World Expo opens in Japan in rocky times

OSAKA - World Expo opened on Sunday with 160 countries and regions showcasing their technology, culture and food, with host Japan hoping to provide the world with some much-needed hope.

Highlights at the show in Osaka until mid-October include a Mars meteorite, a beating artificial heart grown from stem cells and Hello Kitty figures in algae form.

Surrounding most of the pavilions -- a chance for architects' fancies to run wild -- is the world's largest wooden structure, the "Grand Ring".

Its creator Sou Fujimoto told AFP that Expo is a "precious opportunity where so many different cultures... and countries come together in one place to create diversity and unity".

AFP | Richard A. Brooks

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba also said the event would help bring a sense of unity in a "divided society."

"Through Expo, we would like to restore a sense of unity in the world once again," Ishiba told reporters.

But with conflicts raging and US President Donald Trump's tariffs causing economic turmoil, that may be optimistic.

"Not for sale" states a yellow and blue sign over Ukraine's booth -- echoing defiant comments from leader Volodymyr Zelensky about the war with Russia, which is absent at Expo 2025.

"We want the world to know more about our resilience. We are the ones who create, not the ones who destroys," Tatiana Berezhna, deputy minister of economy of Ukraine, told AFP.

Yahel Vilan, head of Israel's equally compact pavilion -- there is also a Palestinian one -- featuring a stone from Jerusalem's Western Wall, told AFP that "we came with a message of peace".

AFP | Richard A. Brooks

The US building has the theme "America the Beautiful", but with no mention of Trump's trade policies.

Instead it focuses on the country's landscapes, AI tech and space, including a simulated rocket launch where dry-ice blasters appear to ignite above visitors' heads.

The nearby Chinese pavilion, evoking a calligraphy scroll, focuses on green technology and lunar samples brought by the Chang'e-5 and Chang'e-6 probes.

Human washing machine

AFP | Richard A. Brooks

After enjoying the view and sea breeze atop the Grand Ring's "skywalk", hungry visitors can stop by the world's longest sushi conveyor belt or meet many-eyed Expo 2025 mascot Myaku-Myaku.

Among the more bizarre displays are 32 sculptures of Hello Kitty dressed as different types of algae -- to symbolise the plant's many uses -- and a "human washing machine" that shows imagery based on the bather's heart rate.

Elsewhere are demonstrations of drone-like flying vehicles, and the tiny artificial heart made from induced pluripotent stem cells (iPS) shown in public for the first time.

AFP | Nicholas SHEARMAN

"It has an actual pulse," Byron Russel of Pasona Group, which runs the exhibit, told AFP.

Themes of sustainability run through the Expo, including at the bauble-like Swiss pavilion, which aims to have the smallest ecological footprint.

But Expos have been criticised for their temporary nature, and after October Osaka's man-made island will be cleared to make way for a casino resort.

According to Japanese media, only 12.5 percent of the Grand Ring will be reused.

Slow ticket sales

Expo is also known as a World's Fair, and the phenomenon, which brought the Eiffel Tower to Paris, began with London's 1851 Crystal Palace exhibition and is held every five years.

AFP | Richard A. Brooks

The 2020 edition in Dubai was postponed by the Covid-19 pandemic, so Osaka Expo organisers say it will "restore much-needed connections" and "provide the opportunity to create a better tomorrow".

Osaka last hosted the Expo in 1970 when Japan was booming and its technology the envy of the world. It attracted 64 million people, a record until Shanghai in 2010.

But 55 years on, Japan is less of a trendsetter and opinion polls show low levels of enthusiasm among the public for the Expo, particularly after it went 27 percent over budget.

AFP | Richard A. Brooks

So far 8.7 million advance tickets have been shifted, below the pre-sales target of 14 million.

Japan is also experiencing a record tourism boom, meaning accommodation in Osaka -- near hotspot Kyoto -- is often fully booked with prices sky-high.

But early visitors at the venue voiced their excitement. Local resident Emiko Sakamoto, who also visited the region's last Expo more than five decades ago, was determined to return to the site repeatedly to see all the pavilions.

"I think the Expo is meaningful" in this chaotic time, she said. "People will think about peace after visiting the venue."By Natsuko Fukue And Caroline Gardin World Expo opens in Japan in rocky times

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‘India Blooms’ at The Orchid Show at Chicago Botanic Garden

The Orchid Show India Blooms at Chicago Botanic Garden. PHOTO: CBG

The Chicago Botanic Garden is showcasing the beauty of India through “The Orchid Show: India Blooms” which starts February 8 and runs till March 23.

During those days, the Garden’s indoor galleries will be filled with more than 10,000 fresh, colorful blooms featured in displays that echo India’s diverse regions, landscapes, people, and cultures, a press release from the Chicago Botanic Garden says.

“We are honored to provide visitors with a glimpse into life and cultures in India, both past and present, as we celebrate orchids,” Jodi Zombolo, associate vice president, Visitor Events and Programs, is quoted saying. “The vibrancy and rich variety of orchid species found in India will be highlighted throughout the Show.”

In its eleventh year, the Show will include blooming displays inspired by national symbols and celebrations of India such as a floor-to-ceiling peacock, a towering banyan tree with cascading roots, and the vivid hues of Holi in bursts of colorful powders.

On Valentine’s Day, Fridays, and select Thursday evenings, Orchids After Hours is an additional way to experience a the Show at nighttime.

The Orchid Show India Blooms floor-to-ceiling peacock at Chicago Botanic Garden. PHOTO: CBG

The following events will take place during the Show:

Library Exhibition – Eye of the Artist: Rare Book Illustrations of India’s Flora – Saturday, February 8, through Sunday, March 23 (Wednesday – Sunday from noon to 4 p.m.)

This rare book exhibition in the Lenhardt Library features lovely botanical illustrations of India’s flora with works by both European and Indian botanical artists that showcases their distinctive artistic styles. Free library talks will be held on Friday, February 21 and Sunday, March 8 at 1 p.m.

Illinois Orchid Society Spring Show & Sale – Saturday, March 8, and Sunday, March 9 (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

Displays of orchids from the rarest of species to cultivated hybrids will be artistically arranged. Families can take part in orchid-based activities for children. Vendors will also be on-site to sell orchid plants and related products and Illinois Orchid Society members will offer repotting services.

Indian Community Marketplace – Saturday, March 22 and Sunday, March 23 (10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

Meet and shop local small businesses selling Indian products, including spices, snacks, clothing, art, and home goods.

Post-Orchid Show Sale – Thursday, March 27 (9 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

This sale is an opportunity to take home favorite orchids from the Show. Early access from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. is based on member level. All members and the public are welcome from 2 to 4 p.m., while supplies last. Please check our website and social media for updates; this event sells out quickly.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is renowned as a ‘living museum’ which aims to inspire Chicagoland and all people to connect with plants. For more information, visit chicagobotanic.org

‘ India Blooms’ at The Orchid Show at Chicago Botanic Garden

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The world’s largest gathering: how India plans to keep 400 million pilgrims safe at the Maha Kumbh Mela festival

Milad Haghani, UNSW Sydney

Imagine a gathering so large it dwarfs any concert, festival, or sporting event you’ve ever seen. In the Kumbh Mela, a religious festival held in India, millions of Hindu pilgrims come together to bathe in rivers considered sacred.

This year more than 400 million people are expected to attend the Kumbh Mela in the city of Prayagraj across 48 days.

How do you manage a crowd of this magnitude, in which the challenges are as colossal as the event itself?

