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Delhi’s air quality dips to ‘severe plus’ again, strictest curbs under pollution control plan kick in

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Delhi's air quality dips to 'severe plus' again, strictest curbs under pollution control plan kick in 2

Stringent curbs, including a ban on entry of polluting trucks, came into effect in Delhi on Sunday as its air quality entered the ‘severe plus’ category for the second time in three days due to unfavourable wind conditions and a sharp rise in farm fires across north India.

A toxic haze persisted over Delhi-NCR for the sixth consecutive day, obscuring landmarks from view and causing significant problems for people with existing respiratory issues.

The 24-hour average Air Quality Index (AQI), recorded at 4 pm every day, worsened from 415 on Saturday to 454 on Sunday, prompting the Centre to implement all emergency measures mandated under the final Stage IV of its air pollution control plan called the Graded Response Action Plan (GRAP).

GRAP categorizes actions into four stages: Stage I: ‘Poor’ (AQI 201-300); Stage II: ‘Very Poor’ (AQI 301–400); Stage III: ‘Severe’ (AQI 401–450); and Stage IV: ‘Severe Plus’ (AQI >450).

Unfavorable meteorological conditions combined with vehicular emissions, paddy straw burning, firecrackers, and other local pollution sources contribute to hazardous air quality levels in Delhi-NCR during the winter every year.

According to a Delhi Pollution Control Committee (DPCC) analysis, the capital experiences peak pollution from November 1 to November 15, when the number of stubble burning incidents in Punjab and Haryana increases.

According to the New Delhi-based Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI), a total of 4,160 farm fires were reported from north India on Sunday—the highest so far this season.

Punjab alone reported 3,230 incidents of stubble burning, the state’s highest in a day so far this season, according to Punjab Remote Sensing Centre data. The Commission for Air Quality Management (CAQM), a statutory body responsible for formulating strategies to combat pollution in the region, asked Delhi and NCR states to order a ban on construction work related to linear public projects and allow 50 per cent of the staff in government and private offices to work from home.

Under Stage IV of GRAP, only CNG, electric, and BS VI-compliant vehicles from other states are allowed to enter Delhi. Exemptions are granted only to those involved in essential services. All medium and heavy goods vehicles not engaged in essential services are also banned in the capital, according to the latest CAQM order.

On November 2, the CAQM ordered a ban on non-essential construction work and specific categories of polluting vehicles. The Delhi government has also announced the closure of all primary schools for two days in an effort to safeguard young children from hazardous pollution.

The air pollution crisis is not confined to Delhi alone. Several cities in neighboring Haryana, Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh have also reported hazardous air quality. Neighboring Ghaziabad (494), Gurugram (402), Noida (414), Greater Noida (410) and Faridabad (450) also reported hazardous air quality.

The concentration of PM2.5, fine particulate matter capable of penetrating deep into the respiratory system and triggering health problems, exceeded the government-prescribed safe limit of 60 micrograms per cubic metre by seven to eight times at multiple locations throughout Delhi-NCR. It was 30 to 40 times the healthy limit of 15 micrograms per cubic metre set by the WHO. Air quality in Delhi-NCR declined over the past week due to a gradual drop in temperatures, calm winds that trap pollution and a surge in post-harvest paddy straw burning across Punjab and Haryana.

Data from the Central Pollution Control Board (CPCB) shows that Delhi’s air quality index increased by over 200 points between October 27 and November 3, ending up in the ‘severe plus’ category on Friday. Friday’s 24-hour average AQI (468) was the worst since the previous high of 471 recorded on November 12, 2021.

While the capital is grappling with an air crisis, a first-of-its-kind study launched by the Delhi government to help identify different sources of pollution in the city and accordingly take mitigating action was recently halted on the orders of DPCC Chairman Ashwani Kumar.

Kumar also “unilaterally” ordered a halt to the operation of a large smog tower installed at Connaught Place two years ago to mitigate air pollution in the area, according to Delhi Environment Minister Gopal Rai.

Delhi’s air quality ranks among the worst in the world’s capital cities. A report by the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) in August said that air pollution is shortening lives by almost 12 years in Delhi.

