The Indian Panorama

Year: 2022

  • Predictions for the Month of April 2022

    Predictions for the Month of April 2022

    Shree Ganeshaya Namah!!!

    By Chirag Bejan Daruwalla

     Aries

    Ganesha says, this month, you’ll realize that you were created to be authentic rather than flawless. This understanding of yourself will enable you to swallow many of the things that have stifled your advancement. This month, go with the flow. This month, you will effectively eradicate toxins from your life. Some things are better if left alone. In the second week of this month, you will make unneeded adjustments, which may suffocate your enjoyment, so be cautious. Your relationship will need a lot of attention this month. You will have to create lots of space in your life for that special person. Your health will be alright this entire month!

    Taurus

    This month, a stressful connection you’ve been carrying as the weight will be settled. Working with pragmatism will save you from losing money and wasting time. This month, you’ll take a position for what you want, but be cautious since you’re likely to injure someone if you speak without screening your words. In the latter half of the week, you will be tempted to find a companion and you are more likely to find that connection in your office or your corporate circle. Venus will surely support you hence do not worry. Your health will need to be attended in the latter half of the month.

    Gemini

    This month, anything you’ve misplaced will be compensated. Things will begin to return to normal, and you will begin to put your words into action. You will be able to clearly observe your abilities and dexterity. This month, you will be taken off guard when a crisis arises. Stay wary, dear Gemini, for being excessively enthusiastic will bring you into danger. Your partner will offer you opportunities to enhance your career growth this month. You are more likely to get closer to them over this. Your health will not need any attention this month.

    Cancer

    This month, your bravery will lead you to the position you truly belong. Lord Sun has aided you on your journey and will continue to do so. The practice has made you perfect, and this month, that perfection will show itself in unexpected ways. You’ll end yourself in a muddle if you try to accomplish too many things at once. Also, this month’s tip is to only bite as much as you can chew. In terms of relationship, you will have to be really careful in the first half of the month as the position of Venus will not be in your favor but the latter half of the month will bring good results as far as your romantic life is concerned. If you are suffering from any kind of blood pressure-related disease you should be careful about your health this month.

    Leo

    Dear Leo natives, In the first week of the month, you will receive some vital information. This fantastic news will alter your mind’s direction. You’ll be pleased with the choices your children make this month. This month, stay away from legal affairs entirely since Rahu will trouble you with them. This month, avoid going to court for anything, especially if it has to do with your business. Also, make every meeting this month a priority. This month, your partner and you will not be able to spend much time together as both of you will be too busy maintaining your professional duties and other obligations. You will have to be really patient about minor situations hindering your relationship. Married couples must keep fast on every Thursday of this month. Your health will not go through any major concerns.

    Virgo

    You’ll be relieved to learn that your previous efforts have paid off handsomely and that the manner you planned your past will make you pleased this month. Reassurances will pervade your day, making you feel safe and tense. In the last week of this month, your over-optimism will drag you down. This month, bring everything into the spotlight before making any relationship decisions and avoid dissecting plans with your companion. Your health will be totally alright the entire month.

    Libra

    The first part of the month will be stress-free and relaxing, but the second half will force you to put your intellect to action. You’ll be asked to organize an event for a friend or family member. You’ll be astounded at how excellent you are at it. This month, you’ll put off a lot of work. In the third week of the month, you’ll be all screwed up and preoccupied. Don’t be concerned; the outcome will be better. As suggested by the transition of Venus in the 7th house in the second week of the month, your romantic life will bloom significantly this month. You will also be able to take major decisions concerning your engagement or marriage. Your health will have to be taken care of especially in the latter half of the month as you might suffer from fever and headache occasionally.

    Scorpio

    This month, your employment will help you relax. You’ll finally make time for your family and friends. This month, it’s an excellent time to make trip arrangements. This month, you’ll benefit much from trusting your intuitive energies. In the second part of this month, avoid believing other people’s opinions because someone will try to steer you in the wrong direction and pressurize you to go against your principles. This month, your romantic fronts will stay healthy as you will be able to spend a good amount of time with your spouse or companion. As you will put in significant fights under the rug, you will be able to start afresh in terms of their relationship. You will have to be really careful about the health of your children this month.

    Sagittarius

    This month, the people you have maintained your confidence in you will save you from a major difficulty. Make sure you only take on jobs that will assist you in the long run, as the vitality you will be given is limited, and you must make the most of it. In the second half of this month, you will be tested. You will be forced to make judgments against your will, but they must be made for the larger good, therefore don’t be afraid to do so. You have been procrastinating a lot as far as your romantic obligations are concerned. This month you must be well versed about the expectations of your partner and try to keep your relationship in check. Married couples will have to go through minor issues of understanding in the third week of the month as Rahul will make an unfavorable transition. If you are a patient of diabetes or any sugar-related disease this month will give you a hard time.

    Capricorn

    This month, you’ll be busy forming new ideas and plans. This indicates that you will have a productive day this month. Because of the boosted energy delivered as a boon from Lord Sun specifically for you, you will be able to accomplish your task in less time than you anticipated. People will take your ideas and pass them off as their own this month in order to get fame and money. Make sure you don’t tell everyone about your ideas. This month, you will be able to take the lead in your romantic life. Your partner and you we’ll plan out your professional and personal future together. People who have been looking out for love will find someone very compatible and that person will be more likely to be belonging to Taurus and cancer Zodiac. Your health will need minor attention this month.

    Aquarius

    The placement of the planets in your zodiac this month, Aquarius, indicates that you will spend a lot of time focusing on yourself and your subsequent development this month. After a while, you’ll be in a pleasant frame of mind this month. While self-reflecting, you will have to face your anxieties and misgivings. This month, Krishna advises it’s fine to reaffirm your faith in anything one more time and always. As far as your marriage is concerned, the transition of Ketu in an unfavorable position will affect you negatively. Your health will have to be taken care of this month.

    Pisces

    This month, you’ll be too preoccupied with repaying favors to someone who helped you in your lowest points. To complete their task, you will have to move beyond your own self-imposed moralities. Do make the mistake of prioritizing this connection over your ideals. In terms of morals, gratitude is at the top of the list. Domestic problems can throw you into disarray. In the first week of the month, it will be tough for you to make ends meet in terms of finances.Your partner and you will be able to keep yourself in good regard for each other. You will have to be really careful regarding your newly married life. Your health will have to be taken care of in the first half of the month but the latter half will bring good recovery.

  • History This Week-April 8 to April 14

    “What is history? An echo of the past in the future; a reflex from the

    April 8

    Buddha

    April 8th – Among Buddhists, celebrated as the birthday of Buddha (563-483 B.C.). An estimated 350 million persons currently profess the Buddhist faith.

    Harry S. Truman

    April 8, 1952 – President Harry S. Truman seized control of America’s steel mills to prevent a shutdown by strikers. However, on April 29th, the seizure was ruled unconstitutional by a U.S. District Court. Workers immediately began a strike lasting 53 days, ending it when they received a 16-cents per-hour wage increase and additional benefits.

    April 8, 1913 – The 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was ratified requiring direct popular election of U.S. senators. Previously, they had been chosen by state legislatures.

    April 8, 1990 – Ryan White died at age 18 of complications from AIDS. As a young boy, White, a hemophiliac, contracted the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome from a blood transfusion. At age ten, he was banned from school. He then moved with his mother to Cicero, Indiana, where he was accepted by the students. As his plight was publicized, he gained international celebrity status and helped promote understanding of the dreaded disease.

