16 Jan 2023

Nagaland Post

FOLLOW US ON

68 dead, 4 missing after plane crashes in Nepal

POKHARA, JAN 15 (AGENCIES): At least 68 people were confirmed dead after a Yeti Airlines ATR 72 aircraft carrying 72 on board – including five Indians –crashed in Nepal’s Pokhara at around 11 am on Sunday, Reuters reported.

Reports said the aircraft, with 68 passengers and four crew on board, crashed a few kilometres from its destination about 20 minutes after it took off from Kathmandu for Pokhara. Rescue operations were on as visuals on social media showed smoke billowing from the crash site.

According to a Yeti Airlines official, the five Indians have been identified as Abhisekh Kushwaha, Bishal Sharma, Anil Kumar Rajbhar, Sonu Jaiswal and Sanjaya Jaiswal, PTI reported.

15 Oppn parties red-flag RVMs

NEW DELHI, JAN 15

(AGENCIES): Leaders of about 15 Opposition parties on Sunday collectively opposed the Election Commission of India’s proposal for remote electronic voting machines (RVMs) for migrant workers by arguing that the poll watchdog not only failed to bring out any clarity on both the definition and size of migrant workers but also failed to credibly address and respond to many pending complaints/ memoranda questioning the trustworthiness of the electronic voting machines (EVMs).

After red-flagging the RVM proposal right on the eve of the EC-hosted meeting Monday, these Opposition parties

The condition of the Indian passengers is unknown.

Meanwhile, Nepal government formed a fivemember commission of inquiry to probe the crash. The announcement came as Prime Minister PK Dahal ‘Prachanda’ called an emergency meeting of the Council of Ministers following the crash. It has also declared a one-day national mourning on Monday in wake of the aircraft crash, ANI reported.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal stated that the aircraft took off from Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport at 10.33 am and crashed on the bank of the Seti River near the airport in Pokhara.

Mishandling, malfunctioning of an aircraft system or pilot fatigue could be among the factors that

caused the deadly plane crash, according to pilots and an aircraft accident investigation expert. They also said the exact reasons that led to the accident will be known only after a detailed investigation.

Modi condoles: Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed grief and offered condolences after 68 people, including five Indians, were killed in a tragic plane crash in Nepal.“Pained by the tragic air crash in Nepal in which precious lives have been lost, including Indian nationals. In this hour of grief, my thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved families,” Modi tweeted.

External Affairs minister S Jaishankar, Civil Aviation minister Jyotiraditya Scindia and others expressed grief over the incident.

Entire India to be covered under DWR network by 2025

NEW DELHI, JAN 15 (AGENCIES): Seeking to further strengthen its weather forecast system and expand its network of meteorological services, the country’s national weather forecaster - India Meteorological Department (IMD)- on Sunday announced to cover the entire country under sophisticated radar network by deploying 25 additional Doppler Weather Radars (DWRs) and establish 720 District Agro Meteorological Units to provide more precise farm-related advisories and forecasts to farmers by 2025, a TOI report stated.

IMD also decided to increase its agro-meteorological service facilities from 3,100 blocks in 2023 to 7,000 blocks in 2025, and bring Delhi, Kolkata and Guwahati under its urban flood warning system in coming years.

(Read more on p-7)

Finalization of BJP-NDPP seat sharing on Jan 19

Staff Reporter/Agencies

GUWAHATI/DIMAPUR, JAN 15 (NPN): Assam chief minister and North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA) convenor Himanta Biswa Sarma on Sunday said the BJP central leadership would be finalising the 40 (NDPP):20 (BJP) seat sharing arrangement by January 19.

Accordign to reports, Sarma acknowledged that there were some issues to be cleared with regard to the NDPP-BJP seat sharing agreement, but stated that it would be finalised by BJP central leadership.

BJP party sources informed Nagaland Post that State BJP president and minister Temjen Imna Along had left for New Delhi on Saturday to attend the BJP’s two-day crucial national executive meeting and also likely to attend the meeting of the party to finalise the seat sharing arrangement. Sources said the BJP was

also likely to decide on the Assembly constituencies where it would be putting up candidates.

Leaving aside a few Assembly constituencies currently held by BJP, the party high command would take a final call on the constituencies it would be fielding candidates. “It is very clear that both NDPP-BJP will go as per the 40:20 seat

Therie on EC’s poll announcement

DIMAPUR, JAN 15 (NPN):

Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) president K Therie said Election Commission of India’s (ECI) announcement to hold Assembly election as mandated by the constitution had conveyed the fact that the people’s demand for implementation of the agreed solutions had been “denied”.

Therie said the matter now lay with the Centre. He assured that Congress’ priority was implementation of agreed solutions, for which there was no opposition. He stated that if the BJP government did not implement, it was nothing more than a lying party. ECI’s announcement to hold polls before the term of the current Assembly expired had left the people with few days at hand. As CBSE ex-

meeting

Staff Reporter

DIMAPUR, JAN 14

(NPN): The recent meeting (from January 12-14) between Eastern Nagaland People’s Organisation (ENPO) delegation and the three-member committee constituted by the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in Guwahati remained inconclusive.

This was the second meeting held in Guwahati this month. Another round of meeting is likely to be held soon, sources said.

Sources said that a 32-member ENPO delegation, including talk team members, held series of

meetings over a period of three days (Thursday till Saturday) with MHA committee members headed by advisor (North East) AK Mishra.

During the meeting, the ENPO delegation apprised the Central team of the ‘talking points’ discussed during the January 8 meeting at DUDA guest house Sovima, attended by over 100 members including leaders of tribal bodies, legislators under Eastern Nagaland Legislators’ Union and Rajya Sabha MP.

It may be mentioned the MHA team during the January 5 meeting pre -

aminations were scheduled from February 15, there were 30 days at hand if the election was to be held before February 15, he said.

He stated that elections were usually announced 45 days ahead in the past to enable people to prepare their mind for the future five year. But he lamented that even this opportunity had now been hijacked and claimed that people were now in suspense as to whether it would be President’s Rule or election.

Meanwhile, Therie said chief minister Neiphiu Rio’s expression of willingness to pave the way had been a mirage all along and asked who was preventing him from paving the way. He mentioned that the people had been running after this mirage for the last 20 years.

‘inconclusive’

sented the ‘blueprint’ in a bid to settle the demand for creation of a separate ‘Frontier Nagaland’ state. Even as the Central team had categorically ruled out bifurcating a small state like Nagaland on several grounds, it had asked the ENPO delegation to table the ‘blueprint’ and hold an open discussion with the community leaders to arrive at a consensus decision.

Accordingly, ENPO held a meeting (DUDA Guest house) and submitted its ‘talking points’ to the Central team, reaffirming its stand for ‘Frontier Nagaland’ State.

Though the contents of the blueprint have not been made public, sources said that the recommendations made by the Centre was more or less on similar lines but not separate State.

There have been speculations that Centre was ready to create an autonomous council under 6th Schedule of the Constitution, which will include a legislative council formed with elected representatives, and also manage and control funds provided directly from the Centre. It was also speculated that a mini-secretariat would be created and established at Eastern Nagaland.

agreement. However, we have already carried out our assessments in some constituencies where BJP has high chances of winning. There will be re-alignment in Assembly constituencies where BJP will be contesting,” party sources disclosed.

Meanwhile, it has been learnt that the State BJP, as directed by the Central leadership, had listed out names

of some probable candidates and would be submitting their names to the central election committee.

A senior BJP functionary also informed Nagaland Post that during the recent visit of Union Home minister Amit Shah to Dimapur, the latter had categorically told party leaders that the 40:20 seat sharing arrangement between NDPP and BJP had been agreed and finalised and that nothing would be changed. Shah had also told the party leaders that the final decision of awarding party tickets would be made by the central election committee after thorough analysis.

Meanwhile, sources said that chief minister Neiphiu Rio held a meeting with Sarma and BJP national spokesperson (in-charge of Nagaland) Nalin Kohli in Guwahati on January 12 and discussed about the forthcoming Assembly election and the seat sharing strategy between the two parties.

DG Health Services in Nagaland

DIMAPUR, JAN 15 (NPN): Director General of Health Services (DGHS) and National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) director Prof Atul Goel and NCDC joint director Dr Shikha Vardhan arrived here on Sunday to take stock of the progress of NCDC branch building in Dimapur.

This is the maiden visit of the DGHS to the State, Dr. Nyan Kikon, SNO, IDSP stated in a press note. The DGHS also visited BSL2 Laboratory in CIHSR, Urban Primary Health Centre

Governor extend Tsungkamneo festival greetings

DIMAPUR, JAN 15 (NPN): Nagaland Governor Prof. Jagdish Mukhi on Sunday extending Tsungkamneo greetings to the people of Nagaland specially to the Yimkhuing brothers and sisters.

In his greetings, Mukhi said the festival upholds significant traits such as unity, forgiveness, peace and friendship. “It is a celebration of love and peace among neighbouring villages and a manifestation of reconciliation of disputes,” he said and wished all a safe and a joyous festival.

Bellwether polls in 4 states critical for NE leaders eyeing 2024 gains

AGARTALA, JAN 15

(IANS): The assembly polls in four North Eastern states-Tripura, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Mizoram -- in 2023 are expected to predict the electoral fortunes of the BJP, Congress and other parties in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls in the mountainous region.

Though the assembly polls and Lok Sabha elections are fought on different issues and a dissimilar political backdrop, the assembly polls in the four NE states with six Lok Sabha seats would give a clear political signal about the outcome of the parliamentary polls.

The ruling BJP is the dominant party in the al -

liance government in Tripura while the saffron party led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partners -- Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), Mizo National Front (MNF) and National People’s Party (NPP) lead governments in Nagaland, Mizoram and Meghalaya respectively.

The BJP’s 12 MLAs and two legislators are in the governments of Nagaland and Meghalaya respectively. Since 1952, the North Eastern states had been a stronghold of the Congress but over the years the party lost its organisational base leading to the emergence of the BJP and several regional parties.

Political commentator Satyabrata Chakraborti said that the regional parties had emerged highlighting the local and regional issues. Due to a lack of proactive leaders and central leaders’ inactivity, the Congress gradually lost ground to the BJP and the regional parties.

“The Congress could not succeed in effectively dealing with the insurgency, unemployment, connectivity, infrastructure development and solution of the diverse ethnic issues. The party failed to exploit even whatever good steps were taken by the Congress governments including setting up of tribal autonomous

councils in several northeastern states,” he told IANS.

Chakraborti said that there is no sign that the grand old party would revive its position in the region with a multiplicity of around 400 tribes and diverse religions.

“Congress’ double engine (party governments both at the Centre and the states) was very weak or ineffective compared to the BJP’s double engine. The fall of the UPA government and the emergence of the NDA government at the Centre pushed the Congress to a defensive position,” the analyst said. Political pundits predicted

that if the Congress performed poorly in the assembly elections in the four states the party would likely face further erosion and fare poorly in next year’s parliamentary polls.

Of the 25 Lok Sabha seats in the eight northeastern states, the BJP has 14 seats followed by the Congress with four and the All India United Democratic Front (AIUDF in Assam), Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP in Nagaland), Mizo National Front (MNF in Mizoram), National People’s Party (NPP in Meghalaya), NPF in Manipur and Sikkim

in Burma Camp and Dimapur District Hospital and interacted with staff of the units, especially with regard to service delivery and challenges, including areas and gaps that could be filled up,

Naga youth to receive skill training under PMKVY

DIMAPUR, JAN 15 (NPN): To boost skilling efforts, 35,000 youth of Nagaland would be trained under Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) 4.0 in the next 12 months as a part of Skill India Mission.

This was announced by Union Minister of State for Skill Development & Entrepreneurship and Electronics & IT Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

Under the programme, courses and skill training efforts focusing on futureready skills with industrybacked job opportunities ranging from artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, electronics and IT/ITES to mobile repairing, vehicle maintenance, agriculture & allied sectors, etc, would be introduced for the youth.

“Hon’ble PM Narendra Modi is building New India with re-imagined ambitions and aspirations for young Indians. There are multiple opportunities available today and therefore skills become important to take advantage of these opportunities. Skills are the new passport to prosperity,” he stated. He stressed that in line with Modi’s vision of “Sabka Saath Sabka Vikas”, the next wave of start-ups and entrepreneurs must come from Kohima and other parts of the Northeast.

According to Chandrasekhar, “India today is at an inflection point, it is enter-

ing into its Techade and the future of India is technology. To capitalise and take advantage of this opportunity, skill training is essential.”

Nagaland has three PMKVY kendras and 11 training centres apart from eight government Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs) and two Jan Shikshan Sansthans (JSSs). Through customised courses, special projects would be launched to ensure high employability, especially in the fields of green jobs, food processing, leather and sports, electronics and logistics, etc.

Already, 25,367 people had been trained under earlier PMKVY programmes.

Expansion of Skill Hubs would be undertaken in government schools, engineering and general colleges, Kendriya Vidyalayas, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas, ITIs and within industry premises, so that greater number of youth could access skilling using the existing infrastructure.

Nagaland Tool Room &Training Centre, Mongken Apparel Production Unit, both in Dimapur, National Institute Electronic & Information Tech (NIELIT) Kohima, Dimapur Government College, Kohima Science College, Jotsoma and Software Technology Park of India (STPI), Kohima are the proposed hubs and training centres under PMKVY 4.

S Korean prez travels to UAE, seeks arms sales

India thrash SL by 317 runs; sweep series 3-0

capacity building and other technical issues. Goel also interacted with senior officials of the Health & Family Welfare department led by principal director Dr Temjentsungla.

(4th from R) DGHS Prof Atul Goel with others officials.

Rio and Sarma during their meeting at Guwahati on Jan 12. (Via Twitter)

Rescue teams work to retrieve bodies at the crash site (Bijay Neupane/Handout via Reuters)

AGEI women conference, OAGC anniv concludes

DIMAPUR: A three-day

The Assemblies of God of East India (AGEI) Nagaland 25th Women Conference of Wokha sessioncum- 60th anniversary celebration of Okotso Assembly of God Church (OAGC) concluded on January 10 at Okotso Village.

A press release by AGEI Nagaland informed that the programme was held under the theme, “Challenges and Response to the Situation” (Esther 4:14) with general superin-

tendent, AGEI, Rev. Moses Murry; superintendent A.G. Nagaland, Rev. Tusaya Kath; coordinator, women ministry AGEI, Esther Murry; president, women ministry, Wokha section, Rosalyn Ezung and vice president, Women ministry, Wokha section, Zareni Odyuo as speakers.

The speakers spoke on the theme and encouraged the believers especially the women to arise and face the challenges with fasting and prayers in all situations.

They also reminded the congregation of the end days and cautioned them against the works of the devil to destroy children, society and the church.

The speakers asked the congregation to be alert and cautious of the enemy’s schemes and be prayerful in all situation.

At the end of the programme, a candle light service was conducted symbolising that “we are the light of the world in the darkness.”

Social audit public hearing under MGNREGA in Wokha

DIMAPUR: District-level social audit public hearing under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act 2005 (MGNREGA) for projects implemented during the financial year 2020-21 for Wokha district was held on January 12 at DC conference hall, Wokha.

12 villages namely Asha, Pangti, Sungro, Yanthamo, Sunglup, Yanchucho, Longtsung (Sanis Block) Niryo, Yikhum, Ekhyoyan, Elumyo, Okheyan (Wokha Block) were audited during the 3rd phase social audit during the financial year 202223.

Deputy Project Officer, DRDA Wokha, Shuyhunle Nyethong who chaired the social audit, welcomed the dignitaries and participants.

Assistant Director, from Social Audit Unit Nagaland, Imlirenla Sanglir, representatives of the Social Audit Unit, DRDA and RD Block officials, village functionaries, NGOs, and MGNERGA workers attended the social audit.

Assistant Director, from Social Audit Unit Nagaland, Imlirenla Sanglir in her introductory remark briefed on the importance of social audit under MGNREGA and emphasized following the guidelines during the implementation of projects.

Extra Assistant Commissioner Wokha, Rosy Sangtam represented the district administration, wherein she emphasized the maintenance of three phases of photos as documentary evidence.

District Resource Person, Loluvole Thakro and Yanathung Odyuo, Block Resource person highlighted the audit findings, and accordingly, resolutions were brought out after general discussion such as maintenance of a detailed transparency board for all the executed projects, the conduct of Rozgar Diwas on regular basis, proper maintenance of records and documents, maintenance of three-phase photographs.

This was stated in a DIPR report.

A press release by MKCPB

The programme began

Student unions hold general conference, session

DIMAPUR: Kacharigaon Phevima Students’ Union (KPSU) held its 12th general conference on January 14 under the theme, “leveraging diversity and cultural awareness”.

A press release by KPSY informed that special guest of the event, Kerenjungla Longkumer, a business woman, deliberated on the need to promote peace, to accept diversity and live in peace with everyone.

The programme was chaired by KPSU advisor, Er. Pelevito Kiso; presidential address was delivered by KPSU president, Keneilenu Kulnu and Kacharigaon Phevima Village Council, chairman, Vitho Zao exhorted the students.

Student members of KPSU were felicitated for their achievements. KPSU also elected new office bearers for the tenure 20232023 with Vibozo Tetso

Special

as its president elect. The programme culminated with a vote of thank by the vice-president, Süsel Kera and benediction by Kacharigaon Phevima Women Organisation, president, Kezhale-ü Vüprü.

SRSU: Satakha Range

Students Union (SRSU) held its 36th session on January 13 with Zheito Chophy as the guest of honour.

In his speech, Chophy said students were asset of the society and encouraged the student community to

Through this column, we, the bereaved family members of LT. KRULHUSIELIE

lead the society forward and make a brighter Satakha for the present and future generation.

He also underscored the importance of education and urged the students to work hard and strive for a better tomorrow.

The programme chaired by SRSU organising secretary, Mughaka Zhimo began with an invocation by Hinoka H Zhimo of Hoishe Baptist Church (Nito Mount) and concluded with vote of thanks by SRSU finance secretary, Awoto Awomi.

RINO would like to express our heartfelt gratitude and our indebtedness to each and every individual, neighbours, friends, various churches and unions who physically, materially and spiritually supported us and stood by us during his prolong illness and his demise on 19th Dec, 2022.

We deeply regret our inability to thank each and every individual personally but your expression of sympathy will never be forgotten. May God bless you all abundantly.

