IMAGE DESCRIPTION 1:This 360-degree mosaic from the “Airey Hill” location inside Jezero Crater was generated using 993 individual images taken by the Perseverance Mars rover’s Mastcam-Z from Nov. 3-6. The rover remained parked at Airey Hill for several weeks during solar conjunction. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/ASU/MSSS
Marking its 1,000th
Martian day on the Red Planet, NASA's Perseverance rover recently completed its
exploration of the ancient river delta that holds evidence of a lake that
filled Jezero Crater billions of years ago. The six-wheeled scientist has to
date collected a total of 23 samples, revealing the geologic history of this
region of Mars in the process. One sample called "Lefroy Bay"
contains a large quantity of fine-grained silica, a material known to preserve
ancient fossils on Earth. Another, "Otis Peak," holds a significant
amount of phosphate, which is often associated with life as we know it. Both of
these samples are also rich in carbonate, which can preserve a record of the
environmental conditions from when the rock was formed.
The discoveries were
shared Tuesday, Dec. 12, at the American Geophysical Union fall meeting in San
Francisco.
"We picked Jezero
Crater as a landing site because orbital imagery showed a delta—clear evidence
that a large lake once filled the crater. A lake is a potentially habitable
environment, and delta rocks are a great environment for entombing signs of
ancient life as fossils in the geologic record," said Perseverance's
project scientist, Ken Farley of Caltech. "After thorough exploration,
we've pieced together the crater's geologic history, charting its lake and
river phase from beginning to end."
 |
IMAGE DESCRIPTION 2:This image of Mars’ Jezero Crater is overlaid with mineral data detected from orbit. The green color represents carbonates – minerals that form in watery environments with conditions that might be favorable for preserving signs of ancient life. NASA’s Perseverance is currently exploring the green area above Jezero’s fan (center). Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS/JHU-APL |
Jezero formed from an
asteroid impact almost 4 billion years ago. After Perseverance landed in
February 2021, the mission team discovered the crater floor is made of igneous
rock formed from magma underground or from volcanic activity at the surface.
They have since found sandstone and mudstone, signaling the arrival of the
first river in the crater hundreds of millions of years later. Above these
rocks are salt-rich mudstones, signaling the presence of a shallow lake
experiencing evaporation. The team thinks the lake eventually grew as wide as
22 miles (35 kilometers) in diameter and as deep as 100 feet (30
meters).Enticing samplesThe samples Perseverance gathers are about as big as a
piece of classroom chalk and are stored in special metal tubes as part of the
Mars Sample Return campaign, a joint effort by NASA and ESA (European Space
Agency). Bringing the tubes to Earth would enable scientists to study the
samples with powerful lab equipment too large to take to Mars.To decide which
samples to collect, Perseverance first uses an abrasion tool to wear away a
patch of a prospective rock and then studies the rock's chemistry using
precision science instruments, including the JPL-built Planetary Instrument for
X-ray Lithochemistry, or PIXL.
At a target the team
calls "Bills Bay," PIXL spotted carbonates—minerals that form in
watery environments with conditions that might be favorable for preserving
organic molecules. (Organic molecules form by both geological and biological
processes.) These rocks were also abundant with silica, a material that's
excellent at preserving organic molecules, including those related to
life."On Earth, this fine-grained silica is what you often find in a location
that was once sandy," said JPL's Morgan Cable, the deputy principal
investigator of PIXL. "It's the kind of environment where, on Earth, the
remains of ancient life could be preserved and found later."Perseverance's
instruments are capable of detecting both microscopic, fossil-like structures
and chemical changes that may have been left by ancient microbes, but they have
yet to see evidence for either.Later, fast-flowing water carried in boulders
from outside Jezero, distributing them atop of the delta and elsewhere in the
crater."We were able to see a broad outline of these chapters in Jezero's
history in orbital images, but it required getting up close with Perseverance
to really understand the timeline in detail," said Libby Ives, a postdoctoral
fellow at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Southern California, which
manages the mission.At another target PIXL examined, called "Ouzel
Falls," the instrument detected the presence of iron associated with
phosphate. Phosphate is a component of DNA and the cell membranes of all known
terrestrial life and is part of a molecule that helps cells carry energy.
After assessing PIXL's
findings on each of these abrasion patches, the team sent up commands for the
rover to collect rock cores close by: Lefroy Bay was collected next to Bills
Bay, and Otis Peak at Ouzel Falls.
"We have ideal
conditions for finding signs of ancient life where we find carbonates and
phosphates, which point to a watery, habitable environment, as well as silica,
which is great at preservation," Cable said.
Perseverance's work is,
of course, far from done. The mission's ongoing fourth science campaign will
explore Jezero Crater's margin, near the canyon entrance where a river once
flooded the crater floor. Rich carbonate deposits have been spotted along the
margin, which stands out in orbital images like a ring within a bathtub.
2) 12-Billion-Year-Old and Largest Water Reservoir in Universe Discovered Floating Around a Massive Feeding Black Hole :Caleb White
Researchers have found
the biggest water reservoir in the universe, but it's not on our planet. It is
reportedly floating in space.
Biggest and
Farthest Water Reservoir in the Universe
Two astronomy teams have
found the largest and farthest water reservoir ever found in the universe. It
is reportedly 12 billion years old.
The body of water is noticeably
larger than Earth's total water. Furthermore, scientists estimate it is 140
trillion times larger than all the water in the world's oceans.However, since
the body of water surrounds a massive feeding black hole known as a quasar,
located more than 12 billion years away, there is little likelihood that you
would be able to see it with a microscope.The scientists' investigations have
shown that the universe was only 1.6 billion years old at one point.According
to Matt Bradford, a scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena,
California, the discovery only demonstrated the presence of water across the
cosmos."The environment around this quasar is unique in that it's
producing this huge mass of water," he explained. "It's another
demonstration that water is pervasive throughout the universe, even at the very
earliest times."Massive celestial phenomena known as quasars release a
great deal of energy. Across the whole electromagnetic spectrum, supermassive
black holes generate electromagnetic radiation from the falling gas and dust
into their core.APM 08279+5255, a specific quasar with a black hole 20 billion
times more massive than the sun and generating energy equivalent to a thousand
trillion suns, was the study subject for both astronomers.Bradford's team
discovered multiple spectral fingerprints of the water, which allowed them to
obtain additional information, most notably its enormous mass.Water vapor had
never been discovered by scientists in the early universe before. Although
water is throughout the Milky Way, it is mainly covered in ice.To expand our
understanding of the far-off cosmos, researchers in this study suggested
constructing a 25-meter telescope in Chile's Atacama Desert.
