SUBHADITYA NEWS CHANNEL PRESENTS NEW OF THIS WEEK: SCIENCE,POLITICAL,SPORTS, MOVIE & BOK NEWS THIS WEEK

 

1) Visva-Bharati University names newly-discovered plant growth bacterium after Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore:

Shantiniketan: A team of scientists from Visva-Bharati University’s botany department has discovered a bacterium with the ability to boost plant growth and named it 'Pantoea Tagorei' after Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore, a report in the media said.

Visva-Bharati is a public central university and an Institute of National Importance located in West Bengal's Shantiniketan.

According to microbiologist Bomba Dam, who led the study, this bacterium holds immense potential for transforming agricultural methods.

Bomba Dam's team included research assistants Raju Biswas, Abhijit Mishra, Abhinav Chakraborty, Pooja Mukhopadhyay, and Sandeep Ghosh, the report said.

Bomba Dam and his team discovered 'Pantoea Tagorei' by isolating the bacteria from the soil in Santiniketan's Sonajhuri and later in Jharia's coal mining belt.

This bacterium efficiently extracts potassium from soil, enhancing plant growth by solubilizing potassium and phosphorus and fixing nitrogen.

Identified as a new and unique species, 'Pantoea Tagorei' has the potential to reduce the need for commercial fertilizers, cutting agricultural costs and boosting crop yields. The discovery has been officially recognized by the Association of Microbiologists of India (AMI).

The findings were also published in the Indian Journal of Microbiology.

The team said naming the unique bacterium after Tagore is the best way to honour the poet, who was also the founder of Visva Bharati University.

Dam referred to the visionary agricultural pursuits of Tagore and his son Rathindranath Tagore’s agricultural pursuits.

Abstract

A Gram-negative, short-rod, non-motile, facultatively anaerobic, potassium-solubilizing bacterium MR1 (Mine Rhizosphere) was isolated from rhizospheric soil of an open-cast coal mine of Jharia, Jharkhand, India. Isolate MR1 can grow in a broad range of temperature, pH, and NaCl concentrations. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of the strain showed 99.24% similarity with Pantoea septica LMG 5345T. However, maximum-likelihood tree constructed using 16S rRNA gene sequence, multilocus sequence analysis using concatenated sequences of ten housekeeping genes, whole-genome based phylogenetic reconstruction, digital DNA–DNA hybridization, and average nucleotide identity (ANIm and ANIb) values indicated segregation of MR1 from its closest relatives. Fatty acid profile of MR1 also suggested the same, with clear variation in major and minor fatty acid contents, having C13: 0 anteiso (10-Methyldodecanoic acid) as the unique one. Thus, considering all polyphasic data, strain MR1T (= MTCC 13265T, where ‘T’ stands for Type strain) is presented as a novel species of the genus Pantoea, for which the name Pantoea tagorei sp. nov. is proposed.

2) Researchers develop 'electronic soil' that enhances crop growth by Linköping University

Eleni Stavrinidou, associate professor, and supervisor of the study and Alexandra Sandéhn, Ph.D. student, one of the lead authors, connect the eSoil to a low power source for stimulating plant growt

Barley seedlings grow on average 50% more when their root system is stimulated electrically through a new cultivation substrate. In a study published in the journal PNAS, researchers from Linköping University have developed an electrically conductive "soil" for soilless cultivation, known as hydroponics

The world population is increasing, and we also have climate change. So it's clear that we won't be able to cover the food demands of the planet with only the already existing agricultural methods. But with hydroponics we can grow food also in urban environments in very controlled settings," says Eleni Stavrinidou, associate professor at the Laboratory of Organic Electronics at Linköping University, and leader of the Electronic Plants group.

Her research group has now developed an electrically conductive cultivation substrate, tailored to hydroponic cultivation, that they call eSoil. The Linköping University researchers have shown that barley seedlings grown in the conductive "soil" grew up to 50% more in 15 days when their roots were stimulated electrically.

Hydroponic cultivation means that plants grow without soil, needing only water, nutrients and something their roots can attach to—a substrate. It is a closed system that enables water recirculation so that each seedling gets exactly the nutrients it needs. Therefore, very little water is required and all nutrients remain in the system, which is not possible in traditional cultivation.Hydroponics also enables vertical cultivation in large towers to maximize space efficiency. Crops already being cultivated in this manner include lettuce, herbs and some vegetables. Grains are not typically grown in hydroponics apart for their use as fodder. In this study the researchers show that barley seedlings can be cultivated using hydroponics and that they have a better growth rate thanks to electrical stimulation.

A barley seedling grows within the eSoil, an artificial electronic soil that makes seedlings grow faster

"In this way, we can get seedlings to grow faster with less resources. We don't yet know how it actually works, which biological mechanisms that are involved. What we have found is that seedlings process nitrogen more effectively, but it's not clear yet how the electrical stimulation impacts this process," says Starvrinidou.

Mineral wool is often used as cultivation substrate in hydroponics. Not only is this non-biodegradable, it is also produced with a very energy-intensive process. The electronic cultivation substrate eSoil is made of cellulose, the most abundant biopolymer, mixed with a conductive polymer called PEDOT. This combination as such is not new, but this is the first time it has been used for plant cultivation and for creating an interface for plants in this manner.

Previous research has used high voltage to stimulate the roots. The advantage of the Linköping researchers' "soil" is that it has very low energy consumption and no high voltage danger. Stavrinidou believes that the new study will open the pathway for new research areas to develop further hydroponic cultivation.

"We can't say that hydroponics will solve the problem of food security. But it can definitely help particularly in areas with little arable land and with harsh environmental conditions," she says.

3) New reptile on the block: A new iguana species discovered in China:by Pensoft Publishers

Calotes wangi. Credit Huang et al

A new iguana joins Asia's rich reptile fauna, officially described as new to science in the open-access journal ZooKeys."From 2009 to 2022, we conducted a series of field surveys in South China and collected a number of specimens of the Calotes versicolor species complex, and found that the population of what we thought was Calotes versicolor in South China and Northern Vietnam was a new undescribed species and two subspecies," says Yong Huang, whose team described the new species.

Wang's garden lizard (Calotes wangi) is less than 9 cm long, and one of its distinguishing features is its orange tongue.

"Calotes wangi is found in subtropical evergreen broad-leaved forests and tropical monsoon forests in southern China and northern Vietnam, mostly in mountainous areas, hills and plains on forest edges, arable land, shrub lands, and even urban green belts. It is active at the edge of the forest, and when it is in danger, it rushes into bushes or climbs tree trunks to hide. Investigations found that the lizards lie on sloping shrub branches at night, sleeping close to the branches," says Yong Huang.

It is active from April to October every year, while in the tropics it is active from March to November or even longer, and eats a variety of insects, spiders, and other arthropods.For now, the researchers estimate that the new species is not threatened, but they do note that in some areas its habitat is fragmented.

"In addition, their bodies are used medicinally and the lizards are also eaten," they write in their research paper.

This is why they suggest that the local government strengthen the protection of their ecological environment and pay close attention to the population dynamics.

4) How Daydreams Shape Our Brain’s Visual Response

Summary: Researchers made a breakthrough in understanding how daydreaming affects the brain.

By studying mice, they discovered that neurons in the visual cortex fire in patterns similar to when viewing actual images, indicating daydream-like activity. This finding suggests daydreams may influence how the brain processes visual information over time, potentially contributing to brain plasticity.

