2024 General Elections- Edge NDA, cover story 4 March, 2024

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2024 General Elections- Edge NDA
News Kashmir Analysis
We have entered the month of March. 2024 is a very special year for India as General elections will be held in the month of April and May. So we are just days away from being elections being announced.
As a matter of fact,
India holds the Lok Sabha elections on a five-yearly basis, which are frequently referred to as the largest political event in the nation and possibly in the whole world. Currently serving as India’s prime minister honorable Narendra Modi from BJP.
It is worth mentioning here that
Predictions for the Lok Sabha Election of 2024 indicate that Narendra Modi will triumph once more and take over as India’s prime minister. He took over the position in 2014. To win this election, Congress and the other parties must work a miracle.
The charismatic personality of
Narendra Modi, the head of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA), has been named. Should the NDA win the upcoming election, the famous personality of Narendra Modi will take over as prime minister of India for third term . The INDIA Alliance did not reveal who would lead their coalition as prime minister should he win the election.
Now, The BJP is expected to release a first list of candidates – over 100 names, which will include heavyweights like Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah – for the 2024 Lok Sabha election , after marathon overnight meetings in Delhi, including one led by the Prime Minister at his Delhi residence that began 11 pm Thursday, 29 feburary and finished at 4 am Friday.
It has been observed that the BJP’s strategy, as it bids for a third term, revolves around getting feedback on sitting MPs’ – including but not limited to discussions with grassroots-level workers and voters in their constituencies – and a tactical reshuffle to eliminate the anti-incumbency bias.
The meeting also likely saw talks about leaving six seats in politically key Uttar Pradesh, which sends 80 MPs to the Lok Sabha, for regional allies like the Apna Dal and the Rashtriya Lok Dal of Jayant Chaudhary, which the BJP reportedly won over from INDIA despite their January agreement.
Meanwhile on opposition front The Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), the Opposition alliance in Maharashtra, have reportedly inked a seat-sharing agreement for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) is likely to contest 21 seats, while the Congress may fight in 15 seats and the Sharad Pawar faction of the NCP could get nine seats, an news channel report said.
Undoubtedly, NDA Has huge edge in year 2024.

Public library culture in Kashmir Deserve Importance, cover story 26 February 2024

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Public library culture in  Kashmir Deserves importance
News Kashmir Analysis
Public libraries have played an important role in growth of every civilization as instrument of knowledge.  They provide books and other materials for people to read and intellectual growth.
These materials are very informative and lead to self-improvement and develop basic literacy skills. Public Libraries have always seen as an educational resource for all people.
Experts opinion is that
The public library is the local center for providing a wealth of information through learning facilities and materials to support literacy to the general public. Literacy is also achieved by providing literacy programs and activities for different groups and ages.
The dying reading culture in Kashmir is a matter of concern.
Public libraries continue to play a major role in fostering literacy in communities and societies, particularly among those groups of the populations that need special assistance in developing literacy skills, such as preschool and elementary school children.
In a place like Jammu and Kashmir the public libraries have an important role to play and unfortunately after facing a neglect since many years they are getting desired attention,which is good.
Vijay GarG, Renowned educationist and columnist of News Kashmir writes about their role :”
Access to information: Public libraries provide free access to a wide range of educational resources and information, including books, journals, newspapers, and databases. This enables individuals, regardless of their economic background, to gain knowledge and stay informed about the world around them.
2. Promoting literacy and education: Libraries are essential in fostering a culture of reading and promoting literacy. They provide a supportive environment for learning, whether it be through early literacy programs for children, homework help for students, or adult education programs. Access to books and resources encourages reading, enhances vocabulary and language skills, and promotes lifelong learning.
3. Bridging the digital divide: In today’s digital age, many essential services, job applications, and educational resources are accessible online. However, not everyone has access to computers or the internet at home. Public libraries offer free computer and internet access, helping bridge the digital divide and ensuring that all members of society have equal opportunities to access information and technology.”
The hope on ground zero is that public Libraries would be getting their due attention and they will prosper in Jammu and Kashmir.

