Nine colleges in China have announced a weeklong holiday in April for their students to find love. The unique plan was to address the decline in the country's overall population amid an ageing society and plunging birthrate.

China: College students are given a week-long holiday to 'fall in love'

They say desperate times call for desperate measures. At least that is what one is reminded of by Chinese social media users who see Chinese colleges giving a week-long holiday to find love as a measure aimed to tackle the country's dwindling population.&nbsp;

A few Chinese vocational colleges reportedly gave their students a full week's holiday in the month of April. Why? Just so they could find love. But the announcement by these colleges does not explicitly talk about finding a romantic partner but instead says the holiday is for appreciating nature and "to find love."&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-24-injured-after-devastating-tornado-hit-us-state-of-arkansas-577880">At least 24 injured after 'devastating' tornado hit US state of Arkansas</a>

Nature love. Imagine your college gives you a holiday to let you be surrounded by nature. To let you absorb its sights and sounds bringing its love to you. To feel the wind through the trees and listen to the songs of birds. And to simply reconnect with nature. Weird?&nbsp;

But the hidden meaning of it seems to be pretty clear to Chinese netizens that the college announcement is just an extension of the government's policies to accelerate the birth rate in a country whose population has seen a historic decline.&nbsp;

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/technology/defending-twitters-paid-blue-tick-elon-musk-predicts-social-media-sites-without-such-model-will-fail-577878">Defending Twitter's paid blue tick, Elon Musk predicts social media sites without such model 'will fail'</a>

The decision to give a holiday week to find love was taken by colleges of the Fan Mei Education Group. All of the group's vocational schools train students for employment in the aviation sector. The training is given to prepare students to become future pilots, air traffic controllers or flight attendants.&nbsp;

The Mianyang Aviation Vocational College in a statement on 23 March said, “The school implements the spring break system in the hope that students can learn to love nature, love life, and enjoy love." It urged the college students to “walk out of campus, get in touch with nature, and with your heart feel the beauty of spring.”

Meanwhile, the Qingdao Aviation Technology Vocational College said the students ought to enjoy the flowers. The spring break from April 1 to 7 was to “enjoy the flowers and to fall in love,” it said.&nbsp;

A person on the Chinese social media site Weibo, reacting to this unique holiday, said,&nbsp;“I’m sure this is just another attempt to push people into having more babies.”&nbsp;

Every year, the holiday used to be just for one day, to mark the national tomb-sweeping festival known as the Qingming Festival, which falls on April 5 this year. But the festival is now extended to a full love-blown spring week.&nbsp;

Watch | Will Artificial Intelligence be the end of mankind? | This World

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/will-artificial-intelligence-be-the-end-of-mankind-this-world-577854/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Nevertheless, the students seem to be cherishing this holiday. “I was thrilled when I found out about spring break. My roommates and I immediately booked a flight to Lijiang of Yunnan province and plan to have some fun there for a few days,” a freshman at Sichuan Southwest told Beijing Youth Daily, per China Daily.

Not just the holiday, the assignments are also hinged on a light-mood love-theme. The assignments include everything from writing travel diaries to shooting videos.&nbsp;

This all is reportedly done in the quest of boosting the declining population. For the first time since 1962, China's National Bureau of Statistics recorded a population decline of 850,000 in 2022. The statistics revealed the lowest birth rate in history and the greatest mortality rate since 1976.&nbsp; 
 
(With inputs from agencies) 
 
&nbsp;

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1  width=&quot;100%&quot;"></iframe>

You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.

They say desperate times call for desperate measures. At least that is what one is reminded of by Chinese social media users who see Chinese colleges giving a week-long holiday to find love as a measure aimed to tackle the country's dwindling population.

They say desperate times call for desperate measures. At least that is what one is reminded of by Chinese social media users who see Chinese colleges giving a week-long holiday to find love as a measure aimed to tackle the country's dwindling population. A few Chinese vocational colleges reportedly gave their students a full week's holiday in the month of April. Why? Just so they could find love. But the announcement by these colleges does not explicitly talk about finding a romantic partner but instead says the holiday is for appreciating nature and "to find love." Also Read | At least 24 injured after 'devastating' tornado hit US state of Arkansas Nature love. Imagine your college gives you a holiday to let you be surrounded by nature. To let you absorb its sights and sounds bringing its love to you. To feel the wind through the trees and listen to the songs of birds. And to simply reconnect with nature. Weird? But the hidden meaning of it seems to be pretty clear to Chinese netizens that the college announcement is just an extension of the government's policies to accelerate the birth rate in a country whose population has seen a historic decline. Also Read | Defending Twitter's paid blue tick, Elon Musk predicts social media sites without such model 'will fail' The decision to give a holiday week to find love was taken by colleges of the Fan Mei Education Group. All of the group's vocational schools train students for employment in the aviation sector. The training is given to prepare students to become future pilots, air traffic controllers or flight attendants. The Mianyang Aviation Vocational College in a statement on 23 March said, “The school implements the spring break system in the hope that students can learn to love nature, love life, and enjoy love." It urged the college students to “walk out of campus, get in touch with nature, and with your heart feel the beauty of spring.” Meanwhile, the Qingdao Aviation Technology Vocational College said the students ought to enjoy the flowers. The spring break from April 1 to 7 was to “enjoy the flowers and to fall in love,” it said. A person on the Chinese social media site Weibo, reacting to this unique holiday, said, “I’m sure this is just another attempt to push people into having more babies.” Every year, the holiday used to be just for one day, to mark the national tomb-sweeping festival known as the Qingming Festival, which falls on April 5 this year. But the festival is now extended to a full love-blown spring week. Watch | Will Artificial Intelligence be the end of mankind? | This World × Nevertheless, the students seem to be cherishing this holiday. “I was thrilled when I found out about spring break. My roommates and I immediately booked a flight to Lijiang of Yunnan province and plan to have some fun there for a few days,” a freshman at Sichuan Southwest told Beijing Youth Daily, per China Daily. Not just the holiday, the assignments are also hinged on a light-mood love-theme. The assignments include everything from writing travel diaries to shooting videos. This all is reportedly done in the quest of boosting the declining population. For the first time since 1962, China's National Bureau of Statistics recorded a population decline of 850,000 in 2022. The statistics revealed the lowest birth rate in history and the greatest mortality rate since 1976. (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.

Chinese colleges on love-themed spring break as nation scurries to arrest population decline

Romantic film Whats Love Got To Do With It released in India on March 16 and British actress Lily James of Cinderella fame spoke to WION's Zeba Khan on love, marriage and sex.

Lily James on her latest film & working with Shekhar Kapur | Whats Love Got To Do With It

This Valentine's Day is set to look different after a year of record food inflation that has sent up prices of everything from flowers to chocolates and dining in restaurants.

Valentine's day to look different this year

Valentine's Day is round the corner, Dopamine levels in couples are kicking in - but what is Dopamine? It is a neurotransmitter associated with the feeling of love, experts say too much of it could turn out to be a sign of bad match.

How much love is too much love? Experts say too much Dopamine is a 'red flag'

If you are one of those persons who have trouble memorising long sequences of numbers, don't worry; once you realise why 5201314 means "I love you for a lifetime," you won't forget it too quickly. What does the number indicate, then? To discover the puzzle, keep reading. Many different puzzles may be found online every day, but this one could surprise you. It's fantastic to have a number that expresses how lovers feel about one another. The story behind the number is even more wonderful. The number 5201314 which has gone viral on the Internet means "I love you for a lifetime" and how is that?

<h2>Chinese connection behind the mystery&nbsp;</h2>

There is a Chinese connection behind this number mystery. How? Well, in Chinese, "I love you for a lifetime" is translated as "我愛你一輩子". This Chinese translation of I love you for a lifetime is pronounced as "Wǒ ài nǐ yībèizi". The numbers in the numeric sequence 5 2 0 are pronounced as "Wǔ'èr líng" in Mandarin language which is very close to the pronunciation of "I love you" or "我愛你" or "Wǒ ài nǐ". In a similar fashion, the pronunciation of the numbers 1 3 1 4 is close to that of "for a lifetime" in Mandarin.

<h2>Internet Slangs&nbsp;</h2>

There are many short cut tactics to say someone you love them. You could write 143 as the letters words I, Love and You has 1 four and three letters in them respectively. In messaging language one could write ILY. In a similar way, Chinese because of the pronunciation of the number which gets heard similar to the pronunciation of I Love You use 520 as an internet slang. This number 520 is quite popular among Chinese people. On social media, Chinese people have started using 520 as a slang word to communicate their "I love you" in Mandarin.

<h2>Valentine day based on the number&nbsp;</h2>

In China, many web addresses use this strings of numbers. For instance, the dating site 5201314.com. Even some has started treating the number as as Valentine's Day on social media. They relate the number with the date May 20 (that is 5 the month and 20 the date). 
&nbsp;

If you are one of those persons who have trouble memorising long sequences of numbers, don't worry; once you realise why 5201314 means "I love you for a lifetime," you won't forget it too quickly.

If you are one of those persons who have trouble memorising long sequences of numbers, don't worry; once you realise why 5201314 means "I love you for a lifetime," you won't forget it too quickly. What does the number indicate, then? To discover the puzzle, keep reading. Many different puzzles may be found online every day, but this one could surprise you. It's fantastic to have a number that expresses how lovers feel about one another. The story behind the number is even more wonderful. The number 5201314 which has gone viral on the Internet means "I love you for a lifetime" and how is that? Chinese connection behind the mystery There is a Chinese connection behind this number mystery. How? Well, in Chinese, "I love you for a lifetime" is translated as "我愛你一輩子". This Chinese translation of I love you for a lifetime is pronounced as "Wǒ ài nǐ yībèizi". The numbers in the numeric sequence 5 2 0 are pronounced as "Wǔ'èr líng" in Mandarin language which is very close to the pronunciation of "I love you" or "我愛你" or "Wǒ ài nǐ". In a similar fashion, the pronunciation of the numbers 1 3 1 4 is close to that of "for a lifetime" in Mandarin. Internet Slangs There are many short cut tactics to say someone you love them. You could write 143 as the letters words I, Love and You has 1 four and three letters in them respectively. In messaging language one could write ILY. In a similar way, Chinese because of the pronunciation of the number which gets heard similar to the pronunciation of I Love You use 520 as an internet slang. This number 520 is quite popular among Chinese people. On social media, Chinese people have started using 520 as a slang word to communicate their "I love you" in Mandarin. Valentine day based on the number In China, many web addresses use this strings of numbers. For instance, the dating site 5201314.com. Even some has started treating the number as as Valentine's Day on social media. They relate the number with the date May 20 (that is 5 the month and 20 the date).

Know the mystery behind 5201314, a number meaning 'I love you for a lifetime'

Fans are left shell-shocked by the news of Janis Hunter&nbsp;Gaye's passing away. She was 66 and the second wife of Motown superstar Marvin Gaye. Janis passed away on Saturday at her home in Rhode Island from an unspecified cause, according to her family. I Want You, Marvin's&nbsp;album from 1976, has been called “a romantic and erotic tribute”&nbsp;&nbsp;to her. She sang background&nbsp;vocals on his 1977 disco hit "Got to Give It Up," which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. That year, they got hitched.&nbsp;

<img alt="Marvin" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4dd6a836-fd98-4c79-9752-f0aa83e82f8f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202022-12-07T153225.601.png" />

How did Janis and Marvin meet?&nbsp;

During a 1973 recording session at Hitsville West in Los Angeles for his album Let's Get It On, the singer was introduced to Hunter Gaye by producer Ed Townsend. At the time, Gaye was married to Berry Gordy's sister Anna Gordy; Hunter Gaye was 17 and he was 34. Between 1977 through 1981, the couple was wed. They then divorced. After being shot by his father in Los Angeles, he passed away three years later. After the Dance: My Life With Marvin Gaye, her memoir, was released in 2015.