The Kumbh Mela’s significance

The 2025 Kumbh Mela officially kicked off yesterday. Already, millions of people have taken a bath at the Triveni Sangam, the confluence of India’s most sacred river, the Ganges, with the Yamuna River and the Saraswati River.

The Kumbh Mela is one of the most important religious festivals in Hinduism and the largest human gathering on Earth. It is held periodically at one of four sacred locations – Prayagraj (formerly Allahabad), Haridwar, Nashik, and Ujjain – on a rotational basis, depending on specific astrological alignments.

There are four types of Kumbh Melas. The festival that’s currently on, the Maha (great) Kumbh Mela, takes place every 12 years at Prayagraj, in the state of Uttar Pradesh. It holds the highest significance due to its rarity, scale and profound spiritual importance.

The event draws millions of devotees, ascetics and spiritual leaders who come to bathe in sacred rivers, a ritual believed to cleanse sins and grant liberation from the cycle of life and death.

The festivals’ origins are rooted in Hindu mythology, and specifically in the story of the Samudra Manthan, or the churning of the ocean of milk. According to this legend, gods and demons churned the ocean in search of the nectar of immortality (amrita). During this struggle, drops of the nectar fell at the four sites where Kumbh Mela events are now held.

A great pilgrimage brings great risks

Mass gatherings, regardless of their purpose, carry inherent health and safety risks. The sheer scale of these events makes overcrowding and crowd crushes a constant threat, even without other risk factors.

However, religious gatherings add yet another dimension of risk. The heightened emotions and urgency associated with such events can escalate the potential for disaster.

India, with its tradition of large-scale religious festivals, has tragically become a hotspot for crowd-related catastrophes. Nearly 70% of India’s deadly crowd disasters have happened during religious mass gatherings.

This reality was underscored just last week, on January 8, when six people were killed in a crush near a temple in southern India. Similarly, last year’s Hathras crowd crush resulted in 121 deaths.

The Kumbh Mela hasn’t been immune either. Its history is marked by several tragedies.

The 1954 Kumbh Mela in Prayagraj remains one of the deadliest crowd disasters in history, with at least 400 people having been trampled to death or drowning in a single day. Some accounts suggest the actual death toll was much higher.

Subsequent festivals have also seen devastating incidents, such as:

• the 2003 Nashik Kumbh Mela stampede, in which 39 people died

• the 2010 Haridwar Kumbh Mela, in which seven people died

• the 2013 Prayagraj Kumbh Mela, in which 36 people died.

Reports of crowd disasters during the event date back as far as 1820, showing this challenge is far from new.

How has India prepared in 2025?

Indian authorities have implemented a range of measures to manage this year’s event in Prayagraj, using modern solutions and technology to tackle an age-old safety challenge.

A temporary tent city has been erected on the riverbanks in Prayagraj, with some 160,000 tents, 150,000 toilets and temporary hospitals.

Infrastructure upgrades include 98 “special trains” introduced to ensure smooth transport, along with centralised “war rooms” to monitor the operations.

On the ground, about 40,000 police officers have been deployed to maintain security.

Authorities have also installed 2,700 CCTV cameras across the grounds, all of which are integrated into an AI-powered surveillance system.

This setup enables the real-time monitoring of crowds, with AI used to analyse live feeds from thousands of fixed and drone cameras positioned across key festival zones, including entry points, bathing areas and congregation spaces.

Algorithms are used to measure the number of people in specific areas and provide information on crowd density. If density thresholds are exceeded, authorities are alerted and can respond on the ground, mitigating the risk of overcrowding and potential crushes.

For the first time, underwater drones are also being used to monitor the riverbeds of the Ganges and Yamuna.

Smaller gatherings remain a concern

The combination of massive, dense crowds, coupled with the deep devotion and excitement inherent in religious mass gathering, creates dynamics that are prone to safety risks.

These factors introduce a level of unpredictability to crowd behaviour, which can make said crowds difficult to manage.

While it’s reassuring Indian authorities have taken proactive measures to mitigate risks associated with the Kumbh Mela, risks persist in smaller religious gatherings across the country.

Smaller events, while they often lack media attention and resources, have proven just as prone to catastrophe as major ones.

The safety measures rolled out at this year’s Maha Kumbh Mela should serve as a blueprint for managing religious and cultural gatherings across India.

Milad Haghani, Senior Lecturer of Urban Risk & Resilience, UNSW Sydney

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Indian American physicians announce Global Health Summit details, discuss action plan in US, India

President of AAPI Dr. Satheesh Kathula, speaking at the Indian Consulate in NY, Sept. 29, 2024, curtain raiser and press meet to announce the Global Health Summit in India, and action plans of AAPI in US and India. PHOTO: Kripa Prasad, ITV Gold

The American Association of Physicians from India held a preparatory meeting Monday, September 29, 2024 at the Indian Consulate in New York to discuss the upcoming AAPI Global Healthcare Summit to be held in New Delhi October 19 and 20, 2024, and to discuss AAPI’s vision and action plan in the US and in India.

The press conference-cum-curtain raiser was led by Dr. Satheesh Kathula, president of AAPI, as well as Dr. Hetal Gor, trustee, and attended by other physician leaders including, and Padma Shri recipient Dr. Sudhir Parikh, a veteran AAPI senior advisor, and chairman of Parikh Worldwide Media/ITV Gold.

Dr. Satheesh Kathula, president of AAPI, and Dr. Hetal Gor, member, Board of Trustees of AAPI, provide details about the upcoming Global Health Summit in India, and AAPI’s action plan for initiatives in India and US, September 29, 2024, at the Indian Consulate in New York. PHOTO: ITV Gold

Dr. Kathula and Dr. Hetal Gor, briefed the media on AAPI’s ongoing activities in the United States and India, and noted that the upcoming summit aims to bring together healthcare professionals, policymakers, and industry leaders to address the prevention of cancer and heart attacks in the Indian population with lifestyle modification and technology.

Dr. Kathula gave details about AAPI’s 3 main initiatives in the US this year – 1. Stem Cell or Bone Marrow Drive; 2. Raising awareness about increased physical activity and honoring veterans simultaneously through the ‘Million Miles of Gratitude’ initiative; 3. Preventing heart attacks in the Indian American community.

Dr. Kathula thanked the media for attending and for providing support for several decades to AAPI, urging them “to help to get the message out, in reaching out to the general public here, the Indian diaspora and in India, especially for providing health education on preventive measures.”

Padma Shri recipient Dr. Sudhir Parikh gesturing as he speaks at the AAPI press meet, September 29, 2024, at the Indian Consulate in New York, as President of AAPI Dr. Satheesh Kathula looks on. PHOTO: Kripa Prasad, ITV Gold

Dr. Parikh offered the help of his media outlet, and gave additional recommendations for AAPI to initiate, maintaining that India’s needs in healthcare had changed over the decades.

Two or three decades ago, AAPI used to send Xray Machines and MRI Machines to India, but “Now India needs more than that. India needs an exchange program for the medical students,” Dr. Parikh said, as well as observers for the medical students. “AAPI can have some structured body that can provide observership to those students,” he recommended. Additionally, AAPI could organize exchange of the faculty from India and grow it into a global force. The Global Association of Physicians of Indian Origin, GAPIO, was trying something similar with faculty exchange which will provide the younger generation state of art education from the Western countries. Dr. Parikh assured AAPI of his full support as a doctor and as a media person.

AAPI has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the President of India Droupadi Murmu as Guests of Honor at GHS 2024, as well as Health Minister J.P. Nadda.

