DEHRADUN:  With highest ever rainfall registered in Uttarakhand in the last two days, environmentalists say such weather events are likely to occur with increased frequency in future due to rampant, mindless ‘development’ activities.

Kavita Upadhyay, an expert on water and hydropower-related issues, said, “The Himalayas are fragile. Pouring in concrete for projects is impacting the ecosystem.” Beautification and reconstruction plans have been approved for Sukhatal and Sattal areas in Nainital district. Former is the catchment area for the Naini tal (lake). 

“An event like the recent extreme rains may result in overflow of Sukhatal lake, which may eventually lead to flooding in the Nainital town,” Upadhyay said. “The damage is going to increase if developmental plans are made by policy-makers who are unaware of the Himalayan region.”

Uttarakhand has witnessed more than 10,000 extreme weather events, including rainfall, cloudbursts and landslides, since 2015, killing a total of 553 people till June this year, according to the data by Uttarakhand Disaster Management Authority. 

The state received record rainfall during October 17-19. Nainital was the worst hit, receiving 410 mm rainfall, with 28 people being killed.  Vishal Singh, deputy executive director of Dehradun-based Centre for Ecology Development and Research, said, “Climate change is a significant factor and such events are only going to increase in future.”

 Rishi Rich & Rush Toor Zakham Song that has bewitched Indian hearts While geographical boundaries never mattered when it came to music, the internet has truly expanded its reach. Overcoming the barriers of language, each day, Indians get to experience and fall in love with new songs. Renowned British Asian music producer Rishi Rich & Rapper Rush Toor Presents ‘Zakham’ is the latest offering from Break The Noise Records Music Label. With a fiery blend of a classic Bollywood item-number and a Brooklyn street hip hop vibe. Rishi, yet again brings us an exemplary example of futuristic nostalgia!
While Talking to Media Rishi Rich Said, “I’ve always loved fusing the music I listened to growing up with the music I love to make now and Zakham is just a perfect example of how East and West blend seamlessly. Rush was ideal to feature on the track and I hope everyone enjoys it.” The maestro Rishi Rich emerges from his music lab once again with an elaborate concoction of melodic flavours to suit every taste! World-renowned for his East meets West creations, Rishi Rich ingeniously reignites a sample from the Venus Music classic ‘Maalik Mere’ from the movie Zakham featuring the haunting voice of the legendary Asha Bhosle and starring the evergreen ‘Neelam’. Interspersed with the dynamic vocals of Californian rapper Rush Toor, Zakham delivers echoes of yesteryear masterfully rejuvenated with a big splash of modernity creating a sound that’s sure to resonate with music lovers globally. Hailing from Malaysia and now living in San Francisco, Rush Toor is a force to be reckoned with behind the microphone. His lyrical flow, energy and style have gained him a worldwide following. Rush is excited about the track: “Working with a music producer like Rishi Rich is just so innovative and fun. He has a very unique way of knowing exactly what he wants from the artist he is working with and I’m super grateful to be part of such a dope project.” The music video to accompany Zakham is shot on location in India at the stunning Jai Vilas Palace in Jawhar Fort and stars Jagtar & Srishti Vyakaranam as lead. He plays the role of a tourist who becomes mesmerised by a beautiful woman he keeps noticing around an eerie fort but she mysteriously keeps disappearing! The song is directed by Richard de Varda ( RDV), he Said,  “Being able to bring Zakham to life through the lens was a great experience and the video location adds such a regal yet haunting edge to the song” The song ZAKHAM has been lording it over music charts in the country with even Bollywood stars getting hooked to it. From countless regional language covers to dance videos, see how the song broke the internet.

Kolkata: RoundGlass Punjab FC kicked off its pre-season training earlier this month in Kolkata under newly-appointed Head Coach Ashley Westwood ahead of the forthcoming I-League 2021-22 campaign.

