Latest news with #OSR
The Hindu
12-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
HC directs Madurai Corporation to demolish temple constructed unauthorisedly on OSR land
The Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court has directed Madurai Corporation to demolish a temple constructed unauthorisedly on an Open Space Reservation (OSR) land in Madurai. The court was hearing the petition filed by R. Mayilsamy of Madurai who had sought a direction to the authorities to remove the unauthorised construction under the provisions of Tamil Nadu Town and Country Planning Act. The petitioner complained that a temple was constructed illegally by some residents of an apartment complex on the OSR land in New Vilangudi. A Division Bench of Justices S.M. Subramaniam and A.D. Maria Clete observed that OSR land cannot be allowed to be encroached upon even by the residents of the apartment complex. The OSR lands are to be maintained in the manner contemplated under the Act and the Rules in force. The court observed that it is clear that the temple had been constructed without permission and was unauthorised. The OSR land had been utilised for construction of a temple in violation of the Act and the Rules. The Supreme Court and the High Courts have time and again reiterated that OSR lands cannot be encroached upon by the resident or any other person. It is to be maintained by the authorities in the manner contemplated under the Act and the Rules, the court observed. Since the temple has been constructed unauthorisedly in the OSR land of the apartment complex and in violation of the Rules, the structure has to be demolished and the OSR land is to be maintained scrupulously in accordance with the provisions of the Act and the Rules. The court directed Madurai Corporation to demolish the unauthorised construction and restore the land to its original position as per the approved building plan in four weeks. The matter was posted for reporting compliance on July 2.
Agriland
11-06-2025
- General
- Agriland
‘Strongest set' of oilseed rape pest management strategies released
The further we get into the summer, the warmer temperatures will become, and the higher the risk of pests and diseases among crops. Therefore, farmers need to be diligent in checking for signs of pests and diseases within crops, in order to prevent reductions in quality and yield. With this in mind, the strongest set of cabbage stem flea beetle (CSFB) management strategies to date has been released today (June 11). The strategies, which were compiled by a large consortium of stakeholders passionate about the future of oilseed rape in the UK, will reduce the risks associated with growing this important break crop, especially when combined. To prepare the strategies, the group evaluated the latest evidence, including data generated by AHDB-funded research. AHDB will continually review the management strategies and adapt them in response to new sources of robust evidence arising from research activities. Sacha White, Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) lead crop protection scientist said: 'The amount of oilseed rape grown in the UK in recent years has fallen sharply, partly due to CSFB pressures. 'However, the demand for oilseeds remains strong and the crop provides good market and rotational opportunities. 'These evidence-based management strategies will reduce the risks associated with the pest and stack the odds in the favour of farmers', she added. Pest management strategies The AHDB has outlined the top ten CSFB management strategies as follows: Ditch the date: Do not stick to traditional calendar dates – sow early or late to avoid the peak migration period, which usually occurs during late August to mid-September. Good establishment: Always wait for adequate moisture before sowing, use the best seed, promote good seed-to-soil contact, ensure adequate nutrition and select varieties with appropriate vigour. Keep your distance: Any distance (space and time) between previous and current crops will improve the chance of success. Improve larval tolerance: Fewer, bigger plants will stand up better to larval attack. Make use of muck: Apply organic materials, which can reduce beetle damage and support crop growth. They have also advised carrying out companion cropping and intercropping, which can shield crops from CSFB, and using sacrificial strips of brassica (e.g. turnip) or oilseed rape volunteer trap crops to lure beetles away. The AHDB also called on farmers to stop using pyrethroids as 'resistance is real and the chemical can harm beneficial insects'. The board recommended cultivating OSR stubble soon after harvest to target emerging CSFB and integrating other tactics to suppress the pest. The management strategies were identified as part of the Oilseed Rape Reboot initiative. Led by United Oilseeds, the initiative established an advocacy group to provide a collaborative path to help UK farmers grow stable and profitable OSR crops.
