Dehradun: The Uttarakhand government has instructed the bureaucrats to do a self-assessment on annual confidential reports (ACRs) by April 22.In this regard, Secretary Personnel Arvind Singh Hayanki has sent these instructions to the Additional Chief Secretary, Principal Secretary, Secretary, Additional Secretary and all the District Magistrates.According to Hiyanki, it has been said that in the financial year 2021-22, it is necessary for the IAS officers working in the state to get self-assessment done in their CR. According to the Secretary Personnel, for this, the work results of the concerned officers have been generated on the website so that the Chief Minister and the Minister can register their views on it.The bureaucrats have also been instructed to record the intention of their subordinate officers on the CR as a review officer so that the annual entry can be completed within the prescribed period.&nbsp;—ANI

The Uttarakhand government has instructed the bureaucrats to do a self-assessment on annual confidential reports (ACRs) by April 22.

Uttarakhand Govt Instructs Bureaucrats To Do Self-Assessment On ACRs

Poshan Pakhwada-2022 has witnessed three crore activities across the nation. The Ministry of Women and Child Development celebrated the fourth 'Poshan Pakhwada' from 21st March to 4th of April. This year, 'Poshan Pakhwada' was focused around two broader areas&nbsp;-&nbsp;height and weight measurement of beneficiary children up to six years of age and activities concentrated around Gender Sensitive Water Management, Anaemia and Traditional Food for healthy mother and child especially in Tribal Areas. The Ministry said, one of the key activities of the fortnight this year, focused on Gender Awareness on Water Management aiming at promoting the role of women in water governance, conservation and management through active sensitization by 'Poshan Panchayats' and Mother Groups.

Poshan Pakhwada-2022 has witnessed three crore activities across the nation. The Ministry of Women and Child Development celebrated the fourth 'Poshan Pakhwada' from 21st March to 4th of April. 

Poshan Pakhwada 2022 Witnesses 3 Crore Activities Across The Nation

New Dehi : In their talks on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron are likely to discuss mitigating the global economic consequences of the Ukraine conflict as well as ways to ensure cessation of hostilities in that country, diplomatic sources said.Modi, currently on a visit to Denmark, will have a brief stopover in Paris on his return journey where he will hold extensive talks with President Macron, who was re-elected to the top post over a week back.The sources said discussions will also focus how France can continue to be India's "partner of choice" in its quest for becoming self-reliant in the field of defence manufacturing.The talks will also explore ways to boost cooperation in areas of technology, space and energy, they said.The two leaders will discuss how to ensure cessation of hostilities in Ukraine and mitigate the global economic consequences of this conflict, the sources said.They said another focus area of the talks would be to unitedly deal with the challenges in the Indo-Pacific.Modi and Macron are expected to explore ways to speeding up "positive agenda of solutions" in the region, the sources said."The fact that this visit takes place so soon after President Macron's re-election is seen as an exceptional gesture of trust and friendship," said a diplomatic source.The sources said Modi's meeting with Macron days after his election victory is highly symbolic.It sends a powerful signal that the two leaders want to make the Indo-French partnership a guiding principle of their foreign policy for the years to come, the sources said."It's also a demonstration of the level of personal chemistry between the two leaders, which gives impetus to our joint actions across all fields of cooperation," the source said—PTI

In their talks on Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and French President Emmanuel Macron are likely to discuss mitigating the global economic consequences of the Ukraine conflict as well as ways to ensure cessation of hostilities in that country, diplomatic sources said.

Modi-Macron talks to figure host of key issues

Paris: French President Emmanuel Macron appointed ministers for the new government of the country. Macron made the appointments on Friday, Xinhua news agency reported. In total the new government has 27 members with 17 ministries, six ministries delegates and four secretaries of state.Some Ministers from the previous governments were again appointed as Ministers but in different ministries. Macron named Elisabeth Borne as Prime Minister on May 16. The new government will hold its first cabinet meeting at the Elysee on May 23, reported French news BFMTV.—IANS

French President Emmanuel Macron appointed ministers for the new government of the country.

France announces new government

Guwahati: The flood situation in Assam has slightly abated even though the death toll rose to 25 as one more person died and over 6.5 lakh people remained affected by the deluge across 22 districts, an official bulletin said. According to the daily flood report of the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), one person in Silchar of Cachar district was lost to floodwaters.With this, the total number of people losing their lives in this year's flood and landslides has gone up to 25 across the state, it said on Monday.ASDMA said more than 6,50,400 people are hit due to floods in Barpeta, Cachar, Darrang, Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Dima Hasao, Goalpara, Golaghat, Hailakandi, Hojai, Jorhat, Kamrup, Kamrup Metropolitan, Karbi Anglong West, Karimganj, Lakhimpur, Majuli, Morigaon, Nagaon, Nalbari, Sonitpur and Udalguri districts. Nagaon is the worst hit district with over 3.51 lakh people in distress, followed by Cachar (nearly two lakh people) and Hojai (more than 44,500 people). Till Saturday, over 7.2 lakh people were affected by the deluge across 22 districts in the state. At present, 1,709 villages are under water and 82,503 hectares of crop areas have been damaged across Assam, ASDMA said. It further said authorities are running 656 relief camps and distribution centres in eight districts, where 90,597 people, including 19,555 children, have taken shelter. The bulletin said the Army, paramilitary force, National Disaster Response Force, SDRF, civil administration, trained volunteers, and fire &amp; emergency services personnel have evacuated 110 people from various flood-hit areas. The authorities have distributed 4,278.45 quintals of rice, dal and salt, 2,555.97 litres of mustard oil, 1,232.41 quintals of cattle feed and other flood relief items. Massive erosions have been witnessed in Barpeta, Biswanath, Dhubri, Dibrugarh, Goalpara, Golaghat, Nalbari, Sivasagar, Sonitpur, Tinsukia and Udalguri districts. Embankments, roads, bridges and other infrastructure have been damaged by floodwaters in Nagaon, Barpeta, Cachar, Darrang, Dhubri, Goalpara, Karimganj, Morigaon, Nalbari, Sonitpur, Hojai and Udalguri, ASDMA said. A total of 2,27,529 domestic animals and poultry have been affected in the deluge across nine districts, ASDMA said. Brahmaputra's tributary Kopili at Dharamtul and Kampur are flowing above the danger marks, the bulletin stated.—PTI

The flood situation in Assam has slightly abated even though the death toll rose to 25 as one more person died and over 6.5 lakh people remained affected by the deluge across 22 districts, an official bulletin said.

