Hyderabad, Sep 13 (IANS) Jennifer Larson is the new Consul General of the US in Hyderabad.
She previously served as Deputy Principal Officer at the US Consulate General in Mumbai and as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for India.
“I couldn’t be more excited to be here in Hyderabad. I’ve spent the last five years working on the US-India relationship from Mumbai and Washington. Now I’m honored to have the opportunity to expand our partnership in Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha,” she said.
“From joint military exercises and business ties to cultural exchanges and higher education, the US-India relationship is only growing broader and deeper in Hyderabad.”
Jennifer Larson new US Consul General in Hyderabad.
According to a statement from the Consulate General, Larson brings 19 years of diplomatic experience with her to Hyderabad.
She most recently served as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary for India in Washington, where she supported the Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs in formulating and implementing US-India policy.
In that capacity, she spoke at “A Roadmap for Indo-Pacific Regional Cooperation in a Post-Covid 19 World Order,” an international conference organised by the Indian School of Business in Hyderabad in March.
Larson was most recently overseas as Deputy Principal Officer at the US Consulate General in Mumbai from 2016-2020, the second-highest ranking official in the consulate.
In addition to serving as spokesperson in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs in Washington, D.C., she has also served in Libya, Pakistan, France, Sudan, Jerusalem, and Lebanon.
Before joining the Foreign Service, Consul General Larson worked for National Public Radio’s San Francisco affiliate as a talk show producer.
She completed her undergraduate and graduate work at the University of California, Berkeley in Comparative Literature (Arabic, Spanish and French) and Middle East Studies.
Starting twice daily flushing of the mucus-lined nasal cavity with a mild saline solution soon after testing positive for COVID-19 can significantly reduce hospitalization and death, investigators report.
They say the technique that can be used at home by mixing a half teaspoon each of salt and baking soda in a cup of boiled or distilled water then putting it into a sinus rinse bottle is a safe, effective and inexpensive way to reduce the risk of severe illness and death from coronavirus infection that could have a vital public health impact.
“What we say in the emergency room and surgery is the solution to pollution is dilution,” says Dr. Amy Baxter, emergency medicine physician at the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University
“By giving extra hydration to your sinuses, it makes them function better.
If you have a contaminant, the more you flush it out, the better you are able to get rid of dirt, viruses and anything else,” says Baxter.
“We found an 8.5-fold reduction in hospitalizations and no fatalities compared to our controls,” says senior author Dr. Richard Schwartz, chair of the MCG Department of Emergency Medicine. “Both of those are pretty significant endpoints.”
Drs. Richard Schwartz and Amy Baxter/Photo:Medical College of Georgia
The study appears to be the largest, prospective clinical trial of its kind and the older, high-risk population they studied — many of whom had preexisting conditions like obesity and hypertension — may benefit most from the easy, inexpensive practice, the investigators say.
They found that less than 1.3% of the 79 study subjects age 55 and older who enrolled within 24-hours of testing positive for COVID-19 between Sept. 24 and Dec. 21, 2020, experienced hospitalization. No one died.
Among the participants, who were treated at MCG and the AU Health System and followed for 28 days, one participant was admitted to the hospital and another went to the emergency room but was not admitted.
Schwartz says Baxter brought him the idea early in the pandemic and he liked that it was inexpensive, easy to use and could potentially impact millions at a time where, like other health care facilities, the Emergency Department of the AU Health System was starting to see a lot of SARS-CoV-2-positive patients.
They knew that the more virus that was present in your body, the worse the impact, Baxter says. “One of our thoughts was: If we can rinse out some of the virus within 24 hours of them testing positive, then maybe we can lower the severity of that whole trajectory,” she says, including reducing the likelihood the virus could get into the lungs, where it was doing permanent, often lethal damage to many.
Covid/commons.wikimedia.org
Additionally, the now-infamous spiky SARS-CoV-2 is known to attach to the ACE2 receptor, which is pervasive throughout the body and in abundance in locations like the nasal cavity, mouth and lungs. Drugs that interfere with the virus’ ability to attach to ACE2 have been pursued, and Baxter says the nasal irrigation with saline helps decrease the usual robust attachment. Saline appears to inhibit the virus’ ability to essentially make two cuts in itself, called furin cleavage, so it can better fit into an ACE2 receptor once it spots one.
