Mumbai: The Mumbai police have arrested a Pune-based man, said to be a social media influencer, on extortion charge for allegedly demanding over Rs 7 lakh from a woman in suburban Bandra, an official said on Thursday. According to the BKC (Bandra Kurla Complex) police station official, the man, Shyam Bhau Shinde, was nabbed on Tuesday after an FIR was lodged against him for allegedly trying to extort money from the woman. Owing to his habit of wearing heavy gold ornaments, Shinde is locally known as a goldman .During probe, it came to light that Shinde faces half a dozen extortion cases in Pune, the official said, adding he is also known as a social media influencer. "We have arrested him under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including extortion, and further investigation was underway," he added.—PTI

The Mumbai police have arrested a Pune-based man, said to be a social media influencer, on extortion charge for allegedly demanding over Rs 7 lakh from a woman in suburban Bandra, an official said on Thursday.

Mumbai cops nab Pune man for extortion

Washington: New insights into how genetic factors affect the body's immune response in type 1 diabetes have recently been found.The findings, published in eLife, provide evidence of a direct link between genetic factors associated with susceptibility to type 1 diabetes and immune functionality, particularly involving immune T cells. They also highlight 11 genes which could be explored as potential candidates for new treatments.Type 1 diabetes develops when the body's immune system mistakenly attacks groups (or islets) of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. There are currently over nine million people diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, but there is no cure and patients need to have regular insulin injections to manage the condition. People with certain genetic variations are more susceptible to type 1 diabetes. But while previous studies have identified around 60 associated variations, it is still unknown how they influence the condition."To characterise the body's immune response in type 1 diabetes, we need to look at both the proportion of immune cells and their production of proteins - cytokines - that stimulate the immune system," explains Xiaojing Chu, a Doctorate Student at the University Medical Center Groningen, the Netherlands. Chu is a co-first author of the study alongside Anna Janssen, a Medical Doctor and PhD Candidate, and Hans Koenen, Assistant Professor, at Radboud University Medical Center, the Netherlands. Xiaojing added, "In our study, we explored how genetic factors affect immune cells and their cytokine production in people with type 1 diabetes, as well as the differences between the immune response in patients and a healthy response." To do this, the researchers collected blood samples from 243 volunteers of Dutch descent with type 1 diabetes, aged 20-84 years old. They then applied a technique called genetic association analysis on more than 200 immune cell traits and more than 100 cytokine production profiles to identify genetic determinants of immune functionality. They compared the results to those obtained in a group of 500 healthy individuals from previous studies that characterised the impact of genetic factors on immune responses in these individuals.Their analyses showed that genetic variants determining susceptibility to type 1 diabetes significantly affect T-cell composition. Specifically, a group of these cells, called CCR5+ regulatory T cells, was actively involved in type 1 diabetes through an area of the genome called the constrained coding region.The team then used a technique called genome-wide quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping to analyse immune traits. This revealed 15 genetic 'commands' that influence the behaviour of immune cells in type 1 diabetes. Of these, 12 have not previously been reported in healthy people, implying a disease-specific genetic regulation. Additionally, the team identified 11 genes as potential candidates for drug development. "Our findings provide a deeper understanding of the immune mechanisms involved in the development of type 1 diabetes and that affect the general inflammatory response in patients. We hope this work will open up new avenues for the development of much-needed treatments," concludes Yang Li, Professor of Computational Biology and Director of the Centre for Individualised Infection Medicine (CiiM), Helmholtz Centre for Infection Research, Hannover, Germany. Li is a co-senior author of the study alongside Cees Tack, Professor in Internal Medicine at Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands.&nbsp;—ANI

New insights into how genetic factors affect the body's immune response in type 1 diabetes have recently been found.

Study Explores How Genetics Influence Immunity In Type 1 Diabetes Patients

Beijing: China has been consistently increasing its inroads in the Pacific Islands, however its agenda to increase its sphere of influence in the region is in the doldrums.Di Valerio Fabbri, writing in Geopolitica.info said that Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, started his multi-country journey to the Pacific Island countries (PICs) on May 26th, 2022 and wrapped up his visits on June 3rd, 2022.His itinerary covered several island countries in the Pacific region including the Solomon Islands, Kiribati, Samoa, Fiji, Tonga, Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea and East Timur.The Global Times quoted observers hailing the visit as a "miraculous trip" that provided a timely answer to each PICs' individual needs, increased the scope of cooperation and ushered in a broader future for both bilateral and multilateral relations for China in the region".Wang Yi carried out "cloud visits" and virtual connections with 17 leaders of PICs and more than 30 ministerial officials and co-chaired the second China-Pacific Island countries Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Suva, Fiji. However, China's agenda and grand design to increase its sphere of influence among the small pacific islands were fulfilled only partially as its proposed comprehensive, multilateral security and economic cooperation agreement fell through, reported Fabbri.The Pacific Islands Forum in a meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister Yi declined to sign up for the sweeping regional economic and security deal proposed by China.As purported by the Chinese Foreign Minister's spokesperson, the visit was aimed to deepen the friendship and cooperative relationship between China and regional countries and contribute to peace, stability and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region.However, it could not generate enough trust. Of late, Beijing has been actively pursuing its engagements with those countries, efforts that are part of its aspiration to be a global power by using its deep pockets with an aim to showcase China as a development partner among the developing and least-developed PICs, reported Geopolitica.info.Nevertheless, the PICs are aware that their enhanced engagement with China could spark a local confrontation between China and the West, which perceives Chinese incursions in the region as a threat to regional peace and stability, said Fabbri.The United States, meanwhile, alerted the South Pacific nations to be wary of "shadowy" agreements with China, which has put forth a package to expand cooperation dramatically.Earlier, the US State Department spokesperson, Ned Price, noted that "we are concerned that these reported agreements may be negotiated in a rushed, non-transparent process".While the Chinese Foreign Minister was mid-way in his PICs visit, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken also stated that China posed an even more devious, long-term threat than Russia does.According to him, "China is the only country with both the intent to reshape the international order and, increasingly, the economic, diplomatic, military and technological power to do it."The scope of China's failed proposed agreement with Pacific Island countries was very comprehensive and described as a potential 'game changer'.Some observers have attributed China's failure to steer ahead of its comprehensive multilateral agreement with the Pacific Island countries to Australia's new Foreign Minister Penny Wong's intervention in Fiji just before Wang's stopover.However, many analysts opine that the rejection of the Chinese deal signals a "collective and unequivocal approach" of the Pacific Island countries not allowing themselves to be "used as pawns" in a "geopolitical contest".&nbsp;—ANI

China has been consistently increasing its inroads in the Pacific Islands, however its agenda to increase its sphere of influence in the region is in the doldrums.