With 97.3% of all water
on Earth, the ocean is the biggest water reservoir on the planet. Naturally,
this is salt water; unless it is treated specifically to get rid of the salt,
it is poisonous.Glaciers and polar ice are the next largest reserves, with
slightly more than 2% of the water available.
While some nations,
notably Saudi Arabia-have considered removing icebergs from the frozen North
and using them as a supply of fresh water, this is not economically viable in
most situations.
Groundwater is the
primary source of drinking water. You will ultimately come across water if you
continue to drill into the Earth.Water percolates via the pore spaces and
fissures in the rock, and the porosity of the Earth determines how much water
it can contain. The ground may not be wet when digging because the pores are air-filled.
3) Researchers
identify potential treatment target for genetic type of epilepsy ;The Francis
Crick Institute
Researchers at the
Francis Crick Institute, UCL and MSD have identified a
potential treatment
target for a genetic type of epilepsy.Developmental and epileptic
encephalopathies are rare types of epilepsy whichstart in early childhood. One
of the most common types of genetic epilepsy,
CDKL5 deficiency
disorder (CDD), causes seizures and impaired development.Children are currently
treated with generic antiepileptic drugs, as there aren'tyet any
disease-targeting medications for this disorder.
CDD involves losing the
function of a gene producing the CDKL5 enzyme, which phosphorylates proteins,
meaning it adds an extra phosphate molecule to altertheir function. Until now,
researchers have not been sure how genetic mutations in CDKL5 cause CDD. Through
their research, published today in Nature Communications, the researchers
examined mice which lacked the Cdkl5 gene, and used a technique called
phosphoproteomics to scan for proteins which are a target for the CDKL5 enzyme.
They identified a
calcium channel, Cav2.3, as a target. Cav2.3 allows calcium to enter nerve
cells, exciting the cell and allowing it to pass on electrical signals. This is
needed for the nervous system to function properly, but too much calcium coming
into cells can result in overexcitability and seizures. The researchers then
recorded from the calcium channels to see what was happening when they were not
being phosphorylated by CDKL5. The channels were able to open, but were taking
a lot longer to close, leading to larger and more prolonged currents flowing
through them. This implies that CDKL5 is needed to limit calcium entry into
cells. The researchers also used nerve cells derived from stem cells taken from
people with CDD, again observing that phosphorylation of Cav2.3 was reduced.
This suggests that Cav2.3 function is potentially altered in humans as well as
mice. Mutations in Cav2.3 that enhance channel activity are already known to
cause severe early onset epilepsy in a related condition called DEE69, which
shares a lot of the same symptoms of CDD. These results suggest that Cav2.3 overactivity
is a common feature of both disorders, and that inhibiting Cav2.3 could help
with symptoms like seizures.
Marisol
Sampedro-Castañeda, postdoctoral researcher at the Crick, and first author,
said: "Our research highlights for the first time a CDKL5 target with a link
to neuronal excitability. There's scattered evidence that this calcium channel
could be involved in other types of epilepsy too, so we believe that Cav2.3
inhibitors could eventually be tested more widely. "Our findings have
implications for a large group of people, from the families affected by these
conditions to researchers working in the rare epilepsy field." This
research was funded by MSD and the Loulou Foundation, a private foundation
dedicated to the development of therapeutics and eventual cures for CDD. Jill
Richardson, Executive Director and Head of Neuroscience Biology at MSD,
said: "MSD is proud of this innovative research resulting from a
collaboration with researchers at the Crick and UCL. We have collectively
furthered our scientific understanding of the biological targets associated
with the aetiologies of
Developmental Epileptic Encephalopathies – an understanding we hope will contribute
toward scientific progress in this important area of high, unmet medical
need." The researchers are now working with Lario Therapeutics, a recently
launched biotech company which is seeking to develop first-in-class CaV2.3
inhibitors as
precision medicines to treat CDD and related neurodevelopmental syndromes.
At the moment, there's a
clear need for drugs which specifically target the biological nature of CDD.
We've made a molecular link between CDKL5 and Cav2.3, mutations in which
produce similar disorders. Inhibiting Cav2.3 could be a route for trials of
futuretargeted treatments."
Sila Ultanir, Senior
Group Leader of the Kinases and Brain Development Laboratory at the Crick
4) Survey results
suggest men with expensive cars seen as having a higher mating value
A team of behavioral
scientists at Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte, in Brazil, has found
via survey results that people view men who drive luxurious cars as having a
higher mating value and other positive attributes. In their study, reported in
the journal Personality and Individual Differences, the group conducted two
surveys involving people driving expensive cars.
Anecdotal evidence has long suggested that men who drive expensive cars attract women looking for a partner who can provide them with a certain level of lifestyle. But such evidence has not been well tested in a more formal way. In this new effort, the research team sought to find out how both women and men really feel about men who drive top-of-the-line cars and how the owners of such cars feel about themselves. To that end, they sent out two surveys.
The first survey asked
potential respondents about their opinions on luxury cars and the men who drive
them, including their feelings on mating values and male dominance. The team
received 171 responses, 93 from women. To prevent bias, the researchers used
examples with fabricated people in the surveys. The second survey asked luxury
car owner respondents questions regarding how they felt about themselves and
their place in society and whether they thought they would make a better mate
than someone who drove an ordinary car. The researchers received 409 responses,
206 of which were from women.
 |
| Men who own luxury cars like a Corvette and Porsche are perceived as having higher levels of mating values and social dominance and are seen as more competent. Pictured is Brad Pitt, 59, driving a $200,000 electric Porsche Taycan |
In analyzing the
returned surveys, the research team found that the majority of respondents
(both male and female) viewed men driving luxury vehicles as having higher
mating value and social dominance and were often seen as more competent in
their lives and in their jobs—and in some cases, as more intelligent. The
survey results also showed that most respondents believed they would benefit
from personal or intimate relationships with such men.