Participants self-administered nasal irrigation using either povidone-iodine, that brown antiseptic that gets painted on your body before surgery, or sodium bicarbonate, or baking soda, which is often used as a cleanser, mixed with water that had the same salt concentration normally found in the body.
But their experience indicates the saline solution alone sufficed. “It’s really just the rinsing and the quantity that matter,” Baxter says.
The investigators also wanted to know any impact on symptom severity, like chills and loss of taste and smell. Twenty-three of the 29 participants who consistently irrigated twice daily had zero or one symptom at the end of two weeks compared to 14 of the 33 who were less diligent.
Those who completed nasal irrigation twice daily reported quicker resolution of symptoms regardless of which of two common antiseptics they were adding to the saline water.
Others have shown the nasal irrigation, also called lavage, can also be effective in reducing duration and severity of infection by a family of viruses that include the coronaviruses, which are also known to cause the common cold, as well as the influenza viruses, the investigators write. “SARS-CoV-2 infection was another perfect situation for it,” Baxter says.
In fact, nasal irrigation is something that has been done for millennia in Southeast Asia, and Baxter had noted lower death rates from COVID-19 in countries like Laos, Vietnam and Thailand. “Those were places that I knew from having been there where they use nasal irrigation as a normal part of hygiene just like brushing their teeth,” she says. A 2019 pre-COVID study provided evidence that regular nasal irrigation in Thailand can improve nasal congestion, decrease postnasal drip, improve sinus pain or headache, improve taste and smell and improve sleep quality.
Saline water
Schwartz said the simplicity and safety of the treatment had him recommending nasal irrigation to positive patients early on and the published results make him even more confident in recommending nasal irrigation to essentially anyone who tests positive.
“Many of the people who have been using this now for months have told me their seasonal allergies have gone away, that it really makes a huge difference in any of the things that go through the nose that are annoying.”
A study released in September 2020 indicated that gargling with a saline-based solution can reduce viral load in COVID-19, and another released in 2021 suggested that saline works multiple ways to reduce cold symptoms related to infection with other coronaviruses and might work as well as a first-line intervention for COVID-19.
Despite the two nostrils, the nasal sinus is just one cavity, so the water is pushed into one side and comes out the other, Baxter notes.
Beating the blues with food? A new study adds evidence that meal timing may affect mental health, including levels of depression- and anxiety-related mood. Investigators from Brigham and Women’s Hospital, a founding member of the Mass General Brigham healthcare system, designed a study that simulated night work and then tested the effects of daytime and nighttime eating versus daytime eating only. The team found that, among participants in the daytime and nighttime eating group, depression-like mood levels increased by 26 percent and anxiety-like mood levels by 16 percent. Participants in the daytime-only eating group did not experience this increase, suggesting that meal timing may influence mood vulnerability. Results are published in theProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
“Our findings provide evidence for the timing of food intake as a novel strategy to potentially minimize mood vulnerability in individuals experiencing circadian misalignment, such as people engaged in shift work, experiencing jet lag, or suffering from circadian rhythm disorders,” said co-corresponding author Frank A. J. L. Scheer, PhD, Director of the Medical Chronobiology Program in the Brigham’s Division of Sleep and Circadian Disorders. “Future studies in shift workers and clinical populations are required to firmly establish if changes in meal timing can prevent their increased mood vulnerability. Until then, our study brings a new ‘player’ to the table: the timing of food intake matters for our mood.”
Shift workers account for up to 20 percent of the workforce in industrial societies and are directly responsible for many hospital services, factory work, and other essential services. Shift workers often experience a misalignment between their central circadian clock in the brain and daily behaviors, such as sleep/wake and fasting/eating cycles. Importantly, they also have a 25 to 40 percent higher risk of depression and anxiety.
Eating/Photo:en.wikipedia.org
“Shift workers — as well as individuals experiencing circadian disruption, including jet lag — may benefit from our meal timing intervention,” said co-corresponding author Sarah L. Chellappa, MD, PhD, who completed work on this project while at the Brigham.“Our findings open the door for a novel sleep/circadian behavioral strategy that might also benefit individuals experiencing mental health disorders. Our study adds to a growing body of evidence finding that strategies that optimize sleep and circadian rhythms may help promote mental health.”