The hazardous pollution levels have compelled many to forgo their morning walks, sports and other outdoor activities. Parents are concerned as health experts say children breathe faster, taking in more pollutants.

“If anyone has betrayed alliance…”: Akhilesh fires fresh jibe at Cong amid seat-sharing row in MP

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"If anyone has betrayed alliance…": Akhilesh fires fresh jibe at Cong amid seat-sharing row in MP 4

Amid the rift between the Congress and the Samajwadi Party (SP) over their failure to arrive at a seat-sharing deal for the upcoming Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, former Uttar Pradesh chief minister and SP supremo Akhilesh Yadav on Friday accused the Congress of “betraying” the INDIA bloc.

Speaking to reporters on a visit to MP’s Chhatarpur on Friday, the former UP chief minister said, “The people of Madhya Pradesh have been following the recent events closely and are now aware that if anyone has betrayed the alliance, it is the Congress. However, further discussions on taking the alliance forward will be held ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.” “The power of PDA (Pichhde, Dalit, and Alpsankhyak) will prevail over the NDA,” the SP chief added.

Akhilesh said on Monday that the bicycle rally of the Samajwadi Party, titled the ‘Samajwadi PDA Yatra’, will carry on as planned, adding that he was hopeful that the INDIA bloc will win next year’s Lok Sabha elections.

The rally marks the launch of the SP’s campaign for the next general elections.

The strained partners in the INDIA bloc have been at loggerheads following the breakdown in seat-sharing talks, with Akhilesh firing the “Chirkut” (small-timer) jibe at Congress’ state unit chief Ajay Rai.

Upset over the Congress’s alleged seat snub to the SP ahead of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly polls, Akhilesh said, “I want to tell the Congress, don’t let your chirkut leaders talk about us.” He added that he was clueless if the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) was meant to take on the BJP at the national or state level.

“If Congress didn’t want to give us seats (in MP), they could have said it before. We have decided on going it alone in Madhya Pradesh. After (the breakdown in seat-sharing talks in) Madhya Pradesh, I have come to realize that INDIA is meant only for the general elections. But if Congress continues to behave like this, then who will stand with them? If we fight against the BJP with such confusion and doubts in our minds (around the alliance), we will never succeed,” he added.

The Samajwadi Party (SP) chief coined the term ‘PDA’, saying that it is the name of the unity born out of shared consciousness and feeling against the exploitation and oppression of those who are “Pichhde” (backwards), Dalit, and “Alpasankhyak” (minority).

Study reveals improving deep sleep can help avoid dementia

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Study reveals improving deep sleep can help avoid dementia 6

According to one study, a 1 per cent reduction in deep sleep per year for people over the age of 60 results in a 27 per cent increased risk of dementia. The study also implies that improving or sustaining deep sleep, commonly known as slow-wave sleep, in later life may aid in the prevention of dementia.

The study, led by Associate Professor Matthew Pase, from the Monash School of Psychological Sciences and the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health in Melbourne, Australia, and published today in JAMA Neurology, looked at 346 participants, over 60 years of age, enrolled in the Framingham Heart Study who completed two overnight sleep studies in the time periods 1995 to 1998 and 2001 to 2003, with an average of five years between the two studies.

These participants were then carefully followed for dementia from the time of the second sleep study through to 2018. The researchers found, on average, that the amount of deep sleep declined between the two studies, indicating slow wave sleep loss with ageing. Over the next 17 years of follow-up, there were 52 cases of dementia. Even adjusting for age, sex, cohort, genetic factors, smoking status, sleeping medication use, antidepressant use, and anxiolytic use, each percentage decrease in deep sleep each year was associated with a 27 per cent increase in the risk of dementia.

“Slow-wave sleep, or deep sleep, supports the ageing brain in many ways, and we know that sleep augments the clearance of metabolic waste from the brain, including facilitating the clearance of proteins that aggregate in Alzheimer’s disease,” Associate Professor Pase said. “However, to date we have been unsure of the role of slow-wave sleep in the development of dementia. Our findings suggest that slow wave sleep loss may be a modifiable dementia risk factor.”

