The Indian Panorama

Month: July 2024

  • Living in denial about unemployment

    Living in denial about unemployment

    Public confusion over the extent of unemployment is a result of the differences in the various data bases used

    “The ground-level situation of unemployment is apparent from the frequent reports about the youth struggling to get work and facing issues in examinations. But the government is in denial. Recently, the officials have denied the problems of using data that have holes in them or of citing KLEMS data from the RBI, which does not independently estimate employment. Why not admit the problem and act, lest the growing youth frustration boil over?”

    By Arun Kumar

    Recently, citing a Reserve Bank of India (RBI) report that said that 8 crore jobs have been created in the last 3-4 years, Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused the Opposition of creating false narratives about unemployment. He also said that a lot of infrastructure projects are coming up, which will create more jobs. This was not only an attempt to counter the narrative of high unemployment which has been bothering the ruling party, but also a response to a flurry of reports from financial institutions, such as Citigroup, in July, which pointed to inadequacy of employment generation in India.

    Mr. Modi quoted an RBI ‘Data Manual’ released on July 7, called ‘The India KLEMS Database’, which “…describes the procedures, methodologies and approaches used in the construction of India KLEMS database version 2024. The dataset includes measures of Gross Value Added, Gross Value of Output, Labor Employment, Labor Quality, Capital Stock, Capital Composition… The database covers 27 industries comprising the entire Indian economy.”

    Soon after the RBI released this, the State Bank of India (SBI) came out with its own report to counter the financial institutions’ reports. It said, “Even if we exclude Agriculture, the total number of jobs created in manufacturing and services is at 8.9 crore during FY14-FY23 and 6.6 crore during FY04-FY14.” It added, “The total labor force in India is at 59.7 crore, which is nearly equivalent to 56.8 crore as per the recently released ASUSE [Annual Survey of Unincorporated Sector Enterprises] survey. This total number of labor force is significantly different from private employment surveys.”

    However, the Centre for Monitoring Indian Economy (CMIE), a private data-gathering agency which publishes data on employment and unemployment, reported in July that in June 2024, the unemployment rate had risen to an eight-month high of 9.2% up from 7% in the previous month. This was contrary to the official narrative of massive employment generation.

    What is a citizen to make of these conflicting reports and statements? Ground reports suggest that unemployment is a major issue. In February, about 47 lakh applicants appeared for an exam to select around 60,000 constables in Uttar Pradesh. In 2022, 1.25 crore aspirants applied for the Railway Recruitment Board’s Non-Technical Popular Categories recruitment exam. There were protests in Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and other States when the Agnipath scheme was announced in 2022. Indeed, the situation for the educated youth is grim, yet we expect them to be in the vanguard of ‘demographic dividend’.

    Opposition flags video from Gujarat, slams Modi government over ‘disease of unemployment’

    Public confusion over the extent of unemployment is a result of the differences in the various databases used. Let us examine these.

    KLEMS data

    The most recently cited KLEMS data is “a comprehensive measurement tool to monitor and evaluate productivity growth in the Indian economy”. It does not estimate employment but uses the official data available. For labor input it uses the Employment and Unemployment Surveys (EUS) by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO), conducted between 1983 and 2011-12, and the Periodic Labor Force Survey (PLFS).” Clearly, the KLMS data is based on official data from the PLFS, the ASUSE survey, etc. Given this, why would the employment series from KLEMS differ from the total employment figure given by government agencies? So, neither the Prime Minister nor the SBI should present KLEMS data as an independent source of employment data. Clearly, the officers and economists briefing Mr. Modi misguided him.

    Why do different sources give widely varying estimates of employment? This is due to the highly complex structure of the Indian economy and the paucity of reliable data. India consists of the organized and the unorganized sectors. The data for the organized sector is available from statutorily published annual data. That is not the case for the unorganized sector, which employs 94% of the labor force. No other big country has such a huge unorganized sector for which data are sparse. This sector consists of possibly 11 crore farms and 6.5 crore MSME units. Surveying them annually is difficult. Data have been collected periodically via the Census every 10 years and the ASUSE survey every five years. The government is now committed to bringing out the ASUSE survey annually. But ASUSE survey data in turn depend on data from the Census and the Urban Frame Survey (UFS). There has been no Census since 2011 and UFS data apparently pertain to 2012-17. So, outdated data are being used.

    Normally, in the absence of current data, earlier data should be acceptable. But 2016-2024 was an abnormal period with four shocks to the economy: demonetization in 2016, introduction of the Goods and Services Tax, the Non-Banking Financial Companies crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic. When shocks occur, use of pre-shock data for sampling creates problems due to structural changes. These four shocks specifically impacted the unorganized sector, the one that the ASUSE survey seeks to estimate. Many units closed down due to lack of working capital. People migrated, the size of towns and villages changed. Thus, a sample based on the 2011 Census would not be appropriate. Closures will not be captured and only the surviving units will be a part of the sample. The ASUSE 2024 Report says, “… 16,382 FSUs (8,495 in rural and 7,887 in urban) have been surveyed; and the total number of establishments surveyed has been 4,58,938 (2,58,296 in rural areas and 2,00,642 in urban areas). ASUSE 2022-23 gives an estimate of 6.50 crore establishments…”

    Due to the shocks, the rural-urban ratio and the ratio of smaller and larger units would have changed. This could give an upward bias to the number of establishments and their employment.

    Differences in PLFS and CMIE

    PLFS is the other official data source quoted widely. It differs greatly from the CMIE data. This has to do with differences in definitions, such as who is counted as employed. The CMIE adopts the International Labor Organization definition and counts only those who get an income from work as employed. PLFS counts those who are working even if they do not get an income from it. So, those giving free labor or those who sit in fields but have no work also get counted as employed by PLFS. Consequently, in the last few years, PLFS has given around 50%-55% labor force participation, while CMIE says the figure stands at 40%-45%. That means there is a huge difference of about 90 million between the two. The question then is, doesn’t nearly everyone do something or the other? There are millions of home makers doing work, for example. Further, PLFS counts the disguised unemployed and the under-employed. So, as far as PLFS is concerned, almost no one is unemployed, while CMIE tells us how many have simply given up looking for work. That is also unemployment, which the official data do not recognize.

    The ground-level situation of unemployment is apparent from the frequent reports about the youth struggling to get work and facing issues in examinations. But the government is in denial. Recently, the officials have denied the problems of using data that have holes in them or of citing KLEMS data from the RBI, which does not independently estimate employment. Why not admit the problem and act, lest the growing youth frustration boil over?

    (Arun Kumar is a retired professor of economics, Jawaharlal Nehru University, and author of Indian Economy’s Greatest Crisis: Impact of the Coronavirus and the Road Ahead)

     

  • Biden out, but Trump may still win

    Biden out, but Trump may still win

    At this stage, Republican nominee appears to have a head start over any Democratic rival

    “Although Biden has endorsed Vice-President Kamala Harris as the candidate he supports and has urged the party to rally behind her, there are indications that key figures like former President Barack Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi may prefer another candidate. Any contestation at this late stage can only diminish any raised hopes which may have been generated by Biden’s announcement.”

    By Shyam Saran

    US President Joe Biden announced on July 21 that he was dropping out of the presidential elections due in November. After his poor showing in the one-to-one TV debate with Donald Trump on June 27, there had been a rising crescendo of influential voices in the Democratic Party calling upon Biden to stand down as a candidate and allow a younger nominee to face Trump, the Republican candidate, in the elections. It has taken a precious three weeks since the debate for Biden to yield to pressure from within his party to finally stand down. There will be limited time available for party managers to home in on a credible candidate for endorsement at the Democratic Party convention scheduled to start on August 19. Although Biden has endorsed Vice-President Kamala Harris as the candidate he supports and has urged the party to rally behind her, there are indications that key figures like former President Barack Obama and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi may prefer another candidate. Any contestation at this late stage can only diminish any raised hopes which may have been generated by Biden’s announcement.

    Trump’s close brush with death is likely to galvanize his supporters to come out in large numbers to vote for him.

    Assuming Harris does get the party’s endorsement at the party convention next month, how do her chances stack up against Trump?

