People who sleep for only three to five hours daily may be at a higher risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, according to a study. The research, published in journal JAMA Network Open, also shows that chronic sleep deprivation cannot be compensated by healthy eating alone. “I generally recommend prioritising sleep, although I understand it is not always possible, especially as a parent of four teenagers,” said Christian Benedict, associate professor at Uppsala University and lead researcher behind the study.
The team examined the link between Type 2 diabetes and sleep deprivation. Type 2 diabetes affects the body’s ability to process sugar (glucose), hindering insulin absorption and resulting in high blood sugar levels. “I generally recommend prioritising sleep, although I understand it is not always possible, especially as a parent of four teenagers,” said Christian Benedict, associate professor at Uppsala University and lead researcher behind the study.
The team examined the link between Type 2 diabetes and sleep deprivation. Type 2 diabetes affects the body’s ability to process sugar (glucose), hindering insulin absorption and resulting in high blood sugar levels.
The researchers used data from one of the largest population databases in the world, the UK Biobank, in which nearly half a million participants from the UK have been genetically mapped and responded to questions on health and lifestyle.
They followed the participants for over 10 years and found that a sleep duration of between three and five hours was linked to a higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. In contrast, healthy eating habits led to a lower risk of developing the disease, but even people who ate healthily but slept less than six hours a day were still at higher risk of Type 2 diabetes.
“Our results are the first to question whether a healthy diet can compensate for lack of sleep in terms of the risk of Type 2 diabetes. They should not cause concern, but instead be seen as a reminder that sleep plays an important role in health,” Benedict added. Source: PTI
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Sleeping for just 3 to 5 hours daily may increase Type 2 diabetes risk: Study
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Eating too much protein could harm your heart
Eating too much protein could cause heart problems, according to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. In a study, published in Nature Metabolism, involving people, mice, and cells, consuming over 22% of daily calories from protein was linked to immune cell activation, contributing to the formation of plaque in the arteries, a condition called atherosclerosis. The amino acid leucine, found in animal products like beef and eggs, played a significant role in this molecular process.
Senior author Babak Razani warned against increasing protein intake blindly, saying it might harm arteries. He said that this study could encourage discussions about tweaking diets for better health.
“Our hope is that this research starts a conversation about ways of modifying diets in a precise manner that can influence body function at a molecular level and dampen disease risks,” he said in a statement.
The study also questioned the popular belief that more protein is always better. Based on a 10-year survey of average American diets, a lot of daily calories come from protein, mostly from meat.
This aligns with the idea that protein is crucial for health, but studies, including this one, suggest too much might not be good for long-term health. Razani and metabolism expert Bettina Mittendorfer collaborated for a deeper understanding. The study spanned different models, from cells to mice to humans. Initial experiments with healthy people guided the timeline for immune cell activation.
Simulations in mice and human cells showed that eating more than 22% of daily calories from protein can harm macrophages, cells that help clear debris, leading to plaque buildup in arteries. -
Working long hours ups depression risk in women
Women who work more than 55 hours a week are at a higher risk of depression, according to study which found that the same is not true for men. The study of over 20,000 adults found that after taking age, income, health and job characteristics into account, women who worked extra-long hours had 7.3 per cent more depressive symptoms than women working a standard 35-40 week.
Weekend working was linked to a higher risk of depression among both sexes, according to the researchers from Queen Mary University of London and University College London in the UK. Women who worked for all or most weekends had 4.6 per cent more depressive symptoms on average compared to women working only weekdays.
Men who worked all or most weekends had 3.4 per cent more depressive symptoms than men working only weekdays.
“This is an observational study, so although we cannot establish the exact causes, we do know many women face the additional burden of doing a larger share of domestic labour than men, leading to extensive total work hours, added time pressures and overwhelming responsibilities,” said Gill Weston, a PhD candidate at UCL.
“Additionally women who work most weekends tend to be concentrated in low-paid service sector jobs, which have been linked to higher levels of depression,” said Weston.
The research showed that men tended to work longer hours in paid work than women, and having children affected men’s and women’s work patterns in different ways: while mothers tended to work fewer hours than women without children, fathers tended to work more hours than men without children.
