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1) Next is Samudrayaan’: Union minister Rijiju shares pics of submersible Matsya 6000: By Lingamgunta Nirmitha Rao

Earth Sciences Minister Rijiju visited NIOT on Monday, where he reviewed the submersible and provided updates on India's first manned deep ocean mission.

Union Minister Kiren Rijiju shared pictures of ‘Matsya 6000’, a submersible which is in preparation for exploring the deep oceans as part of India's ‘Samudrayaan Mission’ being developed by the National Institute of Ocean Technology (NIOT) in Chennai, under the Ministry of Earth Sciences. After achieving a successful ‘soft-landing’ on the Moon's south pole, India is now aiming to send three humans to a depth of 6 km into the ocean for deep-sea exploration and biodiversity assessments. Earth Sciences Minister Rijiju visited NIOT in Chennai on Monday, where he reviewed the submersible and provided updates on India's first manned deep ocean mission. He posted on X (formerly Twitter), “ Next is ‘Samudrayaan’. This is 'MATSYA 6000' submersible under construction at National Institute of Ocean Technology at Chennai. India’s first manned Deep Ocean Mission ‘Samudrayaan’ plans to send 3 humans in 6-km ocean depth in a submersible, to study the deep sea resources and biodiversity assessment

He emphasised that the project will not disrupt the ocean ecosystem. “The Deep Ocean Mission supports the 'Blue Economy' vision of PM @narendramodi ji, and envisages sustainable utilization of ocean resources for economic growth of the country, improve livelihoods and jobs, and preserve ocean ecosystem health,” Rijiju said.

In addition to sharing pictures with the scientists and engineers working on Matsya 6000, the Union minister wrote, “Our Scientists, Researchers and Engineers are fully devoted to make the Deep Ocean Mission very successful in a sustainable manner.”

Rijiju also shared a video of himself inside the vessel, with an expert explaining how Matsya 6000 will explore the deep ocean and how the individuals joining the deep-sea expedition will be able to sustain themselves there. Matsya 6000

-Union minister of state for earth sciences Jitendra Singh earlier mentioned that the 'MATSYA 6000' vehicle has a normal operational endurance of 12 hours and can last up to 96 hours in emergencies to ensure human safety. The mission's target completion date is set for the year 2026.

-The vehicle's design has been finalised, and work is in progress on various components. The Manned Submersible will enable direct human observation in the deep ocean, aiding in the exploration of mineral-rich resources such as Nickel, Cobalt, Rare Earths, and Manganese, along with sample collection for analysis.

-In addition to scientific research and technological advancements, the mission will lead to innovations in underwater engineering, benefiting areas such as asset inspection, tourism, and promoting ocean literacy. Development efforts include a 6000-meter depth-rated Integrated Mining Machine and unmanned vehicles (both tethered and automated) for deep-sea resource exploration and biodiversity assessment.

2) 265-million-year-old fossil reveals oldest, largest predator in South America, long before the rise of dinosaurs :by Harvard University

Artistic reconstruction of Pampaphoneus biccai. Credit Original artwork by Márcio Castro

Dinosaurs have quite the reputation for being the largest, fiercest predators in life's history. Yet, 40 million years before dinosaurs ruled, Pampaphoneus biccai dominated South America as the biggest and most bloodthirsty meat eater of its time. In a new study published in the Zoological Journal of the Linnean Society, an international team of researchers reveal the astounding discovery of a 265-million-year-old, exquisitely preserved fossil species, Pampaphoneus biccai, found in the rural area of São Gabriel, Southern Brazil.

The stunning fossil includes a complete skull and some skeletal bones, such as ribs and arm bones. Pampaphoneus, which belongs to the early therapsid clade called dinocephalians, lived just before the largest extinction event in the history of Earth that eliminated 86% of all animal species worldwide.

Skull of the new Pampaphoneus biccai specimen. Credit Felipe Pinheiro

Before the extinction event, dinocephalians were one of the major groups of large terrestrial animals that thrived on land. They were medium to large-sized creatures with both carnivorous and herbivorous representatives. Dinocephalians had thick cranial bones, which led to the group's name which translates to "terrible head" in Greek. While well-known in South Africa and Russia, these animals are rare in other parts of the world. Pampaphoneus biccai is the only known species in Brazil. "The fossil was found in middle Permian rocks, in an area where bones are not so common, but always hold pleasant surprises," said lead author Mateus A. Costa Santos, a graduate student in the Paleontology Laboratory at the Federal University of Pampa (UNIPAMPA). "Finding a new Pampaphoneus skull after so long was extremely important for increasing our knowledge about the animal, which was previously difficult to differentiate from its Russian relatives."

Paleontologists from UNIPAMPA and Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS) collected the fossil over one month of daily, backbreaking fieldwork.

Due to the pandemic, it took an additional three years for the fossil to be cleaned and thoroughly studied. Co-author Professor Stephanie E. Pierce, in the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology and Curator of Vertebrate Paleontology and Mammalogy in the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard, participated in the study of the animal as part of her current work with senior author and head of lab Professor Felipe Pinheiro, UNIPAMPA, on the Permo-Triassic fossil record of Brazil. "This animal was a gnarly-looking beast, and it must have evoked sheer dread in anything that crossed its path," said Pierce. "Its discovery is key to providing a glimpse into the community structure of terrestrial ecosystems just prior to the biggest mass extinction of all time. A spectacular find that demonstrates the global importance of Brazil's fossil record."

The new specimen is only the second Pampaphoneus skull ever discovered from South America. It is also larger than the first and provides unprecedented information about its morphology due to the exceptional preservation of its bones. "Pampaphoneus played the same ecological role as modern big cats," said Pinheiro. "It was the largest terrestrial predator we know of from the Permian in South America. The animal had large, sharp canine teeth adapted for capturing prey. Its dentition and cranial architecture suggest that its bite was strong enough to chew bones, much like modern-day hyenas."

Although Pampaphoneus' skull is the largest ever found intact at almost 40cm, research suggests a previously unidentified fossil represents a potential third individual that was up to two times larger than the new find. While the latter is only known from a fragment of its jaw, it does have sufficient characteristics to identify it as Pampaphoneus.

Researchers estimate that the largest Pampaphoneus individuals could reach nearly three meters in length and weigh around 400kg. It was a skilled predator capable of feeding on small to medium-sized animals. In the same locality where the fossil was found, some of its potential prey have also been identified, such as the small dicynodont Rastodon and the giant amphibian Konzhukovia.

The new Pampaphoneus specimen, along with the other animals found in this region, demonstrate the paleontological potential of the Pampa region for significant fossil discoveries

3) Archaeologists reveal largest paleolithic cave art site in Eastern Iberia :by University of Southampton :

Partly flooded chamber which contains most of the motifs. Credit A RuizRedondoV BarcielaX Mart

Archaeologists have discovered a major paleolithic cave art site, arguably the most important found on the Eastern Iberian Coast in Europe. More than 100 ancient paintings and engravings, thought to be at least 24,000 years old, have been found in a 500 meter-long cave in "Cova Dones" or "Cueva Dones"—a site located in Millares near Valencia in Spain.

The cave site is well-known by locals and often visited by hikers and explorers, but the existence of paleolithic paintings was unnoticed until researchers from the universities of Zaragoza and Alicante (Spain), and affiliated to Archaeology at the University of Southampton (U.K.), made the exciting discovery in June 2021.

Findings of a study into the cave art, which highlight its true significance, are now published in the journal Antiquity.

Dr. Aitor Ruiz-Redondo, Senior Lecturer of Prehistory at the University of Zaragoza (Spain) and research affiliate at the University of Southampton (U.K.) comments, "When we saw the first painted auroch [extinct wild bull], we immediately acknowledged it was important. Although Spain is the country with largest number of Paleolithic cave art sites, most of them are concentrated in northern Spain. Eastern Iberia is an area where few of these sites have been documented so far.

Collection of the new material in 2019. Credit Felipe Pinheiro

"However, the actual 'shock' of realizing its significance came long after the first discovery. Once we began the proper systematic survey we realized we were facing a major cave art site, like the ones that can be found elsewhere in Cantabrian Spain, southern France or Andalusia, but that totally lack in this territory."The research team of Dr. Ruiz-Redondo, Dr. Virginia Barciela-González, Senior Lecturer of Prehistory at the University of Alicante (Spain) and Dr. Ximo Martorell-Briz, research affiliate at the University of Alicante (Spain), have painstakingly documented more than one hundred motifs, or designs, at Cova Dones so far.

The large number of motifs and the variety of techniques involved in their creation make the cave the most important Paleolithic cave art site on the eastern Mediterranean coast of the Iberian Peninsula. In fact, it is probably the Paleolithic cave with the greatest number of motifs discovered in Europe since Atxurra (Bizkaia), in 2015. The study highlights there are at least 19 confirmed animal representations, including hinds, horses, aurochs, and deer. Unusually, the majority of the paintings have been made using clay.

Two painted hinds heads. Credit RuizRedondoBarcielaMartorell

Dr. Aitor Ruiz-Redondo explains, "Animals and signs were depicted simply by dragging the fingers and palms covered with clay on the walls. The humid environment of the cave did the rest: the 'paintings' dried quite slowly, preventing parts of the clay from falling down rapidly, while other parts were covered by calcite layers, which preserved them until today."

Although painting in clay is known in Paleolithic Art, examples of its usage (or preservation) are scarce. In Cueva Dones, however, it is the main technique.