China's Agenda To Increase Its Sphere Of Influence In Pacific Islands In Doldrums

Barcelona (Spain): While Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is certain to dominate an upcoming NATO summit in Madrid, Spain and other member nations are quietly pushing the Western alliance to consider how mercenaries aligned with Russian President Vladimir Putin are spreading Moscow’s influence to Africa.As the host of the summit taking place from Tuesday to Thursday, Spain wants to emphasize its proximity to Africa as it lobbies for a greater focus on Europe’s southern flank in a new document outlining NATO’s vision of its security challenges and tasks. The Strategic Concept is NATO’s most important working document after the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949, which contained the key provision holding that an attack on one member is viewed as an attack upon all. The security assessment is updated roughly every decade to reset the West’s security agenda.The current version, approved in Lisbon in 2010, stated the risk of a conventional war on NATO territory was “low.” It did not explicitly mention concerns about instability in Africa. At the time, the alliance viewed apathy as its biggest military threat; U.S. complaints that some European members were not paying their due featured heavily in summit talks.Fast forward a dozen years, and the view looks very different from NATO headquarters in Brussels. After Russia brought war close to NATO’s eastern borders, the alliance has worked to provide Ukraine with an assortment of more powerful weapons and to avoid the very real risk of getting drawn into the fighting.But there appears to be a consensus among NATO members heading into the Madrid summit that while Russia remains concern No. 1, the alliance must continue to widen its view globally. Spain’s position for an increased focus on “the South” is shared by Britain, France and Italy.In their view, the security challenges in Africa arise from a Putin apparently dead-set on restoring the imperial glories of Russia as well as from an expansive China. Russia has gained traction thanks to the presence of its mercenaries in the Sahel region, a semiarid expanse stretching from Senegal to Sudan that suffers from political strife, terrorism and drought.“Each time I meet with NATO ministers, the support of the allies is total due to the instability that we see on the alliance’s southern frontier and especially the situation in the Sahel region right now,” Spanish Foreign Minister José Albares said.The Kremlin denies links to the Wagner Group, a mercenary force with an increasing presence in central and North Africa and the Middle East. The private military company, which has also participated in the war in Ukraine, has developed footholds in Libya, Mali, Sudan and Central African Republic.In Mali, Wagner soldiers are filling a void created by the exit of former colonial power France. In Sudan, Russia’s offer of an economic alliance earned it the promise of a naval base on the Red Sea. In Central African Republic, Wagner fighters protect the country’s gold and diamond mines. In return, Putin gets diplomatic allies and resources.French President Emmanuel Macron as long called for a “greater involvement” from NATO in the Sahel region. Now that Wagner has moved into Mali, French authorities underlined that Wagner mercenaries were accused of human right abuses in the Central African Republic, Libya and Syria.Former NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana said that Russia’s brutal military campaign in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad during his country’s long civil war left it emboldened.“Syria gave [the Russians] the sentiment that they could be more active in that part of the world,” Solana told The Associated Press. “They have very good relations with Algeria and they have (...) the Wagner type of people in the Sahel, which is delicate.”With the Sahel, Morocco and Algeria at risk of worsening instability, “the southern part of NATO, for Portugal, Spain, Greece, etc., they would like to have an eye open to that part of the world,” he said.Italy is another NATO member attuned to the political climate across the Mediterranean Sea. The country is home to NATO’s Joint Force Command base in Naples, which in 2017 opened a south hub Hub focusing specifically on terrorism, radicalization, migration and other security issues emanating from North Africa and the Middle East.The Italian ambassador to NATO, Francesco Maria Talo, said in a May interview with Italian news agency ANSA that humanitarian crises in Africa must concern all NATO allies.“Near us there’s Africa, with a billion inhabitants at risk of poverty, aggravated by food insecurity, terrorism and climate change, all factors that combine to create insecurity,” Talo said. “And Russia is present there, too.” The importance of the other side of the Mediterranean became painfully evident to Spain over the past year due to a series of diplomatic crises involving Morocco and Algeria and their rivalry over the fate of Western Sahara, a former Spanish colony.Amid the disputes, reduced border security allowed migrants to enter Spanish territory, and there were perceived threats to energy supplies. Analysts consider both to be tactics of “hybrid warfare” when governments use them against other countries. Speaking in Madrid last month, British Defense Minister Ben Wallace noted the problems caused last year when Belarus, a Putin ally, allegedly encouraged migrants to cross its borders into Poland and other neighboring countries. “If the likes of Wagner get the control they have or they’d like to have in places like Libya or indeed what we see they’re already doing in Mali, do not think that Spain will be untouched by that,” Wallace said.NATO is also expected to include in the new Strategic Document a reference to China’s growing military reach both in and beyond the Pacific theater. Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said last month in Madrid that “China has joined Russia in openly contesting the right of each and every country to choose his own path.”In May, U.S. Army Gen. Stephen J. Townsend, commander of U.S. Africa Command, warned that China was trying to build a military naval base on Africa’s Atlantic coast. He said that China “has most traction” toward establishing the base in Equatorial Guinea, a tiny oil-rich dictatorship that was once Spain’s only sub-Saharan African colony.China only operates one acknowledged foreign military base, located in Djibouti in East Africa. But many believe that its People’s Liberation Army is busy establishing an overseas military network, even if it doesn’t use the term “base.” NATO has invited the leaders of Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand to the summit to demonstrate its interest in the Asian-Pacific. The foreign minister of Mauritania, a former French colony in West Africa, is also invited to attend a working dinner of fellow foreign ministers at the NATO summit. NATO said the country, which borders Western Sahara, Algeria, Mali and Senegal, was “closely associated with the preparatory work” for the new Strategic Concept. —AP

While Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is certain to dominate an upcoming NATO summit in Madrid, Spain and other member nations are quietly pushing the Western alliance to consider how mercenaries aligned with Russian President Vladimir Putin are spreading Moscow’s influence to Africa.