The researchers also
found that people who drive luxury cars view themselves as having higher social
status and thus believe they have more self-confidence than others. Most also
rated themselves as having higher mating value.
5 ) Researcher
discovers new technique for photon detection :by University of Central Florida
 |
| UCF researcher Debashis Chanda is an expert in infrared imaging |
University of Central
Florida researcher Debashis Chanda, a professor at the NanoScience Technology
Center, has developed a new technique to detect photons—elementary particles
that span from visible light to radio frequencies and are instrumental in
carrying cellular communication. The advancement could lead to more precise and
efficient technologies in various fields, from improving medical imaging and
communication systems to enhancing scientific research and even potentially
bolstering security measures.
Photon detection has
typically relied on change/modulation of voltage or current amplitude. But
Chanda has developed a way to detect photons by modulating the frequency of an
oscillating circuit, paving the path for ultra-sensitive photon detection.
Chanda's method uses a
special, phase-change material (PCM) that changes its form when light touches
it, making an electrical rhythm that stays steady, or a stable electrical
circuit oscillation. When a light photon hits the material, it changes how fast
the rhythm goes, or shifts the oscillation frequency. How much the rhythm
changes depends on how strong the light is, similar to how a person's voice changes
the sound on the radio.
The new development was
published recently in Advanced Functional Materials.
Long Wave Infrared
(LWIR) detection in the 8 to 12 micrometer wavelength range is extremely
important in astronomy, climate science, materials analysis and security.
However, LWIR detection at room temperature has been a long-standing challenge
due to the low energy of photons. LWIR detectors that are currently available
can be broadly categorized into two types: cooled and uncooled detectors, with
both having their own limitations.
While cooled detectors
offer excellent detectivity, they require cryogenic cooling—making them
expensive and limiting their practical utility. On the other hand, uncooled
detectors can operate at room temperature but suffer from low detectivity and
slow response due to the higher thermal noise intrinsic to room temperature
operation. A low-cost, highly sensitive, fast infrared detector/camera
continues to confront scientific and technological challenges.This is the main
reason LWIR cameras are not widely used except in Department of Defense and
space-specific applications."Unlike all present photon detection schemes
where light power changes the amplitude of voltage or current (amplitude
modulation—AM), in the proposed scheme hits, or incidents of photons, modulate
the frequency of an oscillating circuit and are detected as a frequency shift,
offering inherent robustness to noises, which are AM in nature," Chanda
says.
"Our FM-based
approach yields an outstanding room temperature noise equivalent power,
response time and detectivity," Chanda says. "This general FM-based
photon detection concept can be implemented in any spectral range based on
other phase-change materials.""Our results introduce this novel
FM-based detector as a unique platform for creating low-cost, high-efficiency
uncooled infrared detectors and imaging systems for various applications such
as remote sensing, thermal imaging and medical diagnostics," Chanda says.
"We strongly believe that the performance can be further enhanced with
proper industry-scale packaging."
This concept developed
by the Chanda group provides a paradigm shift to high sensitive, uncooled LWIR
detection as noise limits detection sensitivity. This result promises a novel
uncooled LWIR detection scheme that is high sensitive, low cost, and can be
easily integrated with electronic readout circuitry, without the need for complex
hybridization.
6) Encounter with
humpback whales reveals potential for nonhuman intelligence communication :by
SETI Institute
A team of scientists from the SETI Institute, University
of California Davis and the Alaska Whale Foundation, had a close encounter with
a non-human (aquatic) intelligence. The Whale-SETI team has been studying
humpback whale communication systems in an effort to develop intelligence
filters for the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. In response to a
recorded humpback "contact" call played into the sea via an
underwater speaker, a humpback whale named Twain approached and circled the
team's boat while responding in a conversational style to the whale's
"greeting signal." During the 20-minute exchange, Twain responded to
each playback call and matched the interval variations between each signal.
 |
| Dr. Brenda McCowan and Dr. Fred Sharpe at work onboard the Blue Pearl |
A description and analysis of the encounter appears in a recent
issue of the journalPeerJ, titled "Interactive Bioacoustic Playback as a
Tool for Detecting and Exploring Nonhuman Intelligence: 'Conversing' with an
Alaskan Humpback Whale.""We believe this is the first such
communicative exchange between humans and humpback whales in the humpback
'language,'" said lead author Dr. Brenda McCowan of U.C. Davis.
"Humpback whales are extremely intelligent, have
complex social systems, make tools—nets out of bubbles to catch fish, and
communicate extensively with both songs and social calls," said co-author
Dr. Fred Sharpe of the Alaska Whale Foundation."Because of current
limitations on technology, an important assumption of the search for
extraterrestrial intelligence is that extraterrestrials will be interested in
making contact and so target human receivers. This important assumption is
certainly supported by the behavior of humpback whales," said Dr. Laurance
Doyle of the SETI Institute, a co-author of the paper.
 |
Similar to studying Antarctica as a proxy for Mars, the
Whale-SETI team is studying intelligent, terrestrial, non-human communication
systems to develop filters to apply to any extraterrestrial signals received.
The mathematics of information theory to quantify communicative complexity—(for
example rule structure embedded in a received message) will be utilized.Other
team members and co-authors of the paper are Dr. Josie Hubbard, Lisa Walker,
and Jodi Frediani, with specialties in animal intelligences, humpback whale
song analysis, and photography and behavior of humpback whales, respectively. A
second paper by the team will soon be available on the non-audio communicative
behavior of humpback whales—bubble rings made in the presence of (and possibly
for) humans.
 |
| WHALE-SOUND IMAGE DESC:Representative spectrograms of (A) baseline control (pre) period, (B) experimental playback (during) period, and (C) follow-up control (post) period. No whup calls were recorded during pre- and post- periods. (D) Example spectrograms and waveforms of the whup exemplar and Twain’s whup call. Note exchange between E (exemplar) and T (Twain) in B |
1) Parliament
breach: 5th accused nabbed, all unemployed; 4 charged under UAPA
Ruckus inside the Lok Sabha after two men jumped from the visitors' gallery and started spraying yellow gas.
