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1) Two planets sharing same orbit around their star? Astronomers find strongest evidence yet : By Associated Press:

Asteroids are known to accompany planets around their stars — for example, Jupiter and its so-called Trojan asteroids. But planets in the same orbit "have so far been like unicorns."

Astronomers reported Wednesday the discovery of what could be two planets sharing the same orbit around their star.

ALMA image showing PDS-70b and its putative companion, indicated by a dashed circle ALMA ESONAOJNRAO) Balsalobre-Ruza et al

They said it’s the strongest evidence yet of this bizarre cosmic pairing, long suspected but never proven.Using a telescope in Chile, the Spanish-led team spotted a cloud of debris in the same orbit as an already confirmed planet circling this star, 370 light-years away in the constellation Centaurus. They suspect it’s either a planet in formation or remnants of a planet that once was.

Asteroids are known to accompany planets around their star — for example, Jupiter and its so-called Trojan asteroids. But planets in the same orbit “have so far been like unicorns,” noted study co-author Jorge Lillo-Box of Madrid’s Center for Astrobiology.

Diagram illustrating the five Lagrange points of the Earth-Sun system

“They are allowed to exist by theory, but no one has ever detected them,” he said in a statement.

The scientists said they will need to wait until 2026 in order to properly track the two objects around the star known as PDS 70.

The confirmed planet with the suspected tagalong takes 119 years to complete a lap. A gas giant, it’s three times the size of Jupiter. Another gas giant is known to circle this star, albeit from a much greater distance.

Lead author Olga Balsalobre-Ruza of the Center for Astrobiology in Madrid, said the findings, published in the journal Astronomy and Astrophysics, are “the first evidence” that such double worlds might exist.

“We can imagine that a planet can share its orbit with thousands of asteroids as in the case of Jupiter, but it is mind-blowing to me that planets could share the same orbit,” she said in a statement.

2) Rare and dramatic fossil shows small mammal attacking larger dinosaur By Reuters:

“Here, we have good evidence for a smaller mammal preying on a larger dinosaur, which is not something we would have guessed without this fossil,” paleobiologist Jordan Mallon said.

While there is little doubt that many a Mesozoic mammal became a meal for a dinosaur, it may come as a surprise to learn that some mammals also dined on dinos.

A dramatic fossil unearthed in northeastern China shows a pugnacious badger-like mammal in the act of attacking a plant-eating dinosaur, mounting its prey and sinking its teeth into its victim’s ribs about 125 million years ago, scientists said on Tuesday.

Dating to the Cretaceous Period, it shows the four-legged mammal Repenomamus robustus — the size of a domestic cat — ferociously entangled with the beaked two-legged dinosaur Psittacosaurus lujiatunensis — as big as a medium-sized dog. The scientists suspect they were suddenly engulfed in a volcanic mudflow and buried alive during mortal combat.

“Dinosaurs nearly always outsized their mammal contemporaries, so traditional belief has been that their interactions were unilateral — the bigger dinosaurs always ate the smaller mammals,” said paleobiologist Jordan Mallon of the Canadian Museum of Nature in Ottawa, who helped lead the study published in the journal Scientific Reports.

“Here, we have good evidence for a smaller mammal preying on a larger dinosaur, which is not something we would have guessed without this fossil,” Mallon added.

Most mammals during the Mesozoic Era, the age of dinosaurs, were shrew-sized bit players in the larger theater of life, doing well to avoid becoming someone else’s lunch. Repenomamus shows at least some mammals gave as good as they got.

“I think what’s key here is that Mesozoic food webs were more complex than we had imagined,” Mallon said.

The area in Liaoning Province where the virtually complete fossil was found is called the “Chinese Pompeii” owing to various fossils of animals buried in volcanic eruptions.

Examining the fossil was like a crime scene analysis. Repenomamus is perched atop the prone Psittacosaurus, gripping the jaw and hind leg while biting into the ribcage. Repenomamus measures 1-1/2 feet long. Psittacosaurus is 4 feet long. Both are thought to be not quite full adults.

“There have been specimens of carnivorous dinosaurs preying on plant-eating dinosaurs before, but there has never been an example of a mammal preying on a dinosaur,” said Canadian Museum of Nature paleontologist and study co-author Xiao-chun Wu. It is rare to find fossils showing animals interacting. Another fossil found in the 1970s in Mongolia shows two dinosaurs — predator Velociraptor and plant-eater Protoceratops — fighting about 80 million years ago before being buried alive, perhaps in a collapsing sand dune.

The researchers discounted the idea that the Repenomamus and Psittacosaurus fossil showed a mammal merely scavenging a carcass.

“For one, the mammal is on top of the dinosaur as though it was trying to subdue it, which the scavenging hypothesis doesn’t account for,” Mallon said. “Second, there are no bite marks on the bones of the dinosaur, which we would expect if it had been sitting out for long, exposed to scavengers. Lastly, the hind foot of the mammal is trapped by the folded hind leg of the dinosaur, which is unlikely to have happened if the dinosaur had already been dead when the mammal came across it,” Mallon added.

While Psittacosaurus was an early relative of the horned dinosaur lineage, it lacked facial horns and a head crest. It possessed a parrot-like beak to crop plant material.

Repenomamus, one of the dinosaur age’s largest mammals, had short and sprawling limbs, a long tail, a sinuous body, a robust skull and shearing teeth. Mallon compared its appearance to the living Chinese ferret-badger.

There was previous evidence of the dino-eating habits of Repenomamus. One Repenomamus fossil from the same area had baby Psittacosaurus bones in its stomach.

“What’s unique about our fossil is the fact that it demonstrates that Repenomamus was capable of tackling larger dinosaur prey,” Mallon said

3) IISc study reveals that picolinic acid can block viruses causing SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A: THE HINDU BUREAU

A representational photo of a strain of SARS-CoV-2 virus

The study describes the compound’s remarkable ability to disrupt the entry of enveloped viruses into the host’s cell and prevent infection A new study by researchers at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc.) and collaborators has revealed that picolinic acid, a natural compound produced by mammalian cells, can block several viruses, including those responsible for SARS-CoV-2 and influenza A. Published in Cell Reports Medicine, the study describes the compound’s remarkable ability to disrupt the entry of enveloped viruses into the host’s cell and prevent infection. Picolinic acid is known to help in the absorption of zinc and other trace elements from our gut, but, in its natural form, it stays inside the body only for a short duration, and is usually excreted out quickly. In recent years, scientists have begun noticing that it may also exhibit anti-viral activity.

A few years ago, the IISc. team began investigating endocytosis, a cellular process often co-opted by viruses and bacteria to enter our cells. The researchers stumbled upon picolinic acid, and realised that the compound could slow down viral entry into host cells. Therefore, they decided to test its anti-viral potential.

“Coincidentally, the covid pandemic emerged during the study. So, we extended our research to examine its impact on SARS-CoV-2, and found it to be even more potent in this context,” said corresponding author Shashank Tripathi, Assistant Professor in the Department of Microbiology and Cell Biology (MCB), as well as the Centre for Infectious Diseases Research (CIDR), IISc. Notably, picolinic acid displayed a preference for blocking enveloped viruses. In addition to the usual protein coat found in all viruses, these enveloped viruses also have an extra outer membrane made of lipids derived from the host. This envelope is crucial for virus entry into its target cell. Incidentally, a majority of human viruses with high prevalence and pandemic potential are enveloped viruses.

During their entry into host cells, the virus envelope and the host cell membrane fuse, creating a pore through which the virus’s genetic material enters the host cell, and starts replicating.

The researchers found that picolinic acid specifically blocks this fusion, which explains its effectiveness against a variety of enveloped viruses, including flaviviruses like the Zika virus and the Japanese encephalitis virus. The compound did not have much effect on non-enveloped viruses, like rotavirus and coxsackievirus.

When the compound was tested in SARS-CoV-2 and influenza animal models, it was found to protect the animals from infection. It was also found to reduce viral load in the lungs when given to infected animals. In addition, the researchers found that picolinic acid led to an increase in the number of immune cells in the animals.

The team hopes to develop the compound into a broad-spectrum therapeutic that can help fight a variety of viral diseases.

4) Bioluminescent bacteria coordinate signaling to colonize squid's light organ by Sam Sholtis, Pennsylvania State University:

New study sheds light on how bioluminescent bacteria coordinate cellular signaling to colonize the light organ of the Hawaiian bobtail squid in a mutually beneficial relationship

Bioluminescent bacteria and the Hawaiian bobtail squid have formed a longstanding mutually beneficial relationship. How the bacteria coordinate their behavior to colonize the squid—through cellular signaling and cues from the environment—is detailed in a new study led by Penn State researchers.

A paper describing the study is published in the journal eLife. The researchers also show that the mechanism that they describe is likely to be widespread in a broad array of bacteria and that understanding this coordination of cellular signaling will be important for understanding how bacteria colonize their hosts more generally.

"The bacteria we study, known as Vibrio fischeri, is associated with many different marine hosts, but its association with the Hawaiian bobtail squid is the best characterized," said Tim Miyashiro, associate professor of biochemistry and molecular biology in the Penn State Eberly College of Science and the leader of the research team.

The squid have a specialized light organ tucked within the underside of their mantle that is occupied by the bacteria. The bacteria's glow is believed to help camouflage the squid when viewed by potential predators from below. The bacteria, in turn, get nutrients from the squid to support their growth. The squid, however, are not born with the bacteria in their light organs. Bacteria from the environment must make their way into the light organ after the squid hatch.