    Harris has both Black and Asian credentials and should be able to mobilize the non-White constituency. She is a strong champion of women’s rights and has been vocal in opposing anti-abortion laws. As a potential first woman President of the US, she may appeal to the large female constituency across the racial divide. She has taken a strong position on the Gaza war, calling for an immediate ceasefire, which contrasts with Biden’s continuing though reluctant support to Israel. This may be a nuanced difference with her boss but may make her more congenial to the pro-Palestinian Arab-Americans and a large section of the US youth. While these may be her assets, the downside would be the very limited time she has to mobilize support for her candidacy within the party in the less than four weeks available to her. She cannot afford to have a contested candidacy at the party convention. A quick and consensus endorsement by the party immediately in advance of the convention will free her to concentrate on campaigning against Trump rather than her possible contenders within the party. Even if she wins a contested candidacy at the party convention, legitimacy as a presidential contender will be contrasted with the overwhelming endorsement Trump has already received as the Republican nominee. And Trump would already have a head start in the campaign much before Harris gets her act together. Campaign finance may also be an issue. Some large contributors to the Democratic Party had held back on their contributions after Biden’s poor showing at the June debate with Trump. Will they open their purse strings for Harris? There are many doubts on this score. Trump has no problem at all on the finance front. Taking all these factors into account, Biden stepping down and Harris being inducted into the race at this late stage is unlikely to improve the Democrats’ chances significantly.

    If not Harris, who? None of the possible contenders has the name recognition that Harris has and would have even less time to pose a serious and credible challenge to Trump. The best bet for the party is Harris, but a lack of a broad consensus over her candidature will diminish any positive outcome from Biden’s exit from the race.

    Trump has a solid base of support, perhaps as much as 40 per cent of the voting population. The assassination attempt against him has given him the benefit of the inevitable sympathy factor. But more than that, his close brush with death is likely to galvanize his supporters to come out in large numbers to vote for him. There is no comparable galvanizing factor on the Democratic side. Enthusiasm among Democratic supporters may be of a lesser order. At this stage of the political game, therefore, Trump appears to have a head start over any Democratic rival.

    It is likely that Trump will heighten US contention with China, and not only on the trade issue. He has said that he will end the Ukraine war but not how. The large financial and military support the US has extended to Ukraine might be more easily suspended or significantly reduced. The European countries are unlikely to be able to make up for reduced US support. This may lead to Ukraine agreeing to a ceasefire along the existing battle-lines. This will be a plus for Russia though it is not expected that sanctions against Russia will be eased. A transactional Trump may seek a quid pro quo for that.

    The worst affected, potentially, could be Europe. The pressure on European allies in NATO to do more for their own security will mount and tariffs against European products may increase. There may be less pressure on allies in the Indo-Pacific given the China factor.

    It is not clear whether Trump will force an end to hostilities in the Gaza war as he intends to do with Ukraine. The support to Israel is unquestioned and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu may feel encouraged to further escalate the war. But even Trump may not want to get embroiled in a wider regional war involving Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran. It would be interesting to see how Trump handles these contradictory aims in West Asia. His instinct would be to focus on the Indo-Pacific without distractions elsewhere. This should be welcome to India.

    There should be reasonable confidence in the Modi government on navigating a Trump 2.0 presidency with the experience gained in its earlier incarnation. Relations with India have enjoyed bipartisan support in the US. This is likely to continue. For the Modi government, on balance, a Trump presidency may appear more congenial. The two leaders enjoyed good chemistry during the previous Trump administration. That would be an asset if Trump comes back. There may also be expectations of less US focus on human rights and minority issues. What may be more difficult to navigate is an even more fluid and disruptive international geopolitical terrain which Trump will inevitably foist on the world.
    (The author is a former Foreign Secretary of India)

  • History this Week- July 19 to July 25

  • Sikh History This Week- July 19 to July 25

  • India in history this Week- July 19 to July 25

  • Birthday Predictions- July 22 to July 28

    Birthday Predictions- July 22 to July 28

    • By Astrologer Chirag Daruwalla

    July 22

    Ganesha says you will be well rewarded for your efforts today. You will spend more on luxuries and comforts to celebrate your achievements uniquely. You will earn more money and make some sensible long-term investments. Together you will develop a deep understanding that will make every moment you spend together memorable. You may be worried and upset about your parents’ health. You may soon lose your spiritual gains.

    July 23

    Ganesha says your career graph will be steadily rising. Your income will be more than you anticipated and keep you happy. You may start working on repair or construction projects for yourself or others at the end of the year. Children may be encouraged and share some positive news. Marriage relations for some people are close at the end of the year. Avoid getting embroiled in legal disputes as they will not give the desired results.

    July 24

    Ganesha says you should stay away from controversial topics that may get your family members in trouble. Gain, rent, dividends, or interest through the sale of fixed assets is certain to be collected. Save as much as possible to meet unforeseen expenses at the end of the year easily. During these years, you will make many useful connections, some of which will also result in cash rewards. You are the best person to manage both your and others’ finances and investments.

    July 25

    Ganesha says that you often spend too much of your time and energy fulfilling the needs of others, rather than fulfilling your interests. Although you are honest and creative, you need to learn to control your sometimes angry and reckless behavior. If you make investments now they may give profitable returns. For some, moving, buying a car, or traveling abroad is possible. You may get support from your beloved, both in love and money. Also, this person may sacrifice a lot for your well-being and happiness.

    July 26

    Ganesha says that you are incredibly independent, have great leadership skills, and enjoy making your own decisions, but you need to control your tendency to be jealous, overambitious, and self-centered at times. Put in more effort to implement the innovative ideas running in your mind. The results may take time to come, but eventually, they may exceed your expectations. You may not be happy with the resolution of a pending legal or property-related matter. Additionally, it would help if you also controlled your spending.

    July 27

    Ganesha says that although you like to live a good, respectable lifestyle and especially love meeting new people, sometimes you need to control your tendency to behave stubbornly, destructively, and vindictively. Having children will be interesting and a source of joy for you. Those who have been struggling to find a life partner so far should be happy as it seems that marriage is the time ahead. Monetary gains and other benefits will be plentiful, but working under excessive stress will be detrimental to your health.

    July 28

    Ganesha says you put in a lot of effort and are honest, but sometimes you are criticized for your tendency to be moody, cunning, and jealous. Those who are willing to take financial and professional risks may prove very beneficial to you. However brief, a new romance may be tempting. Travel or pilgrimage may bring relaxation and peace. Some interesting changes may be seen in the company you work for. Monetary gains are likely to be a result of several factors. You will also benefit from investing in stocks and bonds.

  • Weekly Horoscope- July 22 to July 28, 2024

    Weekly Horoscope- July 22 to July 28, 2024

    • By Astrologer Chirag Daruwalla

    Aries

    Ganesha says this week, children at home will be less interested in studies. Due to this, they may spend more of their time watching TV and this may frustrate you and may even lead to a dispute with them. However, during this time, avoid doing anything that may create hatred towards you in the minds of children. For this, it would be better if you spend time with them and try to make them understand. You are often seen doing more than necessary for your friends. This time will prove to be very good because during this time you can launch some new products. Along with this, you will not shy away from taking some new risks this week, which will benefit you during this period. People pursuing higher education will get help in achieving great success even after a little hard work this week. Because this time is bringing better opportunities for them. In such a situation, take proper advantage of these opportunities and do not let them go.

    Taurus

    Ganesha says this week, that excessive interference from parents or elder siblings in your personal life can cause stress for you. During this period, your attitude towards them will be very bad, due to which your respect at home will also reduce. This week your work efficiency will develop, so that you can think more creatively and take a big decision to improve your business. Your decision will get the support of your family members as well as your employees, which will boost your confidence and you will be seen producing twice as fast. This week, people of your zodiac sign can get relief from all kinds of problems they are facing in the field of education. Due to this, you will feel stress-free as well as refreshed. In such a situation, take advantage of this time and apart from your studies, try to give some time to physical activities also.

    Gemini

    Ganesha says this week you will have money, but it will not be enough for you due to the purchase of any item. Due to this, you may plan to take a loan or loan from any bank or any other institution. However, if possible, avoid doing this now and postpone the purchase for later. This week your family responsibilities will increase, which will cause you mental stress. In such a situation, instead of thinking about adverse situations and being afraid of them, keep trying to prepare yourself for them. If you are thinking of adding a new partner to your business, then this week it will be very important for you to check all the facts thoroughly before making any promise to him and only then take a decision.

    Cancer

    Ganesha says this week you may take an interest in household chores and help other women in the house. This will not only increase respect in the family but will also strengthen your relationships with other members. This entire week at the workplace, you will have to avoid falling in love with someone of the opposite sex. Otherwise, your notoriety as well as your image may be harmed. Therefore, do not do anything which you will regret later. At this time, those students will need to pay more attention to their hard work and be completely sure about their goals in life. Because during this time you will have to struggle the most to not let your ego dominate you. Apart from this, you will be successful in getting appreciation from your parents and teachers by performing better in your class.

    Leo

    Ganesha says this week you are likely to have a major dispute with your spouse or lover. For this, you may feel quite helpless regarding money and you may also have to listen to lectures from your partner regarding your wasteful spending. This week, you will be successful in improving the poor financial condition of your family by resolving every dispute going on in your family life. Due to this, your parents will feel proud of you and at the same time, seeing your intelligence, they will be seen showering their love on you. This week will give mixed results for students. The end of the week will be very good for you and this time will be able to bring you success in both the fields of education and higher education. You just have to keep your focus on your education and avoid getting confused during this time.

