The Indian Panorama

Year: 2023

  • Anne Hathaway dances her heart out in viral, mesmerising video

    Anne Hathaway dances her heart out in viral, mesmerising video

    A video of actor Anne Hathaway dancing up a storm at the Paris Fashion Week is going viral. In the video which was shared by several fan accounts of the actor, Anne is seen dancing her heart out to the classic tune of 2001’s Lady Marmalade from the Moulin Rogue soundtrack. On Wednesday, February 1, The Devil wears Prada attended the Valentino Haute Couture show in Paris Fashion Week, in a head-to-toe leopard-print outfit, that included a matching clutch and matching leopard print heels. In fan videos shared on Twitter, Anne seems to dance at the after-party during Paris Fashion Week with a carefree abandon to Lady Marmalade. She flicked her hair across her face even as several phone cameras flashed at her. She lip-synced to the lyrics, “Voulez-vous coucher avec moi, ce soir?” and danced her heart out to the song with other party goers.

    The viral TikTok video has since garnered more than 3 million likes, with many fans obsessing over Anne’s moves. A fan said, “I wanna be her in my 40s,” while another comment read, “I am in love w Anne Hathaway.” One fan wrote, “Obsessed with her!” while another commented, “My toxic trait is thinking I look this good when dancing and singing along.” A fan even responded to the video saying, “Day 2 and those videos of Anne Hathaway dancing have ruined my life my brain is physically incapable of thinking of anything else. I don’t even know how to read anymore.” Anne was last seen attending the Sundance Film Festival, where she debuted her new film Eileen. She stars alongside actor Thomasin McKenzie in the romantic psychological thriller film which opened to rave reviews for her performance. According to our review, “Eileen, for all its lush promise and pull, never really knows what kind of film it wants to be. You never quite know what you are watching either- a bitterly resolute queer romance, or a pulpy psychological thriller.”          Source: HT

  • Jennifer Aniston wears a lehenga in Murder Mystery 2 trailer

    Jennifer Aniston and Adam Sandler have been frequent collaborators. So when the Just Go With It co-stars reunited for Murder Mystery 2, of course they were bound to create buzz. The trailer of Murder Mystery 2 released recently. However, if there is one thing that eclipsed almost everything else is Jennifer Aniston in a lehenga. In the trailer, Jennifer Aniston is seen dressed in an ivory lehenga, which is reportedly designed by Manish Malhotra. Fans on Twitter were delighted to see the F.R.I.E.N.D.S star in a desi ensemble. Without much ado, take a look at the tweets. Jennifer Aniston became a star after starring in the iconic sitcom F.R.I.E.N.D.S. She also has a successful film career, having starred in romcoms such as We’re The Millers, The Object of My Affection, Just Go With It, Along Came Polly, The Bounty Hunter and the Horrible Bosses series among many others. She reunited with her onscreen sister Reese Witherspoon for both seasons of The Morning Show. Reese starred as Rachel’s spoilt sister Jill Green in F.R.I.E.N.D.S.

  • Ananya Panday to star in cyber-thriller

    Ananya Panday to star in cyber-thriller

    Ananya Panday is all set to headline a cyber-thriller directed by celebrated filmmaker Vikramaditya Motwane and produced by Nikhil Dwivedi of Veere Di Wedding fame.
    After winning praise for critically acclaimed movies like ‘Udaan’, ‘Lootera’, ‘Bhavesh Joshi Superhero’, and ‘AK vs. AK’, Vikramaditya Motwane is back in the director’s seat for this gripping, edge-of-the-seat thriller. Produced by Nikhil Dwivedi’s company -Saffron, the untitled film is a cyber thriller in which the young popular actress takes on a part she has never played before. Says Vikramaditya Motwane, “This is a thriller with modern-day appeal and very relevant to our times. It’s going to be really interesting to see Ananya Panday in this role since it’s something she hasn’t attempted before.” Says Ananya Panday, “When Vikramaditya Motwane approached me with this story, I just knew I had to be part of it. As a filmmaker, he has been on my wish list for as long as I can remember and I feel really lucky to be working with him this early in my career.” Source: Mid Day

  • Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar Song Tere Pyaar Mein: Ranbir Kapoor Is Madly In Love With Shraddha

    Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar Song Tere Pyaar Mein: Ranbir Kapoor Is Madly In Love With Shraddha

    The first song Tere Pyaar Mein from Shraddha Kapoor and Ranbir Kapoor’s upcoming film Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar is out, and it’s all about love. In the song, Ranbir, madly in love with Shraddha, is chasing her around the streets, beaches and other picturesque locations of Spain to woo her. Shraddha, on the other hand, is also shown enjoying the attention. The song also features some steamy moments between Shraddha and Ranbir. The peppy tunes, beachy vibes and Ranbir-Shraddha’s crackling chemistry make this song the perfect love anthem.
    Tere Pyaar Mein is sung by Arijit Singh and Nikhita Gandhi, while it is composed by Pritam. The lyrics are written by Amitabh Bhattacharya.
    Shraddha Kapoor also shared the song on her Instagram handle and captioned it as “LOVE IS BACK! Mummy kasam iss statement mein na jhooth hai na makkaari hai (Mother swear, there is no lie and no cheating in this statement). #TerePyaarMein Out Now.”
    Helmed by Luv Ranjan, Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar also stars Dimple Kapadia and Anubhav Singh Bassi in pivotal roles. A few days ago, the makers unveiled the trailer, which is all about love, breakup and revenge. The trailer describes the new-age relationship where it’s easier to get into relationships but harder to get out of them.
    Produced by Luv Films and T- Series, the romantic comedy-drama Tu Jhoothi Main Makkaar is slated to release on the occasion of Holi, March 8, 2023. The movie also stars Boney Kapoor in a cameo role.
    Source: NDTV