"Aspects of bacterial behavior in the light organ have been characterized," said Miyashiro, "but the cellular mechanisms that allow the bacteria to colonize the squid in the first place are still poorly understood, so we set out to investigate how the bacteria initiates colonization."

Inside the light organ, bacterial behavior is coordinated through "quorum sensing." The bacteria release signaling molecules that increase in concentration as the bacterial population grows and becomes denser. When enough bacteria are present—when a quorum is reached—a signaling pathway is activated such that the bacteria will begin to produce bioluminescence and their ability to move is suppressed. Prior to colonizing the light organ, the bacteria form large aggregates of cells as well, but if the quorum sensing pathway were activated they might not be motile enough to move into the light organ.

"So, the question is 'how do the bacteria avoid the quorum sensing pathway when they form these large aggregates outside of the squid and instead initiate behavior that promotes colonization?'" said Miyashiro. "What we saw was that the aggregation pathway activates the production of a small RNA molecule that is normally repressed by quorum sensing. Therefore, when the signaling pathway that leads to aggregation is activated outside the squid, the RNA molecule is expressed, which enables the cells to bypass quorum sensing to remain motile and dark."

The small RNA—called Qrr1—is part of the quorum sensing pathway that represses the ability of the bacteria to produce bioluminescence and promotes motility until a quorum is reached. When a quorum is reached, expression of Qrr1 is subsequently shut down.

"Qrr1 has also been shown to be important for promoting colonization," said Miyashiro. "You might expect that Qrr1 would be repressed during aggregation like it is during quorum sensing, but that is not what happens. So, we performed a number of experiments aimed at characterizing the molecular control of Qrr1 expression during aggregation."

The researchers showed that Qrr1 can be activated by a transcription factor—a protein that controls when and where genes are turned on in a cell—that also controls genes involved in aggregation. The transcription factor—a protein called SypG—is similar to the one used to regulate Qrr1 by the quorum sensing pathway This similarity enables SypG to promote expression of Qrr1 in the aggregates during colonization and ensures Qrr1 is not expressed once inside the light organ to allow bioluminescence.

"This complex regulatory architecture that controls Qrr1 expression allows it to play these two important roles and helps coordinate the shift in behavior from colonization to bioluminescence," said Miyashiro. "When we look across the bacterial family that includes V. fischeri, we see very similar structures that suggest to us that this type of coordination is likely to be important for many symbiotic bacteria."

5) Early humans were weapon woodwork experts, study finds by University of Reading:

Artistic reconstruction showing the stick would have been thrown

A 300,000-year-old hunting weapon has shone a new light on early humans as woodworking masters, according to a new study.

State-of-the-art analysis of a double-pointed wooden throwing stick, found in Schöningen in Germany three decades ago, shows it was scraped, seasoned and sanded before being used to kill animals. The research indicates early humans' woodworking techniques were more developed and sophisticated than previously understood.

The findings, published today in PLOS ONE, also suggest the creation of lightweight weapons may have enabled group hunts of medium and small animals. The use of throwing sticks as hunting aids could have involved the entire community, including children.

Dr. Annemieke Milks, of the University of Reading's Department of Archaeology, led the research. She said, "Discoveries of wooden tools have revolutionized our understanding of early human behaviors. Amazingly these early humans demonstrated an ability to plan well in advance, a strong knowledge of the properties of wood, and many sophisticated woodworking skills that we still use today."

"These lightweight throwing sticks may have been easier to launch than heavier spears, indicating the potential for the whole community to take part. Such tools could have been used by children while learning to throw and hunt."

Co-author Dirk Leder said, "The Schöningen humans used a spruce branch to make this aerodynamic and ergonomic tool. The woodworking involved multiple steps including cutting and stripping off the bark, carving it into an aerodynamic shape, scraping away more of the surface, seasoning the wood to avoid cracking and warping, and sanding it for easier handling."

Schonigen double pointed wooden throwing stick

High-impact weapon

Found in 1994, the 77cm-long stick is one of several different tools discovered in Schöningen, which includes throwing spears, thrusting spears and a second similarly sized throwing stick.

The double-pointed throwing stick—analyzed to an exceptionally high level of detail for this new study—was most likely used by early humans to hunt medium-sized game like red and roe deer, and possibly fast-small prey including hare and birds that were otherwise difficult to catch.

The throwing sticks would have been thrown rotationally—similar to a boomerang—rather than overhead like a modern-day javelin and may have enabled early humans to throw as far as 30 meters. Although lightweight, the high velocities at which such weapons can be launched could have resulted in deadly high-energy impacts.

The fine surface, carefully shaped points and polish from handling suggest this was a piece of personal kit with repeated use, rather than a quickly made tool that was carelessly discarded.

Principal investigator Thomas Terberger said, "The systematic analysis of the wooden finds of the Schöningen site financed by German Research Foundation provides valuable new insights and further exciting information on these early wooden weapons can be expected soon."

The well-preserved stick is on display at the Forschungsmuseum in Schöningen.

6) Molecular biologists identify framework for understanding RNA editing in a disease-causing parasite by Jessica Colarossi, Boston University:

 Image Description : Structures of RESCs. (Left) RESC-A sequesters gRNA termini, promoting hairpin formation and blocking mRNA access. (Right) RESC-A conversion into RESC-B unfolds gRNA and allows mRNA recognition, likely exposing editing sites to RECC-embedded enzymes. Credit: Science (2023). DOI: 10.1126/science.adg4725

As molecular biologists at Boston University and as husband and wife, Ruslan Afasizhev and Inna Afasizheva have worked together for decades. Together, they have published dozens of papers on the mechanics of mitochondrial DNA and RNA in a single-celled, disease-causing parasite called Trypanosoma brucei. Now, years of breakthroughs have led to their latest paper published in Science, which provides a detailed look at a mystifying process called RNA editing and could potentially help treat a deadly disease.

In their newest paper, Afasizhev and Afasizheva—along with collaborators at UCLA, University of California, Irvine (UCI), and ShanghaiTech University—are the first to determine the architecture of the molecular machines that harbor gRNA strands and allow those strands to engage mRNA.

Identifying these cellular mechanisms could give scientists essential information for treating African sleeping sickness, the disease caused by Trypanosoma. Spread by tsetse flies that harbor the parasite, African sleeping sickness is usually fatal, and many of the available treatments have safety concerns, making molecular studies particularly important for drug development.

"Now we can start more broader research," says Afasizheva, a Boston University Henry M. Goldman School of Dental Medicine associate professor of molecular and cell biology. "Since now we know exactly how proteins interact with RNA."

"If we find a way to inhibit the editing process, we can kill the parasite without harming human cells," says Afasizhev, who is also a professor of biochemistry at the Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine and corresponding author on the paper.RNA research has evolved and advanced tremendously—and so has the technology to study the inside of cells. Today, the couple's team uses cryo-electron microscopy and molecular approaches to provide a detailed understanding of RNA editing.

Using this technology, their latest study has found that a protein complex called the editosome is responsible for orchestrating changes guided by gRNA, which happen as a cascade of insertions and deletions of uridine, a chemical component of RNA. In Trypanosoma, RNA editing serves an important purpose: fixing a broken gene. Mutations in DNA are very common in the parasite, so even though the genetic code is unreadable, the edited mRNA becomes a functional part of the cell.

RNA editing regulates many cellular processes in nearly all organisms that have cells with a nucleus and mitochondria. But, Afasizhev says, the RNA editing mechanisms in different organisms have nothing in common, meaning those mechanisms evolved for different purposes specific to different species. This is what makes the RNA editing mechanisms of Trypanosomes an attractive therapeutic target for stopping the parasite from causing disease, since it won't interfere with human cells. Now that they know the protein structures unique to RNA editing in Trypanosomes, the next phase of their research is identifying the enzymes that ignite the reactions in the cell.

The couple share a fascination for small RNA biology—the study of small RNA strands that serve specific functions in a cell

"The next question is how these reactions happen, how these enzymes come to the substrate, and how they create the magnificent work to change the RNA sequence," Afasizheva says.

She and Afasizhev hope to bring in more students to their lab who can embrace the technological advances in their field, and continue to solve this complicated puzzle, just as they have.

1) Fake Video Led To Women Being Paraded Naked, Teen Brother Was Killed:India News Edited by Deepshikha Ghosh

Internet has been suspended in Manipur since May 3. The video emerged on Thursday and quickly went viral on social media. The women paraded naked in Manipur were dragged away by a mob from police protection as ethnic violence flared up in the state early May, sources said on Thursday amid outrage and horror over a video of the incident that went viral yesterday.

The teen brother of one of the women was allegedly murdered that day by the same mob.

The trigger for the egregious act was allegedly a fake video. Violence erupted in Manipur on May 3 between the valley-majority Meitei and the hill-majority Kuki tribe in Manipur over the Meiteis' demand for Scheduled Tribes (ST) status. The clashes started soon after a tribal solidarity rally in the hill regions.

According to police sources, the two women were part of a small group that had fled for safety towards a forested area on the margins of hills-valley on May 4, when the ethnic strike escalated dramatically amid attacks and counter attacks between two communities.

A mob, acting on rumours - believed to be fake - that women from their community had been raped, allegedly raided a village and chased the group.