AAPI leaders, President of AAPI Dr. Satheesh Kathula, and Padma Shri recipient Dr. Sudhir Parikh, with India’s Consul General in New York Binaya S. Pradhan, Sept. 29, 2024, during the curtain raiser for the Global Health Summit, and Leadership conference. PHOTO: ITV Gold

Earlier during the day, AAPI conducted an AAPI Leadership Retreat at the Indian Consulate in New York City, attended by Consul General Binaya S. Pradhan. The panel included several distinguished figures from various fields, including Dr. Sanjeev Kaul, Chief of Trauma; Sudeep Kapur, a magistrate; Manee Kamboji, owner of a highly successful IT company; Natalie McKenzie, a health and fitness coach and podcaster; Jyoti Soni, a catering and wedding planner with over three decades of experience in the culinary industry; and AAPI leaders.

AAPI leaders Dr. Satheesh Kathula, 3rd from left, and Dr. Hetal Gor, 3rd from right, and other attendees with India’s Consul General in New York Binaya S. Pradhan, 4th from left. PHOTO: ITV Gold

Consul General Pradhan, in his address highlighted his long association with AAPI since 2005. Highlighting the recent meetings India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi had with top CEOs from the United States during his recent visit, Pradhan emphasized that India’s potential is “not only appreciated by the ordinary people of the United States, but even by the industry, and that’s probably the reason why all these industry entities are now present in India in a much bigger way. So it’s going to be leading to bigger investment back within India.”

Pradhan lauded the contributions of “a strong Indian association of Doctors, AAPI. We feel so lucky that we have their strong presence, of this fraternity in this country. And I’m sure, going forward, you are going to be an anchor. You will be bringing the relationship between India and the United States much closer, especially in the healthcare sector.”

AAPI leaders meet the press at the Indian Consulate in New York Sept. 29, 2024. PHOTO: Collage provided by AAPI

Pradhan told AAPI that “My expectation, my request has been that, this is the time for you to rethink about how you contribute back home in India. I know all of you, individually and collectively, do a lot of good work back home in India.”

A section of the audience at the Sept. 29, 2024, AAPI curtain raiser at the Indian Consulate to announce Global Health Summit in India, and action plans of the organization. PHOTO: Kripa Prasad, ITV GoldNoting that India’s economy is undergoing a massive transformation today. “The Indian people are not looking for help in meeting their basic needs, but would expect a strong association like yours to help them to touch their aspirations. You have access to the best of the medical technologies in this country. You can think about what you can do to touch the aspirations of the people, by using the technology, and reach a much larger number of people in India.” Indian American physicians announce Global Health Summit details, discuss action plan in US, India

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When Music Festival Ticket Holders Couldn’t Get a Refund, Another Festival Welcomed Them for Free

When a three-day music festival was called off and the organizers declined to offer a refund to pass holders, a totally different festival decided to welcome them all for free.

Now in its 12th year, the Lucidity Festival was set to kick off in Santa Barbara, California this September. But citing “unforeseen last-minute changes in requirements” imposed by Santa Barbara County, the festival had to be canceled.

To make matters worse, the circumstances lead “to a postponement that we can not financially recover from,” and so organizers announced there would be no refunds for the passes.

To be fair, Lucidity Festival’s official policy is that passes can only be transferred from one holder to another, but refunds are never offered. While hundreds of derelict pass-holders are incensed and considering a class-action lawsuit, Lucidity has warned that if they can’t find a solution for a place to host the event by April next year, they will declare bankruptcy and end the festival for good.

The end of that saga, no one can yet predict, but a totally unaffiliated festival called Same Same But Different (SSBD) heard what was happening and decided to welcome all Lucidity pass holders free of charge as a gesture of goodwill.

“We know how challenging these times can be, especially when the festival experiences we all cherish don’t go as planned,” reads a statement released by SSBD. “It’s never easy when something you’ve been looking forward to doesn’t work out, and we understand how much time, energy, and anticipation went into planning for Lucidity.”

“Featuring a big lineup of electronic music artists the likes of Big Gigantic, Ganja White Night, and LSDREAM, SSBD is making it known that they are well-positioned to welcome thousands of Lucidity ticket-holders from September 27-29,” writes EDM.com.

“The enchanting festival will also feature sunrise-to-sunset DJ sets, a Vegas-inspired casino pop-up experience, yoga sessions, mindfulness workshops, and much more.”

Holders of the Lucidity Pass can apply to have their’s converted to a SSBD pass here, while information on the event can be found here. When Music Festival Ticket Holders Couldn’t Get a Refund, Another Festival Welcomed Them for Free

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Farmers Show off Mammoth Produce at County Fair Headlined by 1,300 lbs. Pumpkin

The first prize pumpkin at 1370 pounds – via SWNS

At last weekend’s Malvern Autumn Festival in the UK, growers from across the Isles showed off the truly frightening proportions that vegetables can grow to, headlined by massive pumpkins brought in on a forklift.

4th place winner Tim Saint transported his whopping 667 lbs. pumpkin in a trailer to display at the event held over the weekend in England’s Worcestershire.

Even though he needed a pallet, trailer, and industrial strapping to move the thing, his was a small fry compared to Curtis Leach’s 1st prize-winning pumpkin that arrived at weights usually reserved for cars.

At 638 kilograms, or 1,373 lbs, the gargantuan gourd was 40 kilograms more than the second-place entry, but half as heavy as the current Guinness World Record for heaviest pumpkin, which was 2,700 pounds.

“I grew a 667 lbs. pumpkin this year which I’m delighted at,” said Mr. Saint. “I’ve been growing pumpkins for 20 years and that’s the biggest I’ve ever done It’s got to be over 3ft tall at least, I’m 6ft tall myself and it’s big.”

“The secret is just plenty of water and manure, plenty of cow manure especially,” added Mr. Saint, who did take 1st prize for largest beetroot. “It takes a lot of water, I normally give it five watering cans of water a day.”

Peter Glazebrook with his 1st prize for the longest cucumber and David Robson with his 4th placed leak – via SWNS

 

Ian Stott with his cabbage – via SWNS

Lesley and Wayne Price from Hereford with their giant zucchini-like fruit known as a marrow – SWNS

One of the largest harvest festivals in the UK, there are 35 categories for giant or long vegetables, and this year 8 new world records were set, including for Largest Runner Bean Leaf, Heaviest Runner Bean, Tallest Tomatillo Plant, Longest Luffa, Heaviest Bell Pepper, Heaviest Cucumber, Heaviest Broad Bean, and Longest Broad Bean.

Ian Stott brought along a 49-pound cabbage which secured him second spot on the winner’s podium this year.

“It’s 22kg and about four-and-a-half feet wide,” he said proudly, adding that “it’s not been a good year for cabbages, it was so hot at the beginning of the season.”

“You’ve got to have the right seed and Mother Nature needs to be on your side… They weren’t that big this year. I’ve had them 6ft across and it’s a bit hard to not break leaves off him,” said Mr. Stott, who lost out on 1st prize to Annette Stone, who managed to break 54 pounds with her cabbage.

Ian Neale 80 with his 1st Place for his giant swede and 1st place for giant celery – via SWNS Farmers Show off Mammoth Produce at County Fair Headlined by 1,300 lbs. Pumpkin

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Country music star Jason Michael Carroll selected as Harvest Festival entertainer

The Donalsonville/Seminole County Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce that this year’s 2024 Harvest Festival featured entertainment is country artist Jason Michael Carroll. So, mark your calendar for Saturday, October 19th and make plans to tap your toes to the music and more in downtown Donalsonville.

Born in Houston, Texas and raised in Youngsville, North Carolina, Carroll has been adapting to the changing landscape in country music for almost two decades with no signs of slowing down.