The study highlights the importance of quiet wakefulness and its possible role in learning and memory.

Key Facts:

Neurons in the visual cortex of mice fire in patterns during quiet wakefulness, akin to when they view actual images, hinting at daydreaming.

The study suggests a link between daydreaming and brain plasticity, with early daydreams predicting future brain responses to images.

This research sheds light on the underexplored visual cortex and its role in forming visual memories and processing experiences.

You are sitting quietly, and suddenly your brain tunes out the world and wanders to something else entirely — perhaps a recent experience, or an old memory. You just had a daydream.

Yet despite the ubiquity of this experience, what is happening in the brain while daydreaming is a question that has largely eluded neuroscientists.

Now, a study in mice, published Dec. 13 in Nature, has brought a team led by researchers at Harvard Medical School one step closer to figuring it out.

The researchers tracked the activity of neurons in the visual cortex of the brains of mice while the animals remained in a quiet waking state.

They found that occasionally these neurons fired in a pattern similar to one that occurred when a mouse looked at an actual image, suggesting that the mouse was thinking — or daydreaming — about the image.Moreover, the patterns of activity during a mouse’s first few daydreams of the day predicted how the brain’s response to the image would change over time.

The research provides tantalizing, if preliminary, evidence that daydreams can shape the brain’s future response to what it sees. This causal relationship needs to be confirmed in further research, the team cautioned, but the results offer an intriguing clue that daydreams during quiet waking may play a role in brain plasticity — the brain’s ability to remodel itself in response to new experiences.

“We wanted to know how this daydreaming process occurred on a neurobiological level, and whether these moments of quiet reflection could be important for learning and memory,” said lead author Nghia Nguyen, a PhD student in neurobiology in the Blavatnik Institute at HMS.

An overlooked brain region

Scientists have spent considerable time studying how neurons replay past events to form memories and map the physical environment in the hippocampus, a seahorse-shaped brain region that plays a key role in memory and spatial navigation.

By contrast, there has been little research on the replay of neurons in other brain regions, including the visual cortex. Such efforts would provide valuable insights about how visual memories are formed.

“My lab became interested in whether we could record from enough neurons in the visual cortex to understand what exactly the mouse is remembering — and then connect that information to brain plasticity,” said senior author Mark Andermann, professor of medicine at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and professor of neurobiology at HMS.

In the new study, the researchers repeatedly showed mice one of two images, each consisting of a different checkerboard pattern of gray and dappled black and white squares. Between images, the mice spent a minute looking at a gray screen. The team simultaneously recorded activity from around 7,000 neurons in the visual cortex.The researchers found that when a mouse looked at an image, the neurons fired in a specific pattern, and the patterns were different enough to discern image one from image two.

More important, when a mouse looked at the gray screen between images, the neurons sometimes fired in a similar, but not identical, pattern, as when the mouse looked at the image, a sign that it was daydreaming about the image. These daydreams occurred only when mice were relaxed, characterized by calm behavior and small pupils.

Unsurprisingly, mice daydreamed more about the most recent image — and they had more daydreams at the beginning of the day than at the end, when they had already seen each image dozens of times.

But what the researchers found next was completely unexpected.

Throughout the day, and across days, the activity patterns seen when the mice looked at the images changed — what neuroscientists call “representational drift.” Yet this drift wasn’t random.

Over time, the patterns associated with the images became even more different from each other, until each involved an almost entirely separate set of neurons. Notably, the pattern seen during a mouse’s first few daydreams about an image predicted what the pattern would become when the mouse looked at the image later.

“There’s drift in how the brain responds to the same image over time, and these early daydreams can predict where the drift is going,” Andermann said.

Finally, the researchers found that the visual cortex daydreams occurred at the same time as replay activity occurred in the hippocampus, suggesting that the two brain regions were communicating during these daydreams. Based on the results of the study, the researchers suspect that these daydreams may be actively involved in brain plasticity.

“When you see two different images many times, it becomes important to discriminate between them. Our findings suggest that daydreaming may guide this process by steering the neural patterns associated with the two images away from each other,” Nguyen said, while noting that this relationship needs to be confirmed.  

Nguyen added that learning to differentiate between the images should help the mouse respond to each image with more specificity in the future. 

These observations align with a growing body of evidence in rodents and humans that entering a state of quiet wakefulness after an experience can improve learning and memory.

Next, the researchers plan to use their imaging tools to visualize the connections between individual neurons in the visual cortex and to examine how these connections change when the brain “sees” an image.

“We were chasing this 99 percent of unexplored brain activity and discovered that there’s so much richness in the visual cortex that nobody knew anything about,” Andermann said.

Whether daydreams in people involve similar activity patterns in the visual cortex is an open question, and the answer will require additional experiments. However, there is preliminary evidence that an analogous process occurs in humans when they recall visual imagery.

Randy Buckner, the Sosland Family Professor of Psychology and of Neuroscience at Harvard University, has shown that brain activity in the visual cortex increases when people are asked to recall an image in detail. Other studies have recorded flurries of electrical activity in the visual cortex and the hippocampus during such recall.

For the researchers, the results of their study and others suggest that it may be important to make space for moments of quiet waking that lead to daydreams. For a mouse, this may mean taking a pause from looking at a series of images and, for a human, this could mean taking a break from scrolling on a smartphone.“We feel pretty confident that if you never give yourself any awake downtime, you’re not going to have as many of these daydream events, which may be important for brain plasticity,” Andermann said.

5) Oral peptides: A new era in drug development :by Ecole Polytechnique Federale de Lausanne

Graphical abstract of cyclic oral peptides Credit  Christian HeinisEPFL

For decades, a substantial number of proteins, vital for treating various diseases, have remained elusive to oral drug therapy. Traditional small molecules often struggle to bind to proteins with flat surfaces or require specificity for particular protein homologs. Typically, larger biologics that can target these proteins demand injection, limiting patient convenience and accessibility. In a new study published in Nature Chemical Biology, scientists from the laboratory of Professor Christian Heinis at EPFL have achieved a significant milestone in drug development. Their research opens the door to a new class of orally available drugs, addressing a long-standing challenge in the pharmaceutical industry.

"There are many diseases for which the targets were identified but drugs binding and reaching them could not be developed," says Heinis. "Most of them are types of cancer, and many targets in these cancers are protein-protein interactions that are important for the tumor growth but cannot be inhibited."

The study focused on cyclic peptides, which are versatile molecules known for their high affinity and specificity in binding challenging disease targets. At the same time, developing cyclic peptides as oral drugs has proven difficult because they are rapidly digested or poorly absorbed by the gastrointestinal tract.

"Cyclic peptides are of great interest for drug development as these molecules can bind to difficult targets for which it has been challenging to generate drugs using established methods," says Heinis. "But the cyclic peptides cannot usually be administered orally—as a pill—which limits their application enormously."

Graphical abstract of cyclic oral peptides

Cyclizing breakthrough

The research team targeted the enzyme thrombin, which is a critical disease target because of its central role in blood coagulation; regulating thrombin is key to preventing and treating thrombotic disorders like strokes and heart attacks.

To generate cyclic peptides that can target thrombin and are sufficiently stable, the scientists developed a two-step combinatorial synthesis strategy to synthesize a vast library of cyclical peptides with thioether bonds, which enhance their metabolic stability when taken orally.

"We have now succeeded in generating cyclic peptides that bind to a disease target of our choice and can also be administered orally," says Heinis. "To this end, we have developed a new method in which thousands of small cyclic peptides with random sequences are chemically synthesized on a nanoscale and examined in a high-throughput process."

