9 April 2023

China launches military drills around Taiwan

States asked to be on alert as Covid cases rise

STATES &UTs ASKED TO CONDUCT MOCK DRILLS IN HOSPITALS ON APRIL 10 & 11

NEW DELHI, APR 8

(PTI): Amid rising cases of coronavirus, Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya Friday held a review meeting and advised states to stay alert and be pre-pared for COVID-19 management.

In the meeting with state health ministers and principal and additional chief secretaries held virtually, Mandaviya stressed on identifying emergency hotspots by monitoring trends of in-fluenza-like illness (ILI) and severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) cases, ramping up testing and vaccination and ensuring readiness of hospital infrastructure.

Along with enhancing genome sequencing and ramping up whole genome sequencing of positive samples, he also emphasised on creating awareness about

MHA panel, ENPO to meet at Guwahati

Staff Reporter

DIMAPUR, APR 8

(NPN): Eastern Nagaland

People’s Organization (ENPO) and the threemember committee formed by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to oversee the ‘Frontier Nagaland’ state demand is scheduled to hold another meeting at Guwahati on April 11.

Sources said that an 11-member delegation of ENPO representing the tribal bodies would be leaving for Guwahati on April 10 and hold meeting with the Central team headed by MHA advisor (NE) AK Mishra on April 11.

Meanwhile, ENPO representatives on Saturday held a meeting to deliberate on the formation of ‘Frontier Naga Territory’, which had been mutually agreed upon by both the sides after hectic parleys.

Though the agreement is yet to be signed, sources said that the ENPO delegation would apprise the Central team to finalize the new arrangement (Frontier Naga Territory).

As reported earlier, the new arrangement is expected to have certain financial autonomy, separate funding etc. for an interim period.

This (financial autonomy) was one of the main focal points of ENPO during several rounds of talks held with the Central team.

Historians demand deletions in NCERT textbooks be withdrawn

NEW DELHI, APR 8

following Covid-appropriate behaviour. The Centre and the states need to continue working in collaborative spirit as was done during the previous surges for COVID-19 prevention and management, Mandaviya said.

He also urged the state health ministers to conduct mock drills of all hospital infrastructure on April 10 and 11 and review the health preparedness with district administrations and health officials on April 8 and 9. States and Union territories were further informed that currently WHO is closely tracking one variant of interest (VOI), XBB.1.5 and six other variants are under monitoring (BQ.1, BA.2.75, CH.1.1, XBB, XBF and XBB.1.16), a health ministry statement said.

It was highlighted that while Omicron and its sublineages continue to be the

predominant variant, most of the assigned variants have little or no significant transmissibility, disease severity or immune escape. The prevalence of XBB.1.16 increased from 21.6 per cent in Febru-ary to 35.8 per cent in March, 2023. However, no evidence of an increase in hospitalisation or mortality has been reported, the statement said.

During the meeting, it was observed that 23 states and Union territories had average tests per million below the national average, according to a health ministry statement.

Mandaviya said irrespective of the new variants, the five-fold strategy of ‘Test-Track-Treat-Vaccinate and adherence to Covidappropriate behaviour’ continue to remain the tested strategy for Covid management. This would facilitate

undertaking of appropriate public health measures, he said. States and Union territories were also requested to expeditiously increase the rate of testing from the current rate of 100 tests per million, as on the week ending April 7. They were further advised to increase the share of RT-PCR in tests, the statement said.

The states and UTs were briefed that the country has been witnessing a steady increase in COVID-19 cases with average daily cases rising to 4,188 in the week ending April 7 from 571 in the week ending March 17; and weekly positivity up to 3.02 per cent in the week ending April 7.

However, 88,503 daily average cases have been reported globally in the same time, with the top five countries contributing 62.6 per cent of global cases

in the last one week, the state-ment said. It was also informed that while India has achieved over 90 per cent coverage of primary vaccination, the coverage of precaution dose is very low.

The minister advised the states and Union territories to ramp up vaccination of all eligible population, especially of the elderly and vulnerable population group.

It was also observed that eight states are reporting high number of Covid cases in India with 10 or more districts reporting more than 10 per cent positivity in Kerala, Maharashtra and Delhi and over 5 districts reporting more than 5 per cent positivity in Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Haryana.

CPO urges govt to distance itself from NMA

DIMAPUR, APR 8 (NPN): After Angami Public Organisation (APO) shot of a strong missive to the state chief secretary to “restrain and refrain” the un-mandated Naga Mothers’ Association (NMA), which has ceased to exist long before and describing its present leaders as a bunch of self-elected leaders; the Chakhesang Public Organisation (CPO) has also shot off a similar letter to the chief secretary over its stand on the NMA.

In a letter to the chief secretary CPO president Vezuhu Keyho, urged upon the state government to “distance itself from the

Naga Mothers Association (NMA) which is no longer a mandated organisation.

CPO also pointed out that the Chakhesang Mothers Association (CMA) had also disassociated itself from the “so-called Naga Mothers’ Association (NMA) since 2017” and thus, the latter no longer represented “the welfare and interest of our sons and daughters.”

Alluding to the series of petitions filed in the courts, Chakhesang Public Organisation said alleged that “certain NMA members” sought to dilute and destroy Naga customary laws and traditions by

showing flagrant disregard “towards the popular sentiments of the Nagas.”

CPO said such actions of Naga Mothers’ Association was “becoming almost intolerable to digest to the extent that a permanent and unhealthy wedge of suspicion and mistrust being sown between the two genders of society.”

According to CPO, any individual, group or organisation not having the mandate of the people has no business to tinker and experiment with the “customary laws and traditions of our people.” Also with regard to any “desire or plans to make changes

on Naga customs and traditions” CPO said the NMA or any unmandated person or group, have no “business in interfering with out customary laws and traditions.”

On behalf of the Chakhesangs, the CPO reiterated that as it was the only “mandated organisation” having the popular support of the community and also the moral right to speak on their behalf. In the light of the above, CPO said it has made the points clear and which should be seriously taken into consideration by the government.”

SH backs ‘war on drugs’ campaign CM, DY CM greet on Resurrection Sunday

DIMAPUR, APR 8 (NPN): Sumi Hoho (SH) has declared to support the “war on drugs” campaign initiated by the Zunheboto police, backed by the district administration.

In a press note, SH president I Nikheto Jimomi and general secretary Dr. Vihuto Asumi, while not denying that the mission taken up by Zunheboto Police was an uphill task but not an impossible mission, noted that mission has turned out to be a huge success.

The Zunheboto police have garnered immense respect from all the concerned public and civil Society organizations of Zunheboto for taking up the challenge of curbing drug menace from our society, SH added.

SH pointed out that implementation of “Nagaland Liquor Total Prohibition (NLTP) Act 1989” has become

a failure, while liquor has become an item of “illegal business practice”.

With adulterated liquor, available in every nook and corner, becoming more expensive, the hoho maintained many users have now switched to cheaper abusive substances in the form of different types of drugs which was easily available. It (drugs) has become a big menace in the society massacring many lives especially effecting young people, SH stated. While lauding Zunheboto police headed by SP Vishal, and supported by the district administration for declaring “War on Drugs”, SH assured unflinching support and appealed to the public and organizations to cooperate with the district Police and administration so that the menace of drugs abuse can be eradicated from the society.

(AGENCIES): Nearly 250 academics and historians issued a public statement criticizing the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) for making the recent changes in its textbooks and alleged that the move has been “guided by a divisive and partisan agenda” while demanding “the deletions be immediately withdrawn.”

The public statement issued on Friday is signed by renowned members of the academic community and historians, including Romila Thapar, Jayati Gosh, Mridula Mukherjee, Apoorvan-ada, Irfan Habib, and Upinder Singh, among others. The signatories said that the latest deletions from the NCERT textbooks “expose the non-academic, partisan agenda of the regime in pushing through amendments to school textbooks.”

The NCERT, in its new textbook editions for the current academic year for class 12 political science and history, has removed content about Mahatma Gandhi, his assassin, and the banning of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) following Gandhi’s assassination.

“We are appalled by the decision of the NCERT to remove chapters and statements from the history textbooks and demand that the deletions be withdrawn. The decision of the NCERT is guided by divisive motives. It is a decision which goes against the constitutional ethos and composite culture of the Indian sub-

Allege

continent. As such, it must be rescinded at the earliest,” the public statement said.

“There has been no attempt to consult members of the teams that had prepared the textbooks, which included historians and school teachers, apart from members of the NCERT,” it stated.

Further, the signatories, in their statement, said that the revision should have only been done “in sync with the consensus of the existing historical scholarship. However, the selective deletion in this round of textbook revision reflects the sway of divisive politics over pedagogical concerns.”

“The selective dropping of NCERT book chapters which do not fit into the larger ideological orientation of the present ruling dispensation exposes the non-academic, partisan agenda of the regime in pushing through amendments to school textbooks,” the statement further read.

Last year, the NCERT also removed chapters on Mughal Courts, the 2002 Gujarat Riots, the cold war, references to Mughal emperors, and Emergency,

among other topics, as a part of its syllabus rationalized process, in order to reduce students’ “burden” amid covid-19 pandemic.

The signatories accused the NCERT of using the pandemic as an excuse to initiate “a contentious process” of dropping important topics like ‘The 2002 Gujarat Riots’ and ‘Mughal Courts’. “The new editions of these NCERT books have simply made the deletions the norm even when we are in a post-pandemic context in which school education has limped back to normalcy and is no longer in the online mode,” the statement said.

The other signatories included professors from Delhi University (DU) and its affiliated colleges, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Jamia Millia Islamia, Aligarh Muslim University (AMU), and Ambedkar University, among others.

NCERT chairperson Dinesh Prasad Saklani, on Wednesday, said the changes were made and incorporated last year on the recommendations of subject experts and not for any political considerations.

DIMAPUR, APR 8 (NPN): Nagaland chief minister Neiphiu Rio and deputy chief minister Y Patton greeted the people of Nagaland on the occasion of Resurrection Sunday/Easter Sunday.

Taking to Twitter, Rio said: “Greetings to all on the occasion of Resurrection Sunday. May the miracle of Easter bring renewed love, peace and hope to all. Happy Easter!”

In his message, deputy chief minister, Y. Patton reminded all that Christ died on the cross only to resurrect and give us eternal life.

“That itself is the message of love He himself taught. As people across the world celebrates the resurrection,” Patton said and hoped that the occasion would instill renewed hope in the minds of the people.

Covid symptoms changed again amid XBB.1.16 surge

NEW DELHI, APR 8

(AGENCIES): India is witnessing a sudden rise in new COVID cases triggered by a new variant XBB.1.16, which is also known as Arcturus. Apart from a rapid rise in cases, experts have pointed out that they are also noticing new symptoms emerging, which were not seen during the earlier waves. And what is more concerning is the fact that it is once again attacking children. The newly emerged recombinant coronavirus variant is mutating further after its offshoot subtype, XBB.1.16.1, has been detected in India. So far, 113 cases of this subtype have been

recorded across the country with most cases concentrated in Gujarat and Maharashtra.

The latest preprint new study shows XBB.1.16 Omicron variant, which is behind the COVID-19 surge in India and will also spread worldwide in the near future, has an effective reproductive number (Re) 1.27 and 1.17-fold higher respectively than XBB.1 and XBB.1.5, suggesting that XBB.1.16 will spread worldwide in the near future.

XBB is an Omicron sublineage and it is the most prevalent one among the Omicron variants. Four hundred new sub-variants of Omicron have been identi-

fied in India in the last 15 months. Out of these, 90 per cent of all variants are XBB. The INSACOG portal has not listed XXB.1.16.1 yet.

So far, there is no evidence to suggest that the subtype carries more disease severity. The medical body said it is closely tracking all variants of Omicron.

The latest INSACOG bulletin said the XBB.1.16 variant accounts for 38.2 per cent of all the Covid infections in India till date. The symptoms of XBB.1.16 are the same as that of the parent Omicron strain-fever, cough, cold, runny nose, headache, body ache, sometimes abdominal pain and diarrhoea.

India logs 6,155 new cases: India on Saturday reported 6,155 new Covid-19 cases, up from Friday’s tally of 6050 infections. With this, the total number of cases in India stand at 4,47,51,259.

According to the data released by the health ministry, there are 31,194 active cases in the country.

The daily positivity rate crossed 5% on a national average and stood at 5.63%.

The weekly positivity rate stood at 3.47%, said the health ministry. As per the health ministry data, 11 new deaths were reported due to the virus. The total number of Covid-19 related deaths has now surged to 5,30,954.

move ‘guided by divisive and partisan agenda’

Training on disaster management

AR holds security meet at Thilixu

ZTLBC celebrates golden jubilee

DIMAPUR: Wokha District Bharat Scout and Guides (BS&G) in coordination with Home Guards, Civil Defence and SDRF, Medical (CMO Staff) and Youth Resource department organised a one-day disaster management train-

ing programme at DC conference hall, Wokha on Saturday.

At the training programme, District Commandant, Home Guards, Civil Defence & SDRF, Wokha, Ngongvai E Phom briefed the scouts and

Nagaland Library Association holds general meeting

DIMAPUR: Nagaland Library Association (NLA) held its general body meeting on April 5 at District Library Dimapur, department of Art & Culture, Chümoukedima. 42 library professionals from various districts of Nagaland attended the meeting. NLA president, Dr. Tali Imsong delivered the welcome address highlighted that the various activities of Nagaland Library Association over the last few decades. The gathering was also exhorted by deputy librarian, Nagaland University, Hqs Lumami, Dr. T.Temjen. The association also conducted the general election of new office bearers for the tenure2023-2035. The association elected Niketu Siam as president of Nagaland Library Association, Vithou Meru as vice-president, Alovi Zhimomi as general secretary along with other executive members.

Dy. CM condoles

DIMAPUR: Deputy chief minister Y.Patton has mourned the demise of Nrio Patton, retired Joint Director Food & Civil Supplies and ex candidate from 37 Tyui A/C on April 8 in Dimapur after prolonged illness. In a condolence note, Patton described late Nrio as an efficient officer and an upright person who was ready to extend helping hand to everyone. Patton conveyed condolences to the bereaved family and prayed for the departed to rest in peace.

3 arrested for various crimes

DIMAPUR: Dimapur police arrested three persons on charges of possessing drugs and fire weapons in separate cases.

Dy. Commissioner of Police (Crime) and PRO of Dimapur police informed that on April 3, one person identified as Muhibar Rahman (31) son of Makaddas Ali resident of Industrial Village, Dimapur, was apprehended by SOT Dimapur for possession of suspected “shanflower” concealed in 25 soap cases weighing around 330 grams.

In this connection, a case has been registered at West Police Station.

On April 7, PRO said that duty party of Mobile Unit 92 at Burma camp area near Police Point, Dimapur on hearing gunshot rushed towards Veterinary Colony and apprehended two persons. The two have been identified as Nilotho H. Yepthomi son of Hukato Yepthomi resident of Lhomithi colony, Dimapur and Toinalo Aye son of Kughai Aye resident of Erranipathar, Dimapur.

One.45 ACP pistol and.45 ACP empty case alongwith a vehicle Ford Eco Sport (NL07CA 9719) was seized and produced at East PS.

guides on how to equipped themselves and provides Emergency Support Functions (ESFs) at times of emergency. He also insisted the participants that they can utilize the improvised method and saves lives

during disaster. Earlier, the welcome note, overview and objective of the programme was presented by YRO and DSO-cum-District Commissioner (Scout), Libemo Jami and short speech was delivered by W. Nzanbemo Humtsoe, Sr. SDEO-cumdistrict secretary BS&G. Covid-19 related emergency response system were presented by CMO Staff, where First Aid with special application to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) were presented by Dr. Atheo Murry, Sr. Medical practitioner. Instructor, Hav. Mhonyamo Humtsoe also demonstrated on bandaging and emergency method of rescue and rope. Earlier, the programme was chaired by District Training Commissioner (guide), K. Abeni Ngullie.

DIMAPUR: Assam Rifles organised security and coordination meet with GBs and chairman at Thilixu village, Dimapur on April 8.

During the interaction, the present situation prevailing in the area was discussed. The villagers were made aware of the various ways to join Armed Forces and the assistance provided by Battalion to the aspiring candidates.

They were also made aware of various Civic action programs carried out by security forces and suggestions were sought from them regarding new development works for the benefit and upliftment of villagers. Roles of Assam Rifles and dissemination of required information, leading to better understanding and coordination between the local population and security forces were also discussed.

91 graduated from TTC

DIMAPUR: Trinity Theological College (TTC) Thahekhu held the annual graduation program on April 6 to honour the achievements of 91 students, who completed their academic programmes 20222023 academic session. The students graduated in BD. M.TH. degrees, which were offered by Senate of Serampore University. The students were awarded their degrees and certificates by Dr. Akatoli Chishi Academic Dean & Dr. Imsu Longchar Dean of Higher Studies.

Delivering key note address, Rev. Prof.Dr.Limatula Longkumer, Registrar, Senate of Serampore College (University) Kolkata congratulated the graduating students on their achievements and encouraged them to pursue their dreams with passion and determination.

On the occasion, Martula (M.Th) and Limeka Achumi (BD) expressed gratitude to the faculty, staff, and management of the institution for their guidance and support throughout their academic journey.

