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WHO advises against use of sugar substitutes for weight loss

The World Health Organization (WHO) has advised against the use of non-sugar sweeteners to control body weight or reduce the risk of non-communicable diseases. The recommendation is based on the findings of a review of the available evidence which suggests that use of non-sugar sweeteners (NSS) does not provide any long-term benefit in reducing body fat in adults or children. The findings also suggest that there may be potential undesirable impact from long-term use of NSS, such as an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and mortality in adults, the WHO said. "Replacing free sugars with NSS does not help with weight control in the long term. People need to consider other ways to reduce free sugars intake, such as consuming food with naturally occurring sugars, like fruit, or unsweetened food and beverages," said Francesco Branca, WHO Director for Nutrition and Food Safety. "NSS are not essential dietary factors and have no nutritional value. People should reduce the sweetness of the diet altogether, starting early in life, to improve their health," Branca said in a statement. The recommendation applies to all people except individuals with pre-existing diabetes and includes all synthetic and naturally occurring or modified non-nutritive sweeteners that are not classified as sugars. These sweeteners are found in manufactured foods and beverages, or sold on their own to be added to foods and beverages by consumers. Common NSS include acesulfame K, aspartame, advantame, cyclamates, neotame, saccharin, sucralose, stevia and stevia derivatives. Also read: Mosquito gut may hold key to preventing dengue, Zika The guideline does not apply to personal care and hygiene products containing NSS, such as toothpaste, skin cream, and medications, or to low-calorie sugars and sugar alcohols (polyols), which are sugars or sugar derivatives containing calories and are therefore not considered NSS, according to the WHO. The WHO guideline on NSS is part of a suite of existing and forthcoming guidelines on healthy diets that aim to establish lifelong healthy eating habits, improve dietary quality and decrease the risk of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) worldwide. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.

16 May,2023 01:14 PM IST | New Delhi | PTI
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Mother's Day: How different religions honour mothers

