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Ankiti Bose, 27 to be the First Indian woman founder-CEO of unicorn

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London– Ankiti Bose is 27, a fashion junkie, and on course to become the first Indian woman to co-found a $1 billion start-up.

In four short years, she has grown her Southeast Asian e-commerce site Zilingo into a global platform with more than 7 million active users. With a rapidly expanding investor following, the start-up’s latest cash injection in February 2019 valued the business at $970 million.

Zilingo has become the most successful new economy venture in the region by Indian entrepreneurs, mopping up $226 million in the latest round from Sequoia Capital, Singapore’s sovereign wealth fund Temasek and Germany’s Burda Principal Investments (announced on Tuesday). The startup has racked up a total $306 million in funding.

 

‘Cross-cultural sensitivity helped me’

Bose, who graduated from St Xavier’s College, Mumbai, with an economics and mathematics degree in 2012, says having empathy and being sensitive when dealing with people across cultures – from techies in Bengaluru to fashion gurus in Singapore to conservative Muslim merchants in Indonesia – has helped her.

Starting up for women entrepreneurs is not easy. Last year, India ranked at 52-just ahead of Iran, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Egypt and Bangladesh-on the 57-country list of Mastercard Index for Women Entrepreneurs. Among other major startup ecosystems, the US is ranked in the top five, while China is in the top 30.

 

The number of women entrepreneurs stood at 14% in 2018, according to a recent survey by Nasscom, up from 10% and 11% in the previous two years, respectively.

 

“Personally, a lot of men have been very helpful to me in my journey. But of course, if you have more women in venture capital and more female entrepreneurs, then things will get a lot better,” said Bose. She says having empathy and being sensitive when dealing with people across cultures-from techies in Bengaluru to fashion gurus in Singapore to conservative Muslim merchants in Indonesia–has helped her.

The US government to conduct antitrust case against Facebook, Google and Amazon

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The US government is to take a fresh look at how the four tech giants Google, Facebook, Apple and Amazon wield their power.

It comes in the wake of criticism about privacy breaches, disinformation and anti-competitive practices.

The House Antitrust Subcommittee will conduct a series of hearings on the growing power of big technology companies, Chairman David Cicilline (D-R.I.) announcedon Monday. It’s the latest sign of growing interest in antitrust action against the largest technology companies—especially Google, Facebook, Amazon, and Apple, ARS Technica reported.

The announcement came shortly after news about a dealbetween the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission, which share responsibility for antitrust enforcement. Under the deal, the Justice Department will focus on investigating Google and Apple, while the FTC will be responsible for Facebook and Amazon. The Justice Department has reportedly begun an investigation of Google; it’s not known if the agencies have begun investigating the other firms.

Facebook, Google, and Amazon stock all saw big declines on Monday.

These companies have become so large that it’s difficult to predict which concerns will ultimately attract the attention of officials in Congress and the executive branch. Facebook runs the world’s largest social network and owns Instagram and WhatsApp. Google dominates the search business and also owns YouTube and Android. Amazon leads in the cloud computing and e-book markets and owns retailers from Whole Foods to Zappos. If a company uses its dominance in one market to prop up its product in another market, that could run afoul of antitrust laws.

 

Indian elections become world’s most expensive, BJP spent close to Rs 27,000 crore

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Elections in the world’s biggest democracy have become the most expensive too.

Spending by political parties and candidates to woo 900 million voters in the just concluded polls cost them nearly Rs 60,000 crore ($8.7 billion), more than double of 2014 polls, according to the New Delhi-based Centre for Media Studies. The report, based on field studies, analysis and estimation, found that they spent Rs 700 per voter or nearly Rs 100 crore in each parliamentary constituency, Bloomberg reported.

With some constituencies comprising as many as three million voters, equivalent to the population of Jamaica, candidates had to spend more for publicity and logistics and in some cases distributed cash for votes, according to the report. India’s poll panel prescribes a seven million-rupee ceiling on spending by a candidate.

About $6.5 billion was spent ‘during the US presidential and congressional races in 2016, according to OpenSecrets.org, which tracks money in American politics.

At this rate, expenditure in the next 2024 general election could cross Rs 1 trillion , said N. Bhaskara Rao, chairman of CMS.

“Mother of all corruption lies in the spiraling election expenditure,’’ said Rao. “If we are not able to address this, we can’t check corruption in India.’’

The Bharatiya Janata Party spent close to Rs 27,000 crore in the recently-concluded Lok Sabha elections, according to a report by the Centre for Media Studies released on Monday. The amount was 45% of the total expenditure of Rs 60,000 crore, which is more than what was spent in 2014. The report has called the 2019 General Elections the “most expensive election ever, anywhere”.

