May 2023 - Page 28 of 51 - Lokmarg

Taliban Announces 4-Day Polio Vaccination Programme

By LokMarg 15th May 2023

Afghanistan’s Taliban-led Ministry of Public Health on Monday announced a four-day polio vaccination campaign across 23 provinces of Afghanistan, Khaama Press reported.

The campaign, which got underway on May 15, intends to immunize 6.4 million kids in 23 provinces of Afghanistan.

Afghanistan on Sunday reported its first death due to poliovirus in 2023 in Nangarhar, reported Tolo News.

The Ministry of Public Health reported two cases of polio in Nangarhar. A spokesman for the Health Ministry, Sharafat Zaman Amerkhail said that these two cases have been reported in the Koot and Batikoot districts of Nangarhar province. One polio-stricken child has died.

“In these two cases, one child is four years old and the other is 11. One of them lost their life,” said Amerkhail.

Family members of the child who died in Batikoot district said that one year ago, their child was infected with polio and was paralyzed from the neck down and after severe diarrhoea died in the hospital. The child was named Nazo, reported Tolo News.

“Her neck became paralyzed. She couldn’t control it. We took her to the hospital and on the night of Eid she died,” said Iqbal Shah, the grandfather of Nazo.

“After this disease (polio), her feet become tiny. Her stomach become acidic, she lost control of her neck and she couldn’t digest food,” said Zarmina, the mother of Nazo. (ANI)

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I Told You Lord Hanuman Is Upset With BJP: Tejashwi Yadav

By LokMarg 15th May 2023

Reiterating calls for the ‘Opposition Unity’to defeat BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav said on Monday that the Karnataka assembly poll results have delivered a message that if all opposition parties will fight unitedly, the Bharatiya Janata Party can be defeated.

Speaking to the reporters, “I said earlier also that Lord Hanuman is upset with BJP. And this is not just the defeat of the BJP. It is also the loss of capitalism, the central agencies…. It is a defeat for all of them”.

He said that Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, former CM Lalu Prasad and other leaders are working in the direction of ‘Opposition Unity’.

“It (Karnataka election results) is a message that if we all fight unitedly, we can win. That’s what CM Nitish Kumar, Lalu ji and we are all working towards, trying to unite everyone, fight and win. None of us have any personal ambition. We don’t want to be PM or CM,” Yadav said.

He added, “Our aim is to work for the people, to fight against inflation and unemployment, to work for the poor, farmers, labourers, army and the common people. We all are working towards it, to unite and save the democracy and constitution in the country”.

In the recently held assembly elections in Karnataka, the Congress party registered a landslide victory by winning 135 seats in the 224-member assembly and pushed BJP out of the only southern state it had.

The voting for the elections was held on May 10 with a voter turnout of over 72 per cent and the counting was done on May 13. (ANI)

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Palestine Envoy Thanks India For Supporting 2-Nation Solution

By LokMarg 15th May 2023

By Ayushi Agarwal

Palestine’s Ambassador to India Adnan Mohammad Jaber Abualhayjaa on Monday thanked the Indian government and people for their support to the Palestinian cause and the two-state solution.

“I would like to thank the Indian government, the Indian people for their support to the Palestinian cause, for their support of the two-state solution, to peace in the area and hope they could manage with this extreme (Israel) government to do something,” the Palestinian Ambassador Abualhayjaa said.

“Today, we are celebrating the commemoration of the Palestinian Nakba or catastrophe which happened 75 years ago. This is the 75th commemoration of the Nakba of the Palestinian people where we have lost our homeland,” he said.

“Israel has been established in our homeland, we have lost the other part occupied by the Israelis,” he said.

The Palestinian Ambassador said: “We have very good relations with India. India supports the infrastructure in Palestine. They are helping in this country and they are supporting the two-state solution.”

Abualhayjaa said he hopes India could play a role in mediation between Israel and Palestine.

“I hope India could play that role especially since it has good relations with both sides. It’s not easy to find a solution with this government. We need real pressure from the international community to implement the two-state solution,” he said.

Meanwhile, Israel and Palestinian Islamic Jihad recently agreed to a ceasefire that was slated to go into effect at 10 pm on Saturday after nearly five days of fighting.

