The Indian Weekender 24 September 2021

Jaggi
Navi
Insurance Adviser
Principal
128 1823
022
navi@vsureu.co.nz
24SEPTEMBER2021 • VOL 13 ISSUE 29
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www.iwk.co.nz /indianweekender /indianweekender
Surya Phutane
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Financial Adviser
O: 09 218 6206 | M: 021 202 0331 I EMAIL - surya.phutane@pasl.co.nz
MIQ VIRTUAL LOBBY
NIGHTMARE • Full story on Page 2
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2 NEW ZEALAND
Friday, September 24, 2021
The Indian Weekender
New MIQ virtual lobby system
‘nightmare’ for most
NAVDEEP KAUR MARWAH
Hundreds of people who
wanted to get a MIQ
slot were part of the
MIQ’s virtual lobby that opened at
8 am NZT today.
According to a statement by Joint
Head of MIQ, Megan Main, “The
lobby which opened just before 8
am has 25,000 people moved into
a queue. This number continued to
grow as people have been entering
the queue throughout the room
release (these people go to the back
of the queue).
“There are around 3,200 rooms
available for this room release.
Within the first 20 minutes, around
400 vouchers had been secured.
Dates are available across September,
October, November and December.
"December has been the most
popular month. This is not a firstcome-first-served
model. It doesn’t
matter when people arrived in the
lobby in that one hour between 8
and 9 am - everyone has an equal
chance of getting through to try to
secure a room.
“There is no limit on how many
people can wait in the lobby and
there is no need to keep refreshing
the website anymore. People can see
their place in the queue. Although
this new feature should improve
user experience, it is not a silver
bullet — it will not fix the issue of
supply and demand.
"Once all rooms have been taken,
the lobby will be closed and anyone
in the queue will be informed that
they have unfortunately missed out
this time.”
Ms Main did give a silver lining
of hope in her statement, “But there
will be more rooms coming, there’s
still several thousand rooms to be
released through to the end of the
year. The recent pause on vouchers
has meant demand has built up. So
we will be staggering releases and
there will be more available very
soon – the next will be next week.
“We will continue to announce
room releases in advance (at least
24 to 48 hours before the release)
so people will know when to
come back.
Kia kaha
"There is not an unlimited number
of MIQ rooms and we do not release
them all at once, and there’s a good
reason for that — we’re in the middle
of a global pandemic and we need to
keep New Zealand safe.
"We understand people want to
enter MIQ on a date of their choosing,
but we have to ensure arrivals
in New Zealand occur in a safe,
managed way.”
However, most of the hundreds
of people who took part in the
virtual lobby in the hope to secure
a MIQ voucher for themselves
or their loved one called their
experience ‘a nightmare.’
Sharing his story, a Kiwi named
Tim Vaughan, who is currently in
Singapore and wants to come to New
Zealand to be with his wife and 3
young kids, says, “I haven’t seen my
family for three years and had been
trying to get a MIQ slot for many
Almost 80% of your neighbours have already
helped to protect our communities.
If you are still waiting to get vaccinated, you can get your COVID–19
vaccination right now by walking in to your local vaccination centre
without booking. Vaccinations are free for everyone 12 years and over.
months now. I came to Singapore
for a work assignment which is now
over and I want to go back to New
Zealand, I had tried the old system
as well as the new system. Despite
entering the lobby early, the slot I got
was 18,680. It seemed to be a total
disaster. I fail to understand why there
is no prioritisation.
A person who wants to come
to New Zealand for holiday is
competing with someone who is
coming to meeting their dying family
member. It is not fair. The lack of
clarity and ambiguity around this
process is inhumane. It is just a
lottery and this government is doing
nothing to help Kiwis stranded
like me to get home, which is
very heart-breaking.”
Maninder Kaur, who is
Thanks for doing your
part to protect
your whānau and
community
Auckland #VaccinateForAuckland
“
There is no limit on
how many people
can wait in the lobby
and there is no need
to keep refreshing
the website anymore.
People can see their
place in the queue.
Although this new
feature should improve
user experience, it is not
a silver bullet — it will
not fix the issue of
supply and demand.
currently in Australia and was
booking a slot for her sister Parmit
Kaur, who is currently in India,
shared her experience.
“I was in the lobby exactly at 8
am according to NZ time but despite
that, I was unable to get a slot for
my sister. I think this system is
disappointing for people like my
sister who are desperate to get back
to their country. They are playing a
game of lottery with people’s lives
which is so unfair.”
Sharing her story Dale Singh,
who was trying to get a slot for her
mom and brother says, “The demand
is far far beyond the supply! The
MIQ system is an absolute failure.
Increase rooms to meet the demand
or find other ways to accommodate
kiwis who are wanting t
o return home.”
Even the political parties have
shared their disappointment with
this virtual lobby system. ACT
Leader David Seymour was quoted
as saying, “More than 22,000 New
Zealanders in the MIQ waiting
room within hours of its opening
have shown why locking down and
locking out is unsustainable. The
demand for MIQ is now clear for the
first time.
Twenty-two thousand is 110 times
more than daily capacity and it would
take months to clear the backlog.
100%
80%
60%
40%
20%
• Continued on Page 3
0%
You can find your nearest vaccination centre at vaccinateforauckland.nz
For more information call the Vaccination Helpline on 0800 28 29 26.

The Indian Weekender Friday, September 24, 2021
NEW ZEALAND 3
• Continued from Page 2
The Government needs to be more innovative
and flexible to clear the MIQ backlog. Why can’t
double vaccinated people from low-risk countries
self-isolate?
MBIE did a desktop analysis which showed 37
hotels were suitable for MIQ capacity that aren’t
currently being used. Why not? With every passing
day, New Zealand’s isolation is turning from its
great strength to its greatest weakness.
As the rest of the world moves on from COVID,
we must be prepared to move with them.
“Under ACT’s plan, owners of currently
mothballed hotels could seek a licence to operate
MIQ according to strict criteria. These criteria
would make for safer MIQ than the standards met
by the Government. The simple question for the
Government is: do they want to safely reconnect
with the world, or keep us in crisis mode forever?
However, there have been few who got lucky
and couldn’t thank their stars enough.
One such lucky person is Vivek Thirani, an NZ
resident who hails from Sikkim, who managed to
get a slot for his wife Natasha Dalmia Thirani, who
is currently in India.
Sharing his story, Vivek says, “I am an NZ
resident and came to NZ on 31st August after
spending 14 days in Nepal.
I recently got married in India in April this year
and had filed for my wife’s partnership visa. Her
visa came through two days after I had left India.
Once she got her visa, the next hurdle was getting
a MIQ slot for her. The whole process has been
super stressful for me and my family. But luckily,
when I entered the lobby at 8:02 am NZT, I got the
number 3669 in the queue and eventually managed
a slot. I feel I had been very lucky. I will be sorting
out flights now.”
Another success story is of Andy, who is
currently in Spain, “I think this system is better
than the previous one but still stressful. We had
three registrations. All of us were in the queue. My
daughter got slot number 2 which was super lucky.
And once she was accepted, we added me and my
son. And now we are flying on 9th November.”
Indian passengers in top
3 to get MIQ vouchers
NAVDEEP KAUR MARWAH
The new Virtual lobby system of MIQ
voucher allocation that came into
place on September 20 saw 5,364
people from 117 countries managing to secure
MIQ vouchers.
According to statistics released by MIQ,
1352 passengers coming from Australia
managed to get vouchers followed by
774 passengers from Great Britain.
Interestingly, India ranked third in the list,
with 460 applicants from India who managed
to get a MIQ voucher.
This accounts for nearly 8.5 % of
total passengers getting the voucher are
travelling from India and highest in the
Indian subcontinent.
“There are so many Kiwi Indians who are
stuck in India and want to come back home.
This number is a reflection of the same, and of
the fact that they want to come back to their
home New Zealand as soon as possible,” Kiwi
Indian Aditya Dang said.
453 applicants from the United States of
America, 268 from China, 167 from Singapore
and 135 from Canada were successful in
securing a MIQ voucher.
In terms of rooms, 338 rooms for September;
1767 for October; 600 for November and
500 for December were released on S
eptember 20 2021.
According to Joint Head of MIQ, Megan
Main, “At its peak, there were 31,800 in the
queue and 3,205 rooms were released. I know
many thousands of people missed out on
"
There are so many
Kiwi Indians who are
stuck in India and want
to come back home. This
number is a reflection
of the same, and of the
fact that they want to
come back to their home
New Zealand as soon as
possible."
vouchers.
"I want to reassure people that there are still
several thousand vouchers still to be released
through to the end of the year. They will get
other chances.
There will be another large release of a
few thousand vouchers early next week,
and there may also be another smaller one
later this week.”
She further added, “By Wednesday
afternoon, we’ll know how many vouchers
haven’t been confirmed and can be re-released.
We’ll give people advance notice of this – as
we will for all future releases.
The new lobby system is not a silver bullet
— it will not fix the issue of supply and
demand.
There is not an unlimited number of MIQ
rooms, and we do not release them all at once
as we’re in the middle of a global pandemic,
and we need to keep New Zealand safe.”
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4 NEW ZEALAND
Friday, September 24, 2021
The Indian Weekender
The day NZ women made history
IWK Exclusive
NAVDEEP KAUR MARWAH
September 19 has extraordinary
importance in New Zealand’s political
history. On September 19 1893, the
governor, Lord Glasgow, signed a new
Electoral Act into law giving all women in
New Zealand the right to vote. As a result,
New Zealand became the first self-governing
country in the world to extend this right to all
women.
On the 128th anniversary of this day, also
known as Suffrage Day, here’s what our
current women Parliamentarians have to say
about the significance of this historical day in
New Zealand’s politics.
Priyanca Radhakrishnan, Minister for the
Community & Voluntary Sector, Diversity,
Inclusion & Ethnic Communities, and Youth,
as well as Associate Minister for Social
Development and Employment
“As someone who’s worked for most of
my life in the women’s rights space, the fact
that New Zealand was the first self-governing
country in the world where women won the
right to vote was one of the reasons I chose to
migrate here.
Suffrage day is an opportunity to reflect on
how far we’ve come with regard to women
in politics, and leadership positions more
broadly, and to reflect on the work we still
need to do.
“I am proud that today, New Zealand’s
Parliament has nearly 50% women, and is one
of the most diverse parliaments in the world.
It’s important to ensure that the voices of all
women are represented at the different levels
of decision-making, and that includes ethnic
women. We know that diverse groups make
stronger decisions, and decisions that are
relevant to a broad cross-section of people.”
Jenny Salesa, Assistant Speaker of the House
of Representatives, and Chair of the Foreign
Affairs, Defence and Trade Select Committee
“From the Electoral Law of 1893, New
Zealand became the first country in world
democracies to allow women to vote and has
remained a trailblazer in women’s suffrage.
Since the beginning of the 21st century, women
have held key positions in our democracy
including prime ministers, governors-general,
a speaker of the House of Representatives, an
attorney general and chief justices.
“At the 2017 election, 38 per cent of our
elected Members of Parliament were female,
compared to just 9 per cent in 1981. At our
2020 election, this grew to 48 per cent, and I
certainly believe this will continue to improve
as more and more women become involved in
politics.
“Our current Labour Government
encourages women’s participation avidly as
evidenced by 55 per cent of its current MPs
being women. As a female MP, I stand proud
of our country’s history in advancing women’s
ability to vote and actively participate in
politics. We have come a long way from 1893
and we can only get better from here.”
Judith Collins, Leader of the Opposition and
Leader of the New Zealand National Party
“On 128 years of women’s suffrage in New
Zealand and as leader of the National Party,
I am particularly conscious of just how far
we have come. I’m also reminded of how
important democracy is and how we must
never be complacent about it.
“We have seen recently in Afghanistan how
progress and women’s rights can be so quickly
taken away.
"I’m thinking of the women who fought for
our rights and those women around the world
still fighting for theirs.”
Vanushi Wallters, Labour Party Member of
Parliament for Upper Harbour
“When the Electorate Act was passed in
1893, New Zealand became the first selfgoverning
country to give women the right
to vote. The 19th of September if a day for
all of us, regardless of our gender identity, to
reflect on the powerful wahine who advocated
towards this significant moment in New
Zealand’s history. It’s also a chance to reflect
on all that still remains to be done for women’s
rights and the role we all hold as advocates
going forward.”
Liz Craig, Labour Party Member of Parliament
based in Invercargill
On 19 September 1893, the Electoral Act
1893 was passed – giving all New Zealand
women the right to vote.
On Suffrage Day I often think of my great
grandmother, Rachael Marsden, who signed
the original suffrage petition in Dunedin.
As a widow, Rachael was left to raise her
children alone when her husband William
died, a formidable task at a time when there
were few social safety nets.
Rachael’s courage despite the adversity she
experienced is a testimony to the strength of
NZ women.”
Barbara Kuriger, National Party MP for
Taranaki-King Country and spokesperson on
Agriculture, Energy & Resources, and Food
Safety
On Suffrage Day, I reflect on the fact that
I am the 126th woman MP in New Zealand
history. We’re beyond that number now and
beyond many injustices of the past. But as
number 126, I’ll continue the fight every day
for woman’s equality in New Zealand.”