A total of 25 players along with the First Team’s coaching and support staff have been housed in a bio-secure environment, following stringent COVID-19 safety protocols. The team underwent its first session on the field on October 8 and hit the ground running as the countdown for the new season starts. RoundGlass Punjab FC made an impressive I-League debut under its new ownership in the 2020-21 season and made a strong statement of intent in the summer transfer window. The side will be led by Head Coach Ashley Westwood, a two-time I-League winner with Bengaluru FC and seasoned professional with over 25 years of experience as a player and coach.

Looking ahead to the start of the new season, Nikolaos Topoliatis, Football Director, RoundGlass Punjab FC, said, “Everyone at RoundGlass Punjab FC is excited to begin the pre-season as we prepare for our second I-League campaign. We are proud to represent #PunjabInSpirit and have put together a competitive squad with a mix of both youth and experience. With Ashley coming in as Head Coach and a number of talented players joining us, we are looking forward to putting an inspiring show in the coming season and fight for the title.”

Ashley Westwood, Head Coach, RoundGlass Punjab FC,said, “I’m happy to be finally back in India and return to the pitch coaching football, which is something I enjoy and feel I do best. A lot of planning has been done in the last few months and we were doing a lot of online sessions with the boys as well. It’s good to finally be in each other’s company as a team. Now, we will strive and work hard with the goal to start the new season in the best possible shape.”

Bikramjit Singh, midfielder and 2020-21 season captain, RoundGlass Punjab FC, said,“Everyone is delighted to be back on the field and all the players are working very hard. All our needs – training pitch, accommodation, diet, etc. have been taken care of. The club is putting in a lot of effort to ensure that we get ready in the best possible manner. We have sufficient time to prepare and get ourselves in a strong position before the league starts. We want to make our fans and the people of Punjab proud in the coming season.”

RoundGlass Sports has embarked on its mission to strengthen the sporting ecosystem in India. An attitude of boldness, creativity, honesty, and risk-taking epitomises RoundGlass Punjab FC, which is bringing the unique spirit of Punjab’s sporting culture to Indian football and wants to inspire every child to play.

The RoundGlass Punjab FC players currently in Kolkata are:-

Goalkeepers: Lalthuammawia Ralte, Jaskaranbir Singh, Jaspreet Singh.

Defenders: Aakash Sangwan, Rino Anto, Lalchhuanmawia Fanai, Keegan Pereira, Shankar Sampangiraj, Saurabh Bhanwala, Gurtej Singh.

Midfielders: CK Vineeth, Kean Lewis, Tongbram Maheson Singh, Suranjit Singh, Bikramjit Singh, Ashis Pradhan, Rupert Nongrum, Joseba Beitia.

Forwards: Aashish Jha, Aphaoba Singh, Sumeet Passi, Robin Singh, Travis Major, Kurtis Guthrie.

*Note: Defender Bikash Yumnam departed for the India U23 national team on October 17 and will return to RoundGlass Punjab FC training once relieved from his national team duties. 

About RoundGlass Punjab Football Club

RoundGlass Punjab Football Club is a dynamic new entrant in Indian football that aims to channelize the energy of the youth towards the sport and place India on the world football map. We are establishing a unique brand of fast, progressive, and inspiring football that our fans and supporters have come to love. The Club, which boasts promising domestic and international players, is redefining football coaching, infrastructure, and grassroots development in Punjab with the aim of identifying and nurturing talent to international standards.

Learn more: https://sports.round.glass/punjab-football-club/

Follow RoundGlass Punjab FC on:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RGPunjabFC

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rgpunjabfc

Twitter: https://twitter.com/RGPunjabFC

About RoundGlass Sports

RoundGlass Sports is creating opportunities for children and youth to take up and excel in sports such as football, hockey, and tennis in India, underpinned by the principles of Wholistic Wellbeing. Our aim is to channelize their energy and help develop and unlock their full potential. To this end, we’re transforming sports in Punjab and the rest of India by building infrastructure, providing high-quality coaching and training, and cultivating a culture of sports participation through its Academy and Grassroots programs. RoundGlass Sports acquired RoundGlass Punjab Football Club in the year 2020.

