The Indian Weekender

02 OCTOBER2020 • VOL 12 ISSUE 29
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The Indian Weekender Friday, October 02, 2020
NEW ZEALAND 3
ELECTION 2020: Where is
the plan for immigration?
SANDEEP SINGH
In a rare display of convergence of political
interests, both Labour and the opposition
National Party, have chosen to remain
blissfully silent on the “plan on immigration,”
for a country that seeks a lot of pride for being a
“country that has been built upon immigration.”
The election campaigning has clearly entered
in an intense phase where both major parties
are attacking and castigating each other’s claim
on credibility for managing the complex post-
Covid future of our country, however, there
is a marked absence of any such “contest” on
immigration issues.
Apparently, any such “plan on immigration”
is equally abominable for both major parties –
Labour and National, and the country does not
deserve to know in advance while we deal with
“once in a hundred-year pandemic” or “once in
165 years recession.”
This is indeed political-opportunism at
its best by both the Labour and the National,
despite their respective famed-claims of “caring
for the people,” and caring for the “economy.”
Policy on border management is
not a policy on immigration
Importantly, both major parties are framing
their respective world views on immigration
by conveniently emphasising only on “border
control,” which at best is a manifestation of
hope, and wishful thinking, than a clear plan.
In that regard, both the major parties are
falling prey to a long prevalent simplistic
assumption that an increase in local
unemployment can easily translate into shifting
of the workforce in the regions and sectors of
the economy experiencing a shortage of labour
supply.
It is to say that with forecasts that
unemployment can rise up to 12 per cent by
February 2021 when more number of jobs that
are currently being supported by government’s
massive $1.7 billion wage subsidy scheme, will
be lost, there is an expectation those workers
can easily be retrained and motivated to fill in
the jobs that were previously filled by migrant
workers.
Both major parties have come up with
their respective policies on retraining of
the workforce, which, despite being wellintentioned,
cannot fully replace with a policy
on immigration.
To envisage that NZ will be able to pull out of
the first full-blown recession in a decade, which
many fear could also be worst in public memory
in a century, just on the basis of extremely highend,
high paying “critically skilled workforce”
that these major policies are seeming to invite
in near term, could again be wishful thinking.
This debate between the importance of
“highly skilled or critically skilled workforce”
for NZ’s economy has long reverberated within
political contestation of ideas on immigration,
but the researches have long proved beyond any
doubt that the so-called mid-skilled and lowskilled
migrant workers are also the backbones
of any flourishing economy.
Surprisingly, National also seem to be toeing
the line so assiduously advanced by the Labour
Party in recent times and giving up on the need
for mid and low-skilled migrant workers for the
economy.
And this is when the country has collectively
experienced in Alert Level 4 lockdowns in
recent past when all but so-called low-skilled
migrant workers bore the maximum brunt of
keeping the economic wheels moving and
maintain the supply and delivery of essential
services.
The political necessity of winning elections
has indeed blurred the collective wisdom and
the vision for the future.
Has NZ given up on “temporary
migrants stuck overseas”?
To make things further worse and distasteful,
political parties of all stripes seem to have
conveniently given up on the temporary
migrants stuck overseas, who are real people,
and till recently were living in New Zealand
before Covid-inflicted border closure turned
their worlds upside down.
It has been almost seven months that tens
of thousands of temporary migrants who were
otherwise living in NZ and were innocuously
travelling overseas when the borders were
closed behind them without a clear warning that
they could possibly be permanently locked out
of the country.
• Continued on Page 5
ONLY ACT HAS A PLAN
TO REUNITE
OUR COUNTRY
DAVID SEYMOUR - ACT LEADER
BROOKE VAN VELDEN - DEPUTY LEADER
New Zealand needs a government that lives
within the same constraints as the rest of us.
Only a vote for ACT ensures that the other political parties are held
to account. ACT is the party of small businesses and self-starters.
We are committed to helping you thrive and grow, ensuring a strong
economy and that our children aren’t saddled with unnecessary debt.
Nicole McKee
Rongotai Candidate
#3 on Party List
Chris Baillie
Nelson Candidate
#4 on Party List
Simon Court
Te Atatū Candidate
#5 on Party List
The ACT Party will fight for freedom of speech, freedom of choice
and less Government interference in your life. With more MP’s we
will ensure that we protect your freedoms.
PARTY VOTE ACT THIS OCTOBER
CHANGE YOUR FUTURE
ACT0010/IW/3
James McDowall
Waikato Candidate
#6 on Party List
Karen Chhour
Upper Harbour Candidate
#7 on Party List
Mark Cameron
Northland Candidate
#8 on Party List
www.act.org.nz/future
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4 NEW ZEALAND
Friday, October 02, 2020
The Indian Weekender
Travelling to NZ: New managed isolation
allocation system to go live from next week
SANDEEP SINGH
The new managed isolation allocation
system – an online portal - that will
allow everyone travelling to New
Zealand to secure their place in a managed
isolation facility before they board their flight
is all set to go live next week.
Starting from 8 a.m. Monday, October 5,
travellers to NZ will have the ability to look
ahead into the spaces available in MIQ facilities
and book a place and plan their onward journey,
which includes getting a mandatory voucher
before boarding on the flights.
Registration required
Travellers to New Zealand will need to
register on the Managed Isolation Allocation
System as the first step to securing their place
in managed isolation.
The allocation system will go live at 8am, 5
October and the link will be published on the
dedicated website www.miq.govt.nz
Once the individual traveller, couple or
family group has completed their registration
on the system, they will be issued a voucher
that confirms their allocation to a place in
managed isolation.
They will need to present their voucher at the
airport in order to board their flight.
The voucher will confirm that the traveller
have availed a space in the MIQ facility.
Legal requirement to get a
voucher
The requirement to obtain a voucher will
be required by law, failing which the airlines
flying to New Zealand will not be allowed to
enter the country.
However, mindful of the fact that this system
is still evolving and a work in progress, the
government is providing a grace period of a
month after which it will become mandatory to
produce a voucher at the time of boarding on
the flight.
Grace period from October 5
to November 3
The travellers planning to arrive in NZ from
October 5 (8 am) to November 2 (11.59 pm)
will not be required by law to produce voucher
at the time of boarding, though encouraged to
do so.
Travellers who arrive at the airport without
a voucher during the grace period will still be
able to board their flight.
However, their check-in process may take
longer while airline staff work with MIQ to
arrange a place for them in managed isolation.
Travellers arriving after 3
November
Travellers are legally required to have a
voucher before flying if they are arriving in
New Zealand after 12am, 3 November 2020.
If you arrive in New Zealand after 12am
3 November, airlines will not be permitted
to board you if you do not have a voucher,
unless you are exempt from using the Managed
Isolation Allocation System.
No fee for the voucher, but
some people have to pay for MIQ
facility
The website on MIQ (www.miq.govt.nz)
clearly says that there will not be any fee for
travellers to obtain a voucher, although some
travellers will have to pay for MIQ facilities.
The government had introduced charges of
$3,100 for the first person in the room, $950
for each additional adult sharing the room and
$475 for each additional child (aged 3 to 17
years) sharing that room from August 11. .
Who will have to pay
If you are a NZ citizen or resident you will be
liable for a charge if:
• You are currently overseas and return to NZ
for a period of less than 90 days; or
• You leave NZ after the regulations came
into effect (12.01am on 11 August 2020) and
return at a later date.
The term ‘New Zealand citizen or resident’
means NZ citizens (including those in the Cook
Islands, Niue and Tokelau) and residence class
visa holders. It also includes Australian citizens
and permanent residents who are ordinarily
resident in NZ.
Temporary visa holders will have to pay,
unless they left New Zealand on or before 19
March 2020, and were ordinarily resident in
New Zealand as of 19 March 2020. Ordinarily
resident means having lived in New Zealand for
183 days (six months) in total of the previous
12 months.
Everyone who is entering on a border
exception as a critical worker will have to pay.
Their employers may pay these costs. Critical
workers who are unsure of who will pay the
charge will need to contact their employer.
How to get your voucher
You can get your voucher by registering
on the Managed Isolation Allocation System
online portal. The link to the online portal
will be available on this website from 8am,
5 October.
There is a four-step process to get your
Managed Isolation Allocation Voucher:
• Create a registration for an individual
passenger or a family travelling together
Enter passenger details of the individual or
everyone in the group travelling together.
Couples should complete a ‘family
registration’.
• Hold accommodation
• Select the intended day of arrival in New
Zealand for the individual or group. A 14-
day stay in managed isolation, starting on
this day, will be held for 48 hours while they
book their flights.
• Book flights, ensuring the date the flight arrives
in New Zealand matches the date entered in
the Managed Isolation Allocation System
Return to the website and enter these flight
details into the system to confirm the
managed isolation allocation.
• Print or download the voucher. The voucher
will also be instantly emailed once the
allocation has been confirmed. Airlines will
ask travellers to present their voucher, either
a printed physical copy or on their mobile
device, before boarding their flight. A group
travelling together will be issued a single
voucher for all passengers in the group.
The system will allocate you, or you and
your family, to a managed isolation facility for
a 14-day stay.
You will not be able to choose the city
or facility where you isolate. Passengers on
the same flight are typically allocated to the
same managed isolation facility, except those
assessed as having a higher risk of COVID-19
who will enter quarantine.
Simeon
Brown
Your strong voice for
Pakuranga
Authorised by S Brown, 120A Pakuranga Road, Pakuranga.

The Indian Weekender Friday, October 02, 2020
NEW ZEALAND 5
ELECTION 2020: Where is
the plan for immigration?
• From Page 3
Majority of them have invested heavily - both
financially and emotionally - in making New
Zealand as their preferred choice of destination
for migrating and starting a new life based on
their education and skills and have been living
in the country for many years.
Now they face the risk of losing it all as they
languish outside NZ borders helplessly, with
their legitimate visas expiring with each passing
month, and no assurance from the government
that their visas will be restored and they will be
getting a fair and dignified chance to return and
continue with their lives.
