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Climate Change mitigation should start from grass roots where every citizen of the world contributes to reduce his own carbon footprint as well as assert his democratic right by asking his/her country's government to take effective steps for minimising carbon emissions by adopting renewable energy technology and by promulgating laws for preservation of bio diversity. Economic development will be of no use if we neglect the global warming and climate change mitigation efforts. We are already too late in acting against the scourge of climate change many adverse effects are irreversible. Any further delay will be catastrophic for the mankind. SAVE NATURE OR PERISH. NO OTHER WAY.

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India unInc: Management lessons from streets of India

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India unInc: Management lessons from streets of India

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India unInc: Management lessons from streets of India

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IT WILL GIVE YOU GOOSEBUMPS - Elon musk Motivational video

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IT WILL GIVE YOU GOOSEBUMPS - Elon musk Motivational video

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IT WILL GIVE YOU GOOSEBUMPS - Elon musk Motivational video

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As US west braces for omicron surge, leaders take a hands-off approach

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As US west braces for omicron surge, leaders take a hands-off approach

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As US west braces for omicron surge, leaders take a hands-off approach

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Experts call for public health measures beyond vaccines as health workers describe a ‘war zone’

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Xi’s emphasis on greener global growth “manifests the country’s great sense of duty and exemplary role in advancing global climate governance and green, low-carbon development”

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Houthi projectile kills two in Saudi Arabia’s Jazan

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Houthi projectile kills two in Saudi Arabia’s Jazan

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A Saudi citizen and a Yemeni resident were killed in the Houthi attack on Jazan

Coalition said projectiles were launched from Yemeni city of Saada, launched airstrikes in response

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hajj،عرب نيوز

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Houthi projectile kills two in Saudi Arabia's Jazan

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RIYADH: A Saudi citizen and a Yemeni resident of the Kingdom were killed after a Houthi projectile hit Jazan on Friday. The projectile fell in Samtah, a town in Jazan, and also damaged an industrial workshop, the Arab coalition said. Earlier, a projectile hit a village neighbouring Najran and damaged a vehicle belonging to a civilian.

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Veteran Odisha minister Ram Krushna Patnaik passes away at 81

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Veteran Odisha minister Ram Krushna Patnaik passes away at 81

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Ram Krushna Patnaik served in finance, agriculture, and planning and coordination in Naveen Patnaik's ministry till he fell out with the leadership and quit BJD.

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BHUBANESWAR: Former minister and prominent Odia political figure Ram Krushna Patnaik passed away on Friday morning, December 24, 2021. The veteran politician was unwell for some time and was undergoing treatment at a private hospital here. He was 81.

A six-time legislator from the Kodala Assembly constituency in Ganjam district, Patnaik had handled several important portfolios as a minister, including finance, rural development and agriculture.

He was the Leader of Opposition in Odisha Legislative Assembly from February 22, 1998, to November 11, 1998.

The senior leader served as a minister in the ministry of both Biju Patnaik and Naveen Patnaik. He was minister for finance, rural development and agriculture in Biju Patnaik's ministry from 1990 to 1995. He joined the Naveen Patnaik ministry in 2000 and served in finance, agriculture, and planning and coordination till he fell out with the leadership and quit BJD.

In 2002, he quit the BJD following differences with party president and Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and joined the Congress. Popularly known as "Ganjam Tiger", Patnaik and his wife quit the grand old party in the run-up to the 2014 elections and joined the BJP. Patnaik, his wife and daughter Anita had joined the BJP in March 2014. His wife was also a former MP from Aska.

Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, BJP national vice president Baijayant Panda, president of Odisha Pradesh Congress Committee Niranjan Patnaik and leaders cutting across party lines condoled his death.

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Veteran Odisha minister Ram Krushna Patnaik passes away at 81

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BHUBANESWAR: Former minister and prominent Odia political figure Ram Krushna Patnaik passed away on Friday morning, December 24, 2021. The veteran politician was unwell for some time and was undergoing treatment at a private hospital here. He was 81.

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WHO on booster doses, hate speeches in Haridwar, and refugees in Mizoram

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WHO on booster doses, hate speeches in Haridwar, and refugees in Mizoram

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First, Indian Express’ Kaunain Sheriff talks about the latest statement made by the WHO regarding booster doses, and its significance for India.

Next, Indian Express’ Avaneesh Mishra talks about the religious event in Haridwar where hate speeches were made against the muslim community, including calls for a genocide (08:16).

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First, Indian Express ' Kaunain Sheriff talks about the latest statement made by the WHO regarding booster doses, and its significance for India.

Next, Indian Express' Avaneesh Mishra talks about the religious event in Haridwar where hate speeches were made against the muslim community, including calls for a genocide (08:16).

And in the end, Indian Express' Tora Agarwala tells us how the Mizoram government is helping refugee children from Myanmar enroll into schools across the state (15:08).

(Warning: This episode contains excerpts and descriptions of hate speeches against the muslim community).

You can follow us and leave us feedback on Facebook and Twitter @expresspodcasts, or send us an email at podcasts@ indianexpress.com. If you like this show, please subscribe and leave us a review wherever you get your podcasts, so other people can find us. You can also find us on https://indianexpress.com/audio.

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WHO on booster doses, hate speeches in Haridwar, and refugees in Mizoram

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First, Indian Express ' Kaunain Sheriff talks about the latest statement made by the WHO regarding booster doses, and its significance for India. Next, Indian Express' Avaneesh Mishra talks about the religious event in Haridwar where hate speeches were made against the muslim community, including calls for a genocide (08:16).

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Here is the latest news from the Indian Express at 8:00 pm on the 24th of December, 2021

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UPSC CDS I final result 2021 declared; P Apoorv Gajanan secures AIR 1

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UPSC CDS I final result 2021 declared; P Apoorv Gajanan secures AIR 1

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UPSC CDS I final result 2021: Padghan Apoorv Gajanan has secured the all India rank 1 followed by Anuj Singh Kushwah at rank 2 for Indian Military Academy, Malay Ojha at rank 2 for Indian Naval Academy and Shubhankar Gaikwad at rank 2 for Indian Airforce.

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The Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) has declared the final results for the Combined Defence Services Examination I 2021 today. A total of 154 candidates have been recommended by the commission. The result has been declared in the form of merit list and candidates can check the result pdf at - upsc.gov.in

Padghan Apoorv Gajanan has secured the all India rank 1 followed by Anuj Singh Kushwah at rank 2 for Indian Military Academy, Malay Ojha at rank 2 for Indian Naval Academy and Shubhankar Gaikwad at rank 2 for Indian Airforce.

The Commission had recommended 2679, 1136 and 637 as qualified in the written test of which 85, 58 and 11 have qualified for admission to the Indian Military Academy, Indian Naval Academy and Air Force Academy, respectively.

Marks of the candidates will be available on the website after declaration of final result of Officers' Training Academy (OTA) for Combined Defence Services Examination (I), 2021. The results of the medical examination have not been taken into account in preparing the result lists.

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UPSC CDS I final result 2021 declared; P Apoorv Gajanan secures AIR 1

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UPSC CDS I final result 2021: Padghan Apoorv Gajanan has secured the all India rank 1 followed by Anuj Singh Kushwah at rank 2 for Indian Military Academy, Malay Ojha at rank 2 for Indian Naval Academy and Shubhankar Gaikwad at rank 2 for Indian Airforce.

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Joan Didion, peerless prose stylist, dies at 87

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Joan Didion, peerless prose stylist, dies at 87

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“Didion was one of the country’s most trenchant writers and astute observers. Her best-selling works of fiction, commentary, and memoir have received numerous honors and are considered modern classics,” Penguin Random House said in a statement.

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Joan Didion, peerless prose stylist, dies at 87

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“Didion was one of the country’s most trenchant writers and astute observers. Her best-selling works of fiction, commentary, and memoir have received numerous honors and are considered modern classics,” Penguin Random House said in a statement.

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Why I think these are the biggest tech disappointments of 2021

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Why I think these are the biggest tech disappointments of 2021

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2021 was an incredible year for tech, but it was also a year of a few letdowns.

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2021 was kind of a strange year for smartphones. Apple and Samsung had a great year despite supply-chain issues amidst the chip shortage, but overall there seemed to be far fewer breakthroughs. The rise of Realme was clearly visible, while OnePlus had a quiet year despite the success of the Nord series. Meanwhile, Vivo showed the progress it has made in the imaging space with the X70 Pro Plus. That being said, there weren't many blockbuster smartphones we all had been anticipating. These are our favourite smartphones of the year.

