aadhaar, while a senior citizen felt concern about data privacy issue of individuals and refused to disclose first 8 of 12 digits

the Opposition has always tried to belittle this unique initiative of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which is the proof of shallow politics that our Opposition parties, particularly the Congress party, indulges in.

The immense popularity that “Mann Ki Baat” enjoys among the masses has already been revealed by a survey done by the Indian Institute of Management, Rohtak, which says that so far over 100 crore people have joined “Mann Ki Baat”, and out of these 60% listeners have committed themselves to work towards nation-building. How eagerly people wait for the airing of “Mann Ki Baat” can also be gauged from the fact that an average of 23 crore listeners join this programme per episode. The greatest contribution of “Mann Ki Baat” is that it has brought positivity in our society. When you listen to this highly popular programme, you feel like a guardian, an elder of your family is guiding you, showing you the way to a brighter and better future. I am confident that this medium of communication will further evolve and become an important tool in the transformation of our nation. Let us all come together to celebrate the 100th episode of “Mann Ki Baat” and cherish this important moment in our lives. It is also time to unitedly take a pledge and rededicate ourselves in the service of our nation by following the path shown by our Prime Minister.

Jagat Prakash Nadda

National President, Bharatiya Janata Party

in KYC. Masked Aadhaar number implies replacing of first 8 digits of Aadhaar number with some characters like “xxxx-xxxx” while only last 4 digits of the Aadhaar Number are visible. Aadhaar number is personally sensitive information like bank account number, passport number, PAN number, etc., which should be strictly shared only on a need basis for a legitimate use for establishing identity and for legitimate transactions.

The photo, QR code, demographic information and other details are still present with this masked version of Aadhaar and now it’s legally accepted.

The central government has asked citizens to only share masked copies of their Aadhaar cards to

prevent misuse. Further, unlicensed private entities are like hotels and film halls are not allowed to collect or keep copies of Aadhaar card. It’s an offence under the Aadhaar Act 2016.

Above all masks still matter today because it helps protect against some of the health risks of exposure to air pollution and people do it (mask) with great style like the most iconic Kala Chashma (black shades). Well, that’s on the lines of what that senior citizen had in mind for the masked Aadhaar, but there are a few tweaks one needs to make before it’s right and I too would appreciate it if a mask would protect one’s identity in public.

Kamal Baruah

— Stephen Hawking

SNIPPETS

Woman held at airport with 22 snakes

NEW DELHI, APR 29

(IANS): The Customs officials have arrested a woman at the Chennai airport with 22 snakes of various species. The woman arrived at the Chennai airport on April 28 from Kuala Lumpur by Flight No. AK13. She was intercepted by the Customs officials on the basis of suspicion. “On examination of her checked-in baggage, 22 snakes of various species were found along with a chameleon. The reptiles were seized under the Customs Act, read with the Wildlife Protection Act,” an official said.

Two killed in Thane building crash

THANE, APR 29

(IANS): A man and a woman have been killed while at least 22 others are feared trapped after a residential building collapsed at Bhiwandi town in Thane, the home district of Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, on Saturday afternoon, Regional Disaster Management Unit officials said. At around 1 p.m., a 10-year-old ground-plusthree storey building collapsed in the Vardhaman Compound in Wall village on the outskirts of Bhiwandi.

43 bag perfect 100 score in JEE-Main

NEW DELHI, APR 29

(PTI): Forty-three candidates have bagged the perfect 100 score in the second edition of the engineering entrance exam

JEE-Main, according to the National Testing Agency. “The National Testing Agency (NTA) scores of 15 candidates have been withheld as they are under scrutiny,” a senior NTA official said. NTA score is not the same as percentage of marks obtained but normalised scores. The second edition of the crucial examination was held earlier this month.

Large presence of Chinese vessels in Indian Ocean region: Navy chief

NEW DELHI, APR 29 (PTI): There is a “large presence” of Chinese vessels in the Indian Ocean Region and India keeps a “very close watch” on the developments in the region to protect and preserve its national interests in the maritime domain, Navy Chief Admiral R Hari Kumar said on Saturday.

During an interaction at a conclave here, he also said that the Indian Navy is seized of the docking of various PLA Navy ships at ports in Pakistan, and it is “keeping a watch on it”.

Asked about the threat aspects, the Navy chief spoke of both conventional and non-conventional threats, besides those emerging from what he described as “silent and inclusive paradigm” resulting in a “web of threats” that are emerging.

Meanwhile, IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal V R

Chaudhari in a separate interaction themed on ‘Indian Air Force: The Future is Now’, held at The Chanakya Conclave in Delhi, said in future what needs to be worked on is that besides the land-based offensive platforms, “we will have space-based offensive systems too”. This will lead to “reduced response time” and “greater effect” on adversaries, so the future lies in having “space-based offensive platforms,” he said in response to a question from the audience on evolving military threats.

Defamation case: Gujarat HC to resume hearing Rahul Gandhi’s appeal on May 2

The IAF chief also said that the fundamental utilisation of space for military use is in three domains, including ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance) and communication, which have seen a “quantum jump” in their capabilities in the last several years.

After Air Chief Marshal Chaudhari’s session, the Navy chief took part in a session on ‘Indian Navy in the 21st Century: Evolving Maritime Threats’.

The Indian Navy’s role is to protect, promote and preserve national interests in the maritime domain, wherever they are, and it assesses the threats and challenges, the Navy chief said. On a daily basis, it is being seen that there is a certain amount of contestation happening at sea. It is well below the threshold of conflict, but possibility of a full-fledged war cannot be ruled out, the Navy chief

PM raising ‘tired themes’ in K’taka: Ramesh

NEW DELHI, APR 29

(PTI): The Congress on Saturday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was playing the “victim card” and pleading for a “discredited” double-engine government in Karnataka but the people of the state have made their mind up to oust the BJP.

The opposition party also alleged that the first day of his campaign was about “despair and desperation” and he raised “tired themes”.

Launching his poll campaign from Humnabad in Bidar district, Modi trained his guns on the Congress over its president Mallikarjun Kharge’s ‘venomous snake’ barb at him, saying till now the opposition party and its leaders have hurled at him different abuses 91 times. Reacting to it, AICC general secretary Communications Jairam Ramesh said on Twitter, “Predictably PM Modi has

begun his much-delayed Karnataka campaign by playing the victim card, pleading for a completely discredited so-called ‘double engine’ sarkar and abusing Congress.”

“These will be his tired themes no doubt as he leaves the dirty tricks to Shah and Yogi to polarise,” the Congress leader alleged, targeting Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.

“The PM’s first day of campaigning in Karnataka is a story of 3 DEs. 1. Double Engine. 2. DEspair. 3.

Congress questions SEBI request for extension in Adani case

NEW DELHI, APR 29 (PTI): The Congress on Saturday expressed apprehension over the SEBI’s six-month extension request to probe the alleged stock market manipulation of Adani group shares, saying it hopes it was not an effort to bury the “scam.”

AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the Securities and Exchange Board of India has asked for a six-month extension after the Supreme Court Committee ordered it to examine the stock market transactions of the Adani Group.

“Hope this request by SEBI is not an effort to bury the scam or drag it out in the hope that the furore will die down,” Ramesh said on Twitter. “The Committee — as it needs to be recalled –- has limited terms of reference to begin with. It cannot (and will

not want to) investigate the entire political science and business practices of the Group. That only a JPC can do,” he said.

Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra in her turn termed the move a joke.

“This is a joke. SEBI has been investigating since October 2021 when they replied to my letter of July. While they prima facie see violations (no surprise)- they want 6 months to protect their favourite businessman so that he can get maximum time to cover up. “The SEBI Chairperson told the Committee that the Adani matter is the elephant in the room. Surely then it deserves to be treated with greater urgency given the free run this particular ‘haathi mere saathi’ has had in all these years of Mitr Kaal,” she said on Twitter.

Nitish should stop daydreaming, no vacancy in 2024: Ravi Shankar Prasad

PATNA, APRIL 29 (PTI):

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar needs to realize that there is “no vacancy” for the country’s top post in 2024 as Prime Minister Narendra Modi will return to power for yet another term in office, senior BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad claimed on Saturday.

Prasad was responding to queries at a press conference at the Bihar BJP headquarters here on the eve of the 100th episode of the PM’s ‘Mann Ki Baat’ radio broadcast. “Is there any bar on daydreaming in this country?” Prasad remarked quizzically when his attention was drawn to Kumar’s efforts to forge opposition unity as part of which a meeting of leaders opposed to the BJP is likely to be convened in the city in the future.

“But I wish to remind Nitish babu with utmost humility that this is not the

Ravi Shankar Prasad

era of H D Deve Gowda and Inder Kumar Gujaral. The nation now wants a stable government and a towering leader (mahaan neta),” said the former union minister.

“Nitish babu needs to remember that there is no vacancy for the prime minister’s post in 2024. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has done a lot for the people of this country and he will continue to receive their blessings,” said Prasad, who is also the Lok Sabha member from Patna Sahib. Prasad also assailed the Nitish Kumar government over the controversial amend -

ment in jail rules that helped Anand Mohan, a gangsterturned-politician serving life sentence for killing an IAS officer, walk out of jail earlier this week after 15 years.

“I wish to know why in the first place the clause of keeping those accused of killing government servants on duty out of the purview of remission of sentence was introduced,” he said.

“The clause was introduced when Nitish Kumar was very much in power in Bihar. He should first explain why he commissioned that and then justified its removal”, said Prasad, who appeared miffed at the chief minister’s averment that the amendment was brought in to make it in line with the Model Prison Manual introduced by the Centre in 2016.