If letting them back in NZ and continuing
with their lives is not an option, for many of
them, the government seems to not be in the
mood to offer the basic dignity of allowing
them to return temporarily and make decent
closure of their dream of Kiwi-life by taking
their precious belongings, along with settling
their finances for good.
What makes it worse is that despite such an
unfair treatment meted out to this fast becoming
new underclass of temporary migrants who
are being denied entry into the country,
despite having legitimate visas issued by
Immigration NZ, even the political opposition
is also blissfully silent, to offer any “reasonable
support” to ameliorate their plight.
What is the major barrier –
logistical or ideological?
In that regard, it is indeed important to find
out what is the major barrier that the country
is facing, in the worldview of the two major
political parties, that is preventing from letting
temporary migrants stuck overseas back into
the country.
While the Labour-led government has
assiduously framed it as a logistical challenge,
whereby putting it up as an issue that was
in direct conflict with the issue of the right
to returning of NZ citizens and Permanent
Residents, the National has also timidly, and
almost cluelessly, towed the line so far.
None of the political party has chosen to
stand for the right thing to do under the given
chaotic situation of honouring NZ’s visas and
the global reputation by letting the temporary
migrants return to a country where they have
been living for the last few years.
To say that a developed advanced economy
like NZ cannot afford to have a few dedicated
MIQ facilities that can explicitly cater for the
temporary migrants stuck overseas, along with
the existing facilities catering for returning
Kiwis, does not appear accurate and correct.
It is indeed never a question of a logistical
challenge as both the government and the
opposition have conveniently made it to be;
instead, it is an ideological barrier, preventing
both major parties to commit for a dignified
return of temporary migrants stuck overseas.
Their ideological barrier is evident from
reluctance from both parties to put their stakes
on the ground on the entire immigration policy
and commit for a bare minimum vision on how
they envisage managing the economy without
any intake of the mid and low skilled migrant
workforce in the near term.
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Lisa
Whyte
New Lynn
Authorised by L Whyte, 107 Great South Rd, Greenlane.
People and jobs are the cornerstones of thriving communities.
Only National has the plan and the team that will create more
jobs and a better economy to get New Zealand out of this crisis.
I’m Lisa Whyte, National’s Candidate for the New Lynn Electorate.
I hold a Bachelor of Science in Economics and Politics and have
a background in corporate finance. I am a trained management
accountant and resource consent commissioner. For the past 15
years, I have served as an elected Local Board member – most
recently as Chair and Deputy Chair. I have also served the community
on boards for sports clubs and kindergarten associations and
am currently on the establishment board for a new primary
school. I believe in service, and that politics is all about people.
As your MP, my priorities for New Lynn will be the issues you’ve
told me are important to you and your family. This includes:
√ More frontline police
√ Improving beach water quality
√ Safely reopening our walking tracks
√ Upgrading and repairing our local schools
√ Improving road safety
√ Supporting local jobs and businesses to survive and
thrive in a post-COVID world.
You can find out more about National’s policies and
what it means for you and your family at www.national.org.nz/
policy.
This is the most important election of our lifetime - and your vote
counts. Voting is open from Saturday, 3 October to Saturday, 17
October. Head to www.national.org.nz/vote to find your nearest
voting place.
Please vote National and Lisa Whyte to secure a strong future
for New Zealand.

6 NEW ZEALAND
Friday, October 02, 2020 The Indian Weekender
Immigration NZ does not have data on the number
of 'General Visitor Visas based on relationship' issued
SANDEEP SINGH
Immigration New Zealand does not have
figures on the numbers of “General Visitor
Visa based on relationship” - a type of visa
that most of the Indian-New Zealanders rely
upon for getting their newly married spouses to
join them in the country.
“We are unable to provide the number of
applications under General Visitor Visa on
the basis of Relationship as we are not easily
able to identify visitor visa applications
with a relationship component,” an official
spokesperson of INZ told the Indian Weekender.
The INZ was responding to the Indian
Weekender’s request for the number of such
visas issued from its Mumbai office (or
onshore partnership hub office at hamilton)
to understand the scope of the problem facing
many Kiwi-Indian couples who have been
locked out of the borders as they do not qualify
for the exception announced by the Minister for
Immigration earlier this month.
Currently, New Zealand borders
are closed except for citizens
and residents and a very small
category of visa holders that
the government is approving at
a snail’s speed, which includes
critically skilled workers, those
on partnership-based visas, and
on humanitarian grounds.
Earlier this month the Immigration Minister
Kris Faafoi had announced in an exclusive
Surinder and Divya at their marriage ceremony
interview with the Indian Weekender on
September 14 that INZ would now allow
partners of Kiwi citizens and residents from
non-visa waiver countries to get an exception to
enter NZ borders, which are otherwise closed.
Currently, New Zealand borders are closed
except for citizens and residents and a very small
category of visa holders that the government is
approving at a snail’s speed, which includes
critically skilled workers, those on partnershipbased
visas, and on humanitarian grounds.
The announcement had generated much hope
and anticipation, which was quickly subdued
as an internal letter issued by Immigration NZ
to lawyers and licensed immigration advisers
categorically stated that those on “general
visitor visa based on relationship” will not be
granted such exception.
Following reporting of such letter that
has been the source of major anxiety within
Kiwi-Indian citizens and residents to bring
their spouse back into the country, the Indian
Weekender had sought more information
around exact number of such visa-holders,
who, if currently overseas, will fail to get relief
and join their partners.
Surinder Kumar - an NZ permanent resident
- who married Divya Shree last year October,
after having a long-distance relationship for
years and first applied for the newly announced
“Culturally Arranged Marriage visa category”,
and subsequently issued a “general visitor visa
based on relationship.
By the time his wife had received that visa,
New Zealand borders were closed and her
request for exceptions to enter NZ had been
twice declined.
Since then Surinder had also travelled back to
India to accompany his wife while travelling to
NZ - a condition required by the government’s
earlier announcement that only those partners
who were accompanied by Kiwi citizens and
residents would be given an exception to enter
the country.
However, unfortunately, Divya’s subsequent
request for an exception to enter NZ was again
declined despite being accompanied by her NZ
based partner - something that the poor couple
are struggling to comprehend.
What is the difference between
partnership visa & GVV based on
relationship visa?
Under immigration policy, there is a very
strict (and probably antiquated) definition
of partnership that requires couples to “live
together” before INZ could consider them as a
couple and issue a partnership-visa.
The partnerships formed on the basis of
traditional Indian marriages, where couples
are not required to live together before the
actual marriage, have always struggled to
meet the strict definition of partnership visa for
immigration purposes.
Immigration NZ’s frontline case officers have
devised a practical solution to this antiquated
partnership visa policy where they after
establishing the genuineness of relationship
between the couple used to issue them a
“General Visitor Visa based on relationship” as
an exception to the policy and allow couples to
join and start their lives in NZ.
• Continued on Page 8
Priyanca
Radhakrishnan
THIS MONTH’S SPECIAL
OFFER VALID : 01/10/2020~31/10/2020
Labour List MP based
in Maungakiekie
Maungakiekie Office
09 622 2660
priyanca.radhakrishnan@parliament.govt.nz
Level 1 Crighton House, 100 Neilson St,
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8 NEW ZEALAND
New Windsor now
part of Mt Roskill
Electorate this
election
I am delighted the Mt Roskill electorate
will include New Windsor and the main
western boundary will be Whitney St. Go
to www.vote.nz for detailed information.
Dr Parmjeet Parmar
National List MP
based in Mt Roskill
09 620 6707
parmjeet.parmar@
parliament.govt.nz
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Friday, October 02, 2020
The Indian Weekender
Immigration NZ does not have data
on the number of 'General Visitor
Visas based on relationship' issued
• From Page 6
This practice was arbitrarily stopped in May
2019 by the Immigration NZ’s Mumbai office,
in order to get rid of burgeoning processing
queues, which resulted in mass rejections
of visas, resulting in media scrutiny and
intervention by the government.
Since then, however, the issue has not
been fixed completely, and a gap between
Wellington-based head offices of INZ and
the frontline visa processing officers have
remained, and the process has quietly reverted
to the pre-May 2019 system, where GVV
based on relationship visas were issued.
Border closure have
disadvantaged “General visitor
visa based on relationship”
Unfortunately, these “GVV based on
relationships” are not treated as par or equal to
partnership visas, despite having been issued to
couples, and are not allowed to enter NZ, even
when travelling with their NZ based partners
(citizens and residents).
That disadvantage persists even after
Immigration Minister’s latest announcement on
September 14 in an interview with the Indian
Weekender allowing partners of NZ citizens &
residents from non-visa waiver countries to be
eligible for an exception to enter the country.
To be fair to Immigration NZ, it is indeed not
possible to find numbers of general visitor visas
issued on the basis of relationships, as many
industry stakeholders concur, purely because
INZ is not collecting data in that way.
“General visitor visas are visitor visas,
regardless of the basis on which they are issued
by INZ. So its completely understandable
why INZ could not produce accurate figures
on GVV based on relationship,” a prominent
Immigration Lawyer told the Indian Weekender.
However, that does not takes away the gross
discrimination meted out to partners of Indian-
New Zealanders who are currently punished by
the immigration system purely for following
their own cultural practices when marrying
with their partners, and being denied the same
border exceptions that are available to people of
other ethnicities.
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The Indian Weekender Friday, October 02, 2020
NEW ZEALAND 9
Kiwis trust National to
rebuild our economy
Kanwaljit Bakshi
Member of Parliament and
Spokesperson for Ethnic
Communities, National Party
Only a party vote for National will
change our future and get New Zealand
back on track. In this morning’s New
Zealand Herald, polling showed 43 per cent of
New Zealanders trust National to rebuild the
economy – ahead of Labour on 39 per cent.