Best Ultra Premium Flagship (Above Rs 60,000)

Winner: Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max

The iPhone 13 Pro Max wasn't necessarily the breath of fresh air we all expected, but it was nonetheless a genuine attempt to improve a smartphone that is already so good. Little has changed over the iPhone 12 Pro Max from the design point of view, but the iPhone 13 Pro Max does have enough new features to join the ranks of the best smartphone of the year.

From the adaptive 120Hz display, improved cameras to the new A15 Bionic chipset, there is a clear thought that went to make the iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Runner Up: Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra has many things going in its favour to become the top Android smartphone of 2021. The Galaxy S21 Ultra doesn't come cheap, costing over a lakh. However, for that kind of money, you are getting a smartphone that not only looks good but has every feature one would expect from a high-end Android phone. Its design got altered a bit, and the OLED display is simply stunning.

The phone also came with four cameras on the rear, including the ultra-wide one, and the 108MP lens provided sharp details. The Zoom lens is another win for the S21 Ultra. The Exynos 2100 provided a more well-rounded performance. However, the battery could have been better. On top of that, the support for the S Pen accessory was a smart move. Note fans couldn't have asked for more.

Honorable Mentions:
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3
Both Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 showed the promise of foldable phones replacing traditional ones. The Fold 3 is Samsung's third-generation smartphone, and it's also the best attempt at making a forward-looking foldable phone without too many compromises. The Fold 3 is not skinny nor super light but its claim to fame has always been how when it unfolds to become a tablet-sized 7.6-inch display on the inside.

It's expensive, no doubt, but it's also more durable, has a 120Hz display, and support for the S Pen is a bonus. Meanwhile, the Flip 3 is more about making foldable devices mainstream. The flip-style, water-resistant phone feels snappier than its predecessor, except for its cameras which are above average. Combined with the right price and style, the Z Flip 3 gets its footing in a crowded smartphone market.
Vivo X70 Pro+
If one brand managed to impress in the premium category, it was Vivo. First, the X60 series was more than capable, and then Vivo took it up a notch with the X70 Pro+. The biggest upgrade was the Zeiss camera with the X70 Pro+ and the camera performance was definitely what one expects in a premium flagship phone. Of course, it also came with top-notch specifications, an excellent display, and plenty of RAM and storage for its price of Rs 79,990. And that's why the phone gets a mention in the list of ultra-premium devices.
OnePlus 9 Pro
OnePlus smartphones aren't different, but they do undercut similar offerings from Samsung and Apple in price. A similar story emerged this year with the OnePlus 9 Pro, a phone that had many top-tier flagship features you expect from an Android smartphone. It managed to squeeze every possible feature - QHD Fluid AMOLED display, the Snapdragon 888 processor, and an understated yet stylish design.

A partnership with Hasselblad does improve cameras, although there's also scope for an improvement. The OnePlus 9 Pro does satisfy as a high-end smartphone but the secret recipe of a true OnePlus phone was missing.

Best Mid-Premium phone (Rs 30,000 to 45,000)

Winner: OnePlus 9R

The OnePlus 9R was a new variant this time from the brand. While the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro firmly played in the ultra-premium category, the 9R offered the same, reliable experience of the brand at Rs 40,000.

This one was powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 processor, and while it did not have the fancy Hasselblad branding on the camera, it offered an excellent overall experience. And that's why this is the winner for phones competing in the mid-premium category.

Runner up: Realme GT

The Realme GT was a milestone device for the company this year. Not only was the phone premium in its specifications, which included the Snapdragon 888, a 64MP quad-camera setup, and UFS 3.1 storage, the device also featured a great minimal back design that made it one of the best looking phones of the year.

Plus the 65W fast charging, stereo speakers, and a 120Hz AMOLED screen made the phone a complete package.

Honorable Mentions:
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
Samsung has been successful in positioning its A-series smartphone lately, and the trend continued this year with the Galaxy A52s 5G. This tactic of pushing high-end features onto premium mid-range phones actually seems to be working - and that's also the case with the Galaxy A52s.

The Galaxy A52s 5G is proof that a premium mid-range phone can be a good buy without many compromises. It nails all the basic features in addition to a few premium phones including a 120Hz AMOLED screen, IP67 for water and dust resistance, and stereo speakers anyone would want from a smartphone: a good performance, a good screen, good battery life, for a good price.

Best Upper Mid-Range smartphone (Rs 20,000 to 30,000)

Winner: OnePlus Nord 2 5G

OnePlud Nord series has managed to make a mark in the under Rs 30,000 segment, and this continued with the Nord 2 5G variant in India. What impressed us the most as we noted in our review was the camera, and it packed a capable performance, design, and battery life all in one. This made the OnePlus Nord 2 a dependable package, which offered steady and reliable performance that the brand is known for, but at a much more reasonable price.

Runner up: Poco F3 GT

The Poco F3 GT was the brand's most expensive phone in India yet, but it still managed to be an incredible value-for-money device, especially for gamers. The only phone in its segment that offered in-built gaming triggers, the Poco F3 GT was a budget-friendly gaming machine, complete with a MediaTek Dimensity 1200 chip. If that wasn't enough, the phone also came with a well-designed back panel with RGB lighting on the camera island.

Honorable Mentions:
Samsung Galaxy M52 5G
The Galaxy M52 5G is Samsung's latest attempt to make a mainstream phone without compromising on specs or features. In fact, the M52 hits the sweet spot between price, performance, and form. There's so much to like about the phone, from its 120Hz AMOLED screen, 5G support, bigger battery, and the Snapdragon 778G processor. Even the cameras are not disappointing. For average users, who need a big screen and big battery, the Galaxy M52 5G is an easy choice.
iQOO Z5
The iQOO Z5 fixed everything that was wrong with the iQOO Z3 and then some, making it a great device that featured a neat mix of competitive specifications like the Snapdragon 778G, variable refresh rate, and UFS 3.1 storage, as well as good aesthetics and a great camera. The phone was also the first in the series to get rid of Vivo's Jovi-branded bloat, leaving behind a skin that was much cleaner but still packed key customisation features.

Best Mid-Range smartphone (Rs 15,000 to 20,000)

Winner: Redmi Note 10 Pro Max

As always, the Redmi Note series continues to maintain consistent performance and the Note 10 Pro Max offered the best that a budget phone could pack. The 108MP camera was impressive by all counts, as was the AMOLED display, and even the 5MP macro camera did a good job in proper lighting conditions. Overall, the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max remained the phone to beat in this category.

Runner up: Poco X3 Pro

The Poco X3 Pro was the fastest phone in its segment, a title it still holds months after its launch. The phone remains the only Snapdragon 800-series device you can get your hands on under Rs 20,000 and also adds a big battery, fast charging, stereo speakers, UFS 3.1 storage, and surprisingly good thermals and gaming performance. In fact, the only con with the device is missing 5G support.

Honorable Mentions:
Samsung A22 5G
The Samsung Galaxy A22 featured a vibrant and bright AMOLED display along with a great quad-camera setup on the back. While it wasn't the best performer with the MediaTek Helio G80 chip, the phone shined in almost all other areas, including a large 5000mAh battery, 90Hz refresh rate, and NFC support.
Realme X7 5G
The base variant of the Realme X7 was for a long time, the only phone that offered 5G compatibility under Rs 20,000. It also packed a number of other competitive specifications including an AMOLED screen, dual 5G sim support, a decent battery, and fast charging. The phone even retained the 3.5mm headphone port and threw in a 64Mp primary camera to complete the package.

Best Budget smartphone (Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000)

Winner: Redmi Note 10S

The Redmi Note 10S was the budget mid-range device under Rs 15,000 to beat this year. The phone brought the excellent design from the Redmi Note 10 series, along with a MediaTek Helio G95 chip, a 5000mAh battery, 33W fast charging, stereo speakers, and a 64MP quad-camera setup, features you wouldn't find in this segment. Plus the IP53 certification and a fast and accurate fingerprint scanner completed the package, and made this a very good deal for this price point.

Runner up: Poco M3

The Poco M3 got a lot right for a device in its segment. It also was hands down the best-looking phone in the segment with a textured back that wouldn't let you slap on a case. This was without compromising on specifications, which included a Snapdragon 662 chipset, a 64MP rear camera, a large 6,000mAh battery, and a Full HD+ screen with Corning Gorilla Glass 3.

Honourable Mentions:

Realme 8i: Realme's 8i was a solid package for its price of Rs 13,999, given it had a 50MP triple camera, a big 5000 mAh battery, 120Hz display, and the Helio G96 processor. The phone packed a lot of good features and specifications for the under Rs 15,000 price tag.

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2021 was kind of a strange year for smartphones. Apple and Samsung had a great year despite supply-chain issues amidst the chip shortage, but overall there seemed to be far fewer breakthroughs. The rise of Realme was clearly visible, while OnePlus had a quiet year despite the success of the Nord series.

