After Coronavirus and Monkeypox, there is a new virus that has emerged in India. Tomato flu or tomato fever has currently been reported in some parts of India. It affects kids under the age of 5.

Tomato flu: Suspected virus affecting kids in India under age of 5

Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales has said that he sees "enormous potential in India" and that the "core of the Wikimedia movement and our projects are the people that make it possible, including the thousands of contributors in India". In an exclusive conversation with our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Wales pointed to the increase in the use of Indic languages&nbsp;on the free online encyclopedia&nbsp;explaining, "Of the Indic language Wikipedias, Hindi Wikipedia is the most visited language Wikipedia, in addition to English. Over the last year, Hindi Wikipedia has received nearly a billion pageviews".&nbsp;Last week, Wikimania 2022 took place in a hybrid mode and brought together volunteers who have been contributing to Wikipedia.&nbsp;

The Wikipedia founder also spoke about recent comments by the richest man on the planet Elon Musk that&nbsp;the website is losing its objectivity. Wales, brushing aside the comments said, "The core of Wikipedia is the commitment to a neutral point of view. Wikipedia is not about opinion or taking a stand." The founder in the rare interview also spoke on fundraising campaigns, Russia-Ukraine conflict &amp;&nbsp;worries over cyber warfare, or information warfare.&nbsp;

WION: How does Wikipedia see India, as in what potential do you see? given its large size and increasingly insatiable need for information&nbsp;

Jimmy Wales: The vision of the Wikimedia movement is a world in which all people can share in the sum of all knowledge. Reaching every person on the planet is impossible without making significant inroads in a country like India with its growing population and large troves of knowledge and culture. There is enormous potential in India to help us grow our movement of readers and contributors in order to build the sum of all human knowledge. The core of the Wikimedia movement and our projects are the people that make it possible, including the thousands of contributors in India who are working on free knowledge every day.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/live-ukraine-celebrates-independence-day-zelensky-vows-to-retake-annexed-crimea-509630" hreflang="en">LIVE: Ukraine celebrates Independence Day, Zelensky vows to retake Crimea</a>

WION: Wikipedia is in how many Indian languages, and how much has been traffic flow?&nbsp;

Jimmy Wales: Readers in India rely on Wikipedia as a key source of information and knowledge. On average, we see about 750 million visits to Wikipedia from readers in India each month, which is the fifth highest number of views from any country. This also makes Wikipedia the sixth most visited site in India. India also has a vibrant community of Wikimedia volunteers. The country is home to almost 65,000 contributors - representing almost a fifth of the total number of Wikimedia volunteers. &nbsp;Wikipedia is currently available in 25 of the languages spoken across India, including Bengali, Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Odia and Telugu and even endangered and tribal languages like Tulu and Santali. In addition to these Indic languages, India recently became the country with the second largest population of contributors to English Wikipedia after the US.&nbsp;

WION: Which Indian language has been getting the largest traffic? How has been the flow for Hindi?&nbsp;

Jimmy Wales: Of the Indic language Wikipedias, Hindi Wikipedia is the most visited language Wikipedia, in addition to English. Over the last year, Hindi Wikipedia has received nearly a billion page views, with most of these pageviews coming from India as well as the US.&nbsp;

WION: What is Wikimania 2022 about?&nbsp;

Jimmy Wales: Wikimania is the annual conference of Wikimedians, the volunteers that contribute, edit and organize to make the Wikimedia projects possible. I went to my first Wikimania in 2005, and back then it was one of the first times that we met the people behind Wikipedia and the Wikimedia projects. As I look at this year’s Wikimania, I’m amazed at how far we’ve come. What was once a meeting of a few hundred people is now a meeting of thousands. This year’s theme was Wikimania: The Festival Edition!, and it is meant to be a celebration of the wide range of projects and groups in the Wikimedia movement. It's a testament to the work and the generosity of volunteers from around the world and their commitment to free knowledge.&nbsp;

WION: You also had your fundraising campaign [in India]; how has it been doing?&nbsp;

Jimmy Wales: Wikipedia is one of the world’s most visited websites, yet many people don’t know that it is hosted and operated by the nonprofit Wikimedia Foundation. Unlike other top websites, we rely on donations to support Wikipedia and Wikimedia projects, with the average donation being about US $15. I’ve always hoped that if we build something people care about and value, then they will want to support it. It’s a model that basically asks people to chip in if they can. People make contributions year-round from countries all over the world; last year we received donations from over 7 million people. We recently concluded our fundraising campaigns in India, Latin America, and South Africa. We receive contributions of all sizes, and every gift is meaningful.&nbsp;

WION: Recently, Elon Musk said that "Wikipedia is losing its objectivity". What will you say?&nbsp;

Jimmy Wales: The core of Wikipedia is the commitment to a neutral point of view. Wikipedia is not about opinion or taking a stand. It is an encyclopedia, and information is based on citations from reliable sources such as academic journals and news articles. This has been non-negotiable from day one and will continue to be the case. Our open editing model ensures that every edit is open and transparent and can be seen in the history of every article. Every edit can be debated, and no decision is taken without due deliberation among volunteer editors.&nbsp;

