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NoneA resolution of the Buddha Nullah pollution issue was the key among the five promises announced by the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) on Sunday as it officially launched its campaign for the upcoming municipal corporation elections. The party’s state president Aman Arora, accompanied by other senior leaders, announced the promises that included access to clean drinking water, a garbage-free city, 100 electric buses and four inter-state bus stands in the city. Arora assured the voters that these promises will be prioritised and implemented within an hour of an AAP mayor being installed. He highlighted what he said was the party’s commitment to transforming the city’s infrastructure, tackling pollution and the overall quality of life. Senior party leaders, local councillor candidates and supporters joined the event. The pollution in Buddha Nullah, which has historically been a major issue for the party, is the centrepeice of the AAP campaign for the elections slated on December 21. Blaming the other political parties for the problem, Arora underscored that the project will focus on stopping untreated sewage and industrial waste discharge into the canal, which has severely affected public health. He promised the use of advanced technology and strict regulations to restore Buddha Nullah to its natural. “Reviving Buddha Nullah is not just an environmental concern, but a matter of public health and dignity for Ludhiana,” Arora said. On the problem of scarcity of drinking water, Arora assured the locals that every household will receive clean and uninterrupted drinking water. He emphasised the need to modernise the water supply infrastructure, ensuring canal water is treated effectively to eliminate contamination. Arora pointed out that access to clean water is a fundamental right. On being asked about MLA Gurpreet Gogi, who had laid the foundation stone of a key project under the Buddha Nullah rejuvenation plan in 2022 and demolished that very stone on August 23 this year in ‘frustration over the poor performance’ of the departments involved in the project, Arora said that the MLA had taken the step in an ‘emotional state’. The AAP promised to tackle the rising pollution levels by introducing a fleet of 100 electric buses. Arora guaranteed solutions to waterlogging issues through advanced sewerage systems and drainage infrastructure. Traffic congestions, another major concern, will be addressed through modern road upgrades and the construction of four new bus stands, the party’s state chief said. On being asked about rejection of nomination papers of candidates from Opposition parties, he said that the government had nothing to do with it. The officials concerned have rejected the nominations of candidates who did not have the requisite documents, Arora added.
National Museum - Tepapa I enjoyed Disney’s 2016 film Moana. My relatives and I attended the Reo Maori release here in Aotearoa, in a packed theatre of Maori language supporters. Watching the film in our own language was emotional and powerful. Moana is a seagoing adventure portraying the courage of its Pacific characters. I see many aspects of Maori communities represented in the film: our elders, our voyaging history, our language and culture, our ability to adapt, our sense of spirituality and our hope. I see the characters in my own whanau (extended family). My nephew is similar to the character of Maui, the demigod voiced by Dwayne Johnson. He’s a likeable “big-boned” fulla with a quick wit – an overly confident rascal who draws others to him with a playfulness that gets him into (and out of) trouble. At the same time, movies like Moana – in which non-Indigenous creators try to tell Indigenous stories – raise sensitive questions about authenticity, cultural appropriation and veiled forms of continuing colonisation. Disney’s bottom line is to develop characters and storylines that suit a global market and will ultimately be financially viable. Perhaps this is why it missed so many key characteristics of Maui as he is known to the Polynesian people. Maui returns to the big screen in Disney’s Moana 2. Disney In Moana, there is a mystique around Maui’s demigod status; he sits in the space between the gods and humanity. Like the Maui of Polynesia, he can shapeshift, wields a magic hook and is courageous. Yet this Hollywood Maui would have no chance against the Maui of Polynesia , who is not a god to be worshipped, but a spirit – a set of characteristics identified through the actions of a person. Maui’s spirit lives today and can be activated by his descendants to do extraordinary things. Melanesia, Micronesia and Polynesia make up the Pacific islands. Wikimedia , CC BY-SA A Maori view of Maui Maui’s biggest muscles were in his head and stomach (where Maori believe the core being of a person is located). However, there is no