Focus

New Delhi, Sep 13 (IANS) Senior Congress leaders Digvijaya Singh and Jairam Ramesh will visit the states through which the party's ongoing 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' will not pass to mobilise the state units to participate in the yatra.

Party General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said, "Me and Digvijaya Singh will visit Assam, West Bengal, Jharkhand, Bihar and Odisha from September 16 onwards. Our effort would be to mobilise the state units to join the Bharat Jodo Yatra."

The Congress wants all the state units to participate in the Bharat Jodo Yatra, starting the exercise from the block level.

Ramesh had earlier said that the yatra will strengthen the party and spread its ideology, adding that "the elephant has woken up which has surprised BJP".

--IANS
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By Altaf Hussain Janjua
Srinagar, Sep 13 (IANS) The Indian Army launched 'Operation Rakshak and many other such operations to wipe out the enemies in Jammu and Kashmir in the year 1998.


But the army's 'Operation Sadbhavana' in Jammu and Kashmir is for the welfare of the people. It is especially to help people in rural areas and areas near the Line of Control (LoC) where lives and property have been destroyed due to insurgency and militancy.

Under Operation Sadbhavana, the areas covered near the Line of Control include Rajouri, Poonch, Karna, Uri, Tingdar, Kiran, Nowshera, Sunderbani, Akhnur etc. It has played an important role in healing people's wounds by providing them with employment opportunities, medical and educational facilities and infrastructure development. The army has reached areas where no politician or administration man has been able to reach till date.

According to locals near the LoC in Poonch district, Operation Sadbhavana is providing necessary equipment for children's education, medical facilities, conducting medical camps from time to time, running awareness programmes, sewing 'kadhai' programme for women, various vocational courses for youth including welding, computer diploma, plumbing, bakery, motor mechanics, etc., due to which people are getting a lot of relief.

Noor Alam, a resident of Karmara, said, "Everyone living near the LoC has immense respect for the Indian Army because the only hope and support of the border residents is the army. If someone gets sick in the evening, they go to the nearby army camp for medicine or ointment and if there is a need to transport the patient to the hospital, the army even arranges for the vehicle."

Siva Singh, a border resident of Sunderbani, said, "In our region, the army has played an important role in providing employment to the youth. The army is conducting professional courses for one to three months every day, after which the youth are getting employment easily. Free driving classes are also being conducted, which enables many young people to pass the driving test and get licence."

Not only this, the army is also working in providing information to the public about various schemes being run by the Central government. During the Covid-19 pandemic, the army spread awareness about Coronavirus and delivered the required medical equipment to the local residents.

The army also takes the lead in promoting sports, organising local and traditional fairs etc.

It is also normal to hold regular meetings with respected citizens to promote mutual brotherhood and establish peace in the region. The organisation of Iftar parties in the form of Eid Milan and Ramadan is also a part of the army's Operation Sadbhavana.

Jammu-based defence spokesman Lt. Col. Devendra Anand said, "The army is trying to protect the country's borders as well as help in improving the quality of life of the border residents under this Operation. In Poonch, Rajouri, Doda, Reasi, Ramban, Kishtwar, Baramulla and Kupwara, some important activity is organised every day and it is a matter of satisfaction for us. We have been 100 per cent successful in winning the trust of the people."

--IANS
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Bengaluru, Sep 12 (IANS) The Karnataka government's cyber security centre of excellence, CySecK, has tied up with IT major Dell Technologies to develop enhanced security practices in the state, especially among students.

After the MoU was signed on Monday, Dr CN Ashwath Narayan, Karnataka minister for higher education and IT/BT, said that the MoU will facilitate imparting cyber security awareness and practices to students, start-ups and public offices. He added that this will also benefit small and medium scale enterprises.

As per the agreement, Dell will provide learning of cyber safety practices through its interactive courses and will be available both in Kannada as well as in English, the minister informed.

Dell will also contribute to the start-up ecosystem of the state through its 'Ascend' initiative. This will help in expanding the start-up market in the state, he opined.

To achieve the target of the state becoming a 300 billion dollar digital economy by 2025, putting in place an efficient cyber security system is very necessary, Narayan stated.

Dr Karthik Rao Bappanadu, Head, CySecK, stated that the centre is working to expand the cyber security practices to tier 2 and 3 centres also.