As Summit Host, Spain Urges NATO To Watch Its Southern Flank

<span style="color: rgb(53,53,53);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: medium;font-family: ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji;">Washington: Scientists show reduced krill supplies lead to fewer pregnancies in humpback whales, a finding that could have major implications for industrial krill fishing. Data from Antarctica show more humpback whales get pregnant after years with abundant krill than after years when krill were less plentiful.
<span style="color: rgb(53,53,53);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: medium;font-family: ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji;">The study, published January 15 in Global Change Biology, is based on eight years of data on humpback whale pregnancies (2013 to 2020) in waters along the Western Antarctic Peninsula, where krill fishing is concentrated.
<span style="color: rgb(53,53,53);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: medium;font-family: ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji;">Krill availability in the year before a humpback pregnancy is crucial because females need to increase their energy stores to support the upcoming pregnancy. In 2017, after a year in which krill were abundant, 86% of the humpback females sampled were pregnant. But in 2020, following a year in which krill were less plentiful, only 29% of humpback females were pregnant.
<span style="color: rgb(53,53,53);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: medium;font-family: ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji;">Lead author Logan Pallin, a postdoctoral researcher in the Ocean Sciences Department at UC Santa Cruz, said the study demonstrates for the first time the link between population growth and krill availability in Antarctic whales. "This is significant because until now, it was thought that krill were essentially an unlimited food source for whales in the Antarctic," said Pallin, who earned his Ph.D. in ecology and evolutionary biology at UCSC while working on this study. "Continued warming and increased fishing along the Western Antarctic Peninsula, which continue to reduce krill stocks, will likely impact this humpback whale population and other krill predators in the region."
<span style="color: rgb(53,53,53);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: medium;font-family: ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji;">"This information is critical as we can now be proactive about managing how, when, and how much krill is taken from the Antarctic Peninsula," he added. "In years of poor krill recruitment, we should not compound this by removing krill from critical foraging areas for baleen whales."
<span style="color: rgb(53,53,53);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: medium;font-family: ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji;">Coauthor Ari Friedlaender, professor of ocean sciences at UC Santa Cruz, said the Western Antarctic Peninsula is experiencing some of the fastest climatic warming of any region on the planet. Winter air temperatures have risen significantly since the 1950s, and the annual sea ice extent is, on average, 80 days shorter than four decades ago.
<span style="color: rgb(53,53,53);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: medium;font-family: ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji;">"Krill supplies vary depending on the amount of sea ice because juvenile krill feed on algae growing on sea ice and also rely on the ice for shelter," Friedlaender said. "In years with less sea ice in the winter, fewer juvenile krill survive to the following year. The impacts of climate change and likely the krill fishery are contributing to a decrease in humpback whale reproductive rates in years with less krill available for whales."
<span style="color: rgb(53,53,53);background-color: rgb(255,255,255);font-size: medium;font-family: ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, "Segoe UI", Roboto, "Helvetica Neue", Arial, "Noto Sans", sans-serif, "Apple Color Emoji", "Segoe UI Emoji", "Segoe UI Symbol", "Noto Color Emoji;">Coauthor Chris Johnson, the global lead of the World Wide Fund for Nature's Protecting Whales &amp; Dolphins Initiative, said this research shows that highly precautionary management measures are needed to protect all Antarctic marine life that depends on krill for its survival, including blue, fin, humpback, minke, and southern right whales, as well as other krill predators such as penguins, seabirds, seals, and fish. "Krill are not an inexhaustible resource, and there is a growing overlap between industrial krill fishing and whales feeding at the same time," Johnson said. "Humpback whales feed in the Antarctic for a handful of months a year to fuel their annual energetic needs for migration that spans thousands of kilometers. We need to tread carefully and protect this unique part of the world, which will benefit whales across their entire range." —ANI

Scientists show reduced krill supplies lead to fewer pregnancies in humpback whales, a finding that could have major implications for industrial krill fishing. Data from Antarctica show more humpback whales get pregnant after years with abundant krill than after years when krill were less plentiful.

Influence Of Krill Availability On Humpback Whale Pregnancies: Study 

Washington: Scientists of the University of Antwerp and the University of Liege have found how the human brain changes and adapts to weightlessness, after being in space for 6 months.
Some of the changes turned out to be lasting - even after 8 months back on Earth. Raphael Liegeois, soon to be the third Belgian in space, acknowledges the importance of the research, "to prepare the new generation of astronauts for longer missions."
A child who learns not to drop a glass on the floor, or a tennis player predicting the course of an incoming ball to hit it accurately are examples of how the brain incorporates the physical laws of gravity to optimally function on Earth. Astronauts who go to space reside in a weightless environment, where the brain's rules about gravity are no longer applicable.
A new study on brain function in cosmonauts has revealed how the brain's organization is changed after a six-month mission to the International Space Station (ISS), demonstrating the adaptation that is required to live in weightlessness.
The University of Antwerp has been leading this BRAIN-DTI scientific project through the European Space Agency. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data were taken from 14 astronaut brains before and several times after their mission to space.
Using a special MRI technique, the researchers collected the astronauts' brain data in a resting condition, hence without having them engage in a specific task. This resting-state functional MRI technique enabled the researchers to investigate the brain's default state and to find out whether this changes or not after long-duration spaceflight.
Learning effect
In collaboration with the University of Liege, recent analyses of the brain's activity at rest revealed how functional connectivity, a marker of how activity in some brain areas is correlated with the activity in others, changes in specific regions.
"We found that connectivity was altered after spaceflight in regions which support the integration of different types of information, rather than dealing with only one type each time, such as visual, auditory, or movement information', say Steven Jillings and Floris Wuyts (University of Antwerp). "Moreover, we found that some of these altered communication patterns were retained throughout 8 months of being back on Earth. At the same time, some brain changes returned to the level of how the areas were functioning before the space mission."
Both scenarios of changes are plausible: retained changes in brain communication may indicate a learning effect, while transient changes may indicate more acute adaptation to changed gravity levels.
"This dataset is so special as their participants themselves. Back in 2016, we were historically the first to show how spaceflight may affect brain function on a single cosmonaut. Some years later we are now in a unique position to investigate the brains of more astronauts, several times. Therefore, we are deciphering the potential of the human brain all the more in confidence", says Dr. Athena Demertzi (GIGA Institute, University of Liege), co-supervisor of this this work.
New generation of astronauts
"Understanding physiological and behavioral changes triggered by weightlessness is key to plan human space exploration. Therefore, mapping changes of brain function using neuroimaging techniques as done in this work is an important step to prepare the new generation of astronauts for longer missions", comments Raphael Liegeois, Doctor of Engineering Science (ULiege) with a Thesis in the field of Neuroscience, future ESA Astronaut.
The researchers are excited with the results, though they know it is only the first step in pursuing our understanding of brain communication changes after space travel. For example, we still need to investigate what the exact behavioral consequence is for these brain communication changes, we need to understand whether longer time spent in outer space might influence these observations and whether brain characteristics may be helpful in selecting future astronauts or monitoring them during and after space travel. —ANI

