Latest news with #plantation
The Herald
16-07-2025
- The Herald
Army uniforms, machetes recovered in huge dagga plantation raid
Fourteen suspects including 10 foreigners were arrested after police uncovered a five-hectare dagga plantation which masqueraded as a vegetable farm. A co-ordinated operation led to the discovery of the dagga plantation and cultivation hub — worth hundreds of thousands of rand — in the Springfield area of Babanango in northern KwaZulu-Natal on Wednesday. During the operation — which involved Zululand, Vryheid and Ulundi police, home affairs immigration officers and Ulundi municipality crime prevention officers — pieces of army uniform, machetes and processed dagga were also found. The suspects, aged between 19 and 40, are expected to appear in court soon. TimesLIVE
Times of Oman
28-06-2025
- Politics
- Times of Oman
Dharmendra Pradhan vows to achieve net-zero India by 2070, takes part in 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' drive
Sambalpur: Union Education Minister and Sambalpur MP Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday participated in a mass plantation drive under the 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' initiative. While speaking to ANI, Pradhan stated that the plantation of trees under this initiative increased hope for nature, fulfilled the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and was also a significant step towards making India a net-zero country by 2070. He further stated that various schools, colleges, organisations and administrative offices came to turn the initiative into a movement. "On that occasion, planting trees in Sambalpur, increasing the hope for nature, fulfilling the SDG goals, and making India a net-zero country by 2070, is a significant step in that direction... Today, the Forest Department and the District Administration have brought together numerous schools, colleges, women's organisations, professional organisations, temple committees, youth organisations, and various administrative offices to turn 'Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam' into a mass movement. I am thrilled..." Pradhan said, speaking to reporters here. Earlier, on June 27, Dharmendra Pradhan, along with Union Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, participated in the celebrations of Rath Yatra and offered prayers to Lord Jagannath. Speaking to the media, Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan says, "The first ritual of the Jagannath Yatra has been completed. All three siblings have reached the chariots... I am satisfied with the arrangements made by the state government..." Earlier in the day, Union Ministers Pradhan and Shekhawat visited and appreciated the state-of-the-art Integrated Command and Control Centre (ICCC) in Puri, developed by the Odisha Police in collaboration with the homegrown startup IG Drones. The ICCC has been pivotal in ensuring safety and efficiency during the world-famous Rath Yatra, marking a significant milestone in modernised crowd and security management with 500 CCTVs, drones, anti-drone systems, and AI analytics. Thousands of devotees gathered in Puri to witness the grand spectacle, chanting hymns as the sweeping ritual marked the start of the deities' annual nine-day sojourn. The grand annual Rath Yatra of Lord Jagannath commenced in Odisha's Puri on Friday, as thousands of devotees began pulling the majestic chariots of Lord Jagannath, Lord Balabhadra, and Devi Subhadra from the Jagannath Temple to the Gundicha Temple, amidst chants, drumbeats, and spiritual fervour.