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Here are the best smartphones launched throughout 2021, across all segments.

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2021 was kind of a strange year for smartphones. Apple and Samsung had a great year despite supply-chain issues amidst the chip shortage, but overall there seemed to be far fewer breakthroughs. The rise of Realme was clearly visible, while OnePlus had a quiet year despite the success of the Nord series. Meanwhile, Vivo showed the progress it has made in the imaging space with the X70 Pro Plus. That being said, there weren't many blockbuster smartphones we all had been anticipating. These are our favourite smartphones of the year.

Best Ultra Premium Flagship (Above Rs 60,000)

Winner: Apple iPhone 13 Pro Max

The iPhone 13 Pro Max wasn't necessarily the breath of fresh air we all expected, but it was nonetheless a genuine attempt to improve a smartphone that is already so good. Little has changed over the iPhone 12 Pro Max from the design point of view, but the iPhone 13 Pro Max does have enough new features to join the ranks of the best smartphone of the year.

From the adaptive 120Hz display, improved cameras to the new A15 Bionic chipset, there is a clear thought that went to make the iPhone 13 Pro Max.

Runner Up: Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy S21 Ultra has many things going in its favour to become the top Android smartphone of 2021. The Galaxy S21 Ultra doesn't come cheap, costing over a lakh. However, for that kind of money, you are getting a smartphone that not only looks good but has every feature one would expect from a high-end Android phone. Its design got altered a bit, and the OLED display is simply stunning.

The phone also came with four cameras on the rear, including the ultra-wide one, and the 108MP lens provided sharp details. The Zoom lens is another win for the S21 Ultra. The Exynos 2100 provided a more well-rounded performance. However, the battery could have been better. On top of that, the support for the S Pen accessory was a smart move. Note fans couldn't have asked for more.

Honorable Mentions:
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3
Both Galaxy Z Fold 3 and Z Flip 3 showed the promise of foldable phones replacing traditional ones. The Fold 3 is Samsung's third-generation smartphone, and it's also the best attempt at making a forward-looking foldable phone without too many compromises. The Fold 3 is not skinny nor super light but its claim to fame has always been how when it unfolds to become a tablet-sized 7.6-inch display on the inside.

It's expensive, no doubt, but it's also more durable, has a 120Hz display, and support for the S Pen is a bonus. Meanwhile, the Flip 3 is more about making foldable devices mainstream. The flip-style, water-resistant phone feels snappier than its predecessor, except for its cameras which are above average. Combined with the right price and style, the Z Flip 3 gets its footing in a crowded smartphone market.
Vivo X70 Pro+
If one brand managed to impress in the premium category, it was Vivo. First, the X60 series was more than capable, and then Vivo took it up a notch with the X70 Pro+. The biggest upgrade was the Zeiss camera with the X70 Pro+ and the camera performance was definitely what one expects in a premium flagship phone. Of course, it also came with top-notch specifications, an excellent display, and plenty of RAM and storage for its price of Rs 79,990. And that's why the phone gets a mention in the list of ultra-premium devices.
OnePlus 9 Pro
OnePlus smartphones aren't different, but they do undercut similar offerings from Samsung and Apple in price. A similar story emerged this year with the OnePlus 9 Pro, a phone that had many top-tier flagship features you expect from an Android smartphone. It managed to squeeze every possible feature - QHD Fluid AMOLED display, the Snapdragon 888 processor, and an understated yet stylish design.

A partnership with Hasselblad does improve cameras, although there's also scope for an improvement. The OnePlus 9 Pro does satisfy as a high-end smartphone but the secret recipe of a true OnePlus phone was missing.

Best Mid-Premium phone (Rs 30,000 to 45,000)

Winner: OnePlus 9R

The OnePlus 9R was a new variant this time from the brand. While the OnePlus 9 and 9 Pro firmly played in the ultra-premium category, the 9R offered the same, reliable experience of the brand at Rs 40,000.

This one was powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 870 processor, and while it did not have the fancy Hasselblad branding on the camera, it offered an excellent overall experience. And that's why this is the winner for phones competing in the mid-premium category.

Runner up: Realme GT

The Realme GT was a milestone device for the company this year. Not only was the phone premium in its specifications, which included the Snapdragon 888, a 64MP quad-camera setup, and UFS 3.1 storage, the device also featured a great minimal back design that made it one of the best looking phones of the year.

Plus the 65W fast charging, stereo speakers, and a 120Hz AMOLED screen made the phone a complete package.

Honorable Mentions:
Samsung Galaxy A52s 5G
Samsung has been successful in positioning its A-series smartphone lately, and the trend continued this year with the Galaxy A52s 5G. This tactic of pushing high-end features onto premium mid-range phones actually seems to be working - and that's also the case with the Galaxy A52s.

The Galaxy A52s 5G is proof that a premium mid-range phone can be a good buy without many compromises. It nails all the basic features in addition to a few premium phones including a 120Hz AMOLED screen, IP67 for water and dust resistance, and stereo speakers anyone would want from a smartphone: a good performance, a good screen, good battery life, for a good price.

Best Upper Mid-Range smartphone (Rs 20,000 to 30,000)

Winner: OnePlus Nord 2 5G

OnePlud Nord series has managed to make a mark in the under Rs 30,000 segment, and this continued with the Nord 2 5G variant in India. What impressed us the most as we noted in our review was the camera, and it packed a capable performance, design, and battery life all in one. This made the OnePlus Nord 2 a dependable package, which offered steady and reliable performance that the brand is known for, but at a much more reasonable price.

Runner up: Poco F3 GT

The Poco F3 GT was the brand's most expensive phone in India yet, but it still managed to be an incredible value-for-money device, especially for gamers. The only phone in its segment that offered in-built gaming triggers, the Poco F3 GT was a budget-friendly gaming machine, complete with a MediaTek Dimensity 1200 chip. If that wasn't enough, the phone also came with a well-designed back panel with RGB lighting on the camera island.

Honorable Mentions:
Samsung Galaxy M52 5G
The Galaxy M52 5G is Samsung's latest attempt to make a mainstream phone without compromising on specs or features. In fact, the M52 hits the sweet spot between price, performance, and form. There's so much to like about the phone, from its 120Hz AMOLED screen, 5G support, bigger battery, and the Snapdragon 778G processor. Even the cameras are not disappointing. For average users, who need a big screen and big battery, the Galaxy M52 5G is an easy choice.
iQOO Z5
The iQOO Z5 fixed everything that was wrong with the iQOO Z3 and then some, making it a great device that featured a neat mix of competitive specifications like the Snapdragon 778G, variable refresh rate, and UFS 3.1 storage, as well as good aesthetics and a great camera. The phone was also the first in the series to get rid of Vivo's Jovi-branded bloat, leaving behind a skin that was much cleaner but still packed key customisation features.

Best Mid-Range smartphone (Rs 15,000 to 20,000)

Winner: Redmi Note 10 Pro Max

As always, the Redmi Note series continues to maintain consistent performance and the Note 10 Pro Max offered the best that a budget phone could pack. The 108MP camera was impressive by all counts, as was the AMOLED display, and even the 5MP macro camera did a good job in proper lighting conditions. Overall, the Redmi Note 10 Pro Max remained the phone to beat in this category.

Runner up: Poco X3 Pro

The Poco X3 Pro was the fastest phone in its segment, a title it still holds months after its launch. The phone remains the only Snapdragon 800-series device you can get your hands on under Rs 20,000 and also adds a big battery, fast charging, stereo speakers, UFS 3.1 storage, and surprisingly good thermals and gaming performance. In fact, the only con with the device is missing 5G support.

Honorable Mentions:
Samsung A22 5G
The Samsung Galaxy A22 featured a vibrant and bright AMOLED display along with a great quad-camera setup on the back. While it wasn't the best performer with the MediaTek Helio G80 chip, the phone shined in almost all other areas, including a large 5000mAh battery, 90Hz refresh rate, and NFC support.
Realme X7 5G
The base variant of the Realme X7 was for a long time, the only phone that offered 5G compatibility under Rs 20,000. It also packed a number of other competitive specifications including an AMOLED screen, dual 5G sim support, a decent battery, and fast charging. The phone even retained the 3.5mm headphone port and threw in a 64Mp primary camera to complete the package.

Best Budget smartphone (Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000)

Winner: Redmi Note 10S

The Redmi Note 10S was the budget mid-range device under Rs 15,000 to beat this year. The phone brought the excellent design from the Redmi Note 10 series, along with a MediaTek Helio G95 chip, a 5000mAh battery, 33W fast charging, stereo speakers, and a 64MP quad-camera setup, features you wouldn't find in this segment. Plus the IP53 certification and a fast and accurate fingerprint scanner completed the package, and made this a very good deal for this price point.