The Indian Weekender Friday, September 24, 2021
NEW ZEALAND 5
Food products arriving too close to
expiry due to ongoing shipping delays
IWK Exclusive
PRITI GARUDE KASTURE
Disruption to the global supply chain
brought on by the pandemic is causing
headaches to food importers and
retailers alike.
Sixty per cent of all global goods are shipped
by containers.
Now, as cargo demand exceeds capacity,
importers are facing worsening delays in the
arrival of their containers, which is not only
causing inflation but also affecting the quality
of imported products.
Many raw ingredients have a short shelf
life, and timely delivery is important to avoid
quality deterioration.
Fruits, vegetables, and perishables go
bad quickly, and manufacturers rely on the
punctuality of distributors, like the shipping
companies to ensure goods reach on time.
Many importers, however, are facing servere
shipment delays, affecting the shelf life of
many products, resulting in heavy losses.
Before COVID, ships arrived from India to
New Zealand within a month. Now, they can
take anywhere from four to six months, with no
guarantees of a fixed date of shipment arrival
on the shores.
Manjeet Chawla, Owner of Harman Impex
NZ says, “Previously, once the container was
on the vessel, we would receive it within
28 to 35 days. Now, no one knows when it
E
arlier, once the product
arrived, and everything
was cleared, we were able
to sell within 3 months.
Now, it’s taking up to 7 to 8
months. Harman Impex is an
importer of Britannia, which
normally has a shelf life of
9 months. Now, by the time,
it arrives, and we distribute
it, it only has a shelf life of a
month or two. This is a huge
loss for us
will arrive.”
Due to these delays, some products are
arriving in-market too close to expiration,
resulting in products remaining on the shelf
post expiry or unsold and in the warehouse.
“Earlier, once the product arrived, and
everything was cleared, we were able to
sell within 3 months. Now, it’s taking up
to 7 to 8 months.
"Harman Impex is an importer of Britannia,
which normally has a shelf life of 9 months.
Now, by the time, it arrives, and we distribute
it, it only has a shelf life of a month or two. This
is a huge loss for us,” Mr Chawla said.
Tirath Atwal, owner of Indo Spice World, an
Indian grocery store based in Manurewa and
Papatoetoe in Auckland, Tauranga and Te Puke
shared similar concerns as to Mr Chawla.
He said, “Because of the delay in the arrival
of containers, products are getting damaged,
or are expired or do not have the same
quality as before.”
The shelf life of perishable products like flour,
an in-demand product during the lockdown, has
been affected due to this. Flour normally lasts
six months after it is manufactured. If shipped
within a month of its production, it still has five
months till expiry.
Adding in a minimum of three months in
the shipping container, an extended delay at
the Whangarei port of 10 days, by the time the
product arrives at retailers like Indo Spice, it
has a shelf life of only one month.
“We are using local products as alternatives in
such cases, but people prefer Indian products,”
revealed Mr Atwal.
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6 NEW ZEALAND
Friday, September 24, 2021
The Indian Weekender
Celebrating Sign Languages
On International Sign Language Day, Indian Weekender speaks to Rekha Rosario,
the only qualified Indian sign language interpreter in New Zealand.
NAVDEEP KAUR MARWAH
Today, September 23, the world will
observe the International Day of
Sign Languages. The day celebrates
the linguistic diversity of deaf people and
sign language users globally. In 2018, the
United Nations declared September 23 as
International Day of Sign Languages to elevate
the value of sign languages and acknowledge
their importance.
This year the theme for the International
Day of Sign Languages is “We sign for
Human Rights”.
On this special occasion, Indian Weekender
spoke to Rekha Rosario, who is the only
qualified Indian sign language interpreter in
New Zealand and an inspiration for one and all.
Rekha, who originally hails from Kerala,
India, but has spent most of her time in Mumbai,
migrated to New Zealand in 2002.
Talking about the significance of this day,
Rekha, who currently lives in Canterbury, says,
“The International Day of Sign Languages as
officially announced by the United Nations
gives Sign Languages around the world equal
status to spoken languages. Sign Languages are
unique in the visual representation of spoken
languages and have their grammatical structure.
“This day is a celebration of the linguistic
identity of Deaf people, their families, the
deaf communities, Disability organisations
and Sign Language Interpreters worldwide.
It is significant as it recognises the diversity
and human rights of Deaf people. Like New
Zealand Sign Language, there are over 300
Sign Languages used across the world. The
International Day of Sign Languages recognises
each of these Sign Languages for what it does to
integrate deaf people into mainstream society.”
Talking about New Zealand specifically,
we all witness New Zealand Sign language
interpreters on our screens daily during the
Covid 19 briefing, which highlights the
significance of New Zealand Sign Language
(an official language of Aotearoa).
“On 6 April 2006, I witnessed New Zealand
Sign Language (NZSL) passing the third
reading in Parliament. This made NZSL one
of the two official languages of Aotearoa,” the
47-year-old says.
“It was a hallmark moment for the Deaf
community as it established an ongoing legal
provision for Deaf people to have access
to education, communication, and equal
participation in society. It led to a cascading
positive influence of the right to access
provisions. Whilst this was a very positive
step forward, a lot of work needs to be done
to bridge the inequalities that Deaf people
continue to face in their regular lives. It is
also encouraging to see more Deaf leadership
getting developed.”
On being asked about what prompted her
to become a sign language interpreter, she
answers, “I have a deaf uncle in India who faced
the same barriers to communication without
sign language access. When my immediate
family migrated to Auckland from Mumbai
19 years ago, I had the opportunity to look at a
career change. Having studied accounting and
worked in Indian Central Excise & Customs, I
choose to learn a new skill.
“I explored learning NZSL in the Summer
School at Auckland University of Technology
(AUT). NZSL is taught by extremely skilled
Deaf tutors. This was my hook into NZSL
interpreting, which saw me graduate in
2007 from AUT as an NZSL Interpreter.
Since then, being the only Indian qualified
NZSL Interpreter, I am part of the Sign
Language Interpreters Association of New
Zealand (SLIANZ).
“Over the years whilst working in the NZ
Deaf community, I have been privileged to
support communication for our Indian Deaf
Kiwis in various settings, bringing them closer
to their heritage. The most satisfying part of
"
Demand is also steadily
increasing for more and
more interpreters to enter the
workforce. It is an amazing
career for those who love
languages and working with
people.”
being an NZSL Interpreter is being able to work
with Deaf people and to see their language
needs being met, and being able to make their
voices heard in various situations.”
Being a senior sign language interpreter,
Rekha has worked with most politicians
across different political parties. She has
even done Parliament interpreting for Prime
Minister Jacinda Ardern during the Budget
session. Sharing her experience she says,
“For me, the most challenging experience is
the budget interpreting due to factors like the
speed, liveliness, accuracy coupled with the
opposition trying to have their debate as well.
But it was rewarding as well.”
Ask her about the biggest highlight of
her interpreting career, and she says, “I did
Interpreting for an Indian deaf couple at their
wedding using NZSL. I translated all the
Sanskrit hymns as well as vows. It was an
unforgettable experience.”
Interestingly, Rekha is also involved in
community service. “We have set up a desi
Indian group comprising of predominantly
Indian deaf people. During Diwali and other
Reserve Bank tightens LVR restrictions
IWK BUREAU
The Reserve Bank of New Zealand –
Te Pūtea Matua will proceed with its
proposal to tighten Loan-to-Value
Ratio (LVR) restrictions on lending to owneroccupiers
to reduce risky mortgage lending.
From 1 November 2021, we will be
restricting the amount of lending banks can do
above an LVR of 80 percent to 10 percent of
all new loans to owner-occupiers, down from
20 percent at present, Deputy Governor and
General Manager for Financial Stability Geoff
Bascand says.
“We launched our consultation earlier this
month after observing that despite previous
adjustments to LVR restrictions, house prices
remained unsustainable and the risks of a
housing market correction had continued
to rise, increasing risks to economic and
financial stability.
"Restricting high risk lending will help
prevent these problems getting worse.”
Submissions from industry representatives
were largely supportive of the proposal, with
respondents recognising the need for further
tightening in order to help control house
price inflation and mitigate potential risks to f
inancial stability.
Feedback from members of the public was
mixed, with some submissions supporting the
Indian occasions, we do presentations for them.
We try to give them extra support, and to be
able to do so is quite rewarding,” she says.
Rekha feels the recognition of NZSL has
spiked an awareness and a greater interest in
the NZSL Interpreter profession. She says,
“As more deaf people gain better access, there
is a growing demand for skilled Interpreters.
As more and more Deaf people are exercising
their right to access information in NZSL,
along with the increased general awareness of
NZSL amongst the NZ population, there is a
need for interpreters from diverse linguistic and
cultural backgrounds.
“Demand is also steadily increasing for more
and more interpreters to enter the workforce.
It is an amazing career for those who love
languages and working with people.”
On a personal note, Rekha enjoys spending
time with her family. “When I am not busy
with my interpreting work, I spend most of
my time with my husband and two daughters
(aged 25 and 17). Even my mother is currently
staying with us, and it is good to have her
here considering the Covid situation in India,”
Rekha signs off.
proposals, and others questioning the need for
further restrictions or arguing for other policies
to protect the financial system.
We’d like to thank everyone who shared their
feedback during the consultation process.
We have published a summary of
submissions received alongside a regulatory
impact statement.
Our consultation proposed implementing the
new LVR settings from 1 October.
However, given the disruptions from
heightened COVID-19 alert levels to customers
and banks in managing or completing purchases
associated with existing pre-approvals,
we are delaying our implementation start
date to 1 November. '
We expect banks to comply with the spirit of
the new restrictions immediately.
The proposed policy change will take
effect by altering banks’ Conditions of
Registration (CoR). A short consultation on the
required changes to banks’ CoR will take place.

The Indian Weekender Friday, September 24, 2021
NEW ZEALAND 7
Feeling peckish? How about a
snack of beetles and cricket chips!
Kiwis quite keen on the
idea of eating insects
IWK BUREAU
A
majority of New Zealanders would
be happy to try eating an insect even
if they have never tasted one before,
preliminary findings from a new study show.
The survey from the University of Auckland
of 668 New Zealanders, shows 60 per cent
would be willing to eat an insect and almost
the same number – 59 per cent – have eaten
insects in the past. Of those, 34 per cent eat
insects annually or more.
The survey also asked the most common
places people had eaten insects and the top
three were at a festival or event (21.5 per
cent), in another country (19.5 per cent) and
at home (23 per cent), the University said in a
media release.
A large majority – 80 per cent
– who had tried an insect said
they would be happy to do so
again.
PhD candidate in the
School of Biological
Sciences, Neil Birrell,
says the findings are very
positive for a potential future
switch to protein other than
animals in the New Zealand diet.
“Climate change has helped focus
our minds on how we might reduce emissions
and we know animal farming is a key
“Climate
change has
helped focus our
minds on how we might
reduce emissions and
we know animal farming
is a key contributor to
greenhouse gases
and in particular
methane."
contributor to greenhouse gases
and in particular methane,” Mr
Birrell says.
“But these survey results
suggest New Zealanders
might be much more flexible
about what they eat than we
suspected.”
Respondents to the survey were
also asked about what scientists call
‘neophobia’ - how willing people are to trying
unfamiliar foods.
Those with a lower neophobia score were
significantly more likely to have eaten an
insect.
The most commonly consumed insects from
answers in the survey were crickets, locusts
and grasshoppers (consumed by 40 per cent
of respondents) but that was closely followed
by New Zealand’s endemic huhu grub, with
19 per cent of those surveyed saying they
had eaten them.
“We have a top class restaurant in Wellington
which serves a special dish featuring huhu
grubs so this has really become a thing in New
Zealand and it might just be a matter of time
before many more food services are putting
insects on the menu,” Mr Birrell says.
He has eaten a range of insects himself but
the oddest insect meal he has had so far was a
Japanese giant hornet, or “murder hornet”.
“It was a very strong flavour and had a tough
outer shell and when I asked what I should
do about the giant stinger I was told to eat it
carefully!” he says.
For his PhD work Mr Birrell is focusing on
the biology of our endemic longhorn beetle,
the huhu beetle.
This involves investigating the reproductive
behaviour of the adult beetle, what host plants
the larvae grow in and the metabolomic profile
of the larvae.
Mr. Birrell has researched insects as a protein
feed for livestock, which offers an opportunity
to turn organic waste streams into a nutritious
replacement for soy and fish meal.
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8 NEW ZEALAND
NZ Post celebrating Diwali
with four new stamps
IWK Exclusive
Friday, September 24, 2021
The Indian Weekender
Further NCEA support confirmed
for Auckland students
PRITI GARUDE KASTURE
For the first time, New Zealand
Post is commemorating the
Indian festival of lights with a
set of vibrant stamps that illustrates
the story of Diwali.
Four stamps, each representing
an integral element of the festival
can now be pre-ordered for
October 7 from the NZ Post
Collectables website.
The Shubh Diwali stamps reflect
the four prominent elements of
Diwali celebrations – the diyas,
the rangoli, the fireworks and the
family gatherings.
These stamps can be bought
individually, as stamp sheets, barcode
blocks, logo blocks and value blocks.
The miniature sheet features
a vibrant illustration of the
goddess Lakshmi.
The sheet showcases rangoli and
diyas that welcome the Goddess of
wealth into homes, bringing with
her good fortune and prosperity.
These can be pre-ordered as
special collectables.
Over the years, the Diwali
celebration in New Zealand has
gained great momentum and extended
well beyond the Indian community.
The launch of these commemorative
stamps demonstrates this impact of
the Indian culture on the wider New
Zealand society.
NZ Post Stamps and Collectables
Programme and Content Manager
Lynette Townsend said the release
of the Diwali stamps (on 7 October)
acknowledges the
importance of the
Hindu festival
here in New
Zealand.
“Diwali
is increasingly
being celebrated
throughout Aotearoa
and has become a
well-known and muchloved
event that many of us
participate in, alongside Hindu
New Zealanders,” she said.
“We also want the NZ Post
Collectable stamp programme to be
reflective of New Zealand’s diverse
communities.”
Townsend said her team worked
collaboratively with Manisha Morar
and the New Zealand Indian Central
Association, in creating the stamps.
“It was important we accurately
and appropriately represented Diwali
and the ways in which it is celebrated
here.”
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stamp is launched in
celebration of Indian
culture.
In 2018,
a postage
stamp on
Mahatma Gandhi
was launched at
the Auckland Diwali
Festival by Mayor Phil Goff
and Prime Minister Jacinda
Ardern.
At the launch, Mayor Goff had
acknowledged the 150th birth
anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi and
said, “It’s my great pleasure to use
this occasion to ask the Indian High
Commissioner and the Hon Consul
of India to come forward so that we
can launch for the first time in New
Zealand history a postage stamp of
Mahatma Gandhi.”
For more information and to
purchase visit
https://collectables.nzpost.
co.nz/shop-collectables/stamps/
new-zealand-stamps/?_bc_
fsnf=1&Issue=Shubh+Diwali
IWK BUREAU
The number
of Learning
Recognition
Credits for senior
secondary school
students will be
increased for Auckland
students, Education Minister
Chris Hipkins confirmed today.
This recognises the extended time
these students will spend in Alert
Levels 3 and 4.
“It means students in Auckland
will have a fair opportunity to
attain NCEA, despite the additional
disruption they have experienced,”
Chris Hipkins says.
Auckland students will be entitled
to 1 Learning Recognition Credit
(LRC) for every 4 credits they
achieve through assessment in the
2021 school year, rather than 1 LRC
for every 5.
They will be eligible for up to
16 LRCs at NCEA Level 1, and 12
LRCs at levels 2 and 3, instead of the
current caps for students who have
spent 16 days or 20 days under Alert
Levels 3 or 4.
The threshold for Auckland
students to be awarded a Certificate
"The
opportunity
to earn additional
LRCs provides
reassurance to students
that their qualification
and awards remain
within reach."
Endorsement will also be
adjusted to 44 credits
at Merit or Excellence
level, rather than
46 for students who
were able to return
to classroom learning
sooner.
“These changes are a full
reactivation of the support provided
to Auckland in 2020, following their
second lockdown,” Chris Hipkins
says.
“The disproportionate impact
of disruption from COVID-19
on Auckland also means some
students and their families may
be apprehensive about returning
to school, and it will take time for
students to readjust to classroom
learning.
“The opportunity to earn
additional LRCs provides
reassurance to students that their
qualification and awards remain
within reach.
“I would also like to thank
schools, teachers and whānau in
Auckland for the work they have
done and continue to do to support
students at this time,” Chris Hipkins
says.
Google TV could soon start offering free TV channels
IWK BUREAU
Google TV, the smart TV
platform from the search
engine giant, could soon
get support for free TV channels.
According to a report from
Protocol, Google is in talks
with free and ad-supported
streaming television providers
about the possibility of adding
those channels to its smart TV
platform. It will have a similar
feel to the traditional TV with
commercial breaks.
It is being speculated that the
free streaming channels could get
launched on Google TV in the
coming weeks or months, but the
company may wait to announce
the initiative with its Smart TV
partners sometime early next
year, reports Gizmo China.
As for the usage, the users
will likely be getting a dedicated
live TV menu to browse
through the channels
On smart TVs, the streaming
channels are expected to be
presented alongside over-the-air
programming that can be accessed
with an antenna.
Google first forayed into the
free TV streaming category
when it unveiled the Android TV
platform in 2014.
Google TV is based on the
Android operating system and is
powering devices like Chromecast
as Smart TVs.
The most visited Indian news
website in New Zealand
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sales@indianweekender.co.nz