Assam flood: Death toll rises to 25, 6.5 lakh hit

Tokyo: Four-nation grouping Quad on Tuesday launched a major new initiative for the Indo-Pacific that allows the partner countries to fully monitor the waters on their shores and help ensure peace and stability in the region, a move that comes amid China's increasingly intimidatory behaviour. The announcement on the rollout of the Indo-Pacific Maritime Domain Awareness (IPMDA) came at the end of the second in-person Quad summit attended by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, US President Joe Biden, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese. A joint statement by the four leaders said the IPMDA will support and work in consultation with Indo-Pacific nations and regional information fusion centres in the Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific Islands by providing technology and training to support shared maritime domain awareness to promote stability and prosperity.The leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and vowed to work "tirelessly to deliver tangible results" for the region."The IPMDA embodies what the Quad stands for: catalysing our joint efforts towards concrete results that help to make the region more stable and prosperous," it said.The leaders also announced the establishment of the 'Quad Partnership on Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) in the Indo-Pacific' that is aimed at further strengthening collaboration to effectively respond to disasters in the region.According to a White House fact sheet, the IPMDA will offer a "near-real-time, integrated, and cost-effective" maritime domain awareness picture and it will transform the ability of partners in the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean region to fully monitor the waters on their shores, and, in turn, "uphold a free and open Indo-Pacific”. It said the new initiative will allow tracking of 'dark shipping' and other tactical-level activities, such as rendezvous at sea."Quad countries are committed to contributing to the region's maritime domain awareness -- a fundamental requirement for peace, stability, and prosperity -- through investment in IPMDA over five years.“The partnership will innovate upon existing maritime domain awareness efforts, rapidly bringing emerging technologies to bear for the greater good of the Indo-Pacific community," the White House said.China claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea. China also has territorial disputes with Japan in the East China Sea.The White House said the IPMDA will build a faster, wider, and more accurate maritime picture of near-real-time activities in the waters of its partners."This common operating picture will integrate three critical regions -- the Pacific Islands, Southeast Asia, and the Indian Ocean region -- in the Indo-Pacific. The benefits of this picture are vast: it will allow tracking of 'dark shipping' and other tactical-level activities, such as rendezvous at sea, as well as improve partners' ability to respond to climate and humanitarian events and to protect their fisheries, which are vital to many Indo-Pacific economies," the White House said.It said the IPMDA will harness commercially-available data using existing technologies."Through a combination of automatic identification system and radio-frequency technologies, Quad partners can provide an unprecedented 'common thread' of activities. Because of its commercial origin, this data will be unclassified, allowing the Quad to provide it to a wide range of partners who wish to benefit," it said.It said existing support infrastructure for information-sharing such as the Information Fusion Cente for Indian Ocean Region in India, the Information Fusion Center based in Singapore; the Pacific Islands Forum Fisheries Agency based in the Solomon Islands and the Pacific Fusion Center, based in Vanuatu, could be part of the initiative.<img src="https://im.rediff.com/news/2022/may/24quad1.jpg?w=670&amp;h=900"> The White House said the Quad partners will begin immediate consultations on the opportunity with partners in the region."As the initiative proceeds, the Quad will identify future technologies of promise, allowing IPMDA to remain a cutting-edge partnership that promotes peace and stability throughout the region," it said.In their statement, the Quad leaders reaffirmed their commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific and emphasised the importance of fundamental values and principles.They also expressed their commitment to work tirelessly to deliver "tangible results" to the region."In doing so, we will regularise the Quad activities, including regular meetings by the leaders and foreign ministers. We agree to hold our next in-person summit in 2023 hosted by Australia," they said.The Quad leaders on Tuesday also strongly opposed any coercive, provocative or unilateral actions that seek to change status quo and increase tensions in the Indo-Pacific and reaffirmed their resolve to uphold the international rules-based order, amidst China's growing assertiveness in the region."We strongly oppose any coercive, provocative or unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo and increase tensions in the area, such as the militarization of disputed features, the dangerous use of coast guard vessels and maritime militia, and efforts to disrupt other countries' offshore resource exploitation activities," said a joint statement issued after the meeting.It said the Quad is committed to cooperation with partners in the region who share the vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific."We will champion adherence to international law, particularly as reflected in the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), and the maintenance of freedom of navigation and overflight, to meet challenges to the maritime rules-based order, including in the East and South China Seas," the statement said.The summit took place at a time when the relations between China and the Quad member countries have become tense, with Beijing increasingly challenging democratic values and resorting to coercive trade practices.Relations between India and China nose-dived after the Eastern Ladakh standoff in 2020 following Beijing moving thousands of troops to several disputed areas along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) which was strongly objected to and resisted by New Delhi.China claims nearly all of the disputed South China Sea, though Taiwan, the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam all claim parts of it. Beijing has built artificial islands and military installations in the South China Sea.India, the US and several other world powers have been talking about the need to ensure a free, open and thriving Indo-Pacific against the backdrop of China's rising military manoeuvring in the region."We strongly support the principles of freedom, rule of law, democratic values, sovereignty and territorial integrity, peaceful settlement of disputes without resorting to threat or use of force, any unilateral attempt to change the status quo, and freedom of navigation and overflight, all of which are essential to the peace, stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific region and to the world," the joint statement said. The Quad will continue to act decisively together to advance these principles in the region and beyond, the statement said as it reaffirmed the four-nation grouping's resolve to uphold the international rules-based order where countries are free from all forms of military, economic and political coercion.—PTI

Four-nation grouping Quad on Tuesday launched a major new initiative for the Indo-Pacific that allows the partner countries to fully monitor the waters on their shores and help ensure peace and stability in the region, a move that comes amid China's increasingly intimidatory behaviour.

Quad unveils new initiative to monitor maritime activity across Indo-Pacific

Kanpur:&nbsp;Two Uttar Pradesh policemen were terminated after a departmental inquiry in the 2020 Bikru massacre case found they tipped off dreaded gangster Vikas Dubey about an impending raid against him, helping him set up an ambush and kill eight personnel, officials said Thursday. The two policemen were already suspended in connection with the case."Vinay Tiwari, the then Station Officer of Chaubepur Police Station, and Sub-Inspector KK Sharma have been dismissed from service," Additional Commissioner of Police (Crime &amp; Headquarters) Sureshrao A Kulkarni told PTI Thursday. He said the duo was found guilty of leaking information about the police raid for arresting Dubey, a history-sheeter who was killed within days of the incident. "Acting on this information, Dubey with the help of his henchmen set up an ambush for the police team. They fired at the police party that had gone to the Bikru village, killing eight police personnel including a Deputy SP," said the officer. The incident occurred during the night of July 2, 2020. After killing the policemen in the ambush, Dubey fled from the spot along with his accomplishes. A few days later, Vinay Tiwari and KK Sharma were suspended for their alleged laxity in duty. It was alleged that Tiwari and Sharma fled from the scene when their colleagues were attacked. This caused many to suspect their roles in the entire episode. During a preliminary inquiry, it was found that Tiwari and Sharma had leaked information about the impending raid against Vikas Dubey after which they were sent to jail, officials said. In the days following the ambush, several UP police teams had launched a manhunt to nab Dubey and his aides. Police had arrested many of Dubey's aides while several of his henchmen who were allegedly involved in the ambush were shot dead in police encounters. A week after the incident, Dubey was nabbed at Mahakal temple in Ujjain. He was gunned down in an encounter while being brought back to Kanpur from Ujjain.—PTI

Two Uttar Pradesh policemen were terminated after a departmental inquiry in the 2020 Bikru massacre case found they tipped off dreaded gangster Vikas Dubey about an impending raid against him, helping him set up an ambush and kill eight personnel, officials said Thursday.