The researchers say their investigations are at an early stage and there are still many areas to survey and panels to document—so they are likely to reveal more art in the coming years.

4) Nature's great survivors: Flowering plants survived the mass extinction that killed the dinosaurs :by University of Bath

A new study published in Biology Letters by researchers from the University of Bath (UK) and Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (Mexico) shows that flowering plants escaped relatively unscathed from the mass extinction that killed the dinosaurs 66 million years ago. While they suffered some species loss, the devastating event helped flowering plants become the dominant type of plant they are today. There have been several mass extinctions in the Earth's history, the most famous caused by an asteroid hit 66 million years ago, which steered the course of life on Earth profoundly. The Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) extinction event eradicated at least 75% of all species on Earth, including the dinosaurs, but until now it has been unclear what kind of impact it had on flowering plants.

Plants do not have skeletons or exoskeletons like most animals, meaning fossils are relatively rare compared to animals, making it very difficult to understand the timeline of evolution from fossil evidence alone.

Dr. Jamie Thompson of the Milner Centre for Evolution and Dr. Santiago Ramírez-Barahona of Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México analyzed evolutionary "trees" constructed from mutations in the DNA sequences of up to 73,000 living species of flowering plants (angiosperms).

Using complex statistical methods, they fitted "birth-death" models to estimate the rates of extinction throughout geological time.

While the fossil record shows that many species did disappear, the lineages to which they belong, such as families and orders, survived enough to flourish and then dominate—out of around 400,000 plant species living today, approximately 300,000 of these are flowering plants.

Molecular clock evidence suggests that the vast majority of angiosperm families around today existed before the K-Pg event: Species including the ancestors of orchids, magnolia and mint all shared Earth with the dinosaurs.

Dr. Thompson said, "After most of Earth's species became extinct at K-Pg, angiosperms took the advantage, similar to the way in which mammals took over after the dinosaurs, and now pretty much all life on Earth depends on flowering plants ecologically."

So what made them tough enough to survive despite being immobile and relying on the sun for energy?

Dr. Ramírez-Barahona said, "Flowering plants have a remarkable ability to adapt: They use a variety of seed-dispersal and pollination mechanisms, some have duplicated their entire genomes and others have evolved new ways to photosynthesize. This 'flower power' is what makes them nature's true survivors."

About the Cretaceous–Paleogene mass extinction

Around 66 million years ago, Earth faced one of the most devastating events in its history — the Cretaceous–Palaeogene (K-Pg) mass extinction.

This catastrophe extinguished nearly 75% of Earth’s species, including the iconic non-avian dinosaurs. The extinction marked a pivotal shift in Earth’s biological diversity, paving the way for mammals to rise as dominant terrestrial animals.

What Caused the K-Pg Extinction?

Researchers point to two primary culprits — a massive asteroid impact and prolonged volcanic activity.

The asteroid impact

Evidence suggests a 10-kilometer-wide asteroid struck what is now the Yucatán Peninsula in Mexico, creating the Chicxulub crater. This impact unleashed an enormous amount of energy, equivalent to billions of nuclear bombs. It set forests ablaze, triggered tsunamis, and threw tons of debris into the atmosphere. This debris blocked sunlight, leading to a phenomenon called “impact winter.” With reduced sunlight, photosynthesis slowed, disrupting food chains and ecosystems.

Volcanic activity

Concurrently, in what is now India, the Deccan Traps underwent extensive volcanic activity. These eruptions spewed vast quantities of lava and also released gases like sulfur dioxide and carbon dioxide.

These gases, when in the atmosphere, can contribute to both cooling (sulfur dioxide) and warming (carbon dioxide). Such dramatic shifts in temperature and atmospheric composition further stressed global ecosystems.

The aftermath of the extinction

The K-Pg event’s impact on life was profound. Ocean ecosystems underwent a significant overhaul as many marine reptiles, like plesiosaurs and mosasaurs, vanished. The skies saw the disappearance of pterosaurs. On land, the non-avian dinosaurs, which had ruled for over 150 million years, came to an end.

However, with the demise of these giants, opportunities arose for other creatures. Mammals, which had previously lived in the shadows of the mighty dinosaurs, began to diversify and expand into niches left vacant. Birds, descendants of theropod dinosaurs, took to the skies in a more diverse array.

In summary, the Cretaceous–Paleogene mass extinction serves as a testament to the planet’s dynamic nature. It reminds us of the fragility of life and the interconnectedness of all living organisms.

While the event ended the reign of many species, it also provided opportunities for others to flourish. Today, as we look back at this crucial juncture in Earth’s history, we gain insights into the ever-evolving story of life on our planet.

5) Physicists create powerful magnets to de-freeze quantum computing:by University of Texas at El Paso

Physicist Ahmed El-Gendy, Ph.D demonstrates the magnetism of a new material created for quantum computing. CreditThe University of Texas at El Paso

Quantum computing has the potential to revolutionize the world, allowing massive health and science computation problems to be solved exponentially faster than by classic computing. But quantum computers have a big drawback—they can only operate in subzero temperatures. "In order to make quantum computers work, we cannot use them at room temperature," said Ahmed El-Gendy, Ph.D., an associate professor of physics at The University of Texas at El Paso. "That means we will need to cool the computers and cool all the materials, which is very expensive."

Now, physicists at The University of Texas at El Paso believe they have made a quantum leap in that regard. Led by El-Gendy, the team has developed a highly magnetic quantum computing material—100 times more magnetic than pure iron—that functions at regular temperature. The material is described in a summer issue of the journal Applied Physics Letters.

Magnets are used in many modern applications, including smartphones, vehicles and solid state drives—where computers' information is stored. In quantum computers, magnets are used to enhance speed, said Ahmed, but their strong magnetic properties only work in low temperature. (Quantum computers, in fact, are currently kept at the cool temperature of -459 degrees Fahrenheit, right above absolute zero.)

Since 2019, the UTEP team has worked to create entirely new magnetic materials for quantum computing. In addition to operating in regular temperatures, the team has focused on magnets that are not made from rare Earth materials.

"All magnets are currently made from rare Earth materials, and we have a shortage of them," El-Gendy said. "We're going to face a problem soon of not having these materials to make magnets for any industry. Imagine if we get to that point."

After several years of trial and error, the team's efforts paid off. The final winner was a mixture of materials known aminoferrocene and graphene—and to El-Gendy's surprise, the material demonstrates extremely powerful magnetism.

"I was really doubting its magnetism, but our results show clearly superparamagnetic behavior," he said. "No one has prepared a material like this before. I think we could go make a quantum computer at room temperature with this."

But much work remains. The material was difficult to make and the team is now trying to optimize the preparation process and continue improving the material's effectiveness. They are also seeking collaborators who work in quantum computing.

Additional authors on the study are UTEP Postdoctoral Researcher Yohannes Getahun, Ph.D.; Professor of Physics Felicia Manciu, Ph.D., and Chair and Professor of Physics Mark Pederson, Ph.D.

6) After year’s delay, CSIR’s Bhatnagar awards for 2022 announced:

The 2022 Bhatnagar Prize honours 12 scientists across seven scientific disciplines After nearly a year’s delay, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) has publicised the list of awardees for the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar (SSB) awards for 2022, considered among the prestigious prizes for science in India.

While usually announced on September 26 – CSIR’s Foundation Day – the prizes weren’t announced last year, without any official reason being ascribed. Last year, the Ministry of Home Affairs constituted a committee to review all the national awards administered by various science and medical ministries and whittled down some of them. The SSB awards were however retained.

This year’s awardees constitute 12 scientists below the age of 45 and they include Ashwani Kumar, CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology; Maddika Subba Reddy, Centre for DNA Fingerprinting Diagnostics, Hyderabad (Biological Sciences); Akkattu Biju, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru; Debabrata Maiti, Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (Chemical Sciences); Vimal Mishra, Indian Institute of Technology, Gandhinagar (Earth and Atmospheric Sciences); Dipti Ranjan Sahoo, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi; Rajnish Kumar, Indian Institute of Technology, Madras (Engineering Sciences); Apoorva Khare, Indian Institute of Science and Neeraj Kayal, Microsoft Research Lab India (Mathematical Science); Dipyaman Ganguly, Indian Institute of Chemical Biology, Kolkata (Medical Sciences); Anindya Das, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru and Basudeb Dasgupta, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (Physical Sciences) .

The SSB Prize, instituted in the memory of the first Director General of the CSIR, is usually announced on the foundation day of the institution on September 26.

Biological Sciences: This is jointly awarded to Dr. Ashwani Kumar of CSIR-Institute of Microbial Technology and Dr. Maddika Subba Reddy of Centre for DNA Fingerprinting Diagnostics

Chemical Sciences: This is jointly awarded to Dr. Akkattu T Biju of the Indian Institute of Science and Dr. Debabrata Maiti of the Indian Institute of Technology (Bombay)

Earth, Atmosphere and Planetary Sciences: This is awarded to Dr. Vimal Mishra of the Indian Institute of Technology (Gandhinagar)

Engineering Sciences: This is jointly awarded to Dr. Dipti Ranjan Sahoo of the Indian Institute of Technology (Delhi) and Dr. Rajnish Kumar of the Indian Institute of Technology (Madras)

Mathematical Sciences: This jointly awarded to Dr. Apoorva Khare of the Indian Institute of Science and Dr. Neeraj Kayal of Microsoft Research Lab

Medical Sciences: This is awarded to Dr. Dipyaman Ganguli of CSIR- Indian Institute of Chemical Biology

Physical Sciences: This is jointly awarded to Dr. Anindya Das of the Indian Institute of Science his research interests include semiconductor nano-tubes on the one hand, and zero-dimensional quantum dots on the other. He has also worked on two-dimensional and three-dimensional topological insulators.  Incidentally, Das has obtained patents for creating unique nano-tube. He received a fellowship from the Wiseman Institute from 2009 to 2012 and was honored with BRNS Young Scientist Award in 2014. Das is currently working as Associate Professor and Principal Investigator of IISC's Quantum Transport Laboratory, Department of Physics, Indian Institute of Science. This year’s Shanti Swaroop Bhatnagar Prize adds another feather on his hat.