Increasing Frauds, Cover Story 19 February 2024.

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Increasing Frauds
News Kashmir Analysis
The increase in frauds across India is a matter of serious concern.
India is seeing a much  upswing in fraudulent activities resulting in an increase in fraud losses with financial services reporting the biggest increase.
A study conducted by Forrester Consulting, commissioned by Experian, a leading global information services provider, found that year-on-year fraud losses are increasing for nearly two-thirds (64 per cent) of respondents, with financial services organisations reporting the biggest increase in losses. There are several factors driving this surge in fraud attacks, such as persisting financial pressure on consumers, numerous data breaches leaking sensitive information onto the dark web, and the arrival of publicly accessible Generative AI – which has lowered the technical skills required to conduct fraud.
This concerning trend is compounded by the fact that 67 per cent of these respondents are currently grappling with the challenges of keeping pace with the rapidly evolving landscape of fraud threats.
As a matter of fact, The volume of fraud attacks has gone up in almost every category.
Synthetic identity attacks, where real and fake information are combined to form new identities, are on the rise, particularly in the financial services sector. This is closely followed by identity theft attacks and account takeover attacks. In the e-commerce sector,
Friendly fraud attacks, where customers dispute legitimate charges, have grown the most for merchants, followed by synthetic identity attacks, found the study.
The survey gathered insight from 308 fraud managers in the financial services, telco, and eCommerce sectors across ten countries in the EMEA and APAC regions: India, Denmark, Germany, Australia, Italy, New Zealand, the Netherlands, South Africa, Spain, and Turkey.
“The study underscores that the future of effective fraud prevention lies in the realm of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) technologies.”
According to the study, the biggest challenge limiting businesses’ ability to prevent fraud is a lack of device fingerprinting for fraud identification (62 per cent). A second is an increasing number of referrals, causing increased delays and costs (56 per cent).
Recognising the urgency, businesses emphasize the crucial role of device data in passive customer screening.
The top fraud-related priority is improving the explainability of ML models (65 per cent), which shows how important ML has become to fraud prevention. Transparent ML models allow for human oversight so that unintentional bias can be identified. This capability is essential to ensure ethical AI use and to comply with a future AI regulatory framework.
Nearly two-thirds (67 per cent) of businesses believe that the future of fraud prevention will be driven by AI/ML-powered solutions.
We also need to be cyber alert to prevent cyber frauds .
Cybersecurity awareness helps educate your employees about malicious methods used by cybercriminals, how they can be easy targets, how to spot potential threats and what they can do to avoid falling victim to these insidious threats.
The need of the hour is to take steps to arrest the rising trend of frauds in India .

Declining Fertility Rates in Jammu and Kashmir a challenge, cover story 5 February 2024 issue.