To conduct the study, Scheer, Chellappa, and colleagues enrolled 19 participants (12 men and 7 women) for a randomized controlled study. Participants underwent a Forced Desynchrony protocol in dim light for four 28-hour “days,” such that by the fourth “day” their behavioral cycles were inverted by 12 hours, simulating night work and causing circadian misalignment. Participants were randomly assigned to one of two meal timing groups: the Daytime and Nighttime Meal Control Group, which had meals according to a 28-hour cycle (resulting in eating both during the night and day, which is typical among night workers), and the Daytime-Only Meal Intervention Group, which had meals on a 24-hour cycle (resulting in eating only during the day). The team assessed depression- and anxiety-like mood levels every hour.
food
The team found that meal timing significantly affected the participants’ mood levels. During the simulated night shift (day 4), those in the Daytime and Nighttime Meal Control Group had increased depression-like mood levels and anxiety-like mood levels, compared to baseline (day 1). In contrast, there were no changes in mood in the Daytime Meal Intervention Group during the simulated night shift. Participants with a greater degree of circadian misalignment experienced more depression– and anxiety-like mood.
“Meal timing is emerging as an important aspect of nutrition that may influence physical health,” said Chellappa. “But the causal role of the timing of food intake on mental health remains to be tested. Future studies are required to establish if changes in meal timing can help individuals experiencing depressive and anxiety/anxiety-related disorders.”
Belagavi (Karnataka), Sep 13 (IANS) Police in Karnataka on Tuesday arrested a man for firing at his wife after she refused to go with him from her parents’ home in Belagavi district’s Athani town.
The man, identified as Shivananda of Sindhagi in Vijayapura district, was arrested following a complaint lodged by his wife who escaped unhurt in the incident.
According to the police, the woman left the accused three months ago in the backdrop of his extra-marital affair.
Shivananda had pleaded her to return on many occasions.
Arrested
The accused then went to her parents’ residence and threatened to kill her if she did not return to him and then commit suicide.
Before anyone could realise what was happening, Shivananda took out his licensed pistol and opened fire.
Later, he was overpowered and handed over to the police.
A Canadian police officer was killed and a suspect is in custody following two daylight shootings in Toronto, local media reported.
Police said on Twitter that a suspect has been located and is in police custody, reports Xinhua news agency.
One person has been pronounced deceased at the scene and two others have been transported to hospital, the police said.
Multiple sources have confirmed that the victim of the fatal shooting is a Toronto police officer, according to the media reports.
Police officers are seen at the scene investigating on the double shootings in Mississauga, the Greater Toronto Area, Canada, on Sept. 12, 2022.
The police issued a public alert about an active shooter on Monday afternoon and said that they were searching for a suspect who was “armed and dangerous”.
The police are investigating the shootings and there is no word yet as to what led to the shootings, said the media reports.
Tourism in Hungary has bounced back to the pre-pandemic level, with 16.4 million guest nights registered this summer, the Hungarian Tourism Agency (MTU) said.
This is the same level as the summer of 2019, Xinhua news agency quoted the MTU as saying.
MTU welcomed the fact that domestic tourism has maintained its momentum in recent years.
“About 10.5 million of the guest nights were spent by domestic visitors in accommodation facilities, which is 12 per cent more than the data for the summer of 2019,” it said.
Hungary was able to welcome 2.5 times more international visitors this summer than in the summer of 2021, MTU added.
Hungary: People wearing face masks are seen on the elevator of a subway station in Budapest
In 2021, the proportion of foreign visitors was 20 per cent in the three summer months (June, July and August).
Meanwhile, this year it rose to 36 per cent, accounting for nearly 6 million international guest nights.
The famous Lake Balaton retained its title as the number one destination, with more than 5.4 million guests staying there, accounting for 41 per cent of total rural accommodation turnover.
The largest proportion of guests in the countryside were Hungarian (75 per cent of total guests), while in Budapest, 83 per cent of total guests this summer were foreign tourists.
Covid/commons.wikimedia.org
The largest numbers of tourists visiting Budapest came from the UK, Germany, the US, Israel, Italy and the Netherlands.
MTU also said that the general hotel-room occupancy rate stood at 60 per cent nationally during the three summer months.
New Delhi, Sep 13 (IANS) India has listed its priorities ahead of assuming the G20 Presidency for a year from December 1, 2022 to November 30, 2023.
