1) Chimps and
bonobos can recognize long-lost friends and family for decades, find
researchers :by University of California - Berkeley
Key takeaways:
Researchers documented
the longest-lasting nonhuman memory.
Bonobos and chimps
recognized groupmates they hadn't seen in decades.
The findings help
explain how we developed rich, long-term memory.
Researchers led by a
University of California, Berkeley, comparative psychologist have found that
great apes and chimpanzees, our closest living relatives, can recognize
groupmates they haven't seen in over two decades—evidence of what's believed to
be the longest-lasting nonhuman memory ever recorded. The findings also bolster
the theory that long-term memory in humans, chimpanzees and bonobos likely
comes from our shared common ancestor that lived between 6 million and 9
million years ago.
 |
| Apes recognize photos of groupmates they haven't seen for more than 25 years and respond even more enthusiastically to pictures of their friends, a new study finds. CreditJohns Hopkins University |
The team used infrared
eye-tracking cameras to record where bonobos and chimps gazed when they were
shown side-by-side images of other bonobos or chimps. One picture was of a
stranger; the other was of a bonobo or chimp that the participant had lived
with for a year or more.
Participants' eyes
lingered significantly longer on images of those with whom they had previously
lived, the researchers found, suggesting some degree of recognition. In one
case, a bonobo named Louise had not seen her sister, Loretta, or nephew, Erin,
for over 26 years. But when researchers showed Louise their images, her eyes
homed in on the photos.
 |
| Laura Simone Lewis |
"These animals have
a rich recognition of each other," said Laura Simone Lewis, a UC
President's Postdoctoral Fellow in Berkeley's psychology department and lead
author of the study, which was published in the journal Proceedings of the
National Academies of Sciences. What's more, participants looked longer at
individuals with whom they had had more positive, as compared with
antagonistic, relationships. In other words, they seemed to recognize friends
more than foes."We don't know exactly what that representation looks like,
but we know that it lasts for years," she said. "This study is
showing us not how different we are from other apes, but how similar we are to
them and how similar they are to us."The findings expand what was known
about long-term memory in animals and also raise questions central to
evolutionary biology and psychology. Chief among them: How did humans develop
such good long-term memory?Understanding the links between our vivid, episodic
memory and the recall of other animals has long been a research puzzle.
Previous studies have shown that ravens, for example, remember people who
tricked them and can recall social relationships in uncanny ways. Social memory
beyond just a few years had previously been documented only in dolphins, which
studies have found can recognize vocalizations for up to 20 years
 |
| Bonobos and chimps that participated in the study looked significantly longer at pictures of their previous groupmates. |
"That, up until
this point, has been the longest long-term social memory ever found in a
nonhuman animal," Lewis said of the dolphin research. "What we're
showing here is that chimps and bonobos may be able to remember that long—or
longer."Lewis's project was one born from a longtime observation among
primate researchers, who often go months or years between seeing the animals
they study. When they returned, bonobos and chimpanzees acted as if they were
picking up right where they left off. So the researchers decided to see if that
memory hunch was true.To get answers, the team began what at times was equal
parts genealogy and scrapbooking.First, they needed to identify bonobos and
chimps that had been separated from what we might view as friends or family.
Sometimes, their groupmates had been relocated to other zoos to prevent
in-breeding. Other times, a sibling or elder may have died while they all lived
together.With a list of pairs in hand, sprinkled across zoos in Europe and
Japan, researchers needed to track down photos to show the participants. It
couldn't be just any snapshot, however. They needed a quality image taken from
around the time that the pair last saw one another. This was somewhat easy for
the animals that were separated recently in an era rich with high-quality
photos. It proved much trickier for others, like Louise's relatives, who were
separated circa 1995.
The team ended up being
able to show images to 26 bonobos and chimpanzees.
After setting up a
computer system with sensitive cameras and non-invasive eye-tracking tools,
participating animals were allowed to enter the room voluntarily. Their
compensation? A bottle filled with diluted juice. (Bonobos and chimps love
fruit juice and eat lots of fruit in the wild.)As they sipped, the screens in
front of them alternated between pairs of images. The cameras monitored where
the animals' eyes wandered. And the computer logged the time spent on each
image down to a fraction of a second—data the team would comb through months
later."It was a really simple test: Do they look longer at their previous
groupmate, or are they looking longer at the stranger?" Lewis said.
"And we found that, yes, they are looking significantly longer at the
pictures of their previous groupmates."Lewis said she and others were
especially concerned about how the participants might react when they were
shown an image of a relative they hadn't seen in years. As the project began,
zookeepers monitored the animals for signs of stress. But they didn't show any
markers of agitation. Instead, when images of a once-close relative appeared on
the screen, the participants would sometimes stop drinking the juice entirely,
seemingly mesmerized by the image.The study showed that something is happening
with the mind in recognizing the images. What's unclear is what kind of
memories they were. Could they have been rich, episodic narratives like humans
have? Might there have been some fleeting curiosity about why they saw this?
Can they extrapolate what those relatives might look like today?
These are the next
questions for Lewis. Born and raised in Berkeley, Lewis attended Duke
University and Harvard University and conducted a fellowship at the University
of St. Andrews. Lewis' co-authors include researchers from Harvard, Johns
Hopkins University, Kyoto University, the University of Antwerp in Belgium and
the University of Konstanz in Germany Lewis returned to Berkeley earlier this
year as a postdoctoral fellow. It was a homecoming of sorts, she said, and she
plans to continue asking big questions about what our closest living ancestors
can teach us about our memory. Partly it's out of a curiosity that drives
science. It's also out of a determination to conserve the habitats that are
home to endangered bonobos—animals that can teach us about ourselves.
"This study is
reminding us how similar we are to other species walking on the planet,"
Lewis said. "And therefore, how important it is to protect them."
2) Could dinosaurs
be the reason humans can’t live for 200 years? : Joao Pedro de Magalhaes
 |
| Evolutionary history may illuminate why mammals age in the manner they do. |
All human beings age. It
is part of our biology and limits our lifespan to slightly over 120 years.Not
all animals experience ageing during their lives. Some animals’ bodies do not
gradually degenerate as they get older the way our bodies do.
But for humans once they
reach about age 30 their chance of dying doubles roughly every eight years. So
even if you are fortunate enough to become a centenarian, your chance of dying
each year will be high.This high mortality reflects numerous other health
problems, such as loss of muscle mass and general frailty, cognitive decline,
loss of vision and hearing and many other degenerative changes that
characterise the human ageing process.And the reason humans age so markedly may
be due to the fact our ancestors evolved during the time of the
dinosaurs.Compared to other mammals, humans have a long life. We have the
longest lifespan of all land-based mammals, and of all mammals only whales
probably outlive us. I say “probably” because you need to keep animals in
captivity to do a detailed study on lifespan, which for whales is virtually
impossible due to their size and longevity.
 |
| A skeleton of an adult dinosauR |
We know that species of
whales and dolphins exhibit menopause, and all mammals show some form of reproductive
decline with age. In fact, all studied mammals show physiological ageing and
increased mortality with age, even if some species – like mice and voles – age
much faster than others – such as humans, whales, and elephants.
But many species of reptiles,
amphibians and fish do not show signs of ageing. Examples include turtles and
tortoises, salamanders and rockfishes.
