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#LATheKapoorWay: Los Angeles tourism partners with the Kapoor siblings

Sonam and Rhea Kapoor in Los Angeles. (Source: Instagram: sonamkapoor)
New Delhi (NVI): From shopping on famed Abbot Kinney in Venice and at Downtown L.A., to dining at world class restaurants like MTN, Los Angeles Tourism’s latest digital marketing campaign showcases the city’s phenomenal cultural, culinary, shopping and wellness offerings through the eyes of power siblings Sonam and Rhea Kapoor.
Building on its successful partnership with Sonam Kapoor and Anand Ahuja in early 2019, the siblings duo are featured in a new collaboration, teasers of which are live on Sonam and Rhea’s social channels.
The multi-part series follows the siblings as they explore the diverse neighborhoods of Los Angeles. The sisters experienced their favorite parts of the city together. The campaign also captures them taking in spectacular sights at Hotel Erwin’s rooftop, discovering the tastes of L.A. at the Original Farmers Market, and indulging themselves at the luxurious Ciel Spa at the SLS Hotel, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Beverly Hills.
Content will run on Los Angeles Tourism’s owned channels, on Sonam and Rhea’s social media accounts, and through paid media partnerships.
“There is a natural affinity between Los Angeles and India thanks to our shared love of film. We wanted to utilize this campaign to build on that affinity and show prospective Indian travelers the diverse options they have to eat, play and shop in L.A. through the eyes of our mutual friends, Sonam and Rhea Kapoor,” stated Don Skeoch, Chief Marketing Officer for Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board.
“LA’s become like a second home to us. It’s just everything that I like about the States rolled into one package with sunshine and good weather around it,” said Rhea Kapoor.

“There is an outdoor vibe and so much emphasis on health, fitness, and good food. There is something for everybody,” said Sonam Kapoor.

‘Thalinomics’: Veg, non-veg thalis more affordable now

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New Delhi (NVI): The affordability of vegetarian thalis has improved by 29 per cent from 2006-07 to 2019-20, and for non-vegetarian thalis, it has improved by 18 per cent in this period, as per the Economic Survey report tabled in the Parliament today.

The survey also shows that the affordability of thalis in relation to a day’s pay of a worker has improved over time, indicating improved welfare of the common person.

The conclusion has been drawn on the basis of “Thalinomics: the Economics of a plate of food in India” – an attempt to quantify what a common person pays for a Thali across India.

Using the dietary guidelines for Indians, the price of thalis are constructed.

The survey states that across India, including the four regions– North, South, East and West– it is found that the absolute prices of a vegetarian thali have decreased significantly since 2015-16 though the price has increased in 2019.

This is owing to the sharp downward trend in the prices of vegetables and dal in contrast to the previous trend of increasing prices. As a result, an average household of five individuals that eats two vegetarian thalis a day, gained around Rs 10,887, on average per year, while a non-vegetarian household gained Rs 11,787, on average per year.

The Survey also states that 2015-16 can be considered as a year when there was a shift in the dynamics of thali prices. Many reform measures were introduced since 2014-15 to enhance the productivity of the agricultural sector as well as efficiency and effectiveness of agricultural markets for better and more transparent price discovery.

The Economic Survey says that food is not just an end in itself but also an essential ingredient in the growth of human capital and therefore important for national wealth creation.

Kashmir saffron crop produce increased in 2019

-By Mubashir Bukhari

Srinagar (NVI): The saffron production in Kashmir increased to 4.07 kilogram per hectare in 2019 as compared to around past two years, when the crop suffered damage due to unfavourable climate conditions.

As per the figures compiled by Kashmir Agriculture department, the saffron production witnessed a decline of nearly 20 per cent in 2018-19.

But in 2019-2020, its production increased, for which the government gives credit to the favourable weather conditions and advanced farming practices adopted by the growers.

In 2017-18, the production of saffron couldn’t cross even 2.0 kg per hectare. In 2016, saffron production was at 4.42 kg per hectare.

Director, Agriculture Department Kashmir, Altaf Aijaz Andrabi said they are on a mission to increase the saffron yield to 7.5 kg per hectare from 4.07 kg per hectare, in the next three years.

Andrabi said, “The department has motivated growers to change their farming practices in order to increase production by three kg per hectare.”

“Farmers have agreed to adopt scientific methods. The department in coordination with farmers is on a mission to increase the production,” Andrabi said.

He said the advanced prophylactic (prevention of diseases) and soil health reclamation measures are being included in the farming this year.

“These measures will prove to be a game-changer in the saffron cultivation. Furthermore, using machines in saffron fields has brought down labour cost. The department also distributed mechanized weeders to the growers. Sprinkler system of irrigation is also being installed on priority,” Altaf added.