Runner up: Poco M3

The Poco M3 got a lot right for a device in its segment. It also was hands down the best-looking phone in the segment with a textured back that wouldn't let you slap on a case. This was without compromising on specifications, which included a Snapdragon 662 chipset, a 64MP rear camera, a large 6,000mAh battery, and a Full HD+ screen with Corning Gorilla Glass 3.

Honourable Mentions:

Realme 8i: Realme's 8i was a solid package for its price of Rs 13,999, given it had a 50MP triple camera, a big 5000 mAh battery, 120Hz display, and the Helio G96 processor. The phone packed a lot of good features and specifications for the under Rs 15,000 price tag.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
2021 was kind of a strange year for smartphones. Apple and Samsung had a great year despite supply-chain issues amidst the chip shortage, but overall there seemed to be far fewer breakthroughs. The rise of Realme was clearly visible, while OnePlus had a quiet year despite the success of the Nord series.

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Meet ‘Baby Yingliang’, a well-preserved dinosaur embryo discovered inside fossilised egg

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Meet ‘Baby Yingliang’, a well-preserved dinosaur embryo discovered inside fossilised egg

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Oviraptorosaurs lived during the Cretaceous period(145 to 66 million years ago) in Asia and North America.

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From the rocks of Ganzhou in southern China, researchers have discovered a 72-to 66-million-year-old embryo inside a fossilised dinosaur egg. The embryo, named 'Baby Yingliang' belongs to a toothless theropod dinosaur group called oviraptorosaur. Oviraptorosaurs lived during the Cretaceous period(145 to 66 million years ago) in Asia and North America.

The most interesting find was the posture of the embryo. The team writes that "its head lies below the body, with the feet on either side and the back curled along the blunt end of the egg."

Our little one has just arrived. Welcome Baby Yingliang, a gorgeous fossil dinosaur embryo preserved inside its egg!
You're looking here at a baby dinosaur, not too long before it would have hatched. pic.twitter.com/NtXE8XODjT

- Steve Brusatte (@SteveBrusatte) December 21, 2021

This posture is similar to that seen in modern-day bird embryos. One of the authors Professor Steve Brusatte from the University of Edinburgh said in a release: "This dinosaur embryo inside its egg is one of the most beautiful fossils I have ever seen. This little prenatal dinosaur looks just like a baby bird curled in its egg, which is yet more evidence that many features characteristic of today's birds first evolved in their dinosaur ancestors."

Their findings were published in iScience. The embryo was found inside a 17-cm long egg and the creature is estimated to be 27 cm long from head to tail. The specimen is now housed in China's Yingliang Stone Nature History Museum.

Our incredible embryo, 'Baby Yingliang'

An exquisitely preserved in-ovo theropod dinosaur embryo sheds light on avian-like prehatching postures https://t.co/qYQ98TxFRz

- Lida XING (@LidaXing1982) December 21, 2021

Fion Waisum Ma, the joint first author and PhD researcher at the University of Birmingham, said in a release: "Dinosaur embryos are some of the rarest fossils and most of them are incomplete with the bones dislocated. We are very excited about the discovery of 'Baby Yingliang' - it is preserved in great condition and helps us answer a lot of questions about dinosaur growth and reproduction with it...It is interesting to see this dinosaur embryo and a chicken embryo pose in a similar way inside the egg, which possibly indicates similar prehatching behaviours."

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Meet 'Baby Yingliang', a well-preserved dinosaur embryo discovered inside fossilised egg

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From the rocks of Ganzhou in southern China, researchers have discovered a 72-to 66-million-year-old embryo inside a fossilised dinosaur egg. The embryo, named 'Baby Yingliang' belongs to a toothless theropod dinosaur group called oviraptorosaur. Oviraptorosaurs lived during the Cretaceous period(145 to 66 million years ago) in Asia and North America.

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Rare Steller’s sea eagle spotted a long way from home

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Rare Steller’s sea eagle spotted a long way from home

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Andrew Vitz, an ornithologist, said the bird most likely arrived in North America after it got caught in a weather-related storm.

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A long way from its home in Asia, a rare Steller's sea eagle was spotted by 200 bird watchers around Taunton River, Massachusetts on Monday.

The eagle is reportedly the same one that went off course a year ago and has been spotted in Alaska and Canada by bird watchers across North America, The Boston Globe reported on Tuesday.

Flocks of bird watchers in the Northeast said they traveled hours to the river to catch a glimpse of the eagle in what they said was once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the birding community.

Steller's sea eagles, native to Russia, China, Korea and Japan, have wingspans of up to 8 feet (2.4 meters) and weigh between 6 to 9 kilograms. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has listed the eagles as vulnerable species, estimating a total population of about 4,000.

"We've never had one here in this area of the world: the Northeast coast of North America or Massachusetts," said Andrew Vitz, the state's ornithologist. "This is like the bird of the decade for people around here."

Vitz said the bird most likely arrived in North America after it got caught in a weather-related storm. The state has no plans to capture or tag the bird, he said.

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Rare Steller's sea eagle spotted a long way from home

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A long way from its home in Asia, a rare Steller's sea eagle was spotted by 200 bird watchers around Taunton River, Massachusetts on Monday. The eagle is reportedly the same one that went off course a year ago and has been spotted in Alaska and Canada by bird watchers across North America, The Boston Globe reported on Tuesday.

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Data Patterns shares list at nearly 48% premium

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Data Patterns shares list at nearly 48% premium

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Founded by Srinivasagopalan Rangarajan and Rekha Murthy Rangarajan, Data Patterns is a vertically integrated defence and aerospace electronics solutions provider.

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Shares of Data Patterns (India) Ltd, which supplies electronic systems to defence and aerospace sector, on Friday listed with nearly 48 per cent gains against the issue price of Rs 585.

The stock listed at 864, reflecting a premium of 47.69 per cent from the issue price on BSE.

Shares of the company listed at Rs 856.05, a jump of 46.33 per cent on NSE.

The company commanded a market valuation of Rs 4,190.37 crore in early trade.

The initial public offer of Data Patterns (India) Limited closed with 119.62 times subscription last week.

The initial public offer had a fresh issue component of up to Rs 240 crore an offer for sale of up to 59,52,550 equity shares.

The price range for the offer was Rs 555-585 per share.

Data Patterns is backed by former Blackstone head Matthew Cyriac via Florintree Capital Partners LLP, which holds a 12.8 per cent stake in the company.

Founded by Srinivasagopalan Rangarajan and Rekha Murthy Rangarajan, Data Patterns is a vertically integrated defence and aerospace electronics solutions provider.

Its core competencies include design and development across electronic hardware, software, firmware, mechanical, product prototype besides its testing, validation, and verification.

Its involvement has been found across radars, underwater electronics/ communication, electronic warfare suites, avionics, small satellites, automated test equipment, and programmes catering to Tejas light combat aircraft, light utility helicopter, BrahMos, and other communication and electronic intelligence systems.

It had developed the first nanosatellite "NiUSAT", which thereafter was deployed in 2017. In addition, two more satellites are under progress, the draft papers noted.

Data Patterns works closely with the defence PSUs such as Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd and Bharat Electronics Ltd as well as government organisations involved in defence and space research like DRDO.

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data patterns grey market premium status

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Data Patterns shares list at nearly 48% premium

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Shares of Data Patterns (India) Ltd, which supplies electronic systems to defence and aerospace sector, on Friday listed with nearly 48 per cent gains against the issue price of Rs 585. The stock listed at 864, reflecting a premium of 47.69 per cent from the issue price on BSE.

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BofA expects 8.2% GDP growth next fiscal with more downside risks

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BofA expects 8.2% GDP growth next fiscal with more downside risks

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The biggest risk to the projection is a derailed consumption demand that has been the main growth driver in the past many years, said the Bank of America Securities India house economists who still believe that consumption demand will remain the key driver of growth next fiscal as well.

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BofA expects 8.2% GDP growth next fiscal with more downside risks

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The biggest risk to the projection is a derailed consumption demand that has been the main growth driver in the past many years, said the Bank of America Securities India house economists who still believe that consumption demand will remain the key driver of growth next fiscal as well.

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Japan, US draw up plan for any Taiwan emergency, says media report

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Japan, US draw up plan for any Taiwan emergency, says media report

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China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own "sacred" territory and in the past two years has stepped up military and diplomatic pressure to assert its sovereignty claims, fuelling anger in Taipei and deep concern in Washington.

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Japanese and US armed forces have drawn up a draft plan for a joint operation for a possible Taiwan emergency, Japan's Kyodo news agency said on Thursday, citing unnamed Japanese government sources, amid increased tensions between the island and China.

