NEW DELHI (TIP): It was the moment the BJP and its political mentor RSS had been waiting for to silence adversaries and sceptics. The show of strength at Bhopal finally saw party patriarch LK Advani and PM candidate Narendra Modi coming together publicly, giving the party the wow moment it had been looking for ever since the tumultuous Goa conclave. This was the first time Modi and Advani shared the dais since the Gujarat Chief Minister’s declaration as the party’s PM candidate.While the presence of senior leaders such as Rajnath Singh, Sushma Swaraj, M Venkaiah Naidu, Murli Manohar Joshi and Uma Bharti presented to the BJP its picture perfect moment, the rally also put a lid over speculations of acrimony between Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and his Gujarat counterpart over the top post. Organised to commemorate the birth anniversary of Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, founding member of the Bharatiya Jana Sangh, the ‘Karyakarta Mahakumbh’ also marked the culmination of Chouhan’s ‘Jan Ashirwad Yatra’ that covered majority of the 230 Assembly constituencies in the election-bound state. All leaders extolled Modi and Chouhan, who in turn praised each other. Advani made a special mention of Modi, addressing him as Narendra bhai. “The man who the party has chosen as PM candidate, Narendra Bhai, is also here,” he said to the cheering crowd. Advani also presented bouquets to both Modi and Chouhan.
Year: 2013
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Sikh Professor attacked in a hate crime
NEW YORK (TIP): State and federal law enforcement authorities in New York City are investigating an alleged hate crime this weekend that left a Columbia University assistant professor hospitalized. Dr. Prabhjot Singh says he was walking Saturday (September 21) evening in Harlem when a large group of teenagers shouted “get Osama” and “terrorist” as they surrounded him on bicycles and then attacked him. Singh wears a turban and beard in adherence to his Sikh faith. Sikhism is an independent religion which originated in and around India. “There were about twenty of them,” said Dr. Singh, who is an assistant professor at Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs. “A few surrounded me and started punching me.” The attack occurred near 110th St. and Lennox Ave. Shortly after the incident a Muslim woman was attacked a few blocks away. There were several witnesses to both incidents. An ambulance took Singh to Mt. Sinai Hospital, where he also works as a resident physician. Singh was hospitalized with displaced teeth, severe bruising and swelling, a small puncture in his elbow, and a possible fracture in his lower jaw.
By Sunday evening he was resting after surgery. “This is a tremendous blow not just to Prabhjot and Sikh Americans but to the ideals of all New Yorkers,” said Amardeep Singh, Program Director of the Sikh Coalition. “What happened did not happen in a vacuum. Here in New York City we regularly receive reports that Sikh school children are called “Bin Laden” or “terrorist” by classmates and sometimes endure physical violence.” The incident comes less than two weeks after the first-ever nationwide public perception assessment of Sikh Americans, titled “Turban Myths,” showed 70 per cent of Americans misidentify turban-wearers in the U.S. as Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist or Shinto. Nearly all turban-wearers in the U.S. adhere to Sikhism. The study also showed that nearly half of Americans believe “Sikh” is a sect of Islam, and more associate the turban with Osama bin Laden than with named Muslim and Sikh alternatives. The study was conducted by Stanford University researchers and sponsored by SALDEF (Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund). “Unfortunately our research confirms that Prabhjot’s experience is not the resulted of isolated misperception and intolerance,” said Jasjit Singh, SALDEF’s executive director. “Here you have a practicing doctor, a teacher and a community servant falling victim to hate in the largest and proudest melting pot in America. This violence is an affront to all Americans’ core values.” The NYPD’s Hate Crime Task Force is investigating the assault.
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SC TURNS COALGATE SPOTLIGHT ON STATES
NEW DELHI (TIP): A year after turning the searchlight on alleged irregular allotment of coal blocks, the Supreme Court on September 26 sought to know the role played by the seven coal producing states in the entire process, starting from allocation by the Centre to commencement of mining operations by private parties. A bench of Justices R M Lodha, Madan B Lokur and Kurian Joseph formulated four questions and sought responses to them from Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra by October 29.
With majority of these states ruled by parties who are not on the same political plane as the Congress-led UPA, they would not lose an opportunity to score brownie points against the Centre given the proximity of assembly polls and general elections. The issuance of notices to the states to understand their role in the coal block allocation process had become imperative after attorney general G E Vahanvati argued that the Centre had discharged its statutory role of a regulator by merely identifying the coal blocks while the rest of the formalities – signing of mining lease and all environment and forest clearances — squarely rested in the domain of states.
Vahanvati had also said that coal block allocation letters, “at the highest”, could be treated as letters of intent conferring zero right on allottees as far as mining was concerned. “It is not a bankable document,” he had said. Apart from answering the issues raised in the two petitions – one by advocate M L Sharma and the other by NGO ‘Common Cause — the court asked the seven states to respond to four more questions: * How did the states understand the allocation of coal blocks by the central government? * What was the role of state governments in the allocation of coal blocks? * What was the role of state governments in the subsequent steps having regard to the provisions of Mines and Mineral (Development and Regulation) Act, 1957? * The details of agreements entered into by state public sector undertakings (PSUs), which were allotted coal blocks, with private parties in coal blocks located in their states.
The last question about the status of joint ventures came to be included after intervenor Sudiep Srivastava through advocate Sanjay Parikh alleged that these joint ventures were illegally entered into by the PSUs, giving away coal mining rights to private parties. Moreover, many of the private allottees had no financial and technical capabilities to undertake the task. The court also sought the states’ view on competitive bidding. Vahanvati said, “States were crucially involved in coal mining operations.When the decision relating to competitive bidding was floated, most of them opposed it. They are the owners and that was their view.”
He said the coal block allocation letter was mere initiation of the process, which was evident from the fact that many private companies, which were allotted coal blocks, were yet to sign mining leases given the reluctance of state governments to feed coal to projects situated outside their states. “As many as 27 mining leases in a particular state have not been executed and held up because it is saying why should it give coal to private parties whose projects are located outside the state,” the AG said. Though the AG did not take the name of the state, it was obvious that the state in question was Odisha.
The AG said, “The state is saying why not use the coal for its own PSUs.We have taken up the matter with the chief minister and are persuading him that coal is a national asset. It is a very sensitive issue.” But the bench saw the flip side of such reluctance on the part of the states and asked, “If this is the ground reality after 11 years of allocation of coal blocks, they why did the Centre go on allocating fresh coal blocks without sorting out the issues with the states.”
