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Nancy Pelosi okays drafting of impeachmentarticles against Donald Trump

WASHINGTON DC (TIP): Allegingthat US President Donald Trump hasabused power undermining nationalsecurity and jeopardizing the integrity ofthe elections, Speaker of House ofRepresentatives Nancy Pelosi onThursday, December 5, said they aregoing ahead with the process to impeachhim.

The Democratic Party, which enjoys acomfortable majority in the House, ismost likely to get through the motion ofimpeaching President Trump, makinghim only the third president in Americanhistory to face removal by Congress.

"Our Democracy is what is at stake.The President leaves us no choice but toact, because he is trying to corrupt, onceagain, the election for his own benefit,"Pelosi said ramping up her chargesagainst Trump. contd on Page 20

"Our Democracy is what is at stake. The President leaves us no choice but to act, because he istrying to corrupt, once again, the election for his own benefit," Pelosi said ramping up her

charges against Trump

Diwali 2019 Power of One Awards announced

NEW YORK (TIP): 2019 "Powerof One" Awardshave beenannounced. The awards this yearare cohosted by the PermanentMissions of Belarus, Georgia andIndia to the United Nations, andDiwali Foundation USA, Inc.

The 2019 ExceptionalAwardees will be presented onDecember 6, 2019 ( 4.5.30 PM ) atECOSOC COUNCIL CHAMBER,UNITED NATIONS, NEWYORK.

The recipients of the covetedawards are H.E. KairatAbdrakhmanov, former Foreign

Minister & Permanent Representative of Kazakhstan to theUN; H.E. Nicholas Emiliou, former Permanent Representativeof Cyprus to the United Nations, NY; H.E. Frantisek Ruzicka,former CDC to PGA 72 & Permanent Representative ofSlovakia to the UN; and H.E. Volodymyr Yelchenko,Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the United Nations

The list of speakers at the event includes H.E. SyedAkbaruddin, Permanent Representative of India to the UnitedNations, H.E. Kaha Imnadze, Permanent Representative ofGeorgia to the United Nations,

contd on Page 20

All Four Hyderabad Rapeaccused killed in police encounter

H Y D E R A B A D

(TIP): The four menaccused of raping andmurdering aveterinarian inHyderabad were killedin an encounter in theearly hours of Friday,December 6, PoliceCommissioner VCSajjanar told PTI.

The encounter tookplace around 3.30 am,when the accused weretrying to flee while being taken to the murder site toreconstruct the sequence of events, reported Hindustan Times.The accused allegedly snatched a weapon and fired at thepolice. They tried to run towards a deserted pathway, anunidentified official told The Indian Express.

"They fired upon the police team and we retaliated in self-defense," unidentified officials told PTI. "Two of our men arealso injured in the incident."

The accused - Mohammed, Jollu Shiva, Jollu Naveen andChintakunta Chennakeshavulu - were arrested on November29 for allegedly raping andkilling the woman by smotheringher. They burned her body. The four were under judicialcustody and lodged in high security cells in CherlapallyCentral Prison. contd on Page 20

Pakistan govt tosell unused state

properties atDubai Expo

ISLAMABAD (TIP): The Pakistangovernment has decided to sell itsprecious unutilized state properties atthe Dubai Expo to attract foreign andPakistani investors, according to mediareports on Thursday, as the cash-strapped country tries to overcome aballooning balance-of-payments crisisand bolster its public finances.

Prime Minister Imran Khan said thatthe precious government propertieswill be sold for better utilization offunds on public welfare projects. Thefunds generated through the exercisewill be spent on public welfare schemesrelated to education, health, food andhousing, Dawn newspaper reported.

contd on Page 20

Police officials at the site of the encounterin Shadnagar, Hyderabad

Photo / Twitter@ANI

Prime Minister Imran Khan said that theprecious government properties will be

sold for better utilization of funds on publicwelfare projects.

2 THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019US

National Tax SecurityAwareness Week, Day

4: IRS, SecuritySummit warns

business owners aboutbeing targets foridentity thieves

WA S H I N G T O N

(TIP): Amid threatsfrom cybercriminals,the IRS, state taxagencies and the taxindustry urged employers large andsmall to step up cybersecurityprotections against business identitytheft. Identity thieves are displaying asophisticated knowledge of the tax codeand industry filing practices as theyattempt to obtain valuable data to helpfile fraudulent returns. To address thisand protect taxpayers and their businessreturns, the IRS has taken steps toidentify and prevent business identitytheft. "As the IRS and the SecuritySummit partners have strengthened ourprotections against tax-related identitytheft, cybercriminals increasingly lookfor other places to find data to filefraudulent returns," said IRSCommissioner Chuck Rettig. "We urgebusinesses to protect their data andwatch out for warning signs that couldbe indicators of identity theft orfraudulent filings."

(Read full story onwww.theindianpanorama.news)

Trump and first lady light the NationalChristmas Tree in Washington, D.C.

WASHINGTON D.C. (TIP): "AtChristmas we remember this eternaltruth: Every person is a beloved child ofGod. As one grateful nation we praise thejoy of family, the blessings of freedomand the miracle of Christmas. On behalfof Melania and our entire family, MerryChristmas and God bless you all," thepresident said.

The event included performances fromsingers Jessie James Decker, SpenshaBaker, Colton Dixon and ChevelShepherd, as well as a performance fromMax Impact, "the premier rock band ofthe United States Air Force," and theTucson Arizona Boys Chorus, TheUnited States Marine Band and WestTennessee Youth Chorus.

The beloved tradition of the NationalChristmas Tree lighting began morethan 90 years ago with former PresidentCalvin Coolidge, according to theNational Park Service. On ChristmasEve in 1923, Coolidge lit up a 48-footBalsam Fir from Vermont decoratedwith 2,500 electric bulbs in red, whiteand green.

Melania Trump officially unveils the2019 White House Christmas decorations

This year, a 30-foot Colorado bluespruce from Palmyra, Pennsylvania, isthe star of the show, CBS Washington,D.C., affiliate WUSA-TV reports. This isthe first time the spruce has ever been

lit, as the previous tree - a Colorado bluespruce from Virginia - was damaged lastyear when a man tried to climb it fourdays before Christmas.

The 2019 spruce was planted in D.C. inlate October and has been under the careof the National Park Service.

The walkway surrounding theNational Christmas Tree at the Ellipsefeatures 56 state and territory trees

decorated with handmade ornamentsthat are unique to each tree, according tothe National Park Service.

The tree will light up daily atapproximately 4:30 p.m. and turn offpromptly at 10 pm Sunday-Thursday, and11 pm on Fridays and Saturdays.

A stage at the Ellipse will host free 30-minute concerts and dance performancesfrom December 11-15 and December 17-22.

President Trump and first lady Melania Trump lit the National Christmas Tree on Thursday night atthe Ellipse in President's Park in front of the White House. Those interested in catching a glimpseof the tree - adorned with 50,000 lights and 450 giant white star ornaments - have until January 1.

A DC neighborhood group just voted to rename the streetin front of the Saudi embassy for Jamal Khashoggi

WASHINGTON DC (TIP): An effortunderway in Washington, D.C., wouldcreate an in-your-face way to remindSaudi Arabia of the killing of JamalKhashoggi: Rename the street in front ofthe Saudi embassy in honor of the slainjournalist.

The first hurdle for this proposedhonor was cleared Wednesday, December4, when a neighborhood group approveda resolution that would symbolicallydesignate part of the street that runs infront of the Embassy of The Kingdom ofSaudi Arabia as "Jamal Khashoggi Way."The embassy's address is 601 NewHampshire Avenue NW.

The resolution from the seven-memberAdvisory Neighborhood Commission 2Apassed unanimously, commissionerJames Harnett told CNN. Thecommission, which is part of thegovernment in the District of Columbia,normally handles local issues likezoning, parking and trash collection inthe West End and Foggy Bottomneighborhoods. But Harnett saidcommissioners were outraged byKhashoggi's killing, as well as PresidentTrump's reaction to it, and felt the need totake action on an international issue.

"I think our concern ... and the need tosay we want to weigh in on this issue,which has international implications, isthat we are extremely disappointed overthe lack of concern" in the White House's

response to the incident, Harnett said."It's our belief ... that when there's avacuum of leadership that someone stepsup and makes sure that the communityknows that this is something that we takeseriously."

The resolution requests that the eastside of New Hampshire Avenue, N.W. --between F Street and Juarez Circle -- bedesignated as Jamal Khashoggi Way.

The resolution requests that the eastside of New Hampshire Avenue, N.W. --between F Street and Juarez Circle -- bedesignated as Jamal Khashoggi Way.

Street name could serve asreminder

Khashoggi, a Washington Postcontributor and critic of the kingdom,was killed on October 2 after he enteredthe Saudi consulate in Istanbul, Turkey,to obtain paperwork for his upcomingmarriage. The CIA has concluded thatSaudi Crown Prince Mohammed binSalman personally ordered the killing ofthe journalist. Turkish officials maintainthat Khashoggi was strangled to deathshortly after he entered the consulate bya 15-member "kill team" sent from Riyadhand that his body was dismembered.

Trump indicated last week he will nottake strong action against Saudi Arabiaor bin Salman for the slaying.

Harnett hopes naming the street inKhashoggi's honor might be a constant

reminder to the Saudis that the US won'tforget what happened to him while alsoreaffirming America's commitment tofreedom of the press.

"This action will force the Saudis toremember, every day. This assault on thepress is unforgivable and is deeplyharmful to fabric of the truth," he said."Leaders at all levels of government needto stand up in whatever ways they can tosupport people, make their lives better,and push for what's right. Up against theleaders who have abandoned their duty,this proposal is our way of pushingback."

The idea started last monthThe effort to change the street's name

dates back to last month, when an onlinepetition was started to rename the streetfor Khashoggi.

The petition, which has more than8,000 signatures, is signed by MichaelWerz, a senior national security fellow atthe Center for American Progress, andGary Schmitt, a resident scholar instrategic studies at the AmericanEnterprise Institute. The petitionadvocates renaming the street as a way"to be a daily reminder to Saudi officialsthat such behavior is totallyunacceptable and as an expression ofWashington's unstinting support forfreedom of the press."

The approved resolution now goes to

the DC city council. Harnett estimated itcould take six to nine months for thecouncil to vote on the resolution and forthe mayor to sign it into law.

As with all laws in the District ofColumbia, it also will be subject toapproval by Congress, Harnett said.

This isn't the first time that part of aDC street has been renamed in front of anembassy to honor a dissident. In Januaryof this year, Washington's city councilpassed a measure renaming the street infront of the Russian Embassy after BorisNemtsov, a pro-democracy activist andcritic of Russian President VladimirPutin.

The bill symbolically renamed thestretch of Wisconsin Avenue in front ofthe embassy to 1 Boris Nemtsov Plaza,adding that name to the street sign.

Nemtsov was shot and killed on abridge near the Kremlin in February 2015while walking home with his girlfriend.

Correction: An earlier version of thisstory said Werz and Schmitt knewKhashoggi personally. The two did notknow him personally. The story has beenupdated to remove that reference.

(Source: CNN)

Jamal Khashoggi File photo

3THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019 ADVERTISEMENT

4 THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019US

WASHINGTON DC (TIP): The ForeignAffairs subcommittee on Asia, the Pacificand Nonproliferation was in the newsrecently for a hearing on human rights inKashmir and South Asia that caused adiplomatic and political challenge for NewDelhi.

An imminent shuffling of positions inthe U.S. Congress could have particularsignificance for India with IndianAmerican Congressman Ami Bera likelyto take over the crucial Foreign Affairssubcommittee on Asia, the Pacific andNonproliferation. The committee, whichis currently headed by Democrat BradSherman, was in the news recently for anOctober 22 hearing on human rights inKashmir and South Asia that caused adiplomatic and political challenge for theIndian government. While Dr. Bera is astrong proponent of closer India-U.S. ties,his potential leadership of the Asiasubcommittee does not mean the Indiangovernment will get a blank cheque fromthe body on Kashmir and related issues.

Key to Dr. Bera taking over the positionfrom Mr. Sherman is a vote for thechairmanship of a subcommittee oncapital markets. Mr. Sherman is in therunning to head that subcommittee due toa series of shifts that are happening as aconsequence of the death of ElijahCummings in October, which left thechairmanship of the House Committee onOversight and Reform vacant. In general,a member of the U.S. Congress holds nomore than one committee orsubcommittee chairmanship at any giventime.

Contingent on Mr. Sherman shifting outto the capital markets subcommittee, Dr.Bera could be voted into the Asia

subcommittee as early as the end of thisweek. A vote for the capital marketssubcommittee is being held on December4 afternoon, a Congressional aide told TheHindu.

Dr. Bera, a physician, is a CaliforniaDemocrat and has been a proponent ofstrong India-U.S. ties. While he was co-chair of the Congressional Caucus onIndia and Indian Americans in the 114thCongress (January 2015- January 2017), heco-sponsored an amendment to the annualdefenseauthorization billrecognizingIndia as a 'Major DefensePartner' of the U.S. As recently asSeptember, he co-sponsored a "Sense ofthe House" resolution (i.e. advice,guidance from the House ofRepresentatives) that India should be a

permanent member of the United NationsSecurity Council.

A source on the Indian side told TheHindu on December 4 that they had hopedDr. Bera's leadership of the AsiaSubcommittee would bring objectivityand impartiality to the committee.

Following the October 22 hearing, it wasreported that Indian officials had beentaken by surprise by the focus of that day'spanels on India's actions in Kashmirrelative to a discussion on Pakistan'ssponsorship of terror in the region.

Incidents of violence, discriminationnot conforming to India's legal protectionsfor minorities, says U.S. diplomat

Nevertheless, Dr. Bera's support forIndia and strong U.S.-India ties does notmean the Indian government will get a

free pass on Kashmir and human rightsand related issues, two separate sourceson Capitol Hill and one formerCongressional staffer told The Hindu.

During the October 22 hearing thatfocused on human rights in Kashmir andalso discussed, among other things, theNational Register of Citizens (NRC) inAssam, Dr. Bera had emphasized India'sfoundation as a secular democracy andcalled for an easing of restrictions inKashmir.

"The strength of India is its basis as asecular democracy and its history as asecular democracy. As the world's largestdemocracy, the core foundational basis ofa democracy is the protection of minorityrights. And I understand that democracyis complicated…," Dr. Bera said. Whileindicating that the situation in Jammuand Kashmir was an internal matter toIndia, Dr. Bera did make an "urgent plea"for India to allow journalists into theKashmir region.

"The sooner we can get back tonormalization of communication andpress and others being able to visit, I thinkit's in India's interest to do that, andcertainly in the world's interest...," Dr.Bera had said.

Dr. Bera is currently chairman of theForeign Affairs Subcommittee onOversight and Investigations and Co-Chair of the Congressional Caucus onKorea. Given this latter position, Dr. Bera'spotential chairmanship of the Asia andNonproliferation Subcommittee is likelyto see him, at least initially, focusing on theKorean peninsula and related nuclearissues in his new role.

(Source: The Hindu)

FIA - 10 years of community serviceCHICAGO, IL (TIP): Federation of

Indian Associations Chicago, (FIA) withits President Ninad Daftari, FounderPresident Sunil Shah, Founder & PastPresident Onkar Sangha and incomingPresident 2020 Gurmeet Singh Dhalwanalong with the executive team, all boardmembers, the advisory board, familyand friends of all FIA members(including seniors and children) whichtotaled to over 100 people whovolunteered for "Feed My StarvingChildren" (FMSC) on Sunday November24th at Renaissance SchaumburgConvention Center.

At this event FIA Members and theirfriends and families helped pack 587boxes which included approximately126,792 meals which will feed 347children for a year.

Feed My Starving Children (FMSC)believes hope starts with food. As aChristian nonprofit, FMSC is dedicatedto seeing every child whole in body andspirit. FMSC works with fooddistribution partners that stay with

communities for the long haul,empowering them to move from relief todevelopment.

FMSC meals are developed by foodscience and nutrition professionals tosupplement nutritional needs andreduce problems with malnutrition.Nutrition allows children to grow, thrive

and develop to their full potential. FMSCserves meals in over 70 countries andover 1 billion children have been fed.

Many members of FIA also donated toFMSC. The cause of FMSC is great andthe whole FIA team felt that this holidayseason we need to give back to thecommunity and how better to give back

then to help the children. This was avery successful event and FIA promisedto continue serving the community withmany such upcoming events in the yearsahead.