One study of 77 species
of reptiles and amphibians published in Science in 2022 showed that age-related
increases in mortality are not seen in many species of reptiles and amphibians.
It is as if these animals do not age at all. Some of these animals, such as
turtles, probably live longer than humans.
 |
| GREENLAND SHARK |
Perhaps if we study
these apparently non-ageing species for long enough they will show signs of
ageing. But good luck studying animals such as the Greenland shark, which has
been estimated to live nearly 400 years.For now we can at least say that among
reptiles, amphibians and fish, some species not only live longer than the
longest living mammals, but they age substantially slower. Besides, some of
these non-ageing species grow throughout their lives, which means that older
females lay more eggs, again in stark contrast to what happens in mammals.
These animals die mainly
from being eaten by predators and diseases. Indeed, most animals in the wild do
not die of old age and, until the 20th century, of course, most people died of
infectious diseases.
Some reptiles,
amphibians and fish are also known for their ability to regenerate tissue.
Pressure on mammals
Amphibians evolved from
fish about 370 million years ago, and about 50 million years later reptiles
evolved from amphibians. Mammals then evolved from reptiles about 250-300
million years ago.
We are all products of
evolution, which we see in relics such as our tailbone. Our evolutionary
history can have a profound influence in modern times. For example, humans
maintain evolutionary traits from when our ancestors roamed the savannah that
are no longer fit for the modern world, from craving sugar to behaviour that
leads to prejudices.
About 200 million years
ago, massive volcanic eruptions wiped out 76% of marine and land species.
Afterwards, the dinosaurs became the dominant predators in the land. To survive
and avoid being hunted to extinction by dinosaurs, mammals became small,
nocturnal and short-lived.Our ancestors of this time were not like us at all.
They were more like voles and mice, small animals going out in the dark to
catch insects. Under the pressure from the dinosaurs, ancestral mammals had to
reproduce rapidly, just like mice and rats do now. And just like mice, rats and
voles, our ancestors had short lifespans.For 100 million years, during the time
of the dinosaurs, mammals were at or near the bottom of the food chain. Mammals
were more often prey than predators. During this time there was no reason for
mammals to keep processes and genes related to long life, such as DNA repair
and tissue regeneration systems.
My longevity bottleneck
hypothesis proposes that repair and regeneration systems were lost, mutated or
inactivated by the evolution of early mammals. This imposed biological
constraints that shape how mammals age to this day.
After the dinosaurs
disappeared when an asteroid hit the Earth 66 million years ago, mammals conquered
the world. An astonishing diversity of species evolved with a variety of
lifespans. Some species, like humans, evolved a long lifespan, but they may
have done it under constraints, remnants from the time of the dinosaurs.
Why dinosaurs made a difference
We can take a guess by
looking at species that did not undergo the same evolutionary pressures as
early mammals. For example, the tuatara, a reptile endemic to New Zealand, may
look like a lizard but it diverged from snakes and lizards about 250 million
years ago. It is sometimes referred to as a “living fossil”, due to its slow
evolution.
 |
| The Tuatara lives for over a hundred years |
Tuataras are thought to
live for more than 100 years and age much slower than human beings, as a 2022
DNA analysis study showed. Perhaps they have kept their anti-ageing genes,
unlike even the longest lived mammals.
Our lifespan may be
limited because of our evolutionary history.
3) The Great
Attractor: Our Galaxy Is Being Pulled Toward Something We Cannot See: JAMES
FELTON
The great attractor is beyond this region of sky.
 |
| The Great Attractor serves as a central gravitational focal point for our local universe |
So, is it time to crack
each others' heads open and feast on the goo inside? No. While continuing to be
largely obscured by the Zone of Avoidance, we have a fairly good idea of what
we're (not) looking at. Observing other galaxies in the sky has shown us that
galaxies clump together to form "superclusters", with 90 percent of
galaxies thought to reside within them.
 |
| Panoramic view of the entire near-infrared sky. The location of the Great Attractor is shown following the long blue arrow at bottom right. |
By looking at the flow
of galaxies, a team in 2014 found the Milky Way, already part of the Virgo
Supercluster, is likely within an even larger structure containing around
100,000 galaxies. Local flows within the region converge toward the Norma and
Centaurus clusters in good approximation to the location of what has been
called the ‘Great Attractor’," the team wrote in their paper. "The
region deserves a name. In the Hawaiian language 'lani' means 'heaven' and
'akea' means 'spacious, immeasurable'. We propose that we live in the Laniakea
Supercluster of galaxies."
 |
| Hubble Space Telescope image of the region of the sky where the Great Attractor is located |
The Great Attractor,
rather than anything to be afraid of, is where our local galaxies are heading
to hang out, the central gravitational point of our local area of the universe.
Unfortunately for any lonely galaxies hoping to meet other singles in their
area, the expansion of the universe will eventually rip us all apart from the
cluster's influence, as is the fate of the other superclusters out there.
4) Newly discovered
hedgehog species diverged from others more than a million years ago: by Justin
Jackson
%20from%20Xuancheng,%20Anhui.jpg)
A living Mesechinus orientalis sp. nov. (XC 2205003) from Xuancheng, Anhui
Researchers at Anhui
Normal University, Wuhu, China, have announced the discovery of a new species
within the hedgehog genus Mesechinus. The eastern China hedgehog species was
found to be distinct from other regional hedgehogs across morphological and
phylogenetic characteristics.In their paper, "A new species of forest
hedgehog (Mesechinus, Erinaceidae, Eulipotyphla, Mammalia) from eastern
China," published in the open access journal ZooKeys, the research team
details the analysis resulting in the decision to formally describe a new
species of hedgehog, Mesechinus orientalis.
.jpg) |
| Hylomys maxi seen in the wild on Fraser’s Hill, Pahang, Malaysia. (David Awcock via SWNS) |
Previously known
Mesechinus species (M. dauuricus, M. hughi, M. miodon, and M. wangi) mainly
inhabit northern China, Mongolia, Russia and southwestern China. This new
species is exclusive to eastern China.
Seven Mesechinus
specimens were collected from eastern China between 2018 and 2023 to determine
which species of hedgehog they were. The researchers utilized various
methodologies, including morphological measurements, mitochondrial genome
sequencing, assembly, annotation, and phylogenetic analysis using genetic data
from several Mesechinus species and related hedgehog genera obtained from
GenBank.
 |
| The museum specimen that scientists studied to describe the new soft-furred hedgehog species Hylomys vorax |
Morphological,
morphometric, and genetic evidence supported the recognition of Mesechinus
orientalis as a new species, distinct from the previously recognized species
within the genus Mesechinus. The new species shares morphological similarities
with M. hughi but is distinguishable by its smaller size, shorter spines, and
specific cranial characteristics.Divergence times were estimated from the most
recent common ancestor. The genus Mesechinus began to appear in the early
Pleistocene around 1.71 million years ago. M. orientalis was estimated to have
diverged from M. hughi and M. wangi ancestor approximately 1.10 million years
ago. In comparison, M. hughi and M. wangi diverged from each other about 0.74
million years ago.
These long time frames
since divergence indicate that the hedgehogs have been isolated from one
another for a long time, likely due to climatic shifts during the Pleistocene
that altered migration routes and led to prolonged geographic isolation.