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Phata Poster Nikhla Hero
Cast: Shahid Kapoor, Ileana D’Cruz, Padmini Kolhapure Direction: Rajkumar Santoshi Genre: Comedy Duration: 2 hours 25 minutes Story: In his tryst to be a hero, Vishwas Rao ends up becoming a fake filmi cop. But fate offers him funnier choices.
REVIEW: Star-struck (rather Salman-struck) smalltowner, Vishwas (Shahid) lands in Mumbai with two sapnas. First, his own starry dreams (ruled by Rajnikanths and Khans) of being a Bollywood superstar. Second, his high-on-melodrama maa’s (Padmini) long cherished dream – “mera beta police afsar banega”. But fate takes a hilarious twist when he’s mistaken for a good cop (Thank Heavens, he has Chulbul Pandey for inspiration. With tighties, googles, dabanggisms, and his own sizzling ‘Munni’). He falls in love with the overzealous Kajal (Ileana), a social worker with many chaotic-causes. Soon he’s caught in chor-police crossfire between the dreadfully funny gangster Gundappa Das (Saurabh Shukla) and the asli good cop (Darshan Jariwala) – both put up rip-roaring acts.
In a comedy of errors and events, through heartbreak and hilarity, emotion and eccentricity, Vishwas flips between fake herogiri and asli heroism. Shahid is ‘phaadu’, really! Whether he’s doing the dhating naach (outstanding); playing rowdy Romeo, a goofy goon, or maa ka laadla; he’s back in form and packs in all with terrific chutzpah and comic flair. He makes the most of every ’emoticon’ there is and leaves you ‘ROTFL’. This one belongs to Kapoor and he revels in it. Ileana is good at emotions, but not so tuned into comedy yet. Padmini, the melancholic maa with tons of mascara plays the part with ease, though we wish she induced more laughs over tear-jerking ‘maa-kasam’ dialogues. Sanjay Mishra, as Vishwas’ Bollywood advisor is uproariously funny. Santoshi shows flashes of his previous ‘Ajab Prem Ki Ghazab Kahani’, odes to his own classics (‘Andaz Apna Apna’, ‘Ghayal’) and of course the ultimate fan-boy moment when Vishwas meets his screen idol Salman (the asli hero!).
The first half offers loads of cackles, chuckles, witticisms and spoofy scenes. Post-interval the comedy collapses for a bit with forced OTT drama, khaali-peeli action, and too many songs breaks, but makes a comeback with delightfully funny moments. This one’s worth it for the ‘howlarity’ of it all. And Shahid in his element. ‘Vishwas’ nahin hota? …Go watch! (LOL! Maa Kasam, it’s just the comedy hangover!)
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NJ Indian-American candidate faces racial slur
EDISON, NJ (TIP): Indian-Americans living in the township of Edison in New Jersey had a rude shock when they say the election sign boards of Dr Sudhanshu Prasad running for office as Edison Mayor defaced with a swastika, a bindi, and the words “Never In Edison” handwritten across one sign and “dotheads” on another sign. The signs, both 4×4 were located on private property on Cherry Street in Edison. The owner alerted Prasad Team Council candidate Steven Nagel, a neighbor, to the acts of vandalism. A report has been filed with the police, who are reporting that other acts of vandalism took place throughout Edison in town parks and public areas. Dr. Sudhanshu Prasad, whose picture is on the signs as also his running mates, Sheila Angalet, Mohin Patel, Steven Nagel, and Cynthia Doherty, whose names are all included on the sign board that was defaced “We strongly denounce these deplorable acts.
This is a cowardly act of bigotry which has no place in the Township of Edison, nor are they representative of the beliefs and hearts of the good citizens of Edison. If the perpetrators of these hate crimes harbor any illusions that they will stop our team or divide the mosaic of communities that make Edison one of the most wonderfully diverse places in New Jersey, we collectively say this to you – you will not succeed, ” Dr Prasad, a medical practitioner said. Edison is much stronger than the intolerance you foster, and Edison will never fracture into the divisions you intend. Through the strength of our community, and the conviction that our shared goals for Edison are far greater than our differences, we will overcome your ignorance. We call on all people – residents, community leaders, and elected officials – in Edison, Middlesex County, and the great State of New Jersey to join with us in denouncing these heinous acts in the common cause of justice and in the spirit of the brotherhood of humanity.
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PRIYANKA CHOPRA IS INDIA’S MOST DANGEROUS CELEB ONLINE
Actress Priyanka Chopra has topped the list of the most dangerous celebrities in the Indian cyberspace this year followed by Bollywood superstars Shah Rukh Khan and Salman Khan, according to a study. Priyanka knocked off Sunny Leone, who topped the list last year but dropped to the ninth position this time, in the study by security software maker McAfee. Kareena Kapoor and Akshay Kumar were in the top five in the study which highlights how cybercriminals use celebrities to take advantage of fans seeking more information about their idols.
“In India where celebrities enjoy demigod status, cybercriminals often use their names to lure people to sites which host malicious software designed to compromise personal details and disrupt devices,” said the company’s spokesperson. This year, searching for a celebrity’s name, with search terms like “wall paper”, “videos” and “nude pictures” resulted in the highest instances of malwareladen sites. Chopra, showed 79 infected search results, while Shah Rukh was at the second spot with 75 malicious sites, Salman ranked third, with 68 infected sites. The top-10 list was rounded off by Saif Ali Khan, megastar Amitabh Bachchan, Farhan Akhtar, Leone and Hrithik Roshan.
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Passion of Pakistani Sufis infuriates Taliban
SEHWAN SHARIF, PAKISTAN (TIP): Yielding to the hypnotic beat of drums and the intoxicating scent of incense, the woman danced herself into a state of trance, laughing and shaking uncontrollably alongside hundreds of others at Pakistan’s most revered Sufi shrine. Swathed in red, the Sufi colour of passion, she shouted invocations to the shrine’s patron saint in an ecstatic ritual repeated daily in the dusty town of Sehwan Sharif on the banks of the river Indus. With its hypnotic rituals, ancient mysticism and a touch of intoxicated madness, Sufism is a non-violent form of Islam which has been practised in Pakistan for centuries – a powerful antidote to extremism in places such as the province of Sindh. It is scenes like this, where men and women dance together in a fervent celebration of their faith, that make Sufis an increasingly obvious target in the conservative Muslim country where sectarian violence is on the rise.