The Indian Weekender Friday, September 24, 2021
NEW ZEALAND 9
National will struggle to win back lost
ground without a convincing Covid plan
SANDEEP SINGH
From the very
beginning when
Covid first arrived
on our shores after
having ravaged
many countries of
Europe and other
parts of the world,
National has failed to
treat Covid as a source
of major disruption and
rather intended to carry
on with a business-asusual
approach.
Every time there is a new Covid outbreak
and an accompanying lockdown,
National Party’s poll plummets to a
new low, as if voters become more adamant to
punish National, than reward Jacinda Ardern’s
Labour Party.
The latest poll by New Zealand Taxpayers’
Union (NZTU) puts National at a shocking
21.2 percent, marginally ahead of its worst-ever
electoral performance of 20.4 percent in 2002.
The Labour on the other hand has a slight bump
of 2.3 percent from its last poll results taking it
to 45.9 percent.
It will remind National of the mayhem after
the first lockdown last year when it came
crashing down from high 40s to low 30s starting
a journey steep downward.
So why do lockdowns bring National down?
The party will be delusional if it continues
to believe that this is just because of the wallto-wall
coverage of the government when the
opposition gets minimal attention.
The rise and rise of David Seymour’s
ACT Party, the other opposition party has
consistently defied that logic and has prospered
significantly under the Covid.
Currently, ACT is snapping at National’s
heels at 14.9 percent threatening its position as
the major opposition party.
The voters, it seems, have sensed that
National is clueless about what New Zealanders
feel about the Covid-scare.
Covid has presented a tricky question in
front of the governments all around the world
whereby threatening critical aspects of our
modern lives – freedom of unrestricted travel,
mobility, connectivity, and socialization.
Several countries, especially those which
have not shown Covid the respect that it
demands, have either struggled or succumbed
to the trickiness of the virus at some stage,
demonstrating that no one was infallible or had
all the answers immediately.
A pause to most human activities that required
any form of contact outside the household, has
become the most effective response to Covid’s
challenge while scientists, researchers, and
medical firms raced to find vaccination.
The fact that the most primitive form of human
response of “slowing down” and hunkering
down in the face of any incomprehensible
challenge has emerged as the most potent and
scientifically substantiated tool of managing the
Covid pandemic points to the fact that Covid
deserves some respect.
Against this backdrop, National, it seems,
has refused to push a “pause” button on its
broad worldview to reflect upon the enormity
of the challenge presented in front of
New Zealanders.
It has continued to come across as a party
that believed that “pause” was not an option,
and too detrimental to New Zealand’s economy
and broader interests.
Although not completely inaccurate, except
that New Zealanders seem to not mind the
“pause” option, in lieu of saving lives, and have
fully supported the government’s strategy of
lockdowns so far.
In politics, parties that best capture
public moods and societal attitudes or have
a charismatic leader who can change and
mould differing views, according to what they
believe is the greater good, generally get a tick
from voters.
In absence of the latter, National’s best bet
would have been to capture the public mood
accurately, however, that has not happened.
A lot of this, it seems, is rooted in the hardwired
“status-quo approach” that many centreright
parties around the world often reflect and
as visible in the Covid management approaches
in their respective countries.
The status quo is not just in terms of how
National’s assessment about Covid and the
kind of challenges it poses to our modern way
of life, but also how it broadly plays the game
of politics.
From the very beginning when Covid first
arrived on our shores after having ravaged
many countries of Europe and other parts of the
world, National has failed to treat Covid as a
source of major disruption and rather intended
to carry on with a business-as-usual approach.
It is this business-as-usual approach that
seems to have irked Kiwi voters and not trust
them in the government.
Rolling the leader in the middle of the greatest
public health scare that New Zealanders have
seen in the last hundred years was the most
awkward display of its business-as-usual
thinking in a world that has drastically changed
after Covid.
When most Kiwis were worried about the
safety of their lives, for reasons right or wrong,
the National caucus was perceived as sorting
their own political safety.
It remains to be seen how the National caucus
would eventually respond after Lockdown
2.0 and the accompanying fall in polls.
Rolling over Judith Collins might once again
emphasise the business as usual approach of the
National caucus.
On the other hand, even when the National
caucus had come up with some good policies for
managing the Covid public health pandemic, it
failed miserably in getting the right messaging
across and get due credit.
Some
of the policies that
were eventually adopted by the government
in Covid management such as pre-departure
testing, charging MIQ fees from returning
Kiwis came up from the National’s camp,
however, it failed to capitalize, amidst largely
due to its own house in disarray.
Another failure has been losing the battle of
narratives around Covid management.
The government has been successful
in shaping the narrative around covidmanagement
as “health-casualty” versus
“economic-casualty” while boldly emphasizing
its claim on the former.
National has walked sheepishly into the trap
and awkwardly perceived as worrying only
for “economic-casualty” whereby leaving
the Labour alone bolster its ownership of
resene.co.nz
“health-casualty”.
Being a party that claims central focus on the
economy, businesses, entrepreneurship, and
personal responsibility is one thing, but that
commitment needed a course correction in
the middle of Covid-scare.
This may explain why a large chunk of
voters, traditionally at the centre who have
been supporting National in the previous
decade had left the flock to nest in Labour’s
lap immediately after the first Alert Level 4
lockdown.
Successive polls have shown that those
voters may have started drifting away from
Labour, but not returning to National’s fold,
with the majority going to David Seymour’s
ACT Party.
To expect that this will change for good,
without National making any course correction
in its response to Covid-virus would only be
wishful thinking.
A change of leader would be least
helpful unless the new incumbent comes
up with an altogether new vision around
Covid management.
The caucus should listen more keenly to their
colleagues who are raring to mount a challenge
to Judith about what they have to say about
managing two key goals health and economic
casualty, without compromising either of them.
Till then they have to live with what they
have got.
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10 NEW ZEALAND
Friday, September 24, 2021
The Indian Weekender
Credit card repayment insurance
a poor value product
Customers urged to check policies
IWK BUREAU
The Financial Markets Authority (FMA)
- Te Mana Tātai Hokohoko - is urging
an estimated 200,000 New Zealanders
who have credit card repayment insurance
(CCRI) to check if they still need the product,
after a review found it to be poor value.
CCRI is a form of insurance which covers
some, or all, of a customer’s outstanding credit
card repayments in certain circumstances,
including in the event of a customer’s
bankruptcy, redundancy, injury, illness or death.
The FMA review, published today, has
confirmed that CCRI is a poor value product
for customers.
This is based on several factors including
the limited level of underwriting completed by
providers when they issue a CCRI policy. The
underwriting process involves an assessment
and calculation of the amount of risk the insurer
is taking on for the person buying insurance.
With the CCRI product, providers do not
assess a customer’s medical and occupational
circumstances. These factors mean numerous
exclusions and prescriptive conditions are
applied when someone makes a claim on the
policy, so customers may not receive the
benefits they expect.
The FMA report also found providers treated
CCRI as a low-touch product, with customers
receiving little communication or engagement.
Therefore, many customers did not make
claims.
Because claims are being declined due to
numerous exclusions or customers simply not
making claims, this has resulted in providers
experiencing low claims loss ratios and
accruing significant profits. The amount paid
out in claims to customers is low compared to
the insurance premium collected by providers.
The loss ratio for CCRI was reported as
low as 10%, meaning around 10c is paid in
claims for every $1 received in premiums. This
compares, on average, to loss ratios of 80% for
health insurers and 47% for life insurers.
CCRI withdrawn but still earning
$20 million
The Joint Reserve Bank of New Zealand and
FMA report into conduct and culture of the life
insurance industry highlighted concerns about
CCRI in 2019 and since then insurers have
stopped selling it to new customers.
The FMA remained focused on this product
given an estimated 200,000 New Zealanders
still hold in-force policies, with insurers earning
around $20 million in premiums annually.
“Man arrested after serious
assault on bus driver”
IWK BUREAU
Police have arrested and
charged a man following
a violent and unprovoked
attack on a bus driver in Waterview
late Wednesday night.
Police were called about 10.20pm
to Great North Road in Auckland
after a passenger on the bus allegedly
started attacking the driver - dragging
him from his seat to the aisle striking
him multiple times.
The driver was taken to hospital in
a critical condition.
The victim is now in a serious but
stable condition in hospital.
The attacker then fled but Police
were able to swiftly locate him and he
was arrested and taken into custody.
A 27-year-old man has been
charged with wounding with intent
to cause grievous bodily harm
and possession of a knife in a
public place.
He is due to appear in the Auckland
District Court today.
Detective Senior Sergeant Phil
Cox says this was an appalling act of
violence on one of the community’s
essential workers, who was just
going about their job.
This was completely unacceptable,
he says.
Sadly, this was the second time
the victim had been assaulted while
working in the past month.
On August 29, the driver had
also been assaulted on Railside
Avenue in Henderson.
Three youths had been referred to
Youth Aid in relation to that matter.
Police have been offering support
to the driver and his family through
Victim Support and will continue
that support after this latest incident.
Police will be further increasing
their patrols and visibility on and
around buses to ensure the safety of
bus drivers.
Police will also continue to work
closely with Auckland Transport on
this issue.
Last week Police and Auckland
Transport issued a plea for people
to treat drivers with the respect they
deserve after a spate of assaults
and abuse incidents over the
past few months.
From August 1 to September 17,
there were 35 reported incidents
involving abuse or aggression
towards Auckland’s bus drivers
– despite low patronage due to
Alert Level 4.
“We found underwriters and distributors
are not displaying sufficient levels of
customer care in their suitability assessments
and communications with customers,” the
report said. Product suitability assessments
are a critical part of customer care, where a
customer’s personal circumstances should be
checked to ensure the product meets their needs
and financial position.
James Greig, FMA Director of Supervision,
said: “New Zealanders should check if they
have CCRI and ask themselves whether they
still need it. We encourage customers to contact
their provider to check if this product is still
suitable for them. Some providers indicated
their sales process for CCRI had involved
customers ‘self-assessing’ whether the product
was right for them, based on product terms and
conditions, and disclosure documents. This is
unacceptable.”
The FMA found:
• Providers’ insufficiently checked customers’
suitability for CCRI, failed to take account
of individual circumstances and relied
on customers ‘self-assessment’ of their
suitability
• Providers had poor communications with
CCRI customers
• Consumer understanding of CCRI’s features
and benefits was poor, with some not
realising it was optional
• Providers revealed a number of processes,
systems and administrative failings,
including incorrect premium charging
• CCRI benefits reduced significantly when a
consumer reached age 65, with many of the
benefits - the policy definitions which can
trigger a claim - no longer applicable, yet
consumers premiums were not decreased to
reflect this.
Inquiries ongoing, remediation
underway
The issues uncovered in this review are
concerning and the FMA’s inquiries remain
ongoing.
Sixteen underwriters and distributors
participated in the review, which involved
gathering qualitative and quantitative data
between October – December 2020. This
included gross written premium, claims ratios,
dates CCRI was offered, suitability of processes,
product reviews and any known issues.
The FMA received 13 consolidated responses
from underwriters and distributors, with some
of them related entities or part of a parent
organisation.
SkyBus Airport Express to
be indefinitely suspended
SkyBus today announced that
it will indefinitely suspend
operation of its Auckland
Airport Express services. The
Auckland Express service has been
paused since 20 August 2021 and the
North Harbour Express since March
2020.
A drop in passenger numbers of
over 80% since March 2020, the start
of the Covid-19 global pandemic, has
resulted in SkyBus operating at an
unsustainable level, with significant
financial losses being incurred each
month.
Commenting on the indefinite
suspension, Calum Haslop, Head of
Kinetic in New Zealand said it was
not a decision that was taken lightly
and follows extensive consultation
with both employees and key
stakeholders including Auckland
Transport and Auckland Airport.
“We have 50 dedicated and
passionate team members who have
built this business into what it is
today, and we have invested over
$35 million in new vehicles and
operations.
“Our business does not receive
any of the normal subsidies that
other urban bus services enjoy, and
therefore its only source of income
is from passenger fares. Up until
last year, we operated two highfrequency
routes that ran up to 24/7.
In an attempt to ensure the business
remained sustainable in the face of
ongoing global travel restrictions we
made multiple changes over the last
17-months, including route changes,
reducing frequency of services and
lower fares.
“Unfortunately, with Auckland
in lockdown yet again and no end
in sight for border restrictions, we
simply can’t continue to operate the
service,” continues Mr Haslop.
“We also don’t underestimate
the impact our decision will have
on both travellers and airport staff
who rely heavily on SkyBus to get
to Auckland Airport, day in and day
out. We thank them for their loyalty
and support, and sincerely hope that
we can re-emerge when conditions
change.”
The decision that SkyBus will not
recommence the Airport Express
services when Auckland comes out
of lockdown was made yesterday
(22/09/21), following a period of
consultation earlier in September,
and having given due consideration
to all the feedback received from
employees and key stakeholders
including Auckland Transport and
Auckland Airport. SkyBus will
however reassess the viability of
reintroducing both services over
the longer term when all border
restrictions for international
passengers are finally removed.
All affected employees will
receive their full entitlements and
support has been provided to assist
them with this transition. Wherever
possible, they will be offered
positions in other parts of the Kinetic
group of companies in New Zealand,
including Go Bus and Johnston’s
Coachlines.
SkyBus Auckland Airport airside
operations remain unaffected.

