Whether it is Anna in Khiladi or Hiralal in Judaai, the list of Johny Lever’s hilarious performances and even funnier dialogues is never-ending. But ask the king of comedy about his favourite performance, and he says it is Baazigar. Behind these memorable performances lies immense work — that of “hiding emotions and feelings”. In an email interaction with indianexpress.com, Johnny Lever — who recently launched his Unluclass — talks about the most challenging aspect of being a comedian, the comedy space today, and his inspiration, among other things. The biggest challenge for a comedy artiste is to be funny. We read scripts, rehearse and repeat for days, but to deliver with perfect expression, rhythm and at the perfect time is the most difficult part. It takes years to develop a style and tone which makes one different from the crowd. The other challenge is to always be fresh and come up with something different that surprises your audience. Sometimes, the expression and tone become repetitive so it is quite challenging. What is the most difficult part of your job? The most difficult part of being a comedian is to hide your emotions and feelings. You have got to make people laugh irrespective of what you are feeling. We have to present the required energy and mood and mask all other emotions to bring smiles to others’ faces. The great comedian Mehmood sahab has and will always remain an inspiration to me. He has played a major role in shaping my career, and there’s so much that all comedians can learn from him. Did you always want to do comedy? I guess I started developing an interest in comedy at a very young age. When I was two, I used to mimic my grandfather. So from there, my journey began by mimicking others and I started loving it. Then after a few years, I realised this is what I have to do and started my career as a comic stage performer in musical shows and here I am, still learning something every day. What qualities make for a good comedian? To be a good comedian, first, you need to know the art and the responsibilities that come with it. If you don’t know what you are doing, you are disrespecting the art and this will never make you a comedian, forget a ‘good’ one. The next thing you have to do is to enjoy and perform. If you are not enjoying your work, you can never give your best. The last thing is to observe, observe and observe. I took a break from the industry for 12 years; I just did a couple of shows a year. During this time, I would switch on any channel on television — be it Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi — and observe the soul that each character and individual holds. I believe the moment you connect with the soul of a character, you become one. This helped me in my comeback in the 2009 film All The Best where my performance was applauded. What all will your Unlu classes entail? My Unluclass will consist of 23 lessons that will cover stand-up comedy, finding your ‘sur’, my whole journey from a stage performer to a comedy artiste, improvisation, overcoming camera shyness, how to develop a style, etc. These lessons are going to prove fruitful for all aspiring comedians. The courses condense my decades of industry experience in a few hours. Everyone knows about your on-screen persona, but how would you describe yourself off-camera? What I do on-screen is follow a script but the attitude that I carry is my own and that is original. So, I am no different from what I am on-screen. I do not put effort into doing a comic role, I just present myself – the original me, in front of the camera and that’s what my audience loves. The comedy space today has widened with social media. What is your take on the comedy scene led by stand-up artistes? Around 40 years ago, nobody knew what stand-up comedy actually was. Stand-up comedians were looked down but with the advent of social media and technology, now everyone glorifies this profession. I am happy comedy has now become a full-fledged career choice and people have their own share of respect for comedians as well. Which on-screen performance do you consider your best and why? My best on-screen performance was Baazigar (1992), directed by Abbas-Mustan. The reason why I called it my best performance is because there was no script. I improvised everything on the sets which means 80 per cent of the dialogues are mine.

Agadir – The Moroccan textile industry today faces two major constraints: Over-reliance on the traditional textile markets, and the dependency on imported raw material. As Europe struggles to control the pandemic, both Moroccan textile product exports, as well as the supply chain of raw materials coming from the continent, have experienced disruption. According to the Moroccan Association of the Textile and Clothing Industry (AMITH), the current health crisis has exacerbated the dire state of the Moroccan textile industry and drawn attention to its vulnerability, compared to other foreign competitors. With challenges piling up as Morocco slowly moves to the post-pandemic, new normal, AMITH has drawn up a roadmap for developing the Moroccan textile sector. The group is basing its roadmap on four main factors: adaptation to the needs of the customers, innovation and creativity, sustainability, and the technical development of manufacturing capabilities. Speaking to local media, Fatima Zahra Alaoui, Director General of AMITH, explained that “the sector must strengthen its level of adaptation to customer requirements, its anticipation capacities, as well as the quality of its logistics services.” For Alaoui, such a shift will allow the Moroccan textile industry to adapt to the global sourcing map in a post-pandemic world. According to AMITH, many foreign contractors are turning to local suppliers. With countries and contractors visibly wishing to reduce their reliance on Asian countries, AMITH believes the post-pandemic reality could present a great opportunity for the Moroccan textile industry. Innovation, creativity, and digitalization will be integral for developing Morocco’s textile market. Alaoui conceded, however, that taking advantage of the coming opportunities will require “an integrated Made In Morocco offer with excellent value for money.” In terms of sustainability, Alaoui suggested that any proposed solution must meet the requirements of the Sustainable Development Goals. Her idea is that, as Moroccan textile operators and companies brainstorm how to respond to the new realities of the global market, they should integrate “eco-responsible” or environment-friendly manufacturing initiatives. They should opt for a type of manufacturing that allows for transparency when it comes to the sourcing of raw materials. Many Moroccan companies are having a hard time keeping up with the market following supply disruptions and declining foreign demand. While the numbers for the 2020 financial year have not been finalized yet, the association pointed to an 11% drop since last November and a continued decline throughout December. According to AMITH, 80% of companies within the textile sector are not planning on any sort of investment in the coming months. This can be explained by the uncertain health situation in Europe, Morocco’s biggest trading partner. Amid all these challenges, AMITH concluded, “the time has come for a revival” of the Moroccan textile industry. Learning from the health crisis, the industry must “reposition itself in the face of new global sourcing opportunities.”