China claims democratically governed Taiwan as its own "sacred" territory and in the past two years has stepped up military and diplomatic pressure to assert its sovereignty claims, fuelling anger in Taipei and deep concern in Washington.

Taiwan's government says it wants peace, but it will defend itself if needed.

Under the plan, the US Marine Corps will set up temporary bases on the Nansei island chain stretching from Kyushu, one of the four main islands of Japan, to Taiwan, at the initial stage of a Taiwan emergency, and will also deploy troops, Kyodo said.

Japanese armed forces will provide logistical support in such areas as ammunition and fuel supplies, it said.

Japan, former colonial ruler of Taiwan, and the United States would likely reach an agreement to start formulating an official plan at a "2+2" meeting of foreign and defence ministers early next year, the news agency said.

Japanese defence ministry officials were not immediately available for comment.

In October, Japan's government signalled a more assertive position on China's aggressive posture towards self-ruled Taiwan, suggesting it would consider options and prepare for "various scenarios" while reaffirming close US ties.

Earlier this month, former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe had said that Japan and the United States could not stand by if China attacked Taiwan.

US officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, have long said that given the tens of thousands of troops the US has in Japan and its proximity to Taiwan, Japan would likely have to play an important role in any Taiwan emergency.

According to a Pentagon spokesman, as the US President Joe Biden and his Japanese counterpart had said in a March joint statement, both countries shared a commitment to peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait.

"We are committed to enhancing resiliency and interoperability between US and Japanese forces and deepening operational cooperation during peacetime and various regional contingencies," the Pentagon added.

Japan is host to major US military bases, including on the southern island of Okinawa. It's a short flight away from Taiwan, which would be crucial for any US support during a Chinese attack.

China views democratic Taiwan as a wayward province, awaiting the day the island can be brought under its control - peacefully or militarily - with no right to state-to-state relations.

The United States, like most countries in the world, recognises China over Taiwan, in line with Beijing's "one China" policy. But Washington is the island's biggest arms supplier and ally and is obliged by law to help it defend itself.

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Japan, US draw up plan for any Taiwan emergency, says media report

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Japanese and US armed forces have drawn up a draft plan for a joint operation for a possible Taiwan emergency, Japan's Kyodo news agency said on Thursday, citing unnamed Japanese government sources, amid increased tensions between the island and China.

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Chinese province offers $31,000 baby loans to counter shrinking population

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Chinese province offers $31,000 baby loans to counter shrinking population

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Jilin province in northeast China will support banks to provide “marriage and birth consumer loans” to married couples, according to an official blueprint on policies to promote population growth.

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A Chinese province with one of the fastest-shrinking populations is rolling out special loans to encourage couples to marry and have babies, as the rapidly-aging country tries to reverse a slump in births.

Jilin province in northeast China will support banks to provide up to 200,000 yuan ($31,400) of "marriage and birth consumer loans" to married couples, according to an official blueprint on policies to promote population growth.

There were no details on how the government would offer support, but the proposal includes discounted interest rates for the loans that vary according to the number of children a couple has.

China's birth rate has rapidly slowed over the past few years, as fewer and fewer people have children.

That slump has continued, despite the government effectively abandoning any limit on the number of children a couple can have and trying to make it less expensive to raise a family, with some demographers estimating the population may have already started shrinking.

Other measures in the Jilin policy include allowing couples from other provinces to obtain a residence permit - known as hukou - and access public services in Jilin, if they have children and register them there.

Couples who have two or three kids will also get tax discounts if they set up a small business, according to the document which was issued Thursday.

Jilin is part of China's "rust belt" region which is known for heavy industry and agriculture.

The area has seen the worst population declines and slow economic growth over the past decade, with Jilin province's economy expanding 7.8% in the first three quarters of this year from the same period in 2020, slower than the national average of 9.8%.
North-east shrinks
Heilongjiang's population fell by 17% in only 10 years, while coastal provinces, Xinjiang and Tibet grew

The consumer loan attracted controversy on social media platform Weibo.

"Families that need a loan to raise kids wouldn't want to have them in the first place, and it's not a good thing to increase their financial burden," according to one post.

"After mortgage and car loans, now we have the birth loan. We are just working for the bank our entire life," another person lamented.

Like many other provinces Jilin is extending maternity and paternity leave. Women will have 180 days of leave in total, up from 158 days previously, while men are entitled to 25 days, up from 15 days.

Couples will also each get 20 days of parental leave every year before their children turns three, the document said, and the province will also encourage kindergartens to set up daycare for children between ages two and three, according to the document.

Earlier this year, a Bank of China branch in the southeastern province of Jiangxi drew widespread criticism for promoting a loan product that targeted couples who'd just had a child.

The bank later said the it was only assessing the product and decided not to launch it because there wasn't enough demand, according to local media.

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baby loans to counter shrinking population

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Chinese province offers $31,000 baby loans to counter shrinking population

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A Chinese province with one of the fastest-shrinking populations is rolling out special loans to encourage couples to marry and have babies, as the rapidly-aging country tries to reverse a slump in births.

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Plan a safe Christmas get-together amid Covid concerns with these tips

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Plan a safe Christmas get-together amid Covid concerns with these tips

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Social gatherings at closed places can be risky. Masks can help reduce the risk.

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We have to once again tread cautiously amid concerns of another Covid wave. As the Omicron variant makes waves, experts suggest that you take both the doses of Covid vaccine as soon as it's possible, and stay alert by masking up and maintaining social-distancing while stepping out.

As we gear up for Christmas celebrations, there may be some house parties planned between friends and family members. Dr Paritosh Baghel, senior consultant, Internal Medicine at SL Raheja Hospital, Mahim, suggests some ways to keep the holiday spirit high and also stay cautious. Here is what you can do.

* Avoid overcrowding: Avoid crowding in hotels, restaurants, cinemas, malls. Follow Covid-appropriate behaviour when venturing out with family and friends. If you are the host for a small family get-together, ensure that you invite a limited number of people. It would also be prudent that you ensure all guests are double vaccinated. Senior citizens and children should ideally stay homebound.

* International attendees: Do not host parties for people who have just arrived into the country; they must finish their authority-specified quarantine first and get tested. Only after specified protocols are followed, can you include these members into your gatherings.

* Keep your mask on: Social gatherings at closed places can be risky. Masks can help reduce the risk. Ensure you gather at places that are not small and have enough airflow. Keeping the right distance is the only mantra. With increasing cases of Omicron variant, it is best that all attendees and the host wear double masks.

* Keep the sanitiser handy: Stock up on hand sanitiser along with soap, water, paper towels, tissues, disinfecting wipes and no-touch/foot-pedal trash cans (preferably covered). If you are organising a small gathering at home, keep multiple sanitiser bottles that guests can reach out to.

* Less social contact: Gathering around buffets or cocktails can increase the likelihood of the virus being passed on to others. Use disposable plates and glasses. Have an individual set of things for each guest so the chance of personal contact and cutlery/glassware sharing is reduced.

* Maintain hygiene: Apart from personal hygiene, it is important to sanitise surfaces that can harbor the infectious virus. Sanitise premises and maintain hygiene in the party area. Use the disinfectant spray to clean and disinfect shared objects. Restroom hygiene needs to be considered strictly.

* Keep a check on your diet: Have healthy food during house parties, one that will boost immunity. Select food items which can be of single-serving and tasty as well as healthy. Immunity-boosting drinks are great alternatives.
📣 For more lifestyle news, follow us on Instagram | Twitter | Facebook and don't miss out on the latest updates!

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Plan a safe Christmas get-together amid Covid concerns with these tips

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We have to once again tread cautiously amid concerns of another Covid wave. As the Omicron variant makes waves , experts suggest that you take both the doses of Covid vaccine as soon as it's possible, and stay alert by masking up and maintaining social-distancing while stepping out.

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‘Atrangi Re’ deals with symptoms of schizophrenia: Find out about this mental health issue

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‘Atrangi Re’ deals with symptoms of schizophrenia: Find out about this mental health issue

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"Schizophrenia is a mental illness whose root cause is some chemical imbalance in the brain; dopamine has been identified as the key chemical for it," says Dr Samir Parikh.

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For a long time, there was little understanding of mental health issues and illnesses around the world, which resulted in people treating them as taboos. But lately, there has been a shift in understanding, with many mainstream platforms, including films, treating such topics sensitively.

The recently-released Sara Ali Khan, Dhanush and Akshay Kumar-starrer film ' Atrangi Re' purportedly deals with the delicate topic of mental illness and trauma, with one of the lead characters displaying symptoms of schizophrenia.

And while it is encouraging to watch films dealing with such topics - given that the mind is grossly misunderstood - the film is being criticised for ostensibly trivialising the problem and even making it comical at times.