The Indian Weekender Friday, September 24, 2021
NEW ZEALAND 11
BATTLE OF HAIFA: An event that strengthened
the bond between India and Israel
NAVDEEP KAUR MARWAH
September 23 holds a historical
significance in the relationship between
India and Israel. On this day, India and
Israel commemorate the decisive Battle of
Haifa, and it will be the 103rd anniversary of
the same this year.
This day in 1918 marked one of the last
cavalry charges in modern military history
when Indian and British troops liberated the
Israeli city of Haifa from the Ottoman Army.
This victory was decisive because it broke the
enemy’s morale, and the liberation of the Haifa
Port exposed the remaining Ottoman forces in
the region.
This, along with other actions, paved the
way for the end of World War One two months
later. The Indian Army even celebrates the day
every year as “Haifa Day”.
Sharing the significance of the same,
Ambassador of Israel to New Zealand Ran
Yaakoby says, “On this day in 1918, the Indian
soldiers from Mysore, Hyderabad and Jodphur
Lancers liberated the strategically important
city of Haifa.
Close to 900 Indian soldiers are buried
in different cemeteries around Israel. The
memory of these brave soldiers will always
be remembered in the hearts and minds of the
people of Israel.”
Not many are aware that the battle of
Haifa has played an integral role India-Israel
diplomatic relationship.
Talking about the same, Rony Yedidia
Clein, Chargé d’Affaires, Embassy of Israel
in New Delhi, says, “The events of the battle
of Haifa, which took place 103 years ago,
are among the first modern bonds created
between what is today modern, independent
India and Israel.
Thanks to the valiant actions of the Indian
soldiers, cities like Haifa were liberated from
the Ottoman Empire.
This paved the way for the later
establishment of Israel we know today. Haifa
is a shining example of Israel’s diversity and
ability to coexist. Its inhabitants are Jewish,
Muslim, Christian, Druze and it is home to the
Bahai World Center, Temple and Gardens.
It is an ancient port city with a thriving
tech industry and among the best universities
in the region.
Over a century later, the relations between
India and Israel have grown and strengthened,
based on a common heritage and values of
freedom and democracy, striving towards a
better world.”
Calling The battle of Haifa as ‘a campaign
of exceptional bravery’, Dr David Cumin,
Director of The Israel Institute of New
Zealand,says, “The allied victory over the
Ottoman Empire in World War I helped
solidify bonds across nations. ANZAC,
British, and Indian troops fought side by side
on many fronts in the war, and we remember
their sacrifice and courage, especially on
ANZAC day each year.
The battle of Haifa includes the only known
incident in military history when a fortified
town gocaptured by cavalry on the gallop. The
bravery of the Indian troops, armed only with
lances and swords against the Turkish artillery
and machine guns is legendary.”
Each year there are commemorations
in New Delhi, India and Haifa, Israel, and
throughout the world, including here in New
Zealand to mark this historic event. However,
due to the Covid 19 pandemic, no events are
planned as such.
“There are no plans for commemoration
Prime Ministers of India and Israel honouring Haifa Day prior to Covid 19
Ian Dunwoodie.
Indian Army commemorates Haifa Day prior to Covid 19
Depiction of the Battle of Haifa 1918
in the NZ Jewish community this year as far
as I know, but, as we continue to strengthen
the burgeoning relationship between
Aotearoa New Zealand’s Indian and Jewish
communities, we hope to stage a joint
commemoration in coming years. Just as the
state of Israel and its people are very grateful
for the key role ANZAC troops played in the
Battle of Beersheva in 1917, so they are to
India for its amazing campaign in liberating
Haifa the next year. Both were decisive,
brave battles that helped turn the tide against
the Ottomans, and have forged strong bonds
between the relevant states.
It is wonderful to see the relationship
between India and Israel thrive and deepen,
with their shared history - including gaining
independence around the same time from the
British - and their shared interests., ” says
Juliet Moses, Spokesperson for the New
Zealand Jewish Council,
Sharing the same views, Ian Dunwoodie,
a qualified Kiwi lawyer who is exploring the
formation of an India-Israel-New Zealand
Friendship Group, says, “The commemorations
for the Battle of Haifa here in New Zealand
have been complicated by the recent Covid 19
lockdown.
This has meant that formal ceremonies for
the Battle of Haifa will not proceed this year.
Next year, provided Covid is behind us, there
will be commemorations.”
Interestingly, before Covid 19 pandemic hit
across the globe, there were commemorations
of the Battle of Haifa in India and Israel.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi even
visited the Haifa Cemetery in Israel in 2017
and unveiled a plaque honouring Major Dalpat
Singh (later known as the Hero of Haifa), who
fought and died in the battle.
"
Major Singh and
the bold Indian
Soldiers are very dear
to us and this centenary
celebration is special to
us …. Dalpat Singh not
only changed the history
of my city but the history
of the Middle East.
During that visit, Modi wrote in the
guestbook, “I am deeply honoured to stand
here today to salute the Valiant Indian Soldiers
who laid down their lives for the liberation of
Haifa during World War One”.
In 2018, there were 100th-year
commemorations of the battle, and the Israeli
Postal Service issued a stamp commemorating
the Centenary of the Battle of Haifa and the
role of the Indian Army.
During the 100th anniversary
commemorations of the Battle of Haifa, the
Mayor of Haifa at that time, Yona Yahav,
had said, “Major Singh and the bold Indian
Soldiers are very dear to us and this centenary
celebration is special to us …. Dalpat Singh
not only changed the history of my city but the
history of the Middle East.”
The Mayor also said that school textbooks
in Haifa contain “the story of the Indian troops
because this is an important part of our history
and legacy.
"It is important that the students know who
liberated their city”.
Similarly, in 2018, when then Prime
Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu visited
New Delhi as a symbolic gesture of friendship
with Israel, India renamed the iconic Teen
Murti Chowk, a war memorial as Teen Murti
Haifa Chowk.
The friendship between India and Israel
has come a long way since the Battle of
Haifa. “ Now India is one of Israel’s largest
trading partners.
In 1992 the total trade was $200 Million. But
by the year 2016, it had leapt to $4.13 Billion.
There have also been joint research in
Space exploration.
Both countries have been concerned
about radical Jihad ideology and the security
threat it poses.
They have a joint counter-terrorism
coordination strategy and have signed
agreements related to this,” signs off Ian.

Editorial
National’s continuing
disservice to NZ
democracy
A
strong
opposition is one of the most important defining features of any robust
democratic system. The primary function of the opposition is to hold the
government of the day to account, providing the necessary checks and balances
to keep those in power honest.
A government without a strong and responsible opposition to hold it to account,
especially when it has the kind of impressive numbers that the present Labour government
in New Zealand has, can seem to ride roughshod over policy matters and the manner in
which it runs the country’s affairs – something that is increasingly being commented upon
by political commentators and observers both here and across the Tasman.
To say that New Zealand’s main opposition party – the New Zealand National Party
– is a mess would be an understatement.
It seems to have been in free fall across over the past few years with no hope of anyone
stemming its tumble to the bottom.
The latest poll has it at a pathetic 21 percent, badly in need of urgent resuscitation.
Unfortunately, for its supporters though, there is no apparent solution in sight.
In the past five years it has miserably failed to come up with a stable leadership. It’s
power dynamics have been out in the open for anybody to see and its present leader, Judith
Collins, who once had a reputation of calling a spade a spade in her fiery parliamentary
debates has recently come a cropper resorting to name calling as she did when she called
virologist Siouxsie Wiles “a big, fat hypocrite.”
The once-serious contender for New Zealand’s prime ministership also indulged in
an embarrassing on air spat with journalist Indira Stewart, accusing her of harbouring a
pollical agenda in her questioning.
Those sorts of meltdowns, and that too very public, are not characteristic of any leader
especially in New Zealand; least of all a leader who hopes to be a challenger to a hugely
popular prime minister with a great sense for optics, aspiring to replace her at the next
elections in 2023.
This government gives plenty of opportunity to critique its policies and its inexplicable
intransigence in dealing with all-important issues like immigration and its Covid-19
related policies like (until recently) a tardy vaccination rollout, its sub-optimal managed
isolation system, continued uncertainty around closed borders, its persistence with its
total elimination policy and a lot else.
But with its internal ructions and the obvious deep distrust among its top leaders, the
National Party falls woefully short of projecting a credible alternative to the Labour led
government’s policies, lethargy and inaction on a slew of important issues that affect New
Zealand’s immigrants, professionals, businesses and investors.
In short, it is repeatedly failing to deliver its core function of holding to account the
Jacinda Ardern government. Its energies are frittered away in petty internal politics, the
recent reshuffle being a case in point.
With two years ago until the next election, National seems to be in no hurry to get its
act together as it limps from one PR disaster to the next. There is no credible leader being
projected as a challenger come 2023.
As every day passes, it looks more and more certain that it will not be Judith who will
the party into the next election.
The party seems to be bereft of both credible candidates to project as leaders and ideas to
construct a workable strategy – which, in any case, will be difficult to craft in the absence
of a strong leader, which does not seem to be happening any time soon. Its choices seem
limited to either trying to recycle an old leader or trying a completely untested quantity.
Meanwhile David Seymour’s Act has obviously got its act together and is snapping at
National’s heels at 15 percent in the recent poll.
With the present state of affairs, National is not only letting down its shrinking
following, but also all Kiwis in having abrogated its responsibility of providing a strong
and credible opposition to the Labour led government.
Thought of the week
“All successful people have a goal. No one
can get anywhere unless he knows where
he wants to go and what he wants to be or
do. ” —Norman Vincent Peale
24 September – 01 October 2021
Fri Sat Sun Mon Tues Wed Thu
On-and-off
rain and
drizzle
22°
15°
On-and-off
rain and
drizzle
19°
13°
This week in New Zealand’s history
Indian Weekender : Volume 13 Issue 29
Publisher: Kiwi Media Publishing Limited
Editor: Dev Nadkarni | dev@indianweekender.co.nz
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the views of the team at the Indian Weekender
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Printed at Horton Media, Auckland
Clouds
and
sun
19°
14°
Clouds
and
sun
20°
14°
Clouds
and
showers
20°
14°
25 September 1819
New Zealand's first grapevines planted?
Copyright 2020. Kiwi Media Publishing Limited. All Rights Reserved.
A few
morning
showers
21°
15°
A few
morning
showers
26°
17°
Missionary Samuel Marsden planted about a hundred grapevines of different varieties he
had brought from Sydney at the site he had chosen for a new Church Missionary Society
(CMS) station at Kerikeri.
25 September 1951
Māori Women's Welfare League established
25 September 1951 was the first day of the inaugural conference of the Māori Women’s
Welfare League. Eighty-seven delegates – representing 187 branches and a membership of
2503 women – gathered at Ngāti Poneke Young Māori Club in Wellington.
26 September 1865
Native Rights Act declares Māori British subjects
The Act deemed all Māori to be natural-born subjects of the Crown, confirming in law the
treaty promise that Māori were to be accorded the same status as other British subjects.
27 September 2013
Lorde releases Pure heroine in New Zealand and Australia
Following the success of her single ‘Royals’, Lorde’s first studio album Pure heroine debuted
at number three on the US Billboard 200 charts and went on to become one of the world’s
best-selling albums of 2014.
28 September 1899
New Zealand answers the empire's call to arms
Premier Richard ‘King Dick’ Seddon asked Parliament to approve an offer to the British
government of a contingent of mounted riflemen to serve in South Africa. Amid emotional
scenes, the members overwhelmingly endorsed the motion – only five voted against it.
30 September 1878
Great Flood hits South Island
In the pre-dawn darkness, a house in Balclutha near the banks of the flooded Clutha River was
struck by a huge tree that had been uprooted and swept intact into the current. Clinging onto
the roof for dear life, Frederick Rehberg ‘coo-eed’ frantically for help.

