YK MYK KIARA ADVANI FEATURES IN WOMEN EMPOWERMENT ANTHEM - 'I'M A REBEL' WITH BANI J, RAJA KUMARI SPORTS SCREEN & CINEMA Rs. 3 KOLKATA TUESDAY, 2 MARCH, 2021 PG-12, YEAR—7, ISSUE—285 (RNI NO: WBENG / 2014 / 56803) WEATHER TODAY MAX 34 C MIN 22 C Sky will be clear. AT A GLANCE SATYENDRA PRAKASH IS NEW PDG OF BOC RANCHI: 1988 batch officer of Indian Information Service (IIS) Satyendra Prakash today assumed charge of principal director general (PDG) of Bureau of Outreach & Communication (BOC) under the Information and Broadcasting Ministry. This is the highest post of IIS. He was earlier director general of BOC. He is the first officer to reach the position from Eastern region. The BOC has touched new heights under the leadership of Prakash, who is an officer of high work efficiency and profound knowledge of rules. TOP PRIORITY TO JEWAR AIRPORT: YOGI LUCKNOW : Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath said on Monday that his government has accorded top priority to the development of the Jewar International Airport in Noida. He said that despite the Covid-19 pandemic, the speed, transparency and execution as per the schedule of this project has demonstrated the new work culture of the state. It has been decided to increase the number of airstrips from two to six at this airport, he informed. The Chief Minister also appreciated the work of the Zurich Airport International AG, a developer selected for Jewar airport, and assured their representatives of all possible help to be provided by the government. Adityanath was reviewing the progress of the project on Monday on the occasion of the signing of the 'state support agreement' between Yamuna International. CORONA METER INDIA TOTAL CASES: 11,112,241 TOTAL DEATH: 157,195 WORLD TOTAL CASES: 114,770,663 TOTAL DEATH: 2,544,694 GET ASHWIN BACK IN INDIA ODI SQUAD: HOGG Morning India Support Mamata, Tejashwi tells Biharis in Bengal; CM silent on alliance KOLKATA: Looking to unite all secular parties in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday met RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav. After the meeting with the TMC chief, Yadav said that the first priority of his party was to stop the BJP’s progress in West Bengal. “Our party’s stand is to provide full support to Mamata ji,” he said, appealing to the people from Bihar domiciled in Bengal to stand with Banerjee’s party. "It is Lalu ji's decision to provide full support to Mamata Ji. Our first priority is to stop BJP from coming to power in Bengal," Tejashwi said after the meeting. “I will use my full strength to support her. This election is about protecting Bengal and its culture, which is unique. This is a fight to save Bengal’s values,” he added. Tejashwi appealed to the BJP goes all out for Modi’s Kolkata rally NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party is going the extra mile to ensure that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's rally at the Brigade Parade ground in Kolkata on March 7 witnesses a historical crowd. It is going to be the first rally of the Prime Minister after the announcement of Assembly poll schedules in West Bengal. According to BJP sources, from party MPs to booth level workers all have been asked to go door-to-door to invite people to attend the Prime Minister's mega rally. There would be nukkad sabhas (local level meetings) to invite people to the rally. A social media campaign will be launched to make the PM's mega rally successful. "This rally will be seen as a reflection of the mood of the voters ahead of the polls and that is why such an effort is being made. There will be three stages -- one for PM Modi and senior leaders and the other two on each side of the main stage for state leaders and candidates," a senior BJP leader told ANI. According to party sources, many folk artists have been invited to perform at the event. This mega rally can be seen as an attempt to counter the Left-Congress alliance mega show of strength in the same Brigade Parade ground on February 28. The elections for the 294 Assembly seats in West Bengal will begin on March 27. The state is going to witness eight-phase Assembly polls this year. West Bengal is likely to witness a triangular contest this time with TMC, Congress-Left alliance and the BJP in the fray. Covid vaccine registration only on Co-WIN portal, Arogya Setu: Sharma SAHIL PANDEY NEW DELHI : Dispelling the rumours of a glitch in Co-WIN platform, created to track delivery, utilisation and distribution of COVID-19 vaccine in real time, Empowered Group chairman, RS Sharma, on Monday said the confusion was created by spreading misinformation that vaccination registration is being done through a mobile application. There were rumours that people who want to book an appointment for COVID-19 vaccination should register on CoWIN app instead of Co-WIN website. The national heath authority CEO calrified that the registration for vaccine is taking place only through 'Aarogya Setu' app and CoWIN's portal 'cowin.gov.in'. Speaking to ANI, Sharma said ,"There have been no glitch right from the start. What happened was that some people spread the misinformation that there is a Co-WIN app. So, people started searching for the app which is not ours. That is why there was some confusion among the people. After clarifying there is no Co-WIN app, we have given an extension in Aarogya Setu app for registration and provided a portal 'cowin.gov.in'. As the second phase of nationwide vaccination drive against the coronavirus disease started on Monday, 17 lakh people have registered for the vaccination against COVID-19 so far since the morning. This system is working fine and there is no glitch, he said. The former Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) chief also hailed Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who received. people from Bihar living in Bengal to vote for the ruling TMC. He, however, avoided giving a straightforward answer to questions by journalists about whether the RJD will contest the