Mother's Day, which began as a gathering of Civil War veterans' bereaved mothers, has evolved into a celebration of mothers' contributions to society. From the moment we are born, we are accustomed to receiving care and nurturing from our moms. Therefore, we occasionally take for granted the unselfish care that our mothers provide. Mother's Day is an opportunity to express our love and appreciation to them as well as to acknowledge our debt to them. Mother's Day is observed every year on May 14. What does Hinduism say about mother? The institution of motherhood is given a top priority in Hindu society, according to the Sanaatan Dharma. Contrary to other cultures, Hindus offer the highest honour, reverence, celebration, and respect to five mothers in their daily lives: Mother Earth, followed by the cow, then religious texts, then the Divine Mother, and finally the biological mother. These are regarded as the sources of life that sustain humanity, therefore show appreciation, devotion, worship, and to decide for their earthly progeny. According to Hindu philosophy, Saraswati Maata is referred to as the "kriyaa shakti" (power of activity), Lakshmi Maa as the "gyaan shakti," and Durga Maata as the "ichha shakti" (power of will).  Therefore, earthly moms work incredibly hard to ensure that their children receive a healthy diet, have their activities controlled by them, and learn the right information. Because of this, every mother can be viewed to have a significant influence on development of a child. Hindus place a high value on worshipping the mother in all of her five incarnations since they depend on her for their continued existence. In the Moksha dharma Parva (Section CCLXVI), Bhishma said: The mother is the remedy for all kinds of calamities. The existence of the mother provides one with protection; the reverses deprivation. The man who is denied of prosperity enters his house, uttering the words, “O mother!”- when you are with me, neither grief nor weakness ever attack me”. A person whose mother exists, even if he happens to be a father of many sons and grandsons and even he himself is hundred years old, in the eyes of his mother he looks like a child of two years of age. Whether the mother is able or disabled, weak or robust, the son is always protected by the mother. Also read: Mother’s Day 2023: We found out why mothers love watching daily soaps Hindus believe that motherhood is a spiritual and emotional transformation of wifehood. As a wife, a woman does demand and take away some of her husband’s dear time meant for his mother/parents; but the mother, on the other hand, feels that it is her privilege to let him use that time for his wife. If a woman as wife is socially significant, a woman as a mother is spiritually celebrated. The Hindu culture teaches us to consider all women as forms of the one Divine Mother. In the celebrations of Mothers’ Day, a special emphasis is placed on recollecting and honoring contributions of earthly mothers, divine mothers, Goddesses and thank them with from the bottom of our hearts for blessings and what all they do for our better life, welfare, success, and peace. The Bhagavad Gita says that mothers should speak gently to everyone around, tell the truth always, and be gentle in their behavior. The Bhagavad Gita says that mothers should be careful in their conduct because their children are always watching them. Mothers should serve as models. In Bhagavad Gita 9.17, Lord Krishna says, “I am the father of this universe, the mother, the support, and the grandsire.” Also read: Mother’s Day 2023: Wishes, messages, quotes, images to share with your mother on this special day The Yakshan asked Yudhishtir, ‘Name that which is heavier than Earth?’ Yudhishtir answered that a person’s mother is heavier than Earth. Heavy here refers to importance or respect. The Vedas also give permission to people to abandon their father if their father is immoral, unfit, or an alcoholic. However, a mother must be protected and worshipped at all times. During the Gaya Shradham, one Pindam is offered to a father, whereas 16 Pindams are offered to a  mother, reflecting praise for every sacrifice she makes o raise her children. Mother as Divinity and Shakti Shakti, the creative and energetic force of the Divine, is described in Hindu scriptures as being a motherly Goddess, whose loving, nurturing, and sometimes fiercely protective qualities are integral to both the material and spiritual growth of every being. What does Christianity say about mother? Christianity’s holy book, The Bible, consistently asks followers to honor and love their mothers.  Examples of this can be seen in Exodus 20:12, “Honor your father and your mother,” and Leviticus 19:3, “Every one of you shall revere his mother and his father.” While Mother's Day is a relatively recent holiday in human history, there have always been variations of related holidays. Although the Bible does not specifically mention Mother's Day in its verses, it frequently discusses the celebration of motherhood and mothers, like in the passages below. “Her children rise up and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: ‘Many women have done excellently, but you surpass them all.’” – Proverbs 31:28-31 Also read: From Kareena Kapoor in 'Good Newwz' to Sridevi in 'Mom', here's looking at 21st century mothers of Hindi cinema “The man called his wife’s name Eve, because she was the mother of all living.” – Genesis 3:20 “Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come. She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness.” – Proverbs 31:25-28 “As one whom his mother comforts, so I will comfort you; you shall be comforted in Jerusalem.” – Isaiah 66:13 “And Mary said, ‘My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior, for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed.’” – Luke 1:46-48 What does Islam say about mother? Islam places a great deal of value on mothers. The foundation of all life is without a doubt the relationship a mother has with her kid. A mother gives birth to a kid after carrying it inside her for nine months, cares for it, and frequently puts the needs of the child above her own. “Heaven lies beneath the feet of your mother” is an Islamic saying by the Prophet Muhammad. This hadith is prominent in Muslim culture - emphasising that a child must respect their mother to gain passage into heaven. There are various passages in the Quran and Hadith that stress the value of parents, especially mothers. Allah has enjoined on man kindness to his parents; in pain did his mother bear him, and in pain, did she give him birth” (Quran:46:15) “Thy Lord hath decreed that ye worship none but Him, and that ye be kind to parents. Whether one or both of them attain old age in thy life, say not to them a word of contempt, nor repel them, but address them in terms of honor. And out of kindness, lower to them the wing of humility, and say: ‘MyLord! bestow on them Thy Mercy even as they cherished me in childhood’” (17:23-24). “We have enjoined on man and woman (to be good) to his/her parents; show gratitude to Me and to thy parents; to Me is (thy final) Goal. If they (parents) strive to make thee join in worship with Me things of which thou hast no knowledge, obey them not; yet bear them company in this life with justice (and consideration) and follow the way of those who turn to Me (in love)” (31:14-15). Also read: Mother's Day 2023: Major issues that mothers around the world face A man came to the Prophet and said, ’O Messenger of God! Who among the people is the most worthy of my good companionship? The Prophet said: Your mother. The man said, ‘Then who?’ The Prophet said: Then your mother. The man further asked, ‘Then who?’ The Prophet said: Then your mother. The man asked again, ‘Then who?’ The Prophet said: Then your father. (Bukhari, Muslim). Abu Usaid Saidi said: We were once sitting with Rasulullah when a man from the tribe of Salmah came and said to him: O Messenger of Allah! do my parents have rights over me even after they have died? And Rasulullah said: “Yes. You must pray to Allah to bless them with His Forgiveness and Mercy, fulfill the promises they made to anyone, and respect their relations and their friends.” (Abu Dawud and Ibn Majah). What does Sikhism say about mother? There is no special "Mother's Day" in the Sikh faith, and Mother's Day is not a religious holiday. Love and respect for mothers should be there at all times. But American Sikhs have eagerly participated in this yearly recognition of the significance of mothers in our lives. Mothers hold a very unique place in the Sikh religion. God is frequently referred to as a parent in the Sikh scripture, most frequently as mother and father, with the two parents being equally significant. For instance, For example: "You are the mother and the father; we are Your children. In Your mercy we find profound happiness." Similarly: "God is my mother, God is my father; God nurtures me. God takes care of me; I am the child of God. Patiently, He feeds me; He never fails. He does not remind me of my faults; He hugs me close in His embrace." Also read: Janhvi Kapoor pens emotional note for late actor Sridevi on Mother's Day A mother is forgiving. A verse in Siri Guru Granth Sahib reads: "A mother does not keep note of the transgressions of her son. O God, I am Your son. Why don't You destroy my sins?" A mother is also a spiritual guide. A verse in Siri Guru Granth Sahib includes: "Always remember the boundless, limitless God, remembering whom all our sins are destroyed. My son, this is a mother's prayer for you. May you always remember God and never, even for a moment, forget Him."