record of him having an appearance that made him stand out in the community. When Maui decided to rejoin his birth family as a young man, he lined up with his brothers, and his mother was unable to see a difference between the siblings’ physical builds. This is in contrast with his unusually large build in Moana. He also wasn’t the playful, reckless larrikin depicted in Moana. He saw the world through clear eyes and calculated his way forward, courageously approaching challenges as opportunities to demonstrate his mastery. He was innovative, intelligent, confident and resourceful – and most of what he did would benefit the whole community. That said, he could also be devious, cruel and jealous as he pushed to achieve his goals. One of his names is “Maui-potiki”, or “Maui the youngest sibling”, which signals the characteristics of someone who challenged the status quo – a free thinker and a clever trickster. Supernatural power leads to supernatural deeds Maui faced a series of challenges . Some were forced on him, such as surviving his infancy. At birth he was presumed dead (or near death) and was abandoned to the sea. His grandfather rescued and raised him, teaching him skills, knowledge and karakia – the spiritual means to bend the laws of the universe in his favour. In Maori lore, Maui is said to have used his fish hook to pull up the pacific islands, including New Zealand. Wilhelm Dittmer/Wikimedia He faced many challenges in his world, and his responses conveyed important social and life lessons. For instance, the days were too short and people were unable to complete their work before nightfall. So Maui’s answer was to slow the Sun’s journey across the sky. He convinced his sceptical brothers to help him and they went to the pit where the Sun rose each day. Armed with plaited ropes, infused with spiritual power to hold the Sun, as well as the sacred jawbone of his ancestor (which he also used as a hook), they stationed themselves around the pit and waited. As the Sun rose into the morning sky, the brothers pulled their ropes to form a tight net, trapping the Sun. Maui quickly climbed onto the Sun and began to beat him (the Sun is personified and thought to be masculine in Maori belief) with his ancestor’s jawbone. Dazed and battered, the Sun asked Maui the reason for the attack, who then gave him an ultimatum: “Slow your movement across the sky (or I’ll be back)!” The Sun, from fear and injury, slowed down, providing a useful length of daylight for the people. While violence may not be a justifiable approach to change, there’s still much to learn from this incident. When you need to get something done, you should have a plan, build a team, make use of the resources available to you, be courageous and go for it. Stories spread across the seas Maui is credited with many other exploits . He hauled islands up across the Pacific. He spoke with the gods and creatures of the Earth. He even brought fire to the world from the goddess Mahuika and came close to conquering death. Maui and the fire goddess, 1952, Wellington, by E Mervyn Taylor. Purchased 2004. Te Papa (2004-0026-1). Museum of New Zealand/Te Papa Tongarewa , CC BY-SA Each story contains layers of knowledge, explaining important aspects of the world and human behaviour. This information was so significant that these stories have been passed down through generations for hundreds of years – spread with our voyaging ancestors across the Pacific, the largest continent in the world. As such, Maui pops up in stories all across Polynesia, reaching into Melanesia and Micronesia. While the tales about the character, attitude, aptitude and mana (the spiritual lifeforce) are similar, variations exist across Polynesia. Moana aims to entertain and speak to us and our children. Perhaps the sequel will now reawaken Maui-based discussions on marae (Maori communal spaces) and other Pacific forums. Or perhaps the spirit of Maui will see this “harmless rascal” persona as a launch pad to galvanise his descendants into addressing the ills that face them today. Kia ara ake ano te kawa a Maui – let the spirit of Maui arise. And enjoy the movie. Mike Ross receives funding from Victoria University of Wellington, The Waitangi Tribunal,