Two thirds of men worked weekends, compared with half of women. Those who worked all or most weekends were more likely to be in low skilled work and to be less satisfied with their job and their earnings than those who only worked Monday to Friday or some weekends.
Researchers analysed data from 40,000 households across the UK since 2009. Information about working hours, weekend working, working conditions and psychological distress was collected from 11,215 working men and 12,188 working women between 2010
and 2012.
Depressive symptoms such as feeling worthless or incapable were measured using a self-completed general health questionnaire.
“Women in general are more likely to be depressed than men, and this was no different in the study,” Weston said.
“Independent of their working patterns, we also found that workers with the most depressive symptoms were older, on lower incomes, smokers, in physically demanding jobs, and who were dissatisfied at work,” she said.
“We hope our findings will encourage employers and policy-makers to think about how to reduce the burdens and increase support for women who work long or irregular hours—without restricting their ability to work when they wish to,” she added. -
How your daily routine damages your hair
We all have bad hair habits, most likely because we didn’t know any better, but after reading some of the common bad habits many are guilty of below, you won’t have an excuse to continue doing these any more.
Using Old Combs & Brushes
Don’t let your hair pile up in your hair brush, this can be a breeding ground for germs and bacteria. Make sure to clean the hair out every week, and deep clean your hair brush once a month.
Tip: Clean your hair brush or comb with baking soda and water, this will remove oil and product that builds up over time.
Applying Too Many Chemicals
Artificial chemicals are bad for your body, and your hair is no exception. If you’re coloring, getting keratin treatments, or relaxing your hair more often than you should, you are probably doing more damage than good. Make sure to keep any chemical processes or treatments down to a minimum, and your hair will begin to look and feel better and stronger.
Tip: If you have to get chemical treatments, establish a routine that involves preemptive care, like applying a hair mask a couple days before your treatment. You can also use a hair cover up on your roots so you don’t have to get your hair colored as often!
Going Too Long Without A Haircut
If you want healthy hair, make sure you’re getting regular trims to avoid split ends. Split ends can move up the hair shaft until you not only have split ends but a completely damaged hair shaft, which eventually leads to weakened locks and even hair thinning.
Tip: The right trim is ½ inch each month, or every other month if you are trying to grow your hair longer. -
Malai Kofta
Ingredients
4 Large Potatoes, boiled, 250 Gram Paneer (cottage cheese), 50 Gram Maida, 1 Tbsp Coriander leaves (chopped), 3 Onion, 1 Tbsp Ginger-garlic paste, 2 Tomatoes, 200 Ml Malai or cream, 2 Tbsp Raisins and cashew nuts, 50 Gram Cashew nuts paste, 1/2 tsp Haldi, 1/2 tsp Red chilli powder, 1/2 tsp Kitchen king masala, 1 Tbsp Kasuri methi (dry fenugreek), To taste Salt, 1 Tbsp Sugar
Method
– Refrigerate the boiled potatoes for 4 to 6 hours as this makes it easy to cook koftas.
– Mash the boiled potatoes and paneer along with maida. The mix should not be too hard or too soft. Add salt, chopped coriander leaves and mix well.
– Cut the raisins and cashew nuts into very small pieces and add 1/2 teaspoon of sugar to the mix.
– Heat up the oil for deep frying.
– Roll out the balls from the dough you prepared and stuff the dry fruit mix in the center.6.Fry the koftas and if they break in hot oil then dust them with dry maida before putting them in.
– Fry some onion, ginger-garlic paste and tomato paste.
– Mix the cashew nut paste with 2 tablespoon of warm milk and pour it into the paste.
– Except for kasuri methi, add all the dry masala into the paste and saute till the oil separates itself.
– Add half a cup of water and simmer the gravy till it’s done.
– Add cream/malai along with a tablespoon of sugar and kasuri methi.
– Simmer the gravy till the oil starts separating and once it’s done, put the fried koftas into the gravy.
– Serve hot with chapatis. -
Lindsay Lohan ‘excited to work with’ Jamie Lee Curtis on Freaky Friday sequel
Lindsay Lohan shared she is excited to once again work with the Academy Award-winning actress Jamie Lee Curtis in the sequel of their popular 2003 film Freaky Friday. Lindsay said the upcoming film is “in the process,” but did not say when the shooting would commence or if there even is a completed script.