At a crossroads of historic trade routes, religions and cultures, Sindh has always been a poor but religiously tolerant place, shielded by its embrace of Sufism from Islamist militancy sweeping other parts of Pakistan. But this year peace came to an end with a string of attacks across the province, including against Sufi places of worship, as militants seek new safe havens and new ways of destabilising the country. “They are trying to kill us,” said Syed Sarwar Ali Shah Bukhari, whose father, a Sufi cleric, was killed in a bomb attack on the family’s ancestral shrine in February. Bukhari, 36, is now the oldest living descendant of a prominent Sufi “saint” whose tomb his family has tended for generations in a tradition handed down from father to son. “It was never like this before,” Bukhari, wearing a black turban and silver embroidered slippers, said nervously outside the Dargah Ghulam Shah Gazi shrine, its vast dome shining bright above the bleak mud-brick homes of his native Maari village. “Suddenly everyone is hostile towards us. People are afraid,” added Bukhari, who took over as the shrine’s resident saint and custodian after the death of his father.
Irredeemable heretics
The influx of Taliban-inspired gangs into Sindh is a disturbing development in a country where Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s government is already struggling to contain a Taliban insurgency and escalating religious violence. “In Sindh, militancy was not common until now. It was known for its tolerance,” said Abdul Khalique Shaikh, a senior police officer who investigated this year’s Sufi attacks. “You can hardly find any Sindh-based religious extremists here.” Insurgents see Sufis as irredeemable heretics who deserve to die. Long entrenched in their tribal safe havens on Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan, militants are seeping quietly into vulnerable, less protected areas, establishing cells in unlikely new places such as rural Sindh. Sindh is home to Pakistan’s violent city of Karachi, long infiltrated by the Taliban. But until now, its rural interior has been of little interest to insurgents. -
SHRADDHA WANTS TO TAKE MUSIC LESSONS
Actress Shraddha Kapoor has something more than just acting on her mind. The ‘Aashiqui 2’ actress wants to start taking music lessons again. The 24-year-old, who took singing lessons in her childhood, decided to exercise her vocal skills after playing the role of singer Arohi in her debut movie Aashqui 2 opposite Aditya Roy Kapoor. “I am really keen to start my music riyaz (practice) once again. Playing Arohi only reminded me how much I missed doing it,” Shraddha said in a statement. The actress will soon be seen in Punit Malhotra’s forthcoming movie Gori Tere Pyaar Mein.
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Interpol issues Red alert for the ‘White Widow’ after Nairobi attack
LONDON (TIP): Interpol on Thursday issued an international wanted people alert known as the Red Notice for the arrest of British motherof- three Samantha Lewthwaite for her role in the recent terrorist attack in Nairobi. Known around the world as the “White Widow,” Interpol has circulated the arrest notice to all 190 Interpol member countries including India. Red Notice is one of Interpol’s most powerful tools in tracking international fugitives. The global security watchdog said the notice is being issued at the request of authorities in Kenya. Lewthwaite is the widow of Germaine Lindsay, one of the four bombers involved in the July 7 terror attacks in London in 2005 in which 52 people were killed and many more injured. Lewthwaite is the prime suspect behind the Mumbai-style Nairobi shopping mall massacre which has killed nearly 70 people. Interpol secretary general Ronald K Noble said, “Lewthwaite, aged 29, who is also believed to use the alias ‘Natalie Webb’, is wanted by Kenya on charges of being in possession of explosives and conspiracy to commit a felony dating back to December 2011. By requesting an Interpol red notice, Kenya has activated a global ‘tripwire’ for this fugitive.”
He said that the public’s help in identifying and locating the white widow fugitive was crucial. “Through the notice, Kenyan authorities have ensured that all 190 member countries are aware of the danger posed by this woman, not just across the region but also worldwide,” said the head of Interpol. Containing identification details and judicial information about a wanted person, the red notices communicate to police worldwide that a person is wanted by a member country and request that the suspect be placed under provisional arrest pending extradition. Daughter of a former British soldier, Lewthwaite is one of Al Qaeda’s primary recruiters in east Africa besides being the official spokesperson for the banned outfit Al-Shabaab. On the run for the past year, she is wanted in several countries including UK for terrorist activities. She is originally from Northern Ireland and holds a British passport. The terrorist group has taken responsibility for the Nairobi attack. The Kenyan anti-terrorist police recently revealed a video footage showing a balaclava clad white woman holding a gun and controlling the terrorist operation from within the mall. In a Twitter message later, Al- Shabaab praised the “White Widow” – the mother of three and boasted that she was with them.
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50 killed in Sudan protests: Rights groups
KHARTOUM, SUDAN (TIP): Two leading rights groups said Sudanese police killed at least 50 people this week, often “shooting to kill” when they moved to quell angry protests over the government’s cut of fuel subsidies. Amnesty International and the African Center for Justice and Peace Studies urged authorities to end violent repression of the protesters. The groups’ statement late September 26 said most of the 50 killed in two days of rioting were between 19 and 26 years old. Youth activists and doctors at a Khartoum hospital have told the Associated Press at least 100 people died since protests first broke out on Monday. Amnesty’s deputy chief for Africa, Lucy Freeman said the police’s “aiming at protesters’ chests and heads” is a “blatant violation of the right to life.”
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Chinese general’s son gets 10 years jail for rape
BEIJING (TIP): A Chinese court has sent the teenage son of a Chinese military general to 10 years in jail for participating in a gang rape. The sentencing nullifies a recent out-of-court agreement reached with the rape survivour who agreed to “forgive” the perpetuators of the crime. The other four accomplices in the sexual attack were sentenced to between three and 12 years in prison, the court in Beijing said. The lawyer of one of the defendant recently said they had entered into an arrangement with the victim’s family, which accepted $450,000 and agreed to “forgive” the attackers. The accused’s father Li Shuangjiang is a famous military singer holding a rank equivalent to general in China’s army. The case has been in public limelight in recent months. It was seen as a case of extravagant and arrogant living standards of families connected to high offices. The boy and four other men were found guilty of raping a woman last February in a Beijing hotel, according to court authorities in the Chinese capital.
