Justin Thomas with big drives and a few big putts takes 1-shot lead over Scheffler in the Bahamas
Former prime minister Manmohan Singh passed away at the age of 92 in Delhi on Thursday after being admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) due to breathing difficulties. He breathed his last at 9:51 pm. Donning many hats in his lifespan, Mr Singh is widely regarded as a true statesman in India. New Delhi: Former prime minister Manmohan Singh passed away at the age of 92 at AIIMS Delhi on Thursday evening. Mr Singh was rushed to the hospital’s emergency ward and admitted to the ICU after facing difficulty in breathing due to a lung infection. A stalwart of Indian politics and governance, Manmohan Singh leaves behind a legacy of statesmanship and reforms he brought from 1991 to 1996 as the Finance Minister that ushered in a new era of liberal Indian economy. Rightly acclaimed as a thinker and a scholar. He is well regarded for his diligence and his academic approach to work, as well as his accessibility and his unassuming demeanour. He served as India’s fourteenth prime minister from 2004 to 2014 during the UPA regime. Manmohan Singh’s life journey and role in Indian governance Manmohan Singh was born on September 26, 1932, in a village in Punjab province, undivided India. He completed his Matriculation from Punjab University in 1948. His academic journey led him to the University of Cambridge in the UK, where he earned a First Class Honours degree in Economics in 1957. In 1962, Dr. Singh obtained a D. Phil in Economics from Nuffield College, Oxford. His book, India’s Export Trends and Prospects for Self-Sustained Growth (Clarendon Press, Oxford, 1964), was an early critique of India’s inward-looking trade policies. Dr. Singh’s academic credentials were further strengthened by his tenure on the faculties of Punjab University and the Delhi School of Economics. During this time, he also briefly worked at the UNCTAD Secretariat. This experience paved the way for his appointment as Secretary General of the South Commission in Geneva from 1987 to 1990. Reforming Indian economy In 1971, Manmohan Singh joined the Government of India as Economic Advisor in the Commerce Ministry, followed by his appointment as Chief Economic Advisor in the Ministry of Finance in 1972. Over the years, he held several key positions, including Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, Advisor to the Prime Minister, and Chairman of the University Grants Commission. A defining chapter in India’s economic history unfolded during Dr. Singh’s tenure as Finance Minister from 1991 to 1996. His leadership was pivotal in implementing comprehensive economic reforms, a move now recognised globally. For many, that transformative period in India is closely linked to Dr. Singh’s vision and leadership. Honours conferred to Manmohan Singh Among the many awards and honours conferred upon Dr. Singh in his public career, the most prominent are India’s second highest civilian honour, the Padma Vibhushan (1987); the Jawaharlal Nehru Birth Centenary Award of the Indian Science Congress (1995); the Asia Money Award for Finance Minister of the Year (1993 and 1994); the Euro Money Award for Finance Minister of the Year (1993), the Adam Smith Prize of the University of Cambridge (1956); and the Wright’s Prize for Distinguished Performance at St. John’s College in Cambridge (1955). Dr. Singh has also been honoured by a number of other associations including the Japanese Nihon Keizai Shimbun. Dr. Singh is a recipient of honorary degrees from many universities including the Universities of Cambridge and Oxford. Dr. Manmohan Singh has represented India at numerous international conferences and organisations. In 1993, he led Indian delegations to the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in Cyprus and the World Conference on Human Rights in Vienna. Throughout his political career, Dr. Singh has been a Member of the Rajya Sabha (India’s Upper House of Parliament) since 1991. He served as Leader of the Opposition from 1998 to 2004. Following the 2004 general elections, Singh was sworn in as Prime Minister on 22nd May, a role he resumed for a second term on 22nd May 2009. Mr Singh is survived by his wife Gursharan Kaur and their three daughters. Click for more latest India news . Also get top headlines and latest news from India and around the world at News9. Ashish Verma is a digital media journalist with a career spanning over a decade in the industry. He writes on all things breaking, politics, crime and global affairs while striving to eye the details to put out informative and factually correct copies. When not in the newsroom, Ashish spends his time watching Marvel movies, cooking, checking out sneakers, and catching up on what Elon Musk is up to. Latest NewsCATL forms partnerships with automakers such as Vinfast, BAIC, and Neta to develop models based on this chassis China’s CATL, the world’s largest