  • Vicky Kaushal says ‘he isn’t a perfect husband’ to Katrina Kaif

    Vicky Kaushal says ‘he isn’t a perfect husband’ to Katrina Kaif

    In a new interview, Vicky Kaushal spoke about life after marriage, and opened up about why he thinks he is not a ‘perfect husband’. Speaking about Katrina, he said he ‘loves’ his wife, and added that ‘a person in love is always the best version of themselves’. Vicky also added that he ‘tries to be the best version of a husband he can be’.
    Vicky and Katrina Kaif married in an intimate wedding ceremony in December 2021 in Rajasthan. Since then, the couple has been spotted out and about in Mumbai, attending events together. Vicky and Katrina have not yet collaborated for a film, but they were seen together in an advertisement last year, while promoting an online travel company. In a new interview, Vicky spoke about Katrina, and how he has ‘learned so much more’ in the past couple of years because of their marriage than he did, while he was single.
    Vicky told Lifestyle Asia India, when asked about his ‘ideal man’ image, “I’m not perfect in any way. Not as a husband, a son, a friend or an actor. I think that’s the ongoing quest and the process of reaching that is, I think, where I’ve always wanted to be. Being perfect is like a mirage, you know? You always feel you’re reaching there but you’re never quite there. So, I don’t think I’m a perfect husband. I don’t think I’m perfect in any way, but I try to be the best version of a husband I can be at any given moment. Of course, tomorrow I will be better than I was yesterday but I always try to do the best that I can.”
    He further reflected on his marriage with Katrina, and said, “You learn a lot when you start living with a person and when you have a companion. I think in the past year, I’ve learned so much more than the years I was single because it’s just beautiful how you start understanding another person’s perspective and that makes you truly grow as a person.”
    Vicky was last seen in Govinda Naam Mera, which was released on Netflix in December 2022. The film also featured Kiara Advani and Bhumi Pednekar. He is now working on Sam Bahadur, based on the life of India’s first Field Marshal Sam Manekshaw. The film directed by Meghna Gulzar is scheduled to be released in December this year. Source: HT

  • Shamita Shetty dismisses dating rumors with Aamir Ali

    Bigg Boss 15 fame Shamita Shetty has been making headlines for her rumoured dating with television actor Aamir Ali, who was earlier married to Sanjeeda Sheikh.
    The actress has now broken her silence on the reports and clarified that she is happily single. Shamita and Aamir were recently spotted at a party together and the latter was seen escorting the actress to her car and planting a kiss on her cheek.
    Taking to her Twitter handle, Shamita wrote, “I’m baffled by society and its convenient prudish mindset all across. Why is every action and every person subjected to scrutiny or snap judgement with no reality check? There are possibilities beyond the narrow-minded assumptions of the netizens… It’s high time we open our minds to it! Single and happy .. let’s focus on more important issues in this country!”