Two steps, one pot

The new method process involves two steps, and takes place in the same reactive container, a feature that chemists refer to as "one pot."The first step is to synthesize linear peptides, which then undergo a chemical process of forming a ring-like structure—in technical terms, being "cyclized." This is done with using "bis-electrophilic linkers"—chemical compounds used to connect two molecular groups together—to form stable thioether bonds.In the second phase, the cyclized peptides undergo acylation, a process that attaches carboxylic acids to them, further diversifying their molecular structure.

The technique eliminates the need for intermediate purification steps, allowing for high-throughput screening directly in the synthesis plates, combining the synthesis and screening of thousands of peptides to identify candidates with high affinity for specific disease targets—in this case, thrombin.

Using the method, the Ph.D. student leading the project, Manuel Merz, was able to generate a comprehensive library of 8,448 cyclic peptides with an average molecular mass of about 650 Daltons (Da), only slightly above the maximum limit of 500 Da recommended for orally-available small molecules.

The cyclic peptides also showed a high affinity for thrombin.

When tested on rats, the peptides showed oral bioavailability up to 18%, which means that when the cyclic peptide drug is taken orally, 18% of it successfully enters the bloodstream, and to have a therapeutic effect. Considering that orally-administered cyclic peptides generally show a bioavailability below 2%, increasing that number to 18% is a substantial advance for drugs in the biologics category—which includes peptides.

Setting targets

By enabling the oral availability of cyclic peptides, the team has opened up possibilities for treating a range of diseases that have been challenging to address with conventional oral drugs. The method's versatility means it can be adapted to target a wide array of proteins, potentially leading to breakthroughs in areas where medical needs are currently unmet.

"To apply the method to more challenging disease targets, such as protein-protein interactions, larger libraries will likely need to be synthesized and studied," says Manuel Merz. "By automating further steps of the methods, libraries with more than one million molecules seem to be within reach."

In the next step of this project, the researchers will target several intracellular protein-protein interaction targets for which it has been difficult to develop inhibitors based on classical small molecules. They are confident that orally applicable cyclic peptides can be developed for at least some of them.

 

 

1) Rahul Gandhi to kick off Bharat Nyay Yatra from January 14:

Rahul Gandhi was under pressure from his party colleagues to undertake another yatra in the last few months.Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will undertake a 6,200km-long Bharat Nyay Yatra from the northeastern tip of India to its western shore between January and March, the party announced on Wednesday, in what is a reiteration of a Kanyakumari-to-Kashmir Bharat Jodo foot march that galvanised workers but produced mixed electoral dividends.

Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said the yatra will begin on January 14 in violence-torn Manipur and end on March 20 in Mumbai, covering 14 states and 85 districts, largely by bus and on foot, and end just weeks before general elections next summer.

The route will cover Manipur, Nagaland, Assam, Meghalaya, West Bengal, Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra. Nine of these states were not covered in the Bharat Jodo Yatra in 2022-23.

“It will end at Mumbai on March 20,” Venugopal said. Party chief Mallikarjun Kharge will flag off the yatra in Imphal.Gandhi was under pressure from his party colleagues to undertake another yatra in the last few months. In the last meeting of the Congress Working Committee on December 21, nearly all participants urged the former party chief to undertake another cross-country march on the lines of the 4,500km-long Bharat Jodo Yatra, which began in Kanyakumari in September 2022 and ended in Srinagar on January 30. This time, Gandhi will use a bus for large chunks of the journey instead of walking the whole distance. Gandhi had told them that he would do whatever the party asked him to.

The yatra comes weeks after the Congress suffered a drubbing in three key heartland states, unable to retain its governments in Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh, and failing to displace the Bharatiya Janata Party in Madhya Pradesh. The party won Telangana in a strong showing but with just months left for the general elections, its poor performance in north India that accounts for at least 225 Lok Sabha seats is a cause of concern.The Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) dismissed the idea. “...Prime Minister Modi has given nyay to the people of India, whereas Congress, on the one hand, campaigned for gareebi hatao [eradicate poverty] but on the other hand, pushed people further into poverty during its regime... These people play divisive politics, they do not know how to bring the nation together...” Union information and broadcasting minister Anurag Thakur said.

The previous Bharat Jodo Yatra was credited for rebooting Gandhi’s image among the common people as he met a raft of ordinary people, social groups, activists, farmers and women. It also helped energise the party cadre in many states where the organisation was moribund.

But the electoral results were mixed -- the Congress slumped to its worst defeat in decades in Gujarat, and won a majority of its own in Himachal Pradesh in December 2022. In elections held in 2023, it won the southern states of Karnataka and Telangana, but was wiped out in north India.Congress leaders said that the Bharat Nyay Yatra was scheduled ahead of the 2024 elections to bolster ground workers. The yatra also assumes importance as the Congress’s previous poll planks -- which included welfare schemes, overtures to Hindutva,a nationwide caste census, and the brand of leadership -- have failed to win seats in north India, which will be the primary focus of the yatra. Eight of the 14 states to be covered are ruled by the BJP.

“Bharat Nyaya Yatra will end on March 20. This yatra is going to enthuse the youth, women, and all marginalised people,” Venugopal said. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh announced that the yatra will focus on economic, social, and political justice.

Ramesh also said the Congress will hold a mega rally in Nagpur on December 28 on the occasion of the party’s foundation day. The rally, named ‘Hain Tayyar Hum” (we are ready), will sound the bugle for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.The Bharat Jodo Yatra of the Indian National Congress led by @RahulGandhi — where he walked from Kanyakumari on September 7th, 2022 till Srinagar on 31st January, 2023—was anchored in our preamble’s pillars of liberty, equality and fraternity...The Bharat Nyay Yatra is anchored in the Preamble’s very first pillar of justice — social, economic and political. The repeated assaults on the Constitution will not be allowed to succeed!” Ramesh later tweeted.

The Congress had initially planned a yatra from Arunachal Pradesh’s Pasighat to Gujarat’s Porbandar. But the ethnic violence in Manipur since May 3 that led to 187 deaths and left around 50,000 people displaced prompted the Congress to change its plan. The Congress and the other Opposition parties had aggressively raised the Manipur issue in Parliament and Union home minister Amit Shah replied to the debate.

Hailing Manipur as one of the important parts of the North-East, Venugopal said the party wanted to “try to heal the wounds of the state”.

“This is not a political yatra. We are going to raise the issues of the common people. It would not affect the poll preparations. We will have a separate mechanism [for election],” he said.

2) 52-year-old cop mowed down by car carrying liquor in Bihar, 1 held

SI Khamas Choudhary (52), along with three other home guards, was standing on the Chhatauna bridge built over Budhi Gandak River

A police sub-inspector was killed and a home guard injured in Bihar after being hit by a liquor-laden vehicle they were trying to stop. The incident occurred in Begusarai district, where the sale, transportation, and consumption of alcohol has been banned since 2016. The owner of the car has been arrested, but the driver remains at large. A special team has been formed to apprehend the driver.A police sub-inspector (SI) was killed and a home guard was injured in Begusarai district of Bihar after they were mowed down by a liquor-laden vehicle, which they tried to intercept late on Tuesday, police said on Wednesday.

While the owner of the car was later arrested, a special team has been formed to nab the driver who is absconding, police added.Sale, transportation and consumption of alcohol was banned in Bihar in 2016.