Times
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
Mr Tea fraudster to stew in jail after police bag their man
Tam O'Braan exuded raffish charm as he courted Country Life, the respected weekly magazine that has twice employed the King, then the Prince of Wales, as its guest editor. 'He claimed he rowed a canoe along the length of the Amazon and spent four years exploring South America,' one former staff member recalled. 'Tam also said he survived being bitten by a highly venomous spider and went on to be shot at by soldiers as he neared the border of Thailand and Myanmar on another expedition. 'He insisted it was the ideal preparation for launching Scotland's first tea plantation.' 'All this derring-do was very exciting but there was definitely a niggling feeling that it was all too good to be true.' Two years earlier, in 2015, O'Braan appeared on BBC Radio 5 Live where he told the host Nicky Campbell that his Dalreoch White tea, grown on the banks of the Tay, had been crowned the best in the world. Choking back tears he claimed he would be unable to accept the most esteemed prize at the Salon du Thé awards in Paris as his wife was about to give birth to twins. 'I suppose you could call me Mr Tea, after winning such a major award,' he crowed, after composing himself. O'Braan, known for his bespoke tweed suits, highly polished brogues and extraordinary CV, went on to assert that his homegrown brew was a personal favourite of Queen Elizabeth. However, there was no trophy, lavish awards ceremony overlooking the River Seine or a royal seal of approval. The accolade, the event and the monarch's endorsement were dreamt up by the self-styled 'adventurer, inventor, scientist and entrepreneur'. Caught up by the romance of Scottish tea, rather than whisky, being the toast of the world, no one apparently bothered to verify his outlandish claims. As such, his top blends went on to sell for £35 for a 15g tin at Fortnum & Mason's flagship store in Piccadilly, London. He continued to make a series of remarkable assertions, including that he served with both the British and Irish armed forces, played professional rugby, was headhunted by President Obama to work on an experimental agricultural project and invented the now ubiquitous 'bag for life' shopping carrier while working for Waitrose in the 1990s. This week, however, O'Braan, 55, was sentenced — under his real name of Thomas Robinson — to three-and-a-half years imprisonment after his abundant crop of fantasies and falsehoods was finally exposed and scythed down. He hoodwinked the owners of some of the country's most famed hotels, such as The Dorchester in London and Edinburgh's Balmoral Hotel, as well as genuine tea growers, journalists and business owners while securing more than £550,000 through fraud. 'This was a scheme to deceive, a scheme to make money on the basis of lies,' Joanne Ritchie, for the prosecution, told him. 'You went as far as to make up these elaborate lies so you appeared to be a man of integrity.' Addressing jurors directly at Stirling sheriff court, Ritchie added: 'This man has lied to every single witness who encountered him. But more than that, he lied to the public at large.' Trading as The Wee Tea Plantation, Robinson insisted his wares — Highland Green, Silver Needles and Scottish Antlers — were grown in Perthshire and Dumfries and Galloway. However, he actually ordered vast quantities of loose leaf tea from China, Malawi and Sri Lanka, repackaged it and sold it as 'Scottish tea'. The overseas produce was then sold for 100 times its cost by dint of its rare north European provenance. Robinson disguised the fraud by getting the leaves delivered to a mailbox address in Glasgow registered to 'Thomas James Consultants', while his suppliers were ordered to sign non-disclosure agreements. Between 2015 and 2018 Robinson also supplied more than 22,000 'Scottish tea plants' to a dozen other growers at a cost of £12.50 each. They actually received plants sourced, at a price of €3 each, from an Italian nursery. Robinson told the Royal Horticultural Society he had invented a 'special biodegradable polymer' that allowed tea cultivation to thrive in the temperate Scottish climate. When challenged to demonstrate it he briefly brandished what appeared to be an ordinary supermarket-issue black bin liner. By 2017 Perth and Kinross council & Food Standards Scotland, a government agency, launched after the horsemeat scandal, were alerted and began to investigate. Robinson told investigators, confronted by largely empty fields, that the vast majority of his plants had been stolen overnight by thieves and insisted the paperwork that could verify his claims had been destroyed in a flood. In court Robinson insisted he had recently 'tripped over an electrical wire and fell into the basement of a castle', leaving him in poor health and unable to remember many events. As he was led away in handcuffs after being unanimously found guilty, Robinson continued to protest his innocence, bleating: 'My life's work will stand in the history of tea.' Ron McNaughton, a former police detective who is head of the Scottish Food Crime & Incidents Unit, insisted Robinson was an inveterate liar who deserved little sympathy. 'His actions caused real financial and reputational harm to individuals, businesses and the developing sector of genuine Scottish tea producers,' he said. The Balmoral Hotel, whose guests have included Dwight D Eisenhower, Sir Paul McCartney, Sir Mick Jagger, Bill Clinton and JK Rowling, has issued a public apology for inadvertently serving fake Scottish tea. 'To have been deceived in such a calculated manner left us all profoundly disappointed and embarrassed,' Andrew McPherson, its general manager, said. 'I would like to extend my sincerest apologies to anyone affected by this tea incident, particularly our loyal guests who trusted in the authenticity and quality of our offerings.'
