Latest news with #MIST
Time of India
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Queer Spaces Offer Hope To Community, But Pune's Streets Still Bite
Pune: The city's queer community thrives in a paradox. There is a vibrant nightlife with drag shows and queer art, yet harassment and danger lurk on the streets, especially for trans people and queer women, exposing the city's ongoing struggle to become truly inclusive. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Stories Café, which recently shifted to Wagholi after unaffordable rent hikes in Koregaon Park, thrives on the rare kindness of its landlady who allows queer baristas to serve coffee and snacks there. "We are more than just a café. Our survival is challenging because it's not just a business, it's a safe space for the queer community to train, socialise and even host events. After losing US funding, our landlady showed kindness by reducing rent for three months to help us stay afloat," Shyam Konnur, founder of MIST, the NGO that runs the cafe, told TOI. At a bigger level, Divya Aggarwal is leading the charge at hospitality chain SOCIAL, embedding inclusivity into everyday operations to create a welcoming experience for all. "For us, inclusivity goes beyond symbols. We have partnered with queer talent to create empowering experiences, hosting events like drag nights and panel discussions that showcase queer voices," Aggarwal, the chief growth officer at Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality Pvt Ltd, said. "We prioritise training our teams to use correct pronouns and recognise micro-aggressions," she said. "Our goal is to create a safe space where queer patrons feel respected and valued. When they return with their friends and choose our space to express themselves, that's the ultimate win. We listen closely to feedback, work with community voices and aim to reflect that inclusivity in who's on our stage and who's on our team," Aggarwal added. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now According to The Pune Qrew co-founder Avichal Singh, the city has become more queer-friendly over the last five years, especially in areas like Koregaon Park and Kalyaninagar. Singh highlighted the organisation's efforts to promote queer visibility, saying, "From highlighting queer-friendly messaging on promos to showcasing queer artists and vendors, everything we do is about creating safe, welcoming environments." The success of these initiatives, according to Singh, is measured by the community's response. "Events like Glam Jam at High Spirits play a crucial role in this endeavour, providing a platform for the queer community to come together and celebrate. For us, success is simple: the more queer folk and allies attend, the more we normalize and celebrate the community," he added. Beyond cafes, Pune's LGBTQIA+ community is creating its own spaces, like the Pune Queer Sports Club, which brings together over 180 members for sports like cricket and badminton every weekend. However, challenges persist in bars and nightclubs, where gay couples often face discriminatory "stag entry" policies, being turned away unless accompanied by women. An IT professional, who identifies as a gay man, shared his experiences with nightlife discrimination, saying, "At many nightclubs still, when I go with my boyfriend, we are denied entry. Other times, we have been asked to pay extra... People act weird if we hold hands, which is very normal for a hetero couple." While upscale venues in Pune show progress, danger lurks on the streets. Recent two men brutally attacked a trans woman near Pune Station, leaving her with head injuries that required stitches. Sania Shah, a trans woman, recounted yet another harrowing experience: "I was waiting for a rickshaw when suddenly I noticed two men leering at me... They pulled my hair, hit me on the head and kept attacking me till some people rushed towards us to break this up." The incident left her shaken, triggering severe anxiety and a constant need for reassurance from her mother when she's out. Pune: The city's queer community thrives in a paradox. There is a vibrant nightlife with drag shows and queer art, yet harassment and danger lurk on the streets, especially for trans people and queer women, exposing the city's ongoing struggle to become truly inclusive. Stories Café, which recently shifted to Wagholi after unaffordable rent hikes in Koregaon Park, thrives on the rare kindness of its landlady who allows queer baristas to serve coffee and snacks there. "We are more than just a café. Our survival is challenging because it's not just a business, it's a safe space for the queer community to train, socialise and even host events. After losing US funding, our landlady showed kindness by reducing rent for three months to help us stay afloat," Shyam Konnur, founder of MIST, the NGO that runs the cafe, told TOI. At a bigger level, Divya Aggarwal is leading the charge at hospitality chain SOCIAL, embedding inclusivity into everyday operations to create a welcoming experience for all. "For us, inclusivity goes beyond symbols. We have partnered with queer talent to create empowering experiences, hosting events like drag nights and panel discussions that showcase queer voices," Aggarwal, the chief growth officer at Impresario Entertainment & Hospitality Pvt Ltd, said. "We prioritise training our teams to use correct pronouns and recognise micro-aggressions," she said. "Our goal is to create a safe space where queer patrons feel respected and valued. When they return with their friends and choose our space to express themselves, that's the ultimate win. We listen closely to feedback, work with community voices and aim to reflect that inclusivity in who's on our stage and who's on our team," Aggarwal added. According to The Pune Qrew co-founder Avichal Singh, the city has become more queer-friendly over the last five years, especially in areas like Koregaon Park and Kalyaninagar. Singh highlighted the organisation's efforts to promote queer visibility, saying, "From highlighting queer-friendly messaging on promos to showcasing queer artists and vendors, everything we do is about creating safe, welcoming environments." The success of these initiatives, according to Singh, is measured by the community's response. "Events like Glam Jam at High Spirits play a crucial role in this endeavour, providing a platform for the queer community to come together and celebrate. For us, success is simple: the more queer folk and allies attend, the more we normalize and celebrate the community," he added. Beyond cafes, Pune's LGBTQIA+ community is creating its own spaces, like the Pune Queer Sports Club, which brings together over 180 members for sports like cricket and badminton every weekend. However, challenges persist in bars and nightclubs, where gay couples often face discriminatory "stag entry" policies, being turned away unless accompanied by women. An IT professional, who identifies as a gay man, shared his experiences with nightlife discrimination, saying, "At many nightclubs still, when I go with my boyfriend, we are denied entry. Other times, we have been asked to pay extra... People act weird if we hold hands, which is very normal for a hetero couple." While upscale venues in Pune show progress, danger lurks on the streets. Recent two men brutally attacked a trans woman near Pune Station, leaving her with head injuries that required stitches. Sania Shah, a trans woman, recounted yet another harrowing experience: "I was waiting for a rickshaw when suddenly I noticed two men leering at me... They pulled my hair, hit me on the head and kept attacking me till some people rushed towards us to break this up." The incident left her shaken, triggering severe anxiety and a constant need for reassurance from her mother when she's out.