<img alt="After the Dance" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="874aa624-2554-4b3a-bfee-dae7f39d69fa" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202022-12-07T153454.778.png" />

The Iconic outfit which Janis put together for Marvin

Her family claims that Hunter Gaye put together the legendary ensemble that Gaye wore for his historic 1974 musical performance at the Oakland Coliseum, which included a red watch cap, a beaded denim shirt, and silver red-laced platform boots.

<img alt="Red Boots " data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="78390a97-815b-4065-bace-849aa7aaa72f" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202022-12-07T153012.358.png" />

Rest in Melody Janis Hunter Gaye&nbsp;

The singer-musician Slim Gaillard, whose songs included "Flat Foot Floogie (With a Floy Floy)," was the father of Hunter Gaye. Additionally, she oversaw her daughter&nbsp;Nona Gaye's career as a singer and actress who has appeared in two Matrix films as well as Ali and Crash.

<img alt="Janis" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="4ff45ad5-054e-4543-87df-bcb8e933507a" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/Untitled%20design%20-%202022-12-07T153608.712.png" />

Daughter opens up&nbsp;

Janis Hunter Gaye's daughter Nona Gaye said, “From the time she met my father, she was exposed to the way he saw this world was aching, and she did her best to preserve his legacy as he was taken from us far too early.” “She took every moment to speak about every word and every note of his music, and she wanted to make sure everyone knew the man she fell in love with. I will never get to see her again in this life but know she’s in heaven with my father and a spokesperson for us in spirit.” Son Frankie, sister Shawnn, brother Mark, and grandson Nolan are among the living survivors. There will be a public event which will be announced in her memory.

Fans are left shell-shocked by the news of Janis Hunter Gaye's passing away. She was 66 and the second wife of Motown superstar Marvin Gaye. Janis passed away on Saturday at her home in Rhode Island from an unspecified cause, according to her family.

Fans are left shell-shocked by the news of Janis Hunter Gaye's passing away. She was 66 and the second wife of Motown superstar Marvin Gaye. Janis passed away on Saturday at her home in Rhode Island from an unspecified cause, according to her family. I Want You, Marvin's album from 1976, has been called “a romantic and erotic tribute” to her. She sang background vocals on his 1977 disco hit "Got to Give It Up," which peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. That year, they got hitched. How did Janis and Marvin meet? During a 1973 recording session at Hitsville West in Los Angeles for his album Let's Get It On, the singer was introduced to Hunter Gaye by producer Ed Townsend. At the time, Gaye was married to Berry Gordy's sister Anna Gordy; Hunter Gaye was 17 and he was 34. Between 1977 through 1981, the couple was wed. They then divorced. After being shot by his father in Los Angeles, he passed away three years later. After the Dance: My Life With Marvin Gaye, her memoir, was released in 2015. The Iconic outfit which Janis put together for Marvin Her family claims that Hunter Gaye put together the legendary ensemble that Gaye wore for his historic 1974 musical performance at the Oakland Coliseum, which included a red watch cap, a beaded denim shirt, and silver red-laced platform boots. Rest in Melody Janis Hunter Gaye The singer-musician Slim Gaillard, whose songs included "Flat Foot Floogie (With a Floy Floy)," was the father of Hunter Gaye. Additionally, she oversaw her daughter Nona Gaye's career as a singer and actress who has appeared in two Matrix films as well as Ali and Crash. Daughter opens up Janis Hunter Gaye's daughter Nona Gaye said, “From the time she met my father, she was exposed to the way he saw this world was aching, and she did her best to preserve his legacy as he was taken from us far too early.” “She took every moment to speak about every word and every note of his music, and she wanted to make sure everyone knew the man she fell in love with. I will never get to see her again in this life but know she’s in heaven with my father and a spokesperson for us in spirit.” Son Frankie, sister Shawnn, brother Mark, and grandson Nolan are among the living survivors. There will be a public event which will be announced in her memory.

RIP Janis Gaye !! See Motown Legend Marvin Gaye's and his wife's PERFECTLY captured moments

In a serious accident, former talk show host and comedian Jay Leno suffered burns to his face after his car reportedly caught fire. Watch this report.

Jay Leno & his love for cars: Comedian injured in a gasoline fire

Love, an emotion that often leaves people overwhelmed, and if it's a reunion, it has to be emotional. These moments are very special to one's heart, and these meetings, when recorded and shared online, leave people teary-eyed with joy.&nbsp;

Similar to the instance above, a heart-touching video went viral where a man travelled all the way to Bolivia to meet his childhood nanny after 45 years. Juanito Jonsson travelled from Spain to meet his nanny and shared his precious memory on Instagram a few months back. The video went viral later after being reposted by the Twitter account GoodNewsCorres1 on September 28.

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-netizens-are-in-awe-of-this-200-year-old-jackfruit-tree-in-tamil-nadu-520122">Also read |&nbsp;Watch: Netizens are in awe of this 200-year-old jackfruit tree in Tamil Nadu</a>

The video on Twitter has over 167K views, and the numbers keep rising. Additionally, the video has over 7,000 likes and 881 retweets. However, on Instagram, the video has over 3,000 likes.&nbsp;

The video caption read, "After more than 45 years apart, this man finds his former nanny named Ana. An incredible woman who took care of him as a child as if he were her own son. "

Netizens have been showering the video with love, hugs, and messages of celebration. And some even shared their similar experiences. Take a look!

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
My sisters and I did the same a couple of years ago – got back in touch with our nanny Lynda (from Trinidad, now living in the US) after 40+ years. We reunited here in Italy and it was simply magic 💖
— Giancarlo Avellino (@GianxlAvellino) <a href="https://twitter.com/GianxlAvellino/status/1575136943683280898?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

One user said, "Her face when she realised it was him." Another user remarked that some tears of joy were needed to start one's day. "

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://t.co/geHmbLJsK8">pic.twitter.com/geHmbLJsK8</a>
— Kenny Omega (@KennieOmega) <a href="https://twitter.com/KennieOmega/status/1575181936372244482?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Similarly, a tweet read, "Nannies deserve medals of honor as parents keep lowering their responsibilities as they dive into the world's technology advancements."

<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/watch-turkish-singer-melek-mosso-cuts-her-hair-on-stage-in-show-of-support-for-iran-protests-520429">Also read |&nbsp;Watch: Turkish singer Melek Mosso cuts her hair on stage in show of support for Iran protests</a>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
There is nothing like a hug from an elder, the love they give. The best.❤️❤️
— observantguy (@observantguy1) <a href="https://twitter.com/observantguy1/status/1575383232820150272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 29, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

&nbsp;

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
My adult children and I are still in touch with their Nanny.
— Suzanne McCain (@McCainSuzanne) <a href="https://twitter.com/McCainSuzanne/status/1575159051469541380?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2022</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

A user tweeted, "Respect for the "human condition" restored.!!"

A user made a remark about treating people right. The tweet read, "People don't remember what you say, they remember how you made them feel."&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

Love, an emotion that often leaves people overwhelmed, and if it's a reunion, it has to be emotional. These moments are very special to one's heart, and these meetings, when recorded and shared online, leave people teary-eyed with joy.

Love, an emotion that often leaves people overwhelmed, and if it's a reunion, it has to be emotional. These moments are very special to one's heart, and these meetings, when recorded and shared online, leave people teary-eyed with joy. Similar to the instance above, a heart-touching video went viral where a man travelled all the way to Bolivia to meet his childhood nanny after 45 years. Juanito Jonsson travelled from Spain to meet his nanny and shared his precious memory on Instagram a few months back. The video went viral later after being reposted by the Twitter account GoodNewsCorres1 on September 28. Also read | Watch: Netizens are in awe of this 200-year-old jackfruit tree in Tamil Nadu The video on Twitter has over 167K views, and the numbers keep rising. Additionally, the video has over 7,000 likes and 881 retweets. However, on Instagram, the video has over 3,000 likes. The video caption read, "After more than 45 years apart, this man finds his former nanny named Ana. An incredible woman who took care of him as a child as if he were her own son. " Netizens have been showering the video with love, hugs, and messages of celebration. And some even shared their similar experiences. Take a look! My sisters and I did the same a couple of years ago – got back in touch with our nanny Lynda (from Trinidad, now living in the US) after 40+ years. We reunited here in Italy and it was simply magic 💖 — Giancarlo Avellino (@GianxlAvellino) September 28, 2022 × One user said, "Her face when she realised it was him." Another user remarked that some tears of joy were needed to start one's day. " pic.twitter.com/geHmbLJsK8 — Kenny Omega (@KennieOmega) September 28, 2022 × Similarly, a tweet read, "Nannies deserve medals of honor as parents keep lowering their responsibilities as they dive into the world's technology advancements." Also read | Watch: Turkish singer Melek Mosso cuts her hair on stage in show of support for Iran protests There is nothing like a hug from an elder, the love they give. The best.❤️❤️ — observantguy (@observantguy1) September 29, 2022 × My adult children and I are still in touch with their Nanny. — Suzanne McCain (@McCainSuzanne) September 28, 2022 × A user tweeted, "Respect for the "human condition" restored.!!" A user made a remark about treating people right. The tweet read, "People don't remember what you say, they remember how you made them feel." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Watch | Spanish man travels to Bolivia to meet his nanny after 45 years, leaves netizens in tears

Israel has come out with a new rule that asks foreigners to inform the Israeli defence ministry if they fall in love with a Palestinian in the occupied West Bank.

The new rules, which are due to come in to force from&nbsp;Monday, say that once they marry, they will have to leave the region after 27 months for a cooling-off period of one-and-a-half years, BBC reported.

It also asks foreigners to inform the Israeli authorities within 30 days of starting a relationship with a Palestinian ID holder.

The regulations, which are being seen as an attempt to tighten rules on foreigners living in or looking to visit the West Bank, have been slammed by Palestinians and Israeli NGOs, who have accused the Israeli government of "taking restrictions to a new level".

Apart from that, new restrictions have been imposed on Palestinian universities, limiting a quota for 150 student visas and 100 foreign lecturers, while there are no such limits in the Israeli ones.

"This is about demographic engineering of Palestinian society and isolating Palestinian society from the outside world," Jessica Montell, executive director of the Israeli non-governmental organisation HaMoked, which has petitioned the Israeli High Court against the regulations, told BBC.

"They make it much more difficult for people to come and work in Palestinian institutions, volunteer, invest, teach and study," she added.

These new rules are part of the 97-page order brought by the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (Cogat), which is part of the Israel defence ministry.

Cogat is responsible for the administration of the Palestinian territory.

The order is titled ‘Procedure for entry and residence of foreigners in the Judea and Samaria area’— the biblical name Israel uses for the West Bank.

The order was first published in February, but its introduction has been delayed.

(With inputs from agencies)

WATCH WION LIVE HERE

<iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe>

Israel has come out with a new rule that asks foreigners to inform the Israeli defence ministry if they fall in love with a Palestinian in the occupied West Bank.