The group comprised two men and three women. Three belonged to a family - a 56-year-old man, his 19-year-old son and 21-year-old daughter. Two other women were with them, one 42 years old and the other aged 52.

According to the FIR, the group, on their way to the forest, found a police team from the Nongpok Sekmai police station.

Around 2 km from the police station, the group, along with the policemen, were accosted allegedly by a mob of about 800 to 1,000 men. The mob allegedly snatched the group from the custody of the police.

The 19-year-old man was allegedly killed at the spot when he tried to save his 21-year-old sister from the mob.

A police complaint filed by relatives of the women reveals that one of the women was gang-raped. Based on the complaint, the police said a zero FIR was registered on May 18. The case was transferred on May 21 to Nogpok Sekmai police station, where the incident took place.

Internet has been suspended in Manipur since May 3. The video emerged on Thursday and quickly went viral on social media, with posts expressing outrage and disgust.

A day after the video went viral, one of the men in the mob, Heradas, was arrested today, more than two months after the incident. The 32-year-old was seen in the video, in a green t-shirt, the police said.The police are trying to establish the identity of the other accused in the video through facial recognition technology. About a dozen teams are working on the case, the police said, though it is not clear why no action was taken for 77 days."The situation was difficult and the initial focus was on crisis management and relief," government sources said on the delay in

Huge Protest Rally In Manipur Over Video Of Tribal Women Being Paraded Naked:

The incident, which comes against the backdrop of ongoing ethnic clashes in the region, also drew condemnation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. A massive protest rally surged through the streets of Manipur's Churachandpur on Friday, following a disturbing video that captured the public humiliation and abuse of two tribal women amid the state's ethnic clashes. The video of the two-month-old incident, which surfaced a day ago, depicted the women being paraded naked and sexually assaulted by a mob, triggering widespread outrage and demands for justice.

Manipur Police announced on Thursday that they have detained one of the primary suspects visible in the 26-second footage, captured from Thoubal district. According to the officials, the accused is believed to be the mastermind behind the incident, they said.

Following the surfacing of the video, Chief Minister N Biren Singh assured the public that stringent measures would be taken against all culprits involved in this heinous act, including the possibility of capital punishment. Several police units were promptly formed to investigate the incident and ensure swift justice. "My heart goes out to the two women who were subjected to a deeply disrespectful and inhuman act," Mr Singh tweeted on Thursday. He affirmed that a thorough investigation was underway, and no stone would be left unturned to ensure justice for the victims.

The incident, which comes against the backdrop of ongoing ethnic clashes in the region, drew condemnation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In his first comments on the conflict, which has so far claimed at least 80 lives, PM Modi labelled the assault as "shameful" and promised stern action. The turmoil in Manipur, a state of 3.2 million residents bordering Myanmar, began in early May following a court order urging the state government to contemplate extending the economic benefits and quotas enjoyed by the tribal Kuki people to the majority Meitei population. The violence had initially subsided by mid-May, but sporadic conflicts and killings resumed soon after, leaving the state in a state of unrest. The conflict has left hundreds injured and more than 40,000 displaced from their homes.

Thousands of people gathered in Manipur's Churachandpur to protest the incident.

Imphal: A massive protest rally surged through the streets of Manipur's Churachandpur on Friday, following a disturbing video that captured the public humiliation and abuse of two tribal women amid the state's ethnic clashes. The video of the two-month-old incident, which surfaced a day ago, depicted the women being paraded naked and sexually assaulted by a mob, triggering widespread outrage and demands for justice.

Manipur Police announced on Thursday that they have detained one of the primary suspects visible in the 26-second footage, captured from Thoubal district. According to the officials, the accused is believed to be the mastermind behind the incident, they said.

Following the surfacing of the video, Chief Minister N Biren Singh assured the public that stringent measures would be taken against all culprits involved in this heinous act, including the possibility of capital punishment. Several police units were promptly formed to investigate the incident and ensure swift justice.

"My heart goes out to the two women who were subjected to a deeply disrespectful and inhuman act," Mr Singh tweeted on Thursday. He affirmed that a thorough investigation was underway, and no stone would be left unturned to ensure justice for the victims.

The incident, which comes against the backdrop of ongoing ethnic clashes in the region, drew condemnation from Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In his first comments on the conflict, which has so far claimed at least 80 lives, PM Modi labelled the assault as "shameful" and promised stern action.

The turmoil in Manipur, a state of 3.2 million residents bordering Myanmar, began in early May following a court order urging the state government to contemplate extending the economic benefits and quotas enjoyed by the tribal Kuki people to the majority Meitei population. The violence had initially subsided by mid-May, but sporadic conflicts and killings resumed soon after, leaving the state in a state of unrest. The conflict has left hundreds injured and more than 40,000 displaced from their homes.

Amid this, the surfacing of the disturbing video has led to national outrage, with the authenticity of the video yet to be verified. In a parliamentary session, PM Modi expressed his anguish over the incident, stressing the need for stronger law enforcement measures across all states. "What happened to the daughters of Manipur can never be forgiven," he stated.The Supreme Court also has expressed its profound disturbance over the incident, with Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud stating, "In a constitutional democracy it is unacceptable." The court has asked the government to apprise it of the steps taken to apprehend the perpetrators and prevent the recurrence of such incidents.

2) Manipur video: House of accused who paraded women naked set on fire. Top points By Aniruddha Dhar:

Some reports claimed that house of Huirem Herodas Meitei, main accused in the horrifying viral video of women being paraded naked in Manipur, was set ablaze. The house of one of the accused, seen in the horrifying viral video of women being paraded naked in Manipur, was on Thursday burnt down by a mob. Four people have been arrested in the incident, a video of which went viral on social media on Wednesday.

1. Some reports claimed that the house of the main accused, Huirem Herodas Meitei, was set ablaze by the mob. Videos surfaced on social media purportedly showed a group of protestors, mostly women, setting the accused's house on fire. Huirem, who was part of the mob that paraded naked two tribal women in Kangpokpi district and was seen dragging one of them, was among four persons arrested

2. Police said the first arrested person - Huirem Heradash Singh - was seen prominently directing the mob at B. Phainom village of Kangpokpi district in the 26-second video that surfaced on Wednesday.

3. The Manipur Police is conducting raids and making all-out efforts to arrest the other culprits at the earliest, state police tweeted.

4. As ethnic violence continues in Manipur, operations jurisdiction of ranges have been modified and two more DIG-rank officers have been shifted from Kohima in Nagaland and Silchar in Assam to Manipur, The Indian Express reported.

5. The Supreme Court on Thursday took suo motu cognisance of the viral video, terming it “deeply disturbing” and the “grossest violation of constitutional rights”. It sought explanations from the Union and the state governments and directed them to ensure that such incidents do not recur, threatening to “step in” if action isn’t taken.

6. Details of a first information report (FIR) filed on May 18 by Manipur Police in the case involving women being stripped and paraded — detail the callous nature of the crime, while the inertia of the local police in acting, and the fact that they swooped in and arrested four of the perpetrators on Thursday after the videos went viral, highlight the complete collapse of the state’s law and order and administrative infrastructure.

7. NDTV, citing sources, reported that chief minister N Biren Singh won't resign amid pressure from the Opposition. Many Opposition parties, including the Congress, have demanded Singh's removal as chief minister, alleging massive failure in governance.

8. Day 2 of the 23-day monsoon session on Friday could likely witness similar scenes over the prevailing state of affairs in the northeast state. With the Opposition members in both Houses adamant on a discussion on Manipur on the opening day of the monsoon session on Thursday, the Lok Sabha was adjourned for the day while the Rajya Sabha was adjourned twice.

Outrage in India over video of Manipur women paraded naked, raped

Incident happened on May 4, a day after deadly riots broke out between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo tribes in the remote Indian state. A viral video from the Indian state of Manipur, showing dozens of men parading and assaulting two women who have been stripped naked, has triggered outrage in the country.

The 26-second video shows the group of men – some appearing to be as young as 15 – groping and sexually attacking the women belonging to the ethnic Kuki-Zo tribe, and escorting them towards an empty field At least one of the women, aged 21, was gang raped, according to the first information report (FIR) filed by the survivors. The police complaint says the other woman was 42.

The incident happened on May 4, a day after deadly ethnic riots broke out between the mainly Hindu Meitei and predominantly Christian Kuki-Zo tribes in the remote state in India’s northeast, governed by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

The Meiteis, who constitute more than half of Manipur’s 3.5 million population, mainly live in capital Imphal and the prosperous valley around it, while the Kuki-Zo and Naga tribes live in the surrounding hill districts.

At least 130 people – most of them Kuki-Zo – have been killed and more than 50,000 displaced since clashes between the two communities broke out over a proposal to extend reservation in government jobs and education to the Meiteis. Breaking his two-month silence on the Manipur violence, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the incident had filled his heart with grief and anger.

“Any civil society should be ashamed by it,” he said ahead of a parliament session where the opposition members demanded a statement from Modi on Manipur.Also on Thursday, India’s Supreme Court said it was deeply disturbed by the viral video and asked the state and federal governments to inform the top court of the steps taken to catch the perpetrators.“In a constitutional democracy, it is unacceptable,” Chief Justice of India DY Chandrachud said. On Thursday, police arrested a 32-year-old Meitei man, identified as Khuirem Herodas, as one of the suspects behind the assault on the two women.