 Dr. Basudeb Dasgupta of Physics Tata Institute of Fundamental Research . His research is at the interface of particle physics, cosmology, and astrophysics - aimed at understanding how the laws of subatomic physics shape the Universe at large. Professor Dasgupta has published extensively on this subject, specialising in neutrino physics and dark matter. He is a regular speaker at major international conferences, and explaining complex scientific issues in a bare-bones non-technical manner is one of his driving passions. Dasgupta has won national and international  recognition for his work, notably the ICTP Prize in 2019. He serves on the editorial board of the European Physical Journal. Dasgupta’s forte is theoretical physics and his central research interests are neutrinos and dark matter. 

1) G20 Summit without declaration would have been ‘kind of death’: German envoy:

Ackermann said a summit without a consensus declaration would have been a kind of death to G20, one of the last forums where you have everybody around the table A G20 summit without a consensus leaders’ declaration would have been a “kind of death” for the grouping and the outcome document continues to pressure Russia to end the war in Ukraine, German ambassador Philipp Ackermann said on Tuesday.

The text used to refer to the Ukraine crisis in the leaders’ declaration adopted at the G20 Summit over the weekend went further than the text in last year’s joint communique and reflected the developments in the Ukraine crisis over the past year, Ackermann told a small group of reporters while explaining the complex negotiations on the document.

Germany, he said, had two priorities with respect to the G20 – ensuring the success of the Indian presidency of the grouping, and a mention of the Ukraine crisis in the way it was done in the leaders’ declaration in Bali in 2022.

“Germany is of the opinion that the G20 is a very important forum. It’s one of the last forums where you have everybody around the table and a summit without a consensus declaration would have been a kind of death to the G20,” he said. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, who was in New Delhi for the summit, was “highly satisfied” with the leaders’ declaration, which went further and reflected what has happened in Ukraine over the past year, he said. The declaration reflected a priority for the world community – a comprehensive, just and durable peace – as well as a clear commitment to preventing the use of force to acquire territory and denunciation of nuclear threats, he added.

“Certainly, Russia has not been mentioned as a country, but I would say [the declaration] has Russia written all over it,” Ackermann said, referring to the eight paragraphs dedicated to the Ukraine crisis.

The envoy brushed aside Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov’s contention that countries of the Global South had prevented the West’s efforts to “Ukrainise” the G20’s agenda and said: “I saw some things that Lavrov said and I think they are all not very convincing.” Providing insights into the protracted negotiations that produced the leaders’ declaration, Ackermann said he was told by the German sherpa, or personal representative of the leader, that India’s Sherpa Amitabh Kant came into the room with the draft text on the Ukraine crisis put together by India, Indonesia, South Africa and Brazil and said: “This is it. If you have problems with it, call Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi.”

Ackermann also said the text was directed only towards two countries because everybody had agreed on the wording.

Another dynamic that emerged early in the negotiations was an “18 versus 2” situation, Ackermann said, referring to the position taken by China and Russia on the Ukraine crisis. He said these two countries apparently didn’t push back on the final text on Ukraine since “India was such a strong, important and, in a sort of figurative sense, a heavy presence”.

2) Netherlands PM Mark Rutte meets Karnataka Deputy CM in Bengaluru

Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Monday arrived in Bengaluru and met Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar.

Netherlands Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Monday arrived in Bengaluru and met Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar at Vidhana Soudha. Mark Rutte, who arrived in India on Friday to attend the G20 summit, is also holding an informal meeting with ministers of the Karnataka government.

On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi held a bilateral meeting with Netherlands counterpart Mark Rutte on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in New Delhi. He also attended the G20 Summit hosted under India's Presidency from September 9-10.

During the meeting, the two leaders discussed ways to enhance their bilateral partnership. They further discussed ways to deepen cooperation in trade and investment, defence and security, clean energy and green hydrogen, and others.

Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) in an official statement said, "The two leaders discussed ways to deepen their bilateral partnership, including cooperation in trade and investment, defence and security, clean energy and green hydrogen, semiconductors, cyber and digital technology, among others." Rutte also congratulated PM Modi on the success of the G20 Summit and India's G20 Presidency. He also congratulated India on the success of the Chandrayaan mission and conveyed his best wishes for the Aditya mission to the Moon, according to MEA. The discussions between PM Modi and Mark Rutte covered regional and global issues of mutual interest.

On Sunday, PM Modi said that the scope of cooperation for businesses with the Netherlands is immense.

Taking to his official social media platform 'X', PM Modi stated, "Excellent meeting with @MinPres Mark Rutte. We talked about ways to enhance friendship between our nations. The scope of cooperation for our businesses is immense. We also look forward to strong ties in clean energy, semiconductors, digital technology and more." Meanwhile, Mark Rutte thanked PM Modi for his leadership during the G20 Summit. In a post shared on X, Rutte stated, “Many thanks to Prime Minister @narendramodi for his leadership during this important G20 Summit. Today we also met to discuss the strong relations between India and the Netherlands, and our shared wish to further broaden and deepen our ties.”

Rutte stated that a major topic of discussion under India's G20 Presidency was digitalisation and the growing role of artificial intelligence. He also laid a wreath at Mahatma Gandhi's memorial at Rajghat.

In a post shared on X, Rutte stated, "Looking back on a successful #G20India. A major topic under discussion today was digitalisation, and especially the growing role of artificial intelligence. It’s crucial that we join together at international level to adopt rules on this, so that this technology can be used safely and inclusively in our societies. A working session that I took part in was devoted to ensuring that this process runs smoothly. This morning I also had the honour to lay a wreath at Rajghat, the memorial for Mahatma Gandhi, together with all attending leaders." On Friday, Netherlands PM Mark Rutte arrived in India to attend the G20 summit. He was received by Union Minister of State, General VK Singh (Retd.) at the airport. A group of dancers also presented a classical dance to welcome the Dutch PM.

3) Items representing Indian cultural traditions gifted to G20 leaders

G20 heads of the states and governments gathered in New Delhi over the weekend for the bloc’s annual summit.

Gift hampers comprising Indian rosewood sandook (chest), pashmina shawls, Kashmiri saffron, Pekoe Darjeeling, Nilgiri Tea, Araku Coffee, Sundarbans honey, and Zighrana Ittar were presented to G20 heads of the states and governments when they gathered in New Delhi over the weekend for the bloc’s annual summit. The summit was the biggest such gathering India hosted in four decades and marked the culmination of India’s year-long presidency of the grouping of the world’s largest economies.

The products in the hamper were chosen taking into consideration Indian cultural traditions and unique bio-diversity. The sandook with embedded brass strip symbolizes Indian workmanship. It has a special place in Indian cultural and folk legends.

Kashmiri saffron, which is also known as red gold, is the world’s most expensive spice valued for its culinary and medicinal value. Aromatic Pekoe Darjeeling is grown on the hills of West Bengal at 3000-5000 feet and Nilgiri Tea in the mountains of South India at an elevation of 1000-3000 feet. Araku Coffee is the world’s first terroir-mapped coffee grown on plantations in Andhra Pradesh without the use of machines or chemicals. The coffee is organic and the cultivation is sustainable.

Sundarbans multiflora mangrove honey is sourced from the world’s largest mangrove forest on the delta of the Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Meghna rivers in the Bay of Bengal. The honey is less viscous and mirrors the bio-diversity of the area. It blends the nectar of mangrove flowers such as Khalisha, Bani, and Garan. Sundarban honey is also high in flavonoids.

The Kashmiri pashmina shawl is made of wool from the world’s most unique Cashmere goat found only at a height of 14,000 feet above sea level. The wool is collected by combing (and not shearing) the undercoat of the goat. Skilled artisans hand-spin, weave, and embroider their delicate fibers using age-old processes. Pashmina was once an indicator of rank and nobility and symbolized bestowing honour. Zighrana Ittar from Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh showcases a centuries-old tradition of perfume crafting. Artisans gather rare blossoms of jasmine and roses at dawn when their fragrance is most potent to make the perfume involving hydro-distillation.

4) Modi, Saudi Crown Prince lay road map to boost investment, ties

The Crown Prince, also the kingdom’s Prime Minister, began a day-long State visit after participating in the G20 Summit over the weekend.

India and Saudi Arabia on Monday outlined steps to expedite Riyadh’s long-gestating plan to invest $100 billion in the country, including a mega refinery, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman explored ways to bolster cooperation in areas ranging from energy to defence and reaffirmed their support to the new India-Middle East-Europe Economic Corridor (IMEC).The Crown Prince, also the kingdom’s Prime Minister, began a day-long State visit after participating in the G20 Summit over the weekend. The Saudi leader was accorded a ceremonial welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan before he and Modi co-chaired the first meeting of the Strategic Partnership Council, the apex body to oversee bilateral ties that was set up in 2019.