At this rate, expenditure in the 2024 General Elections could cross Rs 1 trillion, said CMS chairperson N Bhaskara Rao, according to Business Standard. “Mother of all corruption lies in the spiralling election expenditure,’’ said Rao. “If we are not able to address this, we can’t check corruption in India. The scale of the expenditure should scare us and compel us to think of taking corrective steps to build a stronger democracy.”

The BJP spent about 20% of the total poll expenditure in 1998, against about 45% in 2019, the report said. The Congress, on the other hand, had spent about 40% of total expenditure in 2009, and this has now gone down to 15%-20%.

The report, based on secondary information, field studies and analysis, calculated that Rs 700 was spent per voter. This came up to nearly Rs 100 crore in each parliamentary constituency. According to the report, around Rs 12,000 crore to Rs 15,000 crore was distributed directly to voters, while Rs 20,000 crore to Rs 25,000 crore was spent on publicity. Logistics accounted for about Rs 5,000 crore, formal expenditure was between Rs 10,000 crore and Rs 12,000 crore, while miscellaneous expenses were about Rs 3,000 crore to Rs 6,000 crore.

The report described the 2019 Lok Sabha polls “a watershed election”. The major source of poll funding is now corporate. “Crowd funding where citizen and community contributes for campaigns is no longer a sought after source,” said the report. From the Scroll.in

Himalayan Travel Mart to be held from June 6 to 9

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Kathmandu, June 3: The third edition of Himalayan Travel Mart is going to be held in Kathmandu from June 6 to 9 with an objective of establishing Nepal as the Himalayan entry point, organisers said.

At a press conference organised here on Monday, Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), Nepal chapter shared that all the preparations of the Mart have been completed. Domestic and foreign tourism entrepreneurs and experts will gather at the Mart.

Around 700 participants from 43 countries will participate in the Mart which is being organised at the Soaltee Crowne Plaza hotel.

The Mart is being organised annually since 2017. Chairperson of PATA Nepal chapter, Sunil Shakya, said the Mart is going to be organised with an objective of establishing Nepal as the Himalayan entry point and a destination of adventure tourism.

PATA Nepal chapter is organising the Mart in collaboration and cooperation of Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Nepal Tourism Board, Nepal Airlines Corporation, PATA and various other national and international organisations associated with tourism.

Anglia Ruskin graduate wins £61K payout over ‘Mickey Mouse’ degree after suing university

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A graduate from Anglia Ruskin (ARU) has won a £61K payout from the university after claiming her first-class degree hasn’t got her a job.

Pok Wong, 30, graduated from ARU with a degree in International Business Strategy Management in 2013 – but sued the university after complaining it ‘fraudulently misrepresented’ the course.

Ms Wong, who claimed her degree was a “Mickey Mouse degree”, felt claims in the university’s prospectus that it was a ‘renowned centre of excellence’ that offered a ‘high quality of teaching’ were untrue.

Anglia Ruskin University, which is based in Cambridge, strongly disputed the allegations but has now agreed to pay her a £15,000 out-of-court settlement plus £46,000 towards her legal fees.

She told The Sunday Telegraph: “The payout means this is a victory for me, despite the university strenuously fighting my case and denying any responsibility.”

 

She added: “In light of this settlement I think universities should be careful about what they say in prospectuses.

“I think they often make promises which they know will never materialise or are simply not true.”

In an interview last year, she said: “Although I graduated with a first-class degree in 2013, it is a Mickey Mouse degree.”

An ARU spokesman, however, said Ms Wong’s lawsuit had never been upheld.

Rather, she was ordered to pay costs to the university after the court ruled against her in 2017 and 2018.

But after the hearing, the insurer’s solicitors offered to settle Ms Wong’s claim against the wishes of the university.

 

A spokesman told Cambridgeshire Live: “Ms Wong’s long-running litigation against the university has been rejected numerous times and has never been upheld.

“Her complaints have also been rejected by the Office of the Independent Adjudicator and by the Information Commissioner’s Office, Cambridge live reported.

Engagement with the Indian government for 5G trials has been “positive”: Huawei

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PTI, NEW DELHI: Chinese telecom gear-maker Huawei on Monday said its engagement with the Indian government for 5G trials has been “positive” and hoped that India will make its “own independent decision” on the issue.