“After all, physical assaults on government officials in Bihar is nothing new”, Prasad added tongue in cheek.

said.

On a question on PLA Navy ships docking at ports in Pakistan, he said, these ships are docking at ports in various countries, and not just in Pakistan.

As far as their visit to ports in Pakistan are concerned, “we are seized of it, and keep a watch on it”, he said.

Admiral Kumar said the Pakistan Navy is modernising itself at a “good pace” and seeks to become a 50-platform force in 10-15 years, and they are adding new corvettes and frigates to their fleet.

As far as China is concerned, in the last 10 years, a large number of ships and submarines have been commissioned by it, the third aircraft carrier is under construction, and much larger destroyers they are working on, he said, adding, “we feel this will plateau at some time”.

AHMEDABAD, APR 29 (PTI): The offence for which Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was awarded the maximum sentence of two years in jail was not serious nor did it involve any “moral turpitude”, his lawyer told the Gujarat High Court on Saturday while seeking a stay to his conviction in the 2019 defamation case.

If a bypoll was conducted for the Wayanad constituency which Gandhi represented before he was disqualified, its result cannot be undone even if the Congress leader won his appeal against the conviction, said his lawyer Abhishek Singhvi.

After hearing Singhvi’s arguments, the HC adjourned the hearing to May 2 as advocate Nirupam Nanavati, the lawyer of complainant and Bharatiya

Janata Party MLA Purnesh Modi, sought time to file a reply.

Justice Hemant Prachchhak of the High Court on Saturday began hearing Gandhi’s revision application against the Surat sessions court April 20 order declining a stay to his conviction for criminal defamation over his `why all thieves have the Modi surname’ remark. If Gandhi obtains a stay, it would pave the way for his reinstatement as a Lok Sabha MP.

“There are very serious ex-facie vitiating factors of the trial that raise grave

apprehension about the process of trial,” advocate Singhvi argued, pointing out that the maximum sentence was awarded for a bailable, noncognisable offence. “In the case of a public servant or a legislator, it has very serious additional irreversible consequences - to the person, the constituency, and also drastic consequences of reelection,” he told the court. If the Election Commission notified a bypoll for Wayanad seat and someone else got elected, then the situation becomes irreversible as this person cannot be unseated even if Gandhi wins his appeal, he said. If this situation “is not enough to suspend conviction, then what additional circumstances can anybody have?” Singhvi asked. He also questioned why complainant Purnesh Modi did not challenge Gandhi’s application in the sessions court for a stay to the sentence, but challenged his plea for a stay to the conviction.

ED raids BYJU CEO’s office, residential premises

DEsperation. “His speeches were full of Only Nataka, nothing concrete for people of Karnataka (sic),” Ramesh alleged.

Hitting out at the Congress, Modi, who was on his first visit to the state for campaigning after elections were declared on March 29, accused the party of abusing the dominant Lingayat community, Babasaheb Ambedkar and freedom fighter V D Savarkar. The people will respond to its abuses with votes, and as much mud they sling at BJP, the lotus will bloom, he said.

“The Congress hates everyone who speaks about the common man, who brings out their corruption, who attacks their politics of selfishness. The Congress’ hate against such people will become permanent. In this election too, the Congress once again has started abusing me,” Modi said.

NEW DELHI, APR 29

(PTI): The Enforcement Directorate on Saturday said it has searched the Bengalurulocated office and residential premises of Edtech major BYJU’s and its CEO and cofounder Raveendran Byju and seized “incriminating” documents and digital data as part of a foreign exchange violation probe.

A total of three premises, two business and one residential, including that of the registered company — Think & Learn Pvt Ltd — were raided under the provisions of the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), it said. The federal financial investigation agency said in a statement it has seized various “incriminating documents and digital data”. A spokesperson for BJYU’s legal team said the ED action was a “routine inquiry” and the company has been “completely transparent with the authorities and

NAGA GIRLS HOSTEL ADMISSION OPEN

For the Academic Session 2023-2024 Midland, Kohima, Near Mezhur Hr. Secondary School (Below Over Bridge)

have provided them with all the information they have requested.”

The ED alleged the company (Think & Learn Pvt Ltd) has not prepared its financial statements since 2020-21 fiscal and has not got the accounts audited, which is mandatory. Hence, the genuineness of the figures provided by the company are being cross-examined from the banks, it said.

It said the action was taken on the basis of “various complaints” received by private people and alleged Raveendran Byju was issued “several” summons but he remained “evasive and never appeared” before the ED. The searches found that the company received foreign direct investment (FDI) to the tune of Rs

28,000 cr during 2011-2023.

“The company also remitted about Rs 9,754 crore to various foreign jurisdictions during the same period in the name of overseas direct investment,” the agency said. “The company has booked around Rs 944 crore in the name of advertisement and marketing expenses including the amount remitted to foreign jurisdiction.”

The spokesperson for BJYU’s added: “We have nothing but the utmost confidence in the integrity of our operations, and we are committed to upholding the highest standards of compliance and ethics. We will continue to work closely with the authorities to ensure that they have all the information they need, and we are confident that this matter will be resolved in a timely and satisfactory manner.”

The company said “We are committed to delivering high-quality educational products and services to our customers across India and the world. We remain focused on our mission to transform the way students learn and prepare for their future,” it added.

‘Rahul didn’t commit any heinous crime’, counsel tells court

Jairam Ramesh

Raveendran Byju

Rahul Gandhi

Admiral R Hari Kumar

SEBI seeks 6 more months to complete Adani report

NEW DELHI, APR 29

(REUTERS): India’s market regulator has requested an additional six months to finish looking into any violations of securities laws or inadequate regulatory disclosures raised by shortseller Hindenburg Research on the part of billionaire Gautam Adani’s Adani company. The Securities and Exchange Board of India (Sebi) filed its request with the Supreme Court on Saturday, citing complex transactions involving listed, unlisted and offshore entities that require deeper investigations, the sources said.

The Securities and Exchange Board of India was to file a status report to the Supreme Court May 2, according to the report. The regulator didn’t reply to a

Naga youths urged to venture into entrepreneurship

Correspondent

KOHIMA, APR 29

Gautam Adani

request for comment, it said. The Indian conglomerate Adani Group was accused by the New Yorkbased Hindenburg in January. According to Bloomberg News on Friday, India’s Adani Cement Industries Ltd. has paid back $200 million in the last week, reducing a $1 billion loan acquired from international

banks to pay for the acquisition of Holcim AG’s Indian businesses.

In the largest borrowing by the conglomerate since the organisation came under attack from a US short seller in January, billionaire tycoon Gautam Adani’s group is looking to raise USD 1-1.5 billion for financing new green energy projects. The group recently held a roadshow in Singapore, followed by another two-day roadshow in Hong Kong, talking to global financial institutions for the fundraising, sources said.

A ruining analysis by US short-seller Hindenburg Research, which accused the Adani group of accounting fraud and stock price manipulation, was published in January.

Wrestlers stir: Cong, AAP demand arrest...

(From p-1) Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal also met the wrestlers, accused the Narendra Modi government of protecting Singh, against whom women wrestlers have levelled allegations of sexual harassment.

“Why is this man being safeguarded by the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi?” said Kejriwal, pointing out that the wrestlers had to stage a sit-in and knock on the doors of the Supreme Court just to register an FIR. “The entire party has come together to safeguard one man. If anybody from the BJP is found doing any criminal activity, nothing will happen to them,” the AAP chief said. Amid rumours

of his resigning and wrestlers accusing him of pressurising them to end protest and the Delhi Police of high-handedness, Singh finally spoke to the media saying it was orchestrated by a political-industrialist nexus.

Denying any plan to resign– a cosmetic move given the incumbent WFI board has been replaced by an ad hoc committee and Mr. Singh himself declaring he won’t contest the next elections – the strongman from Gonda said he is ready for “any kind of investigation”. “I’m not a criminal. Resigning means I have accepted their allegations,” the BJP MP from Kaiserganj told reporters at his residence in Bishnoharpur, Uttar Pradesh.

Art 371A should not curb development...

(From p-1)

He said that the time has come for the Ao people to retrospect and know their weaknesses and work hard towards making positive changes to the society as a whole. CT Jamir also said it was time to provide equal platform to women in all walks of life, asserting that a society can only move ahead when both men and women work together as equals and

make equal contributions in accordance to one’s capabilities.

In his brief speech, advisor Information & Public Relations and Soil & Water Conservation Imkong L. Imchen said that Mokokchung and the Ao people in general were blessed in more ways than one and that the Aos should be grateful for the opportunities given to them. Earlier outgoing presi-

dent of Kohima Ao Union

L. Cubalepzuk Ao delivered the welcome address while vice president T. Chubayanger Ao pronounced the vote of thanks. A new team was also elected for the tenure 2023-2025 to be headed by T. Chubayanger as the president, vice president Moanungsang Jamir, general secretary Temjen Pongen and asst. general secretary L. Sashi Imchen.

(NPN): Former legislator, Dr Neikiesalie Nicky Kire, said it was high time for the Naga youths to venture into entrepreneurship and not simply rely or hunt for government jobs.

He was speaking at the grand opening of a new hotel and restaurant, Oakland Boutique, in Kohima on Saturday.

Dr Nicky observed that government jobs would not suffice since there were too many educated youths and therefore they should take up business and entrepreneurial activities.

Sharing his observation on the benefits of being polite and good services, Dr Nicky said the proprietors should make sure that they teach their employees how to be respectful and polite to their

customers. He said this would make customers want to visit the hotel again once they come and experience the good services provided.