Scoop
16-06-2025
- Politics
- Scoop
Moriori Challenge Crown Over 'Tino Rangatiratanga'
Wellington, 12 June 2025 – The Moriori Imi Settlement Trust (MIST), supported by the Hokotehi Moriori Trust (HMT), has filed proceedings in the High Court at Wellington challenging the Crown's proposal to recognise Ngāti Mutunga o Wharekauri's (NMOW) tino rangatiratanga over Rēkohu (the Chatham Islands). In 1870, the Native Land Court and colonial government gave 97.3% of all land on the Chatham Islands to NMOW (who arrived on an English sailing ship in only 1835), completely disregarding Moriori custom and the ancient, peaceful occupation of the islands. Instead, they applied the New Zealand Māori custom of take raupatu (claim by conquest). The Waitangi Tribunal found in 2001 that Moriori should have received 'at least 50% of the land' on Rēkohu and that 'redress by far was due to Moriori' (Tribunal recommends compensation for Moriori). Despite this, NMOW have continued to claim exclusive mana whenua and tino rangatiratanga over Rēkohu. Now, the Crown appears ready to repeat these past injustices. When Moriori settled their historic Treaty claims with the Crown in 2020, the Crown gave clear and repeated assurances that it would remain strictly neutral between imi and iwi on matters of mana whenua and tino rangatiratanga over Rēkohu. For this reason, those terms do not appear in the Moriori Deed of Settlement. Moriori Claims Settlement Act 2021: However, in 2022, MIST was formally advised that the Crown intended to include in the NMOW Deed of Settlement an explicit acknowledgement of NMOW's tino rangatiratanga over Rēkohu. This contradicts prior commitments made to Moriori and represents a serious breach of trust and the terms of our own Deed. The Crown maintains this does not amount to recognition of mana whenua —a position strongly rejected by MIST and supported by respected Māori legal and tikanga experts. In their view, tino rangatiratanga clearly implies exclusive chiefly authority over land. Moriori (MIST & HMT) consider the Crown's position not only disingenuous—but outrageous. Tino rangatiratanga is not a term the Crown has the right to define, limit, or politically reinterpret to suit its convenience. The implications of this recognition are profound. It would undermine the integrity and intent of the Moriori Treaty settlement—an outcome Moriori worked toward for generations. It would also risk legitimising the 1835 invasion, where two mainland tribes used violence to kill, enslave, and displace the peaceful Moriori. Under tikane Moriori, land was never taken through warfare. Even under tikanga Māori, NMOW's claims to take raupatu were not found valid by the Waitangi Tribunal. This situation raises an unsettling question: Why is this happening at all? Why would the Crown give such clear assurances to Moriori, only to reverse course and grant the very recognition it swore it would withhold? This contradiction cuts to the core of the Crown's integrity and the trust that should underpin the Treaty settlement process. This legal challenge is not intended to delay or block NMOW's redress. Moriori supports their right to a settlement— provided it does not impinge upon or undermine Moriori rights. We offered a solution: remove the offending phrase from NMOW's Deed. The Crown refused. Moriori are now calling on the Crown to honour its promise of neutrality and refrain from taking any steps that would undermine the Treaty settlement signed with us just five years ago. Anything less risks eroding trust in the Crown's commitments. With all other avenues exhausted, Moriori will now seek to be heard in the court of law. We do so reluctantly, but with a firm commitment to uphold the dignity of our karapuna (ancestors) and protect the legacy we leave for future generations of our imi (people). Me rongo (In peace)
Time of India
03-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Tata Communications announces TGN-IA2 subsea cable linking Singapore, Hong Kong, Japan to enhance connectivity
Tata Communications , on Tuesday, announced the TGN-IA2 subsea cable system to enhance connectivity for businesses across Asia. The cable connects Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan and complements the existing TGN-IA cable system by offering interconnections to other regions. The system is constructed by the Asia Direct Cable (ADC) consortium, of which, half-a-fibre pair is fully operated and managed by Tata Communications. This allows the company to independently manage capacity upgrades and make faster provisioning for customers. The ADC is a global consortium of leading communications and technology companies, including NT (Thailand), China Telecom, China Unicom, PLDT Inc., Singtel, SoftBank Corp., Tata Communications and Viettel. The multi-terabits capacity TGN-IA2 cable is expected to significantly enhance data transfer capabilities and offer diverse, scalable bandwidth solutions to hyperscalers, multinational corporations, and telecom operators. Tata Communications operates multiple terabytes of capacities across its 500,000+ km round-the-globe subsea optical fibre network. This includes TGN-TIC, TGN-EA (Eurasia), TGN-Gulf, TGN-P (Pacific), TGN-A (Atlantic) and others. Live Events The Asia-Pacific region, particularly Southeast Asia, is now a global data transmission hub, with growing subsea investments from companies like Meta, Google, Amazon, and Microsoft. The region is witnessing a rapid build-out of hyperscale data centres , and submarine cables are critical to ensuring low-latency, high-throughput links between these facilities. According to Telegeography, the global demand for international bandwidth is growing at over 30% annually, and Asia accounts for a significant share of this surge. Countries like India, Singapore, Indonesia, and the Philippines are now key landing points for such cables, facilitating digital trade and cloud infrastructure deployment. India has recently seen large commitments in this space. For instance, Google is set to commission its Blue-Raman submarine cable system in Mumbai this year. Last month, Meta announced the 'Waterworth' project—the world's longest subsea cable connecting five continents with landings in India. Japan's NTT Data is also set to commission MIST - its first submarine cable system connecting Malaysia, India, Singapore and Thailand, entailing a total investment of $400 million. Meanwhile, telecom operator Bharti Airtel has landed SEA-ME-WE-6 and 2Africa Pearls cables on Indian shores this year. Reliance Jio is also set to commission the India-Asia-Express (IAX) and India-Europe-Express (IEX) submarine cable systems, expanding the country's existing capacity significantly.
Time of India
21-05-2025
- Health
- Time of India
On Covid resurgence, TN health official says no need to panic, surveillance mechanism in place
Chennai: Tamil Nadu Director of Public Health and Preventive Medicine, T S Selvavinayagm on Tuesday appealed to the public not to panic about Covid resurgence as a strict surveillance mechanism was in place in the state. The present situation was not alarming and the pandemic like so many other thousands of viruses was under continuous monitoring, he said. Allaying the apprehensions of the people on a possible outbreak of the pandemic, Selvavinayagam said in a video message that neither the World Health Organisation nor the central government has issued any advisory on Covid-19 outbreak. "The Health department is closely monitoring all viruses including Covid through the Integrated Health Information Platform (IHIP) portal which allowed real-time reporting of data, modelling and analysis and this was integrated with other health programmes," he said. Surveillance is being carried out daily on this portal through the involvement of 4,000 plus institutions. In addition, along with MIST (a research programme to understand and prevent airborne viral transmissions ), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and the National Institute of Edidemiology (NIE), the DPH has launched a sentinel surveillance to monitor all ILI ( Influenza-like Illness ) and SARI ( Severe Acute Respiratory Infection ) cases. It also involved the participation of two rural and two urban PHCs, and medical colleges in four districts. "So, all outbreaks are under continuous monitoring. Tamil Nadu's health infrastructure is vibrant and the state has the capacity to go on an expansion anytime," Selvavinayagam said in the nearly four-minute video. "The public will be informed of outbreak if any. Under the present circumstances, there is no need to panic about Covid because the Tamil Nadu government has taken up a surveillance mechanism. If infection occurs, it will be informed to the public immediately," he added. The official clarified that he had to explain the current situation due to reports in a section of the media on Covid-19 re-emergence. Covid has not been totally eradicated. And like lakhs of viruses or bacteria when Covid made an appearance then it will be controlled and an equilibrium status will be maintained. The preventive measures were based on the virulence of the virus and its impact. "Ten infections among one lakh people, ten infections in ten lakh people and ten infections among 7.8 crore population in Tamil Nadu can't be considered as same," the DPH stressed.
Business Insider
19-05-2025
- Business
- Business Insider
TD Cowen Sticks to Their Hold Rating for Milestone Pharmaceuticals (MIST)
TD Cowen analyst Ritu Baral maintained a Hold rating on Milestone Pharmaceuticals (MIST – Research Report) yesterday. The company's shares closed last Friday at $1.22. Confident Investing Starts Here: Easily unpack a company's performance with TipRanks' new KPI Data for smart investment decisions Receive undervalued, market resilient stocks straight to you inbox with TipRanks' Smart Value Newsletter According to TipRanks, Baral is a 3-star analyst with an average return of 2.5% and a 39.31% success rate. Baral covers the Healthcare sector, focusing on stocks such as Sarepta Therapeutics, Alnylam Pharma, and Madrigal Pharmaceuticals. The word on The Street in general, suggests a Moderate Buy analyst consensus rating for Milestone Pharmaceuticals with a $7.50 average price target. MIST market cap is currently $65.23M and has a P/E ratio of -1.47.