“Saudi Arabia is one of the most important strategic partners for India. As the world’s two largest and fastest growing economies, our mutual cooperation is vital for the peace and stability of the entire region,” Modi said at the meeting, speaking in Hindi.

“We together made a historic beginning to establish an economic corridor between India, West Asia and Europe,” Modi said, referring to the launch of IMEC during the G20 Summit. An agreement was signed by India, Saudi Arabia, the European Union, the UAE, the US and other G20 partners for the corridor, which Modi said will enhance economic cooperation, energy development and digital connectivity. The Saudi prince, too, referred to IMEC and said the partners will have to “work diligently in order to create it into a reality”. He added there was no disagreement in the history of India-Saudi Arabia relations, which are based on cooperation to create opportunities.

“Today we’re working on future opportunities. There is a huge agenda to be working with. We are working through this council to achieve these accomplishments, and these are promising,” he said.

The two countries agreed to set to set up a joint working group (JWG) to streamline and channelise the $100 billion in investments promised by the Saudi side during the crown prince’s last visit to India in February 2019. Of this, $50 billion was earmarked for the West Coast refinery, a mega plant to be set up by Saudi Aramco, Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) and Indian firms.“Both sides extended their full support to the early implementation of the West Coast refinery project,” Ausaf Sayeed, secretary (overseas Indian affairs) in the external affairs ministry, told a media briefing. Besides the JWG on investments, there will be a specialised monitoring committee to ensure progress in the refinery project.

Sayeed acknowledged there had been delays since the refinery was announced in 2018 due to various factors, including the Covid-19 pandemic. “The whole idea was that a JWG or a committee would go into all facets of this and then see ways and means of expediting this,” he said.

The two leaders instructed officials from India’s petroleum ministry and the Saudi energy ministry to identify factors hindering the early implementation of the refinery.Reports have suggested the refinery, expected to produce 1.2 million barrels a day, has been held up because of challenges in acquiring land in western Maharashtra. The stakeholders have explored the option of splitting the mega plant into several refineries.

During the meeting, Modi suggested areas for potential Saudi investments, including waterways, ports, expansion of railways and freight corridors, highway infrastructure, energy, hydrogen, and gas grids.

The two sides agreed to expedite negotiations for a free trade agreement (FTA) between India and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which Sayeed said could act as a catalyst for economic cooperation. The negotiations were delayed because of the change of GCC’s chief negotiator and there is keenness on both sides to complete the pact as early as possible, he said. The two sides signed eight agreements, including one inked by the energy ministers to expand the hydrocarbons relationship into a comprehensive energy partnership. This agreement will cover renewable energy, petroleum, electricity, green hydrogen and strategic petroleum reserves.

Saudi Arabia is currently India’s third largest supplier of energy and supplied crude oil worth $29 billion during 2022-23. The kingdom, however, was overtaken last year by Russia, which emerged a key energy supplier by providing discounted oil after the Ukraine war

The other agreements covered digitalisation and electronic manufacturing, cooperation between India’s Central Vigilance Commission and the Saudi Oversight and Anti-Corruption Authority, the national archives, Invest India and the Saudi investment ministry, the exim banks, SIDBI, and the Saudi SME Bank.Another agreement covered seawater desalination, including cooperation in future technology, exchanges of investment and expertise and joint research. During their meeting, the two leaders focused on cooperation in energy, defence, security, technology, transportation, health care and education, and identified space and semiconductors as new areas of collaboration. Sayeed said the two sides are also eyeing cooperation in fintech and trading in national currencies, for which proposals and concept notes have been exchanged.

The leaders expressed satisfaction at the current volume of trade, which has been in the range of $30 billion a year, with India as the kingdom’s second largest trading partner and Saudi Arabia as India’s fourth largest trading partner. Modi laid emphasis on new sectors such as critical minerals and food parks, and suggested the creation of a JWG on education and skill development.

Modi also mentioned that, depending on capacity, Saudi Arabia could consider accommodating more Indian pilgrims for the annual Haj. India’s current quota for the Haj is 175,000. The Indian government has focused on enhancing security and energy ties with West Asian states, especially the UAE and Saudi Arabia, which is home to 2.2 million Indians – the largest expatriate community in the kingdom. Modi pointed to the large number of Indian workers and thanked Saudi Arabia for helping them during the pandemic.

The Saudi crown prince noted that 7% of the kingdom’s population comprises Indians, who play a large part in the country’s economic growth. “We consider them to be a part of Saudi Arabia. We watch and take care of them like we take care of our own citizens,” he said.

5) African Union becomes permanent member:

At the inaugural session of the two-day G-20 Summit in New Delhi, PM Narendra Modi welcomed the 55-nation AU as the new member of the grouping The African Union became a full member of the G-20 here on Saturday, September 9, 2023. Welcoming the African Union’s Chairperson Azaly Assoumani to the table of the G-20 leaders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the inclusion of the African bloc will enhance the effectiveness of the G-20. After the EU, African Union is the second regional bloc to join the G20.

“Honoured to welcome the African Union as a permanent member of the G-20. This will strengthen the G-20 and also strengthen the the voice of the Global South,” said Prime Minister Modi in his inaugural remarks.  Chairperson of the AU, Azaly Assoumani was led to the designated chair of African Union by External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar and Prime Minister Modi. In an interview to The Hindu, President Assoumani of Comoros, the current AU chair had expressed satisfaction over the way the AU’s advocacy for membership of G-20 has found support from various member states. Prime Minister Modi’s remarks also reflected the widespread support that the AU has received from all members of G-20.

Mr. Assoumani had told The Hindu on September 8 that Africa has the potential to deal with the challenges that are currently troubling the continent and urged that the G-20 member countries should invest in the industrialisation of the continent and manufacture goods using the resources of Africa. “It is the duty of Africa to ensure job security in the continent so that our youth will remain on our continent and find the jobs that they require. But we also have to work hand in hand with Europe and Europe will have to help us train our people,” said President Assoumani to The Hindu.

Speaking to The Hindu, Kanahiya Lal Ganju, Honorary Consul General of Comoros expressed deep satisfaction over the fast pace in which African Union was made a member of G-20. “People of Africa and especially people of Comoros are very happy today as under the chairmanship of their President, African Union became a member of G-20. This will go a long way in helping the development process in Africa and draw investment to the continent,” said Mr. Ganju.

AU’s inclusion in G-20 was welcomed by Abdulla Shahid, Foreign Minister of Maldives who said, “This will surely enhance the representation, and voice of developing countries, in the deliberations and decisions of the Group.”

India had hosted the India Africa Forum Summit in 2015 and has expanded its diplomatic footprint in the continent by opening new missions in the member countries of AU. Apart from supporting the inclusion of African Union as a permanent member of G-20, India has also invited Nigeria, Egypt, and Mauritius as part of the ‘Guest Countries’ at the G-20 summit.

6) G-20 Summit 2023 | Japan, as G-7 chair, bridged gap with West on Ukraine:

Japanese officials suggested that one year on the context had evolved and it was time to focus on a forward-looking peace Japan, as current President of the G-7 group of advanced economies, played a key role in bringing the West on board with a compromise on the reference to Russia’s war against Ukraine in the G-20’s New Delhi Leaders’ Declaration.

Japan suggested as a way out of the stalemate an emphasis on the UN Charter and the need for all states to “refrain from the threat or use of force to seek territorial acquisition against the territorial integrity and sovereignty or political independence of any state,” as mentioned in the declaration’s paragraph on Ukraine.

The New Delhi declaration, however, did not, as in last year’s Bali declaration, refer to “the aggression by the Russian Federation against Ukraine”, language that Russia and China had opposed. Despite the absence of a clear reference to Russian aggression, Japanese officials rejected the suggestion that the statement was “worse” than Bali on Ukraine, and took the view, as India has also suggested, that one year on the context had evolved and it was time to focus on a forward-looking peace that was, as the declaration said, “a comprehensive, just, and durable peace in Ukraine.”

Durable peace

“The leaders’ declaration is a strong statement of support as you can see, for a comprehensive just and durable peace in Ukraine that will uphold the purpose and principles of the UN Charter,” Hikariko Ono, spokesperson for the Japanese Foreign Ministry, told reporters.

Ms. Ono said Prime Minister Fumio Kishida had in his remarks to the G-20 on Saturday “stressed the upholding a free and open international order based on the rule of law and importance of principles enshrined in the UN Charter including sovereignty.” “These points were agreed by the G-7 and India,” she said, referring to the grouping of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the U.K. and the U.S. which Japan heads this year.

Indian and Japanese officials said the concurrent presidencies of India and Japan of the G-20 and G-7 respectively played a role in bridging differences between the West and Global South on many key issues beyond Ukraine. Mr. Kishida invited Mr. Modi as a guest to the May G-7 summit in Hiroshima.

Following talks on Saturday between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Mr. Kishida on the sidelines of the summit, the two sides “acknowledged the constructive dialogue of the two countries throughout the year on their priorities for their respective… presidencies,” said a statement from India’s Ministry of External Affairs.Both sides have also signed an agreement for a fifth tranche of funding of 400 billion Yen (₹22,494 crore) for the slow-moving Mumbai-Ahmedabad high speed rail corridor.

While Japan was keen to step up investment in India from both the public sector and private enterprises, Japanese officials who did not want to be identified said Tokyo would, at the same time, like to see an improved investment environment in India that would be more conducive to facilitating foreign investment.