Associate Professor Pase said that the Framingham Heart Study is a unique community-based cohort with repeated overnight polysomnographic (PSG) sleep studies and uninterrupted surveillance for incident dementia. “We used these to examine how slow-wave sleep changed with ageing and whether changes in slow-wave sleep percentage were associated with the risk of later-life dementia up to 17 years later,” he said.

“We also examined whether genetic risk for Alzheimer’s Disease or brain volumes suggestive of early neurodegeneration were associated with a reduction in slow-wave sleep. We found that a genetic risk factor for Alzheimer’s disease, but not brain volume, was associated with accelerated declines in slow wave sleep.”

“Tough to digest that I will miss out” says Hardik Pandya after injury rules him out of World Cup

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"Tough to digest that I will miss out" says Hardik Pandya after injury rules him out of World Cup 8

After missing out on taking further part in India’s Cricket World Cup campaign, star all-rounder Hardik Pandya said that it was tough to digest that he would no longer be part of the tournament. In a post on his official X account, the 30-year-old all-rounder said that despite missing out on the action, he would be with the team and would cheer for them on every ball.

Pandya added that the ‘Men in Blue’ squad is special and he is sure that every player will make India proud at this World Cup. “Tough to digest the fact that I will miss out on the remaining part of the World Cup. I will be with the team, in spirit, cheering them on every ball of every game. Thanks for all the wishes, the love, and the support has been incredible. This team is special and I’m sure we’ll make everyone proud. Love, always, HP,” Hardik Pandya wrote on X.

During India’s 7-wicket victory against Bangladesh, Hardik Pandya sustained an injury to his left ankle and uncertainty was building around his availability for the upcoming matches. However, on Saturday, his exclusion from the ‘Men in Blue’ squad was confirmed.

Pandya’s place in the Men in Blue squad will be taken by Prasidh Krishna, the fast bowler who was added to the playing group after being approved by the tournament’s Event Technical Committee on Saturday. Currently, India are in their top form at the ongoing ODI World Cup 2023. Rohit Sharma’s side are still unbeaten in the prestigious tournament and stands in first place on the World Cup 2023 standings with 14 points.

The ‘Men in Blue’ will lock horns against South Africa in their forthcoming encounter in the World Cup 2023 at Eden Gardens in Kolkata on Sunday.

At least 140 people killed as strong earthquake jolts Nepal

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At least 140 people killed as strong earthquake jolts Nepal 10

At least 140 people were killed and several others injured when a powerful 6.4-magnitude earthquake jolted Nepal just before midnight on Friday, destroying hundreds of houses in the Himalayan country’s remote mountainous region in the most devastating tremor since 2015.

According to the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre, the earthquake with an epicentre in Jajarkot district, about 500km west of Kathmandu, was recorded at 11:47 pm.

It is the most devastating earthquake in the country since the 2015 earthquake that killed around 9,000 people in the country and injured more than 22,000 people.

The impact of the quake was felt in Kathmandu and surrounding districts, and even in New Delhi in neighboring India. The Nepal Army mobilized its personnel on Friday soon after the earthquake to carry out rescue works at the incident site, according to Nepal Army spokesperson Krishna Prasad Bhandari.

The Jajarkot and Rukum districts of western Nepal were worst hit by the quake, according to state-run Nepal Television.

The number of people killed in Jajarkot and Rukum due to the earthquake has climbed to 140, according to the Prime Minister’s secretariat.

An equal number of people were injured in the incident. The death toll is expected to rise.

Deputy Mayor Sarita Singh of Nalgadh Municipality in Jajarkot was among those killed in the quake, officials said. Around 159 aftershocks have been recorded following last night’s earthquake, the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Center reported.

Many people spent the night in the open because of fear of further quakes and damage to their houses. People were seen digging through the rubble in the dark to rescue trapped people from the remains of collapsed buildings, according to posts on social media.

Prime Minister Pushpakamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ toured the quake-hit region with a medical team on Saturday morning. During the visit, he gathered information about the extent of the damage and conducted an inspection of the affected areas alongside the Chief District Officer. Later, he returned to Surkhet from Jajarkot, along with seven injured people and their family members.

Both Nepal Army and Nepal Police personnel have been mobilized to carry out rescue work, officials said.

“Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has expressed his deep sorrow over the loss of lives and property in the earthquake on Friday night and has mobilized all three security bodies for the immediate rescue and relief,” reads a post from the prime minister’s office on X.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he was deeply saddened by the loss of lives and damage due to the earthquake in Nepal.

”India stands in solidarity with the people of Nepal and is ready to extend all possible assistance. Our thoughts are with the bereaved families and we wish the injured a quick recovery,” Modi posted on X tagging his counterpart Prachanda.

Injured people are undergoing treatment at the Surkhet District Hospital, officials said. Prime Minister Prachanda has instructed security agencies to immediately carry out rescue and relief works.

President Ramchandra Paudel has expressed sadness over the loss of human lives and property in the earthquake.

According to the Office of the President, he has appealed to the government and all concerned to ensure effective rescue and relief work in the quake-affected areas.

As the roads were blocked and bridges damaged, rescue and relief works on the incident site have been obstructed, according to officials.

Earthquakes are common in Nepal which is situated on the ridge where the Tibetan and Indian tectonic plates meet and advance two meters closer to one another every century which results in pressure which is released in the form of earthquakes.

On October 16, Nepal’s Sudurpaschim province was hit by a 4.8-magnitude earthquake.

On October 22, a 6.1 magnitude earthquake hit Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal.

A 3-magnitude quake hit Nepal’s capital city Kathmandu on October 3.

“A collision between Indian and Tibetan plates has been going on underground for a long time which has accumulated tremendous energy,” according to Bharat Koirala, senior seismologist at the National Earthquake Monitoring and Research Centre, Nepal.

Mainly, western Nepal is under the threat of bigger earthquakes, he pointed out.

The 2015 quake destroyed or damaged more than 800,000 houses mainly in the western and central districts, according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC).

Government buildings, some stretches of roads and Kathmandu Valley’s famous historic monuments – Unesco world heritage sites – were destroyed or damaged with many villages north of Kathmandu flattened.

Kangana Ranaut should retrospect on why her films are big flop at box office

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Kangana Ranaut should retrospect on why her films are big flop at box office 12

Kangana Ranaut, who is always boasting about her national awards and early success, is facing backlash these days. She was not only arrogant but also manipulative; her approach was very arrogant and bogus. She grabbed all the limelight when Maharashtra state was going through a COVID crisis. She may call herself “the greatest artist of all time in Hindi films,” but that doesn’t seem to translate into the box office, as her latest release, Tejas, is turning out to be her 11th flop in a row.

People are getting amused with her social media posts and appearances but they refuse to see her movies, which are either agenda driven or show content bankruptcy.

Kangana undergoes an “identity crisis,” and that’s clearly reflected as flops in her career. Every actor undergoes this phase where they shift gears from their “comfort zone” and experiment with new genres. A few move away from romance and venture action, and some move from character roles towards masala flicks. But Kangana has indulged in political propaganda and most of the recent movies are to suit the interests of the BJP. Her upcoming movie on Indira Gandhi is also going to be a super-duper flop because the subject is hammered again and again by PM Modi in many of his electoral speeches. The BJP IT cell has addressed the issue of emergency several times. There won’t be something new to watch in the movie. Earlier, there were several movies on this subject but hardly any buyers.

Moreover, if she makes a movie to influence voters in that case, she is again mistaken because those voters who are against Gandhi are not going to vote for Congress in any case, and those who are Congress loyalists will definitely not get impressed with this movie stunt. God only knows why she is running her career.

There is no doubt that she was a great actor and a talented show stealer during her initial days. She can pull out complex roles in a convincing manner – as in ‘Gangster‘ and ‘Fashion‘. She had her share of struggle in the industry but it was not as harsh as she romanticizes. She is living a “double life” – the one she wants to be and the one she is. If you watch her interviews in the initial days, there was so much clarity and confidence in her answers, but these days, short of words, she keeps wandering away from the topic and isn’t able to focus on the answer. She struggles to answer simple questions. Or she creates controversy by spitting venom. People are tired of her using this tactic. She looks opportunist; she was using the Sushant Singh case all along to settle scores with Karan Johar and Khan’s of the industry. She thinks she’s the only good actor in the industry and openly criticizes other actors. She’s very obnoxious. I don’t think I need to remind you about the Hrithik episode; she tried so hard to harass that poor guy. And at the end, she exposed her own lies; now everyone knows the truth. She makes silly statements, like if you don’t give me a national award for my film, then your credibility is in question. Seriously, that is so desperate.