“A thorough investigation is currently underway and we will ensure strict action is taken against all the perpetrators, including considering the possibility of capital punishment,” the state’s chief minister N Biren Singh, who is a Meitei, tweeted after the arrest.

Survivor’s family says police were with mob

But Kuki-Zo families in Manipur say these words and actions are too late and accused the authorities – both in the state and at the centre – of indifference towards their plight.

The families of the two survivors told Al Jazeera they filed a complaint over the May 4 incident with the police on May 18. But it took them more than a month to transfer the case to the police station under whose jurisdiction the crime happened.

Even after that, no action was taken, said the residents. They said the authorities acted only after the video went viral on Wednesday.

Speaking to Newsperson, the family of the sexual assault survivors said police officers were with a Meitei mob when it attacked their B Phainom village in Kangpokpi district, about 40km (25 miles) from the state capital, Imphal.“My husband was killed by the mob. We pleaded with the police to rescue us,” said the mother of the 21-year-old survivor.

She said the police initially escorted her along with her daughter and 19-year-old son, but on seeing the mob, dropped them back to where the body of her husband lay on the ground.

It was there that her 21-year-old daughter was surrounded by the mob and sexually assaulted. When her brother tried to stop them, he was also killed, said their mother.

The family and other residents of the village eventually managed to escape to the Kuki-Zo-dominated district of Churachandpur, 86km (53 miles) from B Phainom.

“How can the police say they aren’t aware of what happened when they were present while we were assaulted? The bodies of my father and brother were taken by them to the government morgue in Imphal,” the survivor told Newsperson. “We don’t trust the chief minister. But I want justice for my daughter. For my dead husband and son,” said her mother.

Rekha Sharma, the National Commission for Women (NCW) chairperson, said she reached out to the Manipur authorities thrice over the the last months regarding incidents of violence against women. However, she did not receive any response from them.

Centre May Act Against Twitter Over Video Of Manipur Women Paraded Naked:

The government is likely to act against Twitter over the circulation of videos that "could lead to problems in law and order", sources said.The government is likely to take action against Twitter over the horrific Manipur video of two women being paraded naked by a group of men, which went viral on Wednesday, triggering waves of outrage and condemnation.

The Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology has reportedly also warned social media platforms on compliance with new IT rules that reiterate freedom of expression with “reasonable restrictions”.The circulation of videos that “could lead to problems in law and order” are not permitted under law, the government has warned.An order initiating action against Twitter for non-compliance was issued last night, sources said, adding that the IT ministry is working across platforms to ensure the video isn't circulated further.

The egregious video shows two women paraded naked and molested by a mob. The women were dragged to a field and allegedly gang-raped later.

The incident took place on May 4, a day after clashes broke out between the valley-majority Meitei and the hill-majority Kuki tribe in Manipur over the Meiteis' demand for Scheduled Tribes (ST) status.

Over 120 have died in the ethnic violence and thousands have been internally displaced and are now living in relief camps.

One of the men seen in the video was arrested after the clip went viral yesterday on social media."We have identified the men and will arrest them soon," a senior police officer had said on Wednesday. The two gang-rape survivors came to the police some 15 days after the horrific assault. "They went to Kangpokpi, though the crime did not take place there. But we have got leads. We will catch the men in a day or two," the officer said.

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh said he has ordered the police to investigate this case in priority.Opposition parties have targeted the BJP, which rules the state, and raised the incident in parliament as the monsoon session began today.

There were multiple adjournments as the opposition demanded a statement from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

In his remarks before the session, PM Modi said his heart was filled with anguish and anger over the horrific video.

“I want to assure the nation, no guilty will be spared. Action will be taken according to the law. What happened to the daughters of Manipur can never be forgiven,” PM Modi said.

3) Narendra Modi Talked About the Manipur Violence. But Did He Really?

Narendra Modi during his address on Manipur today. In the background are posters that had come up in Manipur, criticising Modi's silence

Five glaring issues the prime minister conveniently chose not to address.

 For more than 70 days now, people from Manipur and those outside have been urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi to break his silence on the ethnic conflict in the state, which has claimed about 150 lives and left tens of thousands displaced and cut off from their livelihoods. When Modi finally spoke on the issue on Thursday morning, though, his remarks are unlikely to have soothed those who were demanding his intervention.

Outside the parliament building on Thursday, Modi referred specifically to the harrowing video that went viral on social media the day before – showing two Kuki women being paraded naked in Kangpokpi on May 4. The FIR on the incident states that one of them was gang-raped. The prime minister claimed that he was distressed and angered by what he had learnt, and that “all states” must do whatever they can to protect “our mothers and sisters”. He made a deliberate attempt not to single out Manipur – where his party is in power – and also named Congress-ruled Chhattisgarh and Rajasthan as states where the governments must take action against perpetrators of violence against women. Unsurprisingly, he did not mention other BJP states that have seen violent incidents against women and girls. After these incidents, BJP lawmakers have often chosen to side with the accused – the Kathua rape case and Bilkis Bano gang rape case are good examples of this. Given that he took 79 days to respond to the violence taking place, it may have been assumed that the prime minister would have a lot to say on the immense devastation witnessed. However, he chose a more confusing route – picking on this one incident and seemingly forgetting the context it had occurred in. So below, we list out a few more things the prime minister could consider addressing in his next remarks.

1. The violence itself

Since May 3, there has been a continuous stream of violence in the state. Tensions escalated after the majority Meitei community’s demand for ST status was granted legitimacy by the Manipur high court. Hill tribes in Manipur thought this would infringe upon their rights and carried out a protest.

Ever since then, targeted violence, looting of weapons, action by vigilante groups including those of women and deaths and injuries in the state have made daily news. If one only had the prime minister’s speech to go by, however, none of this would appear to have happened. He referred to the incident in question as if it occurred in a vacuum.

Since it did not refer to the large-scale violence, Modi’s speech also made no appeal for peace – the one thing all parties have been demanding of him from the start. Modi also did not once address the people of Manipur – the worst affected – directly in his address.

2. Anger against the state government

The BJP government headed by chief minister N. Biren Singh has come under intense criticism for its handling of the situation. Early into the violence, Singh claimed there was no ethnic angle at play – and blamed “terrorists” and “infiltrators” for what was going on. Later, he referred to those criticising him on Twitter as “Kukis” and “from Myanmar”.

Kuki groups have reiterated multiple times that they have no faith in Singh, a Meitei, who they believe is allowing armed Meitei groups to target and kill them. Meitei groups too have accused him of not doing enough to safeguard lives and properties. There have been multiple and continuous calls for his resignation, given his government’s failure to bring about normalcy or win the people’s confidence, but Singh continues in his post. Even though BJP-allied parties too have questioned this, Modi had nothing to say about how his party and its leaders have been unable to control a volatile situation – and have even been accused of making it worse for political gain.

3. The information blackout

The shocking incident Modi talked about – of two Kuki women being paraded naked and one of them being gang raped – took place on May 4. It made it to all national headlines and caught political attention only on July 19. Reports say that the Union government is planning to take action against Twitter for platforming this video – even though it is only because the video caught public attention that action is being taken and Modi himself had to comment on it.

The state government has ordered a complete internet shutdown in the state since May 3, claiming that this will help restore peace and stop the spread of rumours. However, many have argued that this shutdown has in fact played the opposite role – ensuring that factual, important information and details on the scale of the violence remain unavailable to the public. In addition, journalists and others trying to reveal reliable information have been working under difficult and antagonistic conditions. Members of a fact-finding commission who said “state-sponsored violence” was at play are now facing a police case.

The Modi government has turned India into the internet shutdown capital of the world since 2015. This was mentioned at a G20 meeting last week as well. Information is seen to be stifled rather than responded to and accountability established. This was clear during the farmers’ protest too. Journalists have been routinely imprisoned for reporting facts, Kashmir is only the worst of the states. Had this video not come out, would there have been any response at all?

4. Not the only instance of rape

Even if Modi was willing to speak out only about sexual violence in Manipur and nothing else, he has ignored reports that there have been multiple such cases filed. According to The Print, at least six cases of rape of Kuki women have been found, including one of an 18 year old. In some of these cases, FIRs have been filed.

5. The plan ahead

Soon after Modi returned from his recent trip to the US and Egypt, he convened a high-level meeting on the situation on Manipur. The meeting was attending by senior cabinet ministers Amit Shah, Nirmala Sitharaman and Hardeep Singh Puri. After that, though, there have been no announcements on the roadmap ahead or what the plan is.

The one mechanism the Union government had set up – a peace committee established during Shah’s visit to Manipur – has failed, with both Kuki and Meitei groups saying they will not participate. Modi made no clarifications on what else, if anything, the Union government has planned to address the situation.

4) Opposition meeting: 26 Indian parties form alliance to take on PM Modi:

The leaders of 26 Indian opposition parties have formed an alliance to take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's party in the general election due next year.

The opposition's coalition will be called INDIA, an acronym for Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance.

The group will hold its next meeting - the third one - in Mumbai city.

Top opposition leaders including the Congress's Sonia Gandhi participated in the meeting on Tuesday. The leaders discussed issues such as seat-sharing - how many seats each party would contest - and a common programme for the election in the two-day meeting which was held in Bengaluru city (formerly Bangalore) in the southern state of Karnataka.

"We are setting aside our political differences to save democracy," Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge said in a press conference after the meeting.

But taking on Mr Modi's Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) - which won more than 300 seats in the 543-member Lok Sabha (the lower house of India's parliament) in 2019 - will be a formidable challenge even for a mostly united opposition.