Dr. Ezamo Murry and others at the ZTLBC golden jubilee celebration.

DIMAPUR: Zunheboto Town Lotha Baptist Church (ZTLBC), celebrated its golden jubilee from March 31 – April 1 under the theme, “This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvellous in our eyes” - Psalms 118:23.

The guest speakers of the celebration were executive secretary LBCA Rev. Dr. Ezamo Murry, senior pastor KLBC Rev. Dr. K Benry Lotha, pastor UBC Doyang Rev. Ellis Lotha, asst. pastor WTBC Zurenthung Humtsoe, and pastor ZTLBC Phyodemo W Tungoe, as the guest speakers.

On the auspicious occasion, Rev. Dr. Ezamo Murry, unveiled, consecrated and dedicated the jubilee monolith.

Y

chung Rev. W Khonimo Odyuo, dedicated the jubilee celebration hall, pastor Phiro Baptist Church Rev. Thungjanshio dedicated the jubilee theme.

Earlier, Rev. W Khonimo Odyuo offered a special respect and prayer in memory of the departed.

Family members of late Rentsamo Ezung, founding member of ZTLBC and Wochumo Kithan, first pastor in-charge who spoke on behalf of the

founding members of the church. The jubilee celebration culminated with a candle light service led by senior pastor KLBC Rev. Dr. K Benry Lotha. Meanwhile, ZTLBC extended gratitude to all its church members, neighbours, well-wishers and all the churches from Zunheboto, for their contribution and prayers in making the golden jubilee celebration a grand success.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

1st June 1964 – 26th March 2023

We, the bereaved family of Lt. Mr. Neivotuo Mechülho would like to express our deepest gratitude to all who stood by us through prayers and comforted us physically, emotionally and financially during the prolonged illness and demise of our father. Your love and care have been a source of comfort and strength to us in our time of grief.

30/07/1966 – 31/03/2023

With profound and heartfelt gratitude, we the bereaved family members of Lt. I. Temjen Longchar, express and extend our thanks to all the Churches, Village Councils, Unions, Medical Teams, Neighbours, Friends and Well Wishers who stood by us physically, spiritually, materially, financially etc. during his brief illness and unfortunate demise.

We regret our inability to reach out and thank each and everyone individually. However, we pray that our Almighty God bless you all graciously.

DB-451/23

Loving Wife, c hildren and r elatives

09-04-2022

Years have passed but the mark my father left on this world will never fade.

Today we mark the anniversary of his passing—and we celebrate the love and memories he gave us.

Dad, we pray today that the love and strength that you gave us will carry us through this dark night toward a future that will make you so very proud.

K-746/23

Until we meet again

Your loving family members

Ac KNOWL ed G e M e NT

Late T. Mary

04/08/1979 – 28/03/2023

The Family of Late T. Mary Ngullie wishes to acknowledge the many expressions of sympathy and gestures of kindness shown to us following our sad loss. We convey our heartfelt thanks to the many friends, neighbours and well-wishers who stood by us physically, financially spiritually and materially during her illness and at the time of her demise.

We also convey our special thanks to :-

1. Lotha Baptist Church Dimapur.

2. Dimapur Okotso Ekhung.

3. Dimapur Okotso Eloe Ekhung.

4. Chongtor Union Dimapur.

5. Blood Donors from various groups and individuals.

6. Lotha Students' Union, Ghty.

7. Eastern Naga Students' Union, Ghty.

8. Nagaland House, Ghty.

9. Mr. and Mrs. Kartik.

10. Sister Zuthunglo Mozhui.

11. Live Sound, Dimapur.

12. Suppliers and Contractors of Power Department, Nagaland

We regret our inability to thank each and everyone individually but it is our sincere prayer that our Almighty God bless you all abundantly. Loving f

DP-1527/23

We would like to extend our sincerest appreciation to the Doctors and Staff of Oking Hospital & Research Clinic who provided extensional care during his illness. Your tireless efforts, professionalism and compassion have not gone unnoticed and we are grateful for everything you did to make his last days comfortable as possible.

We also like to extend our gratitude to all members of Khedi Baptist Church, Kohima and all blood donors who came forward to help us.

Words are insufficient to repay, yet it is our humble prayer that Almighty God bless you all abundantly. Loving Wife and Children

“If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So, whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord.” Romans 14:8

K-753/23

Late MHONSAO KIKON

Remembering and honouring a precious soul, 6 years after you left for heavenly abode. You were a wonderful, loving and forgiving soul, who we were blessed with. We cherish the indelible memories and legacy that you lived, for us to emulate our life time. You may not be with us anymore, but our love for you will never die.

We dearly miss you, Peace be with you till we meet again in the Lord.

“To live in hearts of those we love is never to die” I N f ON d re M e M br AN ce of our beloved DP-1516/23

Loving family members

1st deATH ANNIVerSAr

Lt. Mhalelie Kuotsu

Advisor Law, Justice and Land Revenue, T.N. Mannen welcomed at a thanksgiving programme at the community hall Longjang village on Saturday. (NP)

Pastor LBC Mokok -

Rev.

Organisers, BS&G and others at the training programme in Wokha.

NEXT POLL

Ao officers form new body

ing out that unity was the need of hour for the community to move forward. He also spoke on the importance to work in unity towards solving every kind of issues and bring about a change. Imchen later encouraged the members of DZAOT to have clear vision and objectives and work for what was appropriate and execute it.

Meanwhile, DZAOT convener I Anungba Sanglir affirmed that the ideology of the organization was that it would not associate with any political parties, but to serve the greater interest of the Nagas.

SFXCC observes Good Friday

The newly elected office bearers of DZAOT and others.

Staff Reporter

DIMAPUR, APR 8 (NPN): With the vision to protect and preserve Naga culture, language, religion and for unity, Ao officers from Dimapur, Chümoukedima, Niuland and Peren have formed a new body known as Dimapur Zone Ao Officers Telongjem (DZAOT) at Hotel Saramati, Dimapur

IIMUN to host conference

DIMAPUR: Nagaland

Board of School Education (NBSE) has informed that India’s International Movement to Unite Nations (IIMUN) would be hosting a state level conference of Nagaland in Kohima on May 25-27 at G. Rio School.

According to a DIPR report, NBSE informed that IIMUN has been the world’s largest education conference brand, having organised the world’s largest MUN simulation in Mumbai among many other simulations. In this regard, NBSE has asked schools to take note and encourage the students to participate. Details of IIMUN can be reached at @iimunofficial and https://instagram. com/rishabhshah2012/

on Saturday.

The new body will be headed by Imosong Imsong as president, and R. Atsung Tzudir, Lanuzulu Aier, Tekatemsu Imchen, Temsu Longkumer and I Anungba Sanglir were appointed as vice president, general secretary, asst. general secretary, finance secretary and treasurer respectively for the term 2023-2026.

The dedicatory prayer of the newly inducted DZAOT office bearers was offered by pastor Indisen Baptist Arogo, Rev. Dr. Temjen Ozükum. Addressing the gathering, addl. chief secretary, Government of Nagaland Sentiyanger Imchen, lamented on the lack of unity among the Aos and called upon them to work together for unity point-

Earlier, DZAOT convener I Anungba Sanglir and DZAOT secretary organizing committee Lanuzulu Aier chaired the programme, invocation by pastor unity Ao Baptist arogo, Rev. Panger Jamir, welcome address by president, Ao Senso Telongjem Dimapur Meren Nokpu. Special number by Moajungla Jamir, vote of thanks by Lanuzulu Aier and benediction by president, Dimapur Watsü Telongjem, Aoinla.

KBC holds ‘Soul Ignite VII camp’

DIMAPUR: Four -day long event, Soul Ignite VII camp for the youth and Jr, CYE organised by Koinonia Baptist Church (KBC) held at Koinonia Prayer Centre (KPC), Tsiesema Basa under the theme, “... Love builds up” (1 Cor. 8:1) from concluded on Saturday.

A press release from Koinonia Media Ministry informed that 201 campers and officials attended the camp and committed

their lives to Jesus Christ and received blessings of healing, deliverance and breakthrough.

The speakers were Rev. Zotuo Kiewhuo, founder pastor KBC and principal Kohima Bible College; Medotseilieü, pastor KBC, Neibalie pastor KBC and Rokopra Mekro asst. pastor KBC.

Resource persons were Kekhriengunuo Nienu, Ph.D scholar in Biblical Counseling at Midwestern

Baptist Theological Seminary Kansas City, Missouri who is also a certified Biblical Counselor with Association of Certified Biblical Counselor, US and serves as a Biblical Counselor at Reigning Grace Counseling Center, Liberty, Missouri, while other resource person included Esther Rhee, John Rhee, Jordan Lebahn, Kaitlynn Lebahn and Ashely Pingleton all from Kansas City, Missouri. Ruokuotuo Kuotsu,

Achumbemo holds consultative meeting in Dimapur

Staff Reporter

DIMAPUR, APR 8 (NPN): Newly elected MLA from 40 Bhandari A/C, Achumbemo Kikon held a consultative meeting with the officers, elders, leaders and retired officers residing at Dimapur at Oasis here on Saturday.

At the meeting, various agendas were discussed while issues related to education, health infrastructure, border issues and

other were discussed in detail. Achumbemo said frequent consultative meet -

ings were required and pointed out it could inhibit growth and development of the constituency.

Delivering his opinion on the agendas put forwarded, he said that for any developmental activities every decision will be taken with best intentions and therefore sought cooperation of the elders and officers inorder to work together for a change. He also appealed to the members present to work together with responsibility by maintaining transparency and accountability.

Book titled, ‘The End Times’ released

Staff Reporter

DIMAPUR, APR 8

(NPN): A book titled “The End Times”, authored by Awoto Awomi, was released on Saturday at Tourist Lodge, by commissioner & Secretary, Health & Family Welfare, and chairman, BoD, Sumi Baptist Church Kohima, Y Kikheto Sema, as the special guest.

Addressing the gathering, Sema spoke on how Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been altering the world and raised important questions for society, economy, and governance.

He also spoke on the positive and negative aspects of AI.

Speaking on ways on how to approach AI, Sema opined that people need to be prepared to maximize benefits of such technology, take lead on question of machine morality, and help to limit and eliminate the possible dangers.

Dwelling briefly on

the present Naga context, he noted that there were many good things happening in the Naga society, however questioned whether bad things have been overpowered us. He thereby pondered whether it was the duty of the Church or believers to focus on at this critical juncture. He also spoke on the emphasis to preach the

Gospel, prophecies fulfilled, prayers must be answered, Church to rise in power, greater miracles must be experienced, importance of worldwide revival, demons to be removed, devil punished, universe cleansed and curse removed. Sema also urged the gathering to be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power and put on full armour of God.

Delivering the author’s note, Awomi said that the book “The End Times”, with its subtitle “A look at the impact of Artificial Intelligence”, talks about the apocalypse that was ahead, and also how the book deals with the rapid pace of development and upgradation of AI”.

He also spoke on how the book provides special emphasis on how the New World would be formed in the millennium reign of Jesus Christ on Earth after the rapture of the Church and apocalypse takes place.

Earlier, the programme was chaired by Sentinaro Longkumer, invocation by executive director, Development Authority of Nagaland, Social Mission Catholic Church, Fr. Sajan Joseph. A special number was delivered by Nguvito Awomi and benediction by former youth secretary, NCRC Sumi, Pito Shiwoto Assumi.

Observation of Good Friday at St Francis Xavier Catholic Church.

DIMAPUR: St Francis Xavier Catholic Church (SFXCC), Kidima observed Good Friday the commemoration of Jesus’ crucifixion for people’s sin on April 7 at the church premises.

The celebration was led by Rev Father M. P.

Thomas, Rector of Bosco Teacher’s Education College (Dimapur).

In his address, Fr M. P. Thomas urged the faithful to forgive those who hurt them.

On the occasion special prayers was also ob -

served.

Way of the cross, listened the word of the passion of the Lord, veneration of the cross followed by received the Communion by the faithful were the highlights of the sacred day.

World Heath Day observed

evangelist KBC was the camp director and Salenthong Khevazüklü as the assistant camp director while the praise and worship was led by Neilhou Sopfünuo, evangelist KBC. The campers were divided into three groups, “Gentleness” led by Seyieneizo Solo and Ruokuovinuo Semy, “Goodness” led by Rüyangulie Thong and Vizovonuo Keditsu and “Faithfulness” by Vikethotuolie Sekhose and Pekrubeinuo Sanchu.

Topics on Sins and its consequences; Repentance and salvation; Faith; Legitimate sons and daughters in the family of God; Prayer; Temptation and testing; Satanism, gaming, music, tattoos, festivals, movies, etc were covered at the camp.

It may be noted that Soul Ignite camp is an annual event of the Koinonia ministry.

Members of ZDBSG at the World Health Day.

DIMAPUR: Indian Red Cross Society (IRCS) Kohima district branch and Zunheboto District Bharat Scouts and Guides (ZDBSG) observed “World Health Day” on April 7. IRCS in collaboration with Indian Red Cross Society Nagaland State Branch observed the day under the theme “Health For All”.

To mark the day, the IRCS Kohima branch organized poster campaign in different parts of Kohima town to create awareness health.

In Zunheboto, ZDBSB in collaboration with Cornerstone school

Scouts and Guides observed the day. On the occasion, the scouts and guides distributed around 400 masks creating an awareness on Covid-19 to the

citizen of Zunheboto town. The initiative was carried out under the guidance of Scout Master Vekhoyi Medeo and guide captain Vinotoli Zhimo.

Y Kikheto Sema and author of the book Awoto Awomi. (NP)

Achumbemo Kikon (NP)

Campers and officials of Koinonia Baptist Church Soul Ignite VII.

President flies on Sukhoi-30 jet in Tezpur

TEZPUR (ASSAM), APR

8 (PTI): President Droupadi Murmu on Saturday flew on her maiden sortie in a fighter aircraft from Tezpur air base in Assam.

Group Captain Naveen Kumar Tiwari, the Commanding Officer of the 106th Squadron, flew her in a Sukhoi-30 MKI that took off from the Indian Air Force base.

“Achcha laga (felt good),” Murmu told reporters after completing her nearly 30-minute sortie.

Murmu, who was on a three-day trip to Assam, reached Tezpur from Guwahati. She was received at the air base by Air Marshal S P Dharkar, Governor Gulab Chand Kataria and Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

After landing at Tezpur, Murmu received a guard of honour from IAF personnel, followed by an official briefing on her flight aboard the Sukhoi aircraft. She then reached the hangar wearing the flying suit, and waved at the waiting journalists before climbing the ladder to board the aircraft.

The president also

posed with her pilot and other officials in front of the aircraft.

After sitting in the cockpit, a woman officer helped her put on the helmet and complete other technicalities. She waved from the cockpit just seconds before the aircraft canopy was shut.

Alighting from the aircraft after the sortie, she again posed with the group captain and waved to the waiting journalists.

Though no media interaction was scheduled with the president, she said “achcha laga” (felt good)

Shah to launch ‘Vibrant Villages Programme’

ITANAGAR, APRIL 8

(IANS): Union Home Minister Amit Shah will launch ‘Vibrant Villages Programme’ (VVP) on April 10 in Arunachal Pradesh’s border village Kibithoo under Anjaw District, which shares borders with China and Myanmar.

With central components of Rs 4,800 crore including Rs 2500 crore exclusively for road connectivity for the financial years 2022-23 to 2025-26, the VVP would be implemented in 2967 villages in 19 districts abutting borders in Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and UT of Ladakh.

Officials on Saturday said that comprehensive development would be undertaken under the centrallysponsored scheme --VVP -- in the identified border villages aiming to improve the quality of life of people living in border villages and encourage the villagers to stay in their native locations thereby reversing the migration from these villages and adding to security of the border.

In the first phase, 662 villages have been identified for priority on coverage, which includes 455 villages in Arunachal Pradesh.

The focus areas of in-

Assam CM hits back at Rahul on ‘Adani’ tweet

GUWAHATI, APRIL 8

(IANS): Himanta Biswa

Sarma on Saturday responded sharply to a tweet by Rahul Gandhi linking Assam Chief Minister to industrialist Gautam Adani.

A day after NCP chief Sharad Pawar flagged the Opposition’s campaign against Gautam Adani, Rahul Gandhi took to Twitter linking former Congressmen Ghulam Nabi Azad, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Himanta Biswa Sarma, Kiran Reddy and Anil Antony to Adani, saying, “They hide the truth, that’s why they mislead everyday! The question remains the same -- who has Rs 20,000 crore benami money in Adani’s companies?” Reacting to the tweet, Sarma said it was “decent” on the part of BJP not to interrogate Rahul Gandhi over the National Herald and Bofors scam cases. Hitting back at the Congress leader, Sarma tweeted, “It was our decency to have never asked you, on where have you concealed the proceeds of crime from the Bofors and National Herald scams.

a sortie

IAF’s

when a waiting journalist asked her how the sortie was.

Murmu is the third president after APJ Abdul Kalam and Pratibha Patil to fly a sortie in a fighter aircraft. Her predecessors, however, had taken their rides from Pune air base.

The sortie of Murmu, who is the Supreme Commander of the Indian Armed Forces, from the Tezpur base assumes significance as it is bordering Arunachal Pradesh which China claims to be a part of its territory.