Korea Herald
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Violinist Yang In-mo on freedom found in collaboration
Korean violinist reflects on his evolving artistry ahead of two concerts with Orchestre de la Suisse Romande under Jonathan Nott In his 20s, Korean violinist Yang In-mo made his mark with high-profile wins — from the Paganini Competition in 2015 to the Sibelius Competition in 2022. Back then, most of his time was spent in solitude, immersed in rigorous practice. More recently, however, the 29-year-old's career has entered a new phase of collaboration. Performing with orchestras around the world, he is having one of his busiest seasons yet, having played 16 concertos, including several contemporary premieres. 'In my 20s, most of my time was spent alone, practicing,' Yang said. 'Now, almost every week I collaborate with a different orchestra. That exchange is my greatest teacher now.' 'Building strong relationships with them, exploring more repertoire together, and deepening our musical connection — I think that's the greatest privilege of the career I have now," Yang said. As he prepares to perform the Sibelius and Mendelssohn violin concertos with the Orchestre de la Suisse Romande in Korea in July, Yang reflects on a season of transformation — not just in repertoire, but in mindset. 'This was only the second time I have played with the OSR, but it felt like reconnecting with old friends. Some orchestras are distant, but OSR was open and warm. It allowed me to be completely free,' he said during a recent online interview. Yang joined the OSR on stage in Switzerland on May 8 for Sibelius' Violin Concerto. Reflecting on the performance afterward, the conductor remarked, 'Inmo is, of course, an exceptionally talented violinist but more importantly, he's a truly great musician. We were both smiling as the concerto came to a close.' That sense of freedom has become central to Yang's current musical philosophy. Having performed Sibelius' Violin Concerto nearly 20 times since winning the 2022 Sibelius Competition, his approach to the work has matured through both repetition and cultural immersion. 'Working with Finnish orchestras and musicians has changed how I view the piece,' Yang said. 'In Finland, I realized drama doesn't only come from human emotion. Nature has its own intensity. Silence, stillness, sudden shifts — these are part of the Finnish sensibility and Sibelius reflects that.' Instead of focusing solely on rhythmic clarity, as many conductors do with Sibelius' complex phrasing, OSR conductor Jonathan Nott encouraged Yang to shape long, lyrical lines. 'It was the first time I felt a conductor guide Sibelius horizontally rather than vertically,' Yang notes. 'At one point, he even sang the phrase to show me his vision. That's rare.' "He's a very musical, lyrical and horizontal conductor, someone who communicates his intentions clearly to the orchestra members, and he's also someone who truly respects and supports the soloist," he said. Yang's evolving relationship with music is not limited to Sibelius. For the upcoming July performance in Korea, he is also returning to Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto — a piece he last performed as a child. While often labeled as 'nice' or familiar, Yang is determined to explore its deeper, even radical layers. 'Mendelssohn's music can sound overly polite if you play it safe. But there's fire and risk beneath the surface, especially in the final movement. His tempo markings are absurdly fast," the Berlin-based violinist said, adding, "While living in Germany, I've come to see the works of German composers with fresh eyes, and in the case of Mendelssohn, beneath all the refinement, I sense something adventurous simmering underneath. I thought maybe it was time to try interpreting that in my own way, especially while performing in Korea.' For all his international engagements, Korea remains the most emotionally charged stage for him. 'I owe everything to my Korean fans,' he said. 'There was no one person who pulled me up — it was the support of people who believed in me after the competitions. When I play in Korea, I feel a responsibility to show them my best self.' Orchestre de la Suisse Romande, under the baton of Jonathan Nott, will present two distinct programs on July 5 and 6 at Lotte Concert Hall in Seoul. On July 5, the orchestra will perform Debussy's "Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune" (Prelude to the Afternoon of a Faun) and Stravinsky's "Petrushka," with Yang joining as the soloist for Sibelius' Violin Concerto. On July 6, audiences can look forward to the Asian premiere of William Blank's "Morphosis for 42 instruments" alongside Stravinsky's "The Rite of Spring" and Mendelssohn's Violin Concerto, with Yang once again as soloist. Ticket prices range from 50,000 won ($36.80) to 270,000 won. Meanwhile, OSR will embark on its Asia tour on July 3 in Beijing at the National Center for the Performing Arts before coming to Seoul. It will then head to Japan from July 8 to 13, touring five cities including Tokyo and Kyoto. gypark@
Time of India
06-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Hyderabad-based skincare firm OSR hit by Rs 12.7 crore Google Ads cyber fraud
Old School Rituals (OSR), a Hyderabad-based natural skincare and haircare company, has become the victim of a major cyber fraud involving an unauthorised Google Ads expenditure of Rs 12.7 crore. An unidentified offender reportedly gained access to the company's Google Ads account and placed thousands of ads for US-based companies over a 48-hour period. The fraud came to light when ENSO Business Consulting, OSR's digital marketing agency, discovered an unusual advertising campaign that ran on May 17 and 18. The campaign generated more than 2.1 million clicks but resulted in zero conversions, raising immediate red flags. ENSO promptly informed OSR, and the company's management directed the agency to launch a detailed investigation, according to TOI report. Shashanka Kancharla, director of Old School Inspirations Private Limited, which operates OSR, filed a formal complaint with the Telangana Cyber Security Bureau (TGCSB) headquarters on Wednesday. According to the complaint, OSR usually maintains a daily advertising budget of Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000, making the unauthorised spend nearly 850 times the usual amount. "This was neither authorised by us nor aligned with our marketing strategy," Shashanka stated in his complaint. The company operates from Hyderabad's Financial District and primarily sells its products through its official website and select partner platforms. Shashanka and his wife, singer and actress Smita Valluripalli, serve as directors of the company. ENSO Business Consulting, which has managed OSR's digital marketing for the past 10 months, submitted a detailed incident report on May 21. The report indicated that the breach may have occurred due to a compromise of the Google Ads account or an employee's credentials. ENSO also noted that it did not receive the usual ad placement notifications during the two-day window when the fraudulent activity occurred. "Verify if any hacking or compromise of credentials occurred. Facilitate the recovery or reversal of the fraudulent ad spend. Treat this as a case of cyber crime involving account hacking and significant financial loss," Shashanka stated in his complaint. Following the fraud, a Google Ads bill of Rs 12.7 crore was raised against OSR. Thousands of ads linked to US-based businesses had been placed through OSR's ad account by an unknown individual. The company has since informed Google about the incident and suspected hacking. Based on the complaint, TGCSB's headquarters police station registered a case under Section 318(4) (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), and Sections 43, 66, and 66-C of the Information Technology Act. Investigators are currently analysing the technical evidence and have contacted Google for further details that may help identify the accused. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