The comments assume significance as the newly-appointed Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad earlier in the day alluded to the contentious issue of whether or not Huawei will be allowed to participate in the upcoming 5G trials saying it is a “complex issue” and will be looked at seriously including security aspects. “I think it’s the right time for DoT to make the decision after almost 6-8 months of very close engagement. They are quite happy and positive in the engagement,” Huawei Telecommunications India CEO Jay Chen said on the sidelines of a COAI panel discussion on 5G.

“US puts a lot of pressure on many governments but I believe Indian government will make their own independent decision”.”They (Indian government) know what’s the right decision, how to make the right decision. I believe the decision (will be) based on level playing field. We are benefit to the industry and the nation, that’s what I believe,” he further said.

Prasad, who assumed charge of the Telecom Ministry Monday, said the Huawei issue will have to be looked into “seriously” including security aspect. “We will take a firm view on it. There are also security issues. It is not only a matter of technology, as regard their participtation in 5G is concerned. Participation of 5G is not conditional upon the trial being started. Whether a particular company is allowed to participate or not, is a complex question including security issues,” Prasad had said.

Last month, the Trump administration had placed Huawei and its affiliates on a blacklist, a move that essentially banned the Chinese telecom equipment company from purchasing parts and components from American firms without the US government approval. The US had subsequently relaxed some of the restrictions, to reduce disruption for its customers.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the COAI event, Vodafone Idea CEO Balesh Sharma said the company is planning to conduct 5G trials with two vendors – Huawei and Ericsson.

Nepal football coach surprised to know his football team are ranked higher than Malaysia

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OKUALA LUMPUR: Nepal coach Johan Kalin found it hard to believe the news — that his team are now ranked higher than Malaysia in the world football rankings, the Star Time reported.

It’s like in the mountain rankings, that Malaysia’s Mount Kinabalu has become taller than Nepal’s Mount Everest.

The truth is in the Fifa rankings, Malaysia (World No 168) are lower than Nepal (World No 161).

Kalin, whose team play Malaysia in a friendly at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil tonight, said he has high respect for Malaysia after hearing many positive things about the M-League, which is obviously much better than Nepal’s domestic league.

“I was a bit surprised when I saw the Fifa rankings. Before I came here, I didn’t look at it (the rankings)

but I know Malaysia has a strong league and I have heard good things about the league,” said Kalin.

He said Malaysia have shown some good results and were impressive against teams like Afghanistan and the Maldives. So for him, Malaysia’s lowly world ranking came as a surprise.

“We hope to get a tough match (against Malaysia) and I think Malaysia are stronger than some people might expect.”

Malaysia coach Tan Cheng Hoe said Nepal have improved over the years and Harimau Malaya need to be wary of them.

First ever Global Indian Business Excellence Awards launched in Parliament to foster stronger UK-India relationship

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London–The number of Indian businesses investing in the UK have grown over the years, including a considerable jump f the previous year, despite Brexit uncertainties. To celebrate this growing UK-India partnership globally, Asian Voice along with WBR Corp launched its first ever Global Indian Business Excellence Awards in Britain’s House of Commons on Thursday 30 May. 

The primary objective of the awards, that are a result of a comprehensive market research study, is to identify and recognise fastest growing organisations and entrepreneurs across a range of industries. The winners have been chosen on the basis of comprehensive profiling and after extensive background check of nominated organisations or individuals. Guests present on the evening included MPs, Peers, leaders of the community and business fraternity.

Some of the key winners of this inaugural awards included technocrat Mr Kapil Jain, Head of Technology and Strategy, Vistara airlines in India. He was awarded for his ‘Leadership and Innovation in IT Consulting and Advisory Services‘. ‘Most Preferred University Providing Global Environment to International Students’ award was given to REVA University in Bangalore. Winner of the ‘Social Change Maker & Educationist of the Year’ category was Dr Cdr Kartikay Saini, an ex-Naval Commander and a well known educationist for more than 30 years. Winners also included some key women, who have revolutionised their respective industries such as Dr Minnie Bodhiwala, CEO of Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children who won the ‘Iconic Business Personality of the Year’. ‘Social Rights Activist and Woman Entrepreneur of the Year’ award was given to Dr Shahnaz Ahmed, Chairperson, Springdale High School. Educationist and Social Worker of the Year was given to Ms Grace Romila of Grace International School. Best Emerging Interior Design Professional of the Year was given to Ms Karishma Kakoti, founder of KA Designs.

Mr CB Patel, Publisher/Editor of Asian Voice, co-host of the awards said, “The mission of these awards is to recognise Indian businesses that have excelled in various fields, and support those who seek to do business in the UK.