5) First in situ
documentation of a fossilized megalodon tooth in the deep sea :by Bob Yirka ,
Phys.org
A small team of
oceanographers affiliated with several institutions in the U.S., working with a
zoologist from the SNSB-Bavarian State Collection of Zoology, in Germany, has
documented the first in situ discovery of a fossilized megalodon tooth in the
deep sea. In their paper, published in the journal Historical Biology, the
group describes how they discovered the ancient shark took and what the study
of it revealed about its condition.
Prior research has shown
that megalodons were an extinct species of giant mackerel shark that lived from
3.6 to 23 million years ago—members of its species are believed to have been
among the largest and most powerful predators ever to have lived.
Very little evidence of
the shark has been found, however—most of it in the form of fossilized teeth.
Such teeth have been found in a variety of locations, including sandy beaches
and sticking out of fossilized whale bones. But until now, no megalodon tooth
has ever been found in the location where it originally settled after exiting
the mouth of its owner.The researchers found the tooth by accident. They were
on a ship off the coast of the Johnson Atoll, in the Pacific Ocean, surveying
the ocean floor using a remotely controlled underwater robot, when they
happened to spot the tooth sticking nearly straight up out of the sand. After
taking pictures and video of the tooth, they had their robot extract it. Later,
after studying the tooth in their lab, they found it to be in nearly pristine condition,
particularly its serrated edge.
 |
| Otodus megalodon tooth NA141-006-01-MT. A, labial view; B, profile view; C, lingual view; D, basal view. Scale bar 2 cm |
The research team
suggests the tooth was able to remain in its original position due to its
location on the sea floor, a part of the ocean where strong currents prevent
buildup of sediment. In this case, it also prevented sediment from wearing away
features of the tooth. It had clearly not been tossed and tumbled—it had
remained firmly in the place where it originally fell. They note that the tooth
was not from a particularly large shark; it measured just 63 to 68 millimeters
in length, but its positioning could help ocean scientists learn more about the
ancient sea creatures
1) Parliament
Winter Session Highlights: Three criminal bills passed in Rajya Sabha
unanimously in absence of Oppn MPs
ok Sabha Speaker Om Birla conducts the proceedings of the House during the Winter Session of Parliament.(
The Centre passed three
new criminal code bills in the Rajya Sabha today.
Parliament Winter
Session Highlights: The Lok Sabha on Thursday cleared the bill to regulate the
appointment of top election officers in the Lok Sabha. The Chief Election
Commissioner and Other Election Commissioners (Appointment, Conditions of
Service and Term of Office) Bill, 2023, has already been passed by the Rajya
Sabha.
Union Home Minister Amit
Shah moved three new criminal code bills for consideration and passage in the
Rajya Sabha on Thursday, and they were subsequently passed. The Bharatiya Nyaya
(Second) Sanhita, 2023, the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha (Second) Sanhita, 2023
and the Bharatiya Sakshya (Second) Bill, 2023 were passed by the Lok Sabha on
Wednesday. The Centre also passed the Telecommunications Bill, 2023 in the
Upper House. The bill seeks to amend and consolidate the law relating to the
development, expansion and operation of telecommunication services and
telecommunication networks; assignment of the spectrum; and matters connected
therewith. It was passed by the Lok Sabha on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, the protest
by Opposition leaders over the December 13 security breach and the subsequent
suspension of its 143 MPs, is likely to continue today.
The suspensions were a
result of the Opposition members’ refusal to budge on their demand for a statement
from Shah on the Parliament security breach. Parliamentarians of the INDIA bloc
decided to hold a nationwide protest, including one at Jantar Mantar in Delhi,
on Friday.
Here are some
provisions of newly passed criminal laws
-The new laws establish
severe penalties for crimes against women and address loopholes by defining
organized crime.
-Hit-and-run cases will
incur a 10-year imprisonment penalty. However, leniency is exercised in road
accident scenarios where the accused promptly attends to victims by taking them
to the hospital, as highlighted by Union minister Amit Shah in the Parliament.
-The bills outline
specific timelines for various stages, starting from FIR registration to
investigation and filing of charge sheets.
-In cases involving accused
individuals, such as those related to bomb blasts or economic offenses, who
attempt to evade justice, trials in absentia will be conducted, Shah mentioned.
In cases involving accused individuals, such as those related to bomb blasts or
economic offenses, who attempt to evade justice, trials in absentia will be
conducted, Shah mentioned.
-Shah emphasised the
introduction of a timeframe for filing mercy petitions. Specifically, only
individuals convicted and on death row are eligible to submit such pleas within
30 days after the Supreme Court confirms the punishment. Others are not
permitted to file such appeals.
‘Three bills not
intended at punishing, but giving justice’: Amit Shah on criminal bills tabeled
in RS
"We had been
deliberating and discussing on this since August 2019. I feel joyous to be
presenting this today. Not just the names of laws have been changed, but major
changes have been made in their objectives. Indian Penal Code, Criminal
Procedure Code and Evidence Act were formulated to safeguard the British
rule," says Union Home Minister Amit Shah while speaking in Rajya Sabha on
Bills replacing IPC, CrPC and Evidence Act.
“The order of the
sections (in the current criminal laws) show that looting the treasury,
breaking the railway tracks and conspiring against the British rule were
prioritised over murder and crimes against women.”
"The three Bills I
have tabled today are not intended at punishing, but giving justice," he
added.
"The soul of these
laws is Indian and for the first time, our criminal justice system will be
governed by laws made by India, for India and made in Indian Parliament."
2) Rahul Gandhi's
Bharat Jodo Yatra 2.0 likely in January 2024 before Lok Sabha polls
The Congress is
considering to launch the public outreach rally after the first week of January
2024 before the Lok Sabha elections. The grand old Congress is looking at the
possibility of lauching the second phase of public outreach rally Bharat Jodo
Yatra, led by Rahul Gandhi, in January 2024. The Congress is considering to
launch the public outreach rally after the first week of January 2024 before
the Lok Sabha elections
The second iteration of
the public outreach rally-- Bharat Jodo Yatra 2.0-- will be in hybrid mode.
This implies that those participating in the rally will march on foot as well
as use vehicles. Two routes are being considered for this Yatra. If finalised,
the Bharat Jodo Yatra 2.0 is expected to begin from a Northeastern state, said
sources.
A senior Congress leader
said that the focus of this Yatra would be on Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and
Maharashtra. The party is also looking at including prominent faces from
opposition given that the Yatra will likely be conducted in the run-up to the
2024 General Elections, sources further said.
Similar to the first Yatra,
several public meetings by Rahul Gandhi are also being planned this time around
as well. The Yatra is likely to find a mention during the Congress Working
Group meeting on December 21. Rahul Gandhi had underwent the first iteration of
the Bharat Jodo Yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir from September 7, 2022 to
January 30 this year. The primary objective of this Yatra was to unite India
against the divisive politics of the ruling party. It was also aimed at
addressing other issues like unemployment and inequality.
Gandhi covered a
distance of around 4,080 kilometres when the Yatra concluded in Srinagar in
January this year. The Bharat Jodo Yatra was India's longest foot march as the
Yatra had passed through 75 districts across 12 states in 136 days.