The expenditure allocation in the Union Budget for persons with disabilities for the past few years has just been 0.04 per cent. Even by conservative estimates of India’s po[CENSORED]tion of persons with disabilities, which is 2.1 per cent as per Census 2011, this is grossly inadequate. What is more worrying is that allocations under important budget heads have either remained stagnant or have been slashed. For instance, the allocation for Scheme for Implementation of Persons with Disabilities Act (SIPDA) has been reduced from Rs 315 crore in 2019-20 to Rs 252 crore in 2020–21. Likewise, the allocation for National Handicapped Finance and Development Corporation (NHFDC) has been reduced from Rs 41 crore in 2019-20 to Rs 0.01 crore in 2020–21. Expenditure on both research on disability-related technology and the National Institute of Mental Health and Rehabilitation in FY 2020-21 is zero (down from Rs 20 crore in 2019-20). The allocation for the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre is also nil, down from Rs 5 crore in 2019-20. Meanwhile, the assistance for Disabled Persons for Purchase (ADIP) / Fitting of Aids and Appliances has stagnated at Rs 230 crore for the entire po[CENSORED]tion of persons with disabilities for many years. The National Centre for Promotion of Employment for Disabled People (NCPEDP), which held a nationwide pre-budget (2021-2022) consultation with people from across the disability sector, received several suggestions. Here are some of them: 1. Transparency in budgeting and planning · Disability response planning and budgeting by all ministries · Specific earmarking of budgets for disability under various central / state schemes of different ministries / departments as well as colleges and universities and specifically for sign language interpreters · A separate section in the union budget for allocations made for persons with disabilities across departments and ministries. 2. Making education inclusive · Smartphones/tabs and data packages to students with disabilities for accessing online education. · Resources for recruitment and training of special educators in schools 3. Focus on public health · Roll out a health insurance scheme for persons with disabilities irrespective of the economic strata to which they belong 4. Safeguarding livelihoods Increase allocation under NHFDC for generating entrepreneurial and self-employment opportunities among persons with disabilities · Raise the quantum of State Disability Pension to Rs 1,500 per month per person with disability (uniform rate across India) · Unemployment allowances for persons with disabilities who have lost their jobs and livelihood due to the pandemic · Give a thrust to employment of persons with disabilities by providing incentives to private sector employers (as mandated under Section 35, RPwD Act 2016) to ensure that at least 5 per cent of their workforce is composed of persons with benchmark disability. · Persons with benchmark disabilities with high support needs to be provided monthly support (e.g., adequate caregiver allowance) in accordance with Section 38 of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, 2016. 5. Accessibility · Making ISL (Indian Sign Language) interpreters mandatory in all communication. · Incentivising companies who are accessible in physical design as well as Information and Communications Technology (ICT) by providing rebates/concessions. 6. Awareness generation and sensitisation programs through capacity building and training workshops · Funds for awareness generation and sensitisation programs should be earmarked for the Department of Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities. · Disability inclusive disaster risk reduction and management is a must. A budget for capacity building of personnel and procurement of necessary equipment must be provided. · Set up a national programme for prevention and control of deafness in Indian Sign Language for both deaf children and parents/family. 7. Ensuring inclusive tax policy measures · Increase in Standard Deduction under Section 80 U and 80 DD of Income Tax for persons with Disabilities. · No tax on purchase of hand-controlled car and wheelchairs available at the national and international market This will be a landmark budget because it comes after COVID-19 pandemic, which has hit people with disabilities the hardest. They remain one of the most marginalised and neglected groups in India. Loss of access to healthcare, support systems, education, livelihood, and even basic food supplies are the ‘new normal’ for the vast majority of India’s disabled people. At this time especially, as also in the immediate future, access to support has become a survival issue. Hence, there is an urgent need for intervention at the policy level, scheme-designing and in budgetary interventions for persons with disabilities. The time is now to ‘Build Back Better’.