12 May,2023 03:59 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
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PlayStation-controlled robot fertilises human eggs to help conceive first babies

With robots taking over many aspects of our lives over the years, the newest development has been one where a sperm-injecting robot, developed by Spanish startup, Overture Life, and can be controlled using a PlayStation controller, has successfully fertilised human eggs, giving birth to two healthy babies. According to a report by MIT Technology Review, one of the engineers involved in developing the world's first insemination robot had limited experience in the field of fertility medicine. However, they were able to utilise a Sony PlayStation 5 controller to help with the development process. A student engineer from a startup successfully steered a small, mechanised needle during in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) procedures, using a specialised controller. Through this technique, individual sperm cells were carefully deposited into human eggs over a dozen times. According to the researchers, the procedures resulted in healthy embryos, which led to the birth of two baby girls. The researchers claim that these babies are the first known individuals to be born after fertilisation with the aid of automated technology, the report said. "I was calm. In that exact moment, I thought, 'It's just one more experiment'," Eduard Alba, the student mechanical engineer who commanded the sperm-injecting device, was quoted as saying. Moreover, the startup said that its device is an initial step towards automating in vitro fertilisation, or IVF, and potentially making the procedure far less expensive and far more common than it is today. At present, in vitro fertilization (IVF) laboratories are typically operated by highly skilled embryologists, who can earn over 125,000 dollars annually, and are responsible for carefully manipulating sperm and eggs with the aid of ultra-thin hollow needles and powerful microscopes. Further, the report mentioned that Overture has received the most funding thus far: approximately $37 million from investors such as Khosla Ventures and Susan Wojcicki, the former CEO of YouTube. According to the experts, this is just the first step towards fully automating the process. "The concept is extraordinary, but this is a baby step," Gianpiero Palermo, who developed the now-commonplace intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) procedure in the 1990s, was quoted as saying. He added that Overture's engineers still had to manually load sperm cells onto the injector needles, which means "this is not yet robotic ICSI".Also Read: 3 out of 4 women suffer from candida, experts share causes, signs and treatment This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

29 April,2023 04:24 PM IST | San Francisco | IANS
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Man claims ChatGPT saved his dog's life after vet couldn't diagnose problem