Photograph and Press release / Asian Media USA

FIA Team and Supporters

Indian American Congressman Ami Bera likelyto lead crucial U.S. House subcommittee on Asia

U.S. Congressman Ami Bera

5THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019 US

Social SecurityExpands Public Hoursat Offices NationwideWednesdays to Return to Full

Public Service Hours; Agency toHire 1,100 Direct Service

EmployeesWASHINGTON

DC (TIP):

Starting onJanuary 8, 2020,Social Securityoffices nationwidewill be open to thepublic on Wednesday afternoons,Andrew Saul, Commissioner of SocialSecurity, announced. This changerestores Wednesday public servicehours that were last in place in late2012. "I don't want someone to come toour office at 2:30 on a Wednesday onlyto find our doors closed,"Commissioner Saul said.

In another move to improve serviceto the public, Commissioner Saulannounced in his Open Letter to thePublic at www.ssa.gov/agency/coss-message.html that the agency is hiring1,100 front line employees to provideservice on the agency's National 800Number and in its processing centers.The agency is currently bringingonboard 100 new processing centeremployees and approximately 500 newteleservice representatives for the 800Number. An additional 500 hires forthe 800 Number will occur later in2020.

(Read full story onwww.theindianpanorama.news)

The 2020 candidates who havequalified for the December debate

WASHINGTON (TIP): With just over aweek before the qualification deadline, sixcandidates have cemented their spot on thenext debate stage.

Senator Kamala Harris was qualified butdropped out of the race on Tuesday. Thatsame day, Tom Steyer, a billionairebusinessman and political donor, becamethe latest addition to the sixth 2020Democratic presidential debate, which willtake place December 19 in Los Angeles.

The six candidates who havealready qualified are formerVice President Joe Biden,Mayor Pete Buttigieg, SenatorAmy Klobuchar, Tom Steyer,Senator Bernie Sanders andSenator Elizabeth Warren

The bar to qualify has been raised onceagain. Candidates need to prove that theyhave at least 200,000 unique donors,including at least 800 in 20 different states,U.S. territories or the District of Columbia.That's an increase from 165,000 last month.They also have to reach either 4% in atleast four national or early-state polls orreach 6% in two early-state polls. That's anincrease from 3% and 5%, respectively.

Presidential hopefuls have until 11:59p.m. on December 12 to meet both donorand polling requirements.

The debate will be hosted by PBSNewsHour and Politico.

Ten candidates took the stage for

November's debate in Atlanta. Previousdebates have taken place in Detroit,Houston, Miami and Westerville, Ohio.

WASHINGTON (TIP): Kamala Harrisis ending her presidential bid andsuspending her campaign, sheannounced Tuesday. In a statement, theDemocratic senator from Californiaexplained she did not have enoughfunding to continue her run for theWhite House. Calling it "one of thehardest decisions of my life," and oneshe had made over the last few days,Harris said her campaign "simplydoesn't have the financial resources weneed to continue."

"I'm not a billionaire. I can't fund myown campaign," she said. "And as thecampaign has gone on, it's becomeharder and harder to raise the money weneed to compete."

She continued, "In good faith, I can'ttell you, my supporters and volunteers,that I have a path forward if I don'tbelieve I do. So, to you my supporters, itis with deep regret - but also with deepgratitude - that I am suspending mycampaign today."

In a sign of how challenging the lack offunding had become, aides said Tuesdaythat by the end of this week, former NewYork Mayor Michael Bloomberg willhave spent on advertising alone abouttwice what Harris had raised for her ownbid since the beginning of the year.

And in recent days, long-simmeringturmoil between her team ofprofessional consultants, mostly fromCalifornia, and a faction represented byHarris' sister, Maya Harris, about howthe campaign should proceed had boiledover into news reports. Maya Harris, aDemocratic activist who also worked for

Hillary Clinton's presidential campaign,has been at her sister's side for theduration of the campaign, serving as atop adviser.

Harris had begun her campaign in acommanding position, with a crowd ofabout 20,000 showing up at her kickoffrally in Oakland in late January. Hercampaign at its inception seemed toshow the capacity for growth, and shewas viewed as a top-tier candidate. Whenshe confronted Joe Biden about hisstance on federal busing in the firstpresidential debate, it boosted hercandidacy. But within days, her ownviews on busing became somewhatmuddled.

Later, she struggled to articulatewhere she stood on health care and howshe would pay for an overhaul of thehealth care system.

Harris, the third candidate in 48 hours

to announce the end of her campaign,informed her staff Tuesday of herdecision to suspend her campaign. Afterher statement, Harris posted a video ofher statement on Twitter.

Biden responded to the news of herdeparture from the race by calling her a"first-rate intellect," a "first-ratecandidate, and "a solid, solid person"who is "loaded with talent."

Julián Castro commended Harris andattacked some of the news outlets thatrecently reported stories that werecritical of her campaign, noting "articlesout of Politico, the New York Times, theWashington Post, that has basicallytrashed her campaign and focused onone small part of it, and I think held herto a different standard, a doublestandard has been grossly unfair andunfortunate."

Without Harris, Steve Bullock and JoeSestak, the Democratic primary fieldnow shrinks to 15 candidates.

In early November, Harris cut all ofher field organizers in New Hampshireand shuttered her field offices there inorder to focus her efforts in Iowa. At thetime, she told CBS News she was "all in"on winning the Iowa caucuses andpredicted she would "do very well" in thefirst contest of the 2020 Democraticpresidential primary. Before theNovember debate, Harris had 131 staffersand 17 field offices in the state and hadspent 45 days in Iowa, and she had evenspent Thanksgiving in Iowa with herfamily.

Harris' husband tweeted a note ofsupport for his wife.

Kamala Harris pulls out of Presidential Race

Kamala Harris dropped out of Presidentialrace saying her campaign "simply doesn't

have the financial resources we need tocontinue."

The six candidates who have already qualified are former Vice President Joe Biden, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, Senator Amy Klobuchar, Tom Steyer,Senator Bernie Sanders and Senator Elizabeth Warren

06 THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019INDIA

J&K RESIDENTS TO BEISSUED DOMICILE CARD

JAMMU (TIP): Four months after Jammu andKashmir was split into two Union Territories, theUnion Government is all set to provide domicilecertificate to local residents, as demanded by party’stop local leadership. The government is expected toannounce a decision in this regard by December 15.

“A senior BJP leader had written a three-page letterto Union Minister Amit Shah days after thebifurcation, raising several issues concerning thelocals, including jobs for the educated and protectionof land rights. Also, a recent report on unemploymentfigures presented a dismal picture of J&K followingwhich top BJP leaders visited New Delhi and metpeople at the helm to flag people’s concerns.”

The source, who was part of the delegation, said theUnion Government promised to issue domicilecertificates to local residents. “The UnionGovernment insisted on a minimum 10-year stay inJ&K for issuance of the certificate, but we demandedthat this period be 15 years. The Centre agreed and thematter is almost sealed. We expect the UnionGovernment to make an announcement by December15,” he added.

Sabarimala judgment not finalword, says Supreme Court

NEW DELHI (TIP): The Supreme Court has saidits 2018 verdict allowing entry of girls and women ofall ages into the Ayyappa temple at Kerala'sSabarimala was not the “final word” as the matterwas referred to a larger Bench.

The apex court’s observation came when senioradvocate Indira Jaising, appearing for a womandevotee, Bindu Ammini, alleged violation of the 2018verdict and said her client was attacked for her bid toenter the shrine. A Bench, headed by Chief Justice ofIndia (CJI) SA Bobde, referring to a recent verdict ofthe apex court, said the 2018 judgment was not thefinal word as the issue was referred to a seven-judgeBench for consideration. On November 14, a five-judgeConstitution Bench, headed by then Chief Justice ofIndia Ranjan Gogoi, in a 3:2 majority verdict, hadreferred the pleas seeking a review of its historic 2018judgment to a seven-judge Bench of the apex court.

Nirav Modi declared fugitiveeconomic offender

MUMBAI (TIP): Billionaire businessman NiravModi has been declared a fugitive economic offenderby a special court in Mumbai. Nirav Modi, currentlyunder arrest in the United Kingdom, is accused ofdefrauding the Punjab National Bank of more than Rs10,000 crore by scamming a software used by banksworldwide. He was declared a fugitive economicoffender by a Prevention of Money Laundering Actcourt in Mumbai.

Nirav Modi is the second person to be declared afugitive economic offender under the FugitiveEconomic Offenders Act, which was enacted last year.The fugitive economic offender tag allows Indianprobe agencies to confiscate and attach properties ofthe accused and is targetted at those who flee India toescape prosecution.

The first person to be declared a fugitive economicoffender under the act was Vijay Mallya, who isaccused of fraud and defaulting on bank loans to thetune of Rs 9,000 crore. Mallya is also in the UnitedKingdom and is currently fighting efforts to extraditehim back to India.

Unnao rape victim thrashed,stabbed, burnt alive

LUCKNOW/UNNAO (TIP): TheUnnao rape victim, who has beenbattling for life with 90 per centburns, was beaten up, stabbed andthen set ablaze by five men onThursday. The incident happenedwhen the 23-year-old Unnao rapevictim was on her way to a court inRae Bareli to attend a hearing in therape case. The five men also includedthe two who were accused of rapingthe woman in December.

All the five accused - HarishankarTrivedi, Ram Kishore Trivedi, UmeshBajpai, Shivam and Shubham Trivedi- involved in the attack on the Unnaorape case victim were arrested hoursafter the incident. The prime accusedhas been identified as ShubhamTrivedi.

Meanwhile, the Unnao rape victim,who has suffered 90 per cent burns inthe incident, has been airlifted toSafdarjung Hospital in Delhi for hertreatment. She was earlier admittedto the plastic surgery burn unit inLucknow.

THE CASEIn her statement to the magistrate,

the Unnao rape survivor alleged thatShivam and Shubham Trivedi hadabducted and raped her in December2018. She had filed a case against thetwo in March this year. Shubham,who was in jail in connection withthe rape case, was released on bail onNovember 30, 2019.

Immediately after securing bail,Shubham started following andthreatening her. The victim and herfamily visited the Bihar police stationclose to the Sindupur village inUnnao several times but the policeturned a deaf ear to the complaints.

AFLAME, VICTIM RAN FOR 1 KM FOR HELP

The victim was on her way to a RaeBareli court when she was abductedby the five men. Villagers in theSindupur village told Aaj Tak thatthey saw the victim running towardsthe village while she was still ablaze.

Aflame, the victim ran for over akilometre for help beforeeyewitnesses saw her. The womanwas helped by a man who wasworking outside a house in thevillage. The victim also called 112from someone's mobile phone andinformed the police about theincident.

The PRV and ambulance arrivedonly after the victim's call. Thewoman was first taken to a localhospital but later shifted to ShyamaPrasad Mukherjee (Civil) Hospital inLucknow with 90 per cent burninjuries.

Ravindra, who sitting by theroadside in the village, told reportersthat he was so frightened when hesaw the woman running towards himthat he actually went to pick up hisstick.

"It was only when she came nearerthat I found out she was severelyburnt," he said. She had been callingout for help," he added.

The victim has also given herstatement to the magistrate. In herstatement, the Unnao rape victimnamed five persons who burnt her.She told the magistrate that she wasbeaten up by the five persons,stabbed and then burned alive bythem.

Investigating police team in Unnaoarrested four accused from theirhomes in the same village wherethey were sleeping and the fifthaccused surrendered at the Biharpolice station.

The Unnao rape survivor, who has suffered 90 percent burns in the incident, beingshifted to Safdarjung Hospital in Delhi.

Manmohan’s remark on 1984anti-Sikh riots sparks debate

NEW DELHI (TIP): The Centre’sruling Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) on Thursday reacted sharplyto former Prime MinisterManmohan Singh’s remark that theanti-Sikh riots in 1984 could havebeen avoided if the then homeminister PV Narasimha Rao hadpaid heed to Inder Kumar Gujral’sadvice of calling in the army, andput the blame for the riots on RajivGandhi. The riots followed theassassination of the then primeminister, Indira Gandhi, by herSikh bodyguards on October 31,1984. Rajiv Gandhi, her son,succeeded her as the prime ministerthat very night.

“...when the sad event of 1984 tookplace, Gujral ji on that very sadevening went to the then homeminister Shri [PV] Narasimha Raoand told him the situation is sograve that it is necessary for thegovernment to call the army [in] atthe earliest. If that advice had beenheeded, perhaps the massacre that

took place in 1984 could have beenavoided,” Singh, a former PM and asenior Congress leader, said onWednesday at a function to markthe 100th birth anniversary ofGujral, one of his predecessors.

The BJP criticised Singh’sremark . Union minister PrakashJavadekar blamed Rajiv Gandhi forthe riots, saying the prime ministerhas the right to order armydeployment in such a situation. “Ina way, Rajiv Gandhi supported themassacre with his subsequentcomments that the earth shakeswhen a big tree falls,” Javadekartold reporters about the riotsfollowing the assassination ofGandhi.

Javadekar also questioned why, in1991, Singh went on to become afinance minister in a Cabinetheaded by Rao if he had suchadverse feelings about the leader.

NV Subash, a BJP leader and thegrandson of Rao, too, condemnedSingh’s statement. “As a family

member, I am feeling saddened bythis statement by Dr. ManmohanSingh; it is unacceptable,” he toldnews agency, ANI.

But Gujral’s son, Naresh Gujral, aparliamentarian from theShiromani Akali Dal (SAD) — apolitical ally of the BJP,complimented Singh for being“truthful”. “I admire andcompliment Manmohan Singh forbeing truthful and calling a spade aspade,” he told news agency, PTI.

SAD president Sukhbir SinghBadal said Singh’s statement was a“shocking attempt to shift blamefrom Rajiv Gandhi and the Nehru-Gandhi family” to Rao.“The claim isshocking because it comes fromManmohan Singh whom we havealways genuinely respected. It isinappropriate and indecorous as itinvolves two former PMs,Narasimha Rao and IK Gujral,neither of whom is alive to respondto this claim,” he said in astatement.

07THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019 INDIA

PM: CITIZENSHIP TO THOSEFACING PERSECUTION WILLASSURE THEM BETTER LIVES

NEW DELHI (TIP):

Referring to theCitizenship (Amendment)Bill, Prime MinisterNarendra Modi on Fridaysaid Indian citizenship forthose facing persecutionin their home countrieswould ensure that they geta better tomorrow.

Speaking at theHindustan Times Leadership Summit, Modi saidalthough a lot of apprehensions were expressedahead of the Supreme Court’s Ayodhya verdict, afterit was pronounced, the people of the country provedall such apprehensions wrong.

Referring to the abrogation of Article 370 of theConstitution, the PM said the decision might seem apolitically difficult one, but it had raised a new hopeof development for the people of Jammu andKashmir and Ladakh.

Ajit Pawar gets clean chit inirrigation scam case

MUMBAI (TIP): Maharashtra's anti-corruptionbureau (ACB) has cleared National ConferenceParty's leader Ajit Pawar's name in an irrigationscam case.

The 16-page affidavit, dated November 27, says thatthere is no criminal liability on the part of the thenChairman of the VIDC (Minister of WRD) in respectof the process of granting sanction.

Minister of Water Resources Department is Ex-Officio Chairman of the Vidarbha IrrigationDevelopment Corporation.

Pawar, who belongs to the NCP, servedMaharashtra's irrigation department when theCongress-NCP coalition government was in powerduring 1999-2004.

The affidavit was submitted at the Nagpur Benchof Bombay High Court by ACB superintendentRashmi Nandedkar.

In its enquiry report, the ACB has also stated that,''there is no evidence on record to say that theSecretary of the Department had briefed theMinister of Water Resources Department about notaccepting the liability of the tender work''.

Rahul says cases against himare like 16 ‘medals on his chest’

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM (TIP): Congressleader Rahul Gandhi says he is not intimidated by astring of legal cases filed against him and considersthem to be medals instead while addressing a rally inhis Lok Sabha constituency of Wayanad in Kerala onThursday. Rahul also accused Prime MinisterNarendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah ofliving in an “imaginary” world when the countrywas facing a crisis.

“When you look at a soldier he will have lots ofmedals on his chest. Every single case is a medal forme. I won’t be cowed down by a string of cases,”Rahul said referring to the 16-odd cases against him.