The Moroccan branch of Chinese tech company Huawei, Huawei Maroc, has appeared among the 2021 Top Employers in the world. Huawei Maroc earned the recognition from international human resources certification program Top Employers Institute, the company announced on January 29. “The Top Employer certification attests to our engagement to provide the best possible solutions for creating a privileged work and life environment for our employees,” Huawei Maroc said in a press release. The Top Employers program evaluates the human resource policy of companies through the “HR Best Practices Survey.” The questionnaire covers six domains across the HR spectrum and 20 subtopics, such as work environment, training, diversity, and inclusion. This year, the Top Employers Institute designated 1,691 companies from 120 different countries as Top Employers. Huawei Maroc is one of only six Moroccan companies that earned the certification this year. DHL Express Maroc, Eurafric Information, JTI Morocco, Orange Maroc, and Philip Morris Maroc also earned the same recognition. Commenting on the achievement, the Director-General of Huawei Maroc, Cui Peng, attributed the company’s certification to its vision based on the promotion and development of human resources. “Human capital is at the heart of our growth strategy […] Our vision is based on an HR policy that favorizes individual and collective development and promotes a privileged work environment,” Peng said. “We are proud and happy for this achievement.” Huawei has been present in Morocco since 2002. It first opened an office in Rabat and then in Casablanca. The company generates between 700 and 800 jobs.

Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle — along with husband Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex — stepped down as a senior royal last year, following a lot of scrutiny and negative press. Ever since then, there have been speculations that relations within the family have gone sour, especially with Harry’s older brother William and his wife Kate Middleton, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. This, despite the fact that Harry and Meghan recently reached out to Kate on her birthday, and hope that in 2021, things will look better for the family. According to a recent report in Insider, royal dressmaker Chloe Savage, who helped make Meghan’s iconic wedding dress, believes that the actor-turned-duchess was not adequately prepared for the pressure that accompanies marrying into the UK royal family and taking on the many roles and responsibilities befitting a royal — especially with the world watching closely. “I think she misjudged the role. The royal family has broken people before. Kate had plenty of time to adapt and adjust to it. They gave her time, whereas Meghan sort of dived in headfirst,” Savage was quoted as saying. Before her marriage, Kate Middleton had dated Prince William for eight years. But for Meghan and Harry, the courtship period was short. They announced their engagement just a year after making their relationship public, the outlet mentions, adding that according to Savage, Meghan was not prepared for all the “rules and regulations” required of a British royal. “It virtually broke Diana. It broke Sarah Ferguson,” she said. “It has broken people before. I know it’s looser now than it used to be, but even then, I don’t think she was prepared for the things she could and couldn’t do, say, and wear.” “She could have carved herself an outstanding role, but I think she found the whole thing very difficult. She’s always been able to do as she’s pleased when she’s pleased, and unfortunately, with the royal family, granny rules — quite simply.” Previously, Harry — who is now residing in the US with his family — had discussed the “dangers of unregulated social media use” during an interview with Fast Company. He had mentioned how Meghan’s first-hand experience with the negativity of the digital world, and the harassment they experienced, played a part in their dedication to reform, adding that while they are not active on social media anymore, they may return one day, “when it feels right” to them.

Agadir – French Member of Parliament Francois De Rugy has expressed interest in “renewing and modernizing” the historical ties between Morocco and France, particularly in the field of renewable energy. In an interview with Moroccan state media on Thursday, January 28, the MP explained that he “could see that the partnership between France and Morocco was very important for our two countries.” De Rugy stated that such collaboration would have a regional impact, “for the region, for Europe, for the Maghreb and for West Africa.” France has “every interest in renewing old links” with the country, explained the MP. He noted, in particular, Morocco’s remarkable development in industry, tourism, agriculture, and infrastructure, Speaking as the former Minister of Ecology, De Rugy spoke of environmentalism as a shared concern for the two countries. He pointed to King Mohammed’s VI commitment to “advance the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement and concrete projects for the development of renewable energies” as positive indicators of Morocco’s development with a focus on sustainability. The French MP hopes to build on that progress, urging the two countries to work together to overcome environmental challenges through joint projects and the sharing of expertise. De Rugy believes that Morocco “can really be a reference in the field of energy.” He expressed confidence that the country has already reached a “high level of development”, pointing to Morocco’s NOOR solar project as “the most important solar project in the world.” Morocco’s expertise in the field of renewable energy positions “Morocco as one of the leading countries” the MP said. Referring also to the Franco-Moroccan partnership in aeronautics and the automotive industry, “cooperation and joint projects between our two countries in these areas are very useful,” concluded De Ruge. Morocco has invested heavily in the field of renewable energies over the past decade, spending over MAD 52 billion ($5.65 billion) according to the Moroccan Minister of Energy Aziz Rabbah. A report published in 2020 showed that the country could produce 96% of its electricity using renewable energy by 2050 if the country commits to the transition.