“India and UK share a special relationship which dates back several decades and I believe that the years ahead hold much promise for bilateral investment. Our two countries are going through different but significant times. The Indian government led by the dynamism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi is poised for a rock sold and stable 5 year tenure – one that is set to deliver the ambitions of the Indian people and Indian overseas investment. This can only augur well for Indian entrepreneurs who seek to set up shop in the UK.

“The annual ‘India Meets Britain Tracker’ published by business advisory firm Grant Thornton UK LLP and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) reported that the number of Indian companies doing business in Britain has increased from 800 in 2018 to 842 in 2019, with a combined turnover of 48 billion pounds. This is despite the ongoing uncertainties around Brexit. This is a testament to the resilience and entrepreneurial genius of Indian businesses. I am confident that the years ahead will continue to see this upward trend and the UK will continue to be a leading investment destination for Indian investors.”

Mr Sanjay Kumar, from WBR Corp said, “The main aim for organising Global Indian Business Excellence Awards is to create a common platform for Indian and UK entrepreneurs, professionals and like-minded businesses to network and identify potential areas of investment in the UK.

“India has seen a strong leadership under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his recent mandate with a sweeping victory will definitely set India up on an accelerated growth trajectory. Under Mr. Modi’s leadership, Indo-UK relationship has been at an all-time high and I am confident that this will be beneficial for businesses in both countries.”

The awards also saw unveiling of the Forbes India Special magazine viz. ‘Global Indian Brands and Leaders’ with features on some key players from different industries. The Global Indian Business Excellence Awards have tied up with Forbes India and are bringing out a special issue called ‘India Shining’ with features on the winners of this inaugural year. Forbes is a 100-year-old company and is one of the most recognisable amongst business brands. 

LIST OF THE WINNERS OF GLOBAL INDIAN BUSINESS EXCELLENCE AWARDS 

  • Most Preferred University Providing Global Environment to International Students: REVA University
  • Social Change Maker and Educationist of the Year: Dr Cdr Kartikay Saini, Chairman, Scottish High International School, India
  • Corporate Real Estate Services Company of the Year: Vestian
  • Skill Development Training Company of the Year: CADD Centre Training Services Pvt Ltd
  • Iconic Business Personality of the Year: Dr Minnie Bodhanwala, CEO, Bai Jerbai Wadia Hospital for Children
  • Best Startup of the Year: Life Span Pvt Ltd
  • Social Rights Activist and Woman Entrepreneur of the Year: Dr Shahnaz Ahmed, Chairperson, Springdale High School
  • Pathology & Diagnostic Services Company of the Year: Modern Diagnostic & Research Center
  • Fastest Growing Brand in Locks & Hardware: Suzu Steel India
  • Pioneer of Affiliate Marketing in India: Mr L D Sharma, MD & CEO, OMG Network India Pvt Ltd
  • Outstanding Contribution to Beauty and Wellness Sector: Mr Kapil Kumar
  • Most Preferred Travel Solutions Company of the Year: Pushti Tours & Travels
  • Fastest Growing Indian Spirits Company of the Year: Kaya Blenders & Distillers Ltd
  • Outstanding Contribution to Environmental Conservation & Innovative Products: Mr Yatin Gupte, CEO & Founder of Wardwizard Solutions India Pvt Ltd
  • Educationist and Social Worker of the Year: Ms Grace Romila, Grace International School
  • Leadership and Innovation in IT Consulting and Advisory Services: Mr Kapil Jain, Head of Technology and Strategy, Vistara
  • Excellence in Architecture & Design: De Proxemics Design Studio, London
  • Most Promising Company to Invest in Health & Wellness Sector: Life Span Pvt Ltd
  • Best Emerging Interior Design Professional of the Year: Ms Karishma Kakoti, founder K A Designs.

ALIBABA PLANS $20 BILLION IN HONG KONG LISTING, BIGGEST FOLLOW-ON SALE IN 7 YRS

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Hong Kong: Alibaba is considering raising as much as $20 billion through a listing in Hong Kong, people familiar with the matter told Reuters, lining up a second blockbuster deal following its 2014 record $25 billion float in New York.

The deal, the biggest follow-on share sale in seven years globally, would give Alibaba a war chest to keep investing in technology – a priority for China as growth flags and as the world’s second-largest economy faces a mounting trade spat with the United States.

The e-commerce giant is working with financial advisers on the offering and is aiming to file an application confidentially in Hong Kong as early as the second half of 2019, three people said on condition of anonymity as the plans are not public yet.

They cautioned that many details were not clear, including the final planned size. One person with direct knowledge said it was more likely to be between $10 billion and $15 billion.