According to Begusarai superintendent of police (SP) Yogendra Kumar, the incident took place on Chhatauna bridge in Dhanauta area, after a team of Nawakothi Police arrived upon receiving information that liquor was being transported in a car.

“The Nawakothi Police received information that liquor was being transported in a car. Based on the information, a night patrol vehicle was sent to the spot. At around 12.30am, police found an Alto car coming from the opposite direction. SI Khamas Choudhary (52), along with three other home guards, was standing on the Chhatauna bridge built over Budhi Gandak River,” Kumar said.“Seeing the police vehicle, the car driver increased his speed and knocked down Choudhary and home guard Baleshwar Yadav before fleeing the spot. The SI fell from the bridge and his body was found on the boulders just below the bridge. He died on the spot due to a head injury,” he added.

The home guard sustained injuries and is undergoing treatment at Sadar Hospital, he said.Recalling the incident in the hospital, Yadav said the vehicle initially slowed down after the SI signalled it to stop. “As the SI went near the vehicle, the driver increased the speed and fled,” he said.

Police said the vehicle was later seized from Muffasil police station area and its owner, Rupesh Kumar, was arrested.Begusarai SP said that they had tip off about liquor being smuggled in the car, based on which, the police office tried to intercept the vehicle. A few hours later, the car was found from Muffasil police station area, around 10 km from the incident place. Police suspect that the driver managed to flee with liquor consignments.

“During interrogation, Rupesh said the vehicle was driven by one Kartikey Singh, who remains at large. The vehicle owner may be involved in liquor smuggling. So, police have registered an FIR against both the owner and the driver,” the SP said.

While the owner was booked under Section 120b (conspiracy), the driver was booked under 302 (murder) of Indian Penal Code. Police said a special team has been formed to probe the incident and nab the driver.The incident triggered a political row after the BJP slammed the government over its “wrong policies”.

“Due to the wrong policies of liquor ban, due to the stubbornness of Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar, a lot of innocent people had to go to jail. A lot of people were killed by liquor mafias… Who is responsible for this? Nitish Kumar!” Union minister Giriraj Singh said.

“Nitish Kumar, please let go of your stubbornness and review your decision by calling an all-party meeting,” he added.

“There is complete Jungle Raj in Bihar. Liquor mafia runs over a cop and injures a home guard. Earlier, sand mafia had killed a cop on duty…,” BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said, referring to the death of an SI, after he was mowed down by a tractor carrying illegally mined sand in Jamui district last month.State excise minister Sunil Kumar assured strict action in the matter.

“Let us wait for the police report, and we’ll ensure that from next time, the standard operating procedure is followed and the police will go with adequate strength for raids. Secondly, we’ll ensure that the morale of the excise and police personnel stays up. We will also ensure the arrest and speedy trial of the culprits, so that there is no recurrence of such incidents,” he said.

3) Nitish Kumar, now JD(U) president, reveals 2024 Lok Sabha polls action plan

Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar speaks to the media on becoming the new national president of Janata Dal (United), in New Delhi on Friday. Former JD(U) President Rajiv Ranjan (Lalan) Singh is also seen

It is not the first time when Nitish Kumar has taken over as the president of the party. In 2016, he had become party president after replacing Sharad Yadav.Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar on Friday took over as the Janata Dal (United) president at the meeting of his party's national executive in the national capital, a move seen by many as the 70-year-old leader's national ambitions for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

“I didn't seek any post. Thr good work we have done in Bihar has to be publicized across the country. I will travel to different states. The BJP doesn't allow us to highlight our achievements,” Kumar said in the meeting.

Rajiv Ranjan Singh alias Lalan Singh, who was serving as the JD(U) chief since 2021, stepped down and proposed the CM's name for the top party post. JD(U) spokesperson KC Tyagi rejected rumours of a tiff between the two leaders. “Our party remains united, there are no differences between Nitish Kumar and Lalan Singh,” he said.

“Four proposals were passed including political caste based census at the national level. In January, Nitish Kumar will start campaign starting from Jharkhand. He authorised to negotiate with allies for seat sharing agreement,” Tyagi said. JD(U) is a part of the opposition ‘INDIA’ bloc.

Bihar minister Vijay Kumar Choudhary earlier said,""There will national executive meeting of JD(U). If they accept our proposal then Nitish Kumar will be the party president. Lalan Singh told CM Nitish Kumar that he will be busy with elections, so he wants to hand over the post of party president to him and Nitish Kumar accepted it."

It is not the first time when Nitish Kumar has taken over as the president of the party. In 2016, he had become party president after replacing Sharad Yadav. A year later, Kumar broke ruling alliance with the Rashtriya Janata Dal and joined hands with the BJP.

Last year, Nitish Kumar ended his five-year-long association with the BJP again and reunited with the RJD.

4) Uddhav camp taunts BJP over Ayodhya buzz, says may declare Lord Ram as poll candidate

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut

The Ram Temple inauguration in Ayodhya is expected to boost PM Modi and his party's chances as they fulfill one of their main poll promises.Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray) leader Sanjay Raut on Saturday took a swipe at the Bharatiya Janata Party over the politicization of Ram Temple in Ayodhya, saying the only thing left for the BJP is to announce Lord Ram as their candidate for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. Raut's remarks came ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the riverside town of Uttar Pradesh, where he is scheduled to launch several mega projects.

“Now, the only thing left is that the BJP will announce that Lord Ram will be their candidate for the elections. So much politics is being done in the name of Lord Ram,” Raut, known for his no-holds-barred comments, told reporters.Raut earlier said the inauguration of the Ram Temple in Ayodhya on January 22 was a "BJP event" and not a national one.

Responding to a query on whether Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray would take part in the idol consecration ceremony, he said, “Thackeray will definitely go but only after the BJP's event gets over. Why should one go to a BJP event? It is not a national event. The BJP is holding rallies and campaigning a lot for this function but where is the purity in it.”Prime Minister Modi will inaugurate projects totalling ₹11,000 crore in Ayodhya, including a new airport and revamped railway station ahead of the consecration ceremony of the long-anticipated temple in January. The airport, whose facade will mirror temple architecture, has been developed in anticipation of an increase in tourism to the city, according to a government statement.

Ayodhya has undergone a facelift over the past few years as authorities widened roads and built bridges and highways ahead of an anticipated influx of Hindu pilgrims.

The Maharshi Valmiki International Airport in Ayodhya.

“Our government is committed to developing international-standard infrastructure, improving connectivity and revamping civic facilities while confirming the rich history and heritage of Lord Shri Ram’s Ayodhya,” Modi said in a post on X.

5) Rajasthan cabinet: Rajyavardhan Rathore, Kirodi Lal Meena take oath | Full list

Governor Kalraj Mishra administered the oath-taking ceremony for the BJP MLAs at Raj Bhavan in Jaipur on Saturday

Rajasthan cabinet expansion: 12 MLAs were sworn in as cabinet ministers, five as ministers of state (independent charge), and five as ministers of state.Nearly a month after the announcement of the assembly election results in Rajasthan, 22 MLAs were sworn in as state ministers on Saturday for chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma's cabinet. Among them, 12 were sworn in as cabinet ministers, five as ministers of state (independent charge), and five as ministers of state.