2 UP cops dismissed from service in Bikru massacre case

New Delhi: Breaking his silence over the current global meltdown, Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Friday said the recession the world is now experiencing owing to multiple macro-economic factors could last up to 18 months. "Based on past experience, about 12 to 18 months," Musk replied to a follower who asked him about how long he thinks this recession will last. "Companies that are inherently negative cash flow (i.e. value destroyers) need to die, so that they stop consuming resources," he added. World Bank chief David Malpass warned this week that Russia's ongoing invasion of Ukraine could cause a global recession as the price of food, energy and fertiliser jump."As we look at the global GDP, it's hard right now to see how we avoid a recession... The idea of energy prices doubling is enough to trigger a recession by itself," he was quoted as saying in media reports. Last month, the World Bank cut its global economic growth forecast for this year by almost a full percentage point, to 3.2 per cent. Developing countries are also being affected by shortages of fertiliser, food and energy. China has been hit harder by the latest round of lockdowns. The Covid-19 measures have led to a sharp slowdown in economic activity across the country. The US could also hit a recession before the end of this year or by early 2023, according to the chief investment officer of Hayman Capital.In India, foreign portfolio investors have pulled out around Rs 2.5 lakh crore from the Indian equity market. Global financial services provider firm Moody's Investors Service has slashed India's GDP projection to 8.8 per cent for 2022, from 9.1 per cent estimated previously. The Russia-Ukraine war, high inflation, Covid-19 lockdowns in China and rising interest rates are the reasons behind the economic activities being hampered across the globe.—IANS

Breaking his silence over the current global meltdown, Tesla CEO Elon Musk on Friday said the recession the world is now experiencing owing to multiple macro-economic factors could last up to 18 months.

Global recession can stay for up to 18 months: Elon Musk

Beijing: The Hong Kong Catholic Social Communications Office, the communications department of the Diocese of Hong Kong, announced on May 24 that there will be no memorial Mass on the Tiananmen massacre's 33rd anniversary.Several members of the Diocese have expressed concern that holding the Mass in commemoration of the events of 1989 at the Tiananmen Square will be in violation of the draconian 'National Security Law'. While in mainland China people are not allowed to hold commemorations of the "June 4 incident"; until recently Hong Kong held annual vigils in memory of the victims. But since Beijing brought in the National Security Law in June 2020, it has tightened its control over Hong Kong and cracked down on dissent including a ban on public commemorations of Tiananmen in 2020, and again in 2021, 'officially' because of the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions. Hong Kong will see more state-sponsored Chinese oppression against any event to remember the Tiananmen Square event, which exposes Beijing's authoritarian and repressive style of governance.Last December, authorities in Hong Kong removed the 'pillar of shame,' an iconic memorial dedicated to the Tiananmen Square massacre of 1989. The memorial designed by Danish sculptor Jens Galschiot symbolised the ruthless killings committed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) in June 1989 when thousands of students gathered in central Beijing demanding political reforms and democracy. The day is thought to be one of the bloodiest political crackdowns in modern history. Interestingly, a scaled-down replica of the "Pillar of Shame" statue honouring the victims of the Tiananmen Square massacre will be unveiled at a commemorative vigil in Taipei, Taiwan on June 4 evening. Reportedly, Taiwan will be the only place in the Chinese-speaking world to hold such an event to mark the 33rd anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre.Three decades down the line, memories of that massacre still haunt the CCP. PLA ruthlessly killed the Tiananmen Square protesters through a bloody crackdown after CCP imposed 'martial law' in June 1989 to forcefully end the months-long protest. Estimates of the death toll vary, but at least 10,000 civilians, mostly students, were killed by the PLA in the crackdown. It was the largest such demonstration in China's modern history. It shook the CCP to the core, forcing then-leader Deng Xiaoping to tighten the CCP's grip over the country and purge many party leaders deemed 'responsible' for the chaos.In the immediate aftermath of the massacre, the party claimed moral high ground by characterising the protesters as 'counter-revolutionaries'. Chinese state television reinforced that propaganda by showing images of violence allegedly committed by these 'counter-revolutionaries' against the PLA in various parts of the capital. The party is still concerned about the Tiananmen event's legacy; unsure whether its propaganda has worked to erase all memories related to the incident. It is also noteworthy that an authoritarian regime like China is far more insecure about its international image and fears democratic protests which may put the CCP's power in danger. Consequently, even after 33 years of the June 4 event, Beijing continues to hide the true facts from the world and its domestic population.Therefore, it is not surprising that whenever the Tiananmen Square massacre anniversary approaches, the CCP becomes edgy, detains human rights activists, and censors discussions of the crackdown. Moreover, it has also used advanced technologies to erase online mentions of events related to the massacre. For example, its search engine algorithms crawl politically sensitive search terms on the Chinese internet or redirect the user toward other subjects. In addition, video recognition software can detect images related to the square and its bloody history.6 These developments show the CCP's uneasiness.7 This contrasts sharply with images just a few months ago when the CCP showcased its centenary and held celebrations touting the success of the party in elevating China to the comity of nations.But for the CCP, the massacre holds a significance of a different kind. After all, it allowed the party to put its house in order, purge the leaders and elevate a new set of leaders. These reforms paved the way for the rise of the current General Secretary Xi Jinping, who has only set new standards of authoritarianism and repression his predecessors could only imagine. Furthermore, the massacre allowed the CCP to tighten its grip on power.Three decades later after the massacre, the situation in China has remained the same. In fact, the CCP's heavy-handedness has extended beyond its borders to intimidate, threaten, and cajole those who criticise its human rights record and its repression in Tibet, Xinjiang, and Hong Kong. The CCP remains wary and insecure of any public disturbance or chaos, which could derail its project to rule China indefinitely, just as the events of June 1989 created a sense of instability in the eyes of the top Chinese leadership.&nbsp;—ANI

The Hong Kong Catholic Social Communications Office, the communications department of the Diocese of Hong Kong, announced on May 24 that there will be no memorial Mass on the Tiananmen massacre's 33rd anniversary.