Quoting an old proverb, he said, a house is build by hands but a home is build by hearts and similarly when services are provided whole heartedly

it would guarantee the success of the business. He exhorted the gathered youths to not be in hurry to make quick money but things take time and therefore they should learn to be patient and work diligently.

He stressed on the need to be hygienic, polite and be ready with good

services. He later wished the business a grand success.

Manager, Bank of Baroda, Naga Bazar Branch, Mukesh Kumar, said the bank was on an endeavour to provide startups for youths who were interested in entrepreneurial activities.

He said when the pro-

prietors Thejasenuo Üsou and her sister approached the bank with their ideas, the bank felt the need to finance them and accordingly agreed to finance their venture.

Kumar said the bank feels that it should promote entrepreneurs as there was not enough government jobs for the youths.

He said the youths should also possess entrepreneurial skills which was essential for the success of a venture.

He encouraged the youths to own their own start-ups, earn from it and provide jobs to other youths as well.

He hoped that the venture would create a new journey for the youths and also wished them success.

The newly opened restaurant hotel is located near St Francis De Sales church, Kohima.

Amazon building LLM to power Alexa: CEO Govt asks BSNL and MTNL to identify low-value assets for monetisation

NEW DELHI, APR 29

(IANS): Inspired by the ChatGPT success, Amazon is now building a large language model (LLM) to power Alexa that’s much larger and much more “generalised and capable”, which is going to rapidly accelerate the vision of offering the world’s best personal assistant.

Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said that ChatGPT is a good example of an application that’s being built.

“We’ll build some of those applications ourselves.

So for instance, we think one of the most compelling applications that are going to be built in generative AI have to do with making developers much more effective with coding assistance,” he noted during the company’s quarterly earnings call.

“I think there’s a significant business model underneath it,” he added.

The generative AI models have become bigger and better in the last cou-

ple of months, much more quickly. It really presents a remarkable opportunity to transform virtually every customer experience that exists and many that don’t exist. “We’ve been investing in building our own large language models for several years, and we have a very large investment across the company,” said Jassy.

In AWS, the company has 25-plus machine learning services “where we have the broadest machine learning functionality and customer base by a fair bit”.

“It is deeply ingrained in our heritage,” the Amazon CEO added. In AWS, the company has been working for several years on building customised machine learning chips. Amazon Alexa also has millions of endpoints being used across entertainment and shopping and smart home and information and a lot of involvement from thirdparty ecosystem partners.

NEW DELHI, APR 29 (AGENCIES): Government companies, BSNL and MTNL, have been asked by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT) to come up with a list of assets that can be monetised, a Financial Express (FE) report said.

A report by Business Standard said that people aware of the specifics of the development told FE that the government had asked these firms to identify core and non-core assets with a value of up to Rs 10 crore that can be monetised.

BSNL is expected to begin listing at least ten such assets in each circle. It should be noted that BSNL’s operations are divided into several telecom circles, such as Andaman and Nicobar, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, and Haryana, to name a few.

The report added that BSNL and MTNL had re-

ceived financial assistance from the government under the Rs 1.64 trillion revival package. However, asset monetisation remains a key policy for the government to repay debts in time and plan for capital expenditure

TuITION

requirements.

After a two-year hiatus, domestic air cargo business seeing an uptick To facilitate the process, the government has approved advisors for nine assets with BSNL.

Dr Nicky, Mukesh with proprietors and well wishers during the opening. (NP)

SNIPPETS

Australia’s oldest coal-fired power plant closed

CANBERRA, APR 29 (IANS): After almost 52 years of operation, the Liddell Power Station, Australia’s oldest coalfired power plant located in state of New South Wales (NSW), was shut down. Australia’s electricity generator and retailer AGL issued a statement confirming the shutdown of the coal-fired power plant, saying the site would be repurposed into an industrial renewable energy hub, including a 500-megawatt grid-scale battery, reports Xinhua news agency.

Syria’s air defences intercept Israeli missile attack

DAMASCUS, APR 29 (IANS): Syrian air defences intercepted a fresh Israeli missile attack in the central province of Homs on Saturday, the state media said in a report.

The air defences were responding to hostile targets in the skies of Homs, said the report, without giving out further details. Three civilians were injured in the attack, Xinhua news agency quoted the Syrian Defence Ministry as saying.

Brazil’s Lula recognises 6 new indigenous reserves

BRASILIA, APR 29 (IANS): Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has signed a decree to recognise six new indigenous reserves, which will ban mining and restrict commercial farming in the regions. Taking to Twitter late Friday, the President said: “Today we demarcate six indigenous territories, an important step. Be sure to organise and charge. The government exists to serve the interests of the people.”

The 77-year-old President signed the decree earlier on Friday at a gathering of indigenous people from across the country in the capital Brasilia.

XBB.1.16 subvariant becomes 2nd dominant strain in US

WASHINGTON, APR 29 (IANS): The new Omicron subvariant XBB.1.16 is spreading fast in the US, becoming the second dominant Covid-19 strain in the country, according to the latest data by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The subvariant, referred to as “arcturus”, has accounted for about 12 per cent of new weekly Covid-19 cases reported in the country, up from 7.4 per cent the week prior, Xinhua news agency quoted the CDC data published on Friday as saying. Experts warned the percentage is expected to increase in the coming weeks, possibly become the next dominant coronavirus strain in the country.

27 arrested in latenight raid at PTI

president’s residence

LAHORE, APRIL 29

(IANS): Police carried out a late night raid at the residence of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) President Parvez Elahi to arrest him. The PTI has strongly criticised the police’s actions, voicing concerns regarding arrests of its workers and leaders, The News reported. The eight-hour long police action late Friday night came to a halt after Sohail Zafar Chattha, the Director General of Punjab’s Anti-Corruption Establishment (ACE), left the scene along with the police contingent. Chattha, talking to the media persons at the former Chief Minister’s residence, denied any wrongdoing.

N. Korea insults Biden; slams defense agreement with Seoul

SEOUL, APR 29 (AP): The powerful sister of North Korea’s leader says her country would stage more provocative displays of its military might in response to a new U.S.-South Korean agreement to intensify nuclear deterrence to counter the North’s nuclear threat, which she insists shows their “extreme” hostility toward Pyongyang.

Kim Yo Jong also lobbed personal insults toward U.S. President Joe Biden, who after a summit with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Wednesday stated that any North Korean nuclear attack on the U.S. or its allies would “result in the end of whatever regime” took such action.

Biden’s meeting with Yoon in Washington came amid heightened tensions in the Korean Peninsula as the pace of both the North Korean weapons demonstrations and the combined U.S.-South Korean military exercises have increased in a cycle of tit-for-tat.

Since the start of 2022, North Korea has test-fired around 100 missiles, including multiple demonstrations of intercontinental ballistic missiles designed to reach the U.S. mainland and a slew of short-range launches the North de -

Kim Yo Jong

scribed as simulated nuclear strikes on South Korea.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is widely expected to up the ante in coming weeks or months as he continues to accelerate a campaign aimed at cementing the North’s status as a nuclear power and eventually negotiating U.S. economic and security concessions from a position of strength.

During their summit, Biden and Yoon announced new nuclear deterrence efforts that call for periodically docking U.S. nucleararmed submarines in South Korea for the first time in decades and bolstering training between the two countries. They also committed to plans for bilateral presidential consultations in the event of a North Korean nuclear attack, the establishment of a nuclear consultative group and improved sharing of information on nuclear and strategic weapons operation

plans. In her comments published on state media, Kim Yo Jong said the U.S.-South Korean agreement reflected the allies’ “most hostile and aggressive will of action” against the North and will push regional peace and security into “more serious danger.”

Kim, who is one of her brother’s top foreign policy officials, said the summit further strengthened the North’s conviction to enhance its nuclear arms capabilities. She said it would be especially important for the North to perfect the “second mission of the nuclear war deterrent,” in an apparent reference to the country’s escalatory nuclear doctrine that calls for preemptive nuclear strikes over a broad range of scenarios where it may perceive its leadership as under threat.

She lashed out at Biden over his blunt warning that North Korean nuclear aggression would result in the end of its regime, calling him senile and “too miscalculating and irresponsibly brave.” However, she said the North wouldn’t simply dismiss his words as a “nonsensical remark from the person in his dotage.”

“When we consider that this expression was personally used by the

Man kills 5 in Texas after family complained about gunfire

AUSTIN, APR 29 (AP):

A Texas man went next door with a rifle and began shooting his neighbours, killing an 8-year-old and four others inside the house, after the family asked him to stop firing rounds in his yard because they were trying to sleep, authorities said Saturday.

San Jacinto County Sheriff Greg Capers told reporters at the scene that authorities were still searching for 39-year-old Francisco Oropeza following the overnight shooting in the town of Cleveland, about 45 miles (72 kilometers) north of Houston.

He said Oropeza used an AR-style rifle in the shooting.

“Everyone that was shot was shot from the neck up, almost execution-style,” Capers said during an earlier news conference at the scene.

Capers said there were 10 people in the house and that no one else was injured. He said two of the victims, all believed to be from Honduras, were found laying over two children inside.

“The Honduran ladies that were laying over these children were doing it in such an effort as to protect the child,” according to

As battle for Sudan rages on, civilian deaths jump to 400

KHARTOUM, APR 29

president of the U.S., our most hostile adversary, it is threatening rhetoric for which he should be prepared for far too great an after-storm,” she said.