That’s because Judith Collins and National
have a strong economic plan that will grow the
economy and create jobs.
National’s Economic and Fiscal Plan will put
more money into Kiwis’ back pockets, while
encouraging businesses to invest and create
jobs.
The National Party is rising in the polls and
Labour is sliding fast. We have the momentum.
We are gaining support daily.
Our plan is clear and comprehensive. Labour
haven’t released theirs because they know it
won’t be credible.
Our plan will put more money into Kiwis’
back pockets, while encouraging businesses
to invest and create jobs. We will provide a 16
month temporary cut to income tax that will put
money in millions of New Zealanders’ pockets
– stimulating our economy and getting people
back to work.
National has a comprehensive five point plan
to deal with the economic and jobs crisis:
• Responsible economic management
• Delivering infrastructure
• Reskilling and retraining our workforce
• A greener, smarter future
• Building stronger communities.
The next National Government will back
the Serious Fraud Office to do more to stamp
out corruption. We will double its budget to
$25 million a year and change its name to the
Serious Fraud and Anti-Corruption Agency,
because we believe Kiwis need to better
understand the type of crime it is responsible
for. In many ways corruption in the regions
has the greatest impact on New Zealanders, by
eroding small communities’ trust in institutions
they deserve to believe in, and depriving them
of resources they desperately need. Corruption
is a threat to the wellbeing of New Zealand and
our way of doing business.
Kiwis value our reputation as one of the least
corrupt countries in the world. National knows
we need to provide the SFO with the resources
it needs to investigate all serious fraud, bribery
and corruption.
Kanwaljit Singh
Bakshi
Panmure-Ōtāhuhu
Your Economy. Your Future.
Authorised by Kanwaljit Singh Bakshi MP, 1/131 Kolmar Road, Papatoetoe.

10 NEW ZEALAND
Wellington Diwali is
all set to go ahead
under Alert Level 1
RIZWAN MOHAMMAD
Wellingtonians can rejoice as the
festival of lights is coming back
once again this year on
Sunday, October 25 at TSB Arena
and Shed 6.
The two halls will shine
bright in dazzling lights,
festive music, ethnic street
food and much more
as it received the green
light to go ahead with the
festival under Alert Level 1
Covid-19 restrictions.
Diwali - also known as the
‘Festival of Lights’ - is Wellington’s
local Indian and South-East Asian
communities’ most vibrant cultural celebration.
Every year, the TSB Arena is occupied
from one end to the other with thousands
clad in festive and ethnic dresses with family
and friends to celebrate the biggest festivals
of India.
Scores of performances on a massive stage
representing the rich cultural history of India
entertain the diverse range of audience at the
event and plenty of food stalls that serve the
tastebuds of every festivalgoer.
Unlike Auckland’s Diwali festival,
Wellington Diwali is held indoors with seating
spaces for the spectators both front of the stage
and on the side first-floor balconies that give
a spectacular view of the stage performances
amid vivid lighting and festive backdrop.
The event usually starts with an official
ceremony where dignitaries
and guests from around
New Zealand light the
traditional lamp, announce
the event open followed by
speeches and classical dance
performances.
As the event progresses, dances and
performers not just from the Wellington
city and vicinity, but also from different corners
of North Island such as Auckland, Palmerston
North, Tauranga, Hamilton etc. exhibit
various Indian dance forms, both classical
and contemporary.
The Indian Weekender has been associated
with the Wellington Diwali as an official
media partner since 2018 and presents its
Mr & Ms Wellington Diwali show to the
Wellington audience.
Organisers of this popular festival kept plans
on hold for a while due to the second wave of
Covid, but the show will go on as scheduled
from inauguration at 3 p.m. till 8:30 p.m.
under AL1. The other highlights of the festival
include delicious Indian vegetarian food stalls,
music and fashion, arts, crafts, henna and
information stalls.
Friday, October 02, 2020
The most visited Indian news
website in New Zealand
The Indian Weekender
Man pleads not guilty on murder charges
of a 42-year-old woman in Papatoetoe
RIZWAN MOHAMMAD
The 47-year-old man accused of the
murder of a 42-year-old woman in
Papatoetoe earlier in September has
pleaded not guilty and will face trial.
Police were called to an address in
Papatoetoe on Monday, September 21 after
reports of the sudden death of a woman. Police
conducted its initial enquiries and subsequently
launched a homicide investigation and arrested
the man on the charge of murder on Thursday,
September 24.
The Indian Weekender has been informed that
in the initial inquiries, police were informed of
the death calling a ‘medical incident’, but upon
further investigations, police reeked of a foul
play in the sudden death of a healthy woman
and homicide investigation was launched.
“Following enquiries, police subsequently
launched a homicide investigation and arrested
the 47-year-old man who was known to the
victim and has been charged with murder,”
Acting Detective Inspector Shaun Vickers,
from Counties Manukau Police, said.
The Indian Weekender has also learnt that
the people involved in the incident were of
Indian origin, and the family members of the
deceased victim in India have been informed of
the incident, but the name of the victim is yet to
be released by the police.
The man accused was unable to appear in
court as he was taken to Middlemore Hospital
with heart palpitations last Friday, September
25, and his lawyer pleaded on his behalf.
He was given interim name suppression by
Judge David Harvey and was also granted bail.
The name suppression will last until his next
court appearance, which is Friday, October
2, in order to give authorities time to inform
their families.
A source close to the Indian Weekender
confirmed that the 42-year-old woman had
been cremated on Thursday, September 24 in
Auckland in the presence of a selected number
of community members given restrictions in
place regarding the ongoing case.
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The Indian Weekender Friday, October 02, 2020
NEW ZEALAND 11
Kiwi Indian surgeon, one of 24 writers of a book
on women empowerment selling hot on Amazon
RIZWAN MOHAMMAD
A
recently released book on women
empowerment, faith, and courage
The Shakti Awakening is becoming a
rage amongst book lovers and selling hot on
international e-commerce site such as Amazon.
What makes this book unique and most
sought after is that this book has been
penned by 24 authors, one chapter of which
is written by Kiwi Indian surgeon Dr Anitha
Ranganathan; and each writer shares the story
of their struggles, facing hardships both mental
and physical and how they rose to the occasion
and survived the odds.
Dr Anitha is a cancer survivor and penned the
chapter Cancer: My Edition about her tryst with
breast cancer, battling chronic health issues,
moving from one country to another, surviving
the death of a loved one, coming out of a broken
marriage and how her unconceivable journey
made her even stronger.
The book has been conceptualised by a
renowned bestselling author in the US, and
publisher of multiple books Snehal R Singh.
She has compiled the stories of 24 global Indian
women from different walks of life in this book.
The writers of the book include a housewife,
mother, business owner, a publisher, lawyer,
coaches, dancers, and there’s even an event
planner who organised a Diwali festival at the
White House in the USA.
Speaking to The Indian Weekender, Kiwi
Indian writer Dr Anitha said she knew Snehal
from a different work capacity who on listening
to her survival story, offered her to pen one of
the chapters in her upcoming book.
“I wrote my story to make everyone aware
that life can really throw you a curveball, one
after the other, but we all also have the innate
strength to deal with it. Through my story,
there are many lessons one can learn, but the
main impact I wanted to create was that of
empowerment, faith, trust, and gratitude,” Dr
Anitha said.
Dr Anitha is an ENT and Head and Neck
Surgeon with 20 years of experience and moved
to New Zealand only three years ago. Before
moving to NZ, she was a full-time surgeon,
lecturer and was also actively involved in
research in various universities and hospitals in
India and Malaysia.
She now works with clients who are
struggling with who they are on the inside
based on their identity shifts that a diagnosis
like cancer or losing a job or moving to a new
country can create.
“I connect them to what allows them to have
vibrant energy, provide them with a terrain to
plant the seeds of support and to help them fall
back into gratitude with ease and create a life of
their dreams. I know that if I can do it, anybody
can, but we all do need that extra help,” Dr
Anitha added.
The Shakti Awakening was released
worldwide on 21st September this year and
has already become a #1 Bestseller in India,
Australia, Canada, the USA in the Hot New
Releases and top 10 in different categories.
“Although I have penned many articles on a
professional front before, this has indeed been
an eye-opener for me- what I have shared is just
a small but life-changing part of my life,” Dr
Anitha said.
Speaking more about other chapters in
the book and the gist of all stories shared by
different writers, Dr Anitha says that the book
is about the stories of 24 women, who are not
working from a space of pain but working from
a state of power.
“You are going to feel the power of stepping
into your own light and making strong decisions
to feeling proud. Every story is about saying
that you can do it too. We did it, and you can
do it too. The paths have been different, the
challenges have been different, the ways we
have looked at it were different,” Dr Anitha
says.
Dr Anitha encourages people to not just read
the book for themselves but share the book
with their spouses, parents, in-laws, friends,
colleagues, classmates etc.
“Get this book for yourself, for your partner
or wife who is perhaps struggling with her loss
in identity after losing her job or moving to a
new country with no friends or acquaintances
or, who is a first-time mother and experiencing
the challenges that come along with it. Gift it to
that friend whose life has been challenged with
a serious illness and is losing hope. Get it for
your mother or mother-in-law who has had her
struggles too and just to give her glimpses into
reminiscing what her life could have been like,”
Dr Anitha said.
Dr Anitha says that that the cost of the book
is minimal as the goal of the book is to reach the
masses, touch the hearts of those who need that
small ray of hope to keep them going during
bleak times.
Your Economy.
Your Future.
Find out more: www.national.org.nz/policy
Authorised by G Hamilton, 41 Pipitea Street, Wellington.

Editorial
Not a single visa decided
under new culturally
arranged marriage visa
category in four months
before border closure
Immigration New Zealand has confirmed that not a single visa application was decided under
the “culturally arranged marriage visa category, from their Mumbai office since December last
year to March this year, even after the changes made in the category to fix the partnership visa
woes affecting the broader Kiwi-Indian community.