He had attracted controversy in 2011 when he and another teenager allegedly attacked a couple who had tried to block passage for their expensive cars. Both his parents are famous for singing patriotic songs. His father is dean of the music department in the People’s Liberation Army’s art academy. Reporting the trail, the Beijing News said that he “did not admit to the sexual assault and did not admit to a relationship, saying he was drunk and did not know anything” about what happened. The judgment was praised by large number of users of Weibo, the Chinese version of Twitter, who feared the court would accept the out-of-court agreement with the victim’s family and allow the attackers to go scot free. There are signs the authorities were mindful of the public criticism about the agreement that involved large sum of money, sources said.
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LIZ HURLEY RUNS ERRANDS ALONE AMID SPLIT RUMORS
Liz Hurley was spotted running errands all by herself, just hours after she was photographed enjoying a lunch date with estranged fiance Shane Warne and his three kids. The British model, who managed to give a feeble smile to the photogs, had donned a fur-lined coat, skinny jeans and boots for her outing, the Mirror reported. Recent speculations have suggested that the mum-ofone has called off her engagement with the iconic spin bowler, as he had refused to set a wedding date.
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28 killed, hundreds injured in Hornet attack in China
BEIJING (TIP): A massive attack by swarms of hornets in the southern Chinese province of Shaanxi left 28 people dead and hundreds injured, according to local newspaper reports. Many of the victims were stung more than 200 times by the Asian giant hornets or Vespa mandarinia, which are known for their toxic sting. Multiple stings can prove fatal if the victim is not immediately given medical treatment. Attacks by the thumb-sized wasp took place off and on over a period of several weeks in and around the towns of Ankang, Hanzhong and Shangluo of Shaanxi. Reports said one of the patients suffered from kidney failure after being stung in the head and legs.
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SOFIA VERGARA WORE BLING WORTH $7MLN TO EMMYS
Sofia Vergara reportedly wore a whopping 7 million dollars worth of jewelry at the Emmy Awards 2013. The 41-year-old actress, who turned heads with her red, cleavageenhancing sleeveless Vera Wang mermaid gown, wore Colombian emerald earrings with ruby and sapphire at the event, Us magazine reported. The ‘Modern Family’ star also sported a 21- carat Asscher-cut diamond ring and a 40- carat Colombian emerald and rose-cut diamond ring on her fingers. The expensive bling was all courtesy of celebbeloved jeweler Lorraine Schwartz.
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Smriti Irani Inaugurates OFBJP National Convention
Urges Indian Diaspora to Take Active Part in Mission 2014: BJP 272+
TAMPA (TIP): Smt. Smriti Irani, BJP national Vice President, inaugurated the annual national convention of Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP) – USA on Friday September 20, 2013 at India Cultural Center (ICC) in Tampa, FL. Over 150 delegates including members of National Council and Executive Committee, and Advisory Council participated. The delegates representing OFBJP’s 22 chapters in USA had assembled to brain storm and evolve an effective strategy to achieve the goal of Mission 2014: a clear majority for the BJP in the next Parliamentary elections. Over 500 people attended the inaugural session on Friday evening. The theme of the convention was Mission 2014:BJP 272+. Smt. Irani highlighted the achievements of Gujarat government headed by its visionary Chief Minister, Shri Narendra Modi through sheer hard-work and good governance under trying circumstances. She said that Modi has brought the good governance on the electoral agenda through his growth oriented stellar performance.
She said that a person who used to sell tea in his early childhood at the railway platform and became chief minister, and now prime ministerial candidate of BJP tells some-thing of the personal discipline, hard work, dedication and commitment to serve India and hard work of Shri Narendra Bhai. She continued that only in BJP, an ordinary worker can aspire to attain such a high position unlike Congress party where legacy and lineage are the primary components of leadership positions. She said that people of India are looking forward to elect NDA government headed by Shri Narendrabhai Modi and usher in India’s all round development and good governance; and bringing her to the top echelons in the international arena. Earlier, while addressing the women and youth forum during a panel discussion along with Prodyut Bora, national executive member of the BJP,Mrs. Irani said that Modi has become a “youth magnet” of India towards whom the entire young generation is looking with great hopes to solve India’s complex problems. To a question related to violence against women in the context of women gang rape cases,Mrs. Irani listed 10 strong steps to provide safety and protection to the women in the country.
To another question related to BJP’s plan for women welfare and arresting child labor, she said that India is one of the countries that has the concept of Ardhanareeshwara, depicting equality between male and female. She personally fought for women’s bill of right to work in the Parliament and showcased amazing schemes implemented in Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat. Good examples are “Ladli Lakshmi Yojana” – girl’s economic security; “Pravash Utsav and Kanya Yojana” – girls’ right to education; and “Kanya Dhan Yojana” – giving a start-up kit for newly married couples. She also described about a 1,700 crore rupees revenue generation scheme called “Mission Mangalam” – a selfhelp group, in which 2.25 lakh companies have helped 32 lakh women and gave them employment. To a question related to youth, panelist Shri Prodyut Bora said that 50% of India’s population is below 26 years of age and asked the youth to reach out to colleges and universities to motivate them to register to vote and then vote for BJP. He also stressed that both education and experience are equally important in politics and reminded the youth that working from grass roots helps shape the character and personality in the long run. To another question related to Bangladesh infiltration, Prodyut Bora said that it is indeed a sorry state of affairs and the Congress government is responsible for this plight as they indulge in vote bank politics. He said that there are strict orders to Border Security guards to let their guard down and the migrants are rewarded with ration cards and voter ID cards. In fact, Delhi high court declared that 10 lakh illegal immigrants from Bangladesh live in Delhi and they must return to their country. The situation in Mumbai, Bhubaneswar, and Bangalore is same as in Delhi. He said that it has nothing to do with the religion but it’s the sanctity and integrity of the nation that is at stake.
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Rush
Cast: Chris Hemsworth, Daniel Brühl, Olivia Wilde, Alexandra Maria Lara Direction: Ron Howard Genre: Biopic Duration: 2 hours 5 minutes
STORY: Rush chronicles the famous rivalry between Formula One’s two fiercely competitive drivers, James Hunt and Niki Lauda, during the 1976 season. Lauda’s near-fatal crash and relationship with Hunt forms the story. REVIEW: It’s easy to glamourise a film based on Formula One racing, given the nature of the sport – extreme speed, adrenaline rush, roaring engines, champagne, hot Pit girls, playboy racers and sexy F1 cars. On the other hand, it’s also convenient to deglamourise a ‘sports biopic’ by giving it a documentary treatment. Ron Howard doesn’t succumb to either. His splendid execution strikes the right balance to give us a film that is visually stunning, moving, nail-bitingly intense and heroically entertaining, just like a Formula One Grand Prix.