Loving wife, children & relatives

Assam Rifles organize tour; provide aid

DIMAPUR: A week tour to Agriculture University Johrat, Assam for the farmers of Noklak district, Nagaland organised by Shamatore battalion of Assam Rifles which was flagged off on January 6 by commander 7 Sector Assam Rifles, Brigadier Vikram Singh at Tuensang culminated on January 14.

According to PRO

Defence, in his address, brigadier Vikram Singh, praised 14 Assam Rifles battalion for taking the initiative to send the farmers to Agriculture University.

He assured the farmers that the event would be a “routine affair” and expressed hope that they would learn the nuances of modern farming techniques and ways to enhance the pro-

duction.

He also requested them to share all the knowledge they have acquired to other farmers of their particular villages and region.

Mon Bn: Mon battalion of Assam Rifles provided lifesaving medical help to a six-year-old child, who was hit on his forehead by “an accidental firing of air gun”.

K-111/23

Members of AGEI at the conference at Okotso village.

A cultural presentation by Members of Mech Kachari at the ‘6th Magh Utsav’.

In view of the forthcoming 74th Republic Day celebration, a preparatory-cum-coordination meeting with HoDs and head of security agencies under Tuensang was held on January 12 at the Conference Hall of Deputy Commissioner (DC) Tuensang office. (DIPR)

Sectoral officers/SVEEP and nodal officer under 13 Pughoboto A/C at demonstration on EVM at ADC and DEO’s office, Pughoboto on January 13. (IA Pughoboto)

DIMAPUR: Mech Kachari Community Purana Bazar (MKCPB) celebrated its “6th Magh Utsav”, a post-harvest festival, on January 14 at Purana Bazar.

informed that addressing the community, founder of YouthNet, Hekani Jakhalu highlighted the

importance of preserving one’s identity through culture and habits while advisor of Mech Kachari Community, Deepak Kachari shared the significance of “Magh Utsav”.

with an invocation by Bhovo Mech, welcome address by MKCPB chairman, Uttam Sonowal;

short speeches by Mech Kachari Central committee, president, Soneswar Mech and Mech Kachari Development Council Assam, executive member, Gautam Mech and vote of thanks by Harish Mech. Various cultural dances were performed by Mech Kachari Culture troupes of Purana Bazar.

guest along with members of KPSU and others.

Farmers with AR personnel at Jorhat Agricultural University.

AR expedition hoist flags atop Mt. Saramati

Jubilee, a time to forgive and reconcile: Patton

DIMAPUR: Deputy chief minister, Y. Patton said jubilee was a time for forgiveness and reconciliation and called upon the people to usher in peace and harmony.

A press release by media cell of Dy. CMO said the minister was delivering greetings at the platinum jubilee celebration of New Changsu Village Baptist Church (NCVBC), Sunday. The three-day celebration was held under the theme, “Let your light shine” (Matthew 5:16).

DIMAPUR: A team of youth and Assam Rifles celebrated the 75th Army Day by hoisting the National Flag, Indian Army Flag and Assam Rifles Flag atop Mount Saramati, the highest peak in Nagaland on the occasion on 75th Indian Army Day on January 15.

According to PRO, Headquarters Inspector General of Assam Rifles (IGAR N) the team departed from the base camp in the wee hours and climbed atop the highest peak of Nagaland, Mt Saramati.

17 youngsters, including two girls, from various parts of Nagaland

alongwith 31 personnel, including two Riflewomen of 38th Battalion Assam Rifles led the expedition which was flagged off on January 10.

PRO said the joint expedition team has conveyed the message of national unity, unity among all tribes of Nagaland, women empowerment and motivated the youth to contribute in serving the nation by joining the Indian armed forces, throughout its journey, at all the places enroute.

It said the expedition has helped to strengthen the bond between local youths and villagers with the As-

sam Rifles and thereby showcasing the importance of civil-military synergy, culture and traditions of remote villages and tribes of Nagaland.

PRO said the Army Day was celebrated on January 15 every year in India, in recognition of lieutenant general KM Cariappa (later who became field marshal) taking over as the first commander-inchief of the Indian Army on January 15, 1949. The day was celebrated in the form of parades and other military shows in the national capital New Delhi. This was 75th Indian Army Day, added PRO.

CBCC organises ‘7th children’s rally’

Stating that with the celebration of the platinum jubilee the NCVBC has attained a milestone, Pattton called upon the congregation not to let the

sacrifices and pain of the pioneers go in vain but to carry it forward by leading an exemplary life.

Patton, who is an inlaw of the village, said he was fortunate to be their in-law and thanked the

LBCA (R) executive secretary, Rev. Dr Ezamo Murry said only the light of Jesus Christ could bring changes in a person’s life.

Correspondent

KOHIMA, JAN 15 (NPN):

A three-day “7th Children’s Rally” organised by Children and Education Department of Chakhesang Baptist Church Council (CBCC) and hosted by Chozuba Village Baptist Church under the theme, “I belong to Jesus” culminated at Chozuba, Sunday.

Children’s rally president, Duta Ringa, said around 3000 people including over 2400 registered delegates from 81 churches under CBCC attended the event.

Earlier known as Children Association, Ringa said the rally was a mega event held every five years for children with the primary goal to promote and

sensitise the importance of establishing Sunday School in local churches.

He added that the rally had a far-reaching impact positively in the life of man y children preparing them to grow in faith and love in the fear of the Lord and that thousands of testimonies come out after every Rally.

Speaking on the topic, “Abide in Christ”, Resource Centre Holistic Ministry administrator, Dr. Adela Mero, said that a person could abide in Christ by knowing Him personally and urged the children to stay connected to Jesus.

She pointed out that as Christian, if one does as they please, they would not grow in the Lord and such people were rampant

in the Naga society today.

“Many Christians says that they know Jesus but most of them don’t have the Spirit in them. We have to accept Jesus as our Lord and personal saviour and if you accept the Holy Spirit will live in you”, she said.

Dr. Mero challenged the children to abide in Christ so that they could bear much fruit.

Other resource persons for the event were Grace Girls Hostel, Diphupar B Chumoukedima, chaplain, Chinehulu Rhakho and Children & Education Department, CBCC, director, Vesakho Thisa.

During the rally, children participated in various competitions including theme song, folk dance, pencil sketching, solo, duet,

narration of Bible story, double quartet, guitar ensemble and worship dance.

In his greetings, CBCC executive secretary, Rev. Khrotso Mero said the world was full of social unrest and uncertainties and called upon the children to fix their eyes on Jesus.

He added that children were blessed beyond measures with different abilities and talents and urged them to use their gifts for God.

CBCC youth secretary and member of Chakhesang Clean Election Movement, Muluvoyi Neinu, urged children not to exercise their vote if they were below 18 years of age. He said that proxy voting was wrong and asked them not to sell their votes.

CAN holdeucharisticprocession

Highlighting on the theme, “Credible witnesses of Christ” Bishop encouraged the believers to be punctual, sincere, forgiving and honest which was the need of the Naga society.

“To be a credible witness to Christ, we need to give what we have and ought to be thankful and proud of your faith”, said Rev Dr. Thoppil.

Glimpse of the procession on the third day of the CAN convention on

Correspondent

KOHIMA, JAN 15(NPN):

On the third day of the ongoing triennial convention of the Catholic Association of Nagaland (CAN), eucharistic procession was conducted and the declaration of the new CAN executives was announced on Sunday.

The procession started

from the venue, St. Joseph College and proceeded towards Jakhama town and back to the venue.

Earlier delivering his homily, Bishop of Kohima, Most Rev. Dr. James Thoppil reminded the gathering that attending such a convention should strengthen their faith and need to be more committed in their daily lives.

He also reminded the gathering on the need to pray consistently, regular to the sacrament and read the scriptures, in order to become credible witnesses of Christ. The service was led by Dr Tesisovi Gerald Meyase. The fourth session was led by president, Lotha Catholic Union, James Ezung and resource person, Rev Dn. Dr Sherman Kuek, OFS presented on the topic, “Living a life of Sacrament” followed by cultural night.

village for their love and affection. He also wished for a bountiful jubilee blessing upon each individual and household.

Delivering a message on “Let the light of Christ bring change in your life”,

The programme began with a prayer by Yikhum Baptist Church, pastor, Zanbemo Kithan followed by a prayer for the departed souls by Kohima Lotha Baptist Church, Sr. pastor Rev. Dr. Benry Lotha; special songs were presented by jubilee choir and Changsu Yanthan Wokha Town Eloe Okho; Longsa Baptist Church pastor Rev. L. K Tsanglao prayed for God’s blessings upon the village and the church, while Pangti Baptist Church pastor, Rev. Monglio Ngullie pronounced the benediction.

DC Zunheboto informs on CMHIS enrolment

has

WACYA to celebrate golden jubilee

DIMAPUR: Western Angami Catholic Youth Association (WACYA) would be celebrating its golden jubilee on January 21-22 at St John Bosco School Campus Khonoma, under the theme, “U Ruopfü Pekrulie Khe” with Bishop of Kohima, Most Rev Dr James Thoppil as the main celebrant.

In a press release, WACYA has informed that the inaugural programme would be held with Western Angami Catholic Youth Association spiritual director, Rev Fr Joseph Nellisseril as the speaker while the jubilee flame would be lighted by WACYA former president, Medolepra Lucas.

On the second day, Rev. Fr Dr Solomon Vizo would be the speaker in the morning service while in the solemn celebration of the Holy Eucharist, Bishop of Kohima, Most Rev Dr James Thoppil would be the speaker.

According

under

Further,

yet

-

LSU initiates waste segregation campaign

Correspondent

KOHIMA, JAN 15 (NPN): Commemorating its 75th anniversary, Lhisemia Students’ Union (LSU) has initiated household waste segregation campaign under the theme, “With one mind... towards a healthier environment” at L Khel, Kohima Village on January 14.

The campaign seeks to sensitise every household under Lhisemia Khel jurisdiction on importance of waste segregation from the

household level and ensure that the segregated wastes were transported to the designated treatment plan.

It aims to avoid dumping, burning and accumulation of biodegradable and non-biodegradable wastes together.

The campaign was flagged off by Lhisemia Council chairman Ayie Yhome and the participants pledged to make L Khel a “waste-segregated area” and resolved to abide with the adopted Action plan.

Lhisemia council

members, Lhisemia

The flag-off programme was chaired by co- convenor organizing committee, Khriesazo Liezietsu while organizing committee member Vitsu Yhome shared the concept of the campaign and deacon Khedi Baptist Church, Kekuolhouthie Dziivichii said the invocation.

DIMAPUR: Deputy Commissioner, Zunheboto has informed all heads of offices that the Chief Minister Health Insurance Scheme (CMHIS) Enrolment Centre for government employees

been set up at DC’s Office and has started functioning.

to a DIPR report, the DC has directed all the heads of offices to inform all the employees

their establishment to register at the earliest.

the DC has also informed that emer

gency sanction feature was available for those beneficiaries who have registered and

to get the CMHIS Card. It has asked the beneficiaries to avail the benefits at the earliest. The documents required are PIMS Code of the employee and Aadhaar Card, informed the DC.

Youth Organization office bearers, LSU 75th anniversary organising committee members, LSU executives and about 100 students took part in the campaign.

Members of Borlengri Ao Cultural Club performing Ao cultural dance at the Bihu festival celebration held at Karbi Anglong Assam on January 14. (NP)

Children singing ‘Hallelujah chorus’ at the rally held at Chozuba on Sunday. (NP)

LSU team and participants of household waste segregation campaign. (NP)

Sunday. (NP)

Y. Patton speaking at the jubilee.

The expedition team at Mt. Everest after hoisting the flags.

India to showcase NE at its G20 presidency

GUWAHATI, JAN 15 (IANS): India during its one-year tenure of G20 presidency will showcase the North-East part of the country. North-East India has remained unexplored by many despite its breathtaking beauty and rich cultural heritage.

More than 200 G20related meetings will take place across the country and some of it will also be held in northeast India. Meetings will also take pl ace in Arunachal Pradesh as well, one of the northeastern states.

The Indian government is investing heavily on the infrastructure development of the northeastern part of the country.

There are eight states in northeast India -- Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Sikkim and Tripura.

“For us, the NorthEast is not an endpoint but a gateway to security and prosperity,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi

had stated.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh had stated earlier that the government- accelerated Development Initiatives in NorthEast have transformed ‘Look East policy’ into ‘Act East Policy’, leading to all round developments in the northeast region, enabling all the states to improve trade with SouthEast Asian Nations.

He said the Pradhan Mantri Gati Shakti Master Plan would act as force multiplier in developing infrastructural facilities in the northeast region.

“Whether it is road construction, expansion of railways or improvement of waterways, through Pradhan Mantri Gati Shakti, we are committed to strengthen the pace of development. We have also made a lot of progress in the field of energy. We have ensured the progress in Solar and Hydel Projects, and have done the work of providing electricity in every nook and corner.”

India’s participation in the G20 process stems from the realisation that as a major developing

economy India has a vital stake in the stability of the international economic and financial system. India has been actively involved in the G20 preparatory process both at the Sherpas Track and the Financial Track since its inception.

“...We must come together and discuss new ideas to promote the tourism sector within the Northeast region as we get ready to preside over G20 countries also. We must work towards positioning India as one of the leaders in the tourism sector by 2047,” India’s Tourism Minister G. Kishan Reddy said to the media.

In recent years, the government has been promoting and implementing the idea of ‘Destination NorthEast India’ with full thrust. One of the most important factors in achieving the country’s overall development goals is the northeast, which has the potential to be the nation’s powerhouse due to its geostrategic location

and availability of natural resources.

Enhancing the region’s road and airport connectivity, building dams, establishing the nation’s first National Sports University, and other development projects are all evidence of the development in the region. Further, the rapid development of the rail network in the northeast is yet another step to accelerate connectivity, reported media.

Moreover, compared to 2014, digital connectivity has increased by four times along with the ongoing installation of 6,000 mobile network towers. Prime Minister’s Development Initiative for the NorthEast Region (PM-DevINE), a flagship programme to fund infrastructure, support social development projects, and enable livelihood activities, and the National Ropeways Development Programme, “Parvatmala”, to increase connectivity in the hilly areas are also being implemented on full thrust.

NEW DELHI, JAN 15 (AGENCIES): The Meghalaya Transport Corporation (MTC) on Saturday signed an agreement with SpiceJet for operating direct flights between Shillong and Delhi, officials said.

According to a report by Outlook, the flights will operate twice a week on Monday and Friday, they said.

“SpiceJet approached the state government and offered to operate the Delhi-Shillong-Delhi flights on its own as per the extant terms of MTC.

SpiceJet has a total fleet

of 23 Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 aircraft. The same aircraft will be deployed for the Delhi-ShillongDelhi route,” an official of the CM’s office said in a statement.

The flights are expected to start operating from February 2023, it added.

SpiceJet is looking forward to fulfil the commitment of the state government and to meet the aspirations of the citizens of Meghalaya with direct flights between Shillong and Delhi, the statement said.

An initiative to operate direct Delhi-Shillong-

Meghalaya polls: NPP, BJP to go solo Mamata likely to visit Tripura by month-end

KOLKATA, JAN 15

(IANS): Ahead of the upcoming Tripura Assembly elections, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee is likely to visit the Bengali-dominated state by the month-end.

Trinamool national General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee, who is also the Chief Minister’s nephew, is also likely to accompany her on the trip.

Party sources said that both are upbeat about the party’s chances about in the coming Tripura and Meghalaya polls.

“Already, Abhishek Banerjee is scheduled for a two-day visit to Meghalaya from January 17 and the Chief Minister is also expected to accompany him there. Now plans are

chalked out for the Chief Minister and the General Secretary’s Tripura tours by month-end and a couple of campaign rallies there,” a senior party leader said.

In December 2022, both Banerjees had been on a two-day visit to Shillong.

During that visit, the West Bengal Chief Minister had promised to launch the ‘Meghalaya Financial Inclusion for Women Empowerment’, promising a guaran-

teed income support of Rs 1,000 per month to each woman, if the party comes to power in Meghalaya.

On this occasion, Banerjee also launched scathing attacks against the BJP-National People’s Party alliance government in Meghalaya, alleging that it is being run from Guwahati and New Delhi.

“BJP is running a double-engine disaster in Meghalaya,” she added.

In Tripura, the Trinamool may face a challenge as the chances of the Congress-Left Front alliance there are increasing. Political observers are keen to see whether the Trinamool is able to forge any understanding with the tribal political forces in the state.

Mamata likely to visit Tripura by month-end.

Drugs worth over Rs. 12 cr seized in Mizoram

AIZAWL, JAN 15 (PTI): Mizoram Police and Assam Rifles seized heroin and other drugs worth over Rs 12 crore and arrested four persons from two separate locations in Aizawl, an officer said on Sunday.

Acting on specific input, a team of Assam Rifles and the CID special branch of state police conducted a joint operation at Thuampui area in the northern part of Aizawl on Sunday, the official said.

Around 98,000 tablets of Triprolidine HCL and Pseudoephedrine worth Rs 9.8 crore were seized from the possession of two peddlers during the joint operation, he said.

In another seizure, state police intercepted a vehicle at Bawngkawn-Sairang junction in Aizawl on Saturday and seized 501 gm of heroin from the vehicle, he said.

The seized heroin was concealed in 40 soap cases.

Two persons, one of them a woman, both from south Mizoram’s Lunglei town, were arrested for possessing the contraband worth Rs 2.5 crore, he said.

All the four accused arrested on Saturday and Sunday were booked under relevant sections of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act 1985, he said.

GUWAHATI, JAN 15

(IANS): Several police complaints and finally the arrest of BJP state vice president in Meghalaya, Bernard Marak last year has strained the relation of the party with its ally National People’s Party (NPP).

The two coalition partners have decided to go solo in the state election, with Conrad Sangma’s party already announcing the candidates for the 58 seats in the 60-member Meghalaya Assembly, while the BJP is yet to finalise the candidates’ names. Marak, an elected member of the Garo Hills Autonomous District Council, was accused of running a brothel in his farmhouse. According to the police, arms and ammunition were seized from his house. The BJP leader was also accused of raping a three-year-old girl at his farmhouse. He was absconding and later arrested from Uttar Pradesh.

Recently, Marak got bail from the court after spending three months in jail. He alleged foul play in the entire incident, hinting that the Chief Minister was behind his arrest. Marak has also announced that he will contest against Conrad Sangma from the South Tura seat making the fight between two allies uglier.