Parliament security breach: Charges under anti-terror law UAPA have been invoked against the accused. The 5th suspect of the major security breach of the Lok Sabha on Wednesday was nabbed from Gurugram while the 6th one is still on the run. Vishal Sharma, the 5th suspect, gave shelter to the four who hatched the plan. Sagar Sharma and Manoranjan D dived inside the Lok Sabha from the visitors' gallery during the session and sprayed yellow gas. Outside Parliament, Amol Shinde and Neelam Devi were found protesting. The arrest of the four -- all unemployed youth with disparate backgrounds -- led the police to Vishal whose place all stayed before pulling off the security attack. Another accomplice Lalit is on the run. The security breach -- on the anniversary of the 2001 Parliament attack -- put the radar on the security system of the new Parliament building as Sagar and Manoranjan D had their passes signed by BJP MP Pratap Simha. The opposition turned the heat on the BJP for the massive breach.
Delhi police special
cell has registered cases under sections of the Unlawful Activities
(Prevention) Act, and 120B and 452 of the Indian Penal Code. Sagar, Manoranjan,
Neel, Amol, Vishal, Lalit: Who are the accused?
The six accused are from
different states, but they knew each other. Their family members had no idea of
what they were doing in Parliament on Wednesday. All of them are unemployed.
During the preliminary investigation, Amol told cops that they were upset over
farmers' protest, the Manipur crisis and unemployment. It is not yet known
whether they worked for any organisation or not. Neelam claimed to be a student
studying for competitive exams after completing MA, B.ED, M.Ed, M.Phil and
clearing NET. Amol is a resident of Maharashtra's Latur. Manoranjan D is from Mysusu,
Pratap Simha's constituency. All of them knew each other for the past four
years through social media.Home ministry orders inquiry
The ministry of home
affairs ordered an enquiry into the security breach. A panel has been set up
under Anish Dayal Singh, DG, CRPF, with members from other security agencies
and experts.
Parliament security
protocols overhauled
Following the major
breach, the security protocols of the new Parliament building were overhauled
to reduce any contact between the MPs and the visitors. A dedicated place has
been set up as the media briefing centre. The Lok Sabha Secretariat released
instructions for the MPs on Smart Identity Cards and facial recognition
systems.
How Sagar,
Manorajan could enter the Lok Sabha
Sagar and Manorajan D
entered the Lok Sabha jumping from the visitors' gallery. They started spraying
yellow gas from the canister they hid inside the shoe. They got the pass from
Mysuru MP Pratap Simha. Only MPs can arrange visitor passes for which they have
to give a declaration that they know the guest personally and take full
responsibility for him or her, according to the Lok Sabha handbook for
members."The above-named visitor is my relation/personal friend/known to
me personally and I take full responsibility for her/him" -- the mandatory
declaration reads.
2) Parliament
session highlights: Totally 13 oppn MPs suspended, SR Parthiban's suspension
revoked
 |
| The Lower House or Lok Sabha in Parliament |
After major security
breach, stringent measures were implemented to overhaul security protocols.Lok
Sabha Speaker on Thursday suspended fourteen Opposition members of parliament
due to their “disorderly conduct”. Among these, nine are from the Congress, two
from the CPIM, two from the DMK, and one from the CPI. The Opposition's outcry
stems from Wednesday's security breach in the Lok Sabha, with demands for a
statement from Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
On the 22nd anniversary
of the Parliament terror attack, a significant security breach occurred as two
intruders entered the Lok Sabha chamber from the visitor gallery during Zero
Hour.Two men leaped into the House from the visitors' gallery, holding gas
canisters. They released yellow gas, shouted slogans, before being overpowered
by MPs.Visuals depicted a man jumping from the visitor's gallery of the Lok
Sabha as members discussed urgent public matters, with BJP MP Khagen Murmu
addressing, resulting in brief commotion. Simultaneously, two others, including
a woman, sprayed coloured gas and shouted slogans outside the Parliament
premises.
The Delhi Police Special
Cell has filed a case under sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention)
Act against the five individuals apprehended in connection with the incident.
Meanwhile, the Ministry
of Home Affairs (MHA) has initiated an inquiry into the Parliament security
breach incident. Parliament session live updates: Vicky Sharma and his wife
Rakhi, detained by the Police regarding the Parliament security breach, have
been released and returned to their Gurugram residence, stated news agency ANI.
Their questioning involved the five accused (four arrested, one missing) who
supposedly stayed at their home. Delhi Police indicated that both individuals
must be available for further questioning as needed.
3) Madhya Pradesh,
Chhattisgarh new CMs to take oath today, PM Modi will be present
%20and%20Chhattisgarh%20new%20CM%20Vishnu%20Deo%20Sai%20will%20take%20the%20oath%20today..jpg)
Madhya Pradesh new CM Mohan Yadav (left) and Chhattisgarh new CM Vishnu Deo Sai will take the oath today.
Madhya Pradesh,
Chhattisgarh CMs will have two deputies each who will also be sworn in today.
The new chief ministers of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh Mohan Yadav and
Vishnu Deo Sai will take oath on Wednesday in the presence of PM Modi and other
senior BJP leaders. After the suspense over the chief ministers' names ended
with BJP announcing their unusual CM choices, now there are speculations over
the cabinet berths. This will likely end with today's swearing-in events at the
two states. Rajasthan chief minister Bhajan Lal Sharma will take oath on
December 15.