    Virgo

    Ganesha says throughout this week, you will get proper support from your brothers and sisters from time to time and only with their support, you will be able to run your family life smoothly. Therefore, it would be better for you to keep talking to your brother or sister about this. There is a possibility that you may have to face some kind of betrayal from your colleagues at the workplace, which may hamper your career. In such a situation, you are advised to stay away from the company of liars and deceitful people from the beginning of this week. If you were thinking of taking admission in a good and big college away from home, then the prospects are looking a little more favorable at this time. So, for this many students will need to take cooperation from their teachers. However, avoid adopting shortcuts for any reason during this time, otherwise, you may have to repent throughout your life.

    Libra

    Ganesha says this week the condition of your financial life cannot be called good, you will have to face many money-related problems throughout this week. During this period, you will also be unable to save, which will increase mental stress. This week you need to be patient while talking to children at home or people who are less experienced than you. Because you may have differences with them, due to which you may lose your patience and use abusive language. In such a situation, there will be a possibility of your image being tarnished in the family. Therefore, now avoid doing anything like this. In such a situation, at this time you will have to come forward and give your blessings to those small people and workers whose hard work is responsible for your success. Because this will give them and you also positive encouragement at this time.

    Scorpio

    Ganesha says pending financial matters may increase this week and many types of expenses will be on your mind during this time. Due to this, you may feel uncomfortable even without wanting to. Due to this, you will find yourself unable to make many types of decisions. In such a situation, keep yourself calm in every situation and also control your expenses. This week, the poor health of a female member in your family can become the main cause of unrest in the family environment. As a result, your mental stress will also increase, which will hurt various areas of your life. If you were thinking of making any investment, then this week you will have to avoid doing anything like that. Since this is a great time to learn in the workplace, don’t wait until now to invest.

    Sagittarius

    Ganesha says this week your friends will make you happy by making some great plans. This plan could be to go out somewhere, where you will get a chance to have fun with your friends again. This week you may get a project in the office that you were already desiring. Therefore, now that you have got the responsibility, your mind will appear happy at this time, whose glow will enhance the beauty of your face. In such a situation, continue your efforts towards taking proper benefits while living this good time. This week, children’s play in the family can create obstacles in your education. Due to this, you will be seen getting angry at them even without wanting to. This will also increase the possibility of disturbing family peace.

    Capricorn

    Ganesha says this week will prove to bring better-than-average results. Apart from this, at this time you are also likely to get many excellent opportunities to strengthen your position in society and increase your wealth. If someone in your family has recently got married, then this week you may get the good news of the arrival of a new guest. Due to this, positivity will be seen in the family environment. Besides, this good news will also prove to be very effective in giving happiness to the elders of the house. Due to this, the atmosphere at home will remain pleasant and your mental stress will also go away. People of this zodiac sign who do business in partnership will get help in recovering from all types of past losses during this period. This time will prove to be very good for your career, due to which you will be seen meeting many big personalities and making proper plans to grow your business.

    Aquarius

    Ganesha says you will most likely need to save your money this week, as there is a possibility that a creditor may come to your door asking for money from you this week. In such a situation, if you return the money to them, you may be in financial trouble and if you do not return the money, it may affect your reputation. Your energetic, lively, and warm behavior will bring happiness to people around you, especially your family members. Due to this, you will get love and affection from your parents also. Businesspeople of this zodiac sign may have to face problems due to wrong advice from someone close to them. Therefore, be careful while making any decision and avoid blindly trusting anyone’s advice. This week you will need to be most committed towards your goals to achieve success in the field of education.

    Pisces

    Ganesha says this week you will suddenly get money from new sources, which will keep your mind happy. This will not only increase the positivity in your mind but you can also plan to take a gift for the younger members of the family while going home. This week your spouse will help you in maintaining harmony in the family and he will prove to be most helpful to you in this. There is also a possibility that you may suddenly get a nice gift from your relatives and friends. Your social prestige is likely to increase, as during this week you will be seen involved in many charitable activities, the result of which will help you progress in your career. This week is showing many good achievements for the students of this zodiac sign. Because the time is going to be very auspicious for the students and this time will show you the path to immense success in moving forward based on your education.

  • Ind-SL cricket series : Suryakumar takes over from Rohit, Shubman named vice-captain

    Ind-SL cricket series : Suryakumar takes over from Rohit, Shubman named vice-captain

    New Delhi (TIP)- Big-hitting batter Suryakumar Yadav was on July 18 named captain of the Indian T20 team for this month’s three-match series against Sri Lanka, while ODI skipper Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli made themselves available for the 50-overs series against the same team next month.
    Shubman Gill has been named vice-captain for both the formats. The team will depart early next week for the tour which will mark the beginning of new head coach Gautam Gambhir’s three-year tenure.
    Riyan Parag, who scored seven half-centuries in the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and Delhi speedster Harshit Rana are the two new faces in the ODI squad.
    Seasoned all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja, who retired from T20Is along with Rohit and Kohli after India’s World Cup triumph in the Caribbean last month, did not find a place in the ODI squad. Having shouldered the team’s pace-bowling responsibility for a prolonged period, lead pacer Jasprit Bumrah was rested on expected lines.
    The first T20 International will be held on July 27, followed by games on July 28 and 30. All the ties will be played at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium. The ODIs will be held on August 2, 4 and 7 at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.
    Suryakumar, 33, was chosen as skipper for the T20 series over Hardik Pandya, the designated vice-captain during India’s title run in the Americas. Star all-rounder Pandya is three years younger to the Mumbai swashbuckler but was not the preferred choice of both chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar and Gambhir.
    It is learnt that the two had a word with Pandya on this issue on Tuesday and conveyed to him that a long-term option in Suryakumar was being considered. Pandya is expectedly there in the T20 squad and has opted out of ODIs due to personal reasons.
    Previously, Suryakumar led India to a 4-1 win over Australia in a T20I series last November and followed it up with a 1-1 draw in South Africa.
    Shreyas Iyer, despite losing his national contract for missing domestic cricket, made a comeback to the ODI squad alongside KL Rahul, who performed the dual role of wicketkeeper-batter during the 50-overs World Cup last year at home.
    Iyer was captain of this year’s IPL champions Kolkata Knight Riders, for whom Gambhir was the team mentor
    Indian squads for SL tour
    T20I
    Suryakumar Yadav (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Rinku Singh, Riyan Parag, Rishabh Pant (WK), Sanju Samson (WK), Hardik Pandya, Shivam Dube, Axar Patel, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Arshdeep Singh, Khaleel Ahmed, Mohammed Siraj
    ODI
    Rohit Sharma (C), Shubman Gill (VC), Virat Kohli, KL Rahul (WK), Rishabh Pant (WK), Shreyas Iyer, Shivam Dube, Kuldeep Yadav, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Arshdeep Singh, Riyan Parag, Axar Patel, Khaleel Ahmed, Harshit Rana.
    Source: PTI

  • PARIS 2024: Indian sports ministry clears 117-member contingent

    PARIS 2024: Indian sports ministry clears 117-member contingent

    New Delhi (TIP)- India will be represented by 117 athletes at this month’s Paris Olympics after the Sports Ministry cleared the final contingent that also features 140 support staff and officials, of which 72 have been approved at “cost to the government” to meet the “requirements” of the travelling sportspersons. The Games will run from July 26 to August 11.
    The contingent is on expected lines with London Olympics bronze medal winning former shooter Gagan Narang as the chef-de-mission. Narang is also a vice-president in the Indian Olympic Association (IOA).
    “The permissible limit for stay of support personnel in the Games Village against accreditation as per norms of the Paris Organising Committee for the 2024 Olympic Games is 67 including 11 1OA Contingent Officials, which includes five Medical Team Members,” stated a letter from the Ministry to IOA president PT Usha, explaining the ratio of support staff allowed as per the size of the contingent.“For catering to the requirements of the athletes, additional coaches and other support staff numbering 72 have been approved at cost to the Government and arrangements for their stay have been made in Hotels/in locations outside the Games Village,” it added. Athletics will make for the biggest group in the contingent with 29 names (11 women and 18 men), followed by shooting (21) and hockey (19). The shooting contingent consists of 11 women and 10 men
    Table tennis will be represented by eight players, while badminton (7) will feature seven competitors, including two-time Olympic medallist PV Sindhu.
    Wrestling, archery and boxing will have six representatives each, followed by golf (4), tennis (3), swimming (2), sailing (2) and one each for equestrian, judo, rowing and weightlifting.
    Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Mirabai Chanu is the lone weightlifter in the contingent and will compete in women’s 49kg category.
    In Tokyo Olympics, India was represented by a 119-member contingent, and the country logged its best-ever performance of seven medals, including the historic javelin throw gold by Neeraj Chopra. Chopra will be there in Paris to defend his medal.
    In a bid to avoid doping embarrassment in Paris, the government has asked the IOA and concerned federations to take appropriate measures. Source: PTI