To learn more, visit sports.round.glass

Digitally Mature Businesses in Asia-Pacific Expanding Digital Infrastructure 4x Faster Than Pre-Pandemic Levels

Mumbai is forecast to lead India with the highest interconnection bandwidth of 111 Tbps

India – The latest Global Interconnection Index (GXI Vol. 5), an annual market study published by Equinix, reveals that the pandemic has forced economies into digital overdrive, with digital leaders, businesses who were already implementing a digital-first strategy, moving four times faster than pre-pandemic levels. These businesses in Asia-Pacific, including Mumbai, have compacted the time to deploy their digital infrastructure to multiple regions, expand to multiple edge locations and integrate multiple clouds—what might have taken two years is now achievable within six months.

This accelerated pace of digital transformation is predicted to continue to fuel the rapid growth in interconnection bandwidth. According to the GXI Vol. 5, global interconnection bandwidth, the measure of private connectivity for the transfer of data between organizations, is forecast to reach 21,485+ terabits per second (Tbps), or 85 zettabytes, per year by 2024, representing a five-year compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 44%.  This is in line with APAC where interconnection bandwidth is expected to grow at a 46% CAGR by 2024, contributing 6,002 Tbps to make up 28% of global interconnection bandwidth.

As one of the edge metros in the region, Mumbai is expected to increase interconnection bandwidth at a 53% CAGR, reaching 111 Tbps by 2024. This growth is aligned with the increasing demand for the digital infrastructure needed to bring more businesses online, facilitate electronic integration with partners and supply chains, and reach more people in distributed hybrid work environments.

Additional Insights From GXI Vol. 5

Close to 30% of enterprise infrastructure deployed in carrier-neutral facilities has moved to the edge, in proximity to points of data consumption. Service Providers are also expanding at the edge, growing their edge infrastructure 2x faster than their core infrastructure, enabling them to support increasing demand from enterprises.

Digital leaders are interconnecting with 10 times as many partners, enabling them to ride the wave of digital transformation and enjoy best-of-breed services from a vast pool of Service Providers and partners. The trend has been tracked across 12 industries and three regions for traditional companies, born in the cloud, Service Providers and even hyperscale providers. 

·Among industries, the Financial Services sector in APAC is expected to deploy more than 50% of Enterprise interconnection bandwidth, with Manufacturing as the second-largest industry.

In APAC, the Banking & Insurance, Public Sector, Industrial Services and Transportation industries are expected to experience the fastest digital infrastructure growth, which is forecast to drive a 50% or more CAGR in interconnection bandwidth from 2020 to 2024. The Public Sector, and Industrial Services and Transportation industries that were previously lagging in interconnection adoption are now leading in interconnection growth rate as a result of the pandemic.

·         In Mumbai, Network Providers, Cloud and IT, and Enterprises are expected to deploy more interconnection bandwidth than other verticals, with most connections from businesses to Network Providers.

“While COVID has forced businesses to innovate in many ways, by both expanding existing and introducing new digital services, the infrastructure underpinning these services must keep pace,” said Claire Macland, Senior Vice President of Marketing, Equinix. “As a result, savvy businesses are now moving four times faster than pre-pandemic levels in deploying this necessary digital infrastructure.”

Manoj Paul, Managing Director, Equinix India, added “COVID has pressed the need for transforming to digital models across industries in India. Businesses and organizations have realized the importance of adopting digital strategies and services and leveraging benefits of interconnection to other businesses and service providers to achieve the level of agility and resiliency that is required to outpace and out-innovate their peers.”

Industry Perspective on the Global Interconnection Index

 Courtney Munroe, Research Vice President, Worldwide Telecommunications Research, IDC

“Companies that have adopted a comprehensive digital strategy as a core business pillar—connecting with and leveraging digital platforms with partners, ecosystems, and customers, consistently emerge as disruptive market leaders. Adopting digital platforms and services is essential to achieve the level of agility and resiliency that is required to outpace and out-innovate the competition.