Israel has come out with a new rule that asks foreigners to inform the Israeli defence ministry if they fall in love with a Palestinian in the occupied West Bank. The new rules, which are due to come in to force from Monday, say that once they marry, they will have to leave the region after 27 months for a cooling-off period of one-and-a-half years, BBC reported. It also asks foreigners to inform the Israeli authorities within 30 days of starting a relationship with a Palestinian ID holder. The regulations, which are being seen as an attempt to tighten rules on foreigners living in or looking to visit the West Bank, have been slammed by Palestinians and Israeli NGOs, who have accused the Israeli government of "taking restrictions to a new level". Apart from that, new restrictions have been imposed on Palestinian universities, limiting a quota for 150 student visas and 100 foreign lecturers, while there are no such limits in the Israeli ones. "This is about demographic engineering of Palestinian society and isolating Palestinian society from the outside world," Jessica Montell, executive director of the Israeli non-governmental organisation HaMoked, which has petitioned the Israeli High Court against the regulations, told BBC. "They make it much more difficult for people to come and work in Palestinian institutions, volunteer, invest, teach and study," she added. These new rules are part of the 97-page order brought by the Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories (Cogat), which is part of the Israel defence ministry. Cogat is responsible for the administration of the Palestinian territory. The order is titled ‘Procedure for entry and residence of foreigners in the Judea and Samaria area’— the biblical name Israel uses for the West Bank. The order was first published in February, but its introduction has been delayed. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Israel’s controversial new rule asks West Bank visitors to declare love interest

Hollywood actor Michael Cimino is all geared up to star in two back-to-back shows, one being Netflix's teen comedy-drama 'Never Have I Ever' and the other being HBO Max's supernatural romance 'B-Loved'. Cimino, known for his movie 'Love, Victor' is the new addition to the fourth and final season of 'Never Have I Ever', reported E! News. Cimino would be playing the character of Ethan, who, according to Netflix, is "a skater and new heartthrob at Sherman Oaks High." However, since the third instalment of the series is yet to be released, Caminio's appearance on the show would require a little more patience. Season 3 would start streaming on Netflix on August 12, this year. The release date for Season 4 is yet-to-be-announced.

'Never Have I Ever'&nbsp;starred Maitreyi Ramakrishnan in the lead role, along with Darren Barnet, Jaren Lewison, Richa Moorjani, and Poorna Jagannathan, to name a few. On being asked why the famous teenage drama was coming to a conclusion after four seasons, the creator of the show, Mindy Kaling, revealed that it would not make any "sense" if the characters in the series never graduated from "high school". "Four seasons for a high school show felt like it made sense. They can't be in high school forever," shared Kaling.

Apart from 'Never Have I Ever', Cimino will also feature in another supernatural teen romance, titled 'B-Loved', reported E! News. The two-episode special series will premiere on HBO Max in 2023, around Valentine's Day. 'The Thinning' actor, Peyton List, is also a part of 'B-Loved'. According to HBO Max, the story of the supernatural teen drama revolves around a "teenage ghost," played by List, who bonds with a "new boy in town", Cole, aka Cimion.

"The special revolves around Bea, a free-spirited teenage ghost who forms a special friendship with the new boy in town, Cole, whose house she has been inhabiting for more than 100 years. With the help of a magical ring that allows Cole to see Bea, they'll rediscover the meaning of being alive, but also the importance of letting go," said the streamer platform, as reported by E! News.

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/entertainment/summer-scars-wins-top-prize-at-record-setting-neuchatel-festival-495995">'Summer Scars' wins top prize at record-setting Neuchatel Festival</a>

Meanwhile, talking about Cimino's 'Love, Victor', the comedy-drama series dropped its third and final season on June 15 this year. Later, Cimino said that he felt great to hear that the show, "changed the life" of some of his fans and impacted them to "come out".

"The ones that mean the most to me are the ones that say, 'This show has changed my life because it inspired me to come out. Or 'I watched the show with my family and it changed my mom's perspective about things. That's my whole goal," said Cimino, as reported by E! News.&nbsp;

Hollywood actor Michael Cimino is all geared up to star in two back-to-back shows, one being Netflix's teen comedy-drama 'Never Have I Ever' and the other being HBO Max's supernatural romance 'B-Loved'.

Hollywood actor Michael Cimino is all geared up to star in two back-to-back shows, one being Netflix's teen comedy-drama 'Never Have I Ever' and the other being HBO Max's supernatural romance 'B-Loved'. Cimino, known for his movie 'Love, Victor' is the new addition to the fourth and final season of 'Never Have I Ever', reported E! News. Cimino would be playing the character of Ethan, who, according to Netflix, is "a skater and new heartthrob at Sherman Oaks High." However, since the third instalment of the series is yet to be released, Caminio's appearance on the show would require a little more patience. Season 3 would start streaming on Netflix on August 12, this year. The release date for Season 4 is yet-to-be-announced. 'Never Have I Ever' starred Maitreyi Ramakrishnan in the lead role, along with Darren Barnet, Jaren Lewison, Richa Moorjani, and Poorna Jagannathan, to name a few. On being asked why the famous teenage drama was coming to a conclusion after four seasons, the creator of the show, Mindy Kaling, revealed that it would not make any "sense" if the characters in the series never graduated from "high school". "Four seasons for a high school show felt like it made sense. They can't be in high school forever," shared Kaling. Apart from 'Never Have I Ever', Cimino will also feature in another supernatural teen romance, titled 'B-Loved', reported E! News. The two-episode special series will premiere on HBO Max in 2023, around Valentine's Day. 'The Thinning' actor, Peyton List, is also a part of 'B-Loved'. According to HBO Max, the story of the supernatural teen drama revolves around a "teenage ghost," played by List, who bonds with a "new boy in town", Cole, aka Cimion. "The special revolves around Bea, a free-spirited teenage ghost who forms a special friendship with the new boy in town, Cole, whose house she has been inhabiting for more than 100 years. With the help of a magical ring that allows Cole to see Bea, they'll rediscover the meaning of being alive, but also the importance of letting go," said the streamer platform, as reported by E! News. Also Read: 'Summer Scars' wins top prize at record-setting Neuchatel Festival Meanwhile, talking about Cimino's 'Love, Victor', the comedy-drama series dropped its third and final season on June 15 this year. Later, Cimino said that he felt great to hear that the show, "changed the life" of some of his fans and impacted them to "come out". "The ones that mean the most to me are the ones that say, 'This show has changed my life because it inspired me to come out. Or 'I watched the show with my family and it changed my mom's perspective about things. That's my whole goal," said Cimino, as reported by E! News.

'Love, Victor' star Michael Cimino to star in both Netflix comedy, HBO Max special

A Korean war veteran has finally reunited with his first love. It was his 70-year journey to find his lost love. Watch this report.

A 70-year journey to find lost love: Korean war veteran reunites with first love

In pics: Bangkok celebrates its first pride parade in nearly 16 years

A farmer in Gaza Strip has found a Bronze Age stone statue dating back 4,500 years, depicting the face of an ancient goddess of beauty, love and war, local media reports.

The statue, carved out of limestone and 22 centimetres (8.6 inches) long, was discovered by a farmer working on his land in Khan Younis.

“The statue represents the Canaanite goddess Anat,” Jamal Abu Reda, chief of the Hamas-run ministry of tourism and antiquities department, said in a statement, according to the Times of Israel newspaper.

According to local folklore, Anat was one of the best-known Canaanite deities, symbolised as the goddess of love and war.

It was unearthed on what was an important “overland trade route for several civilizations” that lived in what is now the Gaza Strip, Reda said.

“We found it by chance. It was muddy and we washed it with water," farmer Nidal Abu Eid, who came across the head while cultivating his field, told the BBC.

"We realised that it was a precious thing, but we didn't know it was of such great archaeological value," he said.

"We thank God, and we are proud that it stayed in our land, in Palestine, since the Canaanite times," he added.

The statue of Anat was put on display on Tuesday in Qasr al-Basha, a historic building that serves as one of Gaza's few museums, the British media outlet reported.

Unveiling the artefact at a press conference, Reda said the statue was "resistant against time" and had been carefully examined by experts.

"Such discoveries prove that Palestine has civilisation and history, and no-one can deny or falsify this history," he said.

"This is the Palestinian people and their ancient Canaanite civilisation," BBC quoted Reda as saying.

(With inputs from agencies)

A farmer in Gaza Strip has found a Bronze Age stone statue dating back 4,500 years, depicting the face of an ancient goddess of beauty, love and war, local media reports.

A farmer in Gaza Strip has found a Bronze Age stone statue dating back 4,500 years, depicting the face of an ancient goddess of beauty, love and war, local media reports. The statue, carved out of limestone and 22 centimetres (8.6 inches) long, was discovered by a farmer working on his land in Khan Younis. “The statue represents the Canaanite goddess Anat,” Jamal Abu Reda, chief of the Hamas-run ministry of tourism and antiquities department, said in a statement, according to the Times of Israel newspaper. According to local folklore, Anat was one of the best-known Canaanite deities, symbolised as the goddess of love and war. It was unearthed on what was an important “overland trade route for several civilizations” that lived in what is now the Gaza Strip, Reda said. “We found it by chance. It was muddy and we washed it with water," farmer Nidal Abu Eid, who came across the head while cultivating his field, told the BBC. "We realised that it was a precious thing, but we didn't know it was of such great archaeological value," he said. "We thank God, and we are proud that it stayed in our land, in Palestine, since the Canaanite times," he added. The statue of Anat was put on display on Tuesday in Qasr al-Basha, a historic building that serves as one of Gaza's few museums, the British media outlet reported. Unveiling the artefact at a press conference, Reda said the statue was "resistant against time" and had been carefully examined by experts. "Such discoveries prove that Palestine has civilisation and history, and no-one can deny or falsify this history," he said. "This is the Palestinian people and their ancient Canaanite civilisation," BBC quoted Reda as saying. (With inputs from agencies)

Gaza farmer stumbles upon rare Bronze Age statue of goddess of love and war

In May 2020, Omar Ruiz found himself with a broken heart. “My wife told me she was no longer in love with me,” and shortly thereafter, the couple, who had been married 11 years, separated.

Not only was he crushed, he said, but as a marriage and family therapist, “this entire process challenged my professional identity,” said Ruiz, who is 36 and lives in Boston. “How could I help couples when my own marriage is falling apart?”

And so he determined that he needed to fall out of love.

“People say heartbreak is normal, so we shouldn’t try to fix it,” said Sandra Langeslag, an associate professor of psychological sciences at the University of Missouri-St. Louis who has studied the effects of breakups on the brain. But she points out that there are plenty of common, and even serious, diseases that we try to cure, so “why shouldn’t we try to help people with heartbreak and try to move on?”

Heartbreak has inspired music, poetry, visual art, ice-cream-filled listening sessions with friends and even a new hotel. And regardless of the reason — whether death, cognitive impairment, divorce or otherwise — most who experience it hope to recover and maybe even fall in love again with someone new.

But what if we actually had some control over the process? Can one deliberately fall out of love? Some of the science says yes.

“You can work on it,” said Helen E. Fisher, a biological anthropologist and senior research fellow at the Kinsey Institute in New York. She studies the anatomy of love, and in 2005 studied the brain imaging of 100 people using MRIs to pinpoint the circuitry of romantic love.

Fisher said she discovered that the same area of the brain associated with hunger and thirst — what is known as the ventral tegmental area, or VTA — becomes activated when you’re in love, making it “a drive, not an emotion.” This biological function makes falling out of love about as hard as trying not to feel thirsty. In other words, it’s not easy.

Kisha Mays, 40, who runs a business consultancy in Houston, continued to love her former boyfriend even while he was in prison. They were on and off for years, she said, and got back together for two years before he was released in October 2021. Then two months later, she said, he broke up with her.

“Now it is just healing, rebuilding and learning to trust again,” Mays said, noting that reiki and spiritual healing — along with throwing out all of his belongings — have helped.

Fisher would agree with Mays’ technique: She suggests treating the recovery process as you would an addiction, and throw out the cards, letters and keepsakes that remind you of the person. Don’t maintain contact or ask mutual friends how that person is doing. “You’re just raising the ghost,” she said.

Fisher, who put 17 people who had just been dumped through brain scanners, found activity in the VTA and in brain functions linked to attachment and physical pain. “Not the anxiety linked to physical pain, but physical pain,” she said.

Langeslag also said there is hope for the heartbroken. She ran two studies to see if people could try to make themselves feel less in love. The strategies that worked? First, it helps to think negative thoughts about the person you are trying to fall out of love with. The downside? “Thinking negatively makes you feel less in love but doesn’t make you feel any better,” Langeslag said. “Worse, actually.”

What then? Distraction. Think of things that make you happy other than the person you are trying to fall out of love with. This made people happier but no less in love.

The solution? The “one-two punch,” as Langeslag described it, or: negative thoughts about the person followed by a dose of distraction.