“When they lodge a new case against me, they adda fresh medal on my chest. Every time you put a caseagainst me, I will speak of love. My strength is peopleand I will never forget you are standing with me,” hesaid to a cheering crowd in Vaniambalam area of hisnorth Kerala constituency.

Rahul Gandhi is an accused in the National Heraldcorruption case and was also booked for allegeddefamation of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, homeminister Amit Shah and Bihar Deputy ChiefMinister Sushil Modi among other cases.

An undeterred Rahul again attacked Modi andShah on Thursday.

“Both live in their own imagination. They have nocontact with the outside world. They live in their ownworld and fantasize about things outside. That is whythe country is in such trouble,” he told the media.

Stage set for NDA, Oppositionface-off over citizenship bill

NEW DELHI (TIP): Thecontentious Citizenship(Amendment) Bill, 2019, is expectedto be introduced in the Lok Sabhaon Monday, setting the stage for aconfrontation between the NationalDemocratic Alliance (NDA) and theCongress-led Opposition.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)is keen to pass the bill, but it has toreach out to its allies and like-minded parties to have a smoothpassage in the Rajya Sabha, wherethe NDA is in a minority.

With the Shiv Sena, a long-timeally especially in Maharashtra,joining hands with the Congressand the Nationalist Congress Party(NCP), and the Janata Dal (United),or JD(U), led by Bihar chiefminister Nitish Kumar havingreservations about the bill, theBJP has a daunting task at hand.

“It is an important bill and wewill sit with our senior leaders todiscuss our stand on it. We havecertain reservations about the billand we will inform the Uniongovernment about those. A finaldecision on the stand of the partywill be taken after consultations,"said a senior JD(U) leader,requesting anonymity.

The Congress, on the otherhand, will have to deal with new-found ally, the Shiv Sena, whichhas traditionally been a vehementsupporter of the bill. Senior NCPleaders said a meeting with theCongress and Shiv Sena couldtake place to discuss the stand ofthe alliance. Both the Congressand NCP are opposed to the bill.

“A key part of the commonminimum programme betweenthe Congress, NCP, and Shiv Sena

was that the three alliancepartners will discuss allcontentious issues before taking adecision on political andadministrative matters. It isexpected that an informalconsultation will take place beforethe discussion takes place inParliament," said a senior NCPleader based in Mumbai, alsorequesting anonymity.

The NDA is in a minority in theUpper House, but enjoys amammoth majority in the LowerHouse. It will need the support ofat least 123 members of

Parliament (MPs) in the 245-member Rajya Sabha for a smoothpassage for the bill. So far, it hasthe support of 105 MPs.

Senior BJP leaders are reachingout to the Biju Janata Dal (BJD),which has seven MPs, and theTelangana Rashtriya Samiti(TRS), which has six. BJPmembers are also expected to holddiscussions with the YSRCongress Party, or YSRCP, whichhas two MPs in the Upper House.Senior ministers, however, claimthat at least 122 MPs in the UpperHouse support the bill.

Activists protest against the present form of citizenship amendment bill.

The contentious citizenship amendment bill isexpected to be introduced in the Lok Sabha onMonday

BJP needs support of at least 123 MPs in the 245-member Rajya Sabha for the bill’s passage

NEW DELHI (TIP): A day afterbeing released on bail, formerfinance minister P Chidambaramon Thursday called the governmentan “incompetent manager” of theeconomy and criticised PrimeMinister Narendra Modi for his“silence” on the slowdown.

The Supreme Court onWednesday granted bail toChidambaram in the INX Mediamoney-laundering case; he spent106 days in custody, including inTihar jail.

Addressing a press conference atCongress headquarters in Delhi, hesaid nothing summed up the state ofthe economy better than the seriesof numbers, 8, 7, 6.6, 5.8, 5 and 4.5 —a reference to quarterly growthrates of the GDP in the last sixquarters.

“The government is unable tolook for the obvious clues because itis stubborn and mulish in defendingits catastrophic mistakes such as

demonetisation, flawed GST {Goodsand Services Tax}, tax terrorism,regulatory overkill, protectionism,and centralised control of decision-making in the Prime Minister’sOffice (PMO),” Chidambaramalleged.

The ruling Bharatiya JanataParty (BJP) hit back atChidambaram, accusing him ofviolating bail conditions, and said

the case against him was essentiallyabout corruption he was allegedlyinvolved in as the finance minister.His bail conditions stipulated thathe not speak about the case.

Earlier in the day, Chidambaramjoined other Congress members intheir protest against the steep hikein onion prices.

Later, at the press conference,Chidambaram alleged that Modihas been “unusually silent” on theeconomy. “He has left it to hisministers to indulge in bluff andbluster. The net result, as TheEconomist put it, is that thegovernment has turned out to be an‘incompetent manager’ of theeconomy,” he said, referring to anarticle in the October issue of themagazine.

However, the former financeminister refused to speak on thecase pending against him though hemade a brief reference to it in hisopening statement.

Out on bail, PC slams handlingof economy, BJP hits back

8 THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019EDITORIAL

Perhaps, it was for the first time that truefederalism, which was the experiment of ourConstitution, was being worked out in real terms.And if that succeeded, it would have started anew era of political management in the country.To be able to satisfy the diverse aspirations of allkinds of people in different states was amammoth task inasmuch as, most of theseaspirations were kept bottled up. It was a role ofdestiny, which Gujral played with consummateease.

Ifirst met Inder Gujral in 1980. I had then accompaniedthe Indian Olympic contingent to Moscow whereGujral sahib was India's Ambassador. I, therefore, had

to meet him as a matter of courtesy. I requested for apersonal audience, and lo and behold! He sent hispersonal car to take me to him. I knew that he was notprotocol-minded, but that he could be so warm andinformal was far from my imagination. Hence, it turnedout to be a very friendly tete-a-tete. The fact that I camefrom Jhelum district, I think, also made him give me thekind of attention generally reserved for someone who isone's own kin.

Thereafter, in 1982, I became the PR chief of the Asiad.Gujral sahib had come back from his ambassadorialstint. As a leading citizen of the Capital and one of thenation's leading intellectuals, I was often in need of hisadvice and guidance, which I found was always availableto me without any reserve and in ample measure. It wasthen that I started knowing him as a gentleman parexcellence. Though he lived in the rarefied world of booksand ideas, I found him rooted as much in the soil ofreality. With no pretentions of mine as an intellectual, myinteractions were just matter of fact and mundane. Buthe took it all in his stride.

Soon afterwards, I became the press secretary toPresident Giani Zail Singh. This forced me into the thickof every kind of activity, moving as often as possible inthe world of VIPs. Hence, I met Gujral sahib in severalcapacities and on several occasions. For, that was the timewhen the Punjab problem monopolized the attention ofthe nation. Gianiji was concerned with the day-to-dayhappenings, both as a Punjab leader and a Sikh. Thus, inthose days, I often interacted with a cross-section ofPunjabis not only in Delhi but also the world over.

However, it was a great gain for me to know that Gujralsahib happened to be one of the finest Punjabis on thescene, in love with the culture and ethos of the land of his

birth. Like many others, he, too, waxed and waned at eachnew twist and turn of events in Punjab.

Talking to him on Punjab was always a revelationbecause not only did he know so many finer points of thePunjab problem, but he was also a true friend of theSikhs. In a point of fact, the two Punjabis, viz InderKumar Gujral and Kuldip Nayar, had such a constructiveapproach to the whole imbroglio that I often make thispoint on every platform that if we had another handful ofPunjabis like this twosome, there would have been noPunjab problem at all.

These two Punjabis never shirked their responsibilityto serve the nation in whichever capacity it was required.Their elevation as India's Ambassadors in two of themost important capitals of the world - Nayar in Londonand Gujral in Moscow - proved many things. But one ofthem is that non-service diplomats can outshine thecareer diplomats when called upon to do so. For, after all,ambassadorship happens to be a PR job for the nation.And, some men are born diplomats and PR men.

I do not want to dwell upon so many sides of Gujral'spersonality, for he was so multi-faceted that to do justiceto such a man, even a whole book cannot suffice. As anelder intellectual and parliamentarian of the nation, herubbed shoulders with some of the best minds of theworld, even at a one-on-one level. But he wore hisgreatness so very lightly that he had friends from everywalk of life. It was his boundless human empathy thatmade him so winsome in all possible situations.

That's why, in the times of coalition politics, he wascalled upon to take over the mantle of prime ministershipof India, which at the best of times is no less than a crownof thorns. He gladly accepted the gauntlet. For, thischallenge was an opportunity for him to prove that it wasa new phase in the democratic evolution of the country.

Perhaps, it was for the first time that true federalism,which was the experiment of our Constitution, was beingworked out in real terms. And if that succeeded, it wouldhave started a new era of political management in thecountry. To be able to satisfy the diverse aspirations of allkinds of people in different states was a mammoth taskinasmuch as, most of these aspirations were kept bottledup. It was a role of destiny, which Gujral played withconsummate ease.

At 80, the way he worked, he could have put peopleyounger to him to shame. But by not shirking his onerousresponsibility, he had the challenge of carving out a placefor himself in India's history as a man of the moment.

But the last and not the least important of his qualitieswas that he was an Ajatashatru, which means - a manwithout an enemy. Fortunately, at that time, we had both

a Prime Minister and the Leader of Opposition (AtalBihari Vajpayee) who equally shared this quality betweenthem. The parliamentary debate, which took place on the50th year of Independence, underlined this point so well,as brought out by these two stalwarts. Even when he wasengaged in a bitter argument, as intellectuals mostly do,he remained so unruffled and pleasant that the oneworsted in the argument was also happy at the outcome.That's why even if he was so uncompromising in respectof his values and principles, he was flexible enough totake along with him even the worst of his detractors.

Now adding to his basic integrity and incorruptibility,as well as human compassion, you would find that therewas no crisis from which he didn't come out in flyingcolors. He took the courage to oppose the Emergency as aCabinet minister of Indira Gandhi and had to quit. Butthis unusual step brought laurels to him. The GujralDoctrine had already won him several friends and Indiawas seen in an altogether different light. Hence, it was amatter of great luck of the nation that we had such aperson who could lead us into the 21st century withoutjerks and jolts. He was always a man far ahead of histimes.

At that point, India having a Punjabi Prime Ministerwas important for another reason as well. For the firsttime, we had a Punjabi and, that too, a refugee to dealwith Pakistan. No one could have been more at ease whileinteracting with Pakistan's Muslims. He had a rarecommand of the Urdu language and could quote Urdupoetry with such felicity that he could not but evoke aresponsive chord in every heart in Pakistan.

He was convinced that these two young nations couldor shall fulfil their tryst with destiny only by burying thehatchet of mutual enmity and distrust.

(The author is a former Chairman National Commission forMinorities and a Member of India's Parliament)

By Tarlochan SinghIntegrity, empathy were Gujral’s hallmarks

It started as an attempt to defend theConsul General of India at New York'sstatement he made on Kashmir at a

private gathering of some KashmiriPandit families in New York at which filmactor Anupam Kher, a Kashmiri Pandit ,was also present, a couple of days ago.There was a lot of sympathy for the goodnatured and amiable Consul General ofIndia in New York who most felt wasunnecessarily targeted by media for hisutterances. A few well-meaning friends ofhis formed a group to defend him.Initially, it was the CG, Kashmir and therogue neighbor Pakistan creatingtrouble in the Indian State of Jammu and

Kashmir.However, the Hindutva elements who

have been advocating a Hindu Rashtrasaw their opportunity and jumped intothe group. Over the last of couple of daysthey succeeded in transforming theagenda of the group. The group does notany more speak about defending the CG'sstatement. The only cry is the Hinduunity and the Hindu Rashtra.

There is no harm in exercising one'sdemocratic rights in a democraticcountry. For long Khalistanis have beendemanding a Khalistan in India. It doesnot make a difference that there are

people here who want a Hindu Rashtra. Ifthe Khalistanis demanding Khalistan areanti-India and enemies of the nation, thesame yardstick could be applied to thosedemanding a Hindu Rashtra. What is thedifference? The demands of both theKhalistanis and the Hindutva supportersare divisive and against the interests ofIndia and its 1.3 billion people.

It is unfortunate that Indians who noware citizens of America should attempt tocreate hatred among people of Indianorigin and divide them here in the USwhere hundreds of ethnicities havelearnt to live in brotherhood and peace.

Aren't they committing crime againstAmerica and American people? Nobodyshould be allowed to take advantage ofthe freedoms offered by the greatestnation on the earth. Nobody should beallowed to practice any form of terrorismin the greatest democracy in the worldwhich prides itself in the values offreedom and fraternity. President Trumpwho has been bold enough to deal withterrorism of all shades should find a wayto lock up people of foreign origin whopromote hatred and create divisions andare a threat to the American NationalSecurity.

AS I SEE IT

Remembering Inder Kumar Gujral on his birth centenary, December 4, 2019

COMMENTProf I.S.Saluja

From defending a diplomat's statement to advocatingHindutva and demanding a Hindu Rashtra

In the times of coalition politics, IK Gujral was called upon to take over the mantle of prime ministership,which at the best of times is no less than a crown of thorns. He gladly accepted the gauntlet.

Inder Kumar Gujral : 4th December 1919 - 30th November 2012

9THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019 PERSPECTIVE

Alot has been written about the dayNCP supremo Sharad Pawar camecalling on Prime Minister

Narendra Modi while the epic "mahadrama" raged back home in Maharashtra.

One claim is that the Marathastrongman wanted to tell the BJP'stopmost leader in person that he wasaware of the attempts to tap the weak linkin the NCP and his family, nephew AjitPawar, and that an end be put to it. Afterall, Sharad Pawar did provide the BJPmoral support when the Shiv Sena playedhardball after it fell short in the 2014Assembly polls.

However, while "strange bedfellows"NCP, Congress and Shiv Sena struggled toreach the common meeting ground, theBJP carried on with the "plan" and therest, as they say, is history.

In those terms, Pawar has a lot to thankBJP's "Chanakya" Amit Shah for. Hiscareer and stature have revived, and how.Despite being pushed against the wall,Pawar not only helped sulking NDA allyUddhav Thackeray realize his dream bygiving Maharashtra its first Shiv SenaChief Minister, but also re-established hiscredentials countrywide. The Pawarfactor is something the BJP had neitheranticipated, nor bargained for.

BJP, post Maharashtra

A section in the BJP now claims thatAmit Shah is "not too fond" of DevendraFadnavis. He is being touted as "solelyresponsible for the wrong distribution oftickets and decisions that led to a majorstate slipping out of the saffron hold".

His "closeness" to PM Modi and Nagpur(RSS headquarters) are his saving grace,they say, adding that "Fadnavis gaveprecedence to outsiders and this is nothow the expansion of the BJP should havehappened" in Maharashtra.

But a counter argument is that the"unnecessary needling of Pawar", whowas perhaps playing his last politicalinnings, via ED probes played a big role inhim taking the lead to stitch the unlikelyalliance. "Had it not been for the NCP andCongress turncoats, the BJP would havewon much less," Fadnavis supporters say.

The bottom line, however, is that theBJP with 105 seats rejected the power-sharing offer of the Sena with 56 seats,forcing it to turn to archrivals NCP (54)and Congress (44). What happens sixmonths later no one knows, but today theBJP is cutting a lonely figure in the statethat sends 48 MPs to the Lok Sabha,second only to Uttar Pradesh's 80.

Maharashtra is a story of a party in acommanding position underminingrivals, banking on the "tainted" andpaying the price. In those terms, it has alot to worry for, maybe not immediately atthe national level, but definitely in states,where the Maharashtra example hasgiven hope and a template to rivalslooking for means to stall the BJPjuggernaut.

The formula was unsuccessfully triedby the Samajwadi Party and the BSP inUttar Pradesh and the Congress and theJD(S) in Karnataka. The question is: willit work in Jharkhand, where a unitedOpposition is fighting the BJP minusallies AJSU, LJP and JD(U)?

National versus state politicsThose who believe the BJP's survival is

in danger post-Maharashtra can thinkagain. Backed by the might of the RSS andits own well-oiled election machinery, theBJP enjoys a pan-India acceptance that noother party can currently claim. Barringthe South, that too only in Tamil Nadu andKerala, the BJP's presence is wellregistered across the country.