electric vehicle (EV) battery maker, on Tuesday unveiled a new chassis for EVs that integrates the battery directly into the vehicle frame. The company claims the chassis can withstand a frontal impact at 120 km/h without the battery catching fire or exploding. The chassis, called “panshi” or “bedrock,” supports EVs with a range of approximately 1,000 km on a single charge. CATL stated the platform could reduce vehicle development cycles to 12-18 months from the traditional 36 months or longer. CATL announced that Avatr, co-owned by CATL, Changan Auto, and Huawei, will be the first automaker to use the new chassis. The company did not specify when models using the platform would be launched. The chassis architecture, also known as a skateboard chassis, integrates electric motors, batteries, controls, and suspensions. CATL stated that the platform enables decoupled development of upper and lower car bodies, allowing compatibility with a wide range of vehicle types. CATL has formed partnerships with automakers such as Vinfast, BAIC, and Neta to develop models based on this chassis. The company also revealed that it has demonstrated the panshi technology to Porsche and investors in the UAE as part of efforts to expand its market reach. The company said the panshi chassis could reduce the development cost of a new EV from billions of dollars to $10 million. It added that this could make EV production viable for smaller companies by achieving profitability with lower production volumes. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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The Golden State Warriors announced that the MRI on Draymond Green's left calf came back clean, meaning he's avoided serious injury, though he will not be available for Thursday's matchup against the Houston Rockets. Green previously missed Tuesday's 119-115 loss to the Denver Nuggets in NBA Cup play due to left calf soreness. The Warriors nonetheless advanced to the Cup quarterfinals. Green had previously expressed concern regarding the tightening of his calf, given that he had similar tightening symptoms in his left glute back in 2022 before he was forced to miss three months with herniated discs : Superstar guard Stephen Curry will also miss Thursday night's game due to bilateral knee injury management, the second time in four games he'll be sitting with that injury designation. Curry told reporters on Wednesday he isn't concerned but that it has the potential to become a "nagging" injury if not handled correctly. He added that he doesn't know if he'll miss future games for precautionary reasons due to the issue. "This is what it's going to be for our team at this point, and Draymond and Steph's respective careers," head coach Steve Kerr told reporters on Monday. "So we've got to try to keep their minutes down as best we can. We've got to try to keep them healthy by being proactive. If they're dealing with nagging injuries like Steph's knees last week, like Draymond's calf now—we got to manage it all for sure." Green, 34, has averaged 8.8 points, 6.3 rebounds and 5.9 assists across 19 games, shooting 43.3 percent from the field and 40.3 percent from three. The Warriors are outscoring opponents by 9.5 points per 100 possessions with Green on the court this season, per NBA.com , but are being outscored by 0.2 points per 100 possessions without him. The Warriors will be more than a little happy his injury isn't serious. The team is currently mired in a five-game losing streak after a promising—and surprising—12-3 start to the 2024-25 season.KYIV, Ukraine — NATO and Ukraine will hold emergency talks Tuesday after Russia attacked a central city with an experimental, hypersonic ballistic missile. escalating the nearly 33-month-old war. The conflict is “entering a decisive phase,” Poland’s Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Friday, and “taking on very dramatic dimensions.” Ukraine’s parliament canceled a session as security was tightened following Thursday’s Russian strike on a military facility in the city of Dnipro. In a stark warning to the West, President Vladimir Putin said in a nationally televised speech the attack with the intermediate-range Oreshnik missile was in retaliation for Kyiv’s use of U.S. and British longer-range missiles capable of striking deeper into Russian territory. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks Friday during a meeting with the leadership of the Russian Ministry of Defense, representatives of the military-industrial complex and developers of missile systems at the Kremlin in Moscow. Putin said Western air defense systems would be powerless to stop the new missile. Ukrainian military officials said the missile that hit Dnipro reached a speed of Mach 11 and carried six nonnuclear warheads, each releasing six submunitions. Speaking Friday to military and weapons industries officials, Putin said Russia will launch production of the Oreshnik. “No one in the world has such weapons,” he said. “Sooner or later, other leading countries will also get them. We are aware that they are under development. “We have this system now,” he added. “And this is important.” Putin said that while it isn’t an intercontinental missile, it’s so powerful that the use of several of them fitted with conventional warheads in one attack could be as devastating as a strike with strategic — or nuclear — weapons. Gen. Sergei Karakayev, head of Russia’s Strategic Missile Forces, said the Oreshnik could reach targets across Europe and be fitted with nuclear or conventional warheads, echoing Putin’s claim that even with conventional warheads, “the massive use of the weapon would be comparable in effect to the use of nuclear weapons.” In this photo taken from a video released Friday, a Russian serviceman operates at an undisclosed location in Ukraine. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov kept up Russia's bellicose tone on Friday, blaming “the reckless decisions and actions of Western countries” in supplying weapons to Ukraine to strike Russia. "The Russian side has clearly demonstrated its capabilities, and the contours of further retaliatory actions in the event that our concerns were not taken into account have also been quite clearly outlined," he said. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, widely seen as having the warmest relations with the Kremlin in the European Union, echoed Moscow’s talking points, suggesting the use of U.S.-supplied weapons in Ukraine likely requires direct American involvement. “These are rockets that are fired and then guided to a target via an electronic system, which requires the world’s most advanced technology and satellite communications capability,” Orbán said on state radio. “There is a strong assumption ... that these missiles cannot be guided without the assistance of American personnel.” Orbán cautioned against underestimating Russia’s responses, emphasizing that the country’s recent modifications to its nuclear deployment doctrine should not be dismissed as a “bluff.” “It’s not a trick ... there will be consequences,” he said. Czech Republic's Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky speaks to journalists Friday during a joint news conference with Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriiy Sybiha in Kyiv, Ukraine. Separately in Kyiv, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský called Thursday’s missile strike an “escalatory step and an attempt of the Russian dictator to scare the population of Ukraine and to scare the population of Europe.” At a news conference with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha, Lipavský also expressed his full support for delivering the necessary additional air defense systems to protect Ukrainian civilians from the “heinous attacks.” He said the Czech Republic will impose no limits on the use of its weapons and equipment given to Ukraine. Three lawmakers from Ukraine's parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, confirmed that Friday's previously scheduled session was called off due to the ongoing threat of Russian missiles targeting government buildings in central Kyiv. In addition, there also was a recommendation to limit the work of all commercial offices and nongovernmental organizations "in that perimeter, and local residents were warned of the increased threat,” said lawmaker Mykyta Poturaiev, who said it's not the first time such a threat has been received. Ukraine’s Main Intelligence Directorate said the Oreshnik missile was fired from the Kapustin Yar 4th Missile Test Range in Russia’s Astrakhan region and flew 15 minutes before striking Dnipro. Test launches of a similar missile were conducted in October 2023 and June 2024, the directorate said. The Pentagon confirmed the missile was a new, experimental type of intermediate-range missile based on its RS-26 Rubezh intercontinental ballistic missile. Thursday's attack struck the Pivdenmash plant that built ICBMs when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. The military facility is located about 4 miles southwest of the center of Dnipro, a city of about 1 million that is Ukraine’s fourth-largest and a key hub for military supplies and humanitarian aid, and is home to one of the country’s largest hospitals for treating wounded soldiers from the front before their transfer to Kyiv or abroad. We're all going to die someday. Still, how it happens—and when—can point to a historical moment defined by the scientific advancements and public health programs available at the time to contain disease and prevent accidents. In the early 1900s, America's efforts to improve sanitation, hygiene, and routine vaccinations were still in their infancy. Maternal and infant mortality rates were high, as were contagious diseases that spread between people and animals. Combined with the devastation of two World Wars—and the Spanish Flu pandemic