The 37-year-old actress said that she was “just excited to work with Jamie again and see how much further we can take it. Because we talk almost every other day in general, so I think we’re going to have a lot of fun with this.” Lindsay said on Andy Cohen Live that a Freaky Friday sequel is still happening and added that she and the 65-year-old star are “both excited”. -
Cameron Diaz in talks to star alongside Keanu Reeves in Outcome
Cameron Diaz is in talks to star alongside Keanu Reeves and Jonah Hill in the upcoming dark comedy, titled Outcome. Helmed by Jonah, Outcome will feature Keanu as Reef, a damaged Hollywood star who must “dive into the dark depths of his past to confront his demons and make amends after he is extorted with a mysterious video clip from his past.” Details of Cameron’s role are still under wraps. This is not the first time Cameron will feature in the comedic space.
She has previously featured in films such as The Mask, My Best Friend’s Wedding, There’s Something About Mary, Bad Teacher, Charlie’s Angels and Shrek franchises. The actress took a step back from Hollywood in 2018 to put more focus toward her endeavours as a bestselling author and entrepreneur.
She also has Back in Action opposite Jamie Foxx in the Netflix action comedy by the same name, which marks her “un-retirement”. -
The Idea of You: Anne Hathaway falls for a much younger guy in new rom-com
Who can resist falling love with Anne Hathaway? Surely not even young rockstars. The first trailer for Prime Video’s upcoming romantic comedy The Idea of You is out. It stars Anne Hathaway (41) with Nicolas Galitzine (29). Anne plays an art manager who falls for Nicolas’ gentle rockstar. They meet at Coachella and it is love at first sight. He follows her to her workplace, clearly smitten but she is apprehensive about their age difference. But the fire in their hearts is already lit.
The official synopsis of the movie reads: Based on the acclaimed, contemporary love story of the same name, The Idea of You centers on Solène (Anne Hathaway), a 40-year-old single mom who begins an unexpected romance with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine), the lead singer of August Moon, the hottest boy band on the planet. When Solène must step in to chaperone her teenage daughter’s trip to the Coachella Music Festival after her ex bails at the last minute, she has a chance encounter with Hayes and there is an instant, undeniable spark. As they begin a whirlwind romance, it isn’t long before Hayes’ superstar status poses unavoidable challenges to their relationship, and Solène soon discovers that life in the glare of his spotlight might be more than she bargained for.
The film is directed by Michael Showalter and also stars Ella Rubin, Annie Mumolo, Reid Scott, Perry Mattfeld, Jordan Aaron Hall, Mathilda Gianopoulos, Raymond Cham Jr., Jaiden Anthony, Viktor White, Dakota Adan.
The film marks Director Michael Showalter’s return to the SXSW Film Festival after six years where he debuted and presented numerous projects such as Hello My Name is Doris (2015) and The Big Sick (2017), both of which won the Audience Award at the festival. Source: HT -
Gal Gadot announces birth of fourth child
Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot has revealed that she has given birth to her fourth child with husband Jaron Versano. The Israeli actor, who resides in Los Angeles, made the announcement on her Instagram account on Wednesday. It was not widely known that Gadot was pregnant. It is the fourth girl for the couple, who are already parents to Alma (12) Maya (six) and Daniella (two).
“My sweet girl, welcome. The pregnancy was not easy and we made it through,” Gadot wrote in the post.
The actor said they have named the newborn ‘Ori’, which means ‘my light’ in Hebrew, but didn’t disclose when and where she gave birth.
“You have brought so much light into our lives, living up to your name, Ori, which means ‘my light’ in Hebrew.
“Our hearts are full of gratitude. Welcome to the house of girls.. daddy is pretty cool too,” the 38-year-old captioned a photo of her holding the baby in her arms in the hospital. -
Richa Chadha talks about women working behind the scenes in Bollywood
Actor-producer Richa Chadha says she wants to work towards empowering women in traditionally male-dominated areas of the film industry, such as spot and lighting departments.
The 37-year-old actor, known for films like Gangs of Wasseypur, Fukrey franchise, said for her debut home production, Girls Will be Girls, they trained and hired women in the lighting department.