Rather, the buzz is that PM Modibelieves it is time the party walks"without crutches". The Sena experiencemay have only consolidated the belief,which is why the upcoming Jharkhandelections will be an important test. "Wecan get help if required later," says aleader in response to why the BJP is flyingsolo and so are its NDA allies. Then thereis the section that believes Maharashtraand Haryana should be seen as a wake-upcall.

The BJP may be holding on toKarnataka, but Rajasthan, MadhyaPradesh and Chhattisgarh results lastyear have shown that people are ready foroptions, provided there are any. And thebiggest proof is Haryana, where theCongress could have done better had it gotits act together in time.

Also, the BJP lost Maharashtra due tothe "smart regional pride" pitch by theNCP and the Shiv Sena - "Gujaratis (Modiand Shah) trying to control things inMaharashtra". Can the move be triedelsewhere, perhaps Bihar? The BJP needsto be on guard now.

Sena and national ambitionsHaving had its way in Maharashtra, the

Shiv Sena leadership believes it is timethey stepped out, which may be easier saidthan done. The Sena may have got theirChief Minister installed in theMantralaya, but observers say ifMaharashtra were to go to elections today,the biggest beneficiaries perhaps would bethe NCP and the Congress.

The BJP and the Sena share a commonthread, the "Hindutva vote bank". Thesection which voted for the Sena becauseit was with the BJP is unlikely to do sonow. On the contrary, the BJP might getsome extra sympathy votes.

The fact is because its vote share wasdecreasing due to the increasing spread ofthe BJP, the Sena was demanding an equalshare in the power pie. Now that they havedecided to break the Hindutva alliance,can their cadres gel with the newpartners? That seems unlikely. The NCPand the Congress may have just increasedtheir acceptability range with a littlesprinkling of saffron in Maharashtra, butwill they like to be seen standing with theSena in UP and Bihar where other factorswork? Again, unlikely.

The Sena's USP, or say range, is

Maharashtra-centric, limited to "Marathimanoos and Hindutva". Its politics has allthrough centered around this "anti-outsider" crusade against migrants, firstfrom South and then North, mostly Biharand UP.

Can the tiger change its stripes?It all depends on whether the Sena can

re-invent itself. Allying with a vehementlyanti-BJP Congress may have diluted someof its original vote bank. Even diehardBJP detractors will concede that the votewas not for a Sena-Congress possibility.Then, with great power comes greatresponsibility.

Now the onus of running theMaharashtra Government is on UddhavThackeray and it is unlikely he will adoptan offensive position against either PMModi or the BJP, signs of which arealready visible. A day after he took over,the Sena said Modi and Thackeray shared"brotherly ties" and now it is theresponsibility of the former to cooperatewith his "younger brother".

Politics is the art of the possible.Perhaps the biggest mistake the BJP madewas to undermine Pawar. Only now it willalso have to live with allegations of"misusing" constitutional positions andbanking on the "tainted" to "grab power".

While it plays a waiting game, the BJPis hoping for a Karnataka-like situation todevelop. It believes the Maharashtra VikasAghadi "will not survive for long", but itmay have much to worry if it actuallydoes. Whether the Sena will use theAghadi to boost prospects in other parts ofthe country remains to be seen, but notpaying attention to ground realities cancertainly spell trouble for the BJP in poll-bound Jharkhand, Karnataka and Delhiand Bihar, next year.

(The author is a special correspondent with TheTribune, India)

Having had its way inMaharashtra, the Shiv

Sena leadershipbelieves it is time they

stepped out, which maybe easier said than

done. The Sena mayhave got their Chief

Minister installed in theMantralaya, butobservers say if

Maharashtra were to goto elections today, thebiggest beneficiariesperhaps would be the

NCP and the Congress.

By Vibha Sharma

What the breakup means for BJP, SenaThe former allies will have to hit reset button in state

BJP lost Maharashtra due to the "smart regional pride" pitch by the NCP andthe Shiv Sena - "Gujaratis (Modi and Shah) trying to control things in

Maharashtra". Can the move be tried elsewhere, perhaps Bihar? The BJPneeds to be on guard now.

No more flexing of muscles together, Fadnavis and Thackeray have parted ways in Maharashtra

10 THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019SOUTH ASIA

Musharraf treasoncase ruling on Dec 17ISLAMABAD (TIP): The verdict

in the high treason case againstformer Pakistan dictator General(retd) Pervez Musharraf would bepronounced on December 17, aspecial court announced on Nov 5.

Last week, the special courtordered 76-year-old Musharraf torecord statement by December 5 inthe treason case after the IslamabadHigh Court (IHC), after hearing thepetitions filed by Dubai-basedMusharraf and the Pakistangovernment, stopped the specialcourt from issuing the verdict onNovember 28.

The statement was made by athree-member bench of the specialcourt, headed by Peshawar HighCourt Chief Justice Waqar AhmedSeth, which was conducting ahearing of the case against theformer president on Thursday, GeoNews reported.

The new prosecution team'slawyers informed the court that theyneeded more time to prepare for thecase.

Justice Seth said that nopostponement will be allowed and anorder in writing should besubmitted stating that argumentswould be completed by December 17.

Adjourning proceedings tillDecember 17, Justice Seth said theywould hear the arguments in thenext proceeding and announce theverdict, Dawn News reported.

They (prosecutors) should keepaside other cases and fight this case,Justice Seth was quoted as saying bythe report.

He said that the judges had comefrom various parts of the countryfor the special court.

"This is a special case and this is aspecial court," Justice Sethremarked.

The special court had onNovember 19 concluded the trialproceedings in the high treason caseagainst Musharraf for declaring astate of emergency on November 3,2007, and had ruled that a verdictwould be announced on November28 on the basis of the availablerecord.

The high treason trial of theformer military dictator forclamping the state of emergency onNovember 3, 2007, filed during theprevious Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz government, has beenpending since 2013. PTI

Japanese doc shotdead in AfghanistanKABUL (TIP): A Japanese doctor

who spent decades working inAfghanistan was killed on Nov 4along with five Afghans in an attackin the east of the country. TetsuNakamura, 73, who headed PeaceJapan Medical Services, was shot bygunmen while in a vehicle inJalalabad in Nangarhar province. —AFP

Pakistan borrowed USD 10.40 billionduring PM Khan’s innings: Report

ISLAMABAD (TIP): The cash-strapped Pakistan government of PrimeMinister Imran Khan borrowed USD10.40 billion as loans from friendlycountries like China and the UAE tostabilise the foreign exchange reservesand repayment of old loans, a mediareport said on Nov 5.

Pakistan has been facing a seriouseconomic crisis with short supplies offoreign currency reserves andstagnating growth.

Since assuming power in last August,Prime Minister Khan has been appealingto close allies to provide concessionalloans to reduce the size of the bailoutpackage that Pakistan may need from theIMF.

The Economic Affairs Division, in areply submitted in the NationalAssembly, the lower House, said theloans borrowed in the governmentincluded bilateral, multilateral andcommercial loans, ARY News reported.

According to the figures, the PakistanTehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government led byPrime Minister Khan borrowedcommercial loans from Chinese, UAEand European banks. A total of USD 4.80billion was borrowed as loans from the

commercial banks.Pakistan has borrowed USD 4.550154

billion in the current fiscal year 2018-19till now, the finance ministry informedthe Senate, the upper House.

The International Monetary Fund(IMF) has agreed to provide a USD 6billion bailout package to Pakistan toavert an economic crisis.

Moreover, China, United ArabEmirates and Qatar provided directdeposits to Pakistan, the report said.

In May, the Ministry of Financeinformed the Senate that Pakistan’s

foreign debt has reached USD 88.199billion.

The country borrowed USD 26.19billion in past six financial years apart ofUSD 7.32 billion interest, whichenhanced the overall foreign debt in pastsix years to USD 33.50, the ministry said.

Pakistan borrowed USD 6.90897 billionin fiscal year 2013-14, USD 5.40721 billionin fiscal year 2014-15 and USD 4.45020billion in financial year 2015-16, thefinance ministry said in its answer.

Pakistan’s borrowing from foreignsources remained USD 6.520381 billion infiscal year 2016-17, while in year 2017-18the country borrowed USD 6.020526billion from foreign sources, theministry added.

While agreeing to the bailout packageto Pakistan in May, the IMF said thecountry faces a “challenging economicenvironment, with lacklustre growth,elevated inflation, high indebtedness,and a weak external position”.

The IMF said the funding programmewould support the authorities’ strategyfor stronger growth by “improving thebusiness environment, strengtheninginstitutions, increasing transparency,and protecting social spending”. — PTI

30,000 animals to besacrificed at Nepal

temple festivalKATHMANDU (TIP): Nepal’s

Gadhimai temple is all decked up for afive-yearly sacrificial ritual that willsee over 30,000 animals, includingbuffaloes, sacrificed over two days at amassive slaughterhouse set up at thetemple premises, ignoring protests byanimal rights groups and an apexcourt order. Gadhimai, located inBariyapur 100 km from Kathmandu,comes alive every five years when themass slaughter is held. IANS

Sajith Premadasaappointed as

Opposition LeaderCOLOMBO (TIP): The Leader of

United National Party, former PrimeMinister Ranil Wickremesinghe hasdecided to appoint Deputy Leaderparliamentarian Sajith Premadasa asthe Leader of the Opposition in SriLanka parliament. The decision wastaken at the party's parliamentarygroup meeting held today (05) at theUNP headquarters Sirikotha. A groupof UNP parliamentarians on twooccasions have requested SpeakerKaru Jayasuriya to appoint thedefeated presidential candidate MPSajith Premadasa be appointed as theLeader of the Opposition. Since theGeneral Secretary of UNP MP AkilaViraj Kariyawasam according toparliamentary traditions requestedthe Speaker to appoint the partyleader as the Opposition Leader therewas disagreement within the party.(PTI)

Bangladesh top court defersKhaleda Zia's bail hearing

With authorities in Bangladesh failing to submitthe medical report of jailed former prime minister

Khaleda Zia, Supreme Court on Nov 5 deferred thehearing of her bail application, according to media

reports.

DHAKA (TIP): With authorities inBangladesh failing to submit the medicalreport of jailed former prime ministerKhaleda Zia, Supreme Court onThursday deferred the hearing of herbail application, according to mediareports.

The top court fixed December 12 as thenext date of hearing in the ZiaCharitable Trust case, the DhakaTribune reported.

Zia, 73, was sentenced to seven years injail along with three others in October inthe case for abusing their power andraising funds for the trust fromunknown sources.

The former prime minister is alreadyserving a jail term since February afterbeing convicted in another case relatedto embezzlement of funds of anorphanage named after her husbandformer president Ziaur Rahman.

The full bench of the appellatedivision, headed by Chief Justice SyedMahmud Hossain, fixed the next date ofhearing as Zia's medical report was notsubmitted before it.

Earlier on November 28, the court hadasked the medical board formed at

Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib MedicalUniversity (BSMMU) for her treatmentto submit the report.

Zia, the chairperson of BangladeshNationalist Party, has been receivingtreatment at the BSMMU since April.

"The court has now asked to submitthe medical report on December 11. Itwill hold the bail hearing on December12," Zia's lawyer A K M Eshanur Rahmanwas quoted as saying in the report.

According to a report inbdnews24.com, at the start of theproceedings in the court, AttorneyGeneral Mahbubey Alam informed thatBSMMU had requested more time toprepare Zia's medical report.(Indiatoday)

11THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019 WORLD

58 migrants dead afterboat capsizes off

MauritaniaDAKAR (TIP): Scores of migrants

who swam through rough AtlanticOcean waters to safety from a capsizedboat while 58 others drowned werereceiving care Nov 5 in Mauritaniaafter one of the deadliest disasters thisyear among people making theperilous journey to Europe.

The boat that left Gambia a week agohad been carrying at least 150 people,including women and children. It washeaded toward the Canary Islandswhen it tried to approach theMauritanian coast to get fuel and food,said Laura Lungarotti, chief ofmission in the West African nationwith the UN migration agency.

“Many drowned. The ones whosurvived swam up to the Mauritaniancoast close to the city of Nouadhibou,”she said. “The Mauritanianauthorities are very efficientlycoordinating the response with theagencies currently present” in thenorthern city.

At least 83 persons swam to shore,the agency said. An unknown numberof injured were taken to the hospital inNouadhibou. It was not immediatelyclear whether anyone remainedmissing. Survivors said the boat hadleft Gambia on November 27. AFP

NZ airline tries ediblecoffee cups to reduce

wasteWELLINGTON (TIP): Air New

Zealand has started serving coffee invanilla-flavoured edible cups in anattempt to eliminate waste generatedby the eight million disposable cupsthe flag carrier uses each year. "It notonly retains its warmth but I can alsoeat this when I'm finished with mycoffee,” airlines' head of customerexperience Katie Holmetier said in apromotional video released on Nov 4.IANS

Australia to trim govt asPM Morrison demands

policy deliverySYDNEY (TIP): Australia will cut

the number of governmentdepartments next year to focus on thecontinuity of policy and improvingservice, Prime Minister ScottMorrison said on Thursday.

Government departments will be cutto 14 from February 1, 2020, down from18 now, Morrison told reporters inCanberra. “I want a public service thatis focused on the continuity of policyand service delivery,” he added.Morrison earlier this year told publicservants that his government’s policywas not being delivered quicklyenough. Despite trimming the numberof government departments, Morrisonsaid he would not cut the number ofministers in his cabinet, negating theneed for a reshuffle. Morrison said thedepartment of education would mergewith the department of employment,while agriculture would combine withthe environment department. AFP

At least 265 dead in floods,landslides as rains batter East Africa

NAIROBI (TIP): Two months ofrelentless rains have submerged villagesand farms and sent rivers of mudcrashing into houses across East Africa,with at least 265 killed, according to anAFP tally, as meteorologists warn ofmore to come.

The extreme downpours have affectedclose to two million people and washedaway tens of thousands of livestock inKenya, Somalia, Burundi, Tanzania,South Sudan, Uganda, Djibouti andEthiopia.

With a tropical storm headed forSomalia and more rain forecast acrossthe region in the coming weeks, fears arerising over waterborne diseases and theprospect of hunger as crops aredestroyed.

In Burundi, 38 people died onWednesday night after heavy rainstriggered landslides that swept throughhillside communities in the northwest ofthe country, according to a provisionalpolice toll on Thursday.

“It happened in the night, wheneveryone was at home, and landslides hitthree very steep hills and buriedeverything in their path,” a witness toldAFP.

“Whole families were buried alive intheir homes or in the fields. It wasterrifying.”

Kenya has been hard hit with 132killed and 17,000 displaced, schools,roads, and health centres flooded, andwater systems clogged across thecountry, government spokesman CyrusOguna said in a statement on Tuesday.

“The weather forecast has indicatedthat the current rains are not expected tocease until the end of December 2019,”the statement said.

In South Sudan, the UN refugee agencyUNHCR said nearly a million peoplehave been affected by floodwaters whichsubmerged whole towns, compoundingan already dire humanitarian situationafter six years of war.

Flooding has also affected 570,000people in Somalia, according to the UNOffice for the Coordination ofHumanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The European humanitarian agencyECHO meanwhile warned of a tropical

storm due to hit northeastern Somaliaon Friday, bringing the threat of moreflash floods.

In Tanzania, 55 people have died,according to an AFP tally of policefigures, including 30 in flash floods in thenortheast in October, 15 whose car wasswept away by floodwaters in the town ofTanga, and 10 who drowned last monthin northern Mwanza.

In Uganda, eight people have died andover 80,000 have been displaced byflooding and mudslides this week,Disaster Preparedness Minister MusaEcweru said in a statement.

Days of heavy rainfall on Mount Elgonon Tuesday caused “multiple landslidesin... Bududa district killing four people,injuring five and displacing over 6,000people”.

In Sironko district, also on MountElgon, “two adults and two children werekilled” and over 4,000 people affected.

“The risk of more flooding andlandslides is real,” the minister warned.

Ethiopia has also been affected,with 22people dying in a landslidein the south ofthe country in October.

Djibouti has also experiencedunusually heavy rains, with a jointgovernment and United Nations pressstatement reporting that some areasreceived “the equivalent of 2 years of

rainfall occurred in one day” in heavydownpours two weeks ago.

“Some 10 people (7 children) havereportedly been killed,” said thestatement, adding that 250,000 wereaffected countrywide.

