ISRO Chairman Advises What Temples Should Do To Attract Youth In India
ISRO Chairman S Somanath today shared his thoughts on what temples could do to attract youngsters to places of worship across India.
ISRO chairman advocates for libraries in temples to attract youth
ISRO Chairman S Somanath advocates for setting up libraries in temples to attract youngsters to places of worship, urging temple managements to transform society. He received an award from Sree Udiyannoor Devi Temple and former ISRO chairman G Madhavan Nair, emphasizing the importance of attracting youth to temples.
If You Want A Selfie With Milind Soman, You'll Have To Do Push-Ups
Milind Soman shared photos and videos on Instagram of his Indian fans in Switzerland performing push-ups in return for selfies with him.
From land of celebrated generals, a calm Supreme Court judge wins hearts
Resplendent with natural beauty, the verdant landscape of Coorg gave India two celebrated army generals -the first and third army chiefs in field marshal Kodandera M Cariappa and Gen Kodandera S Thimayya. Hailing from the same Coorg, Justice Ajjikuttira Somaiah Bopanna on Thursday was unequivocally adjudged by lawyers, on his last day on the bench in Supreme Court, as the calmest judge possessing an understudied elegance whose characteristics could be the benchmark for selecting judges to the constitutional courts.
Company Owner Remanded to Police Custody in Billboard Collapse Case
Mumbai: Hours after he was arrested from Udaipur, Bhavesh Bhinde, accused of billboard collapse case in which 16 people died, was produced before a local court. He has been booked for culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The court remanded him to police custody. The investigation of the case has been handed over to the crime branch of Mumbai police. Bhindes advertising firm M/S Ego Media Pvt Ltd managed the giant hoarding that collapsed on a petrol pump during a dust storm on May 13. He was absconding after the tragic incident in which 16 people died and 74 were injured. The crime branch arrested Bhinde from Udaipur on Thursday evening and and brought him to Mumbai. He was produced before additional chief metropolitan magistrate (Esplanade court) K.S. Zanwar and sought his custody for 14 days. The court granted his custody for 10 days till May 26. The illegal 125 feet x 125 feet hoarding stood on a piece of land in possession of the government railway police (GRP). BJP leader Kirit Somaiya claimed that the Government Railway Police (GRP) had granted permission in 2021 for four more illegal hoardings in Mumbai to Bhindes advertising firm. He said these hoardings have been installed at the Railway Police Colony near Tilak Bridge, Dadar. Four more hoardings illegal permission was given by GRP Railway Police of Maharashtra Govt to Bhavesh Bhinde EGO Media in 2021 (sic), Somaiya said in a post on X.
Revanth Reddy Cabinet to Address Critical Bifurcation Issues Ahead of Telangana's 10th Anniversary
HYDERABAD: Saturday's meeting of the Revanth Reddy Cabinet, a fortnight ahead of the 10th anniversary of the bifurcation of Telugu states, is likely to take key decisions on taking over buildings in Hyderabad that were allotted to Andhra Pradesh a decade ago, apart from those relating to the new academic year, Kaleshwaram project and the Kharif action plan. Hyderabad will cease to exist as the joint capital of Andhra Pradesh on June 2, 2024, and will be the capital of Telangana state as per AP Reorganisation Act, 2014. Some of the buildings still in control of the AP government are the Lake View guesthouse, buildings housing the CID at Lakdikapul, SIB at Greenlands, Sainik Welfare Board at Somajiguda as well as the Shourya Bhavan at Jubilee Hills Road No. 10 given to the AP Special Police as well as portions of the TS Police Academy that were allotted to the neighbouring state at the time of bifurcation. Saturday's Cabinet meeting will be the first after the conclusion of the May 13 Lok Sabha elections in the state, and comes two months after the previous meeting on March 12. Sources said the Cabinet would take decisions on pending bifurcation-related issues, the `2 lakh crop loan waiver by Augsut 15, kharif action plan, new academic year starting next month, the interim report submitted by NDSA (National Dam Safety Authority) recommending undertake repairs at the damaged Medigadda and Annaram barrages of the Kaleshwaram project. It is estimated that `35,000 crore will be needed to implement Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's promise of crop loan waiver. The Cabinet would discuss options on raising funds and setting up an exclusive farmers' corporation to take over the loans repay banks in monthly instalments. The Cabinet will discuss measures to augment revenues of the state government by plugging loopholes in tax collections by various departments and checking tax evasion, among other measures. As the new academic year for students commences in June, the Cabinet will review the supply of free textbooks, uniforms and infrastructure to students in government schools and colleges, undertaking a special enrolment drive and ensuring availability of textbooks in the market for students of private schools. Several bifurcation issues remain unresolved between Telangana and AP even after 10 years. The distribution of assets and liabilities of Schedule IX and X institutions listed under AP Reorganisation Act, mostly located in Hyderabad, has become a bone of contention between TG and AP as several cases are lying pending in High Court and Supreme Court. The fixed deposits of these institutions amounting to hundreds of crores are lying in banks with no consensus on how to divide them. The Cabinet meeting is expected to discuss all these issues, pass a resolution and refer to the Centre seeking early redressal of bifurcation related issues.
BJP leader Kirit Somaiya alleged that the Government Railway Police (GRP) granted permission for four additional illegal hoardings in Mumbai's Dadar to the company involved in the Ghatkopar billboard collapse. Bhavesh Bhinde, director of the advertising firm, was apprehended in Rajasthan and brought back to Mumbai. Somaiya criticized the lack of transparency in the tender process for the hoardings and claimed irregularities.
Doctors remove 3.7kg tumour from stomach of 14-yr-old Somali kid
Four injured due to fire mishap at car components mfg unit in Anantapur
Kurnool : Four workers injured and property worth Rs. 15 crores was damaged due to a fire mishap at the Gudipalli industrial area in Somandepalli mandal on Wednesday evening. The fire occurred at the car components manufacturing unit which specializes in making car headlights and glass components. It all started when the workers were busy conducting welding operations when the sparks ignited the nearby materials, causing the flames to spread rapidly. Amidst the chaos, four workers sustained injuries due to smoke inhalation as they attempted to contain the blaze. Despite efforts from workers and employees, the fire continued to rage, engulfing machinery and production equipment. The intensity of the fire shattered glass panes and posed a threat to nearby structures. Sub-inspector Vijaykumar and assistant sub-inspector Murali Mohan arrived at the spot with their teams to assess the situation. Firefighters from Penukonda, Hindupuram, Puttaparthi, and surrounding areas mobilized to extinguish the flames.
Mumbai hoarding collapse: Ad firm director arrested, toll up to 16
MUMBAI: An absconding director of the advertising firm which installed the collapsed hoarding in Mumbai's Ghatkopar was arrested on Thursday from Rajasthan, while the death toll in the crash mounted to 16 after bodies of a former GM of Mumbai airport ATC and his wife were retrieved from the wreckage, officials said. Bhavesh Bhinde, director of Ego Media Pvt Ltd, the advertising agency behind the massive billboard that crashed onto a petrol pump in suburban Ghatkopar on Monday evening during sudden dusty winds and unseasonal rains, was arrested from Udaipur, a police official said. A team of the Mumbai police's crime branch apprehended Bhinde, who was on the run after the tragedy three days ago, he said. The search and rescue operation at the hoarding collapse site was called off at around 10 am on Thursday, an official of the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) said, hours after two more bodies were retrieved from the mangled metal wreckage. The bodies, taken out from the debris shortly after midnight on Wednesday, were later identified as those of former general manager (GM) of Mumbai ATC Manoj Chansoria (60) and his wife Anita (59). They were missing since Monday evening when they left for Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh from the ATC guest house in western Mumbai in a car. The 120 feet x 120 feet billboard, which crashed during dusty winds and rains, was illegally installed and it stood on a piece of land in possession of the Government Railway Police (GRP), according to officials. A Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) official said the bodies of Chansoria and his wife were in a decomposed state and taken to the nearby civic-run Rajawadi Hospital around 1 am. Maharashtra government launches inquiry into Mumbai hoarding collapse; owner absconding On Tuesday night, Chansoria's mobile phone location was tracked to the petrol pump on which the hoarding had collapsed a day earlier. It is believed Chansoria had stopped at the petrol pump for refuelling his car when the billboard crashed. BMC commissioner Bhushan Gagrani said the search and rescue operation at the crash site, which went on for 66 hours, has been completed. The civic chief said they have thoroughly checked the site to ensure no more person was trapped there. Now, the work of clearing the debris will continue. Speaking to reporters, Gagrani said 16 people have died in the tragedy. As many as 75 people were injured in the crash. He said agencies like BMC, Mumbai police, BPCL, NDRF, Mumbai fire brigade, and Mahanagar Gas participated in the rescue operation and completed it maintaining proper coordination. BMC issues notice to railway authorities, asking them to remove hoardings of above 40x40 feet size Action is being taken on a war footing to remove illegal hoardings in the metropolis, the IAS officer said. Meanwhile, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya alleged that no tender process was followed for the crashed hoarding and the Maharashtra government got virtually nothing from the contract while the owner earned more than Rs 100 crore in revenue. Bhinde got the permission to install the billboard only because he was close to MLA Sunil Raut, brother of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, he alleged. The revenue from the hoarding was over Rs 100 crore, the revenue from the fuel station (on which it collapsed) was Rs 25 crore. The state government gets nothing. Couple of crores transferred to Maharashtra police Kalyan Nidhi (welfare fund), Somaiya claimed in a letter written to deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis seeking a thorough inquiry. There were massive irregularities, illegality and lack of transparency in the setting up of the petrol pump and grant of permission to Bhinde's Ego Media to erect the hoarding, Somaiya told reporters. The hoarding and petrol pump stood on land in possession of the GRP. The city-based Veermata Jijabai Technological Institute (VJTI), appointed to find the reasons behind the hoarding collapse, is expected to submit a report within seven days, BMC officials said. A team of experts from VJTI visited the petrol pump the day after the tragedy. It has inspected the hoarding location, collected samples of soil and material used for the giant structure's foundation and taken necessary measurements, they said.
No tender process followed; owner earned Rs 100 crore, claims Kirit Somaiya
As many as 16 persons died after the giant hoarding crashed on a petrol pump in Ghatkopar
No tender process followed for Ghatkopar hoarding; owner earned Rs 100 crore: BJP leader
No tender process followed for Ghatkopar hoarding; owner earned Rs 100 crore: BJP leader BJP leader Kirit Somaiya on Thursday alleged that no tender process was followed for the hoarding that crashed in Ghatkopar three days ago, and the government got virtually nothing from the contract while the owner earned more than Rs 100 crore in revenue. Bhavesh Bhinde, the owner of Ego Media Pvt Ltd which owned the illegal hoarding, got the permission only because he was close to MLA Sunil Raut, brother of Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, he alleged. ''The revenue from the hoarding was over Rs 100 crore, the revenue from the fuel station (on which it collapsed) was Rs 25 crore. The Maharashtra government gets nothing. Couple of crores transferred to Maharashtra police Kalyan Nidhi (welfare fund),'' Somaiya claimed in a letter written to deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis seeking a thorough inquiry. As many as 16 persons died after the giant hoarding crashed on a petrol pump during a dust storm on Monday evening. ''There were massive irregularities, illegality and lack of transparency in the setting up of the petrol pump and grant of permission to Bhinde's Ego Media to erect the hoarding,'' Somaiya told reporters. The hoarding and petrol pump stood on land in possession of the Government Railway Police. ''No tender process was followed while giving permission to Bhavesh Bhinde...he got permission only because he was close to Sunil Raut, brother of Sanjay Raut,'' the BJP leader alleged. He also found irregularities in the tender process for three nearby hoarding sites, Somaiya, a former MP, said. ''As per my information, three new sites were identified near the hoarding that collapsed, and 12 new hoardings were proposed to be erected. The entire tender procedure for these 12 hoardings is mired in irregularities. The tender process is for 10 years but the work order was for 30 years,'' he claimed.
Kangana Ranauts Emergency to be delayed due to upcoming Lok Sabha elections?
The political thriller is also a biopic of India's former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi. This project signifies Kangana Ranaut's return to directing following 'Manikarnika'. Ranaut spearheads an ensemble cast, which includes Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, and other notable actors. Additionally, the film heralds the comeback of '90s star Mahima Chaudhary to the big screen, portraying Pupul Jayakar, a trusted confidante of Indira Gandhi.
Four children drown after going for a swim in a tank in Karnataka's Hassan
HASSAN: Four children drowned after going for a swim in a tank in Thimmanahalli village of Alur taluk in Hassan on Thursday. The deceased have been identified as Jeevan (13), son of Doreswamy, Saatvik (11), son of Satish, Vishvas (12), son of Chandru, and Pruthvi (12), son of Somashekar. Another friend Chirag who also accompanied them for the swim managed to reach the banks. The incident occurred when they went to swim in the tank to beat the heat. According to the police, Jeevan drowned and while rescuing him the rest also drowned. The incident came to light when a villager found one of the bodies floating. News of the incident spread like wildfire in the village. The children's parents rushed to the spot on hearing the news and broke down when they reached there. Police fished out the bodies with the help of fire and emergency department officials and swimmers. The bodies have been shifted to the mortuary in Alur hospital for postmortem. Alur Sakleshpur MLA Cement Manju visited the spot and consoled the parents.
Amity University Bengaluru hosts joint workshop with ISRO on space science and technology
Amity University Bengaluru hosts joint workshop with ISRO on space science and technology Amity University Bengaluru and the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) collaboratively organized a workshop focusing on Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data Analytics, and Astrobiology. According to a press release, the event exemplifies the vision of Dr Ashok K. Chauhan Founder and President of the Amity Education Group, who aspires for Amity to become a premier R&D and academic partner of ISRO, making substantial contributions to the space research sector. The workshop was graced by S Somanath, Chairman of ISRO, Dr Prakash Chauhan, Director of the National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) in Hyderabad, and Dr Sudheer Kumar N, Director of Capacity Building & Public Outreach at ISRO, along with other distinguished ISRO scientists. Dr Ashok K. Chauhan virtually inaugurated the event, extending his blessings and gratitude to the participants. The event was also attended by Chancellor Dr Aseem Chauhan, Dr W Selvamurthy, President of Amity Science, Technology & Innovation Foundation (ASTIF), Dr A K Singh, Senior Vice President of Amity Food & Science Technology Innovation Association (AFSTIA), Dr Neeraj Sharma, Deputy Director General of AFSTIA, Dr D Subhakar, Vice Chancellor of Amity University Bengaluru, Dr A W Santosh Kumar, Vice Chancellor of Amity University Mumbai, and other notable scientists from various Amity campuses who specialize in AI, Data Sciences in Space, Science & Technology, and Astrobiology. Chancellor Dr Aseem Chauhan welcomed the attendees, expressing deep gratitude to S Somanath for his invaluable presence and guidance. He highlighted the collaborative efforts aimed at aligning Amity's and ISRO's goals, appreciating the dedication of all involved in this initiative. Dr W Selvamurthy presented Amity's significant contributions to space science and technology, highlighting projects such as the Amity Space Mission, the Amity Ground Station in Dubai, the Amity Centre for Astrobiology at Amity University Mumbai, the Amity Centre of Ionosphere Studies at Amity University Chhattisgarh, and the Amity Centre for Artificial Intelligence at Amity Noida. He also celebrated the achievements of students from Amity International School, Noida, who have thrice won the first prize in the NASA Space Settlement Design Contest. Dr Selvamurthy concluded by echoing the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi for an Atmanirbhar Bharat (self-reliant India) and Dr. Chauhan's mission for Amity to be the foremost R&D and academic partner of ISRO. Dr Prakash Chauhan from NRSC discussed the vast datasets available and the necessity of leveraging advanced technologies like Machine Learning, AI, and Astrobiology for optimal utilization. S Somanath praised Amity University for its initiative in collaborating with ISRO, emphasizing the importance of understanding industry challenges and focusing on translational research with concrete deliverables. I believe that Amity University has the capacity that they can build a strong ecosystem for Space, Science & Technology, stated Dr Somanath. He assured ISRO's support in identifying areas for collaboration and mutual growth, recognizing Amity's potential to build a robust ecosystem for space science and technology. Dr Ashok K. Chauhan expressed deep gratitude to S. Somanath, stating, Amity pays deep gratitude to Dr S Somanath for showing strong faith and confidence in us and I feel obliged by his presence today in this workshop. He emphasized, We will leave no stone unturned to become No. 1 R&D and Academia partner and to prove that Indians have the best brains in the world. Dr A K Singh highlighted a spiritual Hawan ceremony conducted across all Amity campuses during the Chandrayaan-III launch, aligning with the Amity Space Mission initiated by Dr Chauhan. He thanked everyone for their meticulous planning, underscoring the workshop's role in fostering collaboration and outreach activities. He concluded with optimism for fruitful collaborations resulting from the workshop. The inaugural session included introductions from scientists of both ISRO and Amity. Dr Sudheer Kumar N presented ongoing research, focusing on India's goal of a moon landing by 2040, enhancing payload capacity, and capacity building for space missions. The workshop featured presentations and discussions on AI, Data Science, and advancements in Astrobiology, showcasing the collective research achievements and future directions of both institutions. (ANI)
BTech students jumps off Bengaluru private university building, fourth death in a year
A 21-year-old BTech computer science student, Carasala Rahul, alleged died by suicide at PES University by jumping from the fifth floor. He lived in Somasundarapalya with his family. The incident marks the fourth student suicide at the university within a year, prompting an investigation. Rahul did not attend a cloud computing exam and his father informed the police.