But it was not only Marak’s case, there were

several other points where the NPP and BJP differed in the recent days. Bharatiya Janata Party’s strong pitching for Uniform Civil Code (UCC), firing incident in the Mukroh village where five civilians were killed due to gunfire by the Assam Police had further caused a dent in the alliance.

The BJP, in 2018, was extremely confident about putting up a strong show and expected to win a good number of seats in Meghalaya. With campaigns by the central party leaders, including PM Narendra Modi and former party president Amit Shah, the party hoped to win over people and gain momentum in the run-up to the elections.

However, the results came as a huge shock for the BJP. The party only managed to win two seats from the Khasi Hills region and failed to mark even a win in the Garo Hills, where they expected to come up with 5-6 seats. Later, the BJP forged

AGARTALA/SHILLONG, JAN 15 (IANS): This election in two of the three northeastern states - Meghalaya, Tripura and Nagaland will prove to be a litmus test for Trinamool Congress (TMC), headed by West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee.

TMC leader and party’s Rajya Sabha member Sushmita Dev said that her party would field candidates in Meghalaya and Tripura and would not contest in Nagaland.

The TMC is the first party in Meghalaya which declared their candidates for 52 of the total of 60 seats.

Twelve MLAs, led by former Chief Minister Mukul Sangma (2010-2018), who had won in the 2018 Assembly election as Congress nominees joined the TMC in November 2021, making the West Bengal-based party the main opposition in the northeastern state overnight.

However, weeks before the announcement of Assembly elections, two TMC MLAs switching loyalty quitting the Assembly recently joined the ruling National People’s Party (NPP) and another joined the BJP.

With three MLAs leaving the Trinamool, the party’s strength in the 60-member Assembly has come down

to nine now.

However, the TMC leaders in Meghalaya claimed that thousands of NPP and other party supporters, including some leaders joined their party.

To woo the electorate, the TMC has promised to roll out the Meghalaya Financial Inclusion for Women Empowerment (MFI WE) scheme that would provide assured monthly income support of Rs 1,000 per woman per household in the state, if the party is voted to power in the forthcoming Assembly polls, expected to be held by the end of February.

The MFI WE, also called ‘WE Card’, was announced by TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee in Shillong on December 13, sparking a controversy in the state.

The BJP has announced to lodge a complaint with the Election Commission against the TMC for its promise to

implement an income support scheme.

State Trinamool VicePresident, George B. Lyngdoh said that opposing ‘WE Card’ exposes BJP’s “anti-poor” politics, claiming that two lakh families have already registered for the scheme.

BJP’s Meghalaya unit Chief Ernest Mawrie said: “The Trinamool did not disclose how it will raise funds for the scheme. Such a scheme should be seen as a corrupt and unethical practice under the sections of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, as its intent is nothing but to bribe voters.”

Claiming that the ‘WE Card’ scheme failed in West Bengal, the BJP leader accused the Trinamool of making false promises since it does not have any development agenda.

After TMC was found-

ed in 1998, it had set up bases in Tripura, Manipur and Assam but they could not maintain the political tempo in these states.

There were seven MLAs of other parties that once joined the TMC but eventually, they quit one by one.

Former Tripura Chief Minister late Sudhir Majumder, incumbent Tripura Assembly Speaker and former Congress leader Ratan Chakraborty, Ashish Saha, Subal Bhowmik and others went to TMC in 1998 and most of them returned to Congress in 2001-2002.

Majumder contested in the West Lok S abha Constituency in 1999 with TMC ticket and secured second position.

Present lone Congress MLA in Tripura Sudip Roy Barman, six other MLAs and many leaders quit the Congress in 2016 and joined TMC and next year (2017) they joined the BJP. Roy Barman, also a former Minister, quit BJP early last year and was re-elected to the Assembly in last year’s June by-elections as a Congress nominee.

After the TMC started its organisational work in the third phase in Tripura in early 2021, it had been searching for a candidate

for the party’s president post in the state and finally appointed Subal Bhowmik, a former Congress MLA and BJP leader, in April 2022.

But due to internal feud, the TMC removed Bhowmik from the post on August 24, 2022, and appointed former Tripura Congress President and veteran lawyer Pijush Kanti Biswas as President of party’s Tripura unit on December 11 last year.

Within a week after Ripun Bora, a former Assam state Congress President and former Rajya Sabha member joined the TMC in April 2022, party supremo Mamata Banerjee had appointed him as the President of Assam unit.

Bora along with his wife and former Congress MLA Monika Bora and son and many Congressmen also joined the TMC.

TMC leader and party’s Rajya Sabha member Sushmita Dev claimed that her party would form the government in Meghalaya after the Assembly elections in February “mainly because of the allegations against Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangmaled Meghalaya Democratic Alliance (MDA) government and also since the Congress is almost ‘inactive’ in the state.”

an alliance with the NPP and enjoyed power in the state for the last five years.

The saffron camp believes that they have learned lessons from last year’s debacle, when the ban on beef and other comments by a few leaders caused harm in the votes. The entry of some MLAs from the NPP and Trinamool Congress also added strength to their base. Other prominent leaders in the state also joined the BJP. The party has been estimated to win at least five seats from the Garo Hills area this time. However, it is clear that the BJP cannot form a government in Meghalaya on its own.

In 2018, the NPP won 20 seats, and it formed the government with the support of the BJP, the United Democratic Party (UDP), and the Hill State People’s Democratic Party (HSPDP). The UDP and HSPDP are also fighting it out in the polls without stitching an alliance with Conrad Sangma’s party.

The HSPDP has lost many leaders to the UDP and now has very little strength to catch votes.

Now, the question doing the rounds is whether fighting against each other will divide the votes among the NPP, BJP, and the UDP that may become useful for either the Trinamool or Congress parties to pull off a win in the election? As of now, the answer is no. It is the NPP only from the ruling dispensation that has claimed to get a clear majority in the Assembly. There is no doubt that Conrad Sangma’s party is the front-runner in the upcoming election. Both the BJP and UDP will not fight in all seats.

According to the party sources, the BJP will field candidates in around 20-25 seats, while the UDP may fight in a lesser number of seats than the BJP. Therefore, the division formula in votes will not work in the rest of the seats. The NPP will not field candidates in two seats, thus paving the way for one candidate to win from each of the BJP and UDP. Moreover, the Khasi people see the Trinamool Congress as a Bengali-dominated party, and they have a clear resistance to voting for them. The Congress has lost most of its strength, and political pundits are saying that the party can barely win 3-4 seats.

Delhi flights was undertaken by the state government in 2020.

Initially, Big Charter Pvt Ltd (FlyBig) was engaged to operate the flights. FlyBig had deployed Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 aircraft on the route which were initially chartered from SpiceJet. However, FlyBig later expressed its inability to continue the operations. Subsequently, the state government held several deliberations with FlyBig and also explored other alternatives.

Accordingly, the agreement with FlyBig was terminated last year.

CBI arrests addl DRM, 6 others in bribery case

NEW DELHI, JAN 15 (AGENCIES): The CBI has arrested an additional divisional railway manager posted in Guwahati and six others, including a middleman and a hawala operator, in an alleged Rs 50-lakh bribery case, officials said on Sunday.

Jitendra Pal Singh, a 1997-batch Indian Railways Service officer, was arrested after a person identified as Hari Om was caught while allegedly accepting the bribe on behalf of the officer, they said. “It was alleged that the accused (Singh) had entered into a conspiracy with the intention of showing undue favours to private contractors for awarding of contract agreements, preparation of measurement book, processing of running account bills, early release of payment against pending bills and for the ongoing work of construction in Northeast Frontier Railway as well as for the early release of security deposits and bank guarantees,” a CBI spokesperson said in a statement.

The CBI has alleged that Singh regularly demanded and accepted bribes from various contractors when he was posted as chief engineer, construction, in New Jalpaiguri.

Border dispute with Assam likely to dominate Mizoram’s year-end polls

AIZAWL, JAN 15 (IANS): Mizo nationalism is always the core issue in the politics of Mizoram, which will go to the assembly polls at the end of this year.

However, the long pending inter-state boundary issue with Assam is likely to be one of the main issues in the elections to the 40-member Mizoram Assembly.

Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga, who is also the president of the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF), talking to IANS about the political situation in his state said that the assembly elections are about one year away, and the situation may change in the next several months.

“About the next assembly polls, this is too early to say anything. I am unable to predict now about the pre-poll scenario. In politics, lots of change can happen in one month,” said the veteran leader, who is now holding the office of the Chief Minister for the third term (1998-2003, 2003-2008 and 2018 to 2023).

Unlike other Indian states, political activity in the Christian dominated Mizoram is not visible except during election time.

Society driven organisations and NGOs, specially the Young Mizo Association (YMA) traditionally dominate most issues and happenings.

Following the initiatives of the YMA and the Mizo society the electioneering process is always a smooth affair with least rivalry.

Though there are five to six local parties, the Congress, the only national party that ruled the northeastern state for 10 consecutive years until 2018, secured only five seats in the 2018 assembly polls. The party however, is the principal opposition party in the mountainous state.

Octogenarian former Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla, who led the Congress in Mizoram for a record around five decades (19732021), became the Chief Minister of the state five times between 1984 and 2018. In 2018, Lal Thanhawla lost the two seats -- Serchhip and Champhai South -- from where he contested. He had earlier announced that he would not contest the 2023 assembly elections.

In 1986, when the Mizoram Peace Accord was signed between the

Union government and the erstwhile insurgent outfit MNF, Lal Thanhawla, a close friend of former Prime Minister late Rajiv Gandhi, stepped down from the chief minister’s post to make way for MNF leader Laldenga.

Over 30,500 Myanmar nationals sheltered in the northeastern state after the military seized power in the country through a coup in February 2021 while around 390 Kuki-Chin tribals, following troubles, fled from the Chittagong Hill Tracts of southeast Bangladesh and took shelter in Mizoram since November 20 last year.

Irrespective of party affiliations, all the Mizoram political parties including the Congress and the BJP, which has a lone member in the assembly, have been supporting the government in dealing with the Myanmar and Bangladesh refugees. Chief Minister Zoramthanga told IANS that all the opposition parties are fully cooperating with the state government in handling the refugee issue. The ruling MNF is a constituent of the BJP-led anti-Congress alliance the North East Democratic Alliance (NEDA).

Mamata Banerjee

Woman dies after being thrashed

BHADOHI (UP), JAN 15 (PTI): An elderly woman died after being beaten up by her grandson and daughter-in-law over a property dispute here, police said on Sunday. The incident happened in Hariharpur village under Unj police station limits on Saturday night, they said. According to police, Abhiraji Devi (70) lived with her two sons Girija Shankar Pal and Jata Shankar Pal. Girija’s wife Phula Devi often fought with Abhiraji over the partition of the house but the elderly woman was against it. Inspector Chhotak Yadav, in charge of Unj police station said on Saturday night, Phula and her son Amit thrashed Abhiraj and she succumbed to injuries.

Two held for flesh trade THANE, JAN 15 (PTI): A man has been arrested for allegedly pushing his wife into flesh trade from Bhaindar in Mumbai Metropolitan Region along with his accomplice, an official said on Sunday. Police rescued two women during the raid conducted at a lodge in the Mira-Bhaindar locality on Friday. Police had specific information about a sex racket being operated by a man who used to charge Rs 10,000 from customers for offering the service of women in the locality, a police officer said. The racket was busted after police sent a decoy customer to a lodge followed by a raid. Police arrested two persons including a man who had pushed his wife into the sex trade and his accomplice.

‘Member

gang held in Himachal’ CHANDIGARH, JAN 15 (PTI): Punjab Police on Sunday said it has arrested an active member of the Goldy Brar gang from Sundar Nagar in Himachal Pradesh. Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav said Inderpreet Singh alias Parry (32) was facing several murder and attempt to murder cases in Punjab and Haryana.

Parry, a resident of Chandigarh, came in contact with Canada-based gangster Goldy Brar and another gangster Lawrence Bishnoi during his college days in 2011.

UFBU calls for 2-day strike

JAIPUR, JAN 15 (PTI): The United Forum of Bank Unions has given a call for a two-day nationwide strike on January 30 and 31 to press for various related to the 11th wage settlement of bank employees, a union leader said on Sunday.

The 11th wage settlement of bank employees had occurred on November 11, 2020 between the Indian Banks’ Association and the United Forum of Bank Unions, the umbrella body of trade unions in the banking sector. Some of the issues related to the agreement, in which 5-day week in banks, stagnation increment is not given to banks by the Indian Banks Association, besides promotion and salary, pension fixation issues, State Convenor of United Forum of Bank Unions Mahesh Mishra said.

CM Gehlot sanctions fund for animal shelters

JAIPUR, JAN 15 (PTI):

Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has approved Rs 1,377 crore for the construction and operation of cow sheds/ animal shelters in 1,500 gram panchayats. Under the project, animal shelters will be constructed in 200 gram panchayats.

On Army Day, Rajnath tells military to be future-ready

NEW DELHI, JAN 15

(AGENCIES): Every year, January 15 is observed as the Army Day to commemorate the occasion when General K M Cariappa took over command of the Indian Army from General Sir Francis Roy Bucher, the last British Commander-inChief in 1949.

The Army Day for the first time was celebrated in Bengaluru this year outside the National Capital. Union Defence Minister Rajnath Singh attended the event as the chief guest.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Sunday asked the army to be futureready at a time when lessons should be learnt from the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

India’s reputation has increased significantly in the international fora and this manifested in ceasing of hostilities between Russia and Ukraine after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to the leaders concerned to ensure safe evacuation of Indian students, he said.

Speaking at the 75th Indian Army Day event at the Army Service Corps (ASC) Bengaluru, he called upon the armed forces to enhance their adoption capabilities and that in the com-

ing days all major armed forces would boost their security mechanism.

Earlier, when India used to speak, no one would take it seriously, but now when we say, “the world listens to us carefully.” “An example of it is the evacuation of Indian students caught during the Russia and Ukraine war. There was an outcry to bring students back home safely,” Singh said at celebrations here, which is happening for the first time outside the national capital.

“PM Narendra Modi spoke to Ukraine President, Russian President and US President and the war was stopped for a few hours during which students were safely evacuated,” he said.

Chief of Army Staff, General Manoj Pande, in his address to the nation on Army day, spoke of challenges India faced last year on the eastern front with Chinese soldiers attempting to encroach into Indian territory.

General Manoj Pande said, “Last year, the army faced security-related challenges with determination and ensured the security of the borders with proactiveness and vigor. In addition, the Army has taken steps to improve capability development, force structuring, training and has further strengthened its preparedness for future wars.”

The statement came almost a month after a clash between Indian and Chinese troops on the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tawang on December 9.

Talking about future challenges, General Manoj Pande said that the Indian army is ready to tackle any contingency along LAC.

“Along the LAC, while maintaining a strong defence posture, we are ready to tackle any kind of contingency. Our troops are serving fearlessly in these areas, and they are provided with all the support they require in the form of weapons, equipment, and facilities,”

PM Modi flags off Secunderabad-Vizag Vande Bharat

HYDERABAD, JAN 15

(PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday virtually flagged-off the Vande Bharat train service between Secunderabad in Telangana and the port city of Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh on the auspicious occasion of Makar Sankranti.

As the event coincided with the Army Day, the Prime Minister paid rich tributes to the serving and retired personnel.

“Vande Bharat is a true replica of India which is coming out of the mentality of dependence and moving towards Atmanirbharta (self-reliance),” the PM said before flagging off the train.

Noting that the new trains will connect the culture of Telangana and AP, Modi said Vande Bharat symbolises new India’s resolution and capabilities.

“Vande Bharat is a symbol of New India’s capability and resolve. It is a symbol of that India which has chosen the path of rapid development,” the Prime Minister said.

“This Vande Bharat Express symbolises that India which expects everything to be the best. This

Vande Bharat Express symbolises India which wants to give better services to every citizen of its,” he said. It was designed and made in India, he pointed out.

This train will be the eighth Vande Bharat Express to be introduced by Indian Railways and will be the first one connecting the two Telugu-speaking states. It will be covering a distance of around 700 km between Secunderabad and Visakhapatnam in eight and a half hours.

The way all important days and festivals connect the country, Indian trains also with their motion and journey give opportunity to join and understand, Modi said.

The PM said seven

Two more hotels lean towards each other in Joshimath

Vande Bharat trains (already introduced) have covered the cumulative distance of 23 lakh kilometres, equivalent to 58 rounds of earth. More than 40 lakh passengers have travelled in Vande Bharat trains so far.

He also pointed out that the poor image of railways and a fatalist approach to the dismal situation changed when with good and honest intentions, these problems were addressed and in the past eight years, this is the mantra that transformed Indian railways.

The Prime Minister said today traveling by Indian Railway is becoming a pleasant experience. Many railway stations reflect the image of modern India. “Work done in the last

seven to eight years will transform the Indian Railway in the coming seven to eight years”, he said.

Claiming that prior to 2014, Telangana had a budget of less than Rs 250 crore for the Railways, he said today it has increased to more than Rs 3,000 crore.

Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said this train is a Sankranti gift by the Prime Minister to Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.

Referring to Modi government’s mantra of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Prayas’, Ashwini Vaishnaw said adding this is possible in this age and time. “When everybody wants to divide, Modi ji is uniting everybody. This is the time to develop the country... This is the only time we can do it”.

He further said Secunderabad railway station will be developed into a world-class station on the lines of those in Germany, Japan and France. Modi ji has sanctioned Rs 720 crore for Secunderabad station. In addition, 34 railway stations across Telangana are going to be redeveloped shortly, he said.

he said.

On the situation along the Western border, the army Chief said a ceasefire is being maintained along the Line of Control (LoC), violations have decreased, but terrorist infrastructure continues to exist across the border.

“But our counter-infiltration grid has been consistently preventing infiltration bids from across the border,” the army chief said.

The army chief also talked about the recent civilian killings in the Kashmir valley and said the army focussed on ensuring that any attempts by these proxy terrorists are neutralised.

Leaders across political lines also extended greetings to the country’s soldiers on the occasion of Army day via their social media platforms.