Her research found that people were able to deliberately decrease their love, but not completely banish it. The average amount of time for healed hurt feelings, according to survey data collected from her subjects, who self-reported, was six months, although the healing time depended on several factors, including how long the relationship lasted.

Rachelle Ramirez, a writer and editor in Portland, Oregon, can still recall a time when negative associations did the trick for her. When she was 15, she had what felt like an incurable crush on a classmate who was far less interested in her.

“When I say his disinterest was excruciating, it’s often seen as teen melodrama,” said Ramirez, who is now 47. “This assumption doesn’t come close to capturing the pain” she felt when thinking of him.

So how did Ramirez quash it? “I imagined him covered in vomit and holding dead kittens,” she said. “I know it was extreme, and I wouldn’t suggest everyone try this, but it worked for me.”

Some don’t buy into the notion, whether backed by science or not, that willing oneself to fall out of love is possible.

Bethany Cook, a clinical psychologist in Chicago who specializes in neuropsychological assessment, is wary about the notion of being able to control falling out of love.

“Love and affection are basic human needs. We can’t deliberately deny ourselves of it. That would be like saying we could consciously choose to stop breathing,” Cook said. “We don’t have that power, and to pretend we do is a way for the psyche to trick itself into thinking it has control, and is an unhealthy coping mechanism.

“Humans can fall out of love with someone, just not deliberately,” she added. “To suggest that humans deliberately act in a way that depletes a basic need runs contrary to the basic nature of what makes us human and what science tells us about our species.”

It took Ruiz, the marriage therapist, more than a year to successfully fall out of love. He said it took a divorce mediator to help detach from his wife more wholly, as well as immersing himself in activities with friends and family. And the help of a therapist.

“I thank my individual counselor for reminding me that the breakup of a marriage is a two-way street,” he said. “Both my ex-wife and I are held responsible for what happened.”

His therapist “also reminded me that I am human and am as vulnerable to relationship issues as any other person,” he added.

It helps to reframe the notion of falling in or out of love, said Damon L. Jacobs, a marriage and family therapist in New York. “Relationships are conduits for greater energy, joy and fulfillment but are not the lone source,” Jacobs said. Having this mindset, he said, may help you to embrace the pain with more grace and perspective.

“When things don’t work out,” he said, “we know we are still amazing, powerful, fierce, loving people who will continue to grow, love and thrive.”

In May 2020, Omar Ruiz found himself with a broken heart. “My wife told me she was no longer in love with me,” and shortly thereafter, the couple, who had been married 11 years, separated.

In May 2020, Omar Ruiz found himself with a broken heart. “My wife told me she was no longer in love with me,” and shortly thereafter, the couple, who had been married 11 years, separated. Not only was he crushed, he said, but as a marriage and family therapist, “this entire process challenged my professional identity,” said Ruiz, who is 36 and lives in Boston. “How could I help couples when my own marriage is falling apart?” And so he determined that he needed to fall out of love. “People say heartbreak is normal, so we shouldn’t try to fix it,” said Sandra Langeslag, an associate professor of psychological sciences at the University of Missouri-St. Louis who has studied the effects of breakups on the brain. But she points out that there are plenty of common, and even serious, diseases that we try to cure, so “why shouldn’t we try to help people with heartbreak and try to move on?” Heartbreak has inspired music, poetry, visual art, ice-cream-filled listening sessions with friends and even a new hotel. And regardless of the reason — whether death, cognitive impairment, divorce or otherwise — most who experience it hope to recover and maybe even fall in love again with someone new. But what if we actually had some control over the process? Can one deliberately fall out of love? Some of the science says yes. “You can work on it,” said Helen E. Fisher, a biological anthropologist and senior research fellow at the Kinsey Institute in New York. She studies the anatomy of love, and in 2005 studied the brain imaging of 100 people using MRIs to pinpoint the circuitry of romantic love. Fisher said she discovered that the same area of the brain associated with hunger and thirst — what is known as the ventral tegmental area, or VTA — becomes activated when you’re in love, making it “a drive, not an emotion.” This biological function makes falling out of love about as hard as trying not to feel thirsty. In other words, it’s not easy. Kisha Mays, 40, who runs a business consultancy in Houston, continued to love her former boyfriend even while he was in prison. They were on and off for years, she said, and got back together for two years before he was released in October 2021. Then two months later, she said, he broke up with her. “Now it is just healing, rebuilding and learning to trust again,” Mays said, noting that reiki and spiritual healing — along with throwing out all of his belongings — have helped. Fisher would agree with Mays’ technique: She suggests treating the recovery process as you would an addiction, and throw out the cards, letters and keepsakes that remind you of the person. Don’t maintain contact or ask mutual friends how that person is doing. “You’re just raising the ghost,” she said. Fisher, who put 17 people who had just been dumped through brain scanners, found activity in the VTA and in brain functions linked to attachment and physical pain. “Not the anxiety linked to physical pain, but physical pain,” she said. Langeslag also said there is hope for the heartbroken. She ran two studies to see if people could try to make themselves feel less in love. The strategies that worked? First, it helps to think negative thoughts about the person you are trying to fall out of love with. The downside? “Thinking negatively makes you feel less in love but doesn’t make you feel any better,” Langeslag said. “Worse, actually.” What then? Distraction. Think of things that make you happy other than the person you are trying to fall out of love with. This made people happier but no less in love. The solution? The “one-two punch,” as Langeslag described it, or: negative thoughts about the person followed by a dose of distraction. Her research found that people were able to deliberately decrease their love, but not completely banish it. The average amount of time for healed hurt feelings, according to survey data collected from her subjects, who self-reported, was six months, although the healing time depended on several factors, including how long the relationship lasted. Rachelle Ramirez, a writer and editor in Portland, Oregon, can still recall a time when negative associations did the trick for her. When she was 15, she had what felt like an incurable crush on a classmate who was far less interested in her. “When I say his disinterest was excruciating, it’s often seen as teen melodrama,” said Ramirez, who is now 47. “This assumption doesn’t come close to capturing the pain” she felt when thinking of him. So how did Ramirez quash it? “I imagined him covered in vomit and holding dead kittens,” she said. “I know it was extreme, and I wouldn’t suggest everyone try this, but it worked for me.” Some don’t buy into the notion, whether backed by science or not, that willing oneself to fall out of love is possible. Bethany Cook, a clinical psychologist in Chicago who specializes in neuropsychological assessment, is wary about the notion of being able to control falling out of love. “Love and affection are basic human needs. We can’t deliberately deny ourselves of it. That would be like saying we could consciously choose to stop breathing,” Cook said. “We don’t have that power, and to pretend we do is a way for the psyche to trick itself into thinking it has control, and is an unhealthy coping mechanism. “Humans can fall out of love with someone, just not deliberately,” she added. “To suggest that humans deliberately act in a way that depletes a basic need runs contrary to the basic nature of what makes us human and what science tells us about our species.” It took Ruiz, the marriage therapist, more than a year to successfully fall out of love. He said it took a divorce mediator to help detach from his wife more wholly, as well as immersing himself in activities with friends and family. And the help of a therapist. “I thank my individual counselor for reminding me that the breakup of a marriage is a two-way street,” he said. “Both my ex-wife and I are held responsible for what happened.” His therapist “also reminded me that I am human and am as vulnerable to relationship issues as any other person,” he added. It helps to reframe the notion of falling in or out of love, said Damon L. Jacobs, a marriage and family therapist in New York. “Relationships are conduits for greater energy, joy and fulfillment but are not the lone source,” Jacobs said. Having this mindset, he said, may help you to embrace the pain with more grace and perspective. “When things don’t work out,” he said, “we know we are still amazing, powerful, fierce, loving people who will continue to grow, love and thrive.”

Can we fall out of love?

Love knows no bounds: Vietnamese man spends thousands converting van into wooden tank for son

World famous chocolate Baci Perugina is celebrating its centenary in 2022 and here's the story of this classic chocolate we leave you with this report.

Baci: Story of the best-known chocolate linked to love

Although Valentine’s Day is an occasion to celebrate love, it seems to have also turned into a way to get back at a pesky ex. &nbsp;

Wondering how? Well, you can go for the 'Name a Cockroach' programme. &nbsp;

The initiative has been initiated by a zoo in southeast England. It is giving scorned lovers a chance to name a cockroach after their troublesome former lover. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-woman-says-she-is-allergic-to-her-own-baby-but-why-452559" hreflang="en">UK woman says she is allergic to her own baby. But why</a>

Hemsley Conservation Centre in Fairseat is a home to a colony of around 12 adult Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches, and some hundreds of their babies. &nbsp;&nbsp;

They can be "named" for a £1.50 donation (USD 2.00). This initiative will help fund conservation projects at the zoo.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/drought-in-spain-gives-birth-to-a-ghost-village-its-truly-real-452580" hreflang="en">Drought in Spain gives birth to a ghost village. It’s truly real!</a>

The donors will receive a certificate and can also have the option of adding a personalised message. The name chosen by them will appear on a 'Roach Board', which will be unveiled on Valentine's Day. &nbsp;&nbsp;

"If you've had a particularly nasty break up and you need a pick me up, it's a good way to have a little giggle to yourself or with your friends, but also if you wanted to name it after a politician maybe this year then you're more than welcome to, all names are welcome," Hemsley Conservation Centre Operations Manager, Henry Weedon, told Reuters on Thursday. &nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Although Valentine’s Day is an occasion to celebrate love, it seems to have also turned into a way to get back at a pesky ex. Wondering how? Well, you can go for the 'Name a Cockroach' programme.

Although Valentine’s Day is an occasion to celebrate love, it seems to have also turned into a way to get back at a pesky ex. Wondering how? Well, you can go for the 'Name a Cockroach' programme. The initiative has been initiated by a zoo in southeast England. It is giving scorned lovers a chance to name a cockroach after their troublesome former lover. Also Read: UK woman says she is allergic to her own baby. But why Hemsley Conservation Centre in Fairseat is a home to a colony of around 12 adult Madagascar Hissing Cockroaches, and some hundreds of their babies. They can be "named" for a £1.50 donation (USD 2.00). This initiative will help fund conservation projects at the zoo. Also Read: Drought in Spain gives birth to a ghost village. It’s truly real! The donors will receive a certificate and can also have the option of adding a personalised message. The name chosen by them will appear on a 'Roach Board', which will be unveiled on Valentine's Day. "If you've had a particularly nasty break up and you need a pick me up, it's a good way to have a little giggle to yourself or with your friends, but also if you wanted to name it after a politician maybe this year then you're more than welcome to, all names are welcome," Hemsley Conservation Centre Operations Manager, Henry Weedon, told Reuters on Thursday. (With inputs from agencies)

Time for love or revenge? Take your pick on Valentine's Day with 'Name a Cockroach' programme

Smashing the patriarchy in the human world has been easier said than done. But last year, a 9-year-old female Japanese macaque in a reserve in southern Japan showed humans how it’s done by violently overthrowing the alpha male of her troop to become its first female leader in the reserve’s 70-year history.

The macaque, named Yakei, presides over a troop of 677 monkeys in Takasakiyama Natural Zoological Garden, which was established as a reserve for monkeys in 1952. There are two troops on the island reserve, and they spend most of their time roaming the forested mountain at its center. They also make daily visits to a park at the base of the mountain, where the staff provides food. Since the reserve opened, its staff has kept tabs on the romantic and political struggles of the simian residents.

Yakei’s ascent to alpha status surprised both scientists and reserve workers, who are now closely observing Yakei’s reign to see how long she can maintain her supremacy. And with breeding season sending Yakei into the middle of something like a messy love triangle, some experts wonder if she may be vulnerable to a usurper.

​​The Japanese macaque, also known as the snow monkey, is a highly intelligent species native to Japan. It is well known for its beet-red bottom and its affinity for soaking in hot springs.