--IANS
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Mumbai, Sep 12 (IANS) A clinical trial conducted at the Tata Memorial Centre (TMC) has indicated that a simple, low-cost intervention can drastically increase the cure and survival rate among breast cancer patients, top officials said here on Monday.

The landmark multi-centre clinical trials were conducted in women undergoing breast cancer surgery and it emerged that injection of a commonly used drug around the tumour - just prior to surgery, on the operation table - could drastically enhance the cure and survival rate of the patients on a long-term basis.

Director of TMC, Rajendra Badwe, who carried out the trials, presented the results at the ongoing European Society of Medical Oncology Congress in Paris on Monday, and simultaneously TMC's professor Sudeep Gupta addressed the media on the findings in Mumbai.

The trial outcome shows that the injection needs no additional expertise, is affordable, barely Rs 100 per patient, but can result in saving at least 100,000 lives of breast cancer patients annually worldwide, said Badwe.

In comparison, expensive, targeted drugs costing over Rs 10 lakh per patient have shown far less benefits in early breast cancer patients, as per the study titled 'Effect of Peri-Tumoral Infiltration of Local Anaesthetic Prior to Surgery on Survival in Early Breast Cancer'.

Spearheaded by Badwe, the study was conducted on 1,600 women planning to undergo early breast cancer surgery at 11 cancer centres in India, including TMC, over 11 years from 2011-2022, said Gupta.

"This is the first study of its kind globally showing a sizable benefit by single intervention prior to surgery. For scientists, it opens a window of peri-operative intervention to modulate the environment of cancer in such a way as to prevent its deleterious reaction to the surgery," Badwe told the Paris conference.

Gupta said in Mumbai that the inexpensive and immediately implementable treatment in breast cancer can be practised by any surgeon who treats the disease, as shown from a large randomised trial, which is the 'gold standard' of evaluating the worth of new treatments.

Detailing on the study, the duo said half the patients (out of the 1,600) were part of the 'control group', who received standard surgery followed by the usual post-operative treatment comprising chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone therapy as per guidelines.

The other half was the intervention group, who received an injection of a common local anaesthesia agent, 0.5 per cent lidocaine, all around the tumour just before the surgery, and later underwent the same post-operative treatment as given to the control group.

After treatment, the patients were regularly followed-up for several years till the cut-off date of September 2021 to compare the cure and survival rates between the control group and the local anaesthesia group.

"As expected, there was no toxicity of lignocaine in patients who received it (the injection). The six-year disease-free survival was 81.7 per cent in the control group and 86.1 per cent in the local anaesthesia group for a 26 per cent relative reduction in the risk of a relapse or death - considered significant in statistical terms.

Similarly, the six-year over survival rate was 86.2 per cent versus 89.9 per cent in the two groups for a 29 per cent reduction in death risk with the local anaesthetic injection, again critically important, said Badwe.

His earlier research suggested a window of opportunity just prior to, during and immediately after surgical removal of the primary cancer when anti-cancer interventions could reduce the risk of development of disseminated Stage 4 metastatic cancer during the patient's lifespan.

The institutions where the clinical trials were conducted are: TMC Mumbai, Kolhapur Cancer Centre, Sterling Multi-speciality Hospital, Pune, and Siddhivinayak Ganapati Cancer Hospital, Sangli (all Maharashtra); All India Institute of Medical Sciences and Max Superspeciality Hospital (both Delhi); B. Borooah Cancer Centre, Guwahati; Basavatarakam Indo-American Cancer Hospital & Research Centre, Hyderabad; Gujarat Cancer & Research Institute, Ahmedabad; Malabar Cancer Centre, Thalassery (Kerala); and North-Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health & Medical Sciences, Shillong.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Sep 12 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has now officially confirmed the pan India raids which were conducted at 50 locations in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan and the Delhi-NCR region to dismantle and disrupt the emerging nexus between terrorists, gangsters and drug smugglers and traffickers based in India and abroad.

"The NIA crackdown followed the launch of investigations against this nexus by the NIA after the re-registration of 2 cases, earlier registered by the Delhi Police, on August 26. A few of the most desperate gang leaders and their associates based in India and abroad, who are spearheading and carrying out such terror and criminal activities were identified and booked," said the official.

The official said that the recent sensational crimes and extortion calls by criminal syndicates and gangsters to businessmen, professionals including doctors had created panic among the people. These gangs were using cyber-space to publicise these crimes to create terror among the public at large.