President Droupadi Murmu: Leading the nation in extending wishes, President Murmu wished the brave army of the country on Twitter, saying “On Army Day, let us recall countless stories of Indian Army soldiers’ sacrifices! They have always pushed the frontiers of valour and courage, and also acted as saviours in times of calamities. I salute all brave soldiers of the Indian Army and their families on this occasion.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi: On the occasion of Army Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday lauded the Indian Army, saying the soldiers have always kept our nation safe and are widely admired for their service during times of crisis. “On Army Day, I convey my best wishes to all army personnel, veterans and their families. Every Indian is proud of our Army and will always be grateful to our soldiers,” Prime Minister Modi said in a tweet.

“They have always

kept our nation safe and are widely admired for their service during times of crisis,” he said.

Congress Chief, Mallikarjun Kharge: Stating that the country was forever indebted to their unflinching courage, utmost dedication and selfless sacrifice, Congress president and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said: “Salutations to our brave soldiers, veterans, ex-servicemen and gratitude to their families, on the occasion of Indian Army Day.” Pralhad Joshi: Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Pralhad Joshi, meanwhile, shared a video showing the various drills Army personnel undergo and said: “Their unparalleled service keeps our nation protected. Their supreme sacrifices fill our hearts with gratitude. We are forever grateful to them.”

EAM Dr. S. Jaishankar: Saluting the Army personnel for their “valor and dedication”, External Affairs Minister Dr S Jaishankar tweeted: “We are all indebted to them and their families for their sacrifices in service of the nation.”

Airports under UDAN scheme to get comprehensive armed security cover

NEW DELHI, JAN 15 (PTI): More than 60 airports operational in tier-two and tier-three cities under the Centre’s regional connectivity scheme UDAN will soon be brought under a comprehensive anti-terror security cover of armed CISF personnel with the deployment of around 1,650 troops, officials said.

The proposal is awaiting final policy sanction from the home ministry.

The bureau of civil aviation security (BCAS), in consultation with the ministry of civil aviation and the CISF, finalised the proposal for the “very important security measure” required for the safety of passengers taking flights from small air terminals across India.

Some airports such as Shimla which are under the regional connectivity scheme, are being guarded by the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) while the rest are secured by various state police forces or their special armed units and there is no uniform policy.

The regional connectivity scheme was launched

Representational image

under the name of UDAN (Ude Desh ka Aam Nagrik) on October 21, 2016, by the Union government to stimulate regional air connectivity and make air travel affordable to the masses residing in tier-2 and tier-3 cities and towns.

The civil aviation ministry is the regulating agency while the Airports Authority of India (AAI) is responsible for implementing the ambitious scheme of the Narendra Modi government.

According to the fresh blueprint accessed by PTI, 57 security personnel will be deployed at each of the airports operational under the UDAN scheme, with

27 armed personnel drawn from the CISF and the rest sourced from certified private security agencies.

More than 2.15 lakh UDAN flights have been operated. The scheme has been able to provide air connectivity to Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities at affordable airfares and has transformed the way people travel, the minister said in the reply.

The government of India has approved a budget of Rs 4,500 crore for the revival of existing unserved or underserved airports and airstrips of the state governments, AAI, public sector undertakings and civil enclaves, he had said.

Congress calls remote voting ‘sketchy’

MORADABAD, JAN 15

(AGENCIES): Government Railway Police (GRP) on Sunday said it had registered a complaint in connection with a viral video showing a man being assaulted by 10-11 people inside the Padmavat Express in Uttar Pradesh, reports ANI.

NEW DELHI, JAN 15 (AGENCIES): Most opposition parties have decided to oppose the Election Commission’s proposal on remote electronic voting machines or RVMs as it is “sketchy and not concrete”, senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh said on Sunday.

Crest and Comet - have tilted dangerously towards each other and have been vacated as a precautionary measure.

The number of houses that have developed cracks has now risen to 826 out of which 165 are in the “unsafe zone”, a bulletin from the Disaster Management Authority said. So far 233 families have been shifted to temporary relief centres.

The process of demolishing two adjacent hotels Malari Inn and Mount View which were declared unsafe was still underway. Around 100 metres from the site, two more hotels - Snow

“The gap between the two hotels was around four feet earlier but now it has narrowed to just a few inches with their roofs nearly touching each other,” Puja Prajapati, daughter of Snow Crest owner, said.

Wider cracks have appeared near the JoshimathAuli ropeway whose operation was suspended over a week ago when land subsidence aggravated.

The 4.5 km ropeway, considered one of Asia’s largest, connects Joshimath located at 6000 ft with the skiing destination of Auli at an altitude of 9000 feet.

In a complaint lodged with the GRP, the passenger alleged that he was forced to chant the ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogan and the attackers even pulled his beard.

In the viral video clip, the man is purportedly seen being thrashed by the attackers. However, dismissing any hate crime angle to the January 12 incident, GRP CO Devi Dayal said, “The victim was travelling from Delhi to Moradabad.

Around 11 pm, when the train reached Hapur, 10 to 11 men entered the coach and beat him up.”

A case was registered based on the victim’s statement, the GRP CO said, adding that the allegation of the victim being made to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ and having his beard pulled at, turned out to be false on being investigated.

This decision was announced following a meeting of opposition leaders called by the Congress, including representatives from the Janata Dal (United), Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist), National Conference, and the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha.

According to Singh, the proposal for RVMs raises significant political concerns, including a lack of clarity around the definition of migrant labourers.

The meeting, which was held in the Constitution Club in Delhi, took place the day before the Election Commission’s planned demonstration of the RVM prototype for representatives of political parties.

The commission has called the demonstration to showcase the concept of remote EVMs for migrant

voters to representatives of political parties, reports India News.

During the meeting, opposition parties discussed the questions they would raise to the commission about RVMs.

It was decided that the Election Commission’s response to these questions would be collectively considered later, and opposition parties would take a joint stance on the issue, Mr Singh said.

Although the Sama -

jwadi Party and Nationalist Congress Party were not present at the meeting, they had conveyed their solidarity with the opposition’s stance, the Congress leader added.

In a major move that it said would increase voter participation, the election authority on December 29 had said it has developed a prototype of a remote electronic voting machine for migrant voters within the country and invited political parties for a dem-

onstration.

If implemented, migrant voters will not need to travel to their home districts to exercise their franchise.

Flagging concerns in an initial statement, the Congress had said the Election Commission should first allay the opposition’s apprehension about the misuse of electronic voting machines or EVMs before extending their application, which “would seriously undermine trust” in the electoral system.

of Goldy Brar

Defence Minister addresses at ‘Shaurya Sandhya’ during the 75th Army Day celebrations, in Bengaluru. (PTI)

Indian Army’s personnel show their skills during the 75th Army Day celebrations, in Bengaluru, Sunday. (PTI)

Man assaulted in UP, railway cops say not hate crime

PM Modi at the inaugural of Vande Bharat train service.

The Election Commission has organised a demonstration of RVMs on Monday.

DEHRADUN/JOSHIMATH (U’KHAND), JAN 15 (PTI): Two more hotels were dangerously leaning towards each other while wider cracks appeared near Auli ropeway and in other areas of land subsidence-hit Joshimath on Sunday.

185 families have been evacuated so far from a ‘sinking’ Joshimath. (PTI)

ReadytotackleanycontingencyalongLAC:ArmyChiefGeneral

Re-cycling election promises

With the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) of India Rajiv Kumar unambiguously putting an end to all speculations on whether or not assembly election will be held as scheduled ; the deck has been cleared for political parties to focus on winning the nod of the people. As mentioned earlier, election to constitute the next 14 Nagaland Legislative Assembly(NLA) will have to be held either by end of February or first week of March 2023. The Nagaland Legislative Assembly election in 2018 was held on February 27, 2018 in 59 out of 60 constituencies of the Legislative Assembly of Nagaland. The current 13th NLA was constituted on March 12,2018 and after the results of the assembly election are announced. The next 14th NLA has to be constituted ahead of the expiry of the tenure of the 13th NLA. Anticipation of likely solution to the Naga political issue had led to various organisations jump the gun in demanding deferment of polls. However, solution will have to wait longer and it could even be achieved by mid or even end of 2023 and much ahead of the 2024 Lok Sabha election. Now that solution will no longer be a factor for demanding deferment of polls or promulgation of President’s Rule ; the only question is whether the legislators, if solution is achieved after election, will be willing to ‘pave way’ for implementation of solution? Political parties will soon be releasing their respective election manifestos as they indulge in rhetorical promises for the next five years. Of course, for the political parties, solution to the Naga political issue will remain a feature in their manifestos so as to reflect, like garnishing of their commitment for bringing ‘lasting peace and prosperity’. The regional party-NPF-since 2003 had promised to secure solution within three months of coming to power if people voted out the Congress from power. The Naga political issue became the one and only issue for the political parties in Nagaland following the route and the trend set by the NPF. The NDPP, followed the same trend of placing solution as top most priority like the NPF and understandably so, as both share the same DNA. The regional parties have, for the past 20 years have only played to the gallery about their “deep commitment” for the Naga political issue but have hopelessly done precious little to draw a political road map excepting throw more confusion with their unabashed pretension about their self appointed role as ‘facilitator’. The roles of the regional parties even including the nationalist BJP, certainly need to be questioned since it is now 20 years after their coalitions promised to bring solution. Unfortunately, there appears to be nothing to show except two paper agreements which the BJP government at the Centre itself, is unable and unwilling to decide on what to do with them. The over indulgence and focus on the Naga political issue is also a red herring and a ploy to play emotive politics while mis-governance is the order of the day. The 20 years have left governance in a shambles, dismembering of Nagaland state and three major tribe alliances taking centre stage as the constitutionally elected and mandated government spawns a neo-tribe of the growing nouveau riche. Unfortunately, for the voters what matters is who offers them the highest bid for the votes.

DailyDevotion Do You Walk In White?

We were buried with Him…that just as Christ was raised from the dead…even so we also should walk in newness of life. —Romans 6:4

No one experiences complete sanctification without going through a “white funeral” — the burial of the old life. If there has never been this crucial moment of change through death, sanctification will never be more than an elusive dream. There must be a “white funeral,” a death with only one resurrection— a resurrection into the life of Jesus Christ. Nothing can defeat a life like this. It has oneness with God for only one purpose— to be a witness for Him.

Have you really come to your last days? You have often come to them in your mind, but have you really experienced them? You cannot die or go to your funeral in a mood of excitement. Death means you stop being. You must agree with God and stop being the intensely striving kind of Christian you have been. We avoid the cemetery and continually refuse our own death. It will not happen by striving, but by yielding to death. It is dying— being “baptized into His death” (Romans 6:3).

Have you had your “white funeral,” or are you piously deceiving your own soul? Has there been a point in your life which you now mark as your last day? Is there a place in your life to which you go back in memory with humility and overwhelming gratitude, so that you can honestly proclaim, “Yes, it was then, at my ‘white funeral,’ that I made an agreement with God.”

“This is the will of God, your sanctification…” (1 Thessalonians 4:3). Once you truly realize this is God’s will, you will enter into the process of sanctification as a natural response. Are you willing to experience that “white funeral” now? Will you agree with Him that this is your last day on earth? The moment of agreement depends on you.

Now Tehri, Mussorie crumble apathy sinks himalayas

Heaven is literally falling to the greed. It is just not Joshimath but even Tehri Garhwal, Karnaprayag, and Mussorie are also sinking and so may be many other parts at the crest of the Uttarakahand Himalayas. The Rs 12000 crore Char Dham (CD) all-weather road projects spurring real-estate are gobbling up all.

Latest reports say that still the earth movers are digging around Joshimath and other areas even as over 4000 persons evacuated and most houses crumble. Tragedies do not stop the road to hell. In 2013, Uttarakhand government had sought Rs 21000 crore for ruthless reconstruction post the Himalayan deluge. It seems to be the catalyst for the present disaster.

The Tehri district is the latest to report cracks and land subsidence. An IIT Roorkee team is studying Karnaprayag. Chamba in the Tehri, around a CD tunnelling is the worst hit with houses crumbling. Seepages at Tehri dam are common, reports SP Rai of National Institute of Hydrology. Now a road from Mana to Lipulekh through sensitive hills with rare virgin forest is the latest danger.

In June 2013, after

the Kedarnath tragedy this scribe mentioned “In all there are 244 hydel projects (HEP)of various sizes are planned to be constructed in the state. Some of these are already on stream. Others are coming up. Pancheswar dam being planned in Tanakpur is likely to be bigger than Tehri and biggest in India. Does that mean more disasters are awaiting the region?”

Unfortunately, it is so. Nobody listened to the cries of former minister Uma Bharati for not dislodging the image of presiding deity, Dhari Devi before the June 18, 2013 cloudburst.

The CAG reviewed 42 hydel projects in 2009. It noted that over 200 more projects were coming up – almost at every 5 to 7 kms. The yearning for making Uttarakhand the “Urja Pradesh” has led to reckless development. Ravi Chopra, former head of High-Power Committee for CD roads mentions that a bypass around Joshimath was opposed by the townspeople. The 10-metre-wide road all around the state weakens the hills with digging, blasting, removal of green cover and aquifers.

Pristine Joshimath the gateway to heaven, Satopanth, from where Yudhisthir

went to swarga; the peeth of Adi Shankaracharya; winter camp of Lord Badarinath, is as per a legend may be enunciating the end of an era.

The policy failure and greed to generate thousands of crores of profits has led to a disaster evolving for decades and hastened by rapid activity of hydel tunnelling, road constructions and puncturing aquifers ill-suited for a delicate fragile region, crown of the Indian subcontinent.

Ancient wisdom ordained for least activity around tenuous hills that is shaken with the mildest vibration. No wonder even the British resorted to the least activities and built lighter toy trains where possible. They avoided wanton destruction that the swadeshi gold diggers have delved into. The broad gauge railway being extend beyond Rishikesh could have been avoided. The prophesy of the Nar and Narayan hills merging with the Badarinath temple vanishing seems coming true. It predicts the submergence of the temple with the Alaknanda and other rivers either vanishing or changing course.

The Himalayan shrines may have contributed to wanderlust and develop -

ment of the livelihood of the locals. In itself it has culturally been supposed to be a sustainable but not large economy. Religious trekking from Rishikesh upwards added to the adventure and charm of the pilgrimage. It was for the spirit and not fun. Post-Independence the road constructions started threatening the fragile region with more landslides. With each decade greed sharpened and the massive Tehri dam was built even against the wishes of scientists and ministers. These shrines were considered sacred not only for their spirituality but as a constant reminder to tectonically sensitive zone that controls the subcontinental climate.

Joshimath is an instance of how common man suffers for pittance. Yes, Joshimath, facing literally a Himalayan disaster itself has been a thriving economy with a mere bank investment of a petty amount of Rs 900 crore! That is the total debt entire Joshimath owes. Surprising for a population of about 30,000 serving pilgrims and tourists to Badarinath, Valley of Flowers, Hemkund and the ski rink Auli. The rink itself cost Rs 83 lakh and today

Post-mortem

earns Rs 4.5 crore a year but termed a hazard. The 10-meter-wide CD road decays hills amid severe devastation with felling of large number of trees, destruction of aquifers, shrubs and fauna habitats.

Queer is the norm for planting trees. Trees felled on the hills are replaced with planting trees in Jharkhand or anywhere in the country. The official files do a wonderful ecological balancing.

In 2010, HNB Garhwal University study said tunnel boring machine punctured an aquifer on December 24, 2009 releasing millions of litres of water daily from NTPC’s Tapovan-Vishnugad 520 MW hydel project. The researchers warned of the mishap’s potential for “initiating ground subsidence”. It was forgotten till December 2022 when the looming nightmare became a reality around Joshimath. This punctured aquifer gushing out water is the cause for Joshimath sinking, confirms Garhwal Commissioner Sushil Kumar. In February 2021, around 200 people went missing as Dhauliganga and Rishibhanga rivers flooded Tapovan head race tunnel.

Warnings of 1930 Swiss scientists, 1976 Commissioner MC Mishra on

haphazard constructions and Supreme Court appointed committee of 2013 for seismically sensitive Main Central Zone advice against hydel projects were ignored. The CD project of the Border Road Organisation being touted as defence project, though it was not so earlier, is only aggravating the situation.

Incidents of glacial lake outburst floods (GLOF), a UNDP and European Commission study mentioned that such floods are happening regularly. Notable incidents occurred in 1997, 2000 and 2005 in the Sutlej basin and in 1970 and 1978 in Alaknanda and Bhagirathi basins. In 2000 and 2005 it hit the Pong Dam, in Himachal, severely, damaging roads, habitations and scores of bridges.

Incidents of GLOF are reported in Sikkim, Ladakh, Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal and Arunachal Pradesh. The Himalayas all around are crumbling. Dams and roads benefit the industry-real estate mafia damning the sensitive geology and livelihood. If unchecked it may have disastrous consequences and even desertify, cradle of the civilisation, the Ganga valley. The country must rise to stop it.

The 9th state level Mim-Kut (Mini Hornbill) festival, January 16th-18th 2023

Nagaland is well known for the many colorful and distinctive festivals that are held throughout the year due to its rich tribal culture. The state is home to several tribes, each of which contributes to the state’s diversity and cultural legacy.

The state’s tribes and sub-tribes each have a unique method for preserving their cultural traditions and customs, including a

variety of performance arts that are central to Naga Hornbill celebrations. The numerous festivals held throughout the state allow visitors to witness the state’s flamboyant diversity.

After the successful harvest of the last crop of the season, the Kukis celebrate Mim-kut, a postharvest feast.

A type of food grain called ‘Mim’ is also referred to as ‘Job’s tears,’ and the festival of ‘Kut’

is observed to give thanks for the wonderful harvest of the previous year and to please the deity in anticipation of a bountiful harvest the following year. Mim-kut is best thought of as a post-harvest festival of the Kuki’s because Mim is typically sown at the beginning of May and harvested at the end of December. Mim, is no longer grown, although back in the day it was the last crop to be gathered, signifying the

conclusion of the year’s labor.

The three-day celebration will feature a variety of folk dances to be performed by cultural troupes from various villages, traditional games and sports, the display of traditional traps, exhibition stalls, a cultural competition, a Kuki ethnic fashion show, traditional rituals, the eagerly anticipated Miss Kut contest, and many other exciting events.

The celebration-setting events are therefore accompanied by dance performances and captivating music.

In addition to this, the various contests, fairs, and concerts that make up the festival also uplift the mood.

The Kuki community, both young and old, assembled at the village square in unison while dressed in traditional garb. The entire purpose of the

‘What will unite the Naga?’