While the sport is much safer today than it was in the ’70’s, what has stayed constant is the rivalry between drivers. So was the case with the notorious British playboy racer James Hunt ( Chris Hemsworth) and his brilliant, methodical Austrian opponent Niki Lauda (Daniel Bruhl). The film revolves around their contrasting ideologies and their battle for the 1976 world championship. Their passion for victory pushes them to breaking point. You get to witness the tumultuous lives of these drivers, on and off the track. Also, the film doesn’t merely state facts in an episodic manner. The storytelling lends depth to the characters, leaving you emotionally invested in them. You feel their fear, regrets, insecurities and vulnerability. What adds to the film’s brilliance is its astounding cinematography, be it the wheel-to-wheel, rain-soaked racing or crash scenes.
Performances are supremely authentic as well. Both Hemsworth and Bruhl play their parts with utmost perfection. Background score creates the psychological tension required. If you are a F1 fan, you must know that Rush starts from the pole position, maintains its momentum and makes it to the chequered flag for a grand podium finish. Long after it’s over, you don’t think about death, danger, victory or rivalry. You remember two champions who didn’t race for a living but lived because they loved racing.
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RATHA YATRA OF GANESHA IN FLUSHING
NEW YORK (TIP): Amidst chanting of mantras, dance by devotees, live nadaswaram music and oozing of devotion by hundreds of devotees, the annual ratha yatra of Lord Ganesha, the presiding deity of Maha Vallabha Ganapathy Devasthanam in Flushing was held last week. Elected officials – New York City Comptroller John Liu, New York State Senator Tony Avela and Deputy Queens Borough President Barry Grodenchik – represented the city and state governments at the major festival of Hindus in Queens. S Kasim and s Babu, grandsons of legendary nathaswaram player Sheikh Chinna Maulana, were flown in from the holy temple town of Srirangam in Tamil Nadu to perform live nathaswaram music at the ratha yathra as also during the ten-day festival in which over 30,000 devotees thronged the temple to witness different alankarams including gold kavacham (the Lord draped in mould made out of pure gold). Food prasadams were given to all the devotees during the day and more than 50,000 food packets were distributed during the festival season.
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US is one of our most strategic partners, says Dr. Manmohan Singh
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on arrival in Washington stated, “The United States is one of our most important strategic partners and during President Obama’s regime, we have taken several steps to widen and deepen this partnership in diverse fields. And during the present visit, we will review the progress that has been made and also what further can be done to give added meaning and content to this partnership. “The United States is one of India’s most important trading partners, important provider of investment and technology support for India’s development and we need the United States on our side as we move to give new added trust to our development programs. We will also review the international situation particularly with reference to international economic situation and other important areas like South East Asia, Middle East and West Asia.”
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MAKE SOY WAX CANDLES AT HOME
You can get the required products from your local craft store, or you can order them from online retailers. If you are making candles for the first time, purchase a small amount of each item on the list. You can always order for more supplies if you like them. Soy candles are said to last longer than wax candles and burn with a cleaner scent. Try your hand at making them.
Things you’ll need
Mason jars or small earthen pots Ready-made wicks Soy wax for candlesMethod
To melt the wax, you need to create a double boiler. Place a glass or pyrex or a metal bowl on top of a pan of simmering water. Add the wax to the bowl, and let it begin to melt. While the wax melts, add the wax dye and aroma oil to the wax. (Note: wax is always darker before it cools, so you may need to add dye depending how you want your candle to turn out.) When adding fragrance, use the amount suggested on the bottle. Using too much can cause your candle to burn improperly. Place the wick in the bottom of jar or a small earthen pot and pour the liquid wax. Allow it to set for several hours. If you are placing a lid on the container let the wax cool completely before covering the candle. In most cases the candle will need to set overnight before it can be lit. Before lighting trim the wick to ½ inch above the top of the candle.Get it right
If you have purchased a wick with a metal piece on the end you can secure it in place with a touch of superglue. Use the end of a pencil to get the metal piece centered in the bottom of the container. There are many types of fragrance but fragrance oils work the best with soy candles. These fragrances can be purchased in containers as small as 2 oz. -
SLOW AND STEADY RELATIONSHIP
“The PM’s Washington visit is unlikely to produce any dramatic result, but it will serve its purpose by reminding both sides of the high stakes they have in a progressively improving relationship that is undistorted by impatience or undue expectations on either side”, says the author.