Scientists of the University of Antwerp and the University of Liege have found how the human brain changes and adapts to weightlessness, after being in space for 6 months.

Space Travel Influences Working Of Brain: Study 

New Delhi: Use of terms like "advertisement," "sponsored," "partnership," and "paid promotion" by celebrities and influencers who endorse products or services on social media platforms is required to reveal a material interest.
Government regulations went into effect in January requiring social media influencers to reveal any "material" interests they have in advocating items or services. Violators face severe penalties, including a prohibition on future endorsements.
The Department of Consumer Affairs has issued a statement saying that it has seen widespread uncertainty about the proper disclosure terminology to use for various types of business partnerships.—Inputs from Agencies

Use of terms like "advertisement," "sponsored," "partnership," and "paid promotion" by celebrities and influencers who endorse products or services on social media platforms is required to reveal a material interest.

Social media influencers must label recommendations paid promotion ad or sponsored. Govt

Washington: Researchers identified Pesticides that could be linked to the development of Parkinson's disease.
The study was published in the journal, 'Nature Communications'.
The study was led by Richard Krolewski, MD, PhD, a neurologist in the Brigham's Division of Movement Disorders and Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases, and Kimberly Paul, PhD, from UCLA, along with collaboration with Edinson Lucumi Moreno within the Khurana lab at Brigham and Women's Hospital.
Parkinson's disease risk may be influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. The researchers investigated 288 pesticides using agricultural records and discovered that long-term exposure to 53 of these pesticides was associated with Parkinson's disease.
The researchers then studied 39 of those pesticides in dopamine neurons derived from Parkinson's patients, identifying 10 that were directly toxic to dopamine neurons. The study also discovered that exposing dopamine neurons to multiple pesticides used in combination, such as in cotton farming, is more toxic than any single pesticide.
"The combination of bench science and epidemiology is quite novel here," said Krolewski. "The bench science is able to address questions that are difficult to answer with epidemiology while the epidemiology helps direct the bench science - the sum is greater than the parts."
The Department of Defense supported this project and has now supported the group to utilize diverse stem-cell models derived from Parkinson's patients to investigate how pesticides and the gut microbiome disrupt key neuronal processes affecting both movement and cognition.
"The findings advance a major goal of the BWH Movement Division to tailor therapies to specific triggers of Parkinson's in each patient," said Khurana. —ANI

Researchers identified Pesticides that could be linked to the development of Parkinson's disease.

Study Identifies Pesticides That Could Influence Parkinson's Disease

Researchers identified Pesticides that could be linked to the development of Parkinson's disease

Washington: Chinese-sponsored discussions in Myanmar between the junta and three ethnic armies known as the Brotherhood Alliance to persuade the three to back the military's election plan ended without an agreement Friday, according to Voice of America (VOA). The Arakan Army, the Ta'ang National Liberation Army, and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army have formed an alliance to provide military training and supplies to anti-junta groups. The negotiations took place over two days in the Mongla district of Shan State in northern Myanmar, close to the Chinese border. According to local accounts, Guo Bao, China's special envoy from the Foreign Affairs Department of the adjacent Chinese province Yunnan, attended the discussions, according to VOA. VOA is part of the US Agency for Global Media (USAGM), the government agency that oversees all non-military, US international broadcasting. "Both parties exchanged opinions and agreed to hold a second meeting," Kyi Myint, a spokesman for the National Democratic Alliance Army, which is separate from the Myanmar National Democratic Army and is one of the groups that facilitated the talks, told VOA. "Three ethnic armed groups were in attendance to express their views and listen to the junta's point of view," according to Kyi Myint, who coordinated the meeting. "They said they would submit reports to their respective central executive committees," he added, "but they did not reach any agreements with the junta officials." The peace talks between the junta and the alliance, assisted by China, were the first since the military coup in 2021, VOA reported. "We would not be willing to meet with the junta without China," said Khaing Thu Kha, a spokesman for the Arakan Army, in a phone interview with VOA on Thursday. He told VOA, "We demanded the release of our detained members by the junta, to revoke the designation of our group as an 'outlaw association' and to end travel restrictions in Rakhine so that aid can be delivered to the victims of Cyclone Mocha," which struck the western province May 14. According to local reports, the junta officials at the meeting asked the alliance to support its long-planned election, but the alliance refused to discuss the matter. The junta asked the ethnic armed groups to support its election plan after the coup in 2021, with the promise that power would go to the winning party. However, the junta has not set a date for the election and has only stated that it will take place when there is peace. The planned election has been called illegal both in the country and around the world, VOA reported. "It is premature at this time for our side to make definitive statements," Khaing Thu Kha told VOA. When asked about China's role in the peace talks, Khaing Thu Kha said, "China was only sponsoring the meeting and they were not involved in our discussion." Although there is no official cease-fire between the armed groups and the Myanmar junta, according to Khaing Thu Kha, the Arakan Army has ceased fighting with the Myanmar military on humanitarian grounds. The other two armed organizations, the Ta'ang National Liberation Army and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army, have fought the junta's forces on occasion, but are not engaged in fights with the military now, he said, VOA reported. A May 30 alliance statement pointed to China's role in initiating the meeting, saying that in "accordance with the mediation" of Chinese authorities, alliance and junta representatives would meet in Mongla on June 1. State media in Myanmar reported last Tuesday that a top official from Chinese military intelligence, Major General Yang Yang, conferred with the junta's deputy leader in Myanmar's capital, Naypyidaw, prior to the peace talks. The official, the first Chinese military leader to publicly visit Myanmar since the 2021 coup, met with Deputy Senior General Soe Win to discuss "cooperation between the two armies." Chinese Foreign Minister Qin Gang also came to Naypyidaw on May 2, meeting with the junta's leader, General Min Aung Hlaing, VOA reported. "Such visits by Chinese officials only serve to bolster the junta's legitimacy," said Than Soe Naing. According to the online publication Irrawaddy, Qin's visit was followed by protests around Myanmar over China's connection with the military junta. One of these was a demonstration in Letpadaung, in the Sagaing region, home to a contentious copper mine operated by China, during which a Chinese flag was burned. A demonstration by Burmese Americans against China's support for the military junta in Myanmar also took place outside of the Chinese Consulate General in New York Friday. —ANI