At $20 billion, Alibaba’s deal would be the sixth-biggest follow-on share sale ever, Refinitiv data shows, ranking behind NTT’s 1987 $36.8 billion sale, crisis era offerings of $24.4 billion and $22.5 billion from the Royal Bank of Scotland and Lloyds Banking Group, as well as the $20.7 billion raised by U.S. insurer AIG in 2012.

A spokesman for Alibaba declined to comment.

SoftBank Group, Alibaba’s largest investor, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Japanese tech investor has a 28.8% stake, worth $115.7 billion, in Alibaba after it sold a small part of its original holding via derivatives to fund its acquisition of chip designer ARM in a transaction that completes next month.

SoftBank founder and CEO Masayoshi Son is a close friend of Alibaba founder Jack Ma.

Added liquidity

Since its U.S. listing, Alibaba has nearly doubled in size to become the largest-listed Chinese company with a market value of more than $400 billion.

A Hong Kong listing would give mainland investors their first direct access to one of China’s biggest success stories, via the stock connect trading link between Hong Kong, Shanghai and Shenzhen.

It would also give the company an extra pocket of liquidity and potentially a better valuation if the household name became a favourite among retail investors in Hong Kong.

A Hong Kong-based analyst said while Alibaba is not in need of cash, the listing could help it improve its access to loans from Asian banks. “It means closer access to Chinese investors, and maybe Chinese investors are more bullish than the global investors in Alibaba,” the analyst added.

Rival Tencent, which is listed in Hong Kong, is trading at 26 times its expected earnings compared with Alibaba’s 22 times in New York, according to Refinitiv data.

A Hong Kong listing for Alibaba would come as its 54-year-old founder prepares to step down as chairman in September, handing over the mantle to CEO Daniel Zhang.

The company is also expanding into new sectors including cloud computing division and Hema, its chain of brick-and-mortar supermarkets as growth in its core e-commerce business slows.

The listing would provide Alibaba with additional capital to fund its new and expensive initiatives, said James Hull, founder of Hullx capital and co-host of the China Tech investor podcast.

“Alibaba has strong and growing free cash flow, but they’re also pursuing cash-hungry new initiatives,” he added.

Homecoming

An Alibaba float would be seen in Hong Kong as a victory, after the city lost the tech giant’s initial public offering to New York because its then rules precluded it accepting Alibaba’s governance structure, where a self-selecting group of senior managers control the majority of board appointments.

Hong Kong amended its rules last year to make it easier for “innovative companies” listed in New York or London to carry out a secondary listing in Hong Kong, as part of a broader shake up of the city’s listing regime.

The new rules allow already-listed companies based in greater China, whose original float was before December 15, 2017, to list in the city even if their current weighted voting rights structures contravene Hong Kong’s rules for primary listings.

Such companies can also apply confidentially for a listing, as Alibaba is expected to do.

Early last year, when Hong Kong was preparing to allow dual-class share listings, Alibaba founder Jack Ma had said that the company would “seriously consider” a listing on its exchange.

So far, no company has used the new secondary listing rules to raise funds in Hong Kong.

A spokesman for HKEX declined to comment on news of Alibaba’s listing plans in Hong Kong.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed

Sri Lanka Muslim ministers resign en masse over Easter bombings

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COLOMBO (AFP) – Sri Lanka’s Muslim ministers resigned en masse Monday (June 3) over widespread hate attacks against their community in the wake of the Easter Sunday bombings that hit the majority Buddhist nation.

Photo : Reuters

The resignation of nine government legislators, several of them cabinet ministers, came after a Buddhist monk lawmaker supporting President Maithripala Sirisena demanded the sacking of three top Muslim politicians.

Demonstrations by several thousand people gripped the central pilgrim city of Kandy as monk Athuraliye Ratana insisted governors of two provinces and a cabinet minister be sacked over their alleged involvement with jihadists responsible for the bombings.

Even as shops and offices were closed in the city 115 kilometres east of Colombo, the two provincial governors stepped down, Sirisena’s office said.

Within hours, the nine legislators, belonging to several Muslim and mainstream parties, resigned saying they were giving up their portfolios to ensure free investigations into the Easter attacks.

The nine included Commerce Minister Rishad Bathiudeen, the cabinet minister whose sacking had been demanded by Ratana.

Muslim leaders said their community – which consists of 10 per cent of Sri Lanka’s 21 million population – had become victims of violence, hate speech and harassment since Islamic extremists were held responsible for the bombings.

Water Supply Minister Rauff Hakeem said Muslims had cooperated with security forces to arrest suspects, but the community faced collective victimisation.