Directed by Shuchi Talati, the film follows the journey of Mira, a 16-year-old girl whose rebellious awakening is intertwined with her mother’s unfulfilled coming-of-age experiences.
“Intentionality matters, and we have to try and do something. I turned producer with Girls Will Be Girls. The director is a woman. There was a sexuality thing in the film, so she wanted an all-female team.
“In the lighting department, there are no women in India. We thought of doing a training programme for it. A company called Light and Light sent a trainer. They spent time with girls teaching (them) storytelling through lightning, using technology, etc. We hired one of them on our set,” Chadha said during a panel discussion at FICCI Frames on Tuesday evening.
The actor said while there has been “progress” in the representation of women in front of and behind-the-camera, a lot of work still needs to be done.
Condemning the recent incident of a Spanish woman’s gang-rape in Jharkhand’s Dumka district, Chadha said such “horrible” instances create a fear of “unsafe” atmosphere for women.
“We have made some progress. Every year it is better than last year. But then, it’s taking two steps forward and one step back. When something horrible happens in society, whether it’s in Manipur, Jharkhand, it sets people (back in time) because then parents are like, ‘It’s unsafe for you to study and work’. We are not in a decision-making position in society,” she said.
Chadha and Ekta Kapoor were part of a panel discussion at FICCI Frames, called Trailblazers in entertainment: Celebrating Women’s Contribution in Films and Shows’.
Kapoor said it is easier to make “misogynistic” films than a movie that celebrates womanhood.
“It has become far tougher since Covid-19 because it is easier to make a slightly misogynistic film, or a more machismo kind of film than celebrating womanhood or feminism. The word feminism is a taboo in movies. It is so scary as, we as women producers, want to support stories, and we will be at it,” the producer said. Source: PTI -
Janhvi Kapoor to star alongside Ram Charan in tentatively titled RC 16
On Janhvi Kapoor’s 27th birthday on Wednesday, it was announced that the actress will be featuring alongside star Ram Charan in the tentatively titled pan-India film RC 16. Production company Mythri Movie Makers welcomed the actress on board on X and wished her a happy birthday.
“Welcoming the celestial beauty on board for #RC16. Happy Birthday to the mesmerising #JanhviKapoor #RamCharanRevolts Global Star @AlwaysRamCharan @BuchiBabuSana @arrahman @RathnaveluDop @artkolla @vriddhicinemas @SukumarWritings.” The entertainer, which is directed by Buchi Babu Sana, who made his debut with Uppena, is presented by Mythri Movie Makers and produced under the banner of Vriddhi Cinemas and Sukumar Writings. The music is given by AR Rahman. Source: IANS -
Alia Bhatt to headline Spy Universe film
The speculations about actor Alia Bhatt joining the YRF Spy Universe have finally come to an end as Yash Raj Films’ CEO Akshaye Widhani confirmed this exciting news. Alia is all set to team up with Sharvari Wagh in the yet-to-be-titled film. Reportedly, they will play super-agents in the action entertainer.
Sharing the new development within the YRF Spy Universe, Akshaye said, “I’ll share the worst kept secret in the industry, which is, that Alia Bhatt is headlining a Spy Universe film and that the schedule starts later this year. But you know, talking about this spy universe, we are just so thrilled and excited about having this IP in the studio.”
He added, “I think the YRF Spy Universe is a financial and cultural juggernaut. And as one of the most prized IPs, we take a lot of pride in it. So there’s a lot of stuff that’s going to come on the spy universe, we’re going to see more and more films getting made under it. But of course, not going to share everything here. But we will talk about it at a more opportune time. But for now, I can just say that Alia Bhatt is headlining a spy universe film.”
Meanwhile, Alia is gearing up for her upcoming film Jigra. Helmed by Vasan Bala, Jigra will be co-produced by Karan Johar and Alia herself. The film is all set to hit the theatres on September 27. Director Vasan Bala previously helmed films like Monica O My Darling, a crime thriller film Peddlers and Mard Ko Dard Nahi Hota. Jigra was announced last year in September. The announcement video showed the film is a tale of a sister’s love for her brother and how she would do anything to protect him. Source: ANI -
Aamir Khan, Darsheel reunite 16 yrs after Taare Zameen Par
Actors Aamir Khan and Darsheel Safary reunited 16 long years after starring in the 2007 film Taare Zameen Par. Darsheel took to his Instagram to share an ad that sees Aamir play his grandfather.
