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By Arul Louis
United Nations, May 17 (IANS) The UN said on Tuesday that "with many positives", India's economic growth this year is expected to hold at 5.8 per cent, affirming a series of international organisations' projections that the country will be the fastest-growing major economy.


The Midyear Update to the UN's World Economic Situation and Prospects report projected next year's gross domestic Product (GDP) to hold at 6.7 per cent "supported by resilient domestic demand".

Speaking at the release of the report, the chief of the UN's Global Economic Monitoring Branch, Hamid Rashid, said that India continues to be "the bright spot" in the world economy with "many positives, including [that] the inflation has come down significantly" to about 5.5 per cent.

"This means that there'll be significant room for both fiscal expansion and monetary accommodation, so that will support domestic demand," he said.

However, he said that there were external risks.

If the external financing conditioning deteriorates further and becomes much tighter, Rashid said, India would face some challenges, especially for exports.

As for India reaching even higher growth rates, he said it is "subject to quite a bit of uncertainty, especially in the external environment".

But he added, "We are pretty confident with our forecast right now for the year."

The report said that "financial conditions in the emerging economies with good credit ratings have generally remained relatively stable".

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) had last month projected India's GDP to grow at 5.9 per cent in the current fiscal while the World Bank (WB) pegged it at 6.3 per cent and the Asian Development Bank at 6.4 per cent, which are closer to India's Reserve Bank's 6.5 per cent.

But both the bigger international institutions cut the projections marginally from the earlier one - IMF by 0.2 per cent and the WB by 0.3 per cent.

The latest UN report cut the overall growth projects by 0.1 per cent for all of South Asia to 4.7 per cent this year and 5.8 per cent next year.

Inflation for the region as a whole is projected by the UN to be 11 per cent, 1.9 per cent lower than last year, it said.

The inflation rates for Pakistan and Sri Lanka are expected to be in the "double digits" due to the weakening of local currencies.

But India's inflation deceleration to 5.5 per cent would be the result as "global commodity prices moderate and slower currency appreciation reduces imported inflation", it said.

The report saw a sliver of silver lining in the global economy's growth prospects this year with an increase of 0.4 per cent from the January projection to 2.3 per cent, although the director of the Economic Analysis and Policy Division, Shantanu Mukherjee, warned that a "sombre" picture still holds.

He said that despite the increase, it is still below the average growth of 3.1 per cent in the two decades before the Covid pandemic and there is a risk of prolonged low growth.

The report projected global growth to increase to 2.5 per cent.

The global picture is buoyed in part by the increase in projections for the three largest economies in the world, the United States, the European Union and China, according to the report.

China, which is the second fastest-growing economy, had its growth prospects raised from January by 0.5 per cent to 5.3 per cent following the lifting of the Covid restrictions which led to a recovery of consumer spending and investments, the report said.

The report's US growth projection was increased by 0.7 per cent to 1.1 per cent, and the European Union's by 0.7 per cent to 0.9 per cent.

The report said that capital flows to developing countries "recovered, albeit with significant volatility, reversing the decline in the first half of 2022".

"Global financial markets have remained largely resilient despite the ongoing banking turmoil in the United States and Europe," it said.

Although the regulators managed to contain the turmoil of the collapse of the Silicon Valley Bank and the Signature Bank and the government seizure of the First Republic Bank for sale to JPMorgan Chase in the US and the Swiss government-brokered takeover of Credit Suisse by UBS, the report said that the developments showed "the potential of more systematic financial stability risks".

(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed at @arulouis)

--IANS
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Thiruvananthapuram, May 17 (IANS) The opposition Congress in Kerala on Tuesday and said very soon, they will bring out more corruption cases involving Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Speaking to the media at Kannur, Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan said the present corruption cases that they brought out include the K-Phone and the AI Camera scam.

"Vijayan is yet to utter a word and all know that he will not be able to do it because he is the one who is behind it. We are just waiting and we will soon come before you with damning scams that took place during the first Vijayan government (2016-21)," he said.

"You can take this from me, the time is not far when Vijayan will have to cover his head with a cloth to move out... Till now, there has been none who has contested about the documents we brought out about the scams in K-Phone and AI Camera," he added.

"On the second anniversary of the Vijayan government on May 20, we are going to lay a siege to the Secretariat - a protest that has not been witnessed before. We are also going to take the legal route in the AI camera scam where all the documents will be placed before the court," Satheesan said.