Madhya Pradesh's new CM
Mohan Yadav
58-year-old Mohan Yadav
is a three-time MLA and a prominent OBC leader. He as the new chief minister
surprised many as all calculations over the CM probables went awry. Mohan Yadav
is close to RSS, was first elected as an MLA in 2013 from Ujjain South and
retained the constituency in 2018 and 2023. An LLB, MBA and PhD-holder, Mohan
Yadav was the higher education minister of Shivraj Singh Chouhan's cabinet.
Mohan Yadav will have
two deputies -- Jagdish Devda and Rajendra Shukla. Narendra Singh Tomar will be
Madhya Pradesh Assembly Speaker.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan
who led the BJP to win in Madhya Pradesh with a landslide majority said he is
confident that under the leadership of the new chief minister, the state will
progress. "I would rather die than go and ask something for myself. I
won't go to Delhi," the outgoing chief minister said. Chhattisgarh new
chief minister Vishnu Deo Sai
59-year-old Vishnu Deo
Sai will become the first tribal chief minister of Chhattisgarh. A former Union
minister, former MP, Vishnu Deo Sai as the CM was also a surprise from the BJP
in the state that it wrested from the Congress. Though Sai has years of
experience in electoral politics and also that of working at the grassroots
level, he was not seen as a frontrunner as he lacked a public profile.
Vijay Sharma and Arun
Sao will serve as the deputies to Vishnu Deo Sai. Former chief minister Raman
Singh will be the Speaker.
The party took a week to
finalise the names of the CMs and the deputy CMs as it put forward a new line
of leaders jettisoning the expected names that were doing the rounds.
4) Mahua Moitra:
India parliament expels firebrand MP in bribery row
Mahua Moitra was an MP from the opposition Trinamool Congress
India's parliament has
expelled an opposition lawmaker who was accused of taking bribes in exchange
for asking questions
Mahua Moitra, who has
denied the allegations, said she was expelled "without proof".
She has the option to
challenge the decision in court.Friday's expulsion followed a resolution passed
by lawmakers in the Lok Sabha - lower house of parliament - after a voice vote.
Earlier in the day, an ethics panel report that recommended Ms Moitra's
expulsion was tabled in the house. Opposition lawmakers had asked for more time
to study the almost-500-page report before debating it, but the speaker did not
agree to this."Heavens would not have fallen had we been given three-four
days to take cognisance of this report and then keep our opinions before the
house because it is going to make a decision on a very sensitive matter,"
Congress MP Manish Tewari said during the debate.The firebrand Indian MP in
‘cash-for-query’ scandal
India opposition MP
questioned over bribery charge
Ms Moitra is from the
Trinamool Congress, which is in power in West Bengal state. She is known to be
a fierce critic of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party
(BJP), which has a majority in the Lok Sabha.Her party colleagues had held a
protest in the house on Friday, raising slogans in Ms Moitra's defence. The
session was adjourned for an hour before lawmakers reassembled for the debate.
Trinamool Congress
leaders called the report an "eyewash" and repeated their stance that
the bribery allegation was unfounded. They and other opposition leaders have
alleged that Ms Moitra was targeted for her criticism of Mr Modi's party.Speaker
Om Birla did not allow Ms Moitra to speak in the house on Friday, saying that
she had been given the chance to defend herself in front of the ethics
committee. Ms Moitra had walked out during questioning by the committee,
accusing them of "unethical, sordid and prejudiced behaviour".The
controversy began in October when BJP MP Nishikant Dubey filed a complaint
against Ms Moitra, alleging that she had asked several questions targeting the
Adani Group - a conglomerate owned by one of Asia's richest men, Gautam Adani -
in exchange for gifts and cash from a businessman called Darshan Hiranandani.
Mr Adani is perceived as
being close to Mr Modi and has long faced allegations from opposition
politicians that he has benefited from his political ties, which the
businessman and the BJP deny.Earlier this year, a US-based short-seller
Hindenburg had accused Mr Adani of engaging in decades of "brazen"
stock manipulation and accounting fraud. The Adani Group has denied these
allegations, calling the report "malicious".In his complaint, Mr
Dubey claimed that "until quite recently", 50 of 61 questions Ms
Moitra asked in the Lok Sabha were focused on the Adani Group and accused her
of accepting bribes adding up to 20m rupees ($240,542; £197,700) from Mr
Hiranandani. Ms Moitra has strongly denied this.
The BJP leader alleged
he had received "irrefutable evidence" against Ms Moitra from an
advocate named Jai Anant Dehadrai - whom Ms Moitra has described as a
"jilted ex".Mr Hiranandani also submitted an affidavit before the
ethics committee, accusing the TMC leader of targeting Mr Adani "for
becoming famous". Ms Moitra questioned the authenticity of the affidavit,
but Mr Hiranandani said he had signed it "voluntarily".
Mr Dubey's complaint
also accused Ms Moitra of sharing her parliamentary login credentials with Mr
Hiranandani so that he "could post questions directly on her behalf when
required".Ms Moitra admitted that she had given her login details to the
businessman, but said that she had not violated any rules in doing so.
She has filed defamation
cases against Mr Dubey and Mr Dehadrai in the Delhi high court.
5) China reiterates
claims over Ladakh, says ‘never recognised the so-called Union Territory’
n a press briefing on Wednesday, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Mao Ning said that the verdict won’t impact Beijing’s stance that the “western section of the China-India border has always belonged to China
here was no immediate
response from the external affairs ministry to China’s latest staking of claim
to Ladakh China on Wednesday again staked claim to Ladakh, asserting that the
Supreme Court verdict upholding the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir did not
change the reality “that the western section of the China-India border has
always belonged to China”.
Chinese foreign ministry
spokesperson Mao Ning said: “China has never recognised the so-called Union
Territory of Ladakh set up unilaterally and illegally by India."China on
Wednesday again staked claim to Ladakh, asserting that the Supreme Court
verdict upholding the bifurcation of Jammu and Kashmir did not change the
reality “that the western section of the China-India border has always belonged
to China”.
Chinese foreign ministry
spokesperson Mao Ning said: “China has never recognised the so-called Union
Territory of Ladakh set up unilaterally and illegally by India."