While many animals, including bees, hyenas and elephants, live in female-led societies, a hostile takeover by a female “is very rare in Japanese macaque society, and only a few cases have been reported in the history of primatology,” Yu Kaigaishi, a research fellow at the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, said in an email.

Japanese macaque society is based on a strict hierarchy. The higher an individual monkey’s rank, the greater its access to food, mates and resting locations. Females inherit the rank just below their mothers and rarely leave the troop they were born into. Males leave their natal troop upon reaching puberty and join a new troop, where their rank is usually determined by the amount of time they have spent in the troop. However, rank is sometimes gained through acts of violence, typically male on male.

Yakei confounded what primatologists expected among Japanese macaques. Last April, she beat up her own mother to claim the top spot among the females of her troop. While most females would be content there, Yakei continued to fight.

According to reserve workers, Yakei assaulted three high-ranking males, then went after Nanchu, who had led the troop for five years. At the age of 31, Nanchu is elderly for a Japanese macaque and was ultimately no match for the young and determined Yakei.

“She physically attacked and defeated Nanchu, consequently acquiring the highest ranking in the troop,” said Kaigaishi, who studies the behavior of Japanese macaques.

After Yakei’s altercation with Nanchu, reserve workers performed what is known as a “peanut test”: providing the monkeys with peanuts and seeing who eats first. Males and females stepped aside to let Yakei eat first, a confirmation of her alpha status.

Since then, “Yakei has shown some behaviors typically seen only in dominant males, such as walking with her tail up and shaking tree branches with her body,” said Kaigaishi, who is not affiliated with the reserve. "It sounds as if she is behaving like an adult male, being more aggressive than other individuals.”

Although Yakei seems to be leaning into her role, she is likely to face challenges. The reign of an alpha can last from a few months to over a decade. But observers of the troop say that mating season could change things for Yakei.

Mating time at the reserve, which typically runs from November until March, is in full swing. During the breeding season, male and female macaques, which are polygamous, form pair bonds. They mate, feed, rest and travel with their partners for an average of 16 days. After this period, the bond dissolves, and the females seek new partners. Females typically mate with an average of four males each breeding season.

“Mating season generally heats things up in Japanese macaque society,” said Katherine Cronin of the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, who studies animal social behavior and cognition, including of her zoo’s own Japanese macaques. “The environment becomes more competitive and tense.”

During previous breeding seasons, Yakei paired with Goro, a 15-year-old male ranked sixth within the troop. According to the reserve, the Japanese newspaper Manichi Shimbun reported, Goro bit Yakei in the face in 2019, a move that caused her bottom to flush bright red — a sign she was ready and willing to take him as a mate. However, since Yakei has claimed the troop’s top spot, Goro seems to have lost interest in her.

Since then, another male, an 18-year-old named Luffy, ranked fifth in the troop, has tried to woo Yakei, but to no avail. “Luffy likes Yakei, but it appears one-sided,” Satoshi Kimoto, a guide at Takasakiyama, said in an email.

Yakei could feasibly form pair bonds with both Goro and Luffy over the course of this breeding season. However, her distaste for Luffy seems to have recently evolved into something more akin to fear.

“I visited Takasakiyama last week and observed that Yakei showed a facial expression (known as ‘fear grimace’) typical for subordinate individuals against Luffy,” Kaigaishi said in an email. “Also, I observed Luffy pushing Yakei away to monopolize food.”

While Kaigaishi said more data was needed to reach any conclusions, he added, “It seemed that Luffy was dominant over Yakei.”

Whether Yakei’s behavior is the result of a fall from power or simply a sign she doesn’t wish to mate with Luffy is not yet clear. Kimoto said he still believed that Yakei held the top spot and that “she won’t fall from the top only from mating.”

If Yakei’s rule continues, scientists like Kaigaishi will have a unique opportunity to study how Japanese macaques fare in a society led by a female.

“Japanese macaque society is so dramatic and unpredictable,” he said, “which is why many people, both researchers and nonresearchers, love to observe them.”

Smashing the patriarchy in the human world has been easier said than done. But last year, a 9-year-old female Japanese macaque in a reserve in southern Japan showed humans how it’s done by violently overthrowing the alpha male of her troop to become its first female leader in the reserve’s 70-year history.

Smashing the patriarchy in the human world has been easier said than done. But last year, a 9-year-old female Japanese macaque in a reserve in southern Japan showed humans how it’s done by violently overthrowing the alpha male of her troop to become its first female leader in the reserve’s 70-year history. The macaque, named Yakei, presides over a troop of 677 monkeys in Takasakiyama Natural Zoological Garden, which was established as a reserve for monkeys in 1952. There are two troops on the island reserve, and they spend most of their time roaming the forested mountain at its center. They also make daily visits to a park at the base of the mountain, where the staff provides food. Since the reserve opened, its staff has kept tabs on the romantic and political struggles of the simian residents. Yakei’s ascent to alpha status surprised both scientists and reserve workers, who are now closely observing Yakei’s reign to see how long she can maintain her supremacy. And with breeding season sending Yakei into the middle of something like a messy love triangle, some experts wonder if she may be vulnerable to a usurper. The Japanese macaque, also known as the snow monkey, is a highly intelligent species native to Japan. It is well known for its beet-red bottom and its affinity for soaking in hot springs. While many animals, including bees, hyenas and elephants, live in female-led societies, a hostile takeover by a female “is very rare in Japanese macaque society, and only a few cases have been reported in the history of primatology,” Yu Kaigaishi, a research fellow at the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, said in an email. Japanese macaque society is based on a strict hierarchy. The higher an individual monkey’s rank, the greater its access to food, mates and resting locations. Females inherit the rank just below their mothers and rarely leave the troop they were born into. Males leave their natal troop upon reaching puberty and join a new troop, where their rank is usually determined by the amount of time they have spent in the troop. However, rank is sometimes gained through acts of violence, typically male on male. Yakei confounded what primatologists expected among Japanese macaques. Last April, she beat up her own mother to claim the top spot among the females of her troop. While most females would be content there, Yakei continued to fight. According to reserve workers, Yakei assaulted three high-ranking males, then went after Nanchu, who had led the troop for five years. At the age of 31, Nanchu is elderly for a Japanese macaque and was ultimately no match for the young and determined Yakei. “She physically attacked and defeated Nanchu, consequently acquiring the highest ranking in the troop,” said Kaigaishi, who studies the behavior of Japanese macaques. After Yakei’s altercation with Nanchu, reserve workers performed what is known as a “peanut test”: providing the monkeys with peanuts and seeing who eats first. Males and females stepped aside to let Yakei eat first, a confirmation of her alpha status. Since then, “Yakei has shown some behaviors typically seen only in dominant males, such as walking with her tail up and shaking tree branches with her body,” said Kaigaishi, who is not affiliated with the reserve. "It sounds as if she is behaving like an adult male, being more aggressive than other individuals.” Although Yakei seems to be leaning into her role, she is likely to face challenges. The reign of an alpha can last from a few months to over a decade. But observers of the troop say that mating season could change things for Yakei. Mating time at the reserve, which typically runs from November until March, is in full swing. During the breeding season, male and female macaques, which are polygamous, form pair bonds. They mate, feed, rest and travel with their partners for an average of 16 days. After this period, the bond dissolves, and the females seek new partners. Females typically mate with an average of four males each breeding season. “Mating season generally heats things up in Japanese macaque society,” said Katherine Cronin of the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago, who studies animal social behavior and cognition, including of her zoo’s own Japanese macaques. “The environment becomes more competitive and tense.” During previous breeding seasons, Yakei paired with Goro, a 15-year-old male ranked sixth within the troop. According to the reserve, the Japanese newspaper Manichi Shimbun reported, Goro bit Yakei in the face in 2019, a move that caused her bottom to flush bright red — a sign she was ready and willing to take him as a mate. However, since Yakei has claimed the troop’s top spot, Goro seems to have lost interest in her. Since then, another male, an 18-year-old named Luffy, ranked fifth in the troop, has tried to woo Yakei, but to no avail. “Luffy likes Yakei, but it appears one-sided,” Satoshi Kimoto, a guide at Takasakiyama, said in an email. Yakei could feasibly form pair bonds with both Goro and Luffy over the course of this breeding season. However, her distaste for Luffy seems to have recently evolved into something more akin to fear. “I visited Takasakiyama last week and observed that Yakei showed a facial expression (known as ‘fear grimace’) typical for subordinate individuals against Luffy,” Kaigaishi said in an email. “Also, I observed Luffy pushing Yakei away to monopolize food.” While Kaigaishi said more data was needed to reach any conclusions, he added, “It seemed that Luffy was dominant over Yakei.” Whether Yakei’s behavior is the result of a fall from power or simply a sign she doesn’t wish to mate with Luffy is not yet clear. Kimoto said he still believed that Yakei held the top spot and that “she won’t fall from the top only from mating.” If Yakei’s rule continues, scientists like Kaigaishi will have a unique opportunity to study how Japanese macaques fare in a society led by a female. “Japanese macaque society is so dramatic and unpredictable,” he said, “which is why many people, both researchers and nonresearchers, love to observe them.”

Love triangle challenges reign of Japan’s monkey queen

Over the past five years, people in Georgia witnessed a surreal spectacle: giant, even centuries-old trees floating upright on the Black Sea.

Imposing magnolias, tulip trees and other magnificent species glided by on the water’s surface, their mighty boughs spread wide in a procession that looked both poetic and delirious.

The trees, mounted on barges pushed along by tugboats, were on their way to replanting in a park being built by an eccentric billionaire and former prime minister, Bidzina Ivanishvili — a man many Georgians believe still wields substantial political power despite saying he retired to focus on philanthropy.

More than 200 trees arrived at the park in total, dug out of the soil in the impoverished villages and thick forests of Georgia, a small nation in the Caucasus. Ivanishvili personally vetted most of the choices.

About half were ferried to the park on the barges and another half transported by trucks. Riverbeds were widened, and trains had to stop to make way for them, which Georgians seized on as evidence of his continuing ability to move officials with the same impunity he does trees.

Opened to the public in the summer of 2020, Ivanishvili’s park is a rare public manifestation of his opaque but overwhelming presence in Georgia.

He has no official role in government, but his critics say Ivanishvili, 65, still has outsize sway behind the scenes.

“The power is concentrated in the hands of one man, and of course it is Bidzina,” said a former ally, Giorgi Gakharia, who resigned as prime minister in February, saying that the billionaire’s control had become too suffocating.

The Shekvetili Dendrological Park, on Georgia’s Black Sea coast, reflects Ivanishvili’s extravagant tastes, with its winding layout — centered around a pond filled with pink flamingoes, pelicans and other exotic birds — having been personally designed by him, according to Paata Sulaberidze, the project’s manager.

A chain-link fence separates the public park from Ivanishvili’s estate.

Entrance is free at the park, which cost him tens of millions of dollars to create, Ivanishvili said in a rare interview with a business magazine in Georgia.

But signs declaring this property private are everywhere. Closed-circuit TV cameras are installed throughout, and motion detectors stand in front of every tree. Look, but don’t dare touch. And that message goes for the lawn, too. Guards with loudspeakers are quick to scold the noncompliant.

Still, many visitors said they enjoy the park immensely.

“It might not be right, but if these trees feel good here, then why not?” said Nyusya Goman, 19, a manicurist. “Of course, he did it for himself first,” she said, referring to Ivanishvili. “People say that he comes in the mornings to get filled with energy emanated by the trees.”

Theories abound on why Ivanishvili is so infatuated with trees. Some Georgians ruminate that he is a druid who worships them.

Salomé Jashi, a Georgian film director, sees something beyond a love of nature in Ivanishvili’s obsession.

“For me, a floating tree was a symbol of power, of desire, of wanting something at any cost,” said Jashi, who made a documentary about the park project.

Sulaberidze, the project’s manager, dismisses such conjecture. His boss, he said, “just loves trees.”