Breaking out with success in 2006 thanks to the heart-wrenching ballad “Alyssa Lies”, Carroll followed that first chart-topping hit quickly with a flurry of hit songs that cemented his voice and his name among the elite performers from Nashville. Hits such as “Livin’ Our Love Song,” “I Can Sleep When I’m Dead,” “Where I’m From” and many others helped fuel a string of albums and sold out live shows. Couple that with an intense connection with his fans and you can see why Nashville calls Jason a triple-threat artist to be reckoned with: Singer. Songwriter. Entertainer.

Proud of his past success but always focused firmly on his next move, the country music star launched his first major independent release since 2016 with the new song “Pass It On Around” (Jan. 27, 2023). Delivered with powerful vocals accented at times by his signature growling lyrics and laser precision, “Pass It On Around” made Nashville once again turn and take notice of Carroll. Indeed, his best days still lie firmly ahead of him. He is so excited to bring his talent to Donalsonville!

In addition to the festival’s featured entertainment, the day’s festivities will kick off with the Rejoice Run & Mom’s Mile, the annual Harvest Festival parade, a performance from local Persnickety Studios, a fine arts show, a large variety of arts and crafts vendors, children’s activities, and local shopping with numerous downtown shops.

Save the date of Saturday, October 19 for the 2024 Harvest Festival in downtown Donalsonville, Country music star Jason Michael Carroll selected as Harvest Festival entertainer

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Exhibition to commemorate India's 100 years at Olympic Games opens in Paris

Paris (France), June 24 (IANS) An exhibition that celebrates the life and legacy of Pierre de Coubertin, the Founder of the Olympic Movement, and also commemorates 100 years of India’s presence at the Games, organised by the JSW Group to mark Olympic Day, was inaugurated on Sunday in Paris, the host city of 2024 Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Thomas Bach and Ambassador of India, Jawed Ashraf were present at the event that celebrates the Olympic Movement and India’s Journey at the Games.

Chairperson of the JSW Foundation, Sangita Jindal, and founder of Inspire Institute of Sport, Parth Jindal were joined by Bach, Minister of Culture, Govt of France, Madame Rachida Dati, Ambassador of India to the Republic of France, Jawed Ashraf and the President of the Pierre de Coubertin Family Association, Alexandra de Navacelle to open the exhibition that is being hosted at the Town Hall of the 7th Arrondissement, Paris, and will go on till the end of the Paris 2024 Summer Paralympic Games in September.

Speaking on the occasion, Sangita Jindal, Chairperson of the JSW Foundation said, “JSW Group is pleased to support the curation of ‘100 Years of India at Olympics’ at the Genius of Sport exhibition in Paris. Through this unique exhibition, we celebrate the life and legacy of Pierre De Coubertin and 100 years of India’s remarkable Olympic journey and success.

"We share Pierre De Coubertin’s vision and belief that sport has the ability to change the world differently by transcending borders and bringing people together in the spirit of peace and friendship. The 2024 Olympics is an important milestone for JSW Group. We are proud to support this exhibition as well as Team India in Paris. Through these efforts we reiterate our commitment to foster and nurture the sporting culture and talent in India,” she said.

The exhibition, in association with the Pierre de Coubertin Family Association, comprises a detailed walkthrough of India’s Olympic journey over the last century, the success the country has enjoyed in the past, and its recent resurgence with an eye on the future.

Parth Jindal, Founder of the Inspire Institute of Sport said, “We are honoured to partner with the Pierre de Coubertin family for what we believe is a special showcase of the Olympic movement and the part India has played in it. We are on the cusp of the greatest sporting event in the world, and it was our desire at JSW Group to do something more in the city of Paris. As a country, we want to take forward the ideals of Pierre de Coubertin. We want the world to be a peaceful place, and the role that sport could play in that regard is enormous.

"It is our mission at JSW Sports to further the Olympic movement, not just in India, but in the world. The Inspire Institute of Sport will be represented by close to 30 athletes as part of Team India at the Games next month, and our effort is to keep increasing that number with every passing Olympic cycle. India’s rise as an economic power is evident. But it is through sport that a country’s soft power is truly showcased, and we will play our part in making this happen," he added.

IOC President, Thomas Bach said, “Thanks to this magnificent exhibition, the public will be able to discover and rediscover an astonishing and multi-faceted man and measure the extent of his work. France and the French people should be proud to have a compatriot like Pierre de Coubertin. A visionary whose message of a world united in peaceful competition through sport resonates even more strongly today.”Jawed Ashraf, Ambassador of India to the Republic of France, thanked the JSW Group for putting together the exhibition that will be on until September 10 and will be open to the public. Exhibition to commemorate India's 100 years at Olympic Games opens in Paris | MorungExpress | morungexpress.com

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Consulate General of India in Sri Lanka organised special workshop on Therapeutic Yoga for healthy life

The Consulate General of India at Jaffna in Sri Lanka organised on Thursday a special workshop on Therapeutic Yoga for healthy life. The workshop was held at the Chief Secretary Auditorium in Jaffna. The event saw the participation of several dignitaries including Consul General of India, Sai Murali, as well as Chief Secretary, Northern Province, L. Ilaangovan among others.

Taking to social media platform X, CGI Jaffna added that over 150 Sri Lankan officials participated and engaged in learning the therapeutic benefits of Yoga for a healthier life, Consulate General of India in Sri Lanka organised special workshop on Therapeutic Yoga for healthy life

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Musical band of Varsha Joshi gets high praise for Mother’s Day event

Performance by Varsha Joshi and band at Mother’s Day event May 12, 2024, at King Palance Banquet in New Jersey. PHOTO: organizers

Prominent Indian American community leaders and other members of the community attended a house-full show of the musical band Josh, led by Varsha Joshi, recently, in New Jersey. About 185 people attended the rocking performance on Mother’s Day, May 12, 2024, that featured retro songs right up to the 1990s, and brought people to the dance floor. The songs included some garbas and Sanedo music as well, a press release from Joshi said. The event was held at King Palace Banquet, and it lasted for four hours. The event was organized jointly by Varsha Joshi, Som Biswas, and Tri-Sha Brothers

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Trophy that carries the details of the Mothers Day event. PHOTO: organizers

The party included gifts for lucky draws by Aabhushan jewelers, Pinaka foods Inc of NJ, Josh musical Varsha Joshi, Saj dhaj ke boutique , and Purpose Fitness studio of Edison NJ. From 12 noon sharp the party started with music as well as a big variety of appetizers and lunch items for vegetarians and non vegetarians, plus sweets and ice cream.

Performance at the King Palace Banquet, NJ, May 12, 2024, on Mother’s Day. PHOTO: organizers

The highlight of the event was recognizing some prominent “Mothers” of the Indian American community with a token for their dynamic journeys and successes in their respective fields.

Attendees, organizers, participants at the Mother’s Day event at King Palace, NJ. PHOTO: organizers

Joshi awarded them all with trophies sponsored by Vibha Mehta of Happybeehomes.com Of CB Realty . Everyone was absolutely blown away with the perfectly planned entertainment throughout theMusical band of Varsha Joshi gets high praise for Mother’s Day event

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Holi: what the clouds of colour in the Hindu festival mean

Dibakar Roy|Unsplash Rina Arya, University of Hull

Holi is one of the most vibrant and fun festivals in the Hindu calendar. It’s practised across India (though mainly in the north), Nepal and throughout south Asian diasporic communities.

The date of Holi varies in accordance with the lunar calendar but the festival often takes place in February or March. In 2024, it’s celebrated on March 25.

