Olympics 2021 is finally here! After almost a year delay and many reschedules the Olympics have officially begin. This time the host is Tokyo, and this is the 32nd edition of Olympics game. On Friday night, that is 23 July the opening ceremony was held, and a great sports event had a grand opening ceremony.

This is for the first time that Olympics are taking place on an odd year, with no spectators and very limited number of athletes. The schedule is all prepared and its day one, which is very crucial for every country and its athlete. The key highlights are-
• Naomi Osaka renowned tennis player from Japan light up the cauldron.
She tweeted about the same as she felt grateful and honoured to be a part of opening ceremony calling it her greatest athletic achievement till date.
• The opening ceremony filled the night sky with firework and the use of drone display system. However, the ceremony took place in the absence of audience.
• The Olympic flame was passed to from Paralympic athlete Wakako Tasuchida to children from disaster hit region of Naomi, Osaka to Japanese medical workers and other athlete before it went to Naomi Osaka.
• The Opening declaration was done by Japanese Emperor Naruhito.
• In the opening ceremony parade 19 people represented India including six times world champion Boxer Marry kom and men’s Hockey captain Manpreet Singh.
• Indian Prime minister Narendra Modi cheered all the Athletes through video conference on representing India at Tokyo Olympics 2021 and wishing all the best to PM Suga and Japan on hosting the Olympics.
• In total there are 127 participants from India who are participating in 18 different sports including two team. The Indian athletes are participating in hockey, shooting, archery, rowing, judo, table tennis, badminton, weightlifting, rowing etc.

On day one Indian weightlifter Mirabai Chanu bagged a silver medal in weightlifting 49 kg category. With this achievement she becomes the second Indian women to win a silver after PV Sindhu and first athlete to win a medal at 2021 Tokyo Olympics. She belongs to Manipur situated in Northeast and have faced quite a lot of struggles on her way to win a medal today, Mirabai’s achievement has not only made all the Indians proud but, made the first day remarkable for everyone.
Indians have been actively participating in Olympic events and other sports evet from past three to four years in different category of sports and like every year the aim is to win “Gold”, represent the country at an international level and add the charm to the nation. Representing your country at such level is already counted as an achievement, representation brings responsibility and performance pressure which may affect the performance specially for the newcomers. Thus, it is important to keep the balance throughout the event and feel confident about the preparation and hard work an athlete has been doing for past many years. The competitive spirit should be high, and the goal is to be fulfilled.

Euthanasia is the painless killing of a patient suffering from an incurable and painful disease or in an irreversible coma. It is also known as mercy killing.

Active Euthanasia vs. passive Euthanasia

When most people think of euthanasia, they think of a doctor directly ending someone’s life. This is known as active euthanasia. Purposely giving someone a lethal dose of a sedative is considered active euthanasia.

Passive euthanasia is sometimes described as withholding or limiting life-sustaining treatments so that a person passes more quickly. A doctor may also prescribe increasingly high doses of pain-killing medication. Overtime, the doses may become toxic.

Controversy around euthanasia

1. Morality and religion

2. Physician judgement

3. Ethics

4. Personal choice

Passive euthanasia is legal in India. On 7th March 2011, the Supreme Court of India legalised passive euthanasia by means of withdrawal of life support to patients in a permanent vegetative state. The Supreme Court specified irreversible conditions to permit passive euthanasia law in 2011.

For example, Aruna Shan bhang case was terminally ill for a very long time and finally got relieved of the pain due to the above legal provision.

“Death with dignity” is a movement that encourages legislatures to allow people to decide how they want to die. Some people simply don’t want to go through a long dying process, often out of concern of the burden it puts on their loved ones. At the end it is upto us to decide what we want to do in such cases.

References

https://www.healthline.com/health/what-is-euthanasia#euthanasia-facts

Online games are a hot cake among youth these days with almost 81% of teenagers under 18s indulged. It is an emerging sector in India and has shown a robust increase in the number of gamers over the last few years. A substantial increase in gaming has been recorded in the year 2020 due to covid induced lockdown. The year 2020 has witnessed an investment of USD 544 million in India in the gaming sector.

As a result of the enhanced investment, more teenagers are recklessly running towards online gaming to have fun and connect socially and make new friends.