Earlier, Egypt, which brokered the ceasefire, called on all sides to adhere to the agreement, Egypt’s al-Qahera News television channel reported.

The fighting resulted in the death of 33 Palestinians, including at least 13 civilians. Two people in Israel were killed by rocket fire.

“The resistance is emerging from this conflict united and resolute… [We] caution the enemy against returning to the policy of assassinations. We are ready with a firm finger on the trigger… and if [it] returns [to fighting], we will too,” said the so-called “Joint Room” of Palestinian factions in the Gaza Strip, which includes both Islamic Jihad and Gaza-ruling Hamas. (ANI)

That’s How Lara Dutta Channels Her Inner Bond

By LokMarg 15th May 2023

Actor Lara Dutta, on Monday, shared a glimpse of the self-care regime. The ‘Andaaz’ actor took to Instagram and posted a selfie where she put an eye mask under her eyes.

She wrote, “Selfcare Monday!!! Channelling my inner bond! And yes, losing the plot is essential sometimes too!! #keepitreal #theeyeshaveit #goldeneye #eyewa #aneyeforaneye #eyegiveup.”

Tisca Chopra reacted to the post and wrote, “Are you sending me some of these?”

Lara Dutta and Mahesh Bhupathi got married in the year 2011. The couple welcomed their first child, daughter Saira in 2012.

After a hiatus from the silver screen, Lara played the role of late Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi in the Akshay Kumar starrer ‘Bell Bottom’, which hit the theatres in 2021.

Lara has worked in Vishal’s direction in his OTT debut project ‘Charlie Chopra & The Mystery Of Solang Valley’.

The former Miss Universe made her web debut with Hotstar’s original ‘Hundred’ in 2020. Later, she acted in a couple of series like, ‘Hiccups and Hookups’, ‘Kaun Banegi Shikharwati’. (ANI)

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BJP Jan Ashirwad Yatra" in Madhya Pradesh

Shah Holds Meetings With Manipur CM, Rep’s Of Meitei, Kuki To Restore Peace

By LokMarg 15th May 2023

Union Home Minister Amit Shah held a series of meetings with Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh and representatives of Meitei and Kuki communities as well as other stakeholders to review the measures taken for restoring peace in the state, Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) said on Monday.

Shah held a meeting with the Manipur CM, four of his Cabinet colleagues and the Rajya Sabha MP in New Delhi on Sunday.
Later, the Home Minister also met representatives of the Meitei community on Sunday.

Shah also held a meeting with the representatives of the Kuki Community from Manipur and a group of CSOs from Mizoram on Monday.

During the meetings, the Home Minister reviewed the measures taken to restore peace in Manipur which has witnessed violent clashes between two ethnic communities.

He directed strict action against the perpetrators of violence and assured complete support and help of the central government for ensuring lasting peace.

Shah assured that the government would take all measures to protect various communities in the state and urged discussion with all factions and spread the message of peace and assured that justice would be done.

Shah also stressed expediting the process of relief and rehabilitation so as to minimise the suffering of the people.

On May 5, the Home Minister also reviewed the situation in Manipur through a video conference meeting with the state Chief Minister and top officials in the state as well as the Centre.

On May 4, Shah also held two meetings via video-conferencing and spoke with the CMs of Manipur and neighbouring states including that of Nagaland, Mizoram and Assam in view of the situation in Manipur.

Manipur faced violence on May 3 during a rally organized by the All Tribals Students Union (ATSU) to protest the demand for the inclusion of Meitei/Meetei in the Scheduled Tribe (ST) category. The march was organised in protest against the demand for inclusion of the state’s Meitei community in the ST category, following an April 19 Manipur High Court directive.

This prompted the state government to issue prohibitory order and suspend internet services across the state for five days.

Along with a ban on large gatherings, a night curfew too has been imposed in several districts of the state.

As per Home Ministry and Indian Army the situation in Manipur has been brought under control through coordinated actions by all stakeholders. (ANI)

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After Katrina, My Real Life Is sorted: Vicky

By LokMarg 15th May 2023

The official trailer of actors Vicky Kaushal and Sara Ali Khan’s romantic comedy film ‘Zara Hatke Zara Bachke’ was unveiled on Monday in Mumbai.