“Join #AamirKhan as he goes on an adventure through time with Charged by Thums Up,” wrote Darsheel, sharing the ad on his Instagram page. In it, Aamir can be seen playing his ‘dadu’, someone who finds a solution to all his life’s problems. On Tuesday, March 5, Darsheel had shared a set of pictures of Aamir, writing, “It is Aamir’s multiverse, and we’re all just living in it. 3 days to go. #mrperfectionist #masterclass #versatileactor.” -
Rahul Gandhi to contest from Wayanad again
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi will again contest from Kerala’s Wayanad, sources said. Rahul Gandhi’s name was cleared in the first meeting of Congress party’s Central Election Committee (CEC) held at party headquarters in national capital on March 7 evening, they said.
Rahul Gandhi, also a member of CEC, joined the meeting virtually from Gujarat. Rahul had won Wayanad in 2019 and by a record margin. He had, however, lost Amethi, the erstwhile Congress bastion in Uttar Pradesh, to BJP leader Smriti Irani.
The Communist Party of India (CPI), the second-largest coalition partner in Kerala’s ruling Left Democratic Front, has fielded senior party leader Annie Raja from the Wayanad Lok Sabha constituency.
Since candidates from Amethi were not discussed, hence it remains unclear whether or not Rahul will contest from Amethi again or Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will be fielded or not from Rae Bareli- both seats in UP. -
Cabinet panel clears new indigenous stealth fighter project in defence push
New Delhi (TIP)- The Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has approved a highly anticipated project for the design and prototype development of an indigenous fifth-generation stealth fighter, or the advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA), at a cost of around Rs 15,000 crore, officials aware of the matter said on March 7. It is perhaps the most significant military project to be cleared by the government before India’s general elections due in April-May.
The project will involve the design and development of five twin-engine AMCA prototypes, with the stealth fighter likely to go into production only after a decade, the officials said, asking not to be named.
The Indian Air Force’s (IAF) modernisation map envisages the deployment of around 120 stealth fighters (six squadrons) 2035 onwards, with the advanced planes forming an important element of future air combat.
The Defence Research and Development Organisation’s (DRDO) Aeronautical Development Agency and state-run plane maker Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will be involved in the AMCA project, which will be developed in two phases, as previously reported by HT. The first two squadrons will consist of the Mk-1 version of AMCA powered by the American F-414 engines, while the remaining four squadrons will have the more advanced Mk-2 version equipped with an even more powerful engine to be built in India with foreign collaboration. Source: HT -
Modi visits Srinagar, first since Kashmir autonomy removed in 2019
Srinagar (TIP)- India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has made his first official visit to the main city of Indian-administrated Kashmir since New Delhi scrapped the disputed region’s semi-autonomy in 2019. Addressing a crowd in a football stadium in Srinagar, Modi on March 7 announced development projects and said previous governments had misled people over the region’s special status.
Modi’s government stripped the Muslim-majority territory of its special constitutional status, splitting the former state into two territories – Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir – directly ruled from New Delhi. Inherited protections on land and jobs given to the Indigenous residents were also removed.
The move, widely welcomed across India, angered many in the densely militarised territory. Rebels in the Himalayan region have waged a rebellion since 1989, seeking independence or a merger with Pakistan, which controls a smaller part of the Kashmir region and, like India, claims it in full.
“The success story of Jammu and Kashmir will be the centre of attraction for the world,” he said, adding the region has prospered since the 2019 move. “This new Jammu-Kashmir has the courage to overcome any challenge,” he said. “The country is seeing these smiling faces of yours … [and] feeling relieved to see you all happy.”
Although Modi’s Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is not a key player in Kashmir, the visit is seen as a signal to its voters that the party has fulfilled a core promise to end Kashmir’s special status.
The event was also a part of Modi’s campaign ahead of national election scheduled in April and May, the first since the region lost its autonomy. The last election for the region’s legislative assembly was held in 2014, but the government was dismissed in 2018.