  • Women’s Asia Cup: Fight for Asian dominance

    Women’s Asia Cup: Fight for Asian dominance

    The Women’s Asia Cup is set for a blockbuster start when defending champions India take on arch-foes Pakistan in a primetime clash at Dambulla on July 19, with the eight competing teams hoping to firm up their combinations ahead of the T20 World Cup in October.
    Harmanpreet Kaur’s India are the side to beat going into this iteration of the Asia Cup, having won the competition three out of four times in the T20 version and each of the four times in the 50-overs format.
    Additionally, India are also the most successful team in the Women’s Asia Cup T20 with 17 wins in 20 matches. They beat Bangladesh in the final of the last edition in 2022.
    India’s record against Pakistan has also been stellar in the shortest format with 11 wins against three defeats in 14 matches so far and Kaur’s team will lean on it in addition to the rich form shown in recent outings to clinch the Group A clash.
    While India are coming off a 1-1 draw against South Africa earlier this month with the second of the three T20Is being washed out, Pakistan will be short on game-time as well as confidence since their last outing was in England in May when the hosts blanked them 3-0.
    Smriti Mandhana’s rich form with the bat will be India’s greatest weapon at the top of the order but the biggest gain from recent all-format outings has been the way their bowling has shaped up, with pacers and spinners putting on a combined show.
    Source: PTI

  • Valley of Flowers: Where nature blooms in full glory

    Valley of Flowers: Where nature blooms in full glory

    With a stunning backdrop of the mighty Himalayan ranges, the Valley of Flowers National Park presents an ethereal view and an unforgettable experience for visitors. Spread over an area of 87 sq km in the Chamoli district, the Valley of Flowers National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and forms one of the two core zones (the other being the Nanda Devi National Park) of the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve.
    The valley is believed to have been discovered in 1931, when three British mountaineers – led by Frank S Smythe – lost their way and chanced upon this spectacular valley. Attracted by the beauty of this place they named it the “Valley of Flowers”.
    As the name suggests, Valley of Flowers is a destination where nature blooms in full glory offering a breathtaking experience. Exotic flowers (over 600 species) like orchids, poppies, primulas, marigold, daisies and anemones are an eye-catching spectacle. Sub-alpine forests birch and rhododendron cover parts of the park’s area. The trek to the valley offers eye-catching spectacles like cascading waterfalls and wild streams. Situated at an altitude of around 3,600 m above the sea level, the valley is also home to such rare and amazing wildlife species like the gray langur, the flying squirrel, the Himalayan weasel, and black bear, the red fox, the lime butterfly, the snow leopard and Himalayan monal, to name a few.
    When to visit
    The flowers here can be best viewed between the months of May and October, a time when the area turns into a botanical wonderland although maximum abundance of flowers is during July to September.
    Valley of Flowers National Park
    Resting in the Western Himalayas, the Valley of Flowers in Uttarakhand is a lively and beautiful national park famous for its meadows of alpine flowers. Combined with Nanda Devi National Park, the two of them together constitute the Nanda Devi Biosphere Reserve. It was also included in the list of the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 2005. Initially known as Bhyundar Valley, its name was changed to Valley of Flowers by the British mountaineer Frank S Smythe in the year 1931. Gifted with a diverse range of flora and fauna, this picturesque beauty is one of its kind. Situated high in the lofty Himalayas of the Garhwal region, this enchanting valley is also considered as the place from where Hanuman collected Sanjeevani Buti to cure Lakshmana.
    The verdant pastures, beautiful mountains, and running streams attract millions of tourists every year from all over the world. No human settlements are present inside the park and grazing is completely banned. Since it is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, many international travellers visit the biosphere reserve. Situated in the transition zone between Eastern and Western Himalayan flora, seven restricted-range bird species are prevalent in this part of the Himalayas. The trek to the valley of flowers is indeed a one to remember for it is lined up with wild rose bushes, perfumed wildflowers and wild strawberries. It is a must-visit place for all those who love serenity combined with nature’s beauty.
    Flora and Fauna
    The entire valley is covered with flowers of every colour and type which gives a magical quality to the place. It has more than 650 species of flowers present including Blue Poppy, Cobra Lily, and Brahmakamal. The area is also home to several rare and engendered animals. A diverse population of fauna can be found in the valley including Asiatic black bear, blue sheep, brown bear, blue sheep, black and brown bears, and yellow-throated marten. A variety of birds too can be found here including the Himalayan golden eagle, Himalayan snow cock, sparrow, snow pigeon, and Himalayan monal.
    The park also contains a high diversity as well as a density of flora and fauna of the west biographic zone with threatened species including Himalayan musk deer, snow leopard and other plant species. Spread over an area of 71,210 hectares, the park has a buffer zone surrounding it measuring 514,857 hectares. Populations of Galliformes and mountain ungulates which are prey to snow leopard and other carnivores are supported in this entire area located in the Western Himalayas Endemic Bird Area.
    The trek of Valley of Flowers is bound to give you one of the most beautiful trekking experiences. The trek begins at the Pulna Village or Govindghat after crossing the Alaknanda River across the hanging bridge. You can view the snow-clad peaks between the green and the Rocky Mountains after passing the Pulna village. The 7 km track between Pulna and Bhyundar Village comprises of cold water springs and waterfalls. The area appears pink and dark red due to the presence of Rhododendrons in the region.
    After resting for some time, the trek continues on the right bank of the Laxman Ganga till a log bridge is encountered. After crossing over to the left bank, the trail becomes steeper. You will reach Ghangharia which is the base camp of treks to Valley of Flowers 2 km from here.

  • Shravan Month: Rituals, significance & spiritual practices

    Shravan Month: Rituals, significance & spiritual practices

    The monsoon season brings more than just cooling rains. It also brings Shravan, a holy month in the Hindu calendar that usually falls in July or August. This time is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is filled with traditions and religious practices.
    For Southern and Western states of India, including Goa, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka, Shravan will start on August 5, 2024, and end on September 3, 2024.
    For Northern states of India,such as Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, and Bihar, Shravan will begin on Monday, July 22, 2024, and end on Monday, August 19, 2024.
    Shravan is considered one of the most sacred months in the Hindu calendar, marking the fifth month of the lunar year. Named after the Shravan Nakshatra, which is seen on full-moon days, this month is dedicated to Lord Shiva. Devotees offer leaves, flowers, fruits, and water to the Shiva Linga during this time.
    This month is rich in festivals and religious events, making it an ideal time for new beginnings. Mondays in Shravan, known as Shravan Somvar, are especially significant. Devotees visit temples, where the Shiva Linga is bathed continuously with holy water and milk, symbolising purification and devotion.
    Importance and Cultural Significance of Shravan
    According to legend, Lord Shiva consumed poison during the Samudra Manthan to obtain Amrit (nectar) and save the world. Goddess Parvati intervened by holding his neck, preventing the poison from harming him further, but this caused Lord Shiva additional pain and injuries.
    As part of the Sawan tradition, devotees of Lord Shiva fetch holy water from the river Ganga to heal his wounds. Fasts observed on Mondays during Shravan, known as Shravan Shomvar Vrats, are held to honour Lord Shiva and to pray for prosperity, success, and marriage. Since this month is entirely devoted to Lord Shiva, it is considered his favourite month.
    Rudra Abhishek
    Rudra Abhishek holds significance as a sacred Hindu ceremony dedicated to honouring Lord Shiva. During this ritual, devotees bathe the Shiva lingam with offerings like water, milk, yoghurt, honey, and ghee. The chanting of mantras accompanies the ceremony, seeking blessings from Lord Shiva, while devotees offer fruits, flowers, and belpatra leaves as symbols of devotion.
    The atmosphere is purified with burning dhoop sticks and incense while lighting a pure ghee diya symbolises the presence of divine light and wisdom.
    The ritual symbolises devotion, purification, and seeking divine blessings, usually performed in temples by priests or at home with guidance from religious texts. Each offering has a symbolic meaning, representing different aspects of reverence toward Lord Shiva and fostering spiritual growth in the worshipper’s life.
    Shravan Fasting
    During Shravan Maas, followers usually observe four types of fasts, including Sawan Somwar Vrat, Solah Somwar Vrat, Pradosh Vrat, and Mangala Gauri Vrat.
    Sawan Somwar Vrat
    This fast occurs every Monday (Somvar) of the month, typically spanning four Mondays, occasionally five.
    Solah Somwar Vrat
    Young girls observe this fast for 16 consecutive Mondays to seek an ideal husband, starting from the first Monday of the month.
    Pradosh Vrat
    Held on the 13th day (Trayodashi tithi) of both Krishna Paksha and Shukla Paksha, devotees consider this day auspicious for worshipping Lord Shiva with a strict fast and puja during the Pradosh Kaal.
    Mangala Gauri Vrat
    Observed on Tuesdays during Shravan Maas, this fast aims for a happy married life and the well-being and longevity of one’s partner.
    Shani Vrat
    On Saturdays during Shravan Maas, followers observe Shani Vrat primarily to appease Lord Shani and seek His blessings.
    Shravan Fast Rules
    Timing
    Starts at sunrise and ends at sunset; some fast the entire day.
    Dietary Restrictions
    Strictly vegetarian; avoid onions, garlic, non-vegetarian food, grains, and pulses.
    Hydration
    Water intake varies; some may opt for complete waterless fasts.
    Religious Practices
    Visit Shiva temples and perform special prayers and rituals.
    Breaking the Fast
    Breakfast with a simple meal after sunset; start with fruits or light snacks.
    Observance
    Typically, on Mondays of the Shravan month, it can extend to multiple Mondays or the entire month.
    Benefits Of Shiva Puja In Shravan Month
    Spiritual Growth and Inner Peace
    Praying to Lord Shiva during Shravan helps people cleanse their inner selves and grow spiritually, bringing peace and personal development.
    Divine Blessings
    Showing devotion to Lord Shiva in Shravan invites his blessings, granting devotees their wishes and divine favors.
    Protection from Negativity
    Honoring Lord Shiva during Shravan shields worshippers from obstacles and negative energies, providing divine protection and guidance.
    Overall Well-being
    Observing Shiva worship rituals in Shravan promotes overall healing, benefiting devotees’ physical, mental, and emotional health.
    Family Harmony
    Participating in Shiva worship rituals during Shravan strengthens family ties and promotes harmony, love, and unity within households.