The Indian Weekender Friday, September 24, 2021 FIJI 13
Fiji to accept pfizer, moderna,
astrazeneca vaccinated visitors only
At the rate we are going, we expect to be
ready to accept travellers well before
our goal of celebrating Christmas in
Fiji with our friends from around the world.
Fiji could open to quarantine-free travel
with other countries that have deployed Pfizer,
Moderna, and AstraZeneca vaccines once 80
per cent of adults in Fiji are fully vaccinated.
This was the statement made by Prime
Minister Voreqe Bainimarama in his national
announcement last night.
Mr Bainimarama said at this point, this
would include Australia, New Zealand, Japan,
Canada, Korea, Singapore, and parts of the
USA. He said for now the plan was not to open
quarantine-free travel with the entire world in
one go.
“We will be establishing mutually recognised
vaccine protocol agreements with these
governments, which essentially shows that we
are comfortable with their levels of vaccine
coverage and that we can rely on the vaccine
status of their travellers and, vice versa, that
Fijians can prove their vaccine status when
travelling abroad,” he said.
“We will have regular in-country testing and
clear protocols in the event of breakthrough
infections. At the rate we are going, we expect
to be ready to accept travellers well before our
goal of celebrating Christmas in Fiji with our
friends from around the world.
“In fact, we are looking at reopening as soon
as this November. While much of that depends
on the next several weeks and what the science
informs us is safest, I want the Fijians who
depend on tourism to know –– we are doing
everything possible to get you back to work and
bring this industry back from the brink.
From 4 October:
• All workplaces, tertiary institutions, houses
of worship, hotels, restaurants, cafes,
cinemas, gyms, pools, tattoo parlours will
be able to open at 70 per cent capacity, but
only to fully vaccinated persons.
• When the doors of these venues open, all
other COVID-safe measures must be strictly
enforced. That means masks must be worn,
two metres of physical distance should be
maintained where possible, and careFIJI
must be installed on everyone’s phones,
with Bluetooth switched on.
• New regulations that allow for spot checks
on venues, businesses and houses of worship
have also been introduced.
• Those who do not respect these measures
risk serious fines or being shut down.
International Travel Ready:
Protocols to get tourists back into Fiji, get
Fijians back to work in the tourism sector were
also announced.
These protocols include:
• Once at least 80 per cent of adults in Fiji
are vaccinated, Fiji will be in an excellent
position to open quarantine-free travel with
other countries that have deployed the same
Pfizer, Moderna, and AstraZeneca vaccines
we are using in Fiji.
• At this point, which includes Australia, New
Zealand, Japan, Canada, Korea, Singapore,
and parts of the USA.
• Travellers from these potential green list
areas must be fully vaccinated and receive
pre-departure approval, which will be easily
obtained online.
• These travellers must also register a negative
COVID-19 test result within 72 hours of
boarding their flight to Fiji.
• Once they arrive, these travellers can
vacation in designated travel safe areas
where they can enjoy the best of Fiji knowing
that everyone, they interact with will be
fully vaccinated, from their fellow guests, to
the hotel staff, to the tour operators.
At 80 per cent:
At the 80 per cent threshold, the curfew will
be from 11pm to 4am, Government expects
that all businesses will fully re-open to fullyvaccinated
Fijians, all sports –– including
team sports –– can be played again, like rugby,
football and netball, and stadiums can re-open.
Australian Doctors
And Nurses To
Support Fiji’s
Covid-19 Recovery
Australia remains committed to
supporting our vuvale as we reach
new milestones in the fight against
COVID-19 in Fiji.
A new contingent of Australian doctors and
nurses have arrived in Fiji to support the country
as it begins its recovery from COVID-19.
Following a request by the Fijian Government,
the nine Australian medical professionals will
be working alongside their colleagues at the
Ministry of Health and Medical Services to
support the COVID-19 response across the
country.
Australian High Commissioner to Fiji,
John Feakes, said, “Australia is pleased to
have supported Fiji right from the start of the
pandemic and we will continue to do so as Fiji
begins its recovery from this dreadful disease.”
“COVID-19 continues to reveal the strong
bonds between our medical professionals as
they work together to save lives and ensure Fiji
gets back to normalcy as quickly as possible,”
the High Commissioner continued.
These new arrivals follow the successful
deployments of Australian New Zealand
Medical Assistance Teams (ANZMAT)
between June and September this year.
The medical professionals include six doctors
and nurses supported by the Royal Australasian
College of Surgeons and two nurses and a
doctor (working remotely from Australia)
supported by the Australian National Critical
Care and Trauma Response Centre.
Australia remains committed to supporting
our vuvale as we reach new milestones in the
fight against COVID-19 in Fiji.
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NEW ZEALAND
Over a ton of colour to be used at
Krishna Holi 2021 event in Kumeu
The Indian Weekender Friday, February 12, 2021 11
RIZWAN MOHAMMAD
T
he biggest Holi event in the country
on Sunday, February 14 at ISKCON
Temple in Kumeu will put over one
ton of colours for 10,000 visitors to play with
celebrating the annual Hindu festival.
Holi is one of the most popular and widely
celebrated festivals for the Indian community
after Diwali that is celebrated by the diaspora
and the adjoining communities across the globe.
The annual festival of colour falls on March
28-29 this year, and the religious element of the
festival signifies the triumph of good over evil.
It is observed a the end of winter and advent of
spring month (in the Indian subcontinent), and
spiritual part of the festival starts with Holika
Dahan (burning demon Holika) also known as
Chhoti Holi and the following day as Holi.
In its 9th year, Krishna Holi event at the
iconic Hare Krishna Temple in Kumeu, West
Auckland attracts thousands of people from all
walks of life, different ethnicities and faiths to
be a part of a colourful and joyous event.
Speaking with the Indian Weekender,
Krishna Chandra from the temple said they are
excited to see the festive season of Holi back
after a gloomy year of Covid-19 in the country.
“Holi at the Krishna Temple is one of the
most vibrant events in our calendar- we see
families dressed white clothing visi the temple
and then dance and drench in dry and wet
colours from noon till early evening,” Krishna
Chandra, secretary and spokesperson of Hare
Krishna Temple said.
The temple spread over 100 acres start the
free event at 11 a.m. and will have stalls that
distribute at least ten to 12 colours, and there
will also be watercolours for the visitors.
A giant LED screen is also installed on the
stage with a DJ and live music for the attendees
to dance and have fun.
“It’s a family-friendly- tobacco and alcoholfree
event. People of all ages can have fun as
there will be colour stalls, water stations, food
stalls, changing rooms, showering stations for
people drenched in colour,” Mr Chandra said.
He added tha the temple stocks colours to be sanitisers are in place for people, arrangements
used at the festival at least 2-3 years at a time. for children activities, so that everyone gets to
The temple will be used over a ton of colour at enjoy the even to its fullest.
the event both in its dry form and with water. “We have volunteers, security to usher
“We have given 200 kgs of colour to fire vehicles to park in the appropriate places,
brigade who will mix it in their water tank manage the oncoming and returning traffic,
and then splash it on the visitors at different and make sure visitors feel comfortable at the
intervals.
event,” Mr Chandra added.
“Since this year’s event coincides with The event organisers have appealed the
Valentine’s Day, we have kept valentine theme visitors to come in white dress as colours tend event like previous years will be high octane,
gifts and gift station too at the venue for the to exhibit its vibrancy on white clothing, get full of energy and good vibes,” Mr Chandra
public to celebrate the occasion there,” Mr spare clothing to change after playing with added.
Chandra added.
colour and food and water arrangements have ISKCON Temple is located on 1229
Mr Chandra says all arrangements in been made a the venue.
Coatesville-Riverhead Highway, Kumeu, West
terms of Covid QR Code scanning and hand “Hol is always a fun event and Krishna Holi Auckland, and the event starts at noon to 5 p.m.
Hare Krishna temple to host ‘Saatvik food festival’
RIZWAN MOHAMMAD
T
he Hare Krishna Temple in Kumeu, West Auckland
is hosting its annual food festival event on Saturday,
February 13, for the community.
More than 3000 people are expected to attend the event
where they will be served saatvik vegetarian food, tour the
temple premises and have a relaxing family-fun day.
“Our Hare Krishna Food Festival is very popular amongs the
wider Kiwi community in Auckland, people from all faiths and
ethnicities come to the temple, take a tour of the place knowing
about the deities, the ISKCON establishment, its works for the
community and have snacks and food during the day,” Krishna
Chandra, secretary and spokesperson for Hare Krishna temple
told the Indian Weekender.
The event is said to be quiet, and exhibit a relaxing
environment where people get to meet new people, make
friends, experience the calmness being with nature, have
Saatvik (pure) vegetarian food and have good family day.
“This event is happening just one day before our most
popular Krishna Holi event which is will be loud, full of energy,
playfulness, music and dance,” Mr Chandra added.
The events will start at 2 p.m. and end at seven in the evening.
Besides the food festival, Krishna Temple organises lunch
event every Sunday at its premises where 300-400 people
come, chant mantras, meditate, spend some time with nature
and dine with the community members.
“It is a soothing atmosphere at the temple, chanting mantras
with the community, knowing more about the religion, what
can they do a the temple and how can they make a difference in
the community by serving others and the less privileged.
“There are also children’s activities
organised so that they engage themselves
and also have a good time at the temple,” Mr
Chandra said.

14
INDIA
Friday, September 24, 2021 The Indian Weekender
PM Modi to hold bilateral meeting
with President Biden, participate in
QUAD summit and address UNGA
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
will leave for the US on a
four-day (September 22 to
25) visit beginning from Wednesday-
--to hold bilateral meetings with the
US leadership, participate in the
QUAD Leadership Summit, address
at the UN General Assembly and
interact with business leaders.
One of the highlights of the
meeting is the PM Modi’s meeting
with US President Joe Biden at the
White House on September 24, said
Foreign Secretary Harsh Vardhan
Shringla at a special press briefing.
“The Prime Minister and President
Biden will review the robust and
multifaceted India-US bilateral
relationship. They will also discuss
how the comprehensive strategic
global partnership between our
two countries can be enriched
further,” he said.
“The two leaders are expected
to discuss how to bolster bilateral
trade and investment ties, strengthen
Defence and Security collaboration,
boost the clean strategic clean
energy partnership, explore new
avenues and emerging technologies,
including through R&D, innovation
India, UAE
commence
negotiations
for CEPA
India and the United Arab
Emirates on Wednesday
commenced negotiations
for a Comprehensive Economic
Partnership Agreement (CEPA).
In international trade parlance, a
CEPA is an economic pact between
countries which is used to reduce
tariffs. In 2017, both the countries had
signed a Comprehensive Strategic
Partnership. UAE's Minister of
State for Foreign Trade Thani bin
Ahmed Al Zeyoudi and a high-level
delegation travelled to New Delhi
to hold talks aimed at improving
bilateral economic relations,
including expanding the existing
trade and investment relationship.
The first round of CEPA
negotiations will be held on
September 23-24.
"Both sides will aim to conclude
negotiations by December 2021 and
sign a formal agreement in March
2022 after the completion of internal
legal procedures and ratification,"
a Commerce & Industry Ministry
statement said. "A new strategic
economic agreement is expected to
increase bilateral trade in goods to
$100 billion within five years of the
signed agreement and increase trade
in services to $15 billion."
The UAE is currently India's
third-largest trading partner with
bilateral trade in 2019-2020 valued
at $59 billion. It is also India's
second-largest export destination
after the US, with exports valued
at approximately $29 billion in
2019-2020.
and industry linkages,” the Foreign
Secretary noted.
A high level delegation consisting
of the External Affairs Minister,
S Jaishankar, National Security
Adviser, Ajit Doval and senior
officials will accompany PM Modi
on the visit to the US from September
22 to 25. The Foreign Secretary said
the bilateral meeting will also feature
the current regional security situation
following recent developments in
Afghanistan and India’s stake as a
neighbour and a long standing and
preferred development partner of the
people of the land locked country.
“In this context, we would
India hosts first India-UK Consular Dialogue
India-UK Consular Dialogue is a part of the 2030
Roadmap, unveiled during the virtual summit between
the two countries in May
India and the United Kingdom on Wednesday held their
first Consular Dialogue through video conferencing and
discussed ways to further strengthen people-to-people
contacts between the two countries.
According to the Ministry of External Affairs, as part
of the India-UK 2030 Roadmap, the two countries also
discussed ways to facilitate consular access and early
resolution of consular grievances including through
systematic information sharing and cooperation on visas,
extradition cases and mutual legal assistance.
India-UK 2030 Roadmap also envisages enhanced
defence and security cooperation, robust trade, investment
and technological collaboration.
At the Consular Dialogue, while the Indian delegation
was led by Devesh Uttam, Joint Secretary (CPV),
Ministry of External Affairs, the UK side was led by
Jennifer Anderson, Director Consular Services, Foreign,
Commonwealth and Development Office.
Both sides agreed to hold the next round of this Dialogue
in 2022, in London, at a mutually convenient date.
Earlier, during India-UK virtual summit held on May
4, 2021, both sides had agreed for a closer cooperation in
consular matters and to resolve long-running or complex
consular cases, develop working-level arrangements to
undoubtedly discuss the need to
stem radicalism, extremism, cross
border terrorism, and the dismantling
of global terrorist networks. They
will also discuss the reform of the
multilateral system including the UN
Security Council,” Shringla stated.
“It is expected that the prime
minister will highlight the
importance of people to people ties
between the two nations and the
potential of enhancing these ties
further, especially through higher
education, linkages and mobility,”
Shringla added.
The Prime Minister's bilateral
engagements also include a meeting
with Vice President Kamala Harris,
this will be the Prime Minister's
first formal interaction with the Vice
President, the Foreign Secretary
said. This meeting will take place on
September 23.
On the same day, PM Modi would
be having some business level
interactions with the objective of
strengthening two-way trade and
investments.
“The US is a very large investor in
India, a lot of companies that have not
only invested significantly in India,
but also have the potential to invest
either in terms of new investments or
expand their existing investments in
India,” he noted.
In that context, the Prime minister
will have few meetings with select
CEOs of the US’ leading companies,
Shringla said.
As regarding the first in-person
QUAD summit, the Foreign
Secretary said QUAD Leaders
Summit would be held on September
24 at the White House during which
PM Modi will join Australian
Prime Minister Scott Morrison,
Japanese Prime Minister Suga and
President Biden.
promote safe travel for the millions of Indian and British
nationals who travel between the two countries each
year, ensuring they are able to access first class consular
services when required.
The two countries had also agreed to establish a working
mechanism on cooperation in consular crises, including
consular crises in third countries and on best practice for
crisis preparedness and crisis management.
India and the UK are committed to a strong partnership
for their mutual benefits.
Isro likely to miss 3 key missions despite reducing targets
“The three planned missions appear unlikely
this year,” a senior scientist at Isro said on
condition of anonymity.
Despite the Indian Space Research Organisation
(ISRO) reducing its launch target from 16 to five
projects in 2021 in view of the Covid-19 pandemic,
the agency is likely to miss some critical missions,
according to people aware of the matter.
The space agency was to launch two earth
observation satellites, one navigation satellite, one
purely scientific mission, and the first unmanned
flight under the Gaganyaan mission as per its
revised targets for the year.
Two of the missions were to use the new small
satellite launch vehicle in two development
flights. Isro qualifies a launch vehicle after two
successful development flights. The small satellite
launch vehicle or SSLV will mostly be used for
commercial launches, according to people aware of
the matter. There have only been two launches this
year – the purely commercial PSLV C-51 launch
in February carrying Brazil’s earth observation
Evergrande
triggers fears
over potential
GFC-like crisis
C
hinese company Evergrande
has started to repay investors
in its wealth management business
with property, as the world’s most
indebted real estate developer faces a
key test this week, the BBC reported.
Major banks have reportedly been
told that they won’t receive interest
payments on loans that are due
Monday, while interest payments of
$84m on the firm’s bonds are also
due on Thursday.
The company’s shares fell by 15 per
cent in Hong Kong trade on Monday.
The property giant’s deepening debt
problems have triggered fears over
the impact its potential collapse
could have on China’s economy, the
report said.
Evergrande grew to be one of
China’s biggest companies by
borrowing more than $300 billion.
Last year, Beijing brought in new
rules to control the amount owed by
big real estate developers.
The new measures led Evergrande
to offer its properties at major
discounts to ensure money was
coming in to keep the business afloat.
Now, it is struggling to meet the
interest payments on its debts.
This uncertainty has seen
Evergrande’s share price tumble
by around 85 per cent this year. Its
bonds have also been downgraded
by global credit ratings agencies, the
report added.
The financial fallout would be
far reaching. Evergrande reportedly
owes money to around 171 domestic
banks and 121 other financial firms,”
the Economist Intelligence Unit’s
(EIU) Mattie Bekink told the BBC.
If Evergrande defaults, banks and
other lenders may be forced to lend
less. Speaking to Indian Weekender
from the United States, one fund
manager and stock market analyst
said, “This could be another Lehman
moment in China, which could lead to
another financial contagion. Market
in the US tumbled significantly in
the last few days, giving those with
money to buy cheap solid stocks for
future profit. No different to previous
corrections can be expected.”
satellite Amazonia-1 and the GSLV-F10 mission
in August carrying an Indian earth observation
satellite EOS-03 that failed.
To be sure, the space agency has plans for three
more missions before the end of the year, including
the first development flight of the SSLV. The other
two will use India’s workhorse PSLV to launch two
earth observation satellites EOS-04 and EOS-06.
“The three planned missions appear unlikely
this year,” a senior scientist at the agency said on
condition of anonymity.
The space agency will also miss the launch of
the navigation satellite NVS-01 that is to replace
one of the satellites in India’s own regional
GPS-like system NAVigation with Indian
Constellation (NavIC).