In a statement on Tuesday, the Ministry of External Affairs said: “Our G20 priorities are in the process of being firmed up, ongoing conversations inter alia revolve around:
Inclusive, equitable and sustainable growth;
LiFE (Lifestyle For Environment);
women’s empowerment;
digital public infrastructure and tech-enabled development in areas ranging from health, agriculture and education to commerce,
skill-mapping,
culture and tourism;
climate financing;
circular economy;
global food security;
energy security;
green hydrogen;
disaster risk reduction and resilience;
developmental cooperation;
fight against economic crime; and multilateral reforms”.
Under the role, India is expected to host over 200 G20 meetings across the country, beginning from this December.
The G20 Leaders’ Summit at the level of Heads of State Government is scheduled to be held on September 9-10, 2023 in New Delhi, said the Ministry statement.
The G20 is an inter-governmental forum of the world’s major developed and developing economies.
G20 comprises 20 countries — India, Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US — and the European Union (EU).
Collectively, the G20 accounts for 85 per cent of the global GDP, 75 per cent of international trade and two-thirds of the world population, making it the premier forum for international economic cooperation.
G20 flags
India is part of the G20 Troika (current, previous and incoming G20 Presidencies), which includes Indonesia and Italy.
“During our Presidency, India, Indonesia and Brazil would form the Troika. This would be the first time when the Troika would consist of three developing countries and emerging economies, providing them a greater voice,” the statement said.
The G20 currently comprises Finance Track, with eight workstreams (Global Macroeconomic Policies, Infrastructure Financing, International Financial Architecture, Sustainable Finance, Financial Inclusion, Health Finance, International Taxation, Financial Sector Reforms)
Sherpa Track, with 12 workstreams — Anti-corruption, Agriculture, Culture, Development, Digital Economy, Employment, Environment and Climate, Education, Energy Transition, Health, Trade and Investment, Tourism.
Ten Engagement Groups of private sector/civil society/independent bodies (Business 20, Civil 20, Labour 20, Parliament 20, Science 20, Supreme Audit Institutions 20, Think 20, Urban 20, Women 20 and Youth 20).
In addition to G20 members, there has been a tradition of the G20 Presidency inviting some guest countries and international organizations to its meetings and summit.
Accordingly, in addition to regular international organizations (UN, IMF, World Bank, WHO, WTO, ILO, FSB and OECD) and Chairs of Regional Organizations (AU, AUDA-NEPAD and ASEAN).
India, as G20 Presidency, will be inviting Bangladesh, Egypt, Mauritius, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Oman, Singapore, Spain and UAE as guest countries, as well as the International Solar Alliance, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure and the Asian Development Bank as guest international organizations.
The Karnataka Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) has busted a gang of wildlife poachers, including a software professional, authorities said on Tuesday.
The arrested were identified as Byatappa Gowda, a resident of Arehalli in Tumakuru district; Vaishak from Kadehalli; and Charan, the software professional, from Bengaluru.
According to the CID Forest Cell wing, the accused were involved in poaching rabbits and wild boars.
Recently, Byatappa and Vaishak had shot a leopard and attempted to sell the animal’s nails, skin and jaws through accused Charan.
Arrested
CID officers, posing as religious seers, first approached the accused techie, and nabbed him. The other managed to escape initially, but they were tracked and arrested later.
The accused were arrested in Sri Ranganatha hill in Tumakuru district, where they had laid a trap for rabbits and wild boars.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee’s announcement about a proposed fresh investment by Tata Group at Raninagar in Jalpaiguri district was just a “slip of the tongue” on her part, state Chief Secretary H.K.Dwivedi has said.
On Monday afternoon, while addressing an event to hand over appointment letters to various beneficiaries under “Utkarsh Bangla,” a skill development scheme of the state government, the chief minister said that she is happy that the Tata Group will be investing Rs 600 crore at Japiguri’s Raninagar.
However, she did not divulge any further details on this count like the sector where the investment will take place or the time by when the investment will be made. On the other hand, there was neither any confirmation nor denial from Tata Group on this count.
Soon after, speculations started doing rounds prompting Chief Secretary Dwivedi to step in to set the records straight. “The chief minister did not intend to mean Tata Group. Actually, the investment at Jalpaiguri is by Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages,” the chief secretary explained.
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee
At the same time, the West Bengal state secretariat of Nabanna issued a statement detailing the investment by Hindustan Coca-Cola Beverages at Raninagar in Jalpaiguri, the virtual inauguration of which was done by the chief minister herself on Monday from Kolkata.