Responding to a question
seeking China’s response to the Supreme Court verdict pronounced earlier this
week, Mao said: “India’s domestic judicial verdict does not change the fact
that the western section of the China-India border has always belonged to
China.
There was no immediate
response from the external affairs ministry to China’s latest staking of claim
to Ladakh. A day after India moved the bill to abrogate Article 370 and
bifurcate the state of Jammu and Kashmir on August 5, 2019, China had described
the decision to turn Ladakh into a Union Territory as unacceptable.
1) India vs South
Africa 2nd T20I Highlights: SA beat IND by five wickets
SA chased down the target of 152 in just 15
overs with ease and flattened IND with their big hitting
India vs South Africa
2nd T20I Highlights: India's openers fell for ducks but Suryakumar Yadav's
half-century led the way as the visitors gained a foothold on the game. He
first put up a 49-run stand for the third wicket with Tilak Varma off 24 balls.
SKY then put up 70 for the fourth with Rinku Singh off just 48 balls before
falling for 56 off 36. Rinku eventually crossed his first T20I half-century but
India's finish was dented somewhat by Gerald Coetzee taking two back to back
wickets in the last over. Rain made an appearance with three balls left in that
over and the players rushed back into the dressing room with India's score
reading 180/7 in 19.3 overs.
The innings didn't
continue and South Africa were given a target of 152 to chase in 15 overs. They
ended up unleashing carnage with their top order of Matthew Breetzke, Reeza
Hendricks and captain Aiden Markram smashing the Indian bowlers to all parts of
St George's Park. India made a comeback by dismissing Hendricks, Markram and
Heinrich Klaasen in quick succession but the visitors still had an uphill
struggle for themselves. South Africa held it together and ended up winning
with five wickets and nearly two overs to spare.
2) India vs South
Africa 3rd T20 Highlights: IND thrash SA by 106 runs, level series 1-1
India vs South Africa
3rd T20 Highlights: IND thrash SA by 106 runs, level series 1-1 Captain
Suryakumar Yadav produced a hundred of rare brilliance and Kuldeep Yadav worked
his inimitable sorcery with a fifer as India registered a comprehensive 106-run
series-levelling win over South Africa in the third and final T20I here on
Thursday. Suryakumar’s 100 off 56 balls that contained seven fours and eight
sixes and Yashasvi Jaiswal’s fluent 60 off 41 balls carried India to 201 for 7
after the visitors were asked to bat first. Indian bowlers, especially left-arm
wrist spinner Kuldeep (5/17), who turned 29 on Thursday, managed to hit better
lengths to bundle out SA for 95 in 13.5 overs.
3) Want to take all
the positivity into next year and put up a show in bigger events: Ashwini
Ponnappa
Ashwini, 34, and the 20-year-old Tanisha Crasto, who joined hands in January this year, secured their third women's doubles title and the second Super 100 crown
Ashwini Ponnappa wants
to continue her fine run in the upcoming bigger tournaments to stay on course
for a trip to the Paris Olympics A sensational run over the last two weeks has
given wings to Ashwini Ponnappa's Olympics dreams, and the ace Indian shuttler
now wants to continue her fine run in the upcoming bigger tournaments to stay
on course for a trip to Paris. Ashwini, 34, and the 20-year-old Tanisha Crasto,
who joined hands in January this year, secured their third women's doubles
title and the second Super 100 crown with a 21-13, 21-19 win over Chinese
Taipei's Sung Shuo Yun and Yu Chien Hui in the final of the Guwahati Masters on
Sunday.
The pair had finished
runners-up at the Syed Modi International Super 300 tournament last week in
Lucknow and will start as favourites this week at the Odisha Open Super 100 in
Cuttack.
Their exploits in
Guwahati will lift them to world No. 23 when the BWF ranking is issued on
Tuesday, taking them closer to top 16, which is the cut off mark for the Paris
Games."... the goal of course is to play at the Olympics but since we are
a new pair, our focus is to do well in every single tournament we are playing,
to put up a good show and that is what we are focusing on right now,"
Ashwini, a two-time Olympian, told PTI. "I think there are a lot of
factors to get to the Olympics, and for us it is important to simplify our
journey and focus on our performance, and if we are meant to be in the
Olympics, then it's fine."
Currently, world No. 19
pair of Gayatri Gopichand and Treesa Jolly are the frontrunners in the Olympic
race.
Ashwini and Tanisha had
won the Abu Dhabi Masters Super 100 and Nantes International Challenge also
this year.
"Now, we will get
an entry in to bigger tournaments. We actually started off the year playing in
a Super 500 event (Indonesia Masters) where we reached the quarterfinals, that
gave us a lot of confidence because it was our first tournament
together."Now, having had this journey of playing smaller tournaments and
gradually working our way up, it gives us a lot of confidence. We have a lot of
matches under our belt. So, now, the idea is to take all this positivity into
next year but before that our focus is giving our best in Odisha."
One of India's finest
doubles exponents, Ashwini has enjoyed a lot of success with Jwala Gutta,
winning the 2011 World Championships bronze and gold and silver medals at the
2010 and 2014 Commonwealth Games respectively.
Ashwini and Jwala had
also participated in the 2012 and 2016 Olympics in London and Rio de Janeiro
but couldn't cross the group stage on both the occasions.
After the 2016 Games,
the duo parted ways and Ashwini forged an alliance with N Sikki Reddy. The pair
parted ways last year.Asked how she sees her role of a senior partner, Ashwini
said: "Tanisha makes it easy for me because she is someone who is a fast
learner and understands things really well. She holds her own on court and she
keeps me calm when I go off track, having that freedom makes a
difference."
It is not easy to keep
performing at 34 and Ashwini said focus on her diet and nutrition was the key.
"I made a few
changes, especially in terms of looking after my body. I now understand the
importance of being mindful of what I am eating and drinking. In the past, I
got away by eating things in moderation but now it doesn't work. I used to love
sweets but now I don't even eat sweets in moderation."