“We want an end to hate speech, an end to the culture of hate and the culture of impunity for those engaging in hate,” Hakeem told reporters shortly after quitting the cabinet.

He said the Muslims were giving up their portfolios in the hope that the authorities will fully investigate the allegations against members of their community within a month.

The ministers who quit Monday will remain loyal to the government of Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe, they said in a joint statement.

DEATH FAST ENDS

Inside Kandy’s famed Temple of the Tooth, where Buddhists believe a tooth of the Buddha is enshrined, prominent monk Ratana ended what he had called a “death fast” since the weekend after the first two resignations.

The monk was taken away in an ambulance for medical treatment. Also present earlier in the day was Galagodaatte Gnanasara, a firebrand monk released from jail on a presidential pardon late last month who has long been accused of instigating hate crimes against Muslims.

Buddhist monks accuse the three Muslim leaders of supporting the Islamic extremists responsible for the April 21 attacks on three churches and three hotels that killed 258 people including 45 foreigners.

The head of the Catholic Church in Colombo, Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith, also travelled to Kandy on Monday to express solidarity with Ratana.

“We support the monk’s campaign because so far justice has not been served,” Ranjith told reporters in Kandy.

Government spokesman and Finance Minister Mangala Samaraweera criticised Ranjith for supporting “communalism”.

“Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith fanning the flames of hatred and communalism by visiting fasting robed MP Ratana. Vatican TAKE NOTE!” Samaraweera said on Twitter.

The government has said nearly 100 people linked to local jihad group, the National Thowheeth Jama’ath (NTJ), have been arrested since the attacks.

In the wake of the bombings, anti-Muslim riots spread in towns north of the capital killing one Muslim man and leaving hundreds of homes, shops and mosques vandalised.

“The demonstrations fizzled out peacefully by afternoon,” a police official told AFP.

Sri Lanka is under a state of emergency since the Easter attacks. Police and troops have been empowered to arrest and detain suspects for long periods.

In March last year, a week of anti-Muslim riots in a suburb of Kandy left three people dead and more than 20 injured.

More than 200 Muslim-owned homes and shops were also destroyed and the government clamped a brief state of emergency in the area to contain the violence.

Nepal government collected Rs 9 million from Yarsha, the Himalayan Viagra pickers

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RARA: Mugum Karmarong Rural Municipality of Mugu district has levied Rs 9 million from the yarsa pickers.

The amount was collected as entry fee in five days alone from May 27.

More than a dozen high lands in Mugu villages of the rural municipality are thronged by the locals to collect the precious herb. Those from within the district were charged Rs 2,000 each while Rs 2,500 was levied each on those from outside.

Yarsagumba is a unique caterpillar-fungus fusion that occurs when parasitic mushroom spores (Ophiocordyceps sinensis) infect and mummify a ghost moth larva living in the soil. A spindly fungus later sprouts from the dead caterpillar host’s head. Two to six centimeters long, the fungus shoots above the soil, acting as a tiny, finger-shaped flag for harvesters to find. This peculiar hybrid is the world’s most expensive biological resource.

Yarsagumba thrives in the picturesque peaks of the Himalayas, at altitudes of between 3000 and 5000 meters, in Nepal, India and Bhutan, and also on the “roof of the world” — the Tibetan Plateau. In Tibet, it’s called “Yartsa gunbu,” which translates to “summer grass winter worm.”

Donald Trump kicks off controversy in his state visit to the UK

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London– US President Donald Trump continues to court controversy in his state visit to the UK.

President Trump and Melania Trump were welcomed by British Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, at the Stansted airport on Monday morning.

But, President Trump had kicked off fresh round of controversy in his tweeter spat with Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan.

“(Khan), who is a stone cold loser should focus on the crime in London, not on me,” President Trump tweeted minutes before Air Force One landed at the airport.

He is believed to be referring to increasing incidences of  knife crime in London.

At least 100 persons—mostly young men—have died in knife attacks in London over the last five months.

Earlier, writing in The Guardian newspaper, Mayor Khan said it is un-British to roll out the red carpet for the US President.

when asked about protests planned during President Trump’s visit, Mayor Khan said, “I support the right for people to protest, especially when the liberty of others is being swept away. Those coming to protest during President Trump’s visit must be lawful, peaceful and safe.”

Even before his visit, President Trump had made his views known regarding internal politics of the UK. In an interview with the British newspaper, The Sun, Mr Trump said former Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson would be the best successor to premier May.

Prime Minister May has said she will resign from the post of president of the ruling Conservative Party on Friday, 7th of June,   

Protests are planned across the UK during the visit, including in London, Manchester, Belfast, and Birmingham.