Later in the day, the Rashtrapati Bhavan, in a release, said she was briefed on the operational capabilities of the Sukhoi-30 MKI and the Indian Air Force.

“She expressed satisfaction with the operational preparedness of the IAF. The president’s sortie in the Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft is a part of her efforts to engage with the armed forces, as its supreme commander,” it added.

In March 2023, she had visited INS Vikrant and interacted with officers and sailors on board the indigenously built aircraft, the Rashtrapati Bhavan stated. During the sortie, the fighter aircraft flew at a height of about 2 km above sea level and at a speed of about 800 kmph, it added.

Murmu flew for approximately 30 minutes over the Brahmaputra Valley with a view of Himalayas before returning to the air force station, the release stated.

In the visitor’s log book, she wrote a brief note: “It was an exhilarating experience for me to fly in the mighty Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter aircraft of the Indian

Kanchenjunga expedition flagged off

President Droupadi Murmu on Friday flagged off the Mount Kanchenjunga Expedition-2023 by handing over the national flag and ice-axe baton to the leader of a team of the Assam Mountaineering Association.

During the second day of her Assam visit, the President extended her best wishes to the seven-member team led by Manas Barua, as they will attempt to scale the third-highest mountain in the world.

Speaking on the occasion, Murmu said the Kanchenjunga was a beautiful creation of nature and she was pleased to bless the team.

“I am sure that this mission will be successful and will inspire many mountaineers in the future to scale greater heights,” she said.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is the chef de mission of the expedition, welcomed the President with the traditional ‘Gamosa’.

Law should take into consideration realities of communities: CJI

GUWAHATI, APR 8 (PTI): Chief Justice of India

DY Chandrachud said that law must have the touch of humanity to serve the interests of all people and should always be used with a sensibility to address the roots of problems.

Addressing the platinum jubilee celebration of Gauhati High Court on Friday, CJI Chandrachud said the law should take into consideration the realities of the communities where it is sought to be implemented.

When the law is wisely interpreted and applied, people have faith in the social structure and it is a step forward towards the realisation of justice, he said.

“The legitimacy of the judiciary lies in the faith and confidence it commands from the people, who in turn depend on judicial independence. People’s faith in the judiciary is determined by the single most important factor that judiciary is the first and last access for citizens in distress and need,” he

National conference on C20-India held in Imphal

Correspondent

terventions identified for development of villages include road connectivity, drinking water, electricity including solar and wind energy, mobile and Internet connectivity, tourist centres, multi-purpose centres and healthcare infrastructure and wellness centres.

During his two-day (April 10-11) tour, the Home Minister would inaugurate nine micro-hydel projects of the Arunachal Pradesh government constructed under the ‘Golden Jubilee Border Illumination Programme’.

Shah would also inaugurate Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) projects to augment infrastructure at Likabali (Arunachal Pradesh), Chapra (Bihar), Nooranad (Kerala) and Vishakapatnam (Andhra Pradesh).

He would also interact with ITBP troopers at Kibithoo and visit exhibition stalls to acquaint with the efforts of women of border villages.

The exhibition will be organised with the products made by women members of Self-Help Groups of border districts.

On April 11, the Union Home Minister would visit Namti field and pay homage at the Walong War Memorial.

IMPHAL, APR 8: With law and order improved, Manipur is moving ahead towards development, said Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh, in his address at the inaugural function of the C20-India 2023 Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam National Conference here in Imphal on Saturday.

The conference held at Hotel Imphal was organized by Chinmaya Mission with an objective of providing space through which global civil society organizations (CSOs) can contribute in a structured and sustained manner to the global unification.

Singh said that the state was moving ahead towards development with improvement in law and order, under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the support of the people.

As such, the state has been able to host events of G20 and the Grand Finale of Femina Miss India 2023.

He stated that India has been bestowed with the honour of guiding the world with the assumption of G20 Presidency and it was a proud moment for every citizen of India.

Stating that the Prime Minister, has very aptly chosen the theme for India’s Presidency as “Vasudhaiva

Kutumbakam” or “One Earth, One Family, One Future”, he continued that the theme spotlights LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment), with its associated, environmentally sustainable and responsible choices, both at the level of individual lifestyles as well as national development, leading to globally transformative actions resulting in a cleaner, greener and bluer future.

“India’s G20 Presidency also marks the beginning of Amrit Kaal leading the country towards a futuristic, prosperous, inclusive and developed society, distinguished by a human-centric approach at its core, the chief minister said.

He added that Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam was a universal maxim whose purpose was not an impo-

sition but the evolution of human consciousness that will lead to the protection of the world through friendship and cooperation.

Singh further observed that India has shown the way to defining Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam by supplying Covid vaccines to various nations, supplying food grains to war-torn nations, and supplying human power to combat disasters.

He was confident that the deliberations at the conference will go a long way in spreading the invaluable message of universal brotherhood and voicing the concerns of the world population through the CSOs to the world leaders in G20, the chief minister said.

Before concluding his address, the chief minister appealed to the public to

AFFIDAVIT (Correction/Rectification of Name)

Regd. No. 5996/22 Date 14/09/22 I, Smti. TOSHILI presently serving as Typist Grade- III under Directorate of SIRD Kohima, Nagaland do hereby solemnly affirm and declare an oath as follows:

1. That am a bonafide citizen of India.

Correspondent SHILLONG, APR 8: Dismissing the appeal for leniency filed by former Independent legislator and rape convict, Julius Dorphang, the Meghalaya High Court said the “society at large owes a huge apology to the brave young survivor for having failed one of its most precious and tender.”

Dorphang, a former militant leader of the outlawed Hynñiewtrep National Liberation Council, was convicted and sentenced to 25 years of rigorous imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 15 lakh by a trial court for raping a minor.

The convict appealed for leniency on various technical grounds. “The term of imprisonment of 25 years as awarded by the trial court by indicating cogent reasons therefor, does not call for any interference,” a division bench comprising Chief Justice Sanjib Banerjee and Justice Wanlura Diengdoh said. “At the time of commission of the repeated acts of rape on the same woman in Umiam, the appellant

was about 52 years old. By imposing a sentence of 25 years of imprisonment, the trial court has ensured that by the time the appellant is let loose again in society his libido would have been sufficiently lessened by age and adequately chastened by the punishment. He (Dorphang) will then no longer be able to unleash his lust or indulge in any further virile bravado,” the bench noted.

The court further ordered that the convict would have to pay a fine of Rs. 15 lakh failing which he would have to undergo an additional five years of rigorous imprisonment.

“If the appellant does not pay the fine and serves a further five years of rigorous imprisonment, the state will make over the equivalent amount of Rs.15 lakh to the survivor,” the Court said.

2. That my correct name is TOSHILI however, in Service Related Documents my name has been recorded as TOSHILI SEMA hence, the stated names represents the same and one person having single identity i.e., myself.

3. That henceforth, I herewith rectified the same and declare that my correct name will be TOSHILI for all official references and correspondences.

4. That the above statements made in para 1-3 are true to the best of my knowledge and no material has been concealed herein and signed this affidavit before the competent authority on 14th September 2022 at Kohima, Nagaland.

DEPONENT

D Y Chandrachud

said. “Law must be imbued with a touch of humanity ... A human touch is essential to ensure that law serves the interests of all. There should be empathy and respect for equality and diversity,” he added The role of the judiciary is to ensure that the law and its administration do not thwart justice but rather uphold it, CJI Chandrachud said.

“All three hands of the state -- executive, legislature and the judiciary -- are engaged in the common task of nation building. Constitutional statesmanship above all requires deliberations and dialogue and not public grandstanding,” he said.

Noting that President Droupa di Murmu had

urged the judiciary to address the issue of access to justice for the vulnerable sections of society, the CJI said, “Her words inspired the legal fraternity to widen the access to justice across the country.”

CJI Chandrachud said the Gauhati High Court also faces challenges that plague the system of justice, particularly in areas under its jurisdiction.

Many areas under its jurisdiction reel under natural calamities like recurring floods that annually displace thousands of people, and many lose their identity documents along with other possessions, he said.

“The challenges faced by the marginalised and vulnerable communities during these calamities impede their access to public services, including access to justice,” he said.

Stating that the Gauhati High Court delivered extraordinary judgements during the Emergency, he maintained, “It is in tough times that the tough judges get going.”

K-750/23(C)

1. That am a bonafide citizen of India.

2. That my correct name is Luhman however, in Service Related Documents my name has been recorded as Luhman Konyak hence, the stated names represents the same and one person having single identity i.e., myself.

3. That henceforth, I herewith rectified the same and declare that my correct name will be Luhman for all official references and correspondences.

4. That the above statements made in para 1-3 are true to the best of my knowledge and no material has been concealed herein and signed this affidavit before the competent authority on 16-09-2022 at Kohima, Nagaland.

K-750/23(B)

DEPONENT

extend a hearty welcome to the contestants of Femina Miss India, who had already arrived in Imphal for the grand finale event to be held in Imphal on April 15. He further appealed to the public not to do anything which will create a bad image or impression to the visiting contestants about the state. State rural development and panchayati raj minister Y Khemchand Singh, in his address, stated that giving a positive impact to the economic development of the state was possible through development in the tourism sector.

The state has been able to host events of G20 and Femina Miss India Grand Female due to the considerable improvement in law and order under the leadership of chief minister N Biren Singh.

The minister said that Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam reflects India’s global leadership and added that the country’s role in global leadership had improved a lot under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The two arrested in police custody.

DIMAPUR, APR 9 ( NPN): Indian Army in a joint operation with Assam Police apprehended one cadre and a link-man of the ULFA(I) outfit on April 2. The operation was carried out by Spear Corps Warriors on a specific input about the movement of a suspected cadre with a weapon in the area of Phaltutola under PS Joypur in Dibrugarh District of Assam.

The apprehended cadre

has been identified as Yasin Khan, age 31 years, a resident of village Jagun, Naharkatia in Assam, and a link-man named Bintu Sharma, age 33 years. One 7.62 mm pistol with 4 rounds was also recovered from them. During the initial questioning both the apprehended persons confessed to having links with the ULFA (I) outfit. They have been handed over to the Police for further investigations.

Prez Droupadi Murmu after taking

on

fighter aircraft Sukhoi 30, at Tezpur Air Force Station .

Manipur CM N Biren Singh at the inaugural function of C20-India National Conference in Imphal.

Ex M’laya MLA and rape convict’s plea rejected by HC

Julius Dorphang

Indian army apprehended an ULFA(I) cadre in Assam

Litmus test of faith

After Christ was tortured then nailed on the cross at Calvary on a Friday, he suffered for hours before an agonising death the same afternoon. The cross to the Romans, represented everything that was shameful and contemptible. Thieves, robbers, murderers and criminals were crucified at the cross. It was a sign of weakness, defeat and death. For Paul the cross was glory for through it man, woman attain salvation. The Bible also says Christ’s body was taken for burial in a tomb. On the third day on Sunday after Friday, Jesus was resurrected and those who went to fetch him found the tomb empty. Thus Resurrection Sunday or popularly known as Easter though a misnomer, is celebrated throughout the world by Christians. The death and resurrection of Christ was the fulfilment of God’s divine purpose of redemption for which Christ had to shed His blood as atonement for reconciliation between man and God. The resurrection is also the final act of confirming the prophecy foretold hundreds of years before Christ. It is also the cornerstone of the Christian faith of salvation of mankind. As Paul wrote: “If Christ be not raised, your faith is in vain; ye are yet in your sins” (I Corinthians 15:17). The entire structure of Christianity - and indeed of any hope for eternal life and for any meaning to human existence - stands or falls with Christ’s resurrection. When Jesus rose from the dead, He proved Himself to be exactly who He claimed to be. The biblical claim of resurrection had witness of the apostles, of course, and also of the “five hundred brethren at once” (I Corinthians 15:6), all of whom had seen the Jesus after His resurrection, and they were convinced their testimony was true. Jesus affirmed what to have accomplished what He came to accomplish. This is seen in 2 Corinthians 4:14 that says as God raised up Jesus from the dead, so also shall He raise us up. In the book of Job, one of the oldest in Scripture, verse 14 says, “If a man die, shall he live again? All the days of my appointed time, will I wait...says the answer...till my change come.” And in Job 19:14, it says “For I know that my redeemer lives and that He shall stand at the latter day on the earth and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for myself and not another, though my heart be consumed within me.” The resurrection may be denied, it may be despised, it may be mocked, men may make an effort to explain it away, to give some rational arguments to explain the phenomena but only a fool would want to explain away the resurrection of Christ. In doing he explains himself right into eternal doom. Resurrection is the promise of Scripture and unarguably the single greatest event in the history of the world for without it there can be no good news nor salvation nor all that the Bible promised.

DailyDevotion His Resurrection Destiny

Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory? —Luke 24:26

Our Lord’s Cross is the gateway into His life. His resurrection means that He has the power to convey His life to me. When I was born again, I received the very life of the risen Lord from Jesus Himself.

Christ’s resurrection destiny— His foreordained purpose— was to bring “many sons to glory” (Hebrews 2:10). The fulfilling of His destiny gives Him the right to make us sons and daughters of God. We never have exactly the same relationship to God that the Son of God has, but we are brought by the Son into the relation of sonship. When our Lord rose from the dead, He rose to an absolutely new life— a life He had never lived before He was God Incarnate. He rose to a life that had never been before. And what His resurrection means for us is that we are raised to His risen life, not to our old life. One day we will have a body like His glorious body, but we can know here and now the power and effectiveness of His resurrection and can “walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:4). Paul’s determined purpose was to “know Him and the power of His resurrection” (Philippians 3:10).

Jesus prayed, “…as You have given Him authority over all flesh that He should give eternal life to as many as You have given Him” (John 17:2). The term Holy Spirit is actually another name for the experience of eternal life working in human beings here and now. The Holy Spirit is the deity of God who continues to apply the power of the atonement by the Cross of Christ to our lives. Thank God for the glorious and majestic truth that His Spirit can work the very nature of Jesus into us, if we will only obey Him.

Quotes

“You do not find the happy life. You make

Easter: enjoins eternal life to those committed to Jesus Christ

Easter, is also called as Resurrection Day, meaning Jesus Christ raising from the dead. Easter, is the principal festival of Christians and the Church that celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ after His crucifixion on the third day. Easter signifies the triumph of Jesus Christ over death. Jesus’ resurrection means eternal life – a continuum which is offered to all those whoever believes in Jesus as Lord and Savior. It is the core of Christian Gospel. Apostle Paul in 1 Corinthians 15: 14 revibrates that if Christ is not raised from the dead, then our preaching and hope are in vain. Hence, the foundation of Christian belief is grounded on resurrection.

The significance of Easter is Jesus’s triumph over death. Jesus defeated death by rising from the death thereby lives in our midst. Usage from mortality to immortality attaches the greatest significance as Jesus of Nazareth who became human lived exemplifying the

“F or God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” John 3:16

Introduction: On the third day after His death and burial, the Lord Jesus rose from the dead through His own power, because of the union of the human and divine natures in the one Divine Person of Christ.

When Holy Scripture says that Christ was raised by God (Acts 2:24) or by the Father (Gal 1:1) it is to be understood that these statements refer to His human nature, but that the cause of the resurrection was the hypostatic union of Christ’s humanity with the Godhead. The resurrection of Christ is objective in that He walked out of the tomb, still bearing the wounds of His suffering, but from the moment of the resurrection His body was in a state of glory, which is attested to by the circumstances of His appearances recorded in the Gospels and in Acts, in which He is no longer bound by time or space.

The Feast of Easter: Christians in Russia have a special Easter way of wishing: people embrace one another, one of them saying: “Christ is risen”, to which the other replied: “He has risen indeed.” This way of wishing is indeed meaningful. It amounts to saying: “We are sure that the Lord is risen; let us rejoice!” The event of the resurrection of Jesus took place nearly two thousand years ago. But as we have often said, we Christians rejoice in our feasts not just for something we remember, but for something which takes place in our very own days and takes place in us. Christ, who rose on that first Easter morning, continues to rise in every Christian. Unless this rising to a new life with Christ has taken place within each one of us, our rejoicing at Easter is meaningless. How meaningful the Feast of Easter becomes when we think of the wonder Jesus has worked in us!

The Spirit of Easter: Easter is a principal feast of the Christians and a major celebration. Easter is celebrated on a Sunday at the end of seven weeks of preparation, which includes prayer, sacrifice and act of kindness. According to Christian faith, Jesus Christ died on the cross on Friday -- known as Good Friday, and returned to life on the third day -- the glorious Easter Sunday.

In preparation for celebrating Easter, believers spend 40 days in various acts of fasting, almsgiving and prayers. Easter always falls on a Sunday between March 22 and April 25. In the cycle of nature, Easter always falls in spring. Characteristic of spring is green and colourful nature – new sprouts, fresh

Moral Life, manifesting in His WORDS and DEEDS.

The then intolerant ruling class crucified Jesus, but to the surprise of many as predicted, Jesus conquered death and thus continues to live amidst us. This is indeed the ground-breaking radical breakthrough in the history of humanity where Jesus, the Christ, the Son of God encompassed Humanity and Divinity.