Her sister, Rangoli, is equally horrible. She attacked Sonam Kapoor viciously, calling her a terrible actress, just because Sonam said that everything Kangana says cannot be trusted, but she had also supported Kangana. She attacked Alia Bhatt for not attending the screening of Manikarnika, but when Alia apologized, she attacked her again. She called her Karan Johar’s puppet, and a lot more, even after Alia said she didn’t hate Kangana and it was just a misunderstanding. After this, Alia acted maturely. Alia refused to give any comment and said she would talk to Kangana personally; she doesn’t want the whole world to know. If anybody says the slightest thing to Kangana, she reacts to it. The first rule of being a celebrity is not reacting to negative comments, because hate is inevitable. But Kangana cannot ignore anything. Shabana Asmi, who is a veteran actress, was accused by Kangana of being ‘anti-national’. Her career is not even half of what Shabana’s is.

Those viewers who once loved this queen of screens now ignore her; they don’t take her and the movies acted and produced by her seriously. She has lost her sheen after joining propaganda politics. Her recent film Tejas failed to witness growth in its opening weekend, with numbers even decreasing compared to the release day. She has forgotten that she is an actress and not a propaganda shop; if she keeps beating around the bush, then in that case, politics would be the only option left and she will not have much to gain there. She is a good actress; she should stay balanced and engaged in her work. There is nothing wrong with taking a political stand. The class she wants to please with her political stand is not the audience of her films. A good actor became a victim of her own social ignorance. A good actor who always keeps a low profile but his work speaks loud, Vikrant Massey’s ‘12th Fail‘ is leading at box office. Kangana Ranaut has not been able to find success with her films. Her film Tejas has become the actress’ 11th consecutive flop in the last 8 years.

Her last hit film was Tanu Weds Manu, which was released in 2015. Since then, she has had a series of flops like I Love NY, Katti Batti, Rangoon, Simran, Manikarnika: The Queen of Jhansi, Judgemental Hai Kiya, Panga, Thalaivii, Dhaakad, and Chandramukhi 2.

Kangana went overboard with the craft, which made her screen presence unpleasant. In fact, the director was so focused on Kangana that he underutilized talented actors like Ashish Vidyarthi, Anshul Chauhan, and others. The film’s plot of Tejas was far from reality and it looked like the makers opted for an unrealistic approach. There was no relevance or resonance to the current scenario of the Indian Air Force officers. The scenes were not connected properly, which made the narrative a bumpy ride for the cafe-goers. One of the biggest letdowns of the film was the poor VFX. If the makers had done a decent job in this department, it would have made a huge difference. The scene of the battle between fighter planes, which was a crucial part, looks very amateurish and bad.

Kangana still has time to retrospect and reason about how she can remain one of the most beloved actors in Bollywood. Or else she will end up establishing her identity as a propaganda queen.


Indefinite suspension: SC asks AAP MP Raghav Chadha to tender unconditional apology to RS chairperson

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Indefinite suspension: SC asks AAP MP Raghav Chadha to tender unconditional apology to RS chairperson 14

The Supreme Court on Friday asked suspended AAP lawmaker Raghav Chadha to tender an unconditional apology to Rajya Sabha chairperson Jagdeep Dhankhar on the select committee issue and hoped that he would take a “sympathetic” view of the matter.

A bench comprising Chief Justice D Y Chandrachud and justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra asked Attorney General R Venkataramani to apprise it of the developments in the matter after the Diwali vacation.

The CJI said the lawmaker will have to meet the Rajya Sabha chairperson to tender an unconditional apology on the issue. The vice president, in turn, may take a sympathetic view of the entire matter and take further steps in this regard.

Chadha has been under suspension since August 11 after some MPs, a majority from the ruling BJP, accused him of adding their names to a motion without their consent. The motion sought the constitution of a select committee to examine the contentious Delhi Services Bill.

