Work From Home Protected in Law From 1st September
MELBOURNE, Mar 4: Labor’s work from home laws will come into effect on 1st September.
Under the laws, Victorians who can work from home will have the legal right to do so two days a week.
To make it happen, the Allan Labor Government will introduce legislation to the Victorian Parliament in July.
The new right to work from home will be enshrined in the Equal Opportunity Act.
This is the next major update into the design of Labor’s world-first work from home laws.
It follows yesterday’s update that work from home rights will apply regardless of the size of your workplace.
The law will come into effect from 1 September 2026.
It will have a delayed commencement of 1 July 2027 for workplaces with fewer than 15 employees, to allow them more time to get their HR policies and procedures in order.
The law will provide a clear pathway for dispute resolution and enforcement.
Disputes will go to the Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission (VEOHRC) for conciliation.
If conciliation fails, the dispute will be heard
(VCAT).
Work from home works for families:
• More than a third of workers – including 60 per cent of professionals –regularly work from home
• It saves families money, giving Australians back on average $110 a week or $5,308 every year
• It cuts congestion. Victorians are now saving more than three hours a week on average commuting
• It gets more people working. Workforce participation is now 4.4 per cent higher than before the pandemic.
But it’s all at risk.
Every day, unions hear from workers denied reasonable work-from-home requests.
Across the country, Liberals are planning to end remote work and force people back to the office.
In Victoria, work from home will be just another thing that Jess Wilson and the Liberals will cut.
That’s why we’ll protect it in law.
at the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal
Police Operation to Put PSOs In Shopping Centres Extended
MELBOURNE, Mar 1: New data shows 84 per cent of customers at a Victorian shopping centre felt safer with police and PSOs on patrol.
It’s part of a successful new solution in the fight against crime called Operation Pulse –which is being extended.
The operation is credited with a 73 per cent drop in retail theft stock loss and a 50 per cent drop in violent events.
Today, the Premier announced the Allan Labor Government is investing $6.5 million to
extend the targeted Victoria Police operation until the end of the year.
Operation Pulse puts police and PSOs in shopping centres to keep families, workers and shoppers safe.
It stops violence, theft and anti social activity and protects the busy places where you shop, work and spend time.
Operation Pulse has delivered strong results since it began in December, patrolling Northland, Eastland, Highpoint, Fountain Gate, and more.
As part of the operation, Victoria Police have:
• made 452 arrests and laid 971 charges
• seized more than 100 weapons
• conducted 3,800 vehicle checks as part of highly visible patrols
According to the Shopping Centre Council of Australia, at one shopping centre:
• 84 per cent of customers said the program made them feel safer while
shopping
• 94 per cent of retail tenants wanted the operation extended
• there was a 73 per cent reduction in stock loss (the value of stolen goods) in the month of January alone
• and a 50 per cent reduction in serious events (involving violence, aggression and weapons) in December
Under the extension, Operation Pulse will continue to operate without affecting existing staffing or deployments.
The Allan Labor Government has invested nearly $9 million into Operation Pulse.
We’re delivering new solutions to keep the community safe.
Adult Time for Violent Crime is now in effect, and we have a Violence Reduction Unit to stop crime before it starts.
More than 18,000 knives and machetes were handed over during the amnesty and taken off the streets.
Victoria now has the most police officers in Australia, because Labor always invests in frontline public services.
Only Labor has new solutions to make life safer for families.
The Liberals have no solutions – just cuts. (MEDIA RELEASE)
Cost Of Living Support And A Growing Economy Adult Time for Violent Crime Is Now in Effect
MELBOURNE, Mar 6: The Allan Labor Government is creating jobs, helping Victorians with the cost of living while investing in the services people rely on.
The Mid-Year Financial Report published shows Victoria’s economy continues to grow, backed by a strong labour market.
The report found that state final demand grew by 2.2 per cent over the year to September 2025.
Dwelling investment recorded the strongest growth, rising by 5.5 per cent over the past year.
Victoria also leads the nation in jobs growth with more than 59,000 Victorians finding work over the year.
Business investment grew by 2.2 per cent in the last quarter of last year, well above the national average of just 0.2 per cent.
Since June 2020, Victoria added more than 123,000 businesses since June 2020 –the largest percentage growth of any state.
Unemployment also remains low by historical standards and workforce
participation remains historically high.
Government infrastructure investment was $11.2 billion for the period to 31 December 2025 – supporting thousands of jobs while building the infrastructure and services Victorians need.
Our operating deficit was $694 million in the six months to 31 December 2025, a significant improvement compared with $3.9 billion for the same period in the previous year.
The report shows a $710 million surplus for the full year, consistent with the Budget Update forecast.
Net debt was $160.9 billion at 31 December 2025, compared with a forecast of $165.8 billion for the full year. The state is on track to meet budget projections on net debt.
Full-year results cannot be extrapolated from half-year results, which reflect the seasonal distribution of expenditure and revenue – for example land taxes, are generally received in the second half of the financial year.
With a strong economy, the Labor Government is also delivering real relief that saves Victorians money.
This includes the $100 power saving bonus, free public transport for kids, and seniors on weekends, and our Fair Fuel Plan which is capping and locking fuel price rises from this month.
(MEDIA RELEASE)
MELBOURNE, Feb 27: Labor’s Adult Time for Violent Crime is now in effect.
If you are 14 or older and you commit a home invasion today, you will be sentenced as an adult.
That means more violent youth offenders going to jail, facing serious consequences.
How the law works
Under the law, children 14 and above committing serious violent crimes face adult sentences in adult courts.
Adult courts put more emphasis on community safety and victims, and sentencing outcomes show it.
Whenever child offenders are sentenced for a violent crime in an adult court, most go to jail.
The maximum length of a jail sentence that can be imposed in the Children’s Court is 3 years – for any offence.
But the County Court can impose a jail sentence of up to 25 years for aggravated home invasion and carjacking.
(MEDIA RELEASE)
Supercars To Rev Up F1 Grand Prix for Years to Come
MELBOURNE, Mar 5: Fan favourite Supercars have signed a three-year contract extension locking in the racing category in the Formula 1® Australian Grand Prix program until 2029 – reinforcing Victoria as a world class events destination.
Minister Dimopoulos today congratulated Australian Grand Prix Corporation CEO Travis Auld and Supercars CEO James Warburton on securing the contract extension.
The renewed agreement reinforces the Supercars Championship’s longstanding presence at Australia’s premier motorsport weekend, giving fans what they expect from Victoria – the biggest and best events that you can only see in the major events capital of Australia.
Supercars will headline day one of action
at the Albert Park circuit, alongside a packed program of Formula 1®, Formula 2™, Formula 3™ racing across the weekend.
Supercars is a premier trans-Tasman competition featuring teams and drivers
from Australia, New Zealand and beyond, delivering a unique motorsport experience to international visitors.
Secured in Melbourne until 2037, the Formula 1® Australian Grand Prix weekend is a significant economic driver for Victoria and is one of the of the largest pop-up events in the southern hemisphere.
Victoria is the only place on the planet with a Grand Slam, F1 Grand Prix, an NFL regular season game – in addition to the Boxing Day Test and the AFL Grand Final, the race that stops the nation, gigs across the state and world-class major events that generate $3.3 billion a year to Victoria’s economy.
Our host of major events help make our city and state an even better place to live, work, stay, visit and invest.
(MEDIA RELEASE)
Community Invited to Shape Future of Dandenong Market Precinct
Residents, traders and visitors are being invited to help shape the future of one of Melbourne’s most iconic multicultural destinations, with community consultation now open for a 20-year vision for the Dandenong Market precinct.
Greater Dandenong City Council, in partnership with Dandenong Market, has released the draft Dandenong Market Precinct Plan, outlining a long-term strategy to revitalise the area while preserving the
market’s unique cultural identity.
The plan proposes a range of improvements including high-quality public spaces, new pedestrian links, transport upgrades, plazas, mixed-use developments and an expanded Pioneer Park. The vision aims to create a precinct that is easier to access, safer to navigate and better connected to the wider city centre.
Mayor of Greater Dandenong City Council, Sophie Tan, said community input will play
a key role in shaping the next chapter of the market’s evolution.
“Dandenong Market is the heart of our community – a place of culture, connection and commerce,” Cr Tan said. “This is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to imagine what this precinct could become in the future, and we want our community to lead that conversation.”
The draft plan also focuses on improving walking and cycling connections, encouraging economic investment, increasing housing opportunities and enhancing market operations. It aligns with broader revitalisation efforts taking place in central Dandenong.
Chair of the Dandenong Market Board, Donna McMaster, said the plan draws inspiration from successful markets around the world while ensuring the market’s distinctive character remains intact.
“The Dandenong Market has evolved over its 159-year history, and this Precinct Plan sets an important vision for the next generation,” Ms McMaster said.
Community members can share their feedback through online consultations, pop-up sessions at the market and drop-in meetings at the Civic Centre. Consultation is open until 10 April, and feedback will help shape the final plan before it is presented to Council later this year.
(MEDIA RELEASE)
Australian FM Wong arranges for emergency consular assistance for Australians in UAE and Qatar
CANBERRA, Mar 2: Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong said that Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) opened registrations for all Australians in UAE and Qatar amid the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.
In a post on X, Wong wrote, "Today DFAT opened registrations for its crisis portal for Australians, permanent residents and immediate family members in the UAE and Qatar to provide timely information to those impacted by travel disruptions, in addition
to registrations for Israel and Iran opened yesterday."
"DFAT will contact registered Australians directly to provide updates. Register at: http:// crisis.dfat.gov.au. This will be a challenging time for many people, particularly those with family in the region or travel plans. Our priority is the safety and security of Australians," Wong wrote further.
This announcement by Wong came on the heels of a full-scale conflict that has erupted in the Middle East involving the United
States, Israel, and Iran, following a major "military offensive" launched on February 28.
In a coordinated operation known as Operation Epic Fury/Roaring Lion, US and Israeli forces carried out large-scale air and missile strikes across Iran, targeting key military sites, nuclear-related infrastructure, missile batteries, and leadership compounds.
These strikes included the reported assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, confirmed by Iranian authorities -- a watershed moment that has deepened the crisis.
Iran has responded with widespread retaliation. Ballistic missiles and drones have been fired toward Israel and multiple Gulf Arab states, and Iran has declared that all American and Israeli assets in the region are legitimate targets. Countries across the Middle East, including Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and Iraq, have experienced strikes or missile interceptions, underscoring the conflict's regional spillover.
The war has caused civilian harm and global disruption. Reports indicate hundreds of deaths and injuries inside Iran, including civilian casualties from strikes, and several foreign nationals have been affected abroad. The crisis has also seriously disrupted air travel, with hundreds of flights cancelled worldwide, and triggered protests and geopolitical tensions in places like India.
World leaders and international bodies are urging de-escalation as the risk of wider regional conflict grows, but fighting continues without a clear end in sight.
Delhi family court directs return of property money to cricketer Shikhar Dhawan, declares Australian orders not binding
NEW DELHI, Feb 24: The Patiala House Court's Family Court in New Delhi has ruled in favour of Indian cricketer Shikhar Dhawan in his civil suit against his estranged wife, issuing clear directions on the enforceability of foreign court orders and the return of property money.
The court held that the orders passed by an Australian Family Court in the matrimonial dispute will not be binding on Dhawan in India. It set aside the foreign court's rulings concerning property settlement, stating that they cannot be enforced against him within the country.
The judge further declared that the financial agreement and related documents signed by Dhawan are null and void, accepting his contention that they were executed under threat, coercion and fraud.
In a significant financial direction, the court ordered the defendant to return the sale proceeds of properties located in Australia. This includes AU $812,397.50 received as interim property settlement from the Berwick property and AU $82,000 retained from the sale of another property in Clyde North. The
court also directed that interest at the rate of 9 percent per annum be paid on these amounts from the date of filing of the suit until full payment is made.
Additionally, the court restrained the defendant from enforcing the Australian court's anti-suit injunction and related orders against Dhawan.
The suit was decreed ex parte due to the absence of the defendant. The court directed preparation of the decree sheet and did not pass any order regarding litigation costs. The ruling clarifies the position regarding enforcement of foreign matrimonial orders in India while granting financial relief and legal protection to the plaintiff.