Modi did not mention plans to hold elections in the region or to restore its statehood, both demanded by Indian-administered Kashmir’s pro-India political parties. His close aide and federal Home Minister Amit Shah has repeatedly promised that the region would be regain statehood after elections.
In December, India’s Supreme Court upheld the 2019 decision and asked the government to conduct state polls by September.
Modi’s government claims New Delhi’s direct rule of Kashmir brought about a new era of “peace and development” in the region, but critics and many residents say it heralded a drastic curtailment of civil liberties and press freedom.
For security, thousands of armed police and paramilitary forces in flak jackets were deployed, and new checkpoints were set up across Srinagar. The forces laid razor wire as they patrolled all the roads leading to the football stadium and randomly frisked residents and searched vehicles.
Navy commandos in motorboats patrolled the Jhelum river that snakes through the city. Most schools in the city are shut for the day, and the authorities have called on government employees to attend the rally.
Omar Abdullah, a former chief minister of Indian-administered Kashmir, accused the government of organising buses to bring in crowds to attend the rally, alleging that “almost none” would be attending willingly. -
PM Modi announces LPG cylinder price cut by Rs 100 on Women’s Day
Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced a reduction of Rs 100 in cooking gas cylinder prices on Friday on the occasion of International Women’s Day. This will significantly ease the financial burden on millions of households across the country, especially benefiting “Nari Shakti” (women power), he said in a post on X.
“By making cooking gas more affordable, we also aim to support the well-being of families and ensure a healthier environment. This is in line with our commitment to empowering women and ensuring ‘Ease of Living’ for them,” he said. In a related decision, the government on Thursday announced the extension of Rs 300 per LPG cylinder subsidy to poor women under the Ujjwala Yojana for the next fiscal starting April 1.
The government in October last year hiked the subsidy from Rs 200 per 14.2-kg cylinders for up to 12 refills per year to Rs 300 per bottle. The Rs 300 per cylinder subsidy was for the current fiscal, which ends on March 31. -
CBI busts network sending Indians to Ukraine war zone
Beijing (TIP)- The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday, March 7, said it has busted major human trafficking networks operating across India that targeted young people with promises of lucrative jobs abroad, including in Russia and Ukraine, but sent them off to people who then forced them to fight on the front lines of the war between those countries. The agency conducted searches at 13 locations in Delhi, Thiruvananthapuram, Mumbai, Ambala, Chandigarh, Madurai and Chennai. It identified at least 35 instances of victims sent abroad by the alleged traffickers.
“These traffickers have been operating as an organised network and were luring Indian nationals through social media channels like YouTube etc, and also through their local contacts or agents for highly paid jobs in Russia,” a CBI spokesperson said. “Thereafter, the trafficked Indian nationals were trained in combat roles and deployed at front bases in the Russia-Ukraine war zone against their wishes, thus putting their lives in grave danger.”
Some victims were grievously injured in the war zone, the spokesperson said.
At least two Indian nationals are known to have been killed while serving with the Russian army. The Indian embassy in Moscow confirmed the death of Indian national Mohammed Asfan in a post on X on March 6. The 30-year-old from Hyderabad travelled to Russia late last year and reports have said he was seriously injured along with two other Indians in hostilities in a conflict zone last month.
Earlier, 23-year-old Hemal Ashwinbhai Mangukiya, a resident of Surat in Gujarat, was killed in a Ukrainian air strike while serving as a “security helper” with the Russian Army at Donetsk, a part of Ukraine occupied by Russia. Mangukiya travelled to Russia last December.
CBI registered a case on Wednesday against private visa consultancy firms, agents and others engaged in trafficking Indians to Russia under the guise of employment, the spokesperson said. “So far around 35 instances of victims sent abroad have been established. The identity of more trafficking victims are also being established. Investigation is continuing.”
Four accused consultancies or agents were named: 24×7 RAS Overseas Foundation and its director Suyash Mukut; OSD Bros Travels and Visa Services Pvt Ltd. and its director Rakesh Pandey; Adventure Visa Services Pvt Ltd and its director Manjeet Singh; and Baba Vlogs Overseas Recruitment Solutions Pvt Ltd. and its director Faisal Abdul Mutalib Khan, also known as Baba. Cash amounting to over ?50 lakh, incriminating documents, electronics and CCTV footage were recovered during Thursday’s raids, the spokesperson said.