Valuation looks lucrative, Buy with a target price of Rs 765
Somany Ceramics Shares Gain On Post-Result Nuvama Target Price Upgrade
The relative strength index was at 74.08, indicating that the stock may be overbought.
Somany Ceramics shares up 17% today; should you buy, hold or sell this smallcap stock?
Somany Ceramics shares rose 17.37 per cent to hit a high of Rs 729 on NSE. With this, the smallcap stock has erased its entire 2024 losses.
Good feedback for candidates in 13-14 seats in Karnataka: Congress leaders
BENGALURU: After the completion of Lok Sabha elections in the state, Congress is upbeat as the feedback and results of internal surveys have been positive for the party from most constituencies. Congress senior leader Saleem Ahmed said the party has received positive feedback from its partymen from about 18-20 constituencies. But some prudent leaders said the signs are good for the party in about 13-14 constituencies. When TNIE contacted the Congress unit in Davanagere, local leaders said they are fairly sure of the party doing well in all the eight Assembly segments in the constituency. The campaigning by party candidate Prabha Mallikarjun, who is pitted against BJPs Gayathri Siddeshwara, received good response, they added. Ballari workers and leaders too said the feedback from all the booths has been good for party candidate E Tukaram, who is contesting against BJPs B Sriramulu. The mood in Belgaum and Chikkodi constituencies in Belagavi district is in favour of Mrinal Hebbalkar and Priyanka Jarkiholi, party leaders said. This despite the fact that Congress has lost the previous three Lok Sabha elections in Belgaum. Priyanka is up against former sitting BJP MP Annasaheb Shankar Jolle, while Mrinal is contesting against former BJP CM Jagadish Shettar. Hassan Congress candidate Shreyas Patel, contesting against incumbent JDS MP Prajwal Revanna, and Star Chandru in Mandya, up against JDS state president HD Kumaraswamy, may have a good show, say party leaders, but are cautious about predicting the outcomes. The feedback is mixed from Gulbarga where AICC president Mallikarjun Kharges son-in-law Radhakrishna Doddamani is running against BJPs Umesh Jadva. This is because of a recent clash, where 50,000-60,000 members of one community attacked the houses of another community. But analyst BS Murthy pointed out that the Dalit and minority vote share here is so large that it dwarfs other communities. Congress is sure of good tidings in Raichur (ST reserved), where former IAS officer Kumar Naik is contesting against sitting MP and BJP candidate Raja Amareshwara Rai, they added. Congress is getting good vibes in Bengaluru Central and Rural, where Congress Mansoor Ali Khan and DK Suresh are contesting against BJPs PC Mohan and Dr CN Manjunath, the leaders said. The Grand Old Party is upbeat in Tumkur, where the partys Mudda Hanume Gowda is pitted against BJP leader V Somanna. While Lingayats have overwhelmingly supported Somanna, Vokkaligas, apart from SC/STs, Kurubas and minorities have backed Gowda, a Vokkaliga, they assessed. The party says it will fare well in Chikkaballapur, where Raksha Ramaiah, Youth Congress leader and son of former minister MR Seetharam, is the candidate against BJPs former state minister Dr K Sudhakar. Kolar too could be in the party candidates favour KV Gowtham, contesting against JDS Mallesh Babu, they added. The party leaders said the feedback is good from Mysore, where Congress spokesman and Vokkaliga leader M Lakshman is pitted against scion of the Mysuru royal family Yaduveer Krishnadatta Wadiyar. Chamarajanagar could have veered towards the partys Sunil Bose, up against BJPs little-known N Balraj, they added. But it is mixed for Bangalore South, where Congress Sowmya Reddy is contesting against BJPs Tejasvi Surya. But this is for the better as the prospects for Congress from the constituency in 2019 were poor, they said. Minister HK Patil said, We will win 18-20 seats in Karnataka and in North Karnataka where polls were held on May 7, we should win around 10 seats.
Man touches snapped electric wire, dies
ERODE: A 34-year-old man having mental health issues was electrocuted to death at Vellode after he came into contact with a live wire that allegedly snapped during the rain on Tuesday evening. The deceased was identified as K Somasundaram of Nallampalayam. Police said Somasundaram was under the care of his elder brother Shankar. Nallampalayam received heavy rain with strong winds on Tuesday evening. Around 6 pm, a person named Thangamuthu, who is from the same area, went to his farmland at Odakkadu Thottam. At the time, he saw Somasundaram holding on to a broken electric line. He then informed Shankar who alerted the Vellode police. Police cut the power supply, took the body and sent it to the Government Medical College Hospital in Perundurai. A case has been registered. No one noticed Somasundaram going out amid rain. He took a road leading to a private farm and picked up the electric wire lying there. But as soon as the information came to light, the power supply was disconnected. The line was fixed by the TANGEDCO on Wednesday morning, a police officer said. Officials at the TANGEDCO office (Perundurai South) at Vellode did not respond to TNIE 's calls for a response.
Bhavesh Bhinde, head of Ego Media Pvt Ltd, earned Rs 25 crore annually from the Ghatkopar hoarding that crashed in 2022. Former BJP MP Kirit Somaiya alleged the hoarding was the largest among four, paying GRP an annual rent of Rs 24 lakh for the welfare fund.
Karnataka Make Liquor Seized in Adoni
Rustam Sadhua was arrested on Thursday by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and is accused of obtaining his National Identity Card (NIC), issued only to Pakistani nationals, through fraudulent means. (Representational Image) Rustam Sadhua was arrested on Thursday by Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) and is accused of obtaining his National Identity Card (NIC), issued only to Pakistani nationals, through fraudulent means. (Representational Image) Kurnool: The Special Enforcement Bureau (SEB) on Wednesday, arrested three people and seized 20 boxes containing Karnataka-made liquor at Virupapuram, Thangadona Arch in Adoni mandal. The SEB Circle Inspector, Vinnylatha, said that the accused Kotakonda Papanna, Thuravagallu Narasanna, and Musanapalli Dhanunjay were arrested in connection with the case. Authorities seized 20 boxes containing 1,920 packets of Karnataka liquor from their possession, along with the vehicle used for transportation. SEB personnel Somasekhar and Srinivas were also involved in the raids.
BJPs Kirit Somaiya blames Uddhav Thackeray, Sunil Raut for Ghatkopar tragedy
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Soma Rathod shares 'wonderful' story of her pet ducks & dogs, pitches for animal welfare
Close shave for two cops as Naxalites trigger IED blast in Chhattisgarh
The incident took place near Somanpalli village on Kutru-Farsegarh road in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district.
Man hacks wife to death after she refused to withdraw case for maintenance in Bengaluru
BENGALURU: Refusal to withdraw a case for maintenance proved dear for a 35-year-old woman, who was murdered at a bus stop by her husband and his brother on Sunday. The victim was on her way to a relatives house-warming ceremony when the accused followed her and hacked her to death while she was waiting for a bus. The couple, married for six years, had separated two years ago. The victim, P Manjula, refused to withdraw the case despite multiple requests from her husband, Rajesh. The murder happened in Kanakapura taluk of Ramanagara district. Manjulas brother Mahesh filed a complaint against the accused. Manjula, a resident of Harohalli, was hacked to death at a bus stop near Santhegate, at Muduvadi Gate of Kanakapura, between 12.10pm and 12.20pm on Sunday. Rajesh (40), from Vaddarahalli, a professional photographer, and his brother Somashekar are on the run. Onlookers threatened Mahesh told The New Indian Express that his sister went to the bus stop in an auto. After she got down, her husband, who was following her on a bike, asked her to ride pillion on the bike. When she refused and sat in the bus stop, he hacked her to death. Other women in the bus stop tried to help my sister, but the accused threatened them. She died on the spot. One of my relatives informed me about the brutal killing, Mahesh said. My sister and Rajesh were happy for the first four years of their marriage. Later, he came in touch with his paramour and started troubling my sister. He started suspecting her fidelity and had installed CCTVs even inside the bedroom. Unable to bear his torture, she came away and stayed with us. Since they have a five-year-old daughter, she had approached court, seeking maintenance from her husband to take care of the child. Rajesh was forcing my sister to withdraw the court case for the last six months. When she refused, Rajesh and his brother would come near our house and create problems. Rajesh had threatened her with dire consequences, Mahesh added. While Rajesh killed his wife, Somashekar is alleged to have accompanied his brother. The accused used a sharp weapon. Both are on the run and we are searching for them, said an officer who is part of the investigation. Kanakapura Rural police registered a case of murder and are investigating.
Eel caught in 2021 off Thoothukudi coast is new species, finds research
THOOTHUKUDI: Marine biologists have discovered a new species of Congrid Eel Genus, Ariosoma Thoothukudiense at Thoothukudi fishing harbour. Research scholar P Kodeeswaran collected two mature female specimens, gathered from the by-catch of trawling of mechanised fishing vessels docking at the Thoothukudi fishing harbour on September 12, 2021, and sent them for analysis. As per the Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, authored by P Kodeeswaran, A Kathirvel Pandian, Anil Mohapatra and TT Ajith Kumar, the morphology of the unknown eel species is distinguished from its congeners in having pre-anal length; dorsal-fin originating before the pectoral-fin insertion; and the bicoloured body with pale brown dorsally and silvery white ventrally. Moreover, the new species differs from all the congeners of Indian waters in that it has more total vertebrae, except A. Albimaculatum. The identity of the new species has also been supported by molecular analysis, using the mitochondrial COI gene, which has revealed that the new species is closely related to Ariosoma Maurostigma and Ariosoma Albimaculatum, according to the study published on May 13. Lead author Kodeeswaran told TNIE that the eels were 40 cm and 42 cm long respectively, and both were female. He was told by the fishermen that these eels were captured at a depth of 60 metres, off the Thoothukudi coast. The species is expected to be distributed in the Indian Ocean, and the etymology of the species has been coined as Ariosoma Thoothukudiense since they were collected from Thoothukudi, he said. Efforts to find more specimens proved futile. There are 32 genera in Congrid eels, and 243 different eel species have been recorded globally, he added. Speaking to TNIE, ICAR- National Bureau of Fish Genetic Resources, Kochis head and principal scientist TT Ajith, also the corresponding author, said that the new eel variety was spotted among the by-catch taken for fish processing units. Researchers are studying its protein profile now, he added.
NISAR satellite will be able to monitor tectonic movements accurately, says ISRO chief
The satellite is likely to be launched later this year; it can fully map the earth twice a month, measure water bodies, greenery, snow cover, monitor agricultural changes, desertification, and aid in the study of climate-related issues, says S. Somanath
Mumbai Building Collapse: Death Toll Reaches 14 as Rescue Efforts Persist
Mumbai Building Collapse: Death Toll Reaches 14 as Rescue Efforts Persist The search and rescue operation at the site of the collapse of a giant hoarding in Ghatkopar continued even 30 hours after the incident and may go on for a few more hours, officials said on late Tuesday evening as the death toll in the tragedy rose to 14. Victims trapped under as much as 90 percent of the 120 x 120 feet hoarding have been rescued but search was yet to be conducted under its central part, said an official of the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). The illegal hoarding that stood on a piece of land in possession of Government Railway Police (GRP) crashed on a petrol pump in Chheda Nagar area on Monday evening when the city was hit by dust storms and unseasonal rains. At least 89 persons were extricated from under the hoarding, of whom 14 were declared dead while the other 75 were injured and undergoing treatment, officials said. ''We want to ensure that nobody is left under the hoarding,'' the BMC official said, adding that the rescue team was planning to lift and cut a part of it so as to gain access to its centre. The search and rescue operation was likely to get over by 2 am on Wednesday and they have called for additional cranes, he told PTI. An NDRF official said the rescue team tried to lift the hoarding with two cranes of 500 MT capacity, but did not proceed considering safety concerns. The main concern is the possibility of fire as the petrol pump has underground fuel storage tanks and a CNG refueling facility. ''We could not use gas cutters as there is a chance of fire due to sparks. Even while using cranes and other machinery, we were continuously spraying water,'' a Mumbai Fire Brigade official said. The five iron pillars of the hoarding got uprooted along with chunks of its concrete foundation when it came crashing down, he said. The BMC, meanwhile, started demolition of other hoardings near the petrol pump, also located on the GRP land. Municipal Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani said the BMC had not given any permission for the hoarding. It had been conducting correspondence (with the owner and concerned agencies) regarding it for the last two years, and also lodged a police complaint for the poisoning of trees on its periphery, he said. ''A stand was taken that we (GRP) do not need permission (for a hoarding on railway land) under the Railway Act. The BMC's response was that it was not legally correct. And hence, in the whole episode, so far there was no action,'' the commissioner claimed. Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar assured strict action against those responsible. A case has been registered against Bhavesh Bhinde, the owner of Ego Media Private Limited which had installed the hoarding, and others for culpable homicide not amounting to murder under the IPC at Pant Nagar police station, another official said. Bhinde remained absconding. Two NDRF teams, comprising 100 personnel, joined the operation on Monday evening. Two heavy duty cranes and two hydra cranes were being used in the operation along with two earth-excavating machines and 25 ambulances. The NDRF teams used two cranes weighing 500 tonnes each to pull up the hoarding from both sides. After creating a gap of about 3.5 to 4 feet, the rescuers crouched into the tiny space to look for people trapped underneath, NDRF assistant commandant Nikhil Mudholkar said. An Assistant Police Commissioner (Admin) had given permission for erecting four hoardings on behalf of the Commissioner of Railway Police, Mumbai, including the one which collapsed, but no official permission or NOC was obtained from the BMC, as per a civic official. BJP leader Kirit Somaiya asked how the permission for erecting the billboard was given by a police officer when the city civic body is the authority for it. The former MP also claimed permissions for the hoarding and a petrol pump (where the billboard collapsed) were given when Uddhav Thackeray was the chief minister of Maharashtra. Had the then director general of police been strict, such a hoarding would not have come up, he told reporters. Somaiya said the permission on paper was given for a 40 feet hoarding whereas the billboard which collapsed was 120 feet tall. ''I believe that there are similar 400 hoardings in various parts of Mumbai, which are exceeding their size limits and standing on a weak foundation like the one in Ghatkopar,'' he said. The BMC had earlier said that it issued a notice to M/s Ego Media Private Limited for installing the hoarding that collapsed on the petrol pump. A senior civic official said the assistant municipal commissioner of the N-ward had issued a notice to an advertisement agency to remove these hoardings with immediate effect, but the civic body has not received any response so far. Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra posted a clip on his X handle showing the hoarding collapsing and said such an incident was unacceptable. ''And we're a city trying to transform itself into a modern metropolis. CM Shinde has ordered a probe into all hoardings. Stringent rules must follow,'' he added. CM Shinde visited the incident spot late Monday evening and ordered a structural audit of all hoardings in the city. ''The hoardings, if found illegal and dangerous, would be removed immediately,'' he said. ''It is a very unfortunate incident. The government will probe it, and the people responsible will face action,'' Shinde told reporters. He announced an aid of Rs 5 lakh to the kin of each person killed in the incident.