  • New I-T regime made attractive for high income individuals

    New I-T regime made attractive for high income individuals

    From next financial year, the new income tax regime will be default regime with the changes proposed in the Budget intended to not only narrow the gap with the old tax regime but make it more attractive for the higher income brackets not bothered about long-term savings.
    The Budget has proposed many big changes in the new regime. There is now a standard deduction of Rs 50,000, raising the basic tax exemption limit to Rs 3 lakh and reducing the surcharge for the super rich. The number of slabs has been reduced while nothing has changed for those in the old tax regime. Moreover, people in the new tax regime with income up to Rs 7 lakh will not have to pay any tax.
    For those who don’t want deductions and exemptions, the new tax regime has already become a more attractive choice with income of over Rs 5 crore annually.
    But the new regime can also be an option for others as well. Individuals earning up to Rs 7 lakh will pay no tax in contrast with those earning the same amount under the old regime who will have to pay tax of Rs 22,901 after making payouts for house rent and investments under Sections 80C, 80CCD (1B) and 80D. Had there been no Budget concessions, new regime taxpayers would have had to pay Rs 33,800.
    But for those earning Rs 10 lakh, the new regime taxpayer’s outgo is Rs 54,600 as against Rs 31,221 which means a substantial gap of over Rs 23,000. Had there been no sops, the outgo under the new regime would have been Rs 78,000.
    However, the picture again changes for those earning Rs 20 lakh. The gap between the two regimes narrows to just Rs 6,000. And for those earning Rs 35 lakh, the gap is just 1% of the tax outgo. The tax outgo definitely is less under the new scheme for those earning Rs 55 lakh, mainly because the highest surcharge rate has been reduced from 37% to 25%.
    The benefits under the old scheme, though applicable to fewer slabs, is premised on the use of a raft of concessions such as medical insurance, NPS, up to Rs 1.5 lakh under 80C etc. None of this is a prerequisite for the new scheme which, however, conveys the message that instant consumption is better than prudent term savings for a rainy day.
    Surge in term insurance likely as rebate on high-value policies goes
    The Budget has proposed to take away the tax-free advantage from traditional insurance plans if the annual premium is above Rs 5 lakh in a year on the policies issued on or after April 1. Insurers feel this may lead to surge in the purchase of term policies that are pure life insurance policies without the element of savings. The proposal, will, however, not impact taxation of unit-linked insurance plans (ULIPs), term insurance and old policies.
    “With this announcement, the proceeds of these policies will be taxed as per an individual’s tax slab, expect in case of demise. This announcement is mainly for insurance policies which are purchased from the point of view of long-term savings. This may lead to an increase in the purchase of term insurance policies that are pure life insurance policies without the element of savings,” said Sanjib Jha, CEO, Coverfox Group.
    Life insurance policies are taken against the risk of life of a person. In order to curb blanket exemptions on such policies, the Finance Bill 2023 proposes to exclude policies (other than ULIP) which give insured investment-based returns from such exemptions.
    Agriculture gets raw deal
    The government on Wednesday announced plans to make India the global hub of millets, push digital infrastructure in the farm sector and create decentralised capacities at the panchayat level, even as the allocation for the key sector has been reduced by Rs 9,000 crore.
    To encourage agricultural startups in rural areas by young entrepreneurs, a new Agriculture Accelerator Fund has been announced to bring innovative and affordable solutions for challenges faced by farmers.
    Taking forward the cooperative-based economic development model to help small and marginal farmers, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman announced plans to set up a massive decentralised storage capacity for farmers.
    “This will help farmers store their produce and get remunerative prices in time. The government will facilitate setting up of several multipurpose cooperative societies, primary fishery and dairy cooperative societies in villages in the next five years,” she said, listing the goal of helping 1 crore farmers over the next three years to adopt natural farming through newly announced Bharatiya Prakritik Kheti Bio-Input Resource Centres.
    Several new schemes, including the Rs 6,000 crore Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana, to further enable the activities of fishermen, fish vendors, and micro and small enterprises, notwithstanding, representatives of farmer unions who led a nearly year-long agitation against farm laws did not appear impressed with the Budget saying sector allocationd was cut by Rs 9,000 crore.
    The Budget estimate for 2023-24 is a substantial Rs 1.15 lakh crore, though it is down from over Rs 1.24 lakh crore allocation in 2022-23, a reduction of 6.8 per cent.
    The allocation under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana has been cut from Rs 15,500 crore in 2022-23 to Rs 13,625 crore in 2023-24 Budget estimates (12 per cent reduction). The budget for the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, which offers an annual direct financial assistance of Rs 6,000 to farmers, has been pruned from Rs 68,000 crore in 2022-23 to Rs 60,000 crore in 2023-24, a decline of 12 per cent.
    Customs duty on silver hiked to 15%
    Customs duty on silver has been hiked from about 10.75% to 15% to bring it on a par with duty on gold. Despite that, domestic silver prices saw an increase of only 1.5-2%, reflecting lower domestic demand.
    Deposit limit for senior citizens up
    Deposit limit for Senior Citizen Savings Scheme up from Rs 15 lakh to Rs 30 lakh. Monthly Income Account Scheme limit up from Rs 4.5 lakh to Rs 9 lakh for single a/c, Rs 9 lakh to Rs 15 lakh for joint a/c.
    – Rs 15 lakh previous limit
    – Rs 30 lakh revised limit
    Rs 52,937 cr push for BSNL revival
    To provide high-speed internet in farthest corners of the country, the Union Government has allocated Rs 52,937 crore for Bharat Sanchar Nigam Limited (BSNL), the state-run telecom carrier. This is primarily for 4G spectrum, technology upgrading and restructuring of the company. In July 2022, the Centre had announced a Rs 1.64 lakh crore revival package for the BSNL.
    Education set for hi-tech boost
    Three centres of excellence in artificial intelligence (AI), an ambitious plan to skill lakhs of youths over the next three years, and development of new-age courses like coding, robotics, mechatronics, IOT, 3D printing and drones are part of this year’s Budget announcements for the education sector. The highlight of the sector is a record allocation of Rs 1.12 lakh crore. The Ministry of Education said while the school education has been allocated Rs 68,804.85 crore, higher education received Rs 44,094.62 crore.
    Source: TNS

  • Rishi Sunak marks 100 days as UK PM with pledge to deliver change

    Rishi Sunak marks 100 days as UK PM with pledge to deliver change

    London (TIP): Rishi Sunak marked his 100th day in office as the first non-white British Prime Minister on February 2 with a slick new video for social media pledging to deliver change, amidst multiple challenges, including spiralling inflation.
    The UK’s first Indian-origin Prime Minister took charge at 10 Downing Street a day after Diwali last year on October 25 in the wake of intense political turmoil following the unceremonious exit of his predecessors – party-gate scandal-hit Boris Johnson and the country’s shortest-serving Prime Minister Liz Truss.
    Since then, Sunak has laid out his top priorities with a particular focus on cutting soaring inflation to tackle the crippling cost of living crisis in the aftermath of the Covid pandemic and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict.
    “Others may talk about change. I will deliver it,” he wrote on Twitter on Thursday.
    The accompanying video captures a montage of his historic selection for the top job as the “youngest in modern history”, aged 42, and also the first non-white politician at No. 10 Downing Street. It goes on to reiterate his new year commitments of five key priorities: to halve inflation, grow the economy, reduce debt, cut National Health Service (NHS) waiting lists and stop the illegal migration via small boats crossing the English Channel.
    Among the scenes of his meetings with key world leaders, there is shot of him shaking hands with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the G20 Summit in Bali, Indonesia, last November where the two leaders greenlit the UK-India Young Professionals Scheme – a reciprocal scheme offering 3,000 18-30-year-old degree-educated youth visas every year to live and work in either country for two years.
    “I know first-hand the incredible value of the deep cultural and historic ties we have with India. I am pleased that even more of India’s brightest young people will now have the opportunity to experience all that life in the UK has to offer – and vice-versa – making our economies and societies richer,” he said at the time.
    Sunak, who is married to Infosys co-founder Narayana Murthy’s daughter Akshata Murty, has also committed to working towards a free trade agreement (FTA) with India but reiterated that his government would not compromise “quality over speed” after the Diwali deadline set for the deal was missed due to the political turmoil in the UK.
    On the domestic front, Sunak faces multiple challenges and pressures, including having to recently sack Conservative Party chair Nadhim Zahawi as a minister without portfolio in his Cabinet after an investigation found he had breached the ministerial code over his tax affairs.
    He faced intense Opposition pressure over the issue and continues to be challenged over his decision to keep his deputy prime minister, Dominic Raab, in the post while he is being investigated over multiple bullying allegations by civil servants.
    “Integrity is really important to me,” he said recently, pledging to “take whatever steps are necessary to restore the integrity back into politics”.
    “The things that happened before I was prime minister, I can’t do anything about. What I think you can hold me to account for is how I deal with the things that arise on my watch,” he added.
    Besides, his government is facing some of the biggest strikes in British history as nurses, teachers, transport workers and civil servants take industrial action demanding better pay and working conditions.
    The spectre of Brexit, which also marked its third anniversary this week after Britain formally left the European Union (EU) on January 31, 2020, continues to loom large over his leadership as he works on signing off on a new deal over the Northern Ireland Protocol. The unresolved issue of goods traded between the UK region and EU member-state Ireland has continued to cause great discontent on all sides. (PTI)