Immigration NZ was responding to a query sent from the Indian Weekender about the number
of applications received and decided under the Culturally arranged marriage visa category,
particularly after the former Immigration Minister had made changes in the category in November
2019, apparently to fix the partnership visa processing crisis.
According to the figures released to the Indian Weekender, the INZ’s Mumbai office received
a total of 22, 28, 20 and 30 applications in the months of December (2019), January, February &
March (2020) respectively, under the Culturally arranged marriage visa category.
At the same time, Immigration NZ received a total of 2165, 2377, 2762 and 3092 new partnership
visa applications (both onshore and offshore offices) in the same month period.
This amounts to less than 0.01 per cent of all applications under partnership visa category were
under a culturally arranged marriage visa category.
Confirms anecdotal evidence of low interest in the culturally
arranged marriage visa category
This clearly confirms the anecdotal experiences of several prominent immigration lawyers,
advisers, other industry stakeholders and the wider Kiwi-Indian community that the changes made
by the former Immigration Minister in October-November 2019, with much fanfare, was not the
right solution to a problem that is largely rooted in the systematic bias within immigration system
towards the “Indian-marriages.”
Those changes made in culturally arranged marriage visa category allowed people who have
married overseas to be able to apply for this visa to join their partners in NZ within a short window
of 3 months, provided they meet many other strict conditions imposed, including that the bride and
groom should not be a party to the decision of marrying each other.
It was widely contested and reported by this publication then, that the majority of Kiwi-Indians
who had recently married overseas, after in some cases maintaining a long-distance relationship
for several years would not qualify the strict and bizarre conditions under the culturally arranged
marriage visa category.
The fact that there was never an uptake under this category, despite a large number of Kiwi-
Indian community members planning to get their overseas-based partners to join them in NZ
choosing to apply under the original partnership visa category (under which they were largely
deemed ineligible as they do not meet with the strict and antiquated definition of “partnership”
under the NZ immigration policy.
Not a single visa decided under Culturally Arranged Marriage Visa
category
To add insult to the injury, INZ confirmed to the Indian Weekender that not a single visa was
decided under this new category, pointing to the fact that the government had no understanding
of this complex and systematic bias against the Indian marriages within NZ immigration system.
To make it clear, it does not necessarily mean that all those who have applied under that newly
changed category would not have been able to get another visa, as they would have also reverted to
the normal practice followed by the INZ – applying for partnership visa and getting an exception
instead in the form of “General Visitor Visa under relationship category” to join their partners in
NZ.
That “GVV under relationship category” despite being an act of favour by the Immigration New
Zealand affirms a systematic bias against the INDIAN MARRIAGES within immigration system
as the policy does not consider Indian-couples who are not living together prior to their marriages
as partners for the visa purpose.
Currently, all such partners of Indian-New Zealander’s (citizens and residents) who are locked
out of NZ borders, which is closed - are not allowed to enter NZ and join their partners - while all
other partners (different ethnicities and nationalities) of Kiwi citizens and residents are allowed
to do so.
This is a case of systematic bias against Indian marriages for partnership visa purposes.
Thought of the week
“Be not afraid of greatness; some are born
great, some achieve greatness, and others have
greatness thrust upon them.” —William Shakespeare
1 October – 8 October 2020
Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues Wed Thu
On-and-off
rain and
drizzle
16°
9°
Partly
sunny
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9°
Indian Weekender : Volume 12 Issue 29
Publisher: Kiwi Media Publishing Limited
Content Editor: Sandeep Singh | sandeep@indianweekender.co.nz
Chief Reporter: Rizwan Mohammad | rizwan@indianweekender.co.nz
Chief Technical Officer: Rohan deSouza | rohan@indianweekender.co.nz
Sr Graphics and Layout Designer: Mahesh Kumar | mahesh@indianweekender.co.nz
Graphic Designer: Yashmin Chand | design@indianweekender.co.nz
Accounts and Admin.: 09-2173623 | accounts@indianweekender.co.nz
Media Sales Manager.: Leena Pal: 021 952 216 | leena@indianweekender.co.nz
Sales and Distribution: 021 952218 | sales@indianweekender.co.nz
Editor at Large: Dev Nadkarni | dev@indianweekender.co.nz
Views expressed in the publication are not necessarily of the publisher and the publisher
is not responsible for advertisers’ claims as appearing in the publication
Views expressed in the articles are solely of the authors and do not in any way represent
the views of the team at the Indian Weekender
Kiwi Media Publishing Limited - 133A, Level 1, Onehunga Mall, Onehunga, Auckland.
Printed at Horton Media, Auckland
Parlty
sunny
Clouds and
sun
14°
10°
A touch o
dafr
This week in New Zealand’s history
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2 October 1941
New Zealand pilot saves Scottish village
Copyright 2020. Kiwi Media Publishing Limited. All Rights Reserved.
Sunshine
and pactcy
clouds
16°
9°
A few
morning
showers
In May 2007 the residents of the Scottish village of Cowie gathered to unveil a memorial to
Pilot Officer Carlyle Everiss – a New Zealand fighter pilot whose heroic actions saved the
lives of many villagers during the Second World War.
3 October 1888
New Zealand Natives team plays first game in UK
The privately organised rugby team was the first to wear the silver fern and an all-black
uniform. Originally called New Zealand Maori, their name was changed after organiser
and captain Joe Warbrick (Ngāti Rangitihi) and promoter Thomas Eyton added five Pākehā to
strengthen the team.
4 October 1957
Morris Yock trademarks the jandal
Inspired by footwear he had seen in Japan, businessman Morris Yock and his son Anthony
began manufacturing this simple rubber footwear in their garage in 1957. The name ‘jandal’
combined the words ‘Japanese’ and ‘sandal’.
5 October 2011
Shipwrecked Rena spills oil into Bay of Plenty
The container ship Rena astonished local mariners by grounding on the clearly marked
Astrolabe Reef while approaching Tauranga Harbour. Flying the Liberian flag and under
charter to the Mediterranean Shipping Company, the German-built Rena is the largest ship ever
wrecked in New Zealand waters. No lives were lost, but in financial terms it was our costliestever
shipwreck.
6 October 1769
Young Nick sights land
Ship’s boy Nicholas Young received a gallon of rum and had a headland named after him for
being the first aboard HMB Endeavour to spot land in the south-west Pacific. It was 127
years since Abel Tasman had made the first known European sighting of New Zealand.
7 October 1917
German 'Sea Devil' imprisoned in New Zealand
Felix Graf von Luckner earned the epithet Der Seeteufel (the Sea Devil) for his exploits as
captain of the German raider SMS Seeadler in 1916–17.The Seeadler, a converted merchant
ship, sank 14 Allied ships in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans between January and July 1917. Von
Luckner prided himself on the effectiveness and bloodless nature of his operations; only one
person died during his raids.
15°
9°

The Indian Weekender Friday, October 02, 2020 FIJI 13
Fiji Day public holiday
set for Saturday
The Fiji Day public holiday was gazetted
for Saturday, 10th October.
This has been done as per the
Employment Relations (Administration)
Regulations 2008.
This has been highlighted by Minister
for Employment Parveen Kumar due to the
increased number of queries received by the
Ministry on the issue.
Kumar clarifies that Monday, 12th October is
not a public holiday.
He says workers who will be employed
during the public holiday on Saturday are
required to be remunerated in accordance
with the minimum terms and conditions of the
relevant wages regulations in force.
Kumar is urging employers and workers to
contact the Ministry for any clarifications.
Govt doing everything possible to provide
life-changing services to people: PM
Prime Minister, Voreqe Bainimarama
says the government is providing relief
to those who have lost their jobs or had
their hours cut during the COVID-19 crisis.
While speaking at the Nadi District School in
Bua, Bainimarama says they are ensuring life
sustaining services like water and electricity are
not cut off and are supporting those looking to
start new businesses of their own.
The Prime Minister says they are also pushing
ahead with construction to provide people with
jobs, all while extending life-changing services
to more people. He says we will rise above this
crisis and yet again, we will prove our resilience
and the power of positive thinking, and we will
do more than recover, we will emerge from
this crisis even stronger. Bainimarama says
no challenge will deter them like they have so
many times before and they will deliver once
again. He says Fijians are not contending with
a cyclone like TC Winston today, but are still
threatened by a very serious crisis which is the
coronavirus pandemic.
Bainimarama says Fiji acted quickly to stop
the virus from spreading in our country and
now, we can live with some sense of normalcy,
but the economic pain of border closures and
lower demand for exports all around the world
have proved devastating for our economy.
He says we all know someone who has lost
their job or had their hours cut and someone
who is having a difficult time fetching the usual
prices when they bring fruits, vegetables and
seafood to the market.
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14
INDIA
Friday, October 02, 2020 The Indian Weekender
India: Coronavirus cases
Confirmed: 6,310,267
Deaths: 98,708
Recovered: 5,270,007
NEWS in BRIEF
In UP’s last budget before polls, funds for
development will be a major challenge
As the Uttar Pradesh government begins the process of preparing
the budget for 2021-2022, a major challenge of providing funds
for development schemes and other important public works stares
the authorities in the face. Adding to the challenge will be the new schemes
and populist announcements that chief minister Adityanath may like to
make in his government’s last annual budget before the state goes to polls
early in 2022.
“Yes, the state’s budget for 2021-2022 will be a major challenge. The UP
government will have to be realistic about the size of the budget this time in
view of resource constraints. It should also mark its priorities as this will be
the last budget before the 2022 assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh,” said
Yashvir Tyagi, former professor of economics, Lucknow University.
Adityanath may also opt for presenting a supplementary budget or a
mini-poll budget later to make populist announcements as was done by his
predecessor Akhilesh Yadav a few months before the 2017 polls.