UN International Staff Member Killed in Gaza Crossfire
UN International Staff Member Killed in Gaza Crossfire A former Indian Army officer, who had joined one of the UN agencies three weeks ago, was killed in war-torn Rafah in Gaza, becoming the ''first international casualty'' for the world body since the Israel-Hamas conflict started last year. The United Nations has called for a full investigation while Israel has ordered a separate investigation into the attack. Col Waibhav Anil Kale, 46, who took premature retirement from the Indian Army in 2022, joined the UN as a Security Coordination Officer in the United Nations Department of Safety and Security (DSS) recently, officials in New Delhi said on Tuesday. Kale, who had commanded the 11 Jammu & Kashmir Rifles in Kashmir and had been an instructor at the armys Infantry School in Mhow, was travelling along with another DSS staffer to the European Hospital in Rafah when their UN vehicle was struck on Monday morning. The other person, not identified, was seriously injured. ''Kale had joined as a security service coordinator with the UN three weeks ago. The former infantry officer decided to join the UN to pursue his career and also because he was keen on humanitarian mission work, his brother-in-law Wing Commander Prashant Karde (Retd) told PTI in Mumbai. He is survived by wife Amruta and two teenage children, Karde said. ''The last rites of the 46-year-old will be held in Pune in two days after his body is flown via Cairo. His mortal remains will land either in Mumbai or Pune depending on the availability of flights, Karde, a senior commander with IndiGo, said. Kale had joined the Indian Army in 1998 and had also served as Contingent Chief Security Officer with the United Nations between 2009 and 2010, Karde said. According to his LinkedIn profile, he earned his B.A. from the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi and had degrees in Behavioral Science and International Humanitarian Law and had studied at, among other institutions, the Indian Institute of Management at Lucknow and Indore. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres was deeply saddened to learn of the death of a United Nations Department of Safety and Security (DSS) staff member and injury to another DSS staffer. A statement by Farhan Haq, Deputy Spokesman for the Secretary-General, said that Guterres condemned all attacks on UN personnel and called for a full investigation. Guterres sent his condolences to the family of the fallen staff member. ''With the conflict in Gaza continuing to take a heavy toll not only on civilians but also on humanitarian workers the Secretary-General reiterates his urgent appeal for an immediate humanitarian ceasefire and for the release of all hostages, the statement added. In a post on X, Guterres said the UN vehicle was struck in Gaza, killing one of our colleagues & injuring another and said, more than 190 UN staff have been killed in Gaza. Responding to questions on the incident during a press briefing, Haq said at this point, We are in the process of informing the relevant governments and the relevant family members...'' He added that they were international staff and confirmed that this is, in fact, the first international UN casualty. While there have been international casualties involving workers for the World Central Kitchen in Gaza, Haq said that of UN staff, I believe I've not been previously aware of an international casualty. Haq added that the vehicle was headed to the hospital as part of their regular work. They go to different locations to assess security conditions. And this was the European hospital in Rafah. When asked for details about how their vehicle was struck, Haq said We're still accumulating details. We expect to get reports, including from the relevant authorities. He added that close to 190 UN personnel have been killed in Gaza since October 7, most of them national staff of the UN Relief and Works Agency, UNRWA. Haq added that the UN is going to set up measures for accountability. A lot of that ultimately requires an end to the conflict so that we can work these out, but we will be working with the authorities on the ground to get restitution for all of those who have been killed. Haq said he did not have the full details of whether the vehicle that was struck was part of a large convoy. I believe it was in a convoy that was moving, and this was the DSS vehicle that was hit. The BBC reported that the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) confirmed it had received a report from the UN Department of Safety and Security (UNDSS) that said two of its workers were injured in the Rafah area - in southern Gaza - on Monday. The Israeli military said an initial inquiry indicated the vehicle was struck in an active combat zone and it had not been made aware of its route, BBC reported. But the UN said the vehicle was clearly marked and its planned movements had been announced in advance to Israeli authorities. Rolando Gomez, a UN spokesman in Geneva, said the UN informs Israeli authorities of the movement of all its convoys in Gaza. ''This is a standard operating procedure. That was the case yesterday morning,'' the BBC quoted Gomez telling journalists at a news briefing. Footage posted on social media and verified by the BBC shows a marked UN vehicle with multiple bullet holes outside the European Hospital. The Permanent Mission of India to the UN condoled Kales death with a post on X: We are deeply saddened by the loss of Col Waibhav Kale, working for the UN Department of Safety and Security in Gaza. Our deepest condolences are with the family during this difficult time. In April, seven members of the World Central Kitchen were killed in an IDF strike in Gaza. One of those killed in the airstrike was Zomi Frankcom, an Australian of Indian descent, according to reports. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said that between October 7, 2023, and May 12, 2024, at least 35,091 Palestinians have been killed and 78,827 injured in Gaza. More than 1,200 Israelis and foreign nationals, including 33 children, were killed in Israel, the vast majority on October 7, when Hamas attacked Israel. Meanwhile, as his family awaited the mortal remains, Kales brother in law said, Waibhav left the army three years ago and had settled in Pune. He hailed from Nagpur and had studied at the Somalwar High School there. During his more than two decades-long career in the military, Kale served in the northeast and also at the Siachen glacier. He was a former deputy commander of Rashtriya Rifles in Kashmir and was part of counterintelligence and counter-terrorism operations, he said. Kales brother Group Captain Vishal Kale is a senior officer in the Indian Air Force, and his cousin Colonel Amey Kale is also in the army.
Back from turbulent sea: MV Abdullah crewmembers end horrid journey
The family members, who gathered at the port, were elated to their loved ones return home about a month after the ship was released by Somali pirates
Pune family of ex-Army officer killed in Gaza awaits arrival of mortal remains
Pune family of ex-Army officer killed in Gaza awaits arrival of mortal remains Colonel Waibhav Anil Kale (Retd), killed while going to a hospital in Rafah region of Gaza was settled in Pune and had joined as security service coordinator with the UN three weeks ago, his family said on Tuesday. The last rites of the 46-year-old former Indian army officer will be held in Pune in two days after his body is flown via Cairo, his brother-in-law Wing Commander Prasant Karde (Retd) told PTI. Col Kale was travelling in a vehicle carrying the flag of the United Nations when it came under fire, said Wing Commander Karde, a senior commander with IndiGo. Waibhav left the army three years ago and had settled in Pune. He hailed from Nagpur and had studied at the Somalwar high school there, he said. The former infantry officer decided to join the UN to pursue his career and also because he was keen in humanitarian mission work, he added. While Waibhav succumbed to his bullet injuries, another officer who was with him in the vehicle, is critical and undergoing treatment, Wing Commander Karde said. Waibhavs body is being flown from Cairo and will land either in Mumbai or Pune depending on the availability of flights, he said. While in the Indian Army, Col Kale had participated in a UN peacekeeping mission in Congo in 2009-10 on deputation, Wing Commander Karde said. In fact, that stint was a motivation for undertaking the latest UN stint which proved fatal, he added. The army officer had commanded the 11 JAK Rifles in Kashmir and had been an instructor at the armys Infantry Sschool in Mhow. Waibhav who joined the army in 1998, had in his more than two decades long career in the military, served in the north-east and also in the Siachen glacier. He was a former deputy commander of Rashtriya Rifles in Kashmir and was a part of counter intelligence and counter terrorism operations, he said. He is survived wife Amruta and two teenage children, son Vedant and daughter Radhika. His brother Group Captain Vishal Kale is a senior officer in the Indian Air Force, and his cousin Colonel Amey Kale is also in the army.
The Boy And The Heron - Official Trailer
Watch the Official Trailer from English movie 'The Boy And The Heron' starring Soma Santoki, Masaki Suda, K Shibasak. 'The Boy And The Heron' movie is directed by Hayao Miyazaki. To know more about 'The Boy And The Heron' Trailer watch the video. Check out the latest English Trailers, new movie Trailers, trending English movie Trailers and more at ETimes - Times of India Entertainment.
BJPs Kirit Somaiya says Mumbai hoarding owner to be blamed for Ghatkopar mishap
The News Mill
BJP's Kirit Somaiya says Mumbai hoarding owner to be blamed for Ghatkopar mishap
BJP's Kirit Somaiya says Mumbai hoarding owner to be blamed for Ghatkopar mishap A day after a hoarding collapsed in Mumbai's Ghatkopar area killing 14 people, and causing injuries to many more, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya said that the owner of the advertising agency responsible for installing the billboard should be held responsible for the mishap. Somaiya alleged that that police should declare the owner of the agency a fugitive. Bhavesh Bhinde who is responsible for this accident has fled. I have requested the police to issue a red-card notice and declare him a fugitive. Bhavesh Bhinde's Ego Media has put up more than 24 illegal hoardings at various places, said Somaiya. Chief Minister Eknath Shinde said that strict action will be taken against the owner of the hoarding and that a case of culpable homicide has been registered in the incident. A case has been registered against Bhavesh Bhinde and others under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code at Pant Nagar police station, police said. Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) Commissioner Bhushan Gagrani said, ...BMC has ordered that action will be taken against all illegal hoardings in the city...We are starting that today...A case has been registered in this case...This hoarding did not have any permission...A complaint was also received that some trees were also cut so that this hoarding should be visible...We have also registered a case again this too. Meanwhile, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya also lashing out at the Shiv Sena (UBT) stating, The police department of the Thackeray government had given permission for these hoardings on December 7, 2021... I have requested Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to inspect these illegal hoardings put up in 2020-2021 and remove them. Meanwhile, Uddhav faction leader and spokesperson Anand Dubey said, Even after such an unfortunate incident happened, the BJP and its leader Ram Kadam are not refraining from doing politics. A total of 44 people have been admitted to hospital with injuries after the hoarding collapse incident that took place on Monday and claimed 14 lives. 31 have been discharged after treatment, according to officials. The State Disaster Management Authority stated that the NDRF, ambulance, fire team and ambulance carried out rescue operations. NDRF Inspector Gaurav Chauhan told ANI, The incident was reported at around 5 pm. A huge advertising hoarding fell on a petrol pump. Around 65 people have been rescued. NDRF has rescued three people and located four dead bodies under the rubble. We are unable to use hydraulic and gasoline equipment to avoid any fire incidents. We are using cranes to remove the debris. NDRF has rescued three victims. Before that, 65 had been rescued. The rescue operations will continue till the morning. (ANI)
MV Abdullah crew members reunite with families in Ctg port
The 23 crew members of MV Abdullah reached Chattogram port this afternoon, about a month after the ship was released by Somali pirates
Death toll rises to 14 in Mumbai hoarding tragedy; search and rescue ops still on
The death toll in the Mumbai hoarding collapse incident is 14 dead, 75 injured. NDRF teams, BMC, and Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar are leading rescue efforts in Ghatkopar area. NDRF assistant commandant Nikhil Mudholkar provided insights during the search operations. Rajawadi Hospital, Bhavesh Bhinde, and BJP leader Kirit Somaiya are also involved.
After a fatal hoarding collapse in Mumbai, Anand Mahindra demands stringent rules. Maharashtra CM orders audit, Bollywood expresses shock. BJP leader Kirit Somaiya claimed permission for the hoarding was given by Uddhav Thackeray.
BMC's Complicity in Hoarding Collapse: Kirit Somaiya Questions Police Nod
BMC's Complicity in Hoarding Collapse: Kirit Somaiya Questions Police Nod A day after a hoarding collapse in Mumbai killed 14 persons and injured several others, BJP leader Kirit Somaiya asked how the permission for erecting the billboard was given by a police officer when the city civic body is the authority for it. Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, the former MP also claimed permissions for the hoarding and a petrol pump (where the billboard collapsed) were given when Uddhav Thackeray was the chief minister of Maharashtra. Had the then director general of police been strict, such a hoarding would not have come up, he said. Somaiya also said the permission on paper was given for a 40 feet hoarding whereas the billboard which collapsed was 120 feet tall. The billboard fell at a petrol pump in Ghatkopar during dust storms and unseasonal rains that lashed Mumbai on Monday, killing 14 persons and injuring 74. ''An ACP of railway police, which is part of the Maharashtra state police force, gave permission for the erection of the hoarding on December 7, 2021. How can a police officer give such permission when such rights lie with the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC)? The permission on paper was for a 40 feet hoarding, but in reality, it was 120 feet high,'' Somaiya said. ''I believe that there are similar 400 hoardings in various parts of Mumbai, which are exceeding their size limits and standing on a weak foundation like the one in Ghatkopar,'' he said. Somaiya said he has requested Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy CM Devendra Fadnavis to get such dangerous hoardings removed across Mumbai immediately. The land on which the petrol pump and the hoarding came up was given to the railway police wing of the Maharashtra Police, he said. It was then handed over to the Police Welfare Fund, Somaiya said, adding that of the total size of the land, around 40,000 square feet plot was given to some institution and later reserved for petrol pump. ''After the fuel station came up, then ACP (Admin) Shahaji Nikam of railway police gave permission for the erection of the advertisement hoarding near it. It was illegal, but nobody took it up,'' he claimed. The fuel station received permission on January 30, 2020, the BJP leader said. ''It was run by Commissioner of Police Mumbai Railway Kalyan Nidhi Sanstha, but its operations and staff management were with the Lords Mark Industries Pvt Ltd. The monthly rent of the fuel station was Rs 16,97,440,'' he said. Somaiya said he tried to find out details of the ownership of Lords Mark Industries, but its owners changed several times in the last couple of years. ''All the permissions for the fuel station and hoardings were given when Uddhav Thackeray was the chief minister of Maharashtra. But I am not keen on politicising the issue. The focus should be on Bhavesh Bhinde of the Ego Media Pvt Ltd, the advertising agency responsible for erecting the hoarding near the fuel station and the police officials who gave permissions,'' he said. ''Had the then director general of police been strict, such hoarding would not have come up,'' he said. Meanwhile, Mahindra Group Chairman Anand Mahindra on Tuesday posted a clip on his X handle showing the hoarding collapsing and said such an incident was unacceptable. ''And we're a city trying to transform itself into a modern metropolis. CM Shinde has ordered a probe into all hoardings. Stringent rules must follow,'' he added. A case has been registered against Bhavesh Bhinde and others for culpable homicide not amounting to murder and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code at Pant Nagar police station, an official earlier said. The BMC on Monday issued a notice to the advertisement agency for installing the hoarding that collapsed on the petrol pump during the gusty winds. The Assistant Police Commissioner (Admin) had given permission for erecting four hoardings on behalf of the Commissioner of Railway Police, Mumbai, including the one which collapsed on Monday, but no official permission or NOC was obtained from the BMC, as per a civic official.