Even though it has a mixed record in recent state elections, the BJP still governs around 15 states (India has 28 states and eight federally administrated territories) either by itself or as part of a coalition. It is India's richest political party with a declared income of 19.17bn rupees ($233.67m; £178.4m) in 2021-22. And its biggest strength in a national election is the popularity of Mr Modi, who has been able to sway even voters who may have chosen a different party in state polls.

Meanwhile, opposition parties are grappling with their own challenges.Congress party leader Rahul Gandhi was disqualified as an MP in March after he was convicted and sentenced to jail in a defamation case related to comments made about Mr Modi's surname at an election rally in 2019. Unless his legal appeal is successful, he cannot contest next year's election.

Many of the opposition parties are also at loggerheads with each other in states such as West Bengal and Delhi due to differing political ideologies.Some, like the Nationalist Congress Party, are battling internal defections, while others are trying to deal with a lack of unity among senior state leaders.However, observers say that a strong anti-BJP sentiment is uniting the opposition, pushing them to look past their differences.

West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee said at the press conference that the meeting was "constructive" and "fruitful"."BJP, can you challenge INDIA?" she asked.

Some reports have said that Sonia Gandhi will be named the president of the opposition's alliance but there was no official confirmation.Meanwhile, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance was also set to hold a meeting of 38 allies on Tuesday in the capital Delhi.On Monday, BJP president JP Nadda had criticised the opposition meeting, saying its foundation was based on "the politics of selfishness".

Opposition alliance likely to be called INDIA - Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance:

Opposition parties in India are considering the name "Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance" for their alliance.

Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance, or INDIA, is being considered as a possible name for the alliance of opposition parties which have gathered in Bengaluru for the two-day brainstorming session. The official Twitter handle of Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), in a now-deleted tweet, said the alliance of opposition parties is a reflection of India, and expanded the letters to “Indian National Democratic Inclusive Alliance”, indicating the proposed name of the alliance. Former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad Yadav's party said the BJP will now feel pain in uttering the alliance's name.

Indicating that such a name is being considered, Congress Lok Sabha MP Manickam Tagore said on Twitter, "INDIA will win."

TMC MP Derek O'Brien tweeted “Chak De! INDIA” even as the meeting was underway.

The current Congress-led alliance is called United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

The meeting of the opposition parties to strategize for the next year's general elections is currently underway in Bengaluru. The agenda of the gathering is to give the grouping of 26 parties a name, structure and common agenda to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. TMC supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said the meeting will be a constructive one.

"Its outcome will be good for the country," she was seen saying in a video released by the Congress.

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal said the Opposition parties have joined hands to counter the spread of hatred in the country. "In the last 9 years, PM Modi could have done a lot of things but he destroyed all the sectors. We have gathered here not for ourselves but to save the country from hatred," he said.

“I am happy that 26 parties are present in Bengaluru to work unitedly. Together, we are in government in 11 states today. The BJP did not get 303 seats by itself. It used the votes of its allies and came to power and then discarded them. The BJP President and their leaders are running from state to state to patch up with their old allies. They are scared that the unity they see here will result in their defeat next year,” Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge told the opposition leaders.

The parties that attended the Opposition meeting included Congress, RJD, JD(U), AAP, Shiv Sena (UBT), CPI, CPI(M), CPI(ML), NCP (Sharad Pawar), SP, DMK, NC, PDP, JMM and IUML, among others.

NDA gathers 38 parties for big splash on Tuesday, Nadda terms opposition gathering as “selfish and hollow”:

The BJP-led National Democratic Alliance held a mega meeting in Delhi on Tuesday (July 18), in a major show of strength in the run-up to the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The meeting of the BJP-led coalition is scheduled to be held on a day several Opposition parties are set to hold deliberations in Bengaluru The NDA’s big get together on July 18 in New Delhi, on the same day as an opposition meet in Bengaluru, will have the participation of 38 political parties, an event, BJP president J P Nadda said that was underpinned with nationalist ideology, in contrast to the opposition, which he termed as “hollow, based on selfishness, with neither leader nor good intentions.”

Addressing a presser at the BJP’s headquarters in New Delhi, Mr Nadda said, that the NDA “will resolve that the country will again elect its government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership. The country has decided that.” The aim of consolidation, in the face of the Opposition’s moves to do the same very clearly stated.

Taking a swipe at the Opposition alliance, Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed as meeting of 38 parties on Tuesday, and said that “although India has a long tradition of coalitions, those formed with negativity have never succeeded”. He added that a coalition based on the “compulsion of power”, “corruption” and “dynastic politics”, is harmful to the country.

“No party is big or small in NDA, BJP got majority in 2014 and 2019 but NDA formed government,” he said. Modi called the alliance a legacy of Atal Bihari Vajpayee and L K Advani and thanked leaders like Parkash Singh Badal, Balasaheb Thackeray, Ajit Singh and Sharad Yadav for contributing to shaping NDA. Leaders from 38 parties including Ekanth Shinde, K Palaniswami, Ramdas Athavale, and Chirag Paswan were in Delhi to attend the meeting.

The NDA gathering saw the following names at their meeting: AIADMK, Shiv Sena (Shinde), NPP (National People’s Party, Meghalaya), NDPP (Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party, Nagaland), SKM (Sikkim Krantikari Morcha), JJP (Jannayak Janata Party), AJSU (All Jharkhand Students’ Union), RPI (Republican Party of India), MNF (Mizo National Front), Tamil Maanila Congress, Indiya Makkal Kalvi Munnetra Kazhagam (IMKMK) from Tamil Nadu, IPFT (Indigenous People’s Front of Tripura), BPP (Bodo People’s Party), PMK (Pattali Makkal Katchi), MGP (Maharashtrawadi Gomantak Party), Apna Dal, AGP (Asom Gana Parishad), Rashtriya Lok Jan Shakti Party, Nishad Party, UPPL (United People’s Party Liberal, Assam), AIRNC (All India NR Congress, Puducherry), Shiromani Akali Dal (Sanyukt, Dhadial), among others.

 

5) SC issues notice on Rahul Gandhi’s appeal against no stay on conviction :By Utkarsh Anand

The Supreme Court expressed surprise over the Gujarat high court’s lengthy judgment rejecting Rahul Gandhi’s plea for a stay on the conviction and a two-year jail term in a criminal defamation case The Supreme Court on Friday issued a notice on an appeal filed by Congress leader Rahul Gandhi against a Gujarat high court order that refused to put on hold his conviction and a two-year jail term in a criminal defamation case, fixing August 4 to hear his plea for staying the guilty verdict.

“The whole point right now is whether the conviction has to be stayed or not,” remarked a bench of justices BR Gavai and PK Mishra as it sought responses from Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Purnesh Modi, who is the complainant in the case, and the Gujarat government.

During the brief hearing, the court expressed surprise over the high court’s lengthy judgment on the point of staying the conviction. “We don’t understand a lengthy reply in a matter like this. The Gujarat high court penned down over 100-page judgment. It’s peculiar of the high court to write such a lengthy judgment,” observed the bench.

Senior counsel Abhishek Manu Singhvi appeared for Gandhi. Senior advocate Mahesh Jethmalani appeared for the complainant.At the outset of the hearing, justice Gavai pointed out that his father was associated with Congress for over 40 years though he was not a party member. “He was closely associated with Congress. He became an MP and also a governor with the help of Congress. My brother is still in politics and associated with Congress. I am disclosing this at the very beginning so as to ask you if you would still want me to hear this case,” the judge told Singhvi and Jethmalani.

Both the lawyers were quick to respond that they have no issue at all with justice Gavai hearing the matter.

“We already know what my lords have said in the open court just now. We would never have problems. It is perhaps because of the times that we live in that my lords had to say it,” Singhvi said.Responding, justice Gavai said: “I felt it was my duty to point it out. You both already know about this. Incidentally, my father was a good friend to your [Singhvi’s] father and his [Jethmalani’s] father as well I even assisted Mr Jethmalani’s father in an election matter.”

Justice Gavai added that he even wrote in a judgment that although his family had a family background, it never affected him as a judge.

During the hearing, Singhvi made out a case for an early hearing, pointing out Gandhi has suffered 111 days as MP and missed two parliamentary sessions, including the ongoing Monsoon Session. Accepting his request, the bench agreed to hear the case on August 4.

The appeal was filed by Gandhi on July 15, exactly a week after the high court dealt a blow to his endeavour to revive his Lok Sabha membership, ruling that the Congress leader “breached modesty” and that his offence involved “moral turpitude”.In his appeal, Gandhi urged the top court to immediately stay his conviction to enable him to regain his MP status, arguing the conviction order would lead to throttling of free speech, free expression, free thought, and free statement.

“It would contribute to the systematic, repetitive emasculation of democratic institutions and the consequent strangulation of democracy which would be gravely detrimental to the political climate and future of India,” he said.

Gandhi’s petition complained that a political speech in the course of democratic political activity, critical of economic offenders, and also of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has been held to be an act of moral turpitude inviting the harshest punishment.

“Such a finding is gravely detrimental to democratic free speech in the midst of a political campaign. It is respectfully submitted that the same will set a disastrous precedent wiping out any form of political dialogue or debate which is remotely critical in any manner,” it said.The complainant in the case, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Purnesh Modi, filed his caveat in the top court to ensure no orders are passed on Gandhi’s appeal without hearing his side.