The greenfield vertical unit built over Rs 6.9 acres of land and is meant for manufacturing juice and sparkling soft- drink items, has attracted a total investment of Rs 660 crore.
The unit will employ 100 individuals directly, while another 150 individuals will get indirect employment.
To recall, the Tata Group chairman, Ratan Tata announced the pull-out of Tata Motors’ small car, Nano factory from Singur in Hooghly district in West Bengal in October 2008 citing disruptive movement of Trinamool Congress, as the-then principal opposition party against the land acquisition for the project. Gujarat’s Sanand became the new destination of the Nano factory.
Since then, fresh investments by Tata Group in the state have just remained an illusion, even after 2011, when the 34-year-old Left Front regime collapsed in the state making way for the entry of Trinamool Congress regime with Mamata Banerjee at the helm.
An eight-month-old infant in Uttar Pradesh’s Bareilly district died after the battery of a mobile phone kept next to her on charging mode exploded, police said.
The phone, purchased nearly six months ago, already had a swollen battery plugged into a switch connected to a solar panel.
Kusum Kashyap, mother of the baby Neha, was not in the room at the time of the explosion.
Battery exploded
She rushed in after hearing a loud noise and cries for help from her other daughter Nandini.
The baby had suffered serious burn injuries and died during treatment in the hospital.
Police said no complaint had been lodged so far but it was a case of negligence by the parents.
The father of the child, Suneel Kumar Kashyap, 30, is a labourer and lives in an under-construction house without a power connection. His family uses a solar plate and a battery for lighting and charging mobile phones.
Seven persons were killed and several others injured in a fire that broke out in an e-bike showroom, which spread to a lodge on the upper floor in Secunderabad, police said.
The incident took place on Monday evening.
Hyderabad Police Commissioner C. V. Anand said that seven deaths were reported.
Those injured were shifted to the Gandhi and Yashoda hospitals.
Two fire tenders were battling to control the fire but the cause of the fire was not known. Many e-bikes were gutted in the fire.
Fire in Hyderabad e-bike showroom
According to eyewitnesses, heavy smoke engulfed Ruby lodge on the upper floor of the building after the fire broke out in the showroom on the ground floor. The Fire personnel managed to rescue nine persons.
The incident sent panic in the building. Some of the guests reportedly jumped out of windows to save themselves.
State Animal Husbandry Minister, T. Srinivas Yadav rushed to the spot and was monitoring the rescue and relief operation.
Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) supremo and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, who was in Gujarat on Monday to campaign for the upcoming Assembly elections, kept his promise made to an auto rickshaw driver of having dinner at his home in Ahmedabad.
During a meeting with auto drivers earlier in the day, Vikram Dantani had requested Kejriwal to have dinner at his place. Accordingly, Kejriwal, accompanied by Gujarat AAP leaders Isudan Ghadvi, Gopal Italia and Indranil Rajyaguru, went to Dantani’s house to have dinner on Monday evening.
“In Ahmedabad, auto driver Vikrambhai Dantani lovingly took me home for dinner, introduced me to the whole family, and treated me with delicious food with great respect. Heartfelt thanks to Vikrambhai and all the auto driver brothers of Gujarat for this immense affection,” Kejriwal tweeted.
Kolkata, Sep 12 (IANS) West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday afternoon claimed that Tata Group will invest Rs 600 crore in Jalpaiguri district shortly.
Although she made this claim at an event to hand over appointment letters to various beneficiaries under ‘Utkarsh Bangla’, a skill development scheme of the state government on Monday afternoon, she did not divulge any further details on this count like the sector where the investment will take place or the time by when the investment will be made.
Till the time this report was filed, there was neither any confirmation nor any denial from the Tata Group on this count.
“We are happy that the Tata Group will be investing Rs 600 crore at Jalpaiguri’s Raninagar. The speciality of the project will be 66 per cent of the women employed there will be women. During the last one year, 45,000 women from West Bengal have been directly absorbed at different places,” the chief minister said.
To recall, in 2006, immediately after the seventh Left Front government came to power in West Bengal with Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee as the chief minister, Tata Motors announced setting up of its small car, Nano factory at Singur in Hooghly district in West Bengal. However, Trinamool Congress under the leadership of Mamata Banerjee started a massive movement against the project alleging forceful land acquisition by the state government for the project.
Finally in October 2008, the Tata Group chairman, Ratan Tata announced pulling out of Singur. Gujarat’s Sanand became the new destination for the Nano factory.