Yahoo
05-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
So now it's official. The ‘graduate premium' is a myth
Have you ever thought about the main reason why school leavers keep choosing to go to university and higher education (HE) participation rates continue rising? Of course there are many reasons; a chance for young adults to get away from their parents, ease of application and acceptance, it looks more fun than going to work, an interest in the subject… But what is the main driver that underpins society's messaging and ends up channelling 18-year-olds into university rather than the workforce? Well, it's the perception that there is a 'graduate premium'; and put simply, the narrative goes like this – 'Don't worry about the debt, you're going to get paid more to make up for it'. And the HE sector well knows the importance of maintaining the societal belief in the graduate premium to drive up their customer numbers. They are relentless in their efforts, issuing constant public comments, articles and self-commissioned reports, often via sympathetic think-tanks, claiming the limitless powers of HE to deliver a graduate premium to all who enrol. But this positive advertising is starting to contrast starkly with increasing evidence, now in plain sight, of graduates' difficulties getting jobs as well as the low pay on offer of not much above minimum wage. There is a growing realisation that we are burdening too many of our young adults with morale-sapping student debt for their whole working life, with little or no corresponding improvement in their career prospects. There are also concerns that we are building up a dangerous stockpile of student loans that won't be repaid, only for the taxpayer to pick up the tab. Meanwhile, money is flowing freely into the bloated HE sector via unwitting students being used as pawns. The Government has announced a White Paper due out this summer regarding Post-16 Education. So given the importance of the notion of a graduate premium, you would assume that the Government has ensured there is robust informative data to inform policy-making. Well, sadly not. There is only one Government report, the annual Graduate Labour Market Statistics, which attempts to quantify the graduate premium; and my research shows that it is fundamentally flawed. Some will say that the IFS Graduate Lifetime Earnings report from 2020 also 'proves' a graduate premium, but my research argues that it is just as flawed. My findings are already supported by the Royal Statistical Society, and the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) has also found a case in my favour and agreed that there is a problem with graduate premium data. The OSR has intervened and forced the hand of the Department for Education (DfE), who admitted in their release today that their figures are misleading – and to such an extent that even though this has been a mainstay of graduate outcome reporting since 2007, they have decided to cease publication. The DfE have agreed that a report demonstrating the difference between the career pay outcomes of those with equivalent A-level results is necessary, and they intend to produce it as part of their LEO data e.g. comparing school leavers with three Cs who attended university and those that did not. But the inadequacy of the data doesn't stop there. Using mathematical modelling, I've found that since we surpassed 30 per cent HE participation as long as 20 years ago, the marginal graduates added – increasingly being drawn from school leavers with relatively lower prior academic attainment – haven't earnt any graduate premium at all on average. Yet this phenomenon isn't explored in official Government statistics. When graduates do earn a premium, there is still the age-old statistical issue that correlation does not prove causation. For the majority of graduates, the job they end up doing will have no meaningful connection to the degree subject itself. So you must question why the official Government statistics keep churning out data that implies that studying for a degree was the main causation reason for the higher earnings, whereas in fact it is more likely their pre-existing attributes such as academic ability and ambition. Furthermore, when there is a link between the degree subject and the graduate's career, did they genuinely need to study academically for three whole years at great cost to themselves beforehand? Couldn't the course have been far shorter? And to what extent could it have been cheaper and more effective for them to start work at 18 and learn from colleagues, undergoing job-based formal and informal training in order to progress? You can often learn far more in three weeks of doing the job than you can in three years of theoretical study. The existing statistics don't explore this at all and by implication see their main role as demonstrating what degree is better than another. They act on the assumption that for non-manual work, everybody should get a 3-year degree before entering the workplace, rather than whether a degree is necessary at all. Until now, these inadequate statistics have allowed the sector to hijack the official figures and mislead the public and Government regarding the benefits of higher education, claiming that 'everybody' will be able to benefit from the supposed average premium. What is needed is root and branch reform of graduate statistics. I believe it would provide compelling evidence that surpassing around 25-30 per cent HE participation was a monumental mistake, and we certainly should never have let it reach the existing 50 per cent. The vicious spiral of never-ending increasing participation is condemning ever more of our young adults to pay huge amounts for unnecessary degrees. The Government's ideologically driven policies are led by a misguided false notion of 'opportunity for all'; but in the hands of a commercially-driven sector it has become a gross exercise in mass exploitation. The only way for this to end is for the Government to introduce a sensible, pragmatic cap on student numbers, calculated based on useful data – not the misleading data currently being produced. Paul Wiltshire is a parent campaigner against Mass HE and is the author of 'Why is the average Graduate Premium falling' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. 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