    April 9

    April 9, 1865 – After over 500,000 American deaths, the Civil War effectively ended as General Robert E. Lee surrendered to General Ulysses S. Grant in the village of Appomattox Court House. The surrender occurred in the home of Wilmer McLean. Terms of the surrender, written by General Grant, allowed Confederates to keep their horses and return home. Officers were allowed to keep their swords and side arms.

    April 9, 1866 – Despite a veto by President Andrew Johnson, the Civil Rights Bill of 1866 was passed by Congress granting blacks the rights and privileges of U.S. citizenship.

    Paul Robeson

    Birthday – African American actor and singer Paul Robeson (1898-1976) was born in Princeton, New Jersey. Best known for his performance in The Emperor Jones, he also enjoyed a long run on Broadway in Shakespeare’s Othello. In 1950, amid ongoing anti-Communist hysteria, Robeson was denied a U.S. passport after refusing to sign an affidavit on whether he had ever been a member of the Communist Party.

    April 10

    April 10, 1942 – During World War II in the Pacific, the Bataan Death March began as American and Filipino prisoners were forced on a six-day march from an airfield on Bataan to a camp near Cabanatuan. Some 76,000 Allied POWs including 12,000 Americans were forced to walk 60 miles under a blazing sun without food or water to the POW camp, resulting in over 5,000 American deaths.

    April 10, 1945 – The Nazi concentration camp at Buchenwald was liberated by U.S. troops. Located near Weimar in Germany, Buchenwald was established in July 1937 to hold criminals and was one of the first major concentration camps. It later included Jews and homosexuals and was used as a slave labor center for nearby German companies. Of a total of 238,980 Buchenwald inmates, 56,545 perished. Following its liberation, Supreme Allied Commander, General Dwight D. Eisenhower, and other top U.S. commanders visited the sub-camp at Ohrdruf. U.S. Troops also forced German civilians from nearby towns into the camp to view the carnage.

    April 10, 1998 – Politicians in Northern Ireland reached an agreement aimed at ending 30 years of violence which had claimed over 3,400 lives. Under the agreement, Protestants and Catholics in Northern Ireland would govern together in a new 108-member Belfast assembly, thus ending 26 years of ”direct rule” from London.

    Joseph Pulitzer

    (Photo H 4 here)

    Birthday – Publisher Joseph Pulitzer (1847-1911) was born in Budapest, Hungary. He came to America in 1864 and fought briefly in the Civil War for the Union. He then began a remarkable career in journalism and publishing. His newspapers included the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the New York World. He also endowed the journalism school at Columbia University and established a fund for the Pulitzer Prizes, awarded annually for excellence in journalism.

    April 11

    April 11, 1968 – A week after the assassination of Martin Luther King, the Civil Rights Act of 1968 was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson. The law prohibited discrimination in housing, protected civil rights workers and expanded the rights of Native Americans.

    Apollo 13

    April 11, 1970 – Apollo 13 was launched from Cape Kennedy at 2:13 p.m. Fifty-six hours into the flight an oxygen tank exploded in the service module. Astronaut John L. Swigert saw a warning light that accompanied the bang and said, “Houston, we’ve had a problem here.” Swigert, James A. Lovell and Fred W. Haise then transferred into the lunar module, using it as a “lifeboat” and began a perilous return trip to Earth, splashing down safely on April 17th. 

    April 11, 1983– Harold Washington became the first African American mayor of Chicago, receiving 51 percent of the vote. Re-elected in 1987, he suffered a fatal heart attack at his office seven months later.

    Edward EverettEdward Everett

    Birthday – American orator Edward Everett (1794-1865) was born in Dorchester, Massachusetts. In 1863, at the dedication of the Gettysburg Battlefield, he delivered the main address, lasting two hours. He was then followed by President Abraham Lincoln who spoke for about two minutes delivering the Gettysburg Address.

    April 12

    April 12, 1861 – The American Civil War began as Confederate troops under the command of General Pierre Beauregard opened fire at 4:30 a.m. on Fort Sumter in Charleston, South Carolina.

    Franklin D. Roosevelt

    April 12, 1945 – President Franklin D. Roosevelt died suddenly at Warm Springs, Georgia, after suffering a cerebral hemorrhage. He had been President since March 4, 1933, elected to four consecutive terms and had guided America out of the Great Depression and through World War II.

    Yuri Gagarin

    April 12, 1961 – Russian cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human in space. He traveled aboard the Soviet spacecraft Vostok I to an altitude of 187 miles (301 kilometers) above the earth and completed a single orbit in a flight lasting 108 minutes. The spectacular Russian success intensified the already ongoing Space Race between the Russians and Americans. Twenty-three days later, Alan Shepard became the first American in space. This was followed in 1962 by President Kennedy’s open call to land an American on the moon before the decade’s end.

    April 12, 1981 – The first space shuttle flight occurred with the launching of Columbia with astronauts John Young and Robert Crippen aboard. Columbia spent 54 hours in space, making 36 orbits, then landed at Edwards Air Force Base in California.

    April 13

    Thomas Jefferson

    Birthday – Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) was born in Albermarle County, Virginia. He was an author, inventor, lawyer, politician, architect, and one of the finest minds of the 1700’s. He authored the American Declaration of Independence and later served as the 3rd U.S. President from 1801 to 1809. He died on July 4, 1826, the same day as his old friend and one-time political rival John Adams.

    April 14

    April 14, 1775 – In Philadelphia, the first abolitionist society in American was founded as the “Society for the relief of free Negroes unlawfully held in bondage.”‘

    April 14, 1828 – The first dictionary of American-style English was published by Noah Webster as the American Dictionary of the English Language.

    Abraham Lincoln

    April 14, 1865 – President Abraham Lincoln was shot and mortally wounded while watching a performance of Our American Cousin at Ford’s Theater in Washington. He was taken to a nearby house and died the following morning at 7:22 a.m.

    April 14, 1986 – U.S. warplanes, on orders from President Ronald Reagan, bombed the Libyan cities of Tripoli and Benghazi in retaliation for the April 5th terrorist bombing of a discotheque in West Berlin in which two American soldiers were killed. Among the 37 persons killed in the air raid was the infant daughter of Muammar Qaddafi, Libya’s head of state.

  • No entry for Chanu in 55kg class at CWG

    No entry for Chanu in 55kg class at CWG

    The rejection of Mirabai Chanu’s 55kg division entry for the upcoming Commonwealth Games (CWG) by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) will not affect India’s medal chances in the Birmingham event, head coach Vijay Sharma said. The Indian Weightlifting Federation (IWLF) had wanted to field Chanu in the 55kg class with Jhilli Dalabehera and S Bindyarani Devi competing in the 49kg and 59kg divisions, respectively. Poppy Hazarika was to compete in the 64kg division at the CWG, to be held from July 28 to August 8.

    The move to field Chanu in the 55kg class was aimed at maximising India’s medal haul at the CWG. But the entries were rejected based on a new rule that states that the top-ranked lifter in a category will qualify for the CWG. But if she or he withdraws, the next best lifter will not get the berth, as was the case before.

    The 27-year-old Chanu will now compete in the 49kg category. “They rejected the entry by saying a lifter can participate in that category where they have performed their best,” Sharma said from St Louis, USA, where he is overseeing Chanu’s training.

  • Tiger gets comeback underway with opening par at Masters

    Tiger gets comeback underway with opening par at Masters

    Tiger Woods began his highly-anticipated return to competition with a par on his first hole at the Masters on Thursday, April 7,  in front of a throng of patrons thrilled to see the five-time champion back. Woods, wearing a pink shirt and black pants on his return to the Masters following a February 2021 car crash, was greeted at the par-four 445-yard first hole to a raucous reception from spectators who arrived at Augusta National in the early-morning hours to get a front-row seat. In his first competitive round of golf in 508 days, Woods sent his opening tee just short of the fairway bunker, watched his approach trickle off the front of the green and then chipped to 10 feet before saving par. Woods’ accident, which nearly resulted in doctors amputating his right leg, cast serious doubt on his professional golfing future but the 15-times major champion said earlier this week that he feels like he can still compete at the highest level.