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/europe-facing-worst-drought-in-almost-500-years-new-report-claims-509617">Europe facing worst drought in almost 500 years, new report claims</a>

WION: Recently, there have been questions about if your website is prone to ideological headwinds.&nbsp;

Jimmy Wales: Since Wikipedia began 20 years ago, volunteers have created a process of community-led moderation to set standards for the site. It’s not a place to insert opinions, rather, information has to be cited from a reliable source, and it has to be presented from a neutral point of view. Neutrality is at the heart of Wikipedia’s model, and it’s the very basis of how cooperation between editors works. Our approach means that Wikipedia doesn't become a back-and-forth battle between two different opinions, but a record of what our current understanding is on a given topic as cited by media and other reliable sources.&nbsp;

WION: How have various conflicts, including Russian invasion of Ukraine, Chinese aggression on Taiwan, impacted conversation on Wikipedia?&nbsp;

Jimmy Wales: Articles about conflicts showcase the value of Wikipedia’s collaborative model in creating information that people can trust. For topics that may be divisive or controversial, Wikipedia’s decentralized, community-created approach to knowledge means that volunteer editors have clear guidelines on how to contribute based on our policies of neutrality, verifiability and transparency. This helps ensure that knowledge on Wikipedia about current events, world conflicts, and other controversial topics is verified and reliable so people everywhere can have a clearer picture of what’s happening.&nbsp;

WION: Have there been worries over cyber warfare, or information warfare for Wikipedia in the current global context?&nbsp;

Jimmy Wales: Wikipedia volunteers have policies in place that act as a strong line of defense against mis and disinformation. Wikipedia's full transparency and “everyone can edit” design principle makes it much more resistant to disinformation campaigns and other organized attempts to influence content. Wikipedia’s resilience against bias and disinformation relies to a large extent on the existence of a functional and diverse community of editors and administrators. With that said, disinformation campaigns are also becoming increasingly more sophisticated and difficult to spot. Because of this, the Wikimedia Foundation is also investing in its capacity to respond to disinformation threats and support volunteers. An example of this was the task force the Foundation prepared ahead of the 2020 US presidential election. Foundation staff worked for hand in hand with volunteers to establish clearer lines of communication between volunteers and staff to surface and address disinformation attempts, conducted research to better understand how disinformation could spread on Wikimedia projects and built new tools for volunteers to evaluate potentially malicious edits and behaviour on the site.&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE -

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Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales has said that he sees "enormous potential in India" and that the "core of the Wikimedia movement and our projects are the people that make it possible, including the thousands of contributors in India".

Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales has said that he sees "enormous potential in India" and that the "core of the Wikimedia movement and our projects are the people that make it possible, including the thousands of contributors in India". In an exclusive conversation with our diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, Wales pointed to the increase in the use of Indic languages on the free online encyclopedia explaining, "Of the Indic language Wikipedias, Hindi Wikipedia is the most visited language Wikipedia, in addition to English. Over the last year, Hindi Wikipedia has received nearly a billion pageviews". Last week, Wikimania 2022 took place in a hybrid mode and brought together volunteers who have been contributing to Wikipedia. The Wikipedia founder also spoke about recent comments by the richest man on the planet Elon Musk that the website is losing its objectivity. Wales, brushing aside the comments said, "The core of Wikipedia is the commitment to a neutral point of view. Wikipedia is not about opinion or taking a stand." The founder in the rare interview also spoke on fundraising campaigns, Russia-Ukraine conflict & worries over cyber warfare, or information warfare. WION: How does Wikipedia see India, as in what potential do you see? given its large size and increasingly insatiable need for information Jimmy Wales: The vision of the Wikimedia movement is a world in which all people can share in the sum of all knowledge. Reaching every person on the planet is impossible without making significant inroads in a country like India with its growing population and large troves of knowledge and culture. There is enormous potential in India to help us grow our movement of readers and contributors in order to build the sum of all human knowledge. The core of the Wikimedia movement and our projects are the people that make it possible, including the thousands of contributors in India who are working on free knowledge every day. Also read | LIVE: Ukraine celebrates Independence Day, Zelensky vows to retake Crimea WION: Wikipedia is in how many Indian languages, and how much has been traffic flow? Jimmy Wales: Readers in India rely on Wikipedia as a key source of information and knowledge. On average, we see about 750 million visits to Wikipedia from readers in India each month, which is the fifth highest number of views from any country. This also makes Wikipedia the sixth most visited site in India. India also has a vibrant community of Wikimedia volunteers. The country is home to almost 65,000 contributors - representing almost a fifth of the total number of Wikimedia volunteers. Wikipedia is currently available in 25 of the languages spoken across India, including Bengali, Hindi, Marathi, Punjabi, Odia and Telugu and even endangered and tribal languages like Tulu and Santali. In addition to these Indic languages, India recently became the country with the second largest population of contributors to English Wikipedia after the US. WION: Which Indian language has been getting the largest traffic? How has been the flow for Hindi? Jimmy Wales: Of the Indic language Wikipedias, Hindi Wikipedia is the most visited language Wikipedia, in addition to English. Over the last year, Hindi Wikipedia has received nearly a billion page views, with most of these pageviews coming from India as well as the US. WION: What is Wikimania 2022 about? Jimmy Wales: Wikimania is the annual conference of Wikimedians, the volunteers that contribute, edit and organize to make the Wikimedia projects possible. I went to my first Wikimania in 2005, and back then it was one of the first times that we met the people behind Wikipedia and the Wikimedia projects. As I look at this year’s Wikimania, I’m amazed at how far we’ve come. What was once a meeting of a few hundred people is now a meeting of thousands. This year’s theme was Wikimania: The Festival Edition!, and it is meant to be a celebration of the wide range of projects and groups in the Wikimedia movement. It's a testament to the work and the generosity of volunteers from around the world and their commitment to free knowledge. WION: You also had your fundraising campaign [in India]; how has it been doing? Jimmy Wales: Wikipedia is one of the world’s most visited websites, yet many people don’t know that it is hosted and operated by the nonprofit Wikimedia Foundation. Unlike other top websites, we rely on donations to support Wikipedia and Wikimedia projects, with the average donation being about US $15. I’ve always hoped that if we build something people care about and value, then they will want to support it. It’s a model that basically asks people to chip in if they can. People make contributions year-round from countries all over the world; last year we received donations from over 7 million people. We recently concluded our fundraising campaigns in India, Latin America, and South Africa. We receive contributions of all sizes, and every gift is meaningful. WION: Recently, Elon Musk said that "Wikipedia is losing its objectivity". What will you say? Jimmy Wales: The core of Wikipedia is the commitment to a neutral point of view. Wikipedia is not about opinion or taking a stand. It is an encyclopedia, and information is based on citations from reliable sources such as academic journals and news articles. This has been non-negotiable from day one and will continue to be the case. Our open editing model ensures that every edit is open and transparent and can be seen in the history of every article. Every edit can be debated, and no decision is taken without due deliberation among volunteer editors. Also read | Europe facing worst drought in almost 500 years, new report claims WION: Recently, there have been questions about if your website is prone to ideological headwinds. Jimmy Wales: Since Wikipedia began 20 years ago, volunteers have created a process of community-led moderation to set standards for the site. It’s not a place to insert opinions, rather, information has to be cited from a reliable source, and it has to be presented from a neutral point of view. Neutrality is at the heart of Wikipedia’s model, and it’s the very basis of how cooperation between editors works. Our approach means that Wikipedia doesn't become a back-and-forth battle between two different opinions, but a record of what our current understanding is on a given topic as cited by media and other reliable sources. WION: How have various conflicts, including Russian invasion of Ukraine, Chinese aggression on Taiwan, impacted conversation on Wikipedia? Jimmy Wales: Articles about conflicts showcase the value of Wikipedia’s collaborative model in creating information that people can trust. For topics that may be divisive or controversial, Wikipedia’s decentralized, community-created approach to knowledge means that volunteer editors have clear guidelines on how to contribute based on our policies of neutrality, verifiability and transparency. This helps ensure that knowledge on Wikipedia about current events, world conflicts, and other controversial topics is verified and reliable so people everywhere can have a clearer picture of what’s happening. WION: Have there been worries over cyber warfare, or information warfare for Wikipedia in the current global context? Jimmy Wales: Wikipedia volunteers have policies in place that act as a strong line of defense against mis and disinformation. Wikipedia's full transparency and “everyone can edit” design principle makes it much more resistant to disinformation campaigns and other organized attempts to influence content. Wikipedia’s resilience against bias and disinformation relies to a large extent on the existence of a functional and diverse community of editors and administrators. With that said, disinformation campaigns are also becoming increasingly more sophisticated and difficult to spot. Because of this, the Wikimedia Foundation is also investing in its capacity to respond to disinformation threats and support volunteers. An example of this was the task force the Foundation prepared ahead of the 2020 US presidential election. Foundation staff worked for hand in hand with volunteers to establish clearer lines of communication between volunteers and staff to surface and address disinformation attempts, conducted research to better understand how disinformation could spread on Wikimedia projects and built new tools for volunteers to evaluate potentially malicious edits and behaviour on the site. WATCH WION LIVE HERE -

EXCLUSIVE - Wikipedia founder sees enormous potential in India; brushes aside Elon Musk's criticism

India's consumer inflation was 6.7% last month and the month before it was 7% which reflects that inflation appears to be cooling down. The Reserve Bank of India states that it may have peaked in April already, if so, the worst is behind us.

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There is a strong push for electric vehicles in India. While many Indian firms are working hard to revolutionise the EV sector in the country, currently, these vehicles account for less than 1% of total car sales. In this video, we tell you everything about what's happening in the Indian EV space.

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Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh attends the SCO Defence Ministers’ meeting in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. During this, Mr. Singh held bilateral meetings with the Uzbekistan’s Defence Minister Lieutenant General Bakhodir Kurbanov. He also met with the Defence Ministers of member countries of SCO.

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India has called out Pakistan and China at the United Nations meet on Monday. In a veiled dig, India's permanent representative to UN called for countries to respect sovereignty and territorial integrity.