“I think some time back I mentioned that if somebody puts a gun to my head, you will pull the trigger or you take the gun away because I will not move my head. I think Ms Banerjee has pulled the trigger,” Ratan Tata said in October 2008 while announcing the pull-out of the Nano factory from Singur.
After that in 2011, the 34-year-old Left Front regime ended in West Bengal making way for the entry of Trinamool Congress regime with Mamata Banerjee as the chief minister. Since then, fresh investments by Tata Group in West Bengal have just remained an illusion.
Soldiers with British accents have been filmed fighting in Ukrainian borders going by the footage at a time when the country is making stunning advances against Russian forces, Daily Mail reported.
The footage taken on GoPro cameras reportedly shows foreign legionaries fighting during Ukraine’s Kharkiv Oblast counter-offensive, which have made Krelim forces retreat, with intelligence experts hailing a ‘major turning point’ in the six-month war, the report said.
It has led to the recapture of several key towns in the east as Vladimir Putin’s forces fled in disarray. In a compilation of footage uploaded on social media, soldiers with British accents can be heard speaking to one another while wearing blue armbands to identify themselves as Ukrainian forces.
One clip appears to show soldiers moving POWs through a compound, while others show soldiers hurling grenades, running to take cover, and climbing through windows. Ukraine said that its forces had recaptured more than 1,158 square miles (3,000 square kilometres) this month from Russian troops.
Soldiers with British accents filmed fighting in Ukrainian colours
The counter-offensive centred on the country’s northeast is being led by Ukrainian general Valeriy Zaluzhny who said, “Since the beginning of September, more than 3,000 square kilometres have been returned to Ukrainian control… Around Kharkiv, we have begun to advance not only in the south and east, but also to the north. We are 50 kilometres (31 miles) from the border.”
The speed of Ukraine‘s advance, with photographs shared by Kyiv show them raising the Ukrainian flag in liberated towns after advancing more than 30 miles, has sparked Moscow fire the top general who was appointed just 16 days ago, Daily Mail reported.
Russian President Vladimir Putin is reported to have sacked Lieutenant General Roman Berdnikov, a top-ranking general just 16 days after appointing him following his crushing defeat in eastern Ukraine, media reports said.
The Russian President is thought to have relieved Lieutenant General Roman Berdnikov of his duties over the failure of Kremlin troops to keep hold of vast swathes of Ukrainian territory over the last few days, Daily Mail reported.
A counter-offensive by Ukrainian forces has seen troops push to within 30 miles of the border, amid reports that ‘panicked’ Russian troops have been abandoning tanks, weapons and supplies.
There have been claims from some sources that Russian soldiers have “literally ran from their positions”, even leaving behind their clothes as they ran away from the advancing Ukrainian army in the Kharkiv oblast in the north-east of the country, Daily Mail reported.
It came as Ukrainian soldiers surge into the east of the country in an effort that has seen them take more than 1,000 square miles of territory in a matter of days, in a period of time that could prove to be a turning point in the war.
The move came after a sustained Ukrainian’s disinformation campaign’ about a counter-offensive in the south, which succeeded in diverting Russian troops in that direction and leaving the north east vulnerable to attack, Daily Mail reported.
The main advance in the area began six days ago and has forced Moscow to withdraw its troops to prevent them being surrounded. Kremlin troops were reportedly running away without even attempting to fight back.
Appointed 16 days ago
According to the Main Directorate of Intelligence of the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine, Lt General Berdnikov was appointed as commander of the Western Armed Forces on August 26.
However, it seems his time in charge was short lived, with Ukrainian intelligence saying he has been sacked by Putin due to the rout in Kharkiv. This came after unconfirmed reports back in June that he had been killed during fighting in the Donbas region of Ukraine.
As Russian troops desperately scrambled to get clear from oncoming forces in recent days, one Ukrainian unit said the chain of command had been broken and Kremlin troops were running away without even attempting to fight back, Daily Mail reported. (IANS)
The owner and operator of a pornography production company, who is charged with sex trafficking and production of child pornography, now becomes one of the Ten Most Wanted Fugitives list of FBI and there is a reward of $100,000.
Michael James Pratt and his co-conspirators allegedly used internet advertisements, along with fake websites and email addresses, to recruit young women for modeling jobs. Only after the victims responded to the advertisements would Pratt and others disclose that they were actually seeking women for pornographic video shoots, according to charging documents.