Among those who took the oath were Kirodi Lal Meena, Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore, and Gajendra Singh Khimsar.Governor Kalraj Mishra administered the oath-taking ceremony for the BJP MLAs at Raj Bhavan in Jaipur. Earlier in the day, Bhajan Lal Sharma met with Mishra at Raj Bhavan, seeking permission for the swearing-in ceremony, as per an official statement. The governor granted consent for the ceremony, scheduled to take place at Raj Bhavan at 3.15 pm, the statement confirmed.

MLAs inducted into the Rajasthan cabinet:

Kirodi Lal Meena

Madan Dilawar

Rajyavardhan Singh Rathore

Gajendra Singh Khimsar

Babulal Kharadi

Jogaram Patel

Suresh Singh Rawat

Avinash Gehlot

Joraram Kumawat

Hemant Meena

Kanhaiya Lal Choudhary

Sumit Godara

Those who took oath as ministers of state (independent charge):

Sanjay Sharma

Gautam Kumar

Jhabar Singh Kharra

Surendra Pal Singh

Heeralal Nagar

Five others took oath as ministers of state:

Ottaram Dewasi

Manju Baghmar

Vijay Singh Choudhary

K K Bishnoi

Jawahar Singh Bedam

The Rajasthan assembly election results were declared on December 3, with the BJP securing victory in 115 out of the 199 contested seats. The party named Sharma, a newcomer to the legislative assembly, as the chief minister, and appointed Diya Kumari and Prem Chand Bairwa as his deputies on December 12.

6) Layoffs 2023: Nike to cut hundreds of jobs in December, will spend $400 million in severance

Nike recently said in a statement that the company is cutting hundreds of jobs in December 2023, just as recession fears had begun to cool down.

The wave of layoffs in 2023 has not been kind to any industry, be it technology, retail or fashion. Now, major apparel brand Nike has announced that it is planning to cut hundreds of jobs before the new year starts. Nike is planning to cut hundreds of jobs and increase automation of certain services in order to $2 billion in costs, reported The Guardian. The company is cutting costs across the departments due to poor sales over the last year.In a statement, the US-based sports apparel firm said that they have taken this measure to streamline this organisation, and will be spending $450 million during the layoffs due to restructuring and for severance for the employees.

Nike has not yet seen any major uptick in sales in 2023, with the company reporting only 1 per cent hike in sales over the last three months. The profit margins of the company were up, but the company remains uncertain of its retail future as sales continue to dip.Not only is there a lull in the rise of the sales of Nike, but the share prices of the company fell 10 percent in after hours trading. Nike is not the only sporting apparel company with a dip in share prices, with other firms such as JD Sports and Sports Direct also experiencing a fall on the stock market.

This is the second largest layoff in Nike after the company fired 700 employees in 2020 in the middle of the Covid pandemic in an effort to cut costs during the global lockdown. Layoffs in 2023 spark recession fear

The economic slowdown in the United States and European Union, as well as the inflation rates caused by Covid, Russia-Ukraine war and other factors have sparked a fear of recession in 2023 in western countries, leading to many companies indulging in mass layoffs. However, Indian companies saw a 58 per cent increase in layoffs, surpassing last year's trends. a total of 1,175 tech companies laid off 2,60,509 employees in 2023 as compared with 1,064 tech companies letting go of 1,64,969 employees in 2022, as per data from layoffs.fyi.

7) IMF cautions India on govt debt vulnerabilities, Centre disagrees

General govt debt may exceed 100% of GDP in medium term, warns Fund The International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned on Tuesday that India’s general government debt could exceed 100 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in the medium term. It also cautioned that long-term debt sustainability risks are high due to the significant investment required to meet India’s climate change mitigation targets.

The Indian government, however, disagreed, arguing that risks from sovereign debt are extremely limited as it is predominantly denominated in domestic currency. “Long-term risks are high because considerable investment is required to reach India’s climate change mitigation targets and improve resilience to climate stresses and natural disasters. This suggests that new and preferably concessional sources of financing are needed, as well as greater private sector investment and carbon pricing or equivalent mechanism,” the IMF said in its annual Article IV consultation report, which is part of the Fund’s surveillance function under the Articles of Agreement with member countries. KV Subramanian, India’s executive director at the IMF, on the other hand, said the IMF’s assertion that the baseline carries the risk that debt would exceed 100 per cent of GDP in the medium term in the event of shocks which India has experienced historically sounds extreme. “The same can be said of the staff prognosis that debt sustainability risks are high in the long term. The risks from sovereign debt are very limited as it is predominantly denominated in domestic currency. Despite the multitude of shocks, the global economy has faced in the past two decades, India’s public debt-to-GDP ratio at the general government level has barely increased from 81 per cent in 2005-06 to 84 per cent in 2021-22, and back to 81 per cent in 2022-23,” he said in a statement, which is part of the report.

The IMF noted the rupee-US dollar exchange rate moved within a narrow range during December 2022-October 2023, suggesting that foreign exchange intervention (FXI) by the central bank likely exceeded levels necessary to address disorderly market conditions. The Fund reclassified India’s de facto exchange rate regime to “stabilised arrangement” from “floating” for the said period and argued that a flexible exchange rate should act as the first line of defence in absorbing external shocks. The Indian side denounced the reclassification, terming it “unjustified” and pointing out the subjective selection of the period by staff in their analysis.

There was a significant divergence of views on the exchange rate and FXI assessments. The authorities highlighted that FXI is only used to curb excessive exchange rate volatility. The RBI (Reserve Bank of India) strongly disagreed with staff’s assessment that FXI likely exceeded levels necessary to address disorderly market conditions and has contributed to the rupee-USD moving within a narrow range since December 2022. The RBI strongly believes that such a view is incorrect as, in their view, it uses data selectively,” the report noted.

Subramanian argued that the movement in the rupee-US dollar exchange rate exceeds the stipulated margin if the analysis period is extended, implying a subjective selection of the period by staff in their analysis. He stated, “Given the foregoing, staff characterisation of India’s exchange rate as a ‘stabilised arrangement’ is incorrect and inconsistent with reality. As in the past, exchange rate flexibility would continue to be the first line of defence in absorbing external shocks, with interventions limited to addressing disorderly market conditions.”

A government official said: “The IMF doesn't understand India's domestic compulsions. Since imported inflation is a crucial element of India’s overall inflation that impacts 1.4 billion people, the central bank has to actively manage the rupee volatility.” The Fund said risks to India’s economic growth outlook are balanced, while raising the medium-term potential growth rate at 6.3 per cent, from 6 per cent estimated earlier, citing larger-than-expected capital spending and higher employment. However, the Indian government communicated to the IMF that it is more optimistic with a potential growth estimate of 7-8 per cent. “A sharp global growth slowdown in the near term would affect India through trade and financial channels. Further global supply disruptions could cause recurrent commodity price volatility, increasing fiscal pressures for India. Domestically, weather shocks could reignite inflationary pressures and prompt further food export restrictions. On the upside, stronger than expected consumer demand and private investment would raise growth,” the Fund said.

The multilateral lending institution said India did not experience a significant spike in the inflation rate when most economies suffered from elevated commodity prices in 2022, reflecting extensive government interventions, such as restrictions on wheat, sugar, and rice exports, removal of tax on import of lentils, and reversal of earlier increases in excise duties on petrol and diesel.

Subramanian, however, emphasised that India’s lower inflation rate was not due to “extensive government intervention”, but due to India’s “sui generis economic policy” during the Covid-19 pandemic that anticipated that the pandemic also presented a significant supply-side shock, which led to India implementing a judicious mix of demand-side and supply-side measures.