He said the government said they will soon come out with a report by the Industries Secretary on it but all their deadlines have got over, and the report is yet to surface.

--IANS
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Hyderabad, May 16 (IANS) Young actor Nikhil Siddhartha, whose much awaited movie 'Spy' is set to be released next month, said on Tuesday that he received an invitation to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah but he did not meet him as he wanted to stay away from politics ahead of the film's release.

He, however, thanked Amit Shah for inviting him.

'Spy' teaser released on Monday has created an excitement in the industry amid reports that the movie is about the mystery behind death of freedom fighter Netaji Subhash Chandrase Bose.

The teaser was launched by Nikhil and other members of the movie on Monday at the iconic Subhash Chandrase Bose statue at India Gate in New Delhi.

Ishwarya Menon, who has paired with Nikhil as the female lead, and other members of the cast of pan-India movie were present during the launch.

Nikhil clarified that the stories of Kalyan Ram's upcoming movie Devil and Spy are different. He revealed that only after the release of Spy teaser, they came to know that Kalyam Ram's film is also about Subhash Chandra Bose.

"We did not speak to them. There is no relation between the two movies," he said. Nikhil also clarified that he does not have links with any political party.

"I have no flag or agenda. This movie has been made with honesty. I took training like a real RAW agent. I have not made this movie in support of any party. I am doing this movie as an Indian," he said, adding that he will arrange screening of Spy for both the central ministers and the opposition leaders.

Director Garry revealed that Spy has been made based on the papers released by the central government on Subhash Chandra Bose. Only 10 per cent is fiction. The remaining is based on the information given by the government.

The teaser of the much-awaited movie was released on Monday evening. Nikhil took to Twitter to reveal that the teaser has garnered 10 million real views on YouTube in less than 24 hours. "We are incredibly grateful for all the overwhelming love and support. It means the world to us," he said.

'Spy' is scheduled to be released in all southern languages and also in Hindi on June 29.

Coming after 'Karthikeya 2', the biggest blockbusters of 2022, 'Spy' has generated a lot of excitement among Nikhil's fans.

'Karthikeya 2' gave Nikhil the popularity in Bollywood. He recently received the best actor people's choice award at the Bollywood Life Awards in Hindi.

K Rajashekar Reddy is the producer of 'Spy' being made with a huge budget by Ed Entertainment.

Editor Garry BH is making his debut as the director with this film, which features Aryan Rajesh in a special role.

Rajesh, brother of Allari Naresh, is making his comeback in Tollywood in an important role in this film after a gap of four years.

--IANS
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Geneva, May 16 (IANS) Carefully examining the risks involved is imperative while using artificial intelligence (AI) tools such as ChatGPT, Bard, and Bert in healthcare, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said on Tuesday.

While the WHO is enthusiastic about the appropriate use of technologies, including the generated AI tools to support health-care professionals, patients, researchers and scientists, "there is concern that caution that would normally be exercised for any new technology is not being exercised consistently with large language model tools (LLMs)", it said.

LLMs include ChatGPT, Bard, Bert and others that imitate understanding, processing, and producing human communication.

"This includes widespread adherence to key values of transparency, inclusion, public engagement, expert supervision, and rigorous evaluation," the global health body said in a statement.

"It is imperative that the risks be examined carefully when using LLMs to improve access to health information, as a decision-support tool, or even to enhance diagnostic capacity in under-resourced settings to protect people's health and reduce inequity," it added.

The WHO said that "precipitous adoption of untested systems could lead to errors by health-care workers, cause harm to patients, erode trust in AI and thereby undermine (or delay) the potential long-term benefits and uses of such technologies".

The WHO's concerns against the AI tools include that data used to train the AI models may be biased, thus generating misleading or inaccurate information which could pose risks to health, equity and inclusiveness.

The LLMs are also likely to generate responses that can appear authoritative and plausible to an end user and these responses may also be completely incorrect or contain serious errors, especially for health-related responses.

Further, the WHO said that AI may not protect sensitive data (including health data), it can misuse data to generate and disseminate highly convincing disinformation in the form of text, audio or video content that is difficult for the public to differentiate from reliable health content.

"WHO proposes that these concerns be addressed, and clear evidence of benefit be measured before their widespread use in routine health care and medicine -- whether by individuals, care providers or health system administrators and policy-makers," the statement said.