On March 23, a Gujarat magisterial court convicted Gandhi for his remarks on the Modi surname after Purnesh Modi filed a criminal complaint. The Congress leader was sentenced to two-year imprisonment, which disqualified him as an MP from Kerala’s Wayanad under the Representation of People Act on March 24, following a notification from the Lok Sabha Secretariat.

Gandhi approached the sessions court, which rejected his plea for a stay on his conviction on April 20, compelling him to approach the high court. The April 20 order cited Gandhi’s stature as an MP and former chief of the country’s second-largest political party and said he should have been more careful in his comments. On July 7, the high court affirmed this order, rejecting Gandhi’s revision application seeking a stay on his conviction.

“The present conviction is a serious matter affecting a large segment of society and needs to be viewed by this court with the gravity and significance it commands... It is now the need of the hour to have purity in politics. Representatives of people should be men of a clear antecedent,” said justice Hemant P Prachchhak in his judgment.

The high court judgment meant that Gandhi’s disqualification from the Lok Sabha will continue. While Gandhi cannot be arrested since his jail term remains suspended for now, only a stay on his conviction by the Supreme Court or a favourable judgment in his appeal by a sessions court can enable him to contest next year’s Lok Sabha elections.The conviction and two-year jail term renders Gandhi unfit to enter either House of Parliament for eight years. But this can be reversed if he can get the conviction overturned or suspended by a higher court.

Gandhi’s legal team has to now get at least a stay on the conviction in the next 10 months to allow the former Congress chief to contest the 2024 polls. In his appeal to the top court, Gandhi contended that the entire approach of the judgments by the high court and the courts below has been to mischaracterise his one-line statement as hugely serious.

“This has resulted in the inexorable exclusion of the petitioner from all political elective office for a long period of 8 years. That too in the world’s largest democracy where the Petitioner has been a former President of the oldest political movement in the country and is also continuously in the vanguard of opposition political activity,” the appeal added.If political satire were to be held to be a base motive, Gandhi said, any political speech which is colourfully critical of the government, or any other political party or involves a turn of phrase in the course of a vigorous political speech would become an act of moral turpitude. This would completely corrode the foundations of democracy.

“To equate a political speech criticising the government or a section of society, even if defamatory, to the aforesaid, sets a completely incongruous standard unknown to jurisprudence which deals with moral turpitude,” the plea said.

 6) TMC supporters throng Kolkata for 21 July rally in Mamata Banerjee's display of support after INDIA:

In preparation for the ruling party's ‘Martyrs’ Day' rally on July 21, large numbers of Trinamool Congress (TMC) workers from villages and towns all over the state of West Bengal are converging on Kolkata. Many enthusiastic party members, encouraged by a recent triumph in rural polls, have already arrived and are accommodated in camps located in Salt Lake and other areas."The July 21 Martyrs' Day Rally holds a special place in our hearts. We have been dedicating this day to our martyrs and party workers," PTI quoted West Bengal Chief Minister and TMC supremo Mamata Banerjee as saying in a video message.

The rally is taking place despite several party leaders being incarcerated in corruption-related cases. These cases are currently under investigation by both the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). Meanwhile, the rally will be seen as a display of the TMC's widespread support and influence.Kolkata streets, lanes, and bylanes are adorned with posters and banners featuring images of the party's leader, Mamata Banerjee, inviting people to join the rally at the five-point Esplanade crossing.

The 21 July rally, a long-standing tradition of the party, is held annually in remembrance of 13 Congress supporters who lost their lives during a police firing incident in 1993.The event occurred during a march to the state secretariat, Writers Buildings, while the Left Front, led by the CPI(M), was in power in the state. It is anticipated that hundreds of thousands of people will attend this significant event.

Mamata Banerjee was the state Youth Congress chief at that time, and she continued to hold the rally on the day every year even after forming the Trinamool Congress on January 1, 1998.

Mamta Banerjee  criticized BJP and lashed out BJP in every Issue ,She also prepare the ground of coming Loksabha Election on 2024 as a team-member of opposition alliance named I.N.D.I.A:

Mamata Banerjee addressing the gathering at the Marty’s Day rally

On friday 21 July 2023 TMC supremo and Bengal chief Minister Honourable Mamta Banerje lashed out BJP on the issue of Manipur Violance . She also mentioned that BJP categorically destroy democracy in India and release ED and CBI against the opposition who are condemned their act. In the BJP regime the common people in India suffered most by the effect of 1) Price hike 2) Unemployment 3) Deteriorating  Peace and religious harmony throughout India 4) Economic slowdown . She specially mentioned the inability to restore peace in Manipur by the BJP government (BJP rule both in State (Manipur) and Cetral). She very much pleased that all opposition parties of India made a oath to confront against BJP unitedly as I.N.D.I.A (Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance) on 2024 Loksabha Election. She  hailed for TMC, Manipur and also for I.N.D.I.A  at the end of her speech.

Main Points Of today Speech:

Mamata observes a minute's silence on the atrocities that have taken place in Manipur

Mamata: We are planning to send a team of chief ministers to Manipur on behalf of INDIA... I have spoken to Arvind Kejriwal... We will settle this matter with other leaders soon

Mamata: Modiji, what haven't you done to insult Bengal... You can insult as much as you want, doesn't affect me, but don't arrange private tea parties and insult our leaders

Mamata: I am sorry for the violence which took place... The death toll was much higher during CPM era... 29 people died in rural polls, 18 among them were TMC workers...Who killed them? Did Trinamul kill Trinamul? We will compensate all victims irrespective of party colour... We don't differentiate

Mamata: I will ask our workers to conduct the August 5 gherao programme 100 metres away of the BJP leaders' homes... We should hold this programme at block levels and not at booth levels

Mamata: I am pleased to be able to form an inclusive alliance called INDIA... Henceforth all fights against the BJP will be fought under the banner of India... Bharat jitega, that's our slogan... BJP has crossed all levels of tolerance

Mamata: If we don't get our pending money from Delhi, then we will march to Delhi on Gandhi's birth anniversary on October 2

Mamata: What happened to BJP's slogan of Beti Bachao slogan? Today women are raped and burnt, their dignity snatched and, like in cases of Bilkis Bano, their justice denied

Mamata: We express our solidarity to the people of Manipur... We want to tell the people of Manipur that India stands by you

Mamata Banerjee: I congratulate you for your tremendous performance in three tiers of panchayat... I urge you to peacefully form your respective boards after authorities give you permission

Mamata Banerjee starts her speech amid loud cheer

Abhishek Banerjee: But before that we show them a trailer. On 5 August, Saturday, TMC will gherao houses of BJP leaders of all ranks across the state from 10 am to 6 pm. This gherao will be in a peaceful manner without resorting to any violence. We won't allow movement of state BJP leaders in or out of their homes.

Abhishek Banerjee addresses rally.

Abhishek Banerjee: I thank the people of this state for reposing their faith in Trinamul Congress...I was wrong. I thought we would have a difference of 10 per cent over our nearest rival. The difference has turned out to be 30 per cent. The more you come after us, the stronger we get.

Abhishek: We had promised during Naba Jowar Campaign that we would take this fight to Delhi against BJP's deprivation of 1.15 lakh crore... I seek your consent once again, will you go to Delhi, it would be our responsibility to arrange your transport

Abhishek: Today we give a call for Dilli Chalo in the days ahead to take our fight outside Krishi Bhavan in Delhi to snatch our demand for pending NREGA money

Abhishek Banerjee starts speaking

Mamata Banerjee reaches venue, supporters give a standing ovation to the chief minister

Saayoni Ghosh takes podium amid huge applause from the gathering

Firhad Hakim addressing the gathering. "CPM is extinct, but our fight continues... The fight today is to save the country... It's a call given by Mamata and Abhishek Banerjee from Bangalore"

Abhishek Banerjee reaches venue, welcomed with thunderous applause

Minister Shobhan Deb Chattopadhyay addressing the rally now

Mamata Banerjee yet to reach; almost all MPs and MLAs of the party already on stage

Artist Suvaprasanna, who sounded a bit out of tune over poll violence and other issues in the recent past, also seen on stage Anit Thapa, leader of Bharatiya Gorkha Prajatantrik Morcha and a TMC ally in Darjeeling hills, also on stage and also among list of speakers today

 

Drunk man arrested for breaching Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's security

Drunk man arrested for breaching Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee's security; firearms recovered from his car, ANI reports

The Kolkata Police on Friday arrested a person while he was attempting to enter a lane near West Bengal chief minister Mamata Banerjee's residence. The police recovered a firearm, a knife along with contraband substances in the man's possession.

7) Delhi court grants bail to ex-WFI chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh in sexual harassment case:

The court has imposed conditions saying Brij Bhushan will not leave country without prior permission of court. Delhi's Rouse Avenue Court on Thursday granted bail to former Wrestling Federation of India (WFI) chief Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh and former WFI assistant secretary Vinod Tomar on a personal bond of Rs. 25000 each in the alleged sexual harassment case and molestation case filed by six woman wrestlers.

The court imposed two bail conditions on the duo stating that they were not allowed to leave the country without prior permission of the court and that they will not influence witness or tamper with the evidence. The court has now listed the matter on July 28 for further hearing.

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Harjeet Singh Jaspal said on Thursday, “I am granting bail on a bond of ₹25,000 each with certain conditions.”