Without getting too much into it and risking giving spoilers, in the movie, we are introduced to a concept that is quickly romanticised before the viewer can process it. The fact that it brings in humour at times also seems dangerously irresponsible on the part of the filmmakers.

If you have seen the film and are looking to understand schizophrenia and its symptoms better, Dr Samir Parikh, director of Mental Health and Behavioural Sciences, Fortis Healthcare, has answers.

"Schizophrenia is a mental illness whose root cause is some chemical imbalance in the brain; dopamine has been identified as the key chemical for it. When the dopamine levels increase, it can lead to psychosis and symptoms of schizophrenia, more common of which are delusion and hallucination," he tells indianexpress.com.

The doctor adds that delusion means "firm false belief". "Something that you believe to be true, but actually isn't. And even if somebody tries to explain it to you, you are not able to believe it. Like, someone may say their computer is hacked and they are being watched, or people are talking about them, or they are getting thoughts of others who are making them do some actions."

Dr Parikh says the other thing is hallucinations. "It is a perceptual error. Like you may be hearing a voice. It is auditory hallucination. It is perception in the absence of a stimulus. Typically, you would see a person who is hallucinating talking to themselves, murmuring, as if responding to a real voice. Sometimes, these voices can be threatening, abusive and humiliating. You can also have visual hallucinations - seeing things that aren't there."

According to him, these experiences are so real for a patient that they refuse to believe otherwise, even when presented with evidence. "These hallucinations can be auditory, visual, tactile, olfactory, etc."

There may be some other symptoms also, but these are the core ones, the doctor explains.
Schizophrenia and trauma: Is there a connection?
The basic cause of this mental health problem is biological, says Dr Parikh. "Whether someone also had a trauma or not, which also added to the pathology, does not necessarily mean that trauma caused it."
Treatment
Schizophrenia can be treated with medications, which are "highly effective". "The earlier an intervention is done, the better and faster the recovery process. Schizophrenia has been stigmatised a lot. Co-relation with mental illness should be done with extreme caution, because we should ensure we don't add to the discrimination. Public conversations around mental health should raise the bar of awareness to reduce the bar of stigma," the doctor concludes.
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atrangi re deals with mental health issues

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'Atrangi Re' deals with symptoms of schizophrenia: Find out about this mental health issue

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
For a long time, there was little understanding of mental health issues and illnesses around the world , which resulted in people treating them as taboos. But lately, there has been a shift in understanding, with many mainstream platforms, including films, treating such topics sensitively.

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British moved India from caste-based to religion-based ecosystem, changed everything drastically: Devdutt Pattanaik

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British moved India from caste-based to religion-based ecosystem, changed everything drastically: Devdutt Pattanaik

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Devdutt Pattanaik says in the Eden model, you need a prophet to tell you what to do. “The Indian model says everything has to change (with time).”

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It was the British who moved India from its age-old caste based system to religion ecosystem and "suddenly the world changes drastically", mythologist and author Devdutt Pattanaik said in a conversation with The Indian Express Executive Director Anant Goenka Friday.

Pattanaik, whose new book Eden looks at Jewish, Christian and Islamic Lore from an Indian lens, added: "The British come and say no, no, don't look at caste, don't look at vocation, look at religion. That's the key differentiator".

Talking about how monotheistic religions emerged differently from Indian thinking he explained: "In the Eden model, you need a prophet to tell you what to do. The Indian model says everything has to change (with time)." This "idea of impermanence", according to him, allows Indians to adapt very rapidly and this is a good idea to tell the world.

It is sad that we are continuously using colonial frameworks to explain ourselves, he said. "I see some smart people talking about multiple tools...it's almost like we are discovering it. This was always there in India. It's there in Jainism, Buddhism, it's there in Hinduism."

While we are now wired to think that there can only be one idea, Pattanaik said that's not the way life works. "The left brain likes linear thinking and likes one idea that's like a bigger decision. The right brain looks at perspective, and has larger pictures. Indian thought tilts towards the right, it talks about perspective."

He also equated the left brain to more tactical decisions and the right to strategic ones. But "every tactical move will come at a price and this idea does not exist in the biblical, the idea of karma, of a price to be paid. What you find is a different way of explaining the same thing, they say if you follow God's will, things will happen. But when you break away from God's will, things will go wrong", he said.

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British moved India from caste-based to religion-based ecosystem, changed everything drastically: Devdutt Pattanaik

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It was the British who moved India from its age-old caste based system to religion ecosystem and "suddenly the world changes drastically", mythologist and author Devdutt Pattanaik said in a conversation with The Indian Express Executive Director Anant Goenka Friday.

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More than 1,600 Christmas eve flights cancelled globally because of Omicron

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More than 1,600 Christmas eve flights cancelled globally because of Omicron

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In Australia, dozens of flights were also cancelled at airports in the major cities of Sydney and Melbourne as coronavirus cases in the country surged to their highest since the start of the pandemic.

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Thousands of would-be travellers received the same troubling message Thursday: a last-minute cancellation of their Christmas Eve flight because of the recent spike of coronavirus cases.

United Airlines cancelled at least 150 flights scheduled to leave dozens of airports Friday - along with 44 more that were supposed to take off Saturday, according to Flight Aware. Other airlines, including Delta, JetBlue and Allegiant, did the same.

In Australia, dozens of flights were also cancelled at airports in the major cities of Sydney and Melbourne as coronavirus cases in the country surged to their highest since the start of the pandemic.

The number of cancellations globally as of Friday morning added up to more than 1,600, the Flight Aware website showed.

It was the latest blow to the holiday season caused mainly by the new and highly transmissible omicron variant, which now accounts for more than 70% of new coronavirus cases in the United States. Nearly 170,000 people are testing positive every day in the country, a 38% increase over the past two weeks, according to The New York Times' coronavirus tracker.

In its statement, United said that omicron's "direct impact on our flight crews and the people who run our operation" led to the cancellations. Crew members had been calling in sick, according to spokesperson Joshua Freed, who said that United alerted customers as soon as it could. And while Freed said he did not expect the airline to cancel more flights, it remained a possibility.

"We are really managing this day by day," he said. "There may be some more flight cancellations for Saturday. It's possible."

In its statement, the airline said it was working to rebook as many people as possible in time for the holidays.

Customers took to social media to air their grievances about the cancellations.

In Australia, which has recorded more than 500 omicron cases, many airline staff members are unable to work after being identified as close contacts of positive coronavirus cases, airline officials said. Under government requirements, they are required to isolate for seven days.

"A large number of our frontline team members are being required to test and isolate as close contacts given the increasing number of cases in the general community," a representative for Jetstar Airways said by email on Friday afternoon local time. "As a result, we have had to make some late adjustments to our schedule."

Eighty flights arriving at and departing on Dec. 24 from Sydney, the country's most populous city, had been cancelled, a spokesperson for the airport said, out of a total of 500.

According to Melbourne Airport's flight-tracking website, more than 70 flights departing or arriving from the airport on Dec. 24 had also been scrapped, out of 700 flights. Brisbane Airport said that 45 flights had been cancelled.

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More than 1,600 Christmas eve flights cancelled globally because of Omicron

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Thousands of would-be travellers received the same troubling message Thursday: a last-minute cancellation of their Christmas Eve flight because of the recent spike of coronavirus cases. United Airlines cancelled at least 150 flights scheduled to leave dozens of airports Friday - along with 44 more that were supposed to take off Saturday, according to Flight Aware.

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India Covid updates: Govt says world seeing fourth surge of cases; UP, Haryana & Maharashtra impose fresh curbs

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India Covid updates: Govt says world seeing fourth surge of cases; UP, Haryana & Maharashtra impose fresh curbs

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India has so far reported 358 cases of the Omicron variant, of which 183 were analysed and 121 of them were found to have foreign travel history.

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Covid-19 updates: With the country witnessing an uptick in Omicron cases, several states have imposed fresh curbs, especially in view of festive season.

The Health Ministry, in a press briefing, cautioned people against lowering the guard, stating the world is witnessing a fourth surge of Covid cases. The government further urged people to avoid crowding and unnecessary travel and stressed on the importance of Covid- appropriate behaviour. A senior official said the predominant strain in India continued to be Delta, including in recently identified clusters.

India has so far reported 358 cases of the Omicron variant, of which 183 were analysed and 121 of them were found to have foreign travel history, the official added. The government said the Covid-19 case positivity rate in Kerala and Mizoram is much higher than national average and a cause for concern. It said 20 districts across country were reporting a weekly positivity rate between 5 and 10 per cent and two districts over 10 per cent.