'Respect territorial integrity of other nations,' India's veiled attack on China and Pakistan

After thirty long years, cinema is returning to Kashmir valley. The first multiplex is opening in Srinagar City to provide entertainment to the youth of Kashmir. Cinema halls in the valley were closed in the early 90s after terrorism found its roots in the region. Kashmir had around 15 cinema halls at the time but all&nbsp;of them were forced closed by terrorists decades ago.&nbsp;

The multiplex located in Srinagar's Shivpora area will have three screens and a total seating capacity of approximately 520 people. The building is built as any multiplex but with a touch of Kashmir in it. The owners have incorporated Kashmiri traditional 'Khatamband' ceiling and paper mache designs. Reportedly, the multiplex will be thrown open for the public in September.&nbsp;

<img alt="The multiplex" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="3f34aadb-cb69-442b-b047-7c557893a2ed" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Image%20%282%29_1.jpeg" />

''The idea came from my parents and as a family, we decided it together. Our family sat together, and we thought that no one is talking about the entertainment option for the youth, we started slowly sifting through all the ideas and business prospects, and we decided that cinema is something that has a long relation with Kashmir and it's something we should be bringing to the valley. It took us about three to four years, from the planning stage to reaching here. The auditorium will have three screens with 520 seats." said Vikas Dhar, owner of the multiplex.&nbsp;

Read More:<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/farooq-abdullah-says-we-will-fight-governments-decision-till-end-509127">&nbsp;Farooq Abdullah says we will fight governments decision till end</a>

Kashmir had dozens of cinema halls till early 1990, but with the advent of terrorism, all cinema halls in the valley were shut down. The government during 1999-2000&nbsp;tried to re-open a few cinema halls but subsequent terrorist attacks forced them to close the cinema halls.&nbsp;

The Dhar family owned one of the oldest cinema halls in the valley called 'Broadway'. It was also opened for a brief period and later shut forever. Security is one of the main concerns for these cinema halls. However, the owners of the multiplex stated that they have no apprehensions as they are doing this for the entertainment of the youth.&nbsp;

<img alt="The inside of the cinema hall in multiplex" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="befcf5a9-bbca-4c46-ab6d-46561b8e18e6" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Image_0.jpeg" />

''This entire work has not been taken with the intention of business ideology; we haven't used our brains at all. It comes from the heart, so the heart does not have any apprehensions. I am sure 100 per cent. The relationship between the Indian film industry and Kashmir has a great history. The Indian film industry has given due credit to the valley and its people. And I think that relationship needs to be reconnected and it's a small step and very soon we will see more people coming here making films and lots of Kashmiris are making great films in the valley," added Vikas.&nbsp;

Read more:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/will-go-on-hunger-strike-if-electoral-demography-of-jk-is-changed-sajad-lone-509101">Will go on hunger strike if electoral demography of J&amp;K is changed: Sajad Lone</a>

With the news spreading about the opening of the first multiplex in Srinagar city, the owners are getting calls from people across the valley asking about how to open a theatre/cinema in their areas.&nbsp;

''A lot of people are asking us about the process of starting cinemas across the valley again. I have received a lot of cooperation from the government as well.'' said Vikas.&nbsp;

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&nbsp;

After thirty long years, cinema is returning to Kashmir valley. The first multiplex is opening in Srinagar City to provide entertainment to the youth of Kashmir.

After thirty long years, cinema is returning to Kashmir valley. The first multiplex is opening in Srinagar City to provide entertainment to the youth of Kashmir. Cinema halls in the valley were closed in the early 90s after terrorism found its roots in the region. Kashmir had around 15 cinema halls at the time but all of them were forced closed by terrorists decades ago. The multiplex located in Srinagar's Shivpora area will have three screens and a total seating capacity of approximately 520 people. The building is built as any multiplex but with a touch of Kashmir in it. The owners have incorporated Kashmiri traditional 'Khatamband' ceiling and paper mache designs. Reportedly, the multiplex will be thrown open for the public in September. ''The idea came from my parents and as a family, we decided it together. Our family sat together, and we thought that no one is talking about the entertainment option for the youth, we started slowly sifting through all the ideas and business prospects, and we decided that cinema is something that has a long relation with Kashmir and it's something we should be bringing to the valley. It took us about three to four years, from the planning stage to reaching here. The auditorium will have three screens with 520 seats." said Vikas Dhar, owner of the multiplex. Read More: Farooq Abdullah says we will fight governments decision till end Kashmir had dozens of cinema halls till early 1990, but with the advent of terrorism, all cinema halls in the valley were shut down. The government during 1999-2000 tried to re-open a few cinema halls but subsequent terrorist attacks forced them to close the cinema halls. The Dhar family owned one of the oldest cinema halls in the valley called 'Broadway'. It was also opened for a brief period and later shut forever. Security is one of the main concerns for these cinema halls. However, the owners of the multiplex stated that they have no apprehensions as they are doing this for the entertainment of the youth. ''This entire work has not been taken with the intention of business ideology; we haven't used our brains at all. It comes from the heart, so the heart does not have any apprehensions. I am sure 100 per cent. The relationship between the Indian film industry and Kashmir has a great history. The Indian film industry has given due credit to the valley and its people. And I think that relationship needs to be reconnected and it's a small step and very soon we will see more people coming here making films and lots of Kashmiris are making great films in the valley," added Vikas. Read more: Will go on hunger strike if electoral demography of J&K is changed: Sajad Lone With the news spreading about the opening of the first multiplex in Srinagar city, the owners are getting calls from people across the valley asking about how to open a theatre/cinema in their areas. ''A lot of people are asking us about the process of starting cinemas across the valley again. I have received a lot of cooperation from the government as well.'' said Vikas. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

After three decades, cinema returns to Kashmir; first multiplex to open in September

India called out Pakistan and China at a UN meeting on Monday. In a veiled attack, India's permanent representative to the United Nations Ruchira Kamboj called for countries to respect sovereignty and territorial integrity and international agreements with other nations.