All eyes will be on the meeting between our Prime Minister and President Obama this week and what it produces. This is natural as our relationship with the US is, in many ways, the most important external relationship we have. The US is our largest trade and investment partner as well as the biggest source of advanced technology, management practices and technical and financial consultancies for our economic sector. The people to people contact with the US is profound, not only because of the large population of Indian origin and the almost 100,000 students we have there, but also because of the influences imbibed by our younger generation. The range of our engagement with the US is larger than with any other country, with over thirty on-going dialogues on various subjects, which implies a regularity of official exchanges on economic, political and security issues.Expectations
Our armed forces have the largest number of military exercises with the US, even though it is not our largest supplier of defense equipment. However, here too the US is making headway, with substantial orders already obtained, even as promises are being made of joint production of advanced weaponry and transfers of technology to rival Russia as our leading defense partner. The political commitment shown by the US leadership to remove the most contentious nuclear issue in our relations has raised expectations on our side that dramatic breakthroughs in relations will continue, even though we cannot define what they could be precisely. At the very least, we expect a trouble free relationship with the US. On the US side, the expectations are more concrete and precise. They would want orders for the US nuclear and defense industries to materialize quickly enough as a quid pro quo for the nuclear deal. They want more access to the Indian market, for which financial and education sector reforms are considered necessary, not to mention improved regulatory frameworks. To the old grievances have been added new ones relating to Indian protectionism as indicated by the decision to give preferential market access to locally established companies in the telecom sector, the retrospective application of our tax laws as in the Vodafone case and inadequate protection to IPRs as decreed by the Supreme Court in the Novartis case. None of these decisions involve US companies, but the US has concerns that India’s example might be followed by other countries affecting ultimately either the global business models of its companies or negatively impacting their future operations in India.SHORT-SIGHTED
The US corporate sector, earlier in the forefront of lobbying for India in the US Congress, is now taking the lead to have Indian trade practices investigated by the Congress. All the indications are that the mood in the US towards India has soured at the political and commercial levels. This is unfortunate because short term considerations of immediate gain are gaining ground over longer term US strategic investment in the India relationship. India’s views about the US have changed fundamentally and the relationship will become more dense with time. US impatience will not necessarily accelerate the process. India and the US have differences on WTO and Climate Change related issues. These differences are in a multilateral context, not a bilateral one, but the US is trying to push for bilateral convergences on these issues. Such pressure should not become counterproductive. India’s nuclear liability law has become a major obstacle in implementing India’s commitment to place orders on Westinghouse and GE for supply of nuclear reactors generating 10,000 MWs of power at two separate sites in India. Secretary Kerry had voiced his expectation that by September India would have found a way to resolve the issue to the satisfaction of US companies, having no doubt Prime Minister’s visit to Washington in view.Results
Reports suggest that India may find a solution by interpreting the rules framed under the Liability Act flexibly enough to meet the demands of not only the US companies but the Russians as well for Kudankulam 3 and 4. This may not be easy in view of Article 17 of the legislation that obliges the operator to take recourse against the supplier for supply of defective equipment, even if the right to recourse is not expressly included in the contract. The challenge is to devise a way to provide insurance cover for such liability through some kind of a pooling arrangement, the cost of which can be adjusted in that of the project. Meanwhile, the decision to sign a “small works agreement” between Westinghouse and NPCIL during Prime Minister’s visit as a token of our intent to implement our commitment might be a diplomatic way out of the current impasse for now, but the larger questions of project cost and tariff competitiveness will remain unaddressed and could block negotiations in the future and cause disappointment. On the Afghanistan question president Obama will not give us satisfaction as he is seeking a dialogue with the Taliban brokered by the Pakistani military. India’s political and security interests in Afghanistan are becoming peripheral to US interest in an orderly withdrawal from there through a pact with the very extremist forces that they had initially dislodged and an understanding with the Pakistani military whose doubledealing they have directly experienced.With the continuing terrorist mayhem in Pakistan and extremist religious forces on the rampage in West Asia and Africa, accommodating the Taliban could prove a folly. The PM’s Washington visit is unlikely to produce any dramatic result, but it will serve its purpose by reminding both sides of the high stakes they have in a progressively improving relationship that is undistorted by impatience or undue expectations on either side -
MAKE YOUR HOME LOOK SPACIOUS
Low furniture really opens up your home and makes it look spacious. People wanting a sleek, modern look for their homes opt for low furniture. Furniture closer to the ground ends up making the room it is placed in much larger than it is. From platform beds to low sofas, home decor just got lower. Many sofa sets available in the local markets are just a few inches off the ground, instead of the traditional height of more than a foot away. Most Mumbaiites live in small flats, and that is the reason why even a little space available anywhere is what people crave for.
Thanks to these short sofas the ceilings of your homes can appear to be much higher than it is. Low furniture can really lend a spacious look to your otherwise cramped dwelling. Yash Tonkk’s duplex home in the western suburbs has a low sofa cum bed that makes his otherwise small living room appear larger. “I liked this low sofa cum bed. Its height and bright colour adds drama to my room, while the low height allows space,” says Gauri Tonkk. Not just sofas there are beds available in the market, which accommodate the mattress, and thereby keep the level much lower than regular beds. Low furniture can actually be housed in any room, and can be mixed with any style.
“My wife, Mona and I got this low sofa especially designed for our home. I believe low furniture like our coffee table gives an amazing sense of space inside homes,” says Sudhanshu Pandey. Low furniture can work in any room but when it come to just the seating areas, then mixing a low arrangement and a higher one at the same time can be quite disastrous. It looks more aesthetically appealing to have seating arrangements that are of similar heights, if not exactly the same. For example one should ideally avoid a low sofa right next to a very high bar stool!
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End of Euphoria
“What prompts Obama to bracket Manmohan Singh with Hassanal Bolkiah is not difficult to fathom – simply put, both are potential buyers of American products” says the author.
For a prime minister who got branded – unfairly, to my mind – as the most ‘pro- American’ in independent India, Manmohan Singh’s visit to the White House on Friday has an anti-climactic touch. There is near-total absence, on either side, of the sort of rhetoric that traditionally characterized such events. Meanwhile, next Monday also happens to be an important anniversary date. Five years ago the US Congress gave final approval on October 1, 2008 to the agreement facilitating nuclear cooperation between the US and India. Ironically, neither side is eager to celebrate the 5th anniversary. The nuclear deal was expected to bring India and the US together beneath the canopy of a strategic partnership based on an unprecedented convergence of interests. The leitmotif was the containment of China. The hyperbole raised very high expectations about a brave new world in which the US and India would fasten the “global commons”, exorcise terrorists, clean up environment and propagate democracy. But the unfulfilled expectations have come to haunt the relationship.There has been criticism that the US-India relations are in a state of drift and New Delhi should take the blame. Indeed, the nuclear deal brought about a sea change in the mutual perceptions regarding the relationship. In tangible terms, India is able to access uranium supplies from abroad, which in turn enables it to divert the scarce domestic reserves for the nuclear weapon program. As for the US, the new climate of relationship enabled it to make an entry into the massive Indian market and arms deals so far struck by it already exceed $10 billion in value. On the other hand, the US gradually lost the enthusiasm it claimed to have possessed in 2008 for getting India inducted into the technology control regimes, especially the Nuclear Suppliers Group. Nor is Washington fulfilling its 2008 commitments on transfer of reprocessing technology. Indeed, no one talks anymore about India’s permanent membership of the UN Security Council. On the contrary, the US behaves like the aggrieved party, complaining that India got ‘more’ out of the nuclear deal, since the expected dozens of billions of dollars worth nuclear commerce that Delhi had pledged may remain a distant dream unless the Indian government ‘tweaked’ its nuclear liability legislation. The blame game has put the Indian elites under pressure to ‘perform’ – that is, to ‘compensate’ the American side by at least buying more weapons from the US so that Washington is somehow kept in good humor. It also works as pressure to open up the Indian economy to boost US exports.