During the trailer launch event, the actor called his marriage life with Katrina Kaif “completely sorted”.
Vicky was asked about his female co-stars in films wanting to leave him in several films, be it Taapsee Pannu in ‘Manmarziyaan’ or Bhumi Pednekar in ‘Govinda Naam Mera’.

Talking about it, Vicky said, “God always maintains balance in everyone’s life. My real life has become so sorted that I have found Katrina. So there will always be a mess in my reel life but my real life will be sorted. So this is the balance of life.”

Helmed by Laxman Utekar ‘Zara Hatke Zara Bachke’ stars Vicky and actor Sara Ali Khan in the lead roles and is all set to hit the theatres on June 2.

Excited about the film, Vicky said, “Working with Laxman sir and Maddock has been a delightful experience. I had a great time shooting for the film, especially with Sara, and hope the audiences enjoy the film as much as we did making it.”

“I am grateful for the opportunity of getting to work with such a talented team. The film has a unique take on relationships, marriages, and I am excited for the audience to witness it”, added Sara.

Director Laxman Utekar, who has earlier given hits like ‘Luka Chupi’ and ‘Mimi’, also shared his thoughts on the film.

He said, “This movie is close to my heart. It is a story that will resonate with audiences across the country. It is a film that is a perfect family watch that promises to entertain you throughout.”

The film marks Vicky and Sara’s first on-screen collaboration.

Apart from this, he will also be seen in director Meghna Gulzar’s upcoming film ‘Sam Bahadur’. (ANI)

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No Threat To Shinde Govt Even If.., Assures NCP’s Ajit Pawar

By LokMarg 15th May 2023

Soon after a delegation of the Shiv Sena (UBT) handed over a 79-page letter to the Maharashtra Deputy Speaker seeking expedited action in the disqualification of 16 MLAs of the Shinde camp, NCP leader Ajit Pawar made it clear that the action would not actually topple the government.

“Even if 16 MLAs are disqualified, the government of Shinde and Fadnavis will not fall. There is no threat to the government,” he said on Monday while addressing a press conference here in Mumbai.
Attaching an argument to his opinion, he said that in a 288-member assembly, the government will not lose its majority mark, even if 16 MLAs are disqualified.

Notably, a delegation of the Shiv Sena (UBT) handed over a letter seeking expedited action in the disqualification of 16 Shinde camp MLAs following the Supreme Court’s recent verdict during their meeting with Maharashtra’s deputy Speaker Narhari Zirwal and Assembly secretary Jitendra Bhole.

The Whip of Shiv Sena (UBT), Sunil Prabhu, said that the UBT Sena’s delegation submitted a letter to the Speaker following the apex court’s order that ruled that the Speaker can adjudicate the disqualification of the 16 Shinde camp MLAs.

“Since the Speaker is yet to return from his foreign tour, we submitted the letter to his deputy,” Prabhu said.

The ruling coalition of Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) currently has 145 MLAs while the overall coalition has162 MLAs, 17 more than the required number to form government in Maharashtra.

The Supreme Court’s verdict has given fresh impetus to the Shiv Sena crisis, with former Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray calling for an early decision on the disqualification of 16 party MLAs.

The top court also pulled up then Governor Bhagat Singh Koshyari and said he did not have reasons based on objective material before him to reach the conclusion that then chief minister Uddhav Thackeray had lost the confidence of the House. The court said that relief was due for Thackeray if he had not resigned before facing the floor test. (ANI)

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Alia’s Recent Pics With Thai Superstar Hoorne

By LokMarg 15th May 2023

Actor Alia Bhatt, who is currently in Seoul for the Gucci Cruise 2024 show, can be seen having a good time with Thai superstar Davikah Hoorne.

On Monday, Davikah took to Instagram and dropped a couple of adorable pictures where Alia and Davikah can be posing in different styles.
Alia wore a black faux leather dress with a brown trench coat and a sling bag. She completed her look with a minimal look and a ponytail. On the other hand, Davikah opted for a blue shirt with a white-coloured jacket and matching skirt.

Along with the post, Davikah wrote, “Love” with red heart emoji.