  • Teachers, civil servants join mass strike in UK

    Teachers, civil servants join mass strike in UK

    London (TIP): Up to half a million British teachers, civil servants, and train drivers walked out over pay in the largest coordinated strike action for a decade on February 1, with unions threatening more disruption as the government digs its heels in over pay demands.
    The mass walkouts across the country shut schools, halted most rail services, and forced the military to be put on standby to help with border checks on a day dubbed “Walkout Wednesday”.
    According to unions, as many as 300,000 teachers took part, the biggest group involved, as part of wider action by 500,000 people, the highest number since 2011, when civil servants walked out en masse.
    Prime Minister Rishi Sunak condemned the strikes which forced millions of children to miss school. “I am clear that our children’s education is precious and they deserve to be in school today being taught,” he said.
    His government has taken a hard line against the unions, arguing that giving in to the demands would fuel the inflation problem. — Reuters

  • Australia to replace monarch on banknote with design honouring Indigenous culture

    Sydney (TIP): Australia will replace the portrait of Queen Elizabeth II from its A$5 currency note with a new design to reflect and honour the history of its Indigenous culture, the country’s central bank said on February 2.
    The decision follows consultation with the federal government, which supports the change, the Reserve Bank of Australia said in a statement. The other side of the note will continue to feature the Australian Parliament, it said.
    Queen Elizabeth’s death last year has reignited debates in Australia about its future as a constitutional monarchy. Voters narrowly chose to maintain the British monarch as its head of state in a 1999 referendum.
    King Charles III, who became British monarch after his mother’s death, is the head of state in Australia, New Zealand and 12 other Commonwealth realms outside the United Kingdom, although the role is largely ceremonial.
    Australia in September 2022 said the image of King Charles would not automatically replace Queen Elizabeth on A$5 notes, and that she might be replaced by Australian figures.
    Authorities have said the decision to include the queen’s image on the A$5 dollar note was about her personality as opposed to her status as the monarch.
    The decision to update the note comes as Australia’s centre-left Labor government pushes for a referendum, required to alter the constitution, to recognise Indigenous people in the document and require consultation with them on decisions that affect their lives.
    In 2021, Australia officially amended its national anthem to remove reference to the country being “young and free” amid calls to recognise that its Indigenous people are the oldest civilization in the world.
    The Reserve Bank said it would consult with Indigenous groups in designing the A$5 banknote. It will take a number of years to design and print the new banknote. Until then, the current note will continue to be issued. (Reuters)

  • Erdogan says Turkey positive on Finland’s NATO bid, not Sweden’s

    Erdogan says Turkey positive on Finland’s NATO bid, not Sweden’s

    Ankara (TIP): Turkey looks positively on Finland’s application for NATO membership, but does not support Sweden’s bid, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on February 1.
    “Our position on Finland is positive, but it is not positive on Sweden,” Erdogan said of their NATO applications in a speech to his AK Party deputies in parliament.
    Sweden and Finland applied last year to join the trans-Atlantic defence pact after Russia invaded Ukraine, but faced unexpected objections from Turkey and have since sought to win its support.
    Ankara wants Helsinki and Stockholm in particular to take a tougher line against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), which is considered a terror group by Turkey and the European Union, and another group it blames for a 2016 coup attempt.
    The three nations reached an agreement on a way forward in Madrid last June, but Ankara suspended talks last month as tensions rose following protests in Stockholm in which a far-right Danish politician burned a copy of the Muslim holy book, the Koran.
    “Sweden should not bother to try at this point. We will not say ‘yes’ to their NATO application as long as they allow burning of the Koran,” Erdogan said.
    Sweden’s Foreign Minister said there could be no compromise over freedom of speech, but that Sweden would continue to implement the Madrid agreement.
    “It is very clear what is necessary for Sweden to become a member of NATO and that is that we meet the requirements which are present in the trilateral agreement,” he told national news agency TT.
    “Religion is not part of the agreement.”
    At the weekend, Erdogan signalled that Ankara could agree to Finland joining NATO ahead of Sweden. But Finland’s Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto said on Monday his country was sticking to its plan to apply jointly with Sweden.
    Of NATO’s 30 members, only Turkey and Hungary are yet to ratify the Nordic countries’ memberships.
    Asked whether Turkey had plans for separate processes for Finland and Sweden, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said it was NATO and the two Nordic countries who would decide on any separate ratifications.
    “If NATO and the two countries decide for separate membership processes, Turkey will of course reconsider Finland’s membership separately and more favourably,” Cavusoglu said at a news conference with his Estonian counterpart in Tallinn.
    Finland on Wednesday repeated its position that it will move in step with its Nordic neighbour.
    “Finland continues to advance the membership process together with Sweden,” the joint presidential and government committee on Finnish security and foreign policy said in a statement.
    “The fastest possible realisation of both countries memberships is in the best interest of Finland, Sweden and the whole NATO,” it added. Reuters