The government has also decided to rejig marketing strategy to promote Kashmiri saffron in the international markets. “We are waiting for the inauguration of the spice park. It will serve as a one-stop-shop for saffron export to various countries,” Andrabi said.

Saffron, which is cultivated mainly in four districts of Jammu and Kashmir — Pulwama, Budgam, Srinagar and Kishtwar — is in great demand for its medicinal, cosmetic and aromatic properties. The blossoms appear during mid-October to early November.

Near about 32,000 farmers are directly associated with saffron production in Kashmir.

Bilal Ahmad, a saffron grower from south Kashmir said that lack of facilities has discouraged farmers to the extent that they are gradually giving up its cultivation.

“New generation is least interested in saffron cultivation. We hope department will take measures to give a fillip to the saffron cultivation,” he said.

To revive the traditional saffron cultivation in the Valley, the then government had also launched National Saffron Mission in 2010.

The project was aimed at improving the saffron production by providing quality seeds and uninterrupted water supply.

The Centre had initially sanctioned Rs 371.18 crore to help generate a good yield and prevent its decline. Under the scheme, every farmer was promised a sum of Rs 25,000 for each Kanal (unit) and would be encouraged to adopt new technologies like seed diversification and transformation.

Recently, Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government said that they are working on a mission mode to double the production of saffron in Kashmir.

US planning to make entry of pregnant women difficult

Stil

New Delhi (NVI): The United States is planning to issue new guidelines which may make it more difficult for some pregnant women to obtain visas to visit the country, according to some media reports.

The forthcoming regulations are aimed at cracking down on what the Trump administration calls “birth tourism,” said the Universal News Network (UNN), citing an unnamed US State Department official and a Congressional aide.

The measure, if implemented, will be the latest in a series of the Trump administration’s efforts to restrict foreign travelers from reaching U.S. soil.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there were 3.8 million live births in the United States in 2018.

Most people who are born in the United States are entitled to U.S. citizenship, even if their parents are not citizens. It is unclear how many people travel to the United States to give birth each year with the intention of obtaining citizenship for their children; the U.S. government does not publish statistics on “birth tourism’, the UNN said.

It said officials with the Department of Homeland Security declined to comment, referring questions to the State Department.

The new rule, first reported by BuzzFeed, is expected to appear “shortly” in the Federal Register, according to the State Department official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to discuss the rule before it is issued. A congressional aide briefed by the department also confirmed the new rule.

The guidelines, which the State Department will circulate to U.S. consular officers, will affect B1 and B2 nonimmigrant visas, otherwise known as temporary visas for business, tourism or medical treatment. The U.S. government issued 5.7 million B1 and B2 visas in fiscal year 2018, the media report said.

The official said the new guidelines will not prohibit pregnant women from obtaining visas but will extend discretion to consular officers, who will have to determine whether a woman is planning a visit to the United States solely for the purpose of giving birth. It is unclear how they would make that determination or whether they will try to verify pregnancies.

A congressional staffer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a regulation that has not yet been published, said the State Department had a conference call Wednesday to tell lawmakers the broad strokes of the policy.

The Trump administration is concerned that pregnant women are coming to the United States to give birth and instantly claim U.S. citizenship for their children. Consular officers would use their judgment when screening cases, the staffer said, and would not ask every woman applying for a visa – some of which are valid for years – whether they are pregnant.

Consular officers already interview visa applicants about their reasons for travel and are expected to determine that their stay in the United States will be limited in duration before issuing visas.

The Center for Immigration Studies, a right-wing think tank that advocates for lower immigration levels, estimated that there are about 33,000 births per year to women who arrived in the United States on tourist visas and then left the country.

The organization said its estimate was “based on a combined analysis of birth certificate records and data collected by the U.S. Census Bureau. Both estimates represent a rough approximation, based on limited data, of the possible number of births to women who came to America specifically to have a child and then left once the child was born.”

WHO feels coronavirus spread can still be contained

New Delhi (NVI) : The World Health Organisation (WHO) believes it is possible to interrupt the spread of the novel coronavirus disease if the countries concerned take certain measures even as the global health body’s Director-General has declared it as a Public Health Emergency of International Concern  (PHEIC).

The International Health Regulations (2005) Emergency Committee of the WHO, which held a meeting in Geneva over the outbreak of novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), said its spread can be contained provided countries put in place strong measures to detect disease early, isolate and treat cases, trace contacts, and promote social distancing measures commensurate with the risk.

The Committee’s role is to give advice to the Director-General, who makes the final decision on the determination of a PHEIC. The Committee also provides public health advice or suggests formal Temporary Recommendations as appropriate.

At the meeting, second since the outbreak, representatives of China’s Ministry of Health reported that there are now 7711 confirmed and 12167 suspected cases throughout the country.

Of the confirmed cases, 1370 are severe and 170 people have died, a statement issued by the WHO said, adding 124 people have recovered and been discharged from hospital.