India's veiled attack on China & Pakistan at UNSC meet

Britain's prime ministerial candidate Rishi Sunak said he wants to change the UK-India relationship to make it a more two-way exchange that opens up easy access to UK students and companies in India.

During a campaign hustings event hosted by the Conservative Friends of India (CFIN) diaspora organisation in north London on Monday evening, the former Chancellor greeted the largely British Indian gathering with a mix of traditional greetings such as "namaste, salaam, khem cho, and kidda."

He even broke into Hindi: "Aap sab mere parivar ho (you all are my family)."

"We know the UK-India relationship is important. We represent the living bridge between our two countries,"&nbsp;he said, in response to a question about bilateral ties from CFIN co-chair Reena Ranger.

"We are all very aware of the opportunity for the UK to sell things and do things in India, but actually we need to look at that relationship differently because there is an enormous amount that we here in the UK can learn from India," he said.

"I want to make sure that it's easy for our students to also travel to India and learn, that it's also easy for our companies and Indian companies to work together because it's not just a one-way relationship, it's a two-way relationship, and that's the type of change I want to bring to that relationship,"&nbsp;he said.

On China, the former minister reiterated his stand about the need to be "very robust"&nbsp;in defending the UK against its aggressiveness.

"China and the Chinese Communist Party represent the biggest threat to our economic and thereby national security that this country has faced in a long time and we need to be alive to that,"&nbsp;he said.

"Be in no doubt, as your Prime Minister I will do whatever it takes to keep you, your families and our country safe because that's the first duty of a Conservative Prime Minister,"&nbsp;he added.

After a grand entry at the Dhamecha Lohana Centre in Harrow to dhol beats and loud cheers, the former minister spoke briefly and then spent hours interacting with hundreds of Tory members who queued up to shake hands with him.

He was showered with blessings by the elderly in the crowd, patted on the back by others and eight-year-old Tanish Sahu got a special picture as Sunak carried him in his arms.

Amita Mishra, the Trustee of Shree Jagannatha Society UK, handed over a set of gold-plated deities all the way from India.

"We are working on creating a Jagannath Temple in London and this gift is a special blessing all the way from India,"&nbsp;said Mishra, who was accompanied by a pandit who performed a victory shloka from the" Bhagavad Gita' as the deities were handed over to Sunak on stage.

In complete contrast, a British Sikh Tory member in the crowd waited hours to get a special bottle of Jack Daniels whisky signed by Sunak,&nbsp;despite both him and the former Chancellor being teetotalers.

"I don't drink but this is a special gift I received on my birthday and now with this signature it has become historic,"&nbsp;he said.

In this gathering, his self-proclaimed underdog status as the candidate trailing in all the polls seemed irrelevant as he glided through the crowds rockstar-like and responded to comments of 'see you at No. 10 Downing Street'&nbsp;with an emphatic: "That's the plan, I'm giving it everything I got."

The majority in the room admitted they had already cast their online ballots in favour of Sunak and had come along to this latest hustings just to hear him out one more time.

One sceptical British Indian investment banker said he was still undecided as he did not entirely favour Sunak's handling of the Bounce Back Loan scheme introduced in the wake of the COVID-19 lockdowns, which have been "abused" by many.

But even he admitted that his vote might go to Sunak in the end as he wasn't entirely convinced by leadership rival Foreign Secretary Liz Truss.

But what a majority seemed convinced about was that Sunak's Indian origin and ethnic minority background had no part to play in the contest to succeed Boris Johnson as Conservative Party leader and the British Prime Minister.

"This country is not racist. For Rishi to reach this stage, it proves that merit is valued,"&nbsp;said Lord Dolar Popat, a veteran Tory peer.

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Britain's prime ministerial candidate Rishi Sunak said he wants to change the UK-India relationship to make it a more two-way exchange that opens up easy access to UK students and companies in India.