People gather together to throw and smear gulal or coloured powders over each other in a symbolic celebration of spring, the harvest, new life and the triumph of good over evil. As with many Hindu festivals, there is more than one narrative explaining its symbolism, but it is the visual splendour of this festival that explains its appeal.

My research focuses, in part, on the religious and material culture of Hinduism, especially in relation to its practice in contemporary culture. One of the most uplifting aspects of Holi is the way people from all walks of life come together. It is an expression of the dynamism of Hinduism and the power of fellowship.

An explosion of colour

Holi conveys the exuberance and multisensory character of many Hindu festivals. The coloured powders are typically red, yellow and green, representing the colours of spring but each also carrying more individual significance.

Red, which is popularly used in marriage celebrations, is the colour of fertility. Yellow is regarded as an auspicious colour. Green symbolises new beginnings.

Traditionally, the coloured powders used in Holi festivities were organically sourced from dried flowers and herbs. Today they are synthetic. Celebrants throw or smear handfuls on each other, or use water-filled balloons or pichkaris (water pistols) to disperse coloured waster, adding to the carnivalesque feel of the event.

It is an immersive experience. Everyone comes together and merges in the magic of the crowd. Traditional hierarchies are suspended. Spontaneity and excitement take over. People talk about “playing” Holi in the powdered clouds of colour.

As an ancient tradition with multiple regional variations, Holi is underpinned by two prevailing narratives. The first is the eternal divine love between Lord Krishna (the incarnation of the Hindu deity, Vishnu) and the goddess Radha.

A watercolour depicting Krishna and Radha celebrating Holi from 1750. LACMA|Wikimedia

The other tells of the demon king Hiranyakashipu’s attempt to force his subjects to worship him. When his son, Prahlad, persisted in worshipping Lord Vishnu instead, Hiranyakashipu instructed his sister, Holika, to kill Prahlad.

Holika, who was invulnerable to fire, made the boy sit on her lap, on a pyre. Onlookers were astonished to see, however, that Prahlad’s devotion to Lord Vishnu saved him while Holika burned to death.

The event of playing with colour, now synonymous with Holi, is actually part of a larger series of rituals. The first night of festival, known as Holika Dahan, involves lighting bonfires and throwing on food such as grains. As a re-enactment of the death of the mythical demoness Holika, this ritual marks the end of winter and the overthrow of evil.

The next day, Rangwali Holi, sees people venturing out on to the streets to exchange colour. In the final part of this festival, in the evening, after washing off the colours and donning clean clothes, people gather with family and friends to eat traditional dishes including gujiya (a North Indian sweet fried dumpling).

Like Diwali (the “festival of lights” as it is often known) and the Hindu new year, Holi is celebrated by the Hindu diaspora in the UK, the US, Fiji, Mauritius and beyond. Temple organisations host Holi in their venues. Unlike in India where festivities are public and widespread, diasporic celebrations are more regulated to specific spaces and times.

A Holi festival in Spanish Fork, Utah. John Thomas|Unsplash

Parties for Holi are not uncommon. You can routinely find events organised each year on platforms such as Eventbrite where ticket sales often include the prior purchase of non-toxic powders.

Some of these events are targeted at south Asian communities. They include renactments of plays, dance performances and further heritage elements.

Others capitalise on the spirit of revelry embodied by commercially driven colour marathons. These have elicited claims of cultural appropriation for their largely secular tone.

Rina Arya, Professor of Critical and Cultural Theory and Head of the School of the Arts, University of Hull

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

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Miss World 2023 to be held in Kashmir

71st Miss World 2023 contest is set to be held in Kashmir later this year with 140 participating countries. This was disclosed at a breakfast press briefing in Srinagar on Tuesday. The press briefing was attended by Miss World, Karolina Bielawski, Miss India, Sini Shetty, Miss World Caribbean, Emmy Pena and Miss World England Jessica Gagen and Miss World America Shree Saini and Miss Asia Pricilia Carla Saputri Yules. “Kashmir has everything and it is the best place to host an event like Miss World. I am so grateful to see the beautiful place in India, the beautiful lakes here, everyone has welcomed us nicely. The hospitality we got was wonderful. It would be exciting to see 140 countries participating in the event. Every place has its own beauty, but the pleasant hospitality here has been overwhelming”, Karolina Bielawski said. Miss World 2023 to be held in Kashmir

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Military bands to perform across India for I-Day, express gratitude to corona warriors

AUG 05, 2020 NEW DELHI: In a first, military bands will perform for a fortnight across the country ahead of the Independence Day celebrations on August 15, officials said on Wednesday. The bands of the army, navy and police have performed at Porbandar, Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Raipur, Amritsar, Guwahati, Allahabad and Kolkata so far, they said. "The performances are intended as gestures of gratitude and appreciation of the nation towards the corona warriors who have been steadfastly fighting to stop the spread of the coronavirus in the country even at the risk of their lives," the Defence Ministry said in a statement. The military bands are, for the first time, celebrating Independence Day by displaying their performances across the country, during the fortnight beginning August 1, it said. The military and police bands will perform on Wednesday afternoon at Vishakhapatnam, Nagpur and Gwalior. On August 7, military bands are scheduled to perform in Srinagar and Kolkata. The tri-services band will be giving three performances in Delhi, one each at Red Fort, Rajpath and the India Gate on August 8, 9 and 12 respectively. "Military and police bands will also perform in Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Shimla and Almora on August 8; in Chennai, Nasirabad, ANC (Andaman & Nicobar Command) Flag Point and Dandi on August 9 and in Imphal, Bhopal and Jhansi on August 12," the statement said. The final performances in the series will be held on August 13 in Lucknow, Faizabad, Shillong, Madurai and Champaran, it said. Copyright © Jammu Links News, Source: Jammu Links News

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Discovering Japan Shapers Experience By Elizabeth Okram

with Kunishige Masahiro, one of the last survivors of Hiroshima A-bombing : 2016 Asia Pacific Shape Hiroshima and the G 7 Youth Foreign Minister meeting, 18-23 March 2016, at Hiroshima city, Elizabeth Okram - Global Shapers Imphal Team * 
The recently concluded 2016 Asia Pacific Shape Hiroshima and the G 7 Youth Foreign Minister meeting from 18-23 March 2016, at Hiroshima city was an eye opener to the four shapers from the Global Shapers Community: Imphal Hub - Ms. Elizabeth Okram, Mr. Oinam Adeep, Mr. Dineshkumar Ningthoujam and Mr. Chunthuingam Dangmei. The Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture while welcoming the participants from across 37 nations openly invited the young people to participate and contribute towards the peace process in whatever ways we can. Participants were given firsthand experience of the Atomic bombing at Hiroshima - by taking a tour to the Peace memorial museum, Atomic bomb dome, Children peace memorial park, Peace memorial dome and firsthand testimony from one of the atomic bomb survivor, Kunishige Masahiro. Representatives from around the world shared their thoughts on what peace means to them and their journey in endowment to peace. The day ended with a reception dinner hosted by the Hiroshima Prefecture/City. Some of the distinguished guests present were Hidehiko Yuzaki, Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture; Kazumi Matsui, Mayor of Hiroshima City; Kunishige Masahiro, one of the last survivors of the A-bombing. The four shapers from Imphal interacted with each one of them and told them of the history Manipur shares with Japan during WW II. In relation to this, the Mayor of Hiroshima City delegated a task for the team. They were to identify city heads equivalent to the Mayor in and around Imphal and invite interested leaders to join the "Mayor for peace", an NGO established by Hiroshima and Nagasaki that has been constantly working towards abolishing weapons of mass destruction. The third and last day of the conference began with a series of panel discussion under the topics "Diversity", "Conscience" and "Creating shared value" where experts from different disciplines were brought in for intense discussion. During activity-lunch, ten hubs were given the opportunity to pitch their hub projects and Imphal hub was one of them. Our team spoke about few of the projects that were taken up in the past and about the assistance given in rehabilitating a village from the recent earthquake. In order to symbolize peace and solidarity between India and Pakistan, the shapers from the two countries arranged for a flash mob during activity lunch which took everyone by surprise and became one of the most talked-about presentations. The declaration by the Youth Foreign Ministers of the G 7 countries took place in the presence of the Governor of Hiroshima Prefecture and Mayor of Hiroshima City later that day.  