--IANS
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Nellore (Andhra Pradesh), May 12 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy slammed the opposition parties saying they were unable to digest the slew of measures taken by his government for the welfare of farmers.

He alleged that the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Jana Sena Party (JSP) were criticising the government only to earn political brownie points while they themselves did nothing for farmers when in power.

The chief minister was addressing a public meeting at Kavali in Nellore district after launching the official process of de-notification of dotted lands from the prohibited list

He advised the public to not be swayed by baseless criticism and reminded the public of TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu's 'treachery'.

"Along with yellow media, Chandrababu Naidu and Dattaputrudu (Pawan Kalyan) are all behaving like Shurpanaka from the epic Ramayana. Their concerns for farmers are false. Their statements are nothing but a cunning veil. Do not fall for their dramas. Pawan Kalyan says he is born to ask questions. Why did he fail to question Chandrababu Naidu after he outrightly cheated farmers," he asked.

He reminded people it was Chandrababu Naidu who said that farming is a waste of time. "Today he has conveniently changed his stance. Clearly, two cheats are siding with each other," the CM said.

He termed denotification of dotted lands as a landmark decision which will benefit 97,471 farmer families across the state. These farmer families will get complete rights over 2,06,171 acres of land with an estimated market value of approximately Rs 20,000 crore.

He stated that farmers will now be able to sell and pledge these lands for their financial needs besides enjoying other rights as land owners.

The inclusion of dotted lands in Section 22 A (1)(e) by the TDP government in 2016 had deprived farmers of their rights to sell or pledge these lands.

The Chief Minister emphasised that his pro-farmer government has been consistently implementing various programmes for the welfare of farmers.

These initiatives include the distribution of 3 lakh acres of RoFR (Rights over Forest Resources) pattas to 1.28 lakh tribal families, with each family receiving two acres of land.

Additionally, 35,000 conditional lands pattas have been removed from the prohibited lands list, benefiting 22,000 farmer families. The government has also distributed 31 lakh house site pattas to women across the state.

In a bid to resolve land disputes permanently, the government has undertaken a re-survey of lands after a century through the YSR Jagananna Saswatha Bhu Hakku and Bhu Raksha programme.

CM Jagan announced that 7,92,238 permanent title deeds have already been provided to farmers in 2,000 villages during the first phase, with the second phase scheduled to begin next month.

--IANS
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By Mohammed Shafeeq
Hyderabad, May 12 (IANS) The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) will have anti-incumbency and history stacked against it when it faces the Telangana Assembly elections in the next few months.


The K. Chandrasekhar Rao-led BRS will have to overcome a likely strong anti-incumbency factor to retain power in India's youngest state.

KCR will also have to make history as no chief minister in South India has ever scored a hat-trick. This will be the first election after the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) transformed itself into the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) to play a key role in national politics.

This is also likely to be the first election in Telangana sans a Telangana sentiment, which may make the task more daunting for the BRS.

Telangana sentiment dominated the 2014 and 2018 elections as the TRS sought a mandate in the first election to rebuild Telangana and a fresh mandate in 2018 to continue its efforts to turn the state into Bangaru or golden Telangana.

As KCR feels that he has achieved his task of a progressive Telangana, he rechristened the TRS as BRS in tune with his national ambitions, with a call to replicate the Telangana model in the rest of the country.

Unlike in 2018 when KCR had advanced the polls by a few months, this time the elections are likely to be held as per schedule (November-December).

With multiple players set to enter the poll fray, the electoral battle is likely to be very interesting, whose outcome will be difficult to guess.

With a multi-cornered contest on the cards, the stakes will be high for the BRS to retain power in Telangana. Political observers say the anti-incumbency factor will be in play as the party has been in power since the formation of the state.

KCR, who led the fight for statehood to Telangana and achieved the goal, is considered one of the smartest politicians in the country. He is known for surprising his opponents with his political tactics.

With the BJP emerging as a key challenger in the state, it will be interesting to see how KCR will devise a strategy to counter the saffron surge. Some political analysts see KCR's move of turning the TRS into BRS as part of the strategy.

They believe KCR may play the son of the soil card by seeking a mandate for a big role in national politics to embark on his mission to bring a qualitative change in the nation's polity.

The BRS chief is already trying to hardsell the Telangana model by getting leaders from various states to Hyderabad to talk about Rythu Bandhu and other schemes of Telangana.