Exceptional honor
The American side knows how to play the game, especially the present administration whose top agenda is the recovery of the US economy. Thus, President Barack Obama is hosting a lunch in honor of Manmohan Singh and the US officials claim this to be an exceptional honor being bestowed on our prime minister because he would only be the second visiting dignitary that the US president is hosting to a lunch – other than the Sultan of Brunei. What prompts Obama to bracket Manmohan Singh with Hassanal Bolkiah is not difficult to fathom – simply put, both are potential buyers of American products. However, if the fizz has disappeared from the 2008 nuclear deal, the real reasons for it are to be found somewhere else. On the one hand, the US is a diminished world power today and is rebalancing its global strategies. On the other hand, India is acutely aware of the shift in the global balance of power that is happening and is making own adjustments to meet emergent realities. Thus, even as Manmohan Singh arrives in Washington, an Indian team landed in Beijing to prepare for a historic visit by the prime minister to China in October. Again, the impending visit of Manmohan Singh to Washington did not deter Delhi from talking loudly about stepping up its oil imports from Iran.Similarly, at the recent G20 summit in St Petersburg, President Vladimir Putin was pleasantly surprised at the forceful opposition to foreign military intervention in Syria by Manmohan Singh. The heart of the matter is that the euphoria of the nuclear deal was simply not sustainable. The latest revelations of the US National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden come as a reality check. New Delhi covered up for the US so far by bravely defending the widespread snooping by American intelligence agencies as in the interests of preventing ‘terrorist attacks.’ The argument won’t wash anymore. The disclosures on Tuesday reveal that the NSA selected India’s Permanent Mission to the UN at New York and its embassy in Washington with great deliberation as “location targets” for infiltrating the hard disks of office computers and telephones with hi-tech bugs. Are we to believe that Indian diplomats posed threat to America’s homeland security? The disclosures say the Indian missions were specifically marked for various snooping techniques including one codenamed “Lifesaver,” which “facilitates imaging of the hard drive of computers.” It is fortuitous that Snowden’s disclosures have come on the eve of the fifth anniversary of the US-India nuclear deal. They serve to bring a sense of proportions to the India-US discourse. Hopefully, this will also be the end of the blame game that the US-India ties have lost their ‘sheen’ due to the Indian inertia. There never was any real sheen in the first instance – except in the rhetoric.
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NEVER SKIP YOUR BREAKFAST
In spite of health experts going blue in the face trying to get people to understand the importance of having breakfast, there are thousands who skip the first (and most crucial) meal of the day citing a motley of reasons. Dietician Dr Sunita Dube says that having a hearty breakfast helps control excess hunger throughout the day. “Since we technically fast overnight while sleeping, forgoing breakfast adds to this fasting period and may disrupt blood sugar balance and insulin output. Skipping breakfast also triggers bad eating habits during the day, as cravings ensue and quick-fix fast foods are often eaten. Having breakfast boosts metabolism and increases your energy levels throughout the day. When you miss it, your energy is reduced and physical activity levels decline,” reckons Dr Dube. An ideal, healthy breakfast A healthy breakfast provides 25 per cent of the total energy and nutrients required by the body.
“Ideally, your first meal of the day should comprise a perfect combination of carbohydrates, protein and fibre. Make sure you include fruits, whole grains, berries and and good fats. Opt for light and soft idlis with sambhar, plain dosas with green chutney, milk with cornflakes or wheatflakes, vegetable poha or upma with a milkshake and sprouts. Also, include high fibre fruits like apples, papayas, muskmelons, oranges or watermelons,” says dietician and sports nutritionist, Deepshikha Agarwal. What to avoid in the morning l Processed, deep fried or oily food, preserved meat, left over or junk food, cakes, pastries, and only juices are a no-no.
l Avoid refined foods like white rice and white bread. Instead opt for whole wheat bread and cereals. Stay away from deep fried pakodas, puris, samosas, doughnuts, cookies, potato chips, candy bars and sodas. l Food items like vada pav, bhajias, wafers, pizzas and French fries are loaded with fat, salt and calories and have very little fibre – keep them at an arm’s length. Disadvantages of skipping breakfast Experts say that skipping breakfast may put you on the fast track to weight gain, heart disease, osteoporosis, irritability or mood swings, menstrual irregularity, low energy levels, low memory and hormonal stress.
“A study shows that people who skipped breakfast developed higher bad LDL cholesterol levels, and were less sensitive to insulin than people who ate breakfast every day,” says Dr Dube. And for those who skip breakfast in a bid to lose weight, you ought to read this. “People who miss breakfast tend to feel fatigued early on in the day and have low concentration levels, affecting their efficiency. Skipping breakfast also decreases metabolic rate making weight loss difficult. Research proves that people who skip breakfast tend to be heavier than people who eat a healthy breakfast.
So, if you’re looking forward to losing weight, have a nutritious breakfast to get a healthy start to the day,” suggests Dr Agarwal. Importance of a healthy breakfast in children and teens The amount of food that a child needs varies according to height, built, gender, and activity levels. “Most kids will usually eat the amount of food that’s right for them, however, it is up to the parents to ensure that their children have the right foods available to choose from. Eating a meal should be both a healthy and an enjoyable occasion – a fact that many parents overlook when planning a meal for growing children. Good eating habits start from home so be a good role model. Make sure that no one in the house skips breakfast. A glass of milk along with a boiled egg, idli, dosa, a grilled vegetable sandwich, porridge, fresh fruit or a paneer sandwich is good for tweens and teens, says Clinical Nutritionist Dr Nupur Krishnan.
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The Republican Intransigence
With just four days remaining to avert the government shutdown, it is certainly turning out to be a high wire act and a deal might be reached just in time to prevent the shutdown. But there is also a possibility that the looming Monday night deadline might pass without any agreement thus forcing the default. In the meantime, the country is facing a big uncertainty: will the government shutdown or it won’t? Recent CBS/New York Times poll confirms the even split among American people. And, the blame for this surely can be laid at the doorsteps of the Republican Party. Back in 2011, Republicans tried to do the same thing, harping on the really worn out playbook of reduction in spending and reduction in debt etc. The end result was Standard and Poor’s downgrading the credit rating of the USA. To be clear, this was not due to massive debt or spending but the total dysfunction of the government. And, the players who brought that about are the ones driving the current fake crisis.