The agency appealed to the public not to fall for false job promises from dubious recruitment agencies and agents. Indian authorities have stepped up efforts to bring back all Indians serving with the Russian military, though the actual number remains unclear, with some reports suggesting it could be around 100. Last month, India’s external affairs ministry confirmed that 20 Indian nationals serving with the Russian military had approached the Indian mission in Moscow seeking help with their discharge, and several were discharged after Indian authorities took up their cases in Moscow and New Delhi. -
IndiaAI Mission gets Cabinet nod, Rs 10,372 crore allocated
New Delhi (TIP)- The Cabinet on March 7 approved the national IndiaAI mission with a budget outlay of Rs 10,371.92 crore in a major push for the country to become an artificial intelligence hub by developing large language models, building AI infrastructure and upskilling its workforce.
The IndiaAI Mission aims to establish the country as a leader in AI through initiatives like developing computing infrastructure involving over 10,000 GPUs (graphics processing units) in partnership with the private sector, setting up an AI datasets platform to give startups and researchers access to non-personal data and other measures to foster innovation.
“It will act as a one-stop solution for resources critical for AI innovation,” the Union ministry of electronics and information technology (Meity) said in a statement following a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
“The Prime Minister has democratised technology. With the AI mission, we will now make computer power available to innovators, start-ups, students, and educational institutions, “ Ashwini Vaishnaw, the Union minister for IT said.
“AI is going to be the kinetic enabler for India’s digital economy. Prime Minister Modi ji has always said that India is going to fully exploit the power of AI for the benefit of its citizens and for the expansion of its economy,” said the minister of state for Meity, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who also holds the portfolio for skill development and entrepreneurship.
To build up the compute capacity in the country, this mission will also design an AI marketplace that will offer AI as a service and pre-trained models to AI innovators.
The AI mission will establish an IndiaAI Innovation Centre to develop and deploy indigenous Large Multimodal Models (LMMs) and domain-specific foundational models in critical sectors.
The move comes as AI technologies such as ChatGPT spark a global frenzy and countries race to keep pace by regulating their development and use.
India’s AI market is projected to reach $7.8 billion by 2025, according to one estimate cited by the IndiaAI website. The plans align with recommendations by a government working group last year, which suggested monetising non-personal data through a marketplace to drive AI development while preserving privacy, mooting a marketplace called the India Dataset Platform (IDP).
Seven components are largely what an expert group of seven working groups had recommended in their report that was released by Chandrasekhar in October 13.
The mission will also focus on increasing the number of AI courses at undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral levels through IndiaAI FutureSkills. Data and AI Labs will also be set up in tier 2 and tier 3 cities to teach foundation level courses, the government announced. -
NIA takes over cases related to Maoist violence
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken over the probe into about half a dozen Maoist violence cases, including the January ambush on a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur and the killing of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Ratan Dubey in the state’s Narayanpur in November last year, people familiar with the matter said.
The agency will also look into the role of supporters of Madvi Hidma, the commander of Battalion-I of People’s Liberation Guerilla Army of Maoists, suspected to be behind a recent spate of attacks in the region.
“A larger conspiracy by Maoists to regain the lost ground by targeting security personnel, politicians, and civilians is being investigated. We have taken up eight cases linked to Maoists in the last few weeks,” said an official, who did not want to be named.
On January 16, Maoists attacked the CRPF camp in Bijapur and claimed that three security personnel were killed in a gunbattle that followed. The security forces denied the claim. Ratan Dubey, the vice president of BJP’s Narayanpur unit, was hacked to death with a sharp-edged weapon in Narayanpur in November 2023 while he was campaigning.
An Improvised Explosive Device blast in Chhattiagarh’s Kanker during Chhattisgarh assembly elections last year is among other cases the NIA has taken up. Individuals suspected to be working for Maoists have been arrested in Chhattisgarh over the last few months.
Source: HT -
PM Modi congratulates Shehbaz Sharif on taking oath as Pakistan prime minister
Islamabad / new Delhi (TIP): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on March 5 congratulated Shehbaz Sharif on taking oath as the prime minister of Pakistan. Shehbaz Sharif on Monday took the oath as Prime Minister of Pakistan, assuming the cash-strapped country’s reins for a second time, nearly a month after an inconclusive election marred by allegations of vote rigging.