in between—the leading causes of death changed significantly after this period. So, too, did the way we diagnose and control the spread of disease. Starting with reforms as part of Roosevelt's New Deal in the 1930s, massive-scale, federal interventions in the U.S. eventually helped stave off disease transmission. It took comprehensive government programs and the establishment of state and local health agencies to educate the public on preventing disease transmission. Seemingly simple behavioral shifts, such as handwashing, were critical in thwarting the spread of germs, much like discoveries in medicine, such as vaccines, and increased access to deliver them across geographies. Over the course of the 20th century, life expectancy increased by 56% and is estimated to keep increasing slightly, according to an annual summary of vital statistics published by the American Academy of Pediatrics in 2000. Death Records examined data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to see how the leading causes of death in America have evolved over time and to pinpoint how some major mortality trends have dropped off. According to a report published in the journal Annual Review of Public Health in 2000, pneumonia was the leading cause of death in the early 1900s, accounting for nearly 1 in 4 deaths. By the time World War I ended in 1918, during which people and animals were housed together for long periods, a new virus emerged: the Spanish Flu. Originating in a bird before spreading to humans, the virus killed 10 times as many Americans as the war. Many died of secondary pneumonia after the initial infection. Pneumonia deaths eventually plummeted throughout the century, partly prevented by increased flu vaccine uptake rates in high-risk groups, particularly older people. Per the CDC, tuberculosis was a close second leading cause of death, killing 194 of every 10,000 people in 1900, mainly concentrated in dense urban areas where the infection could more easily spread. Eventually, public health interventions led to drastic declines in mortality from the disease, such as public education, reducing crowded housing, quarantining people with active disease, improving hygiene, and using antibiotics. Once the death rates lagged, so did the public health infrastructure built to control the disease, leading to a resurgence in the mid-1980s. Diarrhea was the third leading cause of death in 1900, surging every summer among children before the impacts of the pathogen died out in 1930. Adopting water filtration, better nutrition, and improved refrigeration were all associated with its decline. In the 1940s and 1950s, polio outbreaks killed or paralyzed upward of half a million people worldwide every year. Even at its peak, polio wasn't a leading cause of death, it was a much-feared one, particularly among parents of young children, some of whom kept them from crowded public places and interacting with other children. By 1955, when Jonah Salk discovered the polio vaccine, the U.S. had ended the "golden age of medicine." During this period, the causes of mortality shifted dramatically as scientists worldwide began to collaborate on infectious disease control, surgical techniques, vaccines, and other drugs. From the 1950s onward, once quick-spreading deadly contagions weren't prematurely killing American residents en masse, scientists also began to understand better how to diagnose and treat these diseases. As a result, Americans were living longer lives and instead succumbing to noncommunicable diseases, or NCDs. The risk of chronic diseases increased with age and, in some cases, was exacerbated by unhealthy lifestyles. Cancer and heart disease shot up across the century, increasing 90-fold from 1900 to 1998, according to CDC data. Following the post-Spanish Flu years, heart disease killed more Americans than any other cause, peaking in the 1960s and contributing to 1 in 3 deaths. Cigarette smoking rates peaked at the same time, a major risk factor for heart disease. Obesity rates also rose, creating another risk factor for heart disease and many types of cancers. This coincides with the introduction of ultra-processed foods into diets, which plays a more significant role in larger waistlines than the increasing predominance of sedentary work and lifestyles. In the early 1970s, deaths from heart disease began to fall as more Americans prevented and managed their risk factors, like quitting smoking or taking blood pressure medicine. However, the disease remains the biggest killer of Americans. Cancer remains the second leading cause of death and rates still indicate an upward trajectory over time. Only a few types of cancer are detected early by screening, and some treatments for aggressive cancers like glioblastoma—the most common type of brain cancer—have also stalled, unable to improve prognosis much over time. In recent years, early-onset cancers, those diagnosed before age 50 or sometimes even