Easter – the Resurrection of Jesus Christ signifies the epoch-making and enlivening experiences for the Christians reposing their belief and deepening the faith-journey of believers undergirding Jesus offered to us by His death and resurrection eternal life. As we commemorate Easter, we are assured of the fact that we believe in the Lordship of Jesus Christ who is our Sustainer and Redeemer who broke the shackles of death – from mortal to immortal, from finite to infinite promising infinity of time and space. His resurrection means the extension of life

to eternal life to those who believes in Jesus Christ as the Lord and the Savior.

Jesus’ resurrection is entwined with historicity, spirituality, divinity, humanity, and authenticity till the end of Homo sapiens and more importantly, the life after -- beyond. Resurrection of Jesus Christ continues to garner more significance and relevance through the ages because His resurrection rebuked all that provided and bundled with a number of assumptions, speculations, doubts and aberrations thereby stamping that Jesus is indeed the Son of God who demolished the notion of death, instead in its place brought eternal life promising eternity.

It is in this context, I’m reminded of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, aged 39, on a dark day in April, 1945, was hanged at the Nazi Flossenburg concentration camp. His execution order was signed by Heinrich Himmler, head of the Third Reich’s SS force and one of the major architects of the

leaves, blossoming of flowers. Nature gets new life and look. So, the symbolic meaning of Easter and spring is similar. Jesus dies and regains life on Easter and as does nature in spring. Easter celebration calls upon Christians to live renewed life and give hope and new life to those in needs. In preparation for Easter, recalling the desert experience of Jesus, Christians observe 40 days of Lent – a time of penitence and sacrifice -- from Ash Wednesday till Holy Saturday. Three key practices during Lent are fasting and sacrifice, almsgiving and acts of kindness, and prayers. Believers skip meals, omit meat and/or fish, consume less food, reduce expenses, and spend more time in prayer and meditation. Thus, they save money and use that to do good deeds for others. Fasting helps to control sensual feelings and change character; Christians also practice giving up bad habits and acquire good qualities. The spirit of Lent is: “Tear your hearts and not your clothes, and come back to God” (Joel 2: 13). Christians sincerely work on transforming their lives as preparation for Easter.

Mahatma Gandhi offered his life for liberating the people of the India sub-continent. Mother Teresa sacrificed her life for the poor and abandoned people of the world. Christians believe Jesus sacrificed his life for their sins. Believers of that time did not live a good life. For their wrongdoings and indulgences, Jesus gave his life – the Roman government crucified him to death. Realising God’s love, Jesus gave up his life through a painful ordeal. God awarded him with life in return. Hence, Easter becomes a celebration of sacrifice and life.

Easter should not merely be a religious festival for Christians. A genuine celebration of sacrifice and life demands not only festivity but also a resolution - an act of kindness that comes out of joy.

Conclusion: A true celebration of Easter should turn to an action, a cause to better the lives of others. Celebration of sacrifice should reform and transform life; celebration of life should be seen in good deeds. Taking the side of the oppressed, raising voice for justice, practicing fairness in words and actions, living with hope and giving people courage to live should be the actions of a true celebration of sacrifice and life. That is the characteristic of an Easter people. Society needs Easter people. “Unless there is Good Friday in your life, there can be no Easter Sunday.” – Fulton J. Sheen Rev. Fr. C. Joseph, Counsellor-St. Joseph’s College (Autonomous) Jakhama, Nagaland

holocaust. As Bonhoeffer approached the gallows, he uttered a few final worlds that posited defiance and resilience enjoined with hope: “This is the end – for me, the beginning of life.”

A doctor who was watching the execution said that he had never a man die totally submitting to the will of God. His execution was to deal with a failed assignation bid on Hitler’s life.

Certainly, a true disciple of Jesus Christ who believed that be it theology or ethics or whatever ought to start and end with Jesus Christ. and others in Bonhoeffer’s view have no grounding and validity.

A persona with profound wisdom and organic knowledge said that “Why are we so afraid when we think of death … Death is grace … it is a gateway to our homeland … the everlasting kingdom of peace.”

He personified the intrinsic value of Christian faith and hope. His life exemplified the true definition of being a Christian and God’s calling

resonates around the fact that “Those who would gain their lives must lose them”.

For Bonhoeffer those who claim to be the followers of Jesus Christ ought to look out for the restoration of humanity culminating into eternity or leading to eternal life.

For him, Jesus, the Christ, was the ultimate and the paradigm that prompted him to say “This is the end.

For me, the beginning of life.” In one of his seminal works The Cost of Discipleship Dietrich Bonhoeffer expounds that “The cross is levied on every Christian … Christ-suffering which every man must experience is the call to abandon the attachment of this world …

As we embark upon discipleship, we surrender ourselves to Christ in union with His death – we give over our lives to death. Thus it begins; the cross is not the terrible end to an otherwise god –fearing and happy life, but it meets us at the beginning of our communion with Christ.

When Christ calls a man,

he bids him come and die.”

Dietrich Bonhoeffer’s words testify to the unshakable task that death must not to be construed as the end. Rather, death is to be viewed merely as the beginning of life, redeemed in the resurrection of Jesus. Death may be the end, but for Christians who affirm in the Lordship of Jesus Christ who is the Risen, our Lord and Savior is just the beginning of eternal life. As we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection the clear message will have to be that Jesus Christ means the one who offered eternal life in his birth, death, and resurrection. Unless and until the believers who follow Jesus Christ as Lord be prepared to give life they cannot speak of discipleship. This is the message of Resurrection and this is what Dierich Bonhoeffer did as the disciple of Jesus Christ. Death is just a beginning of eternal life and certainly a continuum.

Dr. John Mohan Razu

Nagaland- A few thoughts on the way forward

As we observe from various statements made in the print media, social media and the opinions expressed by various organizations, civil societies, NGOs and even individuals, we see a society that is hopelessly divided and drifting along in utter confusion with no clear direction or vision. Development and progress has taken a back seat with the elected Government not providing any credible Governance and the writ of parallel Governments having tremendous impact particularly on the economy of the State and the people at large. The tag of the “worst performing state“ in SDG( Sustainable Development Goals) as classified by Niti Ayog of Government of India is a matter of shame and disgrace. In the recently held CWG (Commonwealth Games), the performance of India is not something to be really proud of though many of the sports persons from India have done well. We are proud of our neighbors, Manipur, Mizoram, Assam and also those from other states but Nagaland has drawn a blank- What a shame for all of us belonging to the sixteenth state of the Union of India- Is it not time for us to get our act together? Whether it is on political, economic, social, intellectual front, we are not able to make any worthwhile progress- Why ?- The reasons are not far to seek. An example that we all can acknowledge- As you cross Nagaland gate on Golaghat road in Dimapur or Doboka road clearly indicates that as you touch Nagaland, the roads are not smooth (or rather full of pot holes) whereas other states including the immediate neighbors appear to be from a different planet. Travel through Assam to Dirhang/Tawang/Namsai in Arunachal Pradesh , to Shillong/ Cherrapunji in Meghalaya or even the roads in Diphu in Karbi Anglong not to talk of other highways

1. Political : Nagas have been yearning for peace for decades but it seems to be elusive and today it seems to be further away as things are moving. Election to the 14th State assembly has been concluded as per the normal term. There have been many pronouncements about solution to the vexed Naga political problem, which is the oldest in Asia. Slogans have been raised “Election for Solution” in 2018 before the Hustings and even before that in 2013 and even in 2008 and 2003. In fact since 1997, after ceasefire agreement between IM and GOI, talks have been going on, supposedly in the right direction. One wonders what is the right direction? In 2001 another ceasefire agreement with K group (now NNPGs) by GOI. It is already time for silver jubilee of the ceasefire and talks. Nagas are indeed patient but how long should our people suffer? What is the way forward? There must be sincerity and commitment from the leaders in the Underground set up, the leaders in the state and most importantly leaders in the Centre.

2. Finance and economy: Nagaland appears to be saddled with a huge debt burden of over Rs 16500 crores and the accumulated annual deficit has crossed Rs 2200

crores as per the current budget and some improvements seem yo have been made in the latest Budget estimates of the first budget of the 14th legislative Assembly, whereas the State’s own revenue has remained at Rs 650 crores. As things stand now, even the salaries of the Government employees are not being paid on time not to talk of maintenance of assets already created and new projects that can take the state and its people to a higher levels at par with other states and in tune with the changing times. For example, Nagaland is the only state without a Medical college in the entire country. Wherever we look in the state, there is nothing happening that we can look forward or up to. The common man is absolutely frustrated and feel helpless. Surely the State Government can do better than this? A few thoughts in the form of constructive suggestion can be offered.

3. Widen the base for State’s own revenue:

a) Start the process of production of Oil and Natural gas: Oil or gas is perishable and at the rate it is being extracted by our immediate neighbor Assam, especially in the disputed areas bordering Assam where atleast 8 locations are identified as brought out by our Hon’ble MP, Shri Tokheho Yepthomi in the Parliament during the last monsoon session. The reply given by the Union Minister was that the revenue earned by Assam over a period of five years is a whopping Rs 9500 crores. Has our Government even protested about the extraction in the disputed area and claimed for our share of revenue even though the case is pending in the Supreme court since 1988. The question is- When the matter is sub-judice how is one of the contending parties extracting in the disputed area utterly excluding the other contending party. I hope the Government of the day in the state is taking up the matter. This could be one of the main ways to increase our own revenue base. Nagaland must start production of oil and natural gas immediately at least in the districts where there are no disputes.

b) Review the NLTP 1989 Act immediately : Drinking liquor is one of the oldest habits known to mankind and cannot be forcibly stopped though it can be regulated by the Government. Prohibition has not been successful in almost all parts of the World. In the 1920s it failed in America and gave rise to Mafia. It failed in Bombay Province, Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and in any other state in the country, even in the Northeast, all states are free of prohibition of liquor because many have tried to impose prohibition and failed.

In fact our neighbor Manipur has decided to lift prohibition. In Nagaland on the pretext of prohibition, almost every shop is clandestinely retailing spurious liquor in every district and the trading is controlled by syndicates operating under various Godfathers, both Underground as well as overground. The NLTP ACT 1989 and its implementation in the state has been a complete failure. It is up to the Government

of the day to decide and not for the NBCC or other NGOs to take the decision. Once total prohibition is lifted, it can be regulated by the Government and in turn this can to lead to creation of more employment and also increase the base of State’s own revenue which will be substantial and in turn the revenue so earned can be ploughed back to vital areas such as healthcare, education, power and maintenance of roads etc..

c) Levy property tax in urban areas: The old system of levying household tax in rural areas is not at all logical. In fact the poor people in the rural areas are taxed whereas the rich in urban areas constructing palatial buildings both commercial and residential are not paying any tax. While land need not be taxed in view of the provisions under Art 371/A of the constitution but Nagas cannot remain as frogs in the well_ we need to move forward and be able to look after ourselvesHow long are we going to hide under the shadow of Art 371A. Do we expect real investments to come in if even Special economic Zones cannot come up, there is no stability of power supply, no proper infrastructure and most importantly when investors cannot own any land or have proper rights over the assets that they are investing in. In fact G20 summit being held in Kohima with participants from 27 countries seems so exciting. Many MOUs have been signed but can it translate to real investments and sustainable ventures benefitting the people of the state and the NE Region ?

d) There must be equitable distribution of funds received by the state Government for development and conscious effort must be made to stop dividing Nagas on tribal lines. Employment in the Government sector has crossed the saturation point and all out efforts must be made to promote the private sector. The recent effort of the CSR conclave though late, is perhaps a step in the right direction. The G20 summit at Kohima could have thrown up exciting prospects but Banking coverage must improve and the State must ensure to legislate laws that can enable the entrepreneurs and start ups to avail loans. And make the private sector/entrepreneurs/promoters more dynamic and contribute to the economy of the state e) Act on Act east policy: The State Government must consciously work and ensure that the Act East policy of GOI is really implemented on ground. Assam has taken a good initiative by having a department of Act east policy. It used to be Look East policy during the UPA Government, and the present Government has christened it as “Act East policy” to give it more impetus and perhaps priority. Our state needs to gear up and access all possible benefits. Perhaps the future of our economy lies in the east especially because of the proximity to the ASEAN market.

(H.Khekuto Khulu) IAS Rtd Addl Chief Secretary Akukau, Naghuto (old) Zunheboto District

it.”

– Camilla Eyring Kimball

The feast and the spirit of Easter

SNIPPeTS

Man kills Dalit woman by slitting her throat in Amethi

AMETHI (UP), APR 8

(PTI): A 23-year-old man allegedly killed a Dalit woman with a knife in Ram Shahpur village here, police said on Saturday.

The man, Sanjay Kumar, slit the throat of 18-yearold Kavita Friday in his house, then tried to kill himself also with the same knife, Additional Superintendent of Police, Amethi, Harendra Kumar on Saturday said. Sanjay, who injured himself seriously in the purported suicide attempt, was sent to a trauma cen-tre in Lucknow for treatment, Kumar said.

Prima facie the incident seems to have taken place because of a fall out of a love affair, the ACP said.

3 labourers die after consuming spurious liquor in Punjab

CHANDIGARH, APR

8 (PTI): Three labourers died after consuming spurious liquor in Punjab’s San-grur district, police said on Saturday. The deceased were identified as Chamkaur Singh, Gurmail Singh and Gurtej Singh, all residents of Namol Village in Sangrur district, they said. Cheema Police Station Sub Inspector Lakhvir Singh said police received information about the death of three labourers on Saturday morning. Investigation was underway, police said, adding that the bodies have been sent for post mortem examination.

Guj ATS busts illegal arms supply gang

AHMEDABAD, APR 8

(PTI): The Gujarat AntiTerrorism Squad (ATS) has busted a gang involved in smuggling and supply of weapons and arrested six people with 15 pistols and five locally made guns, an official said on Saturday. Acting on a tipoff about some people smuggling weapons from Madhya Pradesh, an ATS team arrested two persons with four pistols and four cartridges at a bus station on April 4, the official said. The duo, who hailed Gujarat’s Rajkot district, was arrested under the Arms Act, he said. Further probe revealed the involvement of four more persons and the ATS nabbed the remaining accused from Surendranagar and Rajkot districts, he said.

Kiren Rijiju escapes unhurt after truck hits his car in J&K

JAMMU, APR 8 (IANS):

Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju escaped unhurt on Saturday after a truck hit his vehicle on the JammuSrinagar National Highway. Police sources said a fully-loaded truck hit the black Scorpio in which the Union minister was travelling in the Banihal area on the Jammu-Srinagar NH.

Court gave shock to oppn: PM Modi on plea on misuse of probe agencies

HYDERABAD, APR 8 (PTI): Taking a dig at political parties that approached the Supreme Court alleging arbitrary use of central probe agencies against opposition leaders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said the court gave them a “jolt” by refusing to entertain their plea.

Modi, who addressed a public meeting here after laying foundation stone and inaugurating several development projects, also said the lack of cooperation from the state government is leading to delay in the completion of several central projects in Telangana.

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao did not attend the inauguration of Vande Bharat train between Secunderabad and Tirupati, and also Modi’s event dedicating to the nation and lay-ing the foundation stone for several development projects in Telangana. Rao has stayed away from the events of Modi during the latter’s visits to the state for more than

a year now.

Observing that it is the people of Telangana who are at a loss, PM Modi urged the state govern-ment to not allow any hindrance in the works related to the development.

Modi, who lashed out at dynastic politics, said his government has attacked the real root of corrup-tion of dynastic forces who want to keep their control over every system.

“Should we fight against corruption or not?

Should we fight against the corrupt or not? Should the country be liberated from corruption or not? Should

Congress’ Sidhu alleges ‘mafia raj’ in Punjab stronger under AAP ‘patronage’

CHANDIGARH, APR 8

legal steps be taken against the corrupt how-ever big or not. Should the law be allowed to work against the corrupt or not,” he asked the gath-ering.

That’s why “these people” are upset and they are doing anything out of anger, Modi said.

“A few days ago, some political parties went to the court seeking protection that no one should seek to inquire our (parties) books filled with corruption. They went to court, but court gave them a shock,” Modi said, without taking any names.

Recently, as many as 14 political parties led by the Congress filed a petition in the apex court alleg-ing that there has been an alarming rise in the use of coercive criminal processes against opposition political leaders and other citizens exercising their fundamental right to dissent. However, the Supreme Court, refusing to entertain the plea, observed that politicians do not have “higher immunity”.

On April 5, a bench

Gangsters now wetting their pants in UP: Yogi Adityanath

GORAKHPUR (UP),

APR 8 (PTI): Uttar Pradesh

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Saturday claimed that gangsters, who used to terrorise people with extortion threats and abduct them without car-ing for law and order, were now wetting their pants after their sentencing by courts.

Addressing a gathering after the “bhoomi pujan” of a bottling plant here, Adityanath said people are seeing that those who showed little respect for law and order earlier were now running for their lives.

“When the court sentences them, their wet pants

are becoming visible. People are seeing it. The mafia used to terrorise people, send extortion threats to industrialists, abduct businessmen. But today they are scared out of their wits and running for their lives,” the chief minister said. His remarks have come days after an MP/ MLA court held gangsterpolitician Atiq Ahmad and two others guilty in the 2006 Umesh Pal kidnapping case and sentenced them to life imprisonment. That was Ahmad’s first conviction even though more than 100 cases have been registered against him.