Chinese-sponsored discussions in Myanmar between the junta and three ethnic armies known as the Brotherhood 

Peace Talks In Myanmar Highlight China's Influence

Philadelphia: Researchers found people who sign up for and use their healthcare provider's online portal differ in certain crucial features from those who do not use patient portals. This study was published in the journal, 'Medical Care.' According to the new research, led by Naheed Ahmed, PhD, MA, MPH, of NYU Grossman School of Medicine, "Our findings suggest that access to healthcare along with ongoing patient health needs influence usage of patient portal platforms." Having health insurance and establishing a relationship with a primary care provider (PCP) appear to be key factors in having a patient portal account. What factors contribute to disparities in patient portal use? Online patient portals have many benefits, including increased engagement in care and improved health outcomes. Yet most Americans do not use their healthcare provider's patient portal, or even sign up to create an account. Low rates of portal use are not simply explained by patient preferences or by a lack of Internet access. To explore factors affecting healthcare portal use, Dr Ahmed and colleagues performed an online survey using Amazon's Mechanical Turk crowdsourcing platform. Participants answered questions regarding whether and how they used an online patient portal to connect with healthcare providers. The survey addressed a range of other factors as well, including health status, access to and attitudes toward technology, and health literacy. The researchers used a technique called latent class analysis to identify the underlying factors influencing patient portal use, with adjustment for other characteristics. The analysis included survey responses from 489 participants. Initial analysis showed some qualitative differences between participants who did and did not use online portals. Online portal users were more likely to live in urban areas and to have a higher level of education. Among non-users, lack of awareness and technical issues were the main reasons for not having an account. Insurance and ongoing health needs are 'key determinants' of portal use Patient portal users were much more likely to have a primary healthcare provider: 82.5 per cent versus 32.5 per cent. They were also more likely to report some kind of health condition (comorbidity) or disability. In the latent class analysis, all of these characteristics were relevant to identifying groups of participants by patient portal usage. After adjustment for other factors, respondents with a primary care provider were about five times more likely to have created a patient portal account (odds ratio 5.48). In contrast, participants without health insurance were much less likely to have a patient portal account (odds ratio 0.17). Respondents with a disability or comorbid condition were more likely to have an account (odds ratio 1.72 for each). This finding may be explained by patients with chronic conditions having more frequent medical appointments, and thus feeling more inclined to use a patient portal to stay in touch with their healthcare team. Patient portal users had higher scores for self-efficacy (confidence in managing health issues) and positive attitudes toward media and technology. Surprisingly, portal non-users had higher health literacy scores. The findings "reflect the relative importance of patients having health insurance and ongoing health needs as key determinants of patient portal usage," Dr Ahmed and colleagues wrote. Forming a relationship with a PCP "can be an important facilitator of patients creating a patient portal account, and remaining current and engaged with their health, including communicating with their healthcare team." —ANI

Researchers found people who sign up for and use their healthcare provider's online portal differ in certain crucial features

Patients' Portal Use Is Influenced By Insurance, Access, Health Status: Study

Washington: Researchers have found over 500 genes that seem to directly impact the foods we eat in one of the first extensive investigations of diet-related genes. The results mark a significant advancement towards harnessing a person's genetic makeup to create precision dietary plans that enhance health or prevent disease. The UK Biobank, which holds information on 500,000 people, was used by the researchers to conduct a phenome-wide association study (PheWAS), which discovered genes that were more strongly connected with nutrition than with any other aspects of health or lifestyle. Interested gene variations and a variety of human traits and behaviours, including dietary intake, are linked through PheWAS investigations. “Some genes we identified are related to sensory pathways — including those for taste, smell, and texture — and may also increase the reward response in the brain,” said research team leader Joanne Cole, PhD, assistant professor in the Department of Biomedical Informatics at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. “Because some of these genes may have clear paths toward influencing whether someone likes a food or not, they could potentially be used to create sensory genetic profiles for fine-tuning a person’s dietary recommendations based on foods they like to eat.” “The foods we choose to eat are largely influenced by environmental factors such as our culture, socioeconomic status, and food accessibility,” said Cole. “Because genetics plays a much smaller role in influencing dietary intake than all the environmental factors, we need to study hundreds of thousands of individuals to detect genetic influences amid the environmental factors. The data necessary to do this hasn’t been available until recently.” Cole presented the findings at NUTRITION 2023, the annual flagship meeting of the American Society for Nutrition held July 22-25 in Boston. One challenge in identifying diet-related genes is that what people eat correlates with many other factors, including health factors such as high cholesterol or body weight and even socioeconomic status. In the new work, the researchers applied computational methods to tease out the direct effects of genetic variants impacting diet and separate those from indirect effects such as ones where a gene impacts diabetes and having diabetes requires a person to eat less sugar. This study design was possible because the UK Biobank not only contains in-depth genetic information but also detailed health and socioeconomic data. This allowed the researchers to test individual genetic variants for associations with thousands of traits and then eliminate indirect gene variants more strongly associated with other factors, such as diabetes. The analysis revealed around 300 genes directly associated with eating specific foods and almost 200 genes linked to dietary patterns which group various foods together — for example, overall fish intake or fruit consumption. “The study showed that dietary patterns tend to have more indirect genetic effects, meaning they were correlated with a lot of other factors,” said Cole. “This shows how important it is not to study dietary patterns in a vacuum, because the eating pattern’s impact on human health may be completely mediated or confounded by other factors.” In the short term, Cole is studying the newly identified diet-related genes to better understand their function while also working to identify even more genes that directly influence food preferences. She would like to pursue several lines of translational research based on these findings. For example, she is interested in studying whether using a person’s genetics to adapt the flavour profile of a diet designed for weight loss could improve adherence. It might also be possible to use these new insights to tailor foods to a person's genetic predisposition. “If we know that a gene encoding an olfactory receptor in the nose increases a person’s liking of fruit and boosts the reward response in the brain, then molecular studies of this receptor could be used to identify natural or synthetic compounds that bind to it,” Cole said. “Then, we could see if adding one of those compounds to healthy foods makes those foods more appealing to that person.” —ANI