It received overwhelming
response from the public and eminent professionals from all walks of life.
The Yatra also saw
participation of personalities such as former Reserve Bank of India (RBI)
Governor Raghuram Rajan, ex-Finance Secretary Arvind Mayaram, former Army Chief
General (Retd) Deepak Kapoor, Tamil superstar Kamal Haasan, Pooja Bhatt, and
Amol Palekar. Opposition leaders including Mehbooba Mufti, Aaditya Thackeray,
Sanjay Raut and Supriya Sule also walked alongside Rahul Gandhi at various
points of time during the march.
3) WFI election
Highlights: Sakshi Malik breaks down into tears as she announces retirement
Wrestler Sakshi Malik hangs up boots during a press conference as she announces her retirement from the sport, protesting against Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh loyalist Sanjay Singh winning the Wrestling Federation of India
Sanjay Singh, a close
supporter of Brij Bhushan, was elected as the new president of the Wrestling
Federation of India.Sanjay Singh, a close aide of Brij Bhushan, was elected as
the new President of the Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) after his panel
secured victory in 13 out of 15 positions in the long-awaited polls. This
outcome led to uproar among protesting wrestlers, prompting Sakshi Malik to
announce her retirement from the sport.
Sanjay, also the Vice
President of the UP Wrestling Association from Varanasi, received 40 votes,
while his rival, former CWG gold medallist Anita Sheoran, managed only seven
votes.
Following the results,
star wrestlers and Olympic medallists Vinesh Phogat, Bajrang Punia, and Sakshi
Malik held a press conference. They previously spoke out against ousted WFI
chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh, accusing him of sexual harassment.
%20won%20the%20Wrestling%20Federation%20of%20India%20elections%20in%20New%20Delhi%20on%20Thursday.jpg) |
| Sanjay Singh (R) won the Wrestling Federation of India elections in New Delhi on Thursday |
Olympic medalist Sakshi
Malik, a leading voice in the wrestlers' protest against former WFI president
Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh due to sexual harassment allegations, declared her
retirement from wrestling on Thursday. Her decision came following the election
of Sanjay Singh, an aide of Sharan Singh, as the federation's president.
Expressing deep distress
and emotion, Sakshi Malik tearfully concluded her address at a press conference
in the national capital before leaving the venue.
Originally scheduled for
August 12, the WFI elections faced delays due to a Punjab and Haryana High
Court order, extending the stay until September 25. These elections, initially
planned for June, oversee wrestling across the country.
Earlier this month,
Bajrang Punia and Sakshi Malik met Union Sports Minister Anurag Thakur in the
national capital to discuss the WFI polls.
4) People in
constitutional posts doing politics using caste, region: Mallikarjun Kharge
Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge
Kharge accused the Union
government of passing bills without discussion and alleged a conspiracy to
convert Parliament into a platform for the ruling BJP. People holding
constitutional posts have failed to fulfil their obligations, and are indulging
in politics using “caste, region and occupation as their shield”, Congress chief
Mallikarjun Kharge said on Thursday – an apparent reference to Rajya Sabha
Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar amid an ongoing tussle between the Opposition and
government over the suspension of 146 MPs during the winter session of
Parliament.
Speaking at the Congress
Working Committee (CWC) meeting, Kharge also slammed the Union government for
“arbitrarily passing important bills without discussion and debate” and alleged
a conspiracy to “convert Parliament into a platform” for the ruling Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP).
Speaking at the CWC
meeting, Kharge said: “The biggest challenge is that people holding
constitutional posts, who are responsible for providing protection to the
Opposition MPs, are themselves becoming a part of party politics and doing
politics using caste, region and occupation as their shield. He has failed to
fulfil his obligations under the Constitution. The whole country is watching
it.”
While the Congress chief
did not name anyone, his remarks came two days after Vice President Dhankhar
took strong exception of suspended Trinamool Congress (TMC) MP Kalyan Banerjee
allegedly mimicking him and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi recording the act. On
Tuesday, video clips of Banerjee ostensibly mimicking Dhankhar, on the steps of
the new Parliament building, were aired on television and circulated on social
media platforms, triggering a political row. Gandhi was seen filming the act as
the MPs gathered to protest against a spate of suspensions from both Lok Sabha
and Rajya Sabha.
“I had suffered, I tell
you. On Instagram, Mr Chidambram, your party put a video which was withdrawn
later on. That was a shame to me. You used official Twitter (now X) handle of
the spokesperson to demean me, insult me, insult my background as a farmer, my
position as a Jat, insult my position as a Chairman,” Dhankhar told senior
Congress leader P Chidambaram in the Upper House. On Wednesday, Prime Minister
Narendra Modi spoke to Dhankhar to convey his “pain”, and President Droupadi
Murmu stressed that protests should not cross the “norms of dignity and
courtesy”. Lok Sabha speaker Om Birla also met Dhankhar and said the Opposition
MP’s conduct was “demeaning”.
Amid growing criticism,
Banerjee on Wednesday said his intention was not to hurt anyone. He, however,
said mimicry is not an offence and alleged the BJP is “trying to change the
main issue which is whether suspension of opposition MPs was right”.
At the CWC meeting,
Kharge accused the BJP of strangling democracy and alleged a “conspiracy to
convert Parliament into a platform for the ruling party”.
“Our example of the
largest democracy in the world is in crisis. The whole country is seeing that
the BJP is strangling democracy by arbitrarily passing important bills without
discussion and debate. There is a conspiracy going on to convert Parliament
into a platform for the ruling party,” Kharge, who is the Leader of Opposition
in Rajya Sabha, said. “The way 143 MPs (by the end of the session, the figure
rose to 146) of our INDIA bloc were suspended in both the Houses in the current
Parliament session is unfortunate. The Modi government is working against the
dignity of Parliament by passing all the important bills in the absence of the
Opposition,” he added
The Congress chief
further accused the BJP of trying to take over institutions such as the
Election Commission.
“By trying to take over
institutions like the Election Commission, the government has put the
Constitution, Parliament and democracy in danger. The Opposition gave full
cooperation in the Parliament session. But after the incident in Parliament on
December 13, the Opposition MPs were demanding a statement from the home
minister and a comprehensive discussion in both the Houses on the issue, which
the government made a question of prestige,” he added, referring to last week’s
security breach in Parliament. Meanwhile, the BJP slammed the Opposition. “An
investigation into the security breach is going on; the Opposition does not
want the House to function... Does (Congress leader) Rahul Gandhi support all
this?...” Union minister Pralhad Joshi said.
5) Poonch ambush:
What we know about PAFF which claimed responsibility for terror attack
A damaged Indian Army vehicle after an attack by terrorists in Poonch district on Thursday
The PAFF is a proxy
outfit of Jaish-e-Mohammed and was involved in terror acts and issuing threats
to security forces, political leaders, civilians. The People's Anti-Fascist
Front or PAFF, an offshoot of Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM), claimed
responsibility for the Poonch terror ambush in Jammu and Kashmir in which four
soldiers were killed and three injured on Thursday. The bodies of two of the
slain soldiers were mutilated, officials said.