Mr Trump will meet members of the Royal Family, and is expected to discuss climate change and Chinese technology firm Huawei during talks with outgoing Prime Minister Theresa May, the BBC reported.

 

Although Mr Trump has spoken of his admiration for Mrs May, there is expected to be differences of opinion during their talks, which begin on Tuesday, the report said.

These floating homes will help people in flood-prone South Asian countries

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Nandan Mukherjee, University of Dundee

Around 40% of the global population live in coastal areas less than 100km from the ocean, facing climate challenges such as rising sea levels, heavy rainfall and extreme flooding. This causes loss and damage of US$40 billion annually. According to the UN’s Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction, between 2002 and 2012, 700,000 people died, more than 1.4m were injured and about 23m were made homeless as a result of such disasters

.

In Bangladesh, some 45m people live in areas where extreme cyclones frequently destroy homes and livelihoods. After interviewing a woman there who lost a child in a flood and was then abandoned by her husband, I wanted to address the problem practically. And that is how Dream Homes, the Dundee University project that has just won the UN’s prestigious Risk Award, was born.

In communities that are vulnerable to storm disasters, people have few choices. They are not willing to abandon their homes and move to emergency shelters because they risk losing their livelihood, although often they have no choice if everything is destroyed. Disasters also restrict access to food, water, electricity, and other necessities.

So our plan was to design resilient floating homes that would enable families to survive in the aftermath of extreme flooding while producing food, water and energy, and also provide sustainable ways to make a living.

Prototypes and partnerships

We designed and built three 196m2 prototype homes for US$12,000 each in the pilot phase of the project, which was funded by the Global Resilience Partnership in conjunction with the Centre for Climate Change and Environmental Research(C3ER) at BRAC University in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Crucially, the homes were co-designed by local people in an inclusive effort to empower disadvantaged families. All through the design and construction process we held workshops to find out what people needed most in home that would not sit on land. For adults this included a central “courtyard” space, for example, and for children, a space to play in. Through close collaboration we were able to make the best use of local materials and integrate traditional building methods with our own technologies and innovations. This input not only improved the structural designs but ensured a sense of ownership of the project in local people afterwards.

Each home was built over a 40-tonne buoyant platform which acts as a raft, allowing the house to rise vertically above floodwater by sliding on two guideposts. The structure can withstand category three cyclones, medium-level earthquakes and riverbank erosion.

The homes have the capacity to hold 17,000 litres of fresh drinking harvested from rainwater which can supply the domestic water demands of a family for six months. There is room to keep chickens in an enclosure and vegetables can be grown vertically in soil pouches, and in an aquaponic system without soil, so that an income can be earned through selling eggs and produce.

An innovative sanitation system called a bio-digestor converts all the waste from the kitchen, toilet and chicken coop to generate methane gas that can be used for cooking fuel. So the home doesn’t pollute the surrounding environment, and good standards of hygiene can be maintained.

Poverty and vulnerability

The desolate woman who lost her child made me understand how risk evolves from multiple climate disasters and extends suffering through a series of knock on effects. But the problem is not actually risk, but rather the inability to manage risk.

Poverty erodes people’s ability to adapt to multiple risks in their lives. Plus diminishing natural resources and social and economic inequalities all serve to increase their vulnerability. Our flood-resilient homes are designed to help people find ways to manage the risks of sea-level rise, storm surge and salinisation (when saltwater intrudes on inland water and soil).

These homes will allow people to continue making a living after a flood with adequate access to food, water and energy – the things that enable communities to think beyond immediate survival, continue to make a living and utilise resources to improve their situation.

Above all we understood from our discussions with local people that this should be a home – not a house. Home equals safety, family, the place that provides security, a sense of identity and belonging, and a feeling of pride. For the future we plan to use the €100,000 prize money to bring project to scale in the flood-prone river basins and deltas of Bangladesh. And we will continue our research to bring the cost down by half, making these sustainable and affordable homes even more accessible to rural communities all around the world.

Courtesy : The Conversation

4 Climbers Rescued, 8 Still Missing On Avalanche-Hit Uttarakhand Peak In India

Posted on by SAT News Desk

New Delhi:  Four British climbers have been rescued from an avalanche-hit Himalayan mountain range, authorities said today, as a frantic search continued for eight other mountaineers still missing in its treacherous heights.

Helicopters airlifted the group to safety after they were spotted early today at a base camp near India’s second highest mountain, the 7,826-metre (25,643-foot) Nanda Devi.