Recently, Alia was announced as the first Indian global ambassador of the luxury fashion brand, Gucci.

Taking to Instagram, the fashion brand shared the news and captioned it, “Alia Bhatt is the House’s newest Global Brand Ambassador. To mark the occasion, the actress, producer, and entrepreneur were captured with the Gucci Bamboo 1947 bag.”

Soon after the news was announced, fans flooded the comment section with red heart emoticons and congratulatory messages for the ‘Raazi’ actor.

Director and Producer Karan Johar commented, “Proud proud proud.”

Alia’s mother Soni Razdan wrote, “Amazing news congratulations darling.”

Her mother-in-law Neetu Kapoor commented, “Amazing.”

Sharing her excitement, Alia took to her Instagram and shared few pictures and wrote, “I’m honoured to represent the house of Gucci not only in India but at a global stage. Gucci’s legacy has always inspired and intrigued me and I’m looking forward to the many sartorial milestones we create together @gucci.”

Meanwhile, on the work front, Alia will rekindle her on-screen romance with Ranveer Singh in Karan Johar’s directorial ‘Rocky Aur Rani ki Prem Kahani.’ (ANI)

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ICC Reveals Major Changes To Playing Conditions

By LokMarg 15th May 2023

The International Cricket Council (ICC) on Monday announced major changes to the playing conditions which will be put into effect from June 1.

ICC announced changes to the Playing Conditions after the Chief Executives’ Committee approved the recommendations from the Men’s Cricket Committee led by former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Sourav Ganguly and the Women’s Cricket Committee.
The major change involved the soft signal being scrapped, with umpires no longer required to give a soft signal when referring decisions to the TV umpire.

“The on-field umpires will consult with the TV umpire before any decisions are taken,” the ICC confirmed.

“Soft signals have been discussed at previous cricket committee meetings over the last couple of years,” Sourav Ganguly said as quoted by ICC.

“The committee deliberated this at length and concluded that soft signals were unnecessary and at times confusing since referrals of catches may seem inconclusive in replays,” said the former Indian skipper.

The other big announcement involved making helmets mandatory for high-risk positions. The compulsion of helmets will be for when batters are facing fast bowlers, when wicketkeepers are standing up to the stumps and when fielders are close to the batter in front of the wicket.

“We also discussed player safety, which is very important for us. The committee decided that it was best to make the use of helmets mandatory in certain positions to ensure the safety of players,” Ganguly added.

There was also a minor addition to the ‘Free Hit’ rule with any runs scored off a Free Hit when the ball hits the stumps counted as runs scored from now. This would mean that if a batter is bowled off a Free Hit and runs are scored off it, they would be attributed to the batter.

The changes will come into effect on 1 June 2023 with the Lord’s Test between England and Ireland, a four-day one-off Test match.

The following World Test Championship final between India and Australia, starting June 7, will also follow these new Playing Conditions. (ANI)

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Delhi Zoo: Royal Bengal Tigress Gives Birth After 18 Years

By LokMarg 15th May 2023

A Royal Bengal tigress has delivered cubs at the National Zoological Park in New Delhi after a long gap of 18 years.

The Royal Bengal Tigress called Siddhi delivered five cubs — two alive and three stillborn — on May 4.
“At present both cubs are attended by the mother and completely dependent on the mother for feed and are doing well. The mother tigress and her cubs are being kept under the surveillance of CCTV Cameras and regularly monitored by the zoo staff,” an official release by the Union forest ministry said Monday.

National Zoological Park in New Delhi has four adult Royal Bengal Tigers in its collection and the names of these tigers are Karan, Siddhi, Aditi and Barkha.

National Zoological Park (Delhi Zoo) has been housing tigers since its inauguration in 1959. On May 14, 1969, the first pair of lion was also received from Junagadh Zoo in exchange for one pair of tiger cubs.

From the time of the tiger’s acquisition, Delhi Zoo has maintained its population for conservation, education and display. Tigers have bred well in Delhi Zoo and have been given in exchange for many zoos in the country and abroad.

In 2010 Central Zoo Authority started a coordinated planned conservation breeding programme of critically endangered wild animal species as it is the main objective of National Zoo Policy 1998. (ANI)

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