It was alleged that the Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab had moved a motion to refer the Delhi Services Bill to the select committee.

He had allegedly named some lawmakers as members of the proposed committee and it was claimed that some of the MPs had not given their consent to it.

Taking note of the complaint, the chairman suspended Chadha, pending an inquiry by the Committee of Privileges.

Ladakh has become ‘pure Aryan sperm’ factory

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AI-Generated Image / Representative Purpose Only

India is known for Bollywood tourism, nature tourism, business tourism, entertainment tourism, and health tourism, and now it is also known for sex and pregnancy tourism. Brown men are famous for the quality of their sperm. In the high mountains of Ladakh Close to the bank of the Indus River, near the Line of Control in Kashmir, there are some small Himalayan villages. These villages are populated with a tribe called Brokpa, who are believed to be the only pure Aryan race. And women from different countries come to these villages just to get permeated by pure Aryans and go back to their country with the sperm of the pure Aryan race.

The Aryan men are regarded as the most handsome men. They are tall, have blue eyes, blonde hair, superior intelligence, and live with high values. Dah, Hano, Darchik, and Garkon are the four famous villages for pregnancy tourism. The Brokpa also have blue eyes and lighter skin, and they stand taller than residents of adjacent areas. They are believed to be the pure bloodline of the Aryans and there is a myth that they have genetic linkage to the members of Alexander’s army who stayed back. Unlike the majority of the Ladakhis with Tibeto-Mongol looks, the Brokpas have Indo-Aryan features.

During the invasion of India by Alexander the Great in the seventh century, many of Alexander’s men are believed to have remained in the Indus Valley after he left. Unfortunately, there is no legitimacy to their claim of being a pure Aryan race. Neither DNA or genetic testing nor any scientific measures were taken to authenticate their claims. They claim to be pure Aryans just on the basis of their physical appearance and some inherited stories, folklore, and myths about their being pure Aryans.

The 1800-strong Brokpa community has preserved their way of life and genetic uniqueness using strong social authorizations and rulebooks. They take pride in their ancestors and genetic exclusivity. There are online agents who arrange this tour for women who want to get pregnant. The interested woman is provided with the pictures and credentials of eligible men. There are price differences depending on the looks and appearance of the man, and most of the women also take hospital help for sperm donation. When foreign women arrive in a particular city, they indulge with local men in hotel rooms and get pregnant. Earlier, there was no such craze for these men but with the advancement of the internet, Brokpa community men came into the limelight. There was a documentary of German women coming to the villages of Ladakh that grabbed all attention. German women went to the Brokpa villages for ‘pure Aryan seeds’; she paid the men to receive sperm.

In 2007, filmmaker Sanjeev Sivan’s 30-minute documentary “Achtung Baby: In Search of Purity” was another attention-seeking sensation. A German woman confesses on camera in the documentary that she has come to Ladakh in search of ‘pure Aryan sperm. Then foreigners were not allowed to enter the village easily. In the documentary, that woman tells her story of traveling so far to give birth to an Aryan child. A babymoon is an excellent time for expecting parents to reconnect and relax before a new baby arrives. So, whether you’re able to get away for a few days or longer, check your budget to see what kind of pre-baby vacation happens before your due date.

Ladakh’s village, where European women come to India, chooses the man of their choice and stays with him until they get pregnant after conception. Local women take it as business because their men are paid heavily for making that foreign woman pregnant. In a way, this has become their source of income. Foreign women believe in these men for pure sex and receiving sperm until they conceive. Once the lady becomes pregnant, she returns to her country. These days, many single mothers from India are also visiting Ladak in search of pure seeds. In India, surrogacy is on the rise; on the other hand, sperm donation is also a big market but Ladak has its own uniqueness for pregnancy tourism.

Initially, the Brokpas men used to impregnate the ladies coming from foreign countries. Later, they started charging a hefty amount from them for their services, which kicked off a small-scale tourism industry. Women started coming to Leh to get impregnated by the Brokpas men. The population of the Brokpas tribe is just 4000 around the world, while the Leh region alone has a population of 1900. One pregnancy costs lakhs of rupees for women; the men charge somewhere around 4 lakhs to 6 lakhs, depending on the duration of the conceive. The tourism agents exploit these men by taking handsome commissions. This business is flourishing in Ladakh and now there is advance booking for it.