The NIA learnt during it's investigations that such criminal acts were not isolated local incidents but there was a deep rooted conspiracy involving terrorists, gangsters and drug smuggling cartels and networks, who were operating from both within and outside the country.

"Many gang leaders and members have fled India and were now operating from foreign countries, including Pakistan, Canada, Malaysia, Australia. The ongoing probes by the NIA in cases being investigated by the Agency, such as the killing of Shaurya Chakra Awardee Comrade Balwinder Singh in Punjab also revealed that most of these conspiracies were being hatched from inside the jails of different states and were being executed by an organised network of operatives based abroad," the official said.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that these gangs were carrying out target killings to terrorise the public to extort money for running and promoting their criminal syndicates and activities. These gangs were also raising funds through smuggling of drugs and weapons.

In its ongoing efforts to dismantle these transnational terror and crime networks, the NIA conducted searches at 50 locations in Fazilka, Faridkot, Muktsar Sahib, Moga, Tarn Taran, Amritsar, Ludhiana, Chandigarh, Mohali district of Punjab, East Gurugram, Bhiwani, Yamunanagar, Sonepat and Jhajjar districts of Haryana, Hanumangarh and Ganganagar districts of Rajasthan and Dwarka, Outer North, North West, North East and Shahdara districts of Delhi-NCR.

"Searches were conducted today morning at the premises of Goldy Brar (Canada), Lawrence Bishnoi, Jaggu Bhagwanpuria, Varinder Pratap alias Kala Rana, Kala Jathedi, Vikram Brar, Gaurav Patyal alias Lucky Patyal (who was earlier arrested in Armenia), Neeraj Bawana, Koushal Chaudhary, Tillu Tajpuria, Amit Dagar, Deepak Kumar alias Tinu, Sandeep alias Bandar, Umesh alias Kala, Irfan alias Cheenu Pahalwan, Ashim alias Hashim Baba, Sachin Bhanja and their associates.

"During the searches, six pistols, one revolver, one shotgun, have been seized, along with ammunition. Apart from the above, drugs, cash, incriminating documents, digital devices, details of benami property, threat letters have also been seized by the NIA.

"Further investigations will continue to dismantle these terror networks as well as their funding and support infrastructure," said the official.

--IANS
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Bengaluru, Sep 12 (IANS) With the proposal mooted by Karnataka Sahitya Parishat, the nodal agency for promotion of Kannada language has run into a controversy with the Karnataka Jain community opposing the idea of renaming the arterial AdiKavi Pampa road of the Chamarajpet locality in Bengaluru.

The president of Karnataka Sahitya Parishat, Mahesh Joshi has sent a proposal to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) to rename AdiKavi Pampa Road as 'Kannada Sahitya Parishat Road'. Karnataka Jain Association has registered a strong protest in this regard.

The association has stated that such a move is an insult to the Jain poet. Kannada litterateurs have also objected to the proposal. They maintain that AdiKavi Pampa has a special place in the realms of Kannada literature.

Representatives of the Jain community from all over Karnataka have submitted a memorandum to the President of the Parishat requesting withdrawal of the proposal to change the road's name.

AdiKavi Pampa Road is situated between a short stretch of the Minto Hospital and Makkala Koota Park. The Parishat has grand plans of elevating this total stretch of road to promote Kannada language. The office bearers of the Parishat have also decided to meet Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai in this regard.

Mahesh Joshi has defended the proposal to change the name as the decision has been made after studying roads being developed on specific themes in foreign countries. "This stretch of road will be elevated in such a way that it is going to be a feast for lovers of Kannada language," he said.

"The plan is being made in such a way that every tourist who visits Bengaluru would be compelled to visit this stretch. All stakeholders on this stretch of road have been invited to discuss the proposal," he explained.

"Statues of major Kannada litterateurs would come up, Kannada songs would be played and special lighting arrangements would be made, popular statements by Kannada writers would be installed as per the proposal," Mahesh Joshi stated.

--IANS
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Gaborone, Sep 12 (IANS) Botswana witnessed its first-ever drop in fuel prices in 2022, said the country's energy authorities.

According to a press release from Botswana Energy Regulatory Authority, pump prices for petrol, diesel and illuminating paraffin will decrease by 1 pula ($0.076), 0.23 pula and 0.08 pula per liter, respectively, Xinhua news agency reported.

The authority said the decrease was necessitated by the fall in oil prices over the past two months. Brent Crude averaged $97.74 per barrel in August compared to an average of $105.12 a barrel in July.

