Turkey declares 3-month emergency in 10 provinces devastated by earthquakes

Mangaluru, Mar 15: For the first time in the country, a historic decision has been taken in Karnataka to bring higher education textbooks in Kannada at the earliest. Karnataka Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot said that the aim is to speed up the development of the country with the local language. 

Presiding over the 41st convocation of Mangalore University held at Mangala Auditorium on Wednesday, he said that the decision was taken in the meeting of vice chancellors of all the universities, union government officials and education experts on Tuesday. It is the matter of pride that Karnataka is the first state in India to implement National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 which gives priority to education in local language. "The role of the youth is necessary to make ‘Aathma Nirbhara Bharat’ a ‘Vishwa Guru’ once again by strengthening the economy as well. Conservation of our water, air and forest is an urgent need. Being active in public life, we should develop a spirit of caring for one another,” he opined.

Director of National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) Prof. S. C. Sharma, in his convocation address said that the NEP 2020 helps us to rethink the concept of university education. It should increase our multitasking ability. Selfless concern towards the environment should develop within us. It requires humanity and study of liberal arts education. Awareness of our ancient wisdom, richness of our culture, and good aspects of Western culture will help us. Our studies should be practical, connected with the larger outside world, he said.

Mangalore University Vice Chancellor Prof. P Subrahmanya Yadapadithaya welcomed the guests explaining the achievements and goals of the university. Registrar Prof. Kishore Kumar CK, Registrar (Evaluation) Prof. Raju Krishna Chalannavar, University Syndicate Members, Academic Council Members, Deans of various departments, Principals of various colleges and hundreds of dignitaries were present. Dr. Dhananjaya Kumble and Dr. Preethi Keerthi D'Souza mastered the ceremony. 

This time 115 researchers including 7 foreigners were awarded with Ph.D. 55 students awarded with gold medals and 57 with cash prizes. Out of 199 rank holders, 71 first rankers were given certificates by the Governor.  

Indians erupted in celebration on Monday, March 13, after Naatu Naatu, the breakout hit from the action movie RRR, won the Academy Award for best original song, making history as the first movie from the country to win the honour.

The song - a fast-paced number that has found fans all over the world, spawned a TikTok challenge and has millions of views on YouTube - won a standing ovation when it was performed at the 95th Academy Awards on Sunday night.

Indians had won Oscars previously, but no Indian film had won an Academy Award before Sunday night in Los Angles. RRR and The Elephant Whisperers, which won best documentary short film, gave the country two Oscar-winning films in one night.

"No words can describe this surreal moment. Dedicating this to all our amazing fans across the world. THANK YOU!!," the Twitter account for RRR posted.

Television showed images of people dancing to the song in the streets, minutes after the award was announced, even as #NaatuNaatu was a top trend on Twitter.

"The popularity of Naatu Naatu is global. It will be a song that will be remembered for years to come," Prime Minister Narendra Modi posted on Twitter, congratulating the team behind the song.

"Entire India is proud. They have brought India to the world stage," singer Prudhvi Chandra, one of the singers of Naatu Naatu, told the India Today.

In the Telugu film directed by S.S. Rajamouli, Naatu Naatu begins when the two leads, played by Ram Charan and N.T. Rama Rao Jr., flaunt their dance skills after being bullied as the only Indian people invited to a British party in colonial times.

When a young British man aims racist insults at the leads, they decide to educate him using the song Naatu Naatu.

During the scene, which was filmed at Ukraine’s grand Mariinskyi Palace, everyone at the party, including the scoffing British man, tries to master the moves.

At the Oscars, composer M.M. Keeravani burst into song while accepting the award on stage, along with songwriter Chandrabose.

"I feel this is about just the beginning of everything so that the world -- particularly the Western World -- focuses more on Indian music and Asian music, which is long due," Keeravani said backstage after winning the award.

The Elephant Whisperers is about a couple in South India who adopt a baby elephant and care for him.

New York: The Yemeni government and the Houthis have agreed to release 887 detainees, following 10 days of negotiations in Geneva, the UN and the International Committee of the Red Cross said.

They added that both sides have also agreed to visit each other’s detention facilities, grant the delegations full access to all detainees during those visits, and to meet again in May to discuss further prisoner swaps.

Hans Grundberg, the UN’s special envoy for Yemen, described the deal as one more reason to believe things are moving “in the right direction” toward a resolution of a conflict that has ravaged the country for more than eight years and caused one of the biggest humanitarian crises in the world.

“For hundreds of Yemeni families, today is a good day,” said Grundberg. “Unfortunately, Yemen doesn’t experience as many good days as it deserves. So, I warmly congratulate all involved for this achievement. Today, hundreds of Yemeni families can look forward to reuniting with their loved ones.

“But it is important to remember that when the parties committed to the Detainees’ Exchange Agreement they made a promise, not just to each other, but to thousands of Yemeni families who have been living with the pain of separation from those dearest to them for far too long.”

Referring to the announcement on March 10 of the resumption of diplomatic ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran, Grundberg added that he senses there is now “a willingness to engage in a positive direction on trying to come to a settlement on the conflict in Yemen.”

During a UN Security Council meeting last week, Grundberg welcomed the agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran and said the region was witnessing a “step change in the scope and depth” of talks to end the long-running conflict in Yemen.

At the same time, he urged all those involved in the conflict to seize the opportunity offered by this “renewed regional diplomatic momentum” and take “decisive steps toward a more peaceful future.”

On Monday, he said a “comprehensive and sustainable end to the conflict is necessary if Yemen is to recover from the devastating toll the eight-year conflict has had on its men and women.”

According to a message posted on Twitter by the head of the Houthis’ prisoner affairs committee, Abdul Qader Al-Murtada, and the militia’s chief negotiator, Mohammed Abdulsalam, the Houthis have agreed to release 181 detainees, including 15 Saudis and three Sudanese nationals, in exchange for 706 prisoners held by the Yemeni government. The exchange will take place in three weeks, they added.

“It’s an expression of hope, it’s an expression of humanity and it indicates the way ahead for all parties to the conflict,” said Fabrizio Carboni, the International Committee of the Red Cross’s regional director for the Middle East, who was sitting between representatives of the two delegations on Monday.

The talks, which took place near the Swiss capital, Bern, were the latest in a series of meetings under the UN-brokered Stockholm Agreement, which previously led to the release of prisoners in 2020 and 2022.

Grundberg thanked the Swiss government for hosting the negotiations, and Jordan for hosting a number meetings of the supervisory committee.