  • Byju’s goes under insolvency: What happens to employees?

    Byju’s goes under insolvency: What happens to employees?

    Mumbai (TIP)- The parent company of troubled edtech giant Byju’s called Think and Learn Pvt Ltd was put into insolvency by the National Company Law Tribunal (NCLT) on July 16, due to a plea filed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) after the company failed to pay sponsorship dues worth Rs 158 crore.
    Byju’s, once one of India’s hottest startups, valued at $22 billion, entered a financial crisis with debts piling up after demand for online education which skyrocketed during the Covid-19 pandemic-induced lockdowns, cooled. The company is now in insolvency and Pankaj Srivastava has been appointed as the interim resolution professional after the entire management headed by founder Byju Raveendran, was legally suspended. The committee of creditors will now run the company for 330 days during which they can find a buyer for the company. If they are unable to do so within 330 days, the company will get liquidated.
    Around 160-200 former employees of Byju’s who were laid off due to falling revenues had complained to the Karnataka labour commissioner that their full settlement was not yet made, according to a Moneycontrol report. The total dues amounted to 4.5 crore.
    Employees usually will be able to recover their dues because dues to employees for 24 months before the liquidation process are the second most important priority for settlements, under section 53(1) of the Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC), 2016, with the first one being the resolution professionals themselves. Dues to employees 12 months before the liquidation are the 3rd most important priority. Creditors come into the picture only after this. Current and former employees of Byju’s have to take note that the company had allegedly not paid their tax deducted at source (TDS) since as early as last year’s July, according to the report.
    The tax comes fifth in terms of priority as per the IBC. The liability will be on the hands of the suspended management as its their fault, but the government can also claim it from the resolution professional.
    The committee of creditors can choose to retain employees or terminate them over the next 330 days. In the case of grounded airline Go First, they retained 2,278 employees, according to the report. But these employees weren’t reporting to work due to not getting salaries, which was because funds weren’t available.
    However, Byju’s case is different as it is still making revenues unlike the grounded airline. Source: HT

  • US firms point to slowing activity and softer labor market, Fed survey shows

    US firms point to slowing activity and softer labor market, Fed survey shows

    New York (TIP)- U.S. economic activity expanded at a slight to modest pace from late May through early July with firms expecting slower growth ahead as they also reported signs the jobs market continues to soften, in line with the Federal Reserve’s recent pivot to more keenly assessing slowing demand for labor to ensure it doesn’t wait too long before cutting interest rates.
    The U.S. central bank’s latest temperature check on the health of the economy also showed that inflation pressures increased at a modest pace with most Fed districts reporting input costs were beginning to stabilize.
    “Economic activity maintained a slight to modest pace of growth in a majority of districts this reporting cycle,” the Fed said in its survey released on Wednesday, which polled business contacts across the central bank’s 12 districts through July 8. While seven Fed districts reported some level of increase in activity, five noted flat or declining activity – three more than in the prior reporting period, the survey noted, as firms forecast a dimming outlook.
    “Expectations for the future of the economy were for slower growth over the next six months due to uncertainty around the upcoming election, domestic policy, geopolitical conflict, and inflation,” the Fed survey said.
    In particular, the upcoming U.S. presidential election in November was increasingly on business contacts’ minds, the report showed. The Atlanta Fed said uncertainty about the election outcome appeared to be weighing on investment activity in the renewable energy space, while the Dallas Fed said outlooks from the manufacturing and construction and real estate sectors were clouded by election uncertainty, for example. The Fed’s analysis, released roughly every six weeks, comes as Fed Chair Jerome Powell and his colleagues have emphasized that risks on inflation and jobs are now in balance. Earlier on Wednesday two top Fed officials said interest rate cuts are “getting closer,” remarks that appear to set the stage for a lowering of borrowing costs in September.
    After being stung by higher-than-expected inflation in the first part of this year, Fed officials have been encouraged by more positive readings in April, May and June. Inflation remains, by the Fed’s preferred measure, at 2.6%. The next release of that gauge is due on July 26.
    As disinflation has resumed, Fed officials have more strongly spoken about a marked deterioration in the labor market as a reason the central bank would begin to cut its policy rate.
    PAUSING SOME HIRES
    Several districts noted softer labor market conditions. A Wisconsin source told the Minneapolis Fed there were “still plenty of job openings,” but employers were raising hiring standards and pausing on some hires, the bank reported.
    One contractor told the Philadelphia Fed they had received 20 applications for electrical jobs— “the most I have seen in the last 20 years.” Fed officials recently have said the labor market has come into better balance thanks to an influx of workers, many of them foreign born, a development also represented in Wednesday’s report. The Boston Fed said Cape Cod contacts noted normal levels of availability of foreign-born workers through short-term visa programs, which support the seasonal labor demand in the area. Source: Reuters

  • IMF upgrades India’s economic outlook

    The International Monetary Fund is upgrading its economic outlook this year for China, India and Europe while modestly lowering expectations for the United States and Japan. But it says worldwide progress against accelerating prices has been slowed by stickier-than-expected inflation for services, from airline travel to restaurant meals. Overall, the IMF said that it still expects the world economy to grow a lackluster 3.2 per cent this year, unchanged from its previous forecast in April and down a tick from 3.3 per cent growth in 2023. From 2000 through 2019, before the pandemic upended economic activity, global growth had averaged 3.8 per cent a year.

  • ADB retains India’s growth forecast at 7%

    The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has maintained India’s GDP growth forecast at 7 per cent for the current financial year, citing that a rebound in agriculture is expected given above-normal monsoon projections.
    The ADB forecast comes a day after the International Monetary Fund revised upward its GDP growth projections for India to 7 per cent compared to 6.8 per cent projected in April.
    The Indian economy is on track to grow by 7 per cent in FY2024 (ending 31 March 2025) and 7.2 per cent in FY2025, as projected in ADO April 2024, said the July edition of the Asian Development Outlook (ADO). The Indian economy logged a growth rate of 8.2 per cent for the financial year ended March 2024.

