On March 6, 1974, the Swedish pop band ABBA won the 19th Eurovision Song Contest, held in the English seaside resort of Brighton. Nobody expected the five strangely dressed Swedes with a song about Napoleon to win. The bookies had put their money on British singer Olivia Newton-John. She was already a star at the time and the clear favorite. Singer Gigliola Cinquetti, who had already lifted the trophy for Italy in 1964, was also given good odds. But Sweden? The country had never won the competition before, and nobody believed it would. The band ABBA was unknown outside their home country. Their previous attempt to win Eurovision the year before with the song "Ring Ring" was thwarted when they failed to advance past the preliminary round. But in 1974, the stars aligned for them: At the "Melodifestivalen," as the Swedish preliminary round is called, the quartet won with "Waterloo" and was allowed to travel to England to represent Sweden. The rest is music history. Napoleon's Waterloo reinterpreted as a love song Thirty-two countries participated in the event, at that time still known as the "Grand Prix Eurovision de la Chanson." When ABBA's performance was announced as the eighth of a total of 17 that evening, a man dressed as Napoleon walked out on stage. His name was Sven-Olof Walldoff, and he was to conduct the song that would make ABBA famous. He was followed by Benny Andersson, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Agnetha Faltskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad — not in historical costume, but in glittery clothes, velvet pants and dizzyingly high platform shoes. Their song was written by the band's manager, Stig Anderson. He hummed it to Ulvaeus and Andersson over the phone and they composed the music for it in the isolation of the island of Viggso. It's about love, and surrendering to it the way the French commander Napoleon capitulated at the Battle of Waterloo. In addition to this song, the band also considered the track "Hasta Manana" to be a promising Eurovision entry. But Stig was against it "Just leave it to me to decide which song we take," he allegedly said to Ulvaeus and Andersson. "If it goes wrong, you can kill me afterwards." There was no murder. On the contrary: Abba won the competition with 24 points, ahead of Italy with 18. Betting to win For Anderson, the victory was not the most important goal. He was most concerned with introducing ABBA to a television audience of some 500 million people, and to sell a lot of records. Still, he was optimistic and even bet 120 British pounds that his group would win. "Waterloo" lasted no longer than two minutes and 45 seconds. And 90 minutes later, ABBA were the winners of the Grand Prix. But the presentation of the award was delayed when an usher refused to let Ulvaeus on stage, unable to believe that this man in a strange glittery outfit was actually a contestant. The Swede later found the confusion understandable, saying, "no one ever got onstage dressed as badly and ugly as we were." 'Waterloo' storms the charts Immediately after the contest in Brighton, "Waterloo" was released as a single in 54 countries and reached the top ten in almost 20 of them. In Germany and the UK, it became the first of many ABBA singles to hit number one. The song was recorded in Swedish, English, German and French and the single sold more than 5 million copies. In 2004, the song even reached number 20 on the British charts when it was re-released for its 30th anniversary. And on October 22, 2005, "Waterloo" was voted "best song in the history of the competition" at the 50th Eurovision Song Contest. ABBA forever — even virtually Benny Andersson later said the Swedes were at first dismissed as a one-hit wonder whose fame would soon fade. Nothing could have been further from the truth. In the ensuing 50 years, ABBA has sold 400 million records, landed 17 number-one hits — such as "The Winner Takes It All," "Dancing Queen," "Thank You For The Music" and "Gimme, Gimme, Gimme" — opened their own dedicated museum, and produced "Mamma Mia!," a successful stage musical for more than 20 years now. It was also adapted into a hit movie. The fact that the band actually broke up in 1982 has done nothing to dampen their success. For decades, fans hoped for a reunion, and the quartetfinally obliged in 2021 with the album "Voyage" and a virtual reality concert show featuring their digitally-produced "Abbatars." And of course, the set list for the show included — what else? — "Waterloo."

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina took place at Time Magazine's cover, the magazine also publised an article on Prime Minister as ‘Sheikh Hasina and the Future of Democracy in Bangladesh’  On Thurday, November 2, a powerful magazine of United States referred her as a 'wonderful political leader'. last September, PM was interviewed by Charlie Campbell, who works as a journalist of the magazine.  In the last decade, he has made Bangladesh rise as the fastest growing economy in the Asia Pacific region as the article said.