  • IPL 2022- De Kock shines as Lucknow Super Giants beat Delhi Capitals by six wickets

    IPL 2022- De Kock shines as Lucknow Super Giants beat Delhi Capitals by six wickets

    Navi Mumbai  (TIP)- Quinton de Kock showed imperious form in his 80 off 52 balls as Lucknow Super Giants outplayed Delhi Capitals by six wickets for their third successive win in their debut IPL season here on April 7. Delhi Capitals lost their way after a sizzling knock from opener Prithvi Shaw (61 off 31) to end at 149/3 after Lucknow decided to field first.

    With the resources that Lucknow possess, 150 should have been a comfortable chase and the KL Rahul-led side made sure it was, getting home with two balls to spare on a tricky surface.

    De Kock was at his destructive best as he shared a 73-run stand with opening partner Rahul (24 off 25). After Rahul’s fall, his team needed 76 off the last 10 overs. De Kock, who hit nine fours and two sixes, put the team on the cusp of victory with his second 50-plus score of the tournament.

    Earlier, Shaw’s knock was all class before Lucknow bounced back in the game with an impressive bowling performance. Young leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi (2/22) was the standout performer.

    David Warner (4 off 12), returning to the franchise where he made his IPL debut back in 2009, struggled in his first innings of the season. Brief scores: Delhi Capitals: 149/3 (Shaw 61, Pant 39*, Khan 36*; Bishnoi 2/22); Lucknow Super Giants: 155/4 in 19.4 overs (de Kock 80; Kuldeep 2/31).

    Nortje hurls himself out

    A target of 150 amid dew was going to need a miracle or a meltdown to defend, but DC did put in a few quiet overs at the start. On came their retained speedster Anrich Nortje for his first match in five months since the T20 World Cup, and Quinton de Kock burst to life against his compatriot.

    A slap past extra cover followed by two lovely straight drives and topped up by a pick-up six produced a 19-run over, and LSG were on their way.

    By the time Nortje came back in the 14th, de Kock had gone past fifty and the ball was wet. Nortje ripped two beamers in two overs, one each at de Kock and Deepak Hooda. The first one was fended for six over short third man, the second one took Nortje out of the attack. Kuldeep Yadav came on to finish Nortje’s over, and after copping a couple of fours, succeeded in luring de Kock to step out and slice a heave to short third man on 80 off 52.

    Different game after QDK

    Like with DC in the wake of Shaw, LSG lost steam after de Kock’s departure. Even with a mere 28 needed off 24 balls, the re-minted pairing of Krunal Pandya and Hooda struggled against the changes of pace and full lengths of Shardul Thakur and Mustafizur Rahman for a couple of overs.

  • Europa League: Barcelona held by Frankfurt, 10-man West Ham draw with Lyon

    Europa League: Barcelona held by Frankfurt, 10-man West Ham draw with Lyon

    Barcelona failed to win an away match in the Europa League for the first time after it was held 1-1 by 10-man Eintracht Frankfurt in the first leg of the quarterfinals. Ferran Torres salvaged the draw in the second-tier European competition with an equaliser following a series of fluent passes around the box in the 66th minute on Thursday.

    Barcelona was knocked out of the lucrative Champions League in the team’s first post-Lionel Messi season. It is playing for the first time in the Europa League and never won its precursor, the UEFA Cup, reaching the semifinals on four occasions but not getting to a final.

    Frankfurt won the UEFA Cup in 1980.

    Rebuilding under recently hired coach Xavi Hernandez, Barcelona has relied on big away performances to get to the last eight, beating Napoli (4-2) and Galatasaray (2-1) on the road after first-leg home draws.

    In other games, 10-man West Ham also drew 1-1 with Lyon. The Hammers reached the quarterfinals of a European competition for the first time since 1981 after eliminating six-time champion Sevilla.

    Atalanta goalkeeper Juan Musso saved a penalty and a follow-up attempt but he couldn’t keep out an own-goal by Davide Zappacosta from the resulting corner as Leipzig salvaged a 1-1 draw.

    Also, Braga beat Rangers 1-0.

    In the Europa Conference League, Roma, one of the favorites to win UEFA’s new third-tier competition, failed to get its revenge at Bodø/Glimt and lost 2-1.

    The Norwegian club routed Roma 6-1 in the group stage for Jose Mourinho’s biggest loss as a coach. Bodø/Glimt also earned a draw in the return match in Italy, and has eliminated Celtic and AZ Alkmaar in the knockout stage.

    Also, Leicester was held 0-0 at home by PSV Eindhoven, Marseille beat PAOK Thessaloniki 2-1 and Slavia Prague earned a 3-3 draw at Feyenoord.

              Source: Reuters

  • Ram Navami – the day Lord Rama was born

    Ram Navami – the day Lord Rama was born

    Ram Navami is the celebration of the birth anniversary of Lord Rama, who is believed to be the seventh incarnation of Lord Vishnu on Earth. Lord Rama’s birth was intended to end the rule of the ten-headed demon king Ravana and this day is thus symbolic of the victory of truth over the evil.

    Ram Navami is celebrated on the ninth day of the Shukla paksha of the Indian month of Chaitra. According to the Gregorian calendar, it falls in the month of March-April every year. Ram Navami 2022 is on April 10 Sunday.

    According to mythology, the kingdom of Ayodhya was distraught about the fact that there was no successor to the throne. During an afternoon of Chaitra, Lord Rama was born to King Dasharath and his queen Kaushalya after they were given the holy pudding to eat by Rishi Vasishtha. It is said that Lord Rama was born to save the people of Ayodhya from evil and to ensure that peace and prosperity prevails over his kingdom.

    This day is also celebrated as the birth anniversary of Swaminarayan, a saint who is considered an avatar of Narayana. He was born in the village of Chhapaiya in Uttar Pradesh. Bhagwan Rama exemplified the perfect person (maryada purushottam). He was the embodiment of compassion, gentleness, kindness, righteousness and integrity. Although he had all the power in the world, he still was peaceful and gentle.

    His reign in Ayodha is referred to as Ramarajya, the epitome of perfect governance. Ayodhya was the capital founded by the king-rishi Manu. During the reign of King Dasharath, Ayodhya reached a period of great prosperity. But Dasharath had one problem–he had no children. Therefore he decided to perform the ashvamedh sacrifice. Elaborate and difficult rituals had to be observed. Rishi Rishyashring presided over the yagya. The performance of this sacrifice was a great event in Ayodhya. At the end, Rishyashring recited a Mantra and made an offering to the fire. Then the gods, gandharvas, siddhas, and rishis present around began to pray to Brahma. During that time Ravana, the king of Lanka, was terrorizing the people, and they were longing for liberation from his menace. Ravana had acquired great power because he had obtained from God Brahma the boon that he would never die at the hands of gods, or gandharvas, or yakshas (demigods) or demons. As he was not afraid of men, he did not care to include men in the list of his potential slayers. So Brahmadev declared that Ravana would die at the hands of a man. Then the gods went to Vishnu for help and requested him that since Dasharath was a glorious king, that He take birth in the wombs of his three queens in four different incarnations of His divinity. When Dasharath’s sacrifice came to an end, a shining figure appeared over the sacrificial kund, and offered the king a divine beverage called “payasam”, which was to be given to his queens Kausalya, Kaikayi, and Sumitra. In due time, Kausalya gave birth to Rama, Kaikayi to Bharat and Sumitra to Laxman and Shatrugna.