A long, thankfully dull day for poll workers
HYDERABAD: As voters queued up at many polling stations by 7.00 am itself, police officers, polling officials and ASHA workers in Hyderabad geared up for a long day. Pushpa, an ASHA worker on duty at a polling station in Somajiguda, told TNIE that she reached the station at 6:30 am. Clad in their characteristic colours of white and blue, she said, Voters are coming early to escape the scorching temperatures. Prema Naik, a police officer at a booth in Goshamahal, patiently guided voters through the electoral process and frequently reminded them of the rules. Phone vunda? (Do you have your phone with you?) She checked with every voter before they entered the booth. It is going to be a long day ahead, she added. At a school-turned-polling station in Begum Bazaar, Bhagyalakshmi, an ASHA worker, said, Once you get election duty, the tension starts. No one can say what will happen. Tejender Singh, a police officer, closely watched as the lines became longer and buzzed around ensuring that everyone got chai. With wheelchair facilities available, officials sprung into action whenever a differently-abled or elderly voter came in. However, in polling booths without ramps, police officers and other officials were seen lifting wheelchairs. The electoral process in the city was mostly devoid of tension between voters and the authorities. When Singh asked a voter whether he had his phone with him, the voter replied, Laaya hi nahi. Aapko kyun takleef dena? (I did not bring it. Why should I trouble you?)
Tamil, maths, origami: Summer camp in Tiruchy district library a big draw among kids
TIRUCHY: With parents growing increasingly concerned about the impacts of screen addiction of their kids particularly during the holiday season, most have enrolled their children in summer classes in Tiruchy district central library to keep them engaged. The summer programme and workshops for children conducted by the central library gained momentum as more people turned up in the classes to learn the basics of Tamil, Maths and Origami, the Japanese art of folding papers on Monday. More than 100 students attend the class here daily, said an official. To learn origami, the second floor of the library was jam-packed with school kids between the ages of 4 years to 16 years. S Geetha has enrolled two of her children in the class and finds these classes to be all about the art of learning something new. Due to screen addiction, my child is not able to learn anything new. Here, learning is made more easy and interesting. My child is weak in Maths, the basics of Mathematics class is taught well here, she added. S Sonali, a Class IX student said, I was curious to learn the basic pronunciation in Tamil. Addressing the basics of a subject is what I like about these classes. Also, I am excited to learn robotics and Tamil folk arts in the upcoming classes. T Vanitha, a temporary staff of a government primary school in Anna Nagar travelled with three of her students from Somaparampettai to reach the learning centre. Some parents find it hard to guide them towards doing productive things. Here, students actively engage in learning, basically because of the teaching by the experts here, she said. K Arun Balan, instructor of the origami session said, Origami classes will open up the creative brain of the children. It helps them think and visualise the objects. The programmes, which started on May 7 are set to end by May 30, with Robotics class and puzzle solving classes on May 15th and 16th. Other sessions include science experiments, storytelling and drawing.
Longer Wait in Queue Upsets Voters
Hyderabad: Several voters from Banjara Hills, Somajiguda, and Begumpet voiced their frustration over the long wait that they had undergone standing in queue during the ongoing election. In most cases, the delay was attributed to accommodating senior voters, accompanied by their family members. Speaking to Deccan Chronicle , Rajesh Kumar, a resident of Banjara Hills, lamented, I had to wait for more than an hour just to cast my vote. The line barely moved, mainly because elderly voters took a lot of time, as they came with their family members Radhika said, I understand the importance of accommodating senior citizens, but it was disheartening to see them taking so much time. The line was moving slowly because there weren't enough staff working at the booths, and they were taking too much time to help each person. Some of them had multiple family members accompanying them, which further slowed down the process. She said, The situation was no different in Begumpet, where voters like Shashi Kanth expressed their frustration. I reached the polling station early to avoid the rush, but even then, I had to wait for a long time. Senior citizens and their families seemed to be causing the delay, he said. Not all booths are in the same situation. When I talked to the people in charge at those booths, they said they are handling everything well, We are aware of the long queues in certain polling stations and are working to resolve the matter. Additional staff will be deployed, and procedures will be streamlined to expedite the voting process, but sometimes it might take longer than usual, said Asha Chaturvedi. New voters, meanwhile, said they had special lines just for them to vote. Naga Rani, a student, said it was easy for her to vote because there was a separate line for new voters.
How Trump would crack down on US immigration in a second term
How Trump would crack down on US immigration in a second term Former U.S. President Donald Trump, a Republican running in the Nov. 5 election, has promised to crack down on illegal immigration and restrict legal immigration if elected to a second four-year term in the White House. Here are some of the policies under consideration: BORDER ENFORCEMENT Trump has said he would restore his 2019 emain in Mexico program, which forced non-Mexican asylum-seekers attempting to enter the United States at the southern border to wait in Mexico for the resolution of their cases. The program was terminated by President Joe Biden, a Democrat seeking another four-year term in the White House. Biden defeated Trump in 2020, pledging more humane and orderly immigration policies, but has struggled with record levels of migrants caught crossing the U.S.-Mexico border illegally. Trump also would reinstate the COVID-era Title 42 policy, which allowed U.S. border authorities to quickly expel migrants back to Mexico without the chance to claim asylum, he told Time magazine in an interview. Trump would use record border crossings and trafficking of fentanyl and children as reasons for the emergency moves, Time reported, citing comments from advisers. Trump has said he will seek to detain all migrants caught crossing the border illegally or violating other immigration laws, ending what he calls catch and release. Trump focused on building a wall on the Mexico border during his first term and has pledged to close gaps in the border wall if reelected. His administration built 450 miles (725 km) of barriers across the 1,954-mile (3,145-km) border, but much of that replaced existing structures. Trump would introduce a border security and immigration bill as one of the first pieces of legislation, Time reported. MASS DEPORTATIONS Trump has pledged to launch the largest deportation effort in U.S. history, focusing on criminals but aiming to send millions back to their home countries. Trump told Time he did not rule out building new migrant detention camps but here wouldn't be that much of a need for them because migrants would be rapidly removed. Trump would rely on the National Guard, if needed, to arrest and deport immigrants in the U.S. illegally, he said. When questioned, he also said he would be willing to consider using federal troops if necessary, a step likely to be challenged in the courts. Trump has also vowed to take aggressive new steps to deport immigrants with criminal records and suspected gang members by using the little-known 1789 Alien Enemies Act. Stephen Miller, the architect of Trump's first-term immigration agenda, said in a November interview with a right-wing podcast that National Guard troops from cooperative states could potentially be deployed to unfriendly states to assist with deportations, which could trigger legal battles. TRAVEL BANS Trump has said he would implement travel bans on people from certain countries or with certain ideologies, expanding on a policy upheld by the Supreme Court in 2018. Trump previewed some parts of the world that could be subjected to a renewed travel ban in an October 2023 speech, pledging to restrict people from the Gaza Strip, Libya, Somalia, Syria, Yemen and anywhere else that threatens our security. During the speech, Trump focused on the conflict in Gaza, saying he would bar the entry of immigrants who support the Islamist militant group Hamas and send deportation officers to pro-Hamas protests. Trump said last June he would seek to block communists, Marxists and socialists from entering the United States. LEGAL IMMIGRATION Trump said last year that he would seek to end automatic citizenship for children born in the U.S. to immigrants living in the country illegally, an idea he flirted with as president. Such an action would run against the long-running interpretation of an amendment to the U.S. Constitution and would likely trigger legal challenges. During his first term, Trump greatly reduced the number of refugees allowed into the U.S. and has criticized Biden's decision to increase admissions. He would again suspend the resettlement program if reelected, the New York Times reported in November 2023. Trump has said he would push for a a merit-based immigration system that protects American labor and promotes American values. In his first term, he took steps to tighten access to some visa programs, including a suspension of many work visas during the COVID-19 pandemic. Trump has vowed to end Biden parole programs that have allowed hundreds of thousands of migrants with U.S. sponsors to enter the U.S. and obtain work permits, including Ukrainians and Afghans. He has called Biden's programs an outrageous abuse of parole authority. He would seek to roll back Temporary Protected Status (TPS) designations, the New York Times reported, targeting another humanitarian program that offers deportation relief and work permits to hundreds of thousands. Trump tried to phase out most TPS enrollment during his first term, but was slowed by legal challenges. A federal appeals court in September 2020 allowed Trump to proceed with the wind-down, but Biden reversed that and expanded the program after taking office. FAMILY SEPARATION In a town hall with CNN last year, Trump declined to rule out resuming his contentious zero tolerance policy that led thousands of migrant children and parents to be separated at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2018. He defended the separations again in November, telling Spanish-language news outlet Univision that it stopped people from coming by the hundreds of thousands. While Trump has refused to rule out reinstating a family separation policy, key allies who could potentially join a second-term administration are wary, Reuters reported. The Biden administration last October announced a settlement agreement with separated families that would offer them temporary legal status and other benefits while barring similar separations for at least eight years. DACA Trump tried to end a program that grants deportation relief and work permits to Dreamer immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children, but the termination was rebuffed by the Supreme Court in June 2020. Following the Supreme Court ruling, the Trump administration said it would not accept any new applications to the program, known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), and would explore whether it could again attempt to end it. Trump plans to try to end DACA if elected, the New York Times reported.
Watch the Official Trailer from Marathi movie Shaktiman starring Addinath M. Kothare , Spruha Joshi, Priyadarshan Jadhav, Vikram Vinayak Gaikwad, Mihir Nishith Rajda, Vaibhavi Anand, Ramaa Nadgauda, Kedar Damodar Soman and Madhuri Gawali Shinde. Shaktiman movie is directed and produced by Prakash Kunte. To know more about Shaktiman Trailer watch the video. Check out the latest Marathi Trailers, new movie Trailers, trending Marathi movie Trailers, and more at ETimes - Times of India Entertainment.
Kerala: Road condition adds to water woes of Pachalam, Vaduthala residents
KOCHI: For the past two years, the residents of Pachalam and Vaduthala have been struggling to get a steady supply of drinking water. Though the Kerala Water Authority (KWA) finally paid heed to their demands after a long wait, the work seems to be moving at a snails pace and leaving in its trail a plague of damaged roads, dust and loose granite pieces. We have been fighting for the KWA connection for the past two years, says Somanathan, a member of the Flat Owners Association. According to him, the KWA has begun laying pipes for the connection. However, it is being done only in certain parts of Pachalam and Vaduthala. When the residents contacted the KWA engineer, we were told that the work was being carried out in stages. We can only take their claims with a pinch of salt. This is similar to being told that the connection would materialise in a matter of weeks or a month. We will believe their claims only when the water comes through the taps, he stated. Another issue that has made the lives of the residents miserable is the condition of the road that has been dug up for the pipelines. Somanathan highlights how the process has left in its wake a destroyed road. The mud and stones are piled up all along the road. They could have cleared the debris as the work progressed. However, they have left the mud and stones that trip motorists, cover the houses in dust and turn the roadsides into muddy traps during rain, he adds. If this was the issue with the pipelines, the residents highlighted how the water tank near the Lourdes Hospital on the premises of the Pachalam pump house that was constructed under the Amrut project had not been commissioned even after eight months of project completion. Highlighting this Sujith C Sukumaran, joint secretary, EDRAAC North Region, wrote a letter to the Chief Minister. In reply to the letter, the KWA stated that the project was already commissioned. They said the distribution from the tank to Pachalam and Vaduthala areas cant happen since the supply network is yet to be completed, says Sujith. There have also been talks that the distribution hasnt been carried out since KWA is yet to clear the bills of the contractor.
Heavy Rain Lashes Kamareddy District
Kamareddy : Heavy rain accompanied by gusty winds and hailstorms lashed many parts of the Kamareddy district on Sunday, causing damage to makeshift sheds in Somaram Thanda of Gandhari Mandal. In Sadashivanagar, Gandhari, Lingampet, Yellareddy, Nagireddypet Mandals, rain brought relief to the people from scorching heatwaves. The Meteorological Department also issued alerts for possible rains in the undivided Nizamabad district for the next five days.
Indian Space Industry Offers Tremendous Opportunity For...: ISRO Chief
ISRO Chairman S Somanath has said the Indian space industry is offering a tremendous opportunity to the private sector in the country as a new area of growth and development.
Indian space industry offers tremendous opportunity for private players, says ISRO Chief
Kochi, May 12: ISRO Chairman S Somanath has said the Indian space industry is offering a tremendous opportunity to the private sector in the country as a new area of growth and development. He said the union government envisages the space sector in the country to become a 9 to10 billion dollar industry in the next 5-10 years from the current levels of 2 billion dollars. Somanath was speaking after unveiling the carbon reduction initiative of SFO Technologies, the flagship [] The post Indian space industry offers tremendous opportunity for private players, says ISRO Chief appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
ISRO Chief Emphasizes Vast Growth Potential for Private Sector in India's Space Industry
ISRO Chief Emphasizes Vast Growth Potential for Private Sector in India's Space Industry ISRO Chairman S Somanath has said the Indian space industry is offering a tremendous opportunity to the private sector in the country as a new area of growth and development. He said the union government envisages the space sector in the country to become a 9 to10 billion dollar industry in the next 5-10 years from the current levels of 2 billion dollars. Somanath was speaking after unveiling the carbon reduction initiative of SFO Technologies, the flagship company of the NeST Group, in a function here on Saturday, a company release said. He also said that 400 private sector companies have benefited from the technology developed by ISRO for its various missions. Companies like SFO Technologies are well positioned to take further advantage of the new policy initiatives in the space sector by the government of India. ''The Indian space industry is offering a tremendous opportunity for the private sector in the country as a new area of growth and development,'' the ISRO chief added. Besides planting a sapling at the NeST Hitek Park to mark the occasion, Somanath also unveiled a replica of Chandrayaan at the campus highlighting the cooperation of SFO Technologies and ISRO. He interacted with the NeST engineers and management team later. The Carbon Reduction initiative of the NeST Group is in tune with the United Nations' objective of achieving a 50 percent reduction by 2035 and zero emissions by 2040, the release said. SFO Technologies has close association with ISRO for many years, it said adding that the two have worked in multiple programmes such as the RF sub-systems for Chandrayaan and Aditya Missions, manufacturing of Antenna Systems, and Cryogenic Engine Control Systems for launch vehicles. NeST Group Chairman N Jehangir said discussions are on with ISRO for various projects including the ambitious 'Gaganyaan' mission, aiming to carry human beings to the space for the first time. SFO Technologies and NeST Group are committed to protecting the environment and reducing carbon emissions, said Althaf Jehangir, CEO and Executive Director, SFO Technologies, Hardware and Manufacturing. He also said that they have signed agreements with multiple partners to create a model of being a socially responsible organisation by minimising carbon pollution. Nazneen Jehangir, CEO and Executive Director, Nest Digital, also spoke on the occasion, the release added.