India can now take defence assets on lease
India can take defence assets on lease as and when required and operate
without owning thereby, substituting huge initial capital outlays, the
Defence Ministry said while releasing the new defence acquisition
procedure. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh unveiled a new Defence
Acquisition Procedure 2020 in New Delhi on Monday which took a year to
frame after taking all stakeholders on board, including Indian and foreign
industries as well as think tanks.
It has five new categories and the policy pertaining to leasing has been
included for the first time. On what all can be leased, Director General
(Acquisition) Apurva Chandra said, "There is no such list and it would
be on a case to case basis." He also said that leasing is a new category
introduced to enable operating of assets without owning thereby, substitute
huge initial capital outlays.
S Jaishankar: ‘Joint efforts to combat human
trafficking need of the hour’
External Affairs Minister S
Jaishankar during a virtual meeting
with Bangladesh Foreign Minister Dr A
K Abdul Momen, in New Delhi. India
said that joint efforts to combat human
trafficking are the need of the hour, as External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar
met Bangladesh Foreign Minister A K Abdul Momen through virtual mode.
Ties between the two countries had been strained since December last
year as the CAA and NRC issues took centre stage.
Jaishankar said, “Sincere efforts have also been made by both sides to
develop greater coordination between our border guarding forces through
mechanisms like joint patrolling and exchange of real time information. I
strongly feel that joint efforts to combat human trafficking are the need of
the hour. Our border guarding force has been particularly sensitized on this
important issue.”
India successfully test-fires BrahMos missile
India successfully test-fired an extended- range supersonic cruise missile
BrahMos with an indigenous booster from a test facility off the Odisha
coast. The missile was launched around 10.30 am from a mobile launcher at
the Integrated Test Range (ITR) in Balasore district, sources said.
An Indo-Russian joint venture, BrahMos missile has a strike range of
about 400 km. "Congratulate @DRDO_India on the successful test-firing
of an extended range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile. The missile with
an indigenous booster will further strengthen India's defence capability,"
tweeted Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik. It is the second time that the
extended-range version of BrahMos has been test-fired. BrahMos missile
was originally built with a range of 290 km.
International flights to remain suspended till Oct 31
The Central government extended the suspension of scheduled
commercial international flight operations to and from India till
October 31.
"This restriction shall not apply to international all-cargo operations and
flights specifically approved by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation
(DGCA)," an official statement said.
"However, international scheduled flights may be allowed on selected
routes by the competent authority on a case to case basis," it added.
Passenger air services were suspended on March 25 due to the nationwide
lockdown to check the spread of Covid-19. Domestic flight services,
however, resumed from May 25.
88m in India may have been
exposed to Sars-Cov2: Sero survey
One in every 15 individuals, or 6.6%, of people
above the age of 10 years in India, have been
exposed to Sars-Cov2, the virus that causes
coronavirus disease (Covid-19), till August, according
to the findings of Indian Council of Medical Research’s
(ICMR) second national sero survey released on Tuesday.
If extrapolated across the country’s population, this
would mean that nearly 88 million people may have been
silently exposed to the virus.
The second iteration of ICMR’s national sero survey
covered 29,082 individuals and was conducted between
August 17 and September 22, in the same 700 villages
and wards from 70 districts in 21 states that were covered
in the first survey. The first countrywide sero survey
(conducted between May 11 and June 4) showed overall
infection prevalence to be 0.73%. All other parameters
about the two surveys were similar except for the targeted
age bracket — in the first phase population selected was
18 years and above, and in the second phase samples were
included from 10 years and above.
“We changed the age group in the second survey
from 18 years to 10 years and above because infection
was also seen in younger population. Sero survey gives
us virus exposure prevalence, but you may or may not
have developed the disease,” said Dr Balram Bhargava,
director general, ICMR.
About 3ml-5ml of blood sample was collected to study
the presence of IgG antibodies against Sars-Cov2 virus.
IgG antibodies are the longer lasting antibodies that help
determine a past infection.
“How much time in the past is a work in progress but
these develop about 2-3 weeks after having contracted the
infection and approximately stay for about 2-3 months,”
said Dr Bhargava.
Hathras gang-rape brings spotlight
back on crime against women
As the pyre for the body
of the Hathras gangrape
victim was set alight
amid heavy police presence in her
hometown, a young journalist was
seen arguing with a policeman.
As the confrontation between the
journalist and the policeman reaches
its peak, the background fire,
which was dimly lit in the
mobile video, too blazed
high at midnight.
Back in Delhi,
various political parties
and activists staged a
protest trying to march
towards UP Bhawan in the
capital. At least 150 protesters
were detained by Delhi Police. Not
just on the roads, the cry for justice
could be heard on various social
media platforms as well where
prominent personalities raised their
voice against injustice.
Congress General Secretary
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra switched
from Hindi to English several tmes
while tweeting on the Hathras case.
"I was on the phone with the
Hathras victim's father when he
was informed that his daughter had
passed away. I heard him cry out in
despair," she tweeted. In a series
of tweets and a video message, she
was seen asking questions from the
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and
on the role of the state police.
As the comparisons were drawn,
the brutality of the gang-rape was
US hails India partnership as crucial for global recovery from Covid-19
The US hailed its partnership
with India on protective
equipment and medical
supplies during the "desperate" early
days of the Covid-19 pandemic as
the "clearest example" of positive
global collaboration rising from one
of its "most important partnerships in
the world".
The current US outlook frames
India as a crucial partner for
bouncing back from the pandemic's
deadly blow.
"India has been an important
partner for the United States since
the early days of the pandemic
"Was
naive to think
that tough laws &
capital punishment
can deter rapists. Unless
India reforms its medieval
mindset towards
compared to the
Nirbhaya case, the
horrific incident
of December 16,
2012 which evoked
nationwide outrage.
Visuals of protesters
being dragged into police
vans looked like a replica of what
happened after Nirbhaya's death.
Not just politicians and activists,
several film stars and cricketers
also raised questions on women's
security after condemning the
Hathras incident.
"Angry & Frustrated! Such
brutality in Hathras gangrape.
When will this stop? Our laws and
their enforcement must be so strict
that the mere thought of punishment
makes rapists shudder with fear!
Hang the culprits. Raise ur voice
to safeguard daughters and sistersits
the least we can do," Bollywood
actor Akshay Kumar tweeted.
Cricketer Virat Kohli also
demanded justice for the victim and
called the incident beyond cruelty.
"What happened in Hathras is
women, nothing will
change."
when countries were desperate
for factual information about the
virus and searching for personal
protective equipment and other
medical supplies," a senior US State
Department Official said during a
background briefing on the 'US-India
Comprehensive Global Strategic
Partnership'.
"Looking forward to the next six
months and beyond. We know that
our continued close cooperation with
India will be an important part of the
global recovery from the pandemic,"
the US official said.
"The US-India "collaborative
inhumane and goes beyond cruelty.
Hope the culprits of this heinous
crime will be brought to justice,"
Virat tweeted.
In November 2019, the gangrape
and murder of a 26-year-old
veterinary doctor in Shamshabad,
Telangana, sparked outrage across
India. All four accused were shot
dead by police after they allegedly
tried to flee.
"Was naive to think that tough
laws & capital punishment can
deter rapists. Nirbhaya & Hathras
have shattered this belief. Unless
India reforms its medieval mindset
towards women, nothing will
change.
"This will require action
& leadership, not cliches &
partisanship," former Union
Minister Milind Deora said in
a tweet. Despite strict laws and
an example that how Nirbhaya's
gangrape convicts were hanged,
Delhi saw 908 rape cases till August
15 this year. In 2019, the rape cases
reported during the same period
were 1,402.
approach on therapeutics" is being
underlined as an "excellent example"
of positive global impact.
"American company, Gilead
has granted voluntary nonexclusive
licensing agreements to
Indian pharmaceutical companies
to produce a generic form of
remdesivir," according to the State
Department official.
India's Prime Minister Narendra
Modi, while addressing the UN
General Assembly last week, pledged
to help the world produce and deliver
potential coronavirus vaccines.

The Indian Weekender Friday, October 02, 2020
WORLD 15
Covid-19: New global test
will give results 'in minutes'
A
test
that can diagnose Covid-19 in minutes will
dramatically expand the capacity to detect cases
in low- and middle-income countries, the World
Health Organization (WHO) has said.
The $5 test could transform tracking of Covid-19 in less
wealthy countries, which have shortages of healthcare
workers and laboratories, the BBC reported on Monday.
A deal with manufacturers will provide 120 million
tests over six months.
The WHO's head called it a major milestone.
Lengthy gaps between taking a test and receiving a
result have hampered many countries' attempts to control
the spread of coronavirus.
In some countries with high infection rates, including
India and Mexico, experts have said that low testing rates
are disguising the true spread of their outbreaks.
The "new, highly portable and easy-to-use test" will
provide results in 15-30 minutes instead of hours or days,
WHO Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus
told a news conference on Monday.
Drugs manufacturers Abbott and SD Biosensor have
agreed with the charitable Bill and Melinda Gates
Trump drags
India into US
presidential
debate, twice
US President Donald Trump
on Tuesday alleged India,
Russia and China might
not be reporting correct Covid-19
toll figures as he sought to defend
his own handling of the public
health crisis at his first debate with
Democratic challenger Joe Biden.
The president also brought up the
three countries in an exchange with
Biden over climate change, saying
India, Russia and China “send up real
dirt into the air”.
Trump has frequently brought
up Covid-19 testing in India to
claim the United States was doing
a far better job of it, and attributing
more testing to the higher toll. And
he had previously alleged China
was concealing the true magnitude
of its Covid-19 crisis. But this was
probably the first time he had alleged
under-reporting by India.
“You don’t know how many died
in China. You don’t know how many
people died in Russia. You don’t
know how many people died in
India,” he said, adding, “They don’t
exactly give a straight count, just so
you understand.”