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Declining Fertility Rates in Jammu and Kashmir a challenge
Rameez Makhdoomi
The fertility rate is considered  integral part  to ensure the continuation of coming generations is showing a decline in Jammu and Kashmir, causing much worry in one and all .
As a matter of fact,  The total fertility rate (TFR) of a population is the average number of children that would be born to a woman over her lifetime if:
She was to experience the exact current age-specific fertility rates (ASFRs) through her lifetime.
she was to live from birth until the end of her reproductive life.
Studies and surveys in recent years  have shown that Jammu and Kashmir has a lower fertility rate than any state barring tiny Goa and Sikkim, these studies  have often  stoked much online and offline debate outhere.
The National Family Health Survey (2019-21) reveals a sharp fall in the total fertility rate (TFR) — the average number of children a woman bears in her lifetime — in Jammu and Kashmir from few years back  2.0 to current 1.4, far below the national average of 2.
It is worth noting here that
TFR, as per the survey, has witnessed a decline more in urban areas of Jammu and Kashmir. It has reduced from 1.6 in 2015-16 to 1.2 in 2019-20. In rural Jammu and Kashmir, the TFR has declined to 1.5 in 2019-20 from 2.2 in 2015-16.
Expert view has been  that increasing entry of women into the workforce has also delayed marriages which is a top predictor for the number of babies a woman
In comparison, Uttar Pradesh has a TFR of 2.4, Bihar 3, Madhya Pradesh 2.0, Jharkhand 2.3, Punjab 1.6, Odisha 1.8, and Kerala 1.8. Only two states – Sikkim (1.1) and Goa (1.3) – and the Union Territories of Ladakh (1.3) and the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (1.3) have TFRs below Jammu and Kashmir’s.
In year 2024 one is witnessing infertility spreading and many couples struggling to have child.
Due to rising mental stress and changing food habits the infertility rates are increasing in Kashmir valley .Some expert voices in recent times have gone to extent of saying  that infertility is found among 45 percent males and 35 percent females in Kashmir.  Many couples now in Kashmir are going for IVF mode  to have babies .
One hopes that we don’t let drop our Fertility Rates beyond an alarming level .
World Health Organization (WHO) states Infertility affects millions of people – and has an impact on their families and communities. Estimates suggest that approximately one in every six people of reproductive age worldwide experience infertility in their lifetime.
In the male reproductive system, infertility is most commonly caused by problems in the ejection of semen (1), absence or low levels of sperm, or abnormal shape (morphology) and movement (motility) of the sperm.
While as the female reproductive system, infertility may be caused by a range of abnormalities of the ovaries, uterus, fallopian tubes, and the endocrine system, among others.
The need of the hour is that We need to provide all the important mental health awareness to our young people as stress is the real reason behind poor health and infertility, we need to give them lot of positive energy  in their struggles.
Eminent Gynaecologist of world,  Dr. Swapna Mishra while talking to this correspondent opined that young boys and girls facing infertility issues should
Consume a balanced diet and introduce exercise in your daily routine. Try to plan a baby before 35 years of age. Late marriage should be avoided.

Cancer-A threat to Humanity

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Cancer- A threat to Humanity
News Kashmir Analysis
Cancer is a disease in which some of the body’s cells grow uncontrollably and spread to other parts of the body.
Cancer can start almost anywhere in the human body, which is made up of trillions of cells. Normally, human cells grow and multiply (through a process called cell division) to form new cells as the body needs them. When cells grow old or become damaged, they die, and new cells take their place.
It is deadliest disease confronted by humanity.
World Cancer Day aims to prevent millions of deaths each year by raising awareness about cancer, and pressing governments and individuals across the world to take action against the disease.
World Cancer Day was born on the 4 February 2000 at the World Summit Against Cancer for the New Millennium in Paris.
World Cancer Day is more than a day on the calendar. That’s why its campaign is built to inspire change and mobilise action long after the day itself. A multi-year campaign means more exposure and engagement, more opportunities to build global awareness and ultimately more impact.
recorded approximately 12 lakh new cancer cases and 9.3 lakh deaths in 2019, making the country the second-highest contributor to the cancer burden in Asia that year, according to a new Lancet study.
Published in The Lancet Regional Health Southeast Asia journal, the study, conducted by an international team of researchers, including experts from the National Institute of Technology Kurukshetra and All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Jodhpur, and Bathinda, compared cancer data across 49 Asian countries from 1990 to 2019.
Research states Leukaemias constituted nearly half of all cancers in the 0-4 year age group (42.1 per cent) and the 5-9 year age group (42.5 per cent). Lymphoid leukaemia, including acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, comprised most of the common leukaemia types diagnosed among children.
“This was followed by lymphomas (12.3 per cent ) that had the most significant proportion in the 5-9 year age group (15.7 per cent ), of which Hodgkin lymphoma was the most typical (7.9 per cent ),” the paper said.
Cancer is also a rising disease  in Kashmir.
The Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS) Soura is facing a concerning surge in cancer cases, with over 6,000 new diagnoses reported annually.
Few months back,
According to official data, Gastrointestinal (GI) cancers are the most prevalent type, accounting for 30% of cases, followed by lung and breast cancers.
We need to bear in mind that
cancer prevention is very important aspect.
Cancer prevention is the practice of taking active measures to decrease the incidence of cancer and mortality. The practice of prevention is dependent upon both individual efforts to improve lifestyle and seek preventive screening, and socioeconomic or public policy related to cancer prevention.
Expert pulse is Some cancer risk factors, such as genetics and environment, are out of your control, but research suggest that about 70% of your lifetime risk of cancer is within your power to change, including your diet. Avoiding cigarettes, limiting alcohol, reaching a healthy weight, and getting regular exercise are all great steps for preventing cancer. Adopting a healthy diet can also play a vital role.
Taking holistic measures can go long way in preventing cancer disease.
Few time back , in an interview with News Kashmir
. Shabnam Bashir doctor of par excellence. Trained in Colorectal and Breast cancer surgeries & cytoreductive surgeries from Tata Memorial Hospital, Mumbai and in Robotic surgeries from USA.   She is currently practicing in  Kashmir and leading the breast cancer awareness related things in Jammu and Kashmir stated that there is no
doubt the cancer is challenging disease among men and women. We need to rely on population registry to get figures.  In population registry few  years back we had oesophagus  cancer leading in Kashmir. The cancers like Lung, Colon, Breast are also leading here.
The need is to make good diet habits to avoid cancers especially avoid too much of non vegetarian, fast food and we have to avoid too much salt .