    The Sun is considered to be the progenitor of Rama’s dynasty, which is called the Solar Dynasty (Raghukula or Raghuvamsa –Raghu means Sun and Kula or Vamsa mean familial descendant). Rama is also known as Raghunatha, Raghupati, Raghavendra etc. That all these names begin with the prefix Raghu is also suggestive of some link with Sun-worship. The hour chosen for the observance of the Lord’s birth is that when the Sun is overhead and is at its maximum brilliance. In some Hindu sects, prayers on Ramnavami day start not with an invocation to Rama but to Surya (Sun). Again the syllable Ra is used in the word to describe the Sun and brilliance in many languages. In Sanskrit, Ravi and Ravindra both mean “Sun”.

    Significance of Ram Navami

    The story of the Ramayan is a classic, eternal, universal message of Dharma versus adharma, of deva versus demon, of good versus evil, as represented in the battle between Rama and Ravana.

    Ravana was a brahmin; he was a great scholar who wrote numerous works on scriptural philosophy. He was powerful, dynamic, and beautiful in appearance. As the brilliant, handsome king of Lanka, he had everything one would need to be happy and peaceful. Yet, he was arrogant, egoistic, greedy and lustful. His insatiable desires led him to crave more and more power, more and more money, and more and more ladies to fulfill his every whim.

    There is one main difference: Bhagwan Rama’s heart overflowed with divinity, love, generosity, humility, and a sense of duty. Ravana’s heart, in contrast, was filled with avarice, hatred, and egoism. Under Bhagwan Rama’s divine touch, the animals became his devotees and his divine helpers. Under Ravana’s touch, even humans became animals. Through his noble and divine choices, he teaches the world to choose dharma over Artha (when he leaves for the forest rather than be coronated as King) and to choose Moksha over Kama (when he chooses his kingdom over his marriage).

    Ravana’s ego led to his own demise, first the demise of his spirit and heart and then the demise of his body. He thought he was the one who ran everything. He thought that he was the “doer” of it all. On the other hand, Bhagwan Rama was always humble, and he never took credit for anything. At the end of the war in Lanka, Bhagwan Rama was giving Sitaji a tour of the city, showing her where all of the various events had occurred. When, they reached the place where he victoriously slew Ravana, he reported it to Sitaji only as, “and this is where Ravana died.” He didn’t say, “This is where I crushed the demon,” or “This is where I killed Ravana.”

    The story of Lord Rama as told in the great epic Ramayana is one that most Indians know irrespective of caste, creed and religion.

     Lord Rama is a legendary figure, the epitome of all that is good and true, the man who vanquished the demon king, Ravana. Lord Rama is not just a hero, but has been given the status of a god by the Hindus. Therefore, it comes as no surprise that his birth is celebrated year after year with great pomp and enjoyment on the ninth day after the new moon in Sukul Paksh (the waxing moon), which falls sometime in the month of April.

  • Elon Musk to join Twitter Board after buying 9.2% stake

    Elon Musk to join Twitter Board after buying 9.2% stake

    Elon Musk is joining Twitter’s Board of Directors a day after disclosing that the Tesla CEO took 9.2% stake in the social media platform. Twitter Inc. said in a regulatory filing on Tuesday that it entered into an agreement with Musk on Monday that will give the billionaire a seat on its Board, with the term expiring at its 2024 annual shareholders meeting. Musk, either alone or as a member of a group, won’t be allowed to own more than 14.9% of Twitter’s outstanding stock for as long as he’s a Board member and for 90 days after.

    Twitter CEO Parag Agrawal said in a tweet the company had been talking to Musk in recent weeks and “it became clear to us that he would bring great value to our Board.” “He’s both a passionate believer and intense critic of the service which is exactly what we need on @Twitter, and in the boardroom, to make us stronger in the long-term,” Agrawal continued. Musk, who has 80 million Twitter followers, has also raised the possibility with his massive and loyal Twitter following, that he could create a rival social media network.

  • India to grow at 7.5% in current fiscal: ADB

    India to grow at 7.5% in current fiscal: ADB

    India is likely to maintain its position as the fastest-growing major economy with the ADB outlook projecting a growth rate of 7.5% for 2022-23 on strong investment prospects against 5% for China in January-December 2022. The Asian Development Bank Outlook 2022 said India’s growth in the next fiscal year 2023-24 will accelerate further to 8%, though China will witness a deceleration in growth to 4.8% in 2023. The ADB, however, flagged inflation as a major issue mainly on account of a rise in prices of commodities in wake of the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. “Economies in developing Asia are starting to find their footing as they slowly emerge from the worst of the Covid pandemic,” ADB Chief Economist Albert Park said.

  • L’Oréal founder’s granddaughter is world’s richest woman

    L’Oréal founder’s granddaughter is world’s richest woman

    New Delhi (TIP)- Francoise Bettencourt Meyers, cosmetics giant L’Oréal’s founder’s granddaughter, is the richest woman in the world – with a net worth of $74.8 billion – according to business publication Forbes’ 2022 list of richest individuals. Meyers’ net worth rose marginally over the past 12 months – up from $73.6 billion in 2021 – and has increased significantly from 2020 – it was $48.9 billion two years ago.

    Meyers, 68, leads an impressive list of the top 10 wealthiest women in the world, including Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’ ex-wife MacKenzie Scott ($43.6 billion), Australian mining baroness Gina Rinehart ($30.2 billion), and Fidelity Investments CEO Abigail Johnson ($21.2 billion).

    India finds mention just outside the top 10, with the Jindal Group’s Savitri Jindal valued at $17.7 billion and Falguni Nayar, the CEO of fashion and retail giants Nykaa, valued at $4.5 billion.

              Source: HT

  • Jet Airways coming back with hybrid of premium and no-frills services model

    Jet Airways coming back with hybrid of premium and no-frills services model

    Mumbai/New Delhi (TIP)- Jet Airways India Ltd., which is undergoing a court-monitored restructuring, plans to return with a hybrid of premium and no-frills services that would allow the former top local airline to claw back market share while managing costs in the fiercely competitive Indian aviation market. The bankrupt airline, now helmed by a new set of owners, will have a two-class configuration where business class passengers will be offered services including free meals, its new Chief Executive Officer Sanjiv Kapoor said in an interview near New Delhi on Wednesday. The economy class will, however, be modeled similar to low-cost carriers where flyers pay for meals and other services, he said.

    “It’s very difficult in the domestic Indian market to take on the cost of the food and everything else in economy class, where the customer in India chooses primarily on the basis of fares,” said Kapoor, an aviation veteran who took charge of the defunct airline this week. “Let’s just accept that and let’s not burden ourselves with extra cost.”

    A successful revival of Jet Airways, which collapsed under a pile of debt in 2019 and became the first airline to enter a reformed insolvency resolution process, will be a landmark moment for India’s bankruptcy laws. The new owners — Dubai-based, Indian-origin businessman Murari Lal Jalan and Florian Fritsch, the chairman of London-based financial advisory and alternative asset manager Kalrock Capital Management Ltd. — have pledged to make investments of as much as $120 million, Kapoor said.

    Kapoor himself is not new to navigating carriers through turbulent skies. He spearheaded SpiceJet Ltd. as its chief operating officer in 2014, helming it through a time when the low-cost carrier was severely cash strapped. He was also the chief strategy and commercial officer for Tata Group-led airline, Vistara.