4) Kishore Jena
chases fresh javelin glory after breakthrough 2023
From an unfancied competitor at the start of the year to becoming India’s No.2 javelin thrower, behind world and Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra
The Odisha thrower rose
to become India’s No.2 javelin thrower, behind Neeraj Chopra in a year he
improved by almost 10 metres
At the beginning of the
year, the soft-spoken Kishore Jena would have reacted in disbelief if he had
been told he would be a World Championships finalist, leave alone win an Asian
Games medal and qualify for the Paris Olympics.But 12 months is a lifetime in
international sport and Jena understands it all too well. From an unfancied
competitor at the start of the year to becoming India’s No.2 javelin thrower,
behind world and Olympic champion Neeraj Chopra, the Odisha thrower has enjoyed
a meteoric rise in currently the most popular athletics discipline in the
country.
“It does feel like a
dream. Earlier, people barely took note of me, but now there are requests for
photographs and autographs. It all feels a little surreal. Credit to my coach
and well wishers,” the 28-year-old says.“Honestly, if you would have told me at
the start of the year that I will have such results in the coming months, I
wouldn't have believed. Having said that, in javelin an improvement of 3-4
metres is not unnatural. So, once I started doing well, I knew I could get in
the 85-87m range.
Having started the year
with a best throw of 78.93m that helped him win the season-opening Indian Open
Throws Competition, it turned into a largely subdued season for Jena as he
managed to breach the 80m mark just once in his next four competitions.
“The turnaround happened
in Sri Lanka in July where I threw 84.38m. I was under tremendous pressure
going into that event as it was a make-or-break situation. Had I not done well
there, I wouldn’t have made the cut for the Budapest Worlds and ultimately the
Asian Games medal and Olympics qualification wouldn’t have happened. So for me,
the Sri Lankan championships remains the most important performance of the
year.”
While 2023 in Indian
athletics will be remembered for Chopra’s historic world title and the men’s
relay team finishing fifth at the World Championships in Budapest, Jena’s
ascent does deserve mentioning. He entered the year with a personal best of
78.05m. In the 12 competitions he participated in 2023, he dipped under that
mark only twice, bettering his best seven times in eight months. By the time
the season ended, Jena had improved that start-of-the-year PB by 9.49m.“People
say it is a miracle, but in sports there are no miracles. This is the result of
Jena’s unwavering dedication and commitment to get better,” his coach Samarjeet
Singh Malhi says from Patiala. So much so that barring travel days, Jena missed
training only for four days. “That was only because of the visa trouble ahead
of the World Championships, otherwise he never missed a session. He didn’t go
home, stuck to the diet and fitness routines and trained with single-minded
zeal.”
Malhi took Jena under
his wing towards the end of 2021 when the volleyball player-turned-javelin
thrower had a PB of 76.41m. A jump of 11.13m in two years is the result of a
meticulous process put in place that involved a gradual overhaul of Jena’s
technique. He also stands at 1.73m, much shorter than Chopra (1.82m) and DP
Manu (1.87m-PB 84.35m).“From his run-up to block to angle of release, we
changed everything over time. Credit goes to Jena for trusting the process. He
submitted himself to me and the sport rewarded him,” the coach says. “I could
sense he is a 85m-plus thrower because his foundation was always strong. At the
start of the year, we earmarked Budapest and Hangzhou as our main targets and
went about things in a clinical manner. Thankfully, everything came together.
The test, Malhi says,
will be to maintain the momentum. Jena’s success was built on peaking at the
right time and Malhi believes the challenge will be to repeat it in 2024. “Of
course, Olympics will be our primary goal next year. We now know that Jena can
throw in the 87-88m range. In fact, I expected him to throw 88m in Hangzhou. If
he manages to consistently throw in that range, he will be a genuine medal
candidate in every big meet.”India’s athletics season is likely to begin next
month but the field events will start only in March. Jena is using the three
months off-season to work on strength, endurance and technique. This involves
using the 900gm javelin as opposed to the 800gm spear used in senior men’s
competitions.
“Heavier javelin will
improve his arm speed. We also want to improve his pace on the runway, so even
a small improvement in speed (with a heavier javelin) will translate into a
significant jump once he runs with the 800gm javelin. We are also working on
his block to ensure his front knee doesn’t collapse while throwing,” the coach
says.
For Jena, the trick lies
in repeating what worked for him. “I don’t think we need to do something
drastically different. I will just stick to the process and do my best. Who
knows, on a good day, something special may happen.”
5) Amir Ali shores
up shaky defence, guides India into junior hockey World Cup semis
Amir Ali guided India into junior hockey World Cup semis
The defender's vital
interception and then penalty corner blocks thwart Netherlands, hand India a
4-3 comeback quarter-final win in Kuala Lumpur.
Olivier Hortensius was
charging towards the Indian goal; 2-0 up and moments away from the first-half
hooter, another Dutch goal would have surely put the game beyond India’s reach.
Olivier Hortensius was charging towards the Indian goal; 2-0 up and moments
away from the first-half hooter, another Dutch goal would have surely put the
game beyond India’s reach. But the diminutive but fast Indian defender Amir Ali
had other plans. The 19-year-old rushed towards Hortensius, made a brilliant
tackle and halted Netherlands from increasing the lead.
That move provided the
impetus India needed to produce a spectacular come-from-behind victory to
outwit powerhouse Netherlands 4-3 and enter the semi-finals of the FIH Junior
Men's Hockey World Cup in Kuala Lumpur on Tuesday.
After Timo Boers (5th
min) and Pepijn van der Heijden (16th) put Netherlands 2-0 up via two penalty
corners, Aditya Lalage (34th) and Araijeet Singh Hundal (35th) levelled the
contest in the third quarter. Hortensius (44th) put Netherlands ahead once more
before Sourabh Kushwaha (52nd) and skipper Uttam Singh (57th) put India in
front for the first time, three minutes from the final hooter. But that’s not
where the contest ended. The Dutch earned six successive PCs in the final two
minutes of the quarter-final at the Bukit Jalil National Hockey Stadium. Once
again rushers Amir and Rohit came to India’s rescue, thwarting any chance of
the Dutch drawing level and pushing the match into a shootout, guiding India to
their third consecutive semi-final.
