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United News of India
a day ago
- United News of India
Kerala CM to launch 'My Family, Drug-Free Family' campaign
Thiruvananthapuram, June 19 (UNI) 'My Family, Drug-Free Family' campaign with the involvement of residential associations will be launched by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan as part of the fifth phase of Kerala's anti-drug state-wide campaign to be held on June 26. In connection with the 'International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking', the campaign will run until January 30, 2026. Stating that Kerala is moving forward strongly in the fight against drugs, the Chief Minister said, "As part of the Operation D-Hunt, conducted between June 10 and 16, 13,700 people were screened, 730 cases registered, and 769 people arrested." "Authorities seized 378.375 grams of MDMA and 24.833 kg of cannabis. During this period, 274 source reports related to drug activity were forwarded to respective district police chiefs, and follow-up action is ongoing, he said. "Between June 8 and 14, the Excise Department seized 19.937 kg of cannabis, 20.71 grams of MDMA, and 0.6 grams of methamphetamine. About 238 cases were registered and 221 individuals arrested in this regard," he said. Drug awareness rallies will be organised in schools and colleges under the leadership of NSS, SPC, and anti-drug clubs. School parliaments will be conducted in high schools and higher secondary schools under the local self-government and the education departments, focusing on the theme 'Drug-Free, Safe Campus: A Child's Right'. All government offices across the state will take an anti-drug pledge at 11 am on June 26. The Public Education Department has launched robust school-centred strategies to counter drug abuse. Various programmes have been implemented to prevent drug misuse and addiction among students, including awareness campaigns, community empowerment, and support systems for promoting healthy lifestyles. Training programmes have begun for teachers to identify drug abuse and aggressive behaviour among students. The training also aims to enable teachers to provide preliminary counselling. UNI DS ARN
India Today
a day ago
- India Today
Kerala to kick off drug abuse awareness campaign on World Anti-Drug Day
The Kerala government is stepping up its fight against drug abuse with a large-scale, state-wide campaign aimed at building a drug-free a set of programmes aimed at ending the drug menace across various sections of society, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, at a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday, said that the fifth phase of the anti-drug campaign will be launched on June 26, in line with the International Day Against Drug Abuse. The campaign will run until January 30, events marking the International Day will be held across Kerala, led by elected representatives. At the college level, a special programme will be launched simultaneously in campuses across the state, with the support of ministers, public figures, NGOs, and artists, Vijayan said. Residents' Associations will play a key role through a new initiative titled 'My Family is a Drug-Free Family'. Awards will be given at the taluk level to those associations that succeed in turning the maximum number of households drug-free within three months, he rallies will be held in schools and colleges, organised by National Service Scheme, Student Police Cadets, and anti-drug clubs. The Local Self-Government and Education Departments will also conduct school parliaments at the high school and higher secondary levels, with the theme: Drug-Free, Safe School: A Child's government offices will observe the day by taking an official pledge at 11 campaign is backed by strong enforcement. The Chief Minister said between June 10 and 16, under Operation D-Hunt, over 13,700 people were checked, 730 cases registered, and 769 arrests made. Nearly 25 kilograms of cannabis and 378 grams of MDMA were seized. Additionally, 274 source reports related to drug activity were handed over to district police chiefs, Vijayan June 8 to 14, the Excise Department seized 19.9 kg of cannabis, 20.7 g of MDMA (also known as ecstasy or molly), and 0.6 g of methamphetamine (popularly known as crystal meth), registering 238 cases and arresting 221 persons, he General Education Department is actively working to protect students from the dangers of drug use. Schools are conducting awareness programmes, peer support groups, and training sessions for teachers and parents. Topics related to drug abuse have been added to the curriculum, with a special focus on adolescent education. The State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has developed new books to promote healthy living, he announced.'Teachers are being trained to spot signs of drug use and violent behaviour among students. Anti-Narcotic Clubs are operating in schools with support from the Excise Department, and selected schools have formed vigilance brigades made up of student groups,' Vijayan discussions and student-led activities are also being held through various initiatives. To develop students' creativity and personal growth, a campaign titled 'Jeevithotsavam 2025' (Festival of Life 2025) will be conducted over 21 days, ending with a state-level integration carnival.'Schools have been asked to review complaints weekly and take action where needed. Teachers have also been introduced to fitness routines such as Zumba to promote physical well-being among students,' the Chief Minister bodies and community groups across the state are also playing a strong role in raising awareness. The Kozhikode District Panchayat is set to organise a mass pledge event on June 26, involving 20 lakh people under the campaign 'Drug-Free Kozhikode'. The 'Against Drugs, Kattakada' campaign, led by students in the Kattakada constituency, recently completed its first phase with a massive human chain involving local residents, Vijayan noted.