China's Attempts To Stifle Voices On Tiananmen Square Massacre Anniversary

Dhaka:&nbsp;A top leader of Bangladesh’s opposition BNP has threatened Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with “a repeat of 1975”, referring to the massacre of almost her entire family in a military coup then In light of the conditions, nobody in the Awami League government or the country’s intelligence agencies are taking Abdul Kader Bhuiyan’s “repeat 1975” call lightly. Addressing a rally last week in front of the National Press Club here, Abdul Kader Bhuiyan, Secretary of Volunteer Front, a wing of the BNP, and also the former President of its student wing Chhatradal, called for ‘a repeat of 1975’ against PM Sheikh Hasina’s family. “Take up arms and restage another 1975,” Bhuiyan said. However, with no top Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) leader publicly offering any apology for Bhuiyan’s open and unambiguous call to violence, his statement signifies a tacit endorsement from the party leadership to go for an attempted violent overthrow of the Hasina government.A senior intelligence official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told IANS that Bhuiyan’s call is “both a trial balloon and an indicator of the future”.The threat by Bhuiyan bears ominous portents of possible violence in the rundown to the June 25 inauguration of the 6.15 km railroad bridge on Padma River, Bangladesh’s biggest infrastructure project so far and one constructed with the country’s own resources. The ruling Awami League has planned a grand opening with a public rally of one million people on June 25. Intelligence officials told IANS they suspect plans for large scale opposition violence ahead of the bridge inauguration to divert public attention and torpedo the plans for a rally, mentioning Bhuiyan’s threat. BNP supremo and former PM Khaleda Zia had prophesied that the Padma Bridge project was Hasina’s “pipedream” and “would never be completed”. But now that Padma bridge, that economists say may add 1.2 per cwent to National GDP, is up and running, the BNP-led Islamist opposition may seek to play spoilsport in its inauguration. Father of the nation Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and almost the entire rest of the family except her two daughters were killed in the 1975 military coup. Hasina and Rehana survived, as they were away in Europe.Hasina returned to her motherland six years after the 1975 massacre to lead the Awami League and propel it to election victories in 1996 and 2009. She has been in power ever since, presiding over Bangladesh’s Golden Decade of Development which has since the once poor country go past even giant neighbor India in per capita income, per capita GDP growth and many other economic growth and human development indicators. Hasina has already survived more than 39 attempts on her life, including the heinous grenade attack in 2004 on an Awami League rally, in which around 32 leaders and activists have been killed. BNP’s acting Chairperson Tarique Rahman has been convicted by a court for his involvement in planning the grenade attack. The officials of the intelligence branch said that the BNP-led Islamist opposition have tried to rake up violent agitations on one issue after another since the Awami League swept the national polls in 2018 on issue of statues of Sheikh Mujib being un-Islamic to opposing Indian PM Narendra Modi’s visit to Bangladesh.“Now that the world is talking of Bangladesh’s phenomenal growth history, the opposition wants to divert attention from the Padma Bridge inauguration,” an official said. “A plan for a violent campaign to bring down the pro-India Awami League may start now since the national polls are just over a year away. “Hasina is as popular as her father.., he led the fight for freedom, daughter has led the nation to growth and development. They can be brought down only by violence, so this BNP leader is calling for a repeat of 1975,” said Bangladesh-watcher Sukharanjan Dasgupta, author of “Midnight Massacre” on the 1975 coup. Awami League leaders believe they cannot be defeated in polls in view of Hasina’s achievements not only in keeping up the economic growth momentum but also achieving the challenges of Covid-19, climate change and Islamist radical terrorists and militants.—IANS

A top leader of Bangladesh’s opposition BNP has threatened Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with “a repeat of 1975”, referring to the massacre of almost her entire family in a military coup then

BNP Leader Calls For Repeat Of 1975 Massacre To Oust Hasina Government

A top leader of Bangladesh’s opposition BNP has threatened Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina with “a repeat of 1975”, referring to the massacre of almost her entire family in a military coup then.

Vienna (The Hawk): On June 5th,&nbsp;World Environmental Day,&nbsp;WWF Central and Eastern Europe&nbsp;joins&nbsp;other European countries to highlight the crucial role of healthy rivers and wetlands to halt the collapse in freshwater biodiversity and increase natural protection against extreme weather episodes, in particular droughts and floods.&nbsp;Several European governments, WWF and the largest transnational water management body in the continent, have come together on World Environment Day to celebrate rivers and wetlands. The video underlines the vital importance of restoring these ecosystems for climate change adaptation, the reversal of biodiversity loss and strengthening bonds between people and nature. Finland, Italy, Latvia, or the<a href="https://panda.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c2fd914b2063017162a61c28b&amp;id=96e07973bd&amp;e=e366a45b6c" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 124, 137);">&nbsp;International Commission for the Protection of the Danube River –&nbsp;which encompasses 14 countries</a>&nbsp;– Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Germany, Hungary, Moldova, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia, Montenegro, Herzegovina and Ukraine – talk about their commitment to freshwater restoration on this&nbsp;<a href="https://panda.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c2fd914b2063017162a61c28b&amp;id=cb1ee222ff&amp;e=e366a45b6c" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 124, 137);">video</a>&nbsp;(video will be available on&nbsp;<a href="https://panda.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c2fd914b2063017162a61c28b&amp;id=62e8fd817d&amp;e=e366a45b6c" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 124, 137);">WWF-CEE YT channel</a>&nbsp;on 5th June).Restoration in Europe is crucial to counteract the impact of more frequent and intense extreme weather episodes and alarming biodiversity loss. Our geography is saturated with channelled and dredged rivers, deforestation, polluted streams, drained wetlands and aquifers, invasive species, eroded zones and<a href="https://panda.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c2fd914b2063017162a61c28b&amp;id=c3f0eb5108&amp;e=e366a45b6c" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 124, 137);">&nbsp;over 1 million barriers blocking our rivers</a>. The dramatic degradation of Europe’s ecosystems, in particular freshwater ones, is appalling.&nbsp;Last year 2021, severe floodings in Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands caused devastating damage. More than 220 people were killed and there was an&nbsp;<a href="https://panda.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c2fd914b2063017162a61c28b&amp;id=e29b339564&amp;e=e366a45b6c" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 124, 137);">estimated €33 billion in losses</a>, the costliest natural disaster in Germany and Europe to date. Climate change fueled natural disasters are a rising tendency, and it’s up to society to get ready for them by restoring nature so it can successfully face these challenges. Some&nbsp;<a href="https://panda.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c2fd914b2063017162a61c28b&amp;id=0890864c7f&amp;e=e366a45b6c" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 124, 137);">restoration measures</a>&nbsp;include reconnecting rivers to their floodplains, eliminating dykes, removing unnecessary dams, recovering drained wetlands, inundating peatlands, restoring riverine vegetation or, building permeable pavements, among others.The facts are still there,&nbsp;<a href="https://panda.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c2fd914b2063017162a61c28b&amp;id=a390aec6c9&amp;e=e366a45b6c" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 124, 137);">60% of EU rivers, lakes and wetlands are not healthy</a>, and Europe has the&nbsp;<a href="https://panda.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c2fd914b2063017162a61c28b&amp;id=ebd6e22e9d&amp;e=e366a45b6c" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 124, 137);">most fragmented river landscape on the planet</a>. One in three freshwater fish species in Europe are currently threatened with extinction and migratory freshwater fish populations have seen a&nbsp;<a href="https://panda.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c2fd914b2063017162a61c28b&amp;id=d45ae9d0f8&amp;e=e366a45b6c" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 124, 137);">93% collapse since 1970</a>. There are only 3 remaining free flowing rivers of over 1.000km of length left in Europe&nbsp;The European Commission is expected to present a proposal for a new law that would set legally binding targets to restore nature across the EU on 22 June. WWF is calling on the EU to include in the upcoming Nature Restoration Law&nbsp;<a href="https://panda.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c2fd914b2063017162a61c28b&amp;id=f68e3dd7dc&amp;e=e366a45b6c" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 124, 137);">legally binding, ambitious restoration targets</a>, in particular for rivers, floodplains, wetlands and all types of ecosystems that contribute to retain and store water. In addition, WWF is calling on the European Commission to propose targets of at least 15% of EU land and sea (650,000 km2) to be restored by 2030.Along the same lines, WWF calls on Member States to include Nature-based Solutions, and in particular floodplain restoration and natural water retention measures, as key measures in national and regional plans on water, forests,&nbsp;floods, climate, disaster risk reduction, energy, and agricultural and transport sectors.The advantages of nature restoration are many and varied, and not only limited to improving the state of freshwater’s, land’s (and even ocean’s) biodiversity. It also implies benefits for our health, creating new areas for recreation and to&nbsp;<a href="https://panda.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c2fd914b2063017162a61c28b&amp;id=3cc42f4717&amp;e=e366a45b6c" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 124, 137);">reconnect with nature</a>. It provides an&nbsp;economic investment for the future, with the creation of&nbsp;<a href="https://panda.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c2fd914b2063017162a61c28b&amp;id=86c40297df&amp;e=e366a45b6c" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 124, 137);">sustainable jobs and new business opportunities</a>.&nbsp;it also helps reducing natural disaster risks,&nbsp;<a href="https://panda.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c2fd914b2063017162a61c28b&amp;id=b4ca596c3b&amp;e=e366a45b6c" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 124, 137);">adapting to climate change and contributing to mitigation</a>, thus preventing and reducing the cost of these episodes.&nbsp;Sabien Leemans, Senior Biodiversity Policy Officer at WWF European Policy Office&nbsp;says “Nature restoration can become a real game-changer and a&nbsp;<a href="https://panda.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c2fd914b2063017162a61c28b&amp;id=0e3cd2d411&amp;e=e366a45b6c" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 124, 137);">win-win solution to tackle the climate and biodiversity crises</a>. But for this to happen, it needs to be timely, credible and ambitious. That’s why we need the EU nature restoration law now!”Eva Hernández, head of WWF’s Living European Rivers Initiative, explains “We wish to celebrate river and wetland restoration as a key environmental and economic measure for nature and people, and we wish to involve everyone, from government officials to companies and citizens. We believe in working together to create a great legal framework as well as designing and carrying out river &amp; wetland restoration project, encouraging people to participate in the fantastic Move4Nature challenge and show they care!”.Since 2014, WWF-CEE offices, together with the water and nature protection institutions and local partners, have started the restoration of the river sections and floodplains along the Danube in several important areas.&nbsp;<a href="https://panda.us2.list-manage.com/track/click?u=c2fd914b2063017162a61c28b&amp;id=b5deb082fe&amp;e=e366a45b6c" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(0, 124, 137);">Nine restoration projects</a>&nbsp;across six countries (Austria, Hungary, Croatia, Serbia, Romania and Bulgaria) were held and further sites for future restoration were identified in this period. The projects are concentrated in and thus contribute to realising the Lower Danube Green Corridor (shared by Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova and Ukraine); and the Mura-Drava-Danube Transboundary Biosphere Reserve (shared by Austria, Slovenia, Hungary, Croatia and Serbia).The EU Biodiversity Strategy has committed Europe to restoring freshwater ecosystems as a key measure to ensure that Europe's biodiversity will be on the path to recovery by 2030. WWF urges governments and EU institutions to make sure that this commitment is translated into binding restoration targets and mainstreamed in sectoral policies.