  • Crypto hacks stole record $3.8 billion in 2022, led by North Korea groups: Report

    Seoul (TIP): Last year was the worst on record for cryptocurrency heists, with hackers stealing as much as $3.8 billion, led by attackers linked to North Korea who netted more than ever before, a US-based blockchain analytics firm said in a report on February 1. The report by Chainalysis found hacking activity that “ebbed and flowed” throughout the year, with “huge spikes” in March and October. October was the biggest single month ever for cryptocurrency hacking, with $775.7 million stolen in 32 separate attacks, the report said.
    The cryptocurrency market floundered in 2022, as risk appetite diminished and various crypto firms collapsed.
    Investors were left with large losses and regulators stepped up calls for more consumer protection.
    At the time, Chainalysis and other firms confirmed to Reuters that North Korean-related accounts had lost millions of dollars in value.
    But that did not deter hackers.
    North Korea-linked hackers such as those in the cybercriminal syndicate Lazarus Group have been by far the most prolific cryptocurrency hackers, stealing an estimated $1.7 billion worth of in multiple attacks last year, the report said.
    “In 2022, they shattered their own records for theft,” it said.
    North Korea has denied allegations of hacking or other cyberattacks.
    According to a panel of experts monitoring United Nations sanctions, North Korea has increasingly relied on hacking to fund its missile and nuclear weapons programmes, particularly as publicly declared trade dwindled under sanctions and Covid-19 lockdowns.
    “It isn’t a stretch to say that cryptocurrency hacking is a sizable chunk of the nation’s economy,” Chainalysis said.
    For the first time last year, US law enforcement seized $30 million in stolen funds from North Korea-linked hackers.
    “These hacks will get harder and less fruitful with each passing year,” Chainalysis predicted.
    Targets in “decentralized finance” or DeFi, a thriving segment in the cryptocurrency sector, accounted for more than 82% of the cryptocurrency stolen in 2022, the report said.
    DeFi applications, many of which run on the Ethereum blockchain, are financial platforms that enable crypto-denominated lending outside of traditional banks.
    Last year saw a record amount of crypto transactions related to illicit activity overall, reaching $20.1 billion, Chainalysis said in January. (Reuters)

  • Nepal’s former deputy PM Lamichhane re-acquires nationality certificate after SC nullifies his citizenship

    Nepal’s former deputy PM Lamichhane re-acquires nationality certificate after SC nullifies his citizenship

    Kathmandu (TIP): Nepal’s former deputy prime minister and home minister Rabi Lamichhane on Sunday reacquired his citizenship certificate, two days after he had to resign following a decision by the country’s Supreme Court to scrap his status as a member of the House of Representatives for not producing a valid nationality certificate.
    Lamichhane on Friday 3 tendered his resignation after the apex court’s verdict.
    He re-acquired a citizenship certificate from District Administration Office Kathmandu by producing the necessary documents.
    According to Lamichhane’s Press Advisor Navaraj Pande, Lamichhane “re-acquired a Nepali citizenship certificate on Sunday.” After re-acquiring the citizenship certificate, Lamichhane was re-elected as the president of the Rastriya Swotantra Party.
    Lamichhane was stripped of all positions, including the posts of Deputy Prime Minister, Home Minister, member of the House of Representatives and party president after the Supreme Court’s decision.
    Lamichhane had in February 1994 acquired citizenship by descent from the District Administration Office, Kathmandu. In 2014, he got American citizenship. His Nepali citizenship was automatically scrapped the day he became an American citizen, as per Nepal’s Citizenship Act.
    Section 10 of the Act says any Nepali citizen who voluntarily obtains citizenship of a foreign country will automatically lose citizenship of Nepal. The Act also makes it mandatory to apply for reclaim Nepali citizenship if one renounces his/her foreign citizenship. But Lamichhane didn’t apply for Nepali citizenship after renouncing his American citizenship. (PTI)

  • Radioactive capsule that fell off truck found in Australia

    Perth (TIP): Authorities in Western Australia on February 11 recovered a tiny but dangerous radioactive capsule that fell off a truck while being transported along a 1,400-kilometer (870-mile) Outback highway last month in what an official said was like finding the needle in the haystack.
    Officials said the capsule the size of a pea was found south of the mining town of Newman on the Great Northern Highway. It was detected by a search vehicle travelling at 70 kilometers (43 miles) per hour when specialist equipment picked up radiation emitting from the capsule.
    Portable search equipment was then used to locate it 2 meters (6.5 feet) from the side of the road. “This is an extraordinary result … they have quite literally found the needle in the haystack,” said Emergency Services Minister Stephen Dawson. Chief Health Officer Andy Robertson said the capsule did not appear to have moved and no injuries had been reported.
    It contains the caesium 137 ceramic source, commonly used in radiation gauges, which emits dangerous amounts of radiation, equivalent of receiving 10 X-rays in an hour. It could cause skin burns and prolonged exposure could cause cancer. Search crews had spent six days scouring the entire length of the highway.
    The capsule measures 8 millimeters by 6 millimeters (0.31 inches by 0.24 inches), and people have been warned it could have unknowingly become lodged in their car’s tires. A government investigation has been launched into how the capsule fell off the truck and a report will be provided to the health minister. Defense officials were verifying the identification of the capsule, which has been placed into a lead container for safety.
    It will be stored in a secure location in Newman before being transported to a health facility in the city of Perth.
    The capsule got lost while being transported between a desert mine site and Perth on January 10. The truck transporting the capsule arrived at a Perth depot on January 16. Emergency services were notified of the missing capsule on January 25.
    The chief executive of the mining giant Rio Tinto Iron Ore, Simon Trott, has apologised for the incident and expressed gratitude for the find.
    “A pretty incredible recovery when you think of the distances involved, and also the remoteness of the terrain, and I think that really speaks to the tenacity of all those who were involved in the search,” Trott said.
    “The simple fact is this device should never have been lost. We’re sorry that that has occurred and we’re sorry for the concern that that has caused within the Western Australian community,” Trott added. (AP)