Hans India
2 days ago
- Health
- Hans India
Applications Invited from NGOs to Establish Drug De-addiction Center in Jogulamba Gadwal District
Gadwal: In line with the directives of the District Collector, the Department of Women, Child, Disabled, and Senior Citizens Welfare is inviting applications from eligible voluntary organizations for the establishment of a Drug De-addiction and Rehabilitation Center in Jogulamba Gadwal district. This was officially announced by District Welfare Officer Ms. Sunanda in a press release. The proposed center is aimed at combating substance abuse and providing facilities for rehabilitation, medical treatment, counseling sessions, and other recovery-related services. To be eligible, applying organizations must have access to a building with a minimum area of 333 square yards, either owned or provided free of cost, and located within the district headquarters or an area that is well-connected by public transportation. Interested NGOs and voluntary agencies are required to submit their applications online through the e-Anudaan portal ( on or before 30th June 2025. The initiative will be funded under the Grant-in-Aid scheme, enabling selected organizations to receive government financial support for running and maintaining the center. This move comes as part of a broader effort by the district administration to address the rising concern of drug abuse and to create a supportive infrastructure for the affected individuals to reintegrate into society.
The Spinoff
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Spinoff
Kerrin Leoni wants to be the next mayor of Auckland. Does she have a chance?
From Mount Roskill to Waiheke to London and back, Whau ward councillor Kerrin Leoni explains her path to politics, what she's learned from Wayne Brown and why she's making a bold bid to take his job. 'Isn't he funny?' says councillor Kerrin Leoni. She's talking about current Auckland mayor Wayne Brown, who has just mockingly told a reporter he won't be giving him any comments as the governing body meeting breaks for lunch. Leoni laughs as she tucks into one of the rolls offered around. This morning has been spent in the council chambers at Auckland Town Hall, discussing budget appropriations and the year ahead. Across the road at the food court, Leoni sits amid the lunchtime rush, standing out in a multicoloured floral blazer, red lipstick and a large pounamu around her neck. Her hair is pulled back in a tight bun, gold ball earrings dangling from her ears as she tucks into a pho – the roll was seemingly just a ratepayer-funded entree, which few would blame Leoni for taking advantage of. 'I think the council has had a certain type of leadership for a long time, and we need new leadership to get more Aucklanders excited about what happens with council,' says the 44-year-old first-term Whau ward councillor between spoonfuls of broth. She has a calm, assured presence: calculated and refined, warm yet cautious. She's undergone media training for her mayoral campaign in the lead-up to the October election, and it shows. Every response is carefully considered, revealing just enough, never too much. It makes her hard to read. Born and raised in Auckland, Leoni spent her early years in the suburb of Mount Roskill with her grandmother. Later, she moved to Waiheke Island to live with her grandfather and uncle and attended Waiheke High School. For her final year of secondary school, she went to Louisiana in the deep south of the United States, where she experienced overt racism for the first time. 'I stayed with a Pākehā family first, and they told me I wasn't allowed to have black friends. That was pretty full on.' Back in Aotearoa, Leoni enrolled at AUT, studying Māori development and social work, eventually completing a master's degree. By 21 she was working for Child, Youth and Family, and by 23 she was supervising staff twice her age. Alongside a group of friends, she also began investing in property. In her mid-20s, Leoni moved to London. It wasn't your run-of-the-mill OE: she launched a consultancy specialising in social work and quality assurance, and completed another master's degree at King's College London in economics and international politics. Recognising her privilege, she started a charitable organisation called Mana Aroha, helping young Māori and Pasifika move to London for work and exposure. 