The Indian Weekender Friday, September 24, 2021
FEATURES 15
Indian-inspired BBQ
chicken drumsticks
Prepare ahead of time to make this super simple! This spiced and
fragrant take on chicken drumsticks is perfect to pop on the BBQ for
the ultimate warmer weather dinner.
Ingredients
• 1 ½ tsp paprika
• 3 tsp curry powder
• 8 chicken drumsticks
• 4 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
• 1 lemon
• 1 cup thick natural yoghurt
• 1 cup of coriander, roughly chopped
• 1 cup of mint, roughly chopped
Method
• Place the paprika & curry powder in a
hot pan and toast until fragrant. In a large
bowl, add the toasted spices, half of the
yoghurt, 3 garlic cloves and the juice of
½ the lemon. Season with salt and mix
together.
• Using a sharp knife, make shallow 1-inch
slashes in the meat of the drumsticks.
• Add the chicken to the yoghurt marinade
and toss to coat. Cover, and refrigerate
for at least 30 minutes, but 4 hours is
best for maximum flavour.
• To make the raita, place the remaining
lemon juice, 1 tsp salt, 1 Tbsp of
yoghurt, herbs and the remaining garlic
into a blender and blitz. Transfer to a
bowl and stir through remaining yoghurt.
• Barbeque the chicken over a medium
Healthy cooking every day
Herby chicken tray bake
heat for 30 minutes, or until cooked
through.
• Drizzle the raita over the chicken and
serve immediately.
Top tips:
• If you like a little bit of heat, add 1 tsp
of chilli powder to your spice mix and
1 green chili to your raita for some extra
oomph.
• Make it a meal and serve with a side of
rice.
• With NZ’s unpredictable weather, take
this recipe inside to bake in the oven
for 45 minutes at 200C fan bake for a
delicious meal rain, hail or shine.
Chicken saltimbocca
A
twist on an Italian classic, this chicken saltimbocca
is beautifully simplistic and incredibly delicious.
Ingredients
• 2 large chicken breasts, halved horizontally
• ¼ cup fresh sage leaves
• 8 slices prosciutto
• Olive oil
• 40g butter
• 150ml white wine or chicken stock
• Pams Mesclun Salad or rocket leaves to serve
• Pams Balsamic Vinaigrette
• Cooked mashed potato, gnocchi or spaghetti to serve
Method
• On a large board, use a rolling pin to pound the halved
chicken pieces until they are 1cm thick.
• Once flattened, lay 2-3 sage leaves on top of the
chicken, then wrap with 1-2 pieces of prosciutto.
Repeat with the remaining chicken pieces.
• Bring a heavy based frying pan to a medium heat. Once
hot, add a generous drizzle of olive and half of the
butter to the pan and heat until the butter is foaming.
• Carefully place the wrapped chicken into the frying
pan and cook for 3-4 minutes each side or until golden
and cooked through.
• Once all the chicken pieces are cooked (in batches if
Lighter Takes
& Easy Tips
Great for nights when you want the oven to take care of most of the cooking,
and you can easily switch up the herbs with your favourite ones or other
seasoning and spice mixes to make this recipe your very own.
Method
White sauce
• 3 tablespoons oil or butter
• ¼ cup flour
• 4 cups milk
• 4 cubes chicken stock*
• Salt and pepper, to taste
• Pinch of nutmeg (optional)
necessary) remove from the pan and set aside.
• Into the same frying pan, pour the wine or stock and
simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until the liquid has reduced
by half. Add the remaining butter, and stir until the
sauce is glossy.
• Dress the green salad with balsamic vinaigrette, and
serve alongside the Saltimbocca, sauce and your
choice of side. Enjoy immediately.
Slow cooker chicken and apricot stew
Ingredients
Olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp minced ginger
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2x 400g Pams Italian Diced
Tomatoes Chilli & Herb
• 200ml chicken stock
• 1 Tbsp honey
• 6 bone in chicken thighs
• 1/2 cup dried apricots
• 2 Tbsp sliced almonds, to garnish
• Cooked couscous or rice and
parsley, to serve
Method
• Place a frying pan over a medium
heat, then add a generous drizzle
of olive oil. Add the onion,
garlic and ginger, and sauté for
2-3 minutes or until the onion
begins to soften. Stir through the
cinnamon and transfer to a slow
cooker.
• In the same pan, sear the chicken
thighs for 1-2 minutes on each
Tray bake
• 1-1.5kg chicken thighs or drumsticks (or 2
thighs/drumsticks per person)
• 600g potatoes, washed and cut into about 2cm
wide chunks
• 2 large carrots*, cut into 1cm slices
• 2 tablespoons oil
• 2 teaspoons dried mixed herbs
• 1 teaspoon salt
• Pepper, to taste
Ingredients
• White sauce
• Heat oil or butter in a medium sized saucepan
or pot on the stove over medium heat, add flour
and cook for about a minute until it forms a
paste.
• Carefully add in milk while mixing using
a whisk, turn the heat to high and continue
stirring until it thickens.
• Add chicken stock cubes and nutmeg if using,
test taste adding salt and pepper as needed. Set
aside.
side until golden, then add to the
slow cooker.
• Pour the Pams Diced Tomatoes
and chicken stock into the slow
cooker, and stir to combine.
Season with salt and pepper, then
add the honey and mix well.
• Place the slow cooker on a low
heat, and cook for 5-6 hours. After
four hours, add the dried apricots
and cook for a final 1-2 hours or
until the chicken is falling from
the bone.
• Remove the bones from the
Tray bake
• Heat oven to 180C bake or 160C fan bake.
• Prepare a large baking tray or two medium
baking dishes.
• Place chicken, potatoes, and carrots in the tray
or dish.
• Drizzle with oil, sprinkle herbs, salt, and pepper
and mix to coat.
• Bake for about 35-40 minutes, or until the
chicken and vegetables are cooked.
Tips: Halve the white sauce quantity in this recipe
if you are only making this dish.
You can change up the vegetables, use what you
have already at home or if you want something
different cauliflower and beetroot are great roasted.
• Leftovers: Can be added into the chicken filo
pie filling or can be frozen.
Chicken and kale minestrone soup
Ingredients
Pams 100% Pure Olive Oil
• 1 brown onion, finely diced
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 1 carrot, peeled and diced
• 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 2 tsp dried mixed herbs
• 1x 400g tin Pams diced tomatoes
• 1 cup shredded cooked chicken
• ¾ cup dried small pasta (shells,
macaroni etc)
• 1x 400g tin Pams cannellini
beans, drained
• 1 courgette, diced
• 2L chicken stock
• 2 cups fresh kale leaves
• Fresh basil and grated parmesan,
to serve
Method
• In a large pot, bring a generous
drizzle of olive oil to a low to
medium heat. Saute the onion,
celery, carrot, garlic and mixed
herbs for 3-5 minutes or until the
vegetables have softened.
chicken, then stir the meat through
the sauce.
• Serve the tagine while hot with
• Add the tinned tomatoes, shredded
chicken, pasta, cannellini beans
and courgette to the pot, and stir
to combine. Carefully pour in
the chicken stock, and bring to a
simmer.
• Simmer the soup for 5-7 minutes,
then add the kale leaves and
cook covered for a further 4-5
minutes or until the pasta is al
dente. Season to taste with salt
and pepper.
• Serve the soup in bowls, and
garnish with fresh basil leaves
and grated parmesan.
couscous or rice, and garnish
with sliced almonds and parsley
if desired.

16 ENTERTAINMENT
Friday, September 24, 2021 The Indian Weekender
Most popular movies on Netflix right now
School of Rock
Tyree Henry, Michael Rooker, Nicole Byer, and
Gloria Estefan
Firedrake: The Silver Dragon
Fegley, Lidya Jewett, and Krysten Ritter.
Lucifer
Saweetie.
Mare Of Eastown
man poses as a substitute teacher at a prep
A school, only to teach his students rock
music so they canc ompete in the Battle of the
Bands. Cast:Jack Black, Joan Cusack, Mike
White, and Sarah Silverman
Birth of the Dragon
The film tells the supposedly true story of
Bruce Lee challenging Kung Fu master
Wong Jack-man in 1965. Cast: Philip Ng, Xia
Yu, and Billy Magnussen
Vivo
music-loving kinkajou embarks on a
A journey to fulfill his destiny and deliver a
love song for an old friend. Cast: Lin-Manuel
Miranda, Zoe Saldana, Juan de Marcos, Brian
When his home is threatened by humans,
a dragon looks for a mythical safe
haven for his kind.Cast: Freddie Highmore and
Felicity Jones
Prey
Five friends on a hiking trip in the
wilderness are forced to go on the run
from a mysterious shooter. Cast: David Kross,
Hanno Koffler, and Maria Ehrich
Nightbooks
young boy must tell a new scary story
A every night or risk being trapped in a
witch's apartment forever. Cast: Winslow
This is it, the final season of Lucifer. For real
this time. The devil himself has become
God… almost. But why is he hesitating? And as
the world starts to unravel without a God, what
will he do in response? Get comfy on the couch
and prepare to say a bittersweet goodbye to
Lucifer, Chloe, Amenadiel, Maze, Linda, Ella
and Dan. Make sure you keep the tissues close.
Cooking With Paris
Paris Hilton can cook...kind of. And she’s
turning the traditional cooking show
upside down. She’s not a trained chef and she’s
not trying to be. With the help of her celebrity
friends, she navigates new ingredients, new
recipes and exotic kitchen appliances. Inspired
by her viral YouTube video, Paris will take
us from the grocery store to the finished table
spread—and she might actually learn her
way around the kitchen. Her sous chef lineup
includes Kim Kardashian, Demi Lovato and
If you only watch one show from this list, make
it Mare Of Eastown. It stars the incredible
Kate Winslet as detective Mare Sheehan, whose
life crumbles around her when investigating a
shocking murder in small-town Pennsylvania.
When the dark side of the close community is
exposed through the course of the investigation,
long-held secrets will be revealed, changing the
course of people’s lives—and Mare's—forever.
The Flight Attendant
Set in the world of travel and high-end
airlines, this darkly comedic thriller
series follows Cassie Bowden (The Big Bang
Theory's Kaley Cuoco), a flight attendant
whose life takes a terrifying turn when a one
night stand turns deadly. Waking up in the
wrong bed, with a dead man—and no idea what
happened, Cassie flees back to the US but it’s
not long before the police come knocking and
Cassie needs to figure out fast, who she can
really trust.
Must-watch movies on Disney Plus
MONSTERS UNIVERSITY
Seduced by the dark side, Anakin Skywalker
(Hayden Christensen) turns against his mentor,
Obi-Wan Kenobi (Ewan McGregor) and
becomes Darth.
TARZAN
BORN IN CHINA
FANTASIA 2000
Back in their college days, Mike Wazowski's
(Billy Crystal) fierce rivalry with naturalborn
Scarer Sulley (John Goodman) gets
them both.Offering Monsters, Inc. fans a
return visit with beloved characters, Monsters
University delivers funny and thoughtful family
entertainment for viewers of any age.
STAR WARS: EPISODE III – REVENGE
OF THE SITH
The works of Beethoven, Stravinsky,
Saint-Saens and others come to life in a
blend of music and animation.. It provides an
entertaining experience for adults and children
alike.
THE BOOK OF LIFE
man raised by apes in the African jungle
A encounters a professor, his daughter and
a suspicious hunter. Disney's Tarzan takes the
well-known story to a new level with spirited
animation, a brisk pace, and some thrilling
action set-pieces..
ROGUE ONE: A STAR WARS STORY
From frigid mountains to the heart of the
bamboo forest, filmmaker Lu Chuan
follows the adventures of three animal families.
Born In China delivers more of the breathtaking
footage the series is known for -- and more than
enough cuddly anthropomorphic action to keep
the kids entertained.
THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG
With Episode III: Revenge of the Sith,
George Lucas brings his second Star
Wars trilogy to a suitably thrilling and often
poignant -- if still a bit uneven -- conclusion.
Torn between family expectations and
following his heart, a young man (Diego
Luna) journeys through three fantastic worlds
and faces. The Book of Life's gorgeous
animation is a treat, but it's a pity that its story
lacks the same level of craft and detail that its
thrilling visuals provide.
Recruited by the Rebel Alliance, Jyn Erso
(Felicity Jones) joins forces with a spy
(Diego Luna) and other resistance fighters.
Rogue One draws deep on Star Wars mythology
while breaking new narrative and aesthetic
ground -- and suggesting a bright blockbuster
future for the franchise.
A
fateful kiss leads a young woman (Anika
Noni Rose) and a royal amphibian
(Bruno Campos) on an adventure through.
The warmth of traditional Disney animation
makes this occasionally lightweight fairy-tale
update a lively and captivating confection
for the holidays.