With the growing popularity of ChatGPT there are all kinds of stories coming out about its use. A Twitter user claimed that the AI chatbot ChatGPT helped save his dog's life by accurately diagnosing a blood condition veterinarians were unable to identify. The user, who goes by the name Cooper on Twitter under the username @peakcooper, stated that his dog named Sassy was diagnosed with a tick-borne disease, but that the symptoms worsened despite taking the prescribed treatment. "#GPT4 saved my dog's life. After my dog got diagnosed with a tick-borne disease, the vet started her on the proper treatment, and despite serious anaemia, her condition seemed to be improving relatively well. After a few days, however, things took a turn for the worse," Cooper wrote in his Twitter post. "I noticed her gums were very pale, so we rushed back to the vet. The blood test revealed an even more severe anaemia, even worse than the first day we came in. The vet ran more tests to rule out any other co-infections associated with tick-borne diseases, but came up negative," he added. Cooper then took his dog back to the vet, but they were unable to provide a further diagnosis and advised him to simply wait and see how the dog's condition progressed. "At this point, the dog's condition was getting worse and worse, and the vet had no clue what it could be. They suggested we wait and see what happens, which wasn't an acceptable answer to me, so we rushed to another clinic to get a second opinion". Moreover, he mentioned that in the meantime, "it occurred to me that medical diagnostics seemed like the sort of thing GPT4 could potentially be really good at, so I described the situation in great detail". Cooper entered the actual transcribed blood test results from multiple days and asked for a diagnosis. While the AI chatbot did not claim to be a veterinarian, it suggested that the dog's bloodwork and symptoms could indicate immune-mediated hemolytic anaemia (IMHA). He then took that prognosis to another veterinarian, who confirmed it and began treating the dog appropriately. Cooper said Sassy has since made almost a full recovery now.Also Read: AI now set to learn social skills for performing human tasks more efficiently: Study This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

28 March,2023 04:34 PM IST | New Delhi | IANS
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Madhya Pradesh: NIA grills man over suspected PFI links

A team of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday questioned a man suspected to having links with the banned outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) in Gwalior in Madhya Pradesh, a senior police officer said. On September 27 last year, the Centre had banned the PFI for five years for allegedly having "links" with global terrorist organisations such as the ISIS and trying to spread communal hatred in the country. "An NIA team had come to question a person in connection with a case. Officers of the team interrogated the suspect in the Bahodapur area of Gwalior and left. The local police extended full cooperation to them," Gwalior SP Amit Sanghi told PTI. Also read: Partition saw birth of Pakistan, remaining country is Hindu nation: BJP leader He did not provide further details. The NIA team quizzed the man, whose identity was not revealed, for around two yours, said police sources. The central agency has arrested or detained several PFI members across the country after the organisation was proscribed. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.

23 March,2023 07:29 PM IST | Gwalior | PTI
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Bank Holidays in April 2023: Banks to remain closed for 15 days in these states

According to the Reserve Bank of India's calendar, all private and public sector banks will remain close for 15 days in April 2023, region and nation specific. These holidays also include festivals and special occasions. The month April has holidays on the following festivals and occasions: Babu Jagjivan Ram’s birthday, Mahavir Jayanti, Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Jayanti, Cheiraoba, Good Friday, Vaisakhi, Baisakhi, Tamil New Year’s Day, Maha Bisubha, Sankranti, Biju festival, Buisu festival, Jumat-ul-Vida, Vishu, Bohag Bihu, Himachal Day, Bengali New Year’s Day (Nababarsha), Shab-l-Qadr, Id-Ul-Fitr (Ramzan Eid), Garia Puja, and Ramzan Eid (Eid-Ul-Fitr) etc. However, it is important to note that the holidays are different in specific states and may not be 15 days in all the states in April 2023. Here's list of holidays in April 2023 following region and nation specific. Date Reason Region, Nation Specific April 1 On the occasion of banks’ closing of accounts Banks will remain close across India except in Aizawl, Shimla, Chandigarh, and Shillong April 2 Sunday Across india April 4 Mahavir Jayanti Ahmedabad, Aizawl, Belapur, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Chandigarh, Chennai, Jaipur, Kanpur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, New Delhi, Raipur, and Ranchi April 5 Babu Jagjivan Ram’s birthday Hyderabad April 7 Good Friday Banks will be closed in Aizawl, Belapur, Bengaluru, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Dehradun, Gangtok, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Imphal, Kanpur, Kochi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, New Delhi, Panaji, Patna, Raipur, Ranchi, Shillong, and Thiruvananthapuram April 8 Second Saturday Across India April 9 Sunday Across India April 14 Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Jayanti, Bohag Bihu, Cheiraoba, Vaisakhi, Baisakhi, Tamil New Year’s Day, Maha Bisubha Sankranti, Biju Festival, Buisu Festival celebrations Agartala, Ahmedabad, Belapur, Bengaluru, Bhubaneswar, Chandigarh, Chennai, Dehradun, Gangtok, Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, Imphal, Jaipur, Jammu, Kanpur, Kochi, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, Panaji, Patna, Ranchi, Srinagar, and Thiruvananthapuram April 15 Vishu, Bohag Bihu, Himachal Day, Bengali New Year’s Day (Nababarsha) Agartala, Guwahati, Kochi, Kolkata, Shimla, and Thiruvananthapuram April 16 Sunday Across India April 18 Shab-l-Qadr Jammu and Srinagar April 21 Id-Ul-Fitr (Ramzan Eid), Garia Puja, Jumat-ul-Vida Agartala, Jammu, Kochi, Srinagar, and Thiruvananthapuram April 22 Eid-Ul-Fitr, fourth Saturday Belapur, Bhopal, Chennai, Dehradun, Guwahati, Andhra Pradesh, Hyderabad, Imphal, Jaipur, Jammu, Kanpur, Kolkata, Lucknow, Mumbai, Nagpur, New Delhi, Panaji, Patna,Raipur, Ranchi, Shillong and Srinagar for Eid and across India for fourth Saturday April 23 Sunday Across India April 30 Sunday Across India  