  • Peshawar suicide attacker entered high-security zone in police uniform

    Peshawar suicide attacker entered high-security zone in police uniform

    Peshawar (TIP): A suicide bomber who killed 101 people at a mosque inside a major police facility in Peshawar had disguised himself in a police uniform to sneak into the high security zone and was riding a motorcycle with a helmet and mask on, a top police official said today.
    The guards at the security checkpoint at the main entrance of the Police Lines area did not check the bomber dressed in police uniform and let him go inside, Inspector General of Police of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Moazzam Jah Ansari told the media here.
    The CCTV footage shows that the bomber entered the Police Lines area via Khyber Road, he said.
    He added that the attacker had also asked about the way to the mosque from a police officer. The bomber asked a ‘havaldar’ where the mosque was in Pashto language, he said, adding that the motorcycle registration number has been traced.
    He said the attacker was not an individual, but rather had a whole network supporting him. He said the police were close to the terrorist network responsible for the bombing.
    The suicide bomber blew himself up during the afternoon prayers on Monday in the mosque in the Police Lines area, killing 101 people, including 97 policemen, and injuring more than 200 others. The banned Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for the attack. (PTI)

  • 17 killed in road accident in Pakistan

    Peshawar (TIP): At least seventeen people have been killed after a truck hit a bus coming from the opposite direction in Pakistan’s northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on February 2, police said.
    The tragic accident occurred near the Kohat tunnel on Indus Highway some 40km southwest of Peshawar.
    One person has been injured in the accident, police said, adding that the injured and the dead bodies have been shifted to a district headquarters hospital.
    The accident occurred due to the brake failure of the truck, police said.
    Haji Ghulam Ali, Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and caretaker Chief Minister Azam Khan have expressed profound grief and sorrow over the fatal accident.(PTI)

  • Nepal seeks 90 MW power supply from Bihar

    Kathmandu (TIP): The Nepal Electricity Authority has reportedly urged the Bihar government to supply an additional 90 Mega Watt (MW) of power. This is to deal with the power deficit that the country is currently going through. This is excluding the 90 MW that Nepal has currently been importing from India. Ani
    ‘Silent strike’: Myanmar resistance steadfast against army rule two years later
    BANGKOK (TIP): The prospects for peace in Myanmar, much less a return to democracy, seem dimmer than ever two years after the army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, experts say.
    On Wednesday, legions of opponents of military rule heeded a call by protest organizers to stay home in what they termed a “silent strike” to show their strength and solidarity.
    The opposition’s General Strike Coordination Body, formed soon after the 2021 takeover, urged people to stay inside their homes or workplaces from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Photos posted on social media showed empty streets in normally bustling downtown Yangon, the country’s largest city, with just a few vehicles on the roads, and there were reports of similar scenes elsewhere.
    Small peaceful protests are an almost-daily occurrence throughout the country, but on the anniversary of the Feb. 1, 2021, seizure of power by the army, two points stand out: The amount of violence, especially in the countryside, has reached the level of civil war; and the grassroots movement opposing military rule has defied expectations by largely holding off the ruling generals.
    The violence extends beyond the rural battlefields where the army is burning and bombing villages, displacing hundreds of thousands of people in what is a largely neglected humanitarian crisis. It also occurs in the cities, where activists are arrested and tortured and urban guerrillas retaliate with bombings and assassinations of targets linked to the military. The military, after closed trials, have also executed activists accused of “terrorism.”
    According to the independent Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a watchdog group that tracks killings and arrests, 2,940 civilians have been killed by the authorities since the army takeover, and another 17,572 have been arrested — 13,763 of whom remain detained. (AFP)

  • Have asked Collegium to reconsider 18 proposals for judges’ appointment: Rijiju

    Have asked Collegium to reconsider 18 proposals for judges’ appointment: Rijiju

    New Delhi (TIP)- Asserting that the Government can seek reconsideration on names recommended by the Supreme Court Collegium (SCC) for appointment as judges of constitutional courts, Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Thursday, February 2, informed Parliament that it has asked the Collegium to reconsider 18 proposals.
    “Government can seek reconsideration of names recommended by the SCC, and as on 31.01.2023 there are a total 18 proposals on which reconsideration of SCC has been sought. SCC decided to reiterate 06 cases, in 07 cases SCC has desired updated inputs from the High Court Collegiums, and 05 cases have been decided to be remitted by the SCC to the High Courts,” Rijiju told the Rajya Sabha.
    Responding to questions from MPs John Brittas and Raghav Chadha, he said as on January 30, 2023, against the sanctioned strength of 34 Judges, 27 Judges are working in the Supreme Court leaving seven vacancies. In response to a question from MP Ram Nath Thakur, he said the Centre had on January 6 suggested inclusion of a government nominee on a ‘Search-cum-Evaluation Committee’ which could assist the Supreme Court and High Court Collegiums in appointment of judges.
    “Out of these 7 vacancies, a proposal for appointment of 5 judges in the Supreme Court is under consideration with the Government and in the meantime a proposal for remaining 02 (two) vacancies has been received on 31.01.2023 from the Supreme Court Collegium,” the Law Minister said.
    Amid ongoing stand-off with the Government over judicial appointments, the Supreme Court Collegium had on Tuesday recommended elevation of Allahabad High Court Chief Justice Rajesh Bindal and Gujarat High Court Chief Justice Aravind Kumar as judges of the top court.
    However, the Government continued to sit over its December 13 recommendation for the elevation of Rajasthan High Court Chief Justice Pankaj Mithal, Patna High Court Chief Justice Sanjay Karol, Manipur High Court Chief Justice PV Sanjay Kumar, Patna High Court Judge Ahsanuddin Amanullah and Allahabad High Court Manoj Misra for appointment as judges of the Supreme Court.
    Regarding high courts, he said, as on January 30 this year, against the sanctioned strength of 1108 judges in various high courts, 775 judges were working while 333 posts were vacant.
    “Against these vacancies 142 proposals recommended by the High Court Collegiums (HCC) are at various stages of processing with the Government,” Rijiju said.
    While 67 proposals recommended by HCC were in the process of being sent to SCC, 74 HCC recommendations sent to SCC and recommended by SCC were under various stages of processing, he said, adding 11 proposals have been deferred by SCC.
    As on January 30, recommendations in respect of 236 vacancies (191 existing and 45 anticipated vacancies during the next 06 months) were yet to be received from HCCs, which were in breach of a six months advance timeline for making recommendations for anticipated vacancies, he said.
    As per records, from 2019 to January, 2023, 22 judges were appointed in the Supreme Court and 446 judges were appointed in various High Courts. Source: TNS