The northeastern state of Meghalaya is renowned for its exceptional agricultural and horticultural produce.  Favoured by diverse agro-climatic conditions and nurtured through traditional practices, these crops have garnered attention for their unique quality and organic nature. The Meghalayan pineapples, with their unparalleled taste and minimal pesticide usage, have recently emerged as a star export, finding their place of pride in Abu Dhabi's Al-Wahda Mall. Unlike their counterparts from mainland India, Meghalayan pineapples are characterized by their low pesticide and heavy metal residue content. Remarkably sweeter and less sour, they boast a Brix value of 16-18, reflecting their exceptional sweetness. Notably, these pineapples are a key product for the "One District One Product" initiative in the Ri Bhoi and East Garo Hills districts. These pineapples from the Meghalayan hills are currently the focal point of the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav celebrations at the Al-Wahda Mall in Abu Dhabi. The Lulu Group has taken the lead in marketing these fruits in the Gulf markets.  This success story was brought to fruition by the collaboration between the Jamge Integrated Village Cooperative Society (IVCS) from Songsak C&RD Block, the Department of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and the Meghalaya Basin Management Agency (MBMA). The Jamge Integrated Village Cooperative Societies (IVCS), comprising over 250 farming households across four villages, produced nearly 100 tonnes of pineapples during the growing seasons. This cooperative model has led to an increase in farmers' income. Through this collective effort, farmers now earn Rs 16 per pineapple, compared to the meagre Rs 10 per pineapple they used to receive. The Meghalayan government acknowledges the significance of processing perishable horticulture produce to extend shelf life and expand market reach. Collaborations like the one between Karnataka's IQF Private Food Limited and Ri Bhoi's Umdihar (IVCS) have set up mobile processing units for the quick freezing of pineapples, thereby enhancing processing capacity and infrastructure within the state. These efforts have yielded results, with over 52 metric tonnes of pineapples processed in just three weeks. Collaborations with Reliance Retail and other initiatives have facilitated the regular supply of Meghalayan pineapples to various markets across India. Similar interventions have been undertaken for crops like Lakadong turmeric, ginger, Khasi mandarin, honey, and black pepper. Over the past three years, the government has been driving community-led transformation in the agriculture sector, empowering farmers through collectives, training, infrastructure development, and market linkages.

Indo-Pakistan border which once used to be the dangerous frontier of the country has today blossomed into a haven of artistic expression and serenity. There was a time when this area used to echo with sounds of shells fired from across by the Pakistani Army casting a shadow of uncertainty on the everlasting peace of the country. Today one is witnessing an unusual activity on the Indo-Pak border. Varuna Anand, Chairperson, FICCI, FlO, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh, told ANI a 2-day camp has been organised here in RS Puram town in collaboration with the Border Security force and the Institute of Music and Fine Arts, Jammu University. Emerging from the cloistered confines of their gallery, one can see these young artists wielding their paintbrush as mighty swords, imbuing the vast canvas with mesmerising images that exudes the essence of peace. The idea is to promote tourism by portraying the positive side of Jammu and Kashmir. By sprinkling colours of peace on canvas these artists are trying to globalise and incentivise peace. "A two-day campaign has been organised here. We have twenty artists over here who are depicting paintings on the theme of globalising and incentivising peace. Showcasing our peaceful borders And How the BSF is playing a vital role in keeping our borders safe," She said. Ruchika Gupta, an artist said, "We wanted to honour BSF. Today, it is because of them that borders are secure and safe and we are living in a peaceful environment". She added that the role of BSF to maintain harmony and peace has always remained significant.