Bernie Sanders went from becoming a hit meme to a nearly $20,000-crochet doll in less than a week. After the Vermont senator went viral on social media for his simple Inauguration Day fashion choices of quirky brown mittens and over-sized olive green coat, Tobey King in Texas got to crocheting. She turned the sensational meme that trended for days into a crochet doll. It sold for $20,300. Yes, you read that right. “It’s mind-blowing because I knew Bernie was trending because of that picture, and I already had a Bernie pattern and a Bernie doll. So, I just went and got that and I modified that super quick,” King said. But recreating Sanders’ exact look that captured people’s eyes, and laughs, took King about seven hours of non-stop crocheting, in addition to the time she had invested in the design a year ago. And her attention to detail is obvious, even the iconic mittens that stole the show on Inauguration Day. “The mittens are not that hard it’s just some color changing, a special stitch,” said King. King, 46, initially posted photos of the 9-inch doll on her Instagram account, and they garnered thousands of likes and comments. By Saturday, she posted the doll on eBay and auctioned it for $20,300, which said she will donate to Meals on Wheels America. Her donation was inspired by Sanders, whose campaign created sweatshirts with the meme on them and donated 100% of the proceeds to Meals on Wheel in Vermont. “This could be my purpose; this is my new path,” King said. “This is a new way of helping people in a way that I’ve never been able to do before.” King, who lives in Corpus Christi, Texas, said more than 30,000 people bought her Sanders doll crochet pattern available on her Etsy store. She said she hopes Sanders approves of her efforts. “I really hope that he thinks this is something cool and that I’m doing something good,” King said.

Rabat – The newly sworn-in US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken yesterday did not answer a direct question on the US’ position on Western Sahara. In a press briefing that was supposed to signal a new era of transparency in the White House, Blinken chose to dodge the question. On his first day on the job, Secretary of State Blinken spoke to the press to elaborate on the new administration’s positions and priorities on foreign policy. Blinken spoke fairly candidly on Biden’s policies regarding Russia, Afghanistan and China, but stayed clear of providing a clear item when the topic of Western Sahara was broached. Western Sahara question Shaun Tandon of the AFP brought up the topic after Blinken spoke on Russia. Tandon mentioned that Blinken’s availability to the press was a “powerful signal” that “does go noticed” by the media. Tandon asked Blinken about the Biden administration’s position on the Abraham Accords, notably the UAE’s F-35 sale and its position on Western Sahara. “With Morocco, does the United States still recognize, and as the previous administration said, Moroccan sovereignty in Western Sahara?” Tandon asked. Blinken chose his response carefully, electing to stay well clear of the Western Sahara question.”As we’ve said, we very much support the Abraham Accords,” Blinken started. “We think that Israel normalizing relations with its neighbors and other countries in the region is a very positive development,” he offered, reiterating an already public position of Biden’s. Even as he dodged the Western Sahara debate, Blinken suggested the new US administration will mostly uphold the Abraham Accords. “We applauded them, and we hope that there may be an opportunity to build on them in the months and years ahead,” he said, as he went on to focus exclusively on arms sales to the UAE. Evasive answer The new secretary of state kept the answer tightly focused on the UAE, where Biden has already spoken out about ending support for the war in Yemen. Arms sales to the UAE would be reviewed “to make sure that what is being considered is something that advances our strategic objectives and advances our foreign policy,” Blinken concluded. As the press briefing’s moderator shifted to another reporter, the AFP’s Tandon managed to ask “and Morocco?” But Blinken and the press officer clearly intended to move on. Blinken’s obfuscation on the Western Sahara appears to be a conscious choice. The Biden administration has significant domestic challenges on its plate and appears to be wary of taking action on this particular foreign policy matter. Biden appears reluctant to alienate a key regional US ally in Morocco, or oppose widespread Israeli support for the recent agreements. The news US administration is also well aware that reversing the Trump-brokered breakthroughs on the Sahara question would decisively endanger the strong ties between Morocco’s armed forces and the US military. When it comes to dodging questions, a politician’s silence sometimes can speak volumes.

A 75-year-old man died after being attacked by a leopard in his agricultural farm at Amreli district’s Dhari taluka in Gir (east) wildlife division Wednesday, forest officials said. He is the fifth person to die in man-animal conflict in greater Gir landscape in the last five weeks. The septuagenarian was identified as Manubhai Savaliya, a resident of Amrutpur village which is located in Dalkhaniya range of Gir (east) wildlife division, Dushyant Vasavada, the Chief Conservator of Forests (CCF), Junagadh wildlife circle said. Gir (east) division is a part of Junagadh wildlife circle. “The man used to live in a cottage on his farm. He was found dead Wednesday morning. Pugmarks of a leopard were observed near his body. Prima facie it seems he was attacked by a leopard but we are waiting for the post mortem report to ascertain more details. Meanwhile, the staff is scanning the nearby areas to locate the leopard,” Anshuman Sharma, the Deputy Conservator of Forests (DCF) of Gir (east) division, said. Dhari police said Savaliya’s body had been shifted to the state government-run Community Health Centre in Dhari village for post mortem. “Village sarpanch has told us that Savaliya was not mentally stable and, therefore, he used to live on his farm while most of the other members of his family lived in their home at Amrutpur village,” Sharma said. In greater Gir landscape spread across Junagadh, Amreli, Gir Somnath and Bhavnagar districts, Savaliya is the fifth human to be killed in as many weeks in conflict with wild animals. On December 21, Bhavna Bamaniya, a 17-year-old tribal girl from Dahod district, was mauled to death by two lions on an agricultural farm at Dhanfuliya village in Vanthali taluka of Junagadh district in Gir Somnath social forestry division. On December 24, Arti Makwana, a 17-year-old agricultural labourer, was attacked and killed by a leopard in a cotton plantation at Kasan village in Mahuva taluka of Bhavnagar district in Shetrunji wildlife division. On January 1, Arjan Bheda, a 27-year-old farmer was killed after being attacked by a leopard at Vithalpur village, neighbouring Kodinar taluka of Gir Somnath district in Jamwala range of Gir (west) wildlife division. On January 7, Hasmukh Makwana (4), son of an agricultural labourer couple, was mauled to death by a leopard in Nava Ugla village near Una town in Gir Somnath district. Savaliya’s death comes two days after Hirabhai Taliya (50), a cattle-herder, was injured after being attacked by a lion when he tried to save his herd from the predator on the bank of a stream at Madhupur village of Dalkhaniya range on January 24. On January 23, Jorbubhai Jebliya (35), a resident of Dahida village in Sarasiya range of Gir (east) division in Dhari taluka was also injured after being attacked by lions in his village.