2016 Asia Pacific Shape Hiroshima and the G 7 Youth Foreign Minister meeting, 18-23 March 2016, at Hiroshima city

Under the guidance of Akira Sakano, Curator of Osaka Hub and the Chair, Board of Directors, Zero Waste Academy in Kamikatsu, a team comprising of shapers from Imphal (India), Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Oxford (UK) visited the Zero waste town of Kamikatsu in Tokushima Prefecture. This is the first municipality in Japan to propose the concept of "zero-waste" and aims to attain their goal by 2020.  At the recycling center of Kamikatsu, waste is separated into 34 categories according to "Kamikatsu's zero waste chart". The team from Imphal intends to implement this same model in few villages back home. "I'm so inspired by this trip that I am going to keep my house clean and even start washing used plastic bottles before disposing it so that it can be recycled. I'm also thinking of starting a recycling business to help minimize the waste in Imphal," said Adeep Oinam, while passionately talking about his recent experience.  The Asia-Pacific Shape Hiroshima has been an overwhelming experience for the hub especially for the four participants. This was the first time a shape event was organized under the theme of "Peace" and what better location than the only country to face atomic bombing. "Perhaps the most admirable aspect of Japan is that it's now actually quite peaceful and lovely. At least that left me with a sense of hope and gratitude that they are able to put their terrible past behind them. It's a country that never forgets their past but fights for everlasting peace." said Chunthuingam Dangmei.  The team is all praise for Japan and the lifetime experience they had. They would say the first thing you'll notice when you land in Japan is the courtesy and how well mannered they are. "It has been an eye opening experience.  The modesty and core moral value instilled in the people is very inspiring. Knowing the fact that these values cannot be learnt in a day motivates me to do more for my society. They have won my undying love and respect through their generosity and kindheartedness," said Dineshkumar Ningthoujam, "From the city that was completely wiped out, to becoming one of the most developed countries, the world has a lot to learn and it should start with humility, discipline, and diligence.", added Elizabeth Okram. See a complete Photo Gallery here

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India@Cannes: Will it impress?

The Cinema Travellers is a 96-minute film on Maharashtra’s tent cinemas

Saibal ChatterjeeThe focus of Indians attending the 69th Cannes Film Festival (May 11 to 22) will be on Directors’ Fortnight, a parallel section that has reinvigorated itself in the recent years under artistic director Edouard Waintrop. After the critical and commercial debacle of Bombay Velvet, Anurag Kashyap returns to the quinzaine with a film that is far more in keeping with the spirit of his kind of cinema — Raman Raghav 2.0, a neo-noir thriller starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Vicky Kaushal. Kashyap was in Directors’ Fortnight in 2012 with the two-part Gangs of Wasseypur and in 2013 with Ugly. Lead actor Nawazuddin Siddiqui believes that Raman Raghav 2.0, about a real-life serial killer who shook Bombay in the mid-1960s, could be Kashyap’s best film to date. Wouldn’t that be fantastic? Raman Raghav 2.0 is among a bunch of keenly anticipated films by iconic Chilean filmmaker Alejandro Jodorowsky (Endless Poetry), his maverick compatriot Pablo Larrain (Neruda), and veteran American writer-director Paul Schrader (Dog Eat Dog), starring Nicolas Cage and Willem Dafoe. If Raman Raghav 2.0 does indeed mark a return to form for Kashyap, it would only add to the robustness of the selection. Directors’ Fortnight promises to be one of the more happening sections at the 69th edition of the Cannes Film Festival. It kicks off on May 12 with Marco Bellocchio’s Sweet Dreams, which was widely tipped to be in the official selection but has settled for a sidebar slot. Among other films in the parallel section are Laura Poitras’ Julian Assange documentary, Risk; and 26-year-old Afghan filmmaker Shahrbanoo Sadat’s debut feature, Wolf and Sheep, which represents a major breakthrough for cinema from the war-torn country. Wolf and Sheep is the first arthouse film made by an Afghan woman. India may have drawn a blank this year in the Competition line-up and Un certain regard, where the country had two films (Masaan and Chauthi Koot) in 2015, but it does have a couple of titles elsewhere in the official programme. In Cannes Classics, Mumbai-based researcher Shirley Abraham and photographer Amit Madheshiya’s The Cinema Travellers, a 96-minute film continued from p1 on Maharashtra’s tent cinemas, will be part of a nine-film package of documentaries exploring different aspects of the history of the medium. That apart, Gudh (Nest), a 28-minute film by Saurav Rai, a student of the Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute (SRFTI), has made it to the Cinefondation competition for film schools. Among the restored prints to be screened in Cannes Classics is Pakistani writer-director Aaejay Kardar’s critically acclaimed 1959 film Jago Hua Savera (The Day Shall Dawn). Kardar, who passed away in 2002 at the age of 75, was a first cousin of Indian filmmaker Abdur Rashid Kardar. Jago Hua Savera, the result of a unique subcontinental collaboration, won a gold medal at the Moscow Film Festival and was Pakistan’s nomination for the best foreign language film Oscar in 1959, the year Satyajit Ray’s Apur Sansar, the third part of the famed Apu trilogy, represented India at the Academy Awards. Adapted from a novel by Bengali litterateur Manik Bandopadhyay by Urdu poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Jago Hua Savera was filmed in and around Dhaka in what was then East Pakistan. Its plot revolved around impoverished fishermen struggling to survive against all odds. The cast of Jago Hua Savera was led by Indian actress Tripti Mitra and Bangladeshi actor Khan Ata-ur-Rahman “Anis”. Calcutta’s Timir Baran composed music for the film. The film was shot by Oscar-winning German-born British cinematographer Walter Lassally, who worked frequently with British director Tony Richardson, Greek filmmaker Michael Cacoyannis and James Ivory.  Kabul-based writer and director Shahrbanoo Sadat figures in Directors’ Fortnight with the Danish-produced feature film Wolf and Sheep. Wolf and Sheep is set in the rural community in which the filmmaker grew up. It is woven around a story that blends realism and magic and alludes to the myth of the Kashmir wolf, a fearsome creature that walks on two legs and, underneath its fur, is a tall, green and enchanting fairy. Although she filmed in Tajikistan, Shahrbanoo has largely cast young actors drawn from an Afghan village. In Semaine de la critique (Critics Week), a Singaporean entry, K Rajagopal’s A Yellow Bird, a Tamil-Mandarin-English film, is among seven films competing for prizes. It is about an Indian-origin man who returns after serving a jail sentence for possessing contraband goods. The man’s mother, played by Seema Biswas, refuses to forgive him, so he goes looking for his wife and daughter even as he finds solace in the company of a Chinese prostitute. The Atelier, also a part of Cinefondation, has an Indian project — Aditya Vikram Sengupta’s Memories and My Mother — among a total of 15 participants in a section that facilitates co-production partnerships. The Bengali-language Memories and My Mother is proposed to be shot in Kolkata this year. The 69th Cannes Film Festival opens on May 11 with an out-of-competition screening of Woody Allen’s Café Society. Over the next 10 days, a formidable array of world cinema masters, including Cannes favourites like Pedro Almodovar (Julieta), Ken Loach (I, Daniel Blake), Jim Jarmusch (Paterson), Olivier Assayas (Personal Shopper), Nicolas Winding Refn (Neon Demon) and the Dardenne brothers (The Unknown Girl), will premiere their new films on the Croisette. Could a film enthusiast ask for more? Source: http://www.tribuneindia.com/

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Emory Heart & Vascular Center celebrates American Heart Month with awareness events

Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, killing more than 375,000 Americans a year. It is the No. 1 killer of women, taking more lives than all forms of cancer combined. Emory Healthcare is inviting people to participate in several heart-related activities during February's American Heart Month to help raise awareness surrounding this common disease.

