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WR launches heritage train on Patalpani-Kalakund route in MP

wrBringing Christmas cheer for tourists, the Western Railway (WR) introduced a special heritage train on the picturesque Patalpani-Kalakund section in Madhya Pradesh’s Ratlam district.

Railways ministry had decided to create infrastructure to preserve the British era Patalpani-Kalkund metre gauge rail line, which is part of Western Railway’s Ratlam division, a senior WR official said on Wednesday.

The metre gauge line has since been converted into broad gauge line.

The 9.5-km route passes through several tunnels offering a spectacular view of waterfalls and lush green mountain ranges.

The previous metre-gauge line had been constructed by Britishers about 150 years ago, the official said.

“Stations, rest houses and other service buildings on the Patalpani-Kalkund section are being decorated along with the development of about two dozen tourist spots on WR’s first heritage section in Ratlam division between Patalpani and Kalakund stations, to attract tourists around the globe,” said WR Chief Spokesperson Ravinder Bhakar.

Four tunnels and 29 sharp curves along the Patalpani-Kalakund route makes it a memorable trip for tourists.

The heritage train will depart from Dr Ambedkar Nagar station at 11.05 AM and will reach Kalakund at 1.25 PM. It starts from Kalakund at 2.55 pm and will arrive at Dr Ambedkar Nagar at 3.40 pm.

The train has two coaches, one reserved and another unreserved one, Bhakar said.

“The fare per passenger for 12 seats in first three rows in the reserved coach is Rs 240 for the entire to and fro journey while the same is Rs 200 per person for the rest of the rows of the coach. The fare will be Rs 20 per passenger in unreserved compartment,” Bhakar said.

A statement issued by the WR said Railway Board chairman Ashwani Lohani had directed railway officials to develop the route as a heritage section.

Lohani had directed the officials to run the special heritage train during his last inspection conducted in September this year, it said.

WR General Manager A K Gupta supervised the works on developing the gauge conversion.

More than 25 workers from Lower Parel workshop in Mumbai were deployed in the Bikaner workshop who contributed in refurbishing the heritage train coaches, the statement said.

Bhakar said that Patalpani railway station is the first station constructed on Dr Ambedkar Nagar-Khandwa metre gauge section during 1874-1878.

“In 2008, Union cabinet approved the proposal of converting this meter gauge section into a broad gauge section after which railway decided to preserve this section by converting it into a heritage railway section”, he added.

14-yr-old rape victim seeks HC’s nod to terminate 22-week pregnancy

rapeA 14-year-old rape victim has approached the Bombay High Court seeking permission to terminate her 22-week pregnancy.

A vacation bench of Justice Bharati Dangre on Monday directed the victim to be medically examined by a team of expert doctors at the state-run J J Hospital in Mumbai.

“The team should examine her (victim) and submit a detailed report on whether it is feasible and advisable to terminate the pregnancy of the victim,” the court said.

Under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act, abortion beyond 20 weeks of pregnancy can be done only after seeking nod from the high court.

“It would be necessary for the victim to undergo medical examination so as to ascertain whether the pregnancy can be terminated under the Medical Termination of Pregnancy Act,” the court said.

The court directed the hospital to submit its report on December 28 when it would hear the petition further.

According to the petition, the girl had on December 1 this year approached the suburban Mankhurd Police, alleging that she was raped by a man living in her neighbourhood.

A case was lodged under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the accused was subsequently arrested.

The victim moved the high court last week seeking direction for terminating the pregnancy.

Best 5 International Education option for commerce students

commerceStudying abroad and going there for higher studies is a dream for many Indian students these days. It was a long back, when studying aboard was so mainstream and for only those who had rick tacking ability, adventurous or downright quirky. But if we talk about the present scenario, the number of Indian students who are moving aboard for their higher studies is increasing tremendously.

Considering the fact that the world has become one global village, there is a need for a true international employee, who understands how business is done in key markets around the globe. The major reason behind moving to aboard for higher studies among Indian students is that the Indian job market recognises a degree from an International university more than any degree from an Indian university.

Commerce as a stream is popular among students. Having studied Commerce at class 10th-12th allows students to choose from a multitude of courses at graduation level, paving the way for a range of career choices. It is a difficult choice to make from a number of options available nationally or internationally. A Bachelor degree program in Commerce from international universities who are known for their study material and manner of imparting knowledge is a rewarding one. It provides a study of the principles of economics and some programs include the fundamentals of global economics, Social and cultural awareness, Political awareness and policies and languages.

Why Indian commerce students prefer international options for higher studies? The Universities internationally offering a variety of degree courses at Under Graduate Level, Good exposure, State-of-Art Infrastructure and world recognition of the degrees earned by these foreign universities give a head start to the career of any student.