'I've always had that inspiration to give back to the community,' she says. 'I felt very blessed to have the opportunity to work and travel somewhere I didn't experience the racism we face here as Māori.' A decade abroad gave her a new lens on what makes a world-class city. 'I came back and felt our transport system was way behind, our infrastructure was way behind. Auckland's a beautiful city – but there's so much more we could be doing.' In chambers, Leoni keeps a relatively low profile compared to councillors like Maurice Williamson and Alf Filipaina, who go at it like old foes. Leoni sits two seats from Mayor Brown, next to deputy mayor Desley Simpson – a proximity she says limits her ability to challenge him directly. 'It's hard to get into debate with the mayor because I sit so close to him.' Before announcing her mayoral run last October, she approached Brown to let him know, as a courtesy. 'We have mutual respect, but I don't need his permission.' She says that mutual respect is partly due to their shared connections in the north. She also admires his no-nonsense approach to setting boundaries. 'What I've learned from Wayne is that it's OK to say no to media if your energy's low – as long as you're doing the job. He turned down over 180 interviews early on, and no one questioned it because he's an older white male. It showed me you can set boundaries, delegate, and still lead effectively.' While it's not quite accurate that no one questioned Brown's reluctance to engage with the media, it's true that his standoffishness with the press doesn't seem to have dented his credibility or popularity. Leoni's ward, Whau, covers the central-western suburbs of Blockhouse Bay, New Windsor, Avondale, Green Bay and Kelston, and that's likely where a majority of her support lies. But she knows that to win, she'll need to reach all corners of the supercity – especially into the north and east, where the voter base is older. 'The highest number of voters are 60 years and over, so you've got to have the right policies that resonate with them.' Those policies include bringing council contracting and services in-house to reduce waste, improving city safety – especially on public transport – and continuing efforts to reintegrate agencies like Auckland Transport. She also supports affordable housing, better transport, sustainability and inclusive, transparent governance, she says. 'I feel central government is doing education and health, and we're pretty much doing everything else,' she tells her fellow councillors during a budget meeting. Returning to Auckland, Leoni says, was always about giving back. 'There were times when I wasn't 100% sure I was going to come back, but I hit that 10-year mark [in London] and I knew it was time.' She came home in late 2015, and had twins Kahu and Atarangi with her ex-husband Damian in 2017. They realised their central city apartment was too small for a growing family and bought a home near relatives in Avondale, where Leoni still lives. 'I went from travelling the world to breastfeeding 20 hours a day,' she laughs. The two now co-parent the twins. A Labour Party member, in 2018 Leoni got an email from the party encouraging members to run for local government. She had governance experience through her iwi, Ngāti Kuri and Ngāti Paoa, and says politics felt like a natural next step. 'With all the skills I'd learned overseas, I wanted to come back and contribute to Auckland.' She was elected to the Waitematā Local Board under the City Vision ticket and served as deputy chair in the first half of the term. There, she met Richard Northey, the board's chair and a former Labour MP. He became a political mentor. In 2020, Leoni stood for parliament as Labour's candidate in Waikato, coming second to National's Tim van de Molen in the safe blue seat. Her party list placing of 66 wasn't quite high enough to get her into parliament, despite the red wave of 2020 returning the party a historic 64 seats, but she hasn't ruled out another bid in the future. 'I'm really open to all options… I'd love to look at central government at some point.' In 2022, Leoni ran for Auckland Council in the Whau ward on the Labour ticket, narrowly beating incumbent Tracy Mulholland by 362 votes. She became the first wāhine Māori elected to the council since the 2010 supercity merger. Now, she says, the next step feels obvious. 