Opposition councillors stage protest over stray dog attacks in Kochi
Councillor M G Aristotle symbolically represented a person injured person by a dog bite. "Vaccination against rabies and sterilization measures for dogs are currently stalled. Authorities are taking an apathetic attitude towards the issue even while many are bitten by stray dogs every day," opposition leader Antony Kureethara, who inaugurated the protest, said.
"Ineffective sterilization over the past two years has worsened stray dog menace in every corner of the city," he added. Protesters demanded that corporation authorities take steps to urgently capture dogs for sterilization and administer rabies vaccinations, as operations of dog-catching squads are slow.
"Key areas such as courts, bus terminals, railway stations and general hospital premises are overrun by dogs," Aristotle said.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
&w=3840&q=100)
Business Standard
2 days ago
- Business Standard
Australia to admit 295,000 new international students in 2026; cap up by 9%
Australia will allow up to 295,000 new foreign students to begin courses in 2026, lifting its cap by 9 per cent and shifting focus towards Southeast Asian applicants, the government announced on Monday. Education Minister Jason Clare said the decision would ensure international education grows in a way that 'supports students, universities and the national interest.' 'This is about making sure international education grows in a way that supports students, universities and the national interest,' Clare said in a statement. The current limit of 270,000 was introduced last year to rein in record migration, which had driven up housing costs across the country. Officials now say the tighter controls are working. 'The numbers were growing out of control,' said Julian Hill, assistant minister for international education, in an interview with ABC. 'The government has taken tough decisions over the last 12 months, not always loved by the sector, to get the numbers down and get them to a more sustainable footing.' Australia issued nearly 600,000 student visas in the 2023 financial year, with students from China (about 166,420) and India (about 126,490) making up the largest groups. Public universities will not lose seats Publicly-funded universities are guaranteed not to fall below their 2025 seat allocations. Institutions that are on track to exhaust their current quotas will be allowed to request more seats for 2026. Final allocations will be confirmed by October 2025. Larger universities will also need to prove that both domestic and international students have access to 'safe and secure housing'. They are also being encouraged to recruit more students from Southeast Asia, the Australian government said in a statement. 'It's important for Australia's future soft power that we continue to bring the best and brightest from our neighbours to have a bit of Australia with them for the rest of their life,' Hill said. How private higher education providers will be allocated seats Private universities, pathway colleges, and other CRICOS-registered higher education providers have been given indicative seat numbers for 2026. Some of the notable allocations include: Bond University: 800 places Kaplan Business School: 3,265 places Torrens University: 2,855 places UNSW Global (University of New South Wales pathways): 525 places UTS College (University of Technology Sydney pathways): 515 places Melbourne Institute of Technology: 1,175 places Victorian Institute of Technology (VIT): 1,125 places Australian Institute of Business and Management: 1,165 places Acknowledge Education: 1,565 places Sydney Institute of Higher Education: 225 places Australian Institute of Higher Education: 555 places Excelsia University College: 525 places Changes for small providers and vocational training Smaller private providers will see their minimum allocation increase to 50 places, up from 10 in 2025. Technical and Further Education (TAFEs) offering higher education courses will receive a 5 per cent boost to their 2025 allocation, while other private providers will get a 3 per cent increase or a minimum of 5 additional places, whichever is higher. All allocations will be rounded to the nearest five. Flexibility for dual-sector providers Institutions that operate under multiple Commonwealth Register of Institutions and Courses for Overseas Students (CRICOS) codes or have associated pathway colleges will be allowed to redistribute seats internally. Dual-sector providers, offering both higher education and vocational training, can pool their allocations from both streams. Utilisation monitoring for future allocations The Australian Tertiary Education Commission (ATEC) will track how well institutions utilise their allocated places throughout 2026. This will influence how seats are distributed for 2027.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Time of India
Australia lifts foreign student cap to 295,000 and prioritises Southeast Asia
Representational image Australia will raise its cap on foreign students by 9% to 295,000 next year and prioritise applicants from Southeast Asia, the government said on Monday. Limits on places were announced last year as a way to rein in record migration that had contributed to a surge in housing prices, with 270,000 places made available for 2025. An additional 25,000 places were being granted in 2026 as the policy was successfully bringing down 'out of control' international student numbers, the government said. 'This is about making sure international education grows in a way that supports students, universities and the national interest,' Education Minister Jason Clare said in a statement. Australia granted nearly 600,000 student visas in the 2023 financial year, as international students returned to the country in record numbers following COVID-19. Australia's largest cohorts of students come from China and India. As well as introducing the cap on numbers, the government also more than doubled the visa fee for foreign students in 2024 and pledged to close loopholes in rules that allowed them to continuously extend their stay. The government's measures to curb migration were 'bearing fruit' and allowed for a modest increase in the cap in 2026, International Education Assistant Minister Julian Hill said. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like No annual fees for life UnionBank Credit Card Apply Now Undo 'The numbers were growing out of control,' Hill told national broadcaster ABC. 'The government has taken tough decisions over the last 12 months, not always loved by the sector, to get the numbers down and get them to a more sustainable footing.' Roughly two-thirds of places will be allocated to universities and one-third to the vocational skills training sector. Larger, public universities would need to demonstrate domestic and international students had "access to safe and secure housing" and recruit more students from Southeast Asia to increase their individual allocations, the government said. It was important "for Australia's future soft power that we continue to bring the best and brightest from our (Southeast Asian) neighbours to have a bit of Australia with them for the rest of their life", Hill said. Relations with Southeast Asia have been a focus of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's Labor government as it looks to reduce Australia's economic dependence on China. Universities Australia welcomed the 'sensible' increase in places. 'Universities have called for growth in this critically important sector, and the government has honoured this,' CEO Luke Sheehy said. Australia has one of the highest shares of international students globally. The sector contributed more than A$51 billion ($33.05 billion) to the economy in 2024, the country's top services export. ($1 = 1.5432 Australian dollars)
The Hindu
2 days ago
- The Hindu
The race for the Catholic vote in Kerala
On July 25, when the Chhattisgarh police arrested two nuns from Kerala on charges of forced conversion and trafficking, political parties in the southern State sprang into action. In a rare, united show of urgency, the LDF and the UDF dispatched separate delegations to Chhattisgarh. The BJP is in power in Chhattisgarh; yet its Kerala unit also sent a team, determined not to be outdone. All their efforts paid off as the nuns were finally granted bail by an NIA court. This wasn't the first time that Christian missionaries from Kerala faced legal trouble or vigilante hostility in north India. However, what set this case apart, and gave it sharp political resonance, was that the nuns were Catholic. Their detention triggered anger, coming as it did just months ahead of two elections: one to the local bodies and another to the Assembly. As Kerala's third largest demographic group after Hindus and Muslims, Christians, especially Catholics, have long wielded significant influence in the State — not just in education, healthcare, and charitable initiatives, but also in politics and policymaking. However, in the last few years, the community appeared to drift to the political margins. Attention turned inwards, with growing concerns over issues such as the massive wave of youth migration to the West. The Chhattisgarh episode thrust the Church back into the spotlight even as there remains ambiguity about its political alignment. Historically, the Catholic vote was regarded a pillar of support for the Congress-led UDF, especially in the central Travancore region. But that relationship began to weaken after the fall of the UDF government. The death of Kerala Congress patriarch K.M. Mani and of senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy further deepened the disconnect. The CPI(M)-led LDF was quick to seize the opportunity. By aligning with Kerala Congress (M), a splinter group with Catholic roots, it managed to break into the UDF stronghold in central Travancore. In the last Assembly elections, the LDF not only retained power, but also made significant inroads into Catholic-majority constituencies. The Church, however, did not remain silent. It challenged the LDF government on issues such as agrarian distress and wild animal attacks. Trying to reclaim lost ground, the Congress in May named Sunny Joseph, a Catholic leader with strong ties across the Catholic dioceses of central Travancore and Malabar, as head of the party in Kerala. As the Congress holds just three of the 21 seats in central Travancore, it is hoping that this appointment will lead to its political revival. Meanwhile, the BJP has been slowly cultivating the Catholic vote in Kerala. What began as an unspoken alignment on shared anxieties, such as 'love jihad' and 'narcotic jihad', gradually evolved into a strategic outreach effort. The party began inducting Christian leaders and building quiet channels with sections of the Church. In April 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited the Sacred Heart Cathedral Church in New Delhi and then met with top bishops in Kochi. However, the honeymoon was short-lived. The violence against churches in Manipur severely strained this fledgling alliance. The BJP then attempted course correction by echoing the Church's criticism of pro-Palestinian rhetoric from rival parties and by supporting the Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council's call for greater political engagement from Christians. The Waqf Board land controversy in Munambam also helped the party attract segments of the Catholic clergy and laity. Recognising the growing political stakes, the Church has begun to assert itself more in public affairs. Yet beneath this assertion lies an internal dissonance. While a few clergy members appear willing to engage with the BJP, a large section remains cautious, primarily due to the party's ties with Hindutva groups known for anti-Christian rhetoric. Just as Kerala's political class started to realise that Catholic votes are in play, the Chhattisgarh episode unfolded. For the Catholic Church, the arrests served as a wake-up call about how its clergy and members are perceived, especially in parts of north and central India. The next two election cycles could determine how the Church chooses to position itself politically. For now, every party is on high alert, knowing that this once-reliable bloc is no longer guaranteed, but is very much worth fighting for.