A damaged Indian Army
vehicle after an attack by terrorists in Poonch district on Thursday, (PTI)
A damaged Indian Army
vehicle after an attack by terrorists in Poonch district on Thursday, (PTI)
Security and defence
experts have called for immediate strengthening of the security management and
intelligence network along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu region, which
witnessed the killing of 59 people, including 24 security personnel and 28
terrorists, in terror incidents this year.
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news on HT Channel on Facebook. Join Now
Lt General Paramjit
Singh (retd), who headed the Nagrota-based XVI corps of the army, acknowledged
that the terrain where the incident took place is a difficult one. "But
having said that one needs to be prepared for all eventualities," he said.
The ambush came weeks
after a major gunfight in the Dharmsal belt of Bajimaal forest area in nearby
Rajouri district that had left five Army personnel, including two captains,
dead last month.
A top commander of
Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) Quari, who masterminded several attacks,
including the killing of 10 civilians and five Army personnel, and his
associate were killed in the two-day-long encounter in November.
What do we know about People’s Anti-Fascist Front (PAFF)?
The PAFF is a proxy
outfit of Maulana Masood Azhar-led Jaish-e-Mohammed and was involved in terror
acts and issuing threats to Indian security forces, political leaders,
civilians in J&K, and other states.
It was banned by the
ministry of home affairs (MHA) under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act
(UAPA) in January for carrying out terror activities in Kashmir.
The MHA banned PAFF
after it banned The Resistance Front, an offshoot of Lashkar-e-Taiba, for
carrying out terror activities in Kashmir.
The PAFF emerged in 2019
as a proxy outfit of JeM, a proscribed terrorist organisation listed at serial
number 6 of the First Schedule under the UAPA.
It regularly issues
threats to Indian security forces, political leaders, civilians working in
Jammu-Kashmir from other states and is involved, along with other
organisations, in conspiring pro-actively physically and in social media to
undertake violent terrorist acts and Jammu-Kashmir and other major cities in
India, the MHA said.
PAFF terrorists are
known to use body cameras to film their attacks. They then use the films for
propaganda.
In April this year, the
PAFF attacked an Indian Army truck in Poonch and filmed it.
6) Bajrang Punia to
return Padma Shri award in protest over WFI chief election
Bajrang Punia said he wants to return his Padma Shri award that he received in 2019 as a mark of protest against the injustice meted out to the women wrestlers of the country.
Bajrang Punia was
stopped at Delhi's Kartavya Path after he went to keep his Padma Shri award on
the footpath outside PM's residence. A day after wrestler Sakshi Malik hung up
her boots protesting the election of Brij Bhushan's close aide Sanjay Singh as
the chief of the Wrestling Federation of India, Bajrang Punia wrote a letter to
PM Modi returning his Padma Shri award. "I am returning my Padmashree
award to the Prime Minister. This is just my letter to announce that. This is
my statement," Bajrang Punia tweeted.
After the X post,
Bajrang Punia went to keep his Padma Shri award on the footpath outside the
PM's residence. He was stopped at Delhi's Kartavya Path by police officials. On
Thursday, Brij Bhushan Singh loyalist Sanjay Singh was elected the president of
the Wrestling Federation of India winning 13 of the 15 posts. Sakshi Malik,
Bajrang Punia and Vinesh Phogat addressed a press conference after Sanjay Singh's
election in which Sakshi announced that she would quit the sport as a mark of
protest. "We fought from our heart but if a man like Brij Bhushan, his
business partner and a close aide is elected as the president of WFI, I give up
wrestling. From today onwards you will not see me on the mat," Sakshi said
as she kept her boot with tears in her eyes.
Dear PM Ji, hope your
health is well. You must be busy in many work but I am writing this to draw
your attention to the wrestlers of the country. You must be aware that the
women wrestlers of the country started a protest in January this year against
Brish Bhushan Singh accusing him of sexual harassment. I too joined their
protest. The protest stopped after the government promised strong action,"
Punia wrote."But there was no FIR against Brij Bhushan even after three
months. We again took to the streets in April so that the police at least file
an FIR against him. There were 19 complainants in January but the number came
down to 7 by April. This means Brij Bhushan exerted his influence on 12 women
wrestlers," Bajrang Punia wrote.
"Our protest went
on for 40 days. There was much pressure on us during those days...We went to
immerse our medals to the Ganga River. Then we were stopped by farmer leaders.
At that time a responsible minister from your cabinet called us up and assured
us of justice. Meanwhile, we met Union home minister Amit Shah who too promised
us of justice. We stopped our protest," the letter read."But in the
election of the WFI on December 21, the federation came under Brij Bhushan once
again. He himself said he would prevail over the federation like he did always.
Coming under tremendous pressure, Sakshi Malik announced her retirement from
wrestling," it added.
"We all spent the
night in tears. We did not understand what to do, or where to go. The
government has given us a lot. I was conferred with the Padma Shri in 2019. I
also received the Arjuna, Khel Ratna award. When I got these awards, I was on
cloud nine. But today the sadness weighs more. And the reason is a woman
wrestler left the sport because of her security," Bajrang wrote.
"Sports have
empowered our women athletes, changed their lives. All credit to the
first-generation women athletes. The situation is such that the women who could
have been the brand ambassadors of beti bachao, beti padhao are now taking back
their steps in their sports. And we 'awarded' wrestlers could not do anything.
I can't live my life as a Padma Shri awardee while our women wrestlers are
insulted. Hence I return my award to you," Bajran wrote.
6) Mamata Banerjee meets PM Modi over pending central funds for West Bengal
 |
| Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a meeting with West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee. |
We didn't even get a penny for 100 days of work (under MGNREGA) in the budget for 2022-23. Funds for (Pradhan Mantri) Aawas Yojna have been stopped, rural development schemes have been shut, and the health mission programme has also been shut,' said Bengal CM Banerjee.
New Delhi: West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Wednesday
met Prime Minister Narendra Modi to discuss pending central funds for the
state. She said the prime minister proposed that officials from the state and
Centre can sit together and clear the issues. Speaking to the media after the
meeting in the Parliament complex along with nine party MPs, Banerjee said 155
central teams have alhave already visited West Bengal. Talking about the
pending MGNREGA funds for the state, she said it is mandatory under the Constitution
to pay the workers.
We didn't even get a penny for 100 days of work (under MGNREGA) in
the budget for 2022-23. Funds for (Pradhan Mantri) Aawas Yojna have been
stopped, rural development schemes have been shut, and the health mission
programme has also been shut. We are also not getting funds under the Finance
Commission," said Banerjee. "Our officials have given all the
clarification they asked for. PM has said a joint meeting will be held by the
Centre and state officials. I said we have given clarification 155 ttimes. We
can do that once again, they can decide the formula. In a federal structure,
the central government has a share and the state also has a share," she
said. "It is not right to stop the money for poor people," Banerjee
said, adding that the that the Centre owed Rs 1.15 lakh crore to West Bengal.
1) India vs South
Africa Highlights, 3rd ODI: Sanju Samson, Arshdeep Singh shine as IND beat SA
by 78 runs, win series 2-1
India vs South Africa, 3rd ODI
India defeated South
Africa by 78 runs in the third and final ODI of their three-match series, in
Paarl on Thursday. The win helped India clinch the series 2-1. Chasing 297,
South Africa were bowled out for 218 in 45.5 overs, despite a knock of 81 runs
off 87 balls by Tony de Zorzi. Meanwhile, Arshdeep Singh took four wickets for
the visitors, Washington Sundar and Avesh Khan scalped two dismissals each.