India, Canada launch CEPA negotiations in New Delhi; Target $50 billion bilateral trade by 2030
NEW DELHI, Mar 2: India and Canada have set a target of achieving USD 50 billion in bilateral trade by 2030 as the two countries formally launched negotiations for a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in New Delhi.
According to the Ministry of Commerce & Industry, the Terms of Reference (ToR) for the India-Canada CEPA were signed by Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal and Canada's Minister of International
Maninder Sidhu on March
and
During the ceremony, Prime Minister Modi highlighted that the goal for bilateral trade is to reach USD 50 billion by 2030, underlining the need to unlock the full potential of economic cooperation through the early conclusion of the CEPA. Prime Minister Carney described the agreement as an
expansion of a valued partnership marked by "new ambition, focus, and foresight."
The ToR outlines the format, frequency and approach for negotiations and will serve as a guiding framework to conclude an ambitious, balanced and mutually beneficial agreement. The development follows discussions between the two leaders on the margins of the G7 meeting in Kananaskis, Canada, in October 2025, where both sides agreed to advance CEPA negotiations.
The proposed agreement will cover trade in goods and services, along with other mutually agreed policy areas. Bilateral trade between the two countries stood at USD 8.66 billion in FY 2024-25, with India exporting goods worth USD 4.22 billion and importing USD 4.44 billion, according to DGCI&S data cited in the release.
Key Indian exports to Canada include pharmaceuticals, iron and steel, seafood, cotton garments, electronics and chemicals, while major imports comprise pulses, coal, fertilisers and crude petroleum. The release noted that Canada hosts over 4.25 lakh Indian students and a vibrant Indian diaspora, with the agreement poised to further strengthen people-to-people ties, which constitute "One Family", would be further reinforced by the conclusion of India- Canada CEPA.
"India will provide all possible assistance to students in Canada," says MEA
NEW DELHI, Mar 2: Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Secretary (East) P Kumaran said that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney mentioned to Prime Minister Narendra Modi about 400,000 Indian students studying in Canada, which is twice the number in the US and four times the number in the UK. Kumaran, while speaking at the Special Briefing on the Official Visit of the Prime Minister of Canada to India, said that Indian consulates and High Commissions are in touch with the students and will take all necessary steps to provide all possible assistance to students.
"Our consulates and our High Commission are in touch with our students, our community bodies, and they will take all necessary
steps to work with Canadian security agencies and law enforcement to try and provide all possible assistance to students who face any difficulties in Canada," he said.
Kumaran said, "Prime Minister Carney mentioned that there are 400,000 Indian students in Canada studying there, which is twice the number in the US and four times the number in the UK. There's been a broad popular pressure on politics in Canada that too many foreign students coming into Canada puts pressure on the job market, puts pressure on infrastructure and citizen services available in Canada."
"As part of that, they seem to have moved in a direction where there are restrictions coming in terms of the number of students they are willing to take in the future. I suppose it is up to every country to decide how much student intake their systems can handle, and it is up to them to make an assessment based on their own assessed capacities. Our aim is to try to take advantage of high-quality
Canadian educational institutions and find ways to partner with them," he added.
Kumaran said that PM Modi invited Canadian universities to set up campuses in India.
"The Prime Minister also invited Canadian universities to set up campuses in India. There are R&D partnerships that are spoken of. So, there are these multiple alternate approaches being tried. At some point, if opportunities open up for our youngsters to go back in numbers that are comparable to what we saw in the past, it will be good," he said.
Kumaran said that on account of their job market being disproportionately hit, Canada is currently undertaking reforms in its visa and immigration policies.
"We also understand that Canada is currently undertaking reforms in its visa and immigration policies. There is pressure on medical and housing services, but mobility is something both are working on. There is an education MoU, and we continue to discuss multiple MoUs that speak of mobility pathways between India and Canada," he said.
Trade
2, 2026,
exchanged in the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney at Hyderabad House.
Gandhi Bust Unveiled in Montana, Bolstering India-US Cultural Ties
MONTANA, Mar 4: The first bust of Mahatma Gandhi in the US State of Montana was unveiled at the prestigious Mike Mansfield Center at the University of Montana in Missoula, marking a significant cultural milestone in IndiaUS ties.
According to the official X post by the Consul General of India in Seattle through the handle of 'India in Seattle', the bust was jointly unveiled by Montana Governor Greg Gianforte and the
Consul General of India in Seattle, during a ceremony attended by senior state officials, faculty, and students of the university, and members of the Montana World Affairs Council.
According to the post, the bust has been presented as a gift from the Government of India and stands as a tribute to Gandhi's enduring ideals of peace and non-violence.
In his remarks at the ceremony, Governor Gianforte said, "Gandhi's life reminds us that
leadership starts with character. The inscription on the bust features a quote attributed to Gandhi that good ideas mean nothing without action. That message resonates here in Montana."
The event was also attended by Montana's First Lady, Susan Gianforte, along with leading state officials and members of the academic community.
Earlier on Sunday, the United States reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening ties with India as Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs S Paul Kapur began a three-day visit to New Delhi on Sunday.
In a post on X, the US Embassy in India said, "Welcome to India, @State_SCA Assistant Secretary Paul Kapur! Looking forward to productive meetings with Indian partners this week as we continue advancing the U.S.-India partnership."
According to an official statement released by the embassy, Kapur's visit from March 1 to 3 included meetings with senior Indian officials to discuss regional security and shared priorities in the Indo-Pacific region.
According to the statement, the visit was aimed at building on recent diplomatic momentum to advance US President Donald Trump's vision of a robust and mutually beneficial US-India partnership.
Trump Signals Readiness for Prolonged War, Claims Iran Military 'Knocked Out'
NEW YORK, March 3: US President Donald Trump signalled that he was ready for a prolonged war in a post on Truth Social, asserting that its munition stockpiles can hold out.
In a post that used the ominous word "forever", he said, "As was stated to me today, we have a virtually unlimited supply of these weapons" at the medium and upper
medium levels.
"The United States Munitions Stockpiles have, at the medium and upper medium grade, never been higher or better," he wrote.
On Monday, Trump said that he expected Operation Epic Fury to last four to five weeks, but he was ready if it was "to go far longer than that".
On Tuesday, at his meeting with
Germany's Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Trump sounded optimistic, saying, "They have no navy, it's been knocked out ... They have no air force; it's been knocked out. ... Just about everything's been knocked out".
But Under Secretary of War Elbridge Colby, testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee on Tuesday, indicated an early end to the conflict was unlikely.
"We are at the earliest stages of this campaign," he said.
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, however, ruled out a prolonged war.
He told Fox News, "You're not going to have an endless war".
The Iranian regime was at its weakest, he asserted.
"So, this is going to be a quick and decisive action," he said.
He claimed that they would create conditions for the Iranian people "to form their own democratically elected government."
In a US domestic challenge to continuing the war, the stock markets took a big hit early Tuesday, with the Dow Jones and other major indexes down about 1.3 per cent, after an even bigger drop at the opening.
Crude oil prices were up about 6.5 per cent, fuelling fears of inflation.
Students stranded in Iran allowed to leave through its land borders; term-end exams to be held later
TEHRAN, Mar 2: In a reprieve to students, including several from India, who remain stranded in Iran as tensions escalate in the West Asia region, Tehran has announced that foreign nationals studying in the country's educational institutes will be allowed to exit through its land borders.
Further, the students will be allowed to appear for their term-end examinations and defend their doctoral thesis later, dates for which will be announced later, the country's science ministry was cited as saying by Tasnim News
This comes amidst universities and public institutions temporarily shut in Iran and its airspace closed to international flights Indian authorities have issued repeated advisories urging its students to leave Iran, but the closure of airspace and logistical challenges have complicated evacuation efforts. Students across Tehran, Urmia, and other regions are facing limited access to essential services, including hospitals and educational institutions, which have suspended operations for the next 15 days.
In a post on X, Tasnim News wrote,
"Possibility of Foreign Students Exiting Through Land Borders Without Requiring Permission. Head of the Student Affairs Organization of the Ministry of Science: All universities are obligated to provide necessary cooperation to foreign students for exiting the country, as well as to announce alternative times for holding end-of-term exams or conducting thesis defences."
Ayesha, a student from Srinagar, described the dire conditions while speaking to ANI, saying, "We all are cut off from the internet. We are hearing bomb sounds every 15 minutes. It is very disturbing here. When our embassy gave us the advisory to leave Iran, our university didn't cooperate. They said if you leave, you will fail. Universities, hospitals, and everything is closed for 15 days right now. We are very thankful to the embassy; we are in contact with them. They are also helpless right now because the airspace is banned here from every country. We are not able to evacuate."
Another student Musarraf, highlighted the growing tension and the recent missile activity, stating, "We are in Urmia. The
environment here is very tense. At around 9 AM, I saw at least 6 missiles. The university is cooperating now. We are in contact with the embassy and they have said that they will give us details on what to do now. Everything is very tensed in Tehran. If possible, they should be given priority (while evacuating). The university will allot buses and will help us reach the borders of Armenia or Azerbaijan and the embassy will let us know about the next step."
The Indian embassy remains in constant contact with students, providing guidance on evacuation routes to neighbouring countries like Armenia and Azerbaijan. However, with international airspace restrictions and ongoing missile attacks, officials admit that immediate evacuation remains a complex challenge.
Students and families continue to express concern over safety, communication blackouts, and delayed assistance, underscoring the urgency of coordinated international efforts to secure their safe return amid the unfolding crisis.
(IANS)
Getting married in Australia
Forced marriage is a serious crime in Australia
As per Attorney-General’s department, forced marriage is a crime in Australia. It is illegal to cause a person to enter a forced marriage, and to be a party to a forced marriage. Being a party to a forced marriage means agreeing to marry a person who you know or suspect is a victim of forced marriage, unless you are a victim of the forced marriage yourself.
Australia's forced marriage offences carry a maximum penalty of 7 years of imprisonment, or 9 years of imprisonment for an aggravated offence.
An offence may be aggravated in several circumstances, including where the victim is under the age of 18. If the victim is under the age of 18 and is taken overseas for the purpose of forced marriage, the maximum penalty increases to 25 years of imprisonment.
Arranged and sham marriages
As per Attorney-General’s department, it is important to note that forced marriage is distinct from arranged and
sham marriages. Arranged marriages are legal and occur where family or community members play a leading role in introducing or choosing a spouse, with both parties consenting to the marriage. Sham marriages take place when both parties willingly enter into a fake marriage for fraudulent purposes.
If you have further questions, you may contact me on 0425 853 086 or navee64@ gmail.com
An Hour of Daily Screen Use Can Increase the Risk of Myopia
A systematic review and dose-response meta-analysis have revealed that each additional hour of daily digital screen use is associated with a 21 per cent higher likelihood of developing myopia (near sightedness). This study, published in JAMA Network Open, serves as a stark warning for individuals who spend extended hours on digital screens. Researchers found that spending as little as one hour per day on tablets or smartphones can significantly elevate the risk of myopia. The dose-response analysis exhibited a sigmoidal pattern, suggesting a potential safety threshold of less than one hour per day of screen exposure. Beyond this threshold, the odds of developing myopia increased progressively, with a sharp rise up to four hours of daily screen time.
“These findings can offer guidance to clinicians and researchers regarding myopia risk,” the researchers noted.
The study highlights the growing prevalence of myopia, largely attributed to increased digital screen usage. The research team reviewed data from 45 investigations, involving more than 335,000 participants ranging from toddlers to young adults. The findings indicated that the risk of near-sightedness rose significantly with screen exposure between one to four
hours daily, before increasing at a slower rate thereafter.
However, the study found no significant association between myopia and screen exposure of less than one hour per day, reinforcing the notion of a safety threshold. Experts have termed this trend a “myopia pandemic”, underscoring the need for public health interventions. Technology’s Impact on Cognitive and Physical Health Beyond its impact on vision, prolonged screen exposure also raises concerns about cognitive and physical health. Recently, industry experts in India discussed the challenges posed by technology and digital gadgets, particularly for students, parents, and teachers, especially during exam periods.
involves poor sitting postures, which can contribute to a range of health issues, including:
4Obesity
4Spinal problems and backaches
4Body aches and muscular discomfort
With digital screens becoming an integral part of modern life, experts emphasize the importance of limiting screen exposure and promoting healthier digital habits to mitigate the rising cases of myopia and associated health risks.