Announcing, World University of Design‘s much awaited International Annual Design + Cultural Festival – “Cult 2021”. CULT will be held virtually on Friday and Saturday, October 22nd and 23rd, 2021. Over the years the festival has been a high – profile event attracting students from colleges from all over to compete and showcase their talent through various exciting events. The festival is a forum for young minds to interact, exhibit their talent and unleash their potential.

World University of Design presents CULT 2021

India’s only Virtual Inter- College Annual Design & Cultural Festival

World University of Design remains as the only university in India to have organized a virtual students’ fest during the pandemic last year, an organisational feat which they are repeating this year as well. The two-day Inter-College Annual Design & Cultural Festival hosts a myriad of competitive events that have been tailor-made so as to be online mode compatible for an exceptional engrossing experience. With cash prizes set for winner, first and second runner ups, Cult 2021 is chalked out for Friday, October 22nd and Saturday, October 23rd, 2021 and invites participation by undergraduate and graduate students from all across India.

Cult 2021 has been designed to spark up young talented minds and provide them with a platform to express their imagination in the form of art, design and architecture. Along with last year’s successful categories like Group Dance Competition, Virtual Jamming Sessions, Broadway Style Theatre, Solo Dance & Song Contests, Instrumental Music Competition, Short Film Genre, Mural Art Showcasing, exhibiting products made of upcycled materials, Caption Contest etc, new categories have been added like Slim Shady where a participant has to add music and creatively to a selected dialogue and make it look like a real piece of innovation!

The more design centric genres of competition are all the more impressive and invoke one to pull their socks up and keep running their flights of imagination. So to speak, this time around the festival is looking for out-of-the-box designs that are made to make lives of a common man even simpler in the BIO BEAM segment wherein students will be required to execute their mind’s imagination to create a masterpiece inspired by nature – air, water, land. Through World Building Competition participants will be expected to showcase their foremost 3D modeling skills and the most powerful aspect of art and design in their way of healing sore minds will be gauged through Conceptual Art wherein participants develop any concept which can be easily communicated to the audience in a two minutes video. Medium to communicate the concept can be any form of art like body art, photography, performance art, short film or make your own little corner of your house etc.

As WUD sashays into the Annual Students Festival, its ecstatic Vice Chancellor Dr. Sanjay Gupta says, “Thanks to last year’s overwhelming response to the virtual version of The Cult that we are able to organize yet another episode this year. A lot of design thinking and innovation has gone into the event redesign fortified with detailing, improvisation and numerous additions. We trust the grapevine effect and since the festival got highly popular amongst students in the country, we expect 2x students of colleges outside WUD to participate! Our deans and professors have mentored the students through the whole process resulting in this big bunch of young highly driven and enthusiastic participants.”

Being a young university, World University of Design is on a mission to provide world class experiential learning to its pupils. The institute believes in appointing the best and experienced faculty members, it is providing platforms to the students to hone their skill set and pave a better future and also opening horizons for them to gauge their potential and see how ready they are for the practical design world.