“The more the enemies are dead set on staging nuclear war exercises, and the more nuclear assets they deploy in the vicinity of the Korean Peninsula, the stronger the exercise of our right to self-defense will become in direct proportion to them.”

She called Yoon a “fool” over his efforts to strengthen South Korea’s defense in conjunction with its alliance with the United States and bolster the South’s own conventional missile capabilities, saying he was putting his absolute trust in the U.S. despite getting only “nominal” promises in return.

“The pipe dream of the U.S. and (South) Korea will henceforth be faced with the entity of more powerful strength,” she said.

South Korea’s Unification Ministry, which handles inter-Korean affairs, described her comments as “absurd” and insisted that they convey the North’s “nervousness and frustration” over the allies’ efforts to strengthen nuclear deterrence.

(AP): Gunfire and heavy artillery fire persisted on Saturday in parts of Sudan’s capital Khartoum, residents said, despite the extension of a cease-fire between the country’s two top generals, whose battle for power has killed hundreds and sent thousands fleeing for their lives.

The civilian death toll jumped Saturday to 411 people, according to the Sudan Doctors’ Syndicate, which monitors casualties.

The fighting has wounded another 2,023 civilians so far, the group added. In the city of Genena, the provincial capital of war-ravaged West Darfur, intensified violence has killed 89 people. Fighters have moved into homes and taken over stores and hospitals as they battle in the streets, the syndicate said.

Khartoum, a city of some 5 million people, has been transformed into a front line in the grinding conflict between Gen. Abdel Fattah Burhan, the commander of Sudan’s military, and Gen. Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo, who leads the powerful paramilitary group known as the Rapid Support Forces, which has dashed once-euphoric hopes of Sudan’s democratic transition.

Foreign countries con-

tinued to evacuate diplomatic staff and nationals while thousands of Sudanese fled across borders into Chad and Egypt.

Up to 20,000 refugees — mostly women and children — have crossed over the western border to Chad, the United Nations said, a country that has struggled for stability in the aftermath of its own coup two years ago. Those who escape the fighting in Khartoum face more obstacles on their way to safety. The overland journey to Port Sudan, where ships then evacuate people via the Red Sea, has proven long and risky.

Hatim el-Madani, a former journalist, said that paramilitary fighters were stopping refugees at roadblocks out of the capital, demanding they hand over their phones and valuables.

“There’s an outlaw, bandit-like nature to the RSF militia,” he said, refer-

ring to the Rapid Support Forces. “It indicates they don’t have a supply line in place and that could get worse in the coming days.”

Airlifts from the country have also posed challenges, with a Turkish evacuation plane hit by gunfire outside Khartoum on Friday.

On Saturday — despite a cease-fire extended under heavy international pressure by another 72 hours early Friday — clashes continued around the presidential palace, headquarters of the state broadcaster and a military base in Khartoum, residents said. The battles sent thick columns of black smoke billowing over the city skyline. In a few areas near the capital, including in Omdurman, residents reported that some shops were reopening as the scale of fighting dwindled, with both sides seeking to observe a tenuous cease-fire.

Pope in Hungary meets with Ukrainian refugees

BUDAPEST (HUNGARY), APR 29 (AP): Pope Francis plunged into both sides of Russia’s war with Ukraine on Saturday, greeting some of the 2.5 million Ukrainian refugees who have fled across the border to Hungary during a public prayer service and then meeting privately with an envoy of the Russian Orthodox Church that has strongly supported the war.

Capers, who said a total of three blood-covered children were found in the home but were determined to be uninjured after being taken to a hospital.

Capers said two other people were examined at the scene and released.

The confrontation followed family members walking up to the fence and asking the suspect to stop shooting rounds, Capers said.

The suspect responded by telling them that it was his property, according to Capers, and that one person in the house got a video of the suspect walking up to the front door with the rifle.

Three of the victims were women and one was a man. Their names were not released. Capers said the vic-

tims were between the ages of 8 and about 40 years old.

Authorities have previously been to the suspect’s home, according to Capers. “Deputies have come over and spoke with him about him shooting his gun in the yard,” he said.

Capers said some of those in the house had just moved from Houston earlier in the week, but he did not know whether they were planning to stay there.

The US is on a record pace for mass killings this year, with at least 18 shootings since January 1 that left four or more people dead.

The violence is sparked by a range of motives: murder-suicides and domestic violence; gang retaliation; school shootings and workplace vendettas.

Francis maintained the Vatican’s tradition of diplomatic neutrality during his second day in Budapest, where he’s on a weekend visit to minister to Hungary’s Catholic faithful. Starting the day, he thanked Hungarians for welcoming Ukrainian refugees and urged them to help anyone in need. He called for a culture of charity in a country where the prime minister has justified firm anti-immigration policies with fears that migration threatens Europe’s Christian culture. Speaking in the white-brick St. Elizabeth’s church, named for a princess who renounced her wealth to care for the poor, Francis recalled that the Gospel instructs Christians to show love and compassion to all, especially those experiencing poverty and “even those who are not believers”.

“The love that Jesus gives us and commands

us to practice can help to uproot the evils of indifference and selfishness from society, from our cities and the places where we live — indifference is a plague —and to rekindle hope for a new, more just and fraternal world, where all can feel at home,” he said.

Hungary’s nationalist government has implemented firm anti-immigration policies and refused to accept many asylum-seekers trying to enter the country through its southern border, leading to prolonged legal disputes with the European Union. The conservative populist prime minister, Viktor Orban, has said that migration threatens to replace Europe’s Christian culture. Orban, who has held office since 2010, has hinged multiple election campaigns on the threats he alleges that migrants and refugees pose to Hungarians. While Orban’s government has consistently rejected asylum-seekers from the Middle East and

Ukrainian drones strike Crimea oil depot: Russian official

KYIV, APR 29 (AP): A massive fire erupted at an oil depot in Crimea after it was hit by two of Ukraine’s drones, a Russia-appointed official there reported Saturday, the latest in a series of attacks on the annexed peninsula as Russia braces for an expected Ukrainian counteroffensive.

Mikhail Razvozhayev, the Moscow-installed governor of Sevastopol, a port city in Crimea, posted videos and photos of the blaze on his Telegram channel.

Razvozhayev said the fire at the city’s harbour was assigned the highest ranking in terms of how complicated it will be to extinguish. However, he reported that the open blaze had been contained.

Razvozhayev said the oil depot was attacked by “two enemy drones,” and four oil tanks burned down. A third drone was shot down

from the sky, and one more was deactivated through radio-electronic means, according to Crimea’s Moscow-appointed governor, Sergei Aksyonov.

Russia annexed Crimea from Ukraine in 2014, a move that most of the world considered illegal. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in an interview this week that his country will seeking to reclaim the peninsula in

the upcoming counteroffensive. Russian President Vladimir Putin traveled to Crimea last month to mark the ninth anniversary of the Black Sea peninsula’s annexation from Ukraine.

Putin’s visit took place the day after the International Criminal Court issued an arrest warrant for the Russian leader accusing him of war crimes. The attack reported in Sevastopol comes a day after Russia fired more than

20 cruise missiles and two drones at Ukraine, killing at least 23 people. Almost all of the victims died when two missiles slammed into an apartment building in the city of Uman, located in central Ukraine.

Six children were among the dead, Ukrainian Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said Saturday, adding that 22 of the 23 bodies recovered have been identified. Two women remained missing, Klymenko said.

Russian forces launched more drones at Ukraine overnight.

Ukraine’s Air Force Command said two Iranianmade self-exploding Shahed drones were intercepted, and a reconnaissance drone was shot down on Saturday morning. Razvozhayev said the oil depot fire did not cause any casualties and would not hinder fuel supplies in Sevastopol. The city

has been subject to regular attack attempts with drones, especially in recent weeks.

Earlier this week, Razvozhayev reported that the Russian military destroyed a Ukrainian sea drone that attempted to attack the harbour and another one blew up, shattering windows in several apartment buildings, but not inflicting any other damage.

Ukraine’s military intelligence spokesperson, Andriy Yusov, told the RBC Ukraine news site on Saturday that the oil depot fire was “God’s punishment” for “the murdered civilians in Uman, including five children.”

After previous attacks on Crimea, Kyiv also wouldn’t openly claim responsibility, but emphasised that the country had the right to strike any target in response to Russian aggression.

Africa, around 2.5 million Ukrainians fleeing war in their country found open doors. Around 35,000 of the refugees remain in Hungary and have registered for temporary protection there, according to the UN. One who has chosen to stay was Olesia Misiats, a nurse who worked in a Kyiv COVID-19 hospital when she fled with her mother and two daughters on February 24, 2022 — the day Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine. First she went to the Netherlands, but high costs compelled her to move to Hungary, where she said she has found an apartment and given birth to her third daughter, Mila, who was in the pews Saturday with her mother and sister.

“Here it’s safe,” Misiats

said of her new life. She said that she hopes to return to Kyiv one day, but for now she and her children are adapting. “I want to go back home. There it’s my life — it was my life,” she said. “But the war changed my life.” Immediately after greeting and encouraging the refugees, Francis visited the Greek Catholic church next door, which has been providing aid to refugees. And then he met with the Russian Orthodox Church’s representative in Hungary, Metropolitan Hilarion, who developed close relations with the Vatican during his years as the Russian church’s foreign minister. The Vatican said the 20-minute meeting at the Holy See’s embassy in Budapest was “cordial”.

Felicitation

We the Mopong Hongkong Union, Kohima with immense pride and honor congratulates Miss n Wanphong Konyak, D/o Shri A. Nyaoba Konyak for being appointed as Chairman, Bio Resource Mission, Government of Nagaland. We wish her the very best in her future endeavours.