The Indian Weekender Friday, September 24, 2021
FEATURES 17
HealthCheck
Endometriosis: The hidden
suffering of millions of women
TAJPREET PADDA
(MIGRANT HEALTH
GROUP)
Imagine a kind of pain that
makes you want to carve out
what's inside your body while
experiencing heavy menstrual
bleeding. This is what it was like for
my older sister for many years, and
she is not alone.
1 in 10 women globally suffer
from a chronic and debilitating
gynaecological condition called
endometriosis. With September
being Pain Awareness Month, I’d like
to talk about this condition, which
affects so many women around us.
Chances are that you’ve already
met someone with endometriosis
without even knowing it.
So what is
endometriosis?
Commonly known as ‘endo’,
endometriosis is a chronic
inflammatory condition that occurs
when the tissue lining the inside of
the uterus, called the endometrium,
grows in a location outside
of the uterus.
Endo is the type of health condition
that is seldom understood and rarely
discussed in our society because
of the taboo and stigma around
menstrual health.
During a normal menstrual cycle,
the body sheds the endometrium via
the vagina. In endometriosis, rather
than flowing out, this lining flows
backwards and enters other parts of
the body.
The tissue responds to normal
hormonal changes as part of the
menstrual cycle, building up and
breaking down as usual. This leads
to internal bleeding that has no exit,
so the surrounding area becomes
inflamed and swollen.
This results in severe symptoms
including excruciating abdominal
pain, reduced fertility, heavy and
irregular bleeding and pain during
sexual intercourse.
We don’t know the exact cause
of endometriosis but we know
that it is oestrogen-dependent and
that people can have a genetic
predisposition to it.
The Endometriosis Society of
India estimated that 25 million Indian
women suffer from endometriosis,
yet little to no one in our society
knows about this condition. I can
attest to this, as my own family was
unsure about what endometriosis
meant for my sister. The prevalence
of endo among Indian women is even
higher due to the significant number
of undiagnosed cases.
A lack of the knowledge around
the condition causes many women to
simply believe their symptoms are a
natural result of their period.
Moreover, a huge part of whether
Indian women seek medical care for
endometriosis is the stigma regarding
menstrual and sexual health, which
is commonplace in Indian society.
In an Indian context and patriarchal
system, any discussion around sexual
and menstrual health is limited and
stigmatised.
To avoid judgement from others,
women suffering from endo often
opt to hide this from their family and
are reluctant to seek medical advice.
The stigma that women face around
menstruation and sexual health
hinders them from reaching out and
getting the appropriate medical care.
However, dismissal attitudes and
ignorance around topics of menstrual
health only puts these women at a
higher risk of developing severe
complications such as infertility.
Endo is a debilitating condition that
almost always leads to a decline in
the quality of life, as it affects every
aspect of life - work, relationships
and ability to perform basic tasks.
Early intervention is the solution
to avoiding unnecessary suffering
and reduction in quality of life for
women with endo.
Women suffering abnormalities
related to their period, in particular
severe pain, should seek medical
advice early to avoid any severe
complications down the track.
Although there is no cure, there are
many ways to manage the symptoms.
In order for us to get to this point
though, we must first battle the shame
and stigma around menstrual health
and then build awareness about
endometriosis in our communities,
so that these women do not suffer
silently.
There are educational programmes
and advocacy groups aimed at
reducing stigma around menstruation,
but you may be thinking, what has
this got to do with me?
It’s simple. Above all, normalising
menstruation in our society is key to
helping people feel comfortable about
discussing issues like endometriosis.
Anyone reading this can support
this movement by talking about
menstruation freely, particularly with
your children, friends and family.
We all play a role in getting rid of
the shame and stigma of menstrual
health, which keeps people in the
dark about serious conditions like
endometriosis.
It’s due time that we realise that
periods are a normal biological
process and we get rid of the secrecy
around it.
By being vocal about menstrual
health, we can raise awareness so
that hopefully fewer of our loved
ones suffer without a diagnosis and
receive appropriate medical care.
Reference list:
Denny, E., Culley, L.,
Papadopoulos, I., & Apenteng,
P. (2011, June 15). From
womanhood to endometriosis:
Findings from focus groups with
women from different ethnic
groups[Scholarly project].
In Diversity and Equality in
Health and Care. Retrieved
August 25, 2021, from https://
diversityhealthcare.imedpub.
com/from-womanhood-toendometriosis-
findings-fromfocus-groups-with-womenfrom-different-ethnic-groups.
php?aid=1879
Liu By James H. Liu, J.
(2020, July). Endometriosis
- Gynecology and Obstetrics.
Retrieved August 38, 2021, from
https://www.msdmanuals.com/
en-nz/professional/gynecologyand-
obstetrics/endometriosis/
endometriosis
Disclaimer: This article was
written by a student doctor
from the University of Auckland
Migrant Health Group. The
information and opinions
expressed in the article are not
a reflection of the the Indian
Weekender, University, our
employers or any DHB. We hope
that you find them useful.Always
chat to your GP or specialist if
you have any concerns.
Ovarian cancer: Symptoms and risk factors every woman should be aware of
Ovarian cancer is called a
“silent” killer as the early
symptoms can be difficult
to detect. Its early symptoms could
either be ignored or go undetected
until it reaches advanced stages,
as it’s difficult to screen. Ovarian
cancer is one of the less common
gynecological malignancy with a
projected risk of 1 in 133 females
having ovarian cancer, and more
than 40,000 new cases per annum.
What is Ovarian cancer
Ovarian cancer refers to any
cancerous growth that begins in the
ovary. Having a close relative with
a history of ovarian cancer increases
a person’s chance of developing
ovarian cancer themselves.
Undergoing genetic screening for
mutations in the BRCA gene may
help determine if someone has a
higher risk of ovarian cancer. When
ovarian cancer metastasizes, it may
spread to organs and tissues in the
abdomen, pelvis and lymph nodes,
or to distant sites throughout the
body, such as the lungs. The most
common type of the disease is
epithelial, which begins in the layer
of cells that cover the ovaries and
the abdominal cavity.
Symptoms
The usual associated symptoms of
ovarian cancer are vague and nonspecific,
hence are often ignored.
The usual symptoms are:
• Feeling of heaviness in lower
abdomen
• Feeling too full too soon on
eating
• Bloating, weight loss, discomfort
in the pelvic area
• Back pain
• Fatigue
• Constipation, frequent urination.
While these symptoms do not
definitely mean a person has
ovarian cancer, but they mean that
the person should consult a doctor
to find out the causes and rule out
ovarian cancer.
Overall, about 49% patients
of ovarian cancer survive upto 5
years. This is why early diagnosis is
very important. Those with family
history or known genetic mutations
should be annually assessed with
transvaginal ultrasound and ovarian
tumour marker blood tests.
Risk factors
Anything that increases your
chance of getting ovarian cancer is
a risk factor. There are multiple risk
factors for ovarian cancer.
• Age is an important risk factor.
Most ovarian cancers are
diagnosed beyond the age of 50
years. The germ cell tumours can
be diagnosed in the second or
third decade of life, but they are
less common.
• A longer menstrual phase in life:
Early age of onset of menses
and late age of menopause.
This means a greater number of
ovulation cycles, which increases
risk.
• Pregnancy and breast feeding
interrupts the monthly ovulation
cycles and has a preventive effect
by reducing number of ovulation
cycles. Women with no children
or who do not breast feed are at
higher risk of ovarian cancer
• Obesity is a risk factor, since
the fat is a source of estrogen
hormone which increases risk of
ovarian cancer
• Smoking increases the risk of
one type of ovarian cancer.
Genetic factors
Approximately 10% to 15% of
ovarian cancers are due to genes that
make one more likely to develop
cancer. Those with family history
might be at risk since a few genetic
mutations are associated with
ovarian cancer like, BRCA 1 and 2,
Lynch syndrome, BRIP1, RAD51C,
RAD51D.
Some factors that may reduce the
risk of developing ovarian cancer
include using the oral contraceptive
pill for several years, having your
fallopian tubes tied (or removed),
having children before the age of 35
and breastfeeding.
Treatment
Treatment depends on the extent
of the cancer. The treatment of
ovarian cancer involves surgery,
chemotherapy, and immunotherapy.
While surgery remains the mainstay
of treatment for ovarian cancer, it
might be needed in the beginning or
after chemotherapy. Chemotherapy
is very effective in most cases and
shows significant benefits. There is
more research ongoing to establish
more therapies and better outcomes.
The best combination and
sequence vary with the type and
stage of ovarian cancer. So, the best
treatment will be decided for you
by your doctor. What is important
is to be aware of our body and be
alert to identify and investigate
any symptoms to rule out ovarian
cancer. Let us break the chain of
fear and ignorance, and move ahead
to being aware, early diagnosis and
high cure rates.