In our technologically progressive world, our lives have become intricately entwined with the World Wide Web. A virtual space allowing instantaneous communication, the proliferation of information, and the creation of global relationships, the Internet is a marvel to behold. Yet, how often do we pause to ponder the technology that enables this seamless interaction? At the heart of this phenomenal exchange is a web of fiber optics, pulsating with light-speed data. The man behind this technological marvel? Narinder Singh Kapany, the unheralded “Father of Fiber Optics.” Born in India, Kapany found his calling in physics, his love for the subject propelling him from Agra University to Imperial College London. Here, he delved into the realm of optics alongside his Ph.D. advisor, Harold Hopkins. While exploring solutions for transmitting light through a flexible medium – a necessity in the field of endoscopy – Kapany discovered a unique method using the principle of total internal reflection. This principle is what allows light to be transmitted through fiber optics. In simple terms, when light hits a medium like glass at an angle greater than a specific “critical” angle, instead of refracting or bending out of the medium, it reflects back into it. This phenomenon results in multiple consecutive reflections down the length of the medium, allowing the light to travel even if the medium is bent or curved. Harnessing this principle, Kapany designed the “Fiberscope,” a flexible device lined with multiple optical fibers, each transmitting light to its end like a solitary pixel. This was a radical improvement over existing rigid metal endoscopes, paving the way for today’s advanced medical imaging devices. Despite the ingenuity of his invention, Kapany encountered challenges. Over long distances, the light signal at the end of the fiber optic tube was not as precise as it should be. The reason for this inconsistency was later discovered by physicist Charles K. Kao, who attributed it to impurities within the glass fiber that absorbed and scattered the light. Kao’s solution was to use purer glass, enhanced with substances known as dopants to increase its reflectivity. Although Kao won a Nobel Prize for his discovery, Kapany’s pioneering work in the field of fiber optics has largely gone unnoticed. This, despite the fact that his work has had an immeasurable impact on the world, enabling high-speed data transfer and transforming sectors such as telecommunications, medicine, and the Internet. A visionary in his field, Kapany also proved himself a successful entrepreneur. In 1960, he founded Optics Technology Inc., serving as its Chairman, President, and Director of Research for over a decade. His efforts did not go entirely unrecognized. Fortune hailed him as one of the seven “Unsung Heroes of the 20th century”, a nod to his Nobel Prize-worthy contribution. Narinder Singh Kapany passed away on December 4, 2020, and was posthumously awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India’s second-highest civilian honor, in 2021. Although his name might not be as well-known as other technological pioneers, his revolutionary work continues to light our path, literally, in the Information Age. As we enjoy the rapid exchange of ideas and information made possible by the speed of light, let us remember and honor this unsung hero of modern technology. Source: khalsavox.com

He tried to control tears of joy when asked about the success of his son Rishab Purkayastha who secured first position in the HSSLC commerce stream. Biplab Purkayastha, a paan seller and wife Ruby Purkayastha, a helper at a city parlour were at Laban Bengalee Higher Secondary School to celebrate with the teachers, staff and the students of the school on Tuesday morning. Biplab and Ruby who are the residents of Jail road in the city said there is no other happy occasion for them than the current moment. They said Rishab, who made the parents proud, studied normally and didn’t expect to reach the topmost position. Though poor, they are ready to support him for his higher studies in whatever way possible. Rishab is thankful to his parents who toil daily with their nature of work to support him and the lone sister. The principal of the school, Rinku Bhattacharjee said with the help of well wishers and former students, the school always supports the poor students to excel in life. The school bagged four positions in both the science and the commerce categories. Source: meghalayamonitor.com