Rabat – Morocco will establish 21 new universities with merit-based admissions in the coming two years as demand for higher education increases. Idris Aouicha, Delegate Minister in charge of Higher Education and Scientific Research, announced the new plan on Tuesday, January 26. With demand for high-quality higher education increasing throughout Morocco, the government aims to create new university institutions aimed at the most talented young Moroccans. Delegate Minister Aouicha had been asked to increase the number of merit-based institutions by the Independence and Equivalence Team of Morocco’s upper house of parliament. The parliamentary body had requested that Aouicha increase in particular institutions that require additional tests prior to admission, as well as solid high school grades. Morocco is aiming to rapidly boost its capacity to educate gifted students in these merit-based institutions. These “institutions with limited access” currently make up 81 out of a total 147 universities in Morocco and teach 659,128 students out of over one million students currently enrolled in higher education. With a young po[CENSORED]tion, Morocco is seeing increased demand for quality higher education, with a focus on training future engineers, doctors and specialized professionals. Morocco is increasing the number of such universities to meet its educational targets. According to the government, the plan is an important part of the Kingdom’s development priorities, notably its ambitions to boost youth empowerment and reform the education system. Over the past four years, Morocco has opened roughly 40 new universities. In 2020-2021, the government established 11 new “limited access” universities in Agadir, Beni Mellal, Casablanca, Fakih Bensalah, Fez, Al Jadida and Kenitra. While the new institutions are all public, Delegate Minister Aouicha continues to see private universities in Morocco as an essential partner to those run by the government. Aouicha stated that private universities increase the number of options available to Morocco’s students. Private education itself has also been strengthened by the new public institutions, according to Aouicha. The minister expressed confidence that a new class of universities and merit-based institutions will help alleviate the pressure on already existing universities and diversify the available options to Morocco’s talented youth.

Hi @nanelu I appreciate your participation in this voting. As I indicated earlier in my request, i'm planing to stay as long as possible, months perhaps. Frankly, for the time being I am giving each project its time. Until now I don't see anything that will prevent me from staying active & giving my maximum of help to this community. So l'll say yes. Have a good day!

With COVID-19 grabbing the full attention of healthcare professionals, treatment of many fatal diseases has taken a hit – cancer being one of them, say experts. The second leading cause of death globally, cancer was responsible for an estimated 9.6 million deaths in 2018. Out of the 9.6 million cancer deaths, colorectal cancer – the most common cancer — contributed to 1.80 million deaths, mentioned Dr Deep Goel, Senior Director, consultant robotic surgeon, Department of Surgical Gastroenterology, Bariatric & Minimal Access Surgery, BLK Super Specialty Hospital, New Delhi. What is colorectal cancer? Colorectal Cancer (CRC) is a cancer that starts in the colon (large intestine) or rectum. Both these organs are in the lower portion of the digestive system. The rectum is at the end of the colon. Usually, CRC attacks older adults when they are in their seventies or above. However, it can happen at any age. Elaborating on the incidence and fatality of CRC, Dr Goel said, “This is the third most common cancer and the fourth most common cause of cancer death worldwide. Predictions of the future burden of the disease is to inform health planners and raise awareness of the need for cancer control action. Colorectal cancer may not present with any symptoms, especially in the early stages. However, any chronic conditions like constipation, diarrhoea, changes in stool colour, blood in the stool, bleeding from the rectum, excessive gas, abdominal cramps and abdominal pain could be indicators.” What are the causes? “There are so many factors of cancer to develop. It may be caused by genetic mutations, either inherited or acquired. These mutations don’t guarantee that it will cause the development of colorectal cancer, but they do increase the chances. Some mutations may cause abnormal cells to accumulate in the lining of the colon, forming polyps. There’s an array of risk factors that act alone or in combination to increase a person’s chances of developing colorectal cancer. Lifestyle-related risk factors such as dietary factors including red meats (such as beef, pork, lamb, or liver) increase the risk. Likewise, cooking meats at very high temperatures (frying, boiling, or grilling) creates chemicals that increase risk. However, diets high in vegetables, fruits, and whole grains along with increased physical activity have been linked with a decreased risk,” he added. Diagnosis and treatment The intensity of diagnosis followed by treatments determines the degree of cure of any disease. Thus in such conditions, early is better; the delay is fatal. Usually, the diagnostic methods such as colonoscopy and biopsy — the most accurate, CT/MRI/PET scan, and tumour marker (CEA) are employed. Similarly, po[CENSORED]r screening methodologies employed are colonoscopy/sigmoidoscopy, and FOBT (Fecal occult blood testing). As far as the treatment of colorectal cancer is concerned, it depends on a variety of factors. The state of your overall health and the stage of your colorectal cancer will help your doctor create a treatment plan. In the earliest stages of colorectal cancer, it might be possible for your surgeon to remove cancerous polyps through surgery. If the polyp hasn’t attached to the wall of the bowels, you’ll likely have an excellent outlook. Besides, radiation therapy and chemotherapy therapy are also used for treatment. In addition to the conventional treatment modality of colorectal cancer, newer technologies such as Liquid Biopsy, Minimal Invasive (Keyhole), Robotic, Personalised Chemotherapy, Targeted chemotherapy, and Gene editing have been in use widely, said Dr Goel. As all the modalities have their respective significance, laparoscopic/robotic surgery has certain advantages. “This modality decreases pain, helps the return of bowel function, reduces the length of hospital stay post-surgery, reduces wound-related problems, renders less disability and finally gives a better cosmetic result,” he said.