Investigators say the women were promised that the videos were for a private collector overseas and that they would remain anonymous. Pratt and his partners allegedly hired other young women to falsely reassure reluctant participants that their images would never appear online.
But the videos were indeed posted online, and Pratt’s pornography websites, GirlsDoPorn and GirlsDoToys, made millions of dollars in revenue from the videos between approximately 2012 and 2019.
“Pratt has victimized hundreds of young women through the course of this conspiracy,” said Supervisory Special Agent Renee Green with the FBI’s San Diego Field Office. Pratt has ties to or may visit New Zealand, Australia, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, Singapore, Japan, Chile, Croatia, and France.One victim was under the age of 18 during her encounter with Pratt, according to court documents and investigators. Other victims reported being forced into sexual acts to which they did not consent, as well as being threatened and intimidated by Pratt and his partners when they learned their videos were posted to his websites and wanted them removed.
Michael James Pratt
Several of Pratt’s co-conspirators have faced justice for their roles in the scheme. The websites’ cameraman and its bookkeeper each pleaded guilty to trafficking charges in 2021. One of the websites’ lead recruiters and producers, Ruben Garcia, of San Diego, was sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role in the trafficking conspiracy.
Pratt’s alleged co-owner, Matthew Isaac Wolfe, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit sex trafficking by force, fraud, and coercion. Wolfe is scheduled to be sentenced in October 2022. Pratt is the only major player in the conspiracy who is still at large.
Pratt is 6 feet tall and weighs about 200 pounds. He has brown hair and hazel eyes, and speaks with the accent of his native New Zealand. In addition to his connection to New Zealand, Pratt has ties to Australia and the financial means to travel the world.
“We feel that there are people out there who have been helping Michael Pratt to hide,” Green said. “He has probably promised them the world—giving them money, buying them gifts in return for providing him a safe haven.” Green encouraged anyone who may be aiding Pratt to consider their own best interests—along with the interests of the many victims in this case—and come forward with information.
[To provide a tip or information about the whereabouts of Michael James Pratt, contact your local FBI office or the nearest American Embassy or Consulate. You can also call 1-800-CALL-FBI or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.]
New Delhi, Sep 11 (IANSlife) The skin on newborns is naturally smooth and silky. But because of its fragility, their skin is particularly prone to rashes and other skin conditions, especially in this climate. Since babies and toddlers spend the majority of their time indoors, parents frequently use careless items on their children’s skin, endangering the condition of their skin as a whole.
However, in this humid and ever-changing climate, it is crucial to take care of your baby’s skin. When choosing the appropriate skin-care products for their child, one must exercise extreme caution and only use items that have received clinical approval. Body lotion is the first item that springs to mind when discussing baby skincare items as a part of your baby’s grooming routine.
Picking the “perfect” baby body lotion among the many options currently offered on the market, the “right-after bath” basics, is in fact a difficult chore. However, we’ve got you covered by outlining the top five characteristics of a baby body lotion recommended by Cetaphil Baby.
infant-small child
* Paraben free
Compared to adult skin, a baby’s fragile skin absorbs and loses moisture far more quickly. As a result, the chemicals administered to their skin are more likely to be absorbed by the skin. Baby products with parabens, chemicals, or alcohol can damage a baby’s skin. Nobody would want to expose their little munchkin to harmful chemicals and that’s where paraben-free lotions come into play.
* Long-lasting hydration
At higher temperatures, skin loses its essential nutrients and moisture. Consequently, a baby’s skin tends to develop patches, rashes and itching. A hydrating body lotion helps retain moisture and keep the skin healthy and soft.
* Balanced pH level
The natural acid layer that protects your baby’s skin from external stress is supported by maintaining a pH balance of 5.5. It may become excessively dry and sensitive if that barrier is compromised, additionally environmental irritants in the monsoon can affect your baby’s skin. We keep hearing the importance of maintaining a balanced pH level in all spheres of body, so why ignore the pH levels when it comes to your baby’s skin? Having a balanced pH level is hence, the third must-have quality for your baby’s body lotion.
* Hypoallergenic
Gone are the days when consumers were driven by surface factors like the colour and scent of skincare products. When it comes to their babies, safe and healthy products should be the priority of parents. Hypoallergenic body lotions are often colour or fragrance-free and fulfill all the functions of a lotion along with ensuring a ‘no-chemical’ exposure to the skin.