This time they have added Obamacare to their playbook. The last time shutdown occurred was in 1995-1996. The effects were not felt severely as the economy was booming. But this time the situation is different. Economy is still very weak; large numbers of people are unemployed and are depending on the government assistance for survival. Many of the government agencies would also shut down thereby crippling day-to-day life. The effect of shutdown, thus, could be severe. What are the issues that are causing this so-called fake crisis? They simply are raising the current debt ceiling, in the form of Continuing Resolution, to keep government funded to meet all its obligations and the funding of Affordable Care Act, which Republicans “passionately” call as Obamacare. These two issues are not at all related. The House has already passed the funding bill to keep the government running but has stripped the funding of Obamacare and sent it to Senate for their vote. But Senate has already made it clear that that any House bill that de-funds the Obamacare is not going to pass. In addition, it will restore the funding to Obamacare that has been stripped out in the House bill. The President has also made it clear that he will veto any bill that defunds the Obamacare. Under such circumstances one can’t help but wonder why a few Republicans are indulging in brinkmanship which was best illustrated by the fake filibuster carried out by Ted Cruz (R), a Tea Party member from Texas.
To be clear, majority of the Republican caucus in the Senate were not interested in filibustering the bill but a handful of Senators elected in 2010 on a Tea Party wave to which Ted Cruz belongs thought otherwise. The Senate leadership was not on board with Ted Cruz’s plan and wanted nothing to do with him. This was made clear by Senator Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority leader. But make no mistake; it is not that McConnell and his colleagues are against the House bill. They would love to block anything that Democrats, especially President Obama, propose. In the end Republican leadership, after surveying the political scene, has figured that it would get egg on its face if shutdown occurs and hence their opposition to Sen. Cruz’s plan. So what was the point of Ted Cruz,’s talkathon? First, it seems he was just grandstanding, scoring political points with his extremist base called Tea Party, which is nothing but a freak wing of the Republican Party with members like Sarah Palin, whom Steve Schmidt, Senator John McCain’s 2008 campaign manager now regrets having pushed to the forefront on the national stage. Second, and this one is completely crazy, Ted was filibustering the House bill that had already stripped off funding for Obamacare and which was sent to Senate for their vote. By preventing it from coming up for vote, he was, in effect, restoring funding to Obamacare. Talk about idiocy. By filibustering the bill, he was also disrespecting his House colleagues who had passed the bill exactly as Ted Cruz wanted and whom he had harangued over the past few months for not having the spine to de-fund Obamacare. Third, based on first and second above-mentioned interpretations and the follow-up developments, the point of his idiotic exercise seemed to be complete fakery.
This was amply made clear on Wednesday, September 25, when he voted along with 99 other Senators to keep the government funded beyond Sept. 30, shortly after he ended his talkathon. In effect, he voted against himself. In the first place he tried to prevent the bill from coming to vote and then turned around and voted for the same bill to proceed in the Senate. Isn’t that crazy? As Sen. John McCain has pointed out Tea Party members are “wacko birds”. Their shenanigans in the House and Senate prove it. But with this bamboozling act, they have soared to new heights. And, these are the people who are setting and driving the agenda of Republican Party, lampooning moderates, and running roughshod over seasoned old hands by calling them names like RINO – Republican in Name only. It is absolutely frightening. But why is there so much republican opposition to Obamacare? Why are Republicans so intransigent? One and only reason is that Republicans are afraid it will become hugely successful and hence their virulent opposition. A report released on Wednesday by Department of Health and Human Services, attests to facts of the benefits that will be afforded by the Obamacare. The report states that most Americans will be able to choose from multiple insurance carriers and pay lower coverage on the Obamacare Healthcare Insurance Marketplaces, though there will be variations from state to state. All other reasons put forward by the Republicans for defunding Obamacare are pure scare tactics. As Sen. Barbara Mikulski (DMaryland) put it eloquently on the senate floor on Wednesday- “Republicans are not only throwing sand in the gears of Obama administration, they are throwing concrete”. Which is so true
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TIPS FOR A PERFECT SMILE
Everyone wants a perfect smile especially when you see celebrities like Julia Roberts, Angelina Jolie or John Abraham smile confidently. We tend to believe that to get that picture perfect smile we have to opt for corrective dental procedures and go for teeth whitening sessions. Here are 20 ways to get that perfect smile and maintain it, without burning a hole in your pocket. *Inputs by Dr.Karishma Jaradi, Aesthetic Dentist, Dentzz Dental Care Centers.
Lighten up
Lighten up Brushing daily with toothpaste that contains baking soda helps in maintaining the whiteness. It will always build up your confidence in maintaining the perfect smile.
Get gorgeous gums
Your gums are at focus every time you smile and so to keep them pink you should use whitening floss, following up with a quick gargle of brightening.Eat fibrous foods
Fibrous foods like apples and carrots have an exfoliating effect and help remove surface stains which help in maintaining the whiteness of your teeth and in turn enhances your smile.Check your cracks
Grinding teeth can also be a major cause of cracked teeth. Consult your dentist to determine if you are clenching or grinding your teeth, and if you could benefit from a protective thin night guard.Fill the spaces
Spaces between the edges of the teeth are unattractive and might ruin the smile. People view your smile and dark spaces can be disturbing to the eye. Therefore consider cosmetic dental bonding to close spaces and enhance your Smile.Protect your teeth and gums
Getting your teeth and gums camera-ready requires a bit of behind-the-scenes preparation. Correct cracked, broken, or missing teeth by visiting a dentist on regular intervals.Replace missing teeth
Missing Teeth limits you from Smiling whole heartedly. The most obvious form of dental neglect is a missing tooth, as it instantly draws somebody’s attention to the mouth. So it is advisable to replace the missing teeth and smile the way you want.Whiten your teeth
Teeth get stained by either chewing tobacco or due to old age or hereditary. Discoloration is expected for most of us who smoke, drink lots of tea and coffee leading to a dull smile that’s lost its radiance. Whitening strips or laser treatment aids in whitening your teeth. This encourages you to smile brighter and bigger.Eat fruits & vegetables
Fruits and vegetables, along with a balanced diet, have been noted for decreasing tooth decay and promoting oral health. A number of fruits and vegetables are good sources for vitamin C, some contain iron and calcium, and they don’t contain added sugars. Fruits and vegetables are also composed mostly of water, and it provides a moist environment that is not conducive to bacterial growth.
Safeguard your mouth
Do not neglect dental check-ups, loose tooth, sensitivity or pain in your gums. It is very important to keep a check on all of them. Brushing can also help prevent decay.