Contrary to the IMF perception, he said there are no lingering vulnerabilities in NBFCs and the weaker tail of NBFCs vulnerable to liquidity risks are not systemically important. “Staff scenario that a sudden increase in sovereign risk premia could weigh on balance sheets and bank lending appetite appears far-fetched, given the strong macro fundamentals. The forthcoming inclusion in emerging government bond indices will broaden the investor base and diversify risks,” he added.

 

1) India vs South Africa Highlights, 1st Test Day 3: Kohli fifty only a consolation prize as IND slump to innings defeat:

ndia vs South Africa Live Score, 1st Test Day 3 Shreyas Iyer fell after tea(

India vs South Africa Highlights, 1st Test Day 3: SA beat IND by an innings and 32 runs inside three days to go 1-0 up Centurion.

1st Test Day 3: South Africa beat India by an innings and 32 runs to sail to a 1-0 lead in the series. India were rocked in the final session of Day 3, losing 7 wickets for 59 runs to inch closer to an innings defeat and go 0-1 in the series. The collapse was triggered by Marco Jansen, who dismissed Shreyas Iyer to pick up his second wicket before Nandre Burger sent back KL Rahul and Ravichandran Ashwin in back-to-back deliveries. Virat Kohli waged a lone battle with a half-century but it was nothing more than a consolation prize for India. Jasprit Bumrah was run out and Mohammed Siraj was caught behind as it all came crashing down for India with their hopes of winning a maiden Test series in South Africa going up in smoke.

India had reached 62/3 at Tea, trailing SA by 101 runs in their second innings on Day 3 of the ongoing first Test, in Centurion on Thursday. In response to South Africa's first innings total of 408, India began on a weak note, losing openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (5) and Rohit Sharma (0) early. Meanwhile, Shubman Gill failed to build on a good start, falling for 26 off 37 balls.

Earlier on Day 3, SA posted 408, and have took a lead of 163 runs. Dean Elgar and Marco Jansen gave the Proteas a strong start on Day 3, and built a 100-run partnership. But Elgar narrowly missed out on a double hundred, falling to Shardul Thakur for 185 off 287 balls. Meanwhile, Jansen (72*) is currently unbeaten and will look to form a partnership with Kagiso Rabada (1*) in the post-Lunch session. Gerald

Coetzee was the other South African wicket in the first session, falling to R Ashwin for 19 off 18 balls. Jansen built on his half-century in the post-Lunch session, but wasn't supported by the tailenders. Kagiso Rabada (1) and Burger (0) fell to Bumrah as SA ended their innings with a massive lead. Initially, India posted 245 in the first innings and were bowled out on Day 2. KL Rahul (101) top-scored for the visitors with a ton. Meanwhile, Kagiso Rabada bagged five wickets for South Africa. Dean Elgar scored 185 before he was the first South Africa batter out today, dismissed by Shardul Thakur.

- Marco Jansen struck a career-best 87 not out as South Africa's innings ended at 408/9.

- The injured Temba Bavuma did not come to bat for South Africa.

- Jasprit Bumrah picked up 4/69 but South Africa managed to take a 163-run lead.

- India were off to a woeful start losing opener Rohit Sharma for a duck and Yashasvi Jaiswal for 5.

- Shubman Gill scored a quickfire 26 off 37 before he was bowled by Marco Jansen.

- Virat Kohli scored a fifty but it went in vain.

- India lost 7 wickets for 59 runs in the final session as SA wrapped up the game.

2) Nihal, Arjun tied for top place in World Blitz

Nihal Sarin is an Indian grandmaster.

The Indian GMs were tied on 9 points along with freshly-crowned rapid champion Carlsen, Artemiev, Dubov, Nepomniachtchi, Vachier-Lagrave and Riazantsev.India's Nihal Sarin and Arjun Erigaisi were among the eight joint leaders after 12 rounds on the opening day at the 2023 FIDE World Blitz Chess Championship in Samarkand, Uzbekistan on Friday.

The Indian Grandmasters were tied on 9 points along with freshly-crowned rapid champion Magnus Carlsen, Vladislav Artemiev, Daniil Dubov, Ian Nepomniachtchi, Maxime Vachier-Lagrave and Alexander Riazantsev.

Both Sarin and Erigaisi shared the top spot with 8.5 points after the 11th and penultimate round and settled for draws in the day's final round. While the former split a point with Dubov playing with white, the latter did so with Artemiev.

After beginning with three draws, Sarin had four straight wins over Mitrabha Guha, Mahammad Muradli, Alexey Dreev and Denis Makhnev before also beating Vahap Sanal and Artemiev.

Erigaisi, meanwhile, suffered an early defeat against Aleksandr Rakhmanov in the second round but turned it around against Venkataraman Karthik and Sumiya Chinguun with black. He followed it up by beating Jakhongir Vakhidov, Javokhir Sindarov, Volodar Murzin, Rodrigo Vasquez Schroeder, Aleksandar Indjic and Rauf Mamedov before the final-round draw. Among other Indians in fray, SL Narayanan and Vidit Gujrathi are both on 8 points while R Praggnanandhaa, who endured four defeats including in the final two rounds after a bright start of five straight victories, finds himself below the pack with 7.5 points.

Carlsen and Nepomniachtchi, meanwhile, played out a nervy draw in the final round.

The competition will continue on Friday, with 9 more rounds to unfold.

3) Sandeep takes the Kabaddi route to success

Sandeep Kumar aims to play for India.(

The son of an auto rickshaw driver, he made his PKL debut as a raider for Patna Pirates

Playing kabaddi on the banks of Ganga in Bihar’s Chamtha village, Sandeep Kumar would often stop to watch an airplane fly past, wondering how it would be to fly in one of them. Little did he know that a few years down the line, he would be flying regularly, watching the same river from above as he flew from one city to another, criss-crossing the country for the Pro Kabaddi League (PKL). "It was surreal, the first time I flew was last month. I cannot tell you how good it felt. It was a dream come true. I had never thought I’d sit in a plane,” said the 20-year-old.

The son of an auto rickshaw driver, Sandeep has lived a poverty-stricken childhood in Begusarai district. As his father’s income wasn’t enough to make ends meet, Sandeep, his mother and two siblings used to live with relatives.

“Also, my father wasn’t with us in Bihar as he used to drive the auto rickshaw in Rohtak. I cannot explain how bad the situation was. Only someone who has lived in poverty can understand,” said Sandeep.

Like any kid in India, Sandeep too used to play cricket with his friends in his village when he noticed some seniors play kabaddi and decided to join them. While his friends started dropping out and playing cricket again, Sandeep stuck to his newfound interest. As Sandeep kept improving, he was picked by scouts to play local tournaments which became a rewarding experience as he would win prize money, anywhere between ₹1,500 to ₹5,000, for winning these events. Initially Sandeep’s family was against him ‘wasting time’ in kabaddi but the teenager returning home with cash which not just took care of his expenses but also brought in ration for the family started changing mindsets.

"I was asked to study. If not, then at least get some job so that the family could earn some money. They used to say what can you possibly do in your life playing kabaddi. Things started changing when I started bringing in a few thousand rupees after winning local tournaments,” said Sandeep. With the aim of sharpening his game, Sandeep left Begusarai to take training at the academy at the Patliputra Sports Complex in Patna, which also hosted the 2012 women’s World Cup.

The influx of money kept increasing as Sandeep also got picked for the Bihar state team, playing the 2022 Junior Nationals and the 2023 Junior Federation Cup, where he captained his state, bringing Sandeep into the ambit of the PKL auction pool. A raider, his skills were immediately noticed which made Patna Pirates buy him for ₹9 lakh in October.