earlier, have seen a drastic rise among younger Americans. While highly processed foods and sedentary lifestyles may contribute to rising rates, a spike in cancer rates among otherwise healthy young individuals has baffled some medical professionals. This follows the COVID-19 pandemic that began in 2020. At its peak, high transmission rates made the virus the third leading cause of death in America. It's often compared to the Spanish Flu of 1918, though COVID-19 had a far larger global impact, spurring international collaborations among scientists who developed a vaccine in an unprecedented time. Public policy around issues of safety and access also influences causes of death, particularly—and tragically—among young Americans. Gun control measures in the U.S. are far less stringent than in peer nations; compared to other nations, however, the U.S. leads in gun violence. Firearms are the leading cause of death for children and teens (around 2 in 3 are homicides, and 1 in 3 are suicides), and deaths from opioids remain a leading cause of death among younger people. Globally, the leading causes of death mirror differences in social and geographic factors. NCDs are primarily associated with socio-economic status and comprise 7 out of 10 leading causes of death, 85% of those occurring in low- and middle-income countries, according to the World Health Organization. However, one of the best health measures is life expectancy at birth. People in the U.S. have been living longer lives since 2000, except for a slight dip in longevity due to COVID-19. According to the most recent CDC estimates, Americans' life expectancy is 77.5 years on average and is expected to increase slightly in the coming decades. Story editing by Alizah Salario. Additional editing by Kelly Glass. Copy editing by Paris Close. Photo selection by Lacy Kerrick. This story originally appeared on Death Records and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio. Get local news delivered to your inbox!NEW YORK — The rumbling buses echoed for blocks on the quiet campus at Fordham University. Nebraska’s sprawling football operation had arrived. This isn’t the typical home team, the FCS-level Rams that just completed a 2-10 season. The Huskers took the practice field on a cold and sunny Thursday afternoon flanked by social-media cameras and a host of staffers. A post-practice grab-and-go buffet line greeted players afterward as they headed the few miles back toward downtown Manhattan and an evening at a high-profile ping-pong club. “Just looking around, spending time with each other,” freshman linebacker Vincent Shavers said of more time in New York City. “I ain’t never did this before with no other team so I’m very happy. I’m grateful for them.” Jay-Z’s “Empire State of Mind” played on the sound system as Nebraska went through workouts two days before the Pinstripe Bowl. The Huskers practiced at Joe Moglia Field — Moglia, a Fordham alumnus, was once the executive advisor to former NU coach Bo Pelini in 2009 and 2010 — on an artificial surface shared also by the Fordham soccer and baseball teams. Baseball’s press box named after another famous graduate, Vin Scully, was only yards away as the visiting Big Ten team went through drills. The gated campus — just a couple blocks away from bustling neighborhood streets in the Bronx — was covered with small piles of snow scattered throughout. Temperatures in the sun felt perhaps in the mid-40s while shady conditions felt closer to 20. New Nebraska assistant coaches Daikiel Shorts (receivers) and Phil Simpson (outside linebackers) spoke with a smattering of reporters afterward along with a few players. Coach Matt Rhule will talk midday Friday as part of a Pinstripe availability before kickoff Saturday at noon eastern time. Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Why Gen Z is sparking a digital camera renaissance
The recently concluded 2024 State Literary Festival, held at Temple Trees, stood as a resplendent testament to our literary and cultural vibrancy. With origins tracing back to 1957, this annual celebration is orchestrated by the Department of Cultural Affairs. Kumuduni Haputhanthri receives the Award for publishing the highest number of award-winning books on behalf of Sarasavi Bookshop The State Literary Festival is a platform to acknowledge excellence in Sinhala, Tamil, and English literature. The festival has continued to laud the written word in its capacity to promote understanding, empathy, and hence social progress. The event brings together wordsmiths to celebrate the power of literature. The awardees receive a trophy, a certificate, and a cash prize. The nominees are presented with a certificate complemented by a cash prize—a practice initiated at last year’s festival. Emphasising the role of literature in rebuilding society. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake, in his message to the festival, noted how literature has historically served as a purpose of hope during global crises: “History has shown that even in the greatest global crises, creative literature has reignited hope, inspiring people to pursue life with renewed purpose. As we navigate the path of national recovery and social reconstruction, the role of literature and its creators is pivotal in shaping our collective future. Professor Jinadasa Danansuriya receives the Sahitya Ratna Award for Sinhala category (Pictures by Dushmantha Mayadunne) We are facing a society full of distress—a society that ignores others. We must create a human habitation that can bear ethnic diversity and appreciates the beauty of diversity regardless of caste and religion. Doesn’t the declined appreciation of art meet us again in society as violence? The various characters, behaviours, imaginations, and cultural contacts found in a work of literature expand our imagination. A century’s worth of life experience can be gained through the study of literature.” Prime Minister Dr Harini Amarasuriya delivered a message about the arts’ declining status in society due to decades of underfunding. She calls for a paradigm shift to advance cultural engagement from an early age: “A society distant from literature, music, and art is in front of us because of the low funds allocated to cultural life by those who led the country. This must first be accurately identified, weighed, and prioritised. An emotional citizen who emerges as a part of the education system of the country should be created. Annalakshmi Rajadurai receives the Sahitya Ratna Award for Tamil category It should be systematically developed from early childhood. Only half of our tree of life is completed by technology, science, or an industrial approach. Its other part represents aesthetically oriented thoughts, a heart filled with human dignity. This is generated by literature. We are facing a society full of distress—a society that ignores others. We must create a human habitation that can bear ethnic diversity and appreciates the beauty of diversity regardless of caste and religion. Doesn’t the declined appreciation of art meet us again in society as violence? The various characters, behaviour, imaginations, and cultural contacts found in a work of literature expand our imagination. A century’s worth of life experience can be gained through the study of literature.” Cultural Affairs Minister Dr. Hiniduma Sunil Senevi elaborated on literature’s role in advancing empathy and reducing societal conflict: Vihanga Perera receives the award for the Best Original Novel in English “The State Literary Festival means to offer the gratitude of the state to the literati of the country. If they did not have this incredible imagination potential, any group that is in power at this moment has to accept a weak community. We should have the ability to understand and share another person’s feelings. Unhappiness, violence, and conflict are inevitable in a society of unsympathetic people The progress achieved by art in a country is not the same as the progress measured in number or indicators measured by ‘development projects’ Any country is immeasurably indebted to literature.” Sahitya Rathna Award A highlight of the festival is the presentation of the Sahitya Rathna Awards, which honour lifetime contributions to literature. This year’s laureates—Prof. Jinadasa Danansuriya, Annalakshmi Rajadurai, and Professor Emeritus Senath Walter Perera—do proclaim the noble power of literary pursuits, transcending the bounds of Sinhala, Tamil, and English tongues. Born in 1945 in Dambadeniya, Prof. Danansuriya has had a remarkable career as a scholar, critic, and translator in Sinhala literature. A graduate of the University of Vidyalankara, he served in academia for over four decades, contributing significantly to literary criticism and translation studies. Prof. Walter Perera receives the Sahitya Ratna Award for English category Among his notable works are Sahithya Vesmuhunu (1978), Vichaara Satahan (1995), and Kalaathmaka Parikalpanaya (2005). His translations, including Hirakaruva Bahdakkemu (1974) and Ithala Janakantha (2009), have introduced Sri Lankan readers to global literary traditions. Recognised with numerous accolades, including the Pranaama Award (1996) and Kalabooshaana State Award (2021), Prof. Danansuriya continues to contribute to the field of children’s literature. Annalakshmi Rajadurai, born in 1939 in Jaffna, made history as the first woman to receive the Sahitya Rathna Award. A literary icon in Tamil literature, she has blended journalism, poetry, and fiction throughout her career. Her editorial roles in Jhothi and Mithran revolutionised Tamil media, while her works, including Vilichudar (1970) and Neruppu Velichcham (1984), explore themes of unity and resilience. Ethnic harmony Her contributions to ethnic harmony are notable in her translations under the title Uru Thai Makkal, which aim to bridge communal divides. She has won awards such