18 NEW ZEALAND
CROSSWORD FreeDailyCrosswords.com
NO: 86
ACROSS------------,
I) "_ like old times"
6) "Fear of Fifty" author Jong
11) Endorsing
14) Like draft beer
15) Union group
16) "Anytown, _"
17) Hold grudges
19) Blazing
20) French wine classification
21) Australian with three toes
22) Doctor's due
23) Pathetically inept person
27) Cardinal
29) Japanese tie
30) Focal device
32) One-eighth of a piece of
eight
33) Faux_ (blunder)
34) Moved stealthily
36) Latin music type
39) Chancellor von Bismarck
41) Three-tone chord
FOUR SICK DAYS
14
17
2 3 4 5
43) Holier-than-thou
44) Jockey's controls
46) Like brains and ears
48) Alter _
49) The moon in Paris
51) Double negative?
52) One of the Bobbsey Twins
53) Some wrestling holds
56) Prejudice
58) Historic time
59) Alternative to NC, once
60) Cleo's killer
61) Butter unit
62) Reason for many surgeries
68) Brunched
69) Disease of cereals
70) Establish as law
71) _ Altos, Calif.
72) Does a casino job
73) Disney duck
Berns
1st February
DOWN
I) Weep
2) Memphis-to-Nashville dir.
3) Heathrow airport listing (Abbr.)
4) Chagall and Antony
5) DNA shapes
6) Architectural annex
7) Propel a boat
8) More frigid and slippery
9) Less agitated
10) Hints at (with "to")
11) Feeling of satisfaction
12) Basket weaver's material
13) Appraised
18) Giving off light
23) Deep sleep
24) Diminish in intensity
25) Some purified liquids
26) Small projecting ridge
28) Cotswold cries
31) Descendant or heir
35) Skewered fare
37) Common sweetener
38) Opposite of ecstasy
40) Unwelcome obligation
42) Rejection of a request
45) Emulated a bull
47) Iditarod vehicle
50) Curtain call
53) Country in the Himalayas
54) A Muse
55) _ different tune (changed one's
mind)
57) State one's views
63) Costa del _
64) "_ a deal!"
65) Shooter's marble
66) Bar rocks
67) Where bacon is stored?
ANSWERS CROSSWORD NO: 86
FreeDailyCrosswords.com
ACROSS------------,
I) "_ like old times"
6) "Fear of Fifty" author Jong
11) Endorsing
14) Like draft beer
15) Union group
16) "Anytown, _"
17) Hold grudges
19) Blazing
20) French wine classification
21) Australian with three toes
22) Doctor's due
23) Pathetically inept person
27) Cardinal
29) Japanese tie
30) Focal device
32) One-eighth of a piece of
eight
33) Faux_ (blunder)
34) Moved stealthily
36) Latin music type
39) Chancellor von Bismarck
41) Three-tone chord
FOUR SICK DAYS
1
s
2 E 3E M
s
s
1
b N T A p
1 l
1
il E A R I
t: R u
1 L L
43) Holier-than-thou
44) Jockey's controls
46) Like brains and ears
48) Alter _
49) The moon in Paris
51) Double negative?
52) One of the Bobbsey Twins
53) Some wrestling holds
56) Prejudice
58) Historic time
59) Alternative to NC, once
60) Cleo's killer
61) Butter unit
62) Reason for many surgeries
68) Brunched
69) Disease of cereals
70) Establish as law
71) _ Altos, Calif.
72) Does a casino job
73) Disney duck
7R 8 1 gc 1 A
0 C A L
w I L L I
2 1: M u E
2 R E D
1 i I R
2!, 2 2
b C k
2b B I N 35 3k E A L
,, A s u C 3k A L 35
3b T
E
I A 4b
0 B E 4b
4s
HITORI NO: 86
S N 0 N
511 I
A
T
E
D
L I 6 T 66 1 6 7S
7
ENAC T
1
bEWEY
1st February
DOWN
I) Weep
2) Memphis-to-Nashville dir.
3) Heathrow airport listing (Abbr.)
4) Chagall and Antony
5) DNA shapes
6) Architectural annex
7) Propel a boat
8) More frigid and slippery
9) Less agitated
10) Hints at (with "to")
11) Feeling of satisfaction
12) Basket weaver's material
13) Appraised
18) Giving off light
23) Deep sleep
24) Diminish in intensity
25) Some purified liquids
26) Small projecting ridge
28) Cotswold cries
31) Descendant or heir
35) Skewered fare
37) Common sweetener
38) Opposite of ecstasy
40) Unwelcome obligation
42) Rejection of a request
45) Emulated a bull
47) Iditarod vehicle
50) Curtain call
53) Country in the Himalayas
54) A Muse
55) _ different tune (changed one's
mind)
57) State one's views
63) Costa del _
64) "_ a deal!"
65) Shooter's marble
66) Bar rocks
67) Where bacon is stored?
Eliminate numbers until there are no duplicates in any row or
column. Eliminate numbers by marking them in Black. You are
not allowed to have two Black squares touching horizontally or
vertically (diagonally is ok). Any White square can be reached
from any other (i.e. they are connected).
Friday, September 24, 2021
The Indian Weekender
SUDOKU SOLUSIONS AND ANSWERS NO: 866
65 66 67
GENERAL KNOWLEDGE
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS FOR
KIDS BETWEEN 4-7 YEARS
1. What is the capital of Chile? Santiago
2. What is the highest mountain in Britain?
Ben Nevis
3. What is the smallest country in the world?
Vatican City
4. Alberta is a province of which country?
Canada
5. How many countries still have the
shilling as currency? Four – Kenya,
Uganda, Tanzania and Somalia
6. Which is the only vowel not used as the
first letter in a US State? E
24 September to 01 October 2021 | By Manisha Koushik
ARIES (MAR 21-APR 20)
This is certainly a great week for you, when your
wishes and desires get fulfilled! You will get the
right kind of feedback for someone and this is
likely to delight you. A promotion or recognition
is likely for some on the professional front.
Marriage of someone eligible in the family is
likely to get fixed soon. Spit and polish may
become the order of the week for some homemakers. You may
do something about your looks and figure. Lucky No.:3 / Lucky
Colour: Beige
TAURUS (APR 21-MAY 20)
Support from someone you were banking on is
assured. You will manage to make yourself at
home even when things don’t go your way. Family
support will be crucial against those who are trying
to tarnish your image on the social front. An exflame
may surprise you by his or her reappearance
in your life. Someone may oblige you by a favour.
Someone may foot the bill on your behalf of something that you
exclusively use. Lucky No.: 1 / Lucky Colour: Dark Brown
GEMINI (MAY 21-JUN 21)
Your concerted efforts towards a particular goal
may require outside help. Shifting to a better
location is foreseen for some. You are likely to
enjoy what you are currently involved in on the
professional front. Chance to earn big money
may present itself to those running their own
business. Performing well on the academic front
will not pose much difficulty for you. Meeting family and friends
is indicated in this week. Spending time with lover proves most
fulfilling. Lucky No.:7 / Lucky Colour: Sky Blue
CANCER (JUN 22-JUL 20)
A favourable time commences, when you will find
things moving favourably. Professionally, you are
likely to impress one and all by taking diverse
assignments. Reinvesting returns from previous
investments will be a step in the right direction,
as it proves profitable. Someone’s honest opinion
about will fill you with joy, but don’t let your ego bloat! A great
time is foreseen with lover in this week, so take time off from work.
You remain fit and energetic by your active lifestyle. Lucky No.:18
/ Lucky Colour: Magenta
7. What is the largest country in the world?
Russia
8. Where would you find the River Thames?
London, UK
9. What is the hottest continent on Earth?
Africa
10. What is the longest river in the world?
River Nile
11. What did the Romans call Scotland?
Caledonia
12. Who was made Lord Mayor of London
In 1397, 1398, 1406 And 1419? Richard
(Dick) Whittington
13. Who was Henry VIIIs last wife?
Catherine Parr
14. Who was the youngest British Prime
Minister? William Pitt (The Younger)
15. In which year was Joan of Arc burned at
the stake? 1431
16. Which nationality was the polar explorer
Roald Amundsen? Norwegian
17. Who was the first female Prime Minister
of Australia? Julia Gillard (2010-2013)
18. Which English explorer was executed in
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)
Someone may urge you to act on the professional
front, but take your call. Good news on the property
front is expected and can take you a step closer
to your dream. A job opening that meets your
expertise and appears more lucrative may tempt
you to leave your present job. You are likely to reestablish
cordial relations with those who seem distant at present.
Someone is likely to shower you with love on the romantic front.
Lucky No.: 1 / Lucky Colour: Light Yellow
VIRGO (AUG 23-SEP 23)
You may have to take a different route to tackle a
recurring problem at work. Impressing those who
matter on the academic front will prove beneficial.
Marked improvement in financial situation is
foreseen. Keeping good health may become your
motto soon, as you take positive steps towards a
healthy lifestyle. Your hope for spending some
moments alone may be dashed with the arrival of a pest. Persistence
will pay on the romantic front. Health remains satisfactory. Lucky
No.:5 / Lucky Colour: All Shades of Green
LIBRA (SEP 24-OCT 23)
A hectic time is foreseen in a family event.
Organising an outing with friends is on the cards
for some. Someone from the opposite gender
you enjoy being with may ring in romance. A
long drive undertaken in this week is likely to
be a pleasant one. A house or a flat that fits your
pocket may be taken up on rent. Your attempts to win over a client
will meet with a fifty-fifty chance of success on the professional
front. Lucky No.:7 / Lucky Colour: Lemon
SCORPIO (OCT 24-NOV 22)
This is a good week to meet someone, who has been
inviting you for long. Guidance may be needed to
complete some formalities on the academic front.
You may need to rethink your investment options,
especially for those schemes which are not giving
good returns. A family member may seek your
help, so find time for him or her. Repair work at home may keep
some busy. A romantic evening out is on the cards for some. Lucky
No.: 22 / Lucky Colour: Violet
1618, fifteen year after being found guilty
of conspiracy against King James I of
England and VI of Scotland? Sir Walter
Raleigh
19. Which English city was once known as
Duroliponte? Cambridge
20. The first successful vaccine was
introduced by Edward Jenner in 1796.
Which disease did it guard against?
Smallpox
SAGITTARIUS (NOV 23-DEC 21)
Someone irresistible on the romantic front may
keep you in a confused state of mind. You will
manage to effectively tackle an unexpected
situation arising at work in this week. A promising
week is foreseen for those in marketing and service
sector. Businesspersons and retail store owners will manage to
attract more clientele. A lot of running around may have to be
undertaken to organise something on the social front, but it will be
to your satisfaction. Lucky No.: 2 / Lucky Colour: Pink
CAPRICORN (DEC 22-JAN 21)
You may have to keep your options open on the
academic front. Something needs to be completed
quickly at work, so pay heed. Outstanding
payments are likely to be received and bring a
great sense of relief. Good progress in preparing
for an exam is likely to instil much confidence in
students. You will be much sought after on the social front in this
week. Rubbing shoulders with celebrities in a do cannot be ruled
out for some. Lucky No.: 17 / Lucky Colour: Electric Grey
AQUARIUS (JAN 22-FEB 19)
You may have to listen to your mind, rather than
heart, to be fair to someone. Money from previous
investments promises to keep your bank balance
healthy. Self-denial will enable you to remain fit
and enjoy total health. You are likely to prove your
mettle on the professional front and impress those
who matter. Your extrovert nature is likely to make many friends
and influence even more people on the social front. Go slow on the
romantic front. Lucky No.: 11 / Lucky Colour: Orange
PISCES (FEB 20-MAR 20)
Chances on the career front seem to brighten and
may entail relocation. Moneywise you remain on a
safe wicket. You are likely to get favourably placed
on the academic front. A business trip is likely to
prove beneficial and may get you a lucrative deal.
Your marital life is likely to cruise along smoothly. Socially, you
may find yourself much sought after. You may meet someone who
makes you feel nice about yourself. Health remains excellent.
Lucky No.: 18 / Lucky Colour: Magenta

The Indian Weekender Friday, September 24, 2021
FEATURES 19
Technology
Apple users need to
update devices ASAP
AVINASH SEN
Whether all your electronic devices are
Apple or you only own an iPhone,
now is NOT the time to ignore those
update notifications.
Several independent researchers have found
that an infamous Israeli spyware firm known
as NSO Group, have developed a tool that can
take control of nearly any major Apple device,
such as Macs, iPhones and Apple watches,
without you even noticing.
Researchers at the University of Toronto’s
Citizen Lab, alerted the company to the
problem after they analysed an undisclosed
Saudi Activist’s phone, which they found to be
infected with NSO’s pegasus spyware.
This spyware can give someone complete
access to your phone, even if they are hundreds
of miles away. But the most nefarious thing is
the way it does it. Experts call this type of attack
a Zero-Click Exploit. It’s called this because it
doesn’t need the user to click on any link or
download any file to allow the attacker to take
over the device. The spyware uses a flaw in the
iMessage app, to allow the attacker to hack the
device.
The attacks initially came to light in August;
unfortunately, Apple was only able to make a
fix for it now. This is because the company was
initially working with only partial information,
until September 7, when Citizen Lab found out
more details from the phone of the activist we
mentioned earlier. Apple pushed fixes for the
hack on September 13.
Bill Marczak, a Citizen Lab Senior Research
fellow, has said that although they had found
evidence of the Zero-Click Exploits being
used in phones of journalists and other targets,
“this is the first one where the exploit has been
captured, so we can find out how it works.”
Apple’s head of security and engineering
Ivan Krstic thanked Citizen Lab for identifying
the security flaw. Said Krstic, “attacks like the
ones described are highly sophisticated, take
millions of dollars to develop, usually work
for only a short time, and are generally used to
target specific individuals.
"
attacks like the ones
described are highly
sophisticated, take millions
of dollars to develop, usually
work for only a short time, and
are generally used to target
specific individuals"
"While that means they are not a threat to
most of our users, we will continue to work
tirelessly to defend all our customers, and we
are constantly adding new protections for their
devices and data.”
Apple has said that it will introduce new
security defenses for iMessage in the iOS
15 update, which is scheduled for release
later this year.
NSO meanwhile released a statement to the
Reuters news agency, neither confirming nor
denying whether they were behind the spyware.
Instead they said that they would, “continue
to provide intelligence to law enforcement
agencies
all around
the
world to fight
terror and crime”.
Unfortunately, it is not just Apple products,
but other OS users (such as Android and
Windows) can also fall under the attack of this
hack. Citizen Lab researcher John Scott-Railton
said, “Popular chat apps are at risk of becoming
the soft underbelly of device security. Securing
them should be top priority.”
Microsoft disclosed that some malicious
spyware were actively exploiting a similar
vulnerability in Windows. Said the company
“Microsoft is aware of targeted attacks that
attempt to exploit this vulnerability by using
specially-crafted Microsoft Office documents.”
Infected Office files allow hackers access
to your machine and they can then execute
commands remotely.
Chrome isn’t safe either. Google has pushed
updates for vulnerabilities in the browser
recently too.
So what’s the takeaway from this? It’s simple
actually, do your best to update your devices
on a regular basis and stay vigilant of any
suspicious files or links.
Keep yourselves safe, dostoon. Halka sa
security can go a long way.

Auckland is now at Alert Level 3
Your hard work has paid off. To continue making progress down the levels, we still need you
to stay home to stop Delta.
Keep doing these things:
• Work and learn from home if you can
• Stay home if you are unwell and call Healthline
on 0800 358 5453 about getting a test
Here’s what changes as we move to Alert Level 3:
• Stay local for exercise or to pick up necessities
• Wear face coverings when leaving your home
and keep a 2-metre distance from others
ALERT LEVEL 4 ALERT LEVEL 3
• Scan or keep a record of wherever you go
• Get vaccinated.
EVERYONE
EDUCATION
YOUR
BUBBLE
BUSINESSES
& SERVICES
No gatherings
are allowed
Shop for
necessities only
You can’t buy
non-essential items
No travel allowed
except for
necessities
Non-essential travel
is not permitted
Limited public
transport
available for
travel for
necessities only
Schools and
Early Childhood
Education Centres
are closed
Stay in
your bubble
Only businesses
allowed to
trade under
Alert level 4 can
Up to ten people can attend funerals, tangihanga, civil union or wedding ceremonies in a safe way
Formal tangihanga involving large gatherings are unable to occur Organisers must collect everyone’s details for contact tracing,
under Alert Level 3, but funerals of up to 10 people (excluding staff) and maintain 2-metre distancing where possible. There must be
can go ahead.
no receptions or meals.
Video calls are a way to come together safely from your bubbles.
Shop in a contactless way for all types of goods
You can order from local cafes, restaurants and retailers as long as you don’t make contact with others or enter a store.
• Payment will need to happen online, over the phone, or in
• When you can’t get things delivered, you can pick-up goods from
a contactless way at the store.
the shop of purchase as long as it’s done in a contactless way.
• Most goods ordered online can be delivered in a contactless way • You can still enter supermarkets, dairies and service stations as
to your doorstep. Make sure you keep a 2-metre distance from long as you wear a mask and keep a 2-metre distance from others.
anyone delivering your order.
• Remember to scan or keep a record wherever you go.
Travel is still restricted
You can travel within your region for work, school or to exercise, to go
to the supermarket, pharmacy or for medical reasons. You can also
travel to pick up goods purchased in a contactless way. You must
continue to keep your travel as close to home as possible.
Travel between regions is restricted. If travelling between different
alert levels, then evidence of approved travel is required.
People permitted to travel must now also get tested – when crossing the alert level boundaries.
People permitted to travel for work need evidence of having had There are some exclusions to getting a test such as emergencies,
a test in the last 7 days. This can be a saliva test.
urgent care of a child, returning home in some circumstances
People permitted to travel for personal reasons must carry a negative and transiting Auckland.
test result taken within 72 hours of your travel, unless they are travelling People with permission to travel for work should not use this
to care for an animal or attend a health appointment (including
permission to travel for personal reasons or to relocate out
vaccinations). In these circumstances, people need to carry evidence of the Alert Level 3 area.
of having had a test (this can be a saliva test) within 7 days of their travel.
Public transport is available
Wearing a face covering is mandatory on public transport
and at departure and arrival points, and in taxis/ride shares.
You can use public transport for work, school, recreation,
to go to the supermarket, pharmacy or for medical reasons.
You can travel to pick up goods purchased in a contactless way.
No standing is allowed on public transport.
Schools and Early Childhood Education Centres
Early Childhood Education centres and schools can open for students up to Year 10 that need them. However, children that can stay
and learn at home should do so.
Schools have the option of bringing some of their Year 12 and 13 students back to school for face-to-face learning, but they need to apply
to the Ministry of Education to do so.
Any students returning to secondary school (Years 9 to 13) must wear face coverings when indoors.
You can extend your bubble a small amount to support others
If you need to, you can extend your bubble slightly to bring in close family, isolated people, or caregivers. If you are in a small household bubble,
you can join with another small bubble, such as with a close friend or whānau member who would otherwise be alone.
REMEMBER: More people equals more risk. Keep your bubble as small as possible.
Businesses will be able to operate if they follow the Alert Level 3 requirements.
However, if your business involves close contact, you cannot open.
Other businesses must:
Businesses must also have a health and safety plan to help stop
• trade in a contactless way (see above)
the spread of COVID-19, including:
• meet record keeping for contract tracing requirements
• good hygiene
• meet requirements for mandatory face coverings, this applies • physical distancing
to staff and customers of public facing businesses.
• regular cleaning and disinfecting of surfaces.
REMEMBER: At Alert Level 3, wherever possible, you should continue to work from home.
Thank you for continuing to make the right decisions when it really counts
Got questions? Find the answers faster at Covid19.govt.nz