Eight South Coastal LS seats to play key role in Andhra Pradesh poll outcome
VIJAYAWADA: Irrigation water and remunerative prices for the crops have been a constant worry for the farmers of the upland areas of Jaggaiahpet in Vijayawada Parliamentary constituency (NTR district) to Sullurpeta in Tirupati Lok Sabha segment (Tirupati district). Development and employment opportunities are what the youth of the Krishna Delta and Southern coastal districts of the State seek. Steep rise in the prices of essential commodities and increasing crimes against them are what concern the women. All these issues will be in the minds of the electorate of these eight Lok Sabha constituencies -- Vijayawada, Machilipatnam, Guntur, Narasaraopet, Bapatla, Ongole, Nellore and Tirupati -- consisting of 56 Assembly segments when the State goes to polls on Monday. Caste equations will have a definite impact on the poll outcome and for that very reason, the political parties and candidates have been trying to woo the people of these communities in different ways. Backward Classes constitute a majority of population in these eight Lok Sabha seats, followed by SCs, OCs and minorities, while STs are less in these 56 Assembly segments. BC vote will be the determinant factor in the poll outcome. Though the Krishna River flows through Vijayawada and Machilpatnam Parliamentary constituencies, farmers of the region are unable to get any advantage. Tail-end mandals along the Krishna and its canals are facing drinking water scarcity. Upland farmers of Jaggaiahpet and other parts of NTR district are unable to get water for irrigation, following the dispute over Krishna water sharing between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. There is water in Nagarjuna Sagar and we are entitled to get water through the NSP Left Canal. However, the disparity in the placement of indents in time for water and the release of water has been creating problems for us. On the Telangana side of the border in our Jaggaiahpet region, you can observe lush green crops, but on the Andhra side, you will find parched land, pointed out Nageswara Rao, a farmer of Jaggaiahpet. If irrigation water is a concern for the farmers, lack of employment opportunities is the worry of the youth. Vinay, an 18-year-old from Kethanakonda in Ibrahimpatnam mandal of NTR district, getting ready to cast his vote for the first time told TNIE that he is looking for better education and employment opportunities. Infrastructure development is the desire of not just the people of Vijayawada, but also of Machilipatnam, where a sea port is under construction. Once the infrastructure project takes shape, it creates a lot of direct and indirect employment. Most importantly, the capital city Amaravati issue will play a significant role in determining the outcome of Vijayawada Lok Sabha segment. In 2019, the Lok Sabha seat was bagged by the TDP, but six of the seven Assembly segments went to the YSRC. Now, sitting MP of Vijayawada, Kesineni Srinivas (Nani) shifted his loyalties to the YSRC, and Mylavaram sitting MLA Vasantha Krishna Prasad jumped the ship to the TDP and entered the poll fray. When the situation in Guntur Lok Sabha constituency and its seven Assembly segments is analysed, TDP MP candidate Pemmasani Chandra Sekhar like his predecessor Galla Jayadev is a businessman. He has targeted urban and rural sections with a promise of change. On the other hand, YSRC candidate Kilari Rosaiah has laid emphasis on rural segments banking on CM YS Jagans welfare schemes. Due to the capital issue, the anti-incumbency factor is pronounced in Mangalagiri and Tadikonda segments and the TDP is likely to have an advantage. Though TDP candidate Tenali Sravan Kumar is not as strong as YSRC nominee M Sucharita, the capital issue may affect the winning chances of the ruling party. While TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh is a strong contestant in Mangalagiri, BCs, particularly the weaver community may have the final say in the election outcome. A close contest is expected between Lokesh and Murugudu Lavanya of YSRC, who belongs to the weavers community. In Tenali, Nadendla Manohar and Sivakumar both being Kammas, BCs being with the YSRC and lack of coordination between the JSP and the TDP may have an impact on Manohars chances. The winning chances of Sheikh Noori Fathima of YSRC seem to be high in Guntur East. However, Pemmasani is paying special attention, and trying to sway YSRC local leaders to join the TDP to bag the seat. In Guntur West, Kammas and BCs are high in number and determine the poll outcome. In Narasaraopet Lok Sabha constituency, the Yadava community with a population of over 1.20 lakh is going to play a significant role. The community that has been with the TDP all these years, is likely to support YSRCs Anil Kumar Yadav. Meanwhile, sitting MP Lavu Sri Krishna Devarayalu, who is in the fray on TDP ticket, has also earned good fame in the past five years in the constituency. However, his coordination with the MLA candidates may be a problem. In Pedakurapadu, Narasaraopet, Gurazala, Vinukonda and Macherla Assembly segments, a close contest is expected with the YSRC having slight edge. Replacement of some of the sitting MLAs is likely to impact the chances of YSRC. Not even a single leader, irrespective of parties, managed to resolve the drinking water problem. But Kasu Mahesh Reddy, within 18 months after becoming an MLA, got the water scheme executed, K Raghavulu of Piduguralla expressed. Bapatla Lok Sabha constituency is witnessing a strong anti-incumbency due to the lack of any major development programmes in the last five years. Sitting YSRC MP Nandigam Suresh is facing strong opposition and he is contesting against a newcomer T Krishna Prasad of TDP, who has a clean image. Ongole Parliamentary constituency has around 80.5% of the population living in rural areas and the remaining 19.5% in the nine urban localities. As regards the community-wise population, SCs constitute of around 25%, STs 5% and BCs 45%. The outcome depends on vote bank of BCs and SCs. Of the total seven Assembly segments, two are reserved for SCs. The YSRC has fielded BC (Yadava), a Vysya and three Reddy candidates, while the NDA has allotted tickets to two Kamma and three Reddy candidates. Employees, and social welfare scheme beneficiaries are likely to play a key role in determining the fortunes of contenders. Though the YSRC had swept the last general elections in Nellore, winning all the 10 Assembly and two Lok Sabha (Nellore and Tirupati) seats, the situation seems to be different now. Anti-incumbency against the ruling YSRC legislators and internal bickerings seem to be a worrying factor that will affect its winning chances. Somasila issue may sway mandate in Nellore In Nellore, the majority of leaders are from the Reddy and Kapu (Balija locally) communities. The Somasila High-Level Canal project, which aimed to supply irrigation water from the Somasila reservoir, is still pending, and there has been no major progress in the execution of works in the recent past. The High-Level Canal caters to the needs of irrigation and drinking water for more than three upland mandals of Atmakur and Udayagiri segments. Both the TDP and YSRC have neglected the completion of the crucial canal project, rued KN Swamy, a farmer from Marripadu (With inputs from Bandhavi Annam from Guntur, IVNP Prasad Babu from Ongole and D Surendra Kumar from Nellore)
ISRO chairman sees $10 billion biz opportunity in Indias space sector
Somanath unveils zero emission initiative of SFO Technologies of NeST Group
Karnataka SSLC Success Story: Endosulfan Victim Triumphs Over Adversity
Karnataka SSLC Success Story: Endosulfan Victim Triumphs Over Adversity A victim of endosulfan poisoning, who suffered 75 per cent disability, has done creditably in the SSLC examinations in Karnataka. The examination results were released on Thursday with the 17-year-old Sachin passing out with 57.12 per cent score. He is a student of Seva Bharathi's Vidya Chethana in Ramakunja village, 90 km from Mangaluru. According to Prameela Rao, trustee, Seva Bharati, he wrote the exams with the help of a scribe. His father had passed away and he has four sisters who are all settled in different places. Sachin earns an income by involving himself in de-husking areca nut to help his family, that is struggling socially and financially. Sachin was a victim of endosulfan poisoning at a very young age and has suffered several types of psychosomatic disabilities.
Somalia Considers Terminating UN Mission Amidst Peace Efforts
Somalia Considers Terminating UN Mission Amidst Peace Efforts Somalia is asking the United Nations to terminate its political mission in the country, which has been assisting the government to bring peace and stability in the face of attacks by the al-Qaida-linked extremist group al-Shabab. In a letter to the Security Council and Secretary-General Antonio Guterres obtained Friday by The Associated Press, Somali Foreign Minister Ahmed Moalim Fiqi said the decision followed a thorough consideration of our strategic priorities. The current mandate of the mission, known as UNSOM, expires Oct. 31 and Fiqi asked for the swift conclusion of the necessary procedures for the termination of the mission by the end of the mandate. The U.N. mission has worked closely with African Union peacekeepers, whose current transitional mission, ATMIS, has been scaling back its presence and is expected to turn over security responsibilities to Somali forces at the end of the year. In November, the Security Council suspended the AU pullout for three months at Somalia's request because of fighting with al-Shabab. Somalia plunged into civil war after feuding clan-based warlords toppled dictator Mohamed Siad Barre in 1991. The Horn of Africa nation established a functioning transitional government in 2012 and has been working to rebuild stability in the face of extremist attacks and growing piracy. Al-Shabab intensified attacks on Somali military bases last year after it lost control of some territory in rural areas to a military offensive that followed the Somali president's call for total war on the extremist group in 2022. The Security Council established the special political mission, known as UNSOM, in June 2013 to support peace and reconciliation efforts and to provide the Somali government and the AU peacekeeping mission with strategic policy advice on restoring peace and rebuilding a functioning state. Its mandate also includes promoting human rights and preventing abuses, empowering women, protecting children and preventing conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence. In the letter dated May 5, Somalia's foreign minister thanked UNSOM for its crucial role in promoting peace, stability and development in our country. Fiqi said the government believes it is now appropriate to transition to the next phase of our partnership, stressing its commitment to collaborate with the U.N. and its partners on the country's long-term development priorities and beyond. In a follow-up letter dated May 9, also obtained by AP, Fiqi said the Somali government is ready to engage with all relevant parties in preparing for the complex transition process within the appropriate timeframe. He said Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud spoke to Guterres on April 29 and requested the start of a planning process to transition from a political mission to a U.N. country team, which usually focuses on development issues. The process should have distinct stages and planning should start very soon, Fiqi said. In mid-February, the United States agreed to build up to five military bases for the Somali army in a project that seeks to bolster its capabilities against threats from al-Shabab. The new bases will be associated with the Somali military's Danab Brigade, established in 2017 following an agreement between the U.S. and Somalia to recruit, train, equip and mentor 3,000 men and women from across Somalia to build a strong infantry capability within the Somali army. The brigade has been pivotal as a quick-reaction force in efforts to repel al-Shabab extremists.
Surge in Somali Piracy Raises Concerns after Suspected Attack in Gulf of Aden
Surge in Somali Piracy Raises Concerns after Suspected Attack in Gulf of Aden A European naval force detained six suspected pirates on Friday after they opened fire on an oil tanker travelling through the Gulf of Aden, officials said, likely part of a growing number of piracy attacks emanating from Somalia. The attack on the Marshall Islands-flagged Chrystal Arctic comes as Yemen's Houthi rebels have also been attacking ships traveling through the crucial waterway, the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait connecting them. The assaults have slowed commercial traffic through the key maritime route onward to the Suez Canal and the Mediterranean Sea. The pirates shot at the tanker from a small ship carrying weapons and ladders, according to the British military's United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations centre, which oversees Mideast shipping routes. The pirates opened fire first at the Chrystal Arctic, whose armed, onboard security team returned fire at them, the UKMTO said. The pirates then abandoned their attempt to take the tanker, which continued on its way with all its crew safe, the UKMTO said. Hours later, the European Union naval force in the region known as Operation Atalanta said a frigate operating in the region detained six suspected pirates. The frigate seized the pirates given the unsafe condition of their skiff and said that some had injuries of varied severity. It wasn't immediately clear if those injured suffered gunshot wounds from the exchange of fire with the Chrystal Arctic. The EU force declined to elaborate due to the security of the operations. Once-rampant piracy off the Somali coast diminished after a peak in 2011. That year, there were 237 reported attacks in waters off Somalia. Somali piracy in the region at the time cost the world's economy some $7 billion with $160 million paid out in ransoms, according to the Oceans Beyond Piracy monitoring group. Increased naval patrols, a strengthening central government in Mogadishu, Somalia's capital, and other efforts saw the piracy beaten back. However, concerns about new attacks have grown in recent months. In the first quarter of 2024, there have been five reported incidents off Somalia, according to the International Maritime Bureau. These incidents were attributed to Somali pirates who demonstrate mounting capabilities, targeting vessels at great distances, from the Somali coast, the bureau warned in April. It added that there had been several reported hijacked dhows and fishing vessels, which are ideal mother ships to launch attacks at distances from the Somali coastline. In March, the Indian navy detained dozens of pirates who seized a bulk carrier and took its 17 crew hostage. In April, pirates releases 23 crew members of the Bangladesh-flagged cargo carrier MV Abdullah after seizing the vessel. The terms of the release aren't immediately known. These attacks come as the Houthi campaign targeting shipping since November as part of their pressure campaign to stop the Israel-Hamas war raging in the Gaza Strip.
Piracy blues: Understanding the resurgence of Somali maritime threat
Somalian pirates may have their nuisance value, but is the real game geostrategic control? The post Piracy blues: Understanding the resurgence of Somali maritime threat first appeared on The Leaflet .
Somalia calls for termination of UN political mission
The Somali government has asked the U.N. Security Council to terminate the U.N. political mission in Somalia that has been helping the war-torn African country since 2013. News about a letter requesting the departure of the 360-member United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOM) when its mandate expires in October...
After a stress-filled week, Dubais expats look forward to a weekend filled with community healing experience. This week ANQA is unveiling a Somatic Sound Experience to soothe the soul into... The post DUBAI EVENT: Rebirth in Water first appeared on Asian Lite USA .