Of the more than 1 million killed
worldwide by the pandemic, over
200,000 were in the United States,
97,497 in India, 20,456 in Russia
and 4,739 in China, according to
the Johns Hopkins University’s
Covid-19 tracker.
Questions have been raised before
Foundation to produce 120 million of the tests, Tedros
explained. The deal covers 133 countries, including many
in Latin America which is currently the region hardest-hit
by the pandemic in terms of fatality and infection rates.
"This is a vital addition to their testing capacity and
especially important in areas of high transmission,"
Tedros added.
"This will enable the expansion of testing, particularly
in hard-to-reach areas that do not have laboratory facilities
or enough trained health workers to carry out tests," he
said.
about China’s figures that seemed
to be dramatically low for a country
where the epidemic started last
December. It has serious credibility
issues in this regard also because it
did not tell the world early enough
that the virus can have human-tohumsn
transmission and that it can be
transmitted by asymptomatic people.
Trump has attacked India and
China before in the context of climate
change. In fact, he pulled the United
States out of the Paris Accord falsely
claiming it gave India and China a
sweeter deal. He has repeated that
claim several times since, always
without any proof or truth.
UK at 'critical moment' with
coronavirus: PM Boris Johnson
The prime minister told a No
10 briefing the UK was at a
"critical moment" and the
rising number of cases and deaths
shows "why our plan is so essential".
He said he would "not hesitate" to
impose further restrictions if needed.
Chief scientific adviser Sir Patrick
Vallance said: "We don't have this
under control at the moment."
"There's no cause for complacency
here at all," he added.
It comes as the latest UK
coronavirus figures showed there
have been a further 7,108 cases and
another 71 deaths.
Last week, Mr Johnson introduced
restrictions including a 10pm
closing time for pubs, bars and
restaurants in England, with similar
announcements in Scotland and
Wales, and a 15-person limit on
weddings.
Since then, further local lockdowns
have come into force, including
in north-east England, where
households are banned from mixing
indoors.
At the press conference at
Downing Street, Mr Johnson also
said the nation could face the winter
"with confidence" because it was
now better prepared than in March.
The preparations include being
on track for 500,000 tests a day by
the end of October, 2,000 beds in
seven Nightingale hospitals and a
four-month supply of protective
equipment (PPE) such as masks,
gowns and visors.
He said they had trebled the
number of ventilators in the NHS to
31,500 in the last six months.
There were 312 Covid-19 patients
in mechanical ventilator beds as of
Tuesday, the government said, and
2,252 in hospital, as reported.
'Will the second wave be
less severe?'
It is now clear the second wave is
here. Infections, hospital cases and
deaths are all rising.
But what happens next is the big
unknown. The doomsday scenario
of a doubling of cases every week
that was put forward last week is
not materialising. The increase in
hospital admissions is even more
gradual - and the total numbers being
admitted are more than 10 times
lower than they were at the peak.
It points to a slower, less severe
wave this time round.
But it is still early days.
We are just at the start of the
autumn and winter period when
respiratory viruses circulate more.
World: Coronavirus cases
Confirmed: 34,153,075
Deaths: 1,018,732
Recovered: 25,424,847
NEWS in BRIEF
'Arrivals to Aus from Covid-19 safe nations could
quarantine at home'
Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison said on Tuesday that people
arriving in the country from "Covid-19 safe" nation could be allowed
to quarantine at home, than at a hotel.
Since late March, international arrivals to Australia were to spend two
weeks in hotel quarantine at their port of entry, the Australian Broadcasting
Corporation (ABC) said in a news report.
Addressing the media, the Prime Minister said that the Australian Health
Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC), the government health advisory
body, was currently mulling the move to allow people coming in from "safe"
countries to quarantine at home.
"I think home quarantine can play a role in the future and it's something
that is being considered by the AHPPC, particularly as we move beyond the
phase we're in now.
"(As) we do look to have our borders open up at some point to safe
locations, whether it be New Zealand or parts of the Pacific, or places like
South Korea or Japan, or countries that have had a much higher rate of
success, then there are opportunities to look at those alternative methods,"
the ABC news report quoted Morrison as saying.
NASA targets Halloween for next manned SpaceX
mission
NASA and SpaceX now are targeting October 31 for the launch of the
agency's SpaceX Crew-1 mission with astronauts to the International
Space Station. The US space agency had earlier targeted October 23 for
the launch of the mission which comes after the SpaceX Demo-2 test flight
which flew astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the space station.
The new target date which falls on Halloween will deconflict the Crew-1
launch and arrival from upcoming Soyuz launch and landing operations,
NASA said on Monday.
While a Soyuz capsule launch is scheduled for October 14, a Soyuz
departure from space station is set to take place on October 21.
NASA said the additional time is needed to ensure closure of all open
work, both on the ground and aboard the station, ahead of the Crew-1 arrival.
The Crew-1 mission will take astronauts Michael Hopkins, Victor Glover,
and Shannon Walker of NASA and Soichi Noguchi of the Japan Aerospace
Exploration Agency (JAXA) to the station on the SpaceX Crew Dragon
spacecraft on a Falcon 9 rocket from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's
Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.
After 493 days, Belgium gets new PM
After a wait of 493 days since the last federal election, Belgium got its
new Prime Minister Alexander De Croo on Wednesday.
De Croo is set to lead the country's 7-party Vivaldi coalition of Flemish
and Francophone socialists, liberals and greens.
De Croo will spearhead the Vivaldi coalition in steering the country through
the aftershocks of the pandemic, and is set to face fierce pushback from
the Flemish opposition parties, sidelined from the incoming administration
despite making big gains in the election, reported Brussels Times.
The choice of De Croo follows calls for the country's new Prime Minister
to be a Dutch-speaker, since the last PM to lead a full-fledged government,
Charles Michel, was Francophone. As De Croo's fellow government
formator, the Francophone socialist Paul Magnette, who leads the largest
party within the Vivaldi coalition, was also tipped for premiership.
Two-thirds of US voters don't expect winner on
election night
Two-thirds or 66 per cent of the US voters do not expect the result of the
November 3 election to be declared on the same night, according to a
new poll.
The Politico/Morning Consult poll released on Monday showed that only
20 per cent believed the winner will be declared on November 3 itself. Also,
19 per cent said they think the election will be resolved within a week, while
and 26 per cent others said it will be between two and seven days after the
polls close, the poll showed.
An additional 21 per cent of voters believe the period of uncertainty will
stretch past one week.
A majority of voters or 53 per cent in the Politico/Morning Consult poll
said they were either very or somewhat concerned that President Donald
Trump would prematurely declare victory for the election.
One-third of respondents expressed the same concerns about his rival,
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.
Meanwhile, an NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll showed Biden ahead
of Trump nationally by a margin of 51 per cent to 43 per cent.

16
FEATURES
Friday, October 02, 2020 The Indian Weekender
Quick and easy dinners
MASALA KHICHDI
INGREDIENTS:
• 11/2cup - rice
• 1cup - lintels (split moong dal
with skin on)
• 2 - carrots
• 2 - beans
• 2 - potatoes, medium
• 1cup - spinach, chopped
• 1/2cup - peas (frozen)
• 1/4tsp - turmeric powder
• 1/4tsp - red chilli powder
• 1tsp - salt
• 21/2cups - water
FOR TEMPERING:
• 1/2tsp - cumin seeds
• 1/4tsp - asafoetida
• 2 - onions, large
• 1/2tsp - ginger paste
• 1/2tsp - garlic paste
• 3 - green chillies
• 1/4tsp - turmeric powder
• 1/4tsp - red chilli powder
• 1/4tsp - coriander powder
• 3tbsp - clarified butter (ghee) or
oil
• Fresh coriander to garnish
METHOD:
• Rinse rice and lintels, each
separately under the running
water, til the water runs clear. Set
aside.
• Wash and chop carrots and
beans and dice potatoes into the
desirable cubes. Set aside.
• In a deep heavy base saucepan
heat 2 tablespoons of clarified
butter over medium flame.
• Add lintels and fry for a minute
(frying lentil gives a very nice
flavour to it) add rice and sauté
for a minute again.
• Add chopped carrots, beans,
potatoes and spinach.
• Add peas, turmeric powder, red
chilli powder and salt followed by
water, give a good mix.
• Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes or
until done (you can pressure cook
as well).
FOR TEMPERING
• Peel, wash and chop onions and
chop green chillies, keep aside.
• In a pry pan heat 1 tablespoon
of clarified butter over medium
flame.
• Add cumin seeds followed by
asafoetida, stir for few seconds or
until aromatic.
• Add chopped onions and sauté
until brown in colour.
• Add ginger, garlic paste, sauté for
2 minutes.
• Add chopped green chillies and
sauté for another minute.
• Add turmeric powder, red chilli
powder and coriander powder,
mix well.
• Add the onion tempering (tadka)
to the rice mixture and give a good
mix (you can add more water as
per your choice of consistency).
• Garnish with a dollop of clarified
butter on top and fresh chopped
coriander.
• Serve with yoghurt and pickle of
your choice.
TIP: The difference between split
moong dal with skin on and without
skin is that split moong dal without
skin is easy to digest so mainly
used in khichdi is when someone is
unwell.
Other wise split moong with skin
on gives more flavour and has fibre.
Serves - 4
FLAKY ROLL
INGREDIENTS:
• 4 - flakey paratha ( Kawan flaky plain or onion)
• 1/2 - cabbage
• 1 - capsicum
• 5 - potatoes, large
• 1tsp - garlic paste
• 1tsp - ginger paste
• 2 - green chillies
• 1/2tsp - coriander powder
• 1/2tsp - red chilli powder
• 1/4tsp - asafoetida
• 1tsp - garam masala powder
• 2tbsp - tomato ketchup
• 3 - tomatoes
• 1/4tsp - cumin powder
• 1/2tsp mango powder (amchoor powder)
• 1/2tsp - salt or according to taste
• 1tbsp - fresh coriander chopped
• 4tbsp - oil
FOR CHILLI VINEGAR
• 4 - green chillies
• 1/2cup - vinegar
• 1/2tsp - salt or according to taste
• 1 - red onion
• 1 - lemon
METHOD FOR CHILLI VINEGAR:
• Wash and chop green chillies then add them to the
small bowl.