  • Google deal for ‘hot market’ cyber firm Wiz would bolster cloud security

    Google deal for ‘hot market’ cyber firm Wiz would bolster cloud security

    If Alphabet’s Google is successful in its effort to buy cloud security company Wiz, it would bolster its cloud security offerings for large organisations, a hotspot for hackers, and help it take on cloud rivals Amazon and Microsoft, experts said. Alphabet is in advanced talks to acquire Wiz, a person familiar with the matter said on Sunday, in an up to $23 billion deal that would be Google’s most expensive acquisition and provide it with cybersecurity products that defend against ransomware gangs wreaking havoc on large enterprises.
    “There is a hot market for cloud security,” said Jerome Seguera, a senior intelligence analyst at the cybersecurity firm MalwareBytes, adding that Wiz gives customers “great visibility into their assets in a straightforward way.”
    Wiz offers tools that allow organisations to scan their entire infrastructure and specific software for threats.
    Google has been steadily expanding its cybersecurity offerings in recent years. Two years ago it bought the popular cyber firm Mandiant for $5.4 billion.
    “I think they are trying to compete with Microsoft and to a smaller extent AWS (Amazon Web Services),” said Marc Bleicher, chief technology officer of the security firm Surefire Cyber.
    “Wiz is one of only a few who address a big chunk of the cloud security market in one platform,” Bleicher said.
    Wiz was founded in 2020 at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, primed to benefit from the move towards remote work and the shift by organisations to cloud environments from desktops. Most large organisations have also shifted to storing their data on the cloud over the years, but that has come with security risks – especially as companies expand and become more complex.
    Its founders, former Israeli army intelligence members, earlier founded another cloud security firm named Adallom that Microsoft bought for $320 million in 2015.
    Headquartered in New York, the company has grown rapidly since then. Only two months ago, at the RSA cybersecurity conference in San Francsico, Wiz said it was valued at $12 billion. It now expects annual organic revenue of $1 billion in 2025 and has raised nearly $2 billion in venture capital investment in total, said a person familiar with the Google deal talks, declining to be named. Source: Reuters

  • Cave discovered on Moon could be home for humans

    Cave discovered on Moon could be home for humans

    Scientists have for the first time discovered a cave on the Moon. At least 100m deep, it could be an ideal place for humans to build a permanent base, they say.
    It is just one in probably hundreds of caves hidden in an “underground, undiscovered world”, according to the researchers.
    Countries are racing to establish a permanent human presence on the Moon, but they will need to protect astronauts from radiation, extreme temperatures, and space weather.
    Helen Sharman, the first British astronaut to travel to space, told BBC News that the newly-discovered cave looked like a good place for a base, and suggested humans could potentially be living in lunar pits in 20-30 years.
    But, she said, this cave is so deep that astronauts might need to abseil in and use “jet packs or a lift” to get out.
    Lorenzo Bruzzone and Leonardo Carrer at the University of Trento in Italy found the cave by using radar to penetrate the opening of a pit on a rocky plain called the Mare Tranquillitatis. It is visible to the naked eye from Earth, and is also where Apollo 11 landed in 1969.
    The cave has a skylight on the Moon’s surface, leading down to vertical and overhanging walls, and a sloping floor that might extend further underground.
    It was made millions or billions of years ago when lava flowed on the Moon, creating a tunnel through the rock.
    The closest equivalent on Earth would be the volcanic caves in Lanzarote, Spain, Prof Carrer explains, adding that the researchers visited those caves as part of their work.
    “It’s really exciting. When you make these discoveries and you look at these images, you realise you’re the first person in the history of humanity to see it,” Prof Carrer said.
    Once Prof Bruzzone and Prof Carrer understood how big the cave was, they realised it could be a good spot for a lunar base.
    “After all, life on Earth began in caves, so it makes sense that humans could live inside them on the Moon,” says Prof Carrer.
    The cave has yet to be fully explored, but the researchers hope that ground-penetrating radar, cameras or even robots could be used to map it.
    Scientists first realised there were probably caves on the Moon around 50 years ago. Then in 2010 a camera on a mission called the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter took pictures of pits that scientists thought could be cave entrances.
    But researchers did not know how deep the caves might be, or if they would have collapsed.
    Prof Bruzzone and Prof Carrer’s work has now answered that question, although there is much more to be done to understand the full scale of the cave.
    “We have very good images of the surface – up to 25cm of resolution – we can see the Apollo landing sites – but we know nothing about what lies below the surface. There are huge opportunities for discovery,” Francesco Sauro, Coordinator of the Topical Team Planetary Caves of the European Space Agency, told BBC News. The research may also help us explore caves on Mars in the future, he says.
    That could open the door to finding evidence of life on Mars, because if it did exist, it would almost certainly have been inside caves protected from the elements on the planet’s surface.
    The Moon cave might be useful to humans, but the scientists also stress that it could help answer fundamental questions about the history of the Moon, and even our solar system.
    The rocks inside the cave will not be as damaged or eroded by space weather, so they can provide an extensive geological record going back billions of years. Source: BBC

  • Meteorites from Mars help scientists understand the red planet’s interior

    Meteorites from Mars help scientists understand the red planet’s interior

    Of the more than 74,000 known meteorites – rocks that fall to Earth from asteroids or planets colliding together – only 385 or so stones came from the planet Mars.
    It’s not that hard for scientists to work out that these meteorites come from Mars. Various landers and rovers have been exploring Mars’ surface for decades. Some of the early missions – the Viking landers – had the equipment to measure the composition of the planet’s atmosphere. Scientists have shown that you can see this unique Martian atmospheric composition reflected in some of these meteorites.
    Mars also has unique oxygen. Everything on Earth, including humans and the air we breathe, is made up of a specific composition of the three isotopes of the element oxygen: oxygen-16, oxygen-17 and oxygen-18. But Mars has an entirely different composition – it’s like a geochemical fingerprint for being Martian.
    The Martian meteorites found on Earth give geologists like me hints about the makeup of the red planet and its history of volcanic activity. They allow us to study Mars without sending a spacecraft 140 million miles away.
    A planet of paradoxes
    These Martian meteorites formed from once red-hot magma within Mars. Once these volcanic rocks cooled and crystallised, radioactive elements within them started to decay, acting as a radiometric clock that enables scientists to tell when they formed.
    From these radiometric ages, we know that some Martian meteorites are as little as 175 million years old, which is – geologically speaking – quite young. Conversely, some of the Martian meteorites are older, and formed close to the time Mars itself formed.
    These Martian meteorites tell a story of a planet that has been volcanically active throughout its entire history. In fact, there’s potential for Martian volcanoes to erupt even today, though scientists have never seen such an eruption. Source: PTI

  • COMEDY SUPER STAR STEPHEN COLBERT SITS DOWN WITH VERSATILE ACTOR PAUL GIAMATTI

    COMEDY SUPER STAR STEPHEN COLBERT SITS DOWN WITH VERSATILE ACTOR PAUL GIAMATTI

    • By Mabel Pais

    Comedy superstar Stephen Colbert, once again, brings his incisive intellect and whip-smart humor to observations and conversations about current events. He sits down with Paul Giamatti celebrating his award-winning career as one of our most beloved on-screen performers. This unforgettable evening of conversation takes place on stage at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in downtown Newark, NJ on Friday, July 26, 2024 at 8:00 PM.

    This is part of the second annual ‘North To Shore’ Festival that took place in June and is presented by ‘Montclair Film’, New Jersey’s leading film non-profit.

    PAUL GIAMATTI

    Paul Giamatti is fresh off his last Golden Globe win and Oscar nomination for ‘The Holdovers’. One of the most versatile and beloved actors of his generation, Paul Giamatti currently stars in Focus Features’ heartwarming period drama, ‘The Holdovers’, which released in theaters on October 27th, 2023. His moving performance has been met with praise from critics and audiences alike, receiving the Golden Globe® Award for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical, the Critics Choice Award and the National Board of Review Award for Best Actor, The Palm Springs International Film Festival ‘Icon Award’. Giamatti was recently nominated for the SAG, BAFTA and Academy Award ® for Best Actor.

    Giamatti currently stars in the second season of HBO Europe’s hit Spanish-horror series, ‘30 Coins’, as well as in the final season of the Showtime hit, ‘Billions’, for which he has been nominated for a Broadcast Film Critics Association Award and a Critics Choice Award for Best Actor in a Drama Series over the course of the series.

    Outside of acting, Giamatti co-hosts the podcast ‘Chinwag’ with author and philosopher Stephen Asma from Treefort Media & Touchy Feely Films. Featuring prominent guests from diverse fields, ‘Chinwag’ is a series of conversations that delve deep into the wilderness of the mind, covering topics spanning from science and philosophy to the occult and literature.

    Previous television credits include HBO’s ‘Too Big to Fail’, which earned Giamatti his third SAG Award as well as an Emmy® and a Golden Globe® nomination in 2011. In 2008, Giamatti won Emmy®, SAG, and Golden Globe® awards for Best Actor in a Miniseries for his portrayal of the title character in HBO’s seven-part, Emmy Award ®-winning miniseries, ‘John Adams’.