"KCR is countering the BJP's Modi model of governance. He calls it a golmal model and is trying to project the Telangana model," observed political observer Palwai Raghavendra Reddy.

At every meeting, KCR highlights how Telangana has become a model state with the highest per capita income, with one of the highest per capita power consumption, a growth rate which is much higher than the national average and innovative schemes for farmers, Dalits and other sections of the society.

Political observers feel KCR needs such a narrative as there will be strong anti-incumbency with the opposition questioning him about the promises he failed to keep.

This time, BRS will be facing new opponents like the YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP) headed by Y. S. Sharmila, sister of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and the Jana Sena Party (JSP) headed by actor-politician Pawan Kalyan.

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) is also likely to enter the field with new vigour under the leadership of R. S. Praveen Kumar, who took voluntary retirement from the Indian Police Service (IPS) to join politics.

With the Telangana sentiment not in play in the manner it was seen in previous elections, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) headed by former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Chandrababu Naidu is also expected to flex its muscles to regain lost ground in Telangana.

The BRS, which fought earlier elections on its own, is likely to have an alliance with the Left parties. There was indication to this effect when the Left parties extended support to the BRS in the by-election to the Munugode Assembly seat late last year.

The BRS with its Dalit Bandhu scheme and various other measures will be hoping to receive full support from the Dalits, who constitute 10 per cent of the voters. Muslims, who are also about 10 per cent of the electorate, may once again back the BRS. "If BRS gets support of 10-15 per cent voters from the remaining 80 per cent, it will retain power comfortably," said an analyst.

Though the BRS appears to have lost the support of the politically influential Reddy community, the votes may get divided between the BJP, Congress and others. The same is likely to happen with the backward classes, who constitute 50 per cent of the voters.

Unfazed by the BJP's emergence as the main challenger, KCR remains confident that the BRS will retain power by winning more than 100 seats in the 119-member Assembly.

"The BRS party will win more than 100 in the next election," he told a BRS general body meeting on April 27 to mark the party's formation day.

"Coming to power again in Telangana is not a big task. The priority is to win more seats than before," he told the participants including ministers, MPs and state legislators.

The BRS had bagged 63 seats in the 2014 election and improved its tally to 88 in 2018. With the defection of several MLAs including a dozen from the Congress, the BRS increased its strength to over 100.

KCR used the occasion to pull up some MLAs over complaints of wrongdoing against them. He warned them that if they did not mend their ways, they would be expelled from the party.

The BRS also asked the party leaders to take steps to reduce discontent among the cadre. He wanted them to educate the people about the government schemes, interact with them and mingle with them regularly.

BRS leaders remain hopeful that with the anti-incumbency votes getting divided among the Congress, BJP and other players, the BRS may not find it difficult to retain power.

--IANS
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New Delhi, May 10 (IANS) The government has procured 252 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of wheat so far during the ongoing Rabi marketing season (2023-24).

According to estimates released by the Department of Food and Consumer Affairs, the current wheat procurement crossed last year's total procurement of 188 LMT.

More than 20 lakh farmers have benefitted from the current season's procurement, with more than Rs 47,000 crore payment of minimum support price (MSP).

The Food Corporation of India along with other state agencies are engaged in the procurement operations.

Official sources said that more farmers are yet to be benefitted since the procurement process is still going on, and on daily average, more than 2 LMT wheat is still being procured.

The major contribution in the procurement has come from three wheat procuring states of Punjab, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh with procurement of 118.68 LMT, 62.18 LMT and 66.50 LMT, respectively.

One of the major factors contributing to the progressive procurement this year is the relaxation in quality specifications of wheat being procured, extended by the Centre.

This has been granted in view of untimely rains leading to luster loss and will reduce the hardship of farmers and check any distress sale.

Meanwhile, 366 LMT of rice has been procured till May 9 in the kharif marketing season of 2022-23, with another 140 LMT yet to be procured.

In addition to this, a quantity of 106 LMT rice is estimated to have been procured during the rabi crop of kharif marketing season of 2022-23.

The combined stock position of wheat and rice in the central pool has reached 580 LMT (wheat 310 LMT and rice 270 LMT).

--IANS
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Mumbai, May 9 (IANS) Janata Dal (U) President and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will arrive in Mumbai on Thursday morning as part of his Opposition unity efforts, and hold meetings with top Maharashtra leaders, an official said here on Tuesday.