  • February 3 New York & Dallas E – Edition

    [vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”E-Edition” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center” google_fonts=”font_family:Istok%20Web%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theindianpanorama.news%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2023%2F02%2FTIP-February-3-E-Edition.pdf”][vc_single_image image=”137770″ img_size=”full” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/TIP-February-3-E-Edition.pdf”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_custom_heading text=”Lead Stories This Week” google_fonts=”font_family:Istok%20Web%3Aregular%2Citalic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:700%20bold%20regular%3A700%3Anormal” link=”url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theindianpanorama.news%2F”][vc_wp_posts title=”” number=”5″ show_date=”1″][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3″][vc_single_image image=”82828″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/advertising-media-kit-portal-indian-panorama/”][vc_single_image image=”82829″ img_size=”medium” alignment=”center” onclick=”custom_link” link=”https://www.theindianpanorama.news/advertising-media-kit-portal-indian-panorama/”][/vc_column][/vc_row]

  • Foreigners can also move Indian courts in domestic abuse case, says Madras HC

    The Madras high court has said that even foreigners can invoke Domestic Violence Act, 2005 in Indian courts and that the residence of women is immaterial.
    A single judge bench was hearing a case of an American couple holding Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) cards. The court has dismissed a plea moved by the husband seeking quashing of a domestic violence complaint filed by his wife in a Mahila court in Chennai. The husband had contended that he had obtained an ex-parte decree for divorce as well as custody of their adolescent twin boys from the Circuit Court in Farifax County in the USA.
    Justice S M Subramaniam observed that Indian courts cannot shut out an independent consideration of the matter just because a foreign court has taken a particular view. The couple had been married in Chennai and it was registered under the provisions of the Hindu Marriages Act, 1955.
    In orders passed on February 1, the court pointed out that under section 27 of the Domestic Violence Act, protection is extended to those who are temporary residents of India and Article 21 of the Constitution of India extends this protection even to a “person” who may not be a citizen of the country. “Thus looking from any angle, the respondent, who is aggrieved, is entitled to get protection under the Domestic Violence Act, 2005,” the court said.

  • Africa in focus during G20 presidency: EAM

    Africa in focus during G20 presidency: EAM

    New Delhi (TIP)- India’s priorities for its G20 presidency are to ensure inclusive and resilient growth with a focus on challenges being faced by the countries of the Global South, said External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, February 2.
    “India’s G20 presidency priorities are inclusive and pragmatic progress on Sustainable Development Goals, green development and lifestyle for environment, technological transformation and public digital infrastructure, reforming multilateral institutions, women-led development, and international peace and harmony,” said the minister in reply to a question. “It is our endeavour that inputs generated from the ‘Voice of Global South Summit’ receive cognisance globally, including in G20 deliberations,” he added, while pointing out that India’s G20 presidency had the largest-ever representation from Africa with six participants. In addition to South Africa, other African countries invited to G20 meetings and the summit are Egypt, the Mauritius, Nigeria, the Chair of African Union and the Chair of AUDA-NEPAD.
    He said India had always been a voice of the Global South, including for “African friends”. On January 12-13, India had hosted the “Voice of Global South Summit” in the virtual format with a focus on charting a new path of greater collaboration towards realisation of the priorities of developing countries. Source: TNS

  • Two years on, Kerala scribe Siddique Kappan walks out of jail

    Two years on, Kerala scribe Siddique Kappan walks out of jail

    Lucknow (TIP)- Kerala journalist Siddique Kappan walked out of jail on bail on Thursday, February 2, over two years after he was arrested for allegedly trying to instigate violence after the death of a woman at Hathras in UP.
    The release came almost six weeks after the Allahabad High Court granted him bail in a money laundering case filed by the Enforcement Directorate. In September, the Supreme Court granted him bail in another case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
    Kappan was released from jail around 9.15 am, Lucknow district prison jailor Rajendra Singh said.
    A day earlier, his lawyer submitted two sureties of Rs 1 lakh each at the special PMLA (Prevention of Money Laundering Act) court here, fulfilling a bail condition.
    “I struggled,” Kappan said minutes after he walked out. “It has been 28 months. I am out after a lot of fight. I am happy,” he said.
    He said, “I am coming to Delhi. I have to stay there for six weeks.” The SC Bench headed by then Chief Justice Uday Umesh Lalit had directed Kappan to remain in Delhi for six weeks after his release from prison. Kappan and three others were arrested in October 2020 while they were going to Hathras where a Dalit woman died allegedly after being raped.
    “This is half-baked justice. Journalism is not a crime. I will continue my fight against draconian laws. They kept me in jail even after I got bail… 28 months after a long fight. I don’t know who’s benefiting from my being in jail. These two years were very tough, but I was never afraid,” he said after his release from the Lucknow jail.
    Kappan was accused of sedition and charged under the tough anti-terror law UAPA. In February 2022, the Enforcement Directorate filed a money laundering case against him, accusing him of receiving money from the banned People’s Front of India.
    In September last year, the Supreme Court granted him bail after observing that no formal charges were filed against him and a document named “Toolkit” recovered by the state police only propagated a call for justice in the rape case.

