SRINAGAR: The University of East Anglia in England is organizing the UEA International Scholarship to fully fund five exceptional students pursuing a master’s degree without any tuition fee burden.
The university offers 26 courses in the faculty of social sciences and international
development, including a master’s program in media and international development.
To be eligible for the scholarship, applicants must be graduates with an outstanding academic record and proficient in English.
The selected recipients will receive full tuition coverage and €19,800 (equivalent to ₹1.77 million) for fees and expenses.
Dunedin: Kim Cotton of New Zealand made history on Wednesday, becoming the first female on-field umpire to stand in a men’s international match between two ICC full-member countries.
Cotton officiated the second T20I between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at the University Oval in Dunedin on Wednesday.
The 45-year-old, who previously umpired in 16 women’s ODIs and 44 T20Is, first marked her presence in men’s cricket as a TV umpire during a tied T20I between India and New Zealand in 2020.
The New Zealander was one of the on-field umpires for both the 2022 Women’s World Cup final (50-over) and the 2023 Women’s T20 World Cup final in February.
Previously, Claire Polosak was the first female umpire in a men’s international in 2019 when she stood in an ODI match between Oman and Namibia, both associate nations.
Polosak had also become the first female match official in a men’s Test match as the fourth umpire during a 2021-22 Border Gavaskar Trophy Test match between India and Australia in Sydney last year.
New Delhi: Air India has introduced a refreshed in-flight food and beverages menu across cabins on all international flights.
Air India’s First and Business Class customers who follow the vegan lifestyle will now be able to choose from a selection of plant-based meal options.
Moreover, the airline’s bar menu now features a range of premium brands of spirits as well as a new wine list that includes French and Italian wines.
Customers on board will be able to indulge in sophistication with Air India’s bar menu, which now offers a fine wine list, including Laurent-Perrier La Cuvee Brut champagne, wines from the renowned vineyards of Chateau de l’Hestrange, Les Oliviers, Chateau Milon, and Piedmont region of Northern Italy. In addition, the new beverages menu features a range of whiskey, gin, vodka, and beer of premium brands.
The new menus is based on guest feedback and is designed to offer travellers an assortment of gourmet meals, trendy appetisers, decadent desserts, and showcase India’s locally sourced culinary influence while keeping in line with the healthy eating trend.
Sandeep Verma, Head of In-flight Services, Air India, said “As part of our ongoing effort of transforming the Air India experience for the guests, we have brought great thought and energy into our new menu. We want our guests to enjoy their food and beverage on board Air India flights much like they would at their favourite restaurants.
“Our underlying focus while designing the new menu has been on ensuring that it includes nutritious options that are delicious, and on incorporating contemporary, sustainable practices.”
A team of in-house experts, catering partners, and multiple suppliers were assembled to design an elevated the dining experience on board Air India flights.
Air India’s First and Business Class customers who follow the vegan lifestyle will now be able to choose from a selection of delicious, plant-based meal options such as ‘Subz’ seekh kebab, Thai red curry with tofu and vegetables, broccoli and millet steak, and lemon sevaiyan upma, medu wada and masala uttapam.
The new menu for breakfast, lunch and dinner, across all classes, features a mix of fusion dishes and classics such as mushroom scrambled egg, turmeric chilli omelette, mixed vegetable paratha, achari paneer and emmenthal sandwich in multigrain bread, grilled prawns in a fennel cream sauce, murgh rezala kofta, murgh elaichi korma, classic chilli chicken, chicken chettinad kathi roll, baked fillet of fish with a herb almond and garlic crust, masala dal and brown rice khichdi with sprouts, roast tomato and bocconcini caprese with kalamata olives and pesto, and classic tomato and coriander shorba with crisp namakpara, among others.
There are also new dessert offerings such as mango passionfruit delight, quinoa orange kheer, espresso almond crumble mousse cake, khajur tukda with kesar phirni, single origin chocolate slice, chum-chum sandwich with blueberry sauce, and a seasonal fruit selection.
Air India’s selection of mocktails such as Virgin Mary, California Orange, Apple Spritzer, and juices would offer an array of flavours to fulfil the fine dining experience.
Hyderabad: St Joseph’s degree and PG college organised a three day conference ‘International Conference on Sustainable Development Goals – opportunities, challenges, and future’.
The day 2 of the conference was a panel discussion on ‘Industry Evolution from 1.0 to 5.0’.