Britain's prime ministerial candidate Rishi Sunak said he wants to change the UK-India relationship to make it a more two-way exchange that opens up easy access to UK students and companies in India. During a campaign hustings event hosted by the Conservative Friends of India (CFIN) diaspora organisation in north London on Monday evening, the former Chancellor greeted the largely British Indian gathering with a mix of traditional greetings such as "namaste, salaam, khem cho, and kidda." He even broke into Hindi: "Aap sab mere parivar ho (you all are my family)." "We know the UK-India relationship is important. We represent the living bridge between our two countries," he said, in response to a question about bilateral ties from CFIN co-chair Reena Ranger. "We are all very aware of the opportunity for the UK to sell things and do things in India, but actually we need to look at that relationship differently because there is an enormous amount that we here in the UK can learn from India," he said. "I want to make sure that it's easy for our students to also travel to India and learn, that it's also easy for our companies and Indian companies to work together because it's not just a one-way relationship, it's a two-way relationship, and that's the type of change I want to bring to that relationship," he said. On China, the former minister reiterated his stand about the need to be "very robust" in defending the UK against its aggressiveness. "China and the Chinese Communist Party represent the biggest threat to our economic and thereby national security that this country has faced in a long time and we need to be alive to that," he said. "Be in no doubt, as your Prime Minister I will do whatever it takes to keep you, your families and our country safe because that's the first duty of a Conservative Prime Minister," he added. After a grand entry at the Dhamecha Lohana Centre in Harrow to dhol beats and loud cheers, the former minister spoke briefly and then spent hours interacting with hundreds of Tory members who queued up to shake hands with him. He was showered with blessings by the elderly in the crowd, patted on the back by others and eight-year-old Tanish Sahu got a special picture as Sunak carried him in his arms. Amita Mishra, the Trustee of Shree Jagannatha Society UK, handed over a set of gold-plated deities all the way from India. "We are working on creating a Jagannath Temple in London and this gift is a special blessing all the way from India," said Mishra, who was accompanied by a pandit who performed a victory shloka from the" Bhagavad Gita' as the deities were handed over to Sunak on stage. In complete contrast, a British Sikh Tory member in the crowd waited hours to get a special bottle of Jack Daniels whisky signed by Sunak, despite both him and the former Chancellor being teetotalers. "I don't drink but this is a special gift I received on my birthday and now with this signature it has become historic," he said. In this gathering, his self-proclaimed underdog status as the candidate trailing in all the polls seemed irrelevant as he glided through the crowds rockstar-like and responded to comments of 'see you at No. 10 Downing Street' with an emphatic: "That's the plan, I'm giving it everything I got." The majority in the room admitted they had already cast their online ballots in favour of Sunak and had come along to this latest hustings just to hear him out one more time. One sceptical British Indian investment banker said he was still undecided as he did not entirely favour Sunak's handling of the Bounce Back Loan scheme introduced in the wake of the COVID-19 lockdowns, which have been "abused" by many. But even he admitted that his vote might go to Sunak in the end as he wasn't entirely convinced by leadership rival Foreign Secretary Liz Truss. But what a majority seemed convinced about was that Sunak's Indian origin and ethnic minority background had no part to play in the contest to succeed Boris Johnson as Conservative Party leader and the British Prime Minister. "This country is not racist. For Rishi to reach this stage, it proves that merit is valued," said Lord Dolar Popat, a veteran Tory peer. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

I want to change UK-India relationship to make it more two-way: Rishi Sunak

Russian Federal Security Service has detained an Islamic State (IS) suicide bomber who was allegedly planning to travel to India to attempt an terror attack.

WION Dispatch: Russia detains Islamic State terrorist planning attack in India

Russia has thwarted a terror plot against India. The FSB has apprehended an Islamic state operative who planned to carry out a 'suicide attack' in India over the blasphemy row. Who is this operative? Where is he from? Palki Sharma deconstructs the 'Avenge Prophet' bid.

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The Federal Security Service (FSB) of Russia nabbed an ISIS suicide bomber who was planning a high profile terrorist attack against one of the representatives of the ruling circle of India.

I-S terrorist held by Russia's top security agency, admits plot against Indian leader

On Tech It Out, we keep bringing you futuristic technologies and tech trends that promise a better future. In this video, we discuss an interesting technology that makes international travel much easier and more secure.

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In India, we've been talking 5G for a really long time, but we haven't experienced it yet. People have many concerns and questions about the next-generation wireless technology. We try to get you all the answers in this video.

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Russia has detained an Islamic State terrorist who was allegedly planning an attack in India. The suicide bomber was detained by the Russian Federal Security Service.

Russia captures I-S terrorist plotting attack in India

Most Indian weddings have invitation cards as a significant component. With time, an increasing number of couples are selecting unusual wedding invitations.

As reported by the Indian Express, the chairman of RPG Group, Harsh Goenka, tweeted a photo of an unusual wedding card on Saturday that at first glance appears to be the back of a row of tablets.

While sharing a picture of the wedding invite, Goenka wrote, “A pharmacist’s wedding invitation! People have become so innovative these days….”

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A pharmacist’s wedding invitation! People have become so innovative these days…. <a href="https://t.co/VrrlMCZut9">pic.twitter.com/VrrlMCZut9</a>
— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) <a href="https://twitter.com/hvgoenka/status/1560955307894796289?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2022</a></blockquote>
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The Tamizh intellect and their creativity at its best
— Banker Pro (@bankerpro) <a href="https://twitter.com/bankerpro/status/1561018833858875392?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Good that they didn't print the expiry date 😬
— Vivek (@M1ndBlank) <a href="https://twitter.com/M1ndBlank/status/1561030786895482881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Absolutely brilliant 👌👌
— SAM (@sammumbaikar) <a href="https://twitter.com/sammumbaikar/status/1561019072065638400?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2022</a></blockquote>
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Commenting on the post, a Twitter user wrote, “Sir🙏🏻💐, to me its highest height of confusing creativity😝😂👌🏻 Seriously, i thought this might be a new researched medicine for the new variant of Corona..but it turned out to be a wedding invitation🤦‍♀️😝😂😂.”