On June 5th, World Environmental Day, WWF Central and Eastern Europe joins other European countries to highlight the crucial role of healthy rivers and wetlands to halt the collapse in freshwater biodiversity and increase natural protection against extreme weather episodes, in particular droughts and floods. 

WWF gathers countries across Europe to support river and wetland restoration

Beijing: China is intent on erasing the memories of the Tiananmen Square massacre of 1989 and has banned public commemorations on the 33rd anniversary of the country's most dubious instance of State oppression. The draconian National Security Law will be used to crack down on anyone showing public dissent or remonstration or organising memorial functions on the occasion.With all dissent smothered on mainland China, the communist government is focusing its energies on the autonomous region of Hong Kong where it is worried pro-democracy sentiments may surface while remembering the thousands of people who were gunned down by Chinese soldiers following explicit orders of the communist government to disperse a large crowd of students and activists who had gathered at Tiananmen Square in Beijing. For the first time, even the Catholic church has decided not to provoke the communist police. The Hong Kong Catholic Social Communications Office, the communications department of the Diocese of Hong Kong has announced that there will be no memorial Mass on the massacre's anniversary.For the last one week, the media covering Hong Kong is unanimous in thinking that they "will see more state-sponsored Chinese oppression against any event to remember the Tiananmen Square event, which exposes Beijing's authoritarian and repressive style of governance". The government has in the last two years systematically progressed towards cessation of all dissent on the anniversary date of June 4. In 2020 it brought in the draconian security law. Then it said protests are anti-national and would attract the provisions of the security law.In December 2021, it went a step ahead and removed the 'pillar of shame,' an iconic memorial dedicated to the Tiananmen Square massacre of 1989. The memorial designed by Danish sculptor Jens Galschiot "symbolised the ruthless killings committed by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) and the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) in June 1989 when thousands of students gathered in central Beijing demanding political reforms and democracy". The same month, "the Chinese University of Hong Kong tore down the Goddess of Democracy statue, a replica of the one created by protesters in Beijing during the Tiananmen protests". A museum set up in Hong Kong in memory of the Tiananmen victims was forcibly closed down.And this year, it has ordered that all dissent shall remain buried. The only opposition to the communist decree is from Taiwan where, according to media reports, "a scaled-down replica of the 'Pillar of Shame' statue honouring the victims of the Tiananmen Square massacre will be unveiled at a commemorative vigil in Taipei, Taiwan on June 4 evening". In effect, nowhere in China will the massacre be allowed to be remembered on its anniversary this year. Taiwan will be the only exception as it stands up to the anti-democratic orders of the Chinese government.Over three decades since the mass killing, the day haunts the Communist Party of China. Soldiers of the PLA army ruthlessly killed the Tiananmen Square protesters through a "bloody crackdown after CCP imposed 'martial law' in June 1989 to forcefully end the months-long protest". At least "10,000 civilians, mostly students," were killed by the PLA. The incident led to internal condemnation of China and till today, the country's claims about respecting human rights is always suspect. The country was virtually isolated by the global community. It shook the communist leadership so much that the then top leader, Deng Xiaoping, used the occasion to purge several party leaders for creating the "chaos". They were the scapegoats. Deng also used the occasion to tighten the CCP's grip over the country.The CCP tried to protect the Tiananmen protests as the result of provocative actions by "counter-revolutionaries". However, everybody saw through the fake propaganda.Since then, the government has hyped the propaganda in the run-up to every anniversary of the killings. Obviously, the propaganda failed to work and that is probably why the government has in 2022 decided to ban all ceremonies. The government asked the Hong Kong police to issue warnings to residents to desist from organising any memorial functions. It also warned that "sharing social posts" describing their mood on the occasion of the anniversary could be grounds for "incitement". The police also forced the disbanding of the Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements, the original organiser of the Victoria Park vigil. The police started probing whether the Alliance was an "agent of foreign forces", forcing it to disintegrate.This year's "June 4" - that is what the Tiananmen Square Vigil is known in Hong Kong - will be the first occasion when Hong Kong will fall silent, without any protests or commemoration. That will be the beginning of a new chapter of CCP aggression against the island which, in 1989, played a crucial role in organising the escape for the Tiananmen activists who survived the 1989 massacre.—IANS

China is intent on erasing the memories of the Tiananmen Square massacre of 1989 and has banned public commemorations on the 33rd anniversary of the country's most dubious instance of State oppression. The draconian National Security Law will be used to crack down on anyone showing public dissent or remonstration or organising memorial functions on the occasion.