Go Red for Women educational events: In observance of the American Heart Association's Go Red For Women movement, Emory will host free public events in February at both Emory University Hospital and Emory Saint Joseph's Hospital. An additional event will be offered at Emory University Hospital Midtown in May in celebration of Mother's Day. Participants will have an opportunity to meet Emory Women's Heart Center physicians and staff and learn more about how to prevent, detect and treat heart disease. They will also be able to purchase products and services from vendors providing consultations, displaying jewelry, sharing healthy foods and more. 

• Location: Emory University Hospital, Hospital Auditorium, 1364 Clifton Road, NE Atlanta, GA 30322
• Date: Friday, Feb. 20, 2015
• Program: 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Location: Emory Saint Joseph's Hospital, Doctors Building Atrium, 5665 Peachtree Dunwoody Road Atlanta, GA 30342
• Date: Friday, Feb. 6, 2015
• Program: 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.

• Location: Emory University Hospital Midtown, Medical Office Tower Atrium, 550 Peachtree Street, NE Atlanta, GA 30308
• Date: Friday, May 8, 2015
• Program: 7:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. 

To learn more or to register for a women's heart health event, please call Emory HealthConnection℠ at 404-778-7777. The events are free and parking will be available in the hospitals' main parking lots. Don't forget to WEAR RED! Also, for more information on the Emory Women's Heart Center or to find out if you are at risk for heart disease, call 404-778-7777 to schedule your comprehensive cardiac screening.  On-line web chat: Emory Healthcare is hosting a web chat during American Heart Month to discuss irregular heart rhythms. Emory physicians participate in these chats on a regular basis, connecting in real time on the web with members of the community who join to ask questions and learn more about important health issues. Irregular Heartbeat: Is it Normal? - Feb. 24 at 12 p.m. EST: Join Michael Hoskins, MD of the Emory Heart & Vascular Center on Feb. 24 to discuss the topic of “Living With and Treating Arrhythmias.” An irregular heartbeat, or arrhythmia, is a disorder of the heart that occurs when the body's electrical impulses, which direct and regulate heartbeats, do not function properly and cause the heart to beat slowly (bradyarrhythmias), rapidly (tachyarrhythmias) or in an uncoordinated manner. According to the American Heart Association, atrial fibrillation, commonly referred to as a-Fib, is the most commonly occurring arrhythmia and affects nearly 2.7 million people in the United States. The prevalence of arrhythmias is age-related and is expected to rise substantially as the baby boomer population continues to age. If left untreated it can lead to various complications such as blood clots, stroke and heart failure. Hoskins and his Emory colleagues recently launched new screening centers across the Atlanta area to help diagnose abnormal heart rhythms. He will be available during the web chat to answer questions and discuss various topics about arrhythmias, including symptoms, diagnosis, prevention and treatment. Please visit the following link to register for the web chat. Source: News Emory Edu

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'Start up India, Stand up India' initiative to create more jobs, says Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrives at the Red Fort to address the nation on occasion of Independence Day in New Delhi

PM announced the initiative to would encourage entrepreneurship among the youth of India. New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday announced a new campaign 'Start-up India; Stand up India' to promote bank financing for start-ups and offer incentives to boost entrepreneurship and job creation. He also promised to do away with the current practice of interview-based selections for low-skilled government jobs. The Prime Minister announced the 'Start-Up India' initiative, which would encourage entrepreneurship among the youth of India. From the Red Fort, he said each of the 1.25 lakh bank branches should encourage at least one Dalit or Adivasi entrepreneur and at least one woman entrepreneur. "We are looking at systems for enabling start-ups. We must be number one in start-ups... Start-up India; Stand up India," he said, exhorting all bank branches to fund at least one start-up of tribals and dalits. Read: Not a day of politics, will talk tomorrow: Rahul Gandhi on Modi’s I-Day speech The initiative, Modi said, would give a new dimension to entrepreneurship and help in setting up a network of start-ups in the country. As part of the Skill India and Digital India initiative, the Prime Minister said a package of incentives will be given to manufacturing units for generating jobs. Modi also questioned the practice of "interviews" for recruitments even at relatively junior levels and asked departments concerned to end this practice at the earliest and promote merit by recruiting only through transparent, online processes. The Prime Minister reiterated his government's resolve to make India a developed nation by 2022, with a house and access to basic services like electricity to all. Talking about the financial inclusive programme Jan Dhan, he said 17 crore bank accounts were opened. Although these were to be zero-balance accounts, people deposited a whopping Rs 20,000 crore in them, reflecting the "richness of India's poor", he added. The Prime Minister also spoke of the welfare schemes launched by the his government, including Atal Pension Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Yojana, and the schemes launched for labour welfare. He said 10 crore people have enrolled for social security schemes in a mere 100 days. He said the government has resolved to provide electricity to all the 18,500 villages, which still remain without power within the next 1,000 days. He also reiterated his vision for the development of eastern India. 'Source: The Asian Age

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Shinzo Abe to express remorse over WWII, no apology

Shinzo Abe during the 70th memorial service for the atom bomb victims at the Peace Memorial Park in Hiroshima. (Photo: AFP)

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Thursday that he would express “remorse” in August over World War II, as a government panel condemned the country’s past aggression against its Asian neighbours. Mr Abe is preparing his closely watched remarks for the 70th anniversary of the end of the war, expected to be released ahead of August 15, the date Japan surrendered to the Allies. The wording of Mr Abe’s statement will be heavily scrutinised by China and Korea, which still dispute Tokyo’s version of its wartime history, and who are waiting to see if he repeats earlier apologies for Japan’s militarism in the 20th Century. “I will express remorse over the past war, our post-war path as a pacifist nation, and how Japan should
further contribute to the Asia-Pacific region and the world in the future,” Mr Abe told reporters. The nationalist leader, whose government has pushed through controversial reforms to expand the role of Japan’s military, also said he would follow previous explicit prime ministerial apologies over the country’s past “as a whole”. Mr Abe has repeatedly talked of the need for what he calls a “forward-looking attitude” that concentrates on the positive role Japan has played — and continues to play — in Asia since its surrender in 1945. That has set alarm bells ringing in China and Korea, which suffered under Japan’s imperial expansion and say any attempt to tone down explicit apologies made by previous leaders should be discouraged. Mr Abe’s
comments on Thursday, on the 70th anniversary of the Hiroshima atomic bombing, came the same day as a panel set up to advise on the wording of the war statement condemned Japan’s colonial past. Japan colonised the Korean peninsula from 1910 to 1945, and the group also pointed to the country’s aggression in China from 1931. China says more than 20 million of its citizens died as a result of Japan’s invasion, occupation and atrocities. Japan “caused much harm to various countries, largely in Asia, through a reckless war,” the 38-page report said. “Colonial rule became particularly harsh from the second half of the 1930s,” it said, referring to Japan’s imperial march across Asia. “The responsibilities of the Japanese government and military leaders from the 1930s and beyond are very serious indeed.” The 16-member panel made up of mostly academics and journalists also dispensed with claims from some on Japan’s right that it had liberated Asian nations from Western powers. In a landmark address to a joint session of the United States Congress in April, Mr Abe expressed his “deep remorse” over Japan’s actions towards neighbouring Asian nations during World War II. But he stopped short of a full apology demanded by Beijing and Seoul, especially over the forced recruitment of so-called “comfort women” to serve Japanese soldiers in military brothels. A landmark 1995 statement by then Premier Tomiichi Murayama stated his feelings of “deep remorse” and “heartfelt apology”. The statement said Japan caused tremendous damage and suffering. Source: The Asian Age

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Tata takes it to the extreme

A Xenon effortlessly crosses a deep river in Sierra Madre.