Shrinking Waterbodies in J&K

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Shrinking waterbodies in J&K
News Kashmir Analysis
Rivers are life. They are the basic resources for existence of life on this planet by providing critical drinking water .
No life is possible without rivers. Rivers are the backbone of human civilization! They provide us with freshwater which is helpful for various purposes such as cleaning, washing, drinking etc. Without rivers, life will just come to halt. Rivers just keep on flowing without any stop.
In our country India too rivers have utmost importance. The rivers in India play an important role in the lives of its people. They provide potable water, cheap transportation, electricity, and the livelihood for many people nationwide. This easily explains why nearly all the major cities of India are located by the banks of rivers.
Jammu and Kashmir has many lakes, rivers, and glaciers. Significant rivers that flow through Jammu & Kashmir from the Himalayas are Jhelum, Chenab and Ravi.These river basins are located at a higher elevation facilitating huge hydro power potential. Major lakes include Manasbal Lake, Dal Lake, Wular Lake, Nageen Lake. There are around 1230 water bodies in Jammu & Kashmir.
Shrinking rivers on account of encroachments, pollution and increasing construction along with climate changes are a global concern including in Jammu and Kashmir.
As climate change threatens the world and parts of world  suffer from one of the worst bouts of drought, a new study shows that not just rivers, but lakes are also shrinking fast. More than half of the world’s large lakes and reservoirs have shrunk since the early 1990s as alarm bells ring across.
Nearly 2 billion people, who live in a drying lake basin, are directly affected and many regions have faced shortages in recent years.
Shrinking water bodies in Jammu and Kashmir especially in Kashmir is a matter of concern. Many lakes have shrunk due to human greed along with rivers .
The dry weather is complicating matters as rivers are at all time low level.Out of the forty days of hard winter locally called Chillai Kalan, 27 have already passed without snow, compelling experts, environmentalists, and officials to ring alarm bells.
No snowfall means ominous sign for waterbodies in Kashmir.
only Gulmarg but Pahalgam, Srinagar and other areas in the valley too have not yet received snowfall this winter. Only areas in the extreme higher reaches recorded minimum snowfall so far.
Wetlands too are shrinking . As experts term them referred to as nature’s kidneys, have shrunk in size in the last five decades and are on the brink of extinction.
Dal Lake has suffered a similar fate in response to land cover change. Researchers in Srinagar found that land conversion to urban development in the basin had worsened the lake’s water quality and contributed to its reduced size. They found that between 1980 and 2018 the lake’s open water shrunk in area by 25 percent.
The water level in the Jhelum River has hit the lowest due to a prolonged dry spell in Kashmir, officials said here on Sunday.
“River Jhelum was flowing at -0.75 feet at Sangam (Anantnag district) and -0.86 feet at Asham (Bandipora district) on Sunday, 14 January, 2024 morning. This is the lowest water level in the river,” the officials said.
It had dropped to this level at Sangam in November 2017, they said.
The shrinking of waterbodies in Jammu and Kashmir is a serious matter of concern for which both masses and government needs to find solutions.