Sandeep has immediately become a critical part of the team, playing all eight games of the team yet, helping them win four including the one against Haryana Steelers in Noida on Friday. “My family is very happy now and realise how sticking to kabaddi helped me. They support me and also watch my matches on TV," said Sandeep. The financial situation is his household has also improved with his brother taking up a private job in Rajasthan while his younger sister, who studies in Class XII, is a national level gymnast and has already played seven Nationals at sub junior, junior and senior levels. Having accumulated some money, his family is now thinking of buying a piece of land to build a house in his village.

Having played at the national level and now the PKL, Sandeep now aims to play for India. “I want to win medals for India,” said Sandeep.

4) Formula E Hyderabad E-Prix runs into fresh trouble

Jean-Eric-Vergne of France DS Penske driver ride during the Hyderabad E-Prix on February 11, 2023 in Hyderabad, India

Following a recent communication received from the new Government of Telangana, Formula E is seeking urgent clarification of their contractual commitments The 2024 Hyderabad E-Prix has hit fresh trouble after Formula E on Thursday raised concerns if the race would be able go ahead as planned on February 10.

“Following a recent official communication received from the new Government of Telangana, Formula E is seeking urgent clarification of their contractual commitments under the agreement and how it could impact the Hyderabad race. Based on the content of the letter received, Formula E is concerned the race will not be able to go ahead as planned," said a Formula E statement.

The fourth round of the 21-race calendar, the Hyderabad E-Prix was initially not in the provisional 2024 calendar when it was released in June before making the final list in October following the FIA World Motor Sport Council meeting.

But a lot has changed since then as Telangana got a new government this month with Congress’s Revanth Reddy as the new chief minister. Bharat Rashtra Samithi's KT Rama Rao, cabinet minister of the previous Telangana government and son of former CM K Chandrashekar Rao, had played an important role in bringing the global motorsport championship to India with the inaugural race held in February this year.

Formula E has a four-year contract to host the race in India with the host city agreement signed on October 30 for the 2024 race. Formula E’s senior executive team met with the new government immediately following election results earlier this month. Discussions have been ongoing since then.

“With the event just a few weeks away and in its final stages of preparation, Formula E, partners and suppliers have already made significant commercial investments in the event. The inaugural Hyderabad E-Prix in February this year returned almost $84 million in positive economic impact to the region, many times more than the overhead costs invested by Formula E and the Government of Telangana," added the statement.

An additional problem is that the race has no promoter currently as Ace Gen Nxt backed by green energy company Greenko, which was also the principal sponsor, has already pulled out after hosting the first race in February. The maiden race had its own share of problems. Many last-minute arrangements had to be made well into the race weekend that didn't go down well with the organisers

The race was the first global motorsport race to be held in India following the unceremonious exit of Formula 1 in 2013.

5) Govt didn't follow ‘proper procedure’ while suspending WFI, will challenge in court: Sanjay Singh

Sanjay Singh, who was elected as the new Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief, speaks regarding the suspension of the newly elected body

Sanjay said that his "autonomous" and "democratically elected" body could not have been suspended by the government without hearing the WFI's side of the story. Newly-elected WFI president Sanjay Singh on Thursday said that the sports ministry did not follow "proper procedure" while suspending the wrestling national body and will challenge the government's decision in a court.

The sports ministry on Sunday suspended the WFI, three days after its elections were held, for flouting its own constitution while taking certain decisions, including the announcement of U-15 and U-20 National Championships. Sanjay, however, said that his "autonomous" and "democratically elected" body could not have been suspended by the government without hearing the WFI's side of the story.

"We have won the elections (of WFI) democratically. The returning officer was the retired chief justice of J&K High Court, there were observers from the IOA and UWW (United World Wrestling). There were 22 state units (three absent out of 25 state associations) taking part in the elections, 47 votes were polled out of which I got 40," Sanjay told PTI. After all these, if you say we are suspended, we are not going to accept it. A democratically-elected body was not given a chance to explain its position which is against the principle of natural justice which everybody is entitled to under the Constitution of India."

Asked what is the way forward for his body, he said, "WFI is an autonomous body and the government has not followed proper procedure. We are going to talk to the government and if it (government) does not take back the suspension, we are taking legal opinion and going to court."

He said since the WFI is contesting the suspension, he does not accept the three-member ad-hoc committee formed by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) on Wednesday to run the day-to-day affairs of the national sports body. Bajrang, Vinesh and Sakshi playing politics’

He said the visit by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in an akhada in Haryana to meet Olympic medallist Bajrang Punia made it clear that the trio, who led the five-month-long protest accusing former WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh of sexually harassing women grapplers, were playing politics.

"It is clear that they (Bajrang, Vinesh Phogat and Sakshi Malik) are being backed by the Congress, tool-kit gang and left parties. These three are playing on the lap of these political parties," said Sanjay, a close aide of Brij Bhushan.

"Please tell me any fourth wrestler who is opposing the WFI other than these three. These three don't want the junior wrestlers to progress, they want to take away the rights of junior wrestlers. "Bajrang had gone (to the Hangzhou Asian Games) without taking part in the trials and he came back with 10-0 loss. They are not in wrestling, they are in politics. Please come forward if you are concerned about wrestling, the road is clear for you, but if you want to do politics, please do it in the open."

Sanjay also took a dig at Bajrang for leaving his Padma Shri on the road after he decided to return it to the government.

"It may be a personal matter, but the country's emotions are associated in Khel Ratna, it's not for a single person, but belongs to the whole society. Padma Shri is not something which should be put on a road." After the election of Sanjay as WFI chief, Sakshi quit the sport while Bajrang decided to return his Padma Shri. Vinesh followed suit by returning her Khel Ratna and Arjuna Award.

‘Hoping that UWW will lift ban on WFI’

Sanjay also claimed that he had written a letter to the United World Wrestling requesting lifting of the ban imposed on WFI, and he is hopeful of a favourable decision from the international parent body.

"We have written to the UWW requesting to lift the ban imposed on the WFI, as the elections were held democratically. Office holidays are going on (in Europe) so may take some days."

He also claimed that the newly-elected office bearers did not violate any constitutional provision of the WFI while announcing dates and venue of the U-15 and U-20 National Championships in Gonda -- Brij Bhushan's Lok Sabha constituency -- after the December 21 elections. "There was full quorum when we took the decision to hold the U-15 and U-20 Nationals. There was an AGM on the day of the elections, we went to a hotel (in Delhi) and took the decision.

"If the Nationals were not held this year, the future of the young wrestlers would have been spoilt, which it has happened now. They will become overage. Everybody agreed to the venue also."

Asked why the newly-elected WFI secretary general Prem Chand Lochab was not involved in the decision making, he said, "We told the secretary general to go there (at the hotel) along with us but he did not come. I don't know what is his intention.

"We followed the WFI Constitution to the full. If we did something (wrong), the government should have asked for an answer from us instead of restraining us from our work. WFI is an autonomous body and we were elected in a democratic way under our (WFI) constitution."

6) India squad for AFC Asian Cup: Samad makes cut but Jeakson, Martins miss out due to injuries

Sahal Abdul Samad

Top defensive midfielder Jeakson, who underwent shoulder injury in November, was always doubtful and so was Mohun Bagan's Martins Top defensive midfielder Jeakson, who underwent shoulder injury in November, was always doubtful and so was Mohun Bagan's Martins, who got injured recently. Both of them were among the 50 probables.