In the February 8 elections, Sharif’s Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) party came second. Independent candidates backed by jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) won the most seats but failed to get a majority in Parliament.
On Sunday, Shehbaz, 72, comfortably won the election for premiership in the newly-elected Parliament. Shehbaz, the consensus candidate of the PML-N and the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), received 201 votes in the 336-member Parliament. His challenger Omar Ayub Khan of Khan’s PTI secured only 92 votes. President Arif Alvi administered the oath to Shehbaz, the 24th elected prime minister in a ceremony held at the Aiwan-i-Sadr, the presidential palace.
Shehbaz earlier served as prime minister of a coalition government from April 2022 to August 2023 before Parliament was dissolved to hold general elections last month. (TNS) -
46 killed as fire breaks out in Bangladesh building
DHAKA (TIP): A massive fire in Bangladesh that raged through a six-storey building home to restaurants where many families with children were dining has killed at least 46 persons and injured dozens, the health minister said on March 8. Fire authorities said a gas leak could have caused Thursday’s blaze in the capital, which spread quickly after breaking out in a biryani restaurant, and was only reined in following two hours of effort by 13 units of firefighters.
Hospitals are treating 22 persons with burn wounds, Health Minister Samanta Lal Sen said. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expressed shock and sorrow at the incident. Firefighters used cranes to rescue people from the charred building, said fire officials, who were still working to clear debris and douse any remaining embers.
Relatives gathered at the hospital early on Friday to receive the bodies of the dead. — Reuters -
Bangladesh Nobel laureate granted bail in graft case
Dhaka (TIP): A court in Bangladesh on March 3 granted bail to Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus in a USD 2.3 million embezzlement case.Yunus, who was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006 for pioneering the use of microcredit to help impoverished people, was sentenced to six months in prison in January on a separate charge of violating labour laws. He was granted bail in that case too and has appealed.
Prosecutor Mir Ahmmad Ali Salam said the embezzlement case involves a workers welfare fund of Grameen Telecom, which owns 34.2 per cent of the country’s largest mobile phone company, Grameenphone, a subsidiary of Norway’s telecom giant Telenor.
“The charges involve the embezzlement of over 250 million takas and money laundering. The accused gave the money to trade union leaders instead of the workers. This way they deprived the ordinary workers of their rightful earnings,” Salam said. — AP -
Three-day IGM concludes in Sri Lanka
Colombo (TIP): The three-day fifth edition of the International Gita Mahotsav (IGM) on a foreign land concluded at Colombo in Sri Lanka on March 3. The event was jointly organised by the Kurukshetra Development Board and the government of Sri Lanka. As part of the celebrations, a copy of Srimad Bhagavad Gita was presented by the delegation from Haryana in parliament of Sri Lanka on Monday. During the festival, a crafts bazar, book fair, shobha yatra, seminars, school-level competition, exhibition, cultural and musical shows and a ‘Maha Aarti’ were organised.
Honorary secretary of the KDB Upender Singhal said, “The festival concluded in Sri Lanka. It was a matter of pride for us that the government of Sri Lanka was involved in the celebrations and the festival was celebrated on a grand scale. (TNS) -
Zulfikar Bhutto didn’t receive fair trial: Pak SC
Islamabad (TIP): Former Pakistan prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, executed by the military regime of Gen Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq in 1979, did not receive a fair trial and due process, the Supreme Court opined unanimously on March 6 in a much-anticipated review of the high-profile case.
Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa announced the opinion of a nine-member larger bench of the apex court. It is based on a special case sent in 2011 by then president Asif Ali Zardari to the Supreme Court to revisit his father-in-law Bhutto’s conviction for abetment in a murder case and his eventual hanging on April 4, 1979.
On March 18, 1978, the Lahore HC sentenced Bhutto to death for ordering the assassination of Ahmed Reza Kasuri, a founding member of the Pakistan Peoples Party.
Announcing the unanimous opinion, Isa said, “The proceedings of the trial do not meet the requirements of the fundamental right to a fair trial.” But the SC also ruled that the verdict could not be changed as the Constitution and law did not allow so. (PTI)