PM Modi, LG Manoj Sinha leading vibrant J&K, cover story 1 January 2024

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PM Modi, LG Manoj Sinha leading Vibrant J&K
News Kashmir Exclusive
Jammu and Kashmir after many decades of turmoil and terror since last few years is witnessing a progressive era. The abrogation of article 370 has destroyed the selfish and antinational politics played by separatists, dynasty politicians along with terrorist forces.
The visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with Jammu and Kashmir dynamic Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has changed face of Jammu and Kashmir towards peace and prosperity.
Record investments have come and many projects of development have been undertaken since abrogstion of article 370.
Domestic and foreign tourism has made big come back in past few years, after long years of upheaval.
Few months back Srinagar hosted the biggest event of its history in form of G20 Tourism summit.
Srinagar hosted the G20 meeting (the third tourism working group meeting of the G20 member countries) and post that, the number of foreign tourist arrivals in J-K has gone up by 350 per cent from the last year,” the LG said.
As a matter of fact, last year J-K witnessed a record 1.88 crore tourist arrivals, but this year, 1.70 crore tourists have already visited J-K till September this year.
The biggest dream of Kashmir that will take development and connectivity horizons to new levels in form of train will be practical reality in 2024.
The railway link of Kashmir will connect to the rest of the country in 2024 and for that all the arrangements are being done.
Tere are optimistic  reports that the government is planning to introduce Vande Bharat Metro train service between Jammu and Srinagar. Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw revealed plans for a Vande Bharat Express train maintenance facility in Central Kashmir’s Budgam district. Once the rail network is completed, the Vande Bharat Metro will be launched.
In almost three years since the Jammu and Kashmir government announced a new industrial policy in January 2021, the Union Territory has received proposals worth Rs 84,544 crore in as many as 42 industrial sectors.
Jsmmu and Kashmir is very fast turning into an investment hub as people are keen to establish their business units here in the UT .
The public transport of Jammu and Kashmir has been revolutionized.
As the summer capital has been facing tough problem due to shortage of public transport, hi-tech e-buses have brought some respite to the passengers on various routes.
Officials said e-buses are equipped with the latest technology that will ensure hassle-free public transport service for the Srinagarites.
On the other hand just few days back, Prime Minister Narendra Modi engaged in a lively interaction with 250 students from Jammu and Kashmir, part of the ‘Watan Ko Jano’ programme, held in the national capital. Expressing admiration for the students’ enthusiasm, the Prime Minister emphasised their pivotal role in India’s journey towards development.
The interaction unfolded at Modi’s residence, where nearly 250 underprivileged students from various districts of Jammu and Kashmir, participating in the “Watan Ko Jano-Youth Exchange” initiative, engaged in a freewheeling and informal conversation with the Prime Minister. As part of the Central government’s programme, these students are touring Jaipur, Ajmer, and New Delhi.
The Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has been working round the clock to ensure that the UT of Jammu and Kashmir becomes a role model of progress and also the most efficient and effective Governance is ensured to masses.
Undoubtedly,  in the year 2024 Jammu and Kashmir is making right noise and likely to take historic steps towards progress .
The magical leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha is making it sure that crown of Country Jammu and Kashmir makes all round progress.