With the habit of online gaming comes many challenges including deterioration of the physical, emotional as well as social well being of youths.

Brains addicted to games are more likely to be dormant in the normal real world thereby reducing capacity towards work efficiency. Such Kids are prone to isolation much easier that leads to a decrease in academic excellence and withdrawal from educational institutions. Impaired posture is another danger of prolonged gaming and often result in carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) causing numbness in fingers especially in the thumb and first three fingers. Apart from CTS, migraine, cervical problem, as well as impaired eyesight at a very young age, is another serious issue.

Moreover, finances linked to gaming is another major drawback of this sector. Kids hastily invest money to unlock succeeding states of games using parents or carers credit cards. Scammers use the malware to capture the detail of gamers online accounts and hack it which is why it is subject to friendly fraud than any other industry.

It’s not easy to quit the habit of gaming that’s why it is necessary to take steps at the very early stage. Quit all the gaming apps and try to uninstall it from system if possible.Try to find a competing interest to invest your time and mind that pulls you away from video games. At the least keep pushing yourself away by taking a little step every day as it’s never too late to begin.

Refrences: https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/process-addiction/video-game-addiction/gaming-addiction-statistics/

https://m.timesofindia.com/life-style/health-fitness/de-stress/lockdown-loneliness-drives-up-gaming-addiction/amp_articleshow/78393084.cms

Work is not man’s punishment.

It is his reward, strength, and pleasure.

Article- 4 of our constitution prohibits slavery and forced labour. Bonded labour system act was passed by the government in the year 1976 which prohibits forced labour.

However, even to this day, there is forced labour due to caste-based discrimination, inadequate education, and an insufficient employment opportunity.

Unemployment is one of the major causes of forced labour in India. Unemployment is mainly faced by people who are economically and socially backward.

Though the government has taken many steps like Integration Rural Development Program, Training for Self-Employment, the Swarna Jayanthi Yojana etc., most of the illiterates are not aware of these acts.

Even when employed the workers who are working in unorganised sectors are exploited. They do not have fixed working hours and are poorly paid.

Right to work is constitutional right and we as citizens of India must ensure that this right is properly executed and implemented by all the organizations.

Social Media is a computer based technology which facilitate the sharing of various idea,  thoughts and by making a virtual connections. By design, social media is Internet-based and gives users quick electronic communication of content. Content includes personal information, documents, videos, and photos. User can access social media from laptop, mobile etc.

Understanding Social Media:

Social Media was originated as a way to communicate with friend or family member but was later adopted by businesses that wanted to take advantage of a popular new communication method to reach out to customers. The advantage of social media is the ability to connect with the people of all over the world as well as share of information with many people simultaneously.

Globally, there are more than 3.8 billion social media users. Social media is an ever-changing and ever-evolving field, with new apps such as TikTok and Clubhouse coming out seemingly every year, joining the ranks of established social networks like Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, and Instagram. By 2023, the number of social media users in the United States is forecast to increase to approximately 257 million.

Types Of Social Media:

Social media may take the form of a variety of tech-enabled activities. These activities include photo sharing, blogging, social gaming, social networks, video sharing, business networks, virtual worlds, reviews, and much more. Even governments and politicians utilize social media to engage with constituents and voters. For businesses, social media is an indispensable tool. Companies use the platform to find and engage with customers, drive sales through advertising and promotion, gauge consumer trends, and offering customer service or support. Social media’s role in helping businesses is significant. It facilitates communication with customers, enabling the melding of social interactions on e-commerce sites. Its ability to collect information helps focus on marketing efforts and market research. It helps in promoting products and services, as it enables the distribution of targeted, timely, and exclusive sales and coupons to would-be customers.

Benefit of Social Media:

Social Media changes the way of interaction with people in online. It make everything easy to do. It bring whole world in a small things. In many senses, social media has helped many individuals find common ground with others online, making the world seem more approachable. Businesses are also using social media marketing to target their consumers right on their phones and computers, building a following in order to build a loyal fan base, and create a culture behind their own brand. Some companies, such as Danny’s, have created entire personas on Twitter in order to market to younger consumers using their own language and personas.

Conclusion:

Social media has taken the world by storm, capturing more than 3.8 billion users worldwide and counting. Whether or not each platform resonates with you personally, there are endless ways for businesses to market to their consumers and target them to ultimately make a purchase. Allowing us to stay connected with friends, find information easily, and add our own personalities to the online world, social networks are here to stay.