Scores of emergency workers were combing the peaks in two choppers and on foot as rescue operations entered a second day, having been hampered by rough weather on Saturday.

The eight missing climbers — four Britons, two Americans, an Australian woman and an Indian — were set to scale an unclimbed summit last week in the mountain range, which includes the world’s 23rd highest peak.

Authorities said the four rescued were not part of the larger group but were in touch with them until May 26, a day before the avalanche struck the mountain.

“They were climbing separately but were in touch with the larger group. Heavy snowfall and bad weather had left them struck at the base camp,” RC Rajguru, police chief of Pithoragarh district — where the peak is located — said.

The officer said there was no certain information on the location or safety of the mountaineers, who started their ascent on May 13.

The group, led by British climber Martin Moran — who has successfully climbed the mountain twice in the past — had initially set out for the Nanda Devi peak but a later post on his Facebook page hinted that they were attempting to scale a virgin peak in the region.

The group was expected to report back to the Munsiyari base camp on May 26 but a porter stationed at the camp reported to authorities that the group remained missing on May 31, prompting a search operation.

Hundreds of climbers from across the world visit India to scale mountains located across the Himalayan belt.

India has 10 peaks above 7,000-metres, including Kangchenjunga — the world’s third highest — sandwiched between India and Nepal.

Four Indians were among 11 climbers that died climbing Mount Everest in the latest season that ended this week amid allegations of overcrowding on the world’s highest peak.

The deaths caused massive outrage, with mountaineering experts criticising the government of Nepal for giving permits to anyone ready to pay $11,000, letting rookie climbers risk their lives and those of others on the slopes.   From Scroll.com

 

PM Oli to arrive London on June 10, Will deliver talks at Oxford

Posted on by SAT News Desk

Jagan Karki, London—Nepal’s Prime Minister, KP Sharma Oli, will be paying an official visit to the United Kingdom during June 10 to 12, 2019, officials said.

File photo

The  high-level visit is taking place 17 years since then Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba visited Britain in 2002.

Talking to South Asia Time on Sunday, Deputy Chief of Mission and spokesperson of the Nepali Embassy in London, Sharad Raj Aran, said Prime Minister Oli will arrive London on Monday, 10th of June,  and deliver a speech at the University of Oxford the same day.

Mr Aran said premier Oli will have talks with his British counterpart, Theresa May, on 11th of June.

“The meetings will cover whole gamut of issues so as to strengthen mutual relations between Nepal and the UK,” he said.

Premier Oli is likely to be the first foreign leader to meet British Prime Minister Theresa May who earlier said she will announce her resignation as the leader of the ruling party on 7th of June.

On the final day of Premier Oli’s visit to the UK, Nepali embassy in London will organise a reception in honour of the visiting dignitary. The Prime Minister is also expected to meet Nepali community leaders and leaders of ex-British Gurkha organisations in London. He will leave the UK for France on 12th June.

Earlier, Nepal’s official news agency, RSS, quoted Press Advisor to the Prime Minister, Dr Kundan Aryal, as saying that Prime Minister Oli will participate in the centenary celebrations of the International Labour Organization (ILO) in Geneva on 9th of June.

In France, Prime Minister Oli’s engagement will include meeting French officials and witnessing the signing of two bilateral agreements regarding the establishment of a security printing press in Nepal and the country’s own satellite in an orbital slot provided by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU). Both projects are being supported by the French government.

Sources say former British Prime Minister, David Cameron, was willing to visit Nepal but the visit never materialised as he resigned immediately in the aftermath of the referendum on Brexit (whether Britain should leave the European Union) in 2016. Though Queen Elizabeth Second has visited Nepal twice, no British Prime Minister has visited Nepal in the past more than 200-years.

Drinking culture deterring British Asian players from getting to the top, ECB researchers

Posted on by SAT News Desk

According to a report unveiled by  The Telegraph, British Asian cricketers are deterred from getting to the top of the sport because they are put off by club drinking culture, England and Wales Cricket Board researchers have said.

Analysis carried out by Professor Kevin Hylatt at Leeds Beckett University found that the cultural environment of cricket clubs was “not conducive to keeping the south Asian players connected” to the sport.

Figures show that South Asians, who make up five per cent of the population, account for 30 per cent of recreational cricket players in England and Wales – but make up just four per cent of players on the professional field.

The different style of “street cricket” that they play and the importance of education to South Asian families over playing recreational sport also affect their progression, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) research states.

Prof Hylatt – who carried out the research on behalf of the ECB – said the cultural drinking differences between white British and south Asian players was a factor that came up in all of his studies, The Telegraph reports.