Excessive screen time has been linked to reduced attention spans, affecting cognitive function. Additionally, prolonged use often
(AGENCIES)
Elements of the Breach of confidence – the company employee
BY GURPAL SINGH
It is very common for a disgruntled or crook employee to walk out of an employer’s office with a hard drive or other digital form of information containing plethora of confidential information, mixed with readily publicly accessible non-confidential information. Immediately thereafter, such person takes up employment with a competitor. Such a situation results in an unhappy mixture of breach of equitable obligations to include the duty of confidence and fiduciary obligations and implied terms to include the duty of good faith and fidelity.
The equitable principles governing the action of breach of confidence are relatively immutable. However, there is a shift in the centre of gravity of those principles and the principles are applied to fact scenarios thrown up by novel mode. The law in relation to statutory misuse of information contemplates misuse of the confidential information or mere knowledge of the facts obtained during the employment, or as an officer or director of a company.
There are three elements of equitable cause of action to include firstly the information itself must have necessary quality of confidence about it; secondly, the information must have been imparted in circumstances importing an obligation of confidence; and thirdly there must be an unauthorised use of that information to the detriment of the party communicating it to a third party. The court had also identified a fourth criteria that must be satisfied to make out a case for protection in equity of confidential information, namely identification, with specificity and not just in global view, of the alleged confidential information; demonstration that the information has the necessary quality of confidentiality, and is not, by contrast, common or public knowledge; a demonstration that the information was received by the defendant in circumstances importing an obligation of confidence; and a demonstration of an actual or threatened misuse of the information.
There is a requirement of particularity that the claimant must identify the confidential information with specificity and precision, otherwise there is nothing to measure the alleged breach. Where an action imputes conduct of a gravely improper character, the law ordinarily demands clear particularisation. The lack of particularity can compromise the defence, as the defendant may not know the allegations of gravely improper conduct
the defence must meet, against which the alleged breach may be measured. Absence of specificity may leave open an inference that an action is an abuse off the process to harass the other party. Also, it is not fair to restrain a defendant unless it is possible to draft an order that makes it crystal clear what the defendant cannot do. In the case of an innocent third party who relies upon a contract without notice of a relationship of confidentiality between the primary discloser and another party, the requirement of precision is even more acute.
Then there is a necessary quality of confidence. There is no single test for determining as to the time when the communication of confidential information will import an obligation of confidence. Rather than laying down a priori principles of what constitutes confidential information, the courts have adopted an empirical approach in recognising the issue on case-by-case basis derived from the myriads of different factual scenarios in which a claim can arise. This includes the obligations of confidence arising in varied relationships, ranging from information provided by an employer to an employee, a patient to a doctor and so on.
Two tests commonly employed in the commercial settings to determine if an
obligation of conscience arises from the circumstances in which the information was obtained are reasonable person test and the purpose test.
Under the reasonable purpose test, the issue for determination is ‘if the circumstances are such that any reasonable person standing in the position of the recipient of the information would have realised, that upon reasonable grounds, the information was being given in confidence, this should suffice to impose on that person the equitable obligation of confidence? Under the second test, the question is ‘has the confidential information been imparted for what was knowns, or ought reasonably to have been known, to be only for a particular purpose? If it has, then the use must be limited to that purpose.
The question of whether information had necessary quality of confidence can be elucidated from the contexts and the extent to which the information is knowns outside the owner’s business, known by other employees and those involved in the business, public domain availability, the extent of measures taken to guard the secrecy of the information, the value thereof and the amount of effort or money expended in developing the information.
Gurpal Singh is the principal lawyer of Melbourne law firm, Saundh Singh & Smith
MovingMelbourne’sOpportunity: AirMove Simplifies Local Transport
Indian founded platform connects everyday moving needs with flexible income opportunities for drivers across Melbourne
Melbourne’s AirMove Redefines Moving for a New Economy
On any given weekend across Melbourne, the scene is familiar. A family secures a sofa through Facebook Marketplace. A student prepares to relocate to a new share house. A small business needs urgent stock transport.
Yet the same question often follows: how do you move a single item without paying for a full removalist service?
Traditional removal companies are largely designed for large household relocations, often involving trucks, crews, and minimum charges that make smaller moves expensive and inconvenient. For many people, moving a single item becomes a frustrating process of phone calls, quotes, and uncertain pricing.
It was this everyday problem
that prompted Melbourne based entrepreneur Raj Pahwa to launch AirMove, a digital platform designed to make moving goods as simple as booking a ride.
With more than 17 years of experience in logistics and last mile delivery, Pahwa recognised a gap between what customers needed and what the market offered. At the same time, he observed another overlooked opportunity: many owner drivers possessed vans, utes, or small trucks that were not being fully utilised.
AirMove was created to bridge these two realities.
Through the platform, customers enter details of what they need moved, whether it is a sofa, fridge, treadmill, dining table, or business inventory. The system calculates size and weight requirements and allocates an appropriate vehicle along with the required manpower. Transparent pricing and real time tracking remove much of the uncertainty traditionally associated with small transport jobs.
For customers, the experience is designed to be simple, clear, and efficient. For drivers, the platform creates flexible earning opportunities by connecting them with
consistent job demand.
In a time when rising housing costs, fuel prices, and household expenses are placing pressure on families across Australia, this model offers value on both sides of the equation: convenience for customers and income flexibility for drivers.
To understand the vision behind the platform, G’day India spoke with founder Raj Pahwa about the idea, the challenges it addresses, and the future of flexible work.
Founder Q and A with Raj Pahwa
Q: What gap in the market did you identify that led to AirMove?
A: After more than 17 years in logistics and last mile delivery, I noticed two clear gaps. Customers often struggled when they needed to move just one or two items. Traditional removalists are structured for full house relocations, which makes small moves unnecessarily expensive and complicated.
At the same time, many owner drivers had vans, utes, or small trucks but faced inconsistent work. They had the vehicles and the willingness to work, but no efficient system connecting them to demand.
AirMove was created to bridge that gap by simplifying small item moves for customers while creating structured earning opportunities for drivers.
Q: How does AirMove respond to the current cost of living pressures?
A: Cost of living pressures are affecting many households across Australia. AirMove addresses this in two ways.
For customers, the platform keeps costs efficient by matching the right vehicle to the job, meaning people only pay for what they actually need.
For drivers, it creates flexible income opportunities. Anyone who owns a van, ute, or box truck can turn that vehicle into an earning asset and work around their own schedule. In a time when many families need additional income streams, that flexibility can make a meaningful difference.
Q: What does flexible work mean to you personally?
A: To me, flexible work represents dignity and choice. Not everyone can commit to rigid nine to five structures. People have family
responsibilities, studies, and different life circumstances.
Flexibility allows individuals to decide when and how they earn. A parent might work after school drop off, a student may take jobs on weekends, and others can supplement their income without compromising their primary commitments.
It is not simply convenience. It is empowerment.
Q: As a migrant entrepreneur, what values shaped the platform?
A: Migrating to Australia teaches you resilience very quickly. You learn to adapt, work hard, and build from the ground up.
The Indian community in particular carries strong values around entrepreneurship, independence, and family responsibility. AirMove reflects those principles. It is built on fairness, transparency, and opportunity.
My goal was to create a platform that respects both the customer’s money and the driver’s effort, while contributing positively to the community.
Q: What is your long-term vision for
AirMove in Australia?
A: The long-term vision is for AirMove to become the preferred platform for moving goods, much like ride sharing transformed how people travel.
Beyond scale, the goal is impact. We want to create thousands of flexible earning opportunities across Australia while making moving simpler and more affordable for everyday Australians.
Ultimately, AirMove is not only about transporting goods. It is about creating opportunity.
As Australia continues to navigate economic pressures and changing work patterns, platforms such as AirMove reflect a broader shift towards technology driven convenience and flexible employment models.
For Raj Pahwa, the mission remains simple: remove the stress from every day moving while building a system that allows effort, technology, and opportunity to work together.
Tonee Sethi
Stories Told in Light
For Artist Ramanpreet Kaur, absence is not
Growing up in the mountain town of Shimla, Ramanpreet Kaur was a child equally at home with numbers and sketchbooks. Mathematics appealed to her disciplined mind; painting belonged to something quieter and more instinctive. Even while pursuing a bachelor’s degree in mathematics, art ran parallel to her academic life — a private, persistent calling she could not ignore.
The turning point came during a diploma in art undertaken alongside her studies. Immersed in studio practice, she realised painting was not simply a pastime but a way of seeing — and of understanding the world. After completing her mathematics degree, she made a decisive shift, enrolling in a Bachelor of Fine Arts and committing fully to her creative path.
Her early works carried the weight of personal struggle, shadows often dominating her canvases. But time, growth and a change in geography gently altered her visual
language. When she later moved to Melbourne, something subtle yet profound shifted.
“Melbourne changed the way I experience light,” she reflects. “I became more aware of its softness — the quiet transitions, the way it settles into interiors.”
That heightened sensitivity to light now defines her practice. Her paintings focus on ordinary interior spaces — rooms, corners, chairs slightly out of place — rendered in oil using a restrained palette. Figures rarely appear. Yet human presence lingers unmistakably in the details: a teacup left behind, a slipper resting in a corner, the imprint of daily life suspended in stillness.
Ramanpreet describes herself as an introvert, more inclined
to observe than to speak. It is this quiet attentiveness that shapes her work. She notices how light travels across a wall, how silence settles in a room after someone has left, how everyday objects unconsciously compose themselves into moments of beauty.
“If we pause and truly look,” she says, “there is so much to paint.”
Her upcoming 2026 exhibition, Stories Told Through Absence, brings this philosophy into sharp focus. For Ramanpreet, emptiness is never void. Instead, it offers space — space for reflection, imagination and emotional entry.
“Not every story needs a person in it,” she explains. “Sometimes a room can speak more powerfully when it is empty. Without figures, viewers can enter the space themselves.”
It is this openness that gives her work its quiet intimacy. The absence of figures does not create distance; rather, it invites the viewer inward. Objects, light and atmosphere become the narrators. Presence is implied, not declared.
At its heart, her art is an invitation to slow down — to notice the details modern life often rushes past. The spaces she paints are familiar and deeply domestic. They belong to everyone. In their familiarity lies their emotional resonance.
“I hope people pause,” she says simply. “If they feel calm, recognition, or a quiet connection, then the painting has done what I hoped it would.”
Looking ahead, Ramanpreet remains grounded in growth rather than grandiosity. She intends to deepen her exploration of interiors and light, strengthen her technical practice and continue studying artists who inspire her. Expanding her exhibition presence and building a sustainable life around her work are ambitions — but always with fidelity to her quiet
visual language.
In a world saturated with noise and spectacle, Ramanpreet Kaur’s work offers something rarer: stillness. Through subtle light, restrained colour and carefully observed spaces, she reminds us that absence is not emptiness — it is a story waiting to be felt.
Exhibition Dates: 02 - 22 March 2026
Official opening : March 7, 2026 from 1pm - 3pm
Address: Angela Robarts-Bird Gallery, Gasworks Arts Park, 21 Graham St. Albert Park
Web: www.ramanpreetkaur.com.au
Tonee Sethi
Rain of Bhakti Earns Global Honours in Los Angeles
A devotional album blending ancient Sanskrit mantras with contemporary sound wins international acclaim while carrying a message of spiritual unity
In a moment that resonated far beyond the awards stage, the devotional world music album Rain of Bhakti (Timeless Mantras) received two major honours at the World Entertainment Awards in Los Angeles, winning Best Global Traditional Album, while its track Divinity (Saraswati Namastubhyam) secured Best Global Traditional Song. The rare dual recognition places the album among the most celebrated global traditional releases of the year.
The awards were announced during World Entertainment Awards week in Los Angeles, held alongside global celebrations surrounding the Grammy Awards, and recognise outstanding artistic achievement across music, film and culture from around the world.
Rain of Bhakti (Timeless Mantras) is a collaborative creation by Siyer (Shriram
Iyer), Bobby Beebob, PA Deepak and Joshua Pereira. Together, the artists envisioned a project that respectfully reinterprets ancient Sanskrit mantras through a contemporary musical lens. By blending sacred chants with atmospheric production, orchestral textures and choral arrangements, the album offers a modern soundscape rooted in timeless spiritual tradition.