  • Indian students are used to a passive learning style, and they get to experience a more engaging and active learning style when studying abroad.
  • Active learning through various activities like class participation, exchange of dialogues, case studies and practical off and on campus experience through live projects make learning fun and more meaningful for the Indian Students.
  • International education in Commerce is to take care of this ever increasing that the Indian job market recognizes a degree from an International university more than any degree from an Indian university.
  • International education provides a holistic environment which helps a student to learn and grows in his/her area of specialization and in-depth interaction with the faculty provide the students a global perspective on any issue.

After an extensive research done by the academic team of Pratham international education desk under the guidance of Mr. Reeturaj Goswami suggests that some of the major destinations for International Education for pursuing Bachelor’s in Commerce are:

  1. United Kingdom: The UK’s leading financial hub, generating as much as 22% of the entire country’s GDP and home to over 840,000 private sector businesses, London has a lot to offer prospective business students. Not only does the city host the world’s number one institution in the recently released business and management ranking, it is also home to 100 of Europe’s largest companies, meaning graduate opportunities for business students are plentiful. Some of the top business schools in London are: London School of Economics, University of London, Brunel University.

 

  1. United States of America: The United States has always been a most sought-after destination for foreign education. Some of the top Universities are Georgia Institute of Technology, MIT, University of Caltech, Washington State University, Northeastern University, Michigan State University and Texas A&M University and University of Colorado Denver.

 

  1. New Zealand: If you aim to study in New Zealand then think no longer and take that giant leap in your career graph. New Zealand attracts students as it provides easy entry procedures. It is a great destination with affordable costs. An emphasis on research and practical exposure make it dear to all the students. University of Auckland, University of Otago, University of Canterbury and University of Wellington are few of the top universities. The known University of Auckland provides a complete set of core courses. These include two exciting sequences in Business and Enterprise. It helps the student to develop academic and professional skills.

 

  1. Australia: Students are selecting Australia for their easy visa process to migrate and having a multicultural and friendly environment. Students from different countries in Australia can work up to 20 hours a week and after graduation, they can also benefit from a post-study work visa. The Australian government has initiated a Professional Year Program dedicated to all graduates in accounting, information technology and engineering programmes, allowing them to work in a local company. Melbourne, a city which benefits from strong healthcare services, cultural diversities, and low levels of crime, as well as one of Asia-Pacific’s leading financial centres.The one of the top most university which is not less than a dream for the commerce students – The University of Melbourne provides an in-depth understanding of business issues and processes and their resourcefulness. Leadership and solving skills are a gift to commerce students who do their higher studies from this prestigious university.
  1. Singapore: Singapore is the world’s fourth largest financial centre and one of the world’s top five busiest ports in Asia is already gearing up itself to hold a triple-A credit rating. Singapore’s booming market economy depends heavily on trade, offering good levels of economic freedom and low tax rates. The University of Singapore is the finest place to land because of it’s highly valued faculties and disciplines with other cross-disciplinary initiatives available for a well-rounded knowledge base and transferable skills. The highly entrepreneurial environment helps a student to keep themselves future-ready and ready to thrive in an increasingly dynamic and volatile marketplace.

Admission to any college abroad is through SAT for most of the undergraduate courses are important. Pratham provides Classroom SAT coaching to its students in its allocated centres inclusive of In-house faculty, Psychologist,  SAT Real-Time Mock Test and many more. It also provides the widespread guidance on choice of universities, deadlines, profile building, university application, visa processing and even financial planning to study and get into the world’s best universities, making it an easy cakewalk for its students and parents.

International Education offers a variety of courses to commerce students who wish to stick to commerce would typically apply for a Bachelor in Commerce, Bachelor in Economics or in Accounting and Finance. These courses may be offered as a major or minor within business program. The world subject rankings table does not offer a separate subject option for Commerce and lists entries under Business Management, Economics and Econometrics. A booming Digital Marketing course deals in integrated marketing communications such as planning and strategy of marketing campaigns, social media communications, consumer behaviour and more.

(The author of the article is the Product Head, International Education Desk,PRATHAM Education.)

                                                                                                                                                 -Reeturaj Goswami

CM Naveen Patnaik demands financial autonomy for Odisha

odishaChief Minister Naveen Patnaik onWednesday demanded financial autonomy for Odisha after which, he said, that the state would not need special category status or central grants.

Financial autonomy would help the state develop and prosper with its own funds. Legendary Odisha leader Biju Patnaik had made a plea for fiscal autonomy for the state in the early 90s, the Chief Minister said.

“Give us financial autonomy, we will no more need special category status or central grant for the state. We will be able to develop and prosper with our own funds,” Naveen Patnaik said while addressing the 21st foundation day of the Biju Janata Dal (BJD).