Nitish Kumar will meet Shiv Sena (UBT) President Uddhav Thackeray over lunch at ‘Matoshri' in Bandra, before meeting Nationalist Congress Party President Sharad Pawar over tea at the latter's ‘Silver Oaks' home in south Mumbai.

The JD(U) supremo shall be accompanied by Bihar Legislative Council Chairman Deveshchandra Thakur, and Cooperation Minister Sanjaykumar Jha for the meetings with the Maharashtra leaders, said JD(U) National Secretary, Kapil Patil.

Last fortnight, Thakur had met both Pawar and Thackeray ahead of Nitish Kumar's plans to visit Maharashtra on May 11.

Continuing his efforts to forge a national front comprising all non-BJP forces, Nitish Kumar has so far met Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal, Odish CM Navin Patnaik and also former Uttar Pradesh CM Akhilesh Yadav, said Patil.

The JD(U)'s Maharashtra unit has made elaborate arrangements to welcome Nitish Kumar with thousands of workers set to gather at Bandra and other places.

"Nitish Kumar enjoys a clean image as a good administrator who has brought about a sea-change in Bihar. The women are safe, the youth are confident, and now the nation awaits him," Patil added.

--IANS
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Pune, May 9 (IANS) Creating a new record, a Pune couple and their friend - all software engineers-cum-adventure lovers - went on a 'long drive' in an SUV, covering a whopping 21,000 km in 70 days across the entire boundary of India, from east to west, north to south.

They are -- Jaykumar Anadkat, his wife Pooja Padiya-Anadkat, both from Gujarat, and their friend Sonesh Mehra from Rajasthan, who are the co-founders of the adventure club, 'PlacesAroundPune'.

"We have done many activities like hiking, trekking, cycling, mountaineering, scuba-diving etc., but this time we wanted to do something unique and fulfilling. So we charted out this trip -- "#MapMyCountry" -- in our Tata Safari SUV, and we hope to make it to the record books," said Jaykumar, after the trio returned home late on Monday.

The trio, all aged 35, embarked on their journey on February 27 from Magarpatta and returned to the same location on May 8, zooming through 26 states, several Union Territories, 52 major cities and over 250 important travel destinations along the boundary and borders of India.

"We went around the country's periphery, all the border states and drew the India map through the car route, starting in a clockwise direction from Maharashtra," said Mehra.

From Maharashtra, they went to Gujarat (Dwarka and Koteshwar temples in the extreme western parts of India), Rajasthan, Punjab, Haryana, Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Himachal, Uttarakhand, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, the Northeastern states like Kaho in Arunachal Pradesh, the first village of India in the east, and Danushkodi Rameshwar and Kanyakumari as the southernmost tip.

"We touched six international borders -- Pakistan, China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh and Myanmar. We learnt a lot about the different people of India, their cultures and lifestyles, the weather systems, the abundant beauty of different parts of the country. It was a very enriching drive indeed," said Pooja.

The ultra-long drive took them from 45-degree Celsius in Rajasthan deserts to the -5-degree Celsius in snowy Kashmir, braving hailstorms in Himachal Pradesh and Nagaland, torrential rains in Assam, and the humid weather in the southern states. Though they carried suitable clothes, many a times they had to hunt for more locally in order to survive.

The trio recalls speeding through some of the wildest and densest forests akin to a jungle safari, off-roading, dusty dry desert sands, boat-rides in mangrove forests, traversing snowy mountains roads, or gingerly driving through bamboo bridges, over deep valleys and turbulent rivers in different parts of India, soaking in the first sunrise in the east and the colourful sunsets in the west and southern beaches.

They also joined some tribal and traditional cultural festivals, wearing local costumes, singing, dancing or prancing to their tunes, and gulping cuisines ranging from the weirdest to delicacies, cooking for themselves on roadside fires, or just gobbling some fruits when nothing was available or dhabas were shut.

There are literally miles of many memories, including some a bit spooky, that the trio returned with -- like one excited gentleman from Punjab, Ripu Daman, who contacted them through Facebook and happily hosted them with his family for a night.

In Nagaland, they met a 95-year-old member of a tribe of erstwhile 'headhunters', who still proudly wears a garland with a few heads on it that he claimed to have acquired many decades ago!

Today, Jaykumar, Pooja and Sonesh are extremely thrilled on completing their 'long drive' without any untoward incident, something they will cherish for long.