For Siyer, who attended the ceremony in Los Angeles alongside collaborator Bobby Beebob,
the moment carried a deeper emotional significance.
“Hearing our names announced in the room was surreal and deeply emotional,” he reflects. “More than anything, I felt gratitude. For the four of us who created the album, including two time Grammy winner PA Deepak and Joshua Pereira, along with more than thirty global contributors, it was a powerful acknowledgement of collective effort. To see sacred Sanskrit mantras honoured on an international platform was incredibly meaningful. It reminded me that spirituality truly has no postcode.”
At the heart of the project lies a creative intention to connect ancient spiritual traditions with contemporary audiences. While Sanskrit mantras have long been revered for their spiritual depth, their traditional presentation can sometimes feel distant for younger listeners.
“Sanskrit mantras carry immense spiritual energy,” Siyer explains. “Our goal was to preserve their sanctity while presenting them through melodies and arrangements that
resonate with modern listeners. By creating an ambient and atmospheric soundscape, we hoped people would first connect emotionally and then be drawn deeper into the mantra’s meaning.”
Among the album’s standout compositions is Divinity (Saraswati Namastubhyam), the track that earned Best Global Traditional Song. The piece honours Goddess Saraswati, the deity associated with wisdom, learning and the arts.
For Siyer, the mantra holds profound personal meaning.
“It is more than a prayer. It is an invocation of humility,” he says. “As a composer, lyricist and performer, I am constantly reminded that creativity is something we receive rather than own. Chanting this mantra grounds me and fills me with gratitude. It is my way of asking that my art be guided by clarity, purity and purpose.”
The composition also reflects that reverence musically. The track features the veena performed by Kavitha Jayaraman, tabla by Enayet Hossain and the powerful harmonies of the Indian Choral Ensemble, creating a layered sound that bridges classical Indian tradition with global musical expression.
The international recognition arrives during an especially significant chapter in Siyer’s career. He also features on Shayan, the Grammy nominated album by composer and pianist Charu Suri, becoming the first Indian Australian artist to appear on a Grammy nominated album.
“It is both an honour and a responsibility,” Siyer says of representing Indian Australian artists on the global stage. “I stand at the intersection of two rich cultures. Rather than seeing East and West as separate, I see them as something that enriches each other. For Bobby and me, being recognised internationally as Australian artists of Indian origin was a proud moment.”
Beyond accolades and milestones,
however, the creators of Rain of Bhakti see the album as something deeper than a musical project. It is, at its heart, an offering.
“We hope listeners feel peace,” Siyer says. “Beyond language, religion or culture, I hope the music brings a sense of stillness. If even one person somewhere in the world closes their eyes while listening and feels centred or uplifted, then the album has fulfilled its purpose.”
With its dual victory at the World Entertainment Awards, Rain of Bhakti (Timeless Mantras) stands as a powerful
reminder that ancient spiritual traditions continue to resonate in the modern world. When presented with care, creativity and reverence, the timeless sounds of devotion can still speak to audiences across continents and cultures.
Tonee Sethi
More information about the album can be found at https://rain-of-bhakti-fyc.lovable.app/
WHAT YOUR TEETH SAY ABOUT YOUR PERSONALITY
Our teeth allow us to eat delicious food, protect us from viruses, enable us to express our emotions by giving others a dazzling smile. Our teeth not only assist us, but they also identify us as unique individuals.
Good And Healthy Teeth helps to Enhance Confidence in People: Our teeth are one of the most important parts of our body. Healthy and clean teeth help immensely in Boosting the confidence in people and keeping our personalities happy.
Clean Teeth help us to stay happy and energised: Clean teeth give a vibe of refreshment in our mouth, whenever we speak or do our daily tasks, we get a refreshed feeling which motivates us to stay energised throughout the day and helps us achieve the most in a day.
Aligned Teeth: Properly aligned Teeth help us to boost our confidence in daily life. We can openly talk and smile brightly which in turn helps us to feel happy even when we’re upset. When we smile openly, the hormones which are released help to uplift our mood and make us enjoy our life without falling into depression and bad mental health.
Smile Can Help You Strengthen your Immune system: Laughter which comes from the heart helps to keep our body away from diseases. Laughter increases the blood cells present in our body and helps to boost the immune system by producing more antibodies and keeping away harmful diseases.
Being proud of our Teeth is very important to living a healthy life: If we are embarrassed by the way our teeth look, we will not be able to laugh openly, and will not be able to speak openly which in turn will keep us away from a lot of advantages. Through the help of today’s technological advancements, everyone achieves a beautiful smile which helps them to look and feel the best.
Teeth have the power to determine our personality. The shape of teeth, the size of our teeth, and the habits we have related to teeth, all state the personalities which might be hidden from the world. Here is how:
The First Two Teeth: The first two teeth present in the front of the mouth help to show our age to the world. The younger a person is, the more rounded and wellshaped the corners of the front teeth will be. As a person starts to grow older, their front teeth tend to get squarer and it begins to shorten as well.
Unique Characteristics of your Canine teeth: Our canine teeth provide a lot of information about our personality. Sharp, long and prominent canines suggest that an individual has an aggressive personality whereas blunt canines suggest a more calm and collective nature.
Masculine/Feminine Traits: The teeth present in the sides of your front two teeth indicate your feminine or masculine traits. Feminine traits usually have shorter and rounded teeth whereas masculine has larger and squarer teeth sets.
The shape of the teeth: If you have pointy teeth, then it is considered that you generally have an aggressive personality. The pointiness of the teeth helps to show the hostile attitude that you might have. It can be related to short-temperedness
Teeth Grinding: Teeth grinding is associated with excessive stress and anxiety in a person. If a person very frequently grinds their teeth, it generally means that they are anxious or stressed out a lot.
By Dr. Rajesh Shetty
WHY 5 MINUTES OF SUN MAKES YOUR MOOD BETTER
“One of my most important rules in life is to take time to soak in the morning sun. I have been talking about the incredible benefits of being in the sun for more than 15 years now, and I encourage people, especially those burdened with excessive thoughts and laziness, to wake up, go out and stay under the sun, with no distractions. Not only does the sun create life, but it also nourishes life. It helps us thrive.
We were born under the sun, we grew up with food made by the sun and we ourselves cannot survive without sunlight. So why do we give it such less importance in our lives?”, says Radhika Iyer, founder of Anahata Organics and Raa Foundation.
Surya Namaskar is the first thing done in the morning in yoga as a salutation to the sun, showing respect to “the giver of life.” The sun is revered in Indian culture for its ability to provide energy and lift our spirits. Consider this: you’ve been in a dark room for two days, and on the third day, you open the window to let in some sunlight. What happens to your disposition? You most likely feel more awake, conscious, and energetic.
Sun exposure is crucial for our body to have a good regulatory system.
“Our circadian rhythm, or the biological clock, determines our mental and physical health. Your body’s clock responds to light as a signal to be awake and dark as a signal to fall asleep. When you go under the sun, your body starts
working to provide your conscious mind with more energy to go through your day. This has an effect, as mentioned before, on your health as a whole”, adds Radhika, “Another crucial thing the sun provides us with is Vitamin D. Our body produces it naturally when exposed to the sun. Vitamin D is what enables the body to
hypertension, heart stroke and IBS. It is also linked to lowering the effects of depression and helps regulate our mood.”
You can take control of your health by doing something as simple as getting 5 minutes of sunlight right after you wake up. The sun
interconnected we are with the universe and with
BEST FINANCIAL TIPS A FATHER CAN SHARE WITH HIS KIDS
According to research, lessons learned early in life help shape people’s financial behaviour. While foundational institutions such as schools and colleges frequently provide a level of awareness toward financial education, it is the responsibility of parents to sow the seeds of financial literacy and practises as well. Understanding the difference between savings and investments, as well as getting an early start on retirement planning, can go a long way.
While parents can teach their children the importance of good financial planning and explain the basics in a valuable way, it doesn’t hurt to have some fun every now and then! According to the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority Foundation, only one-third of Indians can pass a financial literacy exam, compared to two-thirds of Americans.
Why not put it to the test by spending quality time with your children and taking a fun financial quiz? Here are 5 questions you can ask your children, along with some tips and tricks:
When is the best time to start your financial planning?
Expert tip: Planning early is the first step towards financial and social security. People do not pay attention to the importance of early financial planning and put it off believing its years away, and this is a crucial mistake. It is recommended to start as early as you join your first job. For the best insights, constantly read up about financial planning and portfolio management that would help you to avoid any traps. You can start with the basics like online fixed deposits or life insurance plans with minimum/ standard premium.
How should one budget finances?
Expert tip: The best way to budget your finances is to calculate the net income and divide it into needs, wants and savings. This is a popular thumb rule which will help you balance your expenses and put your money in the right basket. For savings, it is important to set goals which are realistic. Investing a fixed amount every month in the right plan will help you earn a visible return on investment. Not just budgeting but reviewing the budget timely is also an impor tant step.
What should be the first financial tool to invest in?
Expert tip: Opt for policies, plans that are easy to invest in while ensuring holistic financial protection. In that sense, products such as life insurance term plans is a prudent investment choice. Term plans are the purest form of life insurance that provide comprehensive financial protection
against life’s uncertainties, offering protection for future goals as well. It is among the most economical insurance policies, ensuring high coverage at low premiums.
What should be one’s investment strategy? Expert tip: To achieve long-term
YOUR GUIDE TO A GOOD NIGHT’S SLEEP
Most of us today, idolise the ones working on 3 to 4 hours of sleep. It’s all cool but I’m sure you remember the sweet taste of sleep? Oh no, I’m not tempting you to sleep for long hours and forget all your responsibilities. I know we’re living in a fleet-footed world and 24 hours just don’t seem enough.
When you don’t have something in adequate amounts you should always try and optimise it rather than disrupting everything, especially your sleep. Let me explain with an example - when you leave for a trip, you pack your stuff in a nice and organised manner but when you start packing for your return journey, what happens? You know that very well!
When your responsibilities seem to overpower you, stop, take a deep breath and make those 24 hours your slave.
4How can you do that?
First of all, find out what works for you. People need a different amount of sleeping hours to boost their energy levels. You need to find your optimum level. After that, start scheduling your work and leisure timings accordingly.
Do you feel sleepy but still keep tossing around even after getting in bed at the right time?
If yes, this is probably because of your environment and poor pre-sleep discipline. To have the sleep that you are looking for, you need to work hard. Create an environment, which works best for you.
4Pre-sleep discipline:
Keeping all the distractions aside mentally and physically, dim the lights and start preparing for your bed. This will allow your mind to know it’s time to sleep and till the time you get to bed, your head would be light as a feather.
4Set your Bedroom Temperature
Body and bedroom temperature can profoundly impact sleep quality. Studies reveal that high or low temperatures in the sleeping area can deteriorate sleep quality. Depending on your body’s preferences, you need to find what suits your body for a good and comfortable sleep. In most cases, the bedroom should be cool (between 60 and 67 degrees) for optimal sleep.
4Take a relaxing shower
A relaxing warm shower is another popular way to sleep better. According to studies, a hot bath before bed improves sleep quality and helps people get more sound sleep. Alternatively speaking, if you don’t want to take a bath at night, simply dip your feet in lukewarm water for relaxation for improved sleep.
Invest in a comfortable bed, mattress, and pillow
Some people wonder why they always sleep better in the hotel. Apart from having a relaxed environment, bed quality can also affect your sleep. The best mattress and bedding is extremely subjective. If you plan on upgrading your
bedding, base your choice on personal preferences.
4Sleep hygiene is important
Blue light from cell phones, TV screens, and laptops can make it difficult for you to fall asleep, so make sure you turn them off at least half an hour before you sleep. Even the bright light from a lamp or the window can affect your pattern; consider using blackout curtains, eye-masks, white noise machines, and other accessories for a good night’s sleep.
4The bottom line
Sleep plays a crucial role when it comes to our health. Common sleep disorders such as sleep apnea can cause sleep loss; people with sleep apnea characteristically make periodic gasping or snorting noises, momentarily interrupting their sleep. These obstructions during sleep can pose serious complications and should be sought from a medical professional. Also, sleep loss and sleep disorders are linked with hypertension, diabetes, high cholesterol, depression, anxiety, obesity, mental distress, and adverse health behaviors such as cigarette smoking, physical inactivity, and heavy drinking.