    Giamatti’s selected film credits include the five-time Oscar®-winner ‘Saving Private Ryan’, Alexander Payne’s Academy Award®-winning dramedy ‘Sideways’, which earned Giamatti Golden Globe® and SAG Award nominations, and the Academy Award®-nominated ‘Barney’s Version’ in 2011, which earned him the Golden Globe® for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical. In 2006, his performance in Ron Howard’s ‘Cinderella Man’ earned him his first SAG Award and a Broadcast Film Critics’ Award for Best Supporting Actor, as well as Oscar® and Golden Globe® nominations in the same category.

    STEPHEN COLBERT

    Stephen Colbert, from Emmy-winning shows to sold-out tours and NY Times bestsellers, it seems like he’s done it all and done it well.

    Colbert hosts the Emmy and Peabody Award winning, #1 show in late night

    ‘The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.’ He is also the Executive Producer and Writer of the show. From 2005 to 2014, he hosted ‘The Colbert Report’ on Comedy Central, following his seven years as a correspondent on ‘The Daily Show.’

    In 2021, Colbert’s Spartina Industries banner set a three-year first-look deal to develop television and streaming content for CBS Studios. Spartina’s most recent project is CBS’s newest late-night show, ‘After Midnight,’ starring Taylor Tomlinson, which premiered in January of 2024. Spartina’s first project was the sports-comedy special ‘Pickled,’ a celebrity pickleball tournament benefiting Comic Relief for CBS Primetime.

    Colbert previously served as Executive Producer on the Comedy Central series, ‘Stephen Colbert Presents Tooning Out The News,’ ‘Hell of a Week with Charlamagne tha God,’ and SHOWTIME’s ‘Our Cartoon President.’ He is also an Executive Producer of ‘Derek DelGaudio’s In & Of Itself,’ streaming on Hulu.

    Colbert has also authored five books, the most recent of which, ‘Whose Boat Is This Boat?’, reached #1 on the New York Times Bestseller List. All proceeds from the book benefited the victims of Hurricane Florence and Michael, and most recently, COVID-19 relief.

    Raised in South Carolina, he currently resides in New Jersey with his wife, Evie. His birthday is May 13. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram @StephenAtHome.

    TICKETS

    Tickets for Paul Giamatti with Stephen Colbert are available at njpac.org and ticketmaster.com or at the NJPAC Box Office at One Center Street in downtown Newark or by calling 1-888-GO-NJPAC (1-888-466-5722). 

    More information is available at montclairfilm.org.

    If you have purchased tickets to the June 29th conversation, those tickets are still valid for the new date on July 26, 2024. For questions, call 1-888-MY-NJPAC.

    North to Shore Festival

    This special evening is presented as part of the 2024 ‘North To Shore’ Festival held in June 2024, featuring all the talent, diversity and creativity that New Jersey has to offer, packed into three extraordinary weekends of performances, screenings, parties and conversations in three of the state’s most iconic cities. Hosted by Asbury Park, Atlantic City and Newark, the ‘North to Shore’ Festival brings together events at more than 100 venues for an over-the- top showcase of Jersey excellence, aligned with Governor Phil Murphy and First Lady Tammy Murphy’s vision of a celebration worthy of the Garden State’s long legacy of innovation in the arts, film and technology.

    Montclair Film

    For more information about Montclair Film, visit MontclairFilm.org. 

    Join Montclair Film Online:

    Websites: montclairfilm.org and theclairidge.org

    Twitter: @MontclairFilm @TheClairidge

    Facebook: facebook.com/MontclairFilm and /TheClairidge

    Instagram: instagram.com /MontclairFilm and /TheClairidge

    YouTube: youtube.com/montclairfilmfest 

    The New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC)

    NJPAC, located in downtown Newark, New Jersey, is among the largest performing arts centers in the United States. It is the artistic, cultural, educational and civic center of New Jersey — where great performances and events enhance and transform lives every day. As New Jersey’s Town Square, NJPAC brings diverse communities together, providing access to all and showcasing the State’s and the world’s best artists, while acting as a leading catalyst in the revitalization of its home city. Through its extensive Arts Education programs, NJPAC is shaping the next generation of artists and arts enthusiasts.

    NJPAC has attracted more than 10.5 million visitors since opening its doors in 1997, reached almost two million children and families through its education and community programs, and nurtures meaningful and lasting relationships with each of its constituents. Visit njpac.org for more information.

    (Mabel Pais writes on The Arts and Entertainment, Social Issues, Spirituality, Cuisine, Health & Wellness, Business, and Education)

     

  • NJPAC & DODGE FOUNDATION CELEBRATE POETRY AS CATALYST FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE

    NJPAC & DODGE FOUNDATION CELEBRATE POETRY AS CATALYST FOR SOCIAL JUSTICE

    • By Mabel Pais

    The 20th DODGE POETRY FESTIVAL, which has been headquartered at NJPAC since 2010, will fill downtown Newark with poetry, October 17 to 19. Over the course of 40 years, this event, the country’s largest poetry festival, has welcomed more than 150,000 people to readings, performances and more.

    This year’s reimagined Dodge Poetry Festival will mix spoken word poetry with jazz, hip hop and R&B at readings, performances, outdoor events and more. All are designed to inspire a community mobilizing for racial and social justice, repair, and healing.

    A full lineup and event details for the Festival will be announced at the end of July.

    NUYORICAN POETS CAFE

    For the Summer Dodge Poetry, on July 20 at 7PM, the historic institution Nuyorican Poets Café (njpac.org/event/nuyorican-poets-cafe-dodge-poetry) brings an all-star lineup of poets —Edwin Torres, Emanuel Xavier and co-founder Lois Griffith — to NJPAC, with Nuyorican Poets Café Executive Director Caridad De La Luz “La Bruja” hosting.

    The second part of the event is a slam showcase with the 2024 Nuyorican Slam Team that opens into an open mic led by Newark arts organization EvoluCulture (evoluculture.com).

    TICKETS

    For Tickets, visit njpac.org/event/nuyorican-poets-cafe-dodge-poetry.

    The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation

    Established in 1974, the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation envisions a just and equitable New Jersey where people of all races and communities have equitable access to opportunities to thrive. Over its 50-year history, the Dodge Foundation has distributed more than $500 million in grants and technical support to New Jersey nonprofits. Today, building on decades of learning, the organization focuses its support on those who are directly addressing the root causes and repair of structural racism and inequity to transform lives in New Jersey.

    New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC)

    Phone: 888.GO.NJPAC (888.466.5722)

    Follow NJPAC Online:

    Website:    njpac.org

    Twitter:     @NJPAC

    Instagram:   @NJPAC

    Hashtag:    #NJPAC

    Facebook:    facebook.com/NJPAC

    YouTube:     NJPACtv

    Follow NJPAC’s Standing in Solidarity Series Online:

    Website:     njpac.org/takeastand

    Hashtag:       #NJPACTakeAStand

    Youtube:       Standing in Solidarity playlist

    ——————————————–

    ENJOY A VARIETY OF EVENTS AT THE ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL OF DALLAS

    • By Mabel Pais

    Featuring

    Director KARAN TEJPAL’s Feature STOLEN

    Director AMIT KAUR’s Short CUPPA CHAI

    And many more

    The ASIAN FILM FESTIVAL of DALLAS, Texas (AFFD) for its annual 23rd edition takes place July 25-28. All screenings will take place at the Angelika Film Center Dallas (5321 E. Mockingbird Lane, #230).

    AFFD Executive Director Thomas Schubert, said, “The programming for this year’s edition of the film festival goes back to the basics of what AFFD has been delivering to Dallas audiences for more than two decades now: striking dramas, high comedies, action, thrillers, horror, and insightful documentaries for and about Asians and Asian Americans. The Angelika will once again play host to appearances and conversations with our filmmakers and talent, and we will celebrate their work both as we screen their films and through our other special events and parties that truly make the Asian Film Festival of Dallas a can’t miss event for DFW film lovers.”