  • SC junks plea to stop candidates from contesting from two seats

    SC junks plea to stop candidates from contesting from two seats

    New Delhi (TIP)- The Supreme Court on Thursday, February 2, rejected a petition to bar candidates from contesting from more than one constituency in the general or assembly elections, calling it a matter of “parliamentary sovereignty” and “political democracy”.
    A bench, headed by Chief Justice of India Dhananjaya Y Chandrachud, held that there is no manifest arbitrariness in the relevant provision in the Representation of People Act (RPA) that may warrant an intervention by the court in this matter, which, it said, falls “squarely within the legislative domain” and “realm of policy”.
    “It is a matter pertaining to legislative policy since it is ultimately it is parliament’s will that determines whether the political democracy is furthered by granting such a choice,” said the bench, also comprising justices PS Narasimha and JB Pardiwala.
    Candidates may contest from different seats due to a variety of reasons, noted the bench, adding: “Whether this would further the course of democracy is up to the parliament…absent any manifest arbitrariness in the said provision, we cannot strike it down.”
    Dismissing a public interest litigation filed by advocate Ashwini Upadhyay, the bench also put on record in its order that a candidate may decide to contest from two seats for a variety of reasons apart from uncertainty surrounding the outcome of the political process.
    “Contesting from multiple seats can be due to multiple reasons and there would be reason which weigh in the balance and whether it furthers parliamentary democracy is something which is in legislative domain. Absent any manifest arbitrariness for violation of Articles 14 and 21, it is not for this Court to strike down the provision as unconstitutional. This issue lies in the domain of parliamentary sovereignty,” stated the order.
    It highlighted that parliament did amend the law in 1996 to restrict the number of constituencies to two whereas earlier, a candidate could contest from any number of seats.
    “The parliament has already intervened in the past. The parliament can certainly step in again. At the relevant time when the parliament deems it appropriate to do it, they will do it. There is no question of inaction on anybody’s part,” the bench observed.
    Earlier, senior counsel Gopal Sankaranarayanan, representing Upadhyay, had urged the bench to consider testing the validity of Section 33(7) of the RPA which permits a candidate to contest any election (parliamentary, state assembly, biennial council, or by-elections) from up to two constituencies. The provision was introduced in 1996 prior to which there was no bar on the number of constituencies from which a candidate could contest.
    The lawyer argued that the provision has an adverse impact on the voters as well as public exchequer since the candidate must leave one constituency if he emerges victorious from both. He added that an unnecessary burden on the exchequer is imposed due to an imperative by-election and is also an injustice to the voters of the winning candidate. Source: HT

  • India flags WB move on Indus row

    India flags WB move on Indus row

    India on Thursday, February 2, questioned the World Bank’s decision to appoint a Court of Arbitration and a neutral expert under two separate processes to resolve differences between New Delhi and Islamabad over the Kishenganga and Ratle hydroelectric projects in J&K. Last week, India had issued a notice to Pakistan seeking a review and modification of the 62-year-old Indus Waters Treaty for management of cross-border rivers following Islamabad’s “intransigence” in handling disputes. “I do not think they (World Bank) are in a position to interpret the treaty for us. It is a treaty between two countries and our assessment of the treaty is that there is a provision of graded approach,” External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.
    India took the significant step of sending the notice to Pakistan conveying its intent to amend the treaty months after the WB announced appointing a neutral expert and a chair of Court of Arbitration to resolve differences over Kishenganga and Ratle projects. New Delhi has been particularly disappointed over the appointment of the Court of Arbitration. Source: PTI

  • Sacred rocks for Lord Ram idol reach Ayodhya from Nepal; handed over to Ram Mandir Trust

    Sacred rocks for Lord Ram idol reach Ayodhya from Nepal; handed over to Ram Mandir Trust

    Ayodhya (TIP)- Two ‘sacred rocks’ excavated from the Kaligandaki river of Nepal to build a statue of Lord Ram in Ayodhya was handed to the Ram Mandir Trust on Thursday, February 2.
    At a ceremony in Ayodhya earlier in the day, Janaki Temple Mahantha Ram Tapeshwor Das handed over the rocks or “Shaligram” to the general secretary of Tirtha Chhetra Trust Champat Roy.
    Senior Nepali Congress leader and former Home Minister Bimalendra Nidi had taken a lead to excavate the two rocks. “It took us eight days to reach Ayodhya from Nepal,” he said at the ceremony. The eight-day journey was called ‘Shila Yatra’.
    Hindus consider rocks from the river, which started flowing south after the formation of the Himalayas 65 million years ago, as “very sacred”.
    The rocks would be used to sculpt a life-size statue of Ram Lala or Lord Ram as a child.
    After a decision was taken to construct the temple, its construction organising committee had been looking for sacred rocks from Nepal and approached Nidi following which he found the sacred rocks.
    Thousands of people welcomed and worshipped the rocks while they were being transported from Nepal to Ayodhya. Both the rocks are seven feet long, five feet wide, and 3.5 feet thick, according to the organising committee. They weigh between 16 and 18 tonnes.
    On January 19, a team of temple trustees of Ayodhya arrived in Kathmandu in order to transport the rocks and met Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal. The river is famous for its ammonite fossils that Hindus worship as Shaligram, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu.
    Source: IANS