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The Star
a day ago
- Politics
- The Star
Joint protest planned for July 5 against ‘Hindi imposition' on schools in Maharashtra, India
Uddhav and Raj Thackeray will jointly hold a protest on July 5 against 'Hindi imposition' in schools. - ANI via The Statesman MUMBAI: Amid the growing uproar over Maharashtra's new three-language policy in schools and ahead of the Mumbai civic polls, estranged cousins — Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray and Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray — appear to be reuniting. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut Friday (June 27) announced that the two leaders will now jointly lead a protest against the alleged 'imposition' of Hindi in Maharashtra's school curriculum. Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut said, 'We are not against Hindi, but its implementation should not be done forcefully. Uddhav Thackeray has also adopted the stance taken by Raj Thackeray. There will be one rally on July 5. We will discuss where the rally will go and the timing.' The controversy stems from the Mahayuti government's April decision to adopt the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which includes a three-language model. Initially, Hindi was required as the third language. Following the backlash, the government revised the decision, making Hindi optional. The policy is widely perceived as a veiled attempt to enforce Hindi on students across the state. Raut also shared photos of the Thackeray cousins, signalling a rare show of unity. While both parties had initially planned separate protests, they have now decided to march together, marking a significant moment in Maharashtra's political landscape. 'There will be one unified march against making Hindi compulsory in Maharashtra schools. Thackeray is the brand,' Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut posted on X. - The Statesman/ANN
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Researchers raise red flags after studying samples of popular food item: 'Humans are directly ingesting these'
Researchers in India have published a novel "landmark scientific study" with troubling findings concerning microplastics and a commonly consumed type of shellfish, The Statesman reported. Researchers at two Indian universities obtained nearly 400 samples of Lamellidens marginalis, a species of freshwater mollusk commonly harvested and consumed in Southeast Asia. Also known as mussels, the mollusks are considered an "indicator species" due to their invaluable ability to shed light on levels of water pollution in their natural habitats. For this study, researchers examined the samples of Lamellidens marginalis to gauge the extent of plastic pollution in local rivers. In what The Statesman called the "first concrete evidence of how deeply plastic pollution has penetrated local food systems," scientists determined that over 80% of freshwater mussel samples obtained from "six key market hubs" contained microplastic particulate matter. "Every mussel you eat might be delivering more than just protein. It could be a vehicle for microscopic plastic particles that are now infiltrating human bodies through daily diets," lead study author Dr. Sujoy Midya explained. "With mussels acting as natural water filters — and now [as] unwilling microplastic reservoirs — the study paints a grim picture of environmental degradation," The Statesman concluded. According to the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, "a single freshwater mussel can pump and filter between 8 and 15 gallons of water per day." Consequently, freshwater mussels "drastically improve the water quality in their environments." Like oysters and clams, these "filter feeders" perform an essential function in aquatic ecosystems, keeping waters clean and heralding dangerous conditions. "These mussels are not just seafood — they're sentinels," Midya said. However, freshwater mussels remain popular in Southeast Asia, and the levels of contamination documented in the study are unquestionably concerning. Do you worry about how much food you throw away? Definitely Sometimes Not really Never Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. "Their contamination levels reflect the scale of pollution in our freshwater ecosystems. And because they are consumed whole, humans are directly ingesting these microplastics," explained Midya. "Research has already shown that [microplastic] particles can accumulate in human tissues, potentially leading to oxidative stress, inflammation, and even genetic damage," he added, referencing a growing number of studies linking plastic pollution to adverse human health outcomes. Per The Statesman, the study's authors recommended "immediate action — calling for stringent environmental policies, increased public awareness, and expanded scientific monitoring" to limit the risk to humans and mollusks alike. Researchers in Korea pioneered a method to filter microplastic particles from water, although that technology is not in widespread use yet. At an individual level, the most effective approach is to use less plastic whenever possible — while it's difficult to completely avoid plastic, incremental changes make a big difference. Join our free newsletter for weekly updates on the latest innovations improving our lives and shaping our future, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Hindustan Times
21-06-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Book critically examines key decisions of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
New Delhi, Embattled Sheikh Hasina has to first reform her party Awami League and dump the corrupt to stage any comeback, says a new book which critically examines several key decisions of her father and first Bangladesh president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Book critically examines key decisions of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman In "Mujib's Blunders: The Powers and the Plot Behind His Killing", author Manash Ghosh also argues that the 2024 students' revolution that forced Hasina out from office and the caretaker government's quiet decision to drop Mujib's honorific 'Father of the Nation' follow a script first drafted in 1975 when the Bangabandhu was assassinated along with several members of his family in a predawn coup. The book, published by Niyogi Books, is a sequel to Ghosh's "Bangladesh War: Report from Ground Zero" . It dealt with his coverage of the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War for The Statesman. The author says political turbulence will gather more steam and instability will continue to haunt Bangladesh, as there will be more such violent regime changes waiting in the wings to happen. "This is because I firmly believe that Sheikh Hasina's Awami League is no political pushover and is far from a vanquished force and will seek to reassert its rightful presence in the country's mainstream politics," he writes. "But there is no doubt that while the party and its leaders try to do that, both will be subjected to long phases of repression and persecution which will keep the nation and its neighbouring Indian states politically unsettled," he