The 60-year-old former Samajwadi Party MP was brought from Sabarmati Jail in Gujarat by road for hearing in the case in Prayagraj. Before leaving the jail in a police cavalcade, Ahmad said he feared he might be killed. “Hatya, hatya (murder, murder),” Ahmad said outside the prison.

During the long journey, Ahmad’s vehicle was stopped in Shivpuri district of Madhya Pradesh to allow him to attend nature’s call. There, he was asked by reporters whether he was afraid, to which he said, “Kahe ka dar” (what fear).

of Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and Justice J B Pardiwala expressed disinclina-tion to entertain the petition, saying courts are always there for taking up the grievances of political leaders as they do for common citizens.

Modi, who said corruption and ‘parivarvaad’ (dynasty) are not different from each other, stated that every type of corruption begins to grow where there is ‘parivarvaad’.

The main mantra of dynasty and dynastic politics is control of all, he opined.

The dynasts want to keep their control over every system and does not like it at all that someone challenges their control, he said.

Giving the example of the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system promoted by his government and the promotion of digital payments across the country, the Prime Minister said the dynastic forces did not to give up their control on the system earlier.

(PTI): Congress leader Navjot Singh Sidhu on Saturday alleged that the “mafia raj” in Punjab has grown stronger under the “patronage” of the AAP, which had promised to de-molish it before coming to power.

Sidhu also attacked the ruling dispensation over its failure to implement its pre-poll promises and dared Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to a debate with him regarding the state government’s per-formance. The cricketer-turned politician, who was released from jail last week after serving nearly 10 months in a 1988 road rage case, was in Jalandhar where to meet the family of Congress MP Santokh Singh Chaudhary, who died in January.

The Congress has fielded Chaudhary’s wife Karamjit Kaur Chaudhary as its candidate for the byopll from the Jalandhar Lok Sabha seat, scheduled to be held on May 10.

Speaking to reporters in Jalandhar, Sidhu called the AAP “poachers” after it announced former Congress

MLA Sushil Rinku as its bypoll nominee. Rinku joined the AAP on Wednesday in the presence of Mann and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal.

Sidhu alleged that the AAP had earlier tried to poach former Congress MP Mohinder Singh Kaypee as well. Apparently referring to Rinku joining the AAP, Sidhu said, “The circumstances in which they poached, I call them (AAP) poachers.”

Sidhu said the AAP came to power by selling dreams and making “hollow” promises.

“I want to ask you that

you had promised to end the ‘mafia raj’ from Punjab. Today, the mafia raj has become stronger and the AAP is the kingpin behind it. Today, the mafia is being run by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP),” he added.

In a tweet later, Sidhu alleged, “The Mafia that has weakened Punjab over decades is now strong-er, more protected, under the patronage of AAP Those who promised to demolish it have become it’s godfathers! “No revenue model only borrowings and taxes driving us towards bankruptcy and government in a pitiable situation.”

The AAP stormed to power in Punjab in 2022, winning 92 of the 117 seats in the assembly elections.

Earlier, he told reporters that the AAP had promised one lakh government jobs in a year and Rs 1,000 per month to women before coming to power.

He also pointed to Kejriwal, in the run-up to last year’s assembly polls, claiming that the state would generate revenues of Rs 50,000 crore.

Rahul takes swipe at former Congress leaders

NEW DELHI, APR 8

(PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday took a swipe at some leaders who have quit the Congress in recent years and some of whom have joined the BJP as he kept up his offensive against the government over the Adani issue.

“They hide the truth, that’s why they mislead everyday! The question remains the same - whose Rs 20,000 crore benami money is in Adani’s companies?”

Gandhi asked in a tweet in Hindi and at-tached an image with the names of the leaders with that of Adani.

He cited the names of Ghulam Nabi Azad, Jyotiraditya Scindia, Himanta

Biswa Sarma, Kiran Kumar Reddy and Anil K Antony in his tweet. After quitting the Congress, Azad formed his own party, while the rest joined the BJP. Scindia is now a Union minister and Sarma the chief minister of As-sam. In another tweet in Hindi, Gandhi said, “How will inflation come down? How will the pain of the public be seen? The entire

BJP will come to power in Bengal: Manik Saha ISRO should not become political mouthpiece of BJP: Congress

NEW DELHI, APR 8

(PTI): The Congress on Saturday took strong objection to the ISRO highlighting the achievements of the PM Mudra scheme, saying it should not become the political mouthpiece of the ruling BJP.

“I can understand the ministries concerned propagating this but why should ISRO be acting like a drumbeater for something entirely out of its domain,” AICC general secretary Jairam Ramesh said on Twitter.

His response came to a tweet by Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in which it highlighted that the Prime Minister’s Mudra scheme has fulfilled the entrepreneurial dreams of millions of In-dians.

“ISRO should remain a S&T enterprise and not be-

come a political mouthpiece of the ruling party (sic),” Ramesh said.

Posting on its Twitter handle, the country’s space agency said that in eight years, the Mudra Yojana has been “empowering millions of Indians to fulfill their entrepreneurial dreams and contribute to the nation’s growth”.

“From micro-enterprises to large businesses, PM Mudra Yojana has opened doors of opportunity for all Indians,” the ISRO tweeted.

KOLKATA, APR 8 (PTI):

Accusing the Mamata Banerjee government in West Bengal of not giving democratic space to political opponents Tripura Chief Minister Manik Saha Saturday claimed that BJP will come to power in the state in the coming days to usher in a peaceful, transparent and de-velopment-oriented regime.

Saha speaking at a felicitation programme organised by the BJP having the theme ‘Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat’ at the National Library here said a doubleengine government can propel the growth of a state in a federal structure, more if the governments at the Centre and state are helmed by the same party.

He urged the people of Bengal to go for this model.

Saha said while coming from the airport he

word. Everyone knows what is the situation in Bengal. How thousands of BJP karyakartas were attacked, beaten up, their hous-es looted, and made to flee from homes and how many were murdered and raped after the as-sembly elections here (in 2021).

focus of the government is on increasing Adani’s income and protecting it from investigation.”

He also put out a chart showing the increase in prices of commodities such as rice, wheat flour, milk, ghee, oil, pulses and gas cylinder between 2013 and 2023, and said “your pocket is being picked through price rise”.

Reacting to Gandhi on Twitter, Sarma said, “It was our decency to have never asked you, on where have you concealed the proceeds of crime from the Bofors and National Herald Scams.

And how you allowed Ottavio Quattrocchi to escape the clutches of Indian justice

multiple times. Any way we will meet in the Court of Law.” Anil K Antony, another former Congressman and son of veteran Congress leader A K Antony, said it was “sad to see a former president of a national party - the so-called PM candidate of the Congress - speak like an online / social media cell troll and not like a national leader.”

“Very humbled to see my fledgling name also with these tall stalwarts who have contributed dec-ades for nation building work - and had to leave the party as they preferred to work for India and our people and not for a family,” Antony said.

KOLKATA, APR 8 (IANS): Train services were disrupted in three tribal-dominated districts of West Bengal -- Bankura, Purulia and West Midnapore -- following continued railblockade agitation by the Kurmi community on Saturday.

As many as 75 trains in the South Eastern Railway division had to be cancelled on Saturday due to the rail blockade agitation which was by the people from the Kurmi community on April 5. The routes of several trains also had to be either diverted or curtailed during the day, causing immense inconvenience to the commuters. Sources in the Railways said that in the last four days, as many as 308 trains had to be cancelled in the said division due to the agitation. The agitators also protested by blocking national highways passing through these three tribal-dominated districts. The Kurmi community is agitating in support of its long-standing demand for recognition under the Schedule Tribe category. Their main grievance is that the West Bengal Cultural Research Institute, a state government body that works for indigenous tribes, is yet to recognise the Kurmis as repre-sentatives of primitive tribe. Representatives of the community have alleged that the reluctance of the institute as well as the state government to send a comprehensive report in this matter to the Union government is hold-ing back the process of recognition of the Kurmi community under the ST category.

could see flags and flexes of only the TMC. This shows that the TMC does not want to give any democratic space to the other opposition parties. You may not allow BJP flags but the saffron party has captured the imagination of common people who believe in the development and growth mantra of BJP, the ‘Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat’ con-cept enunciated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Tripura CM said. “Didi the word of democracy sounds out of place when you utter this

CM Eknath Shinde advises national Opposition

‘Heed

MUMBAI, APR 8 (IANS): Jumping into the row generated by Nationalist Congress Party president Sharad Pawar on the Adani Group issue, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday called upon the national opposition to listen to the former Union Minister’s advice in the matter.

Ahead of his muchpublicised visit to Ayodhya, Shinde referred to Pawar’s comments on Friday to a private television channel contending that the US short-seller Hindenburg Research’s report on the Adani Group appeared to a ‘targetted attack’ on the Bharatiya Janata Party government

at the Cen-tre. “The Congress has launched an agitation demanding an explanation for the Rs 20,000 crore of the Adani Group. Even (ex-CM) Uddhav Thackeray has repeatedly spoken on this issue. Now, Sharad Pawar has commented. Hence those who are protesting (against Adani) should take note of his

comments,” Shinde said in Thane on Saturday.

Shiv Sena’s Spokesperson Krishna Hedge added that his party has been long saying that the Oppo-sition parties are not on the same page.

“Now Sharad Pawar’s statement proves that... and he clearly states that the demand of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe is not appropriate,” said Hegde.

However, Maharashtra unit Congress president Nana Patole and former chief minister Ashok Chavan reiterated the party’s stance for nothing less than a JPC probe as demanded by Gandhi.

Rahul Gandhi

Jairam Ramesh

Navjot Singh Sidhu

Narendra Modi

Pawar’: Maha

75 trains cancelled as Kurmis protest continue in W.Bengal

Manik Saha

Eknath Shinde

Mudra Scheme: Banks sanction Rs 23.2L

crore

States asked to be on alert as Covid cases rise

CNG, piped cooking gas

price cut by up to Rs 6 in Delhi

NEW DELHI, APR 8 (AGENCIES):

Pradhan

Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY) sanctioned more than 408.2 million loans amounting to Rs 23.2 trillion till March 24, 2023, said the finance ministry on its 8th anniversary on Saturday.

PMMY aims to facilitate easy collateral-free credit of up to Rs 10 lakh to micro-entrepreneurs for income-generating activities, Business Standard reported.

Under the scheme, loans have been divided into three categories based on the need for finance and the stage in maturity of the business. These are Shishu (loans up to Rs 50,000), Kishore (loans above Rs 50,000 and up to Rs 5 lakh), and Tarun (loans above Rs 5 lakh and up to Rs 10 lakh).

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said PMMY has played a vital role in

funding the unfunded and ensuring a life of dignity as well as prosperity for countless Indians.

“Today, as we mark eight years of Mudra Yojana, I salute the entrepreneurial zeal of all those who benefitted from it and became wealth creators,” he added.

Approximately 69 per cent of the total loans have been sanctioned to women entrepreneurs & 51 per cent loans have been sanctioned to SC/ST and OBC categories of borrowers.

Union Minister for Finance & Corporate Affairs

Nirmala Sitharaman said the scheme has helped in the generation of large-scale

Panel under Finance Secy. set up to review NPS

NEW DELHI, APR 8

(IANS): The government has announced setting up of a four-member committee under Finance Secretary T.V. Somanathan to review the National Pension Scheme (NPS) and suggest any changes in it, keeping in mind the interest of government employees.

The committee will also consist of Secretary, Personnel, Special Secretary, Personnel, and Chairman of the Pension Fund Regulatory and Development Authority (PFRDA), according to a notification by the Finance Ministry.

No time limit however has been set for the committee to submit its report to the government.

The formation of the

panel comes just days after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, had last month announced that the Centre would set up a committee to review the NPS under the chairmanship of the Finance Secretary.

The committee will come up with a solution to issues related with pensions.

The move comes amid representations received by the government, seeking a review of the NPS and scope of improvement in it.

Employees from several states have been demanding a change in the current pension system.

Some states, including Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand, have already switched back to the old pension scheme.

employment opportunities at the grassroots level and also has proved to be a game changer while boosting the Indian economy.

“The growth of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) has contributed massively to the ‘Make in India’ programme as strong domestic MSMEs lead to increased indigenous production both for domestic markets as well as for exports,” she added.

Union Minister of State for Finance Bhagwat Kisanrao Karad said that the scheme has brought the unserved and under-served sections of society within the framework of institutional credit.

“The government policy of promoting MUDRA has led millions of MSME enterprises in the formal economy and has helped them to get out of the clutches of moneylenders offering very highcost funds,” he added.

(From p-1) Mandaviya stressed on the importance of enhancing public awareness campaigns regarding adherence to Covid-appropriate behaviour. He requested all the state health ministers to personally monitor and review the preparedness of all logistics and infrastructure including avail-ability of sufficient designated hospital beds and ensure that there is adequate stock of essential medicines. States were also asked to regularly update their Covid data on the Covid India portal. They were reminded of the joint advisory issued by the Union health ministry

and ICMR to all states on March 25 which calls for a reinvigorated public health response to contain the surge of seasonal influenza and Covid cases through early detection, isolation, testing and timely management of suspected and confirmed cases to detect and contain outbreaks of new SARS-CoV-2 variants. Mandaviya requested the states and UTs to ensure effective implementation. There was comprehensive and detailed discussion on various aspects of COVID management including ramping up of hospital infrastructure; increased testing.

CPO urges govt to distance...

(From p-1)

Further, CPO said it should be consulted on matter needed for discussion and deliberations to change/modify any issue involving the Chakhesang people, their customs, traditions, beliefs including their land and resources. CPO also expressed sincere hope that the government would seriously consider the above issues so that civil society can assist the government on policy making and implementation that would certainly help in “restraining social unrest” and maintain peace and tranquillity in Nagaland.

NEW DELHI, APR 8 (PTI): The prices of CNG and cooking gas piped to household kitchens in the national capital on Saturday were cut by up to Rs 6 - the first reduction in two years - after the government changed the pricing formula of natural gas. CNG in the national capital territory of Delhi will now cost Rs 73.59 per kg, down from Rs 79.56, Indraprastha Gas Ltd (IGL) - the firm which retails CNG and piped cooking gas in the city, said in a Twitter post. Simultaneously, the rates of gas piped to household kitchens, called piped natural gas (PNG), has been cut to Rs 48.59 per standard cubic metre in Delhi from Rs 53.59 per scm, according to IGL. The reduction follows an over 80 per cent increase in prices in two years. CNG prices were hiked on 15 occasions between April 2021 and December 2022. Since April 2021, CNG prices have increased by Rs 36.16 per kg, or 83 per cent,

Swiss nods UBS-Credit Suisse merger

ZURICH, APR 8 (RE -

UTERS): USB’s multi-billion state-sponsored takeover of Credit Suisse should proceed smoothly without political obstructions, Swiss Finance Minister Karin Keller-Sutter said in an interview published on Saturday. The Swiss parliament is due to hold an extraordinary session next week to discuss the emergency merger engineered by the Swiss authorities after Credit Suisse came close to collapse.

Nearly 260 billion Swiss francs ($287 billion) of liquidity support and state guarantees have been offered to back the takeover and avoid a financial meltdow n the bank’s uncontrolled failure could have triggered. “There is a merger agreement between UBS and CS, for its part the cabinet has made a commit-

ment to the national bank to provide CS with liquidity in order to ensure stability,” Keller-Sutter told newspaper Finanz und Wirtschaft.

“The guarantee agreement with UBS is still being negotiated. In many committee meetings, I got the impression that politicians definitely don’t want to jeopardise the takeover,” she added.

“I don’t see any stumbling blocks at the moment.”

Completing the merger was the highest priority, the minister said, who defended the government’s intervention last month, which critics have said came too late and promised too much taxpayer support for a bank that paid out billions in bonuses to executives.

“The primary goal of the Federal Council was to ensure the stability of

the Swiss economy and the Swiss financial center and to prevent an international financial crisis,” she said.

“Under the circumstances, it was and is the best possible choice, which also places the least burden on the state and the taxpayer,” Keller-Sutter said.

The new combined bank will have $1.6 trillion in assets - double the size of the entire Swiss economy - and more than 120,000 staff and Keller-Sutter said the structure of UBS would have to be considered in the future. “UBS will have to hold more equity after the takeover. This will rather force them to shrink,” Keller-Sutter said.

Switzerland’s Competition Commission can also make recommendations, the minister added.

The risks to the tax -

payer were also acceptableeven though the government could assume up to 9 billion francs in losses incurred by UBS by the takeover.

Keller-Sutter criticised the culture at Credit Suisse, which she said had set the wrong incentives and had not learned from previous scandals and prosecutions.

The minister also defended the writedown of AT1 bonds to zero, a controversial part of the rescue.

“These are high-risk bonds with high yields, sometimes over 9%,” KellerSutter said. “The prospectus for these bonds makes it clear that if a company claims indirect government aid, they can be written off.”

The special parliamentary session next week was important, she added, and a welcome opportunity to get to the truth of the Credit Suisse debacle. “At the moment, parliament can ‘only’ advise on the commitment credit, but it also has the opportunity to comment on the case and play an active role in the process.” ($1 = 0.9051 Swiss francs)

gUest HoUse aVailaBle

Walkable distance from Delhi Public School & Olive Christian Hospital, Darogapathar, Dimapur Contact : 8974466203 DP -1508/23

according to data compiled by PTI.