Researchers have found over 500 genes that seem to directly impact the foods we eat in one of the first extensive investigations 

Genes That Directly Influence What We Eat: Study

New Delhi: Besides undertaking enforcement action against unregistered finfluencers who breach SEBI regulations, the regulator proposes to disrupt the revenue model for such finfluencers, so that the perverse incentives in the ecosystem reduce. SEBI has come across instances where SEBI registered intermediaries/regulated entities may be relying on such unregistered/unregulated finfluencers to promote their products and services. As per a new paper, no SEBI registered intermediaries/regulated entities or their agents/representatives shall, directly or indirectly, have any association/relationship in any form, whether monetary or non-monetary, for any promotion or advertisement of their services/products, with any unregistered entities (including finfluencers) Entities registered/regulated by SEBI or stock exchanges or AMFI shall not share any confidential information of their clients with any unregistered entities. Financial influencers, commonly called ‘finflue-ncers’, are persons who provide information and/or advice on various financial topics such as investing in securities, personal finance, banking products, insurance, real estate investment, etc. through social/digital media platforms/channels, and have the ability to influence the financial decisions of their followers. Thus, the activities of finfluencers may deal in areas regulated by financial sector regulators such as SEBI, RBI, PFRDA, and IRDA. Finfluencers often attract investors/prospective investors through their engaging stories, messages, reels and videos on various social media platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc. However, finfluencers not registered with the relevant financial sector regulator may not have the requisite qualifications or expertise on the subject. Worse, not being formally subject to a financial sector regulator’s code of conduct, they may not disclose any potential conflict of interest such as their association with or interest in the products, services or securities that they promote. Many unregistered/unregulated finfluencers directly or indirectly promote products, services or securities. They may induce clients to avail these products or services in return for referral fee for usage of the product, channel, platform, or services that they advertise – such referral fee may be variable (per use or per user), or fixed (retainer model), or a combination of both. The commission may be in an upfront or trail manner, non-cash benefits such as free usage of products or services, compensation received directly from the social media or other platform where they share their content; and profit sharing with the underlying product, channel, platform, or services. Other unregistered entities/finfluencers may be effectively enticing their followers to purchase products, services, or securities in return for undisclosed compensation from platforms or producers. This paper seeks to restrict the association of SEBI registered intermediaries/regulated entities with such unregistered finfluencers, to curb the flow of such compensation.—IANS

Besides undertaking enforcement action against unregistered finfluencers who breach SEBI regulations

SEBI Proposes To Enforcement Action, Disrupt Revenue Model For Finfluencers

Mumbai: Maharashtra’s ruling ally Prahar Janshakti Party (PJP) leader Omprakash Babarao alias Bachhu Kadu, here on Thursday led a noisy protest outside the home of legendary cricketer Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar and slammed him for endorsing online gaming in an advertisement.  Kadu, along with scores of supporters landed outside Tendulkar’s home carrying posters, banners, shouted slogans blasting the master-blaster and called upon him to stop promoting such immoral activities that could impact the young generations.  Later, Kadu and at least a dozen of his activists were whisked off from there and detained by the Bandra Police even as other supporters staged a sit-in demonstration outside the police station. The PJP MLA said that if Tendulkar had not been conferred the Bharat Ratna, they would not have targeted him, adding that “money should precede national interest. If he wants to earn Rs 300-crore by promoting such things, then he should return the Bharat Ratna forthwith,” demanded Kadu outside the Tendulkar home.  A few days ago, he had shot off a letter to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on the issue and even demanded that the country’s top honour Bharat Ratna should be taken back if he continued to promote unethical activities like online gaming.  A former minister in the Maha VikasAghadi government, Kadu had also warned Tendulkar of legal action if he did not stop appearing in the online gaming ads forthwith. After there was no response from Shinde, Kadu and his workers swooped down to the Tendulkar bungalow for a protest today.
—IANS

Maharashtra’s ruling ally Prahar Janshakti Party (PJP) leader Omprakash Babarao alias Bachhu Kadu, here on Thursday led a noisy protest outside the home of legendary cricketer Bharat Ratna Sachin Tendulkar and slammed him for endorsing online gaming in an advertisement.