adds. According to Ghosh, all those who have gone gaga over Hasina's banishment from power and view the subsequent developments to be the end of the road for her are being too presumptuous. "They are not aware of her indomitable courage and resilience with which she has staged a comeback from far more hopeless and worse situations," he says. "For someone who lost all her near and loved ones in gory killings in one night at the hands of the country's military and survived almost 28 assassination attempts, including the deadly grenade attack again in August 2004 on her life, the latest developments can at best be called a setback," he adds. Moreover, the author writes, Hasina and her 80-year-old party, the Awami League, are no pushovers as "both carry a rich tradition and legacy of service and sacrifice for the people and the Bengali nation". "But for staging a comeback she has to first reform the party and refurbish its image by dumping the corrupt and the 'Pakistani Trojans' in the party without doing which it will surely face extinction," he argues. The author also claims that there are striking similarities between what happened preceding August 15, 1975, when Mujib, along with 18 of his family members, was killed in a bloodbath, and that which occurred almost 50 years later, on August 5, 2024, again in Dhaka, when Hasina was ousted from power in a bloodless coup. This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
The Star
11-06-2025
- The Star
Meghalaya honeymoon murder: New bride devised two plans to kill husband, bad weather forced her to shelve ‘plan A', switch to ‘plan B'
FILE photo. Sonam Raghuvanshi with husband Raja (left), and Sonam Raghuvanshi after arrest (right). NEW DELHI: Sonam Raghuvanshi, who allegedly killed her husband Raja Raghuvanshi during her honeymoon in Meghalaya just days after their wedding on May 11, had reportedly devised two plans to execute the cold-blooded murder. According to Meghalaya police, Sonam and her aides killed Raja as their initial plan had to be shelved due to bad weather. Sonam had arrived in Shillong on May 22, the day they originally planned to kill Raja. The three killers were also supposed to reach the location Sonam shared with them the same day. Plan A, according to the investigators, was that Sonam would take Raja to a mountain during a trek and then push him off while taking a selfie to make it look like an accidental death. However, due to rain, they could not go for the trek and Sonam switched to plan B. On May 23, Sonam and Raja went with their planned trek, and the three hired killers met them midway. This was also confirmed by a local guide, who told the police that he saw the three men accompanying the couple and speaking in Hindi. Sonam feigned being tired of the journey and started walking behind. It is being suspected that Sonam's mother-in-law also called them around the same time and that is why Sonam made up stories that it was Raja who forced her to go to the mountain and disconnected the call without letting the mother suspect anything wrong. As per some reports, when they reached the top of the mountain, Sonam, who was walking behind, shouted, 'Kill him'. Subsequently, one of the hired killers, Vishal Chouhan, attacked Raja with a sharp weapon, first from behind and then from the front. The three men and Sonam then pushed him into a deep gorge. After the murder, Sonam and the hired killers reportedly regrouped at another location some 11 km away from the crime scene to plan their escape. After the murder, Sonam travelled back to Indore by train via Siliguri and stayed there at a rented room, said a report. She then went to Varanasi in a cab, reportedly arranged by her suspected lover Raj Kushwaha. From there, she went to Ghazipur, which is also the hometown of her boyfriend Raj, and was subsequently arrested by the police. The police have arrested all five accused – Sonam Raghuvanshi, her lover Raj Kushwaha, and the three hitmen, Vishal Chouhan, Akash Rajput, and Anand Kurmi. They have all been remanded to transit custody of the Meghalaya police. - The Statesman/ANN
The Star
27-05-2025
- The Star
Seven of family die by suicide in India's Haryana, bodies found in car
Seven of family die by suicide in Panchkula. - Photo: IANS NEW DELHI: Seven members of a family were found dead in a car near a house in Sector 27 of Haryana's Panchkula. The family had allegedly consumed poison in what the police suspect to be a case of collective suicide driven by financial distress. According to police officials, the deceased family hailed from Dehradun in Uttarakhand and had travelled to Panchkula to attend a spiritual event at Bageshwar Dham. The deceased include 42-year-old Praveen Mittal, his parents, his wife, and their three children — two daughters and a son. Initial reports indicate that the tragic event occurred on Sunday while the family was returning to Dehradun after the conclusion of the five-day Hanuman Katha at the spiritual centre. While searching for a hotel near Sector 27, Praveen Mittal allegedly took the drastic step, consuming poison along with his entire family, sources said. Locals in the vicinity were the first to notice the family inside a parked vehicle, appearing unwell and struggling. Alarmed by the scene, they immediately informed the police. Responding to the call, the police arrived at the location and forcibly opened the car doors in an attempt to rescue the unconscious family members. The victims were rushed to both a private and a civil hospital in the area, but medical personnel declared all seven individuals dead upon arrival. Following the incident, the bodies were moved to a private hospital in Panchkula for post-mortem examinations. Speaking to the media, DCP Himadri Kaushik said, 'Upon initial probe, it seemed like a case of suicide. However, the investigation is underway. Our forensic team has reached the spot. They are collecting all the evidence from the crime scene and will analyse it scientifically.' According to the sources, a suicide note was also found inside the car. The note, reportedly written by the head of the family, cited overwhelming financial debt and pressure as the main reasons for the tragic decision. Forensic experts are currently examining the note and other material recovered from the scene to verify its authenticity and context. 'The entire matter is under investigation by the forensic team,' said DCP Law and Order Amit Dahiya, who, along with DCP Himadri Kaushik, reached the spot after receiving news of the incident. Sources revealed that Praveen Mittal and his family had been struggling with heavy debts for some time, which may have driven them to this extreme act. Authorities are now working to confirm all details surrounding the incident and are also contacting extended family members to assist with the investigation and last rites. The police have registered the case, and the investigations are underway. - The Statesman/ANN ***Those contemplating suicide can reach out to the Mental Health Psychosocial Support Service (03-2935 9935/ 014-322 3392); Talian Kasih (15999/ 019-261 5999 on WhatsApp); Jakim's family, social and community care centre (011-1959 8214 on WhatsApp); or Befrienders Kuala Lumpur (03-7627 2929/email sam@ in-malaysia).