Ajay Sarma, a lawyer based in Guwahati, made headlines earlier in 2021 with a wedding invitation. Sarma's invitation resembled a formal paper. To symbolise equality in their "beautiful court of life," the names of the bride and husband were written on either side of a scale.

&nbsp;

Most Indian weddings have invitation cards as a significant component. With time, an increasing number of couples are selecting unusual wedding invitations. As reported by the Indian Express, the chairman of RPG Group, Harsh Goenka, tweeted a photo of an unusual wedding card on Saturday that at first glance appears to be the back of a row of tablets.

Most Indian weddings have invitation cards as a significant component. With time, an increasing number of couples are selecting unusual wedding invitations. As reported by the Indian Express, the chairman of RPG Group, Harsh Goenka, tweeted a photo of an unusual wedding card on Saturday that at first glance appears to be the back of a row of tablets. While sharing a picture of the wedding invite, Goenka wrote, “A pharmacist’s wedding invitation! People have become so innovative these days….” A pharmacist’s wedding invitation! People have become so innovative these days…. pic.twitter.com/VrrlMCZut9 — Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) August 20, 2022 × The Tamizh intellect and their creativity at its best — Banker Pro (@bankerpro) August 20, 2022 × Good that they didn't print the expiry date 😬 — Vivek (@M1ndBlank) August 20, 2022 × Absolutely brilliant 👌👌 — SAM (@sammumbaikar) August 20, 2022 × Commenting on the post, a Twitter user wrote, “Sir🙏🏻💐, to me its highest height of confusing creativity😝😂👌🏻 Seriously, i thought this might be a new researched medicine for the new variant of Corona..but it turned out to be a wedding invitation🤦‍♀️😝😂😂.” Ajay Sarma, a lawyer based in Guwahati, made headlines earlier in 2021 with a wedding invitation. Sarma's invitation resembled a formal paper. To symbolise equality in their "beautiful court of life," the names of the bride and husband were written on either side of a scale.

This offbeat wedding invite printed on a medicine leaf is going viral

As India and Philippines continue to increase engagement in security aspect, both sides have agreed to "fast-track preparations" for a bilateral Maritime Dialogue. &nbsp;This was among the key areas of focus as both sides convened the 4th Philippines-India Strategic Dialogue in Manila. The Philippines sides was led by Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs, Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro while the Indian side was led by secretary east in Ministry of external affairs Saurabh Kumar.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-three-officers-suspended-in-the-us-for-brutally-assaulting-a-suspect-508991">WATCH: Three officers suspended in the US for brutally assaulting a suspect</a>

The development on maritime dialogue is significant, in terms of China worry for both sides amid the Taiwan strait crisis. The consensus to hold Maritime dialogue comes even as India-Philippines concluded Brahmos deal earlier this year.

The Philippines release said that the officials "discussed the growing cooperation between their countries on defense and security, as well as in maritime partnership.". The strategic dialogue that took place last week on 18th August and is the first such face-to-face dialogue since the last meet in Delhi in 2017.

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Other topics discussed in the meeting included counterterrorism, disaster risk reduction and management, transnational crime, intelligence exchange and procurement of defense equipment. Initially, the Strategic Dialogue was known as the Security Dialogue. The renaming happened after the inaugural meeting of the Philippines-India Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation on 15 March 2011.

Last week also saw the 13th Philippines-India Policy Consultations, something that began on an ad hoc basis in 1994 and was later institutionalized with the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Policy Consultation Talks in November 2000. The Ministry of external affairs on the release said both sides agreed to work to "expand engagement in other fields such as space, development cooperation and civil aviation."

As India and Philippines continue to increase engagement in security aspect, both sides have agreed to "fast-track preparations" for a bilateral Maritime Dialogue.

As India and Philippines continue to increase engagement in security aspect, both sides have agreed to "fast-track preparations" for a bilateral Maritime Dialogue. This was among the key areas of focus as both sides convened the 4th Philippines-India Strategic Dialogue in Manila. The Philippines sides was led by Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for Bilateral Relations and ASEAN Affairs, Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro while the Indian side was led by secretary east in Ministry of external affairs Saurabh Kumar. Also read | WATCH: Three officers suspended in the US for brutally assaulting a suspect The development on maritime dialogue is significant, in terms of China worry for both sides amid the Taiwan strait crisis. The consensus to hold Maritime dialogue comes even as India-Philippines concluded Brahmos deal earlier this year. The Philippines release said that the officials "discussed the growing cooperation between their countries on defense and security, as well as in maritime partnership.". The strategic dialogue that took place last week on 18th August and is the first such face-to-face dialogue since the last meet in Delhi in 2017. Also read | Ukraine gears up for intensified attacks following Moscow car bombing Other topics discussed in the meeting included counterterrorism, disaster risk reduction and management, transnational crime, intelligence exchange and procurement of defense equipment. Initially, the Strategic Dialogue was known as the Security Dialogue. The renaming happened after the inaugural meeting of the Philippines-India Joint Commission on Bilateral Cooperation on 15 March 2011. Last week also saw the 13th Philippines-India Policy Consultations, something that began on an ad hoc basis in 1994 and was later institutionalized with the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding on Policy Consultation Talks in November 2000. The Ministry of external affairs on the release said both sides agreed to work to "expand engagement in other fields such as space, development cooperation and civil aviation."