Additionally, sleep medicines aren’t the solution and even lead to addiction. If you are interested in optimal health and wellbeing, then you should make sleep your topmost priority and start incorporating some of the tips above.
By Dr. Sonia Lal Gupta
YOUR SMOKING ADDICTION MIGHT BE A DATING DEAL-BREAKER
Finding a date can be difficult because everyone is so particular and set on what they want from their partner. Furthermore, if you are a smoker or addicted to other tobacco products, your chances of finding ‘the one’ are diminished. Smoking has lost its allure over time, but has this resulted in a decrease in the number of smokers?
Dating app, QuackQuack polled its users to learn about the effects of smoking on dating life. According to the survey results, 69 per cent of male users aged 31 and up are heavy smokers. Whereas 79 per cent of male users aged 18 to 30 are primarily non-smokers.
Tobacco addiction creates chaos in dating life
Forty-seven per cent of people have dated someone who has a tobacco addiction at some point in their lives. The topic of recovery seemed to be stuck in limbo more often than not. Twenty-two per cent of people admitted to getting into fights as a result of their partner’s addiction.
What women said
Twenty-eight per cent of female users stated that their dates were frequently emotionally unavailable due to their smoking addiction. They prioritised the substance they use over their relationship. Some of these women revealed that when confronted, their dates would try to justify their cigarette
addiction by citing factors such as work pressure, family tensions, and so on.
Confessions of a smoker
Twenty-three per cent of men admitted to being addicted to cigarettes and other tobacco products but did not tell their dates. They are concerned that their smoking habits will cause problems in their dating lives. Even though their partners are unaware of their addiction, 12 per cent of these men said they are making an effort to quit smoking and have made good progress.
Dating a smoker is an uphill task
Twenty-five per cent of people between the ages of 25 and 30 stated that dating a smoker can be difficult. You might find yourself engaging in enabling behaviour. Continuous smoking can have serious health consequences. The majority of users who responded to the survey said they would not want to be in a relationship with someone who has health problems, especially if they are self-inflicted.
Deal breaker
Fourteen per cent of people aged 21 to 29 said smoking is an absolute nono. When you start dating someone to find happiness and stability, it is not always a good idea to date someone who is suffering from an addiction. These individuals revealed that, given the possibility of relapse, they will most likely not consider dating anyone who is
attempting to quit smoking.
Smoking will cost you!
Twenty-one per cent of people aged 25 to 35 reported changes in their partner’s spending habits as a result of their smoking habits and other tobacco addiction. It can be costly to feed an addiction. A cigarette a day costs a significant amount of money.
A Helping hand
While it is not their responsibility to change their partner’s habit, 16 per cent of women said they would like to assist their partners in recovering from tobacco addiction. They also suggested that you assist your partner in quitting their addiction for themselves. If they break their habit for you, there is a good chance they will relapse.
QuackQuack’s Founder and CEO, Ravi Mittal, commented, “In terms of desirability, smokers are on the backfoot compared to non-smokers. According to our survey, there seems to be a complete reversal in smoking habits among users above 31. Not only does the pattern show the majority of youngsters as non-smokers, but they are also consciously trying to quit.”
For smokers and addicts out there, remember to ask for help. Addiction does not just ruin your dating life, but it also wreaks havoc on your body.
(IANSlife)
SPIRITUALITY IMPROVES QUALITY OF LIFE
A recent study by American College of Cardiology researchers suggested that spirituality not only helps improve the quality of life for people with chronic diseases like cancer but also impacts heart failure patients.
The study was published in the journal, ‘JACC Heart Failure’. It further concludes that spirituality should be considered a potential target for palliative care interventions to improve patient-centred and clinical outcomes in these individuals.
“Patients who have heart failure experience a poorer quality of life compared to their peers, with high levels of depression, anxiety and spiritual distress,” said Rachel S. Tobin, MD, resident in Internal Medicine at Duke University Hospital, and lead author of the study.
“Contributing to diminished quality of life is the fact that heart failure, unlike many other chronic diseases, is very unpredictable and can lead to hopelessness, isolation and altered selfimage,” he added.
The American College of Cardiology and other major cardiovascular societies recommend palliative care for heart failure patients. Spirituality is a core domain of palliative care, with the goal of identifying and addressing spiritual concerns and providing patients with appropriate spiritual and religious resources.
However, limited research has been conducted on spirituality’s impact on patients with heart failure, and there are no known tools designed to measure it.
According to the researchers, spirituality is hard to define, but they reference several definitions that describe spirituality as how individuals find meaning and purpose in life, which can be separate from religious beliefs.
For instance, the Institute of Medicine defines spirituality as “the needs and expectations which humans have to find meaning, purpose and value in their life. Such needs can be specifically religious, but even people who have no religious faith or are not members of organized religion have belief systems that give their lives meaning and purpose.
Researchers conducted a review
of 47 articles in order to explore the current knowledge of spirituality in heart failure patients. It described associations between spirituality and quality of life, as well as patient outcomes and propose clinical applications and future directions for spirituality in this population. There were approximately 10 varying instruments used to measure spirituality, some simple, others complex.
Key data examined include:
4In the Palliative Care in Heart Failure (PAL-HF) trial, spiritual well-being improved in patients randomized to a palliative care intervention compared to usual care as evaluated by FACITSp. The FICA spiritual history tool was also used to gather information on spirituality.
4Patients randomized to palliative care had increased quality of life as measured by the Kansas City Cardiomyopathy Questionnaire (KCCQ) and Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Palliative Care (FACITPal). They were also found to have lower levels of anxiety and depression.
4Another study found that after a 12-week mail-based psychosocial intervention, patients completing the intervention had higher quality of life as measured by KCCQ, as well as less depression and search for meaning. Out of the 33 patients included, 85.7 per cent felt that the intervention was worthwhile. In a pilot study, spiritual counselling was associated with improved quality of life, although there was no control group to determine if the effect was significant.
“The literature suggests not only can spirituality improve quality of life for the patient, but it can also help support caregivers and potentially help heart failure patients from needing to be readmitted to the hospital,” Tobin said.
“What we have suggested and are now doing is developing a spirituality screening tool, similar to ones used to screen for depression. This can be used to identify heart failure patients in palliative care who are at risk for spiritual distress. However, this is just a start. More research needs to be done,” he concluded.
(ANI)
HEALTH
MEMORY LOSS CAN SUDDENLY SPEED UP WITH AGE
A massive international brain study has revealed that memory decline with age isn’t driven by a single brain region or gene, but by widespread structural changes across the brain that build up over time.
Analysing thousands of MRI scans and memory tests from healthy adults, researchers found that memory loss accelerates as brain tissue shrinkage increases, especially later in life.
While the hippocampus plays a key role, many other brain regions also contribute, forming a broad vulnerability rather than isolated damage.
An unprecedented international research effort combining brain imaging and memory testing from thousands of adults is offering a clearer picture of how age-related brain changes affect memory.
By bringing together data from multiple long-running studies, scientists were able to examine how memory performance shifts alongside structural changes in the brain over time.
The analysis drew on more than 10,000 MRI scans and over 13,000 memory assessments from 3,700 cognitively healthy adults across 13 separate studies.
The results which tracked people across a wide age range revealed that the link between brain shrinkage and memory decline is not simple or linear. The association grows stronger in later life and cannot be explained only by well-known genetic risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease, including APOE e4.
Together, the findings suggest that brain aging involves complex, widespread changes rather than damage driven by a single cause.
Memory Decline Reflects Widespread Brain Changes
Published in Nature Communications, the study titled “Vulnerability to memory decline in aging revealed by a megaanalysis of structural brain change” shows that memory-related brain changes extend far beyond one isolated region.
Although the hippocampus showed the strongest connection between volume loss
and declining memory, many other areas of the brain were also involved.
Both cortical and subcortical regions demonstrated meaningful relationships between structural decline and memory performance. Rather than pointing to failure in a single brain structure, the findings indicate a distributed vulnerability across the brain.
Researchers observed a gradual pattern across regions, with the hippocampus showing the largest effects and smaller but still significant associations appearing across much of the brain.
A Nonlinear Pattern With Accelerating Effects
The researchers also found that the relationship between brain atrophy and memory loss varied widely between individuals and followed a nonlinear pattern.
People who experienced faster-thanaverage structural brain loss showed much steeper declines in memory. This suggests that once brain shrinkage passes a certain level, its impact on memory increases more rapidly instead of progressing at a steady pace.
This accelerating effect appeared across many brain regions, not just the hippocampus. The consistency of this pattern supports the idea that memory decline during healthy aging reflects large-scale and network-level structural changes.
While the hippocampus remains especially sensitive, it functions as part of a broader system rather than acting alone.
What the Findings Mean for Understanding Aging
“By integrating data across dozens of research cohorts, we now have the most detailed picture yet of how structural changes in the brain unfold with age and how they relate to memory,” said Alvaro Pascual-Leone, MD, PhD, senior scientist at the Hinda and Arthur Marcus Institute for Aging Research and medical director at the Deanna and Sidney Wolk Center for Memory Health.
“Cognitive decline and memory loss
are not simply the consequence of ageing, but manifestations of individual predispositions and age-related processes enabling neurodegenerative processes and diseases.
These results suggest that memory decline in ageing is not just about one region or one gene it reflects a broad biological vulnerability in brain structure that accumulates over decades.
Understanding this can help researchers identify individuals at risk early, and develop more precise and personalised interventions that support cognitive health across the lifespan and prevent cognitive disability.
AEROBIC EXERCISE MAY HELP BOOST IMMUNE SYSTEM AGAINST CANCER
Aerobic exercise, which includes brisk walking, swimming, running, or cycling, can help reprogramme the immune system to reduce tumour growth and amplify the effects of immunotherapy, finds a new study.
Published online in Cancer Cell, the study, which focussed on pancreatic cancer, provides new insight into how the mammalian immune system, designed to attack foreign invaders like bacteria, can also recognise cancer cells as abnormal.
Exercise-induced increases in levels of the hormone adrenaline cause changes to the immune system, according to researchers at New York University.
It includes the activity of cells that respond to signalling protein interleukin-15 (IL-15).
The study found that exercise promotes the survival of CD8 T cells sensitive to IL-15 and doubles the number of them homing to pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) tumours in mice.
Such “effector” T cells have been shown by other studies to be capable of killing cancer cells. Other tests found that aerobic exercise for 30 minutes five times a week reduced the rate of cancer formation by 50 per cent in one mouse model of PDAC, and reduced tumour
weight by 25 per cent in another model, in which mice ran on treadmills for three weeks.
In collaboration with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, the study authors then found that human patients who exercised before surgery to remove their pancreatic tumours had more CD8 effector T cells that expressed a protein called granzyme B, which confers tumour-cell killing ability.
Patients who exercised and had more of these cell types, had 50 per cent higher overall survival over five years than patients with fewer
of them.
“Our findings show, for the first time, how aerobic exercise affects the immune microenvironment within pancreatic tumours,” said first author Emma Kurz, a graduate student at NYU Grossman School of Medicine.
“The work helped to reveal that activation of IL-15 signalling in pancreatic cancer might be an important treatment approach in the future.”
DIABETES, HEART DISEASE INCREASE DEMENTIA RISK
People with Type 2 diabetes, heart disease or stroke have double the risk of developing dementia, finds a study.
Type 2 diabetes, heart diseases (ischemic heart disease, heart failure or atrial fibrillation) and stroke, so-called cardiometabolic diseases, are some of the main risk factors for dementia.
The presence of more than one cardiometabolic disease accelerated the speed of cognitive decline and doubled the risk of cognitive impairment and dementia, expediting their development by two years. The magnitude of the risk was increased with a greater number of diseases, revealed the study published in the journal, Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.
Prevention of diabetes and cardiovascular disease could therefore be a strategy for reducing dementia risk, suggest researchers from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden.
“In our study, the combinations of diabetes/ heart disease and diabetes/heart disease/stroke
were the most damaging to cognitive function,” said Abigail Dove, doctoral student at the Aging Research Centre, at the Institute.