20 March,2023 04:19 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
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Maharashtra: NMC contractors fined for stealing power

Contractors of the Nagpur Municipal Corporation (NMC) in Maharashtra allegedly resorted to power theft while installing decorative lighting for the upcoming Civil20 India 2023 Inception Conference here and were fined by a state-owned power company, an official said on Sunday. The Maharashtra State Electricity Distribution Co. Ltd (MSEDCL) detected power thefts at seven locations in the city, the power company stated in a release. The contractors had sourced electricity for decorative lighting from street light poles, it was stated. The NMC is charged a subsidised rate of Rs 7.51 per unit for the street lights, while the power company charges Rs 13 per unit for a temporary power connection. Hence, the contractors indulged in power thefts, the release said. Also Read: Palghar Zilla Parishad seeks Rs 100-cr fund for development projects The state-owned power company imposed a fine of Rs 50,000 on the contractors for the thefts and wrote to the civic body to get authorised power connections, it said. Earlier this week, the MSEDCL initiated action at Somalwada square and Civil Lines against contractors under the Electricity Act and recovered Rs 18,630 fine. A similar action was taken at six other places in the city and Rs 30,000 was collected in fines, it was stated. More than 200 delegates from India and abroad will be attending Civil20 India 2023 Inception Conference scheduled to be held in the city from March 20 to 22. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

19 March,2023 06:43 PM IST | Nagpur | PTI
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'Don't deliver bhaang', Zomato tells user; Delhi Police joins in

As Holi posts and memes flood social media ahead of the festival of colours, a post by Zomato saying that they "don't deliver bhaang ki goli", has gone viral. Twitter user Shubham had been repeatedly enquiring if the platform delivers "bhaang ki goli". In response, Zomato said: "Someone please tell Shubham from Gurgaon we don't deliver bhaang ki goli. He has asked us 14 times". Delhi Police also joined the conversation, posting: "If anyone meets Shubham.... tell him not to drive if he consumes Bhaang". The tweet caught the attention of many on the platform and drew several reactions. "Hello @zomato, I live in Delhi not Gurugram. It has been a ritual to consume Bhaang on Holi every year, more so because my birthday falls on Holi. Please try to understand my situation," a user replied to Zomato's tweet. 'Bhaang' is made from the leaves of the cannabis plant and is usually consumed in Holi mixed with "thandai" or in some foods. When the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act classified cannabis as a "drug" in 1985, it exempted bhaang on social and cultural grounds. Read More: A guide to bhang, and how to consume it safely this Holi This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

08 March,2023 05:50 PM IST | New Delhi | IANS
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Farmer takes on cybercriminal, recovers lakhs lost in fraud