India, Philippines to hold maritime dialogue

Heavy rain ahs been lashing Himachal Pradesh since Friday. Maximum damage has been reported from Mandi, Kangra and Chamba. Landslides and flash floods killed 22 people.

WION Climate Tracker: Incessant rains batter Himachal Pradesh; flash floods kill 22 people

Let us take a look at stories generating interest across WION's social media channels.

Trending on WION | All you need to know about 'very contagious' Tomato flu first detected in India

India is now returning back as it has reopened its embassy in Kabul. Indian diplomats strategically began wrapping up their operations in March as the Indian consulate in Jalalabad was shut in April.

India resumes diplomatic operations in Afghanistan | Is it coming to terms with the new normal?

Himachal Pradesh, the northern Indian state, is predicted to witness moderate to heavy rainfall in the next five days and an orange alert has been issued for the next 12 hours for the whole state. There is a&nbsp;yellow alert for the rest of the days till August 24, said Bui Lal, the IMD deputy director of state on Saturday.&nbsp;

This comes after reports of heavy rains triggering flash floods and landslides. At least 31 people were killed, 22 of them in Himachal Pradesh alone.&nbsp;

State Disaster Management Department director Sudesh Kumar Mokhta said on Saturday that the maximum damage has been reported in Mandi, Kangra and Chamba districts.&nbsp;

India-based news agency PTI reported that the fatalities included four each in Uttarakhand and Odisha. One from Jharkhand also died.&nbsp;

Since Friday, the state is witnessing heavy rainfall which is leading to landslides and flash floods.&nbsp;

The death toll includes eight members of the same family. Ten people were injured in the state which has reported 36 weather-related incidents.&nbsp;

Amid the crisis, at least 743 roads, including the Manali-Chandigarh national highway at Mandi and the Shimla-Chandigarh highway at Shoghi, have been blocked for traffic.&nbsp;

Deputy Commissioner Arindam Chaudhary said that as many as 13 people died in Mandi alone. Six went missing in flash floods and landslides triggered by heavy rainfall.&nbsp;

On Saturday, the Chakki bridge in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra collapsed due to heavy rains. It led to the disruption of train services between Pathankot and Jogindernagar.&nbsp;

On Saturday only, a series of cloudbursts killed four people. Around 10 went missing as rivers breached banks, washed away bridges, and threw mud and water inside houses.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

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Himachal Pradesh, the northern Indian state, is predicted to witness moderate to heavy rainfall in the next five days and an orange alert has been issued for the next 12 hours for the whole state.

Himachal Pradesh, the northern Indian state, is predicted to witness moderate to heavy rainfall in the next five days and an orange alert has been issued for the next 12 hours for the whole state. There is a yellow alert for the rest of the days till August 24, said Bui Lal, the IMD deputy director of state on Saturday. This comes after reports of heavy rains triggering flash floods and landslides. At least 31 people were killed, 22 of them in Himachal Pradesh alone. State Disaster Management Department director Sudesh Kumar Mokhta said on Saturday that the maximum damage has been reported in Mandi, Kangra and Chamba districts. India-based news agency PTI reported that the fatalities included four each in Uttarakhand and Odisha. One from Jharkhand also died. Since Friday, the state is witnessing heavy rainfall which is leading to landslides and flash floods. The death toll includes eight members of the same family. Ten people were injured in the state which has reported 36 weather-related incidents. Amid the crisis, at least 743 roads, including the Manali-Chandigarh national highway at Mandi and the Shimla-Chandigarh highway at Shoghi, have been blocked for traffic. Deputy Commissioner Arindam Chaudhary said that as many as 13 people died in Mandi alone. Six went missing in flash floods and landslides triggered by heavy rainfall. On Saturday, the Chakki bridge in Himachal Pradesh's Kangra collapsed due to heavy rains. It led to the disruption of train services between Pathankot and Jogindernagar. On Saturday only, a series of cloudbursts killed four people. Around 10 went missing as rivers breached banks, washed away bridges, and threw mud and water inside houses. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

India: At least 22 dead, several missing in flash floods, landslides in Himachal Pradesh

A study was conducted by India, Tanzania, Nigeria, Malawi & Ghana. As per study, immediate KMC reduces premature infant mortality by 25% and direct skin-to-skin contact with mother helps premature born babies.

The 'Kangaroo mother care' method: India introduces first ward to provide immediate KMC

India has resumed diplomatic operations in Afghanistan. The Indian embassy in Kabul has reopened to revive New Delhi's stalled operations. Palki Sharma brings you a report.

Gravitas: India resumes diplomatic operations in Kabul

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