GLIMPSES: OF G20 SUMMIT IN iNDIA:

7) There’s nothing Hindu about what BJP does’: Rahul Gandhi in Paris

On the India-Bharat row, Rahul Gandhi said the Indian Constitution uses both the names and both of them are perfectly fine

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi targeted the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Paris on Sunday saying that there was “nothing Hindu” about what the saffron party did and that they (BJP-RSS) were not ‘Hindu nationalists.’

“I have read the Bhagavad Gita, the Upanishads and other Hindu scriptures. And I can say that there is nothing Hindu about what the BJP does, there is absolutely nothing. I have not read anywhere, in no Hindu book, or heard from any learned Hindu person that you should terrorise, harm people who are weaker than you. So, this idea, this word, Hindu nationalists, this is a wrong word. They’re not Hindu nationalists. They have nothing to do with Hinduism. They are out to get power at any cost, and they will do anything to get power… They want dominance of a few people and that is what they are about. There is nothing Hindu about them,” Gandhi said.

The former Congress president, who is currently on a week-long Europe tour, made these remarks during an interaction with students at Science Po University in Paris, France. Accusing the BJP and its ideological parent, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) of “trying to stop expression and participation” of the minorities in India, Gandhi added, “I am striving to not let that happen in the country.”

“It is a matter of shame for India to have minorities that feel uncomfortable in their own country. If there are 200 million people who feel uncomfortable in India, if people from the Sikh community feel so uncomfortable, women feel so uncomfortable, it is a matter of shame for us. That needs to be corrected,” Gandhi added.

When asked to comment on the India-Bharat row, Rahul said that he did not mind if the country was called India or Bharat, but stressed that the BJP’s intention behind the name change was rather out of irritation as the Opposition alliance was also named INDIA. “India is defined as ‘India that is Bharat’, a union of states. The Indian Constitution uses both names (India and Bharat). Both words are perfectly fine. But we have perhaps irritated the (central) government with our coalition’s name. Our coalition’s name is INDIA. And that’s why they decided to change the name of the country,” Gandhi said.

Gandhi, who was reinstated as the Lok Sabha MP last month, took up his week-long Europe trip on Tuesday amidst the G-20 summit and he will return on September 11, one day after the summit concludes.There was no immediate reaction from the BJP and the RSS to Gandhi’s remarks. Earlier on Friday, the BJP had hit out at him for conducting his visit at a time when the G20 Summit was being held in India. BJP national spokesperson Syed Zafar Islam said, “People like (Rahul) Gandhi want to bring a bad name to India”.

Union minister Kiren Rijiu on Saturday said, “Rahul Gandhi is attacking India from Foreign soil when the whole world is applauding India’s peaceful rise as a global leader. Rahul Gandhi is deliberately praising China, running down India on foreign soil just to distract India’s successful #G20 summit. Please ignore him.”

On Friday, opening up on his meeting with the European Parliamentary members, Gandhi had said that the members were concerned when he had raised the issue of the attacks on the democratic institutions of India.

“Some people are trying to promote Rahul Gandhi’s anti-India statements given in Brussels. He is meeting well known anti-India activists & trying to damage India’s image. #G20 summit is a Golden opportunity for INDIA to showcase our capability and ability.. Let’s not waste it,” Rijiju added. In Belgium, Gandhi held meetings with the European Union leaders, students and the media and discussed the condition of the democratic processes in India, which he opined was ‘under attack.

While in France, apart from interacting with students at the Sciences Po, Gandhi also participated in a meeting of the Labour Union of France in Paris.

His next stop is Norway, where he will address a diaspora event in Oslo and Gandhi is also scheduled to go to the University of Oslo to deliver a speech before returning to India.

On the eve of the G20 Summit, senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi Friday said that he had discussed with members of the European Parliament the various challenges India is facing, including “the attack on the democratic institutions” in the country, and said they were “very concerned” as they felt there was “an attempt to stifle the democratic structures of India”.

The claims that democracy is under attack in India, the voice of the Opposition is being stifled and constitutional institutions are being captured have been among the constant themes of Rahul’s foreign visits. But it is the first time that the Congress leader has gone on record to state that he has discussed what he called “the attack on democratic institutions” in India with foreign lawmakers. Speaking about the discussion, co-hosted by MEPs Alviina Alametsä and Pierre Larrouturou, the Congress leader said they had talked about “the relationship between India and Europe, the changing globe, transition into a new energy paradigm, into a new mobility paradigm.”

“We were giving them a sense of the type of challenges India is facing – economic challenges, other challenges, the general sort of attack on the democratic institutions. That is what we discussed,” he said.

Asked about their response, Rahul said: “They are very concerned and they felt that there is an attempt to stifle the democratic structures of India. They were very clear with us.”At the same time, Rahul had only praise for the G20 Summit being hosted by Delhi. He called the grouping “an important conversation” and said “it is a good thing that India is hosting it”. This seems a departure from the Congress’s repeated observation that the G20 Presidency had come to India merely by rotation, implying that the government should not project it as some sort of achievement.

Rahul largely echoed senior Congress leader Manmohan Singh’s position on India’s G20 Presidency, which the former prime minister spelt out in an interview to The Indian Express on Friday. Singh said: “I am very glad that India’s rotational chance for the Presidency of the G20 came during my lifetime and I am witness to India hosting world leaders for the G20 Summit. Foreign policy has always been an important element of India’s governance framework, but it is fair to say that it has become even more relevant and important to domestic politics today than earlier.” At the press conference, Rahul hit out at the BJP for not inviting Rajya Sabha Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge to the G20 dinner. “It tells you something. It tells you that they don’t value the leader of 60 per cent of India’s population, and it is something that people should think about. Why are they feeling the need to do that? And what is the type of thinking that goes behind that?”

On the Russia-Ukraine war, a conflict which has impacted Europe much, Rahul supported India’s position. To repeated questions on New Delhi’s ties with Moscow, he maintained that being a large country, India needs to have relationships with many countries. “The Opposition by and large would agree with India’s position, current position on the conflict. We have a relationship with Russia and I don’t think the Opposition would have a different view than what the government is currently proposing,” he said.

Rahul has in the past too argued that a Congress government’s policies vis-a-vis Russia would not be dramatically different from that of the BJP’s.

8) As if govt expects people to die: Chidambaram on BJP G20 celebration on day of Anantnag tragedy:

The BJP held a celebration on Wednesday evening at the headquarters on the occasion of the G20 success. Anantnag tragedy took place in the morning. Several Congress leaders spoke against BJP celebrating India's G-20 success in New Delhi on the same day the four bravehearts -- one cop and two Army officers, one rifleman -- were martyred during the operation in Anantnag on Wednesday. Congress leader P Chidambaram upped the ante as he added this with the government's policy in Kashmir as he said it seems that the government expects people to die in the "defence of its muddle-headed policy in Kashmir". "On Wednesday, 13th September, a Colonel, a Major, a DSP and a Rifleman were killed in Kashmir. The ruling establishment -- the BJP-- does not pause for a minute to pay homage to the martyrs. It is as if the government expects people to die in the defence of its muddle-headed policy in Kashmir. As long as the people of Kashmir feel alienated and betrayed, peace will not return to Kashmir," Chidambaram tweeted.

Colonel Manpreet Singh and Major Ashish Dhonchak, Deputy Superintendent of Police Humayun Bhat, rifleman Ravi Kumar were martyred during the operation on Wednesday. As National conference leader Farooq Abdullah went to visit Humayun Bhat's residence, he said he did not see any end to it while the government was claiming that terror incidents in the Valley came down.

Reacting to Farooq Abdullah's statement, Union minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar said Farooq Abdullah and his family ruled the Valley for years and they are responsible. "Farooq Abdullah and his family have ruled, misruled and misgoverned Jammu and Kashmir for many many years. Their politics have primarily been responsible for decades of deprivation and J&K people's suffering from lack of rights, economic opportunities and the scourge of terrorism," Rajeev Chandrasekhar said.The operation in Anantnag continued for the third day on Friday as two LeT terrorists including Uzair Khan were encircled by the security forces. Uzair Khan is a resident of Nagam villahe on Kokernag who joined the terrorists in June 2022.

One soldier involved in the operation went missing.

9) Manipur violence: Meitei group meets Rajnath Singh over removal of Assam Rifles:

The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), a collective of dominant Meitei groups, has sought Assam Rifles’s removal saying the force was biased Representatives of a Meitei group met defence minister Rajnath Singh late on Thursday to press for the demand for the removal of Assam Rifles from ethnic violence-hit Manipur.

In a statement released around midnight, a collective of dominant Meitei groups said the Delhi Meitei Coordinating Committee (DMCC) met Singh at his residence and demanded another security force should replace Assam Rifles.

The Coordinating Committee on Manipur Integrity (COCOMI), the collective, has sought Assam Rifles’s removal saying the force was biased. Meitei women groups have held a series of protests against the force.

COCOMI representatives have met Union home minister Amit Shah at least thrice since ethnic violence was triggered in May. The violence has left at least 175 dead and around 50,000 displaced.

COCOMI spokesperson Khuraijam Athouba said DMCC submitted a memorandum citing the threat from Kuki militant groups and the alleged bias of the Assam Rifles. Kuki groups have blamed Meitei militant groups for the violence. Athouba said the DMCC delegation apprised Singh about the embarrassment Kuki groups caused by approaching the United Nations for a resolution to the Manipur crisis.