(From previous issue)

V. Tribalism in Nagaland.

The Naga Tribes in the early days practiced ‘their historical traditions of head hunting’; that has now become history, but the Naga never practiced TRIBALISM. Prior to the attainment of the Nagaland State, there was no Tribalism in Naga Tribes. Neither did our parents nor the people in the Village or the people in work places or in the festivals, at any time, anywhere talked any thing about Tribalism in the Naga Society. Tribalism came to the Naga only after the State was formed in 1st December 1963.

The Writer enquired from his only surviving sister of 92 yrs old and a few other surviving descendants of first Naga Christian Converts whether they had heard talk of Tribalism in the family, from the Parents or people talking with them in the house about Tribalis m in the Naga. She told she never heard of any talk of Tribalism in the house or in the public or in the Church when she was young!

The Naga older than second WWII, Nagaland State (1963) and still surviving [2023] -LanutoyRetd First Chief Engineer, ChubatoshiRetd Chief Minister, Retd Governor (Odisha, Goa, Maharashtra & Gujarat), TemsükabaRetd Commissioner, TakuyabaRetd Minister, Dr. LM Murry Retd Principal Director Health Services, Kajenkaba the only surviving 1st Batch MLA Nagaland, -all more than 93 yrs old, said they never heard in their childhood of people say Tribalism was practiced in the Naga.

Today, the youths, some Elites and some elected Representatives blame the Naga with Tribalism.

The reason the young generation today say of Tribalism in the Naga, is because they experienced it in their growing modern life today, in the actions of the Politicians, in the actions of people of Power and in the

higher echelons of Naga society today. What the young generation complains of in the Naga today may not be false, because Tribalism was born only after the formation of the State in 1963 in God’s Garden of Nagaland when the politicians, the powerful and Man with riches more than their known sources of income came to occupy high positions and positions of Power.

Whatever one may have done wrongly in the Past, no one can turn the History of a people back, and only way one can improve is to refrain from doing the wrongs in the future. Human beings improve and progress by not doing Past wrongs.

If the Naga is to grow into an honourable trustworthy People, we must come to our senses like the Lost Son in the Gospel and start a new life.

The Naga Society must, all of us, practice to aim to have consensus Vision to correct our defects; we all, from the top Echelons of Power down to the Shop keeper, the Salesman, the Taxi Driver, the Police, the Traffic Police, pedestrians in the Street, must decide to develop a Vision of honest courage to openly and even brutally discuss and uproot the defects in us ourselves.

Frankly and honestly, most Nagas are nice and friendly, easy to laugh and uncomplicated; Thank God, many non-Naga say so. The Naga is a united people; political differences do not really make a disunited people if they are forthrightly courageous and friendly.

The unfortunate part is that Man has not yet developed mechanism in free Democracy to correct the wrongs of the powerful in the worldly kingdom.

Politics is at best the united Power of the many, for the good of all. However, Political power concentrated in one person corrupts man, the more politics the worst; and absolute Power corrupts man absolutely. Every Naga should abjure people who love Power, politics or not!

The Political Parties tend to use political Power for Personal or Sectarian or Party Dynasty creation, and misuse legal power illegally. This creates Enmity, Disunity and divisive animosity in the Society.

The Naga Unity can be made stronger, vigorous as in former days by traditional, customary sensible Liberty, Justice and Equality at every level of Life; this is Principle of NAGA DEMOCRACY. The Naga Democracy does not differentiate by Castes; it is Justice, Fair, Equality and Equity.

In the Westminster Democracy; Power is automatically appropriated, used and misused by the few elected, selected, in a manipulatable Voting System that favours majority of the successful Group and sideline the Minority.

A seed of animosity in the Naga society has germinated from the State Government of Nagaland by permitting establishment of Village without sufficiently vetted consideration of the Traditional Customary Jurisdiction of the Tribe.

Each Tribe of Nagaland has the final traditional, customary apex jurisdiction over the land in its Territory; though practically, it is the Clan, the Family and the individual if the land is purchased, that owns the land.

The Government does not own land. But the Government, during the British Administration and after the formation of the State of Nagaland, often behaved as if it owns the Land if it were for the used or to be used for the Welfare and Development purposes of the District or the State.

Thus after the formation of the State, the uneducated Villagers ignorantly and the uncomplaining educated obedience naively often accepted the behaviour of the powerful Government.

Consequently, the Government appeared to have arrogated the Power of Permission or Re-

jection for the establishment of a Village superseding the Tribal Jurisdiction.

Such action has resulted in difficulties rising between the land-owning traditional Indigenous Community and the Government Permitted Community of the Naga Tribes.

The Government needs to give importance and deeper understanding of the TRADITIONAL CUSTOMARY Practices for the establishment of Villages in a particular Tribal Area, so that Naga Unity becomes conducive.

Brutally speaking: The present land disputes between the Zeliang Villages and the Sümi Villages in the Peren and Dimapur Districts has been seeded by the Government of Nagaland under the affect of the hegemony of the barrel of the Gun in permitting Villages when Government had no land at its disposal. A classic case is the hasty recognition of the Rongmei Tribe from Manipur as the Indigenous Tribe of Nagaland by the Government.

The hasty operation of Nagaland Special, Development Zone not vetted by the Tribe may invite Inter-tribe difficulties.

The Naga as a person is usually wary of injuring the feelings of others, but the time and situation have come today to speak out boldly, and even brutally honest in search for the hope of common good.

Firstly, the formation of the State of Nagaland, and the Revolutionary Army Government of Nagaland, activated the Spirit of political divisions in the Naga.

Secondly, N ot long after, the Army Revolutionary Government of Nagaland betraying their comrades over to the Indian Army; instantly broke the history of Naga political Unity.

Thirdly, the formation of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland [NSCN], in 1980 allegedly to nullify the Shillong Accord broke the Naga political unity.

The original monolithic

celebration is to transmit a spirit of deep traditional ties to the next generation. The three-day festival showcases the unique culture of the Kuki people of Nagaland.

The major goal of Mim-Kut is to express gratitude and satisfaction to the ‘Chung Pathen’ deity for his blessings received during the year’s labor and to ask him for more of the same in the upcoming year.

Douminlal Kipgen

NNC that Z. Phizo led still exists in silence and in nonviolent Ceasefire with GoI under his daughter Adinno as the President, ‘un-surrendered, unchanged, refusing rehabilitation from GoI and in its uncompromising principles of Naga Polity outside the NNPG.

Most of the Naga National Cadres of Nagaland surrendered Tribe by Tribe to the Government of India except Two; the surrendered, the rehabilitated and the captured by Indian Armed forces, fructified the NNC into:

i. NNC [Non-Accordist], ii NNC [Parent Body Body], iii. NNC [headed by Shingya], iv. NNC [headed by a Yimchungür Leader], and other unnumbered Political groups were formed.

In all, the old NNC Members themselves broke the NNC into its so-called Factions.

In Cease Fire and in Political Talk with the Government of India; the original NSCN of 1980 also broke into:

vi. NSCN (Muivah) and vii. NSCN [Khaplang] and each broke up into: viii. NSCN (Issac-Muivah), and ix. NSCN (Revolution)

“What will unite the Naga?”

1. Sans ‘Integration and Naga Flag’: The NNPG ultimately may unite and become SPP [State Political Party] and participate in the Elections of the States.

[It is impossible for the GoI to treat each of the NNPG with separate Accord provisions. There can be only one and the same Political Provisions for all].

2. The Naga must vow and reject violent politics, mutually respect and honour one another in everything they do. Without that, there is no Naga Unity!

Shivaji Sarkar

7 booked for stealing chemical

THANE, JAN 15 (PTI): Seven persons have been booked for allegedly stealing a chemical being transported in a tanker in Tilaknagar area of Thane district, a police official said on Sunday.

They stole the chemical when the tanker was parked, and sold it in drums, the official said. No arrest has been made, he added.

Prison inmate dies of illness in UP

SHAHJAHANPUR

(UP), JAN 15 (PTI): A 60-year-old inmate in the district jail here died allegedly of illness, officials said on Sunday. Ram Bharose, lodged in the jail since November last year in a murder case, died on Saturday night, Jail Superintendent Mijaji Lal told PTI.

He was suffering from pulmonary disease and was admitted to the jail hospital since November, Lal said. As his health deteriorated on Saturday night, he was taken to medical college where he succumbed during treatment, the officer said.

Protest against vandalism of church

RANCHI, JAN 15 (PTI):

Hundreds of people from the Christian community in Ranchi took to the streets on Sunday in protest against the alleged attack on Christians in Jharkhand and vandalism of a church in neighbouring Chhattisgarh.

Men and women, under the aegis of the Jharkhand Christian Youth Association (JCYA), took out the rally from GEL Church compound here to the Morabadi ground.

The placards had messages such as “stop the attack on churches” and “stop dividing in the name of religion”.

3 held for practising ‘witchcraft’

PALGHAR, JAN 15 (PTI): Police have arrested three men from Maharashtra’s Palghar district for allegedly practising ‘witchcraft’ and collecting money from a person by promising to get it doubled, an official said on Sunday.

Based on a tip-off, the police intercepted a car and a motorcycle in Jawhar area on Friday and apprehended the three accused, district Superintendent of Police Balasaheb Patil said. During the probe, the police came to know the accused had asked for Rs 1.5 lakh from a man from Valsad in neighbouring Gujarat and promised him Rs 5 lakh in return with the help of their “supernatural power”, the official said.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra to unveil 2nd poll promise in Karnataka today

BENGALURU, JAN 15 (AGENCIES): Congress’s Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will visit Karnataka on January 16 to announce the party’s second big promise for the assembly elections due in May. The women-centric promise will be announced at a mega convention for women, which comes ahead of her “Haat se haatjodo” rallies that are meant to firm up the message of Rahul Gandhi’s “Bharat Jodo Yatra”.

The convention will be held at the Palace grounds in Bengaluru. It will be attended by senior party leaders including former Chief Minister Siddaramaiahm state unit chief DK Shivakumar and the party’s national president Mallikarjun Kharge. Around 15,000 women Congress workers will also be present.

Sources said the Con-

gress will release a separate manifesto to target women in the state -- one of the few where it has a sizeable presence on the ground.

The Congress -- determined to win back the state -- has stepped up its campaign in the state as the ruling BJP is pushing ahead with the customary moves of its election machinery. The party has been bringing in its full fire-power, bringing its senior-most leaders

BJP’s two-day national executive meet begins today

NEW DELHI, JAN 15

(PTI): A two-day national executive meeting of the BJP will begin from Monday here that is likely to endorse an extension of tenure for party national president J P Nadda and deliberate on its strategy for assembly and general elections.

Nadda’s three-year term as the national president ends this month. He is likely to lead the party till the 2024 Lok Sabha elections are over.

Before the start of the national executive meeting on Monday, the party has organised a road show for Prime Minister Narendra Modi from Patel Chowk to the NDMC convention centre, the meeting venue. Addressing a press conference at the BJP headquarters here, party general

secretary Vinod Tawde said that several important issues facing the country will be discussed at the meeting. There will be discussions on political and economic resolutions, he said.

Underlining that the meeting is being held at an important juncture, Tawde said, ”Elaborate discussions will be held on the upcoming assembly elections in states, the BJP’s ‘pravas yojana’ for weak Lok Sabha seats and strengthening booth level teams.”

In a way this meeting will finalise the party’s future course of action of the BJP, he said.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, BJP president JP Nadda, several Union ministers and chief ministers of the partyruled states will attend the meeting.

15 Oppn parties red-flag RVMs

(From p-1)

will formally register their reservations/apprehensions at Monday’s meeting for demonstrating RVM prototype and they will, after taking the EC response, will meet again on January 25 to frame their written submissions to the EC.

The parties firmed up their collective stand at a meeting convened by the Congress and presided over by senior leader Digvijaya Singh at the Constitution Club. “The overall view of all political parties which attended the meeting is that they have unanimously opposed the proposal of RVMs because it is still very sketchy, the proposal is not concrete and there are huge political anomalies. And the problem in the proposal is also in the

WANTED ENGINEERS

definition of migrant labourers, the number of migrant labourers is not very clear. Therefore, we all have unanimously made up our minds to oppose the proposal of RVMs,” Digvijaya Singh said after the meeting.

“There have been innumerable concerns about the trust in the EVMs, whether it is a standalone machine, whether it is connected to the internet, who are the manufacturers supplying the microchips, who is burning the software? All these concerns were documented after discussions with computer scientists, professionals and civil society and given in a memorandum (to EC) on May 2, 2022. But the EC has not even responded to them. We shall discuss all these on January 25,” Singh said.

and state chief ministers .

Besides party chief JP Nadda and key strategist Amit Shah, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also visited the state.

Last week, PM Modi opened a youth programme in north Karnataka’s Hubballi. He will visit the state again on January 19. The destination this time is Kalaburagi, where he launched a new train in October last year. This time, he will participate in a public meeting meant for distributing land rights to Tanda dwellers from Bidar, Kalaburagi, Yadgir, Raichur and Vijayapura districts, apart from flagging off works to be taken up under the Jal Jeevan Mission.

Earlier this week, the Congress had announced free electricity upto 200 units, taking a leaf out Aam Aadmi Party’s governance

book.

The Congress lost power in Karnataka in 2019 as its government led by ally HD Kumaraswamy crashed following exodus by a chunk of MLAs of the ruling alliance. The party, which has a strong ground presence in the state, is expected to make a big effort to unseat the BJP under the leadership of its state chief DK Shivakumar.

The party has started a big mass contact programme as part of a bus rally – the ‘Praja Dhwani Yatre’ – which is being led jointly by Mr Shivakumar and former Chief Minister Siddaramaiah.

Post a comment

The tour started last week from “Veer Soudha,” a memorial where Mahatma Gandhi had presided over the Congress session in 1924.

‘Entire country will be covered by doppler weather radar network by 2025’

NEW DELHI, JAN 15 (PTI): Union minister Jitendra Singh on Sunday said the Met department’s severe weather prediction accuracy improved by around 40 per cent in the last eight to nine years.

Addressing the 148th foundation day of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the minister said disaster-related mortality has dropped to single digit with improvement in forecast.

He said the number of doppler radars in the county has increased from 15 in 2013 to 37 in 2023. India will add 25 more radas in the next 2-3 years, taking the number to 62, he added.

“The entire country will be covered by doppler radars by 2025,” he said.

The IMD on Sunday commissioned four doppler weather radars in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu and Kashmir which will bolster its weather moni-

toring capabilities in the western Himalayan region.

These four DWRs have been installed at Banihal Top in Jammu and Kashmir, Jot and Murari Devi in Himachal Pradesh and Surkanada Devi in Uttarakhand.

Singh also dedicated 200 agro automatic weather stations for agriculture advisory to the nation.

IMD DG Mrutyunjay Mohapatra said the department’s severe weather forecast (heavy rainfall, thunderstorm, fog, heat wave, cold wave has improved by 40 to 50 per cent in the last

five years. He said the existing doppler radars will be upgraded to remove uncertainty in rainfall estimates. Ten doppler lidars will be commissioned in the Himalayan region.

The environment monitoring network will be further augmented by increasing the number of sky radiometres from 20 to 30 by 2025, he said.

By 2025, the number of stations in the black carbon monitoring network will be increased from 25 to 45. The number of stations in the surface ozone monitoring network will go up from 7 to 25 and that in the precipitation chemistry network from 11 to 21, the DG said.

The IMD also aims to establish 660 District Agro Meteorological Units (DAMUs) by 2025 and increase the coverage from 3,100 blocks in 2023 to 7,000 blocks in 2025, he said.

Mayawati says BSP to go solo in state, LS polls

NEW DELHI, JAN 15

(PTI): A Noida-based NGO donated more than 20,000 kg of free dog food to at least 100 people in south Delhi’s Saket area on Sunday. The campaign, inaugurated by octogenarian Pratima Devi, known as “Dog Amma”, is an initiative by the NGO ‘House of Stray Animals’.

Devi, who shelters more than 200 stray dogs behind Anupam Complex in South Delhi’s Saket, received over 500 kg of free dog food. Earlier this month, the Delhi High Court permitted 80-year-old Devi to live under a tarpaulin shelter for the time being after local authorities allegedly bulldozed her makeshift shelter that also housed over 200 stray dogs. Around 20 people volunteered to distribute 20,000 kg of packaged food.

LUCKNOW, JAN 15 (PTI): BSP chief Mayawati on Sunday ruled out an alliance with any party for the assembly polls in various states and the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

She also made a strong pitch for the use of ballot papers in elections.

Key states of Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Telangana would go to polls this year, besides some northeastern states.

Speaking to reporters here on her 67th birthday, the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said, “I would like to make it clear that in the assembly elections of Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan and in the Lok Sabha elections, which will be held next year, the BSP will not forge a coalition with any party and will contest the polls on its own

strength.”

Mayawati said it became necessary for her to make the announcement as the Congress and some other parties, as part of a “conspiracy”, are allegedly trying to create an impression that they will be forging an alliance with the Bahujan Samaj Party.

“In electoral alliances forged once or twice in Uttar Pradesh and other states, barring Punjab, their (allies) votes were not transferred to us, due to which the BSP suffered losses,” she said.

“Hence, our party has decided to contest the assembly polls and Lok Sabha

polls on its own,” she said.

The BSP and the Samajwadi Party (SP) had forged an alliance in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Of the alliance partners, the BSP was the biggest gainer with 10 seats. Akhilesh Yadav’s SP won five seats and the smallest of the partners, Rashtriya Lok Dal, couldn’t open its account.

Mayawati exuded confidence that her party’s vote base is intact.

The BSP chief said electronic voting machines (EVMs) should be replaced with ballot papers.

“The CEC (chief election commissioner) and the Centre should come forward and hold elections using ballot papers. It will become clear how many voters are with them and how many voters are with us,” she said.

Mayawati further said the BSP was formed on April 14, 1984, and till the

time ballot papers were used in elections, neither the party’s vote percentage nor the support for it came down and its seats also increased.

Attacking Congress, BJP and SP over reservation, she said they did not fulfil their constitutional responsibilities.

Attacking the BJP, the BSP chief said, “The divisive game plan of the BJP in the name of Pasmanda Muslims is not going to be successful as the Muslim community is the most oppressed and affected by their wrong policies.”

Mayawati said farmers, labourers, small traders and other hardworking people are upset under the BJP regime. “The condition has deteriorated under the BJP regime. And in order to cover this up and divert people’s attention, new announcements are being made every day,” she said.