During the hearing, public prosecutor representing the Delhi police said that the court should impose strong conditions in case relief was granted to Brij Bhushan and Tomar. When asked if he was opposing the bail, he said, “I am neither opposing nor supporting. Application should be dealt as per law and the order passed by the court.”The complainants' lawyer opposed the bail saying the accused was very influential. He said, “Bail should not be granted. If at all it is granted, strict conditions must be imposed. Witnesses have been approached from time to time, no threat though.”

66-year-old Brij Bhushan is a six-time MP from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and ruled the wrestling body for 12 years. A total of 21 witnesses have given their statements against Singh - out of which six have given their statements under CRPC 164.

This comes after the court granted two days’ interim bail to the duo on Tuesday. After the court granted the interim bail, Jaspal said, “In view of the directions of the Hon’ble Supreme Court, the accused persons are admitted to interim bail till the next date of hearing upon furnishing bail bonds in sum of ₹25,000/- each with one surety in like amount.” Advocate Rajeev Mohan along with advocate Rehan Khan, appearing for Singh and Tomar, filed the applications seeking bail on the ground that the charge sheet was filed without arrest and they had been cooperating with the investigation.

Delhi Police filed chargesheet on June 15

On June 15, the Delhi Police had filed a chargesheet against Singh and Tomar on a complaint lodged by women wrestlers under sections 354 (assault or criminal force to woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Prior to this, two FIRs were registered against the BJP MP - one under the Protection Of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act filed in the case of a minor wrestler- who later changed her statements, and the second one on the complaint of several wrestlers.

1) Alcaraz Wins Wimbledon in a Thrilling Comeback Against Djokovic:

Carlos Alcaraz won his first Wimbledon title and left Novak Djokovic, the overwhelming favorite, with his first finals loss at the All England Club in a decade. After years of false starts, men’s tennis finally has a proper war between the generations.

In a startling comeback that rocked the All England Club’s venerable Centre Court, Carlos Alcaraz, the 20-year-old Spanish star who has blitzed the sport in his brief career, pulled off the nearly impossible, beating Novak Djokovic in a Wimbledon final on the grass that the man widely recognized as the greatest ever to play the sport has long treated as his back lawn. Besides chasing the Grand Slam, Djokovic was aiming to extinguish the dreams of another heralded upstart challenging his hold on the game, which, so far, has amounted to 23 Grand Slam tournament titles. Alcaraz is the standard-bearer of the next group of players who are supposed to move the sport beyond the era of the Big Three, an era that includes Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal and that Djokovic has ruled longer than many expected.

Alcaraz won the U.S. Open last year in thrilling, acrobatic fashion, serving notice that men’s tennis was going to be shaken up by an unusual talent. This year, he withdrew from the Australian Open to nurse an injury and was defeated by Djokovic in the semifinals at the French Open. But the buzz around him and his future never diminished.

“It’s great for the new generation,” Alcaraz said, “to see me beating him and making them think that they are capable to do it.” Down after the first set and struggling simply to avoid embarrassment, Alcaraz rediscovered his unique combination of speed, power and touch and figured out the subtleties of grass-court tennis in the nick of time.

He clawed his way back into the match in an epic, 85-minute second set in which he was a point away from what figured to be an insurmountable two-set deficit.

He seized control of the match midway through the third set, then teetered in the fourth set as Djokovic, Wimbledon’s four-time defending champion and seven-time winner, rediscovered the footwork that has long served as the foundation of his success.

Djokovic is as dangerous a player as there has ever been when facing defeat, but Alcaraz rose once more to claim victory, 1-6, 7-6 (6), 6-1, 3-6, 6-4, not only overcoming Djokovic’s endless skills and talents but breaking his spirit, too. When the momentum swung one last time, as Alcaraz cranked a backhand down the line to break Djokovic’s serve early in the fifth set, the Serb with the steely mind smashed his racket on the net post. A few points earlier, he had frittered away his chance to seize control, swinging at a floating forehand in the middle of the court and sending it into the net. Now, just a few minutes later, the thing that has so rarely happened to him in recent years — a loss to a relative newcomer on a grand stage, especially this grand stage — was happening. It seemed so close, but in the final game, Alcaraz showcased why everyone has been making such a fuss about him for so long. He finished Djokovic with his sexiest weapons — the silky drop shot, the artful topspin lob, a blasting serve and one last ripping forehand that Djokovic reached for but could not lift over the net.

Alcaraz dropped to the ground and rolled on the grass, his hands over his face in disbelief. He hugged Djokovic at the net, shook hands with the umpire, picked up a loose ball from the grass and punted it into the crowd before heading into the stands to hug his parents and his coach, Juan Carlos Ferrero.

“Beating Novak at his best, in this stage, making history, being the guy to beat him after 10 years unbeaten on that court, is amazing for me,” Alcaraz said.After taking the champion’s trophy from Catherine, Princess of Wales, on a day that brought out A-list celebrities like the actors Brad Pitt, Daniel Craig, Emma Watson and Hugh Jackman and the singer Ariana Grande, he got to joke with King Felipe VI of Spain, who also watched the young Spanish player’s triumph.

“Now that I won I hope you are coming to more of my matches,” Alcaraz said to the king.

One of Alcaraz’s many mentors, Nadal, the great Spanish player who had dethroned another Wimbledon icon, Federer, in 2008, wrote on social media that Alcaraz had brought “immense joy” to Spanish tennis.

“A very strong hug, and enjoy the moment Champion!!!” wrote Nadal, who missed the tournament because of recent hip and abdominal surgery.

The loss created a rare moment for Djokovic, who acknowledged that on this day at least he had lost to a better player.

2) Marketa Vondrousova is Wimbledon’s first unseeded female champion after beating Ons Jabeur:

 Marketa Vondrousova came to the All England Club a year ago unable to play tennis at all. She had a cast on her surgically repaired left wrist, so her visit was limited to sightseeing around London with her sister and cheering for a friend who was competing at Wimbledon.

This trip was a lot more memorable: She is leaving as a Grand Slam champion.

Vondrousova became the first unseeded woman to win Wimbledon on Saturday, coming back in each set for a 6-4, 6-4 victory over 2022 runner-up Ons Jabeur in the final.

“When I was coming back, I didn’t know what’s going to happen, if I can play at that level again,” said Vondrousova, a 24-year-old left-hander from the Czech Republic who was the runner-up at the 2019 French Open on clay as a teenager and a silver medalist at the Tokyo Olympics on hard courts two years ago. “On grass, I didn’t play well before. I think it was the most impossible Grand Slam for me to win, so I didn’t even think of it. When we came, I was just like, ‘Try to win a couple of matches.’ Now this happened. It’s crazy.”

After being sidelined from April to October, she finished last season ranked just 99th. She was 42nd when she arrived at Wimbledon and was the first unseeded woman to even reach the final at the All England Club in 60 years — the last, 1963 runner-up Billie Jean King, was seated in the front row of the Royal Box on Saturday alongside Kate, the Princess of Wales.

Following the match, King greeted Vondrousova with a hug and told her: “First unseeded ever. I love it.” Centre Court’s retractable roof was closed for the final, shielding everyone from the wind that topped 20 mph (30 kph) outside, and that allowed Vondrousova’s smooth strokes to repeatedly find the intended mark. She also liked that she didn’t have to worry about any gusts or the sun or anything else while playing — a reminder of days practicing at indoor courts during winters in Prague. “I always play good indoors,” Vondrousova said. “I was like, ‘Yeah, maybe that’s going to help me.’”

On this afternoon, she trailed in each set but collected the last four games of the first, then the last three games of the second as Jabeur fell to 0-3 in major finals.

The 28-year-old from Tunisia is the only Arab woman and only North African woman to make it that far in singles at any Grand Slam tournament.

“You cannot force things,” the sixth-seeded Jabeur said. “It wasn’t meant to be.”

She lost to Elena Rybakina 12 months ago at the All England Club and to No. 1 Iga Swiatek at the U.S. Open last September.

“I think this is the most painful loss of my career,” Jabeur said Saturday, pausing to wipe away tears.

3) List of medals India won at Asian Athletics Championships 2023 :

Asian Athletics Championships 2023 Parul Chaudhary wins gold in 3000m steeplechase, Shaili jumps for silver

India finished with 27 overall medals including six golds at the Asian Athletics Championships in Bangkok. The Indian contingent had a fruitful campaign in the 2023 Asian Athletics Championships, racking up a total of 27 medals, the county’s joint-best haul at the continental event, equalling the tally from the 2017 edition at home.