CNG prices were last hiked on December 17, 2022.

Similarly, PNG rates have increased by 10 times between August 7, 2021, and October 8, 2022. In all prices have gone up by Rs 24.09 per scm, or 81 per cent.

Rates went up as energy prices internationally climbed due to geopolitical conflicts. Prices would have risen further but for the change in the way the price of natural gas - the input raw material which is converted into CNG and PNG - was changed by the government on Thursday evening.

So instead of using rates in four international gas hubs, the locally produced fuel is now benchmarked to the cost of imported crude oil subject to a cap of USD 6.5 per million British thermal unit.

The pricing formula kicked in from Saturday with the oil ministry announcing a gas price of

USD 7.92 per mmBtu for the remainder of the month. But due to the cap, the gas will cost only USD 6.5 to city gas retailers like IGL. This USD 6.5 per mmBtu cap price compared with USD 8.57 rates prevalent previously.

In the Twitter post, IGL said the retail prices charged by it for CNG and PNG in the national capital “are one of the lowest in the country.”

“The revised retail price of PNG in Delhi would be Rs 48.59 per scm wef 9th April 2023,” it said. “The revised retail price of PNG in Noida, Greater Noida & Ghaziabad would be Rs 48.46 per scm wef 9th April 2023.”

The revised retail price of PNG in Gurugram, Rewari, Karnal & Kaithal would be Rs.47.40 per scm. Similarly, the revised retail price of CNG in Delhi would be Rs 73.59 per kg, Rs 77.20 in Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad and Rs 82.62 per kg in Gurugram.

India exceeds Rs 85,000 crore worth mobile expt

NEW DELHI, APR 8

(IANS): The government’s push towards local manufacturing of consumer electronics items has helped India cross record more than Rs 85,000 crore in mobile exports in the fiscal year ending March 31, industry data showed on Saturday.

Buoyed by attractive government incentives towards local manufacturing, India surpassed a remarkable $10 billion worth smartphone exports in the fiscal year 2022-2023, according to the data provided by the India Cellular and Electronics Association (ICEA) to IANS.

Smartphone exports from India have doubled from a corresponding period from the last fiscal year, driven by production-linked incentive (PLI) schemes.

The top five global destinations India currently exports mobile phones to are the UAE, the US, the Netherlands, the UK and Italy, according to the ICEA data.

“The mobile phone industry

will cross $40 billion manufacturing output and 25 per cent exports at $10 billion is a stellar performance,” Pankaj Mohindroo, Chairman of ICEA, had earlier told IANS.

More than 97 per cent of the smartphones sold in India are now being produced locally.

India is now the second largest mobile phone manufacturer in the world.

According to Minister of State for Electronics and IT, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the year 2023 will be a milestone as the country will cross Rs 1 lakh crore in mobile phone exports this year.

India is likely to produce 45-50 per cent of Apple’s iPhones by 2027, at par with China, where 80-85 per cent of iPhones were produced in 2022.

sITUaTIoN VaCaNT Maths: B.Sc/M.Sc, social science: BA/MA (Female) Matron: Graduate and Fluency in English. Location: Ziro, Arunachal. Contact: 9436861805 8794626493. DB-450/23

Land with Building

1.

D B-446/23

contact: 7630975003

SNIPPeTS

10 killed in Kenya road crash

NAIROBI, APR 8 (AP):

A truck crashed into pedestrians and motorcycle taxis near western Kenya’s border with Tanzania, killing at least 10 people and injuring 10 others Saturday, authorities said.

A local police commander said the crash in the town of Migori happened along a major highway when the driver lost control of the brakes. An operation to free people trapped under the truck was underway, and there were fears the deal toll might rise, Migori county commander Mark Wanjala said. Two more people were reported to have been knocked across a bridge and into a river, but an attempt to rescue them had not started, Wanjala said.

Vax for cancer, heart disease to be ready by end of decade

LONDON, APR 8 (IANS): Millions of lives could be saved by a groundbreaking set of new vaccines for a range of conditions including cancer, experts have said.

A leading pharmaceutical firm said it is confident that jabs for cancer, cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases, and other conditions will be ready by 2030, the Guardian reported. Studies into these vaccinations are also showing “tremendous promise”, with some researchers saying 15 years’ worth of progress has been “unspooled” in 12 to 18 months thanks to the success of the Covid jab. Paul Burton, the chief medical officer of pharmaceutical company Moderna, said he believes the firm will be able to offer such treatments for “all sorts of disease areas” in as little as five years. The firm, which created a leading coronavirus vaccine, is developing cancer vaccines that target different tumour types, the Guardian reported. He also said that multiple respiratory infections could be covered by a single injection -- allowing vulnerable people to be protected against Covid, flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) -while mRNA therapies could be available for rare diseases for which there are currently no drugs, the Guardian reported.

Pak to launch all-out anti-terror operation

ISLAMABAD, APR 8 (IANS): Pakistan’s top security body, the National Security Council (NSC), agreed to launch an allout comprehensive operation to wipe out terrorism and vowed to re-launch the National Action Plan (NAP) within 15 days to crush militants reportedly coming in from Afghanistan. According to a statement from the Prime Minister’s Office, the decision was taken at an NSC meeting on Friday chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and attended by chiefs of the armed forces, intelligence agencies and other military and civil officials, reports Xinhua news agency.

4 killed in IS suicide bombing in Yemen

SANAA, APR 8 (IANS):

Four people, including two Islamic State (IS) attackers, were killed during a suicide bombing carried out by the terror group in Yemen’s capital Sanaa, the Houthi militia has confirmed. The incident occurred when the Houthi forces intercepted a public minibus carrying two IS members and prompted the two individuals to detonate the bombs on them, Xinhua news agency quoted the Houthi-run al-Masirah TV as saying in a report on Friday. The explosion killed the two IS members and two civilians who were also on the minibus, it added.

China launches military drills around Taiwan

BEIJING, APR 8 (PTI): China on Saturday began military exercises around Taiwan to test the capabilities of its forces to “seize control of the sea, air and information,” days after a meeting between the US House Speaker and the President of the self-ruled island in defiance of repeated threats by Beijing.

China views Taiwan as a breakaway province.

Beijing has not ruled out the possible use of force to reunify the self-ruled island with the mainland.

The Chinese military announced the start of three-day “combat readiness patrols,” asserting that it is testing the capabilities of its forces to “seize control of the sea, air, and information.”

The multi-day exercises coincided with the return of Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen to Taipei after her high-profile visit to the US earlier this week when she met US House Speaker, Kevin McCarthy, a move denounced by Beijing.

China on Friday slapped sanctions on two American organisations that hosted Tsai besides

Asia-based groups --The Prospect Foundation and the Council of Asian Liberals and Democrats -- for their involvement in promoting Taiwan’s independence. China views any official exchanges between foreign governments and Taiwan as an infringement on Beijing’s claims of sovereignty over the island.

The aggressive exercises were launched after French President Emmanuel Macron concluded his high-profile visit to China

on Friday, during which he held wide-range talks with his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, prodding him to use his friendship with Russian leader Vladimir Putin to end the ongoing war in Ukraine.

Tsai’s predecessor and pro-Beijing politician, Ma Ying-jeou, also returned to Taiwan on Friday, ending a 12-day trip to the Chinese mainland, where he sought to promote the one-China framework as the basis for improving cross-strait ties

China health officials lash out at WHO; defend virus search

wan independence” and external forces and against their provocative activities, Shi said, adding the operations are necessary for safeguarding China’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity

Video and images published by the state media showed that the exercise included a long-range rocket unit from the Eastern Theatre Command, destroyers, frigates, missile boats, fighter jets, bombers and electronic warfare planes.

BEIJING, APR 8 (AP):

Chinese health officials defended their search for the source of the COVID-19 virus and lashed out Saturday at the World Health Organisation after its leader said Beijing should have shared genetic information earlier.

Shen Hongbing

and holding talks.

The Chinese military’s patrol and exercises are taking place in the maritime areas and airspace of the Taiwan Strait, off the northern and southern coasts of the island, and to the island’s east, said Shi Yi, a spokesperson for Eastern Theatre Command of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA).

These operations serve as a stern warning against the collusion between separatist forces seeking “Tai-

N Korea claims another test of underwater nuclear drone

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA

(AP): North Korea on Saturday claimed it tested this week a second known type of nuclear-capable underwater attack drone designed to destroy naval vessels and ports, adding to a flurry of weapons demonstrations this year that have heightened tensions with rivals.

The report of the fourday test came a day after the nuclear envoys of the United States, South Korea and Japan met in Seoul to discuss the growing North Korean nuclear threat and called for stronger international efforts to crack down on illicit North Korean activities funding its weapons program.

The North’s official Korean Central News Agency said the drone, named “Haeil-2” after a Korean word meaning tsunamis or tidal waves, traveled underwater for more than 71 hours before successfully detonating a mock warhead in waters near the eastern

port city of Tanchon on Friday. KCNA said the test proved that the weapon could strike targets 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) away with “fatal attack ability.”

North Korean state media last month reported two tests of another drone, named “Haeil-1,” and described the weapon as capable of setting off a “radioactive tsunami” to destroy enemy vessels and ports.

Analysts, however, are

skeptical whether such a device would add a meaningful new threat to North Korea’s growing nuclear arsenal built around missiles and whether it’s reasonable for the North to pursue such capabilities considering its still-limited supplies of nuclear bomb fuel. South Korea’s military has said it believes North Korean claims about Haeil-1 were likely “exaggerated or fabricated.”

On Friday, U.S. President Joe Biden’s special representative for North Korea, Sung Kim, met with his South Korean and Japanese counterparts in Seoul where they issued a joint statement calling for stronger international support to stem North Korean efforts to evade U.N. Security Council sanctions imposed over its nuclear weapons ambitions.

The envoys expressed particular concern about North Korea’s cybercrimes and illicit labor exports, which Seoul says could possibly expand as it further reopens its borders as COVID-19 fears ease.

North Korea in 2023 alone fired around 30 missiles in 11 different launch events, including an intercontinental ballistic missile that demonstrated potential range to reach the U.S. mainland and several shorter-range weapons designed to deliver nuclear strikes on South Korean targets.

Pak President Alvi returns to Parl bill curtailing CJP

ISLAMABAD, APR 8 (PTI): Pakistan’s judicial imbroglio intensified on Saturday after President Arif Alvi returned to Parliament for reconsideration of a bill aimed at clipping the powers of the chief justice, saying the proposed legislation is beyond the jurisdiction of the legislative body.

Pakistan is witnessing a rift between the judiciary and the government after a three-member bench of the Supreme Court headed by Chief Justice Uma Ata Bandial on Tuesday

fixed May 14 as the new date for elections to the Punjab Assembly and quashed the Election Commission’s decision to extend the date of the poll from April 10 to October 8. The apex court’s verdict was criticised by the coalition government led by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif of the Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N) party, which has refused to accept it. The government also is keen to curb the suo moto (on its own) powers of the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP), Bandial. The Supreme Court (Practice and

The troops are conducting patrols “surrounding and approaching” the island to encircle it, according to state broadcaster CCTV, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post newspaper reported.

Taiwan’s defence ministry said 42 sorties from PLA warplanes were detected, 29 of which crossed the median line – an unofficial dividing line in the Taiwan Strait – entering the island’s southwest air defence identification zone.

It said that a total of eight warships were detected, the ministry said, adding the island’s forces “closely monitored and responded.”

The WHO comments were “offensive and disrespectful,” said the director of the China Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Shen Hongbing. He accused the WHO of “attempting to smear China” and said it should avoid helping others “politicize COVID-19.”

The global health body’s director-general, Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, said March 17 that newly disclosed genetic material gathered in Wuhan in central China, where the first cases were detected in late 2019, “should have been shared three years ago.”

“As a responsible country and as scientists, we have always actively shared research results with scientists from around the world,” Shen said at a news conference.

The origins of CO -

VID-19 are still debated and the focus of bitter political dispute.

Many scientists believe it jumped from animals to humans at a market in Wuhan, but the city also is home to laboratories including China’s top facility for collecting viruses. That prompted suggestions COVID-19 might have leaked from one.

The ruling Communist Party has tried to deflect criticism of its handling of the outbreak by spreading uncertainty about its origins.

Officials have repeated anti-U.S. conspiracy theories that the virus was created by Washington and smuggled into China. The government also says the virus might have entered China on mail or food shipments, though scientists abroad see no evidence to support that.

South Korea, US, Japan call for support of ban on NKorea workers

SEOUL, APR 8 (IANS): Pyongyang’s state media on Saturday said that Chinese President Xi Jinping told North Korean leader Kim Jong-un that the two nations should bolster “strategic guidance” over bilateral ties.

The remarks came as Kim received a message from Xi as the latter thanked the North Korean leader for congratulating him on his re-election as president of China, according to Pyongyang’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

In the message, Xi “attaches great importance to the relations between the two parties and two countries, expressing his willingness to accelerate the development of the socialist cause of the two countries and promote regional peace, stability, development and prosperity by strengthening

the strategic guidance” over the China-DPRK relations,” Yonhap News Agency quoted the KCNA as saying.

DPRK stands for the North’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.

China’s new ambassador to North Korea, Wang Yajun, who began his official activities earlier this week, delivered the message to Kim Song-nam, international department director of the Central Committee of the North’s ruling party, according to the KCNA.

Procedure) Bill, 2023 was approved by both houses of Parliament last month and sent to the president for assent.

The president said that the proposed legislation was prima facie beyond the jurisdiction of the parliament as only the Supreme Court has the power to make laws to regulate its business. “The Supreme Court (Practice and Procedure) Bill, 2023 travels beyond the competence of the parliament and can be assailed as a colourable legislation,” Alvi, a member of former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party before he became president, said in his reply to the government.

OFFICE OF THE MAOVA VILLAGE COUNCIL

P.O : MEDZIPHEMA TOWN -797106

DIST. DIMAPUR : NAGALAND ORDER

The Maova Village Gaonbura and Village Council would like to inform the land holders within Maova Village jurisdiction that the village authorities regretfully reminds that any portion of land being converted into plot system and developed with the intention of settlement is or opening clusters of colony is not permitted. The NOC and resolutions as well as verbal agreement between the village authorities and the land holders/ buyers or owners of respecting the council resolution and its sentiment is paramount. Therefore, this order is issued in order to refrain any individual or groups with the intention of commercialising paddy field into plot system.

The village authorities will not be held responsible if there arises any incident or issues in the failure to comply or related to this order.

Sd/(Paoboi Changsan) (Sutminlal Vaiphei) Chairman Secretary Maova Village Council Maova Village Council

SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (AP): South Korea, the U.S. and Japan called for stronger international support of efforts to ban North Korea from sending workers abroad and curb the North’s cybercrimes as a way to block the country’s means to fund its nuclear program. The top South Korean, U.S. and Japanese nuclear envoys met in Seoul on Friday in their first gathering in four months to discuss how to cope with North Korea’s growing nuclear arsenal. The North’s recent weapons tests show it is intent on acquiring more advanced missiles designed to attack the U.S. and its allies, rather than returning to talks. Despite 11 rounds of U.N. sanctions and pandemic-related hardships that have worsened its economic and food problems, North Korea still devotes much of its scarce resources to its nuclear and missile programs. Contributing to financing its weapons program is also likely the North’s crypto hacking and other illicit cyber activities and the wages sent by North Korean workers remaining in China, Russia and elsewhere despite an earlier U.N. order to repatriate them by the end of 2019, experts say.

In a joint statement, the South Korean, U.S.

and Japanese envoys urged the international community to thoroughly abide by U.N. resolutions on the banning of North Korean workers overseas, according to Seoul’s Foreign Ministry.

The ministry said a large number of North Korean workers remains engaged in economic activities around the world and transmits money that is used in the North’s weapons programs. It said the three envoys tried to call attention to the North Korean workers because the North may further reopen its international borders as the global COVID-19 situation improves.

It is not known exactly how many North Korean workers remain abroad. But before the 2019 U.N. deadline passed, the U.S. State Department had estimated there were about 100,000

North Koreans working in factories, construction sites, logging industries and other places worldwide. Civilian experts had said that those workers brought North Korea an estimated $200 million to $500 million in revenue each year. “We need to make sure that its provocations never go unpunished. We will effectively counter North Korea’s future provocations and cut their revenue streams that fund these illegal activities,” Kim Gunn, the South Korean envoy, said in televised comments at the start of the meeting.

Sung Kim, the U.S. envoy, said that with its nuclear and missile programs and “malicious cyber program that targets countries and individuals around the globe,” North Korea threatens the security and prosperity of the entire international community.

GOVERNMENT OF NAGALAND

Office of the Society for Climate Resilient Agriculture in Nagaland (SOCRAN)

FOCUS- NAGALAND: KOHIMA

OPEN PAINTING/ DRAWING COMPETITION FOR SCHOOL STUDENTS

The Project invites participation from students of Class 5 to 12 in Painting/Drawing Competition on the Theme: “Climate Resilient Agriculture”. The students have to participate and send their submissions through their respective Schools only and not directly.