Assembly polls must take place in J-K: Farooq Abdullah

SRINAGAR, JAN 15

(PTI): Assembly elections must take place in Jammu and Kashmir as lieutenant governor’s administration cannot resolve the issues of the people, National Conference (NC) president Farooq Abdullah said on Sunday.

Speaking to reporters in Baramulla district in north Kashmir, Abdullah also said the elections lead to the formation of people’s government.

“Elections must take place. Elections lead to the formation of people’s government and resolve their issues. A lieutenant governor cannot do that,” he said.

On Monday’s meeting called by the Election Commission of India to demonstrate a prototype to enable

remote voting for migrant workers and students, the former Union minister said that NC will also attend it.

“Let them invite. Our party will also go. We will listen to what they have to say, we will also say what we have to,” he said.

Asked about VDC members in Rajouri being provided weapons to fight militants, the former J-K chief minister defended the move, saying the militancy has to be fought.

“It is not something new and weapons were given in our time (when the NC ruled J-K) as well. The militancy has to be fought,” he said.

To a reporter’s question that if Sonia Gandhi would be on stage when the Bharat Jodo yatra reaches here, would the issue of the restoration of Article 370 be

taken up, Abdullah retorted “you care a lot about (Article) 370”.

He said the yatra was for removing the hatred between communities across the country..

“What is the yatra for? It is for removing the hatred between religious communities, that we all – Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs, Christians

and Buddhists -- live together is what the yatra is working for. That is for what he (Rahul Gandhi) has come out.

“Yesterday, a Muslim was beaten till he did not utter what he was asked. These issues are a challenge and it is a matter of happiness that Rahul has come on roads for that,” he said.

Priyanka Gandhi Vadra

Jitendra Singh

Mayawati

NGO distributes over 20,000 kg dog food in Delhi

Farooq Abdullah

NEW DELHI, JAN 15

(PTI): Incentives paid by the government to banks for promoting RuPay debit cards and low-value BHIM-UPI transactions will not attract GST, the Finance Ministry said. Last week the Cabinet cleared a Rs 2,600-crore incentive scheme for banks to promote RuPay debit cards and low-value BHIM-UPI transactions in the current fiscal.

Under the Incentive scheme for the promotion of RuPay Debit Cards and low-value BHIM-UPI transactions, the government pays banks an incentive as a percentage of the value of RuPay Debit card transactions and low-value BHIMUPI transactions up to Rs 2,000.

The Payments and Settlements Systems Act, 2007 prohibits banks and system

providers from charging any amount from a person making or receiving payments through RuPay Debit cards or BHIM.

In a circular to chief commissioners of GST, the Ministry said the incentive is in the nature of a subsidy directly linked to the price of the service and the same does not form part of the taxable value of the transaction in view of the provisions of the Central GST Act, 2017.

Bellwether polls in 4 states critical for NE leaders eyeing...

(From p-) Krantikari Morcha (SKM in Sikkim) and independent (in Assam) have one seat each.

When hundreds of Congress leaders and MLAs over the years quit the party to join the BJP and other parties due to diverse reasons including internal feud, the Central party leaders remained inactive weakening the party further.

Since 2014 the Congress leaders of the northeastern region who left the party include Himanta Biswa Sarma, Sushmita Dev and Ripun Bora (Assam), Manik Saha, Ratan Lal Nath (Tripura), N.Biren Singh (Manipur), Pema Khandu (Arunachal Pradesh), Neiphiu Rio (Nagaland), Mukul Sangma and Ampareen Lyngdoh (Meghalaya).

The NDA government’s massive investment and infrastructure development helped the BJP leaders to convince the people

of the region that it has given top priority to the all round development of the eight northeastern states.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit in Meghalaya and Tripura last month said that his government was investing Rs 7 lakh crore to develop the infrastructure in the northeastern region while the spending on the region was a mere Rs 2 lakh crore since the independence of the country.

Withdrawal of the Armed Forces (Special Power) Act, 1958 from most parts of the region, promulgation of the Inner Line Permit and signing of accords with several militant outfits in the region also helped the BJP to garner people’s support.

However, the agitations against the Citizenship Amendment Act slightly put the BJP in an awkward position, but the Central government is tactfully going ahead with the sensitive issue.

“As recommended by the Council, it is hereby clarified that incentives paid by MeitY to acquiring banks under the Incentive scheme for promotion of RuPay Debit Cards and low-value BHIM-UPI transactions are in the nature of subsidy and thus not taxable,” it said.

In December alone, UPI achieved a record of 782.9 crore digital payment transactions with a value of Rs 12.82 lakh crore.

Separately, the Min -

States can impose special road tax: SC

NEW DELHI, JAN 15 (AGENCIES): The Supreme Court (SC) on Friday held that a state government can impose lumpsum road tax on all public transport vehicles to augment infrastructure facilities and such levy is regulatory and compensatory in nature and, therefore, within the competence of a state legislature.

According to Economic Times, it ruled that state legislatures not only have the power to make laws on the taxation to be imposed on motor vehicles, but also have the power to lay down principles on which such taxes are to be levied.

A bench comprising justices Sanjay K Kaul, Abhay S Oka and Vikram Nath, while ruling in favour of the state of Himachal Pradesh, set aside the state high court’s judgment that gave a contrary view. The high court had quashed the state government’s notifications issued in 2000 for levy of lumpsum taxes, holding that it could not be levied on general assessment but as per actual default.

istry has also clarified the applicability of GST on accommodation services supplied by Air Force Mess to its personnel.

It said that the revenue department had received references requesting clarification on whether GST is payable on accommodation services supplied by Air Force Mess to its personnel.

Currently, all services, barring a few specified services such as services of the postal department, transportation, supplied by Central or State Governments, or local authority to any person other than business entities are exempt from GST.

“It is hereby clarified that accommodation services provided by Air Force Mess and other similar messes, such as Army mess, Navy mess, Paramilitary and Police forces mess to

their personnel or any person other than a business entity are covered by Sl. No. 6 of notification No. 12/2017 Central Tax (Rate) dated 28.06.2017 provided the services supplied by such messes qualify to be considered as services supplied by Central Government, State Government, Union Territory or local authority,” the Ministry said.

“CBIC has clarified that accommodation services provided by Air Force Mess, Army mess, Navy mess, Paramilitary, and Police forces mess to their personnel or any person other than a business entity are tax neutral. This clarification would help restrict the cost of accommodation services for our elite forces services,” AMRG & Associates Senior Partner Rajat Mohan said.

Maruti Suzuki Jimny receives over 3,000 bookings in two days

NEW DELHI, JAN 15 (AGENCIES): Maruti Suzuki Jimny has become the talk of the town right ever since it showed up at Auto Expo 2023. Within two days, this off-road lifestyle sports utility vehicle had over 3,000 bookings.

Maruti Suzuki is taking reservations for the Jimny 5-door SUV both online and offline through its Nexa dealerships across the country, Business Today reported. It can be booked for a nominal fee of Rs 11,000.

The Jimny is powered by a 1.5-liter K-series naturally aspirated petrol engine with 103 bhp and 134 Nm of peak torque. Notably, this SUV gets the older K15B engine rather than the K15C mill found in newer Maruti vehicles. A 5-speed manual transmission and a 4-speed

automatic transmission with AllGrip Pro 4X4 system are available for superior offroad performance.

“Since Jimny is a global cult brand, there was already a section of buyers, who were eagerly waiting to buy it. Till today (14th January) morning, we have garnered 2,500 bookings, and by the end of the day, we are confident of having 3,000 confirmed bookings,” Shashank Srivastava,

India’s Russian oil imports top 1 mn barrels a day in Dec

NEW DELHI, JAN 15 (PTI): India’s import of crude oil from Russia increased further in December 2022, topping 1 million barrels per day for the first time ever as Moscow remained its top oil supper for the third month in a row, according to data from energy cargo tracker Vortexa.

Russia, which made up for just 0.2 per cent of all crude oil India imported in the year to March 31, 2022, supplied 1.19 million bpd in December.

This was higher than 909,403 bpd crude oil India imported from Russia in November and 935,556 bpd in October 2022. The previous record for most crude oil imports from Russia was in June 2022 when India bought 942,694 bpd, according to Vortexa.

Russia, which in October 2022 for the first time surpassed traditional sellers Iraq and Saudi Arabia to take the No.1 spot, now makes up for 25 per cent of all oil imported by India.

The imports peaked as a price cap was agreed upon by the EU on Russian

seaborne oil. Russian oil is available at much lower than USD 60 per barrel cap agreed, industry sources said.

India is the world’s third-largest oil-consuming and importing nation. It imports 85 per cent of its crude oil needs. Crude oil is converted into fuels like petrol and diesel at refineries.

According to Vortexa, an energy intelligence firm, India imported 803,228 bpd of oil from Iraq in December and 718,357 bpd from Saudi Arabia. The United Arab Emirates overtook the US to become India’s fourth largest supplier, selling 323,811 bpd oil in December 2022. The United States supplied 322,015 bpd, down from 405,525

bpd in November 2022. India’s appetite for Russian oil swelled ever since it started trading on discount as the West shunned it to punish Moscow for its invasion of Ukraine.

According to S&P Global Commodity Insights, India is aiming to pursue an oil import policy that will witness robust inflows from both the US and Russia in the foreseeable future, while stepping up efforts to diversify the crude basket even further to cushion the impact of any supply shock going ahead.

“Although the RussiaUkraine war has given an opportunity to the country’s refiners to bring in plentiful volumes of crude at discounted rates from the largest non-OPEC supplier, but that has not led to a fall in market share of the US, as India looks to bolster its energy ties with Washington,”

it said. Prior to the RussiaUkraine conflict, more than 60 per cent of the Indian crude basket was made up of Middle Eastern crudes, with the remainder made up of North American crudes at around 14 per cent, West African crudes at around 12 per cent, and Latin American crudes at around 5 per cent, with Russian grades accounting for only about 2 per cent.

Since the war began, West African crudes have become more expensive for Indian refiners because they are mostly Brent-linked and are being pulled in by European refineries that are running low on Russian crudes.

According to S&P Global data, the share of US crude in the Indian crude basket increased from 5-6 per cent in April to around 10 per cent in November last year. In the last quarter of 2022, the US displaced

Kuwait to become the fifthlargest oil supplier to India.

As per Vortexa, India imported just 36,255 barrels per day of crude oil from Russia in December 2021, compared to 1.05 million bpd from Iraq and 9,52,625 bpd from Saudi Arabia.

There were no imports from Russia in the following two months, but they resumed in March 2022, soon after the Ukraine war broke out in late February.

India imported 68,600 bpd of Russian oil in March 2022, which increased to 266,617 bpd in the following month and reached the previous peak of 942,694 bpd in June 2022. But in June 2022, Iraq was India’s top supplier with 1.04 million bpd of oil. Russia, in that month, became India’s second-biggest supplier.

Executive Director - Sales and Marketing, MSIL told Moneycontrol. Maruti Suzuki’s 5-door model’s price will likely be made public in April or May of this year. In the company’s India lineup, it will be positioned between the Brezza and the Grand Vitara. The Force Gurkha and Mahindra Thar will be Jimny’s immediate competitors when it debuts in the Indian market.

SNIPPETS

6 dead in cylinder blast in Pakistan’s Balochistan

ISLAMABAD, JAN 15 (PTI): At least six people of a family, including children, were killed on Sunday in a cylinder blast in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province, according to a media report. The blast occurred when the family tried to switch on a heater to fight the intensely cold weather in the provincial capital Quetta, the ARY news channel reported.

The entire house was damaged due to the explosion caused by gas leakage. The report said that the bodies were shifted to a hospital, but the identities of the deceased could not be ascertained.

Most parts of Balochistan, including the capital Quetta, are experiencing a bitter cold, with the mercury dropping to -10°C to -15°C in some areas, the Dawn newspaper reported.

Peru declares

S Korean prez travels to UAE, seeks arms sales

ABU DHABI, JAN 15

(AP): South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol received an honour guard welcome on Sunday on a trip to the United Arab Emirates as he hopes to expand its military sales here.

Yoon’s visit comes as South Korea conducts business deals worth billions of dollars and stations special forces troops to defend the UAE, an arrangement that drew criticism under his liberal predecessor.

Now, however, it appears the conservative leader wants to double down on those military links even as tensions with neighbouring Iran have already seen Tehran seize a South Korean oil tanker in 2021.

“I think that the situation in the Middle East is changing very rapidly when it comes to geopolitics,” said June Park, a fellow with the International Strategy Forum at Schmidt Futures.

took office in May after serving as the country’s de facto ruler for years.

An honour guard of traditionally dressed Emiratis greeted Yoon and his wife, Kim Keon Hee.

state

South Korea’s trade with the UAE is into the billions of dollars worth of cars, material and other goods.

those attacks, the Emiratis have been hedging their reliance on American military support since America’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan.

But South Korea’s biggest project remains the Barakah nuclear power plant, Seoul’s first attempt to build atomic reactors abroad.

The USD 20 billion facility, which ultimately will have four reactors, is in the UAE’s western deserts near the Saudi border and one day will account for nearly a quarter of all of the Emirates’ power needs.

Women’s Rights not priority, says Taliban spokesperson

KABUL, JAN 15 (AGENCIES): Amid the ongoing violation of the rights of Afghan women under the Taliban regime - banned from universities, as well as, from working in non-governmental organizations (NGOs), Taliban spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement that overturning restrictions against women is not a priority for the group, reported Khaama Press.

presidency official as also saying that an arms deal was planned.

The Taliban said on Saturday that it would not permit any act that violate Islamic law, and the concerns regarding restrictions on women’s rights will be dealt with according to the established rule of the group in the country.

Before Yoon’s trip, officials described the visit as seeking to solidify the ties already between the two countries.

of emergency

over protests that killed 42 LIMA, JAN 15 (AGENCIES): Peru’s government late Saturday declared a state of emergency in the capital Lima and three other regions due to protests against President Dina Boluarte that have claimed at least 42 lives in recent weeks.

The measure, in force for 30 days, authorizes the army to intervene to maintain order and suspends several constitutional rights such as freedom of movement and assembly, according to a decree published in the official gazette, reports AFP. In addition to the capital, the state of emergency covers the regions of Cusco and Puno and the port of Callao, adjacent to Lima.

Over 100 traffic accidents amid heavy snowfall in S.Korea

SEOUL, JAN 15 (IANS): Over 100 traffic acc idents have been reported amid heavy snowfall in South Korea’s Gangwon province on Sunday, officials said.

Many parts of Gangwon province had heavy snow from Saturday to Sunday, including 55.9 centimeters of snowfall in the Misiryeong mountain ridge and 52.3 cm of snow in the Hyangrobong hill, Yonhap News Agency reported.

Police estimated the latest snow caused more than 100 traffic accidents. No death or serious injuries has been reported.

China reports declining critical Covid cases as peaks pass

BEIJING, JAN 15 (IANS): China has reported declining numbers of fever patients and critical COVID cases nationwide as both peaks have passed less than a month after the country optimized its epidemic response in early December. The country’s health authorities reported 59,938 COVID-related deaths in hospitals between December 8, 2022 and January 12, 2023, Xinhua News Agency reported. “The number of critical cases in hospitals peaked on January 5, totaling at 128,000 on the day,” said Jiao Yahui, head of the Bureau of Medical Administration under the National Health Commission (NHC), at a press conference held by the State Council joint COVID-19 prevention and control mechanism, on Saturday. The number then began to drop with fluctuations, falling back to 105,000 on Jan. 12, Jiao said.

“So Korea wants to make sure some of the strategic partnerships and the components ... with the UAE.”

Yoon arrived at Qasr Al Watan palace in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. He was greeted by Emirati leader Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who

They twirled model Lee-Enfield rifles alongside troops on camelback and horseback. Inside, a military band played the South Korean and Emirati national anthems.

While energy-hungry South Korea does rely on the Emirates for just under 10 per cent of its crude oil supply, Seoul has struck a series of deals far beyond oil with this nation of seven sheikhdoms that closely tie the nation to Abu Dhabi.

Japan to increase employment of people with disabilities

TOKYO, JAN 15 (IANS): Japan will raise its mandatory employment rate of people with disabilities to 2.7 per cent from 2.3 per cent. This marked the largest increase since the current system was introduced, local media has reported.

The government plans to increase the rate in two stages, first to 2.5 per cent in April next year and then to 2.7 per cent by the end of fiscal 2026, according to the Mainichi Shimbun on Saturday, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Prefectural education boards are required to increase the ratio to 2.9 per cent, while national and lo-

Indian-American named second-incommand at US CDC

NEW YORK, JAN 15

(IANS): Indian-American doctor Nirav D. Shah, who played a pivotal role during Covid-19 pandemic, has been appointed Principal Deputy Director at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US CDC).

Shah, 45, who serves as the Director of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention (Maine CDC), will report to US CDC Director Rochelle Walensky in his new role starting March.

Shah was appointed to Maine CDC in 2019 with the mission of rebuilding the agency and the State’s public health infrastructure.

cal governments, whose current employment rate of individuals with disabilities is higher than that of the private sector, will raise the percentage to 3 percent.

Companies with 43.5 or more employees are currently required under the Act to Facilitate the Employment of Persons with Disabilities to have an employment rate of at least 2.3 per cent for individuals with disabilities, amid efforts to give such people more work opportunities.

About 614,000 people with disabilities have been employed by businesses as of June 1, 2022, setting a record for 19 years in a row.

“This visit will strengthen strategic cooperation with our brother country UAE in the four core cooperative sectors of nuclear power, energy, investment and defence,” said Kim Sung-han, director of national security in Yoon’s government.

On Saturday, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency quoted an anonymous

Already, South Korea reached a USD 3.5 billion deal with the UAE in 2022 to sell the M-SAM, an advanced air defence system designed to intercept missiles at altitudes below 40 kilometres (25 miles).

Emirati officials have grown increasingly concerned about protecting their airspace after being targeted in long-range drone attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.

While US forces fired Patriot missiles for the first time in combat since the 2003 Iraq invasion to defend Abu Dhabi during

It’s also key to the UAE’s plans to go carbon neutral by 2050, a pledge that takes on special importance as it prepares to host the United Nations COP28 climate negotiations beginning in November in Dubai. Then there’s also the nuclear tensions with North Korea. Yoon, a former top prosecutor, became president in May on a promise to take a harder line on Pyongyang. Up until recent years, hundreds of North Korean labourers were believed to be working in the UAE and elsewhere in the Gulf Arab states, offering a cash stream to Pyongyang as it seeks to evade mounting sanctions over its nuclear program.