Heavyweights Vemireddy, Vijayasai Reddy to battle it out in Nellore
NELLORE : Amidst the savory aroma of Nellores renowned Chepala Pulusu, a fierce political showdown unfolds in the Lok Sabha constituency. As the countdown to polling day on May 13 nears, the political temperature is soaring in the constituency with two heavyweights, TDPs Vemireddy Prabhakar Reddy and YSRCs Venumbaka Vijayasai Reddy, locked in a fierce battle. Despite their two-decade-long presence in the State politics, Vemireddy and Vijayasai Reddy are making their debut in the battle for ballots. Vemireddy is a former Rajya Sabha member, while Vijayasai Reddy, is serving as a member of the Rajya Sabha. Vemireddy took an early lead, kicking off his election campaign ahead of others with various outreach programmes in the constituency. He has been nursing his constituency even when he was in the YSRC. However, amidst a series of political developments, Vemireddy, along with his wife and former TTD Board member Vemireddy Prashanthi Reddy, joined the TDP. Prashanthi Reddy, is contesting from Kovur Assembly segment, which is a part of Nellore parliamentary constituency. To make Nellore parliamentary constituency a role model for others, I envision implementing various development programmes, leveraging the areas vast resources and expansive coastal region. These programmes will create employment opportunities for the youth. Given Nellores strategic location as a gateway to Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, investing in infrastructure and facilities will catalyze development, said Vemireddy. Plans include establishing a special office in Nellore City, dedicated to serving constituents and ensuring accountability. Regardless of my location as an MP, my commitment to service remains unwavering. Focusing on the districts interests, I will advocate for vital projects such as national highways, bridges, and beautification of beaches, securing funds through parliamentary efforts, he said. However, political analysts are surprised when the ruling YSRC appointed Vijayasai Reddy as the Nellore Lok Sabha segment incharge and subsequently nominated him to contest from this seat. Vijayasai Reddy, however, is confident of winning the election. He said, Completing the Somasila High-Level Canal on a war-footing to provide irrigation water to one lakh acres and drinking water to 2.5 lakh people and setting up 40 mega godowns with a storage capacity of one lakh tonnes through public-private partnership are his priorities. I am aiming to strengthen Nellores economic ecosystem in the next five years to provide higher income to farmers, farm labourers, traders, and those involved in the transportation system. Building a world-class sports complex at Mogallapalli near Nellore City at a cost of `250 crore in 150 acres and sponsoring foreign education for 100 economically disadvantaged students are also my promises. With the Congress nominating former Nellore Collector Koppula Raju as its candidate, it may pose a challenge to the ruling YSRCs prospects in the area. While the Congress may not be a strong contender for victory, its presence could potentially impact the chances of the YSRC. Following the States bifurcation, the Congress witnessed a significant decline in its voting percentage, dropping to 1.42% in 2014 and further to 0.78% in 2019, which was even lower than the NOTA option at 1.33%. The YSRC largely absorbed the Congress voter base in the previous elections, and a similar scenario was expected in 2024. However, the selection of Koppula Raju with a positive reputation as the Congress candidate for the Nellore Lok Sabha seat is seen as a strategic move. Historically, the TDP has won Nellore Lok Sabha seat twice, with Puchalapalli Penchalaiah securing victory in 1984 and Vukkala Rajeswaramma in 1999. However, it faced defeat on six occasions, notably in 2009 when TDP nominee Vanteru Venugopal Reddy lost to Congress candidate Mekapati Rajamohan Reddy by a margin of 54,993 votes. In subsequent elections, the TDP faced defeats in 2012, 2014 and 2019, with YSRC candidates emerging victorious. In 2012, YSRC nominee Rajamohan Reddy secured a substantial margin of victory over TDP candidate Venugopala Reddy. Similarly, in 2014, YSRCs Rajamohan Reddy narrowly defeated TDPs Adala Prabhakara Reddy. In 2019, YSRCs Prabhakara Reddy defeated TDPs Beeda Masthan Rao by a significant margin.The YSRCs success in the 2014 and 2019 elections was attributed to the sympathy factor for former Chief Minister YS Rajasekhara Reddy and the popularity of YS Jagan Mohan Reddy. However, the TDP believes that the political landscape has changed since the previous elections, with growing dissatisfaction among the populace towards the governance of the YSRC, leading to anti-incumbency sentiments in the State. Vemireddys presence has bolstered the TDPs strength in Nellore City, Nellore Rural, Udayagiri, Kavali and Kandukur Assembly segments. Additionally, the presence of the Congress in the fray could potentially split votes, further benefiting the TDP. While the YSRC swept the last general elections in Nellore in 2019 by winning all 10 Assembly seats, the elections pose a challenge to the ruling party. Anti-incumbency sentiments against the ruling party legislators, coupled with internal discord, are emerging as significant concerns affecting their electoral prospects. Nellore district predominantly comprises leaders from Reddy and Kapu (Balija locally) communities. The Somasila reservoir, situated across the river Penna near Somasila village in Ananthasagaram mandal of Atmakur segment has the capacity to receive water by gravity from Srisailam reservoir, making it one of the largest reservoirs in the Penna river basin. Despite this potential, farmers in the region faced irrigation water scarcity during the last season. The Somasila High-Level canal project, intended to supply irrigation water from the Somasila reservoir, remains pending, with no significant progress in execution in recent years. This canal is crucial for meeting the irrigation and drinking water needs of the people in several upland mandals in Atmakur and Udayagiri Assembly segments. The High-Level Canal caters to the needs of irrigation and drinking water for more than three upland mandals of Atmakur and Udayagiri segments. Both TDP and YSRC have neglected the completion of this crucial project in the region, said KN Swamy, a farmer from Marripadu. Problems galore in upland mandals Farmers in Marripadu and Atmakur mandals, which are major tobacco-producing areas in Atmakur Assembly constituency, face challenges due to drought conditions. People of drought-prone areas in Udayagiri segment, including Vinjamur, Duttalur, Seetharamapuram, Kaligiri, Jaladanki and Varikuntapadu mandals, struggle to access drinking water with no concrete proposals to address the issue. However, Juvvaladinne fishing harbour is all set to cater the needs of fishermen
Dont rush to become CM, you may fail: Somanna to DKS
BENGALURU: With Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar and former chief minister HD Kumaraswamy continuing their slugfest over Hassan JDS MP Prajwal Revannas alleged sex scandal, leaders cutting across party-lines, close to both of them, feel it is unwarranted, even as it is imperative for the guilty to be punished. The issue escalated into a spat between Vokkaliga leaders within the JDS and Congress, with equal number of them siding strongly with either Kumaraswamy or Shivakumar on the issue. However, certain non-Vokkaliga leaders, including ministers within the Congress government and some BJP leaders from the Old Mysuru region, have been cautious in this regard. Former minister V Somanna, speaking his mind, on Thursday suggested that Shivakumar should refrain from attacking former prime minister HD Deve Gowda and his family. Dont rush to become the chief minister. If you take decisions in a hurry, there are chances it will backfire, the senior Veerashaiva Lingayat leader warned. Shivakumar has attained all the posts, and is just one step away from the top post. I was the one who wished that he become CM when the Congress came to power in the state, since both of us hail from the same taluk, he observed. Somanna, however, clarified that if the charges against Prajwal are proven, he should be given the harshest punishment. It may be noted here that Somanna has been on good terms with Shivakumar all along. The JDS rank and file held protests across the Old Mysuru region, targeting Shivakumar. If Shivakumar continues to drag the Gowda family into the Prajwal row, the JDS would use it as an opportunity to reorganise itself. The outcome of the Lok Sabha polls will also have a bearing on the regional partys future prospects, observed a political analyst. The poll results will be out on June 4. JDS core committee chairman GT Deve Gowda, who held a meeting on Thursday, said the party will launch its membership drive soon to strengthen the organisation ahead of the ZP/TP polls expected to be held in July. The JDS party is still a force in Mandya, Kolar, Tumakuru, Bengaluru Rural, and Hassan, with no dearth of candidates to contest the polls for the rural local bodies, said TR Nagaraju, a former mayor of Tumakuru.
In surprise move, Somalia asks U.N. to end political mission
In surprise move, Somalia asks U.N. to end political mission Somalia's government has requested the termination of a U.N. political mission that has advised it on peace-building, security reforms and democracy for over a decade, according to a letter the foreign minister wrote to the Security Council. The request for the departure of the 360-member United Nations Assistance Mission in Somalia (UNSOLD) when its mandate expires in October took the mission by surprise, three U.N. officials told Reuters, asking not to be named. In the face of continuous conflict since 1991, including a two-decade insurgency by al Qaeda-linked militants, Somali authorities have taken steps to restore services and provide a measure of security. But the Horn of Africa nation of 17 million people remains among the world's most violent and impoverished. The end of the political mission is separate to a U.N.-mandated African Union safe-keeping mission, currently comprising at least 10,000 soldiers, which is due to withdraw and hand over to the Somali state by the end of this year. The three U.N. officials confirmed the authenticity of the May 5 letter, which was circulated on social media on Thursday. Somali officials did not respond to requests for comment. 'MORE ASSERTIVE' STATE In the letter, Minister of Foreign Affairs Aimed Moa Fiji did not give reasons, saying only that the government believes it is now appropriate to transition to the next phase of our partnership. A Somali presidential adviser confirmed the authenticity of the letter and said Somalia no longer needed support from the U.N. to coordinate with the international community as was the case under UNSOM. UNSOM played a critical role, but now it outlived its usefulness, the adviser said, adding that the mission also had a high annual cost of $100 million. Matt Bryden, a Somalia analyst and co-founder of the Sahan think tank, noted that the federal government had previously accused UNSOM of interfering in internal affairs. President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has been moving to centralise authority through changes to the constitution and other reforms while UNSOM has been trying to strike a balance between the federal government's agenda and the desire of individual states for more autonomy, Bryden said. We should expect more assertive and unilateral FGS (federal government of Somalia) initiatives with respect to constitutional revisions, federalism, and elections, Bryden said. In a statement to Reuters, UNSOM said Somalia's request was a testament to the work of UNSOM in support of the Somali authorities these past years. Other U.N. offices, including humanitarian agencies, would continue to operate in Somalia, said UNSOM, which was created in 2013.
Childhood Thalassemia: 5 Important Facts Every Parent Should Understand
Thalassemia, a genetic blood disorder, poses significant challenges for families at risk, but with proactive screening and prenatal diagnosis, the birth of thalassemia-affected children can be prevented, fostering a brighter and healthier future for generations to come. (File Image: DC) Thalassemia, a genetic blood disorder, poses significant challenges for families at risk, but with proactive screening and prenatal diagnosis, the birth of thalassemia-affected children can be prevented, fostering a brighter and healthier future for generations to come. (File Image: DC) The National Library of Medicine states that India is remembered for the thalassemia belt, which extends from the Mediterranean to the Center East, the Indian subcontinent, and Southeast Asia. The country represents roughly 10% (10,000) of each and every year's infants determined to have beta-thalassemia major (-TM). Thus it becomes a need of the hour to explore crucial facts about the disease so every parent is aware of it: Thalassemia: Thalassemia is an inherited blood disorder affecting the hemoglobin synthesis. Hemoglobin is an oxygen carrying component of the red blood cells and it has two proteins- alpha and beta. In Thalassemia, , these alpha or beta proteins are not produced enough leading to break down of red blood cells and causing anemia. The affected child will have anemia at an early age and have less oxygen in the blood and tissues. As thalassemia is an inherited disease, at least one of the parents must be a carrier and the abnormal gene is passed on from parents to their childen. Types of Thalassemia: There are two types of Thalassemia depending on the number of mutated genes and severity. Thalassemia minor: If one abnormal gene is inherited from one parent then its called Thalassemia minor, mild type. In this type, no treatment is required but the affected individual will be a carrier of that abnormal gene. Thalassemia major: But if the child inherits two abnormal genes, one from each parent, then its called Thalassemia major, a severe type of anemia, where the child can present with anemia after 6 months of age. This type needs treatment. The child will have deformities of the bones, particularly in the face, , delayed growth and development, excessive tiredness and fatigue, and yellow or pale skin and yellowish discoloration of eyes. Thalassemia does not affect everyone equally. Signs and symptoms of the disorder may also appear later in childhood or adolescence depending on the severity of the disease. What is the cause for this disease? It is an inherited disorder. It is inherited as autosomal recessive pattern, that means both the parents have to be a carrier of the abnormal gene which is passed on to the affected child. There are more than 200 genetic mutations which are identified as a cause for this disease. How to Diagnose Thalassemia? Any child presenting with severeanemia at an early age, should be investigated to rule out thalassemia major. On Physical examination, child will look pale, there may be yellowish discoloration of the eyes, spleen will be enlarged. Laboratory tests: Complete blood count (CBC): it is an important and simple blood test which will give us information about anemia and low MCV. Peripheral smear: The second important blood test in which the blood sample is examined by pathologist under microscope and gives information about the type of anemia and abnormal shapes of red blood cells. HPLC: This test is the diagnostic and confirmatory test for thalassemia. It will inform regarding the presence and type of thalassemia. Mutation analysis is also an important test to know the genetic abnormality. Treatment for Thalassemia major: There are two main types of treatment- 1. Regular blood transfusion along with iron chelating agents. When a child receives regular blood transfusions almost every 3-4 weeks, then the iron starts getting deposited in various organs of the body, like liver, heart, pancreas etc. which can damage these organs. Therefore, its important to take iron chelating medicines along with transfusions. This is not a curative treatment option, here we are just correcting the anemia. 2. Bone marrow transplantation : It is a curative treatment option where the patients bone marrow cells are replaced by the stem cells of a suitable donor. This eliminates the need the regular transfusion.Results are much better if it is done at an early age, specially before 7 years of age 3. Gene Therapy : Its a latest advancement in the treatment of thalassemia patients but still under research work. It is important to do Thalassemia screening during pregnancy so that we can prevent the severe form of the disease. Till date the best treatment option for Thalassemia majoris Bone marrow transplantation. The article is authored by Dr. Nandini Choudhury Hazarika, Consultant - Medical Oncology, BMT
Mathew Antony, a member of the Congress party, issued a warning to the Somaiya Trust, implying potential repercussions, subsequent to their decision to terminate Parveen Shaikh, the principal of Somaiya The post Congress Functionary Threatens Somaiya Trust For Sacking Pro-Hamas Supporting Principal Parveen Shaikh appeared first on The Commune .
Mumbai school 'discontinues' services of principal for liking social media posts on Palestine
The management of a leading school in Mumbai on Tuesday, May 7, announced it has discontinued the services of Principal Parveen Shaikh o ensure that our ethos of unity and inclusivity is not compromised, days after she was asked to quit reportedly for liking social media posts on the Palestine issue and the Hamas-Israel conflict. Shaikh, Principal of Somaiya School in Mumbai's Vidyavihar area, described her ermination from the post as completely illegal, drastic and unwarranted and expressed shock over the politically motivated action. The school management said her personal social media activities were not aligned with the values cherished by the educational institute. Shaikh was earlier allegedly asked by the management to resign over her social media views, her aide had said on May 2. The management had then said it was probing the matter. In a statement shared on social media platform X (formerly Twitter) on Tuesday, May 7, the Somaiya school management said Shaikh's personal social media activities were starkly misaligned with the values we cherish and hence, given the gravity of concerns and after careful consideration, it discontinued her (services). After careful consideration, the management has discontinued Ms Parveen Shaikh's association with Somaiya Vidyavihar to ensure that our ethos of unity and inclusivity is not compromised, the statement said. The school management, in the statement, claimed it strives to cultivate an environment where knowledge leads to wisdom and uplifts all members of the community, transcending small-mindedness and personal biases. We strongly support the right to freedom of expression, yet we recognize that it is not absolute and must be exercised with responsibility and respect for others, it said. The statement emphasised the institute remains dedicated to providing a nurturing educational environment that honours and respects all cultures and beliefs, contributing positively to society and our nation. We believe it is crucial to safeguard the impressionable minds of our youth, and ensure they are nurtured in an environment that upholds the highest standards of integrity and inclusivity, it said. Our Media Statement on 7th May 2024 pic.twitter.com/CFgOS6oCvb Somaiya Vidyavihar (@SomaiyaTrust) May 7, 2024 Before the discontinuation Earlier last week, the Somaiya school management informed the media that it had sought a written clarification from Shaikh and was waiting for her reply. The statement did not specify if the management received any clarification from her. Shaikh, in a statement shared on WhatsApp, claimed her ermination was completely illegal and she was shocked to know the news of her termination from social media even before receiving a notice from the management. My work as a school principal has been exceptional and my termination for such a reason is wrongful and unjust, she claimed. Shaikh further said she was disappointed as the school management chose not to stand by her and took drastic and unwarranted action. This action appears to be politically motivated. I hold firm belief in our legal system and the Indian Constitution and I am currently considering my legal options, she said. Shaikh had been associated with the school since the last 12 years and took charge as the principal seven years ago. (This article originally appeared on EdexLive )
Parveen Shaikh: Mumbai School Principal Fired For Liking Pro-Palestine Post
Parveen Shaikh, the principal of Somaiya School in Mumbai, has been fired for liking a pro-Palestine post on social media.
Mumbai's Somaiya School sacks principal Praveen Shaikh for liking pro-Palestine tweets
The management of a Mumbai school, Somaiya School terminated Principal Parveen Shaikh, citing concerns about her personal social media aligning with the school's values. Shaikh, associated with the school for 12 years and principal for seven, called the decision illegal and politically motivated. The school emphasized the importance of responsible expression and maintaining a diverse, inclusive environment. Shaikh expressed shock over her termination and hinted at legal action, highlighting the challenges of personal social media use for public figures like school principals.
Gang detains nine migrant workers & extorts money in Krishnagiri
KRISHNAGIRI: Nine people from Bargur and Pochampalli were arrested for extortion and wrongful confinement of nine guest workers near Gurubarapalli on Tuesday. According to sources, A Abul Hussain (25) and his friend Ajibur Rahman (27) of Assam were working in a tiles company at Perambalur for the past two years. On April 3, when the two were getting ready to go to their home state to vote in Lok Sabha election, Nishanth and Aravind allegedly met them and told the victim that, they were from Krishnagiri and needed human resource for a biscuit factory in Kerala. They promised wage of `700 per head per day and three free meals and other benefits. On April 24, Nishant allegedly called Abul over phone and urged him to return to Tamil Nadu. On May 3, Abdul and eight of his friends from Assam boarded a train from Guwahati and reached Jolarpettai on the night of May 5. Then, Abul made a call to Nishant and stayed in a hotel that night. The next morning, a car reached the hotel and picked up nine guest workers for work. But the car went to a village in Somanathapuram and all nine were confined in a room. The suspects then demanded money from the workers and they Rs 2, 000. One of the workers made a call to his relative in Kerala to get some money. Source further added, Gurubarapalli police received a call from a person on Monday evening explaining the plight of the workers. Police went to the spot and rescued them and also recovered the money . The workers were sent to their native on Tuesday. Based on a complaint from Abul Hussain, Gurubarapalli police booked IPC sections 342, 294 (b), 386 and 506 (2) and arrested The accused are identified as P Nishanth (26) of Vadamalampatti, V Aravind (21) of Kummanur, P Kalidass (33) of Valasagoundanur, R Sakthivel (38) of Modikuppam, M Mohanaperumal (27) of Vilangamudi, P Prabhu (29) of Pochampalli, M Vinoth (34) of Vettiyampatti, T Pavithran (28) of Pochampalli and S Manikandan (31) of Gurubarapalli. They were remanded to Dharmapuri district Jail on Tuesday afternoon. Police source said Nishanth, Aravind and Prabhu were involved in a similar act in February and arrested. But they secured bail.