    Jet Airways will operate a so-called proving-flight — one or more test flights with no passengers to assess safety — as early as this month, using a leased Boeing Co. 737, Kapoor said, adding that this will immediately make the airline eligible for a flying permit. This permit allows the new owners to bring in investments, and enables the airline to negotiate landing and parking slots with airports.

    “We are confident that we are very close to a proving flight,” Kapoor said. “Proving flight is the last step. If you pass the last step there’s nothing preventing you from getting the AOP,” he said, referring to an air operator permit which is a license to start commercial operations.

    Jet Airways will return to Indian skies that are expected to get more crowded and competitive as billionaire Rakesh Jhunjhunwala-owned Akasa Air gears up to fly later this year. The unprofitable and former flag carrier Air India was recently acquired by the Tata Group, which is looking to turn it around. Even though air travel is rebounding strongly from two years of the Covid-19 pandemic, India is a tough place to make money in aviation and several carriers have failed amid bruising fare wars and high costs.

    Source: The Print

  • Debt trustees of SBI, Axis, IDBI under CCI scanner

    New Delhi (TIP)- Antitrust body Competition Commission of India (CCI) is investigating the trustee units of State Bank of India, Axis Bank and IDBI Bank for suspected collusion on fees, triggering a lawsuit by a group representing them.

    Indian regulations mandate that companies raising debt appoint a so-called “debenture trustee” to protect the interests of investors. The trustees charge a fee from the companies issuing the debt and make independent due diligence checks on them. The three under investigation — SBICAP Trustee Company, Axis Trustee and IDBI Trusteeship — are among the leaders in the business in India overseeing hundreds of billions of dollars by rendering trustee services for not just debt securities, but also real estate and other investment funds.

    The CCI in a confidential December order stated the Trustees Association of India — a body where the trio are founding members — last year “substantially” hiked the fee for assisting companies raising debt and prevented members from going below a floor price, thereby hurting competition. The association has launched a court challenge in Mumbai that seeks to quash the antitrust investigation directive it has termed “illegal” and “capricious”, according to court filings. The lawsuit will be heard on Thursday.

    Source: Reuters

  • Social media use impacts wellbeing in teens: Study

    Social media use impacts wellbeing in teens: Study

    Girls and boys might be more vulnerable to the negative effects of social media use at different times during their adolescence, according to a UK research. In a study involving University of Oxford and Cambridge experts published in ‘Nature Communications’, data shows that girls experience a negative link between social media use and life satisfaction when they are 11-13 years old and boys when they are 14-15 years old.

    Increased social media use also predicts lower life satisfaction at the age of 19 years for both genders. This suggests sensitivity to social media use might be linked to developmental changes, possible changes in the structure of the brain, or to puberty, which occurs later in boys than in girls.

    “The link between social media use and mental wellbeing is clearly very complex,” said Dr Amy Orben, from the University of Cambridge, who led the study.

    “Changes within our bodies, such as brain development and puberty, and in our social circumstances appear to make us vulnerable at particular times of our lives,” she said.

    “I wouldn’t say that there is a specific age group we should all be worried about. We should all be reflecting on our social media use and encouraging those conversations but we need to understand what is driving these changes across the age groups and between genders,” she added.

    The expert noted the very large individual differences, which means there may be certain teenagers that benefit from their use of social media whilst at the same time, someone else is harmed.

    For both girls and boys, the research revealed that social media use at the age of 19 years was associated with a decrease in life satisfaction. At this age, say the researchers, it is possible social changes — such as leaving home or starting work — may make us vulnerable.

    “Currently the amount of time young people spend on social media is a ‘black box’ to scientists and parents alike,” said Professor Andrew Przybylski, Director of Research at the Oxford Internet Institute.

    “To improve our science we need better data and to improve parenting around tech we need to start a new conversation. It’s not about social media being good or bad, it’s about what young people are up to, why they are using it, and how they feel about it fits into the greater picture of family life,” he said.

              Source: PTI

  • New Covid vaccine from Austria could protect against Omicron variant: Study

    New Covid vaccine from Austria could protect against Omicron variant: Study

    A new vaccine being developed by scientists in Austria is effective against all SARS-CoV-2 variants known to date, including Omicron, even in those who have not yet built up any immunity as a result of immunisation, according to the preclinical data. The antigen-based vaccine developed at MedUni Vienna targets the receptor binding domains (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and induced a robust and uniform RBD-specific IgG antibody response in animal models and in human tests.

    This antibody response prevents the virus from docking onto and entering the body’s cells, so that infection cannot occur, the researchers said.

    The SARS-CoV-2 subunit vaccine (PreS-RBD) is based on a structurally folded fusion protein consisting of two RBD of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the PreS antigen from hepatitis B, which serve as immunological carriers for each other, thereby strengthening the immune response, they said.

    The researchers noted that currently available genetic SARS-CoV-2 vaccines induce mainly transient IgG1 antibody responses, whereas the PreS-RBD vaccine can additionally induce long-lived RBD-specific IgG4 antibodies.

    According to the findings published in the journal Allergy, PreS-RBD-specific IgG antibodies detected in blood and mucosal secretions reacted with SARS-CoV-2 variants, including the Omicron variant.

    Antibodies induced by vaccination with PreS-RBD more potently inhibited the binding of RBD with its human receptor ACE2, the researchers said.

    Their virus-neutralising titers were higher than those in a random sample of individuals fully immunised with two vaccinations of currently registered vaccines or than those of individuals who had previously had COVID-19, they said.

    “The PreS-RBD vaccine has the potential to induce sterilising immunity to old and new SARS-CoV-2 variants by preventing infection by stopping viral replication and transmission through the inhibition of cellular virus entry,” said study leader Rudolf Valenta.

    It is also expected that the vaccine will even be effective in people who have not previously responded to vaccination, as they will receive additional T-cell support from the PreS portion of the vaccine.

    An earlier study by the team had found that approximately 20 per cent of those recovered from COVID-19 failed to form RBD-specific antibodies and were thus at constant risk of re-infection.

              Source: PTI

  • Scientists develop new combo treatment for head and neck cancer

    Scientists develop new combo treatment for head and neck cancer

    An Israeli-led research team has developed a potential new treatment for head and neck cancer (HNC), using a targeted drug and immunotherapy, Ben Gurion University (BGU) in southern Israel has announced.

    The findings, co-authored by Israeli, Chinese, French, German and US researchers, were published in the Journal for ImmunoTherapy of Cancer on Sunday, Xinhua news agency reported. Through pre-clinical study, the researchers found a new treatment combination of Trametinib, a cancer drug that brings a type of killer white blood cells to the cancer site, and Anti-PD-1, an immunotherapy that not kills cancer cells directly but blocks a pathway on immune cells to make them more engaged in fighting tumors. In traditional clinical treatment, Trametinib has not shown efficiency in inhibiting the targetted hyper-active pathway of cancer cells, said the research.

    Researchers then analysed tumor-host interaction that facilitates immune escape in tumor-bearing mice, and found that using a short Trametinib treatment can make resistant tumors more sensitive to anti-PD-1 immunotherapy.

    “We sincerely hope that oncologists will test this treatment combination in HNC patients, as improving immunotherapy efficacy is crucial for prolonging the survival of cancer patients,” the study’s correspondent author Moshe Elkabets was quoted by the BGU statement as saying.

    Source: IANS

  • How to prevent hair loss

    How to prevent hair loss

    Every strand of hair on your head has a lifespan between about 3 to 5 years. Hair follicles have a cycle of active growth, transition, and rest. Hair loss occurs when your hair’s growth cycle is disrupted.