According the Union Health Ministry data updated at 8 am, India recorded 6,650 new coronavirus infections, taking its tally of cases to 3,47,72,626, while the count of active cases has declined to 77,516. The death toll due to the disease has climbed to 4,79,133, with 374 daily fatalities being recorded.
Maharashtra announces fresh curbs amid uptick in Omicron cases
Amid rising Omicron cases in the state, the Maharashtra government on Friday prohibited the gathering of more than five people in public places between 9 pm to 6 am. The government stated that only 100 people can attend indoor weddings and restricted limit to 250 for outdoor weddings. Gyms, spas, hotels, theatres and cinema halls in the state can only allow 50 per cent of the full capacity.

The state reported 20 new cases of Covid-19 variant Omicron, taking the total tally of the new variant in the state to 108, the highest in the country. Out of the total cases, 54 have been discharged following a negative RT PCR test, the state government said. Maharashtra has reported 1,410 new Covid-19 cases, 12 deaths and 868 discharges today. The active Covid-19 caseload in the state stands at 8,426.

Meanwhile, the Mumbai civic body made seven days' home quarantine mandatory for passengers arriving from Dubai. Amid a surge in cases of Omicron variant of COVID-19 in the state, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) issued fresh guidelines for international passengers arriving in the city from Dubai.

According to the guidelines, all arriving passengers from Dubai, who are Mumbai residents, will compulsorily undergo seven days of home quarantine. There will be no need for RT-PCR test on arrival if they are fully vaccinated.
Haryana, UP reimpose night curfews
The Uttar Pradesh government has announced fresh restrictions, including night curfew from December 24. The curfew will be in force from 11 pm to 5 am. The decision came following a high-level meeting where Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath ordered the imposition of the curbs. Besides the curfew, other Covid-related protocols and restrictions would also come into place, including a ban on gatherings of more than 200 people.

The state government has also ordered a special drive at marketplaces to spread the message: "Mask nahi, toh saman nahi" (no selling products to people without masks). Furthermore, increased testing and tracing of all individuals entering the state from another country or other states, special vigilance at bus stands, railway stations and airports are also among the newly issued guidelines.

Covid monitoring committees in villages and wards of urban areas have been revived across the state apprehending a "third wave". These committees have been instructed to trace individuals coming from outside, get them tested and ensure they are quarantined or isolated, based on the need. Instructions have also been given to set up Covid-19 help desks and day care centres at industrial units.

Similarly, the Haryana government has imposed a night curfew from 11 pm till 5 am from Friday. Gatherings of more than 200 persons in public places and events have been barred till further notice.

"In view of the possibility of increasing cases of Omicron in the State, for the safety of the people, from January 1, 2022, both doses of vaccination have been made mandatory for entry in all public sector institutions. Along with this, gathering of more than 200 people in public places, other programmes and movement of the public from 11 pm to 5 am will be strictly banned," Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said after chairing a meeting to review Covid-preparedness.

He added, "In order to curb the influence of Omicron, it is necessary that people should be made more and more aware. Special attention should be paid to ensure everyone gets vaccinated. The Health Department should complete all its preparations to deal with the rising Covid cases. On December 23, more than two lakh people got the second dose of the Covid vaccine. Apart from this, 30,000-32,000 patients are being tested daily by the health department and those found positive are being sent for genome sequencing."

Meanwhile, Gujarat extended the timings of the night curfew in eight cities by two hours over Omicron concerns. The curfew will now be in force from 11 pm to 5 am.
Kerala continues to log over 2,500 cases
Kerala, one of the top contributors to the Covid-19 cases in the country, continue to log over 2500 new infections. The southern state on Friday reported 2,605 new cases taking the total affected in the state to 52,19,062. The state health department said 342 deaths were recorded which raised the toll to 46,203.
Delhi records 180 Covid cases, highest since June 16
The number of new cases of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) shot up to 180 in the capital on Friday, up from 118 cases recorded a day before, according to the daily health bulletin released by the Delhi government.

This is the highest number of cases recorded in the city since June 16 when 212 cases were reported.

This week, Delhi recorded over 144 new cases of Covid-19 on average each day according to the data. In comparison to just over 70 cases a day on average during last week, and 51 cases the week before that.

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India Covid updates: Govt says world seeing fourth surge of cases; UP, Haryana & Maharashtra impose fresh curbs

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Covid-19 updates: With the country witnessing an uptick in Omicron cases, several states have imposed fresh curbs, especially in view of festive season. The Health Ministry, in a press briefing, cautioned people against lowering the guard, stating the world is witnessing a fourth surge of Covid cases.

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Vaccination not enough; 9 of 10 affected by Omicron jabbed with both doses: Centre

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Vaccination not enough; 9 of 10 affected by Omicron jabbed with both doses: Centre

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Sharing the results of the analysis of 183 persons affected by Omicron, the Centre emphasised that “vaccine alone is not sufficient to contain the pandemic” and reminded that the use of masks and surveillance is key to breaking the chain of transmission.

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Vaccination not enough; 9 of 10 affected by Omicron jabbed with both doses: Centre

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Sharing the results of the analysis of 183 persons affected by Omicron, the Centre emphasised that “vaccine alone is not sufficient to contain the pandemic” and reminded that the use of masks and surveillance is key to breaking the chain of transmission.

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It is a warning against the shrinking of the human spirit and a mandate to be hospitable t

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Cribs, carols, cards, cakes are not universal. Manger is rural and the Magi, King Herod and Caesar Augustus have all vanished from sight. But, Christmas remains, and is deemed universal. Only what addresses the core human condition can be universal.

The clue to this universality is provided by St. Luke. Jesus was born in a cattle-shed and laid in a manger, he writes, because there was "no room for him in the inn". This might seem just a factual statement, which it is not. To understand why it is symbolic, and why it is the key to the universality of the Nativity episode, we have to see it in relation to the contrast between the Old and the New Testaments, in the middle of which the Christmas event exists.

In the Old Testament, history is shown to be shrinking, beginning with Adam and Eve, who represent embryonic humankind. Since their fall from grace, biblical awareness is shown as shrinking to "a chosen race", and then to a "faithful rump" within it. This, in turn, shrinks to the one man, Jesus Christ. The reality of there being "no room in the inn" pertains to this spiritual pattern of shrinking. In the spiritual vision of the Bible, room-less-ness, or homelessness, is the byproduct of godlessness.

This aspect of the human condition has been intuited in a variety of ways by thinkers across the centuries. Man is born free, wrote Rousseau, but everywhere he is in chains. Shakespeare's Macbeth feels, "cabined, cribbed, confined". Dostoevsky's Raskolnikov and Tolstoy's Nekhlyudov share the same predicament. Victor Hugo's Jean Valjean finds the world an extended prison. They, and a host of other characters, are emblems of the "room-less-ness" that marks human existence. In a sense, this room-less-ness is the source of all of human suffering. There is no "room" for being fully and freely human, except perhaps for the privileged, in any system in the world. Freedom of thought and expression, right to equal opportunities for growth and development, are all romantic ideals, hardly enjoyed by all in history. Inter-personal relationships are plagued by room-less-ness.

The room-less-ness that Jesus encountered at this birth becomes a central concern in his life and teachings. Addressing this universal reality Jesus said, "Abide in me, and I in you". God is the home of the homeless, which is the "tiding of great gladness for all humankind" that Christmas is. In that sense, Christmas is also a mandate to be hospitable to everyone, which is subsumed in the commandment, "Love your neighbor like yourself". Christmas is wherever human beings accept and love each other for no other reason than that they are human.

Social and emotional room-less-ness issues from the shrinking of the human person. Individuals in their millions are homeless - including those who own mansions - because human personality has shrunk to such an extent that there is no room except for oneself in one's world. Ingratitude, on which Shakespeare's Lear agonises, is a universal aspect of this. In its operative principle, ingratitude is nothing but the incapacity to be with even those who have done you a good turn.

The same applies also to the incapacity for faithfulness of which Judas Iscariot is a synonym. What does it mean to "betray" a fellow human being? Is it not that "the other" is perceived as a burden or an inconvenience? Infidelity and ingratitude are country cousins. Jesus had to be betrayed by his own disciple to highlight the reality that the capacity for fidelity is rare. Yet another aspect of the same syndrome is the incapacity for justice. Consider the "trial" of Jesus. He was tried several times. Each time he was found "not guilty". The verdict? "Crucify him." Surprising? Well, should not be. Man's incapacity to treat fellow human beings justly is a fact of life and history.

The Christmas event denotes God's redemptive intervention in human predicament, characterised by our incapacity to be fully human. To be human is to be hospitable to fellow human beings. It is to accept and love the other, wart and all. Life exists on the foundation of inter-dependence. But inter-dependence becomes a torment when the capacity to be human shrinks. In man-woman relationships gender-war displaces complementarity.