Somaiya Trust to end association with principal over social media posts
After school releases formal statement that her social media activity was misaligned with its values and ethos, Parveen Shaikh says shes been sent show-cause notice
Mumbai school axes principal for social media activity
Shaikh, the principal of Somaiya School in Mumbai's Vidyavihar area, described her ermination from the post as completely illegal, drastic and unwarranted and expressed shock over the politically motivated action.
Speakers See Threat to Constitution if BJP Wins Again
HYDERABAD: Journalists, academics, former judges and politicians, who addressed a roundtable meeting here on Tuesday, expressed concern on what they called the threats posed by communal forces to the social fabric of the nation. They also aired their fears on the threat posed to the Constitution. Speaking at a roundtable meeting organised by Telangana Journalists Adhyayana Vedika on Indian Constitution Rights and Reservations at the Somajiguda Press Club on Tuesday, Prof. Haragopal said, Whether the Constitution would be in vogue or not is the moot question as the RSS, the parent organisation of the BJP, has been opposed to it. In the process of creating wealth, care should be taken to see that jobs are not lost. The idea of welfare is being given a go by and privatisation is taking primacy and reservations are becoming a casualty. The role of the state in welfare is reducing and defence is taking precedence over it. What can be done if the Constitution that the rulers are seeking to implement is implemented, he asked. The nation is in dire straits and democracy is in crisis. If there is no dissent, the nation will quickly descend into an autocracy. Only after the Mandal Commission was implemented, did the backward communities start securing jobs, opined Prof. Kasim. Senior journalist Ramachandra Murthy on his part said that the RSS doesnt believe in the Constitution. Only minor changes have been made to the Constitution so far, it has not been changed. To save the constitutional bodies, BJP has to be defeated. Retired Justice Chandra Kumar opined that it was those who bat for Manusmriti who divided the country. The system of contract and outsourcing was brought into picture to evade reservations. BJP leaders are trying to implement the ideals of their founders. The release of Bilkis Bano is something which puts Modi and Shah to shame, he said. BC leader Jajula Srinivas Goud, senior journalist Jayasaradhi Reddy, Congress leader Sangisetty Jagadish and Janam Sakshi editor Rahman also spoke at the meeting.
Ms Parveen Shaikh was sacked as Somaiya School principal on Tuesday, weeks after OpIndia published anexposon her unflinching support for Hamas, usual Hindu haters including Islamist preacher Zakir Naik, Umar Khalid among others.
Tracks Aren't For Jogging: Railways Officer Slams Ad Featuring Milind Soman
I believe it's the railway track in the Borivali National Park. But running on the track of Indian Railways is fundamentally wrong. The messaging of the ad is not correct, the officer said.
Tracks Aren't For Jogging: Railways Officer On Ad Featuring Milind Soman
I believe it's the railway track in the Borivali National Park. But running on the track of Indian Railways is fundamentally wrong. The messaging of the ad is not correct, the officer said.
PM's Brother Somabhai Modi Turns Emotional, Remembers Mother on Polling Day
Somabhai Modi met PM Narendra Modi outside the polling booth in Ranip on Tuesday
Would Be Showering Blessings: PM's Brother Remembers Mother On Polling Day
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's elder brother Somabhai Modi on Tuesday turned emotional while remembering their mother late Hiraba and said she would be showering her blessings on the PM from heaven.
Somabhai Modi, PM's Brother, Overwhelmed by Emotion on Polling Day, Reminisces about Mother's Memory
Somabhai Modi, PM's Brother, Overwhelmed by Emotion on Polling Day, Reminisces about Mother's Memory Prime Minister Narendra Modi's elder brother Somabhai Modi on Tuesday turned emotional while remembering their mother late Hiraba and said she would be showering her blessings on the PM from heaven. Somabhai Modi said just like the people, he also wants his brother to become the prime minister for the third time. PM Modi used to meet his mother at her residence in Gandhinagar in Gujarat and take her blessings before coming here to cast his vote. Hiraba passed away in December 2022. ''My mother is no more. But she must be giving her blessings to Narendrabhai from heaven right now,'' said a teary-eyed Somabhai outside a polling booth in Ranip locality here under the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency where PM Modi cast his vote in the morning. Somabhai Modi met PM Narendra Modi outside the polling booth in Ranip. He said both of them enquired about each other's well-being and health. ''Just like people of this area, I also want Narendra Modi to become the PM for the third time after this election,'' he said. He also appealed to the people to exercise their franchise and not miss this opportunity, and choose the right person and the right party.
PM Modi congratulates EC for conducting first two phases of LS polls almost violence-free
AHMEDABAD: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday congratulated the Election Commission for conducting the first two phases of Lok Sabha polls with hardly any violence and asked the people to come out in large numbers to vote. He said violence during elections was very common in the past. After casting his vote at Nishan School in Ranip area of Ahmedabad city under the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency in Gujarat, PM Modi also said the way the Indian elections are being conducted could be a learning process for other democracies. #ElectionsWithTNIE | Third Phase voting begins, PM #NarendraModi casts his vote. #LokSabhaElection2024 pic.twitter.com/GzbSztz8RW The New Indian Express (@NewIndianXpress) May 7, 2024 Matdaan samanya daan nahi hai, hamare desh main daan ka mahatva hai (voting is not a common gift, in our country importance is given to donation). People of the country should vote in large numbers keeping this feeling in their hearts, Modi told reporters. The third phase of voting is underway on Tuesday and campaigning will go on for almost three weeks and four more phases of polling, he noted. LS polls 2024 phase-3| Live updates|10.57% voter turnout for Phase 3 till 9 am As a voter from Gujarat, I have been voting here (Nishan School) for the last many years, and our Amitbhai (Shah) is the BJP candidate from here, Modi said. Today is the day of celebration of democracy. I congratulate the Election Commission, security forces and officials involved in conducting the first two phases of polls almost violence-free. In the past, violence during elections was very common, he said. Modi also congratulated the Election Commission for conducting the polls in a voter-friendly manner. The conduct of our election, our election management is such that it can be a learning process for other democracies. Big universities of the world should carry out a case study on the Indian elections, he said. This year, almost 64 countries in the world are going to polls. There should be a comparison of elections between India and other countries. This year's festival of democracy is not only in India but around the world, Modi said. Modi congratulated the Election Commission for adopting good poll practices from the world in the elections in India. He also lauded the EC for adopting modern technology for conducting the polls. Modi reached the polling booth at Nishan Public School in Ranip locality of Ahmedabad city soon after the polling began at 7 am and cast his vote. Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah, who is contesting to retain the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat, was present when Modi reached the polling booth. Prime Minister Narendra Modi with supporters after casting his vote at a polling station during the third phase of Lok Sabha elections, in Ahmedabad. Modi greeted people, signed autographs on his way to the polling booth. He bowed down to his elder brother Somabhai Modi before entering the polling booth. After coming out of the polling booth, PM Modi waved to the crowd and showed his inked finger. The prime minister is a registered voter from Ranip area. Somabhai Modi lives near Nishan School, which falls under Sabarmati assembly segment of the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency. Polling began at 7 am in all the 25 Lok Sabha constituencies in Gujarat.
Indian Prime Minister Modi Votes in Gandhinagar Lok Sabha Constituency
Indian Prime Minister Modi Votes in Gandhinagar Lok Sabha Constituency Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday voted at a polling booth in Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency in the single-phase voting for 25 seats in Gujarat. Modi reached the polling booth at Nishan Public School in Ranip locality of Ahmedabad city soon after the polling began at 7 am and cast his vote. Union minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah, who is contesting to retain the Gandhinagar Lok Sabha seat, was present when Modi reached the polling booth. Modi greeted people, signed autographs on his way to the polling booth. He bowed down to his elder brother Somabhai Patel before entering the polling booth. The PM, who arrived in Ahmedabad on Monday night, cast his vote in the polling booth after getting his finger inked. After coming out of the polling booth, Modi waved to the crowd and showed his inked finger. Polling began at 7 am in all the 25 Lok Sabha constituencies in Gujarat. Modi is a registered voter from Ranip area. Somabhai Patel lives near Nishan School, which falls under Sabarmati assembly segment of Gandhinagar Lok Sabha constituency.
Among the notable candidates vying for the parliamentary seat are Basavaraj Somappa Bommai from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Anandaswamy Gaddadevara Math from the Indian National Congress (INC). These candidates bring with them a wealth of experience, perspectives, and promises aimed at addressing the needs and aspirations of the people of Haveri.
People with two copies of a risk gene have genetic form of Alzheimer's, scientists say
People with two copies of a risk gene have genetic form of Alzheimer's, scientists say People who carry two copies of the APOE4 gene are virtually guaranteed to develop Alzheimer's and face symptoms at an earlier age, researchers reported on Monday in a study that could redefine such carriers as having a new genetic form of the mind-wasting disease. The reclassification could change Alzheimer's research, diagnosis and approaches to treatment, according to the researchers, whose study was published in the journal Nature Medicine. Through these data we are saying that perhaps this is a genetic form of this disease, not merely a risk factor indication, study co-author Sterling Johnson of the University of Wisconsin's Alzheimer's Disease Research Center told reporters in a briefing on the study. Scientists have known for three decades that people with two copies of APOE4 gene variant have significantly higher risk of developing the disease than people with the most common version of the APOE gene, known as APOE3. About 2% to 3% of the general population, or about 15% of people with Alzheimer's, have two copies of the APOE4 variant. This study adds compelling data to suggest that people with two copies of this gene are almost guaranteed to develop Alzheimers if they live long enough, and that they will develop Alzheimers earlier than people without this gene, said professor Tara Spires-Jones, an Alzheimer's researcher at the University of Edinburgh who was not involved in the study. Dr. Juan Fortea of the University of Barcelona and colleagues studied more than 3,000 donated brains from the U.S. National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center, as well as biological and clinical data on more than 10,000 individuals from five datasets in three countries. They found that by the age of 65, at least 95% of people with two copies of APOE4 - known as homozygotes - had abnormal levels of an Alzheimer's-related protein called beta amyloid in their spinal fluid, and 75% had positive brain scans for amyloid. Nearly all APOE4 homozygotes in the study had higher levels of amyloid at age 65 than people who did not carry the risk variant. The findings suggest APOE4 homozygotes meet the three main criteria for being a genetic disease: nearly everyone with these two gene variants have Alzheimer's biology; they develop symptoms at about the same rate; and clinical and biological changes occur in a predictable sequence, the researchers said. Professor David Curtis of the UCL Genetics Institute, who was not involved in the research, remained unconvinced. I do not see anything in this paper to justify the claim that carrying two copies of APOE4 represents some 'distinct genetic form' of Alzheimer's disease', he said in a statement. No matter how many (copies) of APOE4 one carries the underlying disease processes seem similar across cases of Alzheimer's disease, he said. The findings could have implications for the recently approved Alzheimer's treatment Leqembi from Eisai and Biogen, a drug that removes amyloid from the brain. In clinical trials, patients with two copies of the APOE4 variant have much higher rates of brain bleeding and swelling associated with the treatment. Because of this, some centers do not treat these patients, Dr. Reisa Sperling, an Alzheimer's researcher at Mass General Brigham who worked on the study, said in a briefing with reporters. This research really suggests that we should be treating them quite early at a younger age and at an early stage of pathology because we know they're very, very likely to progress to impairment quickly, she said. Spires-Jones said the work highlights the need for more research on how genes affect Alzheimer's disease as people age. Other genetic forms of Alzheimer's include Autosomal-dominant Alzheimer's Disease, which is caused by mutations in two different genes, and Down syndrome. Most of the study population involved people of European ancestry, and the team noted that more work needs to be done in people of African descent, a population in which APOE4 appears to convey a lower risk of Alzheimer's disease.
Will Donald Trump deport 20 million illegal immigrants if re-elected? Know about his plans in detail
Donald Trump has said that the US will not bring in anyone from Gaza, Syria, Somalia, Yemen, Libya, or anywhere else that threatens the security of the country. He plans to round up, detain and deport millions of illegal immigrants.