Initially, a ton from Sanju Samson saw India post 296/8 in 50 overs as the
Rajasthan Royals captain hammered 108 off 114 balls, packed with six fours and
three sixes. Meanwhile, Tilak Varma got a crucial half-century for India,
slamming 52 off 77 deliveries. For South Africa's bowling department, Beuran
Hendricks took three wickets and Nandre Burger scalped two dismissals.
2) Sports Ministry
confirms Arjuna award for Mohammed Shami; Khel Ratna to Satwik and Chirag -
Check full list of winners
The awards will be conferred on the athletes by President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 9
The awards will be
handed by President Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on January
9.India's dynamic badminton duo of Chirag Shetty and Satwiksairaj Rankireddy
will receive the Major Dhyan Chand Khel Ratna Award, the highest sporting
honour in the country for athletes, the sports ministry confirmed on Wednesday
while announcing the annual National Sports Awards for 2023.Based on the
recommendations of a government-appointed panel, the ministry also gave its nod
to confer the Arjuna Award to 26 sportspersons, including cricketer Mohammed
Shami who enjoyed a stellar ODI World Cup.
Five coaches, including
RB Ramesh who has shaped the career of chess prodigy R Praggnanandhaa, will
receive the Dronacharya Award while three others have been conferred the same
honour in the lifetime category. The awards will be handed by President
Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on January 9.
The Khel Ratna award
comes as an icing on the cake on the back of an extremely fruitful year for
Chirag and Satwik. The pair earned India's first-ever badminton gold medal at
the Hangzhou Asian Games this year that underlined their medal aspirations at
the 2024 Paris Olympics. Besides the historic medal, they also lifted titles at
the Asian Championships, Swiss Open, Indonesia Open and Korea Open besides
reaching the final of the season-ending China Masters. Their incredible year
also lifted them to the top of the world rankings charts, becoming the first
Indian doubles pair to get there. In the Arjuna awards list, Shami is only one
of the two cricketers, the other being blind cricketer Ajay Kumar Reddy. The
33-year-old fast bowler had an ODI World Cup to cherish at home, finishing as
the top wicket-taker (24) despite missing the first four matches of the
tournament where India lost in the final. Drafted into the playing XI only due
to Hardik Pandya’s injury, Shami stole the show with his movement and pace and
elevated the strength of India's bowling unit.
Other Arjuna awardees
include athletes Murali Sreeshankar and Parul Chaudhary, archers Aditi Swami,
17, and Ojas Pravin Deotale, shooters Aishwary Pratap Singh Tomar and Esha
Singh, wrestlers Sunil Kumar (Greco-Roman) and Antim Panghal, paddler Ayhika
Mukherjee, squash pro Harinder Pal Singh Sandhu and Roshibina Devi (wushu). All
of them medalled at the Hangzhou Asian Games.Golfer Diksha Dagar and R
Vaishali, Praggnanandhaa's sister who recently became a Grandmaster, are other
notable winners. Para athletes Sheetal Devi (archery) and Prachi Yadav
(canoeing) will also receive the Arjuna award.
Besides Ramesh, the
Dronacharya Award will be given to Lalit Kumar (wrestling), Mahaveer Prasad
Saini (para athletics), Shivendra Singh (hockey) and Ganesh Prabhakar
Devrukhkar (mallakhamb). In the lifetime category, golf coach Jaskirat Singh
Grewal and Bhaskaran E (kabaddi) and Jayanta Kumar Pushilal (table tennis) will
be awarded.
3) Gukesh wins in
Chennai, one step closer to Candidates
D Gukesh in action
The 17-year-old edged
past compatriot Arjun Erigaisi on tie-breaks after both Indians finished on 4.5
points after the completion of the seventh and final round Indian Grandmaster D
Gukesh took a significant step towards earning a spot in the prestigious
Candidates tournament next year by winning the Chennai Grand Masters 2023 chess
tournament in Chennai on Thursday. Local boy Gukesh, 17, edged past compatriot
Arjun Erigaisi on tie-breaks after both Indians finished on 4.5 points after
the completion of the seventh and final round. Another Indian Grandmaster P
Harikrishna, whom Gukesh drew with in the final round on Thursday, finished
third on the leaderboard with 4 points.
Going into the final
round of the eight-player tournament, Gukesh needed only a draw in his clash
with Harikrishna with black pieces. Erigaisi made things rather interesting by
defeating Russian-born Hungarian Grandmaster Sanan Sjugirov in the final round.
Gukesh and Erigaisi were equal on points and on par in terms of head-to-head
but the former came out triumphant on the basis of a superior tie-break score.
The tournament victory
gives Gukesh — who in September this year had surpassed Viswanathan Anand as
the top-ranked Indian player in the FIDE charts — a great chance of booking a
seat in next year's Candidates tournament in Toronto in April through the FIDE
Circuit route. With six of the eight spots already taken (including those by
Indians R Praggnanandhaa and Vidit Gujrathi), two remain up for grabs via the
2023 FIDE Circuit (for one player who achieves the highest results during the
eligible tournaments in 2023) and the FIDE rating route. By winning the
tournament in Chennai, Gukesh has put himself on top of the FIDE Circuit
leaderboard and will be in a battle with Dutch Grandmaster Anish Giri to finish
on top with one more tournament to go.
The FIDE Circuit ends
with the World Rapid and Blitz Championship in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, from
December 26-30. Gukesh, though, was quoted as saying by chess.com after his
tournament win that he was still "50-50" about participating in the
World Rapid and Blitz. Gukesh remained unbeaten through the seven rounds in
Chennai, notching up wins against Russian-born Serbian Grandmaster Alexandr
Predke and Sjugirov in the fourth and fifth round, respectively, to go with the
five draws. The win over Sjugirov with black pieces on Tuesday had put Gukesh
in the sole lead.
"It was really
good. I finally managed to enjoy myself in a tournament," Gukesh told
chess.com. "Obviously, the last few months have been very stressful."
Erigaisi had an
impressively strong finish to the tournament (with three wins overall). He
defeated Sjugirov on Thursday and Parham Maghsoodloo, the Iranian GM who was
the top seed in Chennai, with black in the penultimate round. However, his
opening-round defeat to compatriot Harikrishna proved to be the difference in
the end. The 20-year-old Grandmaster needed to win this tournament to stand a
chance of qualifying for the Candidates via FIDE Circuit. Harikrishna, the
37-year-old from Guntur, meanwhile also remained unbeaten with six draws that
followed the win over Erigaisi. Top-seeded Maghsoodloo, another competitor who
was in contention for the Candidates through a triumph in Chennai, could not
quite live up to his billing and finished sixth with 3.5 points and a couple of
defeats.