    Hair loss is most commonly caused by your genetics and becomes more common in men and women with age. The second most common cause is telogen effluvium. This condition occurs when more of your hair enters the rest cycle, during which it falls out.

    Telogen effluvium can be caused by: stress, pregnancy, medication side effects, other underlying health conditions

    If you’re experiencing hair loss that leads to bald spots, patchiness, or large clumps of hair coming out, you should see your primary healthcare doctor or a dermatologist for a diagnosis.

    Whether your hair loss is the result of a chronic or short-term health condition, you can take action to protect the hair you have. Keep reading for tips on keeping your hair healthy and strong.

    How to improve hair health

    You can follow a few hair hygiene tips to improve your overall hair health and possibly prevent hair loss.

    Avoid hairstyles that pull on hair

    Hair is flexible, but research shows that your hair can only be stretched so much before becoming permanently damaged. Hairstyles like cornrows, tight braids, and ponytails can pull your hair away from your scalp and loosen the bond between your hair and scalp over time.

    Avoid high-heat hair styling tools.

    Using heat to style your hair leaves your hair follicle dehydrated and vulnerable to damage. Hair dryers, hair straighteners, and curling irons can all damage your hair over time by causing moisture in your hair shafts to expand.

    Don’t chemically treat your hair

    Chemically treating hair with methods such as bleaching damages hair by splitting protein molecules called keratin. If you’re concerned about hair loss, limit your use of dyes, highlights, peroxide treatments, and perms.

    Use a shampoo that’s mild and suited for your hair.

    The purpose of shampoo is to cleanse your hair of dirt and excess oil. Overwashing with shampoo can potentially harm your hair. Sulfates and some other ingredients have been linked to frizz, scalp dryness, and fragile hair. There’s no evidence that any specific ingredients in shampoo cause hair loss, but they might contribute to less than ideal hair health. If you notice your hair is overly dry or frizzy, try a shampoo that’s as close to all-natural as possible.

    Use a soft brush

    Using a soft brush with fibers that are natural can potentially promote healthy oil levels on your hair. The keratin proteins in your hair are stacked like shingles on a roof, so brushing them gently in one direction, starting at the top and continuing through to the ends, can help smooth and condition your hair cuticle. Brushing hair daily can also help you avoid seeing hair clumps in your shower drain.

    Try low-level light therapy

    Low-level light therapy promotes cell growth and repair. It’s a potentially effective treatment for male- and female-pattern baldness, the most common causes of hair loss in men and women. These genetic conditions cause a certain pattern of hair loss. For men, it starts at a receding hairline or bald spot at the crown.

  • Try face oils for healthier skin

    Try face oils for healthier skin

    Dermatologists often talk about keeping your skin ‘oil-free’ and endorse and recommend skincare products that are free of oil. But dermatologist Dr Apratim Goel says, “As I get a deep understanding of face oils over the years, I admit that it is an amazing world with so many ingredients and most of them are therapeutic. Not only are face oils a cure for dry skin, but they are also effective at treating a wide range of skin conditions, right from hyperpigmentation, stretch marks to acne.”

    What is it

    Experts say that face oils are soft and light preparations that have natural oils like avocado, argan, olive, sesame etc, as their base along with therapeutic ingredients. Dermatologist Dr Soma Sarkar says, “We recommend argan, almond and olive oils for the face. These oils have mosituring properties, are used in many face products and are great for dry skins. Women who have oily, acne prone skin can use tea-tree oil — avoid applying on the entire face — use an ear bud to apply a drop of tea tree oil on the acne.”

    Why use face oils

    Face oils have many benefits thanks to the different ingredients. Here are a few of them… w Rich in antioxidants Many botanical oils, including argan, passion fruit etc are potent antioxidants. A few drops can be used under your sunscreen or foundation. It works as a moisturizer as well as a primer.

    Prevents inflammation

    Some oils like argan oil have anti-inflammatory properties and prevent inflammation caused by other active ingredients. Hence, they are ideal bases for skin formulations.

    Great hydrants

    These oils are lipophilic in nature and they penetrate through the lipid layer of the skin and prevent water or moisture loss. For example olive oil, coconut oil etc.

    Anti-ageing properties

    Since the oils are combined with anti-ageing ingredients like retinol, glycolic acid and vitamin C, they help in faster and deeper penetration of these molecules into the skin, thereby augmenting the anti-ageing benefits. It also counters the irritation caused by these molecules.

    Combats rosacea

    Certain aroma oils like orange, tea tree, peppermint etc actually help in reducing acne and rosacea. However this should be done after consultation with an expert.

  • Italian Chicken

    Italian Chicken

    Ingredients

    4 Pieces of Chicken Breast

    2 Eggs ½ cup Maida

    ½ cup Chicken Stock

    ½ cup White Wine

    3 Tbsp Lemon juice

    2 Tbsp Olive Oil

    2 Tbsp Unsalted Butter

    2 sprigs Parsley Salt

    Pepper to taste

    Method

    –        Whisk eggs in a bowl and season it with salt and pepper and let it rest.

    –        Place the flour on a large plate and season that with salt and pepper and set aside.

    –        In another bowl, combine together chicken stock, lemon juice and white wine.

    –        Coat the chicken breast in flour, dip it in beaten egg and shallow fry it on a sauce pan. Cook for about 3 minutes till it turns golden brown. Now that the bake chicken off the pan.

    –        And add the wine and stock mixture to the pan and let it cook for a few minutes until it reduces slightly and thickens, add some butter, parsley, salt and pepper, continue to cook. Now add the chicken breast back in the sauce and cook them together for just another minute. Serve it hot.

  • India in history this Week-April 8, 2022, to April 14, 2022

    08 APRIL

    1857  On the day of 1857, Mangal Pandey, a soldier of the Barrackpore Regiment of British India, was hanged for the crime of breaching military discipline and murder.

    1894  Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, the author of India’s national song “Vande Mataram”, died in 1894.

    1929  On this day in 1929, revolutionary Bhagat Singh and Batukeshwar Dutt threw bombs at the Central Legislative Assembly at Delhi.

    1950  After the 1950 India-Pakistan partition, on this day both countries had entered into an agreement with a view to securing the rights of the minorities living in their respective countries and ending the possibilities of war between the two countries in future.

    1831  The famous social reformer Raja Ram Mohan Roy arrived in England in 1831.

    1985  The border war between India and Pakistan started in 1985, also known as the Second War of Kashmir.

    2008  The governments of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka declared Sikhs as a minority in their state.

    09 APRIL

    1669  Aurangzeb, the emperor of the Mughal Empire, ordered the demolition of all Hindu schools and temples in 1669.

    1965  A battle broke out between the Indian and Pakistan Army in the Rann of Kutch.

    2004  The Supreme Court of Portugal asked for a re-review of the extradition order of India, the wanted mafia kingpin Abu Salem, in several criminal cases in India.

    2011  IIPM Rabindranath Tagore International Peace Prize was announced to Anna Hazare for anti-corruption campaign in 2011.

    1893  Rahul Sankrityayan was born, he is given the title of Mahapandit. Rahul Sankrityayan is counted among the leading writers of Hindi. His research on Buddhism is considered epoch-making in Hindi literature.

    10 APRIL

    1894  Birth of Indian industrialist Ghanshyamdas Birla.

    1995  Fifth Prime Minister of India Morarji Desai passed away with Bharat Ratna.

    1875  Swami Dayanand Saraswati founded the Aryasamaj in 1875.

    1889  Ram Chandra Chatterjee became the first Indian to fly in a hot balloon in 1889.

    1930  Synthetic Rabak was first produced in 1930.

    1982  Successful launch of India’s multi-purpose satellite “INSAT-1A” in 1982.

    2001  Tehran Declaration signed between India and Iran.

    1897  Born in 1897 to Prafulla Chandra Sen, a prominent Congress leader of Bengal, a follower of Mahatma Gandhi and a freedom fighter.