Bloomberg
17-06-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Berjaya Land to Explore Rare Earth Mining in Malaysia's Perlis
Berjaya Land Bhd. is set to explore and develop the mining of rare earth elements and other minerals in Malaysia's northern Perlis state. The company, a subsidiary of Malaysian tycoon Vincent Tan-controlled Berjaya Corp., signed a memorandum of understanding with Impianan Utara Sdn. on Tuesday to undertake the project, according to a filing. They will also develop large-scale plantation of Napier hybrid grass and Blackthorn durian.
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Planting Hope for a Greener Tomorrow: World Environment Day Event at Manipal Hospital Malleshwaram Rooted for Environmental Awareness & Action
BANGALORE, India, June 9, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- On the occasion of World Environment Day, 5th June 2025, Manipal Hospital Malleshwaram hosted a meaningful event titled 'Let's root for the future – literally!' that brought together school students, community members, dignitaries, and healthcare experts to promote environmental awareness and action. The event was graced by Mr. N. Ravindrakumar, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Bengaluru Urban Division, as the Chief Guest, and Mr. Abdul Hafeez, Hospital Director, Manipal Hospital Malleshwaram, who joined hands with students, neighbourhood residents, and hospital staff to plant saplings and share the message of environmental sustainability. The event was also attended by eminent health experts, including Dr. G. K. Prakash, Consultant - Nephrology, and Transplant Physician, Dr. Vikas G. K., Consultant - Emergency Medicine, and Dr. Puneeth B. S., Consultant - Medical Gastroenterology, who aimed to bring sustainable change for a greener tomorrow. The day began with a plantation drive at Jagadguru Sri Adi Shankaracharya Udyanavana, a BBMP park maintained by the hospital. Students from Hymamshu Jyothi Kala Peetha School and Cluny Convent High School, accompanied by their teachers, along with the chief guest, community members, consultants, and senior citizens, took part in the activity. As part of a learning experience, a guided tour of the park was organized, where students could explore posters that explained the ecological significance of various trees. This was followed by engaging activities such as an Essay Competition on the theme 'Ending Plastic Pollution Globally' and Handprint Tree Board as a pledge towards protecting the environment. A special highlight of the event involved students getting a closer look inside the MARS Ambulance (Manipal Ambulance Response Service), learning about its services, and how it connects to community well-being during emergencies. Mr. N. Ravindrakumar, Deputy Conservator of Forests, Bengaluru Urban Division, stated, "On this World Environment Day, it's encouraging for the hospital to invite students to participate in the sapling plantation drive. Children are the future stewards of our planet, and it is crucial to instill in them a sense of responsibility towards environmental conservation. Educating them about the impact of environmental pollution, like air and water contamination, is equally important. Initiatives like this plantation drive serve as powerful, experiences that nurture awareness and action in the young minds of tomorrow." Ms Rajani, Subject Teacher, Hymamshu Jyothi Kala Peetha School, said, "Today, as we have gathered to attend the World Environment Day celebration by Manipal Hospital Malleshwaram, I would like to thank the team for the opportunity offered to our students. It's such an amazing program to participate and create awareness to protect our environment. We should definitely inculcate these good habits to save our surroundings and work towards a better and greener future." Ms. Chetana, Computer Science Teacher, Cluny Convent High School, noted, "We were delighted to take part in the sapling plantation drive. The students also enthusiastically participated in the essay writing and quiz competitions. I had always associated Manipal Hospital primarily with patient care, but today I witnessed their admirable commitment to promoting environmental awareness and sustainability. Their initiative to engage young minds in such meaningful activities is truly commendable." Through this initiative, Manipal Hospital Malleshwaram inspired kids to be the Environmental Ambassadors of Tomorrow, where they gain environmental awareness to bring positive change for a greener urban ecosystem. For more information, please visit: Photo: View original content to download multimedia: Sign in to access your portfolio