• Add vinegar and salt to green chillies, mix well and
keep aside for later use.
METHOD:
• Wash and thinly slice cabbage and capsicum. Set aside.
• Boil potatoes and keep aside for later use.
• In a heavy base saucepan heat 2 tablespoons of oil over
medium flame.
• Add garlic paste, stir, add ginger paste and sauté well
for a minute.
• Add washed and chopped green chillies, sauté for few
seconds.
• Add coriander powder, red chilli powder, asafoetida
and garam masala powder, stir well.
• Add tomato ketchup and sauté until oil comes on top.
• Wash and make a purée of tomatoes then add them to
the pan and sauté till oil comes on top.
GREEN CHUTNEY
INGREDIENTS:
• 1/2cup - coriander leaves
• 1/4cup - mint leaves
• 6 - green chillies
• 1 - tomato
• 2 - onions
• 1 - lemon
• 1tsp - salt
METHOD:
• In a mixer add coriander leaves, mint leaves, green
chillies, tomato, juice of lemon and salt, beat until
well combined.
• Break the boiled potatoes with your hand then add
them to the pan, mix well until well combined with the
masala, then remove from the flame.
• Add cumin powder, mango powder and season with
salt.
• Add fresh chopped coriander and mix everything
together until well combined by using fork or with
your hands.
• Rubbing some oil on your palms roll potato mixture
into a round cylinder shape kebabs (nearly 8cm long).
• In the same pan add 1 tablespoon of oil over medium
flame.
• Press kebabs slightly between your hands then place
them in the pan.
• Fry the kebabs till they are brown and crisp on both
the sides then transfer them onto a plate (repeat the
process until the whole mixture is used).
• In the same pan heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium
flame.
• Add sliced cabbage and capsicum and slightly sauté
them until the extra water evaporates, transfer them
onto a plate.
TO ASSEMBLE:
• In a pan or skillet cook flaky, flipping it over until done
over medium flame.
• Take flaky in a plate.
• Place potato roll on it.
• Sprinkle cabbage and capsicum on top.
• Sprinkle chilli vinegar and sliced red onions.
• Sprinkle some chaat masala on top and squeeze lemon.
• Roll the flaky and serve with green chutney.
• Serves - 4
• Add peeled and washed onion and coarsely grind it
(chutney tastes good with little bit of crunchy onion
in it). Serve.
Beauty and Skincare Tips
Here are 3 Besan face pack recipes that will cater to all your beauty woes based on your skin type
If you've lived in an Indian household, you
know gram flour aka besan is always found
in the kitchen.
While it tastes good, it is also one of the most
effective home remedies. Since ancient times,
we've heard our grandmothers passing down
homemade skin care recipes and to be honest,
as much as we hated them then, we appreciate
it all now.
Besan not only gives you a brighter skin
but also helps in reducing acne and excess oil
present on the skin.
When mixed with the right ingredients, it
can do wonders.
So, to make things easier for you, we've
brought you 3 recipes that work well on your
skin type!
For oily skin
There's nothing better to absorb all the oil
and grime from your skin than besan. All you
need to do is mix it with rose water until you get
a smooth paste. Now, add a teaspoon of tomato
pulp to the mixture. Apply it on your face for
about 20 minutes and rinse it off with warm
water. Rosewater hydrates the skin while besan
is working to deal with excess oil. Tomato on
the other hand balances the pH levels of the
skin in turn dealing with the sebum production.
For dry skin
Yoghurt and honey are packed with fatty
acids and work as great natural moisturisers.
All you need is a tablespoon of besan and
mix it with yoghurt and honey until you get a
smooth consistency. Now, apply it on your face
and leave it on for 15 minutes. Rinse it with
cold water and moisturize after. You can use
this pack once a week to get rid of dry spots
and hydrate the skin.
For acne-prone skin
Acne is difficult to deal with but thanks to
Indian ingredients with medicinal properties,
you can not only deal with acne but also work
towards cleaning it out.
For this, you will need to crush a few clean
neem leaves into a paste. Now add besan and
aloe Vera to it and combine well till you get a
smooth paste. Apply evenly on your face and
let it sit for 15 minutes. Rinse with cold water
and repeat it once a week. Both aloe and neem
have medicinal properties and are antibacterial
which helps in reducing acne.

The Indian Weekender Friday, October 02, 2020
ENTERTAINMENT 17
After Deepika, Sara, ‘bigger, more influential
Bollywood names to tumble out’ amid NCB probe: Report
Bigger and more influential names will
soon tumble out amid the Narcotics
Control Bureau’s investigation into
the alleged drugs nexus in Bollywood. So far,
actors Deepika Padukone, Shraddha Kapoor,
Sara Ali Khan and Rakul Preet Singh have been
summoned by the NCB for questioning.
The actors names came up in the NCB’s
investigation of Rhea Chakraborty’s
connections to drug suppliers. Rhea was
initially being investigated in connection with
her boyfriend, Sushant Singh Rajput’s death.
According to Republic, sources have said
that the upcoming phase of the investigation
is expected to last a month, and will involve
a few of the ‘biggest names in Bollywood’.
On the occasion of Daughters'
Day, late actor Irrfan Khan's
wife Sutapa Sikdar revealed
how the two "desperately" wanted to
have a daughter in their life.
"Me and Irrfan wanted to have a
daughter so desperately that on my
second delivery my doc could not
utter the word son and said instead
'congratulations!! healthy child!!'
I was disappointed.... yes, I was.
That day for us and today, I feel
sad that a girl child got deprived of
Irrfan's parenting of a girl. Because
just giving freedom is not enough
to a girl child," Sutapa wrote on her
Facebook account.
Along with it, she shared a video
of an ad campaign, rooting for a
girl child.
The Bhojpuri film industry is likely to
spread its wings even higher following
the announcement that a film city will
come up in Uttar Pradeshs Noida by 2021 by
Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
A large number of Bhojpuri films are made
in Uttar Pradesh. However, from studios to
technical work, the Bhojpuri producers have
to depend on Mumbai. With the setting up of a
film city in Noida, these filmmakers hope to get
better facilities with an advanced infrastructure
in UP itself.
Over the weekend, it was reported that a
former Dharma Productions employee being
questioned in the case was forced to implicate
Karan Johar, in exchange of immunity. The
Irrfan Khan wanted to have
a daughter, reveals wife
Shekhar Kapur is
President of FTII
Society, Chairman of
its governing council
Acclaimed filmmaker Shekhar
Kapur has been appointed
President of the Pune-based
Film and Television Institute of India
(FTII) Society and Chairman of the
institute's governing council.
Union Minister of Information and
Broadcasting, Prakash Javadekar,
tweeted to confirm the news
on Tuesday: "Happy to inform
that renowned international film
personality #ShekharKapur has been
appointed as the President of FTII
Society & Chairman of Governing
Council of FTII. @narendramodi.@
shekharkapur."
"Mr Kapur, who has a vast
experience, will add more value to
the Institute. I am sure everybody
will welcome his appointment," he
added. According to an Order issued
by the Ministry of Information and
Broadcasting (Films Wing), and
"Whatever is happening around
makes me say freedom is not about
only being vocal it's not about
treading on other's freedom only.
Let's get up beyond being voyeuristic
beyond the so called emancipation
and do something more concrete and
meaningful for India.
There is subtitle but those who
are not aware of my mother tongue
might not enjoy as much," she added.
signed by Under Secretary (Films-II)
Surajit Indu, Kapur's tenure will last
till March 3, 2023.
The director has made his mark in
Hollywood as well as Bollywood.
He started out as a filmmaker
with Masoom in 1983. Starring
Naseeruddin Shah, Shabana Azmi
and Jugal Hansraj, the film was a
critical and commercial success.
Kapur would score a blockbuster at
the box office with his 1987 release
Mr India, starring Sridevi, Anil
Kapoor and Amrish Puri.
Apart from direction, Kapur had a
stint as a Bollywood actor with films
like Toote Khilone, Falak, Gawahi
and the TV series Udaan among
other works.
Bhojpuri film producer Yogesh Raj Mishra
said nearly 70 per cent of Bhojpuri films are
being shot in Uttar Pradesh. With a film city in
the state, the Bhojpuri industry will get a major
boost.
Right now a lot of money has to be spent for
finalising a film location in Mumbai. Now sets
like jails, hotels, hospitals etc can all be put up
at the same place in the film city. With all the
facilities available under one roof, it will be
easier to complete the films in a shorter time
with less money, Mishra added.
NCB denied the charge. In a statement last
week, Karan had distanced himself from Kshitij
Prasad, explaining how he did not know him
personally. He had added that Kshitij had only
The legendary comedian Mehmood would
have been 88 if he was still amongst
us. Remembering the comedian par
excellence on his birth anniversary, Johny
Lever has penned a wish for him.
"Love you Bhaijaan! You will never be
forgotten.. Happy Birthday #Mehmood
Bhaijaan," Johny tweeted.
Along with it, he posted a black and
white picture of Mehmood bringing
Charlie Chaplin alive on the screen, in the
1968 film, Aulad. Fans, too, paid tributes to the
iconic funnyman.
"Remembering #Mehmood Sir on his
birth anniversary. He was a super talented
person of our film Industry," a user wrote
on Twitter.
"Super star of his era. Remembering #Mehmood
Sahab on his birth anniversary," another one tweeted.
Another producer Sanjay Srivastava said
that by establishing a film city in Uttar Pradesh
the need for travelling to other states will be
obviated. The scope for Bhojpuri cinema to
grow into a regional film industry will also be
facilitated.