Arab food is definitely something you would have an idea of. From Hummus to kunafeh Arab food and sweets are not just delicious but are dipped in tradition. The Arab food is influenced by the highly refined culture of the Persian Empire, which has also impacted the food traditions of India. Much of the Mughal-based court cuisines in the Subcontinent are a direct result of the combination of ideas and ingredients, as things like the pulao, kofte, kebab ,and indeed the sambusak/samosa came in contact with Indian spices and inventiveness.

If you even happen to plan a trip to the middle east, then here are the dishes you need to try!

SHAWARMA

Shawarma is a Levantine Arab meat preparation, where lamb, chicken, turkey, beef, veal, or mixed meats are placed on a spit and may be grilled for as long as a day. Inside the pita/khubz, foods like hummus, tahini, pickles, vegetables, and even french fries are added.

HUMMAS

Starting with probably the best known Middle Eastern food, it is a dip, spread, or savory dish made from cooked, mashed chickpeas blended with tahini, lemon juice, and garlic. It is usually eaten as a dip, with pita bread or also known as khubz in arab.

FALAFEL

Falafel is the second most known Arab dish after hummus. It is a fried ball made of chickpeas, onions, and spices. It is served both as an appetizer on a mezze platter or as the protein in a vegetarian meal. Tastes even better when eaten as a sandwich with khubz.

KHUBZ

 This is the Arabic flatbread, just like the pita that you will find throughout the region. A thick and traditionally baked in a tannur  that you can eat it with hummus and grilled meats.

KEFTA

The kefta is simply a grilled dish of ground meat like lamb or beef. It is seasoned with paprika, parsley and sometimes onions and grilled like a seekh kebab. Unlike the Indian kofte, you wont find a gravy.

LABNEH

The labneh is a creamier version of yogurt with the water drained out. You get various flavors and is consumed very commonly by all. Olives are a basic garnish.

KUNAFEH

It is a dessert made with shredded filo pastry, or alternatively fine semolina dough, soaked in sweet, sugar-based syrup, and typically layered with cheese, or with other ingredients such as clotted cream or nuts, depending on the region.

BAKLAWA

Baklava is a layered pastry dessert made of filo pastry, filled with chopped nuts, and sweetened with syrup or honey. This dessert is time-consuming to prepare, but tastes just marvelous. It is also one of the most popular sweet pastries of Arab.

ARAB TEA

The Arab tea has a lot of varieties and flavors and is usually served with dates. It is known for its additional medicinal advantages and is consumed as a health drink as well .It is commonly served to guests and business partners at meetings and social events, and has been drunk by Arab people for centuries. For Arabs tea denotes hospitality.

Article by : Haniah Mirza

Mobile commerce popularly known as m-commerce is actually just a subset of e-commerce. The term itself was coined in 1997 by Kevin Duffy. It is essentially a way of carrying thousands and millions of retail shops in your pocket.Very simply put M-commerce entails the e-commerce transactions done with a mobile phone. So M-commerce is the use of mobile phones to conduct any type of business transaction. It takes the help of the e-commerce background and WAP technology.

The use of wireless technology (WAP) to conduct sales of goods, provide services, make payments and other financial transactions, the exchange of information etc. is the basis of mobile commerce.

M-commerce is actually a rapidly growing sector of e-commerce. Nearly 70% of the online transactions that occur in India happen from mobile phones. Globally it is a 700 billion dollar industry.

M-commerce is about exploiting new opportunities made available to us thanks to e-commerce. So it involves the advent of new technologies, services, business models and marketing strategies. It differentiates itself in many ways from e-commerce. This is because mobile phones have very different characteristics than desktop computers. And it opens so many windows of opportunities for businesses to exploit.

APPLICATIONS OF M- COMMERCE

Mobile Banking: Using a mobile website or application to perform all your banking functions. It is one step ahead of online banking and has become commonplace these days. For example, in Nigeria, the majority of banking transactions happen on mobile phones.

Mobile Ticketing and Booking: Making bookings and receiving your tickets on the mobile. The digital ticket or boarding pass is sent directly to your phone after you make the payment from it. Even in India now IRTC and other services provide m-ticketing services.