55-year-old Pawan Kumar Soni, a farmer based in Sri Ganganagar City in Rajasthan, became a victim of a cyber fraud when his 26-year-old son Harsh Vardhan opened a link from a phishing message that flashed on his mobile phone. Within minutes, more than Rs 8 lakh was withdrawn from his account in four different transactions. Vardhan, who lives in Dwarka in Delhi, had his phone number registered with his father's account at the State Bank of India branch of Sri Ganganagar City. The message, which was delivered on his mobile at around 3.45 PM on Saturday, January 7, said, "Your account is blocked, please update your KYC." Harsh already had a YONO application but the moment he clicked on the link, another duplicate app downloaded on his phone. "I thought that I should update my KYC on this new app so I entered my user ID and password. Suddenly, I started receiving messages for the withdrawal of money from my father's account and in seven minutes we lost Rs 8,03,899," Vardhan said. Also read: Rs 2,000 cr deal to 'purchase' Shiv Sena name and symbol, claims Sanjay Raut; Shinde camp dismisses allegation Later on, he realised that with the help of the duplicate app, his phone was hacked and the user ID and password that he had entered, were accessed by a cyber fraud sitting somewhere else. The money swindled was a loan that his father had taken under Kisan Credit Card Scheme for farming purposes. Vardhan called his father in Ganganagar City, who rushed to the bank to inform the manager. Vardhan went to the District Cyber Cell in Dwarka where he was asked to lodge an online complaint and visit the office on any working day. The bank manager, at the request of his father, acted swiftly and called the local cyber cell. The manager also sent an email to financial institutions to get those accounts blocked in which the money was transferred. Soni said, "The manager informed me that money went from my account to three accounts - Rs 5 lakh and 1.24 lakh went into PayU, 1,54,899 was transferred into CCAvenue, and the rest Rs 25,000 went into Axis Bank." Both PayU and CCAvenue are digital payment companies that act as a bridge between customers and business ventures. They collect payments from buyers when they make online purchases and deliver these to the merchants' bank accounts. "The bank manager informed me that PayU reverted to his email and said that it withheld the money. It also said that if it wouldn't receive any email from the cybercrime dept within two days for the reversal of the amount, it would release the money into the merchant's account," Soni alleged. CCAvenue said that it also responded to the cyber officials and provided all information on January 7, when the company came to know about the said fraud. On the other hand, his son Vardhan made an online complaint and, two days later, on Monday, went to lodge an FIR which was denied. "Then I met the additional DCP who directed the SHO to lodge an FIR. Finally, it was lodged on January 10, three days after the fraud happened," he said. Vardhan then requested the Dwarka Cyber Cell to email PayU asking it to remit the money back into his father's account. "The police personnel made only hollow promises and did nothing," Vardhan alleged. His father then approached the cyber cell of Ganganagar City. They wrote to PayU and he got back 6,24,000 money into his account. But Soni was adamant to track the money trail in Axis Bank and CCAvenue. "On my request, my relatives' friends who are digital finance professionals tracked it and found that 25,000 that went into Axis bank was withdrawn from an ATM in Kolkata," Soni said. "Another Rs 1,54,899, which was transferred to CCAvenue, Rs 1,20,000 of that money was used by the fraudster to buy some stuff from a Jio store in Kolkata," Soni said, adding, he spoke to the concerned police station in Kolkata but they said that unless they would get it in writing from Delhi Police, they would not do anything. He alleged that during all this time, he and his son kept telling Dwarka's cyber cell to write to Axis Bank, CCAvenue and Kolkata Police but they kept stalling him and did it only on January 23 which was too late. "I have found out his name and address as well," Soni said, alleging that such fraudsters register themselves as merchants with digital payment companies which don't do proper due diligence while checking their KYC. "When I can find the money trail, why can't the police? they can do it more quickly and easily," Soni said. Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Dwarka, Harsha Vardhan told PTI that Delhi Police receive a large number of complaints on ICMS (Integrated Complaint Management System) portal regularly. "We process them and seek details from the concerned agencies/institutions. In the present case, the complaint was received on January 9 in the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal (NCRP) and FIR was registered on January 10. Account details were sought from bank. On receiving the details, mails were sent. There is always scope to improve and do things faster but we also face delays from banks in getting details," Harsha Vardhan said. Fintech experts say that since the end customer is the worst affected victim of phishing scams, it's natural to expect them to be more vigilant, however, the payment networks and banks also have a big responsibility by not allowing such accounts to set up and operate. "Adopting stringent KYC procedures will enable financial institutions to quickly map fraudulent money and to hold the money at their end," Satyam Kumar, a former banker who heads a digital NBFC, LoanTap, said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.