Renowned Bhojpuri film actor Dinesh Lal
‘Nirahua' said with the film city in Uttar Pradesh,
local artistes will get a better opportunity to
showcase their talent.
It will promote newer talent which will help
in making good films and Bhojpuri cinema can
briefly been employed by Karan’s Dharmatic
Entertainment, a sister concern of Dharma
Productions, in 2019.
“The statements of Karishma Prakash, Sara
Ali Khan, Deepika Padukone and Shraddha
Kapoor have been recorded. Kshitij Prasad has
been placed under arrested after questioning.
No fresh summon has been issued today. We
have arrested more than 18 people,” Mutha
Ashok Jain, Deputy DG, South-Western Region
of NCB said.
The NCB had launched an investigation
into the drugs case after it received official
communication from the Enforcement
Directorate (ED), which was investigating
the money trail related to actor Sushant Singh
Rajput’s death case.
Mehmood's 88th birth anniversary:
Johny Lever pens an emotional note
Sonu Sood honoured by UNDP
Actor Sonu Sood has
been honoured with
the prestigious SDG
Special Humanitarian Action
Award by the United Nations
Development Programme
(UNDP), for helping
thousands of migrant workers
reach home during lockdown.
"This is a rare honour.
A UN recognition is very
special. I have done whatever little I have done in my
own humble way for my fellow countrymen without
any expectations.
"However, to be recognised and awarded feels
good. I fully support the UNDP in its endeavours to
achieve SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) by
2030. Planet Earth and mankind will greatly benefit
from the implementation of these goals," Sonu said.
The award was presented to him via a
virtual ceremony.
Apart from arranging transportation facilities for
migrant workers to help them reach homes during
lockdown, Sonu also looked after the educational
needs of under privileged students.
He recently launched an initiative to provide full
scholarships for higher education to students facing
financial challenges.
Mehmood was hailed as one of the kings of comedy
in Bollywood of the fifties, sixties and the seventies.
Among his numerous unforgettable performances are
Kunwara Baap, Padosan, Gumnaam, Pyar Kiye Jaa and
Bombay To Goa. He breathed his last on July 23, 2004
in Pennsylvania.
Aftab Shivdasani: There is stigma
attached to being Covid positive
Stay positive, stay inspired and stay
focused on your health. That’s most
important,” says Aftab Shivdasani,
who announced he had tested positive for
Covid-19 on September 11. Now, that he
is Covid free, he is exhilarated.
“I have got my freedom back as not
feeling free was the worst feeling in the
world,” he admits. Days before the actor
was supposed to travel he felt feverish,
had weakness and headaches. So he got himself tested and
“unfortunately”, it was positive. “When it happens to others,
you read or hear about it but when you test positive, your mind
travels in all directions. It was a shock and surprise and some
time to process.
All my plans were on hold. I took hold of myself and
changed travel plans etc. Thankfully, I was alone as my wife
and daughter are in London, so being at home in isolation was
easier,” says Shivdasani.
He credits his wife, Nin Dusanj, who is “a strong woman”
and gave me “mental support”. “She told me to stop worrying
about things. She is an optimistic person. That innate worry is
tough to escape and luckily in my case, my symptoms were
mild, and I am all better now,” he shares.
The actor agrees that there is stigma attached to being Covid
positive and adds that it shouldn’t stop you from getting tested.
Bhojpuri cinema to get a boost with Film City in UP's Noida
touch dizzying heights.
Just as regional language films get better
exposure by way of diverse facilities in
Mumbai's film city so will Bhojpuri films
benefit from the film city in Uttar Pradesh.
Multiplexes in the state will be allowed tax
exemption on a single show similar to what is
done in other states.
Film actress Amrapali Dubey said many
artistes will get work at home instead of
travelling elsewhere. Bhojpuri language will
get the respect it deserves.

18
FEATURES
Friday, October 02, 2020 The Indian Weekender
02 October - 8 October 2020 | By Manisha Koushik
ARIES (MAR 21-APR 20)
This is a good period to finish time consuming
jobs, as you have the time on your hands.
Your consistency will help you in creating a
niche for yourself on the professional front.
Suggestions given on the home front will
not only be welcomed, but implemented too!
Read the fine print in a financial negotiation,
as chances of getting a raw deal cannot be ruled out. A shopping
spree with your loved ones is foreseen at the end of the week.
You will feel healthy and much more energetic than before.
Lucky No.:8 / Lucky Colour: Bottle Green
TAURUS (APR 21-MAY 20)
An assignment completed competently will get into the sights
of those who matter. Progress on the academic
front remains most satisfactory. There is
someone who really likes you, but your not
realising this fact can hurt his or her feelings.
Financial front will remain stable and new
opportunities may knock at your door. You
may get motivated to take up an exercise
regimen and benefit on the health front. Love life will give
immense pleasure. This is perfect period for a fun trip. Lucky
No.: 1 / Lucky Colour: Light Red
GEMINI (MAY 21-JUN 21)
Professionally, you can find yourself on a strong wicket, as you
spare no efforts to better your career prospects.
On the academic front, a source of tension that
had been bugging you for sometime is likely
to disappear. Those entrusted with an important
job on the home front will manage to deliver
it in an efficient manner. You become more
socially in by taking the initiative of meeting
people. Wedding bells may not be imminent for the eligible,
but they should not lose heart. Lucky No.: 17 / Lucky Colour:
Electric Grey
CANCER (JUN 22-JUL 20)
This is the time to relax and take things easy, so get down
to making your home environment tranquil.
Professionally, you can expect a satisfying period.
Those appearing for an exam or competition will
manage their time well. Lover may share his or
her innermost feelings with you. Those serious
of acquiring a roof over their head may come
across a bargain they just can’t refuse! Let a
planned trip stand as it is, as it may become difficult to plan it
later. Lucky No.: 18 / Lucky Colour: Magenta
Manisha Koushik is a practicing astrologer, tarot card reader, numerologist, vastu and
fengshui consultant based in India with a global presence through the online channels. She is
available for consultations online as well. E-mail her at support@askmanisha.com or contact
at +91-11-26449898 Mobile/Whatsapp: +91-9716145644 • www.askmanisha.com
LEO (JUL21-AUG 20)
The condition of those ailing for long may
show a marked improvement. You are likely to
feel more confident in undertaking a complex
assignment and do an excellent job of it too! An
adversary at work will not succeed in scuttling
your efforts on the professional front. Some of
you may derive much satisfaction by working in
proximity to the one you secretly love. Family members may
get worried about something that you are undertaking, but their
fears will be unfounded. Getting the house renovated is possible.
Lucky No.:15 / Lucky Colour: Light Green
VIRGO (AUG 23-SEP 23)
This is the week when you will need to keep aside
some time to sort out a family matter. You may
benefit from getting some additional information
in your preparation on the academic front. If you
are travelling for a vacation, the journey is likely
to add to your excitement. Busy schedule and
paucity of time may make it difficult to attend a family function,
but you will manage somehow. You will succeed in stoking
the embers of passion and make romance rock! Lucky No.:2 /
Lucky Colour: Cream
LIBRA (SEP 24-OCT 23)
Some struggle is foreseen in getting your
winning edge back on the professional front. A
competitive environment on the academic front
can unsettle some, but won’t affect preparation.
Your thoughtfulness and helpful attitude will
help gain instant popularity on the social front.
Monetary front strengthens as money lent to someone is returned.
Maybe it is the season, as some of you can fall in love! Health
remains satisfactory as you become more fitness conscious. Limit
your travel, if you don’t want to miss something important on the
social front. Lucky No.: 9 / Lucky Colour: Dark Red
SCORPIO (OCT 24-NOV 22)
You will strive to regain focus on the academic
front and succeed. Distractions and interruptions
threaten to make work suffer, so take adequate
steps. You may find yourself in a position of
advantage on the monetary front. A minor ailment
is likely to get cured through a home remedy.
Advice of a family elder will help in tackling a
contentious issue on the family front. A chance encounter may
result in a budding romance. Setting up the house is likely to give
some homemakers immense satisfaction.Lucky No.:22 / Lucky
Colour: Royal Blue
SAGITTARIUS (NOV 23-DEC 21)
Watch your step on the social front as someone
is out to undermine your popularity. You will
need to be on the right side of boss for your
own good, even if it means compromising on
certain things. Eliciting a positive response
from someone you have a soft corner is
indicated. Driving off someplace to chill out
with friends may hit some hurdles, but you will pull it through.
Renting out your place may prove more difficult than you
imagined, but you will succeed. Lucky No.:17 / Lucky Colour:
Parrot Green
CAPRICORN (DEC 22-JAN 21)
Much workload is foreseen on the professional
sphere, but you will manage everything
admirably. You need to pace your progress on
the academic front and for you it will not be
too difficult. There is someone who is a source
of irritation on the social front, so avoid him or
her. You may feel frustrated by not having your
complete say in a relationship, but things are set to improve. A
trip may need to be given a miss due to your other commitments.
Lucky No.: 11/ Lucky Colour: Lavender
AQUARIUS (JAN 22-FEB 19)
Someone you are attracted to is likely to give
positive signals, so expect romance to bloom! A
business trip promises to bring some lucrative
opportunities. Cashing in on a deal is possible
for some professionals. An initiative on the
health front is likely to keep you refreshed and
rejuvenated. Property and other assets may be
put up for sale by some. Your best friend may require some
encouragement for delivering what is expected of him or her.
Take cue from others, instead of guessing and going wrong.
Lucky No.: 15 / Lucky Colour: Violet
Pisces (Feb 20-Mar 20)
This is the right phase to express your love for
someone you like. Marriage is on the anvil for
the eligible. Some of you are likely to enhance
your career by remaining in the notice of those
who matter. You will need to be more concerned
about someone close to the family, as he or she
expects much from you. A financial venture
may get you totally involved. There is no shortcut to good
health and you will realise it much sooner and do something
about it. Lucky No.: 6 / Lucky Colour: Parrot Green
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