The union also expresses heartfelt gratitude to Shri. neiphiu Rio Chief Minister, Nagaland and Shri. temjen imna along President BJP, Nagaland for reposing faith and trust towards her.

Sd/- Sd/-

e. Wangba Konyak P. lhangti Konyak President, MHUK General Secretary, MHUK K-913/23

FELICITATION

With immense pride and honor, the Western Litsami Union extends its heartiest congratulations to :-

1. Mr. Hosheto Chishi, Headmaster on being promoted to the post of SDEO, Atoizu, under School Education Department, Government of Nagaland.

2. Dr. Nilokali Chishi, daughter of Mr. Kakheto Chishi & Lt. Boholi Chishi on being selected to the post of Assistant Professor in the Department of General Surgery at the interview conducted by the Nagaland Institute of Medical Sciences and Research (NIMSR)

3. Er. Jepito Khala, son of Dr. Pihoto Khala & Mrs. Kayeli Khala on being selected as Junior Engineer under FOCUS Nagaland supported by International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD)

The Western Litsami Union is incredibly proud of their achievement and prays that the Almighty God grant them good health and wisdom in all their future endeavours.

Sd/- (Husukha Chishi) Chairman General Secretary Western Litsami Union Western Litsami Union

A damaged house in war-torn Sudan. (AP)

Scene of a shooting early Saturday, April 29, 2023 in Cleveland, Texas. (AP)

Pope Francis

Smoke and flame rise from a burning fuel tank in Sevastopol, Crimea on Saturday. (AP)

BJA organises ‘symposium on sustainable fashion’

Inda’s weaving population is based in North East India and according to official data, Nagaland has a total of 33846 women weavers.

Direction reunion

Bond J Artistry organized symposium on sustainable fashion in context with Naga clothing and textile industry with Task Force for Music and Arts (TaFMA) as event partner here on Saturday, at Kairos, Dimapur.

At the inaugural programme, Heirloom Naga founder, Jesima Zeliang spoke on the topic “Scope of indigenous textiles and fashion in the global market; strategies for marketing”.

Highlighting some of the facts on textiles, Zeliang mentioned that the handmade sector in India is the largest farming sector and is the second largest provider of employment in the country. The handmade sector directly impacts 11 of the 17 SDG’s which are considered as benchmarks to evaluate progress of any society, these goals are to be achieved by 2030 as mandated by the UN, within

the SDG’s, the 12th goal of sustainable consumption and production is one which is completely in sync with our textiles sector here, she said. The handlooms sector with its indigenous methods of weaving and dyeing has almost zero carbon footprint. Fashion industry accounts for about 10 percent of global carbon emission, and also survey shows that nearly five percent of all landfills space is consumed by the textiles waste and 20 percent of all fresh water pollution is via textiles treatment and dyeing methods, she added.

India export and meets 95% of the global handwoven fabrics, textiles are an intrinsic part of India. The fourth all India handloom census of 2019-2020 accounts for a total of 31. 45 lakhs in weaving and allied activities, out of which women constitute more than 70%. More than 50% of

Zeliang encouraged to focus on investing in appropriate yarn, design and product, entrepreneurship, research and development, dyeing, washing, marketing packaging, export procedures and documentation and compliances. She also encouraged to upskill local weavers and allied workers to adhere to quality and uniformity.

Zeliang said that awareness programs should be conducted to encourage the weavers to diversify their product portfolio and also awareness in trend forecasts, to strengthen the fragmented value chain and create handloom centers or aggregation centers to collate larger orders, saying that “ we cannot function ins silos and thereby engage aggregators”.

Topic on “Naga indigenous fibres and dyes and how designers can use them in contemporary clothing” was delivered by Ninoto Nagami Meanwhile, on Reduce, reuse and recycle; the 3 R’s of sustainable fashion was presented by Theyie Keditsu which was further followed by fashion show. (Staff Reporter)

Imna Yaden, singer/ songwriter from Dimapur Nagaland on Saturday released his new music video “We love Nagaland”. The new video can be viewed on his YouTube channel “Imna Yaden”. Imna, who is also the founding member of the bands “INTUNE” and

“WONDERWAVES”, acknowledged the forefathers for their sacrifices and their blessings.

“We all have come this far and more to conquer to preserve our unique identity to live as one under our beautiful vibrant land, our motherland, Nagaland,” Imna said.

During an appearance on the final episode of “The Late Late Show with James Corden” April 27, Styles played a game of “Spill Your Guts” with the talk show host and actor Will Ferrell. When it was Styles’ turn, he began to read a question that’s been on fans’ minds for years.

“Mine is,” Styles said, and Corden snuck a peek at his index card. The talk show host gasped then looked away. “You good?” the singer asked and continued to read his question.

“Yes or no: Will there be a One Direction reunion? Will it ever happen?” he said.

The crowd instantly cheered in excitement at the suggestion. Once they quieted down a bit, Ferrell said, “Interesting.” Styles shared his honest thoughts on the matter and gave fans a bit of hope. “I would never say never to that,” he said. The crowd then said, “Aww,” as if they were disa ppointed

that a reunion wasn’t already in the works. After all, earlier this month rumors spread that One Direction would reunite for the final episode of Corden’s talk show. The show later shot down the rumor in a tweet, writing, “Nobody loves the boys more than us … but this story just isn’t true.” Styles started to talk again and said, “I think if there was a time where we all felt like that was —” Ferrell then interrupted him and mimicked the crowd’s “aww.” Styles laughed and continued his thought: “what we wanted to do, then I don’t see why we wouldn’t.” The audience then erupted in more cheers, and Corden exclaimed, “I’m

taking that as a yes!” and gave Styles a high-five. Ferrell also applauded. The singer, who got his start as a member of the wildly popular boy band, has established a successful career as a solo artist over the past several years. But One Direction fans are still holding out hope that the band might get back together, even if it’s just for a single performance. Last summer, Styles said on the “Spout Podcast” that he wasn’t sure if a reunion would materialize, but added “the thought” of reuniting is “a really nice one.” “I’d love for there to be a time where it felt like something we all wanted to do,” he continued. “I very much enjoyed (the albums), and I think we all went through something really special together. There’s a lot of love there. So, yeah, I think if there’s a moment for us to do it in the right way, I think it would be great.” (TODAY.com)

Sonam Kapoor invited to King Charles’ Coronation Concert

Actor Sonam Kapoor is set to share the stage with global icons such as Lionel Richie and Katy Perry and at the grand Coronation Concert planned for King Charles III in May.

The 74-year-old royal will be formally crowned as monarch along with his wife, Queen Consort Camilla, at Westminster Abbey in London on May 6 and millions are expected to join in the celebrations over a long

holiday weekend. Kapoor has been invited to deliver an exclusive spoken word piece at the highly-anticipated Coronation Concert where she will be introducing Steve Winwood & the exclusive Commonwealth

Decoded: How dangerous Covid variants emerge

virtual choir on May 7 at the Windsor Castle, a press release stated.

The concert -- produced, staged and broadcast live by the BBC and BBC Studios -- will feature global music icons and contem -

porary stars celebrating the historic occasion.

“I am honoured to join the Commonwealth virtual choir for this ceremony, celebrating His Majesty’s love for music and art. (PTI)

FELICITATION

Ateam of Russian researchers has uncovered the mechanisms behind the emergence of new and dangerous coronavirus variants, such as Alpha, Delta, Omicron, and others.

The team, led by those from the National Research University Higher School of Economics (HSE), discovered that the likelihood of a substitution occurring at a specific site of the SARS-CoV-2 genome is dependent on concordant substitutions occurring at other sites.

This explains why new and more contagious variants of the virus can emerge unexpectedly and differ significantly from those that were previously circulating, they wrote in

the paper published in the journal eLife.

All viruses, including the SARS-CoV-2 virus responsible for the coronavirus pandemic, change over time. The longer a virus circulates within the population and the more individuals it infects, the more changes (mutations) it accumulates. Typically, new strains of a virus are similar to their parental strains.

However, in some cases, mutations may result in variants that are better adapted to the environment and pose a higher risk to human health. These variants tend to spread more quickly, may not respond to existing vaccines or treatments, and could be more difficult to diagnose.

“The evolution of a virus within a population can be likened to a journey across a vast terrain with ravines, valleys, and hills. The virus roams randomly through this landscape, dying quickly if it falls into a cavity, surviving longer in valleys, and thriving when on peaks,” said Alexey Neverov, from the HSE International Laboratory of Statistical and Computational Genomics. For the study, the team analysed over three million genome sequences of different strains of SARSCoV-2. They identified particular sites on the surface protein of the coronavirus where amino acid substitutions occurred, differentiating the variants from both the original Wuhan strain and from one another.

Many of these sites appeared to be concordantly evolving, so that changes in amino acids at one site were rapidly followed by changes at another site. All the active and dangerous variants of the virus were distinguished from the previously prevalent variants by patterns of multiple substitutions.

“Individuals with longterm Covid-19 may potentially harbour an accumula-

organised

tion of variants which are poorly adapted for survival in the general population. However, over time, these variants can evolve into stronger forms that have the potential to spread widely and conquer the world,” Neverov explained. The team suggest an explanation as to why intermediate variants that

differ from the original virus by only one or two substitutions may not be visible. It’s possible that these ‘weak’ variants only become ‘strong’ when they gather the whole pattern of individually deleterious substitutions. As a result, predicting the emergence of a new highly adaptive strain is hard, the research-

ers said. The statistical method employed by the study’s authors is versatile and can be utilised to investigate the evolution of numerous other pathogens.