He, however, did not elaborate on the issue.

Odisha had demanded about Rs 4.59 lakh crore from the 14th Finance Commission. The commission has granted 1.84 lakh crore towards the share in central taxes and duties for 2015-20.

The Chief Minister also accused the Centre of neglecting the state “in all spheres”.

Recalling legendary Biju Patnaik’s plea for fiscal autonomy for the state, the BJD president said that Biju Babu had rightly said that he would transform Odisha into the most advanced state in south Asia with financial autonomy.

 

Shivpal willing to join hands with Cong to defeat BJP in LS polls

shivpalRebel SP leader Shivpal Yadav, who recently floated the Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia), has said that he was willing to join hands with the Congress to defeat the BJP in the coming Lok Sabha elections.

To a question on the possibility of coalitions for the next year’s Lok Sabha polls, he said, “We have our party’s organisation in 75 districts of the state…the party has decided to contest all the seats against the BJP…to defeat the BJP, we can also enter into an alliance with the Congress”.

Yadav was in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday night to take part in a programme.

The estranged uncle of Samajwadi Party Chief Akhilesh Yadav stressed that all those talking about forming a morcha to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) should also talk to his party which was ready to deliberate on the issue.

On the controversy over Lord Hanuman, the rebel leader said, “He is a God and those who are out to confine him to a particular caste have a very narrow mindset”.

Yadav also opined that Ram temple should not come up on a land which was under dispute.

“Lot of land is lying around River Saryu…if the temple is built there, I am also ready to contribute to it,” he said, while asserting that the Supreme Court’s verdict in the matter should not be defied.

The Supreme Court is scheduled to take up a batch of petitions for hearing in the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid title dispute case on January 4.

HC seeks Centre’s response on plea against recruitment process of President’s Bodyguard

pleaThe Delhi High Court has sought response of the Centre and the Chief of the Army Staff on a plea alleging that only three castes were considered for recruitment of the President’s Bodyguard.

A bench of Justices S Muralidhar and Sanjeev Narula issued notice to the Ministry of Defence, Chief of the Army Staff, Commandant of the President’s Bodyguard and Director, Army Recruitment, on the petition.

“Reply shall be filed within four weeks. Rejoinder, if any, shall be filed before the next date. List on May 8, 2019,” the bench said.

The court was hearing a PIL by Haryana resident Gaurav Yadav, who sought setting aside of the recruitment of President’s Bodyguard which was held on September 4, 2017, as only three castes – Jats, Rajputs and Jat Sikhs were invited for it.

The petitioner said that he belonged to Ahir/Yadav caste and fulfilled all the eligibility criteria of recruitment as President’s Bodyguard except the caste and sought that he be recruited for the post.

The petition, filed through advocate Ram Naresh Yadav, said that the “preferential treatment” provided to the three castes has deprived other citizens, who were also eligible, of the opportunity of recruitment.

“The recruitment criteria so formulated and followed contains an arbitrary classification which is based on caste and henceforth, it being in the nature of class legislation, stands in complete violation of Article 14 of the Constitution of India. Also, the recruitment process stands in violation of Article 15(1) which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, religion, caste, sex, colour and place of birth,” the plea alleged.

It said that there was discrimination in the recruitment process on the basis of caste and that the Article provides for non-discrimination by the state in employment to public office.

“However, in the present case, since only three castes were allowed to be recruited to the office of Presidential Bodyguards, which is indeed a public office, there is violation of Article 16 as well,” it alleged.

The petition sought quashing of the recruitment policy based on caste/ region/ religion in the President’s Bodyguard and issuance of a direction to the Army to conduct the recruitment on non-discriminate grounds.

“Quash the recruitment of the President’s Bodyguard as the same being unconstitutional and against the fundamental right of the citizens of India,” it said.

Earlier, the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court had refused to entertain a PIL on the issue, saying it does not get into these kind of PILs.

Discussion on triple talaq bill in LS on Thursday

tripleThe politically sensitive bill which seeks to make the practice of instant triple talaq among Muslim men a penal offence will come up for discussion in Lok Sabha on Thursday.

The Lok Sabha had last week on Thursday decided to take up the bill on December 27 after the Congress agreed to participate in the debate.

As the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Bill, 2018, was taken up for consideration, Leader of the Congress in the House, Mallikarjun Kharge, had suggested it be taken up for discussion next week.

Parliament is meeting on December 27, after a long weekend.

Parlimentary Affairs Minister Narendra Singh Tomar sought an assurance from the Opposition that it would allow discussion on the bill without disruption.