However, individuals who had just one cardiometabolic disease did not display a significantly higher risk of dementia.
“This is good news. The study shows that the risk only increases once someone has at least two of the diseases, so it’s possible that dementia can be averted by preventing the development of a second disease,” he added.
Dementia develops slowly over decades. It first manifests as gradual cognitive decline that only shows up in cognitive tests. It then degenerates into cognitive impairment in which the individual notices their failing memory but can still look after themselves, and finally into full-blown dementia.
The researchers extracted data on a total of 2,500 healthy, dementia-free individuals over the age of 60 living on Kungsholmen in Stockholm. The participants were then followed for 12 years with medical examinations and
cognitive tests in order to monitor changes in cognitive ability and the development of dementia.
The correlation between cardiometabolic diseases and the risk for dementia was stronger in the participants who were under 78 years old.
“We should therefore focus on cardiometabolic disease prevention already in middle age, since the risk of cognitive failure and dementia appears higher among those who develop a cardiometabolic disease earlier in life,” Dove said.
(IANS)
Swedish study reveals when fitness and strength begin to fade
Regular eating of fast foods, ranging from de A long-running Swedish study has followed adults for nearly five decades, uncovering when physical decline truly begins. Fitness and strength start slipping around age 35, then worsen gradually with age.
The encouraging twist: adults who began exercising later still improved their physical capacity by up to 10 per cent. It’s a powerful reminder that staying active matters, even if you start late.
A long-running Swedish study conducted at Karolinska Institutet has followed people for 47 years to examine how fitness, strength, and muscle endurance evolve during adulthood. The findings show that physical performance begins to decline around age 35.
The research is part of the Swedish Physical Activity and Fitness study (SPAF), which tracked several hundred randomly selected men and women between the ages of 16 and 63.
Published in the Journal of Cachexia, Sarcopenia and Muscle, the study offers rare long-term insight into how physical capacity changes over decades rather than snapshots
at a single point in time.
Most earlier research in this area relied on cross-sectional data, comparing different age groups rather than following the same individuals.
In contrast, the SPAF study repeatedly measured fitness and strength in the same participants across Sweden for nearly half a century, making it one of the most comprehensive efforts of its kind.
Fitness Declines After 35, but Activity Still Helps:
The results show that both fitness and strength start to decrease as early as age 35, regardless of how much people trained earlier in life. From that point forward, physical decline continues gradually and tends to
speed up with advancing age.
Despite this pattern, the researchers found encouraging evidence that exercise remains valuable at any stage. Participants who became physically active during adulthood increased their physical capacity by 5-10 per cent.
“It is never too late to start moving. Our study shows that physical activity can slow the decline in performance, even if it cannot completely stop it. Now we will look for the mechanisms behind why everyone reaches their peak performance at age 35 and why physical activity can slow performance loss but not completely halt it,” says Maria Westerstahl, lecturer at the Department of Laboratory Medicine and lead author of the study.
The research is ongoing. Next year, the participants will be examined again when they reach age 68. The team hopes to better understand how changes in physical performance are connected to lifestyle choices, overall health, and underlying biological processes.
Taller people more at risk of skin infections, nerve disorders
While standing tall among the crowd may give you an edge, the extra inches can come at a cost. A new study has confirmed that people who are tall are at a higher risk of developing a host of health problems including skin infections, nerve disorders.
Tall or short, a person’s height is known to increase their risk for a variety of diseases. While height has been previously associated with multiple common conditions, ranging from heart disease to cancer, scientists could not determine whether being tall or short is what puts them at risk, or if factors that affect height, like nutrition and socioeconomic status, are actually to blame.
Sridharan Raghavan from the Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Centre, confirmed previous findings that being tall is linked to a higher risk of atrial fibrillation and varicose veins, and a lower risk of coronary heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
The study, published in open access journal PLOS Genetics, also uncovered new associations between greater height
and a higher risk of peripheral neuropathy, which is caused by damage to nerves on the extremities, as well as skin and bone infections, such as leg and foot ulcers.
The team included genetic and health information from more than 250,000 adults and analysed more than 1,000 conditions and traits overall, making it the largest study of height and disease to date.
The researchers conclude that height may be a previously unrecognised risk factor for several common conditions in adults. However, they noted that more studies are needed to clarify some of these
associations, and that future studies would benefit from including a larger, more diverse international population.
(IANS)
(ANI)
Mediterranean diet may help improve symptoms of depression in young men
Young men with a poor diet saw a significant improvement in their symptoms of depression when they switched to a healthy Mediterranean diet, a new study has shown.
Mediterranean diet, which consists of fresh fruit, vegetables, fish, and grains, caused significant impact on young men’s mental health.
According to researchers from the University of Technology Sydney, the study is the first randomised clinical trial to assess the impact of a Mediterranean diet on the symptoms of depression in young men aged 18-25.
The team conducted a 12-week randomised control trial, where the men were asked to switch to foods rich in colourful vegetables, legumes and wholegrains, oily fish, olive oil and raw, unsalted nuts from their regular as well as fast foods.
The findings, published in the peerreviewed American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, suggested that doctors should recommend patients to a nutritionist or dietician as part of their treatment plan, the researchers said.
“The primary focus was on increasing diet
quality with fresh wholefoods while reducing the intake of ‘fast’ foods, sugar and processed red meat,” said researcher Jessica Bayes, a candidate in the UTS Faculty of Health.
“There are lots of reasons why scientifically we think food affects mood. For example, around 90 per cent of serotonin, a chemical that helps us feel happy, is made in our gut by our gut microbes.
“There is emerging evidence that these microbes can communicate to the brain via the vagus nerve, in what is called the gut-brain axis,” Bayes said.
“The results showed that nearly all our participants stayed with the programme, and many were keen to continue the diet once the study ended, which shows how effective, tolerable and worthwhile they found the intervention,” the researchers said.
The study “suggests that medical doctors and psychologists
should consider referring depressed young men to a nutritionist or dietitian as an important component of treating clinical depression”, she said.
Fruits, veggies may help kids with ADHD fight inattention
Eating fruits and vegetables may help children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) reduce inattention issues, a new study has suggested.
Inattention is a hallmark of ADHD and creates trouble for children to focus, difficulty in remembering things and in regulating emotions.
The study showed that kids who consumed more fruits and vegetables showed less severe symptoms of inattention, said Irene Hatsu, Associate Professor of human nutrition at The Ohio State University in the US.
“Eating a healthy diet, including fruits and vegetables, may be one way to reduce some of the symptoms of ADHD,” Hatsu said, in the paper published online in the journal Nutritional Neuroscience.
The team asked parents of 134 kids with ADHD symptoms to complete a detailed questionnaire about the typical foods the children ate, including portion sizes, over a 90-day period. Researchers believe that ADHD is related to low levels of some neurotransmitters in the brain -- and vitamins
and minerals play a key role as cofactors in helping the body make those important neurochemicals and in overall brain function, Hatsu said.
“Everyone tends to get irritated when they’re hungry and kids with ADHD are no exception. If they’re not getting enough food, it could make their symptoms worse,” she said.
Also, the stress of parents who are upset about not being able to provide enough food for their children can create family tension that could lead to more symptoms for children with ADHD.
“What clinicians usually do when kids with ADHD start having more severe symptoms is increase the dose of their treatment medication, if they are on one, or put them on medication,” Hatsu said.
“Our studies suggest that it is worthwhile to check the children’s access to food as well as the quality of their diet to see if it may be contributing to their symptom severity.”
(IANS)
(IANS)
“ONE OF MOST
CHALLENGING ROLES OF MY CAREER”: ANIL KAPOOR ON ‘SUBEDAAR’
Anil Kapoor’s much-awaited film Subedaar is all set to premiere on Amazon Prime Video.
During the film’s trailer launch in Mumbai, Anil opened up about his experience working in ‘Subedaar’.
He said, “This film is a very special film for me. And this role for me is one of the most challenging roles of my career. And I’ve done it as usual with all my heart and soul. I’ve worked hard on my part, and I’ve worked with all my heart. As I always do. I hope you’ll like this film and you’ll like our work.”
Directed by Suresh Triveni, the film also stars Radhikka Madan, Saurabh Shukla, Mona Singh, Aditya Rawal, Faisal Malik, and Khushboo Sundar.
The trailer shows Kapoor in a never-beforeseen avatar, leading high-octane action sequences in the trailer. The trailer opens to show the disciplined battle-scarred and grieving Subedaar Arjun Maurya making a fresh start,
only to cross
With an intense demeanour, Anil Kapoor delivers powerful dialogues like, “Fauji hai, seene mein goli jhel sakte hai, beizzati nahi.”
3 DECADES OF LOVE & BLESSINGS: AMITABH BACHCHAN’S EMOTIONAL TRIBUTE TO JALSA
Megastar Amitabh Bachchan has shared an emotional note describing his iconic Mumbai residence ‘Jalsa’ as a symbol of love, blessings and togetherness spanning over three decades.
Big B took to his blog to express gratitude to fans, whom he lovingly calls his extended family (EF), who gather outside his home every week. He went on to say that the few moments people take out from their busy lives to greet him feel like a “divine presence”.
The icon wrote: “Your blessings and your love for those few minutes in your busy lives, taken out for me is nothing short of a divine presence for me.”
Calling ‘Jalsa’ more than just a house, the thespian described it as a space blessed by millions. He reflected on how the home has sheltered his family for over 30 years, witnessed the birth of his children, and later their weddings.
“JALSA, the blessings of millions for my home, one that has given me roof for more
than 3 decades, one that has blessed my children in their days of birth and their days of wed,
one where the children grew up ... one where their children are growing up,” he wrote.
Describing it as a place that “manifests joy and happiness,” he added that his home
stands as a testament to celebration, existence and the enduring togetherness of time.
“One that manifests the joys and happiness of the near and dear ... one that adheres to our living ... one that brings celebration and existence, in the togetherness of time ... ever,” he concluded.
(IANS)
paths with Prince (Aditya Rawal).
What follows is a tense and brutal face-off as Arjun takes on a ruthless new adversary, while Maurya’s strained relationship with his daughter Shyama (Radhikka Madan) deepens the emotional stakes. (ANI)
DIA MIRZA CALLS OUT GOVT’S LACK OF ACTION ON POLLUTION
Actor Dia Mirza recently opened up about the growing pollution levels in cities like Mumbai and Delhi, calling out the government for not doing enough. The actress added that they need to shift from mere words to real action and focus on tangible “outcomes” rather than just plans on paper.
The ‘Rehnaa Hai Tere Dil Mein’ actress was speaking at the launch of the Zero Prize, India’s first national, results-based environmental award. This initiative links financial rewards directly to verified reductions in air, water, and land pollution.
When asked if she believes the government is doing enough to tackle pollution, Dia responded with a firm “outright no.”
“The answer is an outright no,” she stated. “Unfortunately, we have to move from words to scalable action and outcomes. We should now be celebrating outcomes, like, for example, what Indore city has achieved. How they have
“DON’T
successfully established protocols and systems that manage their waste so efficiently. Why hasn’t this become a pan-India initiative? Why are we still struggling to get people to segregate the bare minimum, which is wet and dry? Even
though they are not doing. Waste is a huge contributor to pollution, right? So, we need to do much, much more.”
Dia continued, “We have the right words on paper, and there are many powerful programs. But are they truly being implemented on the ground? No, they are not, which is why there is such a big gap,” she added.
Her comments come at a time when air quality has become a critical concern. After Delhi faced severe air pollution, Mumbai is now grappling with similar issues, which have prompted celebrities to speak out.
Recently, actor Saiyami Kher also raised an alarm about the deteriorating air quality in Mumbai. She shared that the worsening pollution has significantly impacted her daily life, even comparing the situation to the COVID-19 pandemic.
GIVE UP ON YOURSELF”: KARISHMA TANNA’S JOURNEY FROM TV TO BIFF
As actress Karishma Tanna was honored for her performance in Hansal Mehta’s “Scoop” at the Busan International Film Festival, she decided to reflect on her acting journey, which commenced from the small screen, and overcoming several doubts, moved on to reality shows, movies, and web series.
She added that for her, ‘Scoop’ was a reminder that if one does not give up on their dreams, their moment arrives sooner or later.