In particular, this approach has been successfully applied to studying the evolution of influenza and tuberculosis.

(IANS)

With thanksgiving to our Almighty God, Servanthood Bible College, Chumukedima congratulates Dr. Jongpongmeren on receiving Doctor of Ministry (D. Min) degree in the field of Mission and Leadership from New Life Bible College, Bengaluru.

Wishing him all the best in his future ministry.

Principal, Faculty, Staff & Students of Servanthood Bible College

DB-542/23

NO.LH/WKA/EDN- SOCIAL/2019 DATED WOKHA THE 29TH APRIL 2023 LOTHA GENERAL CUM FELICITATION MEETING CALL CIRCULAR

The Lotha Hoho (LH) has convened a Lotha General cum Felicitation Meeting at LH Conference Hall, Wokha. The Lotha Members of 14th Nagaland Legislative Assembly (MLAs) and Adviser to the Chief Minister; are to be felicitated at the General Meeting. Among various agenda the New LH Constitution shall be presented for approval.

The Highlights of the Meeting details are as given below:

DATE : 10th May 2023

VENUE : LOTHA HOHO CONFERENCE HALL, WOKHA

TIME :

(i) Arrival and Meeting of MLAs & Adviser to CM with LH : 9:00 AM

(ii) Lotha General Meeting and Felicitation :11:00 AM Representatives to attend the meeting: Each Lotha village shall be represented, in the General Meeting, by two members -Village Council Chairman and the Head Gaon Bura (GB) : All Lotha villages/habitations and organizations outside Wokha District shall likewise be represented by two representatives.

The Attendance of all concerned is solicited.

(ER. MHONDAMO OVUNG) (S.ABENTHUNG NGULLIE) Chairman General Secretary D B-543/23

Christina Memorial Higher Secondary School would like to convey our heartiest congratulations to Mr. O. Alem, IPS, Chief Patron, CMHSS, Aoyimti, Dimapur for receiving the GLOBAL AMBASSADOR OF EDUCATION EXCELLENCE AWARD for his outstanding achievements and remarkable role in the field of education from the Indian Solidarity Council The school further wishes him more success as he embarks on his journey to “Face Change, Change the Future” CMHSS Family

DB-544/23

Fazl Ali College (FAC), Mokokchung held one-day “Fazlian cultural mosaic” organized by culture club and Fazl Ali College Students’ Union (FACSU) on Saturday.

In a press statement, the college informed that in order to celebrate the

diversity of the students in the educational institute, the college organizes cultural event every year where students showcase their unique cultural identity, while learning and appreciating their culture.

FAC Principal in his speech encouraged the students to respect and

appreciate each other’s culture. Assistant Professor Department of History, Tejatseizo exhorted the students on opportunities of tourism, impact of globalization and to have a sense of awareness. Jubilee students’ union were the guest participant of the event.

Participants at symposium on sustainable fashion, at Kairos, Dimapur.

Imna Yaden releases new song ‘We love Nagaland’

Harry Styles says he would ‘never say never’ to a One

Odisha FC beat Kerala 3-1 to seal AFC Cup spot

KOZHIKODE, APR 29

(PTI): Super Cup champions Odisha FC beat ILeague winners Gokulam Kerala FC 3-1 in a play-off match to seal a spot in the 2023-24 AFC Cup group stage, here on Saturday.

The result gave Odisha FC, who finished sixth in the Indian Super League, their chance to debut in the second tier continental club competition on the back of an outstanding two weeks at the fag end of the domestic season.

In the ISL, they played in fits and starts, never really putting together a good enough run of form to really challenge for the title.

But over the last two weeks, Odisha enjoyed tremendous success as they laid siege of Kozhikode. Having won the Super Cup title, Saturday’s play-off win put a continental cherry on a brilliant cake. It didn’t take long for Odisha to stamp their authority on the game. They

were quicker on the ball and even more authoritative without it.

The first chance, however, didn’t fall Odisha’s way. Gokulam, who played most of the game as a counter-attacking unit, came at them through a Thahir Zaman corner, perfectly curled for Aminou Bouba in the six-yard area. The Cameroonian put his header high and wide.

Very soon Gokulam were made to pay for their

errors, in more ways than one.

In the 18th minute from a seemingly innocuous throw-in on the left touchline, Nandha Kumar dummied, Victor Romero spun and Diego Mauricio was through one-on-one.

The Brazilian finished to notch his 20th goal in all competitions and give Odisha the lead.

It was a goal that was built on simplicity, but also exposed a Gokulam de -

fence that had gone to bed.

Suddenly Odisha started running riot, Mauricio, Mawihmingthanga and Romero combining to create a host of opportunities and keep the Gokulam defence on their toes. Romero came closest just before the half hour mark, curling a free kick from a narrow angle on the left onto the crossbar.

In the 31st minute, Mauricio got his second goal, dribbling but also bulldozing his way through Gokulam’s left side to double the lead.

The second goal woke up Gokulam, and roused them from their inept slumber into something resembling passing football.

Suddenly, Zaman and Sergio Mendigutxia were playing combinations and throwing Odisha’s defence off their game. When the goal arrived in the 36th minute, it came off the head of Farshad Noor, Zaman doing all the work on the right before delivering a

Azerbaijan GP: Perez overtakes Leclerc to win sprint race

AZERBAIJAN, APR 29

(AGENCIES): Red Bull’s Sergio Perez overtook Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc to win the sprint at the Azerbaijan Grand Prix, reports BBC Sports.

The Mexican, who qualified second to Leclerc in the sprint shootout earlier on Saturday, passed the Ferrari shortly after an early safety-car period.

Championship leader Max Verstappen finished third, after his car suffered damage in an early collision with George Russell’s Mercedes.

Russell took fourth, from Ferrari’s Carlos Sainz.

Aston Martin’s Fernando Alonso was sixth.

Lewis Hamilton was sev-

enth, losing out when Alonso made an opportunistic overtake as he took

Chinese pair wins mixed doubles at WTT Star Contender Bangkok

advantage of the seventime champion failing to pass Sainz into the first

corner at the restart. Leclerc, who has taken two pole positions in two days in Baku and will also start the grand prix at the front on Sunday, feared he would struggle to hold off at least one of the Red Bulls over a race - and so it proved.

This is the first ‘sprint’ weekend of the year and it runs to a new format to those events in the last two years. The Friday qualifying session decided the grid for the grand prix on Sunday.

Saturday is a whole separate day, starting with a qualifying sessionknown as the ‘sprint shootout’ - that sets the grid for this shorter ‘sprint’ race later on.

perfect cross home. Within minutes Zaman himself had a chance to equalise, arriving perfectly to head a cross from the left. His attempt though was high. To Odisha’s relief, half time arrived just as the game’s momentum had shifted, giving them a chance to breathe and reset as they were leading 2-1. And reset they did, surging into lead again. Almost immediately, Romero conjured up another chance, and again, the frame of the goal proved to be his undoing, the post denying him this time. It wouldn’t matter. Pawan Kumar needlessly tugged on and brought down Diego Mauricio on the edge of the box in the 52nd minute, giving Odisha a penalty and a chance to restore their two-goal cushion.

Mauricio didn’t miss it. His 22nd goal of the season was enough for Odisha to regain momentum and see the game out.

Madrid Open: Medvedev starts his campaign with win against Vavassori

MADRID (SPAIN),

APRIL 29 (IANS): World No. 3 Daniil Medvedev made a rock-solid start to his Madrid Open campaign with a 6-4, 6-3 win against Italian qualifier Andrea Vavassori, here on Saturday.

Medvedev stayed patient against the World No. 164 Vavassori, notching a late break of serve in each set to complete an 82-minute triumph. Vavassori had claimed the biggest win of his career against Andy Murray in the first round at the Caja Magica, but the second-seeded Medvedev’s combination of huge serving and relentless baseline hitting proved a step too far for the Italian.

“I played well today. I felt good,” said Medvedev, who saved all three break points he faced in his second-round win.

“There were some tight mo ments in the

match, but when we had rallies from the baseline, I felt like many times I was in control. I’m really happy about my level,” he added.

With the win, Medvedev improved to 2-3 in Madrid, where he also reached the third round in 2021. Despite frequently acknowledging he does not feel his most comfortable on clay, the 19-time tour-level titlist hopes his opening victory can be the

foundation for a bigger run in the Spanish capital.

“I just want to play my best. Sure, everyone is saying here I should like it a little bit more than other clay courts because the serve goes a bit faster, the court is faster. So far I haven’t done well in Madrid, but today was a great match and I just hope for more matches like this in the next two weeks,” said Medvedev.

Gurjoat best placed Indian at Cairo Shotgun WC

NEW DELHI, APRIL 29 (IANS): India’s Gurjoat Singh Khangura, continued to be the best placed Indian at the on-going ISSF World Cup Shotgun in Cairo, Egypt, after he shot rounds of 24 and 23 on day two of the skeet qualifications for an overall 97 after four completed rounds. According to information received here, that effort placed him 11th among medal contenders in the men’s skeet competition, with 98 being the top score achieved so far. Gurjoat’s first target on Saturday will be to finish inside the top eight, with one qualification round of 25-targets remaining, before the finals commence in the second-half of the day. Ganemat Sekhon was the best performing In-

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

dian in women’s skeet after her four-round total of 92, placed her 12thamong the medal contenders. She will

also aim to qualify for the finals on Saturday.