Ruling Maha ally PJP protests against Tendulkar for promoting online gaming

Mysuru: Karnataka Police have cracked the kidnap and murder case of TikTok star from Bengaluru and detained eight persons in this connection.  The incident took place in the limits of Nanjangud Rural police station in Mysuru district.  The preliminary investigations have shown that the kidnap and murder was an act of revenge. The police have taken custody of a relative of a former corporator from Bengaluru and his associates.  Naveen, a TikTok star was involved in the murder case of one Vinod which took place in the limits of Kaggalipura police station in Bengaluru. Naveen was jailed and had come out on bail.  He made videos and became a TikTok star.  On August 27 the deceased was in Mysuru accompanied by two young women when a gang of miscreants kidnapped him.  Naveen was making reels in front of the famous historical Mysuru palace and the miscreants who came in a car and kidnapped him. His body was later found in Goluru channel near Nanjangud. The main accused is the nephew of a former corporator who is politically well connected, police said.  The police are yet to make an official announcement regarding the arrest/detention of the accused persons. Further investigation is on.
—IANS

Karnataka Police have cracked the kidnap and murder case of TikTok star from Bengaluru and detained eight persons in this connection. The incident took place in the limits of Nanjangud Rural police station in Mysuru district.

K’taka Police crack TikTok star murder case, detains 8

Karnataka Police have cracked the kidnap and murder case of TikTok star from Bengaluru and detained eight persons in this connection.
The incident took place in the limits of Nanjangud Rural police station in Mysuru district.

Chennai: The Madras High Court judge, Justice Anand Venkatesh said that the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) acts as a chameleon and as per the colours of the ruling regime.  The judge made the comments in the open court while he was hearing the case on a disproportionate asset case against former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, O. Panneerselvam (OPS). It is to be noted that Justice Anand Venkatesh has taken up a revision petition in the disproportionate asset case.  The court had taken up suo moto the revision petition as OPS was set free in the case by a lower court in 2012.
Justice Anand Venkatesh observed that there was a pattern in the three revision petitions he had taken up against sitting ministers and the pattern started from this case.  He also observed that the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti Corruption (DVAC) was acting like a chameleon and that courts were also failing in their duties.  He said that the DVAC used to charge cases against opposition leaders and when the same opposition comes to power, the DVAC opens a re-investigation and closes the file. He added that this was a practice that was unheard off in the criminal judicial system.  Justice Anand Venkatesh also said that the courts are looking at ordinary people, and the MPs, MLAs, ministers in a different manner. He added that this was a shame to the criminal judicial system.  He said that this was the reason why he took up suo moto in this case which was closed a decade ago. The court also directed the registry of the Madras High Court to issue notice to the accused, including OPS and that the revision petition will be heard on September 27. 
—IANS

The Madras High Court judge, Justice Anand Venkatesh said that the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) acts as a chameleon and as per the colours of the ruling regime.

Madras HC judge addresses TN DVAC as 'chameleon' while hearing OPS case

Washington DC [US]: Brazilian fitness influencer Larissa Borges passed away at the age of 33 after suffering a double cardiac arrest due to unknown causes, New York Post reported. The influencer died on Monday.
Taking to Instagram, her family members announced the news of her passing away. They wrote, “The pain of losing someone so young, just 33 years old, and so kind, is overwhelming. Our hearts are broken, and the longing we will feel is indescribable." They added that the social media star had “fought courageously” for her life.
According to local media, the Federal District native had been hospitalized on August 20 after suffering from cardiac arrest while traveling in Gramado, reported New York Post. The influencer’s cause of death remains unknown; however, preliminary investigations found that she may have been intoxicated at the time of her heart problems. Her body has been sent for a post-mortem examination. “There is a report of a possible ingestion of narcotic substances, accumulated with alcoholic beverages,” reported Deputy Gustavo Barcellos of the ongoing investigation. “The body was sent for necropsy. We will try to search through laboratory tests for substances that she possibly consumed,” as per New York Post. Borges used to post pictures of her toned physique and from her vacations on Instagram. In one of her final snaps before her death, she could be seen posing in a winter coat at an indoor ski park. The caption read: “I can believe in tomorrow,” as per New York Post.
—ANI

Brazilian fitness influencer Larissa Borges passed away at the age of 33 after suffering a double cardiac arrest due to unknown causes, New York Post reported. The influencer died on Monday.

Brazilian fitness influencer Larissa Borges passes away at 33

New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday opposed the Centre's move on the 'one nation one election, saying that it was just a debate to deflect attention.  Speaking with IANS, Delhi Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said that it was nothing but just a debate to deflect from the real issue of Hindenburg report 2.0.  "I am very convinced that this is just a debate to deflect from the real issue of Hindenburg report 2.0.
"The Central government is scared of growing popularity &amp; footprints of INDIA bloc and may push for early elections in this session," Bhardwaj told IANS.  The BJP government at the Centre is going to move one step further with its 'One Country One Election' agenda. The government formed a high-level committee under the chairmanship of former President Ram Nath Kovind.
—IANS

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday opposed the Centre's move on the 'one nation one election, saying that it was just a debate to deflect attention. Speaking with IANS, Delhi Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said that it was nothing but just a debate to deflect from the real issue of Hindenburg report 2.0.

'One nation one election' a debate to deflect from Hindenburg report 2.0: AAP Minister

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Friday opposed the Centre's move on the 'one nation one election, saying that it was just a debate to deflect attention. Speaking with IANS, Delhi Minister Saurabh Bhardwaj said that it was nothing but just a debate to deflect from the real issue of Hindenburg report 2.0.