elections in alliance with the TMC, saying the upcoming polls will be a fight for saving "ideals and values". Seeking fair elections in the state, Mamata said her government does not want the BJP to control the Election Commission. The two leaders, however, evaded questions on the possibility of alliance between TMC and RJD. Former Bihar Chief Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav is currently serving jail sentence in the fodder scam case that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) started probing in mid-1990. The RJD is expected to contest a few seats as an ally of the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC). Yadav arrived in Bengal two days ago and held meetings with party workers. SC: Can sexual intimacy between a live-in couple be called rape? NEW DELHI : While examining the issue of consent for sexual relationship between a couple living together, the Supreme Court on Monday queried whether sexual intercourse between them can be termed as rape. A bench headed by Chief Justice S.A. Bobde and comprising Justices A.S.Bopanna and V. Ramasubramanian said: "If a couple is living together as man and wife...the husband may be brutal, but could the sexual intercourse between the couple, who are living together, can be termed as rape?" The observations from the top court came while hearing a plea of a person accused of rape by a woman, who had been in a live-in relationship with him for over two years. The woman had filed an FIR for rape after the man married another woman. Senior advocate Vibha Dutta Makhija, representing the accused, submitted before the bench that the couple used to work together, and they were in a live-in relationship for over two years. The bench noted that making a false promise for marriage is wrong. According to the complainant, who was represented by advocate Aditya Vashisth, the couple was in a romantic relationship, but she had clearly refused getting into a sexual intimacy before marriage. Vashisth argued that his client's consent was obtained by fraud. The top court was informed that the couple had gone to Manali, where they participated in a marriage ritual. The petitioner denied that any marriage took place, instead he was a live-in relationship where they had consensual intimacy. In 2019, the Allahabad High Court had declined to entertain a plea by the petitioner to quash the FIR against him. The petitioner, through advocate Fuzail Ahmad Ayyubi, moved the top court challenging this order. The woman's counsel highlighted that the petitioner had also beaten up his client when they were living together and emphasised consent for the sexual act was obtained by fraud, after she was made to believe that the marriage was real. The bench observed, "No one should falsely promise marriage and break off. But that is different from saying the act of sexual intercourse is rape." The bench noted that it had settled this matter in its earlier verdicts. On the aspect of the petitioner beating up the complainant, the bench queried her counsel, "why don't you file a case for assault and marital cruelty. Why file a rape case?" Makhija contended that the complainant had filed such complaints earlier too. "It's a habitual act of this lady. She did same with two others in office," she added. The petitioner's wife had also made an accused in the matter. Modi receives his 1st Covid vaccine dose at AIIMS NEW DELHI : Prime Minister Narendra Modi received the first dose of Covid vaccine here at All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Monday, leading the country in the third phase of the inoculation drive as a massive chunk of population aged above 60 and those above 45 with comorbidities prepare to take the shots. Modi was administered Bharat Biotech's Covaxin. "Took my first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at AIIMS," he informed on Twitter. At the time of the vaccination, Modi wore a "gamchha" (scarf) from Assam, which is regarded as a symbol of blessings of women from Assam. The Prime Minister has been seen wearing it on many occasions. The vaccine dose was administered by a nurse from Puducherry P. Niveda, who was assisted by another nurse from Kerala Rosamma Anil. The Prime Minister decided to get the jab at 6.25 a.m. to avoid media glare as scores of people could be queuing up at the hospital. He remained under observation for half an hour in the hospital and left around 7 a.m. "Remarkable how our doctors and scientists have worked in quick time to strengthen the global fight against COVID-19," Modi later wrote on Twitter. He also appealed that those who could take vaccines should come forward for it. "I appeal to all those who are eligible to take the vaccine. Together, let us make India COVID-19 free," Modi said. The ongoing vaccination drive will now reach to around 27 crore people who are on the list of priority for vaccination after the healthcare and frontline workers, starting Monday. Vaccination will be provided free of charge at the government health facilities and will be on a payment basis in the private health facilities. All private hospitals can charge Rs 150 for vaccines and Rs 100 for service charges fixed by the central government. Around 10,000 hospitals empanelled under Ayushman Bharat-PMJAY and 687 hospitals under CGHS can be used by states as Covid vaccination centres (CVCs). The COWIN portal will provide the facility for booking an appointment based on the vaccination centres declared by the states/UTs, with their location, the dates on which appointment slots are provided and the capacity declared as open slots and the vacancies available at the time of booking. Besides, all beneficiaries, regardless of the mode of access, i.e through online registration or mobilization through on-site registration are advised to carry the following for verification at the time of vaccination -Aadhar Card, Electoral Photo Identity Card (EPIC); and Certificate of comorbidity for citizens in the age group of 45 years to 59 years. India thwarted