Morocco has ranked first in the Middle East and North Africa region and second in Africa in the 2021 Green Future Index, which measures countries’ prMorocco has ranked first in the Middle East and North Africa region and second in Africa in the 2021 Green Future Index, which measures countries’ progress and commitment towards a low-carbon economy. A team from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) compiled the annual index through secondary research and analysis, as well as interviews with experts on climate change, green energy, and environmental technologies. This year’s list included 76 countries and featured Morocco in the 26th rank globally, the first in MENA, and the second in Africa — behind Kenya (23rd). Morocco’s global rank puts the country in “the greening middle” category, which includes “the 20 countries that are making progress or commitment toward building a green future.” “The greening middle” is the second-best category, ranking behind “the green leaders” and ahead of “climate laggards” and “climate abstainers.” The 2021 Green Future Index considers Morocco as one of the countries “with ambitious climate policies albeit at a more nascent stage.” It compared Morocco’s efforts with those of countries such as South Korea (31st globally) and Israel (38th). The index, published on MIT Technology Review Insights on Monday, January 25, presented Morocco as a role model in renewable energies. “Over a decade ago, the King of Morocco began a national debate about the future of energy, resulting in a fundamental policy redesign and a goal that renewables would produce 42% of the country’s power by 2020—a target that has now been raised to 52% by 2030,” the authors wrote. Through an interview with Said Mouline, the CEO of the Moroccan Agency for Energy Efficiency (AMEE), the researchers behind the index illustrated Morocco’s progress in renewable energies over the past decade. “Fossil fuel subsidies have been eliminated and replaced with energy transition programs. For example, to replace gas-fueled farm irrigation with solar-powered pumps, nearly 40,000 pumps have been installed to date,” the text said. The document also mentioned Morocco’s leading role in the continent, notably through the training of African experts in renewable energies and sustainable agriculture. “AMEE created a capacity-building center in Marrakech to train Africans from other countries in areas like renewable electrification and sustainable pumping for agriculture,” the index said, quoting Mouline. Besides the global ranking, the 2021 Green Future Index featured several specialized rankings, based on more specific criteria. Morocco appeared in the fifth rank globally in the “clean innovation pillar.” The specialized ranking takes into consideration countries’ efforts to promote the development of clean technologies. Only Singapore, Finland, Chile, and Luxembourg earned higher scores than Morocco in this subranking. Globally, the 2021 Green Future Index ranked Iceland (1st), Denmark (2nd), Norway (3rd), France (4th), and Ireland (5th) as the best countries worldwide in terms of decarbonization. The bottom of the ranking, meanwhile, features Algeria (72nd), Russia (73rd), Iran (74th), Paraguay (75th), and Qatar (76th).

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The shuttered Guinness World Records Museum in Niagara Falls in Canada is auctioning off its contents, including a giant Atari Hercules pinball machine, Wayne Gretzky memorabilia, a miniature Koran, and more. The landmark museum located on Niagara’s iconic Clifton Hill, closed since September 2020, has been a po[CENSORED]r attraction for more than four decades since its opening on June 16, 1978. The shuttered Guinness World Records Museum in Niagara Falls in Canada is auctioning off its contents, including a giant Atari Hercules pinball machine, Wayne Gretzky memorabilia, a miniature Koran, and more. The landmark museum located on Niagara’s iconic Clifton Hill, closed since September 2020, has been a po[CENSORED]r attraction for more than four decades since its opening on June 16, 1978. Other items include a Japanese-made Petal subminiature photographic camera from the late 1940s; a meter-tall Gordie Howe sculpted caricature; NFL legend Dan Marino’s memorabilia; a miniature bicycle, which was once one of the smallest bicycles in the world; and a Wurlitzer OMT Vinyl 1015 Jukebox. While the auction opened on January 22, 2021, a live-streamed auction will take place on February 12 — an event Ripley called a “must-see for any enthusiast.” On the auction house’s website, the full catalogue of items which include artifacts, sculpted characters, displays, exhibits, and smaller items, such as record wall plaques have been listed. The museum, which operated as a franchisee of and a tribute to the Guinness Book of World Records, over the years, came to be a site of many events where aspiring record-breakers flocked to, mentioned the auction house.