India finished third in the medals table behind Japan (37) and China (22) with the latter occupying second by virtue of its higher gold medal tally (8) India had six gold medals from Jyothi Yarraji, Parul Chaudhary, Tajinder Pal Singh Toor, Abdulla Aboobacker, Ajay Kumar Saroj and the mixed relay team

India medal-winners at Asian Athletics Championships

Gold (6): Jyothi Yarraji (100m hurdles) - 13.08s; Parul Chaudhary (3000m steeplechase) - 9:38.76; Tajinderpal SIngh Toor (shot put) - 20.23m; Abdulla Aboobacker (Triple jump) - 16.92m; Ajay Kumar Saroj (1500m) - 3:41.51; Mixed Relay Team (4x400m) - 3:14.70

*Mixed relay team - Rajesh Ramesh, Aishwarya Mishra, Amoj Jacob, Subha Venkatesan

Silver (12): Jyothi Yarraji (200m) - 23.13s; Chanda (800m) - 2:01.58; Parul Chaudhary (5000m) - 15:52.35; Priyanka Goswami (20km racewalk) - 1:34:24; Shaili Singh (long jump) - 6.54m; Abha Khatua (Shot put) - 18.06m; Swapna Barman (Heptathlon) - 5840 points; DP Manu (Javelin) - 81.01m; M. Sreeshankar (long jump) - 8.37m; Sarvesh Anil Kushare (high jump) - 2.26m; Men’s relay Team (4x400) - 3:01.80; Krishan Kumar (800m) - 1:45.88

*Relay team - Amoj Jacob, Muhammed Variyathodi, Rajesh Ramesh, Mijo Kurian

Bronze (9): Manpreet Kaur (Shot put) - 17.00m; Women’s relay team (4x400m) - 3:33.73; Ankita (5000m) - 16:03.33; Aishwarya Mishra (400m) - 53.07s; Tejaswin Shankar (Decathlon) - 7527 points; Santhosh Kumar (400m hurdles) - 49.09s; Vikash Singh (20km racewalk) - 1:29.32; Abhishek Pal (10000m) - 29:33.26; Gulveer Singh (5000m) - 13:48.33

*Women’s relay team - Rezoana Mallick, Aishwarya Mishra, Jyothika Sri Dandi, Subha Venkatesan

4) Ashwin's seven-for sews up India's innings win:

The spinner triggered another West Indies collapse and finished with a match haul of 12 wickets

India 421 for 5 dec (Jaiswal 171, Rohit 103, Kohli 76) beat West Indies 150 (Athanaze 47, Ashwin 5-60, Jadeja 3-26) and 130 (Athanaze 28, Ashwin 7-71, Jadeja 2-38) by an innings and 141 runs

R Ashwin finished with 12 wickets in the match as India beat West Indies by an innings and 141 runs in the first Test at Windsor Park. After debutant Yashasvi Jaiswal's 171 enabled India to declare with a lead of 271, Ashwin picked up 7 for 71 as West Indies folded for 130 on the third evening.

With the pitch offering plenty of turn and bounce for spinners, Rohit Sharma had Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja operating in tandem after the fourth over of West Indies' second innings. The duo didn't take long to make an impact and, using around-the-wicket angle, they ran through West Indies' top order. Ashwin dismissed right-handers Kraigg Brathwaite and Jermaine Blackwood and Jadeja accounted for left-handers Tagenarine Chanderpaul and Raymon Reifer. That reduced West Indies to 32 for 4 despite Ishan Kishan dropping Brathwaite on zero off Jadeja.

Athanaze and Joshua Da Silva took the side past 50 but their stand was worth only 26 when Mohammed Siraj trapped Da Silva lbw. Athanaze, dropped on 1 by Jaiswal off Ashwin, was trying to stay positive. He had hit a couple of fours in Ashwin's first spell but the offspinner returned to have him caught at short leg with Jaiswal making no mistake on this occasion. Alzarri Joseph walked in ahead of Rahkeem Cornwall for the second time in the Test, and tried to survive by way of attack. He hit Ashwin over long-off for a six but holed out to deep midwicket when he went for another slog.

For his fifth wicket, Ashwin switched to over the wicket and had Cornwall caught at short leg with a big offbreak. Kemar Roach didn't last long either, and while Jomel Warrican entertained for a brief period, it took Ashwin only a couple of overs after the scheduled hours to have him lbw. Jason Holder resisted for 50 balls but there was little help from the other end.

In the morning, as Jaiswal and Virat Kohli resumed India's innings from 312 for 2, West Indies started with a couple of handicaps. Joseph couldn't open the bowling because he was off the field for 28 minutes before stumps last evening. Cornwall was also not allowed to bowl for two hours as he had gone off the field with a chest infection before lunch on day two.

On a pitch that was slowing down with every passing over, Jaiswal had no trouble driving on the up against seamers. The opener picked up his first boundary of the day with an on-drive off Holder. Three balls later, he became the third Indian after Shikhar Dhawan (187) and Rohit (177) to score 150 or more on Test debut.

Joseph replaced Holder as soon as he was eligible to bowl. By then Jaiswal was looking to score quickly. He uppercut Joseph over backward point for four to bring up the 100-run partnership with Kohli, before skipping down the ground to launch Warrican for a straight six.

5) US Open 2023 badminton: Lakshya Sen bows out, Indian challenge ends:

The Indian badminton player lost to reigning All England champion Li Shi Feng of China in the semi-finals of the BWF Super 300 tournament. Commonwealth Games champion Lakshya Sen bowed out of the US Open 2023 badminton tournament after losing in the men’s singles semi-finals on Saturday.

Lakshya Sen, currently 12th in the BWF badminton rankings, lost 21-17, 22-24, 21-17 to Li Shi Feng of the People’s Republic of China.

Competing on the badminton courts of the Mid-America Centre, Lakshya Sen was slow off the blocks early on as Li Shi Feng, the reigning All England champion and world No. 7, raced to a 15-9 lead. The Indian shuttler tried to mount a comeback but couldn’t stop Feng from taking the lead.

The second game was a closely-fought affair with both Lakshya Sena and Li Shi Feng going toe-to-toe. With the scores tied at 11-all, the Indian unleashed a series of smashes in an attempt to seize control of the match but the Chinese shuttler defended well to stay in the game. Lakshya Sen raised his game in the nervy final exchanges and took the match into the decider.

Lakshya Sen, however, failed to carry the momentum into the third game as he trailed Li Shi Feng by a 14-8 margin. The Indian badminton player recovered to reduce the gap to 17-15 but couldn’t stop Li Shi Feng from winning the 76-minute marathon affair.

Despite the defeat, Lakshya Sen holds a 5-4 head-to-head record over Li Shi Feng. The Indian beat Li Shi Feng in the final of the Canada Open last week.

With Lakshya Sen’s exit, the Indian challenge at the BWF Super 300 tournament came to an end. Earlier, PV Sindhu lost in the quarter-finals of women’s singles.

 

1) Bawaal

No one wanted Bawaal to stream on ott, but sadly Nitesh Tiwari Directorial Bawaal Goes Direct OTT on amazon prime video you can watch it on prime video on 21st July 2023 At 12 am IST. Starring Varun Dhawan and Jahanvi Kapoor in leading roles.

2) Trial Period

Genelia made her comeback with ved now she’s coming in a Jio cinema original Comedy Family Drama Movie Titled Trial Period It’ll be Streaming on Jio cinema on 21st July 2023 at 12 am IST.

3) Oppenheimer Movie :

 Is an American sci-fi historical biographical movie all set to hit the big screens on 21st July 2023 Directed By Award Winning Director Christopher Nolan Who Directed Movies Like Dark Knight Franchise, Interstellar, Inception, Tenet, And Many More. This Movie on the discovery of Atomic Bomb by the secret Manhattan Project in America during the Second World War.

4) Barbie

Barbie is a Romantic Fantasy Adventure Movie that is all set to release in theatres on 21st July 2023 This is one of the most hyped-up movies of this year, and fans are excited for this movie starring Ryan Gosling And Margot Robbie In Leading Roles

Book Of This Week :

Jugaad Innovation by Navi Radjou (Author), Jaideep Prabhu (Author), Simone Ahuja (Author):

A Frugal And Flexible: A Frugal and Flexible Approach to Innovation for the 21st Century Jugaad is a word often heard in general conversation in India. Whether to find ingenious solutions to problems or turn adversity into opportunity Indians swear by it. In this seminal book, Navi Radjou, Jaideep Prabhu and Simone Ahuja challenge the very way a traditional organization thinks and acts. Leading companies such as Facebook, Future Group, GE, Google, PepsiCo, Philips, Renault-Nissan, Siemens, Suzlon, Tata Group and Yes Bank, among others, are already practising jugaad to generate original ideas and pioneer growth. In the midst of rising global competition and swelling R & D budgets, Jugaad Innovation presents ways to innovate, be flexible and do more with less. Peppered with examples of innovative entrepreneurs in emerging markets such as Africa, India, China and Brazil, Jugaad Innovation illuminates paths to engender breakthrough growth in a complex and resource-scarce world.

About Navi Radjou

Navi Radjou is a French-American scholar in innovation and leadership based in Silicon Valley. Drawing on his Indian upbringing, he was the first (with his co-authors) to capture the phenomenon of jugaad—a Hindi word for improvised solutions born out of ingenuity in resource-constrained settings. His first book, a global bestseller of the same name, Jugaad Innovation (over 100,000 copies sold worldwide), shows how companies and entrepreneurs can unleash and harness the grassroots ingenuity of employees, customers, and partners to co-create simple but effective solutions that deliver greater socio-economic and ecological value at a lower cost.

About Simone Ahuja

Dr. Simone Ahuja is the principal of Blood Orange, a marketing and strategy advisory boutique with digital media capabilities, and special expertise in innovation. Headquartered in Minneapolis with teams in Mumbai, Blood Orange uses an agile and cost efficient content production framework built upon principles learned through extensive work in India, including "jugaad". Simone recently developed and produced the television series, Indique--Big Ideas from Emerging India for which she explored how innovation within India drives socio-economic development.

Jaideep Prabhu

is a professor at Cambridge Judge Business School, University of Cambridge, and Director of the Center for India & Global Business. He is a co-author of the book "Frugal Innovation: How To Do More With Less".