Karishma’s emotional note on social media went like this, “From television sets...To reality shows...To being boxed. To being doubted. To standing at the Busan International Film Festival for Scoop. There’s something beautiful about not giving up on yourself. About choosing growth over comfort. About waiting for the role that changes your narrative. SCOOP wasn’t just a project. It was a shift. A reminder that if you stay long enough, work hard enough, evolve honestly enough... your moment will come. And when it doesit feels like home. Thank you for watching, supporting, believing! (sic).”
Karishma took a moment to look back at the girl who patiently waited for her turn and never stopped believing in herself.
She pointed out that some journey’s
take time as they are building towards something concrete.
The ‘Sanju’ actress added, “Standing at the Busan International Film Festival, holding this moment in my heart, I remembered the girl who started early... who wanted independence, who waited, who heard “TV ACTOR” more than once... and still didn’t stop believing. This one wasn’t overnight. This one was years in the making. Grateful. Humbled. Proud. Some journeys are slow... because they’re building something permanent. I always believe-This is just the beginning...If you haven’t watched my show, please watch it on @netflix_in.”
Directed by Hansal Mehta, “Scoop” is a cinematic adaptation of journalist Jigna Vora’s bestseller “Behind Bars in Byculla: My Days in Prison”.
With Karishma as the lead, the show also has Mohammed Zeeshan Ayyub, Harman Baweja, Prosenjit Chatterjee, Tannishtha Chatterjee, and Deven Bhojani playing crucial roles, along with others. (IANS)
‘THERE ARE NO HACKS’ FOR PARENTING: KAREENA KAPOOR
Bollywood superstar Kareena Kapoor Khan took to her social media account to share a dose of humour and honesty on parenting as she posted a much-relatable ‘Monday Motivation’ message.
Resharing a story that she found extremely relatable, Kareena wrote.
The post that Kareena reshared, and that was based on ‘parenting hack’ read, “Parenting Hack: There are no hacks. Everything is hard. These kids don’t listen. This is your life now. Godspeed.”
Kareena, in the hilarious post, expressed how navigating through the everyday hustle bustle and chaos around raising children is hard.
Kareena, who is a mother to two boys, often is seen sharing relatable posts talking about parenting, children and also motherchildren relationship.
Through the posts, Kareena gives fans glimpses into her parenting journey. A few months ago, the actress had revealed how she trains her kids Taimur Ali Khan and Jehangir Ali Khan to pose for photographs while on their holiday.
The actress had reshared a post on her social media that read, “Parents forcing their kids to take holiday pictures like: “Sit your butt down, smile, don’t pick your nose - and if you don’t behave: no ice cream...and then posting captions like, “The reason I breathe.”
Sharing this post, Kareena wrote, “Me Me Me!!!,” indicating that she too forces her kids to pose for pictures while on their holidays.
A few days ago, Kareena Kapoor and actor husband Saif Ali Khan’s younger son Jeh celebrated his 5th birthday.
Wishing her little one on his special day, Bebo revealed that Jeh had spent his birthday painting trees with his parents and brother Taimur.
Kareena took to her social media account and uploaded a couple of adorable snaps of the family getting their hands dirty for a good cause.
“Birthday’s are all about planting trees and being free (Red heart and raindown emoji) Happy birthday Son... (Red heart emoji) Jeh Baba (Red heart emoji) (sic),” she wished her little munchkin in the caption.
For the uninitiated, the actress welcomed
“NOTHING WRONG” WITH COSMETIC SURGERY: ZEENAT AMAN DEFINES BEAUTY STANDARDS
The actress putting it across with her choicest of words, said that if an actress chooses to undergo plastic surgery or under the knife, to look beautiful, there is nothing wrong with it.
At an event, speaking about cosmetic enhancements used by actresses, she added, “Let me tell you one thing, film, which is in visual media, the public wants to see a beautiful face. They wish to see glamour and beauty in screen. So, in that case if an actress or someone wants to look beautiful by using cosmetic procedures or going under the knife, what’s wrong with that? I think it’s fine.”
Further, when asked about the pressure on actresses these days to look beautiful, Zeenat said, “This is the pressure of the digital age, the pressure of social media, because there is so much discussion, opinions etc that these girls have to face on a daily basis, which was not the case in our days. So yes, I guess the digital pressure is definitely there.”
Talking about Zeenat Aman, the actress who made her Hindi film debut with Hulchul in 1971, rose to fame with films such as Hare Rama Hare Krishna, Yaadon Ki Baaraat, Don, and Satyam Shivam Sundaram amongst others.
The 74-year-old actress was regarded as one of the most glamorous and progressive stars of her times, in the 1970s era of Bollywood.
Zeenat Aman, with her strong and classy choice of roles, had gone on to redefine the image of the Hindi film heroine with her bold screen presence and modern style.
Known as a fashion icon of her era and even today, Zeenat Aman chose classy and sassy fashion wear that reflected her progressive modern and independent mindset back in the times, where feminism and opportunities for women was pretty much an alien concept.
her first child, son Taimur, in 2016, followed by another boy, Jeh, in 2021.
Bollywood veteran star Zeenat Aman has spoken her heart out on the growing debate around beauty standards and cosmetic procedures in the glamour industry.
“SO
PROUD
OF INTERNATIONAL
RECOGNITION”: HEMA MALINI REACTS TO DHARMENDRA’S BAFTA 2026 HOMAGE
Legendary Bollywood actor Dharmendra was honoured at the recently concluded British Academy of Film and Television Arts Awards 2026 (BAFTA), celebrating his enduring legacy during the ‘In Memoriam’ segment. The tribute marked a significant recognition of the late actor’s contribution to Indian cinema on an international platform.
Reacting to the homage, veteran actorpolitician Hema Malini expressed immense pride on social media, sharing her admiration for Dharmendra’s work and the global acknowledgement of his cinematic journey.
Taking to her Instagram handle, Hema Malini wrote, “So proud of this international recognition of Dharam ji’s contribution to the film industry. #baftaawards #bafta2026.”
In a moment that beautifully bridged cultures, the legendary actor was honoured during a deeply moving performance by acclaimed British singer-songwriter Jessie Ware.
Ware, during the ‘In Memoriam’ segment of the BAFTA 2026, delivered an emotional version of Barbra Streisand’s ‘The Way We Were’, marking a sombre moment in which those who passed away last year were commemorated.
A special video montage accompanied Ware’s live performance, highlighting the life, career, and achievements of the late actor.
“Over the last year, we have sadly lost many friends and colleagues from the film industry, and we now take a moment to pay tribute to them with a special performance from Jessie Ware. The tributes we pay at our Film, Games and Television Awards are moments for pause, reflection and remembrance of all the extraordinarily talented people who dedicated their lives to the screen arts,” stated the official social
SOHA ALI KHAN’S
Bollywood legend Dharmendra, fondly known as the industry’s ‘He-Man’, passed away on November 24, 2025, leaving a void in Hindi cinema.
Known for his gentle smile, charismatic screen presence, and six-decadelong career, some of his memorable performances came with films like ‘Aya Sawan Jhoom Ke’, ‘Sholay’, ‘Chupke Chupke’, ‘Ayee Milan Ki Bela’, and ‘Anupama’, among several others.
POWER-PACKED
CORE SESSION
IS MID-WEEK MOTIVATION YOU NEED!
Actor Soha Ali Khan, who is an absolute fitness enthusiast, just served some serious mid-week motivation for her fans, and this time, it’s all about pushing through the blues with a power-packed workout.
Known for her disciplined routine and inspiring fitness posts, Soha often gives fans a glimpse into her intense training sessions.
She took to Instagram to share snippets from her latest workout, proving that there’s no excuse to skip a session, even in the middle of a hectic week.
The video shows Soha focused and determined as she powers through corestrengthening exercises. Along with the video, the actress added a caption that read, Midweek workout? ABSolutely!! #coretraining #workout.
Fitness, it seems, runs in the family. Her husband, actor-director Kunal Kemmu, is equally committed to staying in shape. Last year, in a conversation, Kemmu opened up about how working out has become more than just a routine, it is a way of life.
“Well, it’s become a part of our lifestyle. Honestly, a lot of people ask me sometimes, when I am lifting very heavy weights, ‘What are you training for?’ And I am like, ‘I am not really training for anything. I am training for myself. I do that because of that,’” Kemmu said.
Soha, daughter of former cricketer Mansoor
Khan Pataudi and veteran
married Kunal on January 25, 2015.
couple recently celebrated 11 years of togetherness and are parents to daughter Inaaya Naumi Kemmu, born in September 2017.
media handle of BAFTA.
(ANI)
Ali
actor Sharmila Tagore,
The
(ANI)
7 UNDERRATED
FOODS THAT ARE GREAT FOR YOU
Humans are becoming more aware of what they consume and how it affects them as the world becomes more health conscious. The food we eat have a direct impact on our mental and physical health. Some bite-sized foods provide concentrated doses of vitamins and minerals, while others aid in digestion and absorption. Every food contains some inherent goodness, but some deliver it in large quantities. They contain so many nutrients that they almost act as a supplement. But, of course, far superior. Many of these superfoods are often so underappreciated that their benefits are not widely known. It’s time to make a change.
Check out these underrated items:
Fortified salt: Stopping your salt intake abruptly in ones diet unless indicated by their doctor is a bad idea. Instead, one can switch to salt that is fortified with right compounds like the much-needed zinc makes more sense. This can help contribute to overall immunity in our body. Zinc also helps with faster healing of wounds and fighting respiratory infections.
Pumpkin seeds: Pumpkin seeds have a delicious nutty flavour and are packed with carotenoids, which help skyrocket your immunity and keep your eyes super healthy. Plus, these underrated seeds help enhance our memory, critical thinking, and general cognition.
Fox nuts: These are a good source of protein and fibre, they are moderately high in calories (50 grams will give you 175 calories) but since they are a low GI (glycaemic Index) food, they get digested slowly in the body. These are gluten-free, and so great for those who are gluten intolerant and also pack in a lot of anti-aging antioxidants.
Peanuts: There is no doubt that peanuts are a cheap source of good quality protein. Thirty grams give you about 160 calories and seven grams of protein, comparable to almonds which deliver same amount of calories and six grams of protein. And peanuts actually offer the best bang for the buck. By the way peanuts are rich in resveratrol too helps in reducing risk of cancer and delays aging too.
Singhara: First benefit of singhara (water chestnuts) is that they are fat, cholesterol, and gluten free, and have very low sodium and calories and
decent amount of fibre too. Plus, they are an excellent source of potassium, a mineral that helps bust water retention and lower blood pressure by balancing sodium. They also deliver bone strengthening calcium and other minerals like iodine and manganese (which help in maintaining proper functioning of the thyroid gland) and copper, zinc, vitamin B and vitamin E, all of which are extremely essential for us to stay healthy.
Sattu: Sattu (roasted gram flour) provides instant energy and is a brilliant source of vegetarian good quality protein (100 grams delivers close to 20 grams of protein). Has a lot of fibre (close to 22 grams), most of which is insoluble fibre, which is great for our gut and helps cleanse out the stomach and detox the body. It is a wonder food for those who are suffering from gas, acidity and constipation too.
Amla: Vitamin C is our best bet to boost the immunity and keep flu, cold and a myriad of other viruses at bay. And Amla (Indian berry) is the most concentrated plant source of Vitamin C. This makes it a potent antioxidant food and a great immunity booster, besides helping improve absorption of iron and calcium from food. Amla also packs in a trace mineral chromium that has a therapeutic value for diabetics as it helps in boosting the secretion of insulin and thus keeps fasting blood sugar levels in check and is a liver detoxer too
By Kavita Devgan
GREENS CAN HELP CONTROL BODY ODOUR
In simple terms, body odour is the smell your body exudes when sweat comes in contact with the bacteria. The odour is not a result of just sweat but the bacteria that causes the sweat to smell. The most common affected areas are the armpits, groin, and pubic areas.
While body odour is common in most people and the extent of the odour depends from person to person, an individual may be more prone to body odour if they are overweight, eat certain types of foods, have certain prior health conditions or are under stress.