    2024 Asian Film Festival of Dallas Lineup

    OPENING NIGHT

    The Movie Emperor

    Director: Ning Hao; China; 126m

    CENTERPIECE

    Tokyo Cowboy

    Director: Marc Marriott; Japan; 118m

    CLOSING NIGHT

    Twilight of the Warriors: Walled In

    Director: Soi Cheang; Hong Kong; 125m

    SATURDAY SHOWCASE

    The Guest

    Director: Yeon Je-gwang; South Korea; 76m

    ADDITIONAL NARRATIVE FEATURES

    A Childless Village

    Director: Reza Jamali; Iran; 81m

    A Long Shot 

    Director: Gao Peng; China; 117m 

    Moscow Mission      

    Director: Herman Yau; China; 128m

    Ms. Apocalypse      

    Director: Lim Seon-ae; South Korea; 116m

    Namesake     

    Director: Yung-Chi Chen; Taiwan; 79m

    Old Fox

    Director: Hsiao Ya-Chuan; Taiwan; 111m

    One-Percent Warrior

    Director: Yamaguchi Yudai; Japan; 96m

    Post Truth     

    Director: Chengpeng Dong; China; 112m

    Rose & Samurai 2: Return of the Pirate Queen   

    Director: Hidenori Inoue; Japan; 174m

    Stolen (Credit: asianfilmdallas.com)

    Stolen

    Director: Karan Tejpal; India; 94m

    The Tenants 

    Director: Yoon Eun-Kyoung; South Korea; 88m

    DOCUMENTARY FEATURES

    Art is Love: Nepal   

    Directors: Daniel Driensky, Sarah Reyes; United States/Nepal; 71m

    Ashima          

    Director: Kenji Tsukamoto; United States; 86m

    SHORT FILMS

    Benkyodo: The Last Manju Shop in J-Town        

    Directors: Akira Boch, Tadashi Nakamura; United States; 15m

    Captured                                           

    Director: Tomoaki Kaneko; Japan; 12m

    Champion                                         

    Director: Kim J.Y. Han; United States; 13m

    Cuppa Chai (Credit: asianfilmdallas.com)

    Cuppa Chai

    Director: Amit Kaur; United Kingdom; 10m

    Floor                                      

    Director: Caitlin Boston; United States; 11m

    Happy Doomsday                                        

    Director: Sol O; Republic of Korea; 13m

    Midori                                    

    Director: Dohyun KIM; Republic of Korea; 13m

    Newspapers                                      

    Director: Vu Hoang; United States; 14m

    Viral                                       

    Director: Al Chang; United States; 11m

    VoiceClub     

    Director: Taeyoung Kim; Republic of Korea; 25m

    TICKETS

    To purchase badges, tickets and for more information, go to asianfilmdallas.com

    AFFD

    The Asian Film Festival of Dallas (AFFD) is dedicated to celebrating and supporting emerging and established Asian and Asian-American filmmakers and sharing the rich diversity of Asian culture through the medium of cinema. Over the last 20+ years, the festival has provided opportunities for over 400 Asian and Asian-American filmmakers to share their vision, often providing the only venue for their films to be shown in Dallas. The films have also allowed festival goers a chance to experience other lives and cultures without leaving their seats.

    (Mabel Pais writes on Social Issues, The Arts and Entertainment, Spirituality, Cuisine, Health & Wellness, Business, and Education)

  • New AI model to speed up heart scans, save time, boost treatment

    New AI model to speed up heart scans, save time, boost treatment

    Researchers have developed a very innovative method for analysing MRI heart scans with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) technology which could save valuable time and resources and improve patient care.
    The teams from the Universities of East Anglia (UEA), Sheffield, and Leeds have created a model that uses AI to examine heart MRI scans in a view known as the four-chamber plane.
    “This model determines the size and function of the heart’s chambers and demonstrates outcomes comparable to those done by doctors but unimaginably faster,” said Pankaj Garg, from the University of East Anglia’s Norwich Medical School
    He noted that a standard MRI process takes 45 minutes, but the new model takes “a matter of seconds”, leading to an overall betterment of this field.
    The retrospective observational study consisted of data from 814 patients. Further, scans and data from another 101 patients were also sampled.
    While the previous studies focused on only the two main chambers of the heart, the new study focuses on all four.
    The team said this would lead to faster, more accurate diagnoses and help patients.
    They also stressed the need for future studies to focus on larger groups of patients from different hospitals, with different types of MRI scanners, and other common diseases seen in medical practice to verify the accuracy. Source: IANS

  • Your weak sense of smell may be a precursor to heart failure: Experts

    Your weak sense of smell may be a precursor to heart failure: Experts

    The COVID-19 pandemic temporarily robbed many of us of our olfactory senses. We scarfed down tasteless food, hoping that spices and herbs would someday come alive on our tongues again. While some recovered, many continue to live with weakened smell and taste.
    A recent study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association observed that “olfactory impairment, a common sensory deficit in older adults, may be a novel marker or potential contributor to congestive heart failure.”
    Indianexpress.com spoke to clinical experts to understand if a weakened sense of smell really indicates heart problems and what can be done to avoid such a fate.
    “Indeed, a diminished sense of smell may be an early sign of heart failure. It was observed that the loss of the sense of smell might be connected to the initial process of neurodegenerative disorders and common diseases such as cardiovascular pathologies,” said Dr Chirag D, consultant – interventional cardiology, Aster Whitefield Hospital, Bengaluru.
    Why does this happen?
    “The link between weak smelling abilities and heart failure is related to the health of blood vessels. The ability to detect odours mostly depends on the normal flow of blood through the olfactory bulb and other areas responsible for perception. Prolonged inflammation and neurodegenerative processes affect both cardiac systems and olfactory pathways simultaneously,” said Chirag.
    Dr Divakar Bhat, consultant – CTVS surgery at Aster RV Hospital, concurred. According to him, in individuals with extremely weak hearts, blood supply is reduced to all body parts, including the olfactory nerve region, which is the only sensory nerve conveying the sense of smell. This may lead to a diminished sense of smell.
    “Other causes of a weakened sense of smell include nasal issues, brain conditions affecting the olfactory nerve, or COVID-19. It is not related to heart function,” he said.
    What constitutes a weak sense of smell?
    “Standardised tests such as UPSIT (University of Pennsylvania Smell Identification Test) or Sniffin’ Sticks test can measure hyposmia or reduced sense of smell. These assessments evaluate one’s capability to recognise, pick out, or differentiate various smells. If a person scores below average on these tests, it means that he/she has a smell disorder,” said Chirag.
    According to him, individuals more prone to having a weak sense of smell include the elderly, those with neurodegenerative diseases (such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s), people with chronic sinus issues or nasal blockages, and those with certain genetic conditions.
    Lifestyle factors such as smoking, exposure to environmental toxins, and poor cardiovascular health can also contribute to olfactory dysfunction.
    Source: The Indian Express

  • COVID-19 found to accelerate symptoms of type 1 diabetes in children in early stage

    COVID-19 found to accelerate symptoms of type 1 diabetes in children in early stage

    Contracting COVID-19 may accelerate the onset of visible symptoms of type 1 diabetes in children, an autoimmune condition, according to a study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association.
    Researchers found that children infected with the virus and in the early stages of type 1 diabetes without displaying symptoms, progressed more rapidly to a clinical onset of the autoimmune disorder.
    Symptoms of type 1 diabetes can include unusual thirst and hunger, along with frequent urination, fatigue and blurred vision. Treatment typically involves insulin therapy, requiring regular injections through the day.
    In an autoimmune disorder, the body’s immune system attacks the healthy cells and organs, instead of protecting it against foreign disease-causing agents.
    Previous studies have found elevated levels of islet autoantibodies in children infected with COVID-19. Produced when insulin-producing cells in the pancreas are damaged, these autoantibodies from one’s blood samples can help in diagnosing type 1 diabetes.
    In this study, the researchers, including those from the Institute of Diabetes Research, Helmholtz Munich, Germany, found that children already having islet autoantibodies (early stages of type 1 diabetes) developed diagnosable symptoms of the condition at a faster rate after a COVID-19 infection, compared to those not infected.
    From the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 until 2023, children participating in the Fr1da study (for type 1 diabetes) were tested for antibodies produced in response to COVID-19, along with islet autoantibodies. The researchers thus had ‘valuable data’ on the association between the SARS-CoV-2 virus and type 1 diabetes.
    They showed that cases of type 1 diabetes diagnoses among children in early stages of the disease increased at a higher rate during the pandemic, compared to that pre-pandemic. Source: PTI

  • Ways to remove blackheads from nose

    Ways to remove blackheads from nose

    Green tea
    Green tea is a great antioxidant that can help reduce oil production in your skin. Mix green tea leaves with water and massage the leaves into your skin for about 30 seconds. Rinse off and apply a moisturizer afterward.
    Tea tree oil
    It is another natural way to stop the growth of bacteria and can be found in many products, including soaps and creams. Apply tea tree oil directly to affected blackheads to prevent bacterial growth.
    Salt/sugar scrubs
    Helps exfoliate the skin and remove dead skin cells on the skin’s surface. After massaging the scrub on your face, wash it off with water and apply a moisturizer.
    Baking soda
    Just like salt and sugar scrubs can help exfoliate the skin and remove dirt, oil, and dead skin cells. Mix baking soda with water and massage it into any affected areas. Rinse off with warm water and use a moisturizer when done.
    Azelaic acid
    It can be found in topical creams and works by killing bacteria on your skin. This over-the-counter treatment can also reduce inflammation and keep the pores clean.
    Salicylic acid
    It is an ingredient found in many cleansers, lotions, and creams. When it’s applied to the skin, it helps shed dead cells which can prevent pores and follicles from clogging.