“DMCC reiterated that Meitei insurgency groups have been already banned by [Union] MHA [ministry of home affairs] before the year 2000, so necessary legal actions have been taken against them...no action has been taken under the pretext of Suspension of Operations and Kukis militants are firing from hills and farmers are being killed,” Athouba said.

Athouba said the delegation told Singh that Assam Rifles was biased when dealing with Meitei and Kuki protesters. The spokesperson added they raised the issues of narco-terrorism, illegal immigrants and their identification as well as suspension of operations agreement.

Kuki groups have accused Manipur Police of bias and urged the Union government to retain Assam Rifles to restore peace in the state. Assam Rifles reports to the Union government and Manipur Police to chief minister Biren Singh, a Meitei. Last month, Assam Rifles sent a legal notice to a Manipuri leader for his alleged remarks accusing the force of siding with Kuki militants during the clashes with Meiteis. The Manipur Police filed a first information report accusing the Assam Rifles of stopping them from pursuing Kuki militants across a buffer zone.

Assam Rifles has maintained its troops were only following the buffer zone guidelines in place to restore normalcy. It filed a sedition case against COCOMI for allegedly discouraging the return of weapons stolen from police armouries.

The Kukis and other tribal groups live in hill districts while the Meiteis in the Imphal valley and plains. The central forces are posted in the buffer zones or areas adjoining the foothills to ensure that armed people from both the Kukis and Meitei sides do not cross them to launch attacks.Central forces have been directed against allowing even state police to cross the buffer zones without taking them along. The directive was issued against the backdrop of allegations of bias against the state police.

10) Cop shot dead, two others injured in Manipur’s Churachandpur:

It’s the third incident of violence this month in the strife-torn Manipur in which deaths have taken place An on-duty police sub-inspector was shot dead and two other civilians were injured in a firing incident that took place in Manipur’s Churachandpur district on Wednesday afternoon, officials aware of the matter said.Churachandpur is a Kuki-dominated district.

A senior police official confirmed on condition of anonymity said that Ongmang Haokip, a sub-inspector on duty at Chingphei, was shot and killed by what is suspected to be a sniper’s bullet around 1:30pm on Wednesday.

Two civilians were also injured in shots fired by miscreants in the Kuki-dominated district, he said.

The identity of the two and details regarding the nature of their injuries were not available till filing this report.

Wednesday’s incident comes a day after three persons, all Kukis, were allegedly attacked and killed in fresh violence by a group of armed miscreants wearing Manipur police commando outfits in Kangpokpi, another Kuki-dominated district.

It’s the third incident of violence this month in the strife-torn state in which deaths have taken place. On Tuesday, three men were shot dead by armed miscreants in Manipur’s Kangpokpi district. On September 8, two persons were killed and another 40 were injured in Manipur’s Tengnoupal district after a thousands-strong mob clashed with security forces despite prohibitory orders in Tengnoupal district.On August 29, and August 31, clashes between tribal Kukis and dominant Meiteis left at least eight people dead and over two dozen, including three India Reserve Battalion personnel, wounded.

In June, HT had reported that central agencies had warned Manipur police to be alert about miscreants who had sourced police and security forces uniforms to masquerade as security personnel and fuel violence.

Manipur has been rocked by ethnic clashes between Meitei and tribal Kuki communities since May 3. The violence, including Wednesday’s incident, has claimed 169 lives and displaced over 50,000 people.

11) INDIA bloc decides to boycott shows of 14 news anchors; list released:

A list of news anchors has been released by INDIA bloc's sub-committee on media whose shows they are going to boycott in future.One of the key decisions taken during the coordination committee meeting of the Oppostion-led INDIA bloc is to boycott television shows moderated by certain news anchors. The authorised sub-committee on media has came up with a list of such news anchors whose shows they have decided to avoid taking part in as panelists.

"The coordination committee authorised the sub-group on media to decide upon the names of the anchors on whose shows none of the INDIA parties will send their representatives," Congress general secretary KC Venugopal said after the meeting on Wednesday.The list, shared by several member parties of INDIA coalition, contains the names of Republic Network's Arnab Goswami, Aaj Tak's Sudhir Chaudhary, News18 Hindi's Amish Devgan, TimesNow's Navika Kumar, IndiaToday Group's Gaurav Sawant among 14 news anchors.

The INDIA bloc aims to sway public opinion, which is believed to be captured by BJP through mainstream media houses. The Oppositon parties have been dependent on social media and independent journalists to achieve this bid and amplify their message.

"There are some anchors who conduct provocative debates. We'll make a list of them and INDIA alliance partners will stop going to their shows" AAP MP Raghav Chadha said earlier.

The coordination committee meeting also discussed on matters related to seat sharing in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, forming state-level committees to discuss with INDIA parties in states. 12 member parties present at the meeting also decided to hold the coalition's first public meeting in Bhopal.

Ahead of the meeting, the BJP triggered a row over the Opposition's agenda to hold congregations, alleging that they get together to discuss on ‘aboloshing Hinduism’.The INDIA alliance meeting is taking place to abolish Hindus, which is evident from what a Tamil Nadu minister had said," Union minister Giriraj Singh told reporters referring to DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin's recent remarks on Sanatan Dharma.

1) Asia Cup 2023: Pakistan suffers heaviest ODI defeat against India:

Pakistan suffered its heaviest-ever defeat in One Day Internationals (ODIs) against arch-rival India in the Asia Cup Super 4 clash at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Monday. Pakistan suffered its heaviest-ever defeat in One Day Internationals (ODIs) against arch-rival India in the Asia Cup Super 4 clash at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Monday.

India registered a 228-run win, powered by Kuldeep Yadav’s five-wicket haul, to kick-off its

The loss surpasses Pakistan’s previous biggest loss vs India by runs in ODIs - by 140 runs in 2008 at Mirpur when it got bowled out for 190 while chasing a 331-run target.

The reserve day was added at the last minute perhaps to ensure the broadcaster gets the most out of a marquee clash between India and Pakistan. And the additional day’s play resulted in the broadcaster and the Men in Blue making the most of it.

Not only did India register a facile 228-run win in its opening Super 4s fixture in the Asia Cup against Pakistan, but Rohit Sharma and Co. have ticked virtually all the boxes it desired for, over two days. If Rohit and Shubman Gill had given India a rollicking start at the R. Premadasa on Sunday, Virat Kohli and K.L. Rahul topped it up in a stylish manner. The result was India raced to a gargantuan 356 for two, its joint-highest total against Pakistan in ODIs.

Considering the fact that no team has successfully chased a 301-plus target at the venue, Kohli, who notched up his 47th ODI ton in a nonchalant manner, and Rahul, who registered a stylish hundred on his first competitive outing after a four-month injury lay-off, had virtually batted Pakistan out of the game.

An all-round bowling performance helped India seal the deal with 18 overs to spare. The complete performance saw Kuldeep Yadav, who struggled for rhythm against Nepal in the group stage, bamboozle the Pakistan batters after the pacers had cleaned up the top order.

The day saw two rain breaks. While the first one delayed the resumption of the game by 100 minutes, the second one — with Pakistan reeling at 44 for two in 11 overs — lasted over an hour before the action resumed for India to persist its quest for excellence.

Pakistan, on the other hand, had a forgettable day. After losing Haris Rauf’s services to a strain he had on Sunday, Naseem Shah — the pick of the pacers — also couldn’t complete his full quota. Later in the chase, Agha Salman top-edged a reverse sweep to get a cut near his eye.

On the field though, Kohli, Rahul and Kuldeep were the star acts. While Rahul preferred to earn his runs by balancing strike rotation with the big hits, Kohli was at his best when it came to tiring the bowlers and the fielders simultaneously. Despite hitting only six fours and two sixes, Kohli had raced to an 84-ball hundred, tapping the ball close to his bat off Shaheen Shah Afridi for a quick single to reach the landmark in the 48th over. The last five overs — despite the duo closing in on the individual landmark — saw India clobber 56 runs, thus helping it cross the 350-run mark.

Once Jasprit Bumrah had forced Imam-ul-Haq to nick one to Gill at second slip, Hardik Pandya bowled the ball of the day to dismiss Babar Azam. The Pakistan captain had no answer to one that jagged back in after pitching to strike into the timber.

Soon after the break, Shardul Thakur proved his utility by seeing Mohammad Rizwan’s back. Then on, for the remaining night, it was a Kuldeep show as the Pakistan middle- and lower-order was made to look mediocre by Kuldeep’s artistry.

With the two injured pacers not taking the field, Kuldeep wound up the game by getting through Faheem Ashram’s defence and earned a deserving fifer. The early finish also gave India additional rest before readying itself for Tuesday’s clash against Sri Lanka.

India’s wins by big margins vs Pakistan

2023 - 228 runs, Asia Cup at Colombo

2008 - 140 runs, Kitply Cup at Mirpur

2017 - 124 runs, ICC Champions Trophy at Birmingham

2) India qualifies for Asia Cup 2023 final, ends Sri Lanka’s 13-match winning streak:

India beat Sri Lanka by 41 runs to enter its 10th Asia Cup final at the R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo on Tuesday. The pitch was dry. Dunith Wellalage, the allrounder, could not put a foot wrong. Charith Asalanka, a part-time offie, came to the party. So did India’s more accomplished tweakers. But in a low-scoring affair, it was India’s opening combination with the bat and the ball that turned out to be the difference between the sides.