There are many factors that cause our body to smell and according to Soumita Biswas, Chief Nutritionist, Aster RV Hospital, “Various factors like diet, sex, health, and medication contribute to body odour but the major contribution comes from bacterial activity on skin and gland secretions. There are three types of sweat glands present in the human body namely sebaceous glands, eccrine sweat glands and apocrine sweat glands. Body odour typically results from the apocrine sweat glands from which most chemical compounds are secreted that the microbiota presents on the skin further processes into the substances that cause odour. Certain areas are more prone to this process, such as the underarm area, the navel area, the neck, the genitals and behind the ears. Largely the armpits are an area of concern in comparison to any other part of the body.”
How does diet play a role in body odour?
“Diet can play a contributing role in body odour. Potent items like chilly, garlic, onion etc. can give a pungent odour to the sweat. A protein-rich diet is also believed to be a cause of body odour. If you are eating high levels of certain foods, foulsmelling compounds they contain may be excreted through your sweat glands to give an unpleasant odour. Those compounds are known as VOCs (volatile organic compounds), and they can produce some particularly pungent sweat, according to a New York-based dermatological study”, Soumita adds, “Increasing intake of certain nutrients helps reduce body odours.
Greens: Spinach, lettuce, kale, arugula and other leafy green vegetables contain high levels of chlorophyll. Odour-inducing components in the body can be easily neutralised by chlorophyll.
Fibre-rich Foods: Food stuff like peas,
lentils, and beans are high in fibre content. Ensure you are eating enough of these as it facilitates digestion. Consequently, any smelly compounds in your food is processed more quickly and less can exit through sweat
consumed in form of fruit or fruit juices for maximum benefit.
Herbal Teas: Herbal teas such as chamomile, green tea and peppermint improve digestion hence preventing unwanted residuals in the gut which cause
Good Mood with Food?
BY DEEVYA GUPTA
We often think of mood as being separate from food, but research shows that what we eat can actually play a big role in how we feel. The gut-brain relationship is a complex one, and it's clear that what we eat can impact our mood and overall health.
Have you ever felt stressed and your stomach turns? Or maybe you've had stomach issues that made you feel anxious or stressed? That's because the gut and brain are connected, and the 'feel good' chemical released in our body is mostly triggered by receptors in our gut.
A diet rich in processed foods can impact the gut bacteria that helps with the release of this important chemical, leading to a range of negative effects on our mood and health. In fact, a diet high in processed foods has been linked to an increased risk of developing conditions like depression, anxiety, bowel conditions, asthma, and diabetes.
So, what can we do to promote gut health and support our mood? Here are a few tips:
* Keep up your fibre intake. Foods high in fibre include fruits and vegetables, especially with the skin on, wholemeal and wholegrain products, and legumes like daals and lentils. Aim for at least 5 serves of vegetables and 2 serves of fruits per day.
* Include probiotic-rich foods like yoghurt and fermented foods in your diet.
* Reduce processed foods like takeaway, fried foods, and foods high in sugar, fat, and salt.
* Increase your water intake and reduce alcohol consumption.
Vitamin D and Mood
Vitamin D has also been shown to play a role in mood regulation. Increasing Vitamin D levels has been linked to reduced rates of depression and improved mood. While Vitamin D is mainly obtained through sunlight, it can also be found in foods like eggs, salmon, and fortified milks and margarine. If you're struggling to get enough Vitamin D, consider talking to your doctor about supplements.
Making Changes
Remember, it's not just about making one change. Improving your mood and overall health
takes time and effort. Focus on making sustainable lifestyle changes, including a balanced diet, regular physical activity, and stress management techniques.
Some high fibre foods to include in your diet are:
* Fruits and vegetables like apples, bananas, carrots, and broccoli
* Wholemeal and wholegrain products like whole wheat bread and brown rice
* Legumes like daals, lentils, and chickpeas
* Nuts and seeds like almonds, chia seeds, and flax seeds
* Other grains like quinoa, barley, and oats
Try incorporating these foods into your meals and snacks to support your gut health and mood.
Incorporating traditional Indian foods like roti made with whole wheat flour, bajra, or jowar, and adding vegetables or daals to your meals can also help increase your fibre intake.
Making small changes to your diet and lifestyle can have a big impact on your overall health and mood. Start with small steps today and see the difference it can make.
Remember that it does not take just one change to see a difference. If you work towards an improved lifestyle with nutrition, physical activity and work towards a reduction of stressful factors, this will assist in seeing long term differences.
(Please note this advice is of a general nature. If you have any concerns or queries you should get tailored advice from an Accredited Practicing Dietitian and always consult with your General Practitioner before making any changes. Feel free to contact us if you require any specific Dietitian advice.)
Mast Mast Machi
Trevally cooked in a mild and flavoursome mustard sauce
Variation:
Serves 2-4
Serve: Garnish:
Ingredients:
1 med size Trevally fish in cutlets
Marinate: Spice:
1/2 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp turmeric powder
1/2 tsp salt
Method:
1 tbsp mustard seeds
3 tbsp oil or mustard oil
1 inch ginger chopped
5 cloves garlic chopped
2-3 green chillies chopped
2 tbsp vinegar
1 tbsp panch phoran (spice blend)
1 onion finely chopped
3/4 tsp turmeric
1 cup coconut milk Salt to taste
1. Marinate the trevally cutlets with salt, red chilli powder and turmeric powder. Mix well and refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Heat 1 tbsp oil or mustard oil in a non stick pan.
3. Stir in the mustard seeds, when it crackles add the chopped ginger, garlic, green chillies and fry lightly.
4. Add vinegar and remove from the heat. Allow to cool a little. Transfer this mixture into a mixer jar and grind to a fine paste.
5. Heat the remaining mustard oil in another non stick pan.
6. Add the panch phoran and chopped onions to the oil and fry until translucent.
7. Stir in the ground paste and mix. Pour in about ½ cup of water, salt and turmeric powder and mix well.
8. Pour in the coconut milk and stir well to mix. Bring to boil and allow to simmer for a few mins until gravy thickens slightly.
9. Meanwhile fry the travelly cutlets until golden in colour.
Drain on paper.
10. Serve on a platter along with the hot gravy and garnish with coriander.
BY MANJIT SETHI
Late-night chocolate cravings?
If you have spent nights eating chocolates or ice cream, then ‘loneliness’ can be the reason behind the binging on sugary items, say researchers. According to the study published in the journal JAMA Network Open, loneliness can cause an extreme desire for sugary foods. To conduct the study, the researchers linked brain chemistry from socially isolated individuals to poor mental health, weight gain, cognitive loss, and chronic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and obesity.
Senior study author Arpana Gupta, an Associate Professor at the University of California, Los Angeles, said that she wanted to observe the brain pathways associated with obesity, depression, and anxiety, as well as binge eating, which is a coping mechanism against loneliness. The study included 93 premenopausal participants, and the results indicated that people who experienced loneliness or isolation had a higher body fat percentage. Moreover, they displayed poor eating behaviours such as food addiction and uncontrolled eating.
Scientists used MRI scans to monitor the participants’ brain activity while they were looking at abstract images of sweet
and savoury foods. The results revealed that individuals who experienced isolation had more activity in certain regions of the brain that are responsible for reacting to sugar cravings. These same participants showed a lower reaction in areas that deal with self-control.
According to Gupta, social isolation can cause food cravings similar to “the cravings for social connections”.
Serve hot with Basmati Rice or Roti
Fresh Coriander Leaves
In step 9 gently add the fish pieces and stir slowly to mix. Cover the pan and cook until the fish is tender.
(IANS)
Mesha (Aries)
This month you should be able to make a great deal of money, since good fortune would bless your financial prospects. First of all, any dispute on litigation that you might be involved in is virtually certain to go in your favour. Not only that, you would stand to gain financially in a big way, from such a decision.
Best days: 3, 12, 30
Lucky Colour: Red, Orange, Cream
Simha (Leo)
The coming month would be hardly conducive to fortunate results in your financial dealings. There is every chance that any litigation or dispute that you might be engaged in would be decided against you. Therefore, you must strive to get the decision deferred to a later and more favourable period.
Best days: 5,3
Lucky Colour: White & Orange
Dhanu (Sagittarius)
The circumstances are not likely to be very favourable for your financial prospects, during the coming month. Practitioners of the fine arts could well draw a blank commercially. It would therefore, be wise to make an allowance for the lean period.Those dealing with government could also face difficulties in realizing dues, and suffer other hurdles and even losses.
Best days: 9, 18
Lucky Colour: Red, Blue
Vrishabh (Taurus)
This month the prospects for your financial affairs are quite bright. Those dealing with Government would stand to gain quite a bit. As would people employed in the steel industry, or trading or dealing in steel goods. There is a distinct possibility that any litigation or dispute that you might be involved in would be decided in your favour.
Best days: 9, 18, 27
Lucky Colour: Green, Blue
Kanya (Virgo)
The stellar influences do not favour your financial prospects this month. Any dispute or litigation is almost certainly going to be decided against you, therefore; work to see that these do not come up for decision during this period.
By D. Narayan (Tantracharya) M: 0425 660 220
Mithuna (Gemini)
This month you not only have excellent prospects of financial gain, but also the chance of making profits by doing good deeds and in the company of learned people of spiritual stature. Any disputes or litigation that you might be involved in would go in your favour. This means that you should manage your affairs in a manner so that any such disputes come up for decision during this period.
Best days: 2, 7, 9
Lucky Colour: Red, White, Yellow
Tula (Libra)
The ensuring month does not augur well for your financial prospects. Any litigation or dispute is bound to be decided against you. Therefore, you should strive to get the decision deferred to a later period. Dealings with government bodies or departments would also be fraught with problems of various kind.
Karkat (Cancer)
The period ahead is not at all favourable for your financial prospects. Any dispute or litigation that you might be involved in would almost certainly go against you. You must, therefore, manage things in a such manner that any such dispute does not come up for decision during this period.
Best days: 9, 18
Lucky Colour: Red, Blue
Vrishchik (Scorpio)
Those dealing with government bodies or departments would have extremely rough sailing and even suffer losses. If dealings can be postponed, do that failing which make whatever allowances you can. Travel, too, would prove unfruitful. In fact, most of you would be unable to realize planned gains.
Best days: 3, 12
Lucky Colour: Orange, Green
Makara (Capricorn)
This month you should have several useful opportunities for advancing your financial prospects. Several opportunities are likely to come your way, which would bring you quick gains. These are not likely to be huge profits but would be middle sized gains. Those engaged in any segment of the transport industry would especially stand to gain.
Best days: 1, 3, 4
Lucky Colour: White, Green, Blue
Best days: 9, 18
Lucky Colour: Red, Blue
Kumbha (Aquarius)
A somewhat trying period ahead of you in so far as your financial prospects are concerned, and the stars are not likely to be very helpful. There would be less self-confidence and courage, which would make you incapable of much initiative. This would be reflected in all your efforts, which will get nowhere near success.
There is a distinct possibility of a serious rift between you and your colleagues. This could become very unpleasant, and therefore, you must work to prevent such an eventuality. You would also work quite hard, but your efforts will not be able to help you in the realization of your objectives. This would naturally make for dissatisfaction at your lot.
Best days: 2, 7, 9
Lucky Colour: Red, Yellow, White
Just Think About It!
BANK RULES
Why is it mandatory in the banks to write on cheques the amount of money in bothwords and figure...
At 4.00 pm, when the bank was closed for the day, the branch manager received a phone call from a woman in a very sweet, melodious voice. From the other end of the phone, the lascivious lady murmured like a fountain falling from a hill, "Sir, I desperately need rupees 2 lakh in cash. I'll get the cheque in ten minutes, will you plz wait for me?"
The branch manager was overwhelmed by the woman's melodious voice. He ordered the cashier to keep the money ready. The cashier got angry with utter annoyance but started getting ready to pay two lakh rupees.
Meanwhile, a huge, ugly-looking woman patted the door of the branch manager's office and said in a melodious voice, "Can I come in, sir?"
For so long, the manager had imagined the face of a beautiful woman...but when he saw this real woman, he became speechless for a while. But he regained his senses quickly and said, "Sorry, madam, the cash is closed today. Come tomorrow."
"You could have said that over the phone!"- the woman walked out of the bank with a bang.
The cashier, who was waiting ready to pay, said angrily to the manager, "If you had not to pay, why did you hold me back?"
The manager said- You also must know the international rule of banks- "If words and FIGURE do not match, payment will be declined."