The extreme weather is blamed on theIndian Ocean Dipole—a climate systemdefined by the difference in sea surfacetemperature between the western andeastern areas of the ocean.

At the moment, the ocean around EastAfrica is far warmer than usual,resulting in higher evaporation andmoist air flowing inwards over thecontinent as rain: the hallmarks of a“positive” dipole.

Scientists say the strength of thisdipole is of a magnitude not seen inyears, perhaps even decades.

These waters around East Africa havebeen about two degrees warmer thanthose of the eastern Indian Ocean nearAustralia—an imbalance well beyondthe norm.

The heavy rains have also wroughtdestruction in central Africa, withscores killed in the Democratic Republicof Congo, including 41 in the capitalKinshasa last week.

In the Central African Republic, OCHAsays around 100,000 people have beendisplaced. — AFP

Pro-paramilitary demonstrators flood Iraqi protest campBAGHDAD (TIP): Several thousand

men backing a paramilitary force closeto Iran flooded the Iraqi capital’s mainprotest camp on Nov 5, worrying anti-government demonstrators who havedenounced Tehran’s role in theircountry.

The men arrived in Tahrir(Liberation) Square in apparentlycoordinated marches from differentparts of the capital, waving sticks, Iraqiflags and the logo of the Hashed al-Shaabi armed network.

Some carried portraits of Hashedfighters killed in fighting againstjihadists as well as pictures of thecountry’s top Shiite cleric, Grand

Ayatollah Ali Sistani.The Hashed had backed the Iraqi

government but after a dramaticintervention by Sistani last week, itdropped its support. The embattledprime minister, Adel Abdel Mahdi,resigned at the weekend.

Many units within the Shiite-majorityforce have been trained or equipped byIran.

The demonstrators occupying thesquare for weeks have explicitlycriticised Iran for backing an Iraqipolitical elite they see as corrupt andinept.

They have insisted that all currentfigures in power are tainted with graft

and have been wary of political partiesseeking to coopt the youth-dominatedmovement.

The new arrivals on Thursday mixedin with thousands of other protesters inthe square, who appeared worriedalthough no confrontation or skirmishestook place.

“They’ve ruined it,” one protester said,as another muttered, “It’s going to getmessy”.

Mass rallies have rocked the capitaland Shiite-majority south since earlyOctober, first denouncing governmentgraft and a lack of jobs before moving tobroader demands for deep-rooted regimechange. AFP

Actor Mrunal Thakur, who wooed the audiencewith her performances in movies like Super 30and Batla House, will now be seen as female lead

in Shahid Kapoor’s Jersey. The film is a Hindi remakeof the Telugu hit of the same name.

The Hindi version will be directed by GowtamTinnanuri, who also helmed the original movie.Excited about sharing screen space with Shahid,Mrunal said: “I’m super excited to play the leadopposite Shahid in Jersey. When I saw the original filmI was bowled over by its passionate emotional journey.

“It felt like I had lived a full lifetime of experiencesin those two plus hours. So deep was the affect of thefilm on me that I couldn’t get it out of my heart thewhole night so I immediately watched it again the nextday, I can’t wait for Hindi audiences to experience asimilar impact!”

Looking at the original version, Mrunal’s characterwill be the anchor to Shahid’s, who goes on anemotional journey against all odds to play cricket forthe country in his mid 30’s, when it’s time for mostpeople to retire from competitive sports.

On casting Mrunal, Gowtam said: “After Shahidcame on board, I only had Mrunal on my mind for thelead opposite him, I loved her performance andconfidence in Super 30 opposite Hrithik Roshan andfelt she’s perfectly fit for the part in Jersey and will dofull justice to the role.”

Shahid has already started polishing his cricketingskills and had shared a picture from the prep onInstagram. Talking about the film, Shahid had earliersaid, “It took me some time to decide what to do nextafter Kabir Singh. But the minute I saw Jersey, I knewI wanted it to be my next. It is a wonderful, inspiringand personal human journey that I connected withdeeply.”

MRUNAL THAKUR TO STAROPPOSITE SHAHID KAPOOR

IN JERSEY REMAKEALIA’S GANGUBAIKATHIAWADI TO BE‘GRAND & BEAUTIFUL’

Alia Bhatt is all set to work in herfirst Sanjay Leela Bhansali film,tentatively titled Gangubai

Kathiawadi. Going by reports, the filmmight be the most grand film ever madeby the filmmaker, bigger than his lastfilm, Padmaavat.

According to a report on Pinkvilla, Aliawas passing by the sets of Gangubai andthought of having a look at the set erectedspecially for the shoot of the film. Asource told the portal, “Alia Bhatt waspassing by and was completely awestruckby the magnanimity of the sets. Themovie set for Gangubai is not just largerthan life but also a lot more grand andbeautiful than Sanjay sir’s earlier filmslike Padmaavat and Ram Leela. There is alot of fine detailing that has gone into themaking of the set and it is bigger thanwhat anyone would have ever since.”

There are also reports that actor AjayDevgn will also make a specialappearance in the film. He had featuredin Bhansali’s 1999 blockbuster Hum DilDe Chuke Sanam, also featuringAishwarya Rai and Salman Khan. Thiswill be his first collaboration after 20years.

12 THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019BOLLYWOOD

KRITI KHARBANDA ADMITS SHE’S DATINGPULKIT SAMRAT

Actor Kriti Kharbanda has confirmed that she isdating her Pagalpanti co-star Pulkit Samrat.After earlier playing it coy in response to

rumours, the actor said that she had wanted to break thenews to her parents before announcing it to the world.

She told ETimes in an interview, “No, they are notrumours. We are dating each other. In all honesty, Iwanted my parents to know first that I’m datingsomeone and when you start seeing someone, it’s I thinkthere’s a time for everything when you’re comfortabletalking about it. Sometimes it can take five years;sometimes it can take five months. In our case, it was fivemonths, but I’m in a very happy place and I have noqualms admitting that I am dating Pulkit Samrat.”

Earlier, when asked about the rumours, she’d toldIANS, “Can you blame them (for spreading therumours)? We look so hot together. We have such greatchemistry and look so cute together. Anybody wouldguess that we are in a relationship. Pulkit is very specialto me and will always be so.”

Although Kriti did not admit to dating Pulkit, she wasall praises for him. She said, “We even complete eachother’s sentences while talking. I know what he isthinking. We have connected so much and had a lot ofconversation. I think we have come to a point where wedon’t need to say anything to each other. We both knowwhat the other one is thinking. He has changeddrastically in the last one year and I am in awe. I am soimpressed with the way he carries himself, the way heconducts himself and the respect he has for his co-actorsand seniors. I know he is a good person and he is here tostay.”

PRIYANKA IS MOSTSEARCHED INDIAN

CELEBRITY IN WORLD

Priyanka Chopra is the most searched Indiancelebrity in the world, followed by Salman Khan.A recent study by a US based agency has

confirmed that Priyanka was the most searched Indiancelebrity on social media, with search interest peakingin December, when she tied the knot with singer NickJonas.

According to a report in Business Insider, SEMrushstates that Priyanka’s name was searched 2.74 milliontimes between the period October 2018 and October2019, with a monthly search volume of 4.2 million.Salman was searched 1.83 million times across theglobe. Priyanka and Nick are all set to celebrate theirfirst wedding anniversary on December 1. She iscurrently in India for the shooting of her Netflix film,The White Tiger.

‘BLACK WIDOW’ A BIG ACTIONFILM WITH HEART, SAYS

FLORENCE PUGH

Jennifer Lee hopes toopen path for morewomen in Disney

Jennifer Lee became the first womanto direct a Disney animated featurefilm with 'Frozen' in 2013, and she

hopes she isn't the last. Lee, who now runsAnimation Studio in the role of a ChiefCreative Officer, said the studio is activelydriving initiatives to add more perspectiveto the storytelling, and ensuring that therooms are more balanced.

As a studio, which is a place forincredible filmmakers to come fromaround the world, reflects that the storiesof the world told by the people of the worldis very important. We recently announcedfour new directors, some have beenpromoted from within and some we havebrought in with more gender balance," Leesaid during a round-table discussion at theAnimation Studios in Burbank.

PARIS JACKSON SKIPPED PROM TO ATTEND METALLICA

CONCERT

Actress-model Paris Jacksonmissed out on her high schoolprom so she could attend a

Metallica concert instead.The daughter of the late King of Pop,

Michael Jackson, made the revelationduring a Get Ready Together videowith source alongside her brother,Prince Jackson. In the clip, the duo areseen getting hair and make-up done, asthey get ready to attend the RyanGordy Foundation 60 Years of Motowncelebration at the Waldorf Astoria inBeverly Hills, California last week.

"This is my second dress and I feellike a princess. I never actually went toprom. I skipped it to go see Metallica,so this feels nice. I would want myprom dress to look like this," she saidin the clip, shared on Instagram.

Her sibling also approved of thelook, adding: "Tinker Belly! Very nice,very nice - pretty." For the event, thetwo coordinated their looks, with Parisdonning a white gown embroideredwith silver gems and Prince opting fora black tuxedo bedazzled with similarjewels.

13THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019 HOLLYWOOD

Popular Hollywood actress JenniferAniston reunited with her ex-husband Justin Theroux for

Thanksgiving on Thursday."Very VERY thankful for these friends

and these nights," Theroux captioned theInstagram Story on Thursday evening.

The picture features 'Jennifer Aniston'with 'Courteney Cox', 'Jason Bateman','Jimmy Kimmel' and ''Will Arnett'alongside other friends.

In the following Instagram Story,Theroux attempts to record 'CourteneyCox', giving a toast at the dinner.

"Jen, I love you so much... Justin,

please stop filming me!" Coxemphatically pleaded in the humoroussnap.

"I'm sorry I'm supposed to be recordingtoasts," Theroux said in response. "I'm sosorry I have to cut, anyway, it will be onthe DVD commentary."

Aniston hosted her annualFriendsgiving dinner on Wednesdaynight and made a special dish just forfriend Jimmy Kimmel.

The 50-year-old star whipped upenchiladas for the late-night host after hejokingly complained to her the yearprior about her dinner options.

JENNIFER ANISTON CELEBRATESTHANKSGIVING WITH

EX-HUSBAND THEROUX

Actor Florence Pugh said Marvel Studios'upcoming 'Black Widow' maybe a bigaction movie but the Scarlett Johansson-

fronted stand-alone has a lot of heart. The 23-year-old actor recently wrapped shooting on thefilm, in which she stars alongside Johanssonand Rachel Weisz in the Cate Shortland-directedfilm. It also stars David Harbour and OTFagbenle.

Teasing the tone of the film, Pugh said 'BlackWidow' is a 'raw, painful and beautiful' movie.

"I think we've made something very raw andvery painful and very beautiful and I thinkpeople are going to be really surprised by theoutcome of a big action film having that muchheart.

"And I know lots of people will be emotionalabout her because her character had such a hardending (in 'Endgame'), but it was speciallearning from her, and she's been doing this forlike 10 years in those films. For this to be herfilm was special. And I got to be there and seehow she does stunts and lives it, and it's so her,"she told 'Booksmart' star Beanie Feldstein onmedia source Actors on Actors.

Pugh, who will next be seen in Greta Gerwig'stake on Louisa May Alcott's 'Little Women', saidshe is grateful to be working with womendirectors in women-led projects.

14 THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019ADVERTISEMENT

15THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019 TRAVEL

Out of the numerous places inKashmir, Pahalgam stands out asone that is a must see. Pahalgam

has plenty of sightseeing places, makingit one of the go to destinations for allkinds of travelers, from family to couplesand corporate teams, and so on. Locatedat a height of 7200 ft, Pahalgam- calledthe ‘Valley of Shepherds’, is a scenic hillstation in Kashmir where great manyBollywood movies have been shot.Perched at the intersection of LidderRiver & the Sheshnag Lake, Pahalgam isencompassed by thickly lush pinebackwoods, stunning vistas of knollsand the snow-clad Himalayanmountains. The best time to go toPahalgam, is from the start of Marchmonth to end of November. Althoughwinter is also a great time as then youwould be able to see Pahalgam in adifferent Avatar.

Here are some of the must see placesin Pahalgam that make your tour quitememorable no matter when you visit:

Baisaran HillsKnown worldwide as the ‘Mini

Switzerland’ owing to its long, darkmeadows looking like those found inSwitzerland, Baisaran is a picturesqueglade, set just 5 km far from Pahalgam.The thick pine timberland that lends thegreen-carpet look to the glade gives adifferentiating hue to snow-topped crestsof the encompassing mountains. One ofthe top places to visit in Pahalgam, a tripto the knoll is really a treat for thesenses. Furthermore, Baisaran is aperfect campground for trekkers whowish to travel further up to Tulian Lake.To get there you need to ride the ponies.An off-beaten track it lets one enjoypanoramic views of the Lidder Valley.

Pahalgam Golf CourseThe Pahalgam fairway offers gorgeous

views of the azure skies overhead a thickgreen turf and snow-covered peaks

standing tall at the backdrop. For golfaficionados, playing their favorite sporthere is a one of a kind experience. Butnovices too can try a hand at golf amidstthe rich ambiance of the PahalgamGreen.

Kolahoi GlacierA breathtakingly beautiful spot

Kolahoi Glacier is one of the must seesightseeing places in Pahalgam. The loneway to get to the Kolahoi Glacier isthrough a laborious trek, not for theweakling. At 18,000 feet, the stunningviews upon entry truly make the journeya memorable experience. The trek isflushed with dense green mountainvegetation & green glades. ThunderingRiver Lidder, thick conifer backwoodswith ice cold loquacious rivulets are allthere to make the trek to the icy mass allthe more memorable.

Aru Village & ValleyWhen in Pahalgam, take a tour of the

town of the Lidder Valley, Aru. Just 15kilometers away from Pahalgam, it’s themedian location for any hike to theKolahoi glacier, set at a height of 18,000ft. The drive up to Aru is a scenic one sobe ready with your cameras for somestunning shots of the Valley. On the wayyou’ll also see plenty of young fouls andcalves. The blue canopy over the head,surreal surroundings, whispers of thelocal pines & conifer woodlands andwonderful green glades, make Aru anIdyllic honeymoon destination.

ChandanwariChandanwari, located on the

periphery of Pahalgam, is one of the toptourist places having great religiousimportance. It is the initiation point ofthe Amarnath Yatra, an importantpilgrimage held in the Hindu month ofSawan. Endowed with breathtakingbeauty, this spot is a chief attraction fortravelers coming to the Kashmir Valley.

Undulating landscapes and sporadicgreenery overhangs the topography ofthis little and picturesque hamlet.

Tulian LakeAmong the top tourist activities in

Pahalgam, a visit to the Tulian Lake is anever to miss opportunity. Set in themidst of the Zanskar and Pir PanjalMountain ranges the lake gives stunningviews of the bordering snow-cappedpeaks that are for the most part 300meters above its level. Primarily overlaidwith snow, Tulian Lake journey is aperfect way to witness the natural beautyof Kashmir Valley. Its way from Baisaranis a bit weary, with unmarked trekkingtrails, but the barren hills and the eye-catching landscape make up for thetiredness.

Betaab ValleyBetaab Valley is a beautiful spot

located in the upper east side ofPahalgam. This valley ascribed its nameto the hit Bollywood film Betaab, whichwas shot in its picturesque surrounding.

Sprawling lush meadows, snow-toppedpeaks and winding streams form theamazing topography of this valley. Asidefrom being a spot with noteworthytopography, the valley is a well knowntrekking base and campground forvoyagers who are looking to scout theadjacent highland regions. The secludedsettings, and the natural lushsurroundings of the Betaab valleyattracts many just-married couples, whoare on a honeymoon trip to Kashmir.

MattanMattan, located a couple of kilometers

from Anantnag on the Pahalgam road, isa sacred Hindu pilgrimage site. The holyplace attracts large number of devoteesfrom all parts of the country. It is one ofthose religious spots in India where theministers and savants used to assemblefor worshiping the Sun God. The templeis well known for its lovely ShivaLingam, which is safeguarded inside acaptivating brick structureencompassed by clear blue water on allsides.

PAHALGAM: THE VALLEY OF SHEPHERDS

You know that old axiom “beautystarts from within”? Well, in thecase of your skin it’s 100% true—

which is one of the reasons the new goopskincare line is packed with vitaminsand food-grade ingredients. What we eathas a direct effect on our skin and eatinga healthy diet full of good fats,antioxidants, vitamin C, collagen, andamino acids can mean the differencebetween a fresh, glowing complexion anda tired, puffy, wrinkled one. Here are sixsuperfoods packed with nutrients thatdirectly benefit your skin and some ofour favorite goop recipes that includethem.