19 February,2023 01:42 PM IST | New Delhi | PTI
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Never wished to be a Judge, but now this Indian-American woman cherishes the job

When she migrated to the United States years ago with her parents after discontinuing studies in a village school in Kerala, Juli A Mathew never wanted to be a lawyer or judge. Some legal issues, which her father had faced in his business years ago, had sowed in her mind the first seeds of thought about the need to study law. Mathew later served as an advocate for 15 long years in the US and created history by becoming the first Indian-American woman to be elected to a judge's bench there four years ago shattering the glass ceiling and defying odds. After taking oath as a Fort Bend County Judge in Texas in the US for the second consecutive time, she now feels that this is the best job she ever had and she likes this profession the most. Also read: Woman dragged under car: No injury suggestive of sexual assault as per preliminary autopsy report, says Delhi Police A native of Thiruvalla in Pathanamthitta district, Mathew took oath as a judge of the county court in Texas from her husband's village house in this northernmost Kerala district via video conferencing on Monday. "It was my wish to swear-in from my husband's house this time. Otherwise my in-laws could not have been able to partake in the ceremony. I am so happy that they and other family members could witness the oath-taking," she told PTI on Tuesday. Mathew said when she became the judge for the first time four years ago, her parents were there to witness the ceremony and bless her. "It was such a beautiful memory," the woman, in her mid-forties, said. She also recalled how her parents once tried to discourage her from pursuing legal studies as it was a "stressful" field. This time, her parents and elder daughter could not take part in the ceremony as they were away in the US. Earlier, Mathew, on Facebook, shared the video of her swearing-in before Judge Christian Becerra and the brief prayer meeting, held at the house verandah under the aegis of the local priest, which was attended by her husband, two younger daughters, in-laws and other family members. In one video, she could be seen taking the oath by raising her right hand and keeping the left one on the Bible which her husband was holding. A mother of three girls, Mathew said she could not visit Vennikulam, her home village in Thiruvalla due to her other engagements. She still remembers the day she left to the US with her parents after discontinuing her studies in the fifth standard in a local English medium school there. Mathew has been a resident of Fort Bend in Texas for several years. When asked how she still maintains good fluency in Malayalam, Mathew said with a chuckle that she had almost forgotten the mother tongue at a point of time but successfully revived it through constant interactions with the community members. Her husband is a businessman in the US. "My family---husband and parents are my pillars of support. I do all the house chores alone including feeding my children. With the immense support of the family that I am managing both the personal and professional matters without fail," she added. The judge and family would leave for the US on January 5. Mathew was re-elected for a second term after defeating her Republican challenger Andrew Dornburg. She would continue to serve as presiding judge for a period of four years. She was voted the Administrative Judge for the County Courts by her peers and also heads the first Juvenile Intervention and Mental Health Court.  This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.

03 January,2023 05:15 PM IST | Kasaragod (Ker) | PTI
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Delhi cabbie's conversation in Sanskrit with passenger wows internet

Known as the land of various languages, in India one would oftern hear conversations in Hindi and English besides regional languages. However, Sanskrit remains the least heard. Also known as the 'Languages of God,' Sanskrit in these modern times seems remains restricted to priests and holy scriptures. A recent viral video of a cab driver and a passenger in Delhi surprised social media users. The key highlight of this video was the fluent Sanskrit language in which the two persons conversed with each other. Taking to Twitter, a user named Lakshmi Narayan B.S shared the video which he captioned, "Amazing !! This car driver in Delhi speaks Sanskrit with me this morning!!." Amazing !!This car driver in Delhi speaks Sanskrit with me this morning!! pic.twitter.com/z6XU8B9glk — LAKSHMI NARAYANA B.S (BHUVANAKOTE) (@chidsamskritam) November 10, 2022 The video has been recorded near India Gate, New Delhi. The video shows the passenger engaging in a Sanskrit chat with his cab driver. Interestingly, he responded in the same language. The passenger also questioned the driver about his hometown, to which he responded that his name is Ashok and he is from Gonda in Uttar Pradesh. The driver was also asked about his family members, and he answered all of them in fluent Sanskrit. Also read: Ready to help Delhi cops in Shraddha Walkar murder case: Maharashtra police Soon after the video was shared, it went viral on social media and fans praised the cab driver's fluency in speaking Sanskrit. "So nice, hearing this dialogue, feel like learning Sankrant..thanks for sharing..," a user commented. Another user wrote, "Wow it's pleasing the ear ..." "Beautiful!! So good to hear a proper Sanskrit conversation. Even normal chit chat sounds like a puja!," wrote another fan. The 29-second-long video has gathered over 2 lakh views on Twitter since it was shared. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever.

17 November,2022 03:17 PM IST | New Delhi | ANI
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