    1894  Birth of Indian industrialist Ghanshyamdas Birla in 1894.

    11 APRIL

    1869  Kasturba Gandhi, wife of Mahatma Gandhi, was born in 1869.

    1919  The International Labor Organization was established in 1919.

    1921  The first live commentary of the Games was broadcast on radio.

    1930  A 124-meter swinging bridge made of steel wires was opened to the public in Rishikesh. It was named Laxman Jhula.

    1999  The Agni 2 missile was tested in 1999.

    2011  Pulitzer Prize for Indian-origin American writer Jhumpa Lahiri for her debut work ‘Interpreter of Melladies’.

    1964  The Communist Party of India was divided into two parts. The main party is called the Communist Party of India and the second party that was divided was named Communist Party (Marxist).

    1910  Anant Laxman Kanhere, one of the young revolutionaries who sacrificed his life for the independence of the country, died in 1910.

    1801  Ranjit Singh himself declared Maharaja of Punjab.

    12 APRIL

    1885  Birth of famous historian Rakhaldas Banerjee who discovered Mohenjodaro.

    2007  Pakistan approves India on Iran Gas Pineline.

    1621  Birth of Sikh Guru Teg Bahadur in 1621.

    1978  The country’s first double-decker train Sinhagad Express was run from the Victoria Terminal of Bombay (now Mumbai) to Pune to mark 125 years of Indian Railways.

    2008  Three people, including two Indian engineers, were killed in a suicide attack on a convoy of Indians in Afghanistan in 2008.

    2014  The famous lyricist Gulzar was awarded the Dadasaheb Phalke Award for the year 2013 in 2014.

    13 APRIL

    1699  The tenth Sikh Guru Govind Singh founded the Khalsa Panth. The festival of Baisakhi is made on this day every year.

    1919  Jallianwala Bagh massacre, indicative of the culmination of the atrocities of the British, was carried out.

    1984  The Indian Army started a campaign of armed forces to occupy the Siachen Glacier in Kashmir.

    1947  Diplomatic relations established between India and Pakistan.

    1984  Indian cricket team won the Asia Cup for the first time by defeating Pakistan by 58 runs in Sharjah.

    1648  Construction of the Red Fort was completed in 1648.

    1939  The Hindustani Red Army (Indian Red Army) was formed in India in 1939 for an armed struggle with the British.

    1952  The session of the first parliament of independent India started in 1952.

    1978  The first flag carrier of the country “INS” was demoted to Delhi in 1978.

    1994  The Golden Jubilee session of Escape concluded in 1994 in New Delhi.

    2000  Lara Dutta was elected Miss Universe in 2000.

    2005  Vishwanathan Anand became ‘World Chess Champion’ for the fourth time in 2005.

    14 APRIL

    1891  Architect of Indian Constitution BR Ambedkar born.

    2008  Start of passenger rail service between Kolkata in India and Dhaka in Bangladesh for the first time since 1965.

    1659  Aurangzeb defeated Dara in 1659 at the Battle of Delhi.

    1563  Arjun Dev, the tenth Sikh Guru, was born in 1563.

    1944  A ship loaded with weapons exploded in the port of Mumbai, killing more than 1200.

    1962  Renowned Indian engineer M. Visvesharaya, who was awarded Bharatharatna, died in 1962.

    1995  India became the Asia Cup cricket champion for the fourth time in 1995.

    2005  India and the US entered into an agreement to open their own flight areas to each other’s airlines.

  • Unexplored Coastal Karnataka

    Unexplored Coastal Karnataka

    Coastal Karnataka is bestowed with sandy beaches, lush greenery, lively culture, magnificent temples, and delicious cuisine. If you are looking for a much-needed break from the hustle-bustle of daily life, the towns in coastal Karnataka will never disappoint you. Here is a list of the most sought-after destinations that you must visit during your next trip to Karnataka. An ideal road trip will take you through these cities, offering you a vacation like no other.

    Gokarna

    One of the most popular coastal Karnataka places, Gokana is a nature’s paradise. It is a quaint beach town, blessed with peaceful surroundings and pristine beaches. You can enjoy a relaxing vacation or enjoy thrilling activities. Parasailing, snorkelling, scuba diving and surfing are some of the exciting water sports to try here. Kudle Beach, Om Beach and Half Moon Beach are popular beaches. Gokarna is also a sacred pilgrimage site, housing the majestic Mahabaleshwar temple.

    Mangalore

    Renowned for its rich history, magnificent temples, alluring beaches, and authentic Mangalorean cuisine, Mangalore is a must-visit destination in coastal Karnataka. Kudroli Gokarnath Temple is one of the most popular temples in the region, known for its vibrant Mangalore Dasara celebration. Besides this, Sammilan Shetty’s Butterfly Park and Mangaladevi Temple are other tourist attractions.

    Udupi

    Home to some of the most iconic temples, Udupi is another coastal Karnataka city that you must visit. Udupi Sri Krishna Temple, Maple Beach, St. Mary’s Beach, and The Corporation Bank Heritage Museum are top attractions in the city. So, whether you are a spiritual seeker or a nature lover, there is something for everyone in Udupi.

    Murudeshwar

    A beautiful beachside pilgrim town, Murudeshwar is home to the world’s second tallest statue of Lord Shiva. Murudeshwar Temple is among the most iconic temples of the state, beckoning thousands of devotees every year. Besides this, Mirjan Fort, The Statue Park, Netrani Island, and Murudeshwar Beach are the famous tourist places to visit in the town.

    Karwar

    This seaside city is a quaint paradise beckoning nature lovers and peace seekers. Here, you can enjoy boat rides on the Kali River, spend some time at the Kali River Garden, watch a mesmerising sunset at the Rabindranath Tagore Beach, and seek blessings at the Naganatha Temple. The authentic Karwar cuisine is a must-try too.

    Coastal Karnataka has plenty to offer for the weary travellers. So, if you are planning a vacation, head to one of these cities for creating memories to last for a lifetime.

    Kaup Beach & Lighthouse

    Kaup Beach, or Kapu as the locals call it, is a sleepy little beach town on the Karnataka coast. Located almost midway between Mangalore and Udupi, this place makes for a great pit stop on any Coastal Karnataka road trip itinerary.

    Malpe Beach

    When in Udupi, do not forget to spend some time at one of Udupi’s most gorgeous beaches – the Malpe Beach. Located only about 6kms from Udupi, Malpe beach coupled with St. Mary’s Island makes for an amazing one-day getaway from Udupi or Mangalore.

    St. Mary’s Island

    Right next to the Malpe beach, only a 15-minute ferry ride away, is the unique St. Mary’s Island. This island is also called the Coconut Island or Thonsepar and makes for an offbeat getaway from the mainland. What is interesting about St. Mary’s Island is the fact that it was formed when Madagascar rifted away from India more than 88 million years ago. The rift gave rise to columnar basalt rocks that are hexagonal in shape. They give the island a distinctive character today.

    Varanga

    As you travel up north from Udupi, you can take a slight detour to get to the sleepy hamlet of Varanga. Here, you can visit one of the most picturesque Jain temples in the world.

    The Jain temple, also called Kere Basadi, is located in the middle of a beautiful lake. You can reach the temple only on a small boat that can accommodate around 10 people at a time.