E-bills: This includes mobile vouchers, mobile coupons to be redeemed and even loyalty points or cards system.

Auctions: Online auctions having now been developed to be made available via mobile phones as well.

Stock Market Reports and even stock market trading over mobile applications.

ADVANTAGES OF M-COMMERCE

• It provides a very convenient and easy to use the system to conduct business transactions.
• Mobile commerce has a very wide reach. A huge part of the world’s population has a mobile phone in their pocket. So the sheer size of the market is tremendous.
• M-commerce also helps businesses target customers according to their location, service provider, the type of device they use and various other criteria. This can be a good marketing tool.
• The costs of the company also reduced. This is due to the streamlined processes, now transaction cost, low carrying cost and low order processing cost as well.

DISADVANTAGES OF M-COMMERCE

The existing technology to set up an m-commerce business is very expensive. It has great start-up costs and many complications arise.

In developing countries, the networks and service providers are not reliable. It is not most suitable for data transfer.

Then there is the issue of security. There are many concerns about the safety of the customer’s private information. And the possibility of a data leak is very daunting.

BY: VAIBHAVI MENON

Sexism is prejudice or discrimination based on one’s sex or gender. Sexism can affect anyone, but it primarily affects women and girls. It has been linked to stereotypes and gender roles, and may include the belief that one sex or gender is intrinsically superior to another. Extreme sexism may foster sexual harassment, rape, and other forms of sexual violence. Gender discrimination may encompass sexism, and is discrimination toward people based on their gender identity or their gender or sex differences. Gender discrimination is especially defined in terms of workplace inequality. It may arise from social or cultural customs and norms.

the term “sexism” was most likely coined on November 18, 1965, by Pauline M. Leet during a “Student-Faculty Forum” at Franklin and Marshall College. Specifically, the word sexism appears in Leet’s forum contribution “Women and the Undergraduate”, and she defines it by comparing it to racism, stating in part “When you argue that since fewer women write good poetry this justifies their total exclusion, you are taking a position analogous to that of the racist—I might call you, in this case, a ‘sexist’. Both the racist and the sexist are acting as if all that has happened had never happened, and both of them are making decisions and coming to conclusions about someone’s value by referring to factors which are in both cases irrelevant.” Also, according to Shapiro, the first time the term “sexism” appeared in print was in Caroline Bird’s speech “On Being Born Female”, which was published on November 15, 1968, in Vital Speeches of the Day. In this speech she said in part: “There is recognition abroad that we are in many ways a sexist country. Sexism is judging people by their sex when sex doesn’t matter. Sexism is intended to rhyme with racism.” Sexism may be defined as an ideology based on the belief that one sex is superior to another. It is discrimination, prejudice, or stereotyping based on gender, and is most often expressed toward women and girls.

Sociology has examined sexism as manifesting at both the individual and the institutional level. According to Richard Schaefer, sexism is perpetuated by all major social institutions. Sociologists describe parallels among other ideological systems of oppression such as racism, which also operates at both the individual and institutional level. Early female sociologists Charlotte Perkins Gilman, Ida B. Wells, and Harriet Martineau described systems of gender inequality, but did not use the term sexism, which was coined later. Sociologists who adopted the functionalist paradigm, e.g. Talcott Parsons, understood gender inequality as the natural outcome of a dimorphic model of gender. Psychologists Mary Crawford and Rhoda Unger define sexism as prejudice held by individuals that encompasses “negative attitudes and values about women as a group.” Peter Glick and Susan Fiske coined the term ambivalent sexism to describe how stereotypes about women can be both positive and negative, and that individuals compartmentalize the stereotypes they hold into hostile sexism or benevolent sexism.

Feminist author bell hooks defines sexism as a system of oppression that results in disadvantages for women. Feminist philosopher Marilyn Frye defines sexism as an “attitudinal-conceptual-cognitive-orientational complex” of male supremacy, male chauvinism, and misogyny. Philosopher Kate Manne defines sexism as one branch of a patriarchal order. In her definition, sexism rationalizes and justifies patriarchal norms, in contrast with misogyny, the branch which polices and enforces patriarchal norms. Manne says that sexism often attempts to make patriarchal social arrangements seem natural, good, or inevitable so that there appears to be no reason to resist them.