However, Samad, who had also picked up an injury early this month, managed to get into the side that will be spearheaded by seasoned striker Sunil Chhetri.

The Indian senior men's team head coach Igor Stimac announced the squad.

The Blue Tigers are due to arrive in Doha later on Saturday, ahead of marking their fifth appearance in the Asian Cup.

India will play their opening Group B match against Australia on January 13 at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium in Al Rayyan before facing Uzbekistan on January 18 at the same venue. Stimac's men will then move to the Al Bayt Stadium in Al Khor to take on Syria on January 23

"All these boys are very similar in terms of football quality. We are a team, a family. But no matter the talent, if there is no character, nothing can be achieved," Stimac said.

Sharing the areas he would want to improve upon ahead of the tournament, Stimac said, "The things we are looking to work on are defensive compactness, offensive transitions, and the set pieces, mostly. It will be very important to work on man-marking inside the box because I was not happy with that part of our game. In the last few games, we started leaking some unnecessary goals inside the box." The 1998 Croatian World Cup semifinalist added, "All three of our opponents are very good technically, physically stronger with great speed. So, we are not going to have much difference in approach to all these three games, I can tell you that.

"We need to check the fitness level of our players at present and see how much we can develop in the next two weeks."

The Blue Tigers are no stranger to competing in Qatar, having played four of their 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers matches there, including two against the hosts.

Moreover, Chhetri and Gurpreet Singh Sandhu were part of the Indian squad at the 2011 AFC Asian Cup which was also held in Qatar. Chhetri scored a goal each against Bahrain and South Korea. "I'm looking forward to seeing our Indian fans in Doha. They came in massive numbers to support the Indian team during the qualifiers, and that was one of the reasons why we had two great performances against Qatar here.

"So, I'm well aware that there will be massive support for our boys. Hopefully, we can pay them back and celebrate some good results," said Stimac.

India's squad:

Goalkeepers: Amrinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu, Vishal Kaith.

Defenders: Akash Mishra, Lalchungnunga, Mehtab Singh, Nikhil Poojary, Pritam Kotal, Rahul Bheke, Sandesh Jhingan, Subhasish Bose.

Midfielders: Anirudh Thapa, Brandon Fernandes, Deepak Tangri, Lalengmawia Ralte, Liston Colaco, Naorem Mahesh Singh, Sahal Abdul Samad, Suresh Singh Wangjam, Udanta Singh.

Forwards: Ishan Pandita, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Manvir Singh, Rahul Kannoly Praveen, Sunil Chhetri, Vikram Partap Singh.

 

Kho Gaye Hum Kahan

Plot: Three close friends navigate their twenties in Mumbai, grappling with love, aspirations, and heartaches, all intertwined with the irresistible allure of social media.

Genre: Drama

Cast: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Ananya Panday, Adarsh Gourav

Platform: Netflix

Release Date: December 26

Dono

Plot: Dev, nursing a secret love for a decade, meets Meghna at a wedding in Thailand. Both heartbroken, they form a bond, but their future together remains uncertain. Genre: Drama, Romance

Cast: Rajveer Deol, Paloma Dhillon

Platform: ZEE5

Release Date: December 29

Berlin

Plot: A prequel to Money Heist, this series delves into Berlin's life, revealing the events and schemes that shaped this enigmatic character.

Genre: Crime, Drama

Cast: Pedro Alonso, Tristán Ulloa

Platform: Netflix

Release Date: December 29

Three of Us

Plot: A woman diagnosed with dementia decides to return to her childhood village, leading to unexpected encounters and revelations.

Genre: Drama

Cast: Shefali Shah, Swanand Kirkire

Platform: Netflix

Release Date: December 29

12th Fail

Plot: The inspiring journey of Manoj Kumar Sharma from failing his Class 12 exams to becoming an IPS officer.

Genre: Biographical Drama

Cast: Vikrant Massey

Platform: Disney+ Hotstar

Release Date: December 29

BOOK OF THIS WEEK:

Age of Vice Paperback :by Deepti Kapoor (Author)

Age of Vice is an epic, action-packed story propelled by the wealth,corruption, and bloodthirsty violence of the Wadia family—loved by some, loathed by others, feared by all.

In the shadow of lavish farmhouses, drug-filled parties, rapacious business deals and predatory political play, three lives become dangerously intertwined: Ajay is the watchful servant, born into poverty, who rises through the family’s ranks. Sunny is the dilettante heir who dreams of outshining his father but doesn’t have his ruthlessness to succeed. And Neda is the curious journalist caught between morality and desire.

Transporting readers from the dusty and violent towns of Uttar Pradesh to the corrosive, glittering energy of New Delhi, Age of Vice is the great novel about power, corruption, and the ways it works in India today. This is binge-worthy entertainment at its literary best.

Deepti Kapoor grew up in northern India and worked for several years as a journalist in New Delhi. The author of the novel Bad Character, she now lives in Portugal with her husband.

Deepti Kapoor has penned the kind of novel that gets a publisher excited—so excited that they ship it out to advance readers with a mini-bottle of champagne and a bar of chocolate. Thankfully, Age of Vice, the first book in a trilogy, deserves the hype. The 42-year-old Indian author was once “a straight-laced good girl” studying journalism in New Delhi. At 20, her life turned sideways, first with the death of her father, then with a tumultuous relationship that ended in tragedy.

Kapoor’s debut novel, 2014’s A Bad Character, explores the recklessness and excess of India’s young and wealthy—including the Delhi nightlife that consumed her boyfriend. “In my thirties, I turned my life around,” she explains. “I met my husband and taught yoga in Goa. And I started to think deeply about those early years and how to account for them.” That accounting got brutal and opened the door to her current trilogy project.

The far-ranging Age of Vice contends with the rise of the Mafia Raj, human trafficking, catastrophic urban development, violence, and obscene consumption, and ranges in setting from Uttar Pradesh in 1991 to Delhi in 2008. “I couldn’t just be an artist who was solipsistic and inward with my writing,” she says. “I had to figure out how to integrate my life into this wider political/social/economic life of the country.”

 

The novel’s central characters come from distinct classes and mirror people from different stages in Kapoor’s life. Take her rich, dashing, debauched character Sunny Wadia: As a teenager, Kapoor attended a boarding school six hours north of Delhi that overlapped with a circle of extreme wealth. “These are the people responsible for all that pain you’re seeing. They’re sitting on top,” she says. Neda, a young journalist who gets nudged to the lifestyle beat, glides into the world of the rich and “throws the keys of her beat-up car to the valet at the Taj.” Kapoor, reflecting on her own class fluidity as a journalist, says, “I had her absolute audacity. I had her shitty car. That car gave me this incredible way of navigating the city, which you can’t do when you have a driver because you’re constantly being watched.” Ajay, the third main character, comes from the serving class. “At night, partying with these extremely wealthy people in these private homes, I remember, while being pretty high, that there was always a servant: the butler, the chauffeur, the guy who would know what you wanted before you knew what you wanted.”

Ajay is the humble heart of the novel, which speaks to Kapoor’s reorientation with modern India. Kapoor now lives in Lisbon, in a neighborhood “full of Nepalis and hipsters—it halfway feels like home.” Here she’s working on the second volume in the trilogy, looking from afar at a fictional India which, as she describes it, is a “crowded chessboard about to break into all-out war.”