AvocadosAvocados are famously great for skin;

high in poly- and monounsaturated fattyacids (like omega 9’s), they keep skinlooking firm and dewy, help regeneratedamaged skin cells, and reduce rednessand irritation. The omega 9’s, inparticular, keep your epidural layer (thetop layer of skin) moisturized, whichgives you noticeably hydrated andhealthy-looking skin. Avocados are alsofull of antioxidant carotenoids that notonly fight free radicals, which are one ofthe major culprits of damaged skin andaging, but also help your skin maintainwater content and elasticity.

SalmonOily fish in general, and salmon in

particular, is packed full of omega 3’s,another good fat that does wonders foryour skin. These polyunsaturated fattyacids protect the skin from sun exposure,help repair already damaged skin, andkeep cell membranes healthy andhydrated, keeping toxins out and yourskin looking supple and soft.

Blueberries

Antioxidants are one of the mostimportant factors in maintainingbeautiful skin, and eating blueberries isone of the easiest ways to get them.Antioxidants help fight and neutralizefree radicals (one of skin’s worstenemies), which are known to damageskin cells and collagen, causingwrinkles, dry skin, and a host of otheraging skin factors. Blueberries are alsofull of vitamin A, which helps normalizeoil levels in your skin, and is very helpfulin naturally clearing up acne-prone skin.

Bone brothBone broth is great for elasticity of

skin as it’s full of collagen, minerals likecalcium and magnesium, and essentialamino acids. When bones are simmeredfor hours, the collagen inside them

cooks down into gelatin, which wheningested, keeps skin firm, smooth, andelastic. The gelatin in bone broth alsohelps soothe our digestive tract, whichcan help reduce inflammation, fightingyet another aging factor.

LemonLemon is incredible for skin, not only

because it’s packed with vitamin C,which helps neutralize free radicals andhelps us make collagen and elastin(which bind skin cells together, giving usfirm, younger-looking skin), but it’s alsoone of the most alkalizing foodsavailable. Although lemons tasteincredibly acidic, once metabolized, theminerals in them help alkalize the bloodand balance our bodies’ pH (which inmost bodies is too acidic due to over

consumption of things like coffee,alcohol, and processed foods). When ourbodies’ pH levels are out of whack, ourskin becomes super sensitive, dry andirritation-prone, so maintaining a goodbalance is key.

TurmericTurmeric is great for skin due to its

incredible anti-inflammatoryproperties. Inflammation in the body isreally rough on skin, leading to wrinklesand aging in the long term and makingskin look puffy and tired in the shortterm. Eating or drinking dried or freshturmeric helps fight inflammation,keeping skin looking fresher andyounger, while also helping relieve moreserious inflammatory skin problemssuch as eczema and rosacea.

SUPERFOODS FOR GLOWING SKIN

EGG SALAD SANDWICHA delicious dish, Egg Salad Sandwich is a healthy

recipe made using tomatoes, onions and mayonnaisewith bread slices and eggs! This breakfast recipe is agreat sandwich and is a kids favourite! Try out thissimple and easy to make recipe.

INGREDIENTS4 bread slices, 4 teaspoon mayonnaise, 1 pinch salt, 2

teaspoon ghee, 1/4 cup finely chopped spring onions, 1handful chopped lettuce loose-leaf, 2 boiled,finelychopped egg, 1/2 teaspoon chilli flakes, 1 dash spiceblack pepper, 1 sliced tomato, 1 sliced Red onion.

Method Mix the eggs, mayonnaise, red chilli flakes, salt and

pepper powder in a bowl. Spread this on 2 bread slices.Top it up with the tomato, spring onions, red onionand lettuce leaves. Cover with the remaining slices.Heat a tawa over low flame. Place the sandwiches andapply little ghee around the edges. Cook for 30 secondson each side and remove. Serve with french fries.

FOOD CORNER

16 THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019WOMEN

Cover gray hair naturally at homeGray hair is among the most dreaded nightmares

that women have. You might disagree, but no onereally gives gray hair much thought until you

find one of your own. That’s when it starts to feel likethe world is crashing down on you. Like everything ischanging. And we, as human beings, do not like change.

While some of us make peace with it and gracefullytransition into silver vixens, some of us like to take ourtime before we make the transition. That is if we everchoose to because you always have a choice. Followingare natural ways to cover gray hair that you can choosefrom.

Henna packTo prepare the pack, collect henna leaves from henna

plant. Then make a fresh paste of henna by grindingthe leaves. Add three teaspoons of amla powder into it.You can also add one teaspoon of coffee powder. Take asmall amount of curd and mix all the ingredients.Apply the pack on hair and leave it till it dries. Thenwash it off with a mild shampoo.

Potato peel rinseTake around five potatoes and peel them. Put the

peels in a cup. Take a pan and pour two cups of coldwater then add the peels. Bring to a boil, lower the heatand simmer for five minutes. Place the pan away fromstove and then let it cool. After it completely coolsdown, strain the liquid out and save it. Add a few dropsof sandalwood oil for aroma and pour the cool mixtureinto a glass container with tight fitting lid. Use it as ahair rinse after washing your hair.

Black tea remedy

Boil two teaspoons of tea leaves without adding anysugar or milk and let it brew. Take the tea water and letit cool till the water becomes darker. Then apply it allover your hair. Rinse it off with water. Don't useshampoo with the tea water.

Coconut and lemon remedyTake about six to eight teaspoons (depending on hair

length) of coconut oil. Mix three teaspoons of freshlemon juice in the oil and apply it on hair. Keep it for anhour and wash your hair with a mild shampoo.

Aone-off dose of party drugketamine may help heavydrinkers significantly reduce

their alcohol intake, anexperimental study claims.

The study, published in thejournal Nature Communications,suggests that giving a shot ofketamine to heavy drinkers afterreactivating their drinking-relatedmemories led to a rapid decrease inurges to drink, and a prolongeddecrease in alcohol intake over ninemonths.

"We found that heavy drinkersexperienced a long-termimprovement after a very quick andsimple experimental treatment,"said the study's lead author, RaviDas, from University CollegeLondon (UCL) in the UK.

"Learning is at the heart of whypeople become addicted to drugs oralcohol. Essentially, the drughijacks the brain's in-built reward-learning system, so that you end upassociating environmental 'triggers'with the drug. These produce anexaggerated desire to take thedrug," Das explained.

He said that once these rewardmemories are established, it's verydifficult to re-learn more healthyassociations, but it is vital in orderto prevent relapse.

The study involved 90 people withharmful drinking behaviour, whoall preferred beer.

The participants were heavydrinkers, but did not have a formal

diagnosis of alcohol use disorderand had not sought treatment.

On average, they were drinking 74units of alcohol per week,equivalent to roughly 30 pints ofbeer -- five times the recommendedlimit, the researchers said.

The participants were given aglass of beer, and told they coulddrink it after finishing a task.

They rated their urge to drinkand were shown images of beer andother drinks, while rating their

anticipated pleasure, thusretrieving the reward memoriessurrounding beer drinking.

On the first day of the study, inorder to establish their baselinedrinking urges, they were thenallowed to drink the beer, but on thesecond day, the beer wasunexpectedly taken away fromthem. Removing an anticipatedreward is known to be key factor todestabilising the memory of theremoved reward.

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FFoorrmmeerr PPrreessiiddeenntt,, IInnddiiaaAAssssoocciiaattiioonn ooff LLoonngg IIssllaanndd((IIAALLII))

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PPAAGGEE SSPPOONNSSOORREEDD BBYY

NEW HOME TEST CAN DETECTPROSTATE CANCER

Anew test can detect signs of prostate cancerusing urine samples collected at home,according to a study which could predict

whether patients will require treatment for thedisease up to five years earlier than current methods.

The researchers, including those from theUniversity of East Anglia (UEA) in the UK, saidprostate cancer was one of the most common cancersin men, developing slowly in a man's lifetime with themajority of cases not requiring treatment.

However, they said, doctors struggle to predictwhich tumours will become aggressive, making ithard to decide on treatment for many patients.

The study, published in the journal BioTechniques,noted that the 'PUR' test -- Prostate Urine Risk -- couldbe performed on samples collected at home, so mendon't have to come into the clinic to provide a urinesample - or have to undergo a rectal examination.

"The most commonly used tests for prostate cancerinclude blood tests, a physical examination known as adigital rectal examination (DRE), an MRI scan or abiopsy," said Jeremy Clark, lead researcher of thestudy from UEA.

Scientists make low-caloriesugar using bacteria

Scientists have used bacteria to derive a sugarfrom fruits and dairy products that has only 38per cent of the calories of traditional table sugar.

The sugar called tagatose is approved by the USFood and Drugs Agency (FDA) as a food additive, andthere have been no reports to date of the problems thatmany sugar substitutes have, such as a metallic taste,or links to cancer, according to the researchers atTufts University in the US.

The researchers said tagatose may be safe fordiabetics, and will not cause tooth cavities.

While derived from fruits and dairy products,tagatose is not abundant and is difficult to extractfrom those sources, they said.

The manufacturing process involves a conversionfrom more easily obtained galactose to tagatose and ishighly inefficient, with yields that may reach only 30per cent, the researchers explained.

In the study published in the journal NatureCommunications, the researchers described a processthat may unlock the commercial potential of this low-calorie, low-glycemic sugar.

Assistant Professor Nikhil Nair and postdoctoralfellow Josef Bober, both from the Tufts University,came up with an innovative way to produce the sugarusing bacteria as tiny bioreactors that encapsulate theenzymes and reactants.

ONE SHOT OF KETAMINECOULD CUT HEAVY

DRINKERS’ CRAVING

17THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019 HEALTH

HOW THE BODY FREEZES INRESPONSE TO THREAT DECODED

Achemical produced by nerve cells to allowtransmission of signals between them, calledserotonin, triggers a startle response, freezing

the body momentarily in response to a potential threat,according to a new study.

The researchers, including those from ColumbiaUniversity in the US, manipulated the levels ofserotonin—and another chemical called dopamine—inthe ventral nerve cord (VNC) of fruit flies, which issimilar to the vertebrate spinal cord.

They analysed the steps taken by the insects on aspecial type of glass, and monitored how they moved.

The findings of the study, published in the journalCurrent Biology, revealed that when a fruit flyexperiences an unexpected change to itssurroundings—such as a sudden vibration—the releaseof serotonin helps to temporarily stop the fly in itstracks.

"We witnessed serotonin's biggest effects when theflies experienced rapid environmental changes. Inother words, when they were startled," said study co-author Clare Howard from Columbia University.

The study offered insights into the biology of thestartle response—a phenomenon, which theresearchers said, is observed in virtually every animalstudied to date, from flies to fish to people.

"Imagine sitting in your living room with your familyand—all of a sudden—the lights go out, or the groundbegins to shake," said Richard Mann, study co-author

from Columbia University."Your response, and that of your family, will be the

same: You will stop, freeze and then move to safety. Withthis study, we show in flies that a rapid release of thechemical serotonin in their nervous system drives thatinitial freeze. And because serotonin also exists inpeople, these findings shed light on what may be goingon when we get startled as well," Mann explained.

The researchers found that when they activatedneurons producing serotonin in the VNC, the fliesslowed down, and when these nerves were silenced, theflies sped up.

YouTube eases up restrictions onviolent video games

Anew YouTube policy allows creators to uploadvideo games with scripted or simulated violentcontent without bothering about getting

automatically hit by age-restriction gates.The new policy which came into effect on Monday

paved the way for making such video games availableto everyone, including those who stated their age to bebelow 18 years.

“We know there’s a difference between real-worldviolence and scripted or simulated violence -- such aswhat you see in movies, TV shows, or video games -- sowe want to make sure we’re enforcing our violent orgraphic content policies consistently,” YouTube saidin a product update.

“There will be fewer restrictions for violence ingaming, but this policy will still maintain our high barto protect audiences from real-world violence,” theGoogle-owned video-sharing platform said.

YouTube said it may still age-restrict content ifviolent or gory imagery is the sole focus of the video.For instance, if the video focuses entirely on the mostgraphically violent part of a video game. This policyenforcement update, however, does not changeadvertiser-friendly guidelines.

18 THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019SCIENCE AND TECH

UNDERSEA TELECOM CABLESCAN BE USED AS EARTHQUAKE

MONITORING NETWORKSFibre-optic cables that make up

the global underseatelecommunications network

may help researchers assessoffshore earthquakes, and hiddengeologic structures in the depths ofthe ocean, according to a study.

The study, published in thejournal Science, describes anexperiment which turned a 20kilometre section of undersea fibre-optic cable into the equivalent of10,000 seismic stations monitoringquakes along the ocean floor.

The researchers, including thosefrom the University of California(UC) Berkeley in the US, recorded a3.5 magnitude earthquake, andseismic scattering from underwaterfault zones during their four-dayexperiment.

They used a technique where adevice with components forcreating, manipulating anddetecting light sent short pulses oflaser down the cable, and detectedhow this was backscattered due tostrain in the cable caused bystretching.

The researchers then measuredthe scattering at every two metres ofthe cable, and turned a 20-kilometresection into 10,000 individualmotion sensors.

They said the technique could beused to map a previously unknown

fault system, and observe severaldynamic tidal and storm-drivenprocesses in the water columnabove.

The technique called DistributedAcoustic Sensing, was earlier testedwith fibre-optic cables on land, butcan now be used to obtain data onquakes happening under the sea,where few seismic stations exist,they said.

The researchers said the newsystem is sensitive to changes ofnanometres to hundreds ofpicometres for every metre of cablelength -- a change happening at thescale of one part in a billion.

“There is a huge need for seafloorseismology. Any instrumentationyou get out into the ocean, even if itis only for the first 50 kilometers

from shore, will be very useful,"said study lead author Nate Lindseyfrom UC Berkeley.

The scientists hope to use thedense fibre-optic networks aroundthe world, spanning more than 10million kilometers, on both landand under the sea to measure thesensitive seismic movements on theEarth.

"This is really a study on thefrontier of seismology, the first timeanyone has used offshore fibre-opticcables for looking at these types ofoceanographic signals or forimaging fault structures. One of theblank spots in the seismographicnetwork worldwide is in theoceans," said study co-authorJonathan Ajo-Franklin from RiceUniversity in the US.

18,000-year-old frozen 'puppy'discovered in near-perfectcondition in Siberia

Apuppy said to be buried for 18,000 years hasbeen found in amazingly perfect condition inSiberia, though the scientists are unable to

decide if it is a dog or a wolf, a media report said.Named Dogor, a local word for friend, it was found

near Yakutsk in eastern Siberia last summer, the SkyNews reported. The male pup's nose, teeth and furwere in remarkable condition.

Researcher Love Dalen said it was possibly theoldest dog ever found and was "amazingly well-preserved". It looked as if it was a "very recently deadanimal", he said.

The body's age was measured by carbon dating itsrib bone, though DNA tests did not confirm itslineage. David Stanton, a researcher at the Centre forPalaeogenetics in Sweden, said it could be from aspecies that was ancestral to both dogs and wolves.

PLAYING SOUNDS OF REEFS CAN PULL FISHTOWARDS DEGRADING CORALS

Young fish can be drawn todegraded reefs usingloudspeakers playing the

sounds of healthy coralcommunities, according to a studywhich may lead to new strategiesfor restoring damaged corals.

The study, published in thejournal Nature Communications,described the new technique to lurefish into damaged reefs byregenerating the sounds that arelost when the coral communitiesare quieted by degradation.

The researchers, including thosefrom the University of Exeter in theUK, said boosting the populationsusing this kind of “acousticenrichment” can help to kick-start anatural recovery processes of thereefs, counteracting the damageseen in many coral communitiesaround the world.

According to the study,broadcasting healthy reef sounddoubled the total number of fisharriving onto experimental patchesof reef habitat, and also increasedthe number of species present by 50per cent.

The researchers said thisdiversity included species from allsections of the food web such asherbivores, plankton feeders,predatory fish eaters, and those thateat marine waste and debris.

They added that different groupsof fish provide different functionson coral reefs—meaning a diverseand abundant fish population isimportant for maintaining ahealthy ecosystem.