Nail Care Products Market to Grow by USD 5.96 Billion (2023-2028), Segmented by Product, Channel, and Geography, with AI-Powered Market Evolution - TechnavioNew Delhi: Tabla maestro Zakir Hussain has been admitted to the ICU of a San Francisco hospital with heart-related problems, his friend and flautist Rakesh Chaurasia said on Sunday. The 73-year-old US-based musician, who has taken the tabla to the global stage, had been having blood pressure issues, added Hussain’s manager Nirmala Bachani. “He has been admitted to a hospital in San Francisco for a heart-related problem for the last two weeks,” Bachani said. “He is unwell and admitted in the ICU right now. We all are worried about the situation,” Chaurasia told PTI. Amid reports claiming that Hussain had died, his publicist confirmed to PTI that the percussionist is being treated at the San Francisco hospital and “has not passed”. Hussain’s sister Khursheed told PTI that her brother is “very very critical” but is “very much breathing at the moment”. “My brother is deeply ill at this time. We are asking for all his fans around India and around the world to pray for him, to pray for his health. But as India’s greatest ever exports, do not finish him off just yet,” she said. “I just want to request all the media not to follow wrong information about Zakir’s passing. He is very much breathing at the moment. He is very very critical, but he’s still with us. He has not yet gone. So, I will request (the media) not to spread this rumour by writing or saying that he has passed away. I feel so bad watching all this information on Facebook which is very wrong,” she added. The eldest son of legendary tabla player Allah Rakha, Hussain has followed in the footsteps of his father, becoming a marquee name in India and across the world. Hussain has received five Grammy Awards in his career, including three at the 66th Grammy Awards earlier this year. In his career spanning six decades, the musician has worked with several renowned international and Indian artistes, but it was his 1973 musical project with English guitarist John McLaughlin, violinist L Shankar, and percussionist TH ‘Vikku’ Vinayakram that brought together Indian classical and elements of jazz in a fusion hitherto unknown. As concern mounted over Hussain’s health, senior broadcast journalist Pervaiz Alam also took to X to share the news, citing the musician’s brother-in-law Ayub Aulia. “Ustad Zakir Hussain, Tabla player, percussionist, composer, former actor and the son of legendary Tabla player, Ustad Allah Rakha is not well. He’s being treated for serious ailments in a San Francisco hospital, USA, informed his brother in law, Ayub Aulia in a phone call with me. Aulia sahab, based in London, has requested Zakir’s followers to pray for his speedy recovery,” he wrote in a post. The percussionist, one of India’s most celebrated classical muscians, received the Padma Shri in 1988, the Padma Bhushan in 2002, and the Padma Vibhushan in 2023.
Las Vegas quarterback Gardner Minshew is out for the season due to a broken collarbone, head coach Antonio Pierce confirmed on Monday, leaving the Raiders with a short week to determine their starter. Minshew suffered the injury when he was sacked and landed on his left shoulder late in the fourth quarter of Las Vegas' 29-19 home loss to the Denver Broncos. Former starter Aidan O'Connell, who was sidelined by a thumb injury in Week 7, could return off injured reserve in time for the Raiders (2-9) to face the two-time reigning Super Bowl champion Chiefs (10-1) on Friday in Kansas City. "We'll see if Aidan is good to go," Pierce said. "He's been ramping up." O'Connell entered the 21-day practice window on Monday as the Raiders determine when to activate him. "Seeing him able to grip the ball comfortable, hopefully, no pain there, and just being able to be efficient," Pierce said. "To put a player out there that's hurting or injured still, that's not to the benefit of the player or our team." O'Connell, 26, has played in four games this season, starting two (both losses). He is 52 of 82 (63.4 percent) for 455 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. As a rookie last season, O'Connell started 10 of 11 games, going 5-5, and completed 213 of 343 passes (62.1 percent) for 2,218 yards, 12 TDs and seven interceptions. The Raiders selected O'Connell in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL Draft. "Obviously at the quarterback position, you've got to be smart," Pierce said. "I think with Aidan, his future's much brighter looking ahead. ... I'll have to really rely on our doctors and medical staff." Desmond Ridder replaced Minshew and went 5 of 10 for 64 yards. Ridder, 25, has appeared in three games this season for Las Vegas and is 16 of 26 (61.5 percent) for 138 yards and one TD. Ridder played the previous two seasons for the Atlanta Falcons, who selected him in the third round of the 2022 draft. For his career, he is 338 of 529 (63.9 percent) for 3,682 yards, 15 TDs and 12 interceptions in 22 games (17 starts, 8-9 record). Minshew, 28, completed 25 of 42 passes for 230 yards with one touchdown and one interception against the Broncos. He finished his first season with the Raiders with 2,013 yards, nine TDs and 10 picks on 66.3 percent passing. He joined the Raiders in free agency after stints in Jacksonville (2019-20), Philadelphia (2021-22) and Indianapolis (2023) and won the starting job in camp. But he was benched multiple times for O'Connell as the Raiders struggled as a team. --Field Level MediaMid-American Conference football goes all in on November weeknights for the TV viewers