The WHO Secretariat said there are now 83 cases in 18 countries. Of these, only 7 had no history of travel in China.

There has been human-to-human transmission in 3 countries outside China. One of these cases is severe and there have been no deaths.

At its first meeting, the Committee expressed divergent views on whether this event constitutes a PHEIC or not. At that time, the advice was that the event did not constitute a PHEIC, but the Committee members agreed on the urgency of the situation and suggested that the Committee should continue its meeting on the next day, when it reached the same conclusion, the statement noted.

This second meeting took place in view of significant increases in numbers of cases and additional countries reporting confirmed cases.

The Committee welcomed the leadership and political commitment of the very highest levels of Chinese government, their commitment to transparency, and the efforts made to investigate and contain the current outbreak, the statement said.

China quickly identified the virus and shared its sequence, so that other countries could diagnose it quickly and protect themselves, which has resulted in the rapid development of diagnostic tools.

The very strong measures China has taken include daily contact with WHO and comprehensive multi-sectoral approaches to prevent further spread. It has also taken public health measures in other cities and provinces; is conducting studies on the severity and transmissibility of the virus, and sharing data and biological material, it said.

The country has also agreed to work with other countries which need their support. The measures China has taken are good not only for that country but also for the rest of the world, the WHO statement said.

The Committee acknowledged the leading role of WHO and its partners.

The Committee also acknowledged that there are still many unknowns, cases have now been reported in five WHO regions in one month, and human-to-human transmission has occurred outside Wuhan and outside China.

“The Committee believes that it is still possible to interrupt virus spread, provided that countries put in place strong measures to detect disease early, isolate and treat cases, trace contacts, and promote social distancing measures commensurate with the risk,” the statement said, citing conclusions of the meeting.

“It is important to note that as the situation continues to evolve, so will the strategic goals and measures to prevent and reduce spread of the infection,” it added.

The Committee agreed that the outbreak now meets the criteria for a Public Health Emergency of International Concern and proposed the following advice to be issued as Temporary Recommendations.

“The Committee emphasized that the declaration of a PHEIC should be seen in the spirit of support and appreciation for China, its people, and the actions China has taken on the frontlines of this outbreak, with transparency, and, it is to be hoped, with success,” the statement said.

In line with the need for global solidarity, the Committee felt that a global coordinated effort is needed to enhance preparedness in other regions of the world that may need additional support for that, it said.

The Committee welcomed a forthcoming WHO multidisciplinary technical mission to China, including national and local experts.

It said the mission should review and support efforts to investigate the animal source of the outbreak, the clinical spectrum of the disease and its severity, the extent of human-to-human transmission in the community and in healthcare facilities, and efforts to control the outbreak.

This mission will provide information to the international community to aid in understanding the situation and its impact and enable sharing of experience and successful measures.

The Committee wished to re-emphasize the importance of studying the possible source, to rule out hidden transmission and to inform risk management measures

The Committee also emphasized the need for enhanced surveillance in regions outside Hubei, including pathogen genomic sequencing, to understand whether local cycles of transmission are occurring.

WHO should continue to use its networks of technical experts to assess how best this outbreak can be contained globally.

WHO should provide intensified support for preparation and response, especially in vulnerable countries and regions.

Measures to ensure rapid development and access to potential vaccines, diagnostics, antiviral medicines and other therapeutics for low- and middle-income countries should be developed.

The Committee did not recommend any travel or trade restriction based on the current information available.

The Director-General declared that the outbreak of 2019-nCoV constitutes a PHEIC and accepted the Committee’s advice and issued this advice as Temporary Recommendations under the IHR, the statement said.

It also issued an advisory to China and other countries, particularly emphasising on active surveillance, early detection, isolation and case management, contact tracing and prevention of onward spread.

The WHO reminded all countries that they are legally required to share information with it under the IHR and any detection of 2019-nCoV in an animal (including information about the species, diagnostic tests, and relevant epidemiological information) should be reported to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) as an emerging disease.

Countries should place particular emphasis on reducing human infection, prevention of secondary transmission and international spread, and contributing to the international response though multi-sectoral communication and collaboration and active participation in increasing knowledge on the virus and the disease, as well as advancing research.

The Emergency Committee will be reconvened within three months or earlier, at the discretion of the Director-General.

Economic Survey highlights reforms for MSME sector growth

New Delhi (NVI): With the Government’s focus on reviving growth across the Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME) sector, the Economic Survey tabled in the Parliament on the first day of Budget Session today highlighted the key initiatives taken in this direction.

The Economic Survey 2020, tabled in Parliament on the eve of the Budget presentation, has also favoured relaxing of the fiscal deficit target for the current financial year to revive growth, which has been on the decline in the last several quarters.