(Quaid Najmi can be contacted at: q.najmi@ians.in)

--IANS
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By IANSlife
New Delhi, May 9 (IANSlife) Nothing compares to travelling the world with the people you love! Take your mother on an adventure you both will never forget this Mother's Day.


OneLatitude's co-founders Bharat Seth and Simran give their picks for the best road trips for mothers and daughters to do together.

Ladakh & Zanskar, India

The rugged terrain of Ladakh is famous the world over and is sure to bring out the adventurous side of anyone! Club this with the untouched Zanskar valley and it's a trip of a lifetime. It's time to get behind the wheel or be driven around through Ladakh and Zanskar Valley with your mother.

Garden Route, South Africa

There is something for everyone on the Garden Route! From beautiful coastal drives, game reserves, scenic vineyards with delicious wines, whale watching, dolphin cruises, and scrumptious food to the bustling city of Cape Town. A drive on this route is sure to stay with you and your mom forever.

South Island, NZ

New Zealand is renowned worldwide for its natural beauty! The South Island is iconic with its gorgeous drives, adventurous activities like glacier walks and skydiving, lovely quaint towns, and more. Participate in an activity together and bring out each other's adventurous side.

Eastern Arunachal, India

Explore the interiors of Arunachal and get acquainted with the local culture and heritage of the region. Known for its beautiful views, authentic local culture, cuisine, art and crafts and more - a road trip through Eastern Arunachal may be a bumpy ride in parts but it's definitely a must for an adventurous mother-daughter duo!

Kyrgyzstan

On the silk route, this Central Asian country is more than what meets the eye. Still, off the mass tourism map, it offers authentic experiences, picturesque glacial lakes, and iconic mountain ranges. You get to meet the nomadic tribes, stay in yurts, participate in local horse games, enjoy authentic local cuisines, visit silk road relics, and much more.

Scotland

A drive on the iconic North Coast 500 is one for the books. Perfect for a mother-daughter getaway, Scotland has it all! Taste some delicious whiskeys, try the local food, sail into a loch, explore ancient castles, or stroll the streets of quaint towns with an ice cream in hand. There is something for everyone to enjoy. A Scottish sojourn is complete with the sound of bagpipes wherever you go!

Spiti, India

The beautiful valley of Spiti is a lesser explored valley in Himachal. Very similar in terrain to Ladakh it offers you beautiful views, scenic valleys, local culture & customs, and warm welcoming local stays. Head here on a road trip and drive through the picturesque valley of Sangla before making your way to Spiti. See the changing cultures and landscapes of Himachal.

Great Ocean Road, Australia

Kangaroos, Twelve Apostles, Surf Beaches of Torquay, Koalas, lush rainforests, the grotto and so much more! The Great Ocean Drive from Melbourne to Port Fairy needs to be on everyone's bucket list and what's better than getting to experience it with your beloved mother? With comfortable stays, activities for everyone, and great food this one is perfect for a mother-daughter duo.

Rajasthan, India

A soulful trip through the state of Rajasthan takes you back in time and you experience the true hospitality of this Rajputana state. Start your drive from Jaipur and drive through the big and small cities making your way to Jaisalmer. End your drive with a few days in the city of Lakes-Udaipur. With delicious food, beautiful palaces, luxurious stays, loads of shopping opportunities and local Rajasthani culture - there is no wonder that Rajasthan is famous the world over.

Highway 1, USA

Take a scenic drive through the coast of California up to Seattle! Bonus if you rent out a convertible. Highway 1 or the Pacific Coast Highway runs all the way from Southern California and connects further up to Oregon and Washington. You can do a scenic short drive or the longer route till Portland or Seattle. With a tonne of stops along the way, from big cities to quaint beach towns this one is sure to be a mix of it all!

Additionally, one can also check out some peaceful and picturesque destinations which promise to make for the perfect getaway -- a relaxing, rejuvenating, and memorable experience.

Moonstone Hammock in Shelu, Karjat

The stunning and serene location of Moonstone Hammock offers a range of exciting amenities that will make your mom feel special and appreciated. Whether you want to watch the sunrise from our river-facing deck, or explore the natural surroundings on a sunset kayaking cruise we have got you covered. If your mom is in the mood for some solo fun, she can enjoy a refreshing swim in the pool.