Many Georgians say they admired Ivanishvili for the free access to his park, which has received more than 1.5 million visitors so far, and for his philanthropic work, including paying stipends to Georgia’s artists and poets.

“People don’t realize that he has helped so many in Georgia,” said Rostom Bolkvadze, an entrepreneur from Batumi, the resort city nearby, who has visited the park.

Ivanishvili’s political opponents, however, compare him to a feudal lord, who sprays little driblets of wealth on people to buy their goodwill.

And they insist his retirement is a fiction. “He is nowhere to be seen, but the truth is that he is present everywhere,” said Armaz Akhvlediani, a member of Georgia’s Parliament.

Ivanishvili made his fortune in Russia, where he assembled a metals and banking empire during the chaotic post-Soviet transition. His wealth is currently estimated at $6 billion, a sum that exceeds Georgia’s state budget for 2021.

Many Georgians speculate that the Kremlin never would have allowed such wealth to leave the country unless it was confident the money would be used to buy influence in Georgia, a strategically important country that is struggling to preserve its independence against the great power ambitions of neighboring Turkey and Russia.

One of Ivanishvili’s fiercest critics is a former president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili. After spending years abroad, Saakashvili made a dramatic and surprising return to the country in September and is currently being held on abuse of office and other charges that he denies.

Saakashvili, who tried to distance Georgia from its Soviet past during his presidency, calls himself “Putin’s prisoner” and claims Ivanishvili is the Kremlin’s lackey.

But Giorgi Khelashvili, a member of Parliament from the Georgian Dream party, founded by Ivanishvili, argued that the retirement was sincere.

“His idea was to leave the system, and he wanted to leave the government a system that would take care of it, and he would just step aside,” Khelashvili said.

Ivanishvili’s representatives denied multiple interview requests for this article.

If his role now is murky, Ivanishvili once played a very open and prominent part in Georgia’s emotionally fraught political scene, in which a candidate’s attitude toward Russia is scrutinized by voters.

As the leader of a coalition of political parties, he won the 2012 parliamentary elections and served as prime minister from October of 2012 through November of 2013, during which time he pursued Georgia’s NATO and European aspirations but also tried to be pragmatic with Moscow.

His coalition had campaigned in opposition to Saakashvili, then the president, whose party’s loss led him to step down and soon leave the country.

As seen this month in the deadly protests in Kazakhstan, the transfer of power in many of the former Soviet republics has often been chaotic and violent. Ivanishvili’s supporters point to his decision to voluntarily step down as prime minister after a year as evidence he is hardly power hungry.

For now, Ivanishvili appears most interested in his eccentric hobbies, which sometimes manifested themselves during his stint as prime minister.

Akhvlediani, the lawmaker, who in 2013 worked closely with Ivanishvili as the chairman of his political party but has since had a falling out, recalled how on an official foreign visit to Strasbourg, Ivanishvili was mostly interested in the city’s zoo, where he purchased stork eggs to bring home.

While a passion for trees may appear harmless, that’s not necessarily the case when a powerful billionaire is the one hooked.

When Toby Kiers, a professor of evolutionary biology at Vrije University in Amsterdam, learned about Ivanishvili’s undertaking to uproot ancient trees, she said she felt physical pain.

“For hundreds of years, these ancient trees have been cultivating their unique underground ecosystems, including vast fungal networks supporting the tree since it was a tiny sapling,” said Kiers, who has been researching how trees are connected. “When a tree is uprooted, that life support system gets ripped from the soil, leaving behind a barren wasteland.”

For Valentina Slobodenyuk, what was left behind was a view of the sea that had been blocked by the giant sequoia and ginkgo biloba that Ivanishvili took away for his park.

The trees had played a significant role in her life, she said, with the sequoia providing welcome shelter during thunderstorms. Slobodenyuk now visits the trees in their new home.

“I miss them very much,” she said.

Over the past five years, people in Georgia witnessed a surreal spectacle: giant, even centuries-old trees floating upright on the Black Sea. Imposing magnolias, tulip trees and other magnificent species glided by on the water’s surface, their mighty boughs spread wide in a procession that looked both poetic and delirious.

Over the past five years, people in Georgia witnessed a surreal spectacle: giant, even centuries-old trees floating upright on the Black Sea. Imposing magnolias, tulip trees and other magnificent species glided by on the water’s surface, their mighty boughs spread wide in a procession that looked both poetic and delirious. The trees, mounted on barges pushed along by tugboats, were on their way to replanting in a park being built by an eccentric billionaire and former prime minister, Bidzina Ivanishvili — a man many Georgians believe still wields substantial political power despite saying he retired to focus on philanthropy. More than 200 trees arrived at the park in total, dug out of the soil in the impoverished villages and thick forests of Georgia, a small nation in the Caucasus. Ivanishvili personally vetted most of the choices. About half were ferried to the park on the barges and another half transported by trucks. Riverbeds were widened, and trains had to stop to make way for them, which Georgians seized on as evidence of his continuing ability to move officials with the same impunity he does trees. Opened to the public in the summer of 2020, Ivanishvili’s park is a rare public manifestation of his opaque but overwhelming presence in Georgia. He has no official role in government, but his critics say Ivanishvili, 65, still has outsize sway behind the scenes. “The power is concentrated in the hands of one man, and of course it is Bidzina,” said a former ally, Giorgi Gakharia, who resigned as prime minister in February, saying that the billionaire’s control had become too suffocating. The Shekvetili Dendrological Park, on Georgia’s Black Sea coast, reflects Ivanishvili’s extravagant tastes, with its winding layout — centered around a pond filled with pink flamingoes, pelicans and other exotic birds — having been personally designed by him, according to Paata Sulaberidze, the project’s manager. A chain-link fence separates the public park from Ivanishvili’s estate. Entrance is free at the park, which cost him tens of millions of dollars to create, Ivanishvili said in a rare interview with a business magazine in Georgia. But signs declaring this property private are everywhere. Closed-circuit TV cameras are installed throughout, and motion detectors stand in front of every tree. Look, but don’t dare touch. And that message goes for the lawn, too. Guards with loudspeakers are quick to scold the noncompliant. Still, many visitors said they enjoy the park immensely. “It might not be right, but if these trees feel good here, then why not?” said Nyusya Goman, 19, a manicurist. “Of course, he did it for himself first,” she said, referring to Ivanishvili. “People say that he comes in the mornings to get filled with energy emanated by the trees.” Theories abound on why Ivanishvili is so infatuated with trees. Some Georgians ruminate that he is a druid who worships them. Salomé Jashi, a Georgian film director, sees something beyond a love of nature in Ivanishvili’s obsession. “For me, a floating tree was a symbol of power, of desire, of wanting something at any cost,” said Jashi, who made a documentary about the park project. Sulaberidze, the project’s manager, dismisses such conjecture. His boss, he said, “just loves trees.” Many Georgians say they admired Ivanishvili for the free access to his park, which has received more than 1.5 million visitors so far, and for his philanthropic work, including paying stipends to Georgia’s artists and poets. “People don’t realize that he has helped so many in Georgia,” said Rostom Bolkvadze, an entrepreneur from Batumi, the resort city nearby, who has visited the park. Ivanishvili’s political opponents, however, compare him to a feudal lord, who sprays little driblets of wealth on people to buy their goodwill. And they insist his retirement is a fiction. “He is nowhere to be seen, but the truth is that he is present everywhere,” said Armaz Akhvlediani, a member of Georgia’s Parliament. Ivanishvili made his fortune in Russia, where he assembled a metals and banking empire during the chaotic post-Soviet transition. His wealth is currently estimated at $6 billion, a sum that exceeds Georgia’s state budget for 2021. Many Georgians speculate that the Kremlin never would have allowed such wealth to leave the country unless it was confident the money would be used to buy influence in Georgia, a strategically important country that is struggling to preserve its independence against the great power ambitions of neighboring Turkey and Russia. One of Ivanishvili’s fiercest critics is a former president of Georgia, Mikheil Saakashvili. After spending years abroad, Saakashvili made a dramatic and surprising return to the country in September and is currently being held on abuse of office and other charges that he denies. Saakashvili, who tried to distance Georgia from its Soviet past during his presidency, calls himself “Putin’s prisoner” and claims Ivanishvili is the Kremlin’s lackey. But Giorgi Khelashvili, a member of Parliament from the Georgian Dream party, founded by Ivanishvili, argued that the retirement was sincere. “His idea was to leave the system, and he wanted to leave the government a system that would take care of it, and he would just step aside,” Khelashvili said. Ivanishvili’s representatives denied multiple interview requests for this article. If his role now is murky, Ivanishvili once played a very open and prominent part in Georgia’s emotionally fraught political scene, in which a candidate’s attitude toward Russia is scrutinized by voters. As the leader of a coalition of political parties, he won the 2012 parliamentary elections and served as prime minister from October of 2012 through November of 2013, during which time he pursued Georgia’s NATO and European aspirations but also tried to be pragmatic with Moscow. His coalition had campaigned in opposition to Saakashvili, then the president, whose party’s loss led him to step down and soon leave the country. As seen this month in the deadly protests in Kazakhstan, the transfer of power in many of the former Soviet republics has often been chaotic and violent. Ivanishvili’s supporters point to his decision to voluntarily step down as prime minister after a year as evidence he is hardly power hungry. For now, Ivanishvili appears most interested in his eccentric hobbies, which sometimes manifested themselves during his stint as prime minister. Akhvlediani, the lawmaker, who in 2013 worked closely with Ivanishvili as the chairman of his political party but has since had a falling out, recalled how on an official foreign visit to Strasbourg, Ivanishvili was mostly interested in the city’s zoo, where he purchased stork eggs to bring home. While a passion for trees may appear harmless, that’s not necessarily the case when a powerful billionaire is the one hooked. When Toby Kiers, a professor of evolutionary biology at Vrije University in Amsterdam, learned about Ivanishvili’s undertaking to uproot ancient trees, she said she felt physical pain. “For hundreds of years, these ancient trees have been cultivating their unique underground ecosystems, including vast fungal networks supporting the tree since it was a tiny sapling,” said Kiers, who has been researching how trees are connected. “When a tree is uprooted, that life support system gets ripped from the soil, leaving behind a barren wasteland.” For Valentina Slobodenyuk, what was left behind was a view of the sea that had been blocked by the giant sequoia and ginkgo biloba that Ivanishvili took away for his park. The trees had played a significant role in her life, she said, with the sequoia providing welcome shelter during thunderstorms. Slobodenyuk now visits the trees in their new home. “I miss them very much,” she said.

A love of trees or a display of power? The odd park of an oligarch. 

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has got embroiled in yet another controversy. In previously unpublished diary extracts by Johnson’s former lover Jennifer Arcuri, the US businesswoman revealed details of how the British leader allegedly overruled the advice of staff to promote her business interests to win her affection. &nbsp;

The diary entries were exclusively accessed and published by British publication 'The Observer'. According to one entry, the then London mayor also offered to be her “throttle” to push her business career.&nbsp;These claims put Johnson in a fix as he may face the possibility of a potential criminal investigation into misconduct allegations. &nbsp;

Written during Arcuri’s affair with Johnson, the diary entries suggest that the PM broke the rules governing ethical conduct in public office in his dealings with the businesswoman. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/pope-francis-thanks-journalists-for-exposing-sexual-abuse-cases-429210" hreflang="en">Pope Francis thanks journalists for exposing sexual abuse cases</a>

The excerpts, which have been handwritten, portray UK PM as desperate to offer help in promoting her business as he looked to pursue a sexual relationship with the then 27-year-old. &nbsp;

In another entry, the writer says the prime minister told her, “How can I be the thrust – the throttle – your mere footstep as you make your career? Tell me: how I can help you?” &nbsp;

In 2019, Arcuri gave her diaries to veteran journalist John Ware after he made a documentary on her relationship with Johnson. &nbsp;

Also Read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-university-defends-its-student-unions-decision-to-offer-sex-work-training-429189" hreflang="en">UK university defends its student union's decision to offer sex work training</a>

Arcuri has now agreed to allow publication of some extracts at Ware’s request after Johnson’s statements last week about public probity, including how MPs, who break conduct rules “should be punished”. &nbsp;

A government spokesperson, while responding to the latest Arcuri revelations, said, “As mayor, Boris Johnson followed all the legal requirements in the Greater London Assembly’s [sic] code of conduct at the time.” &nbsp;&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has got embroiled in yet another controversy. In previously unpublished diary extracts by Johnson’s former lover Jennifer Arcuri, the US businesswoman revealed details of how the British leader allegedly overruled the advice of staff to promote her business interests to win her affection.