China erasing Tiananmen memories fearing resurrection

London: A number of rallies were organized in London and across Britain to mark the 33rd anniversary of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/tiananmen-square-massacre" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Tiananmen Square massacre</a>&nbsp;on Saturday.In London, the "<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/unite-for-democracy" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Unite for Democracy</a>" rally was held in Whitehall, opposite 10 Downing Street from 4 pm to 5.30 pm. The rally was organized by Democracy for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/hong-kong" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Hong Kong</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/hong-kong" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Hong Kong</a>&nbsp;Aid,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/hong-kong" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Hong Kong</a>&nbsp;Liberty, Fight for Freedom, Stand with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/hong-kong" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Hong Kong</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/hong-kong" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Hong Kong</a>&nbsp;Assistance and Resettlement Community and Hongkongers in Britain.It was supported by Global Alliance for Tibet &amp; Persecuted Minorities, Stop Uyghur Genocide,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/free-tibet" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Free Tibet</a>&nbsp;and World Uyghur Congress.Leading activists Nathan Law, Finn Lau, Simon Cheng, Benedict Rogers and Luke de Pulford addressed the rally.In the evening from 7.30 pm to 10 pm, there was a candlelight vigil outside the Chinese Embassy in London. This year Tiananmen massacre anniversary in London drew the biggest protesters with speakers from different persecuted communities and their supporters since it started 33 years ago.<img src="https://aniportalimages.s3.amazonaws.com/media/details/Tibet2.jpg">Nathan law, a former member of the legislative council, spoke on the occasion and said students, intellectuals, and workers lost their life 33 years ago fighting for democracy and even now people of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/hong-kong" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Hong Kong</a>, Tibet and East Turkestan want democracy and accountability in China. But the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) under&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/xi-jinping" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Xi Jinping</a>&nbsp;is supporting the military in Myanmar, the Taliban in Afghanistan, and supporting Russia. Ben Rogers,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/hong-kong" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Hong Kong</a>&nbsp;Watch, speaking about the Tiananmen massacre, compared it with the war in Ukraine and said it is a war between dictatorship and democracy, authoritarianism and freedom. He came with a yellow umbrella as a symbol of solidarity with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/hong-kong" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Hong Kong</a>.He said now people in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/hong-kong" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Hong Kong</a>&nbsp;don't have the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/freedom-of-speech" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">freedom of speech</a>&nbsp;and peaceful protest, they use to have, so people in the UK, who have that freedom must use it to support the people of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/hong-kong" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Hong Kong</a>.Tsering Passang (Global Alliance for Tibet &amp; Persecuted Minorities), said, "taking part in today's protest is a genuine show of our solidarity and support - from the people of Tibet - to Chinese friends in mainland China,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aninews.in/topic/hong-kong" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51);">Hong Kong</a>&nbsp;and around the world for their quest for freedom, justice and democracy."<img src="https://aniportalimages.s3.amazonaws.com/media/details/Tibet3.jpg">He said, "We in the free world must remind western political and business leaders who are proponents of the CCP regime that they must not forget their fundamental values and principles - the universal human rights - for short-term gains by working with the Chinese authoritarian regime."The protests which were started on April 15 were forcibly suppressed on June 4 when China's military crackdown led to a massacre of students protesting for democratic reforms in various major cities across China.The victims of the 1989 massacre are still waiting to get justice as accountability for the tragedy was never fixed.—ANI

A number of rallies were organized in London and across Britain to mark the 33rd anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre on Saturday.

Several rallies organized across UK to mark 33rd anniversary of Tiananmen Square massacre

London: Although the Commemorating of the Tiananmen Square massacre was banned in China, the people in London are still keeping the memory alive with their protest.Marking the 33rd anniversary of the Tiananmen Square massacre, thousands of people joined the London rallies on June 4. 'The Unite for Demicracy' rally started off in Whitehall, opposite 10 Downing Street, the official residence of the British Prime Minister from 4 pm and ended at 5:30 pm, reported Global Alliance for Tibet and Persecuted Minorities.Following this, another rally kicked off in Piccadilly Circus where hundreds joined in to mark the poignant chapter in the history of the democracy movement in China.Meanwhile, outside the Chinese Embassy, a vigil rally was held where thousands of protesters joined the rally. It was first started by Dr Stephen Ng and his colleagues soon after the Tiananmen Square Massacre. This year's vigil rally saw the biggest turnout ever since it was started 33 years ago, reported Global Alliance for Tibet and Persecuted Minorities.Upon this rally, two young international journalists from Cardiff University made a documentary where they shot the rally and said that these protests demand the same thing as they did 33 years ago which is democracy and accountability.The documentary also noted that these rallies throw light on the atrocities against the Uyghur community and Tibetan people. It also states that the Hong Kong people were deprived of their basic rights.In the video, Tsering Passang, who has been advocating for the rise of Tibetans in the Chinese world said, "Back in 1989, some liberal-minded Chinese people tried to reform so that people can have more freedom and democracy but unfortunately, the hardliners really crushed down on young students subsequently the regime sent tanks and troops to crush them and thousands of Chinese students ad young people died."He further said that China invaded Tibet in the 1950s and so "We know the pain what our Chinese friends are experiencing whether they are main in China or in Hong Kong elsewhere. So it is our duty to show our moral obligation and our moral responsibility and support and sovereignty to our Chinese friends."Notably, the Tiananmen Massacre took place after the peaceful gatherings of students, workers, and others in Beijing's Tiananmen Square and other Chinese cities in April 1989, calling for freedom of expression, accountability, and an end to corruption. The government responded to the intensifying protests in late May 1989 by declaring martial law.On June 3 and 4, the People's Liberation Army (PLA) soldiers fired upon and killed untold numbers of peaceful protesters and bystanders. In Beijing, some citizens attacked army convoys and burned vehicles in response to the military's violence.In that massacre, 10 to 15 thousand people were killed by the army of the Chinese government. Following the killings, the government carried out a nationwide crackdown and arrested thousands of people on "counter-revolution" and other criminal charges, including arson and disrupting social order.The government has never accepted responsibility for the massacre or held any officials legally accountable for the killings.Chinese authorities, over the last year, have increased the harassment and persecution of activists for commemorating June 4, 1989, Tiananmen Massacre, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said. The Chinese government should acknowledge and take responsibility for the mass killing of pro-democracy demonstrators, it added.&nbsp;—ANI

Although the Commemorating of the Tiananmen Square massacre was banned in China, the people in London are still keeping the memory alive with their protest.