Delivery agents, LPG workers in TN battle summer's fury without respite
CHENNAI: This summer, food delivery agents said they wish they could be anywhere other than on the streets, sweating under their helmets and perpetually thirsty. However, they have no such luck. It is important that they take orders from 11 am to 3 pm every day to claim their daily incentive. They usually get a small additional wage for deliveries during rain, but receive no bonuses in summer, they said. Said 42-year-old Ponraj (name changed) , a food delivery agent in Ambattur, There are some major apartments like the one on Maduravoyal service road which do not allow our bikes enter their premises. We are forced to walk at least a kilometre to the blocks mentioned in the address under this sun. We have fought against these apartment policies several times, but in vain. They ask us to go on foot for the fear of the delivery agents causing accidents. The practice is discriminatory because they allow all other vehicles inside. Das (name changed), another food delivery agent, said they are allocated waiting spaces near kitchens in restaurants, adding to the summer heat. Some persons rue that they get as low as `30 for covering even 10 km. M Subhash (38) from Kumarapalayam in Salem said he there was a recent policy change where rejecting two orders results in reduced incentives during peak hours (8 am to 1 pm), further exacerbating financial strain. With 12-hour shifts under the scorching sun, I struggle to meet a modest income target of Rs 35,000 a month. My only motivation is to support my younger sister, who is pursuing engineering at VIT, Vellore, Subhash said. There are instances when customers suddenly change delivery location, which is a few km away, say workers | Ashwin prasath While the heat wave in Virudhunagar is intense this summer, 50-year-old R Rajamanickam said his firm has permitted delivery persons to reject one order per day. While we toil hard under the blazing sun to meet the expenses of our family, there are instances when customers specify a location for delivery and later request us to deliver in another location, which is a few kilometres away. Some people dont pay extra and some give us a meagre amount of Rs 5 and even `1, said Rajamanickam. People handling LPG cylinders also shared the woes of food delivery agents in working in harsh summer. In the midst of a scorching summer in Vellore, K Paramasivam (52) traverses the streets of Sathuvachari barefoot, tirelessly delivering gas cylinders to the surrounding area. His works from 9 am to 5 pm and carries a maximum of three cylinders on his cycle with each cylinder weighing around 30 kg. Bathed in sweat, Paramasivam remains undeterred, to ensure people can cook their next meal without any LPG shortage. The heat makes our work riskier. We get tired fast and also find our body odour rising. Our work requires strong determination. Every day, we are swimming upstream against the intense heat with unwavering resolve. Thanks to our customers, we are offered water or buttermilk during deliveries. P Murali (56), another gas delivery man, said, During summer, I make sure to wear a cap and normal cotton dresses rather than the uniform. Despite such measures, we feel drained after a few hours of work. Since the onset of summer, Ive found myself drinking water at least three times more than I do in the winter. Even the water we get from houses is warm during summer. With the small tips ranging from Rs 20-Rs 30 from some customers offer, we buy ourselves some refreshments to beat the heat. I often try to complete my deliveries by noon, take a break and resume work after 3 pm. Selvam I, a cooking gas delivery worker in Somarasampettai, said, Touching cylinders exposed to heat is like touching hot metal rods. Therefore, some of us cover our hands with cloth while handling cylinders. But, most of the time, we have to ignore the heat from the cylinder ring and deliver it to the clients doorstep or inside the home. We would get blisters on our palms. Over the days, our hands have got used to this. Some clients give us tips, considering our situation, but not all. R Sudalai Kumar, of Mettukadai in Erode, who delivers water cans, said, I have been supplying water cans to households and business establishments for the past 13 years. Due to the intense heat this year, the demand for cans has increased. I used to distribute up to 220 cans every day before the summer season. It has now increased to 350 cans a day. (Inputs from Jose K Joseph, Praveena SA, Shakthivel K, P Srinivasan, Harini M, Sivaguru S, Nirupama Viswanathan) (In this series, TNIE looks at the condition of workers toiling under the sun)
Karnataka: Lingayats may not vote en bloc, but likely to prefer sub-castes
BENGALURU: Ahead of the Phase-3 of Lok Sabha elections on Tuesday, BJP may have realised that the lions share of Lingayat support it enjoyed in many elections over the last few decades could be turning into a mirage. Though BJP senior leader BS Yediyurappa, considered a Lingayat strongman, has been campaigning in all the 14 constituencies, the party has realised that it will be difficult to repeat the results of the last Lok Sabha elections when it won all the 14 seats in the region aided by Lingayats, who are the deciding factor in majority of seats. Veerashaiva Mahasabha secretary Renuka Prasanna said, Basava Nadu used to vote only for BJP, but the Lingayat community will not remain a homogenous vote bank for BJP forever. The previous election demonstrated that and this election too, it will be on show. For starters, infighting in the party that is known for its discipline has been its biggest challenge. The party has struggled with the standoff between Lingayat leaders Madhuswamy and V Somanna, between Holalkere Chandrappa and Govinda Karjol in Chitradurga, Ananth Kumar Hegde and Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri in Uttara Kannada and Bhagwant Khuba and Prabhu Chavan in Bidar. Adding to partys troubles, Lingayat seer Dingaleshwara Swamiji too joined the fray initially, but later withdrew. But now, he has resumed addressing public meetings aimed solely at defeating Union minister Pralhad Joshi in the Dharwad constituency. Also, Lingayats are not voting en bloc and are talking of casting their franchise based on sub-castes like Lingayat Panchamsali, Lingayat Banajiga and Lingayat Ganiga. Also, Chief Minister Siddaramaiahs announcement of starting a university to study the Vachana literature and naming social reformer Basavanna as the cultural icon of Karnataka have softened the Lingayat stand towards Congress. Experts point out that BJP ignored social engineering while selecting candidates for the crucial polls. It gave seats only to Lingayat, Brahmin and SC/STs, while completely ignoring representatives from other castes, who have a substantial vote share in the region. In all the 14 constituencies, their candidates are either Lingayat or Brahmin. Wherever there is a reserved constituency, the ticket has been given to a representative from that community. BJP will also find it difficult to get votes of minorities, who constitute 12-20 per cent of the electorate in these constituencies. Added to this is the sizeable OBC presence and BJP has always found it difficult to break into the Dalit vote base because of Mallikarjun Kharge, a Dalit from Kalaburagi, who is AICC president. This time, there could be the strongest consolidation ever of Dalit votes in favour of Congress, which BJP is realising in many constituencies. Political analyst BS Murthy said, BJP did not pay sufficient attention to its social engineering and that may not help the party because all candidates here are either Lingayat or Brahmin. There is no palpable wave in favour of BJP so far. Infighting and rebellion may cost the party dear. BJP has never looked this vulnerable in the last three polls. A BJP functionary, requesting anonymity, said, The party has always enjoyed the blessings of the Lingayat community. I agree that we may not sweep all 14 seats, but we still enjoy a solid advantage and support in North Karnataka. Also, dont discount the Modi factor. I believe barring 3-4 seats, BJP will do well here. I believe Lingayats still prefer BJP.
Australian police shoot dead a boy, 16, armed with a knife after he stabbed a man in Perth
Australian police shoot dead a boy, 16, armed with a knife after he stabbed a man in Perth A 16-year-old boy armed with a knife was shot dead by police after he stabbed a man in the Australian west coast city of Perth, officials said Sunday. The incident occurred in the parking lot of a hardware store in suburban Willetton on Saturday night. The teen attacked the man and then rushed at police officers before he was shot, Western Australian Premier Roger Cook told reporters on Sunday. There are indications he had been radicalized online, Cook told a news conference. But I want to reassure the community at this stage it appears that he acted solely and alone, Cook added. A man in his 30s was found at the scene with a stab wound to his back. He was taken to a hospital in serious but stable condition, a police statement said. Police and Australian Security Intelligence Organization agents have been conducting a counterterrorism investigation in the east coast city of Sydney since another 16-year-old boy stabbed an Assyrian Orthodox bishop and priest in a church on April 15. That boy has been charged with committing a terrorist act. Six of his alleged associates have also been charged with a range of offenses, including conspiring to engage in or planning a terrorist act. All remain in custody. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he had been briefed on the latest stabbing in Perth by Australian Federal Police Commissioner Reece Kershaw and ASIO Director-General Mike Burgess, who heads the nation's main domestic spy agency. I'm advised there is no ongoing threat to the community on the information available, Albanese said. We are a peace-loving nation and there is no place for violent extremism in Australia, he added. Police received an emergency phone call after 10 p.m. from a teenager saying he was going to commit acts of violence, Western Australian Police Commissioner Col Blanch said. The boy had been participating in a program for young people at risk of radicalization, Blanch added. I don't want to say he has been radicalized or is radicalized because I think that forms part of the investigation, he said. Police said they were later alerted by a phone call from a member of the public that a knife attack was underway in the parking lot. Three police officers responded, one armed with a gun and two with conducted energy devices. Police deployed both conducted energy devices but they failed to incapacitate the boy before he was killed by a single gunshot, Blanch said. Blanch said members of the local Muslim community had raised concerns with police about the boy's behavior before he was killed on Saturday. The Imam of Perth's largest mosque, the Nasir Mosque, condemned the stabbing. ''There is no place for violence in Islam, Imam Syed Wadood Janud said in a statement. We appreciate the effort of the police to keep our communities safe. I also want to commend the local Muslim community who had flagged the individual prior with the police, Wadood added. Some Muslim leaders have criticized Australian police for declaring last month's church stabbing a terrorist act but not a rampage two days earlier in a Sydney shopping mall in which six people were killed and a dozen wounded. The 40-year-old attacker in the mall attack was shot dead by police. Police have yet to reveal the man's motive. The church attack is only the third to be classified by Australian authorities as a terrorist act since 2018. In December 2022, three Christian fundamentalists shot dead two police officers and a bystander in an ambush near the community of Wieambilla in Queensland state. The shooters were later killed by police. In November 2018, a Somalia-born Muslim stabbed three pedestrians in downtown Melbourne, killing one, before police shot him dead.
BJP trying to bounce back in Godavari districts after drubbing in 2019 polls
RAJAMAHENDRAVARAM: The BJP is trying to bounce back after the drubbing it received in the 2019 elections in Godavari districts. In 2014, the BJP in alliance with the TDP and support of Jana Sena, won Rajamahendravaram City and Tadepalligudem Assembly seats, besides Narasapuram Lok Sabha seat in Godavari districts. The BJP as a partner of TDP - Jana Sena alliance is now contesting for Rajamahendravaram and Narasapuram Lok Sabha seats and Anaparthi Assembly seat in Godavari districts. In 2014, BJP candidate Gokaraju Gangaraju won Narasapuram Lok Sabha seat, while P Manikyala Rao and Akula Satyanarayana won Tadepalligudem and Rajamahendravaram City Assembly seats. The Kapu-heartland of Narasapuram Lok Sabha seat consisting of seven Assembly constituencies will be the testing ground for the recently forged BJP-TDP-JSP alliance in the upcoming polls. Elaborate arrangements are being made at Vemagiri in Rajamahendravaram for Prime Minister Narendra Modis visit on May 6. TDP supremo N Chandrababu and Jana Sena chief Pawan Kalyan would share the dais with him. TDP founder NTRs daughter D Purandeswari is testing her luck in Rajamahendravaram Lok Sabha constituency. She is facing a tough fight from YSRC candidate Dr Guduri Srinivas and Congress nominee Gidugu Rudraraju. TDP former MLA Nallamilli Ramakrishna Reddy switched loyalty to the BJP and is contesting from Anaparthi Assembly seat. Purandeswari has already toured her constituency twice. She met TDP and JSP leaders in all Assembly segments and has been addressing rallies. Women voters are attending her meetings in Rajanagaram, Gopalapuram, Kovvur and Nidadavolu Assembly segments. She has concentrated on Anaparthi, which is considered a YSRC bastion and made a whirlwind tour. She met all the community leaders in the villages. However, Rudraraju is penetrating into rural areas and touching the Congress traditional vote bank. The YSRC is worrying about the Congress upsurge. Winning is not new to the BJP in Godavari districts. The saffron party registered an impressive victory in 1998 and 1999 Lok Sabha polls in Rajamahendravaram, and 1999 and 2014 in Narasapuram. A large section of the middle class and upper class voters constitute a major share of the electorate in the Godavari belt. The voters expect a change in every election. They dont bother whether Muslim reservations would be continued or not if they voted for the BJP, a Common Civil Code will be introduced or not. The Godavari voters get carried away by the swings and make a beeline to polling stations and vote for one party and give an impressive victory. Unlike in Krishna and Guntur districts, Godavari voters are not ambitious but expect a change in every election. They do not bother about the ideologies of the parties. They do not reveal their mind in a straight forward manner. If they are not happy with government policies, they will vent their ire in the elections. The YSRC government may face a backlash for its liquor policy. Now, there is an overwhelming response to BJP candidates Purandeswari in Rajamahendravaram and Srinivas Varma in Narasapuram constituencies. A social activist Somasundaram said that Godavari voters would not choose different parties in Assembly and Lok Sabha polls. If they want to vote for TDP in Assembly, they vote for the same party or those who are in alliance with it in Lok Sabha polls. Though Srinivas Varma is not a popular leader, his winning chances are increasing steadily, he felt. The YSRC has fielded Guduri Umabala, a BC, who is facing a tough time from the BJP. Upper-class Kapu voters and middle-class and some BC communities and one section of Dalit voters in Achanta, Tadepalligudem, Bhimavaram, Narasapuram, Tanuku, Undi, and Palakollu constituencies may vote in favour of the BJP. The ruling YSRC will now look to consolidate the gains that it made in the 2019 elections when it made inroads into the strongholds of the TDP in Godavari districts. It is not a cakewalk to the YSRC in Rajamahendravaram and Narasapuram, as the mood of the Godavari belt is changing slowly. However, the experiment made by YSRC has yielded good results in the 2019 elections in Rajamahendravaram. The YSRC has taken a daring step by fielding BC candidates in Narasapuram and Rajamahendravaram Lok Sabha constituencies, expecting consolidation of BC voters and the traditional vote bank in its favour. But the ground reality seems to be entirely different. Saffron party registered victory in 1998, 1999 LS polls Winning is not new to the BJP in Godavari districts. The saffron party registered an impressive victory in 1998 and 1999 Lok Sabha polls in Rajamahendravaram, and 1999 and 2014 in Narasapuram. A large section of the middle class and upper class voters constitute a major share of the electorate in the Godavari belt. The voters expect a change in every election. They dont bother whether Muslim reservations would be continued or not if they voted for the BJP, a Common Civil Code will be introduced or not
Day after rain, CESC staff in Mysuru struggle to restore power
MYSURU: Staff of the Chamundeshwari Electricity Supply Corporation (CESC) and Mysuru City Corporation (MCC) were pressed into restoration works after hundreds of trees and electricity poles were uprooted in the city in the Fridays heavy downpour resulting in several areas plunging into complete darkness for hours together. One person was dead and several others were injured in the rain fury. The deceased has been identified as Shivakumar of Marashettahalli in Myusru taluk. To take shelter from rain, he was standing under a zinc sheet roof which fell on him due to wild winds, killing him on the spot. In another incident, four others, including an auto driver, were injured after a tree fell on his rickshaw. In the third incident, three students were injured after a tree fell on the scooter near JSS Medical College. They sustained injuries in their head and are recovering. Meanwhile, the CESC and corporation staff swung into action and pressed earth movers into service to clear the trees and the streets. Pourakarmikas attached to the MCC had to skip their garbage collection duty and join the restoration work. The power supply was restored in many localities by noon. The CESC had to replace over 300 damaged electricity poles. M Jameel Ahmad, a resident of Yadavgiri, said several uprooted trees and electricity poles had blocked the road completely. He said residents were facing serious problems due to long power outages. CESC and MCC staff must work in tandem to ensure early restoration of power supply, he said. Many residents complained of their electronic appliances being damaged due to power fluctuation. Several streetlight also bore the brunt of the rain fury. Angry villagers stage protest Villagers of Sulekhobe staged a protest in front of the Mennyam panchayat office in Hanur taluk over callousness of officials in visiting the damaged banana plantation. Villagers alleged that banana plantations in more than 20 acres were damaged and there are also reports of crop loss in Kollegal, Chamarajanagar and parts of Gundlupet. The alleged that the CESC staff are yet to replace the damaged electricity poles that fell on several houses. They want the officials to visit the affected areas immediately. Newlywed man struck by lightning dies A 34-year-old newlywed man died after being struck by a massive lightning at his residence on Friday night. Somasundar, a resident of Parvathamukhi in Subramanya village in Kadaba taluk, is the deceased. The incident occurred when Somasundar was collecting dry arecanut before rain began. Though he was immediately shifted to the hospital, he was declared brought dead. Somasundar was operating a car washing business near Subramanya and he got married just 10 days ago. Rains across Sullia, Uppinangady and Subramanya damaged a few trees and electric poles. At Kinnigoli, an ancient tree estimated to be around 1,000 years old, which is considered the birthplace of Sri Kanthabare and Boodabare, the legendary figures of Kollur in Mulki, got uprooted on Friday.
Somaiya Trust to school head: Explain in writing
Principal Parveen Shaikh says the trust has sent her a show-cause notice for social media activity
In a landmark interaction with space enthusiasts via ISROs official Instagram page, Chairman S. Somanath articulated a vision that underscores the pivotal role of private players in propelling Indias space ambitions forward. Emphasising the catalytic impact of private entities like SpaceX on the global space landscape, the Chairman highlighted the imperative for India to embrace a similar trajectory. His remarks underscored a strategic shift in Indias space policy, reflecting a recognition of the transformative potential inherent in public-private partnerships within [] The post Private Space Exploration appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
AP Government Will Provide Free Locations for Shooting Movies
Vijayawada: Telugu film directors have sought development of the film industry in Andhra Pradesh, which owns beautiful locations and a long seacoast line. A Directors Day programme had been held in Tenali on Saturday in which movie directors and film personalities participated. MA-AP organised the Directors Day programme. Dilip Raja, the founder of MA-AP and film director, said there are many natural scenic and picturesque locations in Andhra Pradesh, which could be used for movie shootings. He pointed out that AP also has nearly a thousand kilometres of seacoast, which would be most useful for movie shootings. Andhra Pradesh Film Development Corporation manager Srinivasa Naik said the government will provide locations for movies to be shot in the state for free. On the occasion, Dr. Kothamasu Shyam Sundar, a renowned physician, presented Darsaka Ratna Dasari Narayana Rao awards to Ankuram, Maunam, Srikaram, film director and National Award winner C. Uma Maheswara Rao and director Bharat Parepalli, who has directed 40 films. Directors from AP including Daddy Srinivas, Om Sai, B. Somasundaram and Chalavadi Siva Prasad received honorary awards from MA-AP on the occasion of Director's Day.
The matter came to light when a publication highlighted the principals social media activity