Casablanca’s new bus fleet will become operational by the end of February at the latest, promised Said Rafik, the president of the city’s Inter-Municipal Cooperation Establishment (ECI). “We are working on launching our new buses by the end of February or even earlier,” Rafik told Morocco’s state media. The new bus fleet in Casablanca will include 400 new buses and will reach 700 buses in the long term, the Moroccan official declared without specifying when the bus fleet will reach its full size. Casablanca will also expand its bus network from 47 lines to 57, Rafik explained. The new bus lines will allow the network to cover the 18 municipalities of the Casablanca region. Casablanca’s new bus fleet will become operational by the end of February at the latest, promised Said Rafik, the president of the city’s Inter-Municipal Cooperation Establishment (ECI). “We are working on launching our new buses by the end of February or even earlier,” Rafik told Morocco’s state media. The new bus fleet in Casablanca will include 400 new buses and will reach 700 buses in the long term, the Moroccan official declared without specifying when the bus fleet will reach its full size. Casablanca will also expand its bus network from 47 lines to 57, Rafik explained. The new bus lines will allow the network to cover the 18 municipalities of the Casablanca region. In June 2020, Minister of Industry Moulay Hafid Elalamy visited the Skhirat factory to check the ongoing production of the new buses. The industrial unit had produced 60 buses at the time of the visit, but Elalamy announced it would finish the production of 200 buses by the end of 2020. The minister praised the quality of the buses, saying they respect international quality and safety standards. “The buses are certified according to European norms. Their design allows them to never flip over. It is a rare design across the world that focuses on comfort and safety,” Elalamy said. “The vehicles are also equipped to facilitate access for people with special needs,” he added. Casablanca residents have long awaited the commissioning of the new buses. They have high hopes for the upgraded fleet to solve their decades-old public transportation issues. Considering the reputation Alsa has made for itself in Morocco, the hopes of Casablanca residents are not far-fetched. Alsa has been operating in Morocco since 1999. It currently manages buses in Marrakech, Khouribga, Tangier, Agadir, and the urban area of Temara-Rabat-Sale.

Samir Machour, a Moroccan scientist based in South Korea, has been one of the important actors who allowed Morocco to become the first African country to receive COVID-19 vaccines. Machour is currently the senior executive vice president for quality control at the Seoul-based biotechnology company, Samsung Biologics. In December 2020, the scientist declared that he had been in close touch with the leaders of British-Swedish pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca, pressuring them to prioritize Morocco while delivering their COVID-19 vaccines. Machour’s efforts seem to have borne fruit. On Friday, January 22, Morocco received a shipment of AstraZeneca vaccines manufactured in India, becoming the first African country to receive vaccines. Samir Machour spoke about his efforts to help Morocco secure doses of COVID-19 vaccines earlier than neighboring countries during an interview on December 25 with Moroccan journalist Ridouane Erramdani. “I couldn’t just sit and wait. I had to help my country somehow. I directly contacted the people manufacturing the vaccine, those who know me, and I suggested they deliver it to Morocco, and I pressured them,” Machour said. “This is how I started.” “Morocco is currently a global priority for AstraZeneca. They told me that, as soon as they begin exporting the vaccine, they will send it to Morocco,” he added. While Machour’s statement went largely unnoticed in December, many Moroccans are today sharing it, after the first shipment of vaccines arrived. Several news outlets now describe him as one of Morocco’s unsung heroes in the fight against COVID-19. Samir Machour, 58 year old, has an impressive resume, filled with experiences with the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies. He previously worked for the British GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), the American Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, and Becton Dickinson (BD), the German Boehringer Ingelheim, and the Swiss Lonza. Born in Rabat, Machour earned his high school diploma in 1980 in Azrou, near Fez, before flying to Canada for higher education. He earned a Master of Science in nuclear physics from Concordia University in Montreal, Quebec. The Moroccan scientist also graduated from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government in Cambridge, the US, and participated in several programs at the Harvard Business School. In November 2018, the Smart Health conference in Dubai, UAE, awarded Samir Machour the Top 50 Healthcare Leaders Award for his several contributions to the field.