Categories for Participation Prizes

Class 5th – 10th 1st – Rs. 5000 2nd – Rs. 4000 3rd – Rs. 3000

Class 11th – 12th 1st – Rs. 5000 2nd – Rs. 4000 3rd – Rs. 3000

Contest Guidelines:

• All submissions must be original work and hand-drawn based on the theme.

• Students are required to provide the following details along with their submissionsName, Age, Class, School, District and Mobile Number on the back side of the Painting/ Drawing.

• Participating schools must collect all the paintings/drawings from their students and send it to “State Project Director, APC Cell, New Secretariat Complex, Kohima797001, Nagaland” either by hand or by post latest by 20th April 2023.

• Last date receiving: 20th April, 2023.

• Results will be declared on website by 25th April and the prize money will be credited directly to the account (the details of which will be sought through the mobile number given on the back side of the paintings/drawings of winners) latest by 30th April, 2023. State Project Director FOCUS-Nagaland DC-445/23

Image taken from video footage run Saturday, April 8, 2023 by China’s CCTV, a Chinese fighter jet performs an mid-air refueling maneuver at an unspecified location. (AP)

(L-R) Japanese nuclear envoy Funakoshi, chief S Korean nuclear negotiator, Gunn, and Sung Kim. (AP)

Test of underwater strategic weapon system held during April 4 - 7, 2023 in the waters off S Hamgyong, N Korea. (AP)

Arif Alvi

Kim Jong Un and Xi Jinping

Xi Jinping tells Kim Jong-un to bolster ‘strategic guidance’

Shah Rukh tops 2023 TIME100 reader poll

Superstar Shah Rukh Khan has topped Time magazine’s poll for its annual TIME100 list, bagging more reader votes than football ace Lionel Messi, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. According to the American publication, the “Pathaan” star got over four per cent of the 1.2 million votes cast.

In the poll, the magazine readers vote for the individuals they believe deserve a spot on TIME’s annual list of the most influential people.

Khan, 57, is currently riding high on the success of “Pathaan”, which became a runaway blockbuster at the global box office after it released in January.

The movie, a mega comeback vehicle for the superstar after his absence

Retinoids: Anti-Aging Benefits

his wife Markle came third and fourth on the poll. The Duke of Sussex made headlines in January after the release of his memoir “Spare”, in which he wrote about intimate aspects of Britain’s royal family.

Messi, who steered Argentina to World Cup glory in an epic final against France last year in Qatar, is at the fifth spot with 1.8 per cent of the vote. He won the World Cup at his record-equalling fifth attempt.

from leading man roles for more than four years, has earned over Rs 1000 crore worldwide.

The second spot went to the Iranian women protesting for greater freedoms from the country’s Islamic regime, garnering three per cent of the vote.

Iran has been hit by protests since the September 16 death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. Amini was detained in September by

Omicron more deadly than seasonal influenza: Study

Adults hospitalised with the Omicron variant have a higher death rate than those hospitalised with seasonal influenza, even though Omicron is considered less virulent with lower case fatality rates than the Delta and Alpha strains, new research has revealed.

The study by Dr Alaa Atamna and colleagues from the Rabin Medical Center at Belinison Hospital in Israel found that adults (18 years or older) hospitalised with influenza were 55 per cent less likely to die within 30 days than those hospitalised with Omicron during the 20212022 influenza season.

Influenza and Covid-19 are both respiratory diseases with similar modes of transmission.

To find out more, researchers compared the clinical outcomes of patients hospitalised with Covid-19 (Omicron variant) and those hospitalised with influenza at a large academic hospital in Israel.

Overall, 63 patients died within 30 days -- 19 admitted with influenza and 44 hospitalised with Omicron.

Patients with Omicron tended to have higher overall comorbidity scores, needed more assistance performing activities of daily living (washing and dressing), and were more likely to have high blood pressure and diabetes, whereas asthma was more common in those hospitalised with influenza.

Respiratory complications and need for oxygen support and mechanical

ventilation were also more common in Omicron cases than in seasonal influenza.

“A possible reason for the higher Omicron death rate is that patients admitted with Omicron were older with additional major underlying illnesses such as diabetes and chronic kidney disease,” said Dr Atamna.

The difference might also be due to an exaggerated immune response in Covid-19, and that vaccination against Covid-19 was far lower among patients with Omicron,” he added.

The double whammy of overlapping influenza and Covid-19 epidemics will increase the complexity of disease and the burden on health systems, said the study to be presented at this year’s European Congress of Clinical Microbiology & Infectious Diseases (ECCMID) in Copenhagen this month.

(IANS)

Iran’s morality police, who said she didn’t properly cover her hair with the mandatory Islamic headscarf hijab. She collapsed at a police station and died three days later.

The Iranian women were also recognised in TIME’s 2022 Heroes of the Year and also won last year’s Person of the Year reader poll. With 1.9 per cent vote share, Britain’s Prince Harry and

Other stars and noteworthy figures who featured on the poll included this year’s best actress Oscar winner Yeoh, former tennis player Serena Williams, Zuckerberg and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

According to the outlet, its editors will reveal their choices for the 2023 TIME100 list on April 13. (PTI)

Filmmaker James Gunn has stunned fans with a blockbuster announcement: He has no objection to a Marvel and DC universe crossover.

James -- who has bonafide credentials in both superhero comics franchises -- has revealed that an epic blend is possible after taking over as head of DC Studios alongside Peter Safran, reports ‘New York Post’.

“I’m certain that’s more likely now that I’m in charge,” Gunn, 56, told ‘Esquire’.

“Who knows? However, that’s many years away, though. I think we have to establish what we’re doing (at DC) first,” he added. “I would be lying to say that we haven’t discussed it. But all discussions have been very, very light and fun.”

On the Marvel side, Gunn has worked on projects such as the ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ franchise, ‘Doctor Strange’ and ‘Spider-Man: Homecoming’.

‘New York Post’ further states that as for the DC world, the director has lent his talents to stories such as the TV series ‘Peacemaker’, ‘The Suicide Squad’ and the upcoming ‘Superman: Legacy’.

Meanwhile, Gunn admitted in a recent profile for Rolling Stone that there is some “superhero fatigue” surrounding the superhero genre following 2019’s ‘Avengers: Endgame’.

The ‘Scooby-Doo’ screenwriter explained how it’s hard to write movies that go beyond the wild action sequences of Marvel films.

(IANS)

What Are Retinoids?

Retinoids are one of the most popular ways to help skin look younger. They come from vitamin A and have been around since the early 1970s. Retinoids were first prescribed to treat acne. Now they’re used to fight aging skin, psoriasis, and other skin conditions. They come in many forms.

How Retinoids Work

Retinoids don’t just peel away the top layer of your skin cells like an extra strong loofah. They trigger your body to make more collagen, a protein in your skin, muscles, and bones. It’s what keeps your skin elastic and firm. This means fewer wrinkles.

Natural vs. Synthetic

There are natural and synthetic retinoids. Natural retinoids come directly from vitamin A. Synthetic retinoids are man-made. Both trigger receptors in your skin. But synthetic retinoids don’t trigger as many, so they tend to be less irritating. That also means they may not work as well.

Types of Retinoids

Retinoids come in cream, gel, and liquid forms. Gels are usually stronger than creams, foams, and liquids, and are typically prescribed for acne. Creams are usually a

good choice for aging skin. Retinoids come in different strengths, including 0.025%, 0.05%, and 0.1%. Stronger formulas work better but can cause more side effects.

Retinoids for Wrinkles

Because retinoids help your skin make more collagen, they soften wrinkles and fine lines. They also stimulate new blood vessels, which can give your skin a rosy color. Retinoids also help fade age spots and smooth rough patches. Tretinoin (Retin-A) is a popular prescription choice for aging skin.

Prescription or Overthe-Counter?

You can buy some retinoids, like adapalene (Differin), at the store. But you need a prescription for stronger ones like tretinoin (Retin-A). You can also get retinols at the store, which your body then changes to retinoids. They’re not as strong, so they’re less likely to make your skin red or itchy. And they take longer to work.

How to Use Retinoids

At night, put a small amount (about the size of a pea) on your entire face and rub it in. Using more than that can cause itching, redness, or drying.

Don’t Wear Them

During the Day

Retinoids break down in the sun. That’s why you should put them on at night before you go to bed. They don’t raise your risk of getting sunburn. But it’s smart to always use sunscreen -- whether you’re using retinoids or not.

Side Effects

It’s normal for retinoids to cause dry skin, redness, itching, or flaking. But that usually goes away after a while. Your doctor might tell you to use them every other night or just once a week at first until you can use them every night. If you keep having problems, stop and talk to your doctor.

Are Retinoids Safe?

Other than possible short-term side effects, retinoids are safe for most people. But retinoids haven’t been tested on pregnant women. So you should not use them during your pregnancy or while you breastfeed.

It Takes Time

Don’t expect quick results when you start using retinoids. It can take 3 months before you see changes in your wrinkles or fine lines. The best results can take as long as 6 months to a year. It’s important to be patient. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions.

Reviewed by Stephanie S. Gardner, MD

We, the Mopungchuket Senso Telongjem Dimapur, Ao Temolungtsür Telongjem Dimapur and Mopungchuket Ait Laishir Telongjem Dimapur take immense pride and honor to congratulate Ms. Naroti Jamir, daughter of Mr. Imlisashi Jamir and Mrs. Imsutola Ozukum for successfully completing her Ph.D on the thesis “A Comparative Morphosyntax of Chungli and Mongsen” from North-Eastern Hill University, Shillong Meghalaya. She is currently serving as a Research Associate at State Council of Educational Research and Training, Kohima, Nagaland. We wish her good health and success in all her future endeavors.

DP-1515/23(B)

Alobo Naga won the Best Rock Artist at the Radio Freedom Awards 2023.

James Gunn hints at Marvel and DC crossover

Man Utd beat Everton 2-0; moves into third spot

Dyche’s Everton, who is battling to avoid relegation, leaves it in 16th spot, outside the drop zone only on goal difference and level on 27 points with Nottingham Forest in 17th place and Bournemouth who is 18th.

India rout Kyrgyz; enter AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifiers Round 2

BISHKEK, APR 8 (PTI):

Scott McTominay of Manchester United controls the ball during the match against Everton FC.

OLD TRAFFORD,

APR

8 (AGENCIES): Manches-

ter United’s Scott McTominay and Anthony Martial secured a well-earned 2-0 victory over Everton as the hosts climbed above Newcastle United into provisional third spot in the Premier League on Saturday, reports Sportsstar.

Erik ten Hag’s United team is in the thick of the race to finish in the top four, with 56 points from 29 games, three ahead of Newcastle, who has a game in hand, and six more than Tottenham Hotspur, with those sides playing later on Saturday.

The defeat for Sean

United pressed goalkeeper Jordan Pickford into duty early at a sundrenched Old Trafford and set up camp in Everton’s half for most of the game. The Reds were finally rewarded in the 36th minute when Bruno Fernandes threaded a pass to the charging McTominay who netted from close range.

Marcus Rashford, who had numerous chances on his 350th appearance for United in all competitions, set up Martial’s goal in the 71st with a cross that found the second-half substitute alone in the box to score.

The Indian women’s team registered their second successive win, defeating hosts Kyrgyz Republic 4-0 at the Dolen Omurzakov Stadium to seal qualification for Round 2 of the 2024 AFC Women’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament. Having defeated the hosts 5-0 in their first match earlier this week, India exerted their dominance over the Kyrgyz Republic once again, with Sandhiya Ranganathan netting a brace, and Anju Tamang and substitute Renu scoring a goal each on Friday. The Blue Tigresses got off to a good start, and it did not take them long to get the lead as Sandhiya scored in the 18th minute, beating two defenders before tucking her shot past the rival goalkeeper. A few minutes later, India suffered a setback when Karthika Angamuthu was sent off for an off-the-ball challenge on Kyrgyz captain Aizhan Boronbekova. However, that did not

Candreva’s late equaliser stuns Inter Milan

ROME, APRIL 8 (IANS):

Inter Milan’s long-awaited victory was ruined by Antonio Candreva as the exInter player’s stunner in the dying minutes helped Salernitana draw the Nerazzurri 1-1 in Serie A.

Inter conceded three consecutive league defeats before Friday’s game and were winless in their previous five fixtures, reports Xinhua. The away side broke the deadlock in the opening minutes when a long ball nodded by Romelu Lukaku went into the path of Robin Gosens, who hit in a first-time volley.

Candreva’s fortuitous strike from the right flank moved Salernitana 10 points above the relegation zone.

Inter were utterly dominant but wasteful for the rest of the game, as Nicolo Barella and Lu-

Jayasuriya’s mantra: remain fit to make best use of short career

SRINAGAR, APR 8 (PTI):

Sri Lanka cricket legend Sanath Jayasuria on Saturday dismissed suggestions that too much cricket was leading to burnout saying the playing period at the top level was short and players should make optimum use of it. “That is an individual opinion and I would not like to comment on it. The period of players’ careers is short and they have to make best use of this time,” Jayasuria told reporters here. The ‘Player of the Tournament’ in 1996 World Cup feels that fitness is paramount as the best years will allow an individual to ply his trade in various T20 leagues, which is fast changing the priority for a section of cricketers.

“You cannot say ‘No’ to these things. At the end, the player has to decide how much his body can take,” he said. Jayasuriya was noncommittal on most issues

Sanath Jayasuria

during his interaction with media. “It is too early to name three contenders. All the teams are playing good cricket right now,” Jayarusia replied when asked about favourites for the World Cup. Asked about chances of Sri Lanka, which has to play the qualifiers, going through to the main World Cup event, he said “we have to qualify first and I am confident.” Jayasuria threw his weight behind the T20 leagues around the world saying some good players have come to limelight from the instant form of cricket.

kaku saw their attempts rattle the woodwork, while Salernitana punished them before the whistle

when Candreva’s seeming cross from the right flank looped over Andre Onana. Inter remain fourth but could fall out of the Champions League zone after this weekend. AC Milan were stalled by Empoli to a goalless tie. Despite their 70 percent ball-possession, the Rossoneri couldn’t find the net. Olivier Giroud thought he had scored the last-gasp winner in the stoppage time but it was canceled out due to a handball. Also on Friday, leaders Napoli beat Lecce 2-1 thanks to Giovanni Di Lorenzo’s header and an own goal from the opposites.

deter their resolve as Anju Tamang slammed it home on a half-volley, to double India’s lead in the 24th minute. Thomas Dennerby, looking to strengthen the middle of the park after the red card, brought on midfielder Sangita Basfore in place of winger Soumya Guguloth, just a minute

after the goal.

Anju and Sandhiya kept leading a flurry of attacks for India, coming close to scoring on a couple of occasions, but the score remained 2-0 as the teams headed inside for the breather.

India picked up where they had left off in the sec-

ond half, and Sandhiya soon scored her second of the night. Midfielder Indumathi Kathiresan surged upfront on the left and sent in a low cross that Sandhiya blasted into the top corner, to make it 3-0 in India’s favour. Kyrgyz Republic, enjoying the one-player advantage, were looking to stretch

the Indian defence wide, a move Dennerby soon countered by bringing on speedy full-back Ranjana Chanu in place of Manisa Panna.

Another host of changes were introduced by Dennerby with 10 minutes of regulation time left, as Renu, Michel Castanha, and Dangmei Grace replaced Indumathi, Sangita, and Sandhiya.

That substitution made an instant impact as Renu headed in a corner by Dalima Chhibber, looping it over the opposition goalkeeper’s head, to make it 4-0.

Grace looked lively on the left flank after being brought on, and made a couple of penetrating runs. On the first occasion, she cut inside from the left, tucked past two defenders, before running into a cul-de-sac. The second time, she was played in behind the Kyrgyz defence on the left flank, and looked to cut back from the goal line, but her cross lacked pace and petered out of play.

Argentine Tigre fans mistakenly stone their team bus

SAO PAOLA, APR 8

(AGENCIES): Argentine fans mistakenly stoned their team Club Atletico Tigre’s bus while it was en route to play Brazil’s Sao Paulo in a Copa Sudamericana group match on Thursday, reports Sportsstar With a history of bad blood between the teams following the controversial final of the 2012 tournament, there was a heavy police presence for the showdown, in which Sao Paulo won 2-0.

Tigre midfielder Agustin Cardozo flagged up the

BENGALURU, APR 8

(PTI): Hockey India is organising a 35-day senior women’s national camp here from Sunday to fine tune the “structure” and “tactics” of its core group ahead of the tour of Australia in May.

The women’s team chief coach Janneke Schopman said the camp, from April 9 to May 13 for 33 probables, followed by the series against Australia should give her a fair idea where the team stands against the top hockeyplaying countries.

“After the last camp, in which we were able to establish our baseline for the needed physical output and addressed individual improvements, we’re looking to improve our team structure and tactics,” said Schopman in a Hockey India statement on Saturday.

“Playing Australia in

Australia at the end of this camp will help us assess where we are compared to the top of women’s hockey,” she added.

Core probables group:

Goalkeepers: Savita, Rajani Etimarpu, Bichu Devi Kharibam, Bansari Solanki. Defenders: Deep Grace Ekka, Gurjit Kaur, Nikki Pradhan, Udita, Ishika Chaudhary, Akshata Abaso Dhekale, Jyoti Chhatri, Mahima Chaudhary.