Riding on captain Rohit Sharma and Shubman Gill’s 80-run stand and a fiery spell from Jasprit Bumrah and Mohammed Siraj up front, India broke Sri Lanka’s 13-match unbeaten streak with a convincing 41-run win. The win meant it had one foot in Sunday’s Asia Cup final, with two games remaining in the Super Fours stage.With a dry surface in offing, adjacent to the one used for India’s clash versus Pakistan that turned out to be a two-day affair, both the teams had packed their line-ups with spinners. Shardul Thakur was thus replaced with Axar Patel in India’s team. Axar did help India cross the 200-run mark with sensible batting towards the end but had it not been for Rohit’s charge in the Powerplay, India could have struggled to get anywhere near the total it received.

Rohit’s lazy elegance was on display time and again, be it in a crisp drive off Kasun Rajitha in the opening over or his straight six over the pacer’s head that helped the veteran become the second-fastest to 10,000 ODI runs.

SCORECARD

He went after his Sri Lanka counterpart Dasun Shanaka, welcoming him into the attack with four fours and then swivelled Matheesha Pathirana’s short ball over the ropes. But in the 12th over, Shanaka took himself off and brought on Wellalage.

The left-arm spinner struck once in each of his first three overs to bring Sri Lanka into the game. He got rid of Shubman Gill (undone in flight), Virat Kohli (the ball stuck into the pitch, caught at midwicket) and Rohit (skidded and kept low) and got Sri Lanka back in the game. From then on, India struggled to accumulate runs. With Wellalage adding two more to become the youngest Sri Lankan to pick up a five-wicket haul in ODIs and Asalanka running through the lower order, India was bowled out for 213. Bumrah and Siraj then showed their class by striking thrice in the Powerplay. Both were virtually unplayable, with Bumrah picking two. Kuldeep then struck twice in quick succession, including the fluent Sadeera Samarawickrama.

When Ravindra Jadeja enticed an edge off Shanaka to Rohit in the slips, at 99 for six, the game was all but over. But Dhananjaya de Silva found an able ally in Wellalage to give the largest turnout a glimmer of hope.

But the 63-run partnership was broken, thanks to Shubman Gill’s sharp catch at mid-on to see de Silva’s back. Kuldeep then ran through the tail to hand India a comfortable win.

3) US Open 2023 Final Highlights: Novak Djokovic completes Daniil Medvedev revenge to clinch historic 24th Grand Slam:

Novak Djokovic vs Daniil Medvedev Highlights US Open 2023 Final: Novak Djokovic clinched his fourth US Open men's singles title, defeating Daniil Medvedev in the final, at the Flushing Meadows in New York on Monday. The Serbian ace cruised to a easy win in the first set, claiming it 6-3. In the next set, Medvedev tried to stage a comeback, but lost in the tie-breaker as the Serb bagged it 7-6(5). Then in the third set, Djokovic consolidated on the first two sets, to ease to a 6-3 win. The Serb claimed a 6-3 7-6(5) 6-3 victory to match Margaret Court's record tally of 24 Grand Slams.

It is time for the post-match presentation now! Djokovic is teary-eyed!

The chair umpire is felicitated first then the USTA chairman, who also gives a small speech.

First Medvedev's turn!

"First of all, Novak what are you still doing here. Jokes apart, third final, maybe not the last. You are probably going to be here for many more. I don't know when you are going to slow down. 24, I mean, congrats to your team. 2 years ago, when I won, I was like what a great anniversary gift for my wife. It is funny because dates usually change. But today is Sunday, it didn't happen", he said.

"I want to thank my team, first of all for being there for many years. Hopefully guys, we can do one more this step or more than one more time. Everybody, my family and my supporters, it is sometimes tough and sometimes happy. Thanks a lot guys", he further added.

Speaking on Djokovic, he said, "I don't know. From one side, I can say that I find this amazing. At the same time, if he and Rafa didn't exist, I played five finals against them, and only won once. I said this before, we first met when I was 500 in the world. He was super kind and treated me like a normal person. He still does, nothing has changed. I think that is great about a person."

He receives the runners-up trophy.

Now Djokovic's turn, the champion!

On matching Court's 24 Grand Slam titles, he said, "I don't know where to start, it means the world to me. I am really living my childhood dream, to compete in the highest level in the sport, which has given my family so much. We had a lot of wars in my countries during the 90s and my parents sacrificed a lot. They let me play a very expensive sport. I fell in love with it, nobody in my family has played it before. Quite a choice and incredible resilience, belief from my parents. This trophy is for my kids and my team."

"To make history is truly remarkable and special in every possible meaning. I had a childhood dream when I was 7 or 8. I wanted to become the best player in the world and win the Wimbledon trophy. That was the only thing that I wanted. Last couple of years, I felt I had a shot at history, why not grab it if presented," he further added.

Speaking on Medvedev, he said, "I want to congratulate Medvedev. Happy anniversary to your partner. It comes from a good place. If I knew it was today, maybe the result would have been different. Jokes aside, he has been incredibly kind to me and my team. It is nice to see you evolution and there is lot more for you to achieve, no doubt. He has the most authentic personality, never change with your celebrations and comments."

In memory of late Kobe Bryant, he said, "I thought of wearing the Black Mamba t-shirt if I get a chance to win this tournament, 7 days ago. I didn't say this to anyone. Kobe was a close friend, we chatted a lot about winners' mentality, when I was struggling with injuries and trying to make a comeback. He was one of those I relied on, and he was always there. What happened few years ago and his daughter passing, that hurt me. I did it to acknowledge him."

Djokovic wins 3 million dollars as the winner! He receives his trophy from 2003 US Open winner Roddick. He raises it in elation and is applauded!

4) Pakistan scored 252/7, Sri Lanka 252/8, then how did they win? Full explainer of DLS rule that changed Asia Cup:

Pakistan posted 252 for 7 in their allotted 42 overs and then Sri Lanka finished with 252/8 in the same number of overs. Then how come Sri Lanka won?

The Pakistan vs Sri Lanka Asia Cup Super 4 match at the R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo was special in more ways than one. It threatened to be washed out on multiple occasions but it didn't. After overs were deducted twice - first it was reduced to a 45-over contest and then finally to a 42-over one - it looked like Sri Lanka were running away with the game before Pakistan made a late comeback with the ball through Iftikhar Ahmed and Shaheen Shah Afridi. The match went down to the wire where Charith Asalank kept his calm when two were required off the last ball to win the match for the hosts and take them to the Asia Cup final. Rain, drama, stunning performances, tension, and its see-saw nature were not the only things that made this match special. A glance at the final scorecard will tell you exactly why.

Pakistan posted 252 for 7 in their allotted 42 overs and then Sri Lanka finished with 252/8 in the same number of overs. Then how come the latter won? Technically, shouldn't it have been a tie as the scores were level? The answer is no. Here is why Sri Lanka won the match despite both teams finishing with 252 at the end of 42 overs

The match would have ended in a tie if it was a 50-over contest or even in this case, if it was a 45-over one as the five overs deducted from each side were before the play began. The DLS rule did not come into effect then. But things changed after the second rain stoppage. Pakistan were 130 for 5 in 27.4 overs when rain returned to force the players off the field. When play resumed after about 45 minutes, three more overs were deducted, making it a 42-over contest. But more importantly, the DLS method came into play.

Thanks to Mohammad Rizwan (86* off 73) and Iftikhar Ahmed (47 off 40), Pakistan made a strong recovery to post 252/7 in 42 overs. But because DLS came into play, Sri Lanka got a revised target. They were not chasing 253 but 252. 1 run was deducted from Pakistan's total.

Why was 1 run deducted from Pakistan's total and Sri Lanka got a revised target?

Pakistan still had three wickets in hand, shouldn't runs have been added to their total? Again, no. It doesn't matter how many wickets a side has lost at the end of their innings. It's the number of wickets they lose before the rain stoppage that determines the final target for the opposition. That means, according to the DLS method, Pakistan, with five wickets down before the rain break, got an advantage because three more overs were deducted from the innings. Their final total was calculated based on that. Of course! If Mohammad Nawaz had not been dismissed on the last ball before the rain stoppage, Sri Lanka would have gotten a target of 255 instead of 252. Similarly, if Pakistan lost fewer wickets than four, more runs would have been added to their final total while if they had lost more than five wickets then more runs would have been deducted from their total. This is how DLS method works. Wickets in hand is the most important factor in DLS calculations.

A last-over thriller

Sri Lanka needed eight from the final over and achieved the target with Asalanka's winning hit on the last ball at 1.07 am local time.

A raucous home crowd rejoiced but the result broke the heart of millions of fans awaiting an India-Pakistan final in the 50-over tournament, a prelude to the upcoming ODI World Cup. The left-handed Asalanka held his nerve despite Shaheen Shah Afridi's two wickets in two balls in the penultimate over and the first four balls from Zaman Khan giving away just two runs and a wicket in the 42nd over.

Mendis set up victory with a 100-run third-wicket stand with Sadeera Samarawickrama, who made 48, but Asalanka took it on himself after their departure.

5) Matthew Ebden fall short in doubles final against Rajeev Ram-Joe Salisbury:

Rohan Bopanna and his Australian partner Matthew Ebden fell short of winning the US Open 2023 men's doubles title after losing the final to USA’s Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury of Great Britain in New York on Friday

The Indo-Australian tennis pair lost to the defending US Open men’s doubles champions 6-2, 3-6, 4-6. Indian tennis player Rohan Bopanna and his Australian partner Matthew Ebden fell short of winning the US Open 2023 men's doubles title after losing the final to USA’s Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury of Great Britain in New York on Friday.