The survey, which put the current fiscal growth at 5 per cent, pitched for more reforms for making it easier to do business in India. The report was tabled by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on the first day of the Budget session of the Parliament today.

It called for measures to make it easier to start a new business, registration of property, payment of taxes and enforcing contracts. It also favoured improving governance in public sector banks and more disclosures to build trust.

The survey also showed that the Indian economy might see growth at 6 to 6.5 per cent in the next financial year starting from April 1 (FY 2020-21).

Coronavirus: AI plane leaves for Wuhan to bring back Indian nationals

(UPDATING EARLIER COPY)

New Delhi (NVI): An Air India Plane left for Wuhan today to evacuate Indian nationals there in the wake of coronavirus outbreak in China that has claimed 213 lives so far.

With five doctors on board, a 423-seater jumbo B747 plane took off from Delhi airport at around 1.20 pm today. The aircraft will return after a halt of 2-3 hours at Wuhan, according to an official statement. There are five doctors from the Health Ministry on the flight and one paramedical staff, the airline said, adding that around 400 Indians are expected to be brought back from Wuhan, the coronavirus epicentre.

The development takes place two days after the Ministry of External Affairs had made a formal request to China for its permission to operate two flights to bring back Indian citizens from Hubei province.

Yesterday, Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar said, “India is awaiting China’s response to its request to evacuate its nationals from the Hubei province in two flights.” He also said that the Indian Embassy in China had been able to establish contact with over 600 Indians across the Hubei province.

The World Health Organisation has also declared a public health emergency as the virus spreads rapidly. 1,500 new cases of the infectious disease around the globe have been reported, with Chinese officials confirming nearly 6,000 total cases of the mysterious illness.

Should focus on economic issues in this Budget Session: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaking at the start of the Budget Session of Parliament.

New Delhi (NVI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi today said that both the houses should concentrate on debating over economic issues and empowerment of people during this Budget Session.

Speaking outside the Parliament on the commencement of Budget Session today, the PM said, “We should focus mostly on economic issues in this session and we should to try to see how India can benefit most out of the present global economic scenario and how it can take forward the country’s economy.”

The Prime Minister called for wide discussions on the economic issues in the country and how to maximise benefits to India in the current global economic scenario.

He also asked the members of Parliament to work towards laying a strong foundation for a bright future of the country in the new decade.

“Our Government is known for striving for the empowerment of all the underprivileged sections and women,” he said.

“We would continue to work in this direction even in this decade. I wish that both the houses have great discussions on economic issues and empowerment of people,” he added.

“I am confident that the discussions would be enlightening and enriching all of us,” he said.

Skipping breakfast linked to lower GCSE results: Study

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New Delhi (NVI): Breakfast is often referred to as the ‘most important meal of the day’, and now a new study has shown the importance of eating breakfast when it comes to taking exams.

Researchers from the University of Leeds have found a link between eating breakfast and GCSE performance for students in the UK. The research is published in the journal Frontiers in Public Health.

The team found that students who said they rarely ate breakfast achieved nearly two grades lower than those who ate breakfast every day.

Katie Adolphus, who led the study, said, “Our study suggests that secondary school students are at a disadvantage if they are not getting a morning meal to fuel their brains for the start of the school day.

“The UK has a growing problem of food poverty, with an estimated half a million children arriving at school each day too hungry to learn. Previously we have shown that eating breakfast has a positive impact on children’s cognition.”

“This research suggests that poor nutrition is associated with worse results at school.”

In the study, the researchers surveyed 294 students about their eating habits, and compared the results to their GCSE results.

The results revealed that 29% rarely or never ate breakfast on schooldays, while 18% ate breakfast occasionally, and 53% frequently.

Worryingly, those who rarely ate breakfast scored an average of nearly two grades lower than those who ate breakfast frequently.

While the reason for this link remains unclear, the researchers hope their findings will highlight the impact that breakfast can have on your exam results.

Nicola Dolton, Programme Manager for the National School Breakfast Programme, said, “This report provides impressive evidence that eating a healthy breakfast improves a child’s educational attainment, which supports our own findings of improvements in a child’s concentration in class, readiness to learn, behaviour and punctuality.”

J&K: Three militants killed in Udhampur encounter

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Jammu (NVI) : Three militants have been killed in an ongoing encounter with security forces and militants in the dense woods of Nagrota along Srinagar-Jammu highway today.

The gunfight raged after a group of militants travelling in a truck were intercepted at a toll plaza along highway in Jammu region’s Udhampur district.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Jammu, Mukesh Singh has said that three militants have been killed in the ongoing gunbattle.

Director General of Police (DGP), Dilbagh Singh has reportedly said that these militants were a newly infiltrated group and were on their way to Srinagar.

He has also said that it is suspected that they have infiltrated from Kathua, Hiranagar border.

Singh added that investigation into the matter has been started.

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