  • Apple may rebrand A15 Bionic as A16 for iPhone 14

    Apple may rebrand A15 Bionic as A16 for iPhone 14

    Apple is expected to announce the iPhone 14 series in or around September and now a new report suggests that for some of the upcoming models, the company will slightly modify the A15 chip, which is based on the 5nm process, and rebrand it as the A16. According to GizmoChina, the actual new chip could be labelled as the A16 Pro, which will likely be reserved for the iPhone 14 Pro and iPhone 14 Pro Max. Analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said that the 6.1-inch iPhone 14 Pro and the 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Pro Max will get the A16 chip, while the 6.1-inch iPhone 14 and the 6.7-inch iPhone 14 Max will retain the same A15 chip from the iPhone 13 series. Kuo believes all models will have 6GB of memory, the Pro models will use LPDDR5 and the non-Pro will use LPDDR 4X. The upcoming iPhone 14 Pro models will feature both hole-punch and pill-shaped cutouts near the top of the display. The hole is believed to be for the Face ID dot projector, while the pill-shaped cutout will supposedly house the front camera as well as Face ID infrared camera at a minimum. The Pro models would come with a big camera upgrade.

  • Who are the Lapsus$ hackers and what do they want?

    Who are the Lapsus$ hackers and what do they want?

    A prolific hacking gang has been making a name for itself with a string of cyberattacks against a range of high-profile targets. In the space of just a few days, a group known as Lapsus$ revealed that it has stolen data from big-name organisations including Microsoft and Okta.

    The aim of the Lapsus$ campaign appears to be soliciting ransom payments, with threats to leak stolen information if its extortion demands aren’t met. While this tactic is a familiar one, often used by ransomware gangs as extra leverage to force victims to pay a ransom for a decryption key, in the case of Lapsus$, there’s no sign that ransomware is part of the attacks because no data is encrypted.

    But that doesn’t mean that the attacks aren’t damaging: Microsoft Security notes that there’s evidence of a destructive element to the attacks for victims that won’t give in to extortion demands.

    Enterprise identity and access management provider Okta is one of the biggest victims of Lapsus$, in an incident in which the company says attackers might have accessed information of around 2.5% of Okta customers – a figure that the company says represents 366 organisations.

    Okta disclosed the breach on March 22, and the company said it “contained” an attempted security breach in January. However, Lapsus$ has since claimed that is was able to access a support engineer’s laptop and have posted screenshots claiming access to systems. In a blog post, Okta says the laptop belonged to a support engineer working for a third-party provider and that Okta itself hasn’t been compromised. However, the company says it has contacted those affected. Microsoft has also confirmed that it was compromised by Lapsus$. While the company says the attackers gained limited access, the hackers have posted a torrent file claiming to hold source code from Bing, Bing Maps, and Cortana.

    While claiming Okta and Microsoft as victims has drawn eyes to Lapsus$, the group isn’t brand new, having been active since at least December 2021 and claiming a number of victims in recent months.

    One of the first victims of the group was the Brazilian Ministry of Health, which saw over 50TB worth of data stolen and deleted from its systems. Among this haul was data relating to the COVID-19 pandemic, including cases, deaths, vaccinations, and more. It took a month before systems were up and running again.

    Other victims of Lapsus$ attacks in recent months include a number of technology and gaming companies. In February, Nvidia fell victim to a cybersecurity incident that was attributed to Lapsus$. The group claims to have stolen over 1TB of data from the microchip manufacturer, including employee passwords.

    Source: ZDnet

  • Israeli startup to test brain-activity gear on space mission to ISS

    Israeli startup to test brain-activity gear on space mission to ISS

    Caption: An electroencephalogram (EEG) enabled helmet, due to be used in an experiment on the impact of a microgravity environment on the brain activity of astronauts is displayed at Israeli startup Brain.Space in Tel Aviv, Israel, March 22, 2022.  Israel’s Brain.Space, a four-year-old startup that studies data on brain activity, is set to put its gear to test on astronauts in space next week during a SpaceX shuttle flight to the International Space Station (ISS). Three astronauts on the planned private space-flight firm Axiom Space’s mission to the ISS will use a special electroencephalogram (EEG)-enabled helmet made by Brain.Space, the company said.

    The 10-day mission, the first-ever private trip to the space station, will set off on April 3 with four astronauts.”We actually know that the microgravity environment impacts the physiological indicators in the body. So, it will probably impact the brain and we would like to monitor that,” Brain.

    Space Chief Executive Yair Levy told Reuters. Data has continuously been collected on heart rate, skin resistance, muscle mass and others in space but not yet on brain activity, he said.

    Brain.Space joins 30 experiments that will take part in the so-called Rakia Mission to the ISS.Three of the four astronauts — including Israeli Eytan Stibbe — will wear the helmet, which has 460 airbrushes that connect to the scalp, and perform a number of tasks for 20 minutes a day, during which data will be uploaded to a laptop on the space station. The tasks include a “visual oddball” one that the company says has been effective in detecting abnormal brain dynamics.

    Similar studies using these tasks have been completed on Earth and after the mission, Brain. Space will compare the EEG data to see the differences in brain activity between Earth and space. It noted that such experiments are needed since long-term space exploration and “off-world living are within grasp.

    Source: Reuters

  • Turn your Android phone into a space monitoring tool with the Camaliot app

    The Camaliot Android app will allow users to turn their smartphones into a tool for crowdfunded science. All you need in order to participate is a compatible Android phone with a working satellite navigation feature and the Camaliot app which can be downloaded from the Google Play Store. The app is compatible with more than 50 devices, according to the project’s website.

    Camaliot is a project funded by the European Space Agency (ESA) and is led by ETH Zurich in collaboration with a team at ESA. The researchers will combine data from many users’ phones with other sources of data using machine learning for applications like weather forecasting.

    Apart from helping scientists create new earth and space weather forecasting models, participants also stand the chance to win phones and Amazon vouchers. This four-month ‘citizen science’ campaign runs until the end of July.

    “Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) such as Europe’s Galileo have revolutionized everyday life,” explained ESA navigation engineer Vicente Navarro in a press release. “And the precisely modulated signals continuously generated by the dozens of GNSS satellites in orbit are also proving a valuable resource for science, increasingly employed to study Earth’s atmosphere, oceans and surface environments. Our GNSS Science Support Centre was created to help support this trend.” As signals from satellites reach Earth, they are modified by the amount of water vapour in the lower atmosphere. As they pass through this vapour and other irregular patches in the atmosphere, they undergo ‘scintillation’ or fading and delaying. Data about this scintillation can reveal insights about the Ionosphere, where the earth’s atmosphere meets space.

              Source: The Indian Express

  • Alia Bhatt-Ranbir Kapoor to marry on 15th April

    Alia Bhatt-Ranbir Kapoor to marry on 15th April

    With so many dates and information on Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor’s hush-hush wedding floating out there, many are already tired of reading the articles. But, Pinkvilla has got you covered. We have with us a very big report on the lovebirds’ actual wedding date and the ‘logic’ behind the date.

    The much-awaited wedding of the power couple Ranbir Kapoor & Alia Bhatt is just around the corner. Pinkvilla was the first one to reveal about the wedding, which is taking place at the Kapoors’ ancestral house ‘RK House’ in Chembur. Since then, the media has been behind this Big Fat Wedding to dig out the information. But now, there is a slight change in the plan, Ranbir Kapoor & family’s Mehendi function on 13th April will take place at RK House.

    We waited patiently for our reliable source to confirm the original date of Ranbir Alia’s wedding. And no, neither it’s happening on the 14th of April nor on the 17th of April.            Source: Pinkvilla