But that's not all. For those who want to take their entertainment to the next level, they also offer Movie under the Stars or Karaoke Nights on Sundays. Let your mom sing her heart out, under the open sky, with your family members cheering her on. This Mother's Day is a special occasion to celebrate the selfless love and care that mothers shower upon their children. Moonstone Hammock in Karjat, Shelu, is going the extra mile to make the day even more special for all the mothers out there. On May 14, 2023, Sunday, the brand is offering free massages to all mothers who visit the destination. Imagine spending a day relaxing in a serene and peaceful environment, surrounded by lush greenery and indulging in a rejuvenating head/ feet massage to pamper yourself. It's the perfect way to show your appreciation to your mother and make her feel truly special this Mother's Day. Don't miss out on this wonderful opportunity to make memories that will last a lifetime!

Booking your mom's stay at Moonstone Hammock is easy. Simply visit the website, select your preferred dates, and make the payment. They offer flexible payment options and guarantee a seamless booking experience.

Six Senses Fort Barwara

This Mother's Day, give your mom a weekend of rest, relaxation, and rejuvenation in India's newest wellness sanctuary, just a three-hour drive from Jaipur at Six Senses Fort Barwara.

Six Senses Fort Barwara is providing a unique blend of high-tech science and high-touch therapies. Release fear and anxiety and restore a sense of inner peace with Tiger's Eye's full body massage journey that includes healing sound therapy, breathwork, and stretches to tone the nervous system. Explore the royal retreat emotional hospitality with this five-day reinvigorating experience - Eye of The Tiger.

Wellness sits at the heart of the brand and plays a pivotal role at all Six Senses resorts and spas, and at Fort Barwara, guests can also discover a menu of signature massages, Ayurvedic treatments, nurturing facials, mindfulness practices, and personalized wellness programs based on the preventative principles of Eastern medicine and result-oriented Western influences.

Soothe and enrich your senses to restore a sense of inner peace and well-being to witness the Eye of the Tiger. Gift your mom an Integrated Wellness Experience that includes:

A five-night stay at Six Senses Fort Barwara

Breakfast, lunch, and dinner included

Wildlife Safari Experience, spot the majestic beauty of the Bengal Tiger

Daily 90-minute private spa or wellness session, as per inclusions

Daily group wellness activities including yoga, meditation, and fitness sessions

Sleep tracking for 3 nights

Access to spa wet facilities

Two hours of sacred downtime each day

Price: Rs 2,80,250 plus taxes, for five nights on single occupancy


Brij Villa Dalhousie, is the perfect getaway this summer

Brij Villa is a beautiful abode located amid peaceful surroundings in Dalhousie that offers an unparalleled blend of luxurious comfort and adventure. It is an elegant, vintage-style property built over 150 years ago by the then Lt. General of the British Army, that is perfect for honeymooners, family, and leisure travellers looking for a perfect memorable getaway in the hills.

Situated on the high peaks of Moti Tiba, the heritage resort, with colonial interiors, offers two different categories of rooms -- Classic Rooms and Imperial Rooms. The accommodation is a perfect amalgamation of regal interiors and comfortable living. They come with contemporary amenities, elegant upholstery, carpeted floors, and enthralling wall paintings in rooms that exude understated elegance.

Brij Hotels' properties are strategically located in close proximity to exciting tourist spots. Home to several colonial-era masonries and buildings, the guests at Brij Villa Dallhousie can enjoy the breathtaking, panoramic views of nature and lakes along with a plethora of unique and beautiful tourist attractions like Chamera Lake, Kalatop Khajjiar Sanctuary, Dalhousie Mall Road, Dainkund Peak, and the picturesque town of Khajjiar.

Brij Villa, the finest heritage resort in Dalhousie, also offers numerous engaging activities and immersive experiences for a delightful stay. The guests can enjoy a cookery session to learn the traditional Himachali recipes, try their hands at the wood painting art of Dalhousie, enjoy picnic and boating at Chamera Lake, venture on guided nature walks, and savour the evening bonfire with customised menu.

Address: Silverton Estate, Above Circuit House, Moti Tiba, Dalhousie, Himachal Pradesh 176304

Phone Number: +91 95 8050 5872

Cost per night: Classic room starts at approx Rs 7,999 + taxes; Imperial room starts at approx Rs 12,999 + taxes

Website: https://www.brijhotels.com/brijvilla-dalhousie/

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--IANS
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