Spirituality seeks to reverse this "shrinking of the human person"; whereas religion takes advantage of it. There is "no room" for "the other" in religious communities. This is lamentably so in what Christianity has come to be. To be a follower of Jesus is to be under the mandate to love even one's enemies. Christianity has absolutely no excuse whatsoever for dividing human beings into "us" and "them".
The writer was principal of St Stephen's College, Delhi

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Cribs, carols, cards, cakes are not universal. Manger is rural and the Magi, King Herod and Caesar Augustus have all vanished from sight. But, Christmas remains, and is deemed universal. Only what addresses the core human condition can be universal. The clue to this universality is provided by St. Luke.

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State BJP is pushing for an ethnicised Hindu nation. Proposed anti-conversion law is the latest example

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It is a Christmas gift like no other. In keeping with its recent yearning to clone a Nava Karnataka exactly on the lines of Nava Bharat, namely, emulate the worst practices of states like Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka has pushed through the Legislative Assembly a Bill, ironically called the Protection of the Right to Freedom of Religion Bill. From a state known for its big, pioneering and inclusive political ideas, Karnataka is fast becoming a polity exclusively driven by small-minded, punitive and divisive (social) goals. Once envied for having a bureaucracy which enjoyed independence, the state and its institutions have become subservient to national goals of becoming a "Hindu Rashtra" in which the rule of law has become a reign of terror. The proposed Act not only infantilises all women, SCs, STs and other vulnerable and marginal groups, but criminalises any attempt to change faiths.

The new Bill was pushed through without providing much evidence of what it is remedying, or consultation with affected groups, or even with the Opposition. It did not even wait for the report of its own Legislative Committee to survey all Christian churches in preparation for an anti-conversion law, particularly in the officially acknowledged "backward" districts of Yadgir, Chitradurga and Vijayapura. Apart from incorporating provisions to interfere in interfaith marriages, the Bill also targets institutions which, on suspicion of "conversion", may forfeit their licenses! Who knows what will follow in hundreds of educational and medical institutions run by the minorities?

The BJP government hurtles towards completing an agenda begun with its usurpation of power in 2019. For a state (Mysore) that had been completely free of the cow protection movements that raged in the Indo-Gangetic region from the 1890s on, even in the 1920s and 1930s, a new reverence for 3.5 crore livestock was in the passing of "The Karnataka Prevention Of Slaughter And Preservation Of Cattle Act, 2020", with the conspicuous and unprecedented conduct of a "cow puja" in the legislature building. An exhaustive report (by Sylvia Karpagam et al) on the impact of the 2020 Act, compiled in September 2020, just six months after the Act was passed, reveals a startling picture. Not only have livelihoods (related to cattle rearing, transportation, slaughterhouse operations, skinning, tanning and retailing) been adversely affected, food security - related to milk, milk products, and meat - stands dangerously threatened. These are direct and observable results of the disruption to the cattle economy caused by the singular focus on prohibiting cow slaughter.

But that is not all. The new prohibitions have criminalised economic activity and engendered in its place an entirely "informal"/illegal economy in which the police/authorities and vigilantes are allowed to extort, confiscate, and even arrest, while remaining untouched by any system of accountability. Finally, although the law was intended to target the lives and livelihoods, nutritional status and well being of Dalits and Muslims in Karnataka, the report has shown widespread economic distress in all sections of the farming community as a consequence, with the only beneficiaries being large-scale abattoirs and meat exporters. In short, the meat trade has not been abolished but has only changed hands - away from small-scale Muslim and Dalit businesses largely oriented to domestic business to large-scale non-Muslim export businesses.

This seems to be exactly what the anti-conversion Bill will promote: A subcontracting of the punitive powers of the state to anonymous, assorted groups "protecting" the Hindu religion - a new layer of "rentiers". It approves of the non-state groups that impose an arbitrary and capricious "reign of terror" in the name of a "rule of law". This is a clear abdication of the state's duty towards the development of its underprivileged and marginalised sections, and a push to encourage the fight over limited opportunities and goods. "Sustainable communalism" in the form of "citizen's" groups acting to intervene in or prevent any form of camaraderie, friendships, partnerships or intimacies, particularly between Hindu women and men of other communities, has already been converted into a fine (and acceptable) art.

A joint fact-finding committee (consisting of the People's Union for Civil Liberties-Karnataka (PUCL-K), All India Lawyers Association for Justice (AILAJ), All India People's Forum (AIPF), Gaurilankeshnews.com) recorded as many as 71 reported cases in South Kanara alone, between January and September 2021. PUCL Karnataka has also documented 39 attacks on churches between January and November 2021. Economic boycott of minority businesses is another strategy that is now gaining popularity. In Koppal, there has been a call to shut down Muslim establishments. In Chitradurga, a tehsildar has called for an enumeration of all Christians.

The Karnataka BJP has successfully pushed all political parties towards a commitment to the ethnicised Hindu nation. And the law is created in order to violate the rule of law. A 2009 Supreme Court order on the removal of unauthorised structures (especially proliferating religious structures) on public land was finally executed by officials in Mysore district in September 2021, only to face immediate objections from the Opposition Congress and JDS. With great alacrity and uncharacteristic firmness, the Karnataka Religious Structures (Protection) Act 2021 was passed which saved unauthorised (illegal) religious structures on public land from demolition. Karnataka thus has the dubious distinction of defying a Supreme Court order, and of directly undermining municipal laws that protect and democratically develop the public spaces of the city/town or village. No wonder, then, that the police personnel belonging to at least two stations, Kaup (DK) and Vijayapura (Bijapur ), flaunted "orange" clothing on police premises on Vijayadashami day in 2021, emboldened by the support and endorsement of ministers and other politicians alike.

Despite being a beneficiary of Christian institutions until the age of 21, I have remained a conscientious atheist, which I believe (as Gandhi is said to have pointed out) is morally superior to the absolute corruption of those who speak in the name of religion. Events in Karnataka deeply and corrosively undermine its own long heritage of radical religiosity. But they also fatally wound all morality, humaneness, ideas of privacy, and the sense of self that is the birthright of every Indian citizen.
The writer is former professor of history, JNU

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It is a Christmas gift like no other. In keeping with its recent yearning to clone a Nava Karnataka exactly on the lines of Nava Bharat, namely, emulate the worst practices of states like Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka has pushed through the Legislative Assembly a Bill, ironically called the Protection of the Right to Freedom of Religion Bill.

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Foreign secretary's visit showcases Delhi's careful balancing act on Myanmar, lays out the challenge

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Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla's two-day visit to Myanmar, the first by a high-ranking Indian official since the coup in February, points to a subtle recalibration in India's approach to Naypyidaw. To begin with, India had kept a distance from the hardline position taken by the US and Europe that sought to censure and sanction the junta for ousting Aung San Suu Kyi and the National League for Democracy after they swept the parliament elections. Delhi had also appealed for the restoration of democracy in Myanmar and even mildly criticised the sham trial that sentenced Suu Kyi to four years' imprisonment, later reduced to two years, in one of the numerous cases filed against her, earlier this month. During his visit, Shringla met the military brass, members of the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and some civil society leaders. However, his request for an audience with Suu Kyi was denied.

New Delhi took a maximalist position on Myanmar when the military pulled the curtains down on the fledgling democracy in 1962 and held on to it until the 1990s when the then PM, P V Narasimha Rao, decided to engage the junta. The change of stance followed the realisation that the sanctions regime imposed by western democracies forced Myanmar into the orbit of Beijing. The situation is not very different today though the democratic impulse in Myanmar, a legacy of the pro-democracy movement of 1988 and the partial restoration of democratic government since 2015, has been manifesting in street protests. The coup and the subsequent isolation of Myanmar by the US and its allies has pushed the junta closer to Beijing. India's relations are also complicated by a long and porous border that runs through a hilly terrain, frequented by insurgent groups operating in Nagaland and Manipur. Naypyidaw has been sympathetic to India's security concerns in recent years. But the recent attack on an Assam Rifles officer and family in Manipur, close to the Myanmar border, suggests that the threat from insurgent groups is far from over. Besides, tribes in Mizoram, Nagaland and Manipur have ethnic bonds with their counterparts across the border, which explains the influx of refugees following the military action in Myanmar.

It may be prudent for Delhi to engage with the junta and use its good offices to persuade Naypyidaw to restore the democratic system in Myanmar while ensuring that India's own interests are protected. Shringla's visit hints that, for now, India is willing to hold back the democracy pitch and allow realpolitik to dictate the terms of the relationship.
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union solidarity and development party usdp

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Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla's two-day visit to Myanmar, the first by a high-ranking Indian official since the coup in February, points to a subtle recalibration in India's approach to Naypyidaw.