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has got embroiled in yet another controversy. In previously unpublished diary extracts by Johnson’s former lover Jennifer Arcuri, the US businesswoman revealed details of how the British leader allegedly overruled the advice of staff to promote her business interests to win her affection. The diary entries were exclusively accessed and published by British publication 'The Observer'. According to one entry, the then London mayor also offered to be her “throttle” to push her business career. These claims put Johnson in a fix as he may face the possibility of a potential criminal investigation into misconduct allegations. Written during Arcuri’s affair with Johnson, the diary entries suggest that the PM broke the rules governing ethical conduct in public office in his dealings with the businesswoman. Also Read: Pope Francis thanks journalists for exposing sexual abuse cases The excerpts, which have been handwritten, portray UK PM as desperate to offer help in promoting her business as he looked to pursue a sexual relationship with the then 27-year-old. In another entry, the writer says the prime minister told her, “How can I be the thrust – the throttle – your mere footstep as you make your career? Tell me: how I can help you?” In 2019, Arcuri gave her diaries to veteran journalist John Ware after he made a documentary on her relationship with Johnson. Also Read: UK university defends its student union's decision to offer sex work training Arcuri has now agreed to allow publication of some extracts at Ware’s request after Johnson’s statements last week about public probity, including how MPs, who break conduct rules “should be punished”. A government spokesperson, while responding to the latest Arcuri revelations, said, “As mayor, Boris Johnson followed all the legal requirements in the Greater London Assembly’s [sic] code of conduct at the time.” (With inputs from agencies)

To win love, UK PM Boris Johnson pledged to help former lover Jennifer Arcuri's business, says report

As the US President <a href="https://www.wionews.com/topics/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a> and the First Lady Jill Biden started their first international trip since taking over the White House, Dr Biden made headlines for wearing a jacket that read ‘Love’ on the back.

Her jacket with the word 'Love' was an extension of the message the FLOTUS is trying to carry forward in her first official trip to Europe with the President.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ahead-of-g7-summit-us-president-biden-meets-uk-pm-johnson-390677" hreflang="en">Ahead of G7 summit, US President Biden meets UK PM Johnson</a>

"We're bringing love from America… This is a global conference, we’re trying to bring unity across the globe,” Jill Biden said.

This is not the first time a First Lady has worn a jacket with a message on the back. Jill Biden’s 'Love' jacket brought back memories of her predecessor, Melania Trump, who was once spotted wearing a green-coloured jacket that read 'Really don’t care. Do you?'

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Jill Biden actually cares. Melania Trump on the other hand, doesn’t give a damn. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/BeBest?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#BeBest</a> kinda fizzled out after a week. <a href="https://t.co/X6cS4Ib4XG">pic.twitter.com/X6cS4Ib4XG</a>
— KeanoTheDog (@judgeyourself99) <a href="https://twitter.com/judgeyourself99/status/1403022163515424771?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
It’s nice to have a First Lady again who not only exudes class, but also displays compassion. Racist birther trash is gone, Dr. Jill Biden is here. <a href="https://t.co/Kuus39sLzk">pic.twitter.com/Kuus39sLzk</a>
— Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) <a href="https://twitter.com/TheRickyDavila/status/1403034714470969345?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/thursdayvibes?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#thursdayvibes</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThursdayMorning?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ThursdayMorning</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/thursdaymood?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#thursdaymood</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ThursdayThoughts?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ThursdayThoughts</a> It Feels so Amazing having an educated Beautiful Loving well spoken <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FLOTUS?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FLOTUS</a> back in the WH. Thanku “Dr. Jill Biden” / Poor “Melania Trump” was &amp; always will be known as DTs wife who didn’t care👋🏾 <a href="https://t.co/lJ8hhorod2">pic.twitter.com/lJ8hhorod2</a>
— Donnedia Edmond (@donnedia) <a href="https://twitter.com/donnedia/status/1403021835470467077?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

Jill Biden also posted a picture posing in front of a large binder with the caption "Prepping for the G7."

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Prepping for the G7. <a href="https://t.co/drPmb2vBwI">pic.twitter.com/drPmb2vBwI</a>
— Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS/status/1402674407324229637?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 9, 2021</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

The First Couple also met with the US soldiers posted in the UK, during which Jill Biden thanked the American service members for their service and Joe Biden assured them that he will be meeting the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, to bring stability in the disrupting relationship of the two countries.

"I'll travel to Geneva to sit down with a man I’ve spent time with before, President Vladimir Putin," Joe Biden said. "We are not seeking conflict with Russia. We want a stable, predictable relationship. Our two nations share incredible responsibilities and, among them, ensuring strategic stability and upholding arms control agreements."&nbsp;

As the US President Joe Biden and the First Lady Jill Biden started their first international trip since taking over the White House, Dr Biden made headlines for wearing a jacket that read ‘Love’ on the back.

As the US President Joe Biden and the First Lady Jill Biden started their first international trip since taking over the White House, Dr Biden made headlines for wearing a jacket that read ‘Love’ on the back. Her jacket with the word 'Love' was an extension of the message the FLOTUS is trying to carry forward in her first official trip to Europe with the President. Also read | Ahead of G7 summit, US President Biden meets UK PM Johnson "We're bringing love from America… This is a global conference, we’re trying to bring unity across the globe,” Jill Biden said. This is not the first time a First Lady has worn a jacket with a message on the back. Jill Biden’s 'Love' jacket brought back memories of her predecessor, Melania Trump, who was once spotted wearing a green-coloured jacket that read 'Really don’t care. Do you?' Jill Biden actually cares. Melania Trump on the other hand, doesn’t give a damn. #BeBest kinda fizzled out after a week. pic.twitter.com/X6cS4Ib4XG — KeanoTheDog (@judgeyourself99) June 10, 2021 × It’s nice to have a First Lady again who not only exudes class, but also displays compassion. Racist birther trash is gone, Dr. Jill Biden is here. pic.twitter.com/Kuus39sLzk — Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) June 10, 2021 × #thursdayvibes #ThursdayMorning #thursdaymood #ThursdayThoughts It Feels so Amazing having an educated Beautiful Loving well spoken #FLOTUS back in the WH. Thanku “Dr. Jill Biden” / Poor “Melania Trump” was & always will be known as DTs wife who didn’t care👋🏾 pic.twitter.com/lJ8hhorod2 — Donnedia Edmond (@donnedia) June 10, 2021 × Jill Biden also posted a picture posing in front of a large binder with the caption "Prepping for the G7." Prepping for the G7. pic.twitter.com/drPmb2vBwI — Jill Biden (@FLOTUS) June 9, 2021 × The First Couple also met with the US soldiers posted in the UK, during which Jill Biden thanked the American service members for their service and Joe Biden assured them that he will be meeting the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, to bring stability in the disrupting relationship of the two countries. "I'll travel to Geneva to sit down with a man I’ve spent time with before, President Vladimir Putin," Joe Biden said. "We are not seeking conflict with Russia. We want a stable, predictable relationship. Our two nations share incredible responsibilities and, among them, ensuring strategic stability and upholding arms control agreements."

'All about love': Jill Biden's jacket spreads her message of unity

Act 1. Scene 1. &nbsp;Enter Irony, through a simple but loaded question: Isn’t it truly intriguing that the most hymned, celebrated and revered emotion on planet Earth is – alas – allocated just one day in the year for remembrance [Valentine’s Day] when hard-sell, heart-sell goes on a maniacal overdrive? That done, on every other day, this emotion is slung back in the deep freeze with technological prowess, pricing coups, strategic alliance et al, grabbing the spotlight?

Fact is, never in recorded history has there been a more desperate desire and need for love. &nbsp;Quickly translated, it means the love-market has never been so huge and inviting!&nbsp;

Cynics &amp; pin-striped collar-down marketers may scoff at this line of thought, but obviously these sophisticated, myopic cavemen are a universe away from the new, exciting world of the Attraction Economy which explores the terrain created through narratives that are both engaging &amp; insightful and connect directly with the heart. Champions of this movement believe that the old, ghisa pita branding practices have become stultified and need to be put to sleep with love-affairs with the brand, the new name of the game. &nbsp;

Look around and see for yourself the scene exploding with people longing to invest in love, emotion, imagination &amp; feeling with one huge stumbling block. &nbsp;They are clueless about how to hit which button! Declares an amused Corporate Consultant “They are caught flat-footed in the challenge of translating love into a palpable &amp; tangible act that is warm and credible.” &nbsp;To real people, it is not rocket science. It’s about getting back to basics. Junking those bulky reports and research studies &amp; leveraging this emotion as a strategic device for consumer-connect. Then watch the bottom line soar!&nbsp;

Actually, there are three outstanding attributes define this template. Mystery, Sensuality and Intimacy.&nbsp;

Mystery is about stories, metaphors, dreams and symbols, a space where past, present and future becomes one. &nbsp;Also, what keeps long-term relationships alive.&nbsp;

Sensuality keeps the five senses on a red alert for new textures, intriguing scents and tastes, great music, spell-binding imagery. &nbsp;

Intimacy invokes empathy, commitment, passion – the small, perfect gesture. These are connections that win intense loyalty and are remembered long after features &amp; benefits have faded away. &nbsp;With intimacy comes the feeling of brand ownership. &nbsp;We all know the power of mystery, sensuality and intimacy from our personal journeys.&nbsp;

This could beg the question “why should relationships in business be any different?” The answer is simple. Business too needs the three traits that define transactions. &nbsp;Mystery draws together stories, metaphors and dreams that give a relationship, texture. Not surprisingly, after the metric mania of the 20th century, mystery is again taking centre stage. What we don’t know starts to be as critical as what we do know. &nbsp;Who wants to be squirted with perfume as they walk into a store? This formulaic spray-and-bray is just a symptom of a much bigger malaise – passion trimmed into efficiency. Inspiration pulled back to a positive attitude and love diluted to LIKE. &nbsp;By focusing on mystery, sensuality and intimacy, business-as-usual can be transformed as a powerfully, emotionally-driven selling idea.

Insightful and clued-in communicators have always understood, recognised and cashed in on this emotion intelligently to escape from the ‘commodity trap’ to place brands where they belong – centre stage! &nbsp;This is a hallowed space reserved totally for charismatic brands – Pepsi, Coke, Reebok, Nike, Apple, Fevicol, Tanishq, Vodafone, Airtel, Lux, HDFC, Archies – which inspires passion and loyalties that are non-negotiable. &nbsp;What better time than today’s cynical and complex times to get love back on track? &nbsp;Reaffirm what smart emo-driven marketers have always believed: In the war between reason and emotion, get your facts straight. &nbsp;Reason leads to conclusion. &nbsp;Emotion drives action!