“Fish are crucial for coral reefs tofunction as healthy ecosystems,”said study lead author Tim Gordon,of the University of Exeter.

Reefs become ghostly quiet whenthey are degraded, as shrimps andfish disappear, but they can berestored using loudspeakers whichcan recreate this lost soundscapeand attract young fish back again,the researchers said.

“Healthy coral reefs areremarkably noisy places - thecrackle of snapping shrimp and thewhoops and grunts of fish combineto form a dazzling biologicalsoundscape. Juvenile fish home inon these sounds when they’relooking for a place to settle,” saidsenior author Professor SteveSimpson, also of the University ofExeter.

By combining this method withhabitat restoration, and otherconservation measures, theresearchers said fish communitiescan be rebuilt, acceleratingecosystem recovery.

Modi govt considers easingforeign control rule to aid AirIndia sale: Report

NEW DELHI (TIP): The government is consideringamending a rule to allow overseas control of localairlines, according to a person familiar with thematter, which may help its indebted national carrierlure a foreign suitor after multiple failed attempts fora sale.

At a meeting in early November, India’s Departmentfor Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade askedthe aviation ministry if it would be feasible to changethe so-called “substantial ownership and effectivecontrol” clause, the person said, asking not to beidentified as the details aren’t public.

The rule mandates that control of an airline alwaysremain in Indian hands, one of several reasons globalfirms have been wary of bidding for Air India Ltd.Doing away with the “substantial ownership” clausewill enable an overseas stakeholder weigh in on majordecisions of local airlines. That may lure foreigninvestors to the Air India sale without forcing thegovernment to go down the politically contentiousroute of lifting the cap on overseas equity investment.

Currently, foreign airlines are barred from buyingmore than 49% in a local carrier, and foreign investors,other than airlines, need government approval to buya stake bigger than 49%.

An email to the DPIIT was unanswered. Arepresentative for the aviation ministry didn’timmediately respond to a request for comment.

Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in herbudget speech in July had said Prime MinisterNarendra Modi’s government will look intosuggestions of opening up sectors including aviationto more foreign investment. It has already eased rulesin a number of areas such as retail, manufacturingand coal mining.

19THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019 BIZ AND FINANCE

RBI cuts GDP growth forecastfor current fiscal to 5%, repo

rate remains unchanged MUMBAI (TIP): The Reserve

Bank of India on Thursday decidedto keep the repo rate unchanged at5.15% amid the “current andevolving macroeconomic situation”The central bank did cut the grossdomestic product (GDP) growthforecast for the current fiscal to 5%from 6.1%.

The monetary policy committee(MPC) of RBI has maintained an“accomodative” stance, eradicatingany chances of a rate hike in future.

All members of the MPC voted infavour of the decision. Includingthis meeting’s stance, the RBI hascut 135 basis points since the start ofthis financial year.

“We cannot mechanically reducethe rate and [must] allow some timefor the previous rate cuts to playout. Currently 44 basis points havebeen transmitted. We have alsointroduced external benchmarklending rate since November 1 forthe same purpose,” saidShaktikanta Das, governor, ReserveBank of India on the repo ratedecision in a press conference.

“The MPC recognises that there ismonetary policy space for futureaction. However, given the evolvinggrowth-inflation dynamics, theMPC felt it appropriate to take apause at this juncture. Accordingly,the MPC decided to keep the policyrepo rate unchanged and continuewith the accommodative stance aslong as it is necessary to revivegrowth, while ensuring thatinflation remains within thetarget,” said a RBI press release.

Abheek Barua, chief economist ofHDFC Bank, said RBI’s move on

lending rates came as a surprisegiven the dismal growth for thesecond quarter of 2019-20.

“It seems that the RBI wishes tosee the lagged impact of its front-loaded 135 basis point cut in thepolicy rate along with some of theslew of fiscal measures plays out forfuture growth,” he said.

The RBI has revised upwards itsCPI inflation projection to 5.1- 4.7% for the second half of thecurrent financial year and to 4% -3.8% for the first half of 2020-21

“Domestic demand has sloweddown, which is being reflected inthe softening of inflation excludingfood and fuel.,” the RBI added.

The real GDP growth projectedin the October policy was at 6.1 %for 2019-20. “ GDP growth forQ2:2019-20 turned out to besignificantly lower than projected.Various high frequency indicatorssuggest that domestic and external

demand conditions have remainedweak,” the RBI added in therelease.

Taking into consideration thesefactors, RBI revised its GDP growthfor 2019-20 downwards to 4.9-5.5%from 6.1% in its October policy forthe second half of 2019-20.

The central bank’s decision isfollowed by a weak growthenvironment. India expandedmerely by 4.5% in the July toOctober quarter, marking theslowest pace of economic growthsince March 2013.

“The MPC notes that economicactivity has weakened further andthe output gap remains negative.However, several measures alreadyinitiated by the government andthe monetary easing undertakenby the Reserve Bank sinceFebruary 2019 are graduallyexpected to further feed into thereal economy,” the RBI added.

Rebound in India services offers glimmer of hope for economy

NEW DELHI (TIP): India’s dominant services sectorrebounded last month, providing some cautiousoptimism the economy may be turning the corner.

The IHS Markit India Services Purchasing Managers’Index rose to a four-month high of 52.7 in November, thefirst time in three months that the reading has beenabove 50 to mark an expansion in output. Theimprovement was driven by driven by higher ordersand strengthening business confidence. The index isstill below its long-run average of 54.2.

“Although the services economy shrugged off some ofthe weakness seen in September and October, the latestPMI results continue to sound a note of cautionregarding demand and the underlying state of thesector,” said Pollyanna de Lima, a principal economistat IHS Markit.

The rise in the services index followed data earlierthis week showing manufacturing also improved inNovember, resulting in the composite PMI indexjumping to 52.7 from 49.6.

The improved PMI data for November strengthensour view that the worst might be over for the economyand a shallow recovery lies ahead. Recent efforts by theRBI and the government are beginning to now showresults and economic activity should pick furthermomentum over the next few months.

The latest surveys offer a glimmer of hope for theeconomy after data last week showed growthweakening to a six-year low of 4.5% in the July toSeptember quarter. While services growth weakenedlast quarter, industries like finance and real estate, andtrade, transport and communication posted solidexpansion of 5.8% and 4.8% respectively from a yearago.

Maruti Suzuki becomes only car maker in India to cross 20 million in sales

NEW DELHI (TIP): Maruti Suzuki recentlybecame the only car maker in India to clock 20million in passenger vehicle sales. While it has beenthe leading car maker in India over the past decades,the figure underlines the firm grip it has over theIndian auto industry.

Since selling its first car back in December of 1983- a Maruti 800, Maruti Suzuki has established itselfas a strong player and has fended off challenge froma host of rivals in the ensuing years. The companyclocked its first 10 million in 29 years since 1983while the next 10 million took it all of eight years.

Referred to as people’s car maker, Maruticontinues to enjoy the pinnacle position due to anumber of reasons ranging from affordability,robust post-sales service, strong re-selling value anda range of cars which now also promise premiumfeatures and comforts, along with safety. “We arecommitted to bring value to the lives of ourcustomers and delight them through our globaltechnologies, and emphasis on safety and superiorquality," said Kenichi Ayukawa, Managing Director& CEO, Maruti Suzuki India. "We are overwhelmedwith this new record (of 20 million sales). Achievingthis milestone is a great accomplishment for MarutiSuzuki."

20 THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019TURN PAGE

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contd from page 1Nancy Pelosi okays

drafting of impeachmentarticles against Donald

TrumpShe said: "The President has engaged in

abuse of power undermining our nationalsecurity and jeopardizing the integrity ofour elections. His actions are in defianceof the vision of our Founders and the oathof office that he takes to preserve, protectand defend the Constitution of the US."

"Sadly, but with confidence andhumility, with allegiance to our Foundersand our hearts full of love for America,today, I am asking our Chairmen toproceed with articles of impeachment,"Pelosi said.

Trump and the White House slammedthe Democrats for their latestannouncement on impeachment.

"...This will mean that the beyondimportant and seldom used act ofImpeachment will be used routinely toattack future Presidents. That is not whatour Founders had in mind. The good thingis that the Republicans have NEVER beenmore united. We will win!" Trump tweetedsoon after Pelosi's announcement.

In a live televised address from the UScapitol, Pelosi said the President's actionshave seriously violated the Constitution -"especially when he says and acts upon the

belief, 'Article II says, I can do whatever Iwant'."

Pelosi, 79, has been leading theDemocratic Party's effort to oust Trumpfrom the White House through theConstitution approved impeachmentprocess. The success of her effortsdepends on the support from at least a fewRepublican Senators in the Senate, wherethe GOP enjoys a majority.

Over the past few weeks, she said,through the Intelligence Committeeworking with the Foreign Affairs andOversight Committees, the Americanpeople have heard the testimony of trulypatriotic career public servants,distinguished diplomats and decoratedwar heroes: some of the President's ownappointees.

"The facts are uncontested: thePresident abused his power for his ownpersonal, political benefit at the expense ofour national security, by withholdingmilitary aid and a crucial Oval Officemeeting in exchange for anannouncement of an investigation intohis political rival," she asserted.

"If we allow a president to be above thelaw, we do so surely at the peril of ourrepublic. In America, no one is above thelaw," she said.

Trump and the White House havedescribed this as an impeachment hoax.White House asserted that the presidenthas done no wrong.

"The Do Nothing, Radical LeftDemocrats have just announced that theyare going to seek to Impeach me overNOTHING," Trump tweeted.

"They already gave up on the ridiculousMueller 'stuff,' so now they hang their hatson two totally appropriate (perfect) phonecalls with the Ukrainian President," hesaid.

Pelosi and the Democrats "should beashamed," said White House PressSecretary Stephanie Grisham. Trump"has done nothing but lead our country -resulting in a booming economy, morejobs & a stronger military, to name just afew of his major accomplishments," shetweeted.

"We look forward to a fair trial in theSenate," Grisham said.

Earlier in the morning, Trumpchallenged the Democrats to impeachhim.

"The Do Nothing Democrats had ahistorically bad day yesterday in theHouse. They have no Impeachment caseand are demeaning our Country. Butnothing matters to them, they have gonecrazy," he said.

"Therefore I say, if you are going toimpeach me, do it now, fast, so we can havea fair trial in the Senate, and so that ourCountry can get back to business. We willhave Schiff, the Bidens, Pelosi and manymore testify, and will reveal, for the firsttime, how corrupt our system really is. Iwas elected to "Clean the Swamp," andthat's what I am doing!," Trump tweeted.(Source: PTI)

All Four Hyderabad Rapeaccused killed in police

encounter The father of the veterinarian

expressed his gratitude. "It has been 10days to the day my daughter died," hetold ANI. "I express my gratitudetowards the police and government forthis. My daughter's soul must be at peacenow." (Source: PTI)

Diwali 2019 Power ofOne Awards announced H.E. Kairat Umarov, Permanent

Representative of Kazakhstan to theUnited Nations, H.E. Mansour Al-Otaibi,Permanent Representative of Kuwait tothe United Nations, H.E. Omar Hilale,Permanent Representative of Morocco tothe United Nations, H.E. Michal Mlynár,Permanent Representative of Slovakia tothe United Nations, H.E. Darja BavdaKuret, Permanent Representative ofSlovenia to the United Nations, Ms.Ranju Batra, Chair, Diwali FoundationUSA, Inc and Mr. Ravi Batra, Chair,National Advisory Council South AsianAffairs. H.E. Valentin Rybakov,Permanent Representative of Belarus tothe United Nations will moderate.

The event is cosponsored by the

Permanent Missions of Albania,Algeria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bulgaria,Cyprus, Dominican Republic, Estonia,Greece, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan,Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Malaysia,Malta, Morocco, Oman, Philippines,Republic of Korea, Romania, Slovakia,Slovenia, South Africa, Tajikistan,Thailand, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, VietNam, Permanent Observer of State ofPalestineand NY Office - IAEA.

The "Power of One" Award, aka"Oscars of Diplomacy," established byDiwali Foundation USA, Inc in 2017, is tocelebrate andhighlight the importantwork done in a peaceful manner,especially at the United Nations.

The inaugural"Power of One" Awardsevent, held on December 11, 2017 at theUNHQ, recognized some of thosehonorable individuals. To beeligible forthe Award, one has to be a formerPermanent Representative or formerHigh-Level member of UN Secretariat,or soon to be"former," who has toiledselflessly to "help form a more perfect,"peaceful and secure world for all. The2017 Inaugural Awardeeswere H.E.Maged Abdelaziz (Egypt), H.E. IonBotnaru (Moldova), H.E.Lakshmi Puri(India), H.E. Matthew Rycroft(UnitedKingdom), H.E. Nawaf Salam(Lebanon), and H.E. Yuri Sergeev(Ukraine).

Pakistan govt to sellunused state properties

at Dubai Expo"These unutilized state properties will

be marketed at the Dubai Expo to attractforeign and Pakistani investors to buythese assets," Privatization SecretaryRizwan Malik informed the primeminister.

"Unfortunately, criminal negligencewas done by the previous governmentsas they did not utilize these valuableproperties. Despite billions of rupees'assets, various federal governmentinstitutions are bearing losses of billionsof rupees every year," Khan said.

Khan also warned that stern actionwould be initiated against officers foundto be creating hurdles in theidentification of non-utilizedgovernment-owned properties, The NewsInternational reported.

The International Monetary Fund inJuly approved a three-year USD 6 billionloan for Pakistan with tough conditionsto address its balance of payment crisisand help the country's ailing economyreturn to "sustainable growth".

Pakistan approached the InternationalMonetary Fund (IMF) in August 2018 fora bailout package after the Imran Khangovernment took over.

Pakistan has also received billions infinancial aid packages from friendlycountries like China, Saudi Arabia andthe UAE. (Source: PTI)

The concept of Avatar is unique toHinduism. It is closely linked to theidea that the source of Hinduism,

which is otherwise known as SanatanaDharma (Eternal Duty), is God himself.In other words, Hinduism was foundedby none other than God himself who isknown in Hinduism as Brahman orIsvara. The divine knowledge of eternalduties which are enshrined in the Vedasand other sacred texts arises from Godonly. Since he is the source of Hinduism,he is also responsible for its preservationand continuation, which he does eitherdirectly or indirectly through variousmeans. An incarnation is one of them. Inthe following discussion we will discussthe meaning and significance of theincarnation of God in Hinduism.

Meaning of AvatarAvatar in Sanskrit means appearance,

manifestation, descent, materialization,or outgrowth. An associated word isavataranam, which means descent ordescending into water for bathing,coming down, crossing, translation ormetamorphosis. It is also a reference to aholy place, or a place where God or anaspect of him is manifested. A shortprayer or invocation which is addressedto God or a deity and which causes himto descend upon earth is known asavataranika. The introduction, prefaceof a text or a book is avatarani.Figuratively speaking, avatar means ashooting star or the descent of a star (ava+ tara) into the earth atmosphere.

The concept of Avatar Thus, the idea of avatar is very much

rooted in the secular and religiouspractices of Hinduism. In thephilosophical or theological context anavatar means a manifestation of Godupon earth in corporeal form, which canbe that of a human being or any livingbeing. As an incarnation, God lives uponearth, goes through the same lifecycle asother living beings to resolve somefundamental problems of existence. It isalways to set things right, to resolvesome problem, or destroy evil. In a wayyou may consider it an intervention ormicromanagement when we collectivelyfail or when gods fail us to put our worldin order.

It is not clear when the idea ofincarnation entered the Vedic beliefsystem. The Vedas do mention a fewincarnations of Brahma, which werelater ascribed to Vishnu. In today’sworld, avatar is a very fundamental andpopular belief of mainstreamHinduism. Originally, it was part ofVaishnavism. Followers of Vishnubelieve that occasionally he incarnatesupon earth in various forms as part ofhis obligatory duty to maintain theorder and regularity of the worlds.Each time he manifests upon earth in aliving form, it is known as an avatar,which can be either complete orpartial.

However, the followers of Shiva do notbelieve that an incarnation of God isnecessary. According to them, God’sintervention does not require a specialincarnation. There is no need for such an

emergency measure since God isomniscient and knows in advance whatis going to happen. Therefore, ifnecessary as part of his duties he maymanifest as an aspect or emanationrather than an incarnation. Hence, inShaivism there are no incarnations forShiva. His duties of preservation andconcealment are carried out eitherdirectly or through his numerousaspects.