An emotional Amir was
beaming over a video call from the Malaysian capital after India’s victory.
“Hockey has given me everything. It is unbelievable that my hands that now hold
the hockey stick once held the tools to repair motorbikes,” recalled Amir.
The son of a bike
mechanic, Amir has risen from the streets of Lucknow to make the national team
which now has the chance to attain glory, India having won the title last at
his hometown in 2016.My father is a bike mechanic. He doesn’t have a shop, just
a toolbox which he carries whenever he gets a call to repair bikes. I used to
help him. With only one breadwinner, we pretty much had a hand-to-mouth
existence. Whatever my father earned was spent for the daily ration to feed our
family of seven,” said Amir.
Growing up in
Hazratganj, neither Amir nor his family knew much about hockey, but the
youngster was fascinated watching his mohalla boys play. Initially against
their son ‘wasting time’ on a sport, Tasauvar Ali and his wife finally gave in
to the demand of their eldest son, who also took younger sibling Taruq to play
hockey.
Both brothers started
learning the basics of the game under renowned Sports Authority of India (SAI)
coach Rashid Aziz Khan at the KD Singh Babu Stadium, which was walking distance
from his home. From 2011 to 2015 Amir played under Khan. “Even during this
period, after practice I’d go help my father fix bikes before we both returned
home,” said Amir. His father and Khan realised that Amir belonged to higher
echelons of hockey. While his father borrowed money to ensure Amir had the
necessary equipment to continue his pursuit, Khan sent his ward to the Saifai
Sports College in Etawah, known for sports in Uttar Pradesh. Amir honed his
skills and kept getting better, playing in school and local events followed by
state level tournaments.
In 2019, Amir had a
chance to return home when he trialled for SAI Lucknow. Impressed with his
defensive skills, discipline, fitness, speed and the ability to adjust his
game, the defender was selected and was back training under Khan for another
three years.
It was under Khan that
Amir realised his potential. He first guided Air India to runners-up at the
2020 Senior Nationals before guiding Uttar Pradesh to successive titles in the
2021 and 2022 Junior Nationals, earning a deserved call-up to the junior
national team.
Amir made a golden
international debut too when he helped India win the 2022 Sultan of Johor Cup
before winning gold at the Junior Asia Cup in June. Now, Amir wants to help
India win gold in Malaysia, the next step for which is the clash against
six-time champions Germany in the semis on Thursday.
Wonka;
With dreams of opening a
shop in a city renowned for its chocolate, a young and poor Willy Wonka
discovers that the industry is run by a cartel of greedy chocolatiers.
Director aul King
Writers imon FarnabyPaul
KingRoald Dahl
Stars imothée
ChalametGustave DieMurray McArthur
Japan;
Plot: A legendary master
thief steals a fortune in gems from a jewellery store, triggering an intense
police chase.
Genre: Action/Comedy
Cast: Anu Emmanuel,
Karthi
Platform: Netflix
Release Date: December
11
The Freelancer: The
Conclusion
Plot: The story follows
Aliya's journey as she attempts to escape the challenging conditions in
war-torn Syria, portraying her struggle and resilience.
Genre: Action/Thriller
Cast: Mohit Raina,
Anupam Kher, Kashmira Pardeshi
Platform: Disney+Hotstar
Release Date: December
15
The Family Plan:
Plot: Dan, a former
elite government assassin, embarks on a spontaneous cross-country drive to Las
Vegas with his family, evading adversaries from his past.
Genre: Action/Comedy
Cast: Mark Wahlberg,
Michelle Monaghan, Valkyrae
Death’s Game:
Plot: This South Korean
psoriasis is based on a popular webtoon, blending thrilling and mysterious
elements.
Genre: Drama
Cast: Seo In-guk, Park
So-dam
Platform: Amazon Prime
Video
Release Date: December
15
BOOK OF THIS WEEK:
Prophet Song By
Paul Lynch (Author): fifth Irish writer to win the Booker Prize
Prophet Song is an
exhilarating, propulsive and confrontational portrait of a country – and an
ordinary family – on the brink of catastrophe.
On a dark, wet evening
in Dublin, scientist and mother-of-four Eilish Stack answers her front door to
find the GNSB on her doorstep. Two officers from Ireland’s newly formed secret
police want to speak with her husband…
Things are falling
apart. Ireland is in the grip of a government that is taking a turn towards
tyranny. And as the blood-dimmed tide is loosed, Eilish finds herself caught
within the nightmare logic of a collapsing society – assailed by unpredictable
forces beyond her control and forced to do whatever it takes to keep her family
together.
Who is Paul Lynch?
Paul Lynch was born in
Limerick in 1977, grew up in Co Donegal, and lives in Dublin. He was previously
the chief film critic of Ireland’s Sunday Tribune newspaper from 2007 to 2011
and wrote regularly for the Sunday Times on cinema.
He is an internationally
acclaimed Irish novelist who has published five novels, winning several awards
in the process. Before Prophet Song, Lynch wrote Beyond the Sea, Grace, The
Black Snow and Red Sky in Morning. His third novel, Grace, won the 2018 Kerry
Group Irish Novel of the Year and the 2020 Ireland Francophonie Ambassadors’
Literary Award. His second novel, The Black Snow, won France’s bookseller
prize, Prix Libr’Ã Nous for Best Foreign Novel.
What has Paul Lynch said about the book?
‘I was trying to see
into the modern chaos. The unrest in Western democracies. The problem of Syria
– the implosion of an entire nation, the scale of its refugee crisis and the
West’s indifference. Prophet Song is partly an attempt at radical empathy. To
understand better, we must first experience the problem for ourselves. So I
sought to deepen the dystopian by bringing to it a high degree of realism. I
wanted to deepen the reader’s immersion to such a degree that by the end of the
book, they would not just know, but feel this problem for themselves.’
Nature Magazine
National Geographic
Cartoon Games
History Channel
Online Movies
Scientific American
Filmfare Mag
Online Britannica
Time Mag
Unexplained Mysteries
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