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AVerMedia Technologies, Inc., a leader in audiovisual technology, is pleased to announce that it is joining Barco’s ClickShare Alliance Partner Program. This partnership ensures that AVerMedia conferencing webcams and speakerphones are fully compatible with Barco’s ClickShare Conference. Meeting participants around the globe can now confidently integrate AVerMedia’s cutting-edge audiovisual quality with Barco’s innovative wireless conferencing solution. The joint solution by Barco and AVerMedia creates a seamless, wireless conferencing ecosystem for all kinds of small meeting rooms. With just a press of the Barco ClickShare Button or launching the ClickShare App, users can wirelessly connect to the video and audio from AVerMedia peripherals and share content with only one click in any video conference room. Users can bring their own device to meeting rooms and get set up in an instant, with no need for technical support. The solution is also compatible with nearly every popular conferencing platform. In addition to greater ease of use, the Barco and AVerMedia solution also provides a clean, professional conferencing experience. With connections between personal devices and AVerMedia peripherals completely wireless, fewer cables are necessary, making meeting spaces more orderly and avoiding the need to search for the right cable before joining a conference. Moreover, with cable length no longer a limitation, users can join meetings and actively collaborate from nearly anywhere in a room. AVerMedia’s latest wide-angle webcams, the 4K PW513 and 1080p PW315, have already revolutionized huddle room conferencing. These webcams combine enterprise quality with consumer ease of use and affordability, allowing nearly any organization to equip small rooms with vibrant video and audio. AVerMedia also offers the AS311 speakerphone, which provides clear sound with 360° audio coverage and a 9’/3m pickup range that can pick up audio from all participants, as well as groundbreaking AI-powered noise reduction technology. AVerMedia’s PW313 1080p webcam has also been validated to be compatible with ClickShare Conference, making a perfect solution for focus rooms. All mentioned AVerMedia products are currently available in most regions worldwide from select resellers . About AVerMedia Technologies, Inc.AVerMedia empowers people to easily connect and boldly create through innovative audiovisual technology. Our solutions help people work productively, build new relationships, and expand their horizons in ways that weren’t possible before. Our products include a wide range of powerful yet easy-to-use devices such as webcams, video capture cards, and microphones for content creators, schools, and businesses. We also provide hardware design services for a range of AI and IoT applications, from smart retail to smart cities. AVerMedia is guided by a philosophy of contributing to society- whether through products that change customers’ lives for the better, or by ensuring our operations are socially responsible. www.avermedia.com About BarcoBarco designs technology to enable bright outcomes around the world. Seeing beyond the image, we develop visualization and collaboration solutions to help you work together, share insights, and wow audiences. Our focus is on three core markets: Enterprise (from meeting and control rooms to corporate spaces), Healthcare (from the radiology department to the operating room), and Entertainment (from movie theaters to live events and attractions). In 2020, we realized sales of 770 million euro. We have global team of 3,300 employees, whose passion for technology is captured in 430 granted patents. For more information, visit www.barco.com, follow us on Twitter (@Barco), LinkedIn (Barco), YouTube (BarcoTV), or like us on Facebook (Barco).

Breast cancer early detection, screening, and management – what we need to know

By Dr. Amrita Chakraborty, Consultant Onco-radiology, HCG EKO CANCER CENTRE, Kolkata

Breast cancer remains a worldwide public health predicament and is currently the most common cancer. It is the primary cause of mortality among the female population around the globe including India. Awareness surrounding breast cancer is extremely important for early detection and the best treatment outcome. Each year one in ten of all new cancers diagnosed worldwide is found to be breast cancer.

Women are at increasingly high risk of breast cancer, due to a remarkable change in the reproductive and nutrition-related determinants over time. The most rapid rises are seen in developing countries, where breast cancer risk has historically been low relative to industrialized countries. The increasing trend in developing areas is the result of the ‘westernization and altered lifestyles trend of factors such as childbearing, dietary habits, and exposure to exogenous estrogen. Considering the rising trends, women must be cautious and aware of the early signs and symptoms of breast cancer, the need for self-evaluation and screening techniques, and the ways of protection.

Identifying the early signs of breast cancer is very important and can be seen in the form of a rapidly developing breast swelling or lump. A sudden increase in the size of a lump that has been stable for a long period in the past, thickening or retraction of the skin of breast or nipple-areola complex, discharge from the nipple, axillary swelling, or a hard chest wall nodule.  Of primary importance is the fact that most of these changes are painless and need to warrant greater caution. If such symptoms are detected, then we immediately need to see a doctor for further evaluation.

Radiodiagnosis plays a pivotal role not only in the early diagnosis of breast cancer but also through the entire process of treatment. The preliminary radiological investigations include mammography and high-resolution ultrasound of the breast. USG is a non-invasive investigation that does not cause the risk of exposure to ionize radiations. It is an easily available investigation and inexperienced hands can be used for characterization of a breast lump and in differentiating benign and malignant natures depending on certain sonographic characters of the lumps.