China's cyber attacks on power sector SUMIT KUMAR SINGH NEW DELHI : China carried out cyber attacks on Indian power and ports sectors when troops were engaged at the borders along the Line of Actual Control but there was "no impact" on critical infrastructure, sources in the power ministry said on Monday. The ministry carried out a study -- China-Linked group Red Echo targets the Indian power sector amid heightened border tensions -carried out by Recorded Future's Insikt Group and released on Monday which came to the conclusion that there were cyber attacks but nothing happened to critical infrastructure. The report stated that in total, 21 IP addresses resolving to 10 distinct Indian organisations in the power generation and transmission sector were targeted, with a further two organisations in the maritime sector. They were targeted through a malware called Shadow Pad. All 12 organizations qualify as critical infrastructure, as per the Indian National Critical Information Infrastructure Protection Centre (NCIIPC) definition. "Within India's power sector, Red Echo conducted suspected network intrusions targeting at least 4 out of the country's 5 Regional Load Despatch Centres (RLDCs), alongside 2 State Load Despatch Centres (SLDCs)," the report stated. RLDCs and SLDCs are responsible for ensuring real-time integrated operation of India's power grid through balancing electricity supply and demand to maintain a stable grid frequency. The report also talks about the October 2020 power outage in Mumbai links to a malware attack at a Padgha-based State Load Despatch Centre. However, the alleged link between the outage and the discovery of the unspecified malware variant remains unsubstantiated in the study. Other Red Echo intrusions within the Indian power sector included the targeting of a high-voltage transmission substation and a coal-fired thermal power plant. "The targeting of these critical power assets offer limited economic espionage opportunities, but pose significant concerns over potential pre-positioning of network access to support other Chinese strategic objectives," the report stated. Reacting to the report's finding, power ministry sources said that a system of monitoring and analysis of cyber activities is already in place at all RLDCs & NLDC, operated by the Power System Operation Corporation (POSOCO). Further, sources said that the ministry received an email from the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) on November 19, 2020 on the threat of malware called Shadow Pad at some control centres of POSOCO. Accordingly, action has been taken to address these threats. Subsequently, NCIIPC informed through a mail dated February 12, 2021 about the threat by Red Echo through a malware called Shadow Pad. Sources in the ministry said the report of Insikt referring to the threat actors were already informed to them by CERT-in and NCIIPC. Too much coffee consumption can be detrimental for your heart health: Study ADELAIDE : Too much coffee could be detrimental for your heart health and could cause heart-related issues, suggest the findings of a new study. In a world-first genetic study, researchers from the Australian Centre for Precision Health at the University of South Australia found that that long-term, heavy coffee consumption - six or more cups a day - can increase the number of lipids (fats) in your blood to significantly heighten your risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Importantly, this correlation is both positive and dose-dependent, meaning that the more coffee you drink, the greater the risk of CVD. It's a bitter pill, especially for lovers of coffee, but accord- ing to UniSA researcher, Professor Elina Hypponen, it's one we must swallow if we want keep our hearts healthy. "There's certainly a lot of scientific debate about the pros and cons of coffee, but while it may seem like we're going over old ground, it's essential to fully understand how one of the world's most widely consumed drinks can impact our health," said Professor Hypponen. "In this study, we looked at genetic and phenotypic associations between coffee intake and plasma lipid profiles - the cholesterols and fats in your blood - finding causal evidence that habitual coffee consumption contributes to an adverse lipid profile which can increase your risk of heart disease," added Professor Hypponen. Professor Hypponen further noted, "High levels of blood lipids are a known risk factor for heart disease, and interestingly, as coffee beans contain a very potent cholesterol-elevating compound (cafestol), it was valuable to examine them together." Cafestol is mainly present in unfiltered brews, such as French press, Turkish and Greek coffees, but it's also in espressos, which is the base for most barista-made coffees, including lattes and cappuccinos. There is no or very little cafestol in filtered and instant coffee, so with respect to effects on lipids, those are good coffee choices. "The implications of this study are potentially broad-reaching. In my opinion it is especially important for people with high cholesterol or who are worried about getting heart disease to carefully choose what type of coffee they drink," said Professor Hypponen. Professor Hypponen added, "Importantly, the coffee-lipid association is dose-dependent - the more you drink unfiltered coffee the more it raises your blood lipids, putting you at greater risk of heart disease." Globally, an estimated 3 billion cups of coffee are consumed every day. Cardiovascular diseases are the number one cause of death globally, taking an estimated 17.9 million lives each year. The study used data from 362,571 UK Biobank participants, aged 37-73 years, using a triangulation of phenotypic and genetic approaches to conduct comprehensive analyses. While the jury still may be out on the health impacts of coffee, Professor Hypponen said it is always wise to choose filtered coffee when possible and be wary of overindulging, especially when it comes to a stimulant such as coffee.