'I was a local board member, then a councillor – now it's a natural progression to become mayor.' Leoni isn't leaning on identity politics to get there. 'It's not about being the first Māori woman mayor – it's about whether Aucklanders think I've got the policies and strength to lead.' Since announcing her run, she's built a campaign team of around 100 volunteers, attended public events, visited places of worship, and made inroads with both iwi and unexpected allies, like members of the Sikh community. 'Wayne's a millionaire. I'm not,' she says. 'But I've already costed the basics – hoardings, leaflets – and I'm prepared to cover them myself.' At her peak, Leoni owned five properties across Aotearoa. Now she owns three: in Auckland, Waikato and Kaitāia, where she has whakapapa ties. Regardless of the result, Leoni says she has options – a return to work with Ngāti Paoa or Ngāti Kuri, or perhaps politics in Northland. But what's clear is that she's not backing away from public life.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Reacher: Has the ‘Intensely Physical' Season 4 Storyline Been Revealed? Check Out a Big Clue
Eight months after Prime Video gave Reacher a very early Season 4 renewal, we have a major clue about which of Lee Child's Jack Reacher novels it will adapt. The hit series' Instagram account on Wednesday shared a photo of a 'Season 4' script draped across the seat of a New York City subway train, strongly suggesting that Gone Tomorrow, the 13th of Child's Jack Reacher novels, is next in queue. More from TVLine The Summer I Turned Pretty: Love Blooms (and Taylor Swift Plays) in New Season 3 Trailer Yes, Prime Video Has Added More Ads Lately - Like, a Lot More Casting News: black-ish Star Joins Boston Blue, Carrie TV Series Adds 14 and More Without spoiling much of anything, Gone Tomorrow is set in motion when Reacher witnesses a female Pentagon staffer named Susan shoot herself dead on a NYC subway at 2 am. Some of the characters we can expect to be cast are NYPD homicide detective Theresa Lee; Susan's New Jersey policeman brother, Mark; and North Carolina congressman John Sansom. TVLine has reached out to Prime Video for official storyline confirmation. Alan Ritchson, who headline's TV's Reacher, was spotted in May in the stands at a Cubs game, filming a scene with Maria Sten for the Chicago-based Neagley spinoff. Sten co-starred as Neagley in the first three seasons of Reacher, after which she was tapped to headline her own series. As TVLine's Inside Line column told you, once Neagley's freshman season has wrapped filming, the cameras will get rolling on Reacher Season 4 (since the shows share much of the same crew). Reacher Season 4 was greenlit way back in October, well ahead of the well-reviewed third season's February premiere. Ritchson in a late May shared a photo of him with the Reacher stunt team, saying, 'Season 4 is going to be the most intensely physical season yet. My body is ready.' Filming for Season 4 'is right around the corner,' Ritchson suggested, 'and dare I say… May be the best season yet?' The 20+ Best TV Shows Based on Books View List Based on Child's Jack Reacher novels, Season 1 of the Prime Video series adapted Killing Floor, Child's 1997 debut novel/first Jack Reacher tale, in which the titular man mountain found a Georgia community grappling with its first homicide in 20 years — which got pinned on the new drifter in town (aka Reacher). Season 2 was based on Bad Luck and Trouble, the 11th of Child's Jack Reacher novels, and followed the veteran military police investigator as he reunited with members of his old U.S. Army unit in the wake of the brutal murder of one of their own. Season 3 was based on the seventh book in Child's best-selling series, Persuader, in which Reacher went undercover to rescue an informant held by a foe from his past. Want scoop on , or for any other TV show? Shoot an email to InsideLine@ and your question may be answered via Matt's Inside Line! Best of TVLine Young Sheldon Easter Eggs: Every Nod to The Big Bang Theory (and Every Future Reveal) Across 7 Seasons Weirdest TV Crossovers: Always Sunny Meets Abbott, Family Guy vs. Simpsons, Nine-Nine Recruits New Girl and More ER Turns 30: See the Original County General Crew, Then and Now