* Enriched with Natural Ingredients
A good body lotion for your baby’s skin comes equipped with the most nourishing natural ingredients as they offer the finest, purest care to your baby’s skin. These ingredients range from Shea butter, Aloe Vera to almond oil and Calendula. For instance, Cetaphil Baby Daily Lotion with organic Calendula is rich in organic Calendula and natural oils that will soothe and nourish your baby’s sensitive skin all day long.
New Delhi, Sep 12 (IANS) The Union Food Ministry has directed its official canteens and meetings to serve millets in order to promote their consumption, in view of their health benefits.
Millets may be included as one of the snacks/biscuits made of millets, such as ragi biscuits/cookies/ladoos and baked millet chips etc. as snacks to be served in the meetings, it said.
Millet/ragi dosa, millet mix vada, millet mix puri and idli/ragi ladoo etc to be used in the canteens and as far as possible, locally available millet-based products should be used, it said.
The year 2023 will be celebrated as the International Year of Millets (IYoM). The Department of Food and Public Distribution has been actively promoting procurement/ consumption of millets in the country and utilisation of procured millets for distribution in the TPDS/ICDS/MDM Schemes.
The Ministry said that millets’ consumption confers several benefits and helps in managing life style diseases. Due to their high density of nutrients including vitamins, minerals, phyto chemicals and dietary fiber, millets are also excellent grains to alleviate malnutrition and micronutrient deficiency.
Port Moresby, Sep 12 (IANS) At least four people killed and several others seriously injured after a massive 7.6-magnitude earthquake hit Papua New Guinea (PNG), authorities said on Monday.
The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs’ regional branch in the Asia-Pacific said that among the fatalities were one in the Rai Coast district of the Madang province, and three in the town of Wau of the Morobe province, reports Xinhua news agency.
All were buried in landslides.
Some other people in Morobe were injured due to falling structures or debris, and there was damage reported to health centres, homes, rural roads and highways, according to the provincial disaster management agency.
The regional power grid, Internet cables, and the regional highway were damaged, but regional commercial airports have remained in operation, said the report.
Parts of the Highlands Highway, which connects the second largest city of Lae to the Highlands provinces, were damaged.
Areas along Markham and Ramu in Eastern Highlands were espeinjuredcially affected.
Local newspaper Post-Courier reported on Monday that many shops in Lae remained closed due to their stock being damaged.
PNG Prime Minister James Marape said that national and provincial disaster agencies had begun to assess the damage done to buildings and infrastructure such as roads and power supplies.
Marape said the estimated cost of the damage would not be known until at least Tuesday but assured the public that no expense would be spared to “restore our services and our people’s livelihoods”.
PNG is one of the world’s most geologically and seismically active areas and is usually hit with more than 100 earthquakes of magnitude 5 or greater each year.
Veteran Tollywood actor and former Union Minister U. V. Krishnam Raju was cremated with state honours near here on Monday.
Family members, friends, Tollywood celebrities and fans bid tearful adieu to Raju, who was popular as the ‘rebel’ star.
The last rites were performed in his farm house at Moinabad near Hyderabad.
Raju’s nephew ‘Bahubali’ star Prabhas, Jagapati Babu, and leaders of various political parties paid their last respects to Raju, who passed away on Sunday. Prabhas was seen assisting in the last rites.
Hyderabad:Veteran Tollywood actor Krishnam Raju dies at 83.
Earlier, Raju’s body was brought to Moinabad in a procession from his house at Jubilee Hills in Hyderabad.
As per the direction given by Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, authorities made arrangements for the cremation with state honours.
Police personnel presented a gun salute and opened fire in the air as a mark of respect to the departed soul.
Cyberabad police had made elaborate security arrangements for the funeral. Only those having permission from Raju’s family were allowed into the farm house.
Raju breathed his last at AIG Hospitals in Hyderabad on Sunday after prolonged illness. He was 83 and survived by wife and three daughters.
PM condoles demise of Veteran telugu actor, Krishnam Raju
In a career spanning 50 years, Krishnam Raju acted in more than 180 films.
Union Minister for Culture G. Kishan Reddy, Telangana minister K.T. Rama Rao, mega star Chiranjeevi, veteran actors Krishna, Murali Mohan, Mohan Babu, and Mahesh Babu were among those who paid their last respects to Raju on Sunday.