Finally, if fun, sensuality, mystery &amp; intimacy enthrall, engage, entertain, enrich and empower life, why should they be blinkered off from the communication thrust related to trade &amp; commerce, business &amp; industry? &nbsp;Aren’t they driven to people? &nbsp;Why not substitute the dumb, impersonal, corporatised passion-trimmed-into-efficiency mode with a strong, personal &amp; emotional connect? Starbucks, Cafe Coffee Day, Barista and the new bank (ICICI) ads seem to be doing it, brilliantly, all the time.&nbsp;

They’ve understood that the rules of the game have changed. &nbsp;It’s no longer only about consumer contact programmes; it’s about hanging out and being involved. &nbsp;Not about taking notes – but taking the pulse. &nbsp;Also, they’ve recognised that the research guys, after researching the hell out of what they believe needs to be researched, have conveniently ignored the rest. &nbsp;The truth is, everything of value cannot be probed, dissected, analysed, scanned and researched for the right answer. Why? Because then we are in danger [as one perceptive pundit brilliantly put it] of being exactly wrong instead of being approximately right. Of placing consumers at the base of the pyramid rather than the centre, of mistaking the figures on our hands for the beat of our hearts.

So what’s the takeaway? Basically, we need to stop talking about love &amp; emotion and set it to work, blend it to the rampaging, new age emotion economy. The entertainment industry is a brilliant setting, it appeals to our creative, unconscious and intuitive side – zones that operate beyond rationality &amp; rules, celebrating story-telling mystery &amp; metaphor.

So at the end of the day: Is love a Mango? &nbsp;A four-letter word? &nbsp;A many splendoured thing? The April rose that only grows in early spring? &nbsp;Nature’s way of giving a reason to living, the golden crown that makes a man a king? &nbsp;You decide, but yes ... the jury is out and the popular consensus is that [everything considered], love is indeed the CEO that presides over all constituencies and target groups simply because it unfailingly conquers the most significant, critical, precious, sacrosanct and empowering territory of all – your heart!

Hey guys, give love a chance ...!

(Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

Act 1. Scene 1. Enter Irony, through a simple but loaded question: Isn’t it truly intriguing that the most hymned, celebrated and revered emotion on planet Earth is – alas – allocated just one day in the year for remembrance [Valentine’s Day] when hard-sell, heart-sell goes on a maniacal overdrive?

Act 1. Scene 1. Enter Irony, through a simple but loaded question: Isn’t it truly intriguing that the most hymned, celebrated and revered emotion on planet Earth is – alas – allocated just one day in the year for remembrance [Valentine’s Day] when hard-sell, heart-sell goes on a maniacal overdrive? That done, on every other day, this emotion is slung back in the deep freeze with technological prowess, pricing coups, strategic alliance et al, grabbing the spotlight? Fact is, never in recorded history has there been a more desperate desire and need for love. Quickly translated, it means the love-market has never been so huge and inviting! Cynics & pin-striped collar-down marketers may scoff at this line of thought, but obviously these sophisticated, myopic cavemen are a universe away from the new, exciting world of the Attraction Economy which explores the terrain created through narratives that are both engaging & insightful and connect directly with the heart. Champions of this movement believe that the old, ghisa pita branding practices have become stultified and need to be put to sleep with love-affairs with the brand, the new name of the game. Look around and see for yourself the scene exploding with people longing to invest in love, emotion, imagination & feeling with one huge stumbling block. They are clueless about how to hit which button! Declares an amused Corporate Consultant “They are caught flat-footed in the challenge of translating love into a palpable & tangible act that is warm and credible.” To real people, it is not rocket science. It’s about getting back to basics. Junking those bulky reports and research studies & leveraging this emotion as a strategic device for consumer-connect. Then watch the bottom line soar! Actually, there are three outstanding attributes define this template. Mystery, Sensuality and Intimacy. Mystery is about stories, metaphors, dreams and symbols, a space where past, present and future becomes one. Also, what keeps long-term relationships alive. Sensuality keeps the five senses on a red alert for new textures, intriguing scents and tastes, great music, spell-binding imagery. Intimacy invokes empathy, commitment, passion – the small, perfect gesture. These are connections that win intense loyalty and are remembered long after features & benefits have faded away. With intimacy comes the feeling of brand ownership. We all know the power of mystery, sensuality and intimacy from our personal journeys. This could beg the question “why should relationships in business be any different?” The answer is simple. Business too needs the three traits that define transactions. Mystery draws together stories, metaphors and dreams that give a relationship, texture. Not surprisingly, after the metric mania of the 20th century, mystery is again taking centre stage. What we don’t know starts to be as critical as what we do know. Who wants to be squirted with perfume as they walk into a store? This formulaic spray-and-bray is just a symptom of a much bigger malaise – passion trimmed into efficiency. Inspiration pulled back to a positive attitude and love diluted to LIKE. By focusing on mystery, sensuality and intimacy, business-as-usual can be transformed as a powerfully, emotionally-driven selling idea. Insightful and clued-in communicators have always understood, recognised and cashed in on this emotion intelligently to escape from the ‘commodity trap’ to place brands where they belong – centre stage! This is a hallowed space reserved totally for charismatic brands – Pepsi, Coke, Reebok, Nike, Apple, Fevicol, Tanishq, Vodafone, Airtel, Lux, HDFC, Archies – which inspires passion and loyalties that are non-negotiable. What better time than today’s cynical and complex times to get love back on track? Reaffirm what smart emo-driven marketers have always believed: In the war between reason and emotion, get your facts straight. Reason leads to conclusion. Emotion drives action! Finally, if fun, sensuality, mystery & intimacy enthrall, engage, entertain, enrich and empower life, why should they be blinkered off from the communication thrust related to trade & commerce, business & industry? Aren’t they driven to people? Why not substitute the dumb, impersonal, corporatised passion-trimmed-into-efficiency mode with a strong, personal & emotional connect? Starbucks, Cafe Coffee Day, Barista and the new bank (ICICI) ads seem to be doing it, brilliantly, all the time. They’ve understood that the rules of the game have changed. It’s no longer only about consumer contact programmes; it’s about hanging out and being involved. Not about taking notes – but taking the pulse. Also, they’ve recognised that the research guys, after researching the hell out of what they believe needs to be researched, have conveniently ignored the rest. The truth is, everything of value cannot be probed, dissected, analysed, scanned and researched for the right answer. Why? Because then we are in danger [as one perceptive pundit brilliantly put it] of being exactly wrong instead of being approximately right. Of placing consumers at the base of the pyramid rather than the centre, of mistaking the figures on our hands for the beat of our hearts. So what’s the takeaway? Basically, we need to stop talking about love & emotion and set it to work, blend it to the rampaging, new age emotion economy. The entertainment industry is a brilliant setting, it appeals to our creative, unconscious and intuitive side – zones that operate beyond rationality & rules, celebrating story-telling mystery & metaphor. So at the end of the day: Is love a Mango? A four-letter word? A many splendoured thing? The April rose that only grows in early spring? Nature’s way of giving a reason to living, the golden crown that makes a man a king? You decide, but yes ... the jury is out and the popular consensus is that [everything considered], love is indeed the CEO that presides over all constituencies and target groups simply because it unfailingly conquers the most significant, critical, precious, sacrosanct and empowering territory of all – your heart! Hey guys, give love a chance ...! (Disclaimer: The views of the writer do not represent the views of WION or ZMCL. Nor does WION or ZMCL endorse the views of the writer.)

Opinion: Give love a chance?

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that both India and Bangladesh want to see peace, stability, and love instead of instability, terror and unrest in the entire world.&nbsp;

Addressing the Matua community after visiting the Orakandi Temple, PM Modi, said, "Both India and Bangladesh want to see the world progressing through their own progress. Both the nations want to see stability, love, and peace in the world instead of instability, terror and unrest."&nbsp;

"During the coronavirus pandemic, India and Bangladesh have proven their capabilities. Today, both nations are facing this pandemic strongly and fighting it together. India is working by considering it its duty that 'Made in India' vaccine reaches the citizens of Bangladesh," he said.&nbsp;

Speaking about Harichand Thakur, also known as Sri Sri Harichand Thakur, who formed the Matua sect of Hindus, PM Modi said, "The life of Sri Sri Harichand Thakur has given the message of divine love, but also made us realise our duties. He told us that the struggle against oppression and misery is also cultivation." &nbsp;

"His successor, Sri Sri Guruchand Thakur has a huge role in bringing the teachings of Harichand Thakur to the people, uniting the Dalit-afflicted society. Guruchand ji gave us the formula of devotion, deed, and knowledge," he added.&nbsp;

"Our siblings of Matua community celebrate 'Baruni Snan Utsav' every year on the auspicious occasion of the birth anniversary of Sri Sri Harichand Thakur. A large number of devotees from India come to Orakandi to participate in this festival," he added.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also offered prayers at the Orakandi Temple located at Kashiani Upazila in the Gopalganj district of Bangladesh. &nbsp;

Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi offered prayers at the Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple. Dedicated to Goddess Kali, Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple is a famous Hindu temple located in Ishwaripur, a village in Shyam Nagar, Upazila of Satkhira. It is one of the 51 Shakti Peeths, scattered across India and neighbouring countries.&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi also informed that the Indian government will undertake the construction work of a multi-purpose community hall at Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple.&nbsp;

After that, he paid tribute to Bangladesh's 'Father of the Nation' Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Bangabandhu Mausoleum Complex, Tungipara. He signed the visitors' book and also planted samples at the complex. PM Modi was accompanied by his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina during his visit to the complex. &nbsp;

Later in the day, Prime Minister Modi will hold talks with Sheikh Hasina and they are likely to sign few key pacts. Thereafter, he will call on Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid. This is Prime Minister Modi's first foreign trip since the Covid-19 outbreak last year.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that both India and Bangladesh want to see peace, stability, and love instead of instability, terror and unrest in the entire world.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said that both India and Bangladesh want to see peace, stability, and love instead of instability, terror and unrest in the entire world. Addressing the Matua community after visiting the Orakandi Temple, PM Modi, said, "Both India and Bangladesh want to see the world progressing through their own progress. Both the nations want to see stability, love, and peace in the world instead of instability, terror and unrest." "During the coronavirus pandemic, India and Bangladesh have proven their capabilities. Today, both nations are facing this pandemic strongly and fighting it together. India is working by considering it its duty that 'Made in India' vaccine reaches the citizens of Bangladesh," he said. Speaking about Harichand Thakur, also known as Sri Sri Harichand Thakur, who formed the Matua sect of Hindus, PM Modi said, "The life of Sri Sri Harichand Thakur has given the message of divine love, but also made us realise our duties. He told us that the struggle against oppression and misery is also cultivation." "His successor, Sri Sri Guruchand Thakur has a huge role in bringing the teachings of Harichand Thakur to the people, uniting the Dalit-afflicted society. Guruchand ji gave us the formula of devotion, deed, and knowledge," he added. "Our siblings of Matua community celebrate 'Baruni Snan Utsav' every year on the auspicious occasion of the birth anniversary of Sri Sri Harichand Thakur. A large number of devotees from India come to Orakandi to participate in this festival," he added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also offered prayers at the Orakandi Temple located at Kashiani Upazila in the Gopalganj district of Bangladesh. Earlier in the day, Prime Minister Modi offered prayers at the Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple. Dedicated to Goddess Kali, Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple is a famous Hindu temple located in Ishwaripur, a village in Shyam Nagar, Upazila of Satkhira. It is one of the 51 Shakti Peeths, scattered across India and neighbouring countries. Prime Minister Narendra Modi also informed that the Indian government will undertake the construction work of a multi-purpose community hall at Jeshoreshwari Kali Temple. After that, he paid tribute to Bangladesh's 'Father of the Nation' Sheikh Mujibur Rahman at Bangabandhu Mausoleum Complex, Tungipara. He signed the visitors' book and also planted samples at the complex. PM Modi was accompanied by his Bangladeshi counterpart Sheikh Hasina during his visit to the complex. Later in the day, Prime Minister Modi will hold talks with Sheikh Hasina and they are likely to sign few key pacts. Thereafter, he will call on Bangladesh President Abdul Hamid. This is Prime Minister Modi's first foreign trip since the Covid-19 outbreak last year. (With inputs from agencies)

India, Bangladesh want to see peace, stability, love in entire world: Modi 

love

Love, News on Love, stories on Love, articles on Love, Love stories at Wion, Love news, Love latest news