“I request you to take the bill on December 27. We are all going to participate. Our party and other political parties are ready to discuss (the bill),” Kharge had said in the Lower House.

Lok Sabha has been witnessing disruptions over a range of issues, including protests by the Congress, which is demanding a joint parliamentary committee probe on the Rafale deal.

The fresh Bill to make the practice of triple talaq among Muslims a penal offence was introduced in Lok Sabha on December 17 to replace an ordinance issued in September.

Under the proposed law, giving instant triple talaq will be illegal and void, and will attract a jail term of three years for the husband.

The fresh bill will supersede an earlier bill passed in the Lok Sabha and pending in the Rajya Sabha.

The earlier bill was approved by the Lower House.

But amid opposition by some parties in the upper house, the government had then cleared some amendments, including introduction of a provision of bail, to make it more acceptable.

However, as the bill continued to face resistance in the Rajya Sabha, the government issued an ordinance in September, incorporating the amendments.

An ordinance has a life of six months. But from the day a session begins, it has to be replaced by a bill which should be passed by Parliament within 42 days (six weeks), else it lapses.

The government is at liberty to re-promulgate the ordinance if the bill fails to get through Parliament.

A transgender Bond would be cool, says Dominic West

dominicWith Daniel Craig set to say goodbye to James Bond after the 25th film, many names are floating as a possible replacement but British actor Dominic West believes it would be “cool” to have a transgender actor play the fictional spy.

Craig will return as Bond for the fifth time in Bond 25, which was earlier set to be directed by Danny Boyle but is now being helmed by Cary Fukunaga.

“Maybe a transgender Bond would be cool,” West said in interview with The Sunday Times as quoted by IndieWire.

The actor is currently promoting his role in the BBC’s new “Les Miserables” adaptation.

The “Affair” star said he got the idea from his indie film “Colette” where he starred opposite Keira Knightley and Jake Graf, a transgender actor who played a cis male (a person whose gender identity matches the sex that they were assigned at birth) in the movie.

“There’s a very cool woman who’s the wife of an actor in Colette’ who is a captain in the electrical engineers, the highest-ranking transgender soldier in the army, West said.

She’s a beautiful blonde girl who could be Bond, yes. That’s actually a brilliant idea. They should have a transgender Bond because there are a lot of transgender people in the army. They’d be ideal because they can do everything, he added.

West was referring to Graf’s wife, Hannah Winterbourne, a high-ranking officer in the British Army, who transitioned from male to female.

Fans, meanwhile, want Tom Hardy to replace Craig in the next film and West is okay with that choice too.

“I think Tom Hardy could be a good Bond. I’d be happy to see him do it. You need an actor who can put a bit of wiggle into it that’s what makes Bond, he said.

Production on Bond 25 kicks off in 2019 with a February 14, 2020 release date in mind.

Robin Thicke, April Love Geary engaged

robin

Singer Robin Thicke and model April Love Geary are engaged.

Geary, 23, announced their engagement on Instagram on Tuesday.

She shared a black-and-white photo, where she can be seen hugging Thicke in front of a Christmas tree.

The model captioned the picture: “YES YES 1000x YES”.

Thicke, 41, proposed to Geary on Christmas Eve in the presence of loved ones, of which she also shared a video.

The couple are parents to Mia (10 months old) and are expecting their second child, another daughter, in March.

They started dating in 2014 following Thicke’s divorce from wife, actor Paula Patton.

Unlike ‘Get Out’, ‘Us’ is not about race: Jordan Peele

getFilmmaker-writer Jordan Peele has said that his next directorial, “Us” is not along the lines of his debut “Get Out”, which was a commentary on racism set in the horror genre.

Peele, who became the first African-American writer to win the Best Original Screenplay Oscar for his work on “Get Out”, said the new film revolves around the “undeniable truth” that people are their own “worst enemies”.

The first trailer of the movie, starring Lupita Nyong’o and her “Black Panther” co-star Winston Duke in the lead, dropped Tuesday.

The film centres on a family who is haunted by doppelganger versions of themselves.

“It was very important for me to have a black family at the centre of a horror film. But it’s also important to note, unlike ‘Get Out’, ‘Us’ is not about race.

“It is instead about something that I feel has become an undeniable truth. And that is the simple fact that we are our own worst enemies,” Peele said, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The director also teased the film’s monster, which the trailer steered clear from.

“I dedicated a lot of myself to create a new horror mythology and a new monster. I think that monsters and stories about monsters are one of our best ways of getting at deeper truths and facing our fears as a society,” he said.

The film also stars Shahadi Wright-Joseph, Evan Alex, Elisabeth Moss, Tim Heidecker, Anna Diop and “Aquaman” actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.

“Us” is slated to be released on March 15, 2019.