London Keeping Memories Of Tiananmen Square Massacre Alive

Paris:&nbsp;French voters went to the polls Sunday in the final round of parliamentary elections that will demonstrate how much legroom President Emmanuel Macron’s party will be given to implement his ambitious domestic agenda.In last week’s first-round vote, a coalition led by hard-left firebrand Jean-Luc Melenchon made a surprisingly strong showing, sending jitters through Macron’s centrist and center-right allies.They fear that a strong performance by Melenchon's coalition on Sunday could turn Macron into a shackled second-term leader, one who spends his time bargaining with politicians and with limits on his ability to govern. Following Macron’s reelection in May, his coalition has been campaigning to keep its parliamentary majority to enable the president to implement promises including tax cuts and raising France’s retirement age from 62 to 65.In Sunday's parliamentary runoff, voter turnout was 19% at midday, slightly higher than last week at the same time but still relatively low for France.Elections are being held nationwide to select the 577 members of the National Assembly.Though Macron’s alliance is projected to win the most seats, observers predict that it could fall short of maintaining his majority — the golden number of 289 seats. In this case, the new coalition composed of the hard left, the Socialists and the Greens could make Macron’s political maneuvering harder, since the lower house of parliament has the final say in passing laws.Macron made a powerfully choreographed plea to voters earlier this week from the tarmac ahead of a trip to Romania and Ukraine, warning that an inconclusive election, or hung parliament, would put the nation in danger.“In these troubled times, the choice you’ll make this Sunday is more crucial than ever,” he said Tuesday, with the presidential plane waiting starkly in the background ahead of a visit to French troops stationed near Ukraine. “Nothing would be worse than adding French disorder to the world’s disorder,” he said.Some voters agreed, and argued against choosing candidates on the political extremes who have been gaining popularity. Others argued that the French system, which grants broad power to the president, should give more voice to the multi-faceted parliament.“I’m not afraid to have a National Assembly that’s more split up among different parties. I’m hoping for a regime that’s more parliamentarian and less presidential, like you can have in other countries,” said Simon Nouis, an engineer voting in southern Paris.Polling agencies estimated that Macron’s centrists could ultimately win from 255 to over 300 seats, while the leftist coalition led by Mélenchon, called Nupes, could win more than 200 seats. The far-right National Rally party of Marine Le Pen, runnerup in the presidential election, is expected to boost its small parliamentary presence but remain well behind.“The disappointment was clear on the night of the first round for the presidential party leaders,” said Martin Quencez, political analyst at The German Marshall Fund of the United States.If Macron fails to get a majority, it will not simply affect France’s domestic politics, it could have ramifications across Europe. Analysts predict that the French leader will have to spend the rest of his term focusing more on his domestic agenda rather than his foreign policy. It could spell the end of President Macron the continental statesman.If he loses his majority, “he would need to be more involved in domestic politics in the next five years than he was previously, so we could expect him to have less political capital to invest at the European level or international level... This may have an impact for European politics as a whole in European affairs,” Quencez said. —AP

 French voters went to the polls Sunday in the final round of parliamentary elections that will demonstrate how much legroom President Emmanuel Macron’s party will be given to implement his ambitious domestic agenda.

French Voters Elect Parliamentarians, In Test For Macron

New Delhi:&nbsp;Political leaders cutting across party lines on Monday congratulated Droupadi Murmu on being sworn in as the country's 15th President with Prime Minister Narendra Modi describing it as a "watershed moment" for India, especially for the poor, marginalised and downtrodden. Murmu, who succeeds Ram Nath Kovind, was administered the oath of office by Chief Justice of India N V Ramana at Parliament's Central Hall.The country's first tribal to occupy the highest Constitutional position and the second woman in the post, Murmu is India's youngest president at 64 and the first to be born after Independence, Congratulating Murmu, Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu said her election to the highest office is a testimony to the vibrancy and strength of Indian democracy. "My best wishes to her for a successful and fulfilling tenure as the First Citizen of India," he said.Wishing her the best for a fruitful tenure, Modi said the entire nation watched with pride as she took the oath. Modi said,"the entire nation watched with pride as Smt. Droupadi Murmu Ji took oath as the President of India. Her assuming the Presidency is a watershed moment for India, especially for the poor, marginalised and downtrodden. I wish her the very best for a fruitful Presidential tenure." "In her address after taking the oath, President Droupadi Murmu Ji gave a message of hope and compassion. She emphasised India's accomplishments and presented a futuristic vision of the path ahead at a time when India is marking Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav," he said. BJP chief J P Nadda, senior Union ministers and opposition leaders were among those who congratulated Murmu. Her first address to the nation as "people's president" encapsulated not just the significance of this truly historic moment but the spirit of New India, Nadda said.Congratulating Murmu, Shah hoped that her tenure will take India's pride to new heights. "Many congratulations to Smt Droupadi Murmu on taking oath as the 15th President of India. I am sure that your tenure will take the pride of the country to new heights. Today's historic day is a wonderful example of empowerment and 'Antyodaya' of every section following democratic values," Shah tweeted in Hindi. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said it is a remarkable day in the history of the Indian Republic and expressed confidence that her rich legislative and administrative experience will benefit the nation. Several Opposition leaders also took to Twitter to congratulate Murmu.Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin greeted Murmu, saying the nation would benefit from her services. "I am sure that the nation would stand to benefit from your services as the President of this great country and I wish you all the very best," Stalin said in his message.Senior Congress leader and former Union minister P Chidambaram said it is "a proud moment" in India's history to see a lady born to a tribal family in a remote village of Odisha ascend to the office of President of India. "Congratulations and Best Wishes to Honourable Madam Droupadi Murmu," Chidambaram said on Twitter. Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Sharad Pawar congratulated Murmu and expressed confidence that she would remain committed to the protection of India's democracy, constitution and law, and will make the country more proud during her tenure. In her speech after taking the oath, Murmu touched on various issues, including the government's digital India and vocal for local' initiatives and its handling of the Covid pandemic. She also paid tribute to India's freedom fighters and said the country will have to move quickly on the twin tracks of sabka prayas' (everyone's effort) and sabka kartavya' (everyone's responsibility) to fulfil their expectations. Murmu, who started public life as a councillor and later became Jharkhand governor, said she wanted to reassure all Indians, particularly the youth and women, that their interests will be supreme for her as president. —PTI

Political leaders cutting across party lines on Monday congratulated Droupadi Murmu on being sworn in as the country's 15th President with Prime Minister Narendra Modi describing it as a "watershed moment" for India, especially for the poor, marginalised and downtrodden.

Leaders cutting across party lines congratulate Droupadi Murmu on assuming top office

Political leaders cutting across party lines on Monday congratulated Droupadi Murmu on being sworn in as the country's 15th President with Prime Minister Narendra Modi describing it as a "watershed moment" for India, especially for the poor, marginalised and downtrodden.



New Delhi (The Hawk): As per latest R&amp;D Statistics released by the National Science and Technology Management Information System (NSTMIS) of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Research &amp; Development (R&amp;D) expenditure in India tripled during the period from 2004-05 to 2014-15.Government of India has taken a number of initiatives to enhance investment in R&amp;D as well as to promote and improve the overall research eco-system in the country. These include Uchhatar Avishkar Yojana (UAY), which promotes industry sponsored, outcome-oriented research with an outlay of Rs.475.00 crore. 25% of the funds under UAY are contributed by the Industry. Impacting Research Innovation and Technology (IMPRINT) focuses on socially relevant research in higher educational institutions with a budget provision of Rs.487 crore. Establishment of 9 research parks at a total cost of Rs.775 crore, 8 of them being in the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and one in Indian Institute of Science (IISc). These research parks will propel innovation through incubation and joint research between academia and industry. Prime Minister’s Research Fellows (PMRF) Scheme launched with an outlay of Rs.1650 crore incentivises the most meritorious students to pursue research in the frontier areas of science &amp; technology by offering attractive rates of fellowship from Rs.70,000/- to Rs.80,000/- per month in addition to research grant of Rs.2.00 lakh per year for five years.The information was given by the Union Minister for Human Resource Development, Dr. Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’ in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

As per latest R&D Statistics released by the National Science and Technology Management Information System (NSTMIS) of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Research & Development (R&D) expenditure in India tripled during the period from 2004-05 to 2014-15

Govt denies presence of any undue beauracratic control over  R&D ecosystem of India