Emphatic BJP Win , Cover story 11 December 2023

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  • Emphatic BJP Win
    News Kashmir Analysis

The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party has once again been triumphant in the elections .It swept the Hindi Heartland states of Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Rajasthan while as main opposition Party Congress could just win the Southern State of Telangana.
As a matter of fact , ruling
BJP swept the elections in Madhya Pradesh despite being in power since 2003, except for a 15-month period after 2018.
Pertinent to mention, BJP retained power in Madhya Pradesh by winning 166 seats in the 230-member Assembly, relegating the Congress to a distant second with just 66 seats, down from the 114 the grand old party had got in the 2018 edition.
In yet another stunning and surprising victory, The BJP won the Chhattisgarh Election 2023 as the party crossed the half-way mark on Sunday. The BJP won 54 seats , while the Congress won 35 seats. Many had predicted Congress win as opposed to BJP in Chattisgarh but BJP ousted Congress in emphatic manner.
BJP swept the polls, with 46.27 vote share, to regain power in Chhattisgarh on Sunday. The Congress’s vote share was around 42 per cent.
The BJP secured an impressive victory in Rajasthan, winning 115 seats, as the ‘revolving door trend’ continued in the state where an incumbent party has not been voted back to power in the last 30 years. The Congress finished second with 69 seats. Eight independents won, while the Bharat Adivasi Party emerged victorious in three seats, two for the Bahujan Samaj Party, and one each for the Rashtriya Lok Dal and the Rashtriya Loktantrik Party.
On the otherhand, Congress won 64 assembly seats in Telangana and ended the nearly 10-year-old rule of the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led Bharat Rashtra Samiti (BRS) government.
Congress state unit chief Revanth Reddy and Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister DK Shivakumar met the governor in the evening to stake claim to form the government in the state.

The BRS, which has 101 members in the outgoing Assembly, got 39 seats, while the BJP secured eight seats. The AIMIM won seven seats and CPI one.
The pulse on ground zero is that BJP has secured emphatic win in most of the states and it’s road to power in 2024 elections has been made much easier.
These results are also the testimony of the great leadership qualities of Prime Minister Narendra Modi lead Government and its popularity in masses.

Poor Menstrual hygiene is matter of concern

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Poor Menstrual Hygiene is matter of serious concern