Taliban chief spokesperson Zabiullah Mujahid said in a statement, “The Islamic Emirate tries to regulate all matters in accordance with the Islamic Sharia, and the ruling government cannot allow act against the Sharia in the country,” reported Khaama Press. The latest action by the Taliban to ban women from working in NGOs sparked protests by female university students and women activists in several regions of the country, as well as brought condemnations, globally.

Some foreign govern-

ments, including those of the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, the European Union (EU), United Nations (UN), OIC, and other international aid organisations, strongly condemned the action and urged the Taliban caretaker government to lift the ban and permit Afghan girls and women to pursue their education and continue working with NGOs, Khaama Press reported. According to a UNICEF report released in August, the fact that girls in Afghanistan are deprived of secondary education has cost the country’s economy at least USD 500 million over the past 12 months, which amounts to 2.5 per cent of GDP.

Zabiullah Mujahid also asked Afghanistan’s partners and international aid organizations to understand the religious demands in Afghanistan and avoid tying humanitarian aid to politics, reported Khaama Press.

Pak PM

Asking for more loans from friendly countries is embarrassing:

LAHORE, JAN 15 (PTI):

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that it was embarrassing for him to seek more loans from friendly countries, saying it was not a permanent solution for the cashstrapped country’s economic challenges.

Addressing the passing out ceremony of probationary officers of the Pakistan Administrative Service (PAS) here in the capital of Punjab province on Saturday, Prime Minister Sharif regretted that during the past 75 years, different governments — whether headed by political leadership or military dictators

— could not address the economic issues.

Sharif said it really embarrassed him to ask for further loans while lauding the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the financial support, Geo News quoted him as saying.

He said that seeking

foreign loans was not the right solution to address Pakistan’s economic challenges as the loans would have to be eventually returned.

The prime minister said that sustainable development goals (SDGs) could be achieved and foreign loans avoided had their “bus could have moved at a fast pace” and on the right track.

Pakistan is battling to fix its economic and political fissures amidst a parochial political rivalry between former premier Imran Khan and the current government headed by Sharif.

More classified documents found at Biden’s home by lawyers

WASHINGTON, JAN 15

(AP): Lawyers for President Joe Biden found more classified documents at his home in Wilmington, Delaware, than previously known, the White House acknowledged Saturday.

White House lawyer Richard Sauber said in a statement that a total of six pages of classified documents were found during a search of Biden’s private library. The White House had said previously that only a single page was found there.

The latest disclosure is in addition to the discovery of documents found in December in Biden’s ga -

Thousands of Israelis rally against Netanyahu government

TEL AVIV, JAN 15 (AP):

Tens of thousands of Israelis gathered in central Tel Aviv on Saturday night to protest plans by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s new government to overhaul the legal system and weaken the Supreme Court — a step that critics say will destroy the country’s democratic system of checks and balances.

The protest presented an early challenge to Netanyahu and his ultranationalist national security minister, Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has ordered police to take tough action if protesters block roads or display Palestinian flags.

Israeli media, citing police, said the crowd at Tel Aviv’s Habima Square swelled to at least 80,000 people, despite cool, rainy

TEL AVIV, JAN 15 (AP): Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday his government plans to charge ahead with an overhaul of the country’s judicial system, despite fierce criticism from top legal officials and protests against the changes that drew tens of thousands of people.

rage and in November at his former offices at the Penn Biden Center in Washington, from his time as vice president. The apparent mishandling of classified documents and official records from the Obama administration is under investigation by a former U.S. attorney, Robert Hur, who was appointed as a special counsel on Thursday by Attorney General Merrick Garland.

Sauber said in a statement Saturday that Biden’s personal lawyers, who did not have security clearances, stopped their search after finding the first page on Wednesday evening.

Aid package of $40 million in cash reaches Afghan

KABUL, JAN 15 (IANS):

A new package of 40 million dollars in cash as humanitarian aid has been delivered to Afghanistan and deposited in one of the commercial banks in Kabul.

Israeli

blocking a highway

a

No major unrest was reported, though Israeli

the

media said small crowds scuffled with police as they tried to block a Tel Aviv highway.

14. (AP) weather. Protesters, many covered by umbrellas, held Israeli flags and signs saying “Criminal Government,” “The End of Democracy” and other slogans.

Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption charges, has made overhauling the country’s legal system a centerpiece of his agenda.

Netanyahu, who is on trial for corruption, has made the legal changes the centrepiece of his new government’s agenda and the surging opposition to them is presenting an early challenge for the Israeli leader.

The overhaul would weaken the power of the Supreme Court, granting

Deaths from strike on Ukraine apartment building rise to 25

DNIPRO (UKRAINE), JAN 15 (AP): The death toll from a Russian missile strike on an apartment building in the southeastern Ukrainian city of Dnipro rose to 25 on Sunday, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy reported as rescue workers scrambled to pull survivors from the rubble.

Emergency crews worked through the frigid night at the wrecked multistory residential building, the site of the worst casualties from a widespread Russian barrage Saturday.

The attacks, which also targeted the capital, Kyiv, and the northeastern city of Kharkiv, ended a

two-week lull in the airstrikes Russia has launched against Ukraine’s power

Russia fired 33 cruise missiles on Saturday, of which 21 were shot down, according to Gen. Valerii Zaluzhny, the commanderin-chief of the Ukrainian armed forces.

The missile that hit the apartment building was a Kh-22 launched from Russia’s Kursk region, according to the military’s air force command, adding that Ukraine does not have a system capable of intercepting that type of weapon.

In Dnipro, workers used a crane as they tried to rescue people trapped on upper floors of the apartment tower where about

1,700 were living. Some residents signalled for help with lights on their mobile phones.

Zelenskyy reported that at least 73 people were wounded and 39 people had been rescued as of Sunday afternoon. The city government in Dnipro said 43 people were reported missing.

On Sunday, Russian forces attacked a residential area in the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson, regional Gov. Yaroslav Yanushevych said in a Telegram post.

According to preliminary information, two people were wounded.

legislators the ability to pass laws the court has struck down with a simple majority, as well as give the government greater power over the appointment of judges and limit the independence of government legal advisers. The proposed changes have sparked an outcry from the Supreme Court’s top justice, who in rare criticism called the overhaul an “unbridled attack on the justice system.” The country’s attorney general has also spoken out against the plan, as have many of her predecessors, and tens of thousands protested the proposed changes in Tel Aviv on Saturday.

The cash aid arrived on Saturday and DAB, appreciating the assistance, would welcome any support that strengthens the banking sector in Afghanistan, a statement from Da Afghanistan Bank (DAB), the country’s central bank, said on Sunday, Xinhua News Agency reported. Last month, two aid packages, each with 40 million US dollars in cash, arrived in Afghanistan and had been deposited to one of the country’s commercial banks.

CORRIGENDUM

In addition to the acknowledgement by St. John Church Chanka, the Committee further extend our special thanks to Shri. Daniel Lotha, Kilonser NSCN/GPRN for his support through financially and other means during the jubilee. The committee prays for his good health mind and body in carrying out his duty.

C Limhathung Yanthan Convener Silver Jubilee St. John Church Chanka Village DB-66/23

INFORMATION

General Meeting cum yearly prayer of Sapotimi Kughuko Union Dimapur shall be held on 18th January 2023 at 7: 00 AM at Shri. Vitokhu Achumi, Advisors Residence, Darogajan. Therefore, all the members under the banner of SKUD are informed to attend the meeting.

Zabihullah Mujahid

Shehbaz Sharif

Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Prez of the UAE, receives Yoon Suk Yeol, S Korea Prez and Kim Keon-hee, First Lady of SK at Qasr Al Watan, Abu Dhabi, on January 15. (Reuters)

border police prevent protesters from

during

rally against

govt, in Tel Aviv, Jan.

infrastructure and urban centres almost weekly since October.

Emergency workers clear the rubble after a Russian rocket hit a multistory building in Dnipro, Ukraine, Jan. 14. (AP)

U.S.A.’s R’Bonney Gabriel wins Miss Universe 2022

R’Bonney

January 15 morning

in New Orleans. India’s Divita Rai, who made it to the top 16, missed out on the beauty pageant. Venezuela and the Dominican Republic were the runner-ups.

R’Bonney is a fashion designer, model, and sewing instructor. At the University of North Texas, she earned a Bachelor’s degree in Fashion Design. She is currently CEO of her own

sustainable clothing line, R’Bonney Nola.

The top 16 contestants hailed from Puerto Rico, Haiti, Australia, Dominican Republic, Laos, South Africa, Portugal, Canada, Peru, Trinidad and Tobago, Curacao, India1, Venezuela, Spain, U.S., and Colombia.

Ms. Rai, a native of Mangaluru, who could not make it to the top-5 cut, hails from a family in Thiruvail. Daughter of Dilip Rai and Pranita Rai, Ms. Divita studied in Mumbai. She was adjudged Liva Miss

Diva Universe 2022 and got qualified for the Miss Universe contest.

The last Miss Universe winner was actor-model Harnaaz Sandhu, who made history when she was crowned Miss Universe 2021 beating contestants from 80 countries— 21 years after India last brought home the title. Only two Indians before Ms. Sandhu had won the title of Miss Universe— actors Sushmita Sen in 1994 and Lara Dutta in 2000.

(The Hindu)

Health Benefits of Cinnamon

What Is It?

Cinnamon, from the bark of the cinnamon tree, has long been used as both a spice and a traditional medicine. As a supplement, you’ll find it in capsules, teas, and extracts. So far, doctors don’t recommend it for any health issues. Although research suggests interesting possibilities, there’s more work to be done.

Lower Blood Sugar

Several studies of adults and animals with diabetes have found that cinnamon can help lower blood sugar, though others haven’t shown similar results. Scientists still don’t know how cinnamon may work. It’s also unclear how much you would take and how long the results might last.

Boost Metabolism

An essential oil in cinnamon called cinnamaldehyde can target your fat cells and make them burn more energy, according to a lab study. This is exciting news for anyone trying to lose weight, but the research is still in the early stages. We have a long way to go.

Great Skin

Search the internet for “cinnamon face mask” and you’ll find plenty of DIY recipes that claim they’ll fight pimples and redness. There’s very little to back this up -- just one small study that found Ceylon cinnamon, specifically, can fight the types of bacteria known to cause acne. Another small lab study suggests that cinnamon can boost collagen production, which might help your skin look younger.

Help Treat Cancer

In studies using animals or cells grown in labs, cinnamon has shown promise for its ability to slow cancer growth and even kill

tumor cells. We need wellrun studies of humans to know what role, if any, cinnamon could play in curing or preventing cancer.

Lower Blood Pressure

Several studies suggest that eating cinnamon every day for 3 months can bring your systolic blood pressure (the top number) down by as much as 5 points. Larger studies are needed to check things like does it really work, how much to eat to get the best results, and how long the effect lasts. And since these were people who had prediabetes and type 2 diabetes, we don’t know if cinnamon has the same effect when you don’t have blood sugar issues.

Protect Your Brain

In a lab setting, cinnamon stopped the buildup of a brain protein that’s a hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. In another study, rats who had cinnamon did better in a water maze designed to test their memory. Of course, we need to see if these findings carry over when tested on humans.

Reduce Inflammation

It turns out that cinnamon was a top inflammation-fighter in a recent laboratory study that looked at 115 foods. Since inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis become

more common as you age, more research could support using cinnamon as a natural remedy for older adults to help with these types of conditions.

Lower Cholesterol

When 60 adults in a small study ate about 1/4 teaspoon of cinnamon every day for 40 days, their LDL (“bad”) cholesterol went down. Other research has found that similar amounts of cinnamon, eaten daily for up to 18 weeks, can lower LDL and total cholesterol while raising HDL (“good”) cholesterol. But it’s too early to recommend cinnamon as a treatment for high cholesterol.

Fight Bacteria

Cinnamon can fight many types of bacteria that make people sick, including salmonella, E. coli, and staph. Perhaps it could be used as a natural preservative in foods and cosmetics.

Get Rid of a Yeast Infection

It seems cinnamon has the power to destroy the fungus Candida albicans, which causes most vaginal yeast infections. At least, it works in the lab. It’s not clear how -- or even if you could -- use cinnamon to fight off or treat a yeast infection.

Regulate Menstrual Cycles for PCOS

While taking a dose of 1.5 grams (about 1/2 teaspoon) of cinnamon each day for 6 months, women with polycystic ovary syndrome in one small but well-designed study had more regular periods. Their insulin resistance and androgen levels didn’t change, though.

Reviewed by Melinda Ratini, MS, DO

Agalaxy of stars feature in a 16-strong Telugu-language film slate that will bow on Netflix after their theatrical release, reports ‘Variety’. Several of the titles will also be made available on the service in Tamil, Malayalam and Kannada as well.

Mahesh Babu headlines Haarika & Hassine Creations’ project known at present as ‘SSMB28’, directed by Trivikram Srinivas and co-starring Pooja Hegde.

Megastar Chiranjeevi, whose ‘Waltair Veerayya’ is currently in cinemas, stars in AK Entertainments’ ‘Bhola Shankar’, directed by Meher Ramesh and costarring Tamannaah Bhatia and Keerthy Suresh.

‘Baahubali’ star Anushka Shetty leads UV Creations’ production No. 14, directed by Mahesh Babu P. and co-starring Naveen Polishetty, and Netflix will also stream the company’s untitled film, which is actor Kartikeya Gummakonda’s eighth, directed by Prashanth Reddy.

Ravi Teja stars in People Media Factory and Abhishek Agarwal Arts’ ‘Dhamaka’, directed by Trinadha Rao Nakkina, while Sundeep Kishan leads Studio Green’s ‘Buddy’, directed by Sam Anton.

Mythri Movie Makers, according to ‘Variety’, is contributing two films to the lineup -- ‘Amigos’, starring Nandamuri Kalyan Ram and Ashika Ranganath, directed by Rajendra Reddy; and alongside Clap Entertainment, ‘Meter’, starring Kiran Abbavaram, directed by Ramesh Kaduri.

Sithara Entertainments has three films in the lineup -- alongside Fortune Four Cinemas, ‘Butta Bomma’, starring Anikha Surendran, Surya Vasishta and Arjun, directed by Shourie Chandrasekhar Ramesh; alongside Srikara Studios a project currently identified as ‘PVT04’, star-

ring Panja Vaisshnav Tej and Sreeleela, directed by Srikanth Reddy; and alongside Srikara Studios and Fortune Four Cinemas ‘Tillu Square’, starring Sidhu Jonnalagadda and

ru; and alongside Sukumar Writings, ‘Virupaksha’, starring Sai Dharam Tej and Samyuktha Menon, directed by Karthik Varma Dandu. Sukumar Writings, alongside GA2 Pictures and Allu Arvind Presents, has ‘18 Pages’, starring Nikhil Siddhartha and Anupama Parameswaran, directed by Surya Pratap Palnati.

Anupama Parameswaran, directed by Mallik Ram, reports ‘Variety’.

Sri Venkateswara Cine Chitra LLP has two titles -‘VT12’, starring Varun Tej, directed by Praveen Satta-

Sri Lakshmi Venkateswara Cinemas also has two titles -- their untitled sixth production starring Naga Shaurya, directed by Pawan Basamsetti; and ‘Dasara’, starring Nani and Keerthy Suresh, directed by Srikanth Odela. (IANS)

LESS THAN 5, 5 TO 10, ABOVE 15 FOR 1 YEAR, RESULTS FOR ONLY 2 YEARS, RESULTS FOR 10 YEARS AND SO ON

Gabriel of the United States was crowned Miss Universe on

at a ceremony

R’Bonney Gabriel was honoured with the Miss Universe crown worth a $5.58 million. (Twitter/@MissUniverse)

Lemi, Haymanot win Mumbai Marathon

MUMBAI, JAN 15

(IANS): Ethiopian duo of Hayle Lemi and Anchalem Haymanot won the men’s and women’s elite titles with new course records to take home the USD 45,000 winners prize and a course record bonus of USD 15,000 each in the 18th edition of the Tata Mumbai Marathon. here on Sunday.

Lemi won the men’s Marathon Elite race in 2 hours seven minutes and 32 seconds to finish ahead of Rono Philemon of Kenya (2:08.44). Haymanot bagged the title in the Women’s Elite Race in a timing of 2 hours 24 minutes and 15 seconds, ahead of second-placed compatriot Tusa Rahma (2:24.22) as Ethiopia swept the first eight spots.

T Gopi won the Marathon Elite Male Indian section in 2:16.41 with Man Singh (2:16.58) while Chavi Yadav won the Marathon Elite Women In dian race in 2:50.35 with Arati Pati 3:00.44.

In the Elite Men’s race, Lemi took advantage of the slow pace in the first half of the men’s race. The 2016 Boson Marathon winner ran alongside the defending champion, countryman Derara Hurisa, Kenyan Philemon Rono, and half a dozen other runners as they passed through the iconic Rajiv Gandhi Sea Link towards the halfway mark.

Lemi, Rono and another Ethiopian Hailu Zewdu broke away from the rest of the group at the 26th kilometre. The three athletes climbed the Peddar Road together on their return journey. Lemi increased his pace while coming down to enter Chowpatty beach

Hayle

corner and started running on the Marine Drive well ahead of the other two. His 2:07:32 is an early season lead in the world this year. Rono clocked 2:08:44 for the second spot. The women started their race at a fast pace and there was a keen tussle between five Ethiopian runners at the midway stage. Worknesh Alemu, the 2019 champion here, drew from her past experience on the course to take the lead at that point.

However, Haymanot, a marathon debutant, broke away from Alemu. Rahma Tusa, two times Rome Marathon winner, and 2022 Sydney marathon runnerup Letebrhan Haylay ran shoulder-to-shoulder with her.

“Running along with these two experienced runners with fast timings to their credit was really a challenge, but I gained much experience from them,” Haymanot revealed during a post-race press conference. For the first time, the podium finishers in the women’s sec -

tion finished under 2:25, as Tusa (2:24:22) also finished under the previous course record of 2:24:33 held by Valentine Kipketer (Kenya) since 2013.