Ultrasound along with mammography also serve as fantastic screening tools for breast in case of positive family history, ductal discharge, or any other breast-related symptoms. Ultrasound also plays a pivotal role in guided breast biopsies for histo-pathological correlation and marker placements.

For smaller suspicious lesions and higher levels of screening magnetic resonance imaging of the breast now plays a pivotal role. It is possible to characterize very small breast lesions on an MRI based on the imaging characters on diffusion and dynamic post-contrast scans.

The role of CT and PET CT is predominantly related to staging and response evaluation during the process of treatment. With significant advancements in medical oncology, most breast cancer is now treatable, and a significant proportion is also completely curable. What is needed is patient awareness, self-care, and proper diagnosis and management under doctors who are specifically trained in treating breast cancer. Finally, we should understand that the rising trend in this disease are significantly due to altered lifestyles which if properly dealt with can serve as an important platform for breast cancer prevention. 

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday set aside the order of the Gujarat High Court granting 14-day furlough to rape convict Narayan Sai, son of self-styled godman Asaram Bapu.

A bench of Justices DY Chandrachud and BV Nagarathna allowed the appeal of the Gujarat government challenging the June 24 order of the high court granting furlough to Sai.

The top court said that furlough is not an absolute right and it depends on various factors.

It said the jail superintendent has given a negative opinion for grant of furlough to Sai as a mobile phone was found from his cell.

On August 12, the top court had stayed the Gujarat High Court order giving two-week furlough to Sai.

The top court had issued a notice to Sai on the Gujarat government’s plea challenging the high court’s single-judge order of June 24 and stayed it till further orders.

It had said that the proviso to Rule 3(2) of the Bombay Furlough and Parole Rules 1959, provides that a prisoner sentenced to life imprisonment may be released on furlough every year after he completes seven years actual imprisonment.

The single-judge bench of the high court ordered the release of Sai on furlough for two weeks on June 24, 2021, but the division bench had stayed it till August 13 and thereafter the state has moved the top court challenging the June 24 order.

The state government has contended that under the rules and even in a judgement of this court, it has been held that furlough is not an absolute right and it depends on various factors.

It had said Sai and his father were arrested for offences under rape charges and they wield considerable influence with money and muscle power.

On April 26, 2019, Sai was convicted under the Indian Penal Code sections 376 (rape), 377 (unnatural offences), 323 (assault), 506-2 (criminal intimidation), and 120-B (conspiracy) by a Surat court and sentenced to life imprisonment.

In 2013, Asaram was arrested for allegedly raping a girl in Rajasthan after two Surat-based sisters had accused Asaram and his son of sexual exploitation.

The elder sister had accused Asaram of sexual assaulting her between 1997 and 2006 when she lived at his Ahmedabad ashram.

The younger sister had accused the godman’s son of sexual assault when she lived at Asaram’s ashram in the Jahangirpura area of Surat between 2002 and 2005.

The incidents of multiple sexual assaults and unnatural sex with the victim had taken place between 2002 and 2005, but the case against Sai had been filed only in 2013.

Sai was arrested from the Delhi-Haryana border in December 2013.

When Sai was in jail, the Surat police had claimed to have unearthed elaborate plans to bribe police officers, doctors, and even judicial officers to weaken the case against him.

Kevadia (Guj): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said his government, after hard work in the last six-seven years, has established faith among people that it is possible to fight corruption and that they will get benefits of various government schemes without the involvement of middlemen.

Virtually addressing a joint conference of the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) virtually at Kevadia in Gujarat, Modi claimed the previous government did not have the will to fight corruption.

In the last six-seven years, we have been able to establish faith among people that it is possible to stop corruption in the country. People of the country have faith today that they will get benefits of government schemes without any middlemen, Modi said.

“Corruption, big or small, takes away the rights of common people. It is a hindrance in the progress of the country and effects our collective energy,” he said.

Modi also said that there should be no safe havens anywhere in the world for those committing crime against the country and its people.