Nonajoler Kabbo, literally, the poem of the sea, splashes you. Much after its waters have receded, the sediments remain stuck on your psyche, like damp sand in your pockets, weighing your gait down. The 106-minute film opens with Bangladeshi musician Arnob’s folksy flute notes as a life-inspired sculpture of a woman with a fishing pole is washed ashore. Art achieves the unthinkable, in real life, Tuni (Tasnova Tamanna) is told that “fishing isn’t for women”. In her coastal village arrives Rudro (Titas Zia), a Dhaka artist, seeking inspiration, away from the city cacophony, bringing along his “universe” (sculptures, sketches) in a cabin-sized wooden box. He’s welcome, until he stirs up the hornet’s nest. He’s a gust of wind that flares up fires: mind’s liberation (children to make art or Tuni’s desire for a different life) or confinement. The Muslim cleric contends, the sculptures (“akin to Hindu idols”) have cursed the village. The men are unable to procure ilish (hilsa). Rising sea-levels causing low catch is to be rubbished. The villagers are at the nerve centre, at two ends stand two worldviews: the self-serving imam Chairman (Fazlur Rahman Babu) and the well-meaning Rudro, man and nature, life’s dictum and art’s defiance, tradition and modernity, conservatism and progressive liberal thinking, blind faith and science, self and community. The twain shan’t meet, for “even waters have boundaries, the red and black don’t mix”. These two are not Marvel-like back-and-white hero and villain. The magnificent visuals make the greys stand out: the overcast sky, the sand, the muddied waters in high tide, and human behaviour. The vibrantly clothed women and children – like cheerful hues – are to be kept in check. When the storms come, and people leave, it is in art/artist’s “universe”, that the scrupulous Tuni and Rudro take shelter in. After BFI London and Busan International Film Festival last year, Rezwan Shahriar Sumit’s The Salt in Our Waters (Nonajoler Kabbo) won the NETPAC award at the recent 26th Kolkata International Film Festival. And, has been nominated for the Ingmar Bergman International Debut Award (among the likes of 2020 Cannes’ French showcase Gagarine) at the 44th Göteborg Film Festival (January 29-February in Sweden. The Salt… may not have taken off had it not been for Spike Lee. The American filmmaker, and creative advisor of Sumit’s graduate film programme at New York University’s Tisch School of Arts, was “the first person to give me money, a writing grant in 2016, and three mentoring sessions,” says Sumit, who found his French producer (Ilann Girard’s Arsam International) in India – at NFDC Film Bazaar’s co-production market. Lee explained to Sumit how “shooting in Bangladesh during monsoon, on boats, in high tide (when the location gets disconnected from the mainland), might turn into a nightmare”, and that he needed to surround himself with more experienced people, “who’d create a safe bubble for me,” says Sumit, who sought a crew with South Asian experience. His Tisch senior and cinematographer Chananun Chotrungoj (winner for Materna at 2020 Tribeca Film Festival), who “spent her childhood in southern Thai coasts, and was familiar with the fishing cultures of the Global South”, came on board. It’s “challenging to shoot here”, he says, owing to “lack of infrastructure (India is different from, say, Nepal and Bangladesh)”. Recent studies show the Ganga-Brahmaputra-Meghna delta water levels have increased marginally faster than the global average. When Cyclone Amphan slammed into southern Bangladesh coastline, in May, in the middle of the pandemic/lockdown, Sumit was worried about his fisherfolk friends in the Gangetic delta of Kuakata in Patuakhali district, where he shot his debut feature. He’d seen what a cyclone leaves in its wake. In 2007, he visited Kuakata, 11-13 hours from the capital Dhaka, three months after Cyclone Sidr had devastated it. “Walking along the coastline, you start seeing outside the tourist bubble. You see tiny fishermen clusters. You see their unique way of fishing. They put a shallow engine on a wooden dinghy boat and go straight into the ocean. The boats cross three waves and the third wave is usually so big that the boat goes almost 90 degrees up. It looks so dangerous from the shore. You feel the boats would topple, but these men are experts.” That singular image led to his NYU graduate film The Salt… “The way they turn things around after a cyclone is nothing less than heroic,” says Sumit, whose first film, a short guerrilla-style docu-fiction City Life (2007) landed him at the 2008 Berlinale Talents. The seafaring folks are simple but resilient, incorruptible but susceptible to religious superstition. “These vulnerable communities bear the brunt of climate change, feel the effect every day, but don’t have the big picture, the science of it, and, thus, resort to superstition. It becomes easier for people like Chairman – educated, lived in city, well-connected – to mani[CENSORED]te them,” he adds. But, “without provocation, the fishermen would never attack the artist. Though there are people like Chairman in society who, when the status quo is shaken, feel insecure and may instigate innocents,” he says. “Extremism takes root and grows silently in society, when you start to accept it. In the film, people have accepted Chairman’s ways of life, but he gets the better of them,” says Sumit, who wrote the story in 2014, in response to the 2013 Shahbag protest, “when the clash between right and left started to surface more strongly, and the extremists attacked artists and liberals”. Chairman, however, the guardian who believes thousand-year-old traditions glue the community together, has a softer side, too. And, while Rudro becomes a saviour in the end, he’s flawed, selfish, and unaware of the effect his art can have on his subjects. “I’m questioning the artist, and through him, I’m questioning myself and what effect my film can have on the fishermen’s lives and climate policymakers,” says Sumit, adding, “as an artist, I must keep pointing out the systemic injustice in my society, while, I know, that I have to work with the system to iron these out.” The film, whose title has a “fault in our stars” ring to it, is balanced, doesn’t get didactic, it is grey, while its specificity, local-ness, realness makes it universal, its shared experience will resonate with Indians.