4) India vs South
Africa, 2nd ODI highlights: Zorzi's maiden ton seals big win for SA; Burger
bags IPL deal on auction day
Tony de Zorzi slammed his career-best score while Nandre Burger bagged an IPL gig in India vs South Africa 2nd ODI
Tony de Zorzi's 1st-ever
ODI ton sealed a massive win for South Africa. With the 8-wicket win in the 2nd
ODI, the hosts have levelled the series 1-1. India vs South Africa, 2nd ODI
highlights: Leading India from the front, skipper Rahul slammed his 18th One
Day International (ODI) half-century while opener Sai Sudharsan achieved a rare
feat in the series decider against South Africa on Tuesday at the St George's
Park in Gqeberha. Dishing out a low-scoring finish for Team India on the Indian
Premier League (IPL) 2024 auction day, South Africa's Nandre Burger bagged three
wickets to stage an impressive comeback for the hosts in the 2nd ODI. Burger
picked up three wickets as India posted 211 in 46.2 overs.
Tony de Zorzi slammed
his career-best score while Nandre Burger bagged an IPL gig in India vs South
Africa 2nd ODI
Tony de Zorzi slammed
his career-best score while Nandre Burger bagged an IPL gig in India vs South
Africa 2nd ODI(ANI-PTI)
Kickstarting the run
chase for the hosts, opener Tony de Zorzi slammed his first-ever ODI century to
seal South Africa's 8-wicket win over India. Opener Zorzi and Reeza Hendricks
(52) stitched the record partnership of 130 in 27.5 overs. Zorzi remained
unbeaten on 119 off 122 balls to make sure South Africa levelled the series 1-1
in Gqeberha. The Proteas batter was named the Player of the Match for his
batting masterclass.Fresh from an impressive win over South Africa in the
curtain-raiser, Team India, led by wicketkeeper Rahul, was hoping to take an
unassailable lead in the three-match series decider. On a day when the
mini-auction for IPL 2024 is taking place in Dubai, India's rising star Rinku
Singh pipped Rajat Patidar for a place in the starting XI at Gqeberha. Invited
to bat first in the 2nd ODI, Rahul's Team India lost opener Ruturaj Gaikwad in
the 1st over.
Rewriting history, youngster
B. Sai Sudharsan became the second Indian batter after Navjot Singh Sidhu to
score two half-centuries in the first two ODIs for India. With middle-order
batter Iyer set to join the Test squad for the Boxing Day clash against the
Proteas, India had the luxury to name Rinku in its playing XI. Kolkata Knight
Riders (KKR) youngster Rinku was a star-turnout for the visitors in T20Is but
the power-hitter only scores 17 runs on debut.
Earlier, India handed a
debut cap to Gujarat Titans (GT) youngster Sudarshan, who slammed a gritty
half-century in India's eight-wicket win over the Proteas. Sudharsan opened the
innings for the Men In Blue and smashed nine boundaries in his 55-run knock off
43 balls. He was assisted by premier batter Shreyas Iyer, who played a crucial
knock of 52 off 45 balls as India chased down the paltry target of 117 in 16.4
overs. The series opener was turned into a one-sided contest by fast-bowling
brilliance from Arshdeep Singh, who bagged his first-ever five-wicket haul in
the 50-over format. Arshdeep was named the Player of the Match for returning
magical figures of five for 37 in 10 overs.
5) Deepti Sharma
shines as India Women's cricket team secures historic Test victory against
England
India Women vs England Women Indian players pose with the trophy after winning the one-off Test cricket match against England
India's women's cricket
team created history on Saturday as they clinched a maiden home Test victory
against England. India's all-rounder Deepti Sharma punished the England cricket
team with first bat and then a 9-wicket haul. India's 347-run victory against
England is the biggest margin of victory in the women's cricket team. The
strong performance will surely provide the Indian women's cricket team with
more confidence in the Test match against Australia next week.
Deepti Sharma first
impressed with the bat as she played a cautious innings of 67 runs to stabilize
the Indian innings and take the team to a secure place. Satheesh Shubha (69)
and Jemimah Rodrigues (68) also played brilliantly well to take India to 428
runs in the first innings. Then, Deepti Sharma turned to her bowler avatar and
clinched 5 crucial wickets to derail England's batting.
India walked to the
second innings with a comfortable lead and skipper Harmanpreet Kaur (44) asked
her players to be faster this time. As the wickets kept falling, India decided
to declare the innings at 186 runs, setting a 479-run daunting target for
England. Soon, Deepti Sharma was back in action and this time she clinched 4
wickets to dash the hopes of English cricketers. Sharma was just one wicket
away from the 10-wicket record of legendary Jhulan Goswami.
Just waiting to
bowl’
“I was just waiting to
bowl and keeping myself warmed up, got a lot of help from the wicket and I
backed myself. Harry di (Harmanpreet) was saying bowl in your areas and the
turn will help you. We want to continue this in the next Test," she said
after the match.
Former women players
were impressed with Deepti Sharma even before the match was over as former
Indian skipper Mithali Raj lauded the all-rounder for her 5 wickets during the
first innings. "From her variations to tactics, Deepti Sharma turned
everything to gold today! India is in a solid position to clinch this test.
#INDvENG," said Mithali in a post on X.
6) Paes, Amritraj
become first Asian men to be inducted into International Tennis Hall of Fame
Leader Paes and Martina Navratilova after winning the the mixed doubles final at the Australian Open in 2003
Former doubles world No.
1 Leander Paes and broadcaster and promoter Vijay Amritraj of India have become
the first Asian men to be inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame.
Besides the duo, renowned journalist and writer Richard Evans have also been
elected in the Ultimate Honour in Tennis. Paes, an 18-time Grand Slam champion
in doubles and mixed doubles, has been selected in the player category, while
Amritraj and United Kingdom's Evans are inductees in the contributor category,
which is considered for election every two years.
The contributor category
recognises true pioneers, visionary leaders, or individuals/groups who have
made a transcendent impact on the sport.
The Class of 2024 will
be officially inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame on Saturday
in Newport, Rhode Island. Paes, Amritraj and Evans will join an elite group of
264 inductees from 27 nations – with India set to become the 28th nation
represented in the Hall of Fame.
"It has been my
life's honour to play for my country for over three decades in a sport that has
given and taught me everything. This acknowledgment is indeed the ultimate
accolade for every tennis player. Induction into the International Tennis Hall
of Fame belongs not just to me, but to our billion-plus Indians," Paes
said.
"Receiving this
honour culminates a professional journey of a lifetime, standing on the
shoulders of greats and sets the tone for other youngsters in Asia and around
the world."
During his three-decade
career, Paes topped the world rankings in doubles and won 18 Grand Slam titles.
With eight doubles Grand Slam titles and 10 in mixed doubles, he is one of only
three men in tennis history to capture a career Grand Slam in both disciplines.
Paes is tied with his former partner, Hall of Famer Martina Navratilova, for
the most mixed doubles major titles in history. Additionally, he and Hall of
Famer Martina Hingis are one of only two mixed doubles teams in the Open Era to
complete a career Grand Slam together.
In a testament to his
longevity at the sport's height, Paes spent a total of 462 weeks inside the ATP
doubles top 10, including 37 weeks at No. 1, and won 55 doubles titles on tour.
Paes proudly represented
India in international competition for 30 years, winning a Davis Cup record 45
doubles rubbers during his career. He competed in a record seven consecutive
Olympic Games, the most in tennis history, and is India's only Olympic
medallist in tennis, capturing bronze in singles at the 1996 Atlanta Games.
"I am thrilled to
congratulate Leander Paes, Vijay Amritraj, and Richard Evans on their election
to the International Tennis Hall of Fame," Kim Clijsters, Honorary
President of ITHF and Class of 2017 Hall of Famer said.