New Delhi (The Hawk):&nbsp;Government today denied presence of any undue beauracratic control over Research and Development ecosystem of India.In reply to a question in the Lok Sabha, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) Science &amp; Technology; Minister of State (Independent Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra Singh said that all the scientific departments are functioning with an integrated approach in synchronization with each other and with other departments of the Government of India.Dr Jitendra Singh informed that the Government has taken some major initiatives to bring transformative changes in the processing of the research proposals by employing digital technologies that involve, online receipt and online processing of the proposals for review and approvals and digital transfer of the research grants which has improved the transparency in implementation and also reduced the average time of processing from earlier nine months to approximately four and half months. The Government has also introduced an effective grievance redressal mechanism to address the concerns of the citizens including that of scientific community. Further, as part of the formulation of the new Science, Technology and Innovation Policy, several recommendations have been included in the draft towards the ‘Ease of doing research’ in the country.The Minister also stated that the Government has studied the scientific administration and governance structure in leading innovation-backed countries in the world. Most of the S&amp;T innovation led economies in the world have been putting efforts towards improving their ‘ease of doing research’ in line with the concept of ‘ease of doing business’. There are a few global rankings such as Global Innovation Index, Global Competitiveness Index, etc which are reporting on this aspect. These comparative analyses bring out key attributes associated with S&amp;T governance and administration. India has made considerable progress in terms of its ranking in most of the global indices in the recent years.

Government today denied presence of any undue beauracratic control over Research and Development ecosystem of India.

Govt Denies Presence Of Any Undue Beauracratic Control Over R&D Ecosystem Of India 

New Delhi:&nbsp;Days after the ED summoned Leader of opposition Mallikarjun Kharge even as the Monsoon Session was on, the Congress on Monday upped its ante and said it was an affront to the sacred institution of Parliament.Congress Chief Whip, Jairam Ramesh said, "Under the circumstances, in keeping with the sanctity of Parliament and Parliamentarians and its time-honoured conventions, it is high time that the presiding officers of both Houses may deliberate and ensure that such gross affronts on the Parliament and MPs does not recur."He said that even though the House was in session, LOP adhered to the summons and accordingly went to the Young India office in which premises he was required to be present for as long as eight and a half hours."Notwithstanding this fact, in such matters, issuing of summons by ED or any law-enforcing agencies to any MP much less the Leader of Opposition (LoP) when the Parliament is in session, is an outright affront to the sacred institution of Parliament and Parliamentarians," he added.Ramesh said the LoP is not an accused in any case but on August 3 summons were sent through an email by the Enforcement Directorate requiring his presence at the office of Young India Limited (YIL) in the National Herald building. In response thereto, LoP sent an email to the concerned Investigating Officer of ED that as "Parliament session is urgently underway and (he) being Leader of Opposition, have prior commitments in the ongoing session and accordingly.... Our authorised representative is in Delhi and will appear before your goodself at 10:30AM on 04/08/2022. I am happy to meet you on any day when Parliament is not in session. I assure you of my fullest cooperation in your ongoing investigation."Ramesh said this request was not acceded to by the Enforcement Directorate and was insisted upon that his presence was necessary at the National Herald building at 12.30 hrs that day. "The LOP apprised the House about this development and stated that while abiding by the laws of the land, he would be going to the National Herald building but pointed out that it was not appropriate on the part of the ED to "summon" him while the session is on," added Jairam Ramesh.On August 5, an observation was made by the Chairman Rajya Sabha the thrust of which was that Parliamentary privileges were not available in the criminal cases.—IANS

Days after the ED summoned Leader of opposition Mallikarjun Kharge even as the Monsoon Session was on, the Congress on Monday upped its ante and said it was an affront to the sacred institution of Parliament.

 ED summoning MPs during session affront to sacred institution of Parliament: Cong

Chennai: <span style="color: rgb(44,47,52);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: 20px;font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif;">The families of people working in various parts of Kerala who had left their native villages for seeking better jobs are returning to their respective villages after cases of human sacrifice were unearthed.&nbsp;
<span style="color: rgb(44,47,52);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: 20px;font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif;">Padma (52), one of the victims of the twin sacrifice in Kerala, was a native of Erapetty in Dharmapuri of Tamil Nadu and had gone to Kerala 15 years ago seeking better fortune. It may be noted that the wages in Kerala are more than double than what they were getting in Kerala.
<span style="color: rgb(44,47,52);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: 20px;font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif;">Several people in Dharmapuri and other parts of the state are now moving back from Ernakulam, Kozhikode, Thiruvananthapuram, Thrissur, and Kottayam districts of Kerala where a large number of Tamil people are working.&nbsp;
<span style="color: rgb(44,47,52);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: 20px;font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif;">Shanthi (42), a vegetable vendor in Ernakulam along with her husband, Saminathan at Kaloor market has come back to Erapetty in Dharmapuri. While speaking to IANS, Shanthi who is fluent in Malayalam said, “We have been working in Ernakulam for the past 18 years and the city has given us everything. But the brutal human sacrifice in which a Tamil woman was murdered and chopped into pieces is haunting me. We can’t stay anymore in Ernakulam and we think that even if we get half the wages, we have decided to settle in our home town.”
<span style="color: rgb(44,47,52);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: 20px;font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif;">Two women, Padma and Roslyn were lured by Mohammed Shafi alias Rasheed promising them a huge amount if they worked in a movie. Roslyn was the first to be killed after luring her to Elanthur at the residence of Bhagaval Singh and Laila. Her body was chopped to pieces and blood splattered in all corners of the home as part of Arabic Black magic for getting fortune and wealth. This incident occurred in June and in September Padma was also brought to the same place, brutally killed, and her body chopped into pieces.&nbsp;
<span style="color: rgb(44,47,52);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: 20px;font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif;">Krishnaveni, (36) along with her husband Sukumaran was into ironing at Thiruvananthapuram and are natives of Theni. Sukumaran while speaking to IANS from Theni said, “Thiruvananthapuram was more than a home to me, but I am fed up now and will not stop there again. Will do some small menial jobs here in Cumbum and Theni and will survive. I will stay in my hometown along with my relatives and family rather than in a place that is not safe for us.”&nbsp;
<span style="color: rgb(44,47,52);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: 20px;font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif;">Meanwhile, the family of Padma has petitioned the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister to take efforts to bring her mutilated and chopped body parts back home. Her elder son, R. Seddu, who is a lecturer at government polytechnic, requested the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu to bring her body back to her hometown.
<span style="color: rgb(44,47,52);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: 20px;font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif;">Padma’s husband, Ranga, was at Erupetty, Dharmapuri for the past few months, as he was not keeping good health, and Padma, was also to join the family after working for a few more months in Ernakulam when the tragedy struck her.
<span style="color: rgb(44,47,52);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: 20px;font-family: -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, Oxygen, Oxygen-Sans, Ubuntu, Cantarell, "Helvetica Neue", "Open Sans", Arial, sans-serif;">It may be noted that from Erupetty village only nine families were living in Ernakulam and all of them are back home now. Sunitha Mani, (48), a manual labourer in Ernakulam while speaking to IANS said, “I am from Dharmapuri and have been living at Ernakulam for 15 years. Now I want to go back. Better to be at home with poor funds rather than getting killed in unknown places.”&nbsp;
—IANS

The families of people working in various parts of Kerala who had left their native villages for seeking better jobs are returning to their respective villages after cases of human sacrifice were unearthed. 

The Hawk

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