Among the other Indians in action on the day, Anant Jeet Singh Naruka was also well in contention for a finals berth with a score of 96 placing him 18th on the pecking order. He will first look to shoot a perfect 25, before waiting for other results to work in his favour. Senior marksman Mairaj Khan was further

In GratItude

down the leaderboard with a score of 88. Also, Sheeraz Sheikh, playing for ranking points only, shot 91 after four-rounds. In women’s skeet, Maheshwari Chauhan was in 19th spot with a score of 91, while Darshna Rathore, the third Indian in contention was further down with 88. Sanjana Sood, playing for ranking points, also shot 88 after two days of qualification.

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest” Mat 11:28

Late L. Siemürhü Nyusou

11/09/1951 – 25/04/2023

To each and every individuals, families, relatives, friends, neighbours, churches, well-wishers and the Medical Team who stood by us throughout the difficult times of illness of our beloved Late L. Siemürhü Nyusou & supported us physically, materially and spiritually till his demise on 25/04/2023.

Thank you for your love, concern and comfort. We remain deeply indebted to all of you. God bless you all.

BANGKOK, APRIL 29 (IANS): China’s Lin

Gaoyuan and Chen Xingtong rallied from two games down to win the mixed doubles title at the World Table Tennis (WTT) Star Contender 2023 here.

Lin and Chen was trailing by 0-5 in the third game after losing the previous two against Lim Jong-hoon and Shin Yu-bin of South Korea, but turned the tide and forced the match into the decider before they won by 7-11, 9-11, 11-9, 11-6, 11-8, reports Xinhua.

Both Lin and Chen

returned later for the semifinals of men’s singles and women’s singles.

Chen went through another five-game thriller 11-6, 8-11, 11-5, 5-11, 11-4 against Adriana Diaz from Puerto Rico to advance to her third final of the tournament after women’s doubles and the mixed finals.

Lin had an easier match in the men’s singles semifinal when he strolled past teammate Yuan Licen in three straight sets and also secured his third berth for finals in the tournaments.

Ukraine may lose weightlifting places after third doping violation

MONTREAL, APR 29 ( AGENCIES): Ukraine is at risk of losing quota places for Olympic weightlifting at the Paris 2024 Games after a third athlete was provisionally suspended due to an anti-doping rule violation, Inside The Games reported. The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF), which would decide on any such punishment, did not immediately respond to Reuters’ request for comment. Alina Marushchak, who won gold at the 2021 world

championships in the women’s 81 kg category, became the latest to be provisionally suspended in March due to the presence of Hydrochlorothiazide, a diuretic and masking agent prohibited by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Two other Ukrainians - Ruslan Kozhakin and Bohdan Taranenko - were suspended in October for the presence of Trimetazidine, a WADA-banned hormone and metabolic modulator, according to the International Testing Agency.

(26th Nov. 1933 – 19th April, 2023)

The family of Late Kivishe Sema would like to acknowledge the many expressions of sympathy and gestures of kindness shown to us following our sad loss.

We offer our heartfelt thanks to the many families, neighbours and wellwishers who visited our home, attended the burial service and provided emotional and practical support to us at this difficult time. For those who had telephoned and travelled long distances, sent floral tributes, cards and messages of condolences, as well as those who made charitable donations, we are grateful.

We would like to convey our sincere appreciations to:

1. Medziphema Town Sumi Baptist Church.

2. Lazami Village Baptist Church.

3. Thilixu Village Baptist Church Block –II, Fellowship.

4. Sumi Council Medziphema Town.

5. Sumi Aphuyemi Medziphema Town.

6. Lazami Social Welfare Dimapur Area.

7. Salie Chusi Head GB Medziphema Town.

8. Dr. Sukhato A. Sema MLA NLA.

9. Y. Kikheto Sema IAS Commissioner & Secretary Health and Family Welfare, Govt. of Nagaland .

10. Dr. Vikeyie Losu Retd. Principal Director, Health and Family Welfare.

11. Dr. Akumnaro Jamir, Faith Hospital Dimapur.

To those who helped us in different ways, your contribution made our loss more bearable. As it would be impossible to thank everyone individually, please accept this acknowledgement as our deepest gratitude.

Loving Children, Grand Children, Great- Grandchildren, In-laws & Relatives.

Beloved Wife, Children, Son in Law, Granddaughters & Loved Ones

2nd DEATH ANNIVERSARY of our beloved Mother

Lt. Thoshili Awomi

Died on : 30th April 2021

Dear Iza,

It has been two years since you have left us but you are alive in our hearts and minds. Your beautiful memories we will always treasure. We miss you dearly, till we meet again Iza, we will always love you.

Loving, Children, In laws, Grandchildren and Great Grandchildren

Red Bull Racing’s Mexican driver Sergio Perez.

Lin Gaoyuan(L) and Chen Xingtong compete during the mixed doubles final match.

Gurjoat Singh Khangura

Daniil Medvedev defeated Andrea Vavassori 6-4, 6-3.

Diego Mauricio of Odisha FC celebrates after scoring his hat-trick

IPL: Marsh’s all-round show in vain as SRH beat DC by 9 runs

NEW DELHI, APRIL 29

(IANS): Mitchell Marsh’s all-round performance (427 and 63 off 39) went in vain as Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Delhi Capitals by nine runs in Match No. 40 of IPL 2023 at Arun Jaitley Stadium, here on Saturday.

Brilliant attacking fifties by Abhishek Sharma (67 off 36) and Heinrich Klaasen (53 off 27) propelled Sunrisers Hyderabad to 197-6 against Delhi Capitals despite Mitchell Marsh’s four-fer (4-27).

Apart from Abhishek and Klaasen, most of the SRH batters struggled to get going as the team lost wickets at regular intervals.

On the other hand, barring Marsh, who bowled a maiden and bagged four wickets, none of the DC bowlers made a mark.

In reply, the likes of Marsh and Phil Salt (59 off 35) smashed the fifties and lower down the order, Axar Patel (29 off 14) also tried his best but it was not enough as Delhi suffered their sixth defeat of the season. Chasing a big total, Delhi Capitals lost the

Sunriser Hyderabad bowler A Hosein celebrates with teammates the wicket of Delhi Capitals batter M Marsh. (PTI)

wicket of skipper David Warner in the very first over of the innings bowled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar for a two-ball duck.

Despite Warner’s wicket, the likes of Phil Salt and Mitchell Marsh decided to counter-attack. Both Salt and Marsh looked in good touch and dealt in boundaries and sixes to take Delhi Capitals to 57 runs in the first six overs.

Umran Malik came to bowl the 7th over and he was taken to the cleaners by Delhi batters with the

Duo swim in Brahmaputra for record 12 hours non-stop

pacer conceding 22 runs. Even Abhishek Sharma was not spared and 12 runs were scored in his over.

Though leg-spinner Mayank Markande bowled with discipline and both Salt and Marsh played him carefully, they kept the scoreboard ticking to make a century-stand and propelled Delhi Capitals to 101/1 at the halfway mark. During the process, Salt reached his maiden IPL half-century as well.

Soon after Mash hit

Natarajan to score his fifty

Clinical Gujarat Titans beat KKR by 7 wickets

KOLKATA, APR 29 (PTI): Defending champions Gujarat Titans once again came up with a clinical display to prevail over Kolkata Knight Riders by seven wickets and climb to the top of the table in the IPL, here on Saturday. It was sweet revenge for Titans, who lost their home game due to Rinku Singh’s heroics. First it was, the Titans pace duo of Mohammad Shami (3/33) and Josh Little (2/25) picked five wickets between them, while left-arm spinner Noor Ahmad (2/21) continued his fine run to restrict KKR to a below-par 179/7 after Hardik Pandya opted to bowl.

David Miller greets each other after their. (PTI)

in 28 balls as Delhi were cruising towards the total.

But as has been the case during the season, it was again Markande, who brought SRH back in the game by removing the dangerous Salt.

Brief scores:

Sunrisers Hyderabad 197/6 in 20 overs (Abhishek Sharma 67, Heinrich Klaasen 53; Mitchell Marsh 4-27) beat Delhi Capitals 188/6 in 20 overs (Mitchell Marsh 63, Philip Salt; Mayank Markande 2-20) by 9 runs.

On a batting-friendly strip, Rahmanullah Gurbaz’s scintillating 39-ball 81 set the tempo, but KKR managed just 45 runs and lost three wickets in the final five overs to miss the psychological 200-run mark. In reply, GT raced to the target in 17.5 overs with Vijay Shankar remaining unbeaten on 51 off 24 balls (2x4, 5x6).

Defending the paltry total, the home side had their moments when they dismissed a flawless Shubman Gill one run shy of fifty and almost had David Miller on 26.

But they made a harakiri of sorts as Miller’s skier, which would have been a straightforward catch by their wicketkeeper, was attempted by Suyash Sharma from third man and he ended up grassing it. GT at that time still needed 51 runs from 29 balls but it turned out to be a game-changing moment as Shankar and Miller (32 not out; 18b, 2x4, 2x6) sealed the issue in an unbroken 87-run unbroken partnership that came off 39 balls.

The win took GT to top spot in the table with 12 points from eight matches as they need to win two more matches to seal the playoff berth for a second time on the trot. KKR on the other hand staring

Slick Espargaro grabs MotoGP pole in rainy Jerez

JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA (SPAIN) APR 29

( AGENCIES): Spaniard

Aleix Espargaro dodged the showers on Saturday to grab pole position in the Spanish motorcycle Grand Prix at Jerez, reports Sportsstar.

The Aprilia rider, who set the best time in the heat in Friday’s qualifying, edged Australian Jack Miller (KTM) and fellow Spaniard Jorge Martin on a Ducati-Pramac.