“The World Bank can showcase Bangladesh’s socio-economic development as an international success story to mark the 50th anniversary of Bangladesh’s partnership with the Bank”, said Foreign Minister A K Abdul Momen. He made the observation while meeting Mr. Martin Raiser, Vice-President, South Asia Region of the World Bank at his office in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Mr. Raiser appreciated Bangladesh’s achievements in sustainable development and reaffirmed the Bank’s readiness to support the country make the next transition in its development journey. The Bangladesh Foreign Minister invited the World Bank to invest further in climate-smart infrastructures, especially for widening and heightening embankments along the coastal belt. He also shared his ideas about coastal forestation and renewable energy generation based on such embankments. The World Bank Vice-President flagged that 35% of the Bank’s current International Development Association contribution to Bangladesh maintains a focus on enhancing the country’s resilience to climate change impacts. He responded positively to Momen’s suggestion to explore possible partnership with the Global Hub for Locally-Led Adaptation, recently launched under the aegis of the Global Centre on Adaptation (GCA)’s regional office based in Dhaka. Mr. Raiser acknowledged the generosity of the government and people of Bangladesh in hosting the forcibly displaced Rohingya from Myanmar. He reiterated the Bank’s interest in supporting improved living conditions and education of the Rohingya population pending their safe and dignified return to Myanmar. Mr. Momen briefed Raiser about the arrangements by the government in Bhashan Char for the relocated Rohingya, and suggested that the Bank look into possibilities for its engagements in the island.  The Bangladesh Foreign Minister urged the World Bank to continue to work towards supporting the national efforts at poverty alleviation, with focus on reducing extreme poverty. He suggested further scaling up the World Bank’s work on human resource development, while the World Bank Vice-President referred to the Bank’s signature contribution to primary and pre-school education in Bangladesh. The World Bank expressed particular interest in supporting integration of vocational training as part of formal education. AK Momen underscored the need for the international community’s support towards making Bangladesh’s LDC graduation smooth and sustainable. The World Bank’s Country Director for Bangladesh Abdoulaye Seck was also present at the meeting.

Rocky, a young man, who has just lost his job. Not only the job, but also lost his admirer. Rocky's mother is suffering from an illness and hospitalized. Urgently, She needs an operation. One lakh taka needed for this operation. In this situation, the main duty of a Son is to stay with his mother.  And so, despite having no money, Rocky asked his relatives for money. But, he did not find money from anyone. Among the many problems of people, Rocky's problem was not given much attention.  So he decided to sell his kidney to save his mother. With that decision, he began the process of selling his kidney.  But at the time of selling his kidney, he find out a secret thing. Based on that secret thing, Rocky's ex-lover Helen comes in again. Mysterious things happened one after another. So, will Rocky not be able to save his mother, or what will happen when he sells his kidney?  To know all the Mysterious things, Viewers have have to watch the drama 'Cabin Number 507'.  The drama 'Cabin Number 507' written by Kudrat Ullah and directed by Sakil Saikat.The drama is produced by Maizdeetainment, Cinematography- Nurunnabi Tarun.  Abdun Noor Shajal portrayed the character 'Rocky' and Farzana Ahsan Mihi portrayed the character 'Helen'.  Mili Bashar, Rezaul Ahsan Shikder Reza, Khairul Islam Palin, Sohail Masood Pathik, Nazneen Shabnab, Maisha Alvi, Zeki and many more also potrayed the different role. Recently, the shooting of the play has been completed in different locations of Dhaka. It will on-air a private TV channel very soon.

These were Tibetan warriors who fought and won in initial battles against the Chinese army of Mao during its annexation of Tibet. While they were finally outnumbered, they are still revered for their heroism. The Khampa warriors of Tibet were a group of Tibetan fighters who were known for their bravery and martial prowess. They were also known as “Khampas,” which means “warrior” in the Tibetan language. The Khampas were known for their fierce resistance to Chinese rule in Tibet, and they played a significant role in the Tibetan resistance movement of the 20th century. According to Tibetan folklore, the Khampas were believed to be descended from the gods, and they were revered as great warriors and protectors of the Tibetan people. In Tibetan culture, the Khampas were seen as symbols of bravery and strength, and they were highly respected and admired. The Khampas were particularly active in the 1950s and 1960s, during a time of great political upheaval in Tibet. At this time, the Tibetan resistance movement was fighting against the Chinese occupation of Tibet, and the Khampas were at the forefront of this struggle. They were known for their guerrilla tactics and their ability to launch surprise attacks on Chinese military installations and convoys. One of their great victories came in July 1950 when around 800 Khampa militia (including 300 monks) raided Dengke region of Tibet, and killed 600 People’s Liberation Army (Chinese) soldiers. Despite their bravery and determination, the Khampas were ultimately unable to prevent the Chinese from consolidating their control over Tibet. Many Khampas were killed or captured during the fighting, and others were forced to flee to Nepal or India. In the decades following the Chinese occupation, the Khampas continued to fight for Tibetan independence, but their efforts were largely unsuccessful. Today, the Khampas are remembered as heroes and symbols of Tibetan resistance to Chinese rule. Source: grin.news