as the Tamil Nithi Award (2023) and the Sri Lanka-London Tamil Literary Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award (2019). Prof. Emeritus Senath Walter Pereradedicated over 40 years to teaching and promoting postcolonial and Sri Lankan writing. His tenure at the University of Peradeniya saw the creation of ground breaking courses that introduced students to the richness of local English literature. In addition to his academic work, Professor Perera’s contributions to literary journals such as Phoenix and The Journal of Commonwealth Literature have brought international attention to Sri Lankan writers. His mentorship roles with The Gratiaen Trust and involvement with the Commonwealth Writers Prize highlight his commitment to promoting local voices on a global stage. The festival celebrates contemporary authors, translators, and critics across 25 categories. Key awardees in English medium include Vihanga Perera (Best Original Novel: Students and Rebels), Sajida Fazal (Best Original Children’s Literature: Collin and the Caterpillar), A.A. Moses (Best Original Youth Literature: Anya: The Spirit of Yala), Shirani Rajapaksha (Best Original Short Story Collection: Offerings to the Blue God) and Gayathri M. Hewagama (Best Original Poetry Collection: Amber Lights). Other notable winners included The Petition by Leel Gunasekara for Best Translated Novel and Beyond Check-Points by Duleep De Chickera for Original Text on Varied Subjects. The Daily News Associate Features Editor Sachitra Mahendra has been nominated for the Best Translated Novel award at the State Literary Awards 2024 for his English translation of Dr. Palitha Ganewatta’s Sinhala novel ‘Mawatha Abiyasa’, titled ‘Road Ahead’. The festival’s credibility rests on its rigorous evaluation process. Books published between January 1 and December 31 of the previous year are collected and registered with the Department of National Archives. Categories span 25 subject areas, covering original and translated works in prose, poetry, drama, children’s literature, and academic texts. Each submission undergoes an assessment by a panel of experts.
AP News Summary at 12:33 p.m. EST
Argentina’s Supreme Court on Thursday ordered former president Cristina Fernández de Kirchner and several other defendants to stand trial for signing its controversial 1994 memorandum of understanding with Iran over the 1994 terrorist car-bombing of the AMIA Jewish community centre. The ruling was reached after the court rejected all defence appeals, court sources informed. The decision means the nation’s top tribunal has endorsed a previous ruling of the Federal Criminal Cassation Court, revoking the acquittals of all defendants and ordering a trial in the case opened by the denunciation of the late AMIA special prosecutor Alberto Nisman. Last September the Cassation Court had quashed Fernández de Kirchner’s acquittal in the case investigating allegations the ex-president sought to cover up the AMIA attack. The court ordered her to stand trial, though her defence lawyers appealed that decision to the Supreme Court. Eighty-five people died in the 1994 AMIA bombing, the worst terrorist attack on Argentine soil, and more than 300 were injured. No-one has ever claimed responsibility for the deadly attack but Israel has accused Tehran of sponsoring it, a position Nisman supported. The case began early in 2015 with a denunciation presented by Nisman claiming that the memorandum signed between Argentina and Iran was an attempt to cover up for those accused of the AMIA attack. He based the complaint on an alleged move by Fernández de Kirchner’s government to remove the Interpol red alert notices issued against the suspects. Fernández de Kirchner, 71, was accused of obstructing an investigation into the 1994 bombing, in connection with the controversial deal her administration brokered with Tehran. In 2013, the then-president Fernández de Kirchner had signed a Memorandum with Iran under which local prosecutors could question the suspects outside Argentina. The Jewish community in Argentina expressed outrage and accused Fernández de Kirchner of orchestrating a cover-up. The treaty never entered into force. The accusations related to it were originally lodged by late AMIA special prosecutor Nisman. Just before he was due to testify before Congress about his claims, the prosecutor was found dead with a gunshot to the head. The cause of death – suicide or murder – remains a mystery. In his indictment, Nisman alleged that in signing the Memorandum, the then-president was trying to clear former Iranian officials, who were wanted internationally via Interpol red alert notices, in exchange for commercial benefits. The judges, however, said that a cover-up could not be proven, nor was their evidence that benefits had been exchanged. They added that the Interpol “red alerts were always in force and still are.” In October, 2021, Tribunal Oral Federal No. 8 acquitted all defendants due to the non-existence of a crime. "The Memorandum, over and above whether it may be considered a hit or miss in political terms, does not constitute a crime," ruled the judges Gabriela López Iñiguez, José Michilini and Daniel Obligado at the time. Their decision was appealed by members of the DAIA Jewish community organisation and the relatives of AMIA victims. -TIMES/AFP/NA Ads Space Ads Space