GUWAHATI, APR 29

(PTI): Renowned swimmer duo Elvis Ali Hazarika and Rimo Saha scripted history by swimming in the Brahmaputra River for 12 hours at a stretch.

Each of them swam from 5 am to 5 pm on Friday around a sandbar near Guwahati.

Hazarika said the record has been acknowledged by the Assam Book of Records.

Sharing the news of the feat on Facebook, the ace swimmer from Assam wrote: “I thought it would be impossible but I’ve done it. Me and my Channel Swim partner Rimo Saha swam non-stop from 5AM-5PM in the river Brahmaputra and this

was observed and acknowledged by the Assam Book Of Records.”

He said they had been training regularly in the Brahmaputra for the last few months.

Hazarika and his partner Saha, who hails from West Bengal, had made history in September last year by becoming the first Indian as well as Asian relay team to cross the North Channel in Europe.

The ace swimmers also became the first from their respective states to successfully cross the North Channel in relay swimming.

Hazarika had become the first swimmer from Assam to cross the Catalina Channel in the US in 2019.

The qualifying set the grids for both Saturday’s sprint and Sunday’s race.

Espargaro opened the morning by crashing in free practice. Down to one bike he then gambled on slick tyres as showers punctuated the final session and was rewarded with the fastest time.

“Crazy morning,” said Espargaro.”I felt good from yesterday, so we decided to try another dynamic package, and unfortunately, I had a small crash.”

As one of the 10 fastest from practice, Espargaro was able to sit out the opening qualifying session but was dismayed when it started to pour as that ses-

Crystal Palace edge West Ham in seven-goal thriller

first-time finish at the end a slick move, before the returning Wilfried Zaha finished from Eberechi Eze’s pass across the six-yard box and Jeffrey Schlupp added a third after dispossessing Soucek.

A superb first-half took another twist when West Ham again capitalised on a corner, Michail Antonio heading in at the back post to reduce the deficit before the break.

sion ended.

“When I saw the rain, I was a bit angry and disappointed because we just had one bike, so we didn’t have the gamble to try the rain tyres and then the slicks,” said Espargaro.

“I said ‘Let’s put on the slick and I try my best’. I really control everything until the last lap and then

I push.” Miller said that he was unsure which parts of the track were dry so he also gambled.

“I threw in the slicks, went out and was able to bust out a lap,” he said.

“Each lap you push your luck a little bit more with the curves and hope they’re ready at that point.”

Sociedad wins at Osasuna to close on Champions League spot

It was his first frontrow place since joining KTM this season.

“It’s a hard track to pass on, so this is a major bonus,” said.

Martin said he needed to duplicate his fast qualifying in the races.

“Happy to make the front row,” said the Spaniard. “The important things are later.”

South African Brad Binder (KTM) and reigning Italian world champion Francesco Bagnaia (Ducati) topped the opening qualifying earlier in the day to grab the last two spots in the shootout for the first four rows on the grid.

They made the most of their second chances by grabbing places on the second row alongside surprising Spanish veteran Daniel Pedrosa, who entered as a wild card by KTM.

Championship leader Marco Bezzechi, on the second factory Ducati, finished 0.085sec behind Binder in the opening qualifying session and will start 13th. Yamaha’s Fabio Quartararo, the 2021 world champion, qualified only 16th.

boundary off Chakravarthy, before taking Suyash to cleaners, in a 18-run over.

Miller smashed the rookie legspinner for two sixes in a row, before Shankar also chipped in with a boundary as there was no looking back for GT from there on.

LONDON, APR 29 ( AGENCIES): Crystal Palace deservedly edged a seven-goal thriller against West Ham to reach the 40-point mark targeted by manager Roy Hodgson and leave the Hammers in relegation trouble, reports BBC Sports.

Former England boss Hodgson has led Palace to four wins in six games since returning as manager last month to almost certainly guide the Eagles, now 11 points clear of the bottom three, to safety.

Kick-off in south London was delayed by 15 minutes because of an issue with the turnstiles - but there was no shortage of action once the match got under way.

Although West Ham took an early lead when Tomas Soucek punished Michael Olise’s failure to clear a corner, Palace swung the game in their favour with three goals in an impressive 15-minute spell.

Jordan Ayew levelled within six minutes with a

Eze’s penalty restored Palace’s two-goal advantage midway through the second half after he was judged to have been fouled by Nayef Aguerd - but the Hammers defender made amends as the visitors responded with a scrappy third from yet another set-piece.

However, David Moyes’ side could not find a late equaliser to boost their survival prospects and West Ham remain five points above the relegation places with five games remaining.

Takefusa Kubo celebrates with teammate Mikel Merino after scoring the team’s second goal.

BARCELONA, APR 29 (AGENCIES): Real Sociedad took another step toward locking up a Champions League berth after it won at Osasuna 2-0 in the Spanish league.

The win on Friday let fourth-placed Sociedad open a nine-point gap over fifth-placed Real Betis, putting more pressure on the Seville-based side to win at leader Barcelona on Saturday.

The top four finishers in the league earn spots in Europe’s elite competition next season. The game’s opener

came in the sixth minute when Osasuna goalkeeper Sergio Herrera scored an own goal.

Herrera kept Osasuna in the match by making saves, including getting enough of Mikel Oyarzabal’s low shot to send it off his crossbar in the 67th.

But Take Kubo added a second goal in the 90th with a low shot that Herrera let slip past him.

Osasuna was in eighth place and has one more league game before it takes on Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final on May 6.

at early elimination after enduring their sixth defeat from nine matches as they now face must win all their remaining five matches.

Gill (49; 35b) gave GT a perfect start after losing Wriddhiman Saha (10) early as he along with skipper Hardik Pandya laid the foundation in a 50-run partnership.

Having conceded 18 runs from his first two oves, Sunil Narine returned in the 12th over to end his fivematch wickless drought when he dismissed Gill. At 102/3 after 13 overs, KKR still had the edge when Suyash bowled a four-run over with three dot balls as the required run-rate for GT shot past 11. But the South African batter broke the shackles with a

Returning to the side after Jason Roy pulled out because of a back spasm, the Afghanistan opener struck his second fifty of the season as he smashed seven sixes and five fours en route to his 39-ball knock. But once rookie Afghanistan spinner Noor Ahmed (4-0-21-2) dismissed his teammate with compatriot Rashid Khan completing a well-judged catch, KKR didn’t make good use of the final few overs as Mohammed Shami (3/33 in 4 overs) and Irishman Josh Little (2/25 in 4 overs) did play their part to perfection. At 135/5, KKR had the firepower of Andre Russell and Rinku Singh with 28 balls to go. Brief scores: Kolkata Knight Riders 179/7 in 20 overs (Rahmanullah Gurbaz 81, Andre Russell 34; Mohammed Shami 3-33, Noor Ahmad 2-21) lost to Gujarat Titans 180/3 in 17.5 overs (Vijay Shankar 51 not out, Shubman Gill 49; Sunil Narine 1-24, Harshit Rana 1-25) by 7 wickets

DCPU Mokokchung holds sports festival

DCPU officials along with Care and Support Children’s Home, Mokokchung.

MOKOKCHUNG, APR

28 (NPN): A three-day long sports festival was organized by the District Child Protection Unit ( DCPU), Mokokchung from April 24t to 26 , at Care and Support Children’s Home, Mokokchung.

According to a press release from DCPU, the event was aimed to encourage sportsmanship and physical activities among children in the special Home.

The festival witnessed children participation in Ludo, carrom, race, long jump, high jump, football, arm wrestling , belt wrestling and Naga style wrestling.

The highlight of the event was the presence of

Venuzo Dawhuo, the reigning champion of Nagaland Wrestling Association who graced the occasion as a special guest. He showcased the Naga style wrestling to the children and also motivated the children to take up wrestling as a sport and stressed on the importance of sports in one’s life.

DCPO Samuel Kapu emphasized the significance of sports in the development of children and encouraged the children to keep themselves active in sports to be healthy. He also acknowledged the support of Observation Home staff, CWC, JJB and care and support society who came forward to extend their support to the cause.

Ronaldinho to launch worldwide street football league for kids

LOS ANGELES, APR 29 (AGENCIES): Brazil great Ronaldinho is launching a worldwide street football league to give talented young players an opportunity to showcase their skills and follow the same path to stardom as the former Barcelona player, reports Sportsstar.

The Ronaldinho Global Street League will begin in “late 2023,” organizers said Saturday, and will initially feature a social media tryout process where street football players of all ages can upload their best skills and tricks in a bid to join one of the competition’s teams.

Head-to-head matches and skills competitions will be staged in major cities across the world and teams will compete in a league for the title of “RGSL Champions” and to become part of what will be called the Ronaldinho Globe Street Team.

“We believe there is massive value in the space — and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to support the players of the future,” Ronaldinho said in announcing the venture. There were no specifics about the likely location of the events or the precise start time.

Ronaldinho, a twotime world player of the year, has linked up with sports agent and former player Roberto de Assis

Moreira and Sophie Watts, the co-founder of Mike Tyson’s Legends League, to launch the league. “Ronaldinho and I grew up in an underprivileged community in Brazil,” Moreira said. “We know first-hand the power of street football in empowering youth and are fully dedicated to discovering and supporting street football players around the world through RGSL.”

Gujarat Titans batters Vijay Shankar and

Rimo Saha and Elvis Ali Hazarika.

Aprilia Spanish rider Aleix Espargaro celebrates after taking the pole position during the qualifying session.

Eberechi Eze took and converted his first ever penalty in the Premier League.

Ronaldinho