New Delhi: The New Delhi G20 summit, scheduled to be held between September 9 and 10, is just around the corner and is being highlighted as one of the key achievements of the government in positioning India as the voice of the Global South.  After two days of intense deliberations, the G20 Summit will culminate with a New Delhi Declaration, which is expected to outline the main agenda items namely climate change and climate finance, the role of multilateral development banks (MDBs) in poverty alleviation, advancement on sustainable development goals, technological transformation and digital public infrastructure and most significantly the socio-economic consequences of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.  India has positioned itself as the voice of the Global South -- a reference to the developing or least developed nations -- and it has used the platform of G20 presidency to champion the cause of such nations.  During the Voice of Global South summit, which took place in January, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had said that the “world is in a state of crisis” and told the leaders of developing countries “your voice is India’s voice” and “your priorities are India’s priorities”.  “India has always shared its developmental experience with our brothers of the Global South. As India begins its G20 Presidency this year, it is natural that our aim is to amplify the Voice of the Global South,” he had added.  With the theme for India's G20 presidency being 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam', or 'One Earth, One Family, One Future', a phrase, which originates from the ancient Sanskrit text Hitopadesha, the government has consistently used it to establish its foreign policy.  India aims to make maximum use of the diplomatic opportunity which it has got as president of the G20 and therefore almost all the countries have confirmed their presence for the forthcoming G20 summit.  The G20 grouping consists of nations which contribute to around 80 per cent of the global GDP and more than 70 per cent of international trade.  The G20 Summit will see the presence of around 25 world leaders, including US President Joe Biden, British PM Rishi Sunak, French president Emmanuel Macron and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, among others.  According to sources, except for Russian president Vladimir Putin, almost all G20 leaders have confirmed their presence for the New Delhi G20 summit.  On August 28, Putin in a telephonic conversation with prime minister Narendra Modi, had conveyed his inability to attend the G20 summit in New Delhi and informed that Russia would be represented by his foreign minister Sergey Lavrov.  US president Joe Biden in fact is arriving on September 7 on a four-day bilateral visit, during which he will also attend the G20 summit.  Chinese President Xi Jinping’s presence in the multilateral event is yet to be confirmed. On August 11, when asked about it, the External Affairs Ministry’s Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi had said that the government has invited all participants and looked forward to their participation.  Mexico’s delegation may also not be led by its President Andrés Manuel López Obrador, and its Minister for Economy Raquel Buenrostro Sanchez is likely to represent the country in the summit.  Here is the complete list of G20 member states invited to the summit:  Prime Minister of Australia Anthony Albanese; Argentina President Alberto Fernandez; President of South Africa Cyril Ramaphosa; President of France Emmanuel Macron; Prime Minister of Japan Fumio Kishida; Prime Minister of Italy Giorgia Meloni; US President Joe Biden; President of Indonesia Joko Widodo; Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau; President of Brazil Luiz Inacio Lula Da Silva; Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia Mohammad Bin Salman; Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz; President of Turkey Recep Tayyip Erdogan; Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Rishi Sunak; President of China Xi Jinping; President of South Korea Yoon Suk Yeol; and President of European Commission Ursula von der Leyen.  The multilateral event will also see participation from Charles Michel, President of the European Council.  In addition to this, India has also invited leaders from nine nations who are not a part of the G20 Cohort. These are Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi, Mauritius Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jugnauth, Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte, Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Spain President Pedro Sanchez, President of UAE Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Sayyid Asad Bin Tariq Al Said, Deputy Prime Minister of Oman and personal representative of the Head of State Sultan Haitham bin Tarik.
—IANS

The New Delhi G20 summit, scheduled to be held between September 9 and 10, is just around the corner and is being highlighted as one of the key achievements of the government in positioning India as the voice of the Global South.

India to position itself as the 'Voice of Global South' at G20 Summit

Lucknow: A special NIA court in Lucknow has convicted two persons, Atif Muzaffar and Mohammed Faisal Khan, in a case related to the killing of a retired school principal, allegedly under the influence of Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), an NIA spokesman said.
The court on Monday charged the two guilty under the sections of IPC 302 (murder), 120 B (criminal conspiracy), along with sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).&nbsp;
The court will pronounce the quantum of punishment in the case on September 11.
NIA said that on October 24, 2016, Ram Babu Shukla, who retired as the principal of Swami Atmaprakash Brahmachari Junior High School in Kanpur, was killed while he was returning home on a bicycle. He was attacked by the accused near Pyondi village in Kanpur.
The case was handed over to the NIA in November 2017.
The anti-terror agency had filed a chargesheet against the two accused on July 12, 2018, after investigations revealed that the accused had been radicalised by the ISIS ideology and were out to kill people whom they believed to be "disbelievers".
A third accused, Mohammad Saifulla, had died in Lucknow during the exchange of fire with the Anti-Terrorist Squad on March 7, 2017.
Investigations by NIA revealed that the accused were operating under the influence of ISIS, a banned terrorist organisation.
"They had murdered Ram Babu Shukla to strike terror and alarm in the minds of the common people," NIA spokesman said.&nbsp;
—IANS

A special NIA court in Lucknow has convicted two persons, Atif Muzaffar and Mohammed Faisal Khan, in a case related to the killing

NIA court convicts 2 for murder of retired UP school principal

New Delhi:  Three new cohorts that could influence the upcoming Lok Sabha elections are stock market investors (about 100 million), social media users (over 500 million) and first time voters (about 130 million).
These are not mutually exclusive pools but are mostly larger than they were in 2019, this is especially true of stock market investors, which now number an estimated 100 million to 120 million voters, about four times larger than five years ago, Morgan Stanley said in a report.
These three cohorts, because of their growing size, will add complexity to the electoral process, which will continue to be dominated by caste and religious groups and farmers who remain the largest voting bloc.
The report said that incumbency can be a positive if voters are feeling prosperous. The challenge is that prosperity differs across voting cohorts. Apart from the absolute level of growth and inflation, indicators like levels of poverty, farmer suicides, terms of trade for rural India, female foeticide, infant mortality, and government transfers form part of how voters assess their prosperity. There is also room to announce fresh policies before the elections, which can influence voters in a particular direction.
History suggests that the Indian stock market approaches general elections with optimism.
“If we were to follow that trend, we would expect the market to price in both continuity and a majority going into the 2024 election. We estimate the market (as measured by the BSE Sensex or Nifty) could be up circa 10 million by May 2024, assuming the election process starts in April and ends with results being announced around the third week of May,” the report said.
This assumes that the elections are not advanced to an earlier date, which is always a possibility.
Advancing the election date could concentrate the market move into a shorter period.
“If we are right about the pre-election market move, then depending on what the election result is, we believe the market has the potential to swing between +5 million and -40 million – a wide range underpinning how important the elections could be to the market in the short run. The wild swing has historical precedence although we think it could be more acute this time around,” the report said.&nbsp;
—IANS

Three new cohorts that could influence the upcoming Lok Sabha elections are stock market investors (about 100 million), social media users (over 500 million)

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Mumbai cops nab Pune man for extortion

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Mumbai cops nab Pune man for extortion

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