Midfielders: Nisha, Salima Tete, Sushila Chanu Pukhrambam, Jyoti, Navjot Kaur, Monika, Mariana Kujur, Sonika, Neha, Baljeet Kaur, Reena Khokhar, Vaishnavi Phalke, Ajmina Kujur.

Forwards: Lalremsiami, Navneet Kaur, Vandana Katariya, Sharmila Devi, Deepika, Sangita Kumari, Mumtaz Khan, Sunelita Toppo.

Erler-Miedler advance to Marrakech final

NEW DELHI, APRIL 8

(IANS): Austrians Alexander Erler and Lucas Miedler are a perfect 3-0 in ATP Tour finals, with titles in Kitzbuhel in 2021, Vienna in 2022 and Acapulco earlier this season.

After their Friday semifinal victory at the Grand Prix Hassan II, they will bid to extend their streak in the Marrakech final, reports ATP.

The third seeds defeated fifth seeds Maxime Cressy and Albano Olivetti 6-2, 7-6(1) to advance to the title match at the ATP 250, surviving 11 aces from their opponents and earning the victory without facing a break point. Erler and Miedler will find out their final opponents on Saturday, when Marcelo Demoliner and Andrea Vavassori meet N Sriram Balaji and Jeevan Nedunchezhiyan in the second semi-final. Demoliner and Vavassori booked

Alexander Erler and Lucas Miedler.

their semi-final spot on Friday with a 7-6(10), 6-3 win against Sander Arends and Aisam-Ul-Haq Qureshi.

Nuno Borges and Francisco Cabral are the only all-Portuguese pairing in the Millennium Estoril Open doubles draw, and the home favourites continue

to make the most of their opportunity. In the lone doubles match played on Friday at the ATP 250, the defending champions beat Robin Haase and Philipp Oswald 6-3, 7-6(4) to advance to the last four. Their semi-final opponents will be fourth-seeded

Belgians Sander Gille and Joran Vliegen, with that match set for the Estoril stadium court on Saturday. Third seeds Gonzalo Escobar and Fabien Reboul will take on Serbians Nikola Cacic and Miomir Kecmanovic in Saturday’s second semi-final.

A smashed window of the team bus.

incident on Instagram, uploading a photo of a stone in his hands with a broken window in the background and the caption “it’s us”. Although he later de-

leted the post, Argentine media outlet TyC captured video footage of the damage to the vehicle. In 2012 final, Sao Paulo was leading 2-0 and was awarded the win

after the referee called off the match in the second half due to Tigre players refusing to come out onto the pitch. Former coach Nestor Gorosito was among those who said the Argentine team decided not to play the second half because, during halftime, security at the Morumbi stadium in Brazil assaulted them with blows, sticks and even threatened them with guns. No investigation nor suspension was carried out after the match. Sao Paulo will face Tigre at home on June 27 in their final Group D tie.

Indian women football team celebrate their win over Kyrgyz Republic.

Women’s hockey camp ahead of Australia tour set to begin

Eight Nagaland Street Fitness in Chumoukedima

Staff Reporter

DIMAPUR, APRIL 8

(NPN): The 8th edition of the Nagaland Street Fitness was held at CT square mall, Chumoükedima here on Saturday. Speaking to reporters, one of the organizers, Yanpvuo Kikon said this year’s edition witnessed over hundred people at the one-day event. He said the event was all about inspiring a stronger and

fitter Nagaland where fitness enthusiasts and those from the fitness community from across the state come together to promoting each other. Kikon hoped to continue inspiring and motivating the youth of Nagaland to live a healthy lifestyle through the event and encouraged the younger generation to stay fit and strong. He stated that the organizers don’t seek for

Takuma beats Liborio to claim WBA bantamweight title

financial support from the Government for such events, however they are sponsored by local entrepreneur. He thanked the CT square mall, Match Point, New Cake Square, Hance Opticals, Fear Fit Fitness Gym and Bodycraft Urban for sponsoring the 8th edition of Nagaland street fitness. He further appealed to well-wishers to support them so that they would organize more of such events across all districts to promote fitness.

The event competitions included arm wrestling, cross-fit, best physique and tug of war. In the men’s arm wrestling competition, Vethozo Lohe emerged winner of both right hand and left hand categories, while Kuvumerü emerged runners- up in left hand and Abhishek Pradhan in the right hand category.

Kinayala bags bronze in Taekwondo championship

DIMAPUR, APR 8 ( AGENCIES): 12 year old

Kinayala Aier became the first girl from Nagaland to win a bronze medal in Poomsae category at the recently concluded 5th National Cadet Kyorugi & Poomsae Taekwondo championship held at Kota in Rajasthan.

Dimapur District

Taekwondo Association, DDTA organised a felicitation programme to honour the bronze medallist for her achievement on Friday.

Vilasier Khate and Fardeen Mohammad won the Men’s Doubles title at the recently concluded AITA 1L Bhubaneswar. Vilasier and Fardeen won 6-4, 6-1 against Arun Nava and Deep Munin in the finals.

DDTA, general secretary T M Chowdhury congratulated Kinayala Aier, a student of Christian Higher Secondary School, Dimapur for bringing laurels for the state adding that she is the first girl from Nagaland to win a medal in Poomsae category at the national championship held at Kota. This achievement will be an inspiration for the

WBC: Shiva, Deepak to lead Indian team

NEW DELHI, APR 8 (PTI): Six-time Asian Championships medallist

Shiva Thapa and 2019 Asian Championships silver medallist Deepak Bhoria will headline the Indian squad for the upcoming men’s World Boxing Championships to be held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from April 30 to May 14.

Federation of India (BFI) in a release.

medal tally.

Kinayala Aier

young upcoming players from the state to follow her footsteps so as to win more medals in future, he added.

He also thanked the Nagaland Taekwondo Association for providing all logistic support to uplift

the sports activity in various fields.

Altogether 8 players including two females from Nagaland participated in the competition where the team won four bronze medals.

Priyanshu Rajawat cruises to Orleans Masters final

VENEZUELA, APR 8 (AGENCIES): Japan’s Takuma Inoue claimed the vacant WBA bantamweight title with victory over Venezuela’s Liborio Solis. Inoue overcame a stray elbow that left him with a deep cut above his eye in the fifth round to win by unanimous decision in Tokyo.

The 27-year-old, who previously held the WBC interim bantamweight title from 2018 to 2019, improves his record to 18-1, including four knockouts. His older brother Naoya vacated the belt this year. “This is the belt that my brother used to have and it was the first one that he won, so I’m relieved to win it,” said

Inoue, who was watched by his brother at ringside. “My brother held all four belts and I want to say that my challenge is now for me to do the same - I want to become the undisputed champion.” Naoya Inoue became the first undisputed bantamweight world champion since Panama’s Enrique Pinder in 1972 when he beat England’s Paul Butler in December.

The 29-year-old, who has a 24-0 record with 21 knockouts, gave up all four belts the following month to move up to the superbantamweight division. He is set to take on WBC and WBO champion Stephen Fulton of the United States in Tokyo in July.

Shiva, who won a World Championships bronze in Doha in 2015, will be looking to add another medal to his name. He will be representing the country in the 63.5kg category.

Deepak, who has been one of the most improved boxers in recent times, will be carrying the country’s hopes in the 51kg flyweight category.

He announced his arrival on the global stage in 2021 when he defeated the 2016 Rio Olympics gold medallist and 2019 world champion Shakhobidin Zoirov of Uzbekistan at the Strandja Memorial tournament.

“Men’s team has been working extremely hard and I wish them all the best. I am confident each one of them will make the country proud,” said Ajay Singh, president, Boxing

“We had recently witnessed the Indian women boxers giving one of the best medal haul of all time at the Delhi World Championship, and I hope our boys will make us proud once again at the IBA men’s World Boxing Championships.”

The Indian team will leave for Tashkent on April 17 as they will attend a multi-nation training camp before the World Championships.

The Championships will also feature seven defending world champions including Sofiane Oumiha from France, Japan’s Tomoya Tsuboi and Sewonrets Okazawa, Loren Alfonso from Azerbaijan, Saken Bibossinov from Kazakhstan and Cuba’s Yoenlis Hernandez Martinez and Julio La Cruz.

The Indian team will also have experienced campaigner and 2022 Asian

Championships bronze medallist Mohammad Hussamuddin. He will box in the highly competitive 57kg category at the showpiece event.

The Tashkent championships have already seen a registration of around 640 boxers from 104 countries.

Tokyo Olympian and 2019 Asian Championships silver medallist Ashish Chaudhary will also be representing the country at the event for the second time and would be keen to add another major medal to his name.

Govind Sahani, who recently won silver at the Strandja memorial boxing tournament, will be showcasing his skills in the 48kg category.

Meanwhile, 2021 World Youth champion Sachin Siwach will be representing India in the 54kg bantamweight category. He will be eager to continue his impressive form to add to his

Young pugilists Varinder Singh (60kg), Akash Sangwan (67kg), Nishant Dev (71kg) and Sumit Kundu (75kg), who had won the gold medal at the National Championships earlier this year, will be donning the Indian jersey in their respective categories.

The quartet had represented the country at the 2021 World Championships and will be looking to use the experience to be among the medal winners this time.

Harsh Choudhary, who hails from Rajasthan, will be making his debut at the World Championships in the 86kg category, while National champions Naveen Kumar and Narender Berwal will be seen competing in the 92kg and 92+kg categories respectively.

The gold medallists will walk away with a prize money of $200,000. The silver medallists are to be given $100,000, and both bronzemedallists will be awarded $50,000 each.

In the seven Olympic weight categories -- 51kg, 57kg, 63.5kg, 71kg, 80kg, 92kg and 92+kg --, two boxers each will participate in the training camp.

ORLEANS, APR 8 (PTI):

India’s Priyanshu Rajawat stormed into the finals of the Orleans Masters Super 300 badminton tournament with a straight game demolition of Ireland’s Nhat Nguyen in the semifinals here on Saturday. The 21-year-old, who was part of the India team that won the 2022 Thomas Cup, dished out an attacking game to outplay the world number 35 Nguyen 21-12 21-9 in a lop-sided men’s singles semifinals to progress to his maiden final of a super 300 world tour event. He will face either Denmark’s Magnus Johannesen or China’s Lei Lan Xi in the summit clash. Rajawat was sharp at the net and precise in his returns. He exploited his opponent’s forehand and

the Indian’s flat drives and cross court flicks troubled Nguyen, who committed many errors. After an initial fight, Rajawat moved into the mid-game break with a 11-9 lead. However, after resumption, he dominated the rallies to swiftly move to 17-11. In the end, another steep return from the Indian ended in his opponent hitting out as Rajawat grabbed 10 game points and sealed it with another over-thehead precise return on his opponent’s forehand. After the change of sides, Rajawat started on the same note as the Irish huffed and puffed across the court. The Indian produced some powerful smash from deep into the court to keep marching ahead.

IPL : RR crush DC by 57 runs; CSK thrash MI by 7 wickets

GUWAHATI, APRIL 8

(IANS): The first over in both innings of the Rajasthan Royals-Delhi Capitals clash in IPL 2023 at the Barsapara Cricket Ground on Saturday literally made the difference between the two teams apparent.

Yashasvi Jaiswal showed his full range of shots by hitting Khaleel Ahmed for five fours to be 20/0 in the opening over.

With the ball, Trent Boult took out impact player Prithvi Shaw and Manish Pandey on back-to-back balls to leave Delhi at 0/2 in their opening over.

That set the tone for Rajasthan’s 57-run victory over Delhi and propelled them to go on top of the ten-team points table.

Openers Yashasvi Jaiswal and Jos Buttler smashed half-centuries in a rollicking 98-run opening partnership, including slamming 14 boundaries in the first six overs.

Though DC clawed back with three quick wickets in the middle overs, Shimron Hetmyer provided for the finishing touch with 38 not out to propel Rajasthan to 199/4. In reply, Boult and Yuzvendra Chahal picked 3/29 and 3/27 respectively to restrict Delhi to 142/9 in 20 overs.

Captain David Warner’s 65 off 55 balls was

the lone bright spot in a dull batting show as Delhi crashed to their third consecutive defeat of the tournament.

Jaiswal began the onslaught with five fours off Khaleel -- a pull over midwicket was followed by a cut through deep third man (and aided by a misfield). He then drove through extra cover, chipped over long-on, and steered over short third man to push Delhi on backfoot straight away.

Buttler joined the boundary-hitting party by taking three boundaries off Anrich Nortje in the second over. He had a life on 18 when Nortje went running from mid-on and covered great ground, but couldn’t hold on to the catch as Rajasthan brought up their fifty in just four

overs.

Jaiswal continued to be exquisite in his strokeplay, taking three boundaries off Axar Patel through a switch-hit, cut and sweep. He continued to take runs off the left-arm spinner, cutting through the off-side and followed it up with a gentle flick between deep mid-wicket and long-on to reach his fifty in 25 balls.

While Buttler took two boundaries off Kuldeep Yadav in the eighth over, Jaiswal cracked the first six of the match by launching him high over long-off. The partnership came to an end when Jaiswal went for a crossbat shot off a bouncer from Mukesh Kumar, but gave a top-edge for the bowler to complete a simple caught and bowled dismissal. Delhi bounced back

as Sanju Samson fell for a four-ball duck, holing out to long-on off Kuldeep, while Riyan Parag, playing in his 50th IPL game, completely missed a slower delivery from Rovman Powell to see his stumps in disarray. But Buttler marched forward to get his fifty in 31 balls by pulling Axar over cow corner for six. He then broke a spell of 20 boundary-less balls with backto-back fours off Mukesh. Hetmyer began giving finishing touches with loft and drive off Powell for six and four respectively.

Buttler used Nortje’s pace to lap over long leg, before hitting him down the ground to make it two fours off the 18th over. His knock came to an end in the next over when Mukesh took a return catch on rebound after a juggle. After Dhruv Jurel whipped Mukesh over mid-wicket for six, Hetmyer smashed Nortje for sixes over midwicket and long-off to take Rajasthan to one short of 200. Boult then gave Rajasthan a cracking start as Shaw was caught behind with flying in front of first slip to snap one with his right mitts. On the very next ball, Pandey was trapped lbw by a fuller delivery angled in. The batter went for a review, but went

in vain as replays showed the ball crashing into legstump.

Warner hammered four boundaries off pacers and Ravichandran Ashwin, with Rilee Rossouw getting a brace of fours through the off-side against the fast bowlers. Rajasthan had another wicket in the power-play when Rossouw’s reverse swept the ball but found a fielder at cover off Ashwin.

Warner and Lalit Yadav tried to steady the ship for Delhi, with the latter being the more aggressive of the two with reversesweeps off Chahal while slicing, pulling and lofting off the fast bowlers. The 64-run stand came to an end when Yadav was castled by Boult in the 13th over.

Brief Scores: Rajasthan Royals 199/4 in 20 overs (Jos Buttler 79, Yas-

hasvi Jaiswal 60; Mukesh Kumar 2/36, Rovman Powell 1/18) beat Delhi Capitals 142/9 in 20 overs (David Warner 65, Lalit Yadav 38; Yuzvendra Chahal 3/27, Trent Boult 3/29) by 57 runs IPL 2: Rahane blitz helps CSK thrash MI

Seasoned batter

Ajinkya Rahane made the most of the opportunity that came his way as he blasted a 27-ball 61 as Chennai Super Kings thrashed Mumbai Indians by seven wickets in Match 12 of Indian Premier League (IPL) 2023 at the Wankhede Stadium, here on Saturday.

Rahane, who was roped in by CSK for his base price of Rs 50 lakh, came into the side as England Test captain Ben Stokes pulled out with an injury. He was surprised by his skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who sent him up the order after Devon Conway was out for zero in the first over. He blasted the fastest half-century of IPL 2023 off 19 deliveries and put CSK on road to victory in their chase of a modest target of 158. Ruturaj Gaikwad played a patient knock of 40 not out, batting through the innings while Rahane went for his shots, scoring 61 off 27 deliveries

as CSK reached 159/3 in 18.1 overs after their bowlers had done a brilliant job to restrict Mumbai Indians to 157/8 in their 20 overs after Dhoni had won the toss and asked Mumbai Indians to bat first.

In their chase of a modest target, Chennai Super Kings suffered an early setback when opener Devon Conway fell for a duck, bowled inside edging onto his stumps as he pushed at a back-of-length delivery from Jason Behrendorff, the Aussie pacer claiming the New Zealand batter off the fourth delivery of his first over. Dhoni pulled a rabbit out of his hat as he sent Rahane to bat and the India Test stalwart did not disappoint his skipper. He launched Behrendorff over the rope with a superb pull shot as the Aussie pacer erred in length and then meted out the same treatment to Arshad Khan, who went down the leg side with a full-length delivery.

The 34-year-old Rahane feasted on Arshad Khan’s bowling in the fourth over. After hitting the six, he cut a wide one through point, tapped the next delivery to the boundary past the third man and then scorched another cut shot past cover for three successive fours off Arshad Khan.

Deepak Bhoria Shiva Thapa

Tug- of- war competition at CT square.

Priyanshu Rajawat

Ajinkya Rahane reached 50 off 19 balls

Rajasthan Royals batter Jos Buttler celebrates after scoring a half century. (PTI )