In the last decade of its existence, India's international image has been on a consistent path of widening reach and clout. Along with it, India has witnessed a massive increase in its security capabilities and cyber security potential as well. As a result, the last half a decade particularly has seen a significant decline in incidents of terrorism and precarious law and order situations in the border areas of the country. A change in approach at the Government of India level from the top leadership to the grassroots administration has involved a reset towards the India First model, which has thrust India into global spotlight for its strong will and effective decision-making. Whether it is the decision to abrogate Article 370 and repeal of 35 A from Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh or the decision to make our foreign policy much more pragmatic, there has been a new impetus to the security capabilities of the nation. Significant steps have been taken towards empowering the defense sector with indigenous production as well as an upgradation of existing border infrastructure. Together, these steps have ensured that India is significantly better prepared to meet challenges of the 21st century. After 72 years of independence, Articles 370 and 35A were abrogated to ensure uniformity of development across Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh along with other parts of the country. In the short period since then, 63 projects have been completed under development package to the tune of Rs. 80,068 crores. In addition, a new industrial development scheme has been launched to ensure functional tap connections as well as the implementation of the PM Jan Aarogya Yojana to those benefiting. These have been implemented in addition to over 100 projects under the Smart City Mission that have already seen the light of day. In addition to the same, there has been a strong boost to the infrastructure on borders. Between 2014 and 2021, a total of 6,763 km of roads and 15,000 bridges have been constructed in the erstwhile state of Jammu & Kashmir that has now become a union territory. When coupled with the recently-clarified role and power of the armed forces to procure weaponry on its own, it helps our forces effectively secure our borders with greater ease. New financial powers have been granted to the commanding-level officers of the three services to clear projects up to Rs. 100 and 200 crores to make it easier for them. This is in line with the massive amount of Rs. 1.52 lakh crores that have already been announced for the modernization and procurement within the armed forces. Along with the large-scale procurement that has taken place since with S-400 air missile systems from Russia to Shishumar-class submarines from Germany, there has also been a significant upgrade in the indigenous manufacturing of ammunition in the country with K9 Vajra, Dhanush and Sharang guns taking place. The Defence Procurement Policy of 2016 was the first fundamental step towards bringing about a change in the approach as well as outlook towards procurement. By virtue of the same, despite our historic reliance on other countries for procurements, India has been able to climb up towards being one among the top 25 arms exporters of the world. In essence, around 70 per cent of the total capital procurement budget has been earmarked for the domestic industry for the upcoming financial year as well. In addition, India has grown in its stature with various partnerships like the Vaccine Maitri, the International Solar Alliance, the Coalition for Resilient Disaster Infrastructure and other international agreements as well. The important strategic partnership of the QUAD group along with the United States, Japan and Australia have ensured that there is adequate protection of the Indian security interests given the threat of Chinese expansionism through the seas and Border and Road Initiative (BRI) Project. India's renewed significance is also evident from the fact that most Western countries have renamed the region to be Indo-Pacific instead of the erstwhile Asia-Pacific, in their official communication protocols to signify the importance of Indian subcontinent. At the same, fully aware of its duties and responsibilities, India has been able to help other nations in evacuation efforts from war-torn Ukraine and during the pandemic also. Though providing humanitarian aid regularly has always remained a characteristic feature of the Indian foreign policy, the same has been handled in a much more structured manner over the last few years. There are significant leaps still to be made for the historic civilization that is on the brink of a demographic dividend, small but significant events like the International Yoga Day being celebrated across 177 countries are truly a impressive testament to the Indian soft power. Therefore, thoughts here are evidently measures to be taken further and milestones to be achieved naturally. It is also crystal clear that there is a renewed energy among the masses of the country. This could be a new and rejuvenated India in the making indeed. Source: ANI