GOPI MAKES WINNING RETURN

Gopi T. made a winning return to competitive action while Chavi Yadav pulled off a spectacular victory on her marathon debut in the Indian race.

Olympian Gopi, the first Indian male to win the Asian Marathon Championship in 2017, clocked 2:16:41 to finish on top of the domestic Elites and 10th overall in the 18th edition of the USD 405,000 prize fund World Athletics Gold Label Road Race.

All eyes were on Gopi who was returning to competition after three years following knee surgery and the Army runner didn’t disappoint as he clocked 2:16:41, and was followed by Man Singh, who was 17 seconds behind, and Kalidas Hirave.

Gopi fell short of the upcoming Asian Games cut-off of 2:15 but said the

Jadeja set for Ranji comeback

NEW DELHI, JAN 15

(PTI): Premier India allrounder Ravindra Jadeja, who withdrew from the Asia Cup last September to undergo a right knee surgery, is set to make a comeback in Saurashtra’s final round of Ranji Trophy fixture against Tamil Nadu in Chennai beginning January 24.

The 34-year-old, who is currently doing rehab at the National Cricket Academy, has been picked in a 17-member squad for the first two Tests in the highlyanticipated four-match series against Australia slated to begin in Nagpur from

February 9.

However, his availability is subject to fitness as a call on Jadeja is likely to be taken during the course of the four-day game. “It will be good if he plays for Saurashtra. Probably he will, but I don’t have any further details,” Saurashtra Cricket Association presi-

dent Jaydev Shah told PTI. Jadeja has not played any competitive cricket since the T20I against Hong Kong in the Asia Cup on August 31 and his previous first-class match was the rescheduled one-off Test at Edgbaston against England last July. Jadeja reportedly has started to bowl and bat from earlier this week as he’s winding up his rehab at the NCA.

The left-handed batter is seen as a vital cog in India’s line-up, especially in absence of Rishabh Pant at No 5 or 6 in the middleorder.

win in India’s largest marathon gave him a tremendous boost. “It felt good to be back after three years. I maintained a good pace for the first 30-odd kilometres but slowed down towards the end,” the Army runner told a news conference.

“I never give up,” added Gopi, who previously won in 2018.

The 2020 winner Srinu Bugatha finished fifth in 2:23:05. Bhopal’s Chavi said she was running the classic distance for the first time. “I didn’t run more than 25 km even in training,” she told a news conference. Arati Patil finished second, over 10 minutes behind, and Renu Singh was third.

The Elite Indian podium finishers were richer by INR 500,000, 400,000 & 300,000 respectively.

Meanwhile, Parul Chaudhary bettered her course mark in the women’s half marathon and Murli Gavit won the men’s crown. The podium finishers took home INR 100,000, 75,000 & 60,000 respectively.

NEW DELHI, JAN 15 (IANS): American tennis legend John McEnroe has made his prediction as to when Rafael Nadal will retire, saying, “As soon as he feels like he can’t win majors. He’s going to stop.”

Ahead of the Australian Open, Alexander Zverev caused a stir as he made the bold speculation that the Spaniard would retire after Roland-Garros. But Nadal was quick to deny it and said he is not retiring from the sport at least in the next six months.

“It would be tough to write Rafa off at any point, given that he did so well last year. I didn’t expect him to do that last year. So, I continue to be amazed by him. It’s amazing how much hunger he has still. With all the success that he’s had. The other players should look at him. And I was like, ‘this guy tries harder than anyone I’ve ever seen. I’ve got to try harder’,” McEnroe told Eurosport.

“Obviously, at 36, your body can only take so much; at some point it is going to give out. Will it be this year? I don’t know. Next year? How much longer can he do this at this level? And he doesn’t want to be, you know, 10 in the world or 20. As soon as he, I think, feels like he can’t win majors. He’s going to stop.”

Nadal won his second Australian Open title last year, taking him to a record 21 Majors ahead of Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer at 20 at the time. Then, he extended this

Djokovic, Ruud, Tsitsipas to battle for No. 1 at Australian Open

MELBOURNE, JAN 15 (IANS): Novak Djokovic, Casper Ruud and Stefanos Tsitsipas all start their campaigns knowing they will become the new No. 1 in the ATP Rankings by lifting the 2023 Australian Open trophy.

World No. 3 Ruud can also claim top spot by reaching the final, as long as neither Djokovic nor Tsitsipas wins the title. If none of those scenarios play out, the reign of current World No. 1 Carlos Alcaraz, not playing in Melbourne due to

injury, will continue, reports atptour.com.

World No. 5 Djokovic arrives in Melbourne as one of the title favourites.

He has won a record nine Australian Open titles, owns an 82-8 tournament record,

and began his 2023 season in impressive fashion by lifting his 92nd tour-level trophy at the Adelaide International 1. He can return to World No. 1 for the first time since 6 June by winning his record-equalling 22nd Grand Slam title in Melbourne. The 35-yearold Serbian also has past experience on his side when it comes to battling for the top ranking. The seven-time year-end No. 1 has spent 373 weeks as World No. 1 across his career, longer than anyone else in history.

LONDON, JAN 15 (REUTERS): Chelsea announced Mykhailo Mudryk as its fifth signing of the January transfer window on Sunday, after the Ukrainian winger completed his move from Shakhtar Donetsk to the Premier League club.

In a statement, Shakhtar said it “will receive 70 million euros ($76 million) for the player and another 30 million euros is envisaged as a bonus payment.”

Mudryk, who was named Shakhtar’s player of the year for a second year in a row, caught the eye with his performances in the Champions League group stage where he scored three goals and grabbed two assists. He is the second Ukrainian player Chelsea has ever signed, after former striker Andriy Shevchenko joined the Blues from AC Milan in 2006.

record with his 14th Rolland Garros title.

Lemi and Anchalem Haymanot

It would be tough to write Rafa off at any point: McEnroe

Novak Djokovic

Ravindra Jadeja

Mykhailo

India thrash SL by 317 runs; sweep series 3-0

THIRUVANANTHA

PURAM, JAN 15 (IANS):

Virat Kohli dished out another batting masterclass with his 46th ODI century while Shubman Gill notched up his second hundred and Mohammed Siraj picked a four-fer to give India a 3-0 series victory with a 317-run thrashing of Sri Lanka at Greenfield International Stadium on Sunday.

On a slow yet placid pitch, Kohli was off the blocks quickly and anchored the innings for a large part to remain unbeaten on 166 off 110 balls, his tenth hundred against Sri Lanka. In his third century in the last four ODI innings, Kohli hit 13 fours and eight sixes, feasting on a hapless bowling attack. He also shared a 131-run partnership with Gill, who was stylish in his 116 off 97 balls, hitting 14 fours and two sixes, and propel India to a mammoth 390/5.

In reply, Sri Lanka crumbled like a pack of cards to be all out for just 73 in 22 overs, their fourthlowest total in the format

and gave India their biggest margin of victory in ODI history. Mohammed Siraj got the ball to move around to run through the top order and pick his career-best figures of 4-32 in ten overs, while Mohammed Shami and Kuldeep Yadav had figures of 2-20 and 2-16 respectively in India’s dominating victory.

Electing to bat first, Rohit set the tone for the aggression, stylishly flicking over deep mid-wicket for six off Lahiru Kumara. Gill joined the fun in the same over by getting four consecutive boundaries.

The 95-run open -

ing stand was broken by Chamika Karunaratne when Rohit pulled straight to deep square leg in the 16th over. Kohli arrived and looked in the mood of playing another exquisite knock by hitting three sublime boundaries, both off the front foot and back foot.

After Gill reached his fifty in 52 balls, he began to grow in confidence -- slogsweeping Jeffrey Vandersay over deep mid-wicket for six and then leant into a front foot drive past mid-off for four more. He cashed on Nuwanidu Fernando’s parttime off-spin, getting a four past the outside edge and

Havertz earns narrow win for Chelsea against Palace in EPL

LONDON, JAN 15 (AGENCIES): A thumping header from Kai Havertz earned Chelsea a narrow victory over Crystal Palace to ease the pressure on manager Graham Potter. Havertz met Hakim Ziyech’s cross shortly after an hour as the Blues ended a run of three successive defeats in all competitions.

The Germany striker should have doubled Chelsea’s advantage but could only flash a header wide from close range from Mason Mount’s cross.

Palace came close to equalising late on when Cheick Doucoure’s longrange volley was spectacularly tipped over by Kepa Arrizabalaga. Chelsea stay 10th despite the win, just their second in 10 Premier League games, but are now level on points with ninthplaced Liverpool.

Palace are 12th after a fifth defeat in six games in all competitions.

Isak strikes late in Newcastle win

Alexander Isak scored an 89th-minute winner after Aleksandar Mitrovic’s penalty for Fulham was

disallowed as Newcastle returned to third in the Premier League. Club record signing Isak, on his first league appearance since September after injury, tapped home from close range at a jubilant St James’ Park.

Mitrovic looked to have given Fulham the lead against his former team, but his spot-kick was ruled out because he accidentally kicked the ball on to his standing foot when he slipped. It was a dramatic

World Archery releases event calendar for the 2023 season

LAUSANNE (SWITZERLAND), JAN 15 (IANS):

Archery World Cup returns for its 17th season with four stages and a final scheduled between April and September, as the World Archery released its event calendar for the 2023 season.

Stages of the circuit will take place in Antalya, Turkey; Shanghai, China; Medellin, Colombia and Paris, France. It is the first time the tour will visit Shanghai since before the pandemic. Antalya hosts a stage for the 16th time and Medellin for the seventh in 2023. For the second year in a row, the Archery World Cup Final will be held in Mexico -- this time in Hermosillo in September.

The event in Paris will also act as the test event for the 2024 Paris Olympics -and will be the only opportunity for athletes to compete in the temporary arena at Invalides before the Games, should they progress to a final at the competition.

“More than 400,000 Swiss Franc (431352.40 USD) in prize money will be awarded on the circuit in 2023 -- which has more

than doubled over the last four years,” World Archery said in a release. The biggest increase this year is at the four stages, where the total pot has risen from 30,400 CHF to 45,600 CHF (32782.78 to 49,174.17) as cheques will be awarded down to eighth place rather than fourth. Each Hyundai Archery World Cup Champion will receive 30,000 CHF (32,351.43 USD) this season.

Launched in 2006, Archery World Cup is the sport’s premier elite competition circuit for national teams. The best 32 archers (eight in each championship category) over the season qualify to compete at the Archery World Cup Final for the four-circuit champion trophies.

Event Schedule: Stage 1: April 18-23 in Antalya, Turkey

Stage 2: May 16-21 in Shanghai, China

Stage 3: June 13-18 in Medellin, Columbia

Stage 4: August 15-20 in Paris, France World Cup Final: September 9-10 in Hermosillo, Mexico

final 30 minutes to a tight game which Newcastle edged without being able to create clear chances.

In the end Isak, who made a promising start to life on Tyneside before his injury, was in the right place to convert strike partner Callum Wilson’s knock-back.

Fulham manager Marco Silva was booked for protesting after the final whistle with his side unfortunate to see their fivegame winning run ended.

then bringing out an elegant loft over long-off for six.

On the very next ball, after Kohli got his fifty, Gill notched up his second ODI century off 89 balls. The duo pressed the accelerator pedal by taking four boundaries off Vandersay in the 32nd over before Gill was bowled by an offcutter which kept low off Rajitha for 116 in the 33rd over. Though Shreyas Iyer, Suryakumar Yadav and K.L. Rahul fell, there was no stopping Kohli, who was lofting, driving, flicking, and then got his 150 with a six whacked over deep mid-wicket off Kumara in

the final over. Under scoreboard pressure, Sri Lanka just wilted and couldn’t put up a fight. Siraj, central to India’s success in the first ten overs in ODIs, delivered the first blow by having Fernando edge to first slip for a low catch.

In his next over, Siraj used his wobble-seam delivery to have Kusal Mendis edge behind to the keeper. Shami was next to strike as Charith Asalanka punched straight to the backward point. Siraj had his third wicket when Nuwanidu went for an expansive drive to an outswinger and chopped on. In the final

over of the first Power-play, Siraj got his wobble-seam delivery to nip back in from outside off and rattle Hasaranga’s off-stump.

With half the side back in the pavilion, panic ensued, resulting in a bizarre run-out of Karunaratne, who was out of the crease after defending against Siraj, and saw the bowler fire a direct hit at the striker’s end.

Kuldeep castled Dasun Shanaka through the gate while Dunith Wellalage, coming in as a concussion substitute for Vandersay, chipped a drive straight to point off Shami. With Bandara absent hurt, Kuldeep finished off the match by castling Kumara and ending a 22-run partnership for the ninth wicket, completing a monstrous victory for India.

BRIEF SCORES: India 390/5 in 50 overs (Virat Kohli 166 not out, Shubman Gill 116, Kasun Rajitha 2-81, Lahiru Kumara 2-87) beat Sri Lanka 73 all out in 22 overs (Nuwanidu Fernando 19; Mohammed Siraj 4-32, Kuldeep Yadav 2-16) by 317 runs

Yamaguchi, Axelsen win Malaysia Open crowns

KUALA LUMPUR, JAN 15 (AGENCIES):

Akane

Yamaguchi and Viktor Axelsen won the Malaysia Open Super 1000 women’s and men’s singles titles in Kuala Lumpur on Sunday.

Yamaguchi, the reigning world champion, registered a come-from-behind win over world no. 4 An Se Young to clinch the Super Series Premier title, her first in seven years, Sportstar reported. On Sunday, Yamaguchi, after dropping the first game 12-21, bounced back to win the tightly fought second game 21-19 before sealing the

contest 21-11 in the third. The men’s singles final saw a repeat of last month’s World Tour Finals. Axelsen, the regaining Olympic and world champion, won the Malaysia Open title in straight games, beating Japanese youngster Kodai Naraoka in 40 minutes.

The world no. 1 Dane, showing his brilliant attacking spree and defence, took the first game 21-6. In the second, Naraoka fought back briefly before going down 15-21. This was Axelsen’s ninth Super Series Premier title and third Malaysia Open crown.

Chizami Sports Association sports meet culminates

DIMAPUR, JAN 15 (NPN): The 52nd Chizami Sports Association (CSA) meet was conducted from January 7 to 14 at Chizami.

Around 400 sportspersons from six Khels competed in 17 sports disciplines.

Ladelekhro Khel emerged as the group champions while Mechütheza was crowned the champions in men’s football after defeating Ladelekhro by a solitary goal. The valedictory guest was secretary, Youth Resources & Sports and Parliamentary Affairs, Wezope Kenye. He spoke on the growing popularity of sports and encouraged the young sportspersons to pursue it professionally aside from studies.

A press release by CSA president, Colo Mero stated that CSA objective was to take Chizami sports and sportspersons to professional levels. In this connection, CSA is focused on training and developing sportspersons in select sports disciplines, Coach and Referee Education, and development of sports infrastructure in the village.

Results

The medals and program were sponsored by Chizami Youth Society.

Valedictory guest, officials, participants and others at the 52nd CSA meet.

1. Group Champions –Ladelekhro Khel – Rs 5000 sponsored by Life Enterprises.

2. Best Athlete (Woman) – Khrotsho-u Tsühah, Rs 2000 sponsored by Life Enterprises.

3. Best Athlete (Man) –Wede T Mero, Rs 2000 sponsored by Life Enterprises.

4. CHIZAMI FOOTBALL LEAGUE (Men) Winners – Mechütheza, Rs 50,000 sponsored by Chizami Village Council. Runners Up – Ladelekhro, Rs 30,000 sponsored by Chizami VDB.

3rd Place – Pfütshe, Rs 25,000 sponsored by Enyiwekha Wezah.

4th Place – Pfütshepa, Rs 20,000 sponsored by Er Wezotsonyi Thopi.

5th Place – Pulekhro, Rs

15,500 sponsored by Bodezo Mero.

Most Valuable Player – Eneibe Thopi, Rs 2000 sponsored by Wetshete Thopi.

Highest Scorer – Tsheto Thopi, Rs 2000 sponsored by Zuwekhro Thopi.

Best Goalkeeper – Weselhi Thopi, Rs 2000 sponsored by Wepezo Thopi.

Best Defender – Lhikute T Kapfo, Rs 2000 sponsored by Pewe Thopi.

Best Midfielder – Wetshokhro Thopi, Rs 2000 sponsored by Mhetshewe-u Thopi.

Best Striker – Tshetsho Rhakho, Rs 2000 sponsored by Dr Wewute-u Thopi.

5. WOMEN’S FOOTBALL Winners – Pfütshepa, Rs 10,000/- sponsored by Life Enterprises.

Golden

Rs 1000/Golden Boot – Wekhrolhilou Mekrisuh & Khrolo-u T Mero, Rs 1000/Golden Ball – Wewutou T Mero, Rs 1000/-

6. MEN’S VOLLEYBALL

Winners - Pfütshepa, Rs 10,000/- sponsored by Dr Wezode Wezah.

Runners Up – Ladelekhro, Rs 5,000/- sponsored by Wekupe Chirhah.

Best Player – Eneiku Naro, Rs 1000/7.WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL Winners - Pfütshepa, Rs 10,000/- sponsored by SBI Chizami.

Runners Up – Mechütheza, Rs 5,000/- sponsored by

Mekhalo

Best

8.

Winners

Runners Up – Ladelekhro, Rs 5,000 sponsored by Wekedu Wezah.

MVP – Sesode Wezah, Rs 1000

Highest Scorer – Wetshülo Naro, Rs 1000

9. WOMEN’S BASKETBALL Winners - Pfütshepa, Rs 10,000 sponsored by Alice Kenye.

Runners Up – Mechütheza, Rs 5,000/- sponsored by Khrolhiwe-u Awi Tsühah. MVP – Medunyi-u Thopi, Rs 1000

Highest Scorer – Tshemheteu Wetsah, Rs 1000

Viktor Axelsen celebrates after defeating Kodai Naraoka.

Runners Up – Mechütheza, Rs 30,000/- sponsored by Wedete Tsühah.

Glove – Wekhrope-u Mekrisuh,

Lohe.

Player – Eneiwekhro-u Tsühah, Rs 1000/-

MEN’S BASKETBALL

- Pfütshepa, Rs 10,000 sponsored by Dr Yelo T Mero.

Indian players with trophy after winning the 3rd ODI match against Sri Lanka, Sunday. (PTI)

Kai Havertz celebrates after scoring for Chelsea.