Pride, bragging rights and more than $115M at stake when final college playoff rankings come outSouth Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has staggered from scandal to crisis but he surprised everyone this week by declaring martial law -- only then to survive an impeachment vote. The plunge back to South Korea's dark days of military rule only lasted a few hours, and after a night of protests and high drama Yoon was forced into a U-turn in the early hours of Wednesday. But polls show a huge majority of citizens want him out and lawmakers voted Saturday on an impeachment motion brought by the opposition, who control parliament. But even though only eight of them needed to support the motion for it to pass, all but three MPs from Yoon's People Power Party (PPP) boycotted the vote and it failed. This is despite the PPP's leader Han Dong-hoon -- allegedly on an arrest list the night of the martial law declaration -- saying Yoon's resignation was "inevitable". On Saturday before the vote, Yoon spoke publicly for the first time in days, apologising for the "anxiety and inconvenience" he caused, but stopping short of throwing in the towel. Instead the 63-year-old said he would "entrust the party with measures to stabilise the political situation, including my term in office". Born in Seoul in 1960 months before a military coup, Yoon studied law and went on to become a star public prosecutor and anti-corruption crusader. He played an instrumental role in Park Geun-hye, South Korea's first female president, being convicted of abuse of power, imprisoned and impeached in 2016. As the country's top prosecutor in 2019, he also indicted a top aide of Park's successor, Moon Jae-in, in a fraud and bribery case. The conservative PPP, in opposition at the time, liked what they saw and convinced Yoon to become their presidential candidate. He duly won in March 2022, beating Lee Jae-myung of the Democratic Party, but by the narrowest margin in South Korean history. Yoon was never much loved by the public, especially by women -- he vowed on the campaign trail to abolish the ministry of gender equality -- and scandals have come thick and fast. This included his administration's handling of a 2022 crowd crush during Halloween festivities that killed more than 150 people. Voters have also blamed Yoon's administration for food inflation, a lagging economy and increasing constraints on freedom of speech. He was accused of abusing presidential vetoes, notably to strike down a bill paving the way for a special investigation into alleged stock manipulation by his wife Kim Keon Hee. Yoon suffered further reputational damage last year when his wife was secretly filmed accepting a designer handbag worth $2,000 as a gift. Yoon insisted it would have been rude to refuse. His mother-in-law, Choi Eun-soon, was sentenced to one year in prison for forging financial documents in a real estate deal. She was released in May 2024. Yoon himself was the subject of a petition calling for his impeachment earlier this year, which proved so popular the parliamentary website hosting it experienced delays and crashes. As president, Yoon has maintained a tough stance against nuclear-armed North Korea and bolstered ties with Seoul's traditional ally, the United States. Last year, he sang Don McLean's "American Pie" at the White House, prompting US President Joe Biden to respond: "I had no damn idea you could sing." But his efforts to restore ties with South Korea's former colonial ruler, Japan, did not sit well with many at home. Yoon has been a lame duck president since the opposition Democratic Party won a majority in parliamentary elections this year. They recently slashed Yoon's budget. In his Tuesday night televised address to the nation, Yoon railed against "anti-state elements plundering people's freedom and happiness" and his office has subsequently cast his imposition of martial law as a bid to break through legislative gridlock. But to use his political difficulties as justification for imposing martial law for the first time in South Korea since the 1980s is absurd, an analyst said. "Yoon invoked Article 77 of the South Korean constitution, which allows for proclaiming martial law but is reserved for 'time of war, armed conflict or similar national emergency', none of which appears evident," Bruce Klingner, a senior research fellow at the Heritage Foundation, told AFP. "Yoon's action is a damning reversal to decades of South Korean efforts to put its authoritarian past behind it," he said. burs-stu/ceb/mtp