"These three
legends have served as trailblazers in their impact on tennis, and in spreading
the sport worldwide. We are excited to celebrate the Class of 2024 in the
coming year."
Earlier this year, fans
around the globe cast their ballots and elected Paes as the winner of the Hall
of Fame's annual Fan Vote for induction.
Dunki
Four friends from a
village in Punjab share a common dream: to go to England. Their problem is that
they have neither the visa nor the ticket. A soldier promises to take them to
the land of their dreams.
Director Rajkumar Hirani
Writers Kanika
DhillonRajkumar HiraniAbhijat Joshi
Stars Shah Rukh
KhanTaapsee PannuBoman Irani
Salaar: Part 1 –
Ceasefire
Part 1 of Prabhas'
upcoming movie ‘Salaar’ is scheduled to release worldwide on December 22, 2023.
This is an action-thriller movie written and directed by Prashanth Neel and
produced by Vijay Kiragandur. The movie was made with a budget of Rs 400 crore.
The teaser of the movie garnered 83 million views in 24 hours, which is a
record.
Release Date: December
22, 2023
Cast: Prabhas, Prithviraj
Sukumaran, Shruti Haasan, Jagapathi Babu, Tinnu Anand, Sriya Reddy, Easwari
Rao, and Ramachandra Raju.
Hello Ghost!
Directed by: Hsieh
Pei-Ju
Cast: Jing-Hua Tseng,
Ivy Shao, Lu Yi-Ching, Tsai-Hsing Chang, Jia-Yin Tsai, Chun-Hao Hung, Bai Jing
Yi, Xie Kun Da, Calvin Tsou
Releasing on: 18
December 2023
Streaming on: Netflix
Synopsis: Adapted from
the 2010 South Korean blockbuster comedy, the movie revolves around a lonely
delivery man named A-wei. He attempts to commit suicide multiple times but
fails at it no matter what. During this endeavour to end his life, he meets
four ghosts who inform him that they will leave him alone only if he helps them
fulfil their final wishes. In the process of doing so, A-wei finds a new
purpose in life and pursues his love for Nurse Linda. This is one of the most
heart-warming OTT movie releases this week.
Percy Jackson and
the Olympians
Created by: Rick
Riordan, Jonathan E. Steinberg
Cast: Walker Scobell,
Leah Sava Jeffries, Aryan Simhadr, Virginia Kull, Glynn Turman, Jason
Mantzoukas
Releasing on: 20
December 2023
Streaming on: Disney+
Hotstar
Synopsis: The
fantastical story revolves around a 12-year-old contemporary demigod, Percy
Jackson. While Percy is still trying to come to terms with his newfound
supernatural powers, the sky god Zeus accuses him of stealing his master
lightning bolt. To prove himself innocent, Percy must now journey across
America to locate the bolt and restore order to Olympus. Are you excited to
watch this new OTT release this week?
Barbie:
Directed by: Greta
Gerwig
Cast: Margot Robbie,
Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, Will
Ferrell
Releasing on: 21
December 2023
Streaming on: Jio
Cinemas
Synopsis: The story
revolves around Barbie (Margot Robbie) and Ken (Ryan Gosling), who set out on a
mission to travel to the real world and meet the owner of a Barbie who is
melancholy. Once in the real world, Barbie has major realisations about how the
world works and how women are not as influential in the real world, unlike Barbie
Land. Shattered and confused, Barbie then decides to fix things up when Kens
take over Barbie land. If you wish to not spend time watching Bollywood
content, then this OTT release this week is for you.
Aquaman And The
Lost Kingdom
Directed by: James Wan
Cast: Jason Momoa,
Patrick Wilson, Amber Heard, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Nicole Kidman
Releasing on: 21
December 2023 (in theatres)
Synopsis: Several years
after the events of Aquaman (2018), Arthur Curry/Aquaman (Jason Momoa) is
forced to fight David Kane/Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II ) again. Driven
by the aim to avenge his father’s death, Manta has obtained the cursed Black Trident
and has become more problematic than ever before. To protect Atlantis and his
loved ones, Aquaman will have to seek help from his imprisoned brother Orm
(Patrick Wilson), the former King of Atlantis and fight together against Black
Manta.
Dry Day
Directed by: Saurabh
Shukla
Cast: Jitendra Kumar,
Shriya Pilgaonkar, Annu Kapoor
Releasing on: 22
December 2023
Streaming on: Amazon
Prime Video
Synopsis: Gannu
(Jitendra Kumar) is a doting husband who only has one vice. He is an alcoholic,
something his wife is not okay with. Gannu is the biggest loafer of Jagodhar
but when his wife decides to abort their baby due to his alcoholism, he sets
out on a mission to ban alcohol while also struggling with his own drinking
habits. This upcoming OTT release is as entertaining as watching a Bollywood
movie this week.
BOOK OF THIS WEEK:
The Secret History
of the World by Jonathan Black
Here for the first time
is a complete history of the world, from the beginning of time to the present
day, based on the beliefs and writings of the secret societies. From the
esoteric account of the evolution of the species to the occult roots of
science, from the secrets of the Flood to the esoteric motives behind American
foreign policy, here is a narrative history that shows the basic facts of human
existence on this planet can be viewed from a very different angle. Everything
in this history is upside down, inside out and the other way around.At the
heart of “The Secret History of the World” is the belief that we can reach an
altered state of consciousness in which we can see things about the way the
world works that are hidden from us in our everyday, commonsensical
consciousness. This history shows that by using secret techniques, people such
as Leonardo da Vinci, Isaac Newton and George Washington have worked themselves
into this altered state – and been able to access supernatural levels of
intelligence. There have been many books on the subject, but, extraordinarily,
no-one has really listened to what the secret societies themselves say. The
author has been helped in his researches by his friendship with a man who is an
initiate of more than one secret society, and in one case an initiate of the
highest level.
Jonathan Black
:Non-fiction writer
Jonathan Black is the
nom de plume of Mark Booth. He was educated at Ipswich School and Oriel
College, Oxford, where he studied Philosophy and Theology. He has worked in
publishing for over 20 years, and is currently Publishing Director of Coronet,
an imprint of Hodder & Stoughton. He also publishes many prominent authors
in the MBS and ‘alternative history’ fields, including Graham Hancock, Lorna
Byrne, Mooji and Rupert Sheldrake.
His first book The
Secret History of the World was published by Quercus in 2007. It is the outcome
of a lifetime spent reading literature in this area, publishing many of the
leading authors in the field and hanging around antiquarian bookshops. His next
book The Sacred History, a history of the world through the spiritual
dimension, was published in 2013, along with his following book, The Secret
History of Dante, published in the same year.
Booth has given lectures
and interviews at the Royal Academy, Maastricht University and the Marion
Institute in Massachusetts. He has been widely interviewed on radio and TV,
including BBC Radio 4’s Today and Coast to Coast in the US. He has written
articles for the Independent on Sunday, English National Opera, Shakespeare’s
Globe Theatre and Mind Body Spirit.
Nature Magazine
National Geographic
Cartoon Games
History Channel
Online Movies
Scientific American
Filmfare Mag
Online Britannica
Time Mag
Unexplained Mysteries
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