Functions of an incarnationThe chief purpose of an incarnation is

to restore balance by destroyingexcessive evil as it becomes bothersomeand threatens the order and regularity ofcreation. Its purpose is somewhatsimilar to that of a self-correctingmechanism or that of a safety valve. Bynature, God is impartial. He does nottake sides. He has no desires, partiality,bias or interest whatsoever. However, tokeep the worlds going and keep the evilforces under check, he often takes theside of the good and the divine and evenengages in a direct conflict. Apart fromrestoring balance and fighting evil, anavatar has other functions. They arelisted below. Restoring and reestablishing

dharma or righteousness. Restoring the forgotten or lost

knowledge of sacred scriptures forthe welfare of the humanity.

Restoring and strengtheningpeople’s faith in God andrighteousness.

Reviving the lost knowledge ofliberation or revealing the secrets ofcreation according to needs of thetime.

Serving as a role model and a sourceof inspiration to his devotees.

Protecting those who seek hisprotection against evil and helpingthem on the path to liberation.

Granting liberation to the soulswho have completed their spiritual

journey.An avatar is neither a messenger of

God nor a prophet but God himself in amortal body. He personifies God andrepresents all divine qualities. His forcein that form is not diminished but mayremain concealed.

The Bhagavadgita declares thatwhenever there is an ascendance ofadharma (injustice and disorder) and thestrengthening of evil, God reincarnatesHimself on earth in an embodied state(jiva) to restore balance and reestablishDharma. Rudimentary idea ofincarnation can be found in the Vedas.For example, the Kena Upanishadmentions the manifestation of Brahmanas an Yaksha, a celestial deity, beforeIndra, Agni and Vayu to test their mightand teach them a lesson on vanity. As wehave already stated, they also mentionthe incarnations of Brahma and a vaguereference to the three strides of Vishnuas Vamana.

The idea gained further acceptancewith the subsequent developments thattook place within the Vedic religionand the rise of Shiva and Vishnu in the

Vedic pantheon as part of the triplegods (Trimurthis). Together withBrahma, they represent the triplefunctions of creation namely creation,preservation and destruction. Of them,Vishnu is the preserver who as part ofhis functions incarnates upon earth.

The Vedas, the Puranas, the Epicsand the Bhagavadgita acknowledge theincarnations of Vishnu as an essentialand important function of creation toensure the order and regularity of theworlds and keep the chaos anddemonic forces under control. The epicRamayana is about the life andadventures of Lord Rama, who isbelieved to be an incarnation or avatarof Lord Vishnu. The Bhagavatapuranaand the Mahabharata depict themiraculous life and achievements ofLord Krishna, who is also consideredan incarnation of Maha Vishnu. TheVishnu Puranas deal with the majorincarnations and manifestations ofLord Vishnu, apart from major eventsand mysteries associated withcreation, and the conflicts betweengods and demons.

AVATAR, THE REINCARNATIONOF GOD ON EARTH

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21THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019 SPIRITUALITY

22 THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019SPORTS

FORMER ENGLAND CAPTAINBOB WILLIS DEAD AT 70

LONDON (TIP): 325 Test wickets from 90 Tests, acareer as a broadcaster and a verified cult hero. Ifyou are lucky, you get one of those. If you’re BobWillis, you can achieve all three with greatdistinction, and without giving one solitary damn.After a short illness, one of the country’s finest fastbowlers and beloved pundits passed away onDecember 4.

His absence from Sky Sports’ review show, TheVerdict, during the recent New Zealand tour hintedthere was something wrong. Only yesterday morningdid word start to spread of the unthinkable. His wasa story of triumph over trials. Aged 26, he’d hadoperations in both knees which, at 6ft 6ins, shouldhave meant the end. He battled on for nine moreyears, getting himself into the record books where heremains to this day as England’s fourth-highestwicket-taker in Tests.

For a generation, he was one of few hopes againstAustralia: a fast bowler of the sort of snarl they loveover there, bounding in from an angled approach andfollowing it up with a disdainful stare many morewould become familiar with when he moved intotelevision.

Summer of 81In the stunning Headingley Test in Australia in

1981, Willis has a huge role. Sure, Ian Botham setthem up, but it was Willis’ 8/43 that knockedAustralia down. The bond between those two starswas strong and Botham maintains Willis was theonly world-class bowler he shared the field withduring his 16 years as an international.

Willis also had the honour of captaining hiscountry in 16 Tests between 1982 and 1984, a period inwhich he says he marshalled “a moderate Englandside”. He oversaw seven wins in that time but maybehis best act of leadership came as vice-captain whenhe ordered Botham to run-out Geoffrey Boycottduring a Test match in 1978 against New Zealandbecause the Yorkshireman was scoring too slowly.

The above alone is enough to warrant a glowingeulogy. But it was upon Willis’ move to TV that thecult of Bob came to be. From bowling fire to spittingit on a regular basis. He was never a cheerleader and,more importantly, never a gobshite. He was the typeto tell you what he thought without boasting abouthow he was telling you what he thought.

“There are more happy hookers in this Englandline-up than there are at Soho,” he raged when IshantSharma bounced out half of the batting line-up atLord’s in 2014. When it was put to him that DavidWarner was drinking Jagerbombs before taking aswing at Joe Root in Birmingham Walkabout, Williscut to core of the issue. “I have never had aJagerbomb,” he admitted, before questioning thechoice of beverage. “Maybe Australian beer is evenworse than it used to be.”

A number of current England players, uponmeeting him at a dinner recently, left with a greaterunderstanding of Willis and what made him tick,along with deep affection. He loved the game dearly,not just for what it gave to him as a career but whatit meant to him in his formative years spent in thegarden with his brother pretending to be ColinCowdrey and Basil D’Oliveira. English cricket willend bidding farewell to a person who embodied thevery best of its heart, wit and soul.

Focus on KL Rahul, Rishabhas India continue auditions

for next year’s T20 WCHYDERABAD (TIP): The likes

of KL Rahul and Rishabh Pant willbe aiming to cement their places inthe squad as India continueauditions for next year's T20 WorldCup when they take on the WestIndies in a three-match T20 series,starting here on Friday.

India will continue theirpreparations for the T20 World Cupin Australia and many players,whose places are not yet secure, willtry to impress the teammanagement and selectors withtheir performances against theWest Indies.

One such name is Rahul.In the absence of injured opener

Shikhar Dhawan, the series willprovide the stylish right-handedbatsman, who holds a good recordin T20s, a very good opportunity tosecure his place as Rohit Sharma'spartner up the order.

In 31 T20 Internationals, Rahulhas amassed 974 runs at an averageof 42.74 with 110 not out being hishighest score.

He is also a prolific scorer in theIPL.

Besides Rahul, anotherindividual who would like to answerhis critics with solid performancesis Pant.

Pant has, of late, come under thescanner for his inconsistent formwith the bat and poor glove work.

He has been seen as the successorto Mahendra Singh Dhoni, but afterthe conclusion of the ICC ODIWorld Cup earlier this year, Panthas endured a slump in form andwas heavily criticised for throwinghis wicket away on multipleoccasions.

Even his glove-work came underheavy scrutiny and the left-handerwas dropped in the longest format ofthe game and Wriddhiman Saharegained his place in the playing XI.

With the selectors bringing intalented Sanju Samson in the squadand talks of Dhoni coming out ofhis sabbatical soon, it's high timefor Pant to either perform or losehis place in the squad.

The series is also huge forSamson.

Although he was named in theT20 squad against Bangladesh,Kerala 'keeper-batsman didn't get asingle opportunity in the series andwas only picked for this rubberafter Dhawan sustained a kneeinjury while playing for Delhi in theSyed Mushtaq Ali National T20Championship.

It is certain that Pant will be thefirst choice wicketkeeper but incase he fails again, it remains to beseen whether the team managementgives Samson an opportunity, whichhe certainly deserves.

The good news for India is thatVirat Kohli will return to lead theside after taking a break in the T20series against Bangladesh.

On the bowling front, there areseveral notable comebacks with thelikes of Kuldeep Yadav, MohammedShami, and Bhuvneshwar Kumarreturning to the side's T20 setup.

The duo of Kuldeep and Chahal,also known as 'Kulcha', will reuniteafter a long time.

Kuldeep last featured in theshortest format in February 2019against New Zealand.

The Indian pace attack looksmenacing with the return ofBhuvneshwar Kumar andMohammed Shami.

Shami last appeared in a T20I in2017, while Bhuvneshwar returns tothe squad after recovering from amuscle problem.

Bhuvneshwar's last T20 wasagainst the West Indies in theCaribbean in August this year.

The find of the Bangladesh series,Deepak Chahar, is also expected toplay a big role alongside Shami andBhuvneshwar in the past attack.

West Indies, on the other hand,would be looking for revenge afterbeing dismantled by India 3-0 intheir own backyard in August.

West Indies are considered a verygood T20 side and what would act intheir favour is that they havealready acclimatised to theconditions, having playedAfghanistan in a full series inLucknow.

Having been entrusted with thecaptaincy responsibility, KieronPollard will look to lead from the

front.With Nicholas Pooran ruled out of

the first T20 because of a four-match ban for ball-tampering, theonus would be on Shai Hope andShimron Hetmyer to guide WestIndies batting line-up.

Besides, the Indians would also bewary of Roston Chase, who canmake useful contributions withboth bat and ball.

Keeping in mind the T20 WorldCup, the West Indies are also tryingout various combinations and havedrafted in quite a few new faces inthe team.

The visitors have opted for youngBrandon King, Khary Pierre,Sherfane Rutherford, KeserickWilliams and Hayden Walsh Jr overexperienced players like CarlosBrathwaite, Andre Russell andDwayne Bravo.

Teams (from): India: Virat Kohli(captain), Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul,Shikhar Dhawan, Rishabh Pant,Manish Pandey, Shreyas Iyer,Shivam Dube, Ravindra Jadeja,Washington Sundar, YuzvendraChahal, Kuldeep Yadav, DeepakChahar, Bhuvneshwar Kumar,Mohammed Shami.

West Indies: Kieron Pollard(captain), Fabian Allen, BrandonKing, Denesh Ramdin, SheldonCottrell, Evin Lewis, SherfaneRutherford, Shimron Hetmyer,Khary Pierre, Lendl Simmons,Jason Holder, Hayden Walsh Jr,Keemo Paul, Kesrick Williams.

23THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019 ASTROLOGY

ARIES: Ganesha says you spend a lot of timethinking about the lovely moments that havesuddenly happened in your life. Your successand general happiness could lead to over-confidence and you need to exercise caution.Watch your step or you could fall into manhole.Of course, please do not take this in the literalsense. You may excite envy, perhaps even hiddenor open rivalry, and people may want to pull youdown.

TAURUS: Expenses will mount but there aremore good tidings than bad and yourinteractions with people remain pleasant. Allthis contributes to happy and loving momentswith progress and prosperity as the key words.Ganesha asks you to step on it as the time isgood for you. You are filled with new ideas; theyseem to be bursting out of your skull.

GEMINI: In this phase your creative instinctsblossom. This can be a mildly pleasant,somewhat strange, even esoteric period. On amore down-to-earth plane, increasedemployment, gifts, a legacy or other benefitcome your way. There will be more perks andrecognition on the job front too. You plod awaylooking for more rewards both monetarily andaesthetically.

CANCER: The desire to accomplish moreoccupies your mind and you look for ways toreconcile your work with your true innerimpulses. You are ready to stick your neck out,lead from the front to make change happen. Youare ready to take on a leadership role. You willfind time for religion and spirituality, travel andeducation. Issues resolving around your career,identity and home absorb your thoughts andplans.

LEO: You also make projections for thefuture. You understand the need to buildharmony in the home and family as yourealize that social interactions are vitalnot only for growth but as a securityblanket when the chips are down, with nowarning balls to announce their arrival.Ganesha blesses you.

VIRGO: There is professional successand you are admired and respectedeverywhere. You have a tremendous will toexcel in your chosen field and you put inextra efforts and win respect, status, perks,benefits, awards, rewards, kudos andapplause. It is all richly deserved, I mustadd along with Ganesha. There will bemonetary gains and chances of enhanceincome.

LIBRA: There is also room for passionand romance, legacies and inheritance,loans, funds, bonds, parties and the whirlof social activities. You are in an ebullientand enthusiastic mood as you resolve manypending issues and make waves. These aresoft and emotional moments. It is time tolet your hair down. You will be in thethroes of love and having a wild andwonderful time.

SCORPIO: You are confident, pragmaticand deter mined as you forge ahead topower, glory and accomplishments. Nameand fame, popularity and plaudits, comeyour way along with outright competitionand jealousy which are, as we all know,part and parcel of life. However, you willturn your attention to money matters andstrike out in new areas of money making.

SAGITTARIUS: You want to grow and todevelop as an evolved human being. There havebeen several attitudinal and occupational swingsto cope with. Now you will attempt to reconcilethem all gainfully and harmoniously. Ganesha ishappy that you have found your way. Your entirepersona undergoes a huge change for the better.You have seen a lot including true success. Youresolve to continue with your efforts at bothwork and play.

CAPRICORN: There is a great intensity inyour approach as you plan ahead. There could besome disruptions in your creative endeavours,but you surmount all roadblocks. You alsomanage to make time for social work and bondwell with everyone you meet. Your professionaland personal successes have really empoweredyou and you look at the future with confidenceand charisma.

AQUARIUS: You rely solely on your sense ofpersonal satisfaction and do not care too muchabout the good opinion of others or a desire forrecognition. You work quietly and steadily,avoiding fanfare and publicity. Your interactionswith parents, siblings, extended family and in-laws could also be demanding. You look at newideas of income generation and look at yourselfwith new eyes.

PISCES: You are a new person now, full ofcommitment, caring and confidence. You arealert and active, and you experience the sweetsatisfaction of achievement. Ganeshaguarantees that! Ganesha assures you moneyand honey. There is a lot going for you in thisperiod. The mood is upbeat and there is a hike infinances and more than just a touch of romancetoo.

Shree Ganeshaya Namah

Bejan Daruwalla is world's most famousastrologertoday. He appears regularly onworld wide TV shows. Bejan who has been aprofessor in English, hasauthored a numberof books on astrology. India'sPrime MinisterNarendra Modi , on March 29, 2012,lunchedone of Bejan's books, '2012- End oftheWorld? Bejan contributes to a number ofjournals andnewspapers in many parts of theworld which includeBerkley Communications(London) Times of India(Delhi, Mumbai,Kolkata, Chennai) and The IndianPanorama (New York and Texas). Bejan'spredictionshave mostly been correct andpeople the world overrely on his predictions.

Bejan Daruwalla is available for astrological

consultations. He can be reached at

info@bejandaruwalla.com and on phone

011-91-8141234275www.bejandaruwalla.com

DEC 9: Ganesha says being easy going is awonderful quality, but it's not appropriate in allsituations or with all people. Be careful not toput yourself at a disadvantage by bluffing tomask a lack of confidence, knowledge, or skill.

DEC 10: The Moon puts its spotlight onrelationships in a way that require participantsto bring them into better balance. Attachmentswith those near and fare are accented andrequire consideration. DEC 11: Though it might seem otherwise,

consider the possibility that information that isat your disposal is inconclusive or evenmisleading. If doesn't hurt double-check.

DEC 12: There is likely to be a foul-up of sortsconcerning weekend plans. You could becaught off guard by delays ormisunderstandings. Missed communicationsare the likely reason for bottlenecks.

DEC 13: Communication faces challenges, asdoes travel. Bring diplomacy, tact, and fair-mindedness to bear on all your relationshipsand dealings. Reach out and connect but be

prepared to change perspectives.

DEC 14: Information seems hard to come by,either because of circumstances that arebeyond anyone's control or because someoneintentionally withholds it. Focus like a laser ongetting what you need. Avoid power games.

DEC 15: If you have to put up with a long faceon a friend or member of a group, it certainlycould cramp your social style. On the otherhand, you could let your sunny personalitycome to a troubled soul's rescue.

Weekly Horoscope - December 9 - December 15, 2019

The Indian Panorama brings you Weekly and Birthday Horoscope from the World's mosttrusted astrologer Bejan Daruwalla. Latest correct prediction: Modi's historic victory

Birthday Horoscope December 9 - December 15, 2019

24 THE INDIAN PANORAMAFRIDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2019ADVERTISEMENT