The energy authority said the fall in fuel prices was influenced mainly by fears of a possible global recession, which could weaken the global demand for oil.

Four straight increases in fuel prices in the Southern African country since December 2021 have primarily contributed to rising inflation, which reached a 13-year high of 14.30 per cent in July.

--IANS
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Hyderabad, Sep 11 (IANS) It's finally official. Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao will soon launch a national political party.

During a meeting with former Karnataka Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy here on Sunday, the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) President stated that the formation of the national party and formulation of policies will soon take place.

KCR, as Rao is popularly known, has been holding discussions with intellectuals, economists, and experts from various fields to work out an alternative national agenda.

KCR told the Janata Dal-Secular leader that TRS party leaders from the village level, district, and state level Presidents and Secretaries are also adopting resolutions to float a national party.

--IANS
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New York, Sep 11 (IANS) Several drugs used to treat Covid-19 patients -- including remdesivir, dexamethasone, and antibiotics for associated bacterial infections -- persist through wastewater treatment and may occur in waterways at levels high enough to negatively affect aquatic organisms, finds a new study.

According to researcher Heather Preisendanz from Penn State, over-the-counter and prescription-strength pharmaceuticals, including antibiotics and pain relievers, are excreted by humans, and many are known to persist through wastewater treatment plants and into nearby waterways, where they can negatively affect aquatic organisms.

"This knowledge spurred concerns that increased use of pharmaceuticals during the pandemic could also lead to increased concentrations of these drugs in wastewater treatment plant effluent and potentially harm aquatic life," said Preisendanz.

For the study, published in the Journal of Environmental Quality, the team collected weekly influent (incoming) and effluent (outgoing) samples from two wastewater treatment plants in central Pennsylvania between May 2020 and May 2021. One of the sites includes a hospital in its service area.

The researchers analysed the influent at both wastewater treatment plants for the virus SARS-CoV-2, as well as the influent and effluent for a variety of medications that may have been used to treat Covid-19.

In their study, the researchers examined two over-the-counter fever reducer/pain relievers (acetaminophen and naproxen), five antibiotics (ampicillin, doxycycline, ofloxacin, sulfamethoxazole, and trimethoprim), two Covid-19 therapeutic agents (remdesivir and dexamethasone, which is used to reduce severe upper respiratory inflammation in patients on ventilators), and hydroxychloroquine, a malaria drug that was ultimately shown in clinical trials to be ineffective for treating Covid-19.

The team found that remdesivir concentrations were correlated with the number of hospitalised Covid-19 patients, while dexamethasone concentrations were associated with the number of hospitalised patients on ventilators.

Specifically, influent to the wastewater treatment plant servicing the hospital had concentrations of remdesivir and dexamethasone of 28 per cent and 31 per cent, respectively, while the average removal efficiencies by the wastewater treatment plant for these drugs were 39 per cent and 56 per cent, respectively.

Hydroxychloroquine was not detected in any of the influent samples collected at either treatment plant.

According to Preisendanz, although risk to aquatic organisms from remdesivir could not be calculated, as no research has yet been done to determine the concentrations that could pose a risk, dexamethasone was detected in quantities that could pose a low acute risk to fish.

--IANS
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New Delhi, Sep 11 (IANS) Google is likely planning a Pixel foldable smartphone and a new Pro tablet, and the new hardware has been spotted in the Android 13 code.

Within the first in-development build of Android 13 quarterly platform release by Google, developers have spotted a detachable Pixel tablet and the rumoured Pixel foldable.

Developers have spotted "Felix" foldable device, with a 64MP Sony IMX787 primary sensor and a 10.8MP Samsung S5K3J1 telephoto lens on the back of the phone.

The device could also house an 8MP Sony IMX355 sensor (the same one used by the Pixel 6A) on the inside, reports Android Police.

The smartphone could fold horizontally like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold.
?According to developer Kuba Wojciechowski, Google released the first beta for Android 13 QPR1 beta and with it a lot of updated code.

It includes "new camera drivers, revealing some details about their upcoming products. I have found some details about a yet-unknown foldable, another tablet and more," he posted in a tweet.

"As of now, we know about two foldable devices from Google - passport and pipit," he said.

The first one has been canceled, but the status of the other one was unknown.

"Recently we've heard that the display production for their foldable would start in 4 months," said the developer.

Goggle was yet to make any comment. The company will hold a Pixel 7 launch event on October 6.

--IANS
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