Ladakh was established as a union territory of India on October 31, 2019, following the passage of the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act. Prior to that, it was part of Jammu and Kashmir. Ladakh is both the largest and the second-least populous union territory in India. On February 8, 2019, Ladakh became a separate Revenue and Administrative Division within Jammu and Kashmir, having previously been part of the Kashmir Division. As a division, Ladakh was granted its own Divisional Commissioner and Inspector General of Police.

Kerala govt moves SC against Governor Arif Mohammad Khan over inaction on Bills

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Kerala govt moves SC against Governor Arif Mohammad Khan over inaction on Bills 17

The Kerala government has moved a writ petition in the Supreme Court against Governor Arif Mohammad Khan for alleged inaction on his part on eight bills passed by the state legislature and presented to the Governor for his assent under Article 200 of the Constitution. With this, Arif Mohammed Khan will be the third governor to face similar petitions in the top court alleging delays in the clearing of bills, after Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi and Punjab’s Governor Banwarilal Purohit.

As per the petition, three bills have been pending before the Governor for more than two years. “The conduct of the governor as would presently be demonstrated threatens to defeat and subvert the very fundamentals and basic foundations of our constitution, including the rule of law and democratic good governance, apart from defeating the rights of the people of the state to the welfare measures sought to be implemented through the Bills”, the petition read.

The Pending Bills include the University Laws Amendment Bill (1st amendment) 2021 Bill No. 50, the University Laws Amendment Bill (1st amendment) 2021 Bill No. 54, the University Laws Amendment Bill (2nd amendment) 2021, the Kerala Co-operative Societies Amendment Bill 2022, the University Laws Amendment Bill 2022, the Kerala Lokayukta Amendment Bill 2022, the University Laws Amendment Bill 2022 and the Public Health Bill 2021. Earlier, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan pointed out, “As per the constitution, the Governor cannot unnecessarily delay the bills sent to him after the Assembly passes them.”

Following this, Governor Arif Mohammed Khan raised concerns that CM Vijayan does not regularly provide updates on government activities, which he says is the constitutional duty of the Chief Minister. In a similar move, the Tamil Nadu government had earlier moved the top court, accusing Governor RN Ravi of obstructing the Legislative Assembly from carrying out its duties.

In its petition, the state government alleged that the governor has not only kept multiple bills pending but has also not sanctioned the investigation and prosecution in several corruption cases. Also, the Punjab government moved the Supreme Court against Governor Banwarilal Purohit for withholding his approval of bills.

However, following this, Governor Purohit on Tuesday gave his assent to two bills, including the Punjab Goods and Services Tax (Amendment) Bill, 2023, and the Indian Stamp (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2023.

Notice sent to Apple, CERT-In has started probe: IT Secretary on hacking attempt alert issue

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Notice sent to Apple, CERT-In has started probe: IT Secretary on hacking attempt alert issue 19

CERT-In has started its probe into the Apple threat notification issue raised by opposition MPs, and a notice has been sent to the company, IT Secretary S Krishnan said on Thursday.

He hoped that Apple would cooperate with the investigation by CERT-In on the issue.

”CERT-In has started its probe… They (Apple) will cooperate in this probe,” Krishnan told reporters on the sidelines of an event related to the Meity-NSF research collaboration.

The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team or CERT-In, is the national nodal agency for responding to computer security incidents as and when they occur.

Asked if a notice had been sent to Apple, the IT secretary answered in the affirmative.

Several opposition leaders on Tuesday claimed they had received an alert from Apple warning them of ”state-sponsored attackers trying to remotely compromise” their iPhones and alleged hacking by the government, a charge IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw rejected but assured a thorough probe.

Those who received such notifications included Congress chief Mallikarjun Kharge, party leaders Shashi Tharoor, Pawan Khera, K C Venugopal, Supriya Shrinate, T S Singhdeo and Bhupinder S Hooda; Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra, CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury and SP chief Akhilesh Yadav.