By Rameez Makhdoomi
Menstruation is part and parcel of every women’s life .
By definition, Menstruation is also known by the terms menses, menstrual period, menstrual cycle or period. Menstrual blood — which is partly blood and partly tissue from the inside of your uterus — flows from your uterus through your cervix and out of your body through your vagina. Menstruation is driven by hormones.
Good menstrual health and hygiene practices can prevent infections, reduce odors, and help you stay comfortable during your period. Wash your hands before and after using the restroom and before using a menstrual product.
On the other hand, Poor menstrual hygiene, however, can pose serious health risks, like reproductive and urinary tract infections which can result in future infertility and birth complications. Neglecting to wash hands after changing menstrual products can spread infections, such as hepatitis B and thrush.
Unfortunately,  Jammu and Kashmir is among the regions with poor menstrual hygiene.
As per the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-5), nearly 60 per cent of women in Jammu and Kashmir still use cloth for menstrual protection during periods. The survery (2019-2021) also reveals that merely 50.5 per cent of women aged between 15-24 use  sanitary napkins. The per centage has swelled from 48.8 per cent in NFHS-4 (2015-2016).
According to official data, the lowest percentage of women using sanitary napkins apart from Jammu and Kashmir are from Uttar Pradesh with 69.4 per cent, Assam with 69.1 per cent, Meghalaya with 65 per cent, and Madhya Pradesh with 61 per cent. Andaman and Nicobar Islands has the lowest rate of women preferring cloth, with 8.2 per cent, while Tamil Nadu with 12.7 per cent is at the second place.
Good menstrual health and hygiene practices can prevent infections, reduce odors, and help you stay comfortable during your period. Wash your hands before and after using the restroom and before using a menstrual product.
While talking to this Journalist,  Dr Priyanka Sharma, Consultant, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Fortis Mohali, observed that menstrual health and hygiene (MHH) is not well acknowledged in our country. Still many women and girls are unaware of the basic hygiene practices to be followed during their menstruation like adequate washing of the genitals, use of good absorbent sanitary pads , appropriate clothes and toilet facilities and adequate measures of disposable.
She further adds;
“
Poor menstrual hygiene may lead to problems such as itching or rashes in the perineal region, bad odour, and also major complications such as pelvic inflammatory disease and toxic shock syndrome. These problems can also further lead to reproductive issues like infertility and pregnancy related complications.
 Knowledge regarding the physiological processes associated with menstruation has a pivotal role in determining sexual and reproductive health outcomes. Most girls don’t know their bodies are changing when they start menstruating, that menstruation is a biological process, or what they can do to regulate it.
 A 2014 report by an NGO, Dasra, said over 23 million girls drop out of school every year due to a lack of adequate MHM facilities, including sanitary napkins and proper knowledge of menstruation.
Menstrual health is not a ‘women’s subject’but it involves the complete society. Comprehensive and meaningful education on menstrual processes, supportive environments, encouraging participation, and honest conversations can help adolescent boys and men, better understand MHH.
Women should be empowered by providing essential services for menstrual management and disposal which is scientifically sound, accessible, and at cost that the community and country can afford. “
Undoubtedly, menstrual hygiene should be taken seriously.

Deepfakes challenge, Cover story 27 November 2023

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Deepfakes challenge
News Kashmir Analysis
Artificial intelligence is now widely recognized as the future of world, but there are some serious challenges like Deepfakes.
Deepfakes (portmanteau of “deep learning” and “fake” are synthetic media that have been digitally manipulated to replace one person’s likeness convincingly with that of another. Deepfakes are the manipulation of facial appearance through deep generative methods.While the act of creating fake content is not new, deepfakes leverage powerful techniques from machine learning and artificial intelligence to manipulate or generate visual and audio content that can more easily deceive.The main machine learning methods used to create deepfakes are based on deep learning and involve training generative neural network architectures, such as autoencoders, or generative adversarial networks (GANs). In turn the field of image forensics develops techniques to detect manipulated images.
India is mulling regulation to tame the spread of deepfakes and other user harm that Artificial Intelligence (AI) can bring along, Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said here few days back.After meeting representatives from large social media platforms and other stakeholders, the Minister said India will draft new rules to spot and limit the spread of deepfakes.
On the otherhand, Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently  reiterated his concern about deepfakes, which create ultra-realistic visuals, and echoed the call for global regulations on artificial intelligence.
Speaking at the opening of a virtual summit of G20 nations, of which India holds the presidency, PM Modi said, “The world is worried about the negative effects of AI. India thinks that we have to work together on the global regulations for AI. Understanding how dangerous deepfake is for society and individuals, we need to work forward. We want AI should reach the people, it must be safe for society.”
We must understand dangers posed by deepfakes to society and individuals,” PM Modi said.
“India’s thinking is clear, we have to work together on global regulation of AI,” PM Modi told G20 leaders.
Expert pulse is worried the hands of cybercriminals, deepfakes become dangerous weapons that can disrupt and destroy businesses and governments. A fabricated video of a company’s top executive or a top politician can have serious repercussions on a company or a country’s reputation.
We as a nation need to take challenges of Deepfakes very seriously.
Over the years, we have witnessed many such instances of deepfake videos that went viral on social media. Most recently, actor Rashmika Mananna was a victim of a viral deepfake video, sparking serious concerns over the misuse of the technology which resulted in the Indian government drawing plans to tackle the menace.