Competing on the hard courts of the Arthur Ashe Stadium, Rohan Bopanna and Matthew Edben, seeded sixth, lost to third seeds Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury 6-2, 3-6, 4-6 in exactly two hours. With this victory, Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury became the first men’s doubles team at the US Open to achieve a three-peat in more than 90 years.

Bopanna and Edben got off to the best start possible, breaking Rajeev Ram’s serve at love. Ebden’s accurate serves and Bopanna’s powerful backhands helped the Indo-Australian duo keep their grip on the first set. They broke Joe Salisbury’s serve in the seventh game and went on to take the 1-0 lead.

Ram and Salisbury came into the second set with spring in their stride. Bopanna and Edben were put under pressure and got broken in the sixth game after hitting a couple of unforced errors on the forehand.

Rajeev Ram wrapped up the set with an ace and took the match into the decider.

Bopanna and Edben found themselves in a hole with 0-40 down in the first game of the third set. However, a perfect Bopanna lob coupled with well-executed forehand shots helped the Indo-Australian pair hold their ground.

Ram and Salisbury had to save three break points to draw level at 2-2. They then broke Bopanna’s serve in the next game to take a 3-2 lead.

Bopanna and Ebden conceded the opening point in the seventh game as well. They levelled the scores at 15-15 but in a brilliant show of sportsmanship, Bopanna conceded the point as the ball brushed his elbow on the way. Bopanna, however, scored four net points to win the game and stay in the hunt for the title.

Rajeev Ram and Joe Salisbury, however, stayed resolute to win their third US Open title in a row.

This was Rohan Bopanna’s second Grand Slam men’s doubles final. The Indian tennis player had reached the men’s doubles final of the US Open with Pakistan’s Aisam-ul-Haq Qureshi 13 years ago but the duo lost to the legendary Bryan brothers of the USA.

A 2017 French Open mixed doubles champion, Bopanna is yet to win a men’s doubles Grand Slam. He made it to the mixed doubles final at the Australian Open earlier this year alongside Sania Mirza.

Earlier on Thursday, Rohan Bopanna, at 43 years and six months, became the oldest player to reach a Grand Slam final in the Open era. He beat the previous record of Canada’s Daniel Nestor, who was 43 years and 4 months old when he played in the 2016 Australian Open final.

Bopanna and Ebden just dropped one set from five matches en route to the final. In the semi-finals, they got the better of five-time Grand Slam champions Nicolas Mahut and Pierre-Hugues Herbert of France in straight sets.

Earlier this year, Rohan Bopanna became the oldest tennis player to win the Masters 1000 title at the Indian Wells tournament. Bopanna and Ebden also won the Qatar Open in February and made the Wimbledon semi-finals in July.

6) India vs Bangladesh, Asia Cup Super 4 highlights: BAN beat IND by 6 runs despite Gill century:

India vs Bangladesh, Asia Cup Super 4 highlights: Gill's 121 off 133 and later Axar kept IND in the fight but BAN were clinical with the ball and in the field.

India vs Bangladesh, Asia Cup Super 4 highlights: Shubman Gill had been the anchor for India chasing a target of 266 but he was hardly able to find an able partner at the other end. The opener scored his fifth ODI ton and has almost single-handedly led India's chase but he eventually fell on 121 off 133. Only KL Rahul had managed to stay with Gill in the middle for any considerable period of time. The pair put up 57 runs for the third wicket before Rahul fell to Mahedi Hasan. After that, Suryakumar Yadav and Ravindra Jadeja fell without troubling the scorers too much and Gill had Axar Patel for company when his innings ended. Axar then gave India some hope by scoring 42 off 34 balls. His dismissal all but confirmed India's loss and the match was done when Mohammed Shami was run out off the second last ball of the last over of the Indian innings. Earlier, Bangladesh rode on important knocks from Shakib Al Hasan (80) and Towhid Hridoy (54) after a top-order collapse, as the duo propelled the side to a competitive score of 265/8 after Indian captain Rohit Sharma opted to bowl in Colombo. Shardul Thakur (3/66) was the most impressive -- but also the most expensive -- of all Indian bowlers, as Mohammed Shami (2/32), Prasidh Krishna (1/43), Axar Patel (1/47), and Ravindra Jadeja (1/53) were all among the wickets in the innings. Shami took the opening wicket early for India and they kept the pressure on Bangladesh throughout the initial few overs. before Shakib and Hridoy led the rescue for Bangladesh. The match was a dead rubber, with India through to the final and Bangladesh being knocked out, but it ended being a potboiler that went down to the last two balls.

India vs Bangladesh Live Score: Bangladesh beat India by 6 runs

India vs Bangladesh Live Score: Run out does the job for Bangladesh. Tanzim sends it in at yorker length, Shami digs it out and the pair try to run two. But the bails are whipped well before Shami can get back and so the last Indian wicket falls. That is Bangladesh's first win in the Colombo leg of this Asia Cup and their first win over India in the Asia Cup since 2012. Shubman Gill scored a century in defeat today for India and incidentally, there was another player who had scored a century for India in that match as well. That was Sachin Tendulkar and it was famously his 100th international century. Today, it was Gill's ninth international century and fifth in ODI cricket. Bangladesh were on the money throughout, particularly with their bowling and fielding. There was hardly any misfields today from them and they only upped the ante towards the end of the match. They can go back home with their heads held high and with the belief that they can now go to India with a strong squad for the World Cup next month.

 Bambai Meri Jaan’:

The series is based on, ‘Dongri to Dubai: Six Decades of the Mumbai Mafia’. The series showcases the life of a gangster called Dara Kadri. The series is presented from the viewpoint of his father, Ismail Kadri, a former police officer. It describes how Dara placed his family at risk and became one of the strongest criminals.

‘Bambai Meri Jaan’ will be released on September 14, 2023, on Amazon Prime Video.

Love At First Sight’

In the movie ‘Love At First Sight’, two strangers meet at the airport and eventually board the same plane and develop an unexpected bond. Later they promise to remain in touch forever, but one of them misses the other's phone number. Let's see if they ever cross paths again and see each other in life.

‘Love At First Sight’ is releasing on Netflix on September 15, 2023.

Kaala

“Kaala” is an upcoming Disney+Hotstar Original series, which is a crime thriller drama series all set to stream on Hotstar in multiple languages on September 15, 2023, at 12 AM IST. (The series is already streaming now with 8 episodes).

Bhola Shankar:

Bhola Shankar’ is a Telugu movie starring South megastar Chiranjeevi, Keerthy Suresh and Tamannaah Bhatia in the main roles. The story features a beautiful bond of brother and sister relationship. It is a remake of the 2015 Tamil film ‘Vedalam’. It was released on August 11, 2023, and if you missed it to watch it in the movie theater then you can watch it on Netflix on September 15, 2023.

MOVIES

Sri :

The biographical movie Sri features Rajkummar Rao, Alaya f, and Sharad Kelkar, and tells the inspiring story of Shrikanth Bolla, a successful industrialist who overcame his visual impairment to establish Bollant Industries. Directed by Tushar Hiranandani, the film is scheduled to release on September 15, 2023.

Where To Watch: Cinemas

Release Date: September 15

A Million Miles Away PG

Follows Jose Hernandez, the first migrant farmworker to travel to space.

Alejandra Màrquez Abella, Michael Pena, Eric Johnson, Rosa Salazar, Garret Dillahunt, Veronica Falcón, Sarayu Blue

Book Of This Week:

Zealot: The Life and Times of Jesus of Nazareth : by Reza Aslan (Author)

From the internationally bestselling author of No god but God comes a fascinating, provocative and meticulously researched biography that challenges long-held assumptions about the man we know as Jesus of Nazareth. Two thousand years ago, an itinerant Jewish preacher from Galilee launched a revolutionary movement proclaiming the 'Kingdom of God', and threatened the established order of first-century Palestine. Defying both Imperial Rome and its collaborators in the Jewish religious hierarchy, he was captured, tortured and executed as a state criminal. Within decades, his followers would call him the Son of God. Sifting through centuries of mythmaking, Reza Aslan sheds new light on one of history's most influential and enigmatic figures by examining Jesus within the context of the times in which he lived: the age of zealotry, an era awash in apocalyptic fervour, when scores of Jewish prophets and would-be messiahs wandered the Holy Land bearing messages from God

About Reza Aslan

Dr. Reza Aslan’s bachelor’s degree is in religious studies, with an emphasis on scripture and traditions (which at Santa Clara University means the New Testament). His minor was in biblical Greek. He has a master of theological studies degree from Harvard University, in world religions, and a Ph.D. from the University of California, Santa Barbara, in the sociology of religions. UCSB’s doctoral program is an interdisciplinary one that draws from religion, history, philosophy, and sociology, among other fields. Aslan’s doctorate in the sociology of religions encompasses expertise in the history of religion. Reza also has a master of fine arts degree from the University of Iowa.

Dr. Aslan is currently professor of creative writing at the University of California, Riverside, with a joint appointment in the department of religion, and he teaches in both disciplines. He was previously Wallerstein Distinguished Visiting Professor at Drew University, where he taught from 2012 to 2013, and assistant visiting professor of religion at the University of Iowa, where he taught from 2000 to 2003. He has written three books on religion.