By Dino Ray V. Directo III : Testing the mettle of its pick-up variants, Tata Motors recently took the road less travelled and embarked on an off-road journey that saw participants roughing it up in the hills of Sierra Madre.A Xenon effortlessly crosses a deep river in Sierra Madre. Dubbed as the Tata Xenon XTREME DRIVE, select members of the motoring media were given the keys to five variants of the Tata Xenon. With off-road guru Beeboy Bargas acting as the organizer of the event, the Tata convoy gamely drove through the steep inclines and dusty trails of Tanay Rizal and the rough and twisty roads of the Sierra Madre mountain range. The group was split into two, with Group One tackling the challenging 4x4 course and the second group taking scenic 4x2 route overlooking Laguna De Bay and the majestic wind farm, windmills, near Pililia Rizal. Designed and built as a “tough” truck, the Tata Xenon, was in its element as we traversed the rough terrain conditions. Now we know why the U.S. Army and the United Nations chose the Tata Xenon as their vehicle of choice for their overseas operations. The

The windmills of Pililia, Rizal provide a picturesque backdrop for the Xenon XT.

Xenon never failed in the loose gravel and mud portions of the trail; deep river crossings was a walk in the park for this Indian made truck. The Tata Xenon XT is available in two levels of trim, the Tata Xenon XT 4x2, priced at P830,000 and the Tata Xenon XT 4x4 which carries a sticker price of P1.135M, are packed with improved performance-boosting as well as creature comfort features: Limited Slip Differential, ABS, Dual Front Airbags, tilt able power Steering, immobilizer, auto leveling head lamps, electric power windows and mirrors, cushioned bucket seats in front with adjustable lumbar support and arm rests in an updated ebony black interior.  Under the hood of the Xenon XT is an improved 2.2L Turbo Charged DiCOR engine, boasting 150PS of power and 320 NM of torque at 1500-3000RPM with 5 Speed Manual Transmission for both variants at your command. At a glance, both the 4x4 & 4x2 variants of the Tata Xenon XT are equipped with stylish and sporty 16 inch alloy wheels with broader and wider tire profiles which provide higher contact surface with the road, translating to better control, and improved traction. Step boards are also now equipped as standard in both variants due to its ground clearance of 210mm,and 300mm water wading depth ensuring easy traversing on rough and unpaved roads or severe flooding in the metro. Since safety has always been in the center of Tata Motor’s commitment, the Tata Xenon XT 2015 has been awarded 4 stars by the Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) due to its standard equipped front passenger and driver airbags, Anti-lock Braking system (ABS) and a Crashworthy reinforced ladder type frame underneath. Source: Article

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World Innovation Summit for Health set to challenge the growth of diabetes

Renowned diabetes expert Professor Stephen Colagiuri to lead key working group examining gap between what we know about the disease and what we do to treat it 

The World Innovation Summit for Health (WISH), a global initiative of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science and Community Development (QF), has appointed Stephen Colagiuri, Professor of Metabolic Health at Sydney University, to chair its Diabetes Forum. Professor Colagiuri will guide the work of a multidisciplinary team composed of leading experts from around the world. The Forum will produce evidence-based research addressing the main issues facing policymakers and others responsible for the prevention and treatment of diabetes.Results, findings and recommendations from the Forum will be presented for discussion at the WISH Summit taking place in Doha, capital of the State of Qatar, on 17 - 18 February 2015. The Diabetes Forum, one of seven to publish reports at WISH 2015, will investigate a range of diabetes related issues in the coming months, including: · An overview of the current burden of diabetes globally and projections for likely future scenarios · How effective treatments for both Type 2 diabetes are implemented and what policy levers might be used to ensure they are applied consistently in diabetes care · A review of case studies from across the world of successful implementation of innovative, practical and cost effective treatments and prevention strategies Professor Colagiuri said: "Our current approach to diabetes is totally unsustainable in the face of its extraordinary growth - especially in healthcare systems which are least well equipped to deal with it. "Our team will bring a range of perspectives to bear on this urgent health priority and I look forward to working with some of the world's leading experts. We want to help equip policymakers with the evidence and guidance they need to confront diabetes for the sake of current and future generations." Professor The Lord Darzi of Denham, Executive Chair of WISH and Director of the Institute of Global Health Innovation at Imperial College of London, said: "Diabetes is widely recognized as a looming global health crisis. It causes significant human suffering, commonly damaging the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys and nerves - and its social and economic impact is vast, especially in poorer countries. Challenging our approach to confronting Type 2 diabetes is a major priority, and I am delighted that Professor Stephen Colagiuri has taken up this task on behalf of WISH." With the appointment of Professor Colagiuri as Chair of the Diabetes Forum, WISH aims to improve care for people with diabetes globally, examine innovative and cost effective solutions, and demonstrate where policymakers can make practical interventions to ensure treatment is applied consistently so that all patients can benefit. Professor Colagiuri is a world-renowned diabetes expert. His research has focused on evidence-based guideline development and implementations, screening for type 2 diabetes, prevention of type 2 diabetes, economic aspects of diabetes prevention and care, diabetes care delivery in developing countries, and vascular risk assessment in people with diabetes. He has published over 200 scientific papers on diabetes. He is also a member of the Australian National Diabetes Strategy Taskforce, the immediate past Chair of the International Diabetes Federation Task Force on Clinical Guidelines and an adviser to the World Health Organization. He is currently Editor-in-Chief of the IDF journal, Diabetes Research and Clinical Practice.  Diabetes is one of seven research work streams to be presented at the 2015 WISH Summit, where world leading experts will join an influential community of heads of state, government ministers, academics, clinicians, policy makers and business leaders to discuss innovative solutions to some of the most pressing global health challenges. As well as Diabetes, WISH will publish reports on Communicating Complex Health Messages, Delivering Affordable Cancer Care, Dementia, Universal Health Coverage, Mental Health and Well-being in Children and Young People, and Patient Safety. WISH is spearheaded by Qatar Foundation to inspire and diffuse healthcare innovation and best practice through a global network of high-level policymakers, academics and industry leaders. It remains closely aligned to the vision and mission of QF to unlock human potential and serve to underscore Qatar's pioneering role as an emerging center for healthcare innovation. Held under the patronage of its Chairperson, Her Highness Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, WISH organized its inaugural Summit in Doha last year, convening more than 1,000 global healthcare leaders. For more information about the Forum or the 2015 Summit, please visit www.wish.org.qa. Source: English pravda.ru

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