The importance of Industry 5.0, the changing landscape of business strategy and the skillsets required were discussed at the conference. Various research papers expanding upon Industry 5.0 were submitted by the participants.
Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court has quashed a 2018 Enforcement Directorate order of freezing the bank accounts of Amnesty International India Private Limited.
The petition filed by Amnesty International in 2018 was allowed and the notices quashed, the single-judge bench of Justice K S Hemalekha said in its February 24 order. A copy of the judgment was made available recently.
In the judgment, the court said: “On perusal of the provisions of Section 132(8A) of the Act, it is evident that order under Sub-Section (3) of Section 132 of the Income Tax Act would not be in force beyond sixty days from the date of the order. In light of the provisions of Section 132(8A), the impugned notices dated 25.10.2018 have lost their efficacy by efflux of time as the period of sixty days has expired.”
The court, however, said all the contentions are left open to be urged before the appropriate authority in accordance with law.
Calling itself a company “engaged in the business of rendering, research (primary and secondary) and consultancy services regarding human rights”, Amnesty claimed in the petition before the High Court that on October 25, 2018, without any notice to it, a search and seizure was conducted on its premises. Several documents, agreements and mobile phones were scrutinised and confiscated.
Following this, the bank accounts of Amnesty in HDFC Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank were frozen by a Government Order without any notice to it. This was challenged in the petition before the High Court.
The advocate for Amnesty pointed to the Greenpeace India Society vs Union of India case in which a similar issue was decided. The High Court accepted this contention.
In the Greenpeace case, the NGO sought to quash the order blocking its financial assets which had been frozen by an order of the Ministry of Home Affairs following a bank transfer from another NGO located in Netherlands. The High Court held that the Ministry’s arguments were not satisfactory enough to freeze the financial assets of Greenpeace and ordered that the bank allow the NGO to have access to its accounts.
SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha attended the International Day of Forests event organized by Department of Forest, Ecology & Environment at Convention Centre, on Tuesday.
The Lt Governor called upon the people for sustainable management of forests and the judicious use of resources to combat climate change and to ensure well-being of all.
“Healthy forest is key to healthy living of people and it should be our top most priority to safeguard these precious natural resources. Every element produced by nature nourishes us. Since time immemorial, the health & well-being of humans, animals & environment around us are interlinked”, said the Lt Governor.
The Lt Governor emphasized on striking a perfect balance between society and environment for a healthy ecosystem and a strong economy.
“Nature is a great source of wisdom. The more we learn from nature, the more we understand that forests are not only an integral part of our existence but also essential for our mental, physical health and well-being. A society that is closer to nature is more prosperous”, the Lt Governor said.
On this International Day of Forests, let us rededicate ourselves to protect nature and conserve forests with the spirit of “One World, One Health”. We must protect and nurture economic, social and environmental values for the benefit of present and future generations, the Lt Governor observed.
The Lt Governor directed the J&K Rural Livelihoods Mission to launch Van Sakhi Yojana in coordination with Forest Department for the socio-economic empowerment of the women entrepreneurs associated with the sector.
The Lt Governor asked the Forests Department and other stakeholders to ensure that policy on ‘Sustainable Utilization of Non-timber Forest Produce in J&K’ is fully operationalized on ground to maximize its benefits to the people, especially women and tribal communities.
The Lt Governor further emphasized on promoting high-value forest produce like Gucci mushroom and Artemisia herbal plant which can be found in abundance in the forests of Jammu Kashmir to bring significant improvement in the quality of life of the forest-dependent population without harming the forests.
He also highlighted the efforts made in the last two years for the protection of natural resources and extending economic benefits, livelihood and entrepreneurship opportunities to tribal families.
“Under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a large population of our tribal families dependent on the forests have been granted their forest rights for which they have been waiting for years,” he said.
The Lt Governor asked the Tribal Affairs Department and the districts administration to work in mission mode for granting individual rights under the Forest Rights Act and establishment of Van Dhan Kendras.
He complimented the Forest Department and allied wings for achieving higher targets under “One Beat Guard, One Village” programme under the campaign “Har Gaon Hariyali” and for their forest conservation awareness efforts.
With more than 55% green cover, Jammu Kashmir is ahead of many other states and UTs, the Lt Governor said.
The Lt Governor also gave valuable suggestions for sustainable management of forests.
The Lt Governor said the world population is dependent on forests in one way or the other. From our ancient texts to the latest and greatest invention of Artificial Intelligence Tool, you can find one thing in common i.e the entire universe is made of the five elements (Panch Tatva), he observed.
We must move ahead with the mantra of Panch Karma – the five major goals for the next one year. Non-Timber Forest Produce scheme must encourage associated Self-help Groups and communities to work on conservation of forests and plantation, said the Lt Governor.
Forest-related education in schools and participation of students in plantation drives must be ensured. Van Dhan Kendras and Self-help Groups should be involved in branding and marketing of forest-friendly products, he noted.
The Lt Governor said the inclusion of Panchayati Raj Institutions in Van Se Jal and Jal Se Jeevan program will make a greater impact in our campaign for conservation of natural resources. Further, we have to make the re-forestation campaign a mass movement, he added.
On the occasion, the Lt Governor presented the UT-Level Awards of Forestry & Wildlife Conservation to the frontline staff of Forest and Wildlife Department for their outstanding contribution.
He also felicitated the Village Panchayats for their efforts in the greening of common village lands.Kashmir(KNO)
KULGAM, MARCH 21: On the eve of International Day of Forests being celebrated every year on 21st of March, mega Plantation drive was today organized by Forest division Kulgam at Government Degree College (GDC) Kulgam.
This year the day is being celebrated with the theme, “FORESTS AND HEALTH”.
The Plantation drive was kick-started by the Deputy Commissioner (DC) Kulgam, Dr. Bilal Mohi-Ud-Din Bhat by planting a sapling of cedrus deodara within the premises of GDC Kulgam.
The programme was attend by College faculty, Officers from Social Forestry, Forest Protection Force, members of NSS volunteers, NGOs, media fraternity and students of GDC Kulgam.
The DC in his address highlighted the role of forests in providing abundance of Ecosystem services and thereby promoting healthy lives.
During the event plant saplings were also distributed among NSS volunteers.
Later, a Booklet compiled by Kulgam Forest division “Let us Conserve Biodiversity” was also released.
SRINAGAR: The government of Jammu and Kashmir is all set to construct a massive amusement park in Srinagar after taking proper references from global and national theme parks.
The Disneyland type amusement park will be spread over 100 acres and will act as a boon for tourism sector in Kashmir
News18 has reported that the Jammu and Kashmir government wants to hire an international renowned consultancy firm to advice it for development of a theme amusement park in Srinagar. The consultant will do a tour of theme parks managed globally by the likes of Disney, Universal and Ramoji, and study the best practices.
The vision behind this is “to catalyse growth in tourism sector and attract tourists from across the globe,” the document accessed by News 18 says.
The site is expected to be the prime location of 100 acres in Srinagar’s Tattoo Ground. JK Directorate of Industries and Commerce will undertake the project and may set up a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for it, News 18 reported.
The document says the selected consultant in order to gather an understanding of the best practices being adopted by the theme parks across national as well as the global level would prepare a ‘Theme Park Benchmarking Study Report’. For preparing this report, references may be taken from the global and national theme parks.
“To undertake this exercise and prepare a comprehensive study report a team comprising of government officials and a team of three consultants would visit two global and two national theme parks,” the document says.
SRINAGAR: The government of Jammu and Kashmir is all set to construct a massive amusement park in Srinagar after taking proper references from global and national theme parks.
The Disneyland type amusement park will be spread over 100 acres and will act as a boon for tourism sector in Kashmir
News18 has reported that the Jammu and Kashmir government wants to hire an international renowned consultancy firm to advice it for development of a theme amusement park in Srinagar. The consultant will do a tour of theme parks managed globally by the likes of Disney, Universal and Ramoji, and study the best practices.
The vision behind this is “to catalyse growth in tourism sector and attract tourists from across the globe,” the document accessed by News 18 says.
The site is expected to be the prime location of 100 acres in Srinagar’s Tattoo Ground. JK Directorate of Industries and Commerce will undertake the project and may set up a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) for it, News 18 reported.
The document says the selected consultant in order to gather an understanding of the best practices being adopted by the theme parks across national as well as the global level would prepare a ‘Theme Park Benchmarking Study Report’. For preparing this report, references may be taken from the global and national theme parks.
“To undertake this exercise and prepare a comprehensive study report a team comprising of government officials and a team of three consultants would visit two global and two national theme parks,” the document says.
SRINAGAR: The United Nations commemorated the first-ever International Day to Combat Islamophobia with a special event in the General Assembly Hall, where speakers upheld the need for concrete action in the face of rising hatred, discrimination and violence against Muslims. The event took place a few days ahead of March 15, the day fixed for International Day to Combat Islamophobia.
A crowd of pigeons outside the Dargah-e-Hazratbal shrine in Srinagar. KL Image: Bilal Bahadur
The observation follows the unanimous adoption of an Assembly resolution in 2022 that proclaimed 15 March as the International Day, calling for global dialogue that promotes tolerance, peace and respect for human rights and religious diversity. The day is also the anniversary of the 2019 attack on two mosques in New Zealand which left 51 people dead.
As the UN Secretary-General stated, the nearly two billion Muslims worldwide – who come from all corners of the planet – “reflect humanity in all its magnificent diversity”. Yet, they often face bigotry and prejudice simply because of their faith.
Furthermore, Muslim women can also suffer “triple discrimination” because of their gender, ethnicity, and faith.
Everyone has a role
The President of the UN General Assembly, Csaba Kőrösi, noted that Islamophobia is rooted in xenophobia, or the fear of strangers, which is reflected in discriminatory practices, travel bans, hate speech, bullying and targeting of other people.
He urged countries to uphold freedom of religion or belief, which is guaranteed under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
“All of us carry a responsibility to challenge Islamophobia or any similar phenomenon, to call out injustice and condemn discrimination based on religion or belief – or the lack of them,” he added.
Kőrösi said education is key to learning why these phobias exist, and it can be “transformative” in changing how people understand each another.
Hatred on the rise
The growing hate that Muslims face is not an isolated development, UN Secretary-General António Guterres told attendees.
“It is an inexorable part of the resurgence of ethno-nationalism, neo-Nazi white supremacist ideologies, and violence targeting vulnerable populations including Muslims, Jews, some minority Christian communities and others,” he said.
“Discrimination diminishes us all. And it is incumbent on all of us to stand up against it. We must never be bystanders to bigotry.”
Stressing that “we must strengthen our defences”, Guterres highlighted UN measures such as a Plan of Action to Safeguard Religious Sites. He also called for ramping up political, cultural, and economic investments in social cohesion.
Curb online bigotry
“And we must confront bigotry wherever and whenever it rears its ugly head. This includes working to tackle the hate that spreads like wildfire across the internet,” he added.
To this end, the UN is working with governments, regulators, technology companies and the media “to set up guardrails, and enforce them.”
Compassion and solidarity
Other policies already launched include a Strategy and Plan of Action on Hate Speech, and the Our Common Agenda report, which outlines a framework for a more inclusive and secure “digital future” for all people.
The Secretary-General also expressed gratitude to religious leaders across the world who have united to promote dialogue and interfaith harmony.
He described the 2019 declaration on ‘Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together’ – co-authored by His Holiness Pope Francis and His Eminence the Grand Imam of Al-Azhar Sheikh Ahmed El Tayeb – as “a model for compassion and human solidarity.”
Interestingly, China and US attacked each other on the day at UN event.
China accused the US of “abusing” a UN event to mark an international day against Islamophobia after the American ambassador in New York used it to draw attention to Beijing’s persecution of its Uyghur minority.
Speaking at the event, Linda Thomas-Greenfield, the US ambassador to the UN, said that the US had formally recognised that Muslims are increasingly subject to “discrimination and violence”, and cited the treatment of the Uyghurs in China and the Rohingya in Myanmar.
China’s persecution of the Uyghurs has been documented by human rights organisations and by the UN’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and has been widely condemned by western governments.
A Letter
Meanwhile, as many as 15 organisations across the world, including the Muslim Council of Britain, the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the Committee for Justice and Liberty in France, Asociacion Musulmana por los Derechos Humanos in Spain and the Australian Federation of Islamic Councils, have written a letter to UN calling for action against Islamophobia.
“We call on governments to recognize the International Day to Combat Islamophobia, condemn anti-Muslim bigotry and racism, dismantle Islamophobic policies and laws, and ensure that all of their citizens receive fair treatment under the law,” the first call to action said.
“We know that Islamophobia has gone global. The Christchurch shooter who murdered 51 Muslim men, women and children in New Zealand on March 15th four years ago was just one horrific example of